Welcome to the GunnersoreArse Blog, being blogged 918.74 kilometers (in a straight line) from the Emirates Stadium.
This article is a continuation from my last post, so perhaps to understand the context, it may be best to read that first here:
I walked on the Emirates pitch 34 years before Wenger. A history of heroes and villains!
In the mid 70’s, Arsenal had declined somewhat from the glory days of the early 70’s. The lowest point being a 17th place position in the league in 1975/76. Most of the double winning team of 1970/71 were moving to other teams and Bertie Mee had been replaced by Terry Neill as manager, Charlie George had gone, Ray Kennedy had gone to Liverpool and made a very successful change from Striker to Midfielder. George Graham had buggered off to Man Utd in 1972 and Frank McClintock had moved across London to Queens Park Rangers…
View original post 1,499 more words
Positively Arsenal 
George, I’m gonna have to start charging you copyright compensation. But for the moment, extra readers on my blog will do. Cheers mate.
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NB . I’m happy not to reblog it. People only see the first paragraph here anyway ,so they HAVE to go to your site to see the rest.
It certainly doesn’t benefit me in any way.
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No No, I meant keep reblogging, it’s good… did you wake up with a sore head this morning, or did the missus refuse a bit of wet chorizo last night?
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If you want views you might want to make the Title short and catchy.Check the Newsnow feed and you will see what I men.
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good morning, havent read anything…
coach george……sami? any latest?
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I’ll consider that George, I’ve looked at newsnow and can see how the titles are short and snappy. But a title gets lost fairly quickly.
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Its looking less likely by the minute Hunter.
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That was a mean-spirited disgusting video from BT!
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I might cancel my BT subscription
If it wasn’t free
I admit it they have me snared
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Fascinating and beautifully written, again. Thanks.
“I had to give some pleasure to Her Majesty”.
I’d never have thought you could study, inside, back in those days. Well done. Very interesting happenings/life.
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Rantetta
Yes it was possible, the main benefit being it got you out of your 8’x6′ for a couple of hours in the evening. 🙂
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This BT advert is insulting but I luv the arsenal fa versation of it
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Congratulation to the mirror on carrying on the fight against arseanal. Last year it Ozil was crap. This year Sanchez is a two timing love rat with pregnant side chick .it didn’t take them long wow 4 days must be record for discrediting a new signing.
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I think your posts are one of the best I’ve read on this wonderful site. Right up there with Steww’s work. Thanks for posting these 2 posts George!
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If i’m allowed, I want to go back a bit as I haven’t been able to comment until now, but wanted to take the time say PA has had some really excellent posts over the past few weeks. I especially loved the Aaron Ramsey one as I am a huge fan.
Also loved the last post as it sums up what I’ve been thinking. The club and management are doing a fantastic job and I am very glad they are getting a bit of recognition. The Puma deal as it stands today is the biggest in English history and I think it’s the 2nd biggest after Real’s Addidas £31m sponsorship. Not only that the shirts look great and when we win the prem & CL there are bonuses I believe. It’s true we lagged commercially before, but we’ve making up for it now.
I’ve read through all the great comments yesterday and I have to say
@ Rantetta – had a chuckle at the Song vid. Also I totally agree with your other comments too.
This summer I said we needed a CB, GK, RB and a forward. Sanchez is the forward ticked off the shopping list, David Ospina looks like the GK in real contention as Ruddy is over priced. RB’s supposedly sorted which leaves a CB.
Arteta has to stay for his on and off the pitch leadership and professionalism. His new deal will take this into consideration, though he does need to recognise he’s not a nailed on starter in some of the big games anymore. He should be made captain IMO.
I thought TV would be a makeweight in the Sanchez deal, but Barca needed the hard cash.
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@ Northbank – I love an Arsenal history lesson and this was a good one. The writing is so good your transport to that era. Bravo
Are these posts extracts from a forthcoming book?
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Hunter:
“On the luiz matter though i dont know/understand why you insist. youre like the journos who claim wenger doesnt know how to coach defence when it was individual errors causing most of goals.”
So I’m wrong for pointing out individual errors? Look at yesterday, for example. Every CB is taught from the age of nine that they never put headed clearance in the middle. You put it out for a corner or you play it out to the side if it’s absolutely necessary. And what does David Luiz do? He puts it on a platter inside the box for the opposition to have a clear chance at goal. My gripe with David Luiz is that he commits too many of these stupid mistakes to be considered a top defender worth £50m. Ditto for Mats Hummels. Like David Luiz, he believes so much in his physical prowess that he gets caught doing simple shit which ends up costing his team at vital points in a game. I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve seen Hummels get caught in possession or stay fast asleep while his man scores.
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“I have busted the myth that luiz was at fault for the german rout. have busted the myth about who is at a better level with a simple look at each player’s achievements, career paths and a success. can further bust the myth with their individual player attributes, technical, physical and mental as well as stats. i dont even have to use the values argument and give ytou a footing to claim about crazy markets.until djourou comes and wins the champions league for us or be a key member in us winning big titles you aint got a foot to stand on.”
Torres scored the goal that sent his team to the CL final and he was instrumental in them winning the CL as well. He also won the Euros and the world cup. But if you ask anyone about Torres they’ll tell you he’s shit.
We can’t use team honors to judge players, Hunter, otherwise Christian Karembeu becomes better than Dennis Bergkamp, Ruud Gullit, Marco Van Basten and a whole host of incredible players who didn’t win the world cup or the Champions League.
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“i understand you may not like luiz or hummels but they are a level or two above your swiss boy and i can prove it while you have nothing. case closed. suggest if you want to look at donkeys you look in the mirror. you might be mad with football like your madrd friend but as george pointed that frankly means f.a…..”
Are they a level or two above the likes of Djourou and Ron Vlaar, though, or are they just hyped to death by simpletons like you? And how have you proven anything? All you say is they won this and that, case closed. This is the football equivalent of “nananananana I am not listening.” Get out of here with that nonsense. The problem with you and a lot of Arsenal fans is that they’re too quick to crap on their own in favor of some over-hyped piece of crap like David Luiz, Mats Hummels, Roberto Soldado, Paulinho, Yann M’Villa and the list goes on and on and on and on.
Face it, Djourou, when surrounded with a quality midfield, looks like Beckenbauer next to donkeys like Mats Hummels and David Luiz.
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Goona gal
Not really, just something that I’ve been wanting to down on paper for quite some time. My blog has allowed me to do that. Maybe now, a book is taking form in my head. Shite, I nearly put a smiley in there George. lol
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Ta, Gooner Gal,
And I was wondering about a book too NB. A sort of Fever Pitch alternative, though not as something to oppose that book, but simply an account of your times relating to Arsenal. I’ve heard and read loads of stuff about Frank Mc C over the years, but always in dribs and drabs. Your piece seems to clear my mind on how “whoary” he may or may not have been. You could place smileys throughout your book (if you’d prefer non publication?
Again, interesting stuff.
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A lovely slice of 70’s history down on the manor, NB. Glad to see you have changed your ways and have become a model citizen.
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Wonderful writing, fantastic story-telling NB. Like ships in the night, we could have passed, you and I. A long story, not for here. HM British government spent a few years wondering where I disappeared after brief arrest back from Dublin in ’76. I was African, illegal, had by then entered London’s vast underclass, new name and identity, villains, survival, South London, then North London, looked after randomly, Irish builders, my big Yugoslav minder, good and decent Londoners (the poor of London were always more generous), lots of Africans, (but only few Jamaicans, too dangerous, they were always getting arrested!), many of us illegal, some on the run, (in my circles) political, washed into this city called London from desperate struggles around the globe, we took our chances. London was a place to hide, get on with what we needed to do, in some cases secretly. And then home, 1980. I was Arsenal. We all were, I always thought!
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Interesting that Rantetta suggests a counter pose to Fever Pitch as I referenced it in comparison over on NB’s site. Whether a book or a series of great blog posts, I am thoroughly enjoying these accounts that weave your autobiography, the underworld of Islington and Arsenal together into a colorful tapestry.
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Good on you NB69. Such an authentic 1st hand account of the old Arsenal. I did note in your 1st post the “colour” given to Islington by my Jamaican compatriots.We know from the tales filtering back home that many had a similar fate as you in her majesty’s prisons. Not many it seemed had as happy an ending as you did. I am happy that you had the opportunity to share with us, via George.
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Let’s face it, Denilson was a better midfielder than any of the dross Scolari picked for Brazil.
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Really really good fucking read NB! You’re talking about a time and a place where my dad frequented. But he passed away when I was just a nipper so thanks for giving me such an awesome and beautifully woven flavour of the times!
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It is a constant source if pride that Arsenal and the local area had been a very open and welcoming place for so many new Londoners: West Indian, Irish, African, Southern & Eastern European etc. it was great to see them playing for the club too.
Not quite the same at Chelsea & Co.
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Brilliant addendum by ZP and Shotta too. Thanks!
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Right Leo – enough of this loitering with intent
Get stuck in
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Great read as always NB!
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Zee Germans 4-1
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If the. Germans do win at all, it’ll be a hard fought win. Argentina too pacy for Germans slow defence.
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Why is Kramer starting over Khedira? Gains might have a point…
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He’s been anonymous so far except for a shoulder to his head.
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Unbelievable back header from Kroos to Higuain but he missed it!! That was Gerrardesque.
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Thanks for all the comments, I can’t reply to all, but thanks. It will continue next Sunday, but it starts going in a different direction.
And as George says now to ze Germans…. 4-1 you thinks George, I’d go with that as long as Ozil gets one of them.
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The only problem I see with tiki taka is if you have pacy forwards then the backline is vulnerable. Probably Argentina win 2-0 in a mourinho style affair. Argentina should really be 2-0 up already
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I agree with you too swing. The Germans just seem wonky today. Some good attacking moves, but very desperate times on the back foot. Argentina have been more assured on the back foot and swifter and more decisive in attack.
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Their finishing hasn’t been clinical though, all said and done. And the Germans are known for having the worst of games yet pulling through owing to their composed and clinical finishing.
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Praise The Lord that the games interesting though. Netherlands vs Argentina was so insipid. I hope the better team wins. No favourites for me tonight. Though I do not like the Germans much.
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So true the finishing in this game hasn’t been at all clinical. I count four genuine chances for Argentina and 2 for Germany, I’m amazed its stiill 0-0
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LaGoonerVida, how can you not like the Germans, with Mesut, Per and Poldi in their squad? Who is there to like in Argentina? Not one player in that squad interests me. Sadly, as much as I want Germany to win, I fear the writing is on the wall after having their team disrupted by 2 key injuries. It kind of reminds me of Arsenal – playing really well then having their momentum disrupted by losing a key player at the wrong time. I hope my feeling is wrong though.
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Muller reminding all Gooners of his snide cheating Bayern alter ego…
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Wow Argentina should really be giving Germany a hiding just from all the chances they have been creating. Can’t believe its still 0-0
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Just a thought, wouldn’t want Hummels at Arsenal. Hope United get him. Very suspect.
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@Passenal- I love our players, but the Germans as a team don’t appeal to me. Take my opinion on them with a pinch of salt though, I’m a French supporter! 😉
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And Müller does not help my feelings towards the Germans. Bloody diver.
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Is anyone noticing how Messi just doesn’t like tracking back? I don’t get it, because Schürrle is rampaging down that flank. The Brazillians made the same mistake.
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Germany playing much better now, It seems Arggentina might rue their missed chances
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Messi track back lol
Let’s be clear here in the past six games young Leo has strolled lurked and loitered
He does not track back
No doubt Mourihno would flog him for his lack of effort
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My apologies anicoll, the games are very late here. I’m half asleep during most of them.
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