Stoke 1 Arsenal 3: Are the injuries a coincidence? My hunch is they are not
Stoke City 1 Arsenal 3
The joys of moving house this weekend have left me denied both
technologically and time wise, hence the lateness of this report. I’m
going to go through it chronologically.
The team…
Was the right one really. While the goalkeeper and midfield more or less picked themselves, I was pleased to see Ramsey had kept out Denilson and in Nasri, Eboue and Bendtner we had the nice combination of trickery, pace and height I’ve been banging about for ages.
The Stoke goal…
Was so, so annoying. Not because I object to their throw in
techniques. Indeed I don’t think it overly sympathetic to our defence
to say the initial throw was a nightmare to defend and not
surprisingly ended up on a Stoke head. But it was what followed that
infuriated me. A man standing totally free, a yard out. Unforgivable.
It all made it…
Very difficult for a while. But we were patient and as we cranked up
the pressure, it became harder and harder for Stoke to maintain their
own very impressive high pressure game. And our improvement saw our
captain drop deep to collect a throw in and for just about the first
time in the game have space to cross. Great cross and a great header
from Bendtner. Terrific response.
From then on…
We really had a go and clearly wanted the three points. That said,
like the FA Cup encounter the game was nicely poised. But whereas on
that day I had Stoke 60-40 to score the winner, on Saturday I think
the odds were at least reserved.
Ramsey should have…
Had a penalty. I’m staggered by the way it has now become necessary
almost to assault the opponent before a referee gives a penalty
against you while at the same time the flimsiest of handballs can
elicit a spot-kick. Certainly, I thought the penalty we did get
yesterday was easily the softest of our three claims. The other two
(on Ramsey and Bendtner) looked nailed on.
And now we get to…
That horrible moment. First things first, best of luck to Aaron.
What about Shawcross?
His supporters will say he didn’t mean it. But frankly that’s the age
old trick of issuing a denial for something other than the real question. Of course he didn’t “mean” it.
The real question is…
Was it just a complete fluke? Well, the first thing I think worth
noting is Shawcross’ (I’m almost certain it was he) reaction in the
first half when he was pretty cleanly tackled by Cesc. Shawcross went
properly mad about it in the frankly embarrassing way some of our
players do occasionally when they’ve been legitimately dispossessed. I just couldn’t fathom frankly what on earth he was so wound up about.
And I mention that because perhaps it offers us some insight into his
psyche at the time of the Ramsey challenge. A cool, in control,
customer he certainly didn’t appear to be earlier in the game.
Stoke are actually…
Not a dirty team and have never been dirty against us to the best of
my recollection. And nor do I think they set out to be dirty on
Saturday.
But these questions need answering:
Why, every time a player gets a really bad injury, do the pundits
decide it’s an accident? When was the last time an agreed really bad
tackle caused that kind of damage? Are we focusing on the wrong
incidents? Why has the club who notoriously ‘don’t like it up em’ seem
to have suffered these injuries disproportionately.
On which note, it’s not three incidents…
Everybody has been citing the Diaby and Eduardo incidents alongside
the Ramsey one, but less we forget one of our other great British
hopes is currently out long term. Kieran Gibbs did not have his leg
broken in the same way, but was nonetheless the victim of a quite
ridiculous tackle from a Standard Liege player that has put him out for many, many months.
My own view…
Is that football needs to ask itself why so many Arsenal players seem
to fall victim to these injuries. Is it really a fluke? Or is it that
getting in amongst Arsenal has become such a norm in the game that
these things are happening?
It began with the indulgence of Allardyce…
Bolton used to (and still sometimes do) try to kick Arsenal off the
pitch. They were frequently well out of order and very dangerous and
yet they were lauded for it. Guys like Martin Taylor and Shawcross are
not sent out to injure like Allardyce used to tell his charges to. But
they are the products of an era that says “it’s good to get in Arsenal’s faces.”
On which note…
Why do I never read how it is now well over a year and well over 60
games since Emmanuel Eboue was sent-off at White Hart Lane, our last red card.
For Arsene however…
There is a danger in reacting too strongly. While my hunch is that our
run of injuries is no accident, it is true that sometimes these
injuries can be flukes. So I just fear for the Arsenal player who one
day causes serious injury with a bad tackle. I’m not saying we’re a
dirty team for a second, but both Abou Diaby and Nicklas Bendtner have seen red for frankly very poor challenges that were totally out of
character. So irrespective of what previous Shawcross may have,
instead of victimising the perpetrator, I’d rather the whole issue
were looked at.
The scenario…
Was spookily similar to Birmingham two years previously. That was the
27th game of the season, Saturday was the 28th. It was weird watching it because a little bit of me felt guilty about caring about the game following the personal anguish we’d just witnessed. Another part of me felt that if any team knew how to handle such a strange situation, it was us.
As it happens…We didn’t play particularly well after the injury. You can hardly blame the players for that.
But then…
We got the penalty. You think back to St Andrews and the one we
conceded in the final minute and you’re reminded how fine the margins
are in football.
But from the moment the penalty was given…
We were very professional. On first glance it looked like Sorenson
would save the spot-kick. But seen again, you realised that to do so
was almost impossible. Cesc had put it in the part of the goal where
it’s essentially impossible to save. And then what little surprise it
was Thomas Vermaelen was there to bundle in a third.
Poor old Song…
Will miss two games for essentially being a defensive midfielder. I
thought he did nothing wrong for the yellow card, though I can
understand why the referee got it wrong. As one correspondent
mentioned, at least he made sure his man didn’t get past him. Take
note Denilson.
So…
Ten games to go and we’re three off Chelsea and two off United.
Despite usually being an arch pessimist, I’m in no way surprised that
we’re still in it. Around three weeks ago I was maintaining that even
defeat at Chelsea wouldn’t be the end and hell, I’ve been proved
right. I’m not saying and I’ve never said we will win it, but the
players deserve great credit for still being in it at this stage. On
Saturday they showed great bottle to recover firstly from going a goal
down and then from the sight of another team-mate having his leg
snapped in two.
As for the argument that we’re only up there because United and
Chelsea are weak, yawn frankly.
Everyone usually goes on about our feebleness against the smaller
sides. Well in 24 games against anyone other than our fellow title
challengers, I make it we’ve taken 58 points from a possible 72. Not
to shabby at all.
It would be equally logical to argue United and Chelsea are only still
in it because they were lucky enough to chance upon us at our very
worst this season. Had the current crop done as well against United
and Chelsea as last season’s fairly average team managed, we’d now be on 65 points, United would be on 55 and Chelsea on 58.
Which I think is proof, if any were needed that actually we haven’t so
badly thus far.
I agree that questions need to be asked as to why it is always Arsenal players who get injured in this way.
Until the media stop defending these clowns who masquerade as footballers, the same old lines will be trotted out each and every time a tackle like the Shawcross one occurs.
You’re pathetic, aren’t there more important things to talk about right now than constantly making sly digs about Denilson? You haven’t learned your lesson from having to eat humble pie over Diaby and Eboue, both of whom have already proven you wrong. If you claim to support this team, support all the players and acknowledge that maybe after two serious back injuries and having to play when you’re not fully fit because others were missing, may be a factor in Denilson not being at his best recently. He’s not the first player or the last to make a mistake, so give it a rest.
just a thought playa: what if it were rooney injured? wil the so called pundits try to defend the stoke thug? get wel soon aaron!
I’ve got a few points, firstly good write up….
Secondly (and I’m sure I will be screamed down here), injuries are part and parcel of the game. I’m gutted for Aaron (and was amazingly surprised at the strength of my reaction after what happened as I literally felt sick all night), but unlike the Dudu injury with Taylor Shawcross was running at pace and, although it was a stupid tackle, it was hugely unlucky that it turned out the way it did. There are a number of tackles like that per game in most weeks and although I’m not excusing what he’s done I do think that Ramsey is more unlucky than anything else to be where he is.
and thirdly, I wonder how much Cesc took from the Eduardo incident where Gallas freaked out? It would’ve been easy to have ballsed everything up the way we did against Birmingham, but instead it seemed the team had been there before and wasn’t going to make the same mistake again.
I’m proud of what the boys did on Saturday and for the first time this season I really believe that we’ve got a good chance of winning the Premiership!
you are clearly obsessed with Denilson. He didn’t even play. He wasn’t on the bench for gods sake!
the rest of the article is brilliant as always..
@Passenal – Err, no. The notion you can’t criticise players is pathetic. I haven’t eaten any humble pie over either Diaby or Eboue. I always said both had bundles of talent but weren’t doing the business. Nobody can doubt that.
I’m not having a go at Denilson. I’ve nothing against him. I simply think there have been errors from him that have been very, very avoidable. One day he may be a very good player. I for one would be delighted.
song misses burnley at home and hull away. given he would be booked at some point anyway, it is probably good that those are the games he’ll miss.
it is an understatement to say “we’re still in it”. regardless of what happens from now on, it is fair to say the amount of criticism this team has got does not reflect how well they’ve been doing — and we’re in a financially healthy position.
ramsey usually recovers very quickly from injuries. i hope that’ll happen again.
It didn’t help that the Stoke crowd was like 25,000 demented orks baying for blood from the first whistle until the injury. It’s the kind of atmosphere in whch nearly-men of limited education like Ryan Shawcross go from healthy competitiveness to unacceptable aggression.
@ Mr Scooch. Yes, injuries are part of the game. But motivating teams to “rough up” an opponent (to quote Ricardo Fuller) should not be part of any game – it is tantamount to incitement to violence, which is against the law of the land, never mind the laws of the game.
How nice to see a blog that includes Kieren as one of those recently injured. I was beginning to worry that he was not because he did not fit in the “they cripple Arsenal’s foreign players” argument.
Also, this is most probably the best time for Alex Song to serve his two match ban (oh yes, he would have received another yellow card before eos) and not at the time of the harder matches. Or am I wrong?
Sorry to reiterate your comment on Song, Bernardinho – it appeared while I was writing mine.
I think most people accept that this challenge wasn’t in the same league as Smith on Diaby or Taylor on Eduardo but what the press fail to ignore is just how wreckless it was.
It’s a nothing ball on the halfway line and the only chance he has of winning it are running at full speed and throwing all his weight behind his challenge. Was it intentional? Probably not. Is he that kind of player? It doesn’t matter. Was it dangerous, wreckless? Absolutely.
The media seem think this is some kind of accidental freak injury. That is when your studs get caught on the turf and twist your ankle with no one near you. This was preventable. And if he hadn’t made the challenge, would anyone have said Shawcross isn’t committed or that he bottled it? Of course not.
I’m sure none of the above is making much sense, i’m just venting!!
On a different note, this is the first time since we moved to the Grove that we are right in the title race come March. Usually for a game like Burnely the place would be like a funeral come 2.55pm, I hope that isn’t the case on Saturday.
If we get right behind these players and let them know we believe in them, anything is possible come May.
Graham Poll, for once, made sense on the Ramsey incident. He said that such tackles are rarely pure accidents. From my own experience as a defender, you can always soften your leg i.e. relax the muscles and take the sting out of the impact. You may bruise your opponent but you don’t need to break his leg. In the incidents we have been victims of, the perpetrators appeared to make little effort to minimise the impact. Collymore’s claim that it didn’t merit a red card is sickening; even Pulis said that it was a very bad tackle.
Player, please leave Denilson alone, especially at this point we are all morning the injustice, hatred and brutality of English over Skills and Non English. He will come good soon, back injuries are not the easiest of injury to deal with at high tempo like the EPL.
On Ryan Shawcross; is it too hard on him to believe that he was actually not crying (Crocodile tears) for Rambo, rather that he was sent off and knew he was going to miss Three games? Selah!
A look at the fair play table show Arsenal in second.first are hull.
I believ some of these teams deliberately target the danger men in Arsenal. Eduardo was scoring goals for fun when the tackle came.
I reiterate the latest injury is a systematic campaign to prevent Arsenal winning. Ramsey was an upcoming star who would soon be a danger to other teams.
i wonder why plalers in other teams always seem to escape longt erm injury. Rooney,gerrard.Torres.Drogba. Why aren’t these guys targetted?Is it because of their size? if so AW better buy monsters to scre the bullies.
The incident was horrendous… it was so emotional seeing an Arsenal player in such bad pain…One could see the tears and anguish in the eyes of so many Arsenal players…
Sad for Ramsey who was just getting better each game…
And just coz the tackle wasnt malicious it doesnt mean the person causing it shouldnt be resposible… Its like killing someone in an accident when driving a car… nobody takes the car out to kill someone… but if they lose control of the car and someone is killed in the incident they’d be responsible wouldnt they?
It is not as if someone too shawcross’s legs and hit them against ramsey’s and shawcross wasnt in control… He was very much aware and concious… nobody forced him to tackle so hard.. he did it himself… he should be made to pay… deserve a ban till the end of the season at least…
Love the spanish liga in this regard… Even the best of players are banned for loadsa matches for indecent behaviour…e.g. PePe last season..That offers so much protection to good players… no wonder all the worlds best players wanna play in that league…
I’m sure ramshit would be very glad though…
Really glad to see the team react the way they did and really sad for Ramsey but I hope the team use this as inspiration in a way they didnt when dudu got wacked.
Wenger says 3 breaks in 5 years cant be a fluke, but it is actually 4 – Nasri. And he was injured by one of our players. Although I think the media need to stop this “they dont like it up them” stuff, I think we have also been very unlucky.
Get well soon Ramsey !!
what will be the repurcussion of this latest serious injury?Arsenal have some of the most talented players in the league.I for one would not be surprised if there were an exodus of talent from th EPL….and a general avoidance by others to come….sound alittle too dramatic?
I’m happy with the mature response of almost all Arsenal fans and some responses of the neutrals. This should be the moment when this problem becomes well addressed. Players are clearly told to get at Arsenal by roughing them up. They announce that frankly in the media and more importantly they are proud of doing it.
Margins between hard/fair and hard/dangerous is not small. Chelsea is a very good example, players such as Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack and John Terry, they out-muscled their opponents and, in doing so, out-played them, too. Competing with their athleticism, which then lead to domination in technical areas. This is a part of adequate football.
The other, more beautiful part, is what Arsenal do; winning by out-passing the opponent. This was the reason to make me a proud fan of Arsenal. I’m an overseas fan, born and raised in baghdad and lives in Holland since 11 years. I was attracted few years ago to the best league in the world and in no time I was a crazy about the fascinating football of arsenal.
No body should be allowed to compensate for his technical inferiority through rough tackling. The media has created a climate which legitimizes rough tactics as a way of beating us. this gives also explanation to arsenals (always) long injury list. Wenger moaning about that, but was always dismissed.
As a foreigner I’m very aware what the media can create in the mind of people .. and even I’m coming from iraq, which tells enough about what I had seen, I was very emotional and almost crying for what happened to Ramsey. The media does not kill people now, fortunately. The media kills football. Pure football should be protected … Arsenal should be protected.
@Terry – spot on. I only caught 5 mins before having to catch a train but Stoke fans were booing and screaming at Arsenal everytime we had the ball. Yeah, boo if you want, I don’t really care, but seemed a bit mental considering it was 10 minutes played and Stoke were 1-0 up.
I’ve just realised today. That Arsenal MUST win the league to save football.
From the debt culture.
From the moron culture.
From Sly Sports.
From BBC Hotsp*r.
Great article by Martin Samuel today.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1254454/MARTIN-SAMUEL-Now-Aaron-Ramsey–broken-legs-chance.html?ITO=1490
As supporters it is OUR duty not to let this Ramsey thing lay. As Wenger says, this was not football and we cannot accept this sort of violence in football.
Ronaldo
Adebayor
Jeffers
Ramsey
Yet… Shearer told the nation on MOTD that Shawcross has no reputation for reckless challenges.
Ricardo Fuller 22nd January 2010
“I don’t think Arsenal can deal with the aggressive play. It’s been proved in the past that Chelsea and Bolton have roughed them up and tried to bully them.”
Would be great for a Stoke player to confirm what was said in the room by Pulis on the weekend.
With the coolness of time having passed to allow rational thought I can honestly say hand on heart that Shawcross is a fouling talentless cunt. Did he mean it? I dont know but the rashness of the tackle and given his previous record it was inevitable that this ballbag was going to hurt someone sometime. The refusal of the FA to do anything to address the culture of Kicking better teams off the park means it is more likely to happen again. ‘Hes not that kind of lad’ excuse is such vomit inducing bollocks. Shawcross is that type of lad what more fucking proof do you need.
@Paul… it may take no less than a brutal injury to Wayne Rooney to win over some of the morons in this debate
The Stoke goal was down to our bad defending against their major weapon, OUR FAULT. After that we basically dominated the rest of the game. how did Sagna get pulled up for a throw-in taken from the wrong place when ALL Stoke’s throw-ins were taken 15 yards further forward (after 25 seconds of respite for the weary Potteries soldiers)? Why is Sorenson allowed 25-30 seconds to take a goal kick, again, is it to allow the poor, skill-less Potters some respite from having to chase the ball all over the shop all day, yet when we take 20 seconds over a corner in added time the ref is waving us to hurry up? The two penalty incidents (Ramsey and Bendtner) were so nailed on that my wife thought i was going to have a heart attack! The reaction of the TEAM throughout the game and especially after the INCIDENT were exemplary and hopefully prove to the Redtops that we are able to deal with ‘IN YOUR FACE’ attitude, adversity and supposed ‘bully boy’ tactics (according to them ‘good, honest endeavour!!!!!). Stoke ARE a dirty team because every challenge is aimed at either getting the man or stopping the game (Ricardo Fuller/Mamady Sidibe)! how does Alex Song get booked when Rory Delap is grabbing his arm (can we not use video evidence to get his ban rescinded?)? We are still 3 points off the top (having lost all 4 games against the top two!) yet we have won the titlegot an easy run in……SPerz away (going for 4th spot)? ManC at home (going for 4th spot), birmingham…..
let’s just enjoy the way we play, deal with the lack of tropies and also bask in the glory of the financial glow of things going according to plan (laters Usmanov!!). i bet there will not be an empty seat in the next three home games!
all you supporters of less than 5 years standing learn how to sing, shout and SUPPORT your club! i have no doubt you think you love AFC now comes the time to PROVE it! but should we end up potless again do NOT bitch and moan because we are still progressing!!!!!
Bob Wilson. Legend
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/8542777.stm
Good player nice article as sa usual but where are the rating becoming lazy like Liverpool games.
on the Ramsey inciden I realy feel sory for him bu clearly thi is a reult of Media campain to rough Arsenal players hence the reason they will defend this dirty act of violence . Let’s hope Ramsey will recover like Diaby and Eduado did though it will take time for him to be at his best lelve again.
i though Clichy had a really great game, on both ends. He even took a decent shot on goal. hopefully he’s back in form.
I have a dream that someday little English boys and little foreign boys will play football together in the true spirit of the game. I have a dream that someday the football match will be well refereed and no dirty or dangerous fouls made. I have a dream ladies and gentlemen that someday skill vision and general awesomeness are revered and not envied and targeted by scrotes. I have a dream that someday stoke and bolton and hull and all the mediocre teams will look to their own failings as players and coaches and try to drag themselves up and not us down. I have a dream that Kelly Brooke unzipped my……but thats for another blog.
Ramsey was having a very solid game – he was improving minute by minute – and I liked the constant communication between Fabregas and Ramsey – I thought they were clicking together for the first time. I really hope to seem him this year agian.. or maybe FA Cup Third round next year.
I was proud of the team before the Stoke game but after the
Stoke performance, I am trillion times prouder of the team. They were class. But like Wenger, I am scared, this is not an end – afraid we could get another serious injury before end of the season.
You know, there are so many positive reasons, that we could win the title, but I still can’t or don’t want to believe that it is possible. I hope the team believes it, though.
Palmer agitating again on ANR. Fricking nob.
And:
“We got the penalty. You think back to St Andrews and the one we
conceded in the final minute and you’re reminded how fine the margins
are in football.”
Indeed. That was a soft penalty we conceded as well. Karma? How different would’ve been if we had won that game?! And don’t know how different it will be after wining the Stoke game. Will only know in two months time or in the next game..
Forgotten after the horror tackle…………
Our first goal…..great cross by the Captain on to Bentdner’s head …rises above 3 X 6ft Stoke defenders….unstoppable header into the corner…..simple magic. Playing to our strengths? More please Arsene!!
I feel enormously proud of the team and their fantastic response to such a horrendous tackle. They were already dominating the game and continued in the same vein with grit and determination. I agree with with booland Ramsey was playing a mature controlled role as he has done increasingly for us. Hopefully he will make a full recovery and continue to become an Arsenal great.
What you gonna write about now ramshit,hope you’re happy. you can stick to your manc blog.
Get well soon ramsey!
I thought the team were fantastic saturday. clichy looked back to myself. Super nik is proving me right aswell
Pretty much spot on with the comments – although I feel that Denilson is better than he’s been playing recently. Shame that some so called pundits would rather focus on slagging off Wenger for his entirely understandable reaction (Collymore, Green). Maybe with the advance of Science we could collect some of the DNA of Peter Storey and have him cloned – that should sort the bastards out! (provided we could keep him out of Pentonville for controlling women of ill repute).
Denilson has got to step it up. I dont doubt he has the ability to be a top holding midfielder but he has struggled this season and at times not shown the desire and drive expected of an Arsenal player. AW clearly believes in him so that is good enough for now. He has shown periodically flashes of what he is all about I hope like Song he grows into one of the first names on the team sheet.
I think it’s two seasons in a row where denilson has started like a house afire and then faded by the spring. wasn’t it last spring where we barely saw him? I hope i’m not wrong about that.
anyways, i’ve no problem with anyone saying denilson can and should play better, as long as we remember that he’s already played very well for us at times, has the capacity to improve a great deal, and that we trust in him and arsene that he is committed to improving. that goes for anyone on the team really.
Last year, Denilson played about 50 games; it was his first proper season. And this year he had only started 18 games in total. Perhaps last years over workload took the toll. And cos of the back injury he hasn’t been running hard, but he has changed a couple of games for us this season, for example hull game. As I have said before, I like Denilson and I would love to see him playing well again.
Denilson does have technical ability – no doubt about that. What he has failed to show for too much of this season is sufficient energy and application. He is playing for a side that HAS to put three points on the board after every match. It doesn’t show enough.
Another video of Saint Shawcross maiming a player during his loan spell at Royal Antwerp (Belgium).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JImCLHKXTOs
Nice post Goodplaya. One thing that I have a different opinion about is Stoke’s “get in your face” tactics. The last year’s game had a really bad tackle by guess-who on Ade, Walcott was essentially manhandled, and there was one more too that I can’t remember. In the FA cup game, they were consistently clattering into Cesc after he had passed the ball and we were lucky that Cesc didn’t come away with an injury. So, they may not be dirty players (like say Bolton under Allardyce) but they have had quite a few dirty moments.
Three games (at their place) and three times they’ve tried to kick us off the park. I have no gripes about losing the 2 games (last year and FA cup) because the reason for our losses lie elsewhere but they’re definitely not a “clean” team.
Firstly, well spotted on the Shawcross / Fabregas incident in the first half – at the time it happened and I saw the look on Shawcross’ face I turned to the person next to me and said “he’s going to ‘do’ someone in a minute to get us back”.
Secondly, I’d like to know why everyone seems to love Stoke so much and defend them to the hilt – they are a horrible football team and they do nothing for the English game. I agree they may not be as Bolton or Blackburn, but the way they play football by lumping it forward and getting as many throw ins as possible for the otherwise average Delap is just downright awful. People always question why England don’t have the same technical skills and abilities as other nations and its because there are still too many people in this country who coach players to play this way. I believe whilst there are teams like Stoke, Bolton and Blackburn who go out to play like this and stop talented footballers by any means we will always be held back in our attempts to become a more skilful nation.
Frankly, I am really tired of watching what amounts to blatant thuggery when faced with a team that is infinitely better than the other one. Its not the fault of the players who commit the fouls directly, but is certainly due to a mentality driven by management. It must be stopped!
It amazes me that, since the moment the injury took place till today, Tuesday at 15.15, no one (least of all those useless ‘pundits’ on MOTD) has actually quoted the rules of the game.
This is from Fifa.com:
“Careless” means that the player has shown a lack of attention or consideration when making a challenge or that he acted without precaution. No further disciplinary sanction is needed if a foul is judged to be careless.
“Reckless” means that the player has acted with complete disregard to the danger to, or consequences for, his opponent. A player who plays in a reckless manner must be cautioned.
“Using excessive force” means that the player has far exceeded the necessary use of force and is in danger of injuring his opponent. A player who uses excessive force must be sent off.
So clearly Shawcross was rightly sent off. For a routine challenge for the ball in a non-dangerous area of the pitch he used excessive force. Liam Ridgewell, whose challenge on Theo Walcott back in the autumn was also completely excessive and disproportionately zealous. Theo was out for weeks afterwards. All we heard then was “oh, but he got the ball.” That’s. Not. The. Point.
Time to move on from the events of saturday – except I can’t. Its like a worm squirming in my stomach. You can’t see it but its there eating away at me. Voices in my head ‘Ryans a good lad’ ‘ hes not that kind of player’ ‘I hope Ryan can get over this’. Personally I want to see Ryan skull fucked by Satan. I’d even sell tickets. I really could not give a fuck if the cheating hacking cunt faced bastard never stops having nightmares about what he has done. In reality the ginger twat probably believes he is as much the victim of a physical game as Ramsey. And besides wasn’t he only doing what Pulis told him to do ‘ruff them up they don’t like it up them’. I know what I would like to stuff up Pulis.
denilson’s not really a d.m midfielder. We only have one of them in song. but we have diaby,ramsey,nasri ,rosicky,and others coming through,maybe denilsons squad place would be better taken up by a melo,veloso,or parker. the jury is definately still out on him,thers no doubt he has quality,but not as good going forward,or as good defensively as all of the players above
It is indeed time to move on.We have 10 games left & it’s ours to win. If we don’t win it Ramsey’s injury will haunt us for the rest of our lives. The players cannot let that happen.
It’s time to focus on the positives : re-signing Sol is looking like a stroke of genius,Clichy looks like he’s finding form again,Theo & Bendtner are getting back to full fitness & giving us options up front at last. And most importantly we have a captain who is playing like a God.
What a fucking moment it would be if Ramsey came out on crutches to get a winners medal at the Fulham game. Pires in 2002 was a spinetingling moment, this could be even better.
Definately not a coincidence. Teams like Stoke and Bolton who are technically inferior will kick the superior teams like Arsenal. Mind you Man Utd had Roy Keane to do it for them and now it’s Darren Fletcher. Maybe fight fire with fire is the only way to get them from doing it again
I agree with the comment about us having to move on, and “very quickly” form this incident. As much as we all are saddened by the incident, we are in 2 major competitions and must NOT let anything distract our ambitions for the season. We are another man down, and hopefull we will celebrate with him at the finishing line. We have to leave it in the hands of the pundits and FA to conduct their intelligent analysis!! Which we all know means nothing will be done, all we can do is support our boys on the pitch, and make as much noise as possible to spur them on to achieve something great AGAINST ALL ODDS. Lets give every other team as much stick as possible till then at the Emirates and away from home!.. and also every REFEREE that thinks he can let 500 challenges un-punished before a leg breaks.
Leave Denilson, i believe he is going through a patch.. same as Almunia did, same as Bendtner did, same as MOST players do. He is one of our most used players and at such a young age is probably a bit burnt out. In a 4-3-3 where you have attacking full backs and roaming midfielders you are likely to be left as the last man covering. He aint a natural DM but i feel he has really pushed on. He made a few mistaked of late, (letting Rooney run in behind) and i think he merits his time on the bench. BUT he is a good player and has proved that over the last few seasons. With Ramsey out, and Song out for 2 games, we need him even more to step up. I THOUGHT WE WAS BEHIND CRITICISING OUR OWN TEAM ANYWAY!!! Let the media do that, they are very good at it.
i am not luaghing about the ramsey incident… but if you really want me to comment… and choose one single person to be reposible, i would point my finger at arsene wenger, not shawcross
the lad is not ready for premier league, at least not for any team at the top 6… that is the actual fact… but arsene wenger with his stubbornness, keep playing him then and now… trying to prove he is right for flying private jet to capture a so called jewel
if ramsey career is as s good as over, arsene should look himself in the mirror and be shameful
ramsey is not an important member of the team, i am not cyring over it…. in fact, our chances is better without him, let’s be honest with yourself! ramsey has been a burden in the midfield… the engine is not working whenever he is playing… and more often than not, other arsenal players have to track back everytime he is making mistake… remember his passing nearly cause us during sunderland game if not for vermaelan timely intervention?
any existing arsenal player can cover for him… and do a much better job
he is not as important as eduardo… when eduardo broke his leg, that is a disaster since his contribution back then was crucial
i’ve nothing against ramsey as a person… but that never change the fact that he is not good enough for arsenal team, at least not for the moment… arsene should have loan him off… and the disaster will never happen
as much as arsene believe ramsey is good enough, myself on the other hand believe ramsey is not good enough… i stand on my principal as mcuh as arsene do
yes, i don’t understand football… not at least based on british media prespective or i would rather say selective myopia
my conclusion is our chances is better now without ramsey as he is a liability to the team and his teammates whenever he is playing… i can confidently say at the very least we can finish second, if not the eventual champion
i can now enjoy arsenal playing without the fear factor… whenever ramsey get the ball, i can barely watch as his passing is almost always horrible and could cause a deadly counter attack
blame it on arsene!
ramshit, you are a cunt and you don’t support Arsenal. Fuck off to your own club’s fans’ blogs, fuckwit. Or, failing that, meet me down Holloway Road tube station at 14:45 on Saturday.
ramshit ,you relly are an idiot. Thats why you went quiet again when ramsey got man of the match in most of the papers after the sunderland game. Personally i thought eboue was,but it just goes to show how you dissapear when he does well. Well done for keeping your stupid mouth shut til now about your wanky comments,wish you would shut up completley you cunt.. I’l be there with the destroyer at 14.45.
JACK KING Do you still love this wanker?
I hope that ramshit is a wind-up merchant and not a genuine football fan, cause if he is then he clearly knows fuck all about football. Ramsey has proved to be a very competent skillful player. He has good vision, passes well, has a great touch and can finish well. He works hard, has a good engine, coolhead, tracks back and links up well. More importantly he is contiuing to improve.
Dear sweet foolish ramshit you are either a complete asshole or just a cunt.
grown up, small kids… you are like arsene wenger, blind!
man of the match for sunderland? only idiots would have given it… he is so good in the match that his passes nearly cause a disaster if not for vermaelan timely intervention
some idiots calling themselves arsenal fans going blind the arsene way, pity them!
ramshit, you are the product of congress between your mother and maternal grandfather and the family baboon, but without the baboon’s brain, although with his engorged red arse for your face.
ODE TO RAMSHIT
Shall I compare thee to a dog turd
Or shall I listen as you wax absurd
Shall I gaze apon your unwashed smalls
Or shall I kick you in the balls
Shall I see you in my dreams
Or would I wake the nieghbours with my screams
Could it be your posts are just a crazy stunt
Or is it that your just a cunt.
Hey Ramshit, you should actually watch more than one Arsenal game per season cause it sounds like all your analysis is coming from a 15 minute period of the Sunderland game, you yourself admit that you “don’t know much about football”….SO SHUT THE FUCK UP AND KEEP YOUR RETARDED-ASS OPINION TO YOURSELF since you’re obviously not knowledgable enough to contribute worthwhile commentary and I’m not apologizing if you’re 12 years old, you’re still a little asshole and you’re parents really fucked up in raising you (which probably goes back to the insest/bestiality prone nature of you’re family).
small kids apently… go back to kindergarten… not sure why british cannot take criticism
the british think they are great… they do not take criticism…. they think they are always right
no wonder the country in in bad shape… it won’t be long before you guys begging for china help
people like you guys will help to ruin not only your club, but your country
because you love your club, you should say what is wrong… if you say aye to everything the club does, it won’t do any good except your ego
pity the british… too many kindergarten-kids-brain adult… may the Queen save the british… ths ship is sinking deep
sigh… the best way to deal with ramshit is to simply ignore her
good one… good to be a goonah…
http://bit.ly/9DW8hC
Philippe Auclair interview on todays Arsecast. Fantastic stuff from the man.
arseman. Absolutely brilliant.
And spot on.
Oh Burnley Burnley Burnley. Wherefore art thou Burnley. Today is the day when I expect us to look like champions elect. I hope to see the Arsenal kick on form here and use the recent events the galvanise us into a determined pissed off team who sweep all before them. Failing that a lucky 1 – 0 will do nicely.
Nice to see our key players coming in to form right now. I think we are looking better and better and more able to dig out results even when we aren’t playing well.
I don’t know why you won’t have a go at Chris Waddle. I’ve heard him commentate several times when Theo is playing and the mulleted one is over critical and desperate for him to fail regardless how well the youngster plays.
I think maybe he is jealous of Theo’s cool action man hair and rather fetching earrings. Either that or he is worried Theo will replace another former England winger in the nation’s affections…