NLD journal #1
Wednesday, November 17, 2010 at 1:41PM Afternoon.
Saturday. Small and insignificant matter of the North London Derby to be played out. The nerves, anticipation and expectation hardly kicks in until the morning of the game. I'm actually struggling to inspire myself for yet another 50,000 word epic war cry of an article calling for our players to show an abundance of desire, passion, determination, hunger, tenacity, organisation, cutting edge, end product, professionalism, concentration, never say die attitude and belief. Because as a set standard, all of this should be present from the off.
Yes, yes, injuries have a knock-on effect to formation and tactics (what tactics? Running around a lot and kicking the ball works just fine, right? No need to jot that down on a clipboard). And yes, yes, we always fail to get it right in the build up to this game and then fail despondently on the pitch. I can never understand this knee-jerk the players manage to achieve. At the swamp, we tend to defeat ourselves. Turning up in flip-flops rather than military certified boots, sinking deep in the cesspit.
In the 4-4, we packed a jet-pac to escape drowning.
Last time out, not even half of the team bothered to show up and the ones that did rolled out the red carpet on the marshlands allowing our inbreed hosts to skip joyfully on.
The Carling Cup game should be discounted altogether. Hey, that's what they do, right? Although it serves its purpose as testament to how times are genuinely changing - not in terms of us progressing ahead of them (because we haven't) but in terms of how far they have fallen. Granted, they are still in that degrading pack of three up top, but anyone at the Lane on the night would have laughed out loud at the sheer ecstasy their fans displayed, proclaiming just how important the CC is via their emotions. All of a sudden it matters. When we now suddenly refuse to take it seriously. Their fans, textbook in gloat, describing the game in WengerVision in how their kids beat our first team. Ooh the irony.
But enough with past misdemeanours and misadventures.
Blood and thunder is what this game was forged with in creation. To turn up and roll over for them, it's unacceptable even though it's hardly surprising when it happens. At the Lane last time out (I'm talking about the 2-1) we got it spot on tactically and were fantastic in terms of our will to win the game. We punished them whilst they played pretty football in and around the box without doing much and when they did push and pressured we had a formidable Gomes in goal to shut shop, other than allowing a consolation goal to creep in. We did not choke and when you place it alongside the Chelsea victory that followed, it was all pretty special. An awakening. So hoping we're not snoozing this weekend.
At the Emirates we do like to implode. One good omen this time round is the lack of a Robbie Keane pre-match declaration of victory. There is still time for someone to shag it all up, I'm sure. I hardly take much notice of the talk that goes on before because its just sound-bites and reflexed answers to questions that aid in quotable headlines, always exaggerated for additional effect. Like most games, but it's not a necessity for me to get caught up in a game that hardly requires the help of hype.
Re: the injuries and formational tinkering, I'd rather not linger on any ready made excuses. It's not like Arsenal are without problems. They're inconsistent, can make hard work of trying to walk the ball into the net and are quite obviously beatable at home. It's evenly matched. At least it will be if we turn up with chests pumped out. Nothing worse than clumsy implosion. Would rather lose the game playing out of our skins than lose it cheaply gift-wrapped.
JD might be back. Hudd is out for three months. Agent Gallas will no doubt score an own goal and rip off his shirt to reveal red and white colours then sit in the middle of the pitch crying his eyes out confused and alone. Ten home fans will sing to themselves in the far corner, reciting from their hymn sheets whilst the rest tuck into their half-time ribs. Jenas will score a brilliant brilliant individual goal. But we'll be 7-0 down at the time and when the final whistle is blown, we'll be demanding a dvd from our club shop for the plucky comeback that saw the game finish 7-6.
We need a win. Not just because its them lot but because Christmas is almost upon us and we have to remain anchored to 5th/4th spot so that after reinforcements in January we can truly give it proper go (I'm still holding onto us kick-starting our season any time now).
We need to win, we need to end this ridiculous run of away day blues against the former monopoly, we need to discover sustained swagger. And rather than worry about our defensive frailties, let's just make the most of their defensive frailties.
Momentum. About time we embraced some.
More journals to follow in the build up to the game.
Reader Comments (39)
Woooooo!! COYS!!!!!!!!
Too right, we HAVE got to win this one, not just because its a NLD but because we need to show something that makes us worthy of 4th spot this year.
I don't care if Jenas does it all by himself, we've gotta win.
COYS!!!!!!!
We failed at OT to make an impact we have to make one here. We've not been fussed with the league this season and it looks worse than it is because of what we achieved last season - otherwise we'd all be happy. We need that extra bit of magic but I can't help thinking it might have to be damage limitation.
For me this is the song we need to hear in that match : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw6OQ0zDWzM
Hope we fuckin win to shut my friends mouths.
And rather than worry about our defensive frailties, let's just make the most of their defensive frailties ...
amen.
Defoe is back and i can see him coming on and smashing one in the back of the onion...COYS
a win is a must, not just because it's the NLD, but because without a win, and other results going against us, mid table could be our lofty spot come monday morning.
Maybe coming off the back of internationals, there may be less time to get themselves in a NLD tizzy? Straight into a must win game with no histrionics. COYMFCS
To win this particular game our players must show discipline, concentration, intelligence, fight spirit, determination. It's all up to them. We can only watch.
JENAS JENAS JENAS....... he's the man for this one 3 points please and yea you guessed it JENAS scores the winner. COYS !!!!
We have to have some kind of chance of scoring from a set piece against That Lot's munchkin defenders? First United and then Sunderland showed how hard we find it to go up against a big and physical back four, and I expect that L'Arse's relative quickness will mean they can handle Bale ok. We need Crouch, Pav, Bale and anyone else to get up into their box and have a go at pressurizing whichever clown is wearing the red and white face-paint in the Arsenal goal this week.
But let's face it, the ref will probably screw us anyway. Palacios to concede a penalty after 30 mins is my guess.
Van der Vaart to establish himself as a legend scoring the winner. Pav to score the first. 1-2 :) we are back and are doing that without any tactics. :) COYS !
agreed, we definitely need to win this one, also to put this 68 away games without a win at the old top 4 to bed. Will we win ??? .................. No, not a chance in hell. 2.0 to the scum i'm afaid.
I'm wondering if the lack of use of that chalkboard in training is one of the reasons we hardly ever score from set pieces. Come on ... you know you were surprised when we scored from that corner at the weekend. I wasn't even watching properly as I figured it would lead to nothing.
Van der Vaart will play come out pre-match with some crap about how he turned down Arsenal and Spurs are better. Then he will be brilliant in the first half folloerf by a red card for an over-exuberant challenge on Alex Song in the second
i hate you for that comment , Fox , it's just too realistic
"At the swamp, we tend to defeat ourselves. Turning up in flip-flops rather than military certified boots, sinking deep in the cesspit."
Spooky, well said but pleaseeeeeeee..... SSSSSSSSSSSSSSHUSHHHHHHHHHHHHH. COYS. COYS. COYS.
Well the Arsenal fans are already in full voice, they are soooooo confident. It is a shame we have so many injuries and they only have two players out now. It would have been nice for us to go there with a full team. I hope we don’t get anymore this evening. Spurs have played well a few times at the Emirates, twice in the league and once in the carling cup under Jol. I really hope the Spurs players are a 100% up for this game and don’t cause their own downfall. Yes it’s Arsenal but it's also crucial we get some points. For me the top 3 will be out of reach towards the end and the battle for 4th will be as tight as it was last year. City is the team for us to stop. I know our shocking record is still out there and I do wonder if the players think about this to much. We have new players etc but it will come up in conversation up. Played 68 and won 0. I think Spurs need to overcome the mental part of it on Sat to stand any chance of picking something up.
We have to put in a performance like we did against Inter and at the Lane and when we have beaten many teams after playing out of our skin under Redknapp. It's still a football pitch just at another ground. It would be great to even get a point on Sat to shut some of them up. Obviously there is going to be banter, that is what you want but the arrogance for some of them....arghhhhhhh!!!!!
Maybe for once it might go our way, Arsenal goes down to ten men or something else happens where it goes against them and not us….hear is hoping. Good luck lads.
Why do we always agonise over this game? We all know what the result will be don't we, deep down, come on you know I'm right.
Try to forget about it, go Christmas shopping, get that special present early and then tune-in to the results at 5 and maybe, just maybe, you will get a nice early present yourself.
If not, you will not have wasted 2 hours raising your blood pressure for nothing.
If only I could follow my own advice! COYS
"Well Peter that was a good England performance. Have you anything to say about the NLD this weekend?"
"Yeah well, you know, we're not afraid of them (sniff). You you know, we're better than them actually (sniff), they'll be, you know, worried (sniff) about us, you know (sniff). We're going there, you know (sniff), to win this one you know"
"Thanks Peter, we're certainly looking forward to it"
Arsenal are on form, our recent results have been patchy but we owe them a result there. If we take the game to them and have a bit of belief we can definitely pick up 3 points on Saturday. Bale mentioned this week the signifigance of the first goal and I think if we can nick it we will win this one. Billy Gallas has got close to scoring on a few occassions and I think fate might just have him do it here! An early corner inswinging from VDV's boot over crouch who falls over due to two arsenal players standing too close to him and the angry french man arrives unmarked and puts his big bald head on one!
Jenas is much maligned but never fails to put in a shift against this lot. Expect Palacios to refind the form and break up more than the play through 90 mins!!!
COYS
DaveK - "....If not, you will not have wasted 2 hours raising your blood pressure for nothing...."
2 hours of blood pressure raising, mine is already sky high in anticipation of this one!! As spooky says, if we turn up like we have done sporadically this year, we will have a real good go of it.
COYS.
VdV, Bale and Gallas (especially Gallas) are the difference between the past and the present... They're shit scared of VdV, not sure of Bale, and all too sure of Gallas which will put a rocket up his arse no end.... as long as it stays dry we'll win it (their webbed-feet hurt on dry land).
I am a little bit surprised we didn't stop VSV playing for Holland tonight, he has had a hammy strain lately so surely we could of pulled him out of this friendly game?? I also hope we don't rush JD back, we need him to be fully fit we don't want to take any chances.
Gallas to break Fabregas' leg, deck Wenger as he walks off and retire from football.
Hoopspur, love your "interview". Spot on!
Are Wales playing tonight? PLEASE NO, let the boy wonder be fit for Sat.
Gallas to score and then goes running to Wenger cursing in french , i tell ya these boys can curse like none other, i ll happily translate his fit for you all to enjoy ,after the game
Hi Spudies!
I know you are not known for " reading" ,(otherwise spooky would have been on top ten list of most read football blog) but this one is a must read before NLD. More to follow as we get closer to the game.
http://goonerholic.com/?p=3042e
Go away child.
Brook is that your written work on that blog? Fantastic example of why Arsenal fans are considered to be the most egotistic self-absorbed twats who can gloat and do little else. Very poor effort. Embarrassing.
Afraid we will get nothing on Saturday as yet again, we have half our first team missing and I suspect some of our team will be looking at what for me is the bigger game in the CL next week.
Beat Bremen and we qualify. But that is only half the job done as if we don't win the group, we probably draw Barca, Real or Bayern in the next round.
f Newcastle and WBA can win there...
*If
"Gallas to break Fabregas' leg, deck Wenger as he walks off and retire from football."
Mad props, Lemonademoney, that was brilliant. Even more brilliant if it actually happens...
"Van der Vaart to establish himself as a legend scoring the winner."
I don’t think so, as the mentality of the current management is that they don’t give a shit about it. Rose comes to mind. This boy in his debut scored a cracker vs. Arsse at WHL, never got a sniff after that, and sadly ended up being loaned out. Also, sadly, HR in two years didn’t get a run of games to any of our own youngsters, or the one we bought and brought to the club. And the most annoying to me is when Twitchy comes out and spout to media how he, while in West Ham, introduced to EPL future legends in young Ferdinand, Lampard, Cole, blah, blah, blah.
As for the game this Satdee, most likely we will lose by 3, minimum.
Two more goals for Krancy last night..
Say what you like about Arsenal fans but you have to admire them for holding a 90 mins silence for remembrance day.
"but anyone at the Lane on the night would have laughed out loud at the sheer ecstasy their fans displayed". I wasn't laughing.
It was the only thing I found funny.
Lets 'avvveee them cunts........
I'm fucking sick and tired of this bloody away streak its doing me nut...getting shit from gooners and everyone else at work about it....fuck off....just fuck offffffff...
Anyone fancy a bit of Sandro and Wilson in the middle????.....no thought not
You listening 'Arry? and dont play vdV on the right either ok he'll expose hutton...a better team than Blackburn would have beaten us last week. If Defoe is 70% fit...Start him ok just start him....
Caaaammmmm on you cunts lets be 'aving you
Just saying