London, New York, Paris, Munich – everyone’s talking about Pep’s music. Except of course, they’re not, or at least the UK papers who might, just might, be expected to get behind an English club playing in Europe, aren’t. Are Bayern a good team, a world-class outfit: well yes, but not if they are playing against the Arsenal, partly because The Arsenal are also a very good team who give them a run for their money, but mainly because to praise Bayern extravagantly now would be also to give tacit praise to The Arsenal and the team so carefully assembled and prepared by Arsene Wenger.
So better by far to lambast The Arsenal for lack of imagination, for carelessness in preparation, for profligacy on the injury front. Better to seek out Mesut Ozil and slate him (and by extension Arsene Wenger) for an anonymous performance than make the obvious connection between serious hamstring injury and limping play. Better for the papers to gloat about the German fans’ booing and catcalling of young Mesut, than on the sinister and echoing reminder of previous Holocaustian witch-hunts of Turkish Muslims, the booming “Bayern, Bayern” rolling out across the packed Allianz stands reaching almost Nuremburg proportions, European domination seemingly once more tantalisingly in sight. Better to criticise Arsene for pointing out before the game that the refereeing might be inconsistent and gullible, than to dwell on the cards not given for simulation.
I have just about had enough of the sneering Clive Tyldesley, of the ingratiating Neil Ashton, of the myopic Jim White. Oh how they love it when The Arsenal stumble, and oh how they rejoice in their little England agenda. Almost, but not quite, because like a toxic sponge they soak up any disappointment I might feel, and allow me to vent anger at them rather than dwell on the shortcomings of my team. Because they are my team, and whilst in the privacy of my own mind (and shamefully occasionally out loud in front of the TV) I might conclude that x is the worst player ever after misplacing a pass or snatching a shot, woe betide anyone else who dares to voice such a view.
And I know that despite the sense of loss that accompanies any reverse, that this is a good team, that these are fine players, that this is a great club. Over two legs we came close – very close – to upsetting a fine Bayern Munich team. We are going to Wembley this year, and might hopefully go twice. We have a Premier League run-in to savour, and this weekend a trip to our neighbours to endure and enjoy.
Tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And then one fine morning—
So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.
Thank to @foreverheady for today’s article. PA was intended as a forum for us all, and its a great help when someone steps up to the plate.
Positively Arsenal 
Pellegrini pussied out. At least Wenger has the balls to play Walcott against Barça. But I bet the English media will completely ignore the fact that James Fucking Milner got the start over Navas because “DEFENSIVE COVER”. What a waste of half a billion pounds.
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So true Gainsbourg, cannot wait to see how these morons report City’s exit…..two exits in a few days as well, and one to a Championship side.
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“I always felt that Szczesny is a goal keeper with incredible reflexes and capable of pulling off ridiculous saves, while Fabianski was a very technical and intelligent goal keeper. Tough choice for Wenger to make.”
Unfortunately for Lukas an untimely injury helped Arsene to make the choice. It’s a great shame not to be able to keep them both happy. Sadly our loss will be some other team’s gain. Hopefully he at least leaves AFC with an FA cup winners medal.
Disappointed that we’ve gone out again. One day we will play one of these teams with all our best players available and on form and without being handicapped by referee intervention.
Great article Foreverheady, but I’d rather not waste my time reading their bile. BM were the ‘best team since football was invented’ until Arsenal drew with them in their own back yard and suddenly the goal posts have not just shifted – they’ve moved to a new ball park. Their agenda is so transparent it’s not even funny anymore.
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From the home/first game.
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If you lot havent seen Chelsea Handler make Piers Morgan look like an absolute muppet on his own show yet you should probably check that out. What an absolute dick that man is
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Fins, there is no doubt what Arsene thinks of Arjen Robben!
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Aptly put. Well said, indeed.
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writing about a stable club with good business sense and the foresight to be able to move into a brand new stadium and still be able to compete at the top level, produce youngsters through an academy system and to not finish lower than their local rivals for 18 years is not good press. We are everything they hate, we prove them wrong and we are ARSENAL.
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WE ARE THE ARSENAL!
Things moving along just fine.
Considering those out and those coming back soon
The Universe seems well aligned for us
Much progress has been made
Definitely more to come
As the weeks progress
Can’t wait to see Kim K, Vassiriki & a fresh Rambo (back) in action
11 PL games to go
2 FA cup games to go
2 trophies batting their eyelashes @ a genius coach & his great team.
With all that on show, who the h*LL has time for media hacks?
Fuck them…
Up the ARSE!
CARMON RASERS!
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CORR: As the weeks proceed
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dont get these hamstring pulls our players get…..
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H13
Check the first 30 seconds of the BM match. In slowmo if you can.
Meanwhile, I hope this is made up:
http://www.london24.com/sport/arsenal/bendtner_faces_arsenal_rap_after_cabbie_s_claims_of_drunken_row_1_3428949
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“Ohhhhhh Santi Carzola”
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Oh yes, Fins.
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Options behind the Striker for the derby game:
If Carzola needs the rest:
Podolski-Rosicky-Chamberlain
If Chambo needs the rest:
Podolski-Rosicky-Carzola
If Plodders ousts Rosicky for the start (Boooooooooooooo!):
Podolski-Carzola-Chamberlain
If Rosicky ousts Plodders (unlikely after that wunderbolt past Neur)
Carzola-Rosicky-Chamberlain
Possibly more options if any of the AMs or Flankers/Forwards are asked to play in CM.
It’s going to be hard without Ozil, he is quite good, and yes, they will be kicking and fouls not called and that fraud Mike Dean (who makes former infamous Umpire Shakoor Rana look like a chilled out Buddha in those youtube videos of him and Gatting) and hopefully no more injuries, but I’m still looking forward to the above players playing.
If the LBs are not ready, no complaints if TV5 plays, what a performance that was from him on another return without much match time. He also played well in similar circumstances in January. I think he’s nearly back to his best,. Hopefully the Belgium manager saw Vermaelan deal with Lukaku and play well against Bayern, not to mention the pant pulling tumbles of Vertonghen, and puts Tommy in his starting eleven for the Summer (he really should) which will hopefully convince the Verminator to stay!
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dean? oh shit ……
i wonder when will ivan grow a fkn pair and start having his way on f.a and ref associations..
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Theo is out for the season.
Jack – maybe 5 more weeks, but thugs will target his foot straight away.
Ozil – 4 weeks sounds optimistic, but could be fresh for out last few games.
Ramsey – Another week, and I’m happy to see him miss the NLR if he was doubtful.
Sanogo, Nacho, Gibbs, KK should all be back by the weekend.
Kos didn’t look fully fit at Munich, but should be fully back on Sunday.
Where on earth is Diaby? We badly need him!
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Dein for the spuds,
Clatternburg at the bridge
and Webb for City.
Mark my words.
and they will save Antony Taylor for a special game near the end.
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I’ve been told the new estadio da luz is just like the Emirates, let’s home the local red and white team do the usual to the spuds.
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Come on Benfica!
–
A shame I couldn’t make the u-18 game on Monday, there were some good goals:
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Chuba!
Pace! *drools*
Yeah, ok. The finish was also impressive.
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Following on my suggestion from yesterday about the Ian wright programme here is a clip that features young Ian meeting his old PE teacher.
Do they put up statues for teachers ?
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I actually prefer Verma at LB against the Spuds. In fact, I’d play the same line up that stepped out for the second half in Munich.
Fins, Santi, the Ox and Rosicky are going to get plenty of rest now that our commitments are down to just two trophies. They’ll play a game a week from here to the rest of the season, bar the few games we may have to make up here and there.
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Is it just me or do the young guns in Fins video clips look rather large & powerful?
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The thing that strikes is how bloody predictable was the media narrative after the both Arsenal and City UCL games. Contrary to the results, the media declare: Arsenal outplayed and overrun to the champions of Europe vs Poor, heroic City are gallanrt in defeat. Isn’t that the mark of of a media that has lost all claims to balance and fairness and instead is engaged in biased propogandato shape a certain point of view.
The truth is City adopted a naive and overly risky strategy in the initial stages of the Barca game, adopting the media and pundit-inspired strategy of going all out offensively. They could have easily fallen 2 goals behind in 15 minutes, first with the tackle on Messi that should have been a penalty and, secondly, the wrongly called offside when Neymnar put the ball in the back of the net. Despite their huffing and puffing they never looked like like a winner. But don’t ecpect any objectivity from the media.
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If, just if (and I only say this for the sake of argument) you were fantastically rich, and you had a partial, but not controlling, share in a football club – but were desperate to airbrush a potentially murky past by associating yourself firmly with a recognized blame-free product, and own that club outright, what might you do?
I think I might try purchasing the souls of a few journalists and bloggers.
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Doh,
Game tonight is in the lane. Pity.
it is on ITV, if anyone’s interested.
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Foreverheady.
Nail. On Head.
Anicoll – they should.
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2 nil to the Benfica, la laa la la laa la la
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How much do they pay forever? and where do I apply?
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There must be someone who hasn’t seen this. Ars fan v Spuds fan
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Bolux. 1-2.
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1 – 3, and handbags between the managers.
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3-1 to Benfica but we have to bear in mind that the team from Lisbon are actually a Champions League team.
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Do you have to be an ugly fucker to play for the spuds; seems so.
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George: no chance – they already know you only speak the truth.
One draw and two losses in Europe this week have made me strangely happy.
Sunday will be hard though.
But I’m sure I will gain enough composure not to gloat after the final whistle.
Gnabry, although just a boy, will be the man over the next few weeks.
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Come on, Shotta, they had just left their lungs on the pitch against Wigan. How can you not feel for them, are you made of metal and cement?
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Do you think maybe next year our group might not be the group of death and In the knock out stage we might get an easier draw.??
I don’t think so either.
3 1/2 years in club fed ( club med ) for Ulysses. I wonder how much of the irregularities of his personal finances effected the running of the barverians of Munich fame. We will find out in a year or two. Just like the naymar shit is hitting the fan exactly a year or two after his transfer is done and dusted.
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We have never lost in Germany even against the European Champions. I love this squad.
All the hacks and pundits and Arjen Robben can go fuck themselves
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http://player.arsenal.com/player/4847-press-conference
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AW today..
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Gainsy – Am I “made of metal and cement”? Guess I am out of step in this brave new world where we working stiffs are supposed to feel pity for the poor, downtrodden millionaires who get richer while we get poorer..
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Anyone want to hear some Tim Sherwood jokes?
Let’s not get too cocky until after we play the spuds.
City away at Hull early Kick off tomorrow, I hope their usual ropey away form will combine with a euro exit hangover.
Chavs are at Villa for the 5:30 kick off, and the villains have been improving.
There is hope.
My main worry on Sunday is spuds players like Sandro and Ade will have a licence to kick from Mike Dean, also they will all dive as much as possible around the box, as Ericsson can kick one.
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my main worry is not paying sagna his money. we have got to honour those who have left tonnes of sweat on the arsenal shirt. bendtner has been on 52k per week and sagna on 60 ??????????? the man is asking for 90 its rumoured. pay him please. warrior sagna!!!
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Games against Tottenham have been important and eventful for this rebuilt team after the departures of the F-Word & The Egoist.
The first 5pur2s game was memorable because Dean was the official who celebrated with a little jig of joy after Levy & Lewis’ Laundrette went 0-2 up. A game where Walcott shoved the ‘Shit Aaron Lennon’ chants (echoed on the blogosphere by those Arsenal Experts) up the Arsenal’s of the Tottenham faithfull. Including Chrissy Waddle. A game where Rosicknote kept on going and ‘got his reward’.
Then there was the second 5pur2s game. Ade getting himself sent off. Followed by a defeat which led to Vermaelan and Schezzer getting dropped. The ‘keeper was the luckier of the two and got the chance to reclaim his spot. I’m hoping, for a post WC year when all three of Arsenal’s CBs will have played in that WC, that Tommy sees the wisdom in staying. He’ll get the minutes next season. And he’ll be fresh to impress at the WC in the first place, if the Belgium manager does not get his footballs in a muddle.
Then there was the epic first game at home this season. It won’t get better then that. Ever. The humbling of Levy. Ozil on the way for those who needed to know (the players!) in spite of the avalanche of bullshit in the media and elsewhere that overwhelmed a fair few Arsenal fans. Unfortunately when there is so much negative coverage, it will affect the club. Those who deny that propaganda has an impact, whatever the reasons, need to look again. Possibly they could look up the word propaganda in a dictionary, that could be a good place to start.
It was amazing management from all concerned at The Arsenal. The best end to a transfer window ever. Possibly never to be surpassed. Happy days. The Groaners were not surprsingly incapable of giving credit where it was due.
Then there was the FA Cup game. Walcott again awesome. A glimpse of the finished article *sobs and wails*, although there’s been plenty of evidence over the last few years of his positive and continuous development. And another great goal from Rosicky.
It is time for this team to record their first victory in Middlesex.
Let’s see how Tottenham deal with Chamberlain. I worry Chambo won’t have the legs for the full ninety after the Munchen game, given he is only now probably reaching full fitness levels*, he was rested recently by both Arsene and Roy. We could see his clone (Gnabbers!) come on in a direct swap for Chamberlain for the first time in this game.
*Let’s not tell that massive dutch ego *coughs*, the other one, the injury guru, that both Arsenal and England rested Chamberlain last week. Or that Wilshere, just like Ozil, Fabregas, and everyone else played on when he should of turned to the bench and cried and begged to come off. What kind of fitness guru ignores the record that tells us that players often ignore their fitness guru’s?
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The whole Uli-da bully-Hoeness (of Bayern) incident reeks similar to that of Sandro-shadyboy-Rosell (of Barcelona). Both chairmen of two teams who always need sending offs to beat the Arse end up getting sent off themselves.
Will the dastardly ever learn?
(where art thou Brimingham City? Et tu Phil Brown?)
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remember this farce?
http://www.arsenalreport.com/discussion/the-cesc-fabregas-transfer-saga-timeline-how-barca-got-what-they-wanted/
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Fins
What have holland or Dutch clubs done recently?
Kung-fu’d their way to a WC final.
Fitness gurus can feck off.
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Awaiting wrath of Hunter….
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