Arsenal v Stoke

Really like Rob Holding, looks like he could be the real deal, just hope he does not start to believe his own hype and become like the rest of the 'British core'. He is one of the positives from this season, along with Alexis of course.

 

Its really nice not being the victims that you mofos are chasing down in your annual top four sprint

 

When the pressure is off, there are few better teams than Arsenal, especially when we play the dross.

 

The Liverpool players will be ****ting themselves (maybe literally like Spurs in 06) now, they should have wrapped up top four ages ago, in the race for top four the last team you want chasing you down is Arsenal.

 

I did say on our board if you win those 2 away games you'll get top 4 and I stick by that tbh. Just no chance we will get 6 points in the last 2 games. That being the case, top 4 and potentially an FA cup, isn't your 'sh!t' season technically better than Tottenham?

 

Any trophy beats top 4 in my opinion...it's only those like Wenger who have brainwashed people that top 4 is better.
The trouble is that Arsenal fans seem sick of not winning the league so there is the surreal situation that some think it's better not to win the fa cup cos losing the final might force Wenger out.

 

Yup

 

That type of thinking for me is absolute ****house. I can hardly believe that we actually have fans who think that way, but sadly they are out there.

I just hope that the prick with the plane today feels like a **** for wasting his money flying a plane whilst Wenger's team was winning the game.

 

Can you imagine how they would have coped between 72 and 89 when you "only" won 2 trophies?
I love the escapism of football and think I am lucky to be able to afford to take my daughters to see spurs between 5 and 10 times a season for the past 13 or 14 years. To me football is the banter, the tribalism and the acting like a kid at Christmas when you score. Unfortunately some think its simply about being the best and react weirdly when the club doesn't match their expectations.
(Better put my tin hat on )

 

Great goals from Giroud! Congratulations Arsenal!

 

I can only speak for myself and my own experience of being an Arsenal fan. I've been there in the stadium when we've won titles and there is literally nothing like the feeling of being Champions. (I understand as a Spurs fan you can't identify with this ) On the flip side I have also been there when we have been ****, thrown games away, played boring football, been undone by teams we should be beating etc and watched some ****ing dross over the years.

I understand the frustrations of others with our current predicament, but I don't share the 'burn it to the ground and start again' mentality. That for me is simply the reckless yearnings of people who don't actually realise how far a team can fall. Some might moan about Top 4 and the FA cup, but for 16 teams out of 20, they would give their left bollock to get that.

As I say, I can only speak for myself an my own relationship with my club and my fellow fans. For me supporting Arsenal is a love affair, they are in my heart and no matter how much they hurt me, I will never stop loving them or believing that they can turn it around, because I am in it for the long haul and I will support them through thick and thin, as I always have.

 

speaking for me too, squire

 

Good to hear that fella.

Arsenal is in my blood. I grew up playing in the back garden of houses where remnants of the old Invicta ground stood and ever since then I've been 'Arsenal'. From my days as a Junior Gunner (getting the new pack with the new season ticket each summer, the pencil case, pad, pens etc) Going with my Dad and standing in the Junior Gunner enclosure.

Then going with my mates as a Teenager, standing on the old North Bank right through to the sad day that they pulled it down. Starting songs, being in the surges. banter with the clock end. Seeing the stadium change, a roof and boxes going in at the clock end. Doing my 'work experience' with Steve Braddock and the groundsman team at Highbury, going on the pitch at HT to fork the pitch in front of 45,000 fans.

Away days with mates, getting locked in grounds until the local hooligans had been dispersed. Running away from Millwall fans at Charing cross. Football special trains going up north and the carnage that they became on route. Sitting in the back of a Renault 5 with 3 other blokes, driving up to Liverpool and Manchester.

Chanting at Jimmy Hill about his big chin as he climbed a makeshift ladder to a temporary commentary box at Upton park, and him stroking his chin for the banter. Seeing us beat Spurs in the 1987 league cup semi final at WHL, when their stadium announcer was giving Spurs fans info on how to buy their tickets for the final at HT. Seeing us win the league at Anfield in 1989 with a last minute goal against all odds. Witnessing the transformation of our club under Wenger, who is THE most successful manager ever at Arsenal .........

All of these things make me the Arsenal supporter that I am. My personal feeling is that a fan supports the club through thick and thin, because it's during tough times that the team needs us the most. Each to their own, but for me Arsenal will always a part of me and I won't shy away, lose interest or give up.

 

Lord Flashheart would now punch you .... call you a ponce and then go shag Bob ...and truthfully, who could blame him?

 

You're from Woolwich, so you know what I mean

 

I totally agree.

A fellow gooner at work said to me last week, aren't you frustrated that Arsenal so often fail to meet your expectations? They lose against teams you expect to beat. They don't progress in the CL as far as you expect... I said that I never approach a match, tournament or season with expectations other than that the players try. Any team on a given day can produce a result, no matter who they are playing. This truism works both for and against us, so I approach each game with the hope that fate is smiling on us that day.

p.s. I wonder if Cini has a pilot's license

 

Good memories, and great sentiments. I can add to that the euphoria at winning the "Inter City Fairs Cup" (after SEVENTEEN trophy-less years) and the Bertie Mee double. There were some pretty mediocre years as well. I am an Arsenal fan come what may. That is a sentiment that I am sure is shared by most, if not all the contributors to these pages. The level of expectation brought about by the first ten Wenger years is understandable and the consensus that change is needed is inevitable. We've had some bad periods in the last few seasons where some players badly let both the club and Wenger down but some of Wenger's decisions have been baffling. That discussion will go on until a new manager comes and begins his life in the spotlight. Those points are discussed, eloquently mostly, on other pages. Something happened yesterday that made me realise why I am with the right club, well two things actually. The first was that Stoke actually tried to play football against us and were humiliated. Even when they reverted to type we were better (seeing Arnautovic being taken out was very satisfying). But the main thing was hearing Stoke fans sing "Arsene Wenger-we want you to stay". Stoke ffs??!! they will never achieve what this club has achieved. They will only have player/thugs like Shawcross and Pieters to cheer and only loser managers to like Hughes to guide them. Some are decrying the attempt to achieve the fourth place for the 21st year on the run. Some are decrying the possibility of equalling the record amount of FA cup wins, but if we dot pull them off its not the end of the world and it wont be a disaster of a season. Am I disappointed that we didn't do better?-of course. Did I expect better?- no. I don't have that right. I am only an Arsenal fan.

 

Not that I particularly condone plane messages... But I doubt that the result of this one game affected his opinion of whether he wants Wenger to stay or go that much.

 

For once I agree with you. All I want is my team to try, and care, all the time. If that brings trophies so be it. Supporting a football team is not just about winning trophies. If that was case no-one would support most teams. I want who I support to have some pride.

So are you therefore not hacked off with how little our manager and players try? Or do you genuinely believe they are 'trying' and are just the victim of a witch-hunt? And if you do genuine they're trying all the time are you not therefore staggered by how inept they are? Because they have to be at least one of those two things... Not trying or not good enough. And tolerating both and justifying it by trying to show off how amazing a 'fan' it makes you BY tolerating it serves no purpose that I can see.

Tolerate trophy less years. Tolerate bad results. Tolerate relegation. What I won't tolerate is lazy overpaid muppets who don't care.

 

Lazy overpaid muppets exist in all clubs. Arsenal are no worse or better off for it. Some of ours have been particularly poor this season, on and off the pitch. And no, it's not acceptable - but as a fan, if you really cannot 'tolerate' it any more, there is a choice open to you. Stop supporting the club. It's the only option that is practically available