Group hug
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at 10:40PM 
Dry your eyes lads. At least we have a cup final to look forward to this Saturday.
As for tonight, I made it clear I didn't care for pre-match selection and if that meant making 10 changes to the side to protect other priorities, regardless, I would not be using that as an excuse post-final whistle. Unlike say our neighbours always manage to do. I wanted 110%. Sadly the side could only give about 60%. The reality is you don't win anything with a patched up team that hand out gifts to an opposition that will be nothing less than clinical in acceptance.
Too much belly-button fluff from us. And their belly-button fluff congealed far better than ours.
The less said about the defending the better. Harry probably got what he wanted. No more Carling Cup games to interfere with the schedule. I feel all dirty for saying that. Sell-out. Cue various shrug type sound-bites from Harry and the Sunday Supplement crew positively creaming their pants. Heads up and just avoid the rags. You'll work your way through it, no problem.
At least Sandro looked decent.
Lesson to be learnt? In future, regardless of what else is going on around us in terms of competitions, never...never ever play a weakened side against the enemy. Yes, the EPL is more important. Yes we do not want players picking up needless injuries...but this is the NLD. Reserve game or otherwise. It's a crock to lose it.
COYS. Onwards.
Reader Comments (141)
Fucking bullshit. Disgrace. Don't care about playing the kids or any of this bullshit. Lennon, Keane, Pav, Bentley, Niko, Bassong, BAE, dos Santos all played at some point.
To be fair Ahmed, aside from BAE - the rest of the players you mentioned are a bit shit/our of sorts. Lennon is off form, but that is no excuse. Point being, they might have all come on at some point, but it was a mess. I had more faith, but it was all a bit despondent, sitting back, watching them play. Especially in the first half.
I guess, we weren't that interested. Great for the players if they don't give a shit. Not so great for us.
Still. Unacceptable.
Keane/Bentley. Great finishing there. Or not.
What was with the mass exodus?! Where's the support through thick and thin? Thought that was a little disgraceful on our part.
But one positive is Sandro is looking a gem of a player
What a bunch of suckers! What a bunch of idiots! What a shit of tactics! Players without personality, intelligence and will to win. A bunch of softies as well. No physical strength, no determination to win personal duels, no interest to satisfy their fans and to justify their high salaries. Besides we are the team with the slowest development of its game. More balls backward than forward. Not the slightest sign of quick and intelligent football.
Thanks PK. I knew there was something I forgot to mention. Sandro does look decent. And more than ready. Said it all along he has the mental strength, so surprised he was not deemed vital for the CL.
What happened to the Spurs-O-Meter?
As for the game, eh. I'm not as devastated as you lot are. I wish we had been knocked out by someone other than the Arse. And that they didn't have to dive twice to do it. Wankers. But whatever.
Let's face the facts. Wenger has his team, regardless of age or rank within the squad playing a specific style so it doesn't matter who he chops and changes. We looked like strangers. I think Harry should have fielded a stronger backbone with young players stuck in rather than reserves and one or two fringe first teamers. We looked like strangers our there, ball watching. Disappointing. I can think of better ways to lose.
Spurs o meter, on the right hand side.
:(
Can someone tell me when its safe to lurk in the tottenham forums again?
Through thick and thin.
COYS!!!!!!!
Whoa. I missed that. I didn't see it on the left-hand side and assumed it had gone missing. Sorry.
We really showed 'em, didn't VDV? You said before the match that we were the bigger club, like Keane before you, and Harry before him. We really proved you right, didn't w....oh yes.
Do your talking on the pitch, you rubbish heaps. and think about this the next time you moan for a bit of playing time at the expense of one of the first-teamers.
As for the mass exodus and sticking with it through thick and thin, I thought the people who stayed towards the end did a good job of giving the lads a cheer after we had already gone down 4-1. It raised my spirits a little, anyway.
Two penalties. Talk about implosion. Although they probably just about edged it. They wanted it more. Which in its self is quite funny, if you want to laugh at anything. Not that anyone wants to be laughing.
Those sat at home judging when it is right to leave early, when the 4th goal goes in. Shit but true.
VDV's pre game comments were over blown. Nothing like Keane who meant it. VDV said it tongue in cheek when telling the reporter about a conversation he had with RVP. Don't add fuel to the fire.
I worry for some of the youngsters. The likes of Naughton will carry the scars of that game for some time.
Arsenal dvd?
i was there north lower! why has no one mention how the penalties should not have been exactly that! the first was bad enough but the second was so bad reminded me of pires!!!! naughton got roasted every time! caulker don't look bad! shame we didnt have lesser clubs for him to play against! maybe the fa cup!!! BAE lennon bentley palacios pav were all toilet and keane despite his goal which was lucky courtesy of bad linesman and bad goalkeeping is well past his best!! on the plus side!! bassong looked strong sandro will be immense which means play up now wilson!! dos santos didnt even get a chance he worked hard!
The team selection didn't bother me, but the formation did. If we are to be familiar with any variation of 4-5-1 then it needs to be played often.
I don't care what anyone says, a loss is a f-ing loss. We lost 4-1 to our fiercest rivals AT HOME.
2 THINGS
1)This is quite straightforward. If your team struggles and come thru to force an extra time fight and the immediately concedes three goals in ET - IT'S FITNESS, BOYS! YOU NEED GREATER STAMINA!
To be fair, a couple of people on this blog have been saying this before now but I believe this is the last straw - NEW FITNESS PROGRAMME PLEAASEE!
2)Its all about the defence, Arsenals CBs: Koscieny, Djourou
Ours: Bassong, Caulker
What did yall think was going to happen there?
Look lets not all be cutting our wrists. It was not on the same level as our 5-1 win. It fucking hurts because if it didn't you wouldn't be able to call your self a yid. But the fact I've already had 3 calls and 4 text messages says it all. Arsenal fans are celebrating tonight because they beat a big team. It's obvious isn't it? The Carling Cup is their main priority this season.
Spooky,
Knee-jerkers in 3...2...1...
You're right, its games that Harry doesn't want and I agree, just rather it wasn't Le Arse.
Onwards and upwards, Sandro grew throughout the game.
Saturday can not come quick enough.
That was the final nail in Bentley's coffin for me. He poses at a free kick all Beckhamesque, then does fuck all. He can't even trap a ball. Harry must despair at his complete inability to grasp an opportunity. Loan the twat out to Pompey, teach him a lesson!
Sorry but did Arsenal not play a fairly strong side out there? Starting eleven and subs? How many actual current starting first teamers did we start with and then bring on? They were far more accomplished because of it.
Oh well.
What a load of bollocks.
I've exiled myself from Glory Glory until Sunday.
You were ragged by a superior team. End of.
Twitchy Redknapp must be twitching like mad. Gooner at heart defoe said your better than us? Yeh fucking right. Your team is so shit.
This result will only be significant if they actually go onto win the cup. Which they won't.
Oh look. The first retard of the night. You only get to see Arsenal fans on other team blogs when they win. Gloat away son. Enjoy it. Your first team beat our kids. It's a proud day down there in Woolwich. Street party, open bus parade. Hey, if you're lucky, your sister might even give you a blow job.
What? Sandro played great????
You obviously weren't there. HE WAS TERRIBLE!
That Jack Wilshere really is something special, did you see that "Xavi"-esque pass that put Gibbs through one-on-one with the GK that the linesman flagged offside wrongly? Phew! Good thing the ref gave us that goal, Robbie was a yard offside. We dodged a bullet there. It could've been 5-0 at home.
Sandro was decent enough, don;t think he was terrible at all. And its a bit harsh to be critical of someone making their debut surrounded by the likes of Keane and Bentley.
I'm off to bed.
:(
Thank you, spooky. Great summarized thoughts.
I like your line: "The less said about the defending the better." Indeed, there was too many debutants back there with a loads of butterflies in their bellies, where each and the smallest error was exposed to the max and potentially punishable. Some of the “young and coming” showed that they still have a long way to go, cause they are at the Coca-Cola level at best.
I also liked Sandro’s game. Hope that he didn’t watch Palacios’ game too closely, cause there was nothing to learn from it.
Also, game approach from some first team players, specifically Pav and Bentley, was disrespectful to folks that paid the money to watch it. Pav again showed how lazy and heartless git he is. He might look skillful, but with no fire in his belly and absolutely clueless of how to hold the ball. His lack of serious efforts to WIN THE FUCKING BALL is cancerous to the team. I wish he would at least once wet his shirt on a rainless day. Bentley was equally uninterested and greedy with the ball. First round in this year goes to the scum fans. Hope that payback will come when it counts and hurts
AhmedYes we played Keane and PaV l a fit Lennon would have buried his breakaway chance before there centre half pounced and you cant have a ship without a rudder the Rudder his Huddlestone who can keep us going forward Sandro Livermore Dosantos Bentley who the fuck his your wiltshire there the answer no one . We learned the Goalkeeper hiis rubbish and he should be sent back Caulker should have learnt from Bassong don't touch a Player from Arsenal. There is a lesson to be learned Arsenal are the lightest squad in the premiership so you don't Tackle them just let them pass till one of them loses it. Harry run Sandro into the ground Naughton should be sold no matter how bad you play what he did was criminal standing still and not bothering to mark his man. Livermore Naughton Pleticosoe should be ditched . Pluses Sandro Caulker showed glimpses of his talent and will be better for this game . One amazing fact i have noticed Arsenal players are rubbish when they play for there country why Whiltshire was rubbish for England all the french players Arshavin for Russia ? Also the reason they are the lightest squad his there High impressive Tempo and the amount of times they snatch the Lucazade while they are playing and why was Nasris Tongue white and why did none of there players get cramp. ANSWERS To UKDA . Next time Harry dont leave a play maker. out of the team. Robbie Keane was a credit to his team and its a shame we gifted two Penalty's and a free free kick at Goalfron Naughton Without reserves games Having a big squad his no good if they all suffer cramp through lac of games fed pissed off hating the Gooners love in from the commentators Alan Smith and wrighty We where strangers with boots and Wenger new this and picked his team to out pass us and close us down with no passer.
OK... Let's clear a few things up:
Arsenal best XI:
Almunia
Sagna Vermaelen Koscielny Clichy
song
cesc diaby
walcott Van Persie Arshavin
Second XI
Fabianski
Eboue Djourou Squillaci Gibbs
Denilson
Wilshere Ramsey
Nasri Chamakh Rosicky
Third XI
Szczesny
Nordveidt Bartley Miquel Traore
Frimpong
Lansbury Aneke
JET Bendtner Vela
So only Koscielny played from the Starting XI at all in the game, the rest was made up of the 2nd XI with Lansbury and Vela from the 3rd string which I assume is similar to your player's roles.. Our starting XI tonight was younger than yours (average age) and cost half as much.
Gotta love your club's official website- "the first half was end to end" HAHA.. end to end of what? Your 18 yard box! To the guy that said this isn't the same as when your first team beat our kids 5-1, man up, our reserves beat your reserves 4-1 away, that's worse than your best team beating a team made up mostly of teenagers at home.
Sandro looked quality?? Did he! You must not have seen the 18 year old giving him the run around all game.
Keane? Spuds squad still better now?! D!ck.
Twice the amount of possesion and wait for it... wait for it- 379 passes more than you. That's what happens when you do more than just kick it up to a Crouch or Pavlyuchenko.
Triffic.
Harry fucked it up. Wrong players, wrong selection, wrong positions.
Same OLD ARSEHEADS Always Cheating! Same Old Arseholes always cheating - bloody cheats, look at both those "penalties" and you'll see where I'm coming from. OK we werent great but c'mon please if thats the only way they can win then F***'em all!!
Dan you cheating Scummy C**t!!
Sammy C - does C stand for Cu*t???
The take home lessons from this evening were:
1) David Bentley simply doesn't have what it takes at this level. I'm not going to say anything about effort or style: he just doesn't have the requisite pace, athleticism, and awareness. He will probably thrive when he is slipped out the side door to a decent Championship team and when it happens it won't be a moment too soon.
2) Aaron Lennon's confidence really is shot to pieces. Even worse than I thought. Bless him. I hope he'll get it back. A year ago he'd've buried that chance.
3) Anyone who says that Sandro was either brilliant or completely rubbish is simply being provocative. It's clear that he has to settle into the groove of English football and into the team; he made some naive mistakes and wasn't consistent. But there were enough great tackles, bits of pressing and worrying the opposition off the ball, fine moments of anticipation, and even surging runs to suggest - along with the fact that he's massive - that he could be at least useful - and possibly even fantastic.
And yeah, it was sad to see everyone leave after 3-1 and 4-1. It's not the Emirates. Show your belief. Massive kudos to everyone who stayed and sang their hearts out. Tottenham till we die.
Dan, to be a little fair, and I know you want to bask in the glory and such, but if you look back at the game, you must have been confident based on the side we put out and how we lined up? It's was a fucking mess. I didn't post about this because I honestly don't want to use it as an excuse in some childish way. We got spanked, no denying it. Far too many of our players were dog shit. It's not so much you lot having better 'reserves' but more so to do with the philosophy of football Wenger has built from top to bottom. You play the same style from academy upwards. All the players seem to be completely comfortable with each other. You can't honestly say the Spurs side this evening scared you pre-match?
We all know that doesn't mean much because for all the fancy passing, you still don't actually win much. Tonight, you took the game, it was handed on a plate to you. Should have been 5-0 looking back. Thank the Gods for small mercies.
As for us - we rely heavily on having a full strength side, because that's the only side that flows and works and ticks along lovely. Start taking out key players and replacing them with players in the wrong position and you end up with what we got tonight.
Bullshit.
Anyways, glad you posted. At least you didn't just resort to calling us cunts, then disappearing back off to your swamp.
Oh and like we gave a shit this time around... It was you lot who had 6 1st teamers on by the end - better wim something eh???