How Do You Solve a Problem Like Theo? (2024)

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1. Jason B

   Mar 29, 2015, 18:39 #69400

   Walcott is injury-prone,like Wiltshire and a little overrated to say the least. They both need to be moved on.

2. Exeter Gunner

   Mar 26, 2015, 18:05 #69328

   Good to know, Mag, but when your opponent ends up driving up a blind alley, the Capris can stay in the garage.

3. maguiresbridge gooner

   Mar 26, 2015, 13:32 #69313

   Exter, well done you handled yourself very well last night your well ard, no essay's or gobbledegook needed or anything else, I know some of us were reminiscing, and others wondering what top gear would be like with a past it football manager presenting it dressed in a sleeping bag wearing a helmet, and what wally would look like in a ford escort (no doubt that's what he'd be driving if he couldn't run fast on a football pitch) and giroud in a saddle (even though we already know) but rest assured you weren't on your own like others find themselves, we were ready to jump into our capri's and come screeching in like bodie and doyle at cowley's request.

4. jjetplane

   Mar 26, 2015, 11:50 #69306

   They do seem to be better away from Arsene Clarkson Wenger. Who he who first and was it because of cold boiled chicken. not too mad on cold broccoli either. Raw - forget it. Does Wenger now get suspended for hitting lovely Theo? Now if that was Shawcross .... spent many hours drinking with Millwall, Chelsea, Carlisle and Newcastle lads. Used to live up them ways. Lovely times ...

5. Westlower

   Mar 26, 2015, 8:52 #69295

   Gooners & ex Gooners showing up prominently in yesterdays International matches. Take a bow Lord Bendtner for your hat-trick againstUSA. Ozil involved in the move for Podolski\'s goal & wearing the captains armband during the 2nd half against Australia. Chuba Akpom scoring for the England U-20\'S.

6. Hiccup

   Mar 26, 2015, 7:06 #69291

   I think you're fretting too much jj. If Smalling falls through, that leaves the way open for international Jonny Evans, who has more caps than Smalling. I hear he has fallen out of favour with Van Gaal. Apparently, he didn't actually spit at that Newcastle player. He'd been chewing tobacco at half time, and was spitting the remnants of this out. He'll be more at home with this habit at arsenal. Some good news today. According to Lee Dixon, Jack is now on e cigarettes, although Scezney remains on 20 a day.

7. John F

   Mar 26, 2015, 0:34 #69289

   Wally has had a bust up with Wenger on the training ground according to Nigel Winterburn so that's him gone.I thought Chelsea were quite bad in the late seventies/ eighties.My best mate was a Chelsea fan and he persuaded me to go to Derby away with him.It remains the worst crowd trouble I have ever seen.Chelsea got into their end and when Derby scored in the last few minutes all hell broke loose.Out side was just a nightmare.I used to travel away quite a lot in the eighties.Always trouble at Ipswich,Leicester,coventry as we used to take a large following.We did not take too many up to Newcastle who were quite bad in those days especially after throwing the petrol bomb at the West ham fans.West Ham at home was by far the worst in those days especially outside.I did witness Arsenal fans get on the pitch from one of the stands at Upton park once which was the only time I saw trouble there.Petrol bombs,Darts,Stanley knives, congratulations you have just met the ICF cards, what a state the game was in.

8. jjetplane

   Mar 26, 2015, 0:07 #69288

   See that JAMERsON loves a bit of hoofball and Manchester and the latest is Smalling is off to the Spuds! Could not make that up! The Metro could/should .... Shawcross does not get the credit he so truly deserves - class, but he's off to Utd and Chelsea are to sign Bendtner to link up with Fabregas and ...... where is this all coming from. Help me HICCUP!

9. Exeter Gunner

   Mar 25, 2015, 22:58 #69287

   So Chris, you concede you got it wrong, but you 'reckon' it's what I think anyway so stand by it. That's pretty weak. It's pointless enough batting back and forth interpretations of each others' words, but if you're doing it on based on things that haven't actually been said, then it becomes totally futile.

10. Badarse

    Mar 25, 2015, 22:44 #69286

    Thanks for the story 24601. My potted history is that I was potted throughout my history. Am a fairly good man with mental arithmetic, 6x18s are 108. See how fast I did that? Love numbers. Have certain dislikes of individuals who are influential in what I consider as poor examples-pleased that odious chauvinist Clarkson has taken a tumble. Always railing against the system, like admission that secret files were kept on politicians in the 90's, disgrace! Liked squash, fast reflexes so game suited me, still play every game of footie I watch. I actually moved my foot to get to a ball on TV the other day, Mrs B clocked it and shot off to get my tablets, ha ha. Pod equalised for Germany. Oh, by the way Jeff Wright isn't on a continental holiday. He was spotted in Bognor yesterday, with the 'grey socks and sandals' group. He was peering through the window of the town's model railway shop, repeating, 'Fat Controller' to himself.

11. goonercolesyboy

    Mar 25, 2015, 22:29 #69284

    I remember having my scarf stolen by three sp**s supporters outside Highbury and as a young lad didn't quite get what had just happened. Hated them from then on. The Lane is a cesspit of neanderthals waiting for a fight or so they think. All they do is posture and pretend to jump the police line, sheers numbers helps them out with their bravado. The police do a much better job nowadays so unless you ar.evlooking for a fight you can get out ok. I was at the Lane when we beat them on that Monday night with a friend as my Dad was outside trying to get in and he did so at the last minute when the police opened a few more turnstiles. Ended up on the pitch after and dug up the piece of turf that I thought Kennedy had jumped from to score the winning header. Just after Gilzean almost got on the end of a cross that if he had scored would have given the title to Leeds. A wonderful night and then Charlie George ended the week perfectly witht that now famous goal and celebration, maybe one of the first of its type, laying out on his back with arms aloft....what a glorious week of football heaven. Aston Villa is one of the worst places to get out from, their fans are idiots and not a policeman in sight, haven't been back since that,when we drew 2-2 about 6 years ago and they equalised right at the end.Just back from a day out in Huntes Gardens and Speightstown, lunch and a swim in the sea...awesome place, a holiday home needed here for sure. A Gooners retreat away from the madness of calling for the manager's head on every post on here. Onwards and upwards.

12. maguiresbridge gooner

    Mar 25, 2015, 22:25 #69283

    jj, i'd have thought OGL would be more at home as the stig as he likes to stay still and say nothing with his arms folded, all he needs is a helmet.

13. Ron

    Mar 25, 2015, 22:19 #69282

    Baddie - no mate. All i had on my face in 1970/1 was acne. I could have done with a good beard and tache to cover it! Never bothered growing one till i saw what Tom Selleck was doing to the girls!! Early 80s was that? Face hair wasnt cool mate with the suede head and martens. To be honest much of that image was awful really but peer pressure and all that back then ruled didnt it. It certainly did with all the North Bank stuff at that time. A lot of the real hooligans and purveyors of violence were actually rich kids and older ones by the turn of the 70s into the 80s. The fighting was an escape for them. It was cast a working class thing but i was far far more complex than that.

14. Hiccup

    Mar 25, 2015, 21:46 #69281

    jj, one mouth watering combination at the back there. Mertesacker should be offloaded after that complimentary outburst in Monaco. We need a team of players that hate losing and not just interested in picking up their pay. If we don't get Smalling again, instead of saying we nearly signed him, wenger can say we nearly, nearly signed a top, top defender.

15. Ron

    Mar 25, 2015, 21:31 #69280

    Good stuff Westie - oddly enough you mention fishing, im off on to the Wye at the week end with a couple of mates. They ll be brandishing the rods. Ill mess about with the rods a bit in between canoeing. Beautiful.

16. Chris

    Mar 25, 2015, 21:18 #69279

    Exeter - You're right, I did misread that, but that was 'confirmation bias' on my part because everything you do gives the impression that's what you think. So I don't withdraw anything - I would have written the same without that. Anyway, nothing personal, so there's no need for what comes across as venom in your posts on occasion, is there?

17. Westlower

    Mar 25, 2015, 21:12 #69278

    @Ron, Just missed the teddy boy era by approx 1/2 years. The older boys at school morphed into teds. The mod movement arrived just after I started work. Exciting times with music, clothes (Harry Fenton's of course), football (retired at 20), darts (retired at 18 after winning 3 trophies, area finals of NEWS OF THE WORLD)), fishing (school champ), cars (1952 Morris Minor 850cc, no heater) & multiple girls (I used to attract them like flies to a turd) - so much to do, so little time. By the time I turned 20 I thought I'd done everything a make could do. Arsenal were due to play the Sours on my 21st b-day but was called off because of fog. The only time I've known a game called off at Highbury because of fog. @Hiccup, Wenger has always liked Smalling. Tried to sign him when at Fulham.

18. jjetplane

    Mar 25, 2015, 21:09 #69277

    HICCuP JaMERsOn ain't gonna like this new Arsenal led by Shawcross and Smalling (SS) though Giroud as the token French bloke will love all the hoofing the ball everywhere while Wally the whippet chases it down. Then we will have Arsene wearing a Tony Pulis baseball cap and fighting with opposition players at every throw in against us. That just leaves AKB Central to get the new spin in early. WESTIE loves Smalling's work rate and if we had Carrick too and moved the WOK to Manchester. Can't wait. Bendy has scored a hatrick for Denmark which leads me to Sanogo via Olly ..... You could not make it up. Arsenal were/are PANTS!

19. Badarse

    Mar 25, 2015, 21:03 #69276

    Chris, of course you post what you believe, that is crystal clear to anyone, and explained with such clarity. I admire that in people, even if I disagree with their take on things. Well done Gooner, you must tell us your story sometime, it would be nice if most did, Arsenal-related of course. Hiccup, one funny man. I thought you had gone all Long John Silver on us with the ' 'Arrgh, Wlll Smalling be the man, sure enough, pieces of eight!' Ron in the Telegraph colour supplement in 1970, or 1971 they did a big piece on AFC-over three pages I think. There was a superb shot taken at the Lane with Gilzean jumping to flick on a header, with others jumping too. Fabulous action pic taken from the other end of the ground so an excellent lens on the camera. In amongst the fans was a much younger Badarse. I was wearing an orange 'grandad' top, nicely set off with a Scott Mckenzie moustache...were you old enough to grow one of those then? Ha ha. Good memories fella. Two posts today where I have mentioned being at tha Lane, I must go and say three Hail Caesar's and cross myself twice...which is one more than Theo has managed since his return from injury.

20. Exeter Gunner

    Mar 25, 2015, 20:58 #69275

    This is what you do, isn't it Badarse: "I've called Exeter 'poisoned' and he won't just meekly accept it, what's his problem, why is he having a go at poor innocent, chilled out me?" Maybe the one day the penny will drop: "Blimey, I bring this on myself" though I doubt it. Chris, thank you for validating my belief in your agenda by obsessing detailing the entire thing once again. And I said others accuse me of being invalid and nonsensical, not that their views are. So your argument against me there is predicated on a misunderstanding. What a waste of words.

21. Ron

    Mar 25, 2015, 20:25 #69273

    Westie - re posts earlier about away days and rucks at Wolves - it was November 1971 when Wolves thumped us. 5 - 1. Thought it was more mid 70s but just checked it. Lee Jeans, Doc Martens and braces over the grandpop shirts,bought from Army Navy stores ruled then - remember them or were you still bemoaning the death of teddy boys by then and sticking by yr winkle boots, drainpipes and boot lace tie?. I bet you and Baddie looked like show waddy show waddy on match days as kids!!I wonder if my Mother ever had an inkling of what was going on? She liked Charlton Ath bless her.

22. Hiccup

    Mar 25, 2015, 20:17 #69272

    Will Smalling be one of those couple of players that we need to challenge? However, I'm hoping these rumours of Smalling are just that, and are a strategic decoy as we move in for Shawcross this summer. Just like Redknapp was going to be the England manager and then along popped Roy. Either way, it's win win, as we get our English quota up ahead of any new rulings. Just like FFP, it's best to get there years ahead of the deadline and then reap the rewards.

23. Chris

    Mar 25, 2015, 19:51 #69271

    Badarse - You would think that, because we agree most of the time! But it's still nice of you to say so - and a nice counterpoint to the Ron / EG love-in. And if I appear 'joined up' to you it's because I'm saying what I think and believe, even if some don't like to believe that!

24. jjetplane

    Mar 25, 2015, 19:43 #69270

    Howabout Top Top Top Gear with Wally (beard, sportscars), Ozil (shopping for cars), Ramsay (beard, sportscars) and Olly (quiff/mane, saddle, sportscars) and Jeremy Wenger in blue blazer and levis in sportscar on beach drive. Got to be an improvement on the football club effort .... I am really trying to get behind the team ....

25. Chris

    Mar 25, 2015, 19:30 #69269

    Exeter - Thank you for providing such a rich vein for reply, you are a true gent. If you entirely correct that my agenda (or part of it) was blatantly exposed when I questioned - correctly as it turned out - what appeared to be Kevin signing off his match report with an irrelevant snipe about Chelsea's wage bill. There is so much subjective nonsense spoken that to me, it's important to object when someone uses false facts to back up their emotionally charged opinion. As it turned out, that was actually a quote that hadn't been properly marked as such, so Kevin is 'in the clear' but it subsequently became apparent that the guy who was quoted hadn't actually got an earthly whether his statement was true. "I'm pretty sure that's the case as from the beginning of the season" is what he said, yet looking at the additions and removals from each clubs wage bills that will have taken place from this season, nothing of the sort is clear. I seriously doubt that he is correct. If folk are so cavalier with the facts, how can they expect to form properly balanced opinions? This particular fact is important because of the well-known limitation that wages spending has on on-field performance (not absolute - there are exceptions - but in general). Another example - Giroud. His stats are better than Costa's this season, on a pro rata basis. And his goals are against better opposition. This doesn't prove anything because Costa is in his first year in the PL and at Chelsea and may still be adapting, but it's food for thought that so many dismiss. Moving on to straw men - unconditional support of the incumbent manager would be just that wouldn't it? I.e., it would be not conditional on whether you felt his predecessor had been fairly dismissed, right? It's not hard to see where the man is coming from, is it, if you want to? Moving on to self-assurance - getting so obviously worked up that your tongue runs away with you when someone suggests you lack it IS a big give-away, no matter how you try to argue your way out of it... If you were truly self-assured, you would see that whilst your own merits and views may hold some weight, they don't encapsulate the whole picture. So no matter how much you squeal about people's views being 'invalid nonsense', I think deep down you know they aren't and that's why someone like me taking folk up on factual inaccuracies is so uncomfortable for you. You want to be seen as totally correct, your views totally right, approximating absolute truth in fact, so opposing views must be quashed either through twisted logic, discrediting the person making the argument (several examples of this very thread of you doing just that to me, Westlower and Badarse - what do we all have in common I wonder?) or any other means. They can't be tolerated - because they threaten you and your agenda. And I'm not the first to notice it, either.

26. Badarse

    Mar 25, 2015, 19:26 #69268

    Whoa E/G, almost fighting talk chum. Just what do you think I might be doing whilst you are trying to bumble me? I might not like being bumbled. I think you have a problem in that you endeavour to force a confrontation. The question why is a puzzle, but there you are. We have crossed swords in the past due to you failing to accept another's contrasting viewpoint. I don't care whether you want a change of manager or not, I am not going to join your witch hunt. That is it. He shall remain until he steps down, either at the end of his contract, or before. In that time he shall have my support-that's what I am, a supporter. The new guy will then wear the crown, he will also receive my support-I hope I admire and respect him as much as I do Arsene Wenger. Now why I feel this way is not at all interesting to others, is it? You just want a piece of anyone you perceive as an enemy. Do you see a pattern developing with yourself and others opposing you? I ask because you trade off the 'majority' thing, as in, 'Others say the same Badarse.',as if that sort of vindicates and strengthens your position-it doesn't, and that thinking is archaic and a little cowardly. It is amusing that three are disagreeing with you at the same time, because it means today the shoe is on the other foot, but note there is no vilification or aggression in the posts. Chill out buddy, try rereading Hiccup's post-and I defy you not to crack up as I just did.

27. Exeter Gunner

    Mar 25, 2015, 19:06 #69267

    Just to clarify for you for future reference, Badarse, I'm not remotely concerned with how you 'feel' about anything. But if you call me 'poisoned' or what I say 'nonsense' then I will be bundling you into the net along with the ball.

28. Westlower

    Mar 25, 2015, 19:03 #69266

    @Exeter, I cannot change the manager whether I love or hate him, so I don't allow myself to get worked up over something out of my control. If the manager of my club is having a bad time my instinct is to support him, not ridicule him. Football logic may suggest he needs replacing, again that decision is down to others, I am not involved in the decision making. People better placed will do that. We just have differing philosophy's how a football club should be run. I believe the team suffers if the supporters turn on the manager and that is the main reason I don't cross that line. Reading Chris's thoughts I believe we share the same view. We all want our club to do well but some supporters are more sympathetic to the manager than others. It's become fashionable to demand the managers head during a perceived crisis. It's a gamble every time a club changes manager. It's vital AFC appoint the right guy next time around. Obviously Wenger is nearing the end of his term and I'll continue to support him through good times & bad. Arsenal are slowly evolving into a massive club & I believe they are still moving forward. Patience & perspective are key.

29. Badarse

    Mar 25, 2015, 18:56 #69265

    jj that was so funny. I am almost crying with laughter. Does he get anything for making the opposition fall about laughing, Mag? The onlinegooner can be a funny place. Just got Robert Exley's book, 'Modern Life is Rubbish'. Shall begin it tomorrow, am intrigued and excited by the prospect...and no E/G, I am not going to tell you why I feel that way.

30. Hiccup

    Mar 25, 2015, 18:51 #69264

    Which Chris is upset with Exeter? Is it the first Chris or the Chris that posted after the first one? Or are both of them upset with Exeter? Bravo Exeter for taking two on at the same time.

31. Exeter Gunner

    Mar 25, 2015, 18:46 #69263

    Further, Chris - it's twisted logic indeed to suggest that inviting refutation shows a lack of self-assurance in one's arguments. The reason I do is again and again I get from the likes of you and others that what I've said is invalid or nonsense. That's why I keep making the point again and again that it isn't enough to simply assert that, you have to show where I've gone wrong, and give a counterargument. It never happens. I will withdraw the 'that's what Arsenal is for you' line, spoken in haste.

32. maguiresbridge gooner

    Mar 25, 2015, 18:42 #69262

    jj, we need someone like the BBC Director General on the the Arsenal board.

33. jjetplane

    Mar 25, 2015, 18:35 #69261

    I blame AMOS ......

34. Exeter Gunner

    Mar 25, 2015, 18:28 #69260

    Let's make it a little easier for them then, Chris. It's under the Monaco first leg match report. Again and again you query the wage bill point. Others asking you again and again why you keep going on about that. So why, I wonder? Because Wenger always finishing in a league position relative to his wage spend is a main pillar of your defence of him. So your agenda supersedes all other concerns, even in the context of one of AFC's worst ever European results. I've never seen someone's agenda so blatantly exposed before. That's what you're about, that's what Arsenal is for you - defending Wenger. Shall I cut and paste the entire exchange in here, just so we can see the full context? On the other point, if you unconditionally support a manager, it follows that you believe he should not be sacked. So while the unconditional support may transfer to the new guy when it does happen, it still follows you think there shouldn't have been a new guy in the first place. There's the flaw, there's the faultline in that stance. You've debunked nothing.

35. Badarse

    Mar 25, 2015, 18:27 #69259

    I'll do for you Chris, are you ready because this is the kiss of death my friend. I think you are amongst the best of posters,(I concur with your views and would have been happy to stand on the North Bank with you), sorry buddy but you just seem so joined up. To the tune of Land of Hope and Glory-'We hate Nottingham Forest, we hate Liverpool too. We hate WHU, but Arsenal we love you!' Funny to sing those old ditties in my mind 24601, I am suddenly transported back. I cannot remember holding a sensible conversation with a Sour, and that admission to wound by dating the last visit to the Lane is a view I have never considered. How interesting! I shall seek out a Sour to say the same. You know what's coming next, I was at the Lane in '71 and that too was my last visit. Still working on that Time Machine so have another date to hit. Yes jj, it was a Monday buddy, 3rd of May, a date important to me for very personal reasons.

36. Chris

    Mar 25, 2015, 18:10 #69258

    Exeter -Quite, and I can't imagine anyone would - hence you attempting to make something out of nothing safe in that knowledge! Given that you take the fact Westlower hasn't responded to what you modestly refer to as your 'deconstruction' of him as his implicit agreement I'm not surprised you feel that nothing you have said has been refuted! The fact you incessantly try to provoke confrontation, challenge others to 'duels', or to 'refute you', or to write their own articles outlining why you are wrong, suggests a need for confirmation that hints at a lack of self-assurance, that much is clear. As I have already pointed out, there's nothing logically inconsistent in fully supporting whatever manager is in place so it can't be written off as emotional blackmail. That's one of yours de-bunked, or hadn't you noticed...?

37. Exeter Gunner

    Mar 25, 2015, 17:23 #69257

    The context of your comments is still there for anyone who could be bothered to go back and have a look, Chris. My arguments stand up, I don't see anyone refuting them. Floating above them and just saying they're no good doesn't actually make them so, you have to get down there and prove it. What was that about raison d'etres again?

38. Westlower

    Mar 25, 2015, 16:47 #69256

    Should any of you young guns want a good read on how life was before all seater stadia, get yourself a copy of Tom Watts book THE END, plenty available on ebay & Amazon. 8O years of life on the terraces as told by fans who were there. My favourite story is in the early days of segregation the Arsenal fans in the North Bank started chanting Manc songs. The police fearing a massive punch up when the Gooners arrived late to reclaim the North Bank, as was the way in those days, quickly rounded up the 'northern' infiltrators & escorted them down to the Clock End where the rest of Mancs were. Of course all hell kicked off when the Gooners got among the enemy courtesy of a police escort. You couldn't make it up as Jeff would say. @Maguires I'm sure Teddy is/was a nice bloke but he always did us damage didn't he. Clever player though, just a shame he played for sh*t clubs.

39. jjetplane

    Mar 25, 2015, 16:24 #69255

    I can remember going to Totts v Chelsea (early 70s) with mates who were fans from both teams - plain weird! '71 100s of us met up at Manor Hse tube for the march down to the Lane. That was undoubtedly the night to beat all nights. Was it a Monday? Before that the Fairs Cup night - both games I ended up on the pitch! Must have been the Newcastle final with the Sheringham song after that game when Paddy injured himself celebrating his goal. Bloody Arsenal! Was there really anyone who could hit a ball as sweetly as Anelka. An unerring shot he had. Even remember when he was happy. I imagine Tony would tell him 'smile kid or I'll slap you one!' Platty, Bouldie and Adams - now that was some goal in the sunshine. Anyway - Clarkson has gone and Arsene is next! lol!

40. maguiresbridge gooner

    Mar 25, 2015, 16:14 #69254

    Ron, westie, forgot to mention I met teddy about four or five seasons ago on one of my excursions into club level when we were playing manure I got him to sign my programme as coincidence would have it it popped up the other day, he was chatting to other gooners and signing away seemed a decent enough bloke obviously different to when he was playing.

41. Ron

    Mar 25, 2015, 15:36 #69253

    Westie - a win v Chelsea eh! Collectors items now, though we did go many years didnt we without losing pre Mourinho. You , me and a few others on here, Baddie too can recall though how Tambling, Bridges and Co used to trounce us when i was a kid yr on yr far worse than Maureens crew have ever done, save for that 6-0 of course!.

    See Also

    Evening Plain Dealer from Cleveland, Ohio

42. Westlower

    Mar 25, 2015, 15:00 #69252

    @Ron I never returned to the Lane after 71 after enduring the hostilities for 10 years but boy didn't we get revenge that night. Whenever a Sours fan ask me when I last visited the Lane, "1971" kills the conversation instantly. It must be etched in the brain of every Lilywhite still walking the earth. A Chelsea mate of mine used to tell me of tales on their away trips. There'd be a whip round on the bus for the first supporter to nut a copper when they reached there destination. He said there was always a sprint away from the coach to find the first copper. Let's hope those days never return. Later in life I took him & his missus to an Arsenal v CFC game. I purposely got 4 seats in the back row of the North Bank at Highbury so I could keep an eye on him and stop him getting into trouble. Wrighty scored both Arsenal goals and we beat them without my mate being ejected, double result. Before the game we had lunch at Planet Hollywood when the place was buzzing. Good time had by all.

43. Chris

    Mar 25, 2015, 14:58 #69251

    Exeter - There you go again mate - and they say irony is dead! If taking things out of context and twisting them to attempt to make a general point to fit your own agenda is your thing - and it clearly is judging from your posts - that's all the more to the detriment of any arguments you might try to make.

44. jjetplane

    Mar 25, 2015, 14:53 #69250

    She's a whor* ore ore/........ They were at the same club together ..... and do they smell/like ****ing hell/over there/over there .... Marcee Marcee Marceee Overmars .... For one more goal ....

45. Ron

    Mar 25, 2015, 14:45 #69249

    Westie - the Wolves hordes used to sign 'Hiyo Silver Lining' deafening - Jeff Becks great song. You could hear them outside the South Bank as the whistle went. Frightening. It was OK if we d won there and we often did unless the Doog and Richards were on fire. They tonked us one yr. 5-0 i think. You just crossed yr chests, thanked yr mates for all the good times and wished them well hoping you d meet again on the Euston Train. If not, ask them to let Mom and Dad know that we loved em! The Police and Dogs were just fearful, though never enough coppers. Like WHL today, a place ill never go to again not having been back since 07.

46. Chris

    Mar 25, 2015, 14:37 #69248

    Ron - The problem with someone like you is that it's all fun and games when you do it, but not when anyone does it back - there's a few words for that... I think you may be a tad out of kilter with yourself, mate!

47. Westlower

    Mar 25, 2015, 14:26 #69247

    @Badarse To think we used to start queuing about 11.30 for a 3.0 kick off. People simply wouldn't do that these days. Sadly, many of them miss the first & last 5 minutes of both halves anyway after paying top dollar. Brady, Brady, born is the king of Highbury; Oh Rocky, Rocky, Rocky Rocky Rocastle; Number 6 is Perry Groves, Number 7 is Liam Brady, Number 8 is Perry Groves..we all live in a Perry Groves world; There's only one Pizza Parlour; Arsenal are back, hello; F**k 'em all, we are the Arsenal and we are the best; Arsenal reject, hello; We're in Europe you're not; Let's go f**king mental. @Bard I'm heartbroken I haven't been accepted into your elite group but at least you share the Yanks dislike of an English arse'ole. I think I know the answer to your question 2. Is there a right or wrong answer or just opinion? Anelka was one of the best talents I've ever seen for someone so young when he replaced Wrighty. He was the only player I've ever made a 150 mile journey to watch his debut in the reserves. I'd never seen such skill in a kid before. Getting him for £500,000 was the best deal ever in football history. The bloke who signed him should be locked up for theft.

48. maguiresbridge gooner

    Mar 25, 2015, 14:19 #69246

    westie, and my favourite You'll never beat Dave Seaman, unfortunately hasn't been applicable for our keepers for quite some time now, and steady with the references to Lord it might not go down well.

49. Ron

    Mar 25, 2015, 14:18 #69245

    True enough Westie lad. Wolves used to be bad. They used to leave their North Bank and go to the South Bank and wait. We used to have to fight our way out then and the fights used to run until you reached this ring road thing. It was then a dash to get to the rail St. I used to know all the short cuts, blindfolded from there mate ha!! Stoke too. The retreat to the St from the old Victoria Ground was legendary. CFC were just train smashers weren't they. West Ham - bad lads. Always in the North Bank with concealed scarves. Man Utd used to get in at 1.00 pm when few Gooners were in. Arses kicked and out by half 2!! Leeds was a trial though. Nutters. Good old Teddy. Good player though he was mate.

50. maguiresbridge gooner

    Mar 25, 2015, 14:01 #69244

    Ron, dead right not a tear you wouldn't even give it/them a second thought (and the same goes for managers) I can remember the time we used to be fretting about losing a player (the PV rumors that surfaced every season) if the likes of wright was injured or out, TA was out, Dickson, Seaman, PV, TH, etc, etc, and were genuinely sad to see them go, retire, or whatever, I know men who had tears in their eyes when TA was jailed, would we care in the same way as any of the above with any of this shower? would we f*ck.

51. Badarse

    Mar 25, 2015, 13:58 #69243

    Or motorised mobility scooters for us 24601. Running around the Lane singing, 'Catch us if you can', Dave Clark 5 were Sours, weren't they? When Newcastle played us with MacDonald as their CF, 15,000 in the North Bank singing as one, 'Old MacDonald had a w**k, ee-aye-ee--aye-o!' Am still smiling after all these years. 'Charlie, Charlie, born is the king of Highbury!'

52. Westlower

    Mar 25, 2015, 13:44 #69242

    @Ron On one occasion when we were playing our European games at Wembley I've never heard the Teddy song, sung with such gusto along Wembley Way. It was if the whole of London joined in. We liked Teddy didn't we? Some of the songs I mentioned give a flavour to how violent crowd behavour was in the 60/70/80's. You needed balls of steel to attend some games, WHam, CFC, Sours, Mancs & Leeds. The Scousers were fine as were the Geordies back then but less so in recent times. I've been chased around WHL more times than I care to remember in my youth. There were no dividing barriers back in the 60's. There needs to be a lot of thought put in before all standing terraces are reintroduced. You need a speedy pair of legs when it all kicks off.

53. Badarse

    Mar 25, 2015, 13:36 #69241

    Psst! Mag! They're not looking, shall we scram? I'm fed up with standing in the corner, and I'm sorry you misbehaved. Is that OK? Alright, I'm sorry I was naughty too. Let's scarper now-head for the tuck shop. Messi-ah! In my best Lee Marvin voice, to tune of, 'A Wandering Star', 'I was born, under the North Bank Stand.' Memories.

54. Ron

    Mar 25, 2015, 13:19 #69240

    Westie - Ooh Teddy Teddy, you went to Man Utd and you won f--k all ( 3-2 win v Utd 1997 at Highbury and pre 1999 song). Ooh Teddy Teddy, you went to Man Utd and youre still a c--t. (Post 1999 variation)

55. maguiresbridge gooner

    Mar 25, 2015, 12:58 #69239

    Jamerson, office worker? fraid not, but good sense of humour.

56. Westlower

    Mar 25, 2015, 12:53 #69238

    As we don't have a game this weekend maybe we should brush up on some classic Arsenal songs before we revisit Wembley:Clock End, Clock End, give us a wave; Clock End, Clock End do your job; Can you hear the West Stand sing?; Arsenal North Bank, Hello, Hello; You'll never take the North Bank; Geordie, Geordie Armstrong on the wing; Your just a greedy c**t, Stapleton, Stapleton; Sammy, Sammy Nelson drops his knickers; Let's all do the Merson; Ian Wright my Lord, oh Lord Ian Wright; Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough; You're going home in a London Ambulance; You're gonna get your f**king head kicked in; What did she wear? We're the famous Arsenal & we're going to Wembley; Georgie Graham's magic, he weras a magic hat; There's only one KeOwn, KEOWN; Gimme an A, WHAT YOU GOT?

57. Ron

    Mar 25, 2015, 12:46 #69237

    DJ - i personally whouldnt shed a tear over whoever we sold mate. Really wouldn't. I think they're products of their own 'football' generation to be a bit more specific. I reckon a lot of our normal youngsters are realistic about money and stuff and most try and work hard. These footballers are just corrupted by what the game's become. Easy money in shed loads, play well or not, win lose or draw. Its quite distasteful isnt it. These kids rule the Managers and Coaches! Ive said before i look to the day when the TV get peed of with it and pull the plug leaving it all in the s***e.

58. maguiresbridge gooner

    Mar 25, 2015, 12:36 #69236

    Nick, good post, you'll do

59. Charlie George Orwell

    Mar 25, 2015, 12:36 #69235

    How do you solve a problem like Theo? What about changing the design of the flags behind the goal? Instead of the Disney cannon, what about one flag saying ‘Pass!’ and the other saying ‘Shoot!’ Then all he needs to do is look up every second or two and make sure his Usain Bolt boots are tied up. We don’t need to worry about fitting the flag waving boys with any two-way radio comms, as any 8 year old would know instinctively what flag to raise. I’m gonna copyright that one.

60. jjetplane

    Mar 25, 2015, 12:35 #69234

    Looks like Smalling is on his way to the Wok. Manchester ALERt! Calling AKB! Routers on fire!

61. DJ

    Mar 25, 2015, 12:31 #69233

    Ron: That is why it so much harder to warm to today’s players. Whether it Oliver or Mesut and their late night shenanigans or Theo in his own little bubble they hardly endear themselves to your everyday working class supporter. I know they are a product of their generation but even so…………

62. Ron

    Mar 25, 2015, 12:22 #69232

    Goonercolesboy - Yes, you are right mate. These clubs would be more or less content to play in empty stadia now, im sure of it. Its good news regarding this home grown stuff that Dykes talking about isnt it. AFC with a good few London boys and 4/5 other Brits would be great and Midlands Clubs with a few East and West Midlanders etc etc and so on. It will take an age though as you rightly say. Its been allowed to get out of control. The thing is the culture of clubs has to change to suit the new rules if they put them in. Fans have got to accept that home grown players need time to hit the ground running. Sherwood made the point the other day that Levy was badgering him to sell Harry Kane last January 2014 and buy a ready made striker.The rules could be a good leveller and allow football to at lest try and restore some sanity maybe?

63. goonercolesyboy

    Mar 25, 2015, 12:12 #69231

    Ron, it has gone way past the fans paying or not paying. The tv money etc is the big dosh. Nothing will change the upward wage spiral, apart from a lack of success, which might suit some on here after all. This home grown ruling will have an effect if only gradually, so clubs better get their academies up to speed and find the best coaches for their age groups. Onwards and upwards.

64. Ron

    Mar 25, 2015, 12:06 #69230

    DJ - was a good article in one of the on line papers about agent/player/club dealings in context of Sterling. Sound s a mirror of what Walcott did to screw his 100k a week deal. Sterling wants 150 apparently! Apparently they're 'worth it'? Ha Ha. Im sorry Wally, but yr worth about 10k per yr fella. What will it take to make fans sit up and just stop going, stop paying for it? Beggars belief.

65. Bard

    Mar 25, 2015, 11:57 #69229

    Westie your application for membership brought tears to my eyes. You are right of course. Its lonely and tiring being right all the time and Helen says I need to get out more. Your CV is impressive, especially that glowing recommendation from your American boss. However I cannot be swayed by sentiment and CVs, the club has strict rules and unwavering principles even in the face of the truth. We are having an induction meeting in April as I mentioned. You will have to answer the following questions. Is Giroud a top striker or a top top top striker? Is Sanogo the new Anelka?. We also have a guest speaker. Kim Kallstrom will be talking about a case of mistaken identity, how the Boss thought he had signed a Nigerian wonderkind. See you there.

66. jjetplane

    Mar 25, 2015, 11:30 #69228

    He's got most of the Becksie type bull down to a T but never found out how to cross a ball like him. Strange really but under Wenger probably not so. Crossing balls was never for Arsene except when he is against the wall with the likes of Hull, Newcastle, QPR, Palace and er Monaco. Remember them? Still - horses for courses and Olly is getting his sugar.

67. DJ

    Mar 25, 2015, 11:11 #69227

    The trouble with Theo is because he was a ‘wonder kid’ he has been surrounded by sycophants, some call them agents, who have constantly told him how great he is. Therefore he has greater sense of self-worth than is possibly healthy because of the added premium his being English. His agents fuel this by becoming very difficult to negotiate with their exorbitant wage demands. I would only keep him if he agreed a certain wage and was willing to fight for his place in the team as a wide man in a front three.

68. jjetplane

    Mar 25, 2015, 10:50 #69226

    RON you bleedin hooligan! You would make some market trader though I hazard you run a multi million contract for the good of the English people and as for planes young JAMErsON of High Barnsbury - me old man was a tunnel miner and as WESTIE has told you - been looking for a proper job all my life ... ha ha! Never had a row at footer in my life but knew many who had. Outside was another matter - not much choice in those days .... Or these it appears. Anyway, day off so I am off taking pictures of coastlines with a bag of cheese and apples. Ever since I decided to open a word pad on Mankee mentions, have not heard one except for the one WESTIE just slipped in. BARD if you need a reference just say the word. Twas the North Bank for me after the schoolboys and then east stand - only went to to the clock end when we used to bunk in for combination matches - that was a little while ago .... Had a few games in the West too so have a picture of WESTIE who looks like a bloke I knew who was Millwall/Tottenham - scarey! ps we thought of trips to the Arsenal as fashion shows for skins and mods ... Later for soulboys when we were pure **** which seemed to have been quite a lot. Always found it as interesting off the pitch as on it. Never left a game early, never got in late and who can for forget those STEPS on the north bank.

69. Ron

    Mar 25, 2015, 10:17 #69225

    Ha Jamie - you mad sod. Id love the tranquility of a market store mate. North Bank pal. Only occasional Clock end visit and even rarer upper East. Rarely in fact. Ooh for the days ( yes, and the the odd ruck too esp away at Leeds, though them there Coventry boys could always ruck back in the day, though nothing serious!!)

70. Ron

    Mar 25, 2015, 10:05 #69224

    Oh dear Chris. Bad night then? Football s really not that vital. Find yself a good woman and have a ball mate! Westie loves it. Yr a tad out of kilter with the exchanges with Westie. Its all in the nuances.

71. Exeter Gunner

    Mar 25, 2015, 10:02 #69223

    Nice of others to be so concerned on his behalf, but Westlower himself didn't seem overly bothered. "it's just playful handbags, each teasing the other" seems an apt response to me. Chris, I think we know what your 'raison d'etre' is - we saw it in the aftermath of the Monaco first leg, when your great concern was the contention that AFC's wage bill may be bigger than CFC's. Never mind what had just happened in the biggest match of the season so far, it was one of the mainstays of your pro-Wenger argument being under threat that worried you. We could see what you're all about on here right there. Badarse, I saw your comment and mg's response at the bottom of the last article before they were removed. I think it's pretty rich of you to talk of anyone being 'poisoned' after that. Absolutely shameful stuff. And I don't see you (or anyone else) actually refuting anything that Ron or I said. If you have no actual points to contribute to a debate, and given your experience yesterday, perhaps it would be better to stick to the 'sketches' inspired by a post-wartime boyhood spent listening to the Goons on the wireless?

72. Westlower

    Mar 25, 2015, 8:45 #69222

    Dear Bard, I wish to apply for membership of your elite group of Gooners, namely IKFEAA. Although I concede you are all knowing, I maybe of some help relieving you of your demanding duties to enable you to take the occasional day off. My qualifications are impeccable: 1. I'm very old which gives me the benefit of knowing everything about Arsenal since black & white TV's were introduced into British households. Off course it's indisputable that the wise elders of the Gooner tribe have superior knowledge to the younger Guns. 2. My first American boss described me as archetypal English. I took him along to Highbury for a Man U game, apologies for letting that name slip out but I may have caught the disease by watching too much SKY TV). He was impressed by the hostilities between the Dirty Northen B**tards & the Gooners. He changed his view of English culture after that shocking experience. 3. My last American boss described me as the biggest arse'ole he'd ever met. Some reckoned he was a good judge of character although I dispute that to this day. 4. The elite group would be stronger & better balanced for knowing the views of a committed AKB at first hand. 5. Thanks to you I now understand what defines a Top, Top striker. I was blind but now I see. Please Mr Bard give my application your utmost consideration as I would consider it a great honour to join your elite band of WOB's, sorry, I almost mentioned WOB's but I think I got away with it. Regards Your humble obedient AKB, Westie.

73. Chris

    Mar 25, 2015, 8:39 #69221

    Ron - What Exeter does is to abuse logic. He twists it to try to find an 'in' to wind up e.g. poor old Westlower. It hardly follows that support of any incumbent manager should mean you want the re-instatement of historical managers. By definition, as soon as they are removed they are no longer the incumbent, and support rolls on to the next. The fact that you and Exeter pillory him so much for his stance suggests it's him who makes people feel a bit uncomfortable, hence you deriding him as a 'wannabee uber-fan'. I actually think the only ones who anyone feels they are 'better' fans than are the ones who want the team to lose. Because they aren't fans at all, in my opinion, they are saddos who need to get over themselves and try to find something resembling a life.

74. Paulo75

    Mar 25, 2015, 8:37 #69220

    Never quite developed into the player to justify all the hype. And certainly not value for his current circa £100k a week wages. The Ox is a more complete player with similar level of pace so should always start ahead of Theo in my opinion. Sell him to the highest bidder in the summer and offload Podolski, Sanogo, Campbell and Flamini in the process.

75. maguiresbridge gooner

    Mar 24, 2015, 23:19 #69219

    I see Lord wenger was in Tel Aviv today on one of his scouting trips, even taking a bit of time out to perform one of his miracles sorry illusions for his fans at a shopping centre where he hung from a wall with one hand thirty feet up for five hours, no wonder he's seen as a messiah. Although I don't know why he used the name Hezi Dean. Check it out on yahoo or utube.

76. Nick

    Mar 24, 2015, 22:55 #69218

    Thank you for the welcome folks, mg I'm not sitting on any fences as it would indeed play havoc with my farmers, I keep saying I'm not an ARSENE, fan I'm an ARSENAL supporter, some on here would do well to appreciate the difference, I do have issues with his tactics ,substitutions, and the style we play nowadays, for instance in Europe we try to play a slow ,premeditated game instead of the high tempo of most pl games which in the past has served English clubs well in European competitions, it patently doesn't work with the staff we have at present so why not change it ? His early days were his salad days, I believe its time he went, but as he wont leave or change I feel I must simply support the team as ive always done, and hope he gives me and all of us reason to doubt our position , all I want all I've ever wanted is for the ARSENAL to WIN ! Mind you if he stays and we see more humiliations like the 2-8 at manure or the 0-6 at the Bridge and i shuffle off this mortal coil without seeing us return to the place we belong ( in my opinion) then rest assured ill come back and bloody HAUNT the bugger !!!

77. maguiresbridge gooner

    Mar 24, 2015, 22:50 #69217

    jj, and in a couple of years time if we're unfortunate to have TOF still here, and dybala becomes class we'll hear how wenger could have signed him.

78. Arseneknewbest

    Mar 24, 2015, 22:28 #69216

    Hiccup - reviving that old canard about Shawcross raised a chuckle. Nice one. Reminded me too of how pleasing it was to flush the potters down one of their loos a few months back. Arguably one of the games of the year (along with our two wins in Munsterchester of course).

79. maguiresbridge gooner

    Mar 24, 2015, 22:23 #69215

    Nick, yes indeed welcome to the mad house but your going to find it very hard on your haemorrhoids sitting on the fence here, where the majority are wob's and the rest AKB's with Lord wenger as their messiah and don't like him disrespected in anyway.

80. jjetplane

    Mar 24, 2015, 22:23 #69214

    Quite admire old EG's persistent explorations re the er Nuances. BARD BADDIE might want to join you - he must be a jog from Faversham? Anyone heard from WESTIE - probably up in his hotel room with a view of the saloon's doors. This new wunderkid Dybala appears to be one of those herrings Arsene likes to throw to .... the Metro. Apparently he is off to Juve though 'he really loves Arsenal and the manager has done such great things like ....' connection played out .....

81. Badarse

    Mar 24, 2015, 22:13 #69213

    Bard you seem confused. You listen to Today, and that is the present, but yesterday, as in 'yesterday's newspapers are only good to wrap fish and chips', has no gift and has passed. Tomorrow Never Knows, any Beatle fan understands that, and remember today will be yesterday, tomorrow. So what is top, top, top? First we must discover the true value of top, which is easier said than done. if you are Top Cat, does it make you top dog? If it's just Tippy Tappy, is it also fair to assume it morphs into Tippy Tappy Toppy? Can we top that, or do we want to, is it just a spinning top, and for there to be a top we have to locate the bottom. Then again if it's a very hairy bottom we had best leave that to Ron.

82. Ron

    Mar 24, 2015, 22:04 #69212

    Ha ha Baddie. Funny stuff. EG = Nat Lofthouse then? Bobby Smith? Bobby Gould perhaps? Room on here for all comers mate, even the rumbustious ones as Bard s just said. Well , we re here for a start. Hardly delicate shrinking violets mate. Alligator skins a vital necessity on here!

83. Badarse

    Mar 24, 2015, 21:52 #69211

    Ron, you are correct about westlower, he is the 'Brett Maverick' of the Onlinegooner, (as the good looking one I am the 'Beau Maverick' of the site), and he never holds a 'dead man's' hand...at least not too tightly. As for E/G, once he sees the white of the goalposts it's in, so is the keeper, his twin striker and the ref if he is too close, they all finish in the net, though I think he hits the bar often, usually after every game. It would account for his slavish desire to crash, bang, wallop his route to goal-that shandy can be lethal.

84. Bard

    Mar 24, 2015, 21:44 #69210

    Welcome Nick to the madhouse. if you want paralysis read Arseblog, if you want debate and humour you're welcome here. If you think we are in some way disruptive then go to Le Grove to read some serious grief. The divisions are somewhat arbitrary I am classed as a wob but in reality i belong to a very elite group called IKFEAA( I know f****** everything about Arsenal). Its an elite group Nick Im the only member so far but I hope to recruit members in the future. we have a meeting coming up in April at the co*ck and Balls in Faversham where we will debate the issue 'Is Giroud a top striker or a top top top striker'. You are welcome to join us.

85. Ron

    Mar 24, 2015, 21:31 #69209

    Hi Baddie lad. I knew youd smell a 60s rekindling! EG ? No. Hes a good poster. speaks his mind and has a merciless logic and hes consistent. Hes just uncomfortable for those who dont see it his way. Once he sees the whites of the goal posts, its in! Many avoid him when hes in lethal mode ive noticed. Anyway, tormenting Westie is always good sport and Westie is a hell of a remorseless AKB platoon leader who always carries his gun low and his holster strung tightly, with that little derringer of his craftliy tucked in his sock!

86. Badarse

    Mar 24, 2015, 21:05 #69208

    Bit longer than you expected, but you called it correctly Ron, as here I am. Now what was all that nonsense in exchanges between you and E/G? E/G is poisoned and you just happily jump in the cesspit and splash around with him, that's OK , but blowing bubbles beneath the surface, really! There is one Arsenal. Time and circ*mstances change, this mighty club evolves, it was, is, and always will be a product of the time, this Arsenal is a perfect fit for the zeitgeist we are living through. Some aspects perhaps tainted, others enhanced. Joe Baker was my second hero, Jack Kelsey the first. I flirted with Derek Tapscott but then Joe arrived. Rocker hairstyle, sideburns, collar up, mean and moody gunslinger's look, a hero for the taking. Not quite a James Dean, but Hollywood material all the same with flicked headers, flicks over prostrate keepers, shots from inside or outside the box, and skills on the ball. He was such a player, and with Geoff Strong and George Eastham together they formed the perfect triumverate. They were my Arsenal, but guess what? Olly, Mesut and Aaron are my Arsenal too. How lucky am I to be able to lay claim to a statement like that?

87. jjetplane

    Mar 24, 2015, 20:55 #69207

    Hmmm HiCCUP Giroud and Shawcross in the same team/hotel together. That's a lot of nagging. WESTIE used to work in the HF opposite Big Ben no less .... & the DANDY store on Shaftesbury Ave. Just after we won the double. Been unemployed since! ha ha! Very nice posts from NICK and glad to see someone like yourself still enjoying the team's efforts. Like you said - a change of management would not hurt. Just wish he had gone to RM or whoever wanted him a decade ago. Reckon we would have cracked that CL with a bit of the old spirit or a younger, more energetic coach. It's only a football forum and it's great to see RON back with a bang post-Newcastle. Thought you were turning towards AKB towers for a mo! ha ha! About that Ryan Shawcross .... Just get me crombie - I'm out of here .... Nice to have you back WESTIE and have you noticed it's all them WOBs who are keeping a eye out for Man Utd (the mentionables) press which may go into overload if your old sparring partner LVG finished above Good King Arsene .... God forbid.

88. goonercolesyboy

    Mar 24, 2015, 20:53 #69206

    So muguiresbridge, you don't think Arsene Wenger can coach?

89. Ron

    Mar 24, 2015, 20:48 #69205

    MG - i believe that for Walcott to salvage something from his career, much depends on himself and his coaches whoever they may be. He must stop fooling himself that hes an out and out striker firstly. Hes torn i think. deep down he knows he lacks the instinct of the body strength.All these yrs of trying with moderate success must tell him that. Yet, still the image of a strikers glory rules him. Strikers are powerful, selfish single minded and cdt care a hoot about team mates in better positions in the main. They relish a war even in todays light touch game, relish dishing it out and relish even more making a mug of the marker. Walcott carries none of these attributes. Hes a nice boy and i dont mean that cruelly, he just is. From a nice background and a nice family and with a nice Wife. All great stuff to have, but it makes not a PL striker. His coaches need to be honest with the guy. Tell him they dont see him as regular starter, tell him hes Mark Overmars in the making and teach him to play like that and keep at it and at it and at it till it works. Rote learning.Like playing the guitar! Get Mark Overmars over here if thats what it takes. The coaches need to stop pandering to his daft whims and tell him how it is. Lastly, they need to slow him down. Pace on its own is useless for a winger if the ball isnt in unison. Slow him down and concentrate on his touch. Teach him how to accept a pass, teach him how to drop his shoulder, teach him when to go outside and inside a player. Teach him how to read a full back and what other full backs like to do. Like a guitar, you cant play fast until you can play slow. Teach him to use the pace he has sparingly. Teach him that its not needed every time he receives the ball. Hes not on show. Teach him that he doesnt have to dazzle the crowd every time he receives. Teach him how to cross and cross and cross and cross and dont stop till he can do it every time. Once theyve decided to be honest with him and lay ouit the plan, ask him if hes up for it. If he s lukewarm ask past top wingers to speak to him and persuade him. If he stays anti, sell him and sell him quick. Its time the enigma was put to bed. 9 years of nothing much bar the odd cameo isnt good enough.

90. maguiresbridge gooner

    Mar 24, 2015, 20:21 #69204

    scy101, good shout, you could bet on that scenario with the dough been banked, and as I said earlier or maybe he ends up with a manager who knows how to coach and who can get the best out of him or at least a lot more.

91. scy101

    Mar 24, 2015, 20:07 #69203

    My major worry about letting him go is not bcos I rate him that highly, but rather because from experience, I know we'll either not replace him or we'll find an inferior replacement. If the Club(essentially Arsene) will show some ambition by going for a better winger to replace Theo, I'm all for it. But I really doubt it, if he's sold,the money will be counted as earnings with no replacement. Wenger will tell us that Sanogo,Sanchez, Welbeck and Ox can all play in that position, so no need to buy. I'll rather we have him than have the money sitting idly in one account.

92. Chris

    Mar 24, 2015, 19:45 #69202

    Exeter - You're too obvious with your **** stirring, mate (which increasingly seems to be your only raison d'etre on this site). If you were a little less overt, you might get the odd nibble....

93. Ron

    Mar 24, 2015, 19:42 #69201

    Westie - you Crafty conniving old sod. Cannily drawing my claws just when ive got you cornered by mentioning King Joe. A manoevre worthy of yr spin hero Arsene indeed mate ha ha. The best striker we ve had that ive known in my time. They keep their Terry Henry. What a forward and what a forward line. Baddie ll be here soon once hets a whiff of this nostalgia. Odds on. ill give it half an hour. Hail JB. R.I.P The one and only.

94. Nick

    Mar 24, 2015, 19:23 #69199

    Westflower, in my opinion Joe Baker was one of THE best strikers ive ever seen and would no doubt flourish in any era I was guttted when we sold him , the season you speak of was an up and down one but boy was it exciting, if not for our porous defence we could have won the league, Exeter gooner I'm afraid I take ALL things Arsenal seriously always have always will , would I like a change of manager ? Yes I would I think Wenger time is past, but whatever id like is immaterial as he won't be leaving anytime soon , that said we should ALL get behind the team and do what supporters do BLOODY WELL SUPPORT THE TEAM !!!

95. Exeter Gunner

    Mar 24, 2015, 19:14 #69198

    Westlower - since you announced your sabbatical I reckon you've posted more than anyone else. Was it just a ploy to throw us WOBs off the scent? Here were me and Ron thinking we could just quietly deconstruct you. Though as you haven't objected to any of those points it's better still to have your implicit agreement.

96. maguiresbridge gooner

    Mar 24, 2015, 19:12 #69197

    Ron, they certainly do mate, and they deserve their messiah too, unfortunately there's those who don't.

97. Hiccup

    Mar 24, 2015, 19:12 #69196

    Not sure how a Theo article has been hijacked once again by Giroud's striker status? Need to stick to the agenda. With the prospect of the FA's proposals to increase the number of home grown players, it may be worth taking a punt on Ryan Shawcross? Don't think this has been covered before? Get that top 4 cemented next week with a win against the scousers, and I reckon we could tempt him with the offer of CL football.

98. Westlower

    Mar 24, 2015, 18:41 #69195

    Well said Nick. That came straight from the heart of a true Arsenal man. Don't be too alarmed by the rocks thrown at each other on this site as it's just playful handbags, each teasing the other. There's a number of us who go back to the Billy Wright days. How do you think Billy's best forward line of MacLeod, Strong, Baker, Eastham, Armstrong would fare today? In season 63/64 Strong & Baker scored 26 league goals each, + a further 5 goals each in Cup competitions. I fancy they'd give Cahill & JT something to think about. Arsenal scored 90 goals that season but let in 82, please stand up Ian Ure, John Snedden, Terry Neill & Laurie Brown. @JJ I'm impressed you worked for Harry Fenton as I thought you were unemployable. Bought some of my mod gear from his shop in P'boro during the Billy Wright era.

99. Exeter Gunner

    Mar 24, 2015, 18:37 #69194

    Nick - it's more important to see the fruition of personal agendas. You're taking all this way, way too seriously.

100. John A

     Mar 24, 2015, 18:22 #69193

     I think the selling of Theo to Liverpool and Jack to Citeh is on the cards. It might show that the club has turned a corner if we buy better quality than these 2 committed but unreliable players. They have both had many opportunities to impress but Jack's ankles can't cope with his playing style and Theo as Waddle said just hasn't got a football brain to be exceptional. Having said that it would be sad to see them go.

101. Nick

     Mar 24, 2015, 18:05 #69192

     Exeter Gunner, I'm not disappointed, nor would I want to be friends with ANYONE who cant take a comment for what it is without resorting to sarcasm, I stood on the terraces at Highbury from when I was big enough to see, back in days of Billy Wright, and have been a staunch supporter ever since I still go although not as much as id like due to my health but I do not live in an ivory tower, I also pay my membership each season without fail , this site is comprised of a very closed clique of either so called AMGs or AKBs or whatever other daft acronym is currently in fashion ,who either pillory or ignore those not in their little clubs. I stated a simple FACT about Giroud on games played this term he IS the best striker pro rata, so why not cut the fella some slack ? I also said I was not enamoured of the tika taka style we play under Wenger, I also do not like his penchant for being reactive with subs instead of pro active, it doesn't seem to matter whether a player is a virtual passenger by playing so badly Wenger almost always sticks to his script, but as we ARE in an FA Cup semi final and lying third in the table with a good chance of ending second and an unlikely but mathematical chance of even winning it I merely said that now is the time for TRUE Arsenal supporters to get behind the TEAM they support,or is it more important to those on here to see the fruition of their own personal agendas ? I await the schoolboy taunts and pseudo intellectual inanities of the various cliques on online GOONER , you'd be forgiven for thinking that with such a name this was a forum for actual Arsenal supporters , as for me ill continue spending my time and money supporting the club that I have loved since I was five years old !!

102. Henry

     Mar 24, 2015, 17:57 #69191

     Walcott is not a starter and you cant pay a player who will be a bit part player £100k a week.We had that with Podolski.If Liverpool dont get CL i would offer Feo and £10m for Sterling

103. Ron

     Mar 24, 2015, 17:07 #69190

     EG - the sickening haughty indifference to the fans by the Club and Wenger does exist Army style doesnt it. Its one of the many reasons i dont go to any home games now. Id sooner pay the host Club. Im told Arsenal are surcharging the SF Wembley tickets by about an extra fiver whereas Reading are waiving it for their supporters and bearing it themselves rather than passing it on. Typical greedy Arse. Theyve always been the same though going back decades. Theyre just more brazen about it now though. Robbing b------s. The Club and the AKBs deserve each other in my book mate.

104. Exeter Gunner

     Mar 24, 2015, 16:44 #69189

     Ron, he doesn't object so long as the man himself and the big important men in the boardroom mutually decide the time is right. Us 'little people' have no right to voice an opinion. It's following AFC as a sort of military service mentality - those in authority know best, questioning them is a court martial offence. There are a few on here that seem to see AFC as the Army. I wonder if this'll get them going? How disappointed Nick 'let's all be friends' must be!

105. Ron

     Mar 24, 2015, 16:35 #69188

     EG - Absolutely. Westie covers that angle by saying he never objects to a change of Coach though. This preserves his virtues re AW unconditional support and re Club/Board support. Damn good job he wasn't advising the Govt in 1938. Had he have done there would have been no Churchill and Westie would have had his boots blacked, dinner suit on and his table laid and champagne on ice for Hitlers visit to Westie Towers (the ivory ones).

106. Exeter Gunner

     Mar 24, 2015, 16:17 #69187

     Ron, not only is it disingenuous, it doesn't bear up to any scrutiny. By the logic of his own beliefs Westlower must've been outraged when Bruce Rioch was only given one year and thinks he should've carried on - which would've meant no Wenger. Then you've got the giving him all the credit, but none of the blame. It's a one legged stance that falls over as soon as you look at it. I don't think he and the other care though - it's a kind of convenient shorthand in lieu of an argument, a mechanism to try and guilt trip critical thinkers into silence.

107. Ron

     Mar 24, 2015, 15:52 #69186

     EG - The supposed unconditional support for whichever manager that is in situ is in my view totally disingenous. You can bet Westie was one of them that hounded Billy Wright out yet history tells us that BWs team and kids in the main went on and won the double 5 years later. This makes the virtuous Westie as guilty as any AKB fan who wants Wengers reign brought to an end. This 'loyalty' is a front in my view designed to create the impression of an uber fan. It seems to go with the AKB territory doesn't it. Sad really, but there you go. I wouldnt mind but the majority dont attend any games at all, hence spend no money on the Club. Its ever likely they can sit in their footballing ivory towers defending and slavishly agreeing with all of Wengers footballing idiosyncrasies. Its costs them not a penny!

108. Exeter Gunner

     Mar 24, 2015, 15:43 #69185

     Westlower - surely you should be campaigning to bring Terry Neill back? He's the furthest back manager still alive, and according to your belief in unconditional, 'dog like' support for whoever the manager is, he should never have been sacked.

109. Westlower

     Mar 24, 2015, 14:19 #69184

     Simeone off the list, Pep off to Man City, David O'Leary it is then?

110. goonercolesyboy

     Mar 24, 2015, 13:44 #69183

     I read that Simeone has signed a new contract until 2020. So unless he reneges then he's off the list. Barbados is so relaxing, sun, sand and rum punches...Up the Arsenal, Nick.

111. maguiresbridge gooner

     Mar 24, 2015, 13:28 #69182

     UltraGooner, that's been the problem with most of the players over the years to many offs and not enough on's especially with the defence, we need players who can stay switched on for the duration and a manager who is capable of making sure they do. Gevinho having a bright future? well he wasn't called light bulb head for nothing.

112. Nick

     Mar 24, 2015, 11:42 #69181

     I was under the impression this was an ARSENAL supporters forum,i was obviously mistaken , most posts on here are simply denigrating of one of either pro Wenger or anti Wenger types. I myself am not a lover of Wengers current style of tika, taka football, i much prefered his earlier incarnation as a proponent of fast powerful attacking football, but while he is still the manager of Arsenal there seems little point in forever bitching about him, we are in a better position in the league than we could have hoped for even a month ago and in the FA Cup semi final, that'll do for now, Giroud panned by many has a better goals to gamed ratio than ANY striker in the premier league so maybe we should praise him for his contributions, as for Walcott he is an enigma, i for one hope he finally fulfills his potential with us rather than move on unlike many on here i dont care if your a WOB, an AMG or PSAT, ( pretentious self absorbed twat ) if your a Gooner then your part of the family, so come on peeps enough of the infighting lets do something radical , like getting behind the TEAM we ALL support ! COME ON YOU GUNNERS !!!

113. mark from aylesbury

     Mar 24, 2015, 11:40 #69180

     Giroud - Good striker, mostly a good attitude and holds his own in a league without huge competition but he is too slow and lacking subtlety to be a top striker.Are we better with him than without him? yes definitely so overall I like him

114. Bard

     Mar 24, 2015, 10:59 #69179

     Westie i thought Id nailed it with the last post but clearly not. Solgado isnt top. Id take Cavanni as another top top striker. How many goals has Giroud got against the top sides and in the CL? These are the games that determine whether a striker is top top. or even top top top. And with that there will be no more posts about Giroud from me. I need to get back to radio and check how many times Manure are mentioned, i could get to enjoy this.

115. Highbury Boy

     Mar 24, 2015, 10:39 #69178

     Westie, on the contrary the prospect of home grown players being more necessary means a bigger premium on the transfer price of Theo and Wilshere to desperate clubs like City. Now almost a racing certainty that sales will follow. Places in the squad can be filled by young British prospects.

116. jjetplane

     Mar 24, 2015, 10:34 #69177

     Nag Nag Nag - nice little post punk number by Cabaret Voltaire. WESTIE you are nicely falling into the trap/horse bag of having a meta squeal and I thought you were off and away again. Bloody AKB volunteer shortages. You would think people would be queuing around the corner for a chance to publicly state their love of Olly the faithful steed. You can just see all the kids throwing sugar cubes at him.... Anyway - when is the first part of his life story coming out 'from minor 'film' star to flat track bully and why Mr Wenger is actually God' .... Been watching Boardwalk Empire and nowhere does the place Manchester get a mention. Chicago, New York, even little old KC, but no Manchester. WESTIe - I've said it to you before - you need to overhaul that research department.

117. Westlower

     Mar 24, 2015, 9:58 #69176

     I'd rather be a sparrow than a snail, yes I would, if I could, I surely would. I'd rather be a hammer than a nail, yes I would, if only I could, I surely would. I'd rather be an AKB than a sarcastic WOB, yes I would, if I could, I surely would. @Bard, No point you day dreaming about Messi & Ronaldo. Good as Cavani is he can't even hold down the striker role at PSG. Arsenal are a better team with Giroud, than without him. Since he returned from his long layoff Arsenal's PL stats are: LWDWWWWWLWWWWWW. Without him we won 3 from 9. He may not fit your definition as a top striker but he's out performing most strikers in the PL. If only we'd splashed out £26m on Soldado or £43m on Falcao hey? Do they fit your definition of a top striker?

118. Bard

     Mar 24, 2015, 9:33 #69175

     At the risk of reopening old wounds is Giroud a top striker or a top top top striker? Westie think he's a top striker and Chris ( the first one not the second or was it the other way round) agrees with Westie but says he's not a top striker. i suggest we order this. Top top top is Messi Ronaldo country. Top top is Cavanni, Aguero etc and top striker includes Charley Austin, Kane and Giroud etc. I think that covers al the bases. Hiccup I had my tally counter on while I was listening to the Today programme this morning and there wasnt one mention of Manure, that must be some kind of record.

119. Westlower

     Mar 24, 2015, 8:37 #69174

     News breaking that the FA want to make it harder to bring in foreign players & increase the number of home based players (8 to 12) make it more likely that we'll hang on to Theo, Gibbs, Wilshere, Chambers, Ramsey, Welbeck, OX, Coquelin & Szczesny for the foreseeable future.

120. Th14afc

     Mar 24, 2015, 0:02 #69173

     It's a tricky one with young (well pretty old now) theo...he certainly brings more goals to the table than welbeck & the ox put together & I'm very surprised that he doesn't even get the super sub role at the moment...on the other hand if it's to be believed about his over the top wage demands for a player that is injured more than wilshere then u can see why wenger might be trying to teach him a lesson...I definitely think he'll be at anfield next season after all he's a boyhood Liverpool fan...shame if u ask me cos like I said he's a good player that adds to the strength in depth of the squad,he does get goals but it wouldn't be a disaster...more of a pressin concern for me if that santi might be Athletico bound!

121. UltraGooner

     Mar 23, 2015, 22:09 #69172

     Theo has so much potential to do more and to be honest I think the anxiety around this situation is because he was out for so long with new arrivals at the club. On top of that his return has been onoff in goals and appearances coupled with the fact he has missed some golden opportunities in front of goal and the reality is we NEED those goals. He is more than capable but he needs to convert or we will have to get someone else in that can. Classic recent example ... Gevinho I'm sure Theo has a bright future ahead might not be with the red army!

122. Arseneknewbest

     Mar 23, 2015, 21:54 #69171

     Sell Feo in my view. We've got enough cover in the multiple positions in which he claims he can play (Gnabry, Chuba, Ox etc. etc.) and try to buy someone like Bolasie from the cheese rolls who looks frighteningly direct at times. We seem to have a collective unwillingness to get of so-called stars (which is understandable given the exodus of big names over recent years) but, pleasant boy-next-door type as he is, Feo should go and warm Liverpool's bench for a few years instead of ours. He's never been truly inspiring in my view - an athlete who can play a bit.

123. Roy

     Mar 23, 2015, 21:39 #69170

     I'm not so sure about the effect on ourselves, that is open to debate. But it looks like when you take everything into consideration, it would probably be better for Wally if he moved on. He's never truly found his niche with us, but someone will pay decent money for him.

124. maguiresbridge gooner

     Mar 23, 2015, 21:24 #69169

     Badarse, obviously this messiah thing (among others) gets up your nose, so should you be letting others know that? but your right your messiah is no messiah, although other ABK's might have a different opinion. So diaby never came back from injury was he ever going to? I think that was pretty obvious a long time ago are you only realising that now? it's not that he wasn't given long enough with understanding and compassion, and is still being given it, how long should we keep giving him understanding and compassion by paying him 40,50,60,k a week? another two, three, four, seasons? has he not earned enough off us? more than enough I'd say to keep him in luxury for the rest of his life, before you even go into his pensions and insurance polices (paid for by the club no doubt) and then there are his own private ones, and we're supposed to feel sorry for him and keep showing compassion? how many ex Arsenal players have died homeless and penniless? indeed there was an article about one who had to retire with an injury who did just that on here not that long ago now that's tragic. On the subject of tragic yes it is, and sad, and like you say diaby had and showed great potential(but like I said he's been, and will be, well compensated) and that has been said and agreed on here by myself and others long ago but the fact is you can only stand by a permanent crock paying him thousands upon thousands for so long.

125. jjetplane

     Mar 23, 2015, 21:22 #69168

     Racing Post has to be Class War WESTIe Some of my best pals are big fans of it! No matter what they say - you and me are de luxe Gooners! ha ha! Glad the plane got down in time. You are back sooner than I thought. Should be very quite on here for a couple of weeks. What can I say! Bring on those artificial pitches. Kids cannot play in wellies!

126. Badarse

     Mar 23, 2015, 21:18 #69167

     jj, loved the post before last, it made sense! Leastways I understood it. Trying my best to look serious and solemn, difficult though with my blacked on Groucho moustache, hair tousled, specs and ceegar, 'Hello Room Service. Send up a room!'...'They say the man who can see through women is missing an awful lot!' Sorry got to scram, have to do the washing up.

127. Hiccup

     Mar 23, 2015, 21:10 #69166

     Some interesting stats from tonight's Eastenders. 'Queen Vic' or 'Vic' was mentioned 5 times. 'Ian Beale' or 'Ian' was mentioned 7 times. Who would have thought it? Manchester United was only mentioned twice. Has the balance been redressed? I would highly recommend one of these tally counters. Hours of endless fun at your fingertips.

128. Westlower

     Mar 23, 2015, 20:52 #69165

     @JJ Were you at Wincanton yesterday because Jimmy The Jetplane won the 3.25 at the rewarding price of 8/1. Having 4 legs doesn't slow you down, having 3 is the problem, especially if the middle one is floppy. Which political party does the Racing Post represent? Maybe the Green Turf party?

129. Hiccup

     Mar 23, 2015, 20:48 #69164

     Only the player himself will know whether he meant the stamp or not...

130. Ron

     Mar 23, 2015, 20:37 #69163

     JJ - Ooooh, yr talking fella. Bit of Van McCoy, the Eagles and the Dooby's, Demis Rousoss etc etc on the cartridge player in the Twin Carb MG 1300 CC mate with the sheep skin seat covers and sheep skin dash shroud. Living the dream! Cdt fail mate ha ha.

131. Ron

     Mar 23, 2015, 20:26 #69162

     Baddie - to pick up on yr Diaby point. As much as he has over the years been the butt of the jokes and jibes re his absence i reckon out of all the players from the fabled project youth debacle, he was the one who had it all to have been a great player. Power, shot, ball control to die for as well. I heard Jenas on that BBC footie chat prog on Sunday dinner time's say a few weeks back that Diaby was the hardest player he ever faced. He has maybe been persisted with too long on such a high salary but i suspect the insurer covered most of that in any event. Very sad he he never made it. There wd have been no Denny, Flammy, Hleb and a few other space fillers who passed needlessly by if not for that Sunderland tosser that did for him. He (Dan Smith) ended up working in ASDA within 2 yrs of doing Diaby.

132. jjetplane

     Mar 23, 2015, 20:23 #69161

     Tank Tops, Cuban Heels and Van McCoy ... Hoy RON! JAMERSOn the bugle tweaker thinks you and I are well hard! Laugh! I chased the cat out onto the beach! Penny Collars - would that be Take 6, Lord John or Gary Elliot. I worked for Harry Fenton when I was a kid and I used to go to the Tottenham Royal and Charley Brown's. Dancing behind enemy lines. I reckon if anyone was that sad to go over other poster's histories is really short of a few. Mine just show a compassion for football in all it's varied splendours of which there are many. I mean - look at Suarez - utter ****ing genius! Cannot stop chuckling over BADDIE sitting in solemn judgement over the lost souls of Online Gooner. Is that right Westie has got another injury and won't be back until ... tomorrow morning? Evening all - better get that cat in before the gulls or the foxes (evening ones are well hard) ....

133. Badarse

     Mar 23, 2015, 20:10 #69160

     Ahh Ron, I think I was talking of the 'leg-break dancing', but you must have cut a dash-though I'm more of a zoot suit kind of bloke, love a tear-up.

134. Badarse

     Mar 23, 2015, 19:53 #69159

     You're doing it again Mag, ease up on the messiah bit, there isn't one. Now what is it you are trying to say? Diaby never came back from injury, and it's a shame that despite all the money he has earned it is the end of his career? Is that it? One life; born with an abundance of football skill, get the most miraculous gift of making it to Arsenal, (no such thing as miracles), and your career ends through recurring injuries? Yes it's tragic isn't it? Well said fella, compassion, understanding and dignity all displayed in a few well chosen words.

135. Ron

     Mar 23, 2015, 19:50 #69158

     Baddie - ive danced to that many a time in the late 70s, that Skyrtel stomp you mention! I loved Hamilton Bohannon mate. Oooh for them off white suits, brogues, penny collars, and sozzled girls between 1.00 and 2.00 am!! Lovely!

136. maguiresbridge gooner

     Mar 23, 2015, 19:36 #69157

     R/K, so what your saying is if we could do a brain transplant, or a head swap with the two, I doubt very much even the AKB's think they're messiah knows anything about brain or head transplants (although if asked i'm sure he'd have something to say on the subject) but we do have someone who does, Diaby, he's spent so long in the operating theatre and medical department and so failure with all these machines and tools he must be an expert surgeon by now, he'd do the transplant no problem,( it would be about time he earned all the money wasted on him), wow it would be like two new signings, we'd clean up.

137. Badarse

     Mar 23, 2015, 19:20 #69156

     Just seen the Skrtel stomp on De Gea, pointed out to my grandson that his approaching strides were of equidistance then checked with a smaller stride in order to come down on the leg. Despicable. He has just been charged by the FA.

138. Hiccup

     Mar 23, 2015, 19:06 #69155

     Have to say I agree with Chris (the Chris that posted previously to the other Chris), although the Chris that posted after the first one has made some valid points too. I've just watched a recording of MOTD and been clicking away frantically on my tally counter. The commentator mentioned Arsenal 8 times and Newcastle 9 times in the first half highlights. Bloody outrageous. In the same game, Manchester United were mentioned 25 times, and they weren't even playing. Further evidence of the bias exposed to those willing to open their eyes to this conspiracy theory.

139. maguiresbridge gooner

     Mar 23, 2015, 18:57 #69154

     Never mind wally is there any player in this team we would actually miss? maybe sanchez? (and at the minute that's a maybe and we know why)and be genuinely sorry or annoyed to see go or flogged off like we used to years ago? is there f*ck.

140. Tony pepe

     Mar 23, 2015, 18:33 #69153

     Baddie and westie. I agree that the jetplane is no more than an average football fan who is really desperate to hate the Arsenal at all given opportunities. Take a look back to his anti Arsenal threads and you'll expose his favour of Hull, Brighton, Middlesbrough and Utd. Next up will be Reading. That aint a Gooner. Fact.

141. jjetplane

     Mar 23, 2015, 18:20 #69152

     Latest PL Nag ratings: 1) Harry Kane 2) Oliver Giroud 3) Loic Remy 4) Wilfred Bony 5) Charlie Austin. See - it's all the rage having a 4-legged player up front. Harry shades it 'cause he is past thinking already. Giroud I hope would pass all his doping tests but maybe a change of 'meds' would speed him up a bit. WESTIE howabout a quick history on other French nags ... errrr Up the Arsenal or should it be Good old as the by turns serious minded Duke of Medway? so errantly points out before his water bottle slips out of his blazing red dinner jacket with gold buttons ..... Ps lets all laugh at Arsenal ....

142. DW Thomas

     Mar 23, 2015, 18:16 #69151

     Giroud doesn't even start for France boys. He is a worker, but too slow and plodding to be top drawer. Any forward in our team playing as much as him should have at least 25+ goals a season! Need we remember Monaco at home or the big games when it counts? He deserves our support but we will not win a title while he is leading the line! Penny pinching always leaves the team just short. As for Wally, like buying a Ferrari that occasionally runs nicely, but is too often in the shop! He has never come good and OGL never seemed to really trust him that much! Why? Most of my memories of Theo go to dribbling down blind alleys and flubbing things. He does not seem to have any way to beat defenders other than speed. Better teams mostly defend him fine. He may be the poster child for the failed youth projects that have led to these past 10 barren years. Now Ramsey saying the title is still up for grabs? Poor lad still believes he's a champion. Not yet lad! Prove it first! Show some mettle, then talk. Not the bs first followed by grounghog failure!

143. jjetplane

     Mar 23, 2015, 17:53 #69150

     WESTIe there must be some of that wholesome lower tier stuff around your way? Get amongst it lad! If we were to get into the Ryman South that would be akin to playing in some superleague. We are newly promoted scratching around to hit the top six by end of season but eight may hae to do this time. Next season there will have to be a serious drive for promotion to the Ryman and so .... yeah it's great fun! Now about this superclub you claim to be a spokesperson for. Let's be honest. You don't go because you prefer horses so the fact I actually watch football by paying for the privilege puts me in a 'morally superior' position. Add to that I am very pro-Arsenal and I have also good evidence that Wenger has done a similar job to Maggie Thatcher as asset strippers par excellence and then presenting the new product in a most untruthful manner. your reading of such empirical comics as the Torygraph tell me all I need to know of the politick of AKB Central. Laughable really and very un-Arsenal. As is Wenger. Now then - where were we? as one our favourite songs go '... whor*s on seventh Avenue...' the abounding of metaphors. You know - Wiltord is in my top ten at Arsenal. Lee Dixon too. Over the last decade I cannot think of a single player at Arsene FC who has served it on a plate season in and season out. There really isn't one and that has to be the fault of management. A big waste and you know that 'sitting on a park bench/like bookends' That was certainly their best album ...

144. Chris

     Mar 23, 2015, 17:33 #69149

     I'm with Westie on Giroud. His stats are better than Costa's, and he's playing is a superior team (according to the league table). And he's not just about goals, or even assists - he's a very good interplay player, as well as being good at holding the ball up etc. It's only a slight lack of pace that holds him back from being absolutely top drawer.

145. Ron

     Mar 23, 2015, 17:00 #69148

     King J - good point. 2006 WC selection may well have been the worst thing ever for him. Typical of Eriksson but Wenger encouraged it too you shouldn't forget. He left Saints too early in my view. Never had the physical development that young Bale had and has spent yrs trying to catch up on that to PL levels. I suspect Chambers is in the same boat now. In fairness to Wally, Wenger has indulged him. Hes let him think he could be the new Terry Henry for so long. Wally s a winger. End of. Thats all he was ever going to be. Hes too glass legged not to be. Wenger should have been telling him he could an Overmars instead and working towards that. Wally would have known where he stood then early in his career instead of being led on and now in the limbo land where he is right now. Its not all Wallys fault that he s not cut the mustard by any means. Part of me hopes Liverpool do sign him, teach him some proper wing play techniques, teach him to cross and cut in and use him for what hes best at and then he comes back to tear us up down the flank one day. I dont think he will as hes not a quality player, but in my view Wengers certainly not maximised the uses he does have.

146. Badarse

     Mar 23, 2015, 16:49 #69147

     Sorry Bard I do not agree with your judgement on jj. There isn't a problem but if a lad despises all about Arsenal and openly bigs up opponents constantly then that isn't humour, I know about humour, many say I am f😊😄😜ing hilarious even when I'm not joking, neighbours call me a clown, and even grumpy people who seem to want to argue with me often say,'Don't make me laugh! If a person seems sour there is a good chance they are sour. When I sat on my Sunday School teacher's knee he would say, 'He who last laughs laughs last longest laughs last!' And I do! jj is fine but 'Doubling' for Ratty 6 nights a week in the end of the pier show in Eastbourne is making him a candidate for the council's pest control unit. " Yerz, whiskers and cheese, wok and woll in the Holloway Bowl, but no Rice it's Bouldy's turn to zip up the old sleeping bag, gercha!, Love Chas and Dave.

147. King Jeremy

     Mar 23, 2015, 16:45 #69146

     I've long thought Theo is the right player in the wrong team. His style suits a fast paced counter-attacking team, which something we used to be. Tikka-Takka is not his game. So (sadly) it seems he is likely to be surplus to requirements. Can't help but think that 2006 world cup call-up has done more long term harm than good.

148. Ron

     Mar 23, 2015, 16:41 #69145

     Cahill and Terry - Westie, yr comments on those two perhaps explain why Cahills likely to be sold in the Summer and the odious 'Captain leader legend', Terry is likely to get a year contract tops. At Arsenal both would likely draw a pension before Wenger called time out. Only the blind daft and ignorant would ever 'rave' about Giroud mate, though i bet he'd like you as as his image manager. Can you hear many of our fans calling for us to sign Charlie Austin or maybe Peter Crouch? Of course you cant, but Giroud is at the level. Behave yourself. Some of you are so absurdly precious about any comment that doesn't gush about AFC or its staff, its beggars belief why. Yr too damned old to hero worship anybody Westie. You ought to have got past that silly game by the time you were watching Laurie Brown, Vic Groves and Dave Baccuzzi!

149. radfordkennedy

     Mar 23, 2015, 16:10 #69144

     Strange isnt it,we have a player in Theo who has all the self confidence and belief in the world and that he believes himself to be Paulo Rossi in front of goal when hes quite clearly not.And we have Giroud who quite clearly to me suffers from having little confidence in his own abillity,if he really believed in himself he could really be a great deal more prolific...i must make it clear that i have absolutely no experience of coaching in football at any level ever,but i do have experience in motivating others to get that extra half ounce out of themselves and Giroud displays all the classic body language and mannerisms of someone whose not quite convinced about themselves.

150. Westlower

     Mar 23, 2015, 15:09 #69143

     @Bard 'Everyone agrees he's decent,' time for me to get out my knitting needle & burst your bubble of poor judgement. It's not too hard to imagine that you'd be raving about Giroud if he played for Maureen. Speaking of which, JT & Cahill make BFG look quite pacy. The Hull forwards made them look like statues. no wonder they flood the midfield with thugs & cheats to protect them. Giroud is well on target for 20+ goals after being out for 3 months with a broken leg. Of course Sanogo remains one for the future as he's only just starting his senior career. Already scored more goals in the Champions League than Costa. I wonder what odds we could have got about that one? You carry on with your snapshot judgement's & I'll continue to look at the bigger picture. Players DO improve with experience & age. Don't you get claustrophobic crammed in that phone box with your like minded set? The good news I have for you is the Flat starts on Saturday so you won't be hearing much from me until November. Come on Ryan Moore!

151. WeAreBuildingATeamToDominate

     Mar 23, 2015, 14:49 #69142

     Anyone able to name a Hengerlund game where Stevie G ran the show? Ermmm....

152. johnnyhawleyloovinggooner

     Mar 23, 2015, 14:48 #69141

     always thought he should be brought on after an hour to run at defenders.can we lose theo and jack in the one summer with out damaging the team?we either play him or sell him because at his age he needs games~think we all thought he would be the new TH14 so that clouds our judgement.

153. maguiresbridge gooner

     Mar 23, 2015, 14:39 #69140

     jj, good point there, what would OGL do, and who would he have for a mouth piece if he flogs wally, ( definitely not the BUG as he hasn't the same ability to talk a good game and he tells the truth) although ramsey is shaping up well he's not in wallys class yet, i'm sure that's one of his main traits that OGL will be taking into account during negotiations.

154. WeAreBuildingATeamToDominate

     Mar 23, 2015, 14:01 #69139

     Stevie G even at his supposed peak was no more than an honest box-to-box toiler, who scored the odd 30-yarder to remind everyone he was still on the pitch. Dunno about not-itelligent footballer, he strikes me as just being non-intelligent, end of. Give me David Platt anyday, a model professional who behaved on and off the pitch. It's hilarious seeing Stevie Me's career end in his own self-induced meltdown.

155. Bard

     Mar 23, 2015, 13:58 #69138

     There we were having a civilised debate about Theo and maybe later Stevie GG when Westie gets out his knitting needles and starts poking. You need to let it go Westie mate. jj isnt anti Arsenal. Humour is a way of dealing with the boredom of groundhog day that is Arsenal these days. You might be a one for the nags but your judgement about strikers is a little odd. I distinctly remember you bigging up Bambi ( Sanogo) as one for the future and now we have Giroud who everyone agrees is decent but not top class. What would you do without us WOBs ?

156. maguiresbridge gooner

     Mar 23, 2015, 13:54 #69137

     Smithy, I don't expect many others have heard of him either, I haven't googled him but i'd be surprised if he isn't another technical dwarf, and if it's true that OGL is interested (although we'd be the last to know) no doubt he's been after him for years.

157. Smithy

     Mar 23, 2015, 13:51 #69136

     Thanks for that west flower sounds promising!dybala would be good! As to instinct I still think with practice it can be sharpened greatly!

158. Ron

     Mar 23, 2015, 13:23 #69134

     Hi Westie - Rafa of ten spoke honest good sense and truths, hence his Man ure speech in 09. All true and all batted away as the rantings of a fool by the media, SKY in particular wasnt it. However we didnt need him to tell us about Gerro did we mate? It makes me smile how the press are all today ' explaining' his actions v Utd and almost apologising for him!! Amazing. Nobody chooses to mention his half a dozen red cards in his career or more to the point, the fact that hes always been a dirty, ch e a t who took diving and conning to new levels for english players in his years alongside Torres do they. I reckon ive seen him in maybe a dozen games v the arse over his career and can never recall him causing too much of a problem for us. Another flat track english bully boy whos made a name via SKY for his ability in the main to knock over poor teams despite his england career showing him up starkly for what hes always been - Mr Average Joe - with a long time dodgy haircut!. PS - Mate - you know im with you all the way on anti SKY stuff but Manure were actually playing yesterday ha ha.

159. Charlie George Orwell

     Mar 23, 2015, 13:10 #69133

     jjetplane: Unfortunately the Diaby testimonial was abandoned after only 8 minutes due to Abou suffering a recurrence of his debilitating RSI condition. 'In hindsight,' said his agent, Mr. Wedgefornowt, 'It was just too much for Abou to take on the rigorous activities necessary to play a FIFA 15 match.'

160. Westlower

     Mar 23, 2015, 12:50 #69132

     @JJ You must be finding life boring on the 9th level as you're enriching us with your anti-Arsenal views. Any chance of your mob getting promoted to the 8th level where the Neanderthals play? A WOB only hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.....Giroud's presence in our last 17 league games has yielded 14 wins.: Martin Tyler & Gary Neville mentioned the words Manchester united or United 57 times in their first half commentary yesterday, SKY brainwashing is alive & well: Was it Rafa Benitez who reckoned Stevie G was not an intelligent footballer? If it was he was proved right yesterday.

161. maguiresbridge gooner

     Mar 23, 2015, 12:33 #69130

     Another one of TOF's pet projects and like all the rest after all these years we're still waiting for him to come good/worthy. It's a very easy question to answer John, as has been expressed a lot of times on here over the last few days, sell the wee shyte let him go to who ever wants him will/would he be missed? would he f*ck ( maybe by the fans who have adopted him and love reading his books probably the same ones who love Diaby)my only worry would be (well not much of a one) that a more competent manager than the excuse we have would get more out of him and teach him how to play the game properly but like I said we'll hardly lose much sleep over that happening.

162. Chris

     Mar 23, 2015, 11:35 #69129

     (Not the Chris who has previously posted on this thread - there's at least two of us, I should have chosen a more distinctive name!) The main problem Theo has got is that Welbeck and Ox offer more to the team over all, whilst Welbeck is better as an out and out winger and the Ox is more creative. Personally I think Theo offers something different as he is (still) so quick running behind and offers more goal threat than the offers in doing that (he'd sharped up again given a run of games). But if he doesn't sign a contract,I imagine he;ll be sold in the summer - it would be daft for the club not to sell him, in fact, as he's unlikely to sign later...

163. jjetplane

     Mar 23, 2015, 11:33 #69128

     What is the latest on Abou's Testimonial? Did you know he is only on 2.6m a year ...... Small change for a club on the cusp.

164. goonercolesyboy

     Mar 23, 2015, 11:19 #69127

     Theo is a conundrum, lots to like, lots to dislike. But useful he most certainly is. Strength in depth is crucial for the challenges ahead, we have always banged on about that requirement so now in my opinion we must keep him, if the financial package is ok for both parties. I had cruciate surgery years ago and know what it takes to recuperate, so next season is the definitive one, and yet time is running out. Onwards and upwards.

165. jjetplane

     Mar 23, 2015, 11:16 #69125

     Instinct can be taught to both Walcott and Welbeck (WW) with the right coaching. Get Perry Groves back and tell them to do the opposite of everything Perry does and voila. Theo is ahead already as he can talk a game as well as Henry so perhaps he will be kept in a touchline executive role with occasional forays into action when Arsene FC are a least 3 to the good with minutes remaining. Competition is tough with Sanchez (knackered), Giroud (off to Utd?), Ozil (unwell/shopping) and of course Danny Perry Welbeck. Actually one of my sweetest memories was of Perry scoring against Coventry in the match where little Limpar scored three. **** - did I get drunk! Theo - keep him and let him sit beside Bouldie. The beard and smile will do wonders for bench PR. ps Oh when the Saints ......

166. Danny

     Mar 23, 2015, 11:09 #69124

     I say sell, but the question is to who. maybe liverpool, but who else?

167. Ron

     Mar 23, 2015, 10:31 #69121

     Smithy - 'instinct' cant be coached. Walcott doesn't have it. Hes 25. AW and the Club have already been patient. They've been patient since 2006 and yet now he seemingly wants a higher salary package. Incredible! His sale value will decrease from his mid 20s. We were patient with RVP Chris as his value and quality were self evident from the very first time he played for us. Thats not the case with Walcott. Hes a very ordinary performer and his past 9 years do not give any reason think that the next 3-5 left in his career will reap any better. Once Walcott's pace goes (and it will go naturally from this stage) what will be left? Its time to sell, both for his benefit and AFCs.

168. Bard

     Mar 23, 2015, 10:28 #69120

     Interesting article. It give a wonderful insight into the transitory nature of being a pro. He was the next big thing a few years ago but for a variety of reasons ( he's made of balsa wood and has limited football intelligence ) his star has waned. I tend to agree with Westie whether he signs will depend on money. He will undoubtedly want a pay rise but as others have said he's down the pecking order.Signing Ozil and Welbeck has done for him. You can only carry one defensive passenger and thats Ozil. Welbeck offers more or less the same pace plus he's stronger, does more defensive stuff and rarely gets injured. Because its Arsenal there will be long protracted negotiations but I expect him to be sold.

169. Badarse

     Mar 23, 2015, 10:18 #69118

     Thanks for the article John. I am very ambivalent about the current situation with Theo. Personally I think he offers very little in team terms as I believe him to have limitations, especially in the 'football brain' department. However he is still an asset to the club, especially as the 'impact sub' we talk of. He has dropped down the pecking order due to his injury-and never discount the time it takes for a player to return after such a long period out of the game. He can become a challenging force again, and this makes him valuable, both to us as a player, and as a potential sale. He holds a weak bargaining hand, and it depends on AW and what he considers to be the right course of action. As I stated, I am ambivalent so expect him to sign or be transferred with a similar personal lukewarm reaction.

170. Westlower

     Mar 23, 2015, 10:18 #69117

     @Smithy, Dybala is the same build as Theo & as has been called the new Aguero in Argentina. He would be an exciting addition to our strike force should there be an substance to the transfer rumours.

171. Ozzie

     Mar 23, 2015, 10:06 #69116

     I can see a goal fest coming up v Liverpool.

172. Smithy

     Mar 23, 2015, 9:35 #69114

     Theo is a squad player not a starter for me at the moment, his body moves at 100 miles an hour , his brain at 3 and a half. He needs to be coached day in and day out on his finishing by Thierry until it becomes instinctive.does anyone anything about this dybala chap we are supposed to be signing this week? Is he quick? Tall? Plays behind a big man? I know very little about him other than his age and his club?

173. Westlower

     Mar 23, 2015, 9:07 #69112

     Theo has scored in both PL games he's started since his injury. Overall he's scored 47 PL goals, averaging approx a goal every 4 games. That's a pretty good average for a winger. We are very strong in the attacking positions & this has limited his playing time. At present he's behind Alexis, Giroud, Welbeck & Ox (when fit). Theo needs a run of games to rediscover his best form but barring injuries to other players is unlikely to feature much this season. Do Arsenal stick or twist with him. His financial demands may ultimately be the deciding card.

174. Wear Your Colours

     Mar 23, 2015, 9:06 #69111

     In the successful teams of 2002-2004 the squad had depth, with Wiltord, Kanu, Parlour and Edu all providing options for rotation and competition to the first-team players. I feel Theo still has a big role to play for this club. I thought he played really well against West Ham recently. The squad is developing nicely with good options in all positions. I think it would be good for both Theo and the club if he decided to stay and slug it out with Alexis and the Ox for a starting role.I hope the right contract deal can be found.

175. Steve

     Mar 23, 2015, 8:44 #69110

     Theo does not actually have the club in his heart, he is actually a Liverpool fan. He is not as committed on the pitch as the Ox. Time to cash in.

176. Chris

     Mar 23, 2015, 8:44 #69109

     Although I agree with some of your points, I feel you are being overly critical of Theo Walcott. It takes time for a player who has been away from the game for a year to get his top form back, take Aaron Ramsey for example. It is of my view that Wenger knows what he is doing by not starting Walcott often rather waiting for next season when he would have time to be much fitter and Stronger than he is now. He did this with fragile RVP who reaped the benefits with us before being a Judas. Another long-term injury to Walcott at this stage could ruin his career. Patience and Honesty are one of Wenger's virtues. He makes players understand the situation from his POV and doesn't just push players out the way. I am sure he has spoken with Walcott and made him understand this but its now up to Walcott to decided if he is ready to fight and step up. I believe Walcott will stay and will be a bigger impact next season!

177. Mathew

     Mar 23, 2015, 8:37 #69108

     Lazar Markovic hasnt done anything great at Liverpool, hence Rodgers might take him as a cover. Arsene needs to be convinced in selling him, I think that will be a big ask. McCarthy or Aiden McGeady can be ideal replacements for him.

178. Ron

     Mar 23, 2015, 8:19 #69106

     Hopefully, some body has Rodgers number. Just a quick 'come and fetch him Rodgo' should do the trick. Walcott isnt a 'problem'. Hes just there and neednt be. 9 years of not much.