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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 23/10/2012 8:00:17 PM

Olaf

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Your Funny Uncle

It's actually 15 years of consecutive CL football now, no? didn't even need a dodgy lasagne last season.

This image still makes me depressed about what happens when he leaves. Who do we get to replace him? (Presuming Owen Coyle has quietly dropped out of the race.) Dragan Stojkovic, Slaven Bilic, Mikel Arteta?

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 23/10/2012 8:23:09 PM

horribleives

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Olaf

quote:

ORIGINAL: Your Funny Uncle

It's actually 15 years of consecutive CL football now, no? didn't even need a dodgy lasagne last season.

This image still makes me depressed about what happens when he leaves. Who do we get to replace him? (Presuming Owen Coyle has quietly dropped out of the race.) Dragan Stojkovic, Slaven Bilic, Mikel Arteta?

How old is he now? I can see him carrying on at least as long as Fergie, and I hope he does.
As long as the owners don't do something silly like sack him.

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Post #: 5462

RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 23/10/2012 8:49:12 PM

Olaf

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From: 41�N 93�W

It was his 63d birthday yesterday. I'd be surprised if he's still in the job ten years from now, his current deal is set to run til 2014 and I'm not sure how enthusiastic he is about renewing it tbh (going by comments like this http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19584916). He's generally got a thick skin - he certainly wouldn't have lasted this long otherwise - but I think it's fairly understandable that he might want some time out, especially given the ridiculous level of unwarranted abuse he's gotten from so many directions for nearly a decade now (the media, increasingly short-sighted AFC fans, assorted misguided eejits throughout the internet and beyond).

Of course, there's no way of telling what position he/we'll be in by 2014 so maybe we'll basking in the glory of a second Wenger golden age. or maybe a Pep-managed Arsenal will win the CL or whatever*.

(*I have no idea how he's somehow become the quasi-frontrunner as Arsene's replacement. are we really that big a club??)

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 23/10/2012 8:54:24 PM

Professor Moriarty

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Olaf

(*I have no idea how he's somehow become the quasi-frontrunner as Arsene's replacement. are we really that big a club??)

Isn't it because you are not so big that Pep is being linked to you? If he really is in it for the challenge then not starting with the squad talent of Barca or the money of Chelsea would be seen to offer more of a challenge. Personally I think Arsenal, Chelsea, Utd is all English media BS and he'll go back to Barca after a break.

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 23/10/2012 8:57:04 PM

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Jurgen Klopp, baby.

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 4:15:51 AM

Saltire

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From: Dundee

quote:

ORIGINAL: Olaf

It was his 63d birthday yesterday. I'd be surprised if he's still in the job ten years from now, his current deal is set to run til 2014 and I'm not sure how enthusiastic he is about renewing it tbh (going by comments like this http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19584916). He's generally got a thick skin - he certainly wouldn't have lasted this long otherwise - but I think it's fairly understandable that he might want some time out, especially given the ridiculous level of unwarranted abuse he's gotten from so many directions for nearly a decade now (the media, increasingly short-sighted AFC fans, assorted misguided eejits throughout the internet and beyond).

Of course, there's no way of telling what position he/we'll be in by 2014 so maybe we'll basking in the glory of a second Wenger golden age. or maybe a Pep-managed Arsenal will win the CL or whatever*.

(*I have no idea how he's somehow become the quasi-frontrunner as Arsene's replacement. are we really that big a club??)

Good point, he's got to be interested in the France job after 2014 also, no?

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Post #: 5466

RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 12:24:11 PM

Olaf

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I think he's waiting for Nasri to retire

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 12:33:05 PM

Olaf

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Professor Moriarty

quote:

ORIGINAL: Olaf

(*I have no idea how he's somehow become the quasi-frontrunner as Arsene's replacement. are we really that big a club??)

Isn't it because you are not so big that Pep is being linked to you? If he really is in it for the challenge then not starting with the squad talent of Barca or the money of Chelsea would be seen to offer more of a challenge. Personally I think Arsenal, Chelsea, Utd is all English media BS and he'll go back to Barca after a break.

I kind of feel like money talks loudest in this sort of situation - Arsenal might be more of a challenge but it'd be hard to turn down the wages/transfer money Roman can offer (not to mention the big pay-off in the event of yet another sacking). The only area where Pep hasn't been an unmitigated success as a manager is the transfer market, and I doubt he would enjoy the financial restrictions that our board would place on him when the alternative is essentially being able to buy whoever he wants. That said, Arsene is currently the best-paid manager in the PL if I remember correctly so maybe the board would be willing to spend when securing managerial talent?

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 12:50:59 PM

Professor Moriarty

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Olaf

quote:

ORIGINAL: Professor Moriarty

quote:

ORIGINAL: Olaf

(*I have no idea how he's somehow become the quasi-frontrunner as Arsene's replacement. are we really that big a club??)

Isn't it because you are not so big that Pep is being linked to you? If he really is in it for the challenge then not starting with the squad talent of Barca or the money of Chelsea would be seen to offer more of a challenge. Personally I think Arsenal, Chelsea, Utd is all English media BS and he'll go back to Barca after a break.

I kind of feel like money talks loudest in this sort of situation - Arsenal might be more of a challenge but it'd be hard to turn down the wages/transfer money Roman can offer (not to mention the big pay-off in the event of yet another sacking). The only area where Pep hasn't been an unmitigated success as a manager is the transfer market, and I doubt he would enjoy the financial restrictions that our board would place on him when the alternative is essentially being able to buy whoever he wants. That said, Arsene is currently the best-paid manager in the PL if I remember correctly so maybe the board would be willing to spend when securing managerial talent?

I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but I do find it interesting that all the "Mourinho" players at Chelsea seem to be getting moved on. Drogba gone, Frank looks like he'll be off to the States at the end of the season. JT and Ashely Cole wont be offered any more than a 1 year deal and that is encouraging them to leave. Seems to me somehow to make it easier for Pep to join them next season (though I still think it'll be Barca again).

I do hope that Wenger walks out of the door when the time is right for him. Sure its been some years since the last trophy, but he's achieved so much and brought Arsenal forwards.

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Post #: 5469

RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 8:24:06 PM

Olaf

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From: 41�N 93�W

Mertegod styling, Santos's impeccable positioning turning our defensive line into something more akin to a defensive squiggle. Interesting game so far.

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 8:26:11 PM

Professor Moriarty

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I've been watching the City game. Now I've got to do some housework. Hoping to join the Arsenal game for the 2nd half. How are they coping against the two pacy wingers?

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 8:38:40 PM

Olaf

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Joined: 26/2/2007
From: 41�N 93�W

quote:

ORIGINAL: Professor Moriarty

I've been watching the City game. Now I've got to do some housework. Hoping to join the Arsenal game for the 2nd half. How are they coping against the two pacy wingers?

You know all those cliches commentators spout about Andre Santos? Pretty much every one of them is true this evening. I wouldn't be surprised if Bould replaces him at half-time, Farfan has been destroying him pretty much though his final ball has been missing (I'd like him more as a player if he wasn't a diving twat though). Holtby's had a great game too, a bit quieter than Farfan but I put that down to not being up against a comedy full-back - he's a serious talent, would love to see him at Arsenal in January (better than Gervinho anyway).

It's been more even than that suggests admittedly, though there was a penalty shout but it looked like a dive on my dodgy stream. Huntelaar and Gerv have had a chance or two as well but they've both looked off the pace.

< Message edited by Olaf -- 24/10/2012 8:39:00 PM >

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 8:42:59 PM

Professor Moriarty

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Olaf

quote:

ORIGINAL: Professor Moriarty

I've been watching the City game. Now I've got to do some housework. Hoping to join the Arsenal game for the 2nd half. How are they coping against the two pacy wingers?

You know all those cliches commentators spout about Andre Santos? Pretty much every one of them is true this evening. I wouldn't be surprised if Bould replaces him at half-time, Farfan has been destroying him pretty much though his final ball has been missing (I'd like him more as a player if he wasn't a diving twat though). Holtby's had a great game too, a bit quieter than Farfan but I put that down to not being up against a comedy full-back - he's a serious talent, would love to see him at Arsenal in January (better than Gervinho anyway).

It's been more even than that suggests admittedly, though there was a penalty shout but it looked like a dive on my dodgy stream. Huntelaar and Gerv have had a chance or two as well but they've both looked off the pace.

Ajax got it back to 1-1 so I think I'll stick with that (expect 10 goals in the 2nd half of your game now

). I thought Afellay would be flying down the other wing. Is he not playing?

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Post #: 5473

RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 8:46:18 PM

Olaf

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From: 41�N 93�W

He dived for a penalty but he's been quite quiet otherwise (though it's understandable that Schalke might focus on the other flank). Holtby seems to be drifting across the left hand side of the pitch and causing more problems.

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 8:51:30 PM

Olaf

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From: 41�N 93�W

I honestly think I could be a better full back than Andre Santos. I can get there in about twenty minutes Steve?

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 9:08:32 PM

Professor Moriarty

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I get the impression from the beeb that the only thing keeping arsenal in the game is Huntelaar

EDIT: 3-1 in the game I'm watching now. City getting schooled by Ajax who scored one from an easy corner and now have carved them up down the middle. Not been a great week for PL teams in the CL.

< Message edited by Professor Moriarty -- 24/10/2012 9:10:03 PM >

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 9:11:46 PM

Olaf

Posts: 23364
Joined: 26/2/2007
From: 41�N 93�W

quote:

ORIGINAL: Professor Moriarty

I get the impression from the beeb that the only thing keeping arsenal in the game is Huntelaar

Surely the most overrated player in Europe. and he thinks he's better than RVP, lol.

Schalke have been definitely the better team in this half. They don't *really* look like scoring but they're looking more likely than Arsenal at the moment.

edit: fuck off, Gervinho

< Message edited by Olaf -- 24/10/2012 9:12:51 PM >

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 9:17:31 PM

Olaf

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From: 41�N 93�W

quote:

ORIGINAL: Olaf

quote:

ORIGINAL: Professor Moriarty

I get the impression from the beeb that the only thing keeping arsenal in the game is Huntelaar

Surely the most overrated player in Europe. and he thinks he's better than RVP, lol.

Urgh. He's still overrated, we're just worse.

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 9:19:46 PM

Professor Moriarty

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Its like the bloke you knew (hope it wasn't you) who used to ask every girl in the club if she'd go home with him. If you stick around trying long enough eventually you'll get one. Doesn't make you class though

Any blame attached to your keeper? He's not looked that solid when I've seen him in action.

< Message edited by Professor Moriarty -- 24/10/2012 9:20:56 PM >

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 9:25:56 PM

Olaf

Posts: 23364
Joined: 26/2/2007
From: 41�N 93�W

quote:

ORIGINAL: Professor Moriarty

Its like the bloke you knew (hope it wasn't you) who used to ask every girl in the club if she'd go home with him. If you stick around trying long enough eventually you'll get one. Doesn't make you class though

this is pretty much true.

To be fair to Mannone, he couldn't do too much with the goal. It was pretty much like the Norwich goal where communication just broke down in the defensive line (Santos again, though the centre-halves should have done better as well). Gibbs can't come back soon enough.

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 9:26:08 PM

Professor Moriarty

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Back to manager talk. On this performance Frank de Boer in 2014 could be a good call. From the way Ajax are passing the ball around, he'd slot nicely into Arsenal.

EDIT: So Afellay is playing

Don't worry both Montpellier and Olympiakos look shite still

< Message edited by Professor Moriarty -- 24/10/2012 9:28:58 PM >

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 9:28:19 PM

Olaf

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From: 41�N 93�W

Bah, etc

Bould done goofed by waiting so long to make some substitutions. I would have taken a draw from this match but now we have to go over to their place and win. Bah.

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 9:34:55 PM

Skiba

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Jack Whitehall just posted this on Twitter "Arsenal left back Andre santos runs like Oscar Pistorius if you replaced the blades he has with dildos"

That tickled me (not like that)!

< Message edited by Skiba -- 24/10/2012 9:36:14 PM >

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 9:37:43 PM

Scott_

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Huntelaar is awesome. I'm not watching the game but I'm assuming he is, would've been a good signing for Arsenal (or anyone else). With Cazorla feeding him chance after chance it could've been magic.

Also, totally wrong thread but why do ITV not have highlights anymore? I can't be arsed trying find a decent, totally 100% legal internet website page to watch some games.

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 9:41:12 PM

Olaf

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Joined: 26/2/2007
From: 41�N 93�W

quote:

ORIGINAL: Skiba

Jack Whithall just posted this on Twitter "Arsenal left back Andre santos runs like Oscar Pistorius if you replaced the blades he has with dildos" That tickled me (not like that)!

I laughed at first, but then I just felt like crying. I can still remember him being decent-ish for a period last year before he got injured, maybe I just imagined it.

I still think we'll qualify (though I wouldn't put it past us to screw it up in some other fashion, Olympiakos is always a bit tricky). But we're almost certainly going to finish second now if we do, which means the inevitable knockouts exit against Barcelona is back on. I kind of missed it last year.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Scott_

Huntelaar is awesome. I'm not watching the game but I'm assuming he is, would've been a good signing for Arsenal (or anyone else). With Cazorla feeding him chance after chance it could've been magic.

In a kind of 'after x number of chances, he has to score' kind of thing maybe. I wouldn't say no to him (can't be worse than Gervy's bad satire of a centre-forward tonight) but I'd prefer Llorente.

< Message edited by Olaf -- 24/10/2012 9:43:43 PM >

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 9:43:24 PM

Skiba

Posts: 4178
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From: London

quote:

ORIGINAL: Scott_

Huntelaar is awesome. I'm not watching the game but I'm assuming he is, would've been a good signing for Arsenal (or anyone else). With Cazorla feeding him chance after chance it could've been magic.

Also, totally wrong thread but why do ITV not have highlights anymore? I can't be arsed trying find a decent, totally 100% legal internet website page to watch some games.

The only seem to on Tues when they show their game

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 9:45:34 PM

Professor Moriarty

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On his performance tonight I think City would drive Clichy down to the Emirates in the morning if you need a new/old full back.

You'll get through that group and you have players to come back into the team. Enough changes in that Arsenal team that you can't really judge them until January imo, but they need to improve by then if they are going to make a dent on the CL this season.

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 10:04:28 PM

Professor Moriarty

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Olaf

It's been more even than that suggests admittedly, though there was a penalty shout but it looked like a dive on my dodgy stream. Huntelaar and Gerv have had a chance or two as well but they've both looked off the pace.

On my HD replay I'd have given the Afellay pen if I was the ref

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 10:06:38 PM

Olaf

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From: 41�N 93�W

I was kind of confused about Clichy actually playing well for City last season, he was awful for us in his last season and a half. Still, I'd probably take him as a back-up to Gibbs ahead of Santos (who always seems to need a long run of games to find anything resembling form, which is a bit of a useless trait for a player who needs to come in and fill a gap for a few games).

I don't mean to sound like I'm canonising Gibbs or anything, by the way (even though he's completely exceeded my expectations so far this season - I think it might have been Bob I had this discussion with at the start of the season, you were right anyway). It's more that a consistent back four who are familiar with each other positionally was key to our good defensive performances earlier this season, and the lack of it since has been causing issues - thinking specifically of the chaos of our central defence against Chelsea without Mert, and no Gibbs the last two games. I also think Vermaelen's been below-par so far this season, doesn't seem to be concentrating properly and he hasn't successfully judged those big runs forward like he has in the past (and left us more exposed as a result). I would say that our best defence is the one that played against City (Gibbs/Mert/Kos/Jenks) and I'd like to see that more, though it's unlikely since Verm is captain and all.

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RE: Arsenal 2012/13 - 24/10/2012 11:31:15 PM

directorscut

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I was asleep. Sound likes I made the right choice.

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