Oh Sammy. After a long summer of transfer talk and uncertainty, you rumoured to be off to Manchester City or even Manchester United, you had to come out and angrily tweet that. Deary me, lad. You're angry at what most Arsenal fans think of you when months back, we were happily chanting your name while dancing around defences, showing off how beneficial those dance classes were as a child. Ever wondered why the fans have turned on you? Let's investigate.
First off, contract negotiations. You're refusing to sign a contract extension. You want more money and not backing down from that. You're earning £90,000 a week, French fry. My parents' annual salaries are far from that. You want £110,000 a week with a deal like Cesc Fabregas? Hold on, didn't you just have one good spell last season and after Christmas was fairly average? Do you really think you deserve more money? Of course you do, you're fuelled on money probably. You probably need a few more £20 notes to tie to your money duvet or another Ferrari because someone farted in your current car.
Still, can't hate you for your tweets.
We've had this sort of treatment from Adebayor and he was once a fan favourite, but now if you were to ask someone what he/she thinks of the man, a swear word or two will be used. Remember your old friend Gallas? He was once a favourite, but now resides in Tottenham and will be forever jeered because of his unwise career move. You'll be heading down the same path as him if you seal a deal with a rival club. To use the chants as an excuse from a move away from the club is not only disgraceful, but shows how you're a bit dim. The reason why a section of fans were chanting *that* was because of your behaviour of the summer, with you unwilling to commit your future to the team. You have created the hole you're in and you shouldn't be surprised at the fans' reaction.
A great take on an already fan favourite chant.
At least your timing was spot on. On the day Fabregas was presented as a Barcelona player, kissing the badge to an adoring audience and fan favourite Eboue on the brink of leaving, your tweet made us fans quite angry. A lot more mad since we're all emotional seeing Fabregas in a Barcelona shirt, so your tweet did little to cheer up pessimistic fans. To come out with that tweet, you've dug yourself deeper in your hole. Closer to the exit. Another superstar lost due to greed. *Sigh*.
If you're an Arsenal player, show it. Show us why we shouldn't call you a See you Next Tuesday. We will always get behind the team because we will support Arsenal whatever state the club is in. If you want the respect and love you crave, pass some of the same over to the fans. It's as simple as that. State your commitment to the cause, sign on the dotted line and repay us with your fabulous football technique and maybe, we'll start the lovely positive chants again.
But at the end of the day, don't worry Samir. If you're upset with the fans' chants, call your special friend and he'll comfort you. He'll come and he'll cradle you in his arms, listen to your problems and wash them away. Chamakh, time to get that baby oil.
I went to the Emirates Cup on Sunday with friends to watch two matches of hopefully decent football, to taste the atmosphere and have a good time. Although I had a good day and enjoyed the matches, something stuck out like a sore thumb. Booing. At a pre season friendly. A meaningless game which saw us lose the only trophy for the first time in 3 years. Urgh. A bit much, “fans”.
I could see why fans booed - Arsenal proved that they can’t hold a lead for the billionth time, letting Henry’s New York Red Bulls grab a late equaliser after a lazy few minutes and basically handing over the Emirates Cup. It was the same old problems that hadn’t been addressed, same faults that critics were keenly able to point out, but most of all, our confidence hasn’t really changed. Fair enough, I guess. I saw that moment happening and I was annoyed like everyone else. But I never booed. That was a tad too far. If this was a competitive match against say, Wigan and we lost 4-0, that’s when I would have booed. But no, this was just pre season. This is where you mix your fringe players with your first team players with a pinch of youngsters for a test of how your team plays with different tactics, formations, etc. It’s taken not as seriously as say, a cup match, but it’s a time to get to know how well your tactics work. It was quite clear that this was a friendly.
I was gutted that we had blown it again, but to boo our lads wasn’t exactly going to do anything positive. Sure, I had spent at least £80 on train ticket from Gloucester and the match ticket, but I didn't want to. Maybe it's who I am, not exactly the harshest of people, but to boo, jeer, and insult the team is never going to rise morale. Booing an already vulnerable team isn’t going to do its confidence any good, sort of like calling a teenage girl fat based on her arse isn’t going to make her feel like eating a giant chocolate cake.
With the boos, it’s clear that the pessimism and negativity has stuck around, sort of like a bad smell. Not like there hasn’t been anything to cheer about, we’re uncertain of the futures of Nasri and Fabregas (most worryingly), let possible transfers pass by and how deadwood players are still in the squad, basically on the dole. The tournament was an opportunity for the team to put on a show for the fans, win with style and raise the spirits of the fans who are increasingly worried about the future of the team as well as the club as a whole. Clearly, we never really fulfilled those targets, but rather stumbled out drunk, wobbling all over the place. A real shame and with 2 weeks to go before the big kick off, I’m very worried for not only the player’s mentality, but the fan’s attitude.
Wait, hold on - it was a friendly? People were happily chanting "Stand up if you hate Tottenham" and even doing Mexican Waves (Bloody fun, mind) but suddenly conceding a late goal turns it into a super serious MUST WIN game? If fans came into the game on Sunday with the knowledge it was a friendly with no real competitive edge to it, then to have the cheek to boo the players off at full time is an act of stupidity and proves how serious fans are about a meaningless game in a meaningless tournament. Crikey, it's like going to special school.
But it's a time to be reasonable with the situation we're in. Of course, we should be winning games comfortably and winning trophies, but given the the state the team is in, the Premier League increasingly becoming more competitive year in, year out, it's not surprisingly that success isn't coming as natural to the team in an era of mega spending clubs. Arsenal is a big club in terms of support, not really a successful club at the moment. Fans have to lower expectations, I guess. We can't win everything, so we should rather expect a dire 1-1 draw against Blackburn but be rather surprised at thumping Manchester United 3-0.
All in and all, fans really shouldn't have booed. Doesn't really achieve much over than knocking the player's confidence and just makes out that people were taking a friendly against some bog standard US football team with Henry and Rooney's brother rather too seriously. Wouldn't be surprised if the same people played Call of Duty in the mindset that it's an actual world war.
I haven't posted on the blog for a while since I've been revising, worrying about cocking up, finishing games on the Xbox, breathing and eating. I've been busy. I didn't forget this blog and during the time I've not been blogging, I have been thinking of something to do a post on. Funnily enough, it's end of the football season and I thought "Fuck it, I'm doing my own Arsenal awards" and here I am, on the bandwagon with the billion other podcasters and bloggers doing a end of season awards post. Here you go.
The Nick Clegg award for Biggest Fall From Grace
This is for a player who’s gone backwards this season. Arshavin wins this award for going backwards, failing to live up to his apparent World Class skill. He still has World Class at being a lazy meerkat of course, but his failure to pass the ball, shoot accurately has led to constant abuse from the Arsenal fans throughout the season. Did sort of redeem himself with that goal against Barcelona and his hard tackling cameo against Manchester United, but he’s been overall pants this season. Also mentions for Chamakh and Djourou for their recent dips in form.
Greatest Moment Of The Season That Arsenal Fans Will Cream Themselves Remembering Award
There’s one moment of the season that everyone will look back on and go “Ahhh, what a great time” and crack out the lube. It was of course, Arsenal 2 Barcelona 1. Going into the game, it was revenge. Messi managed to embarrass Arsenal at the Nou Camp just by farting skill and made our team cry. Barcelona employed all their unsettling tactics to tempt Fabregas to the Nou Camp and we had to do something about it. Went 1-0 down to a Villa goal after Clichy doing his usual “lol I’m a defender” technique to make Villa onside so he could score. At Half Time it looked grim. We were expected to crumble, Song was going to finally get another yellow card and get sent off and then concede a load of goals. That didn’t happen. Clichy sent a lobbed pass to Van Persie and he somehow scored on the volley despite the tight angle. Shit. We might do this, thought the Arsenal fans. Then the memorable counter attack led by Nasri, runs into the edge of the Barca penalty area to find Arshavin, who slots it in. Unbelievable. What a game, what a moment that was to be an Arsenal fan. We may have lost 3-1 at the Nou Camp in the second leg, but no one else beat Barcelona this season in the Champions League. Phwoar. Time to crack one out, here's the Arshavin goal:
Other moments worthy of a mention are going 3-0 up against Chelsea, beating Manure and Denilson announcing he was leaving.
The Silverste award for Most Naff Player of the Season
Almunia, Squillaci, Denilson have all been outstanding examples of how not to play football and cock up at the worst time. Denilson made 32 appearances with 0 goals or assists, probably due to not being able to pass forward or even be able to pass the ball, Squillaci managed to have such an underwhelming season with constantly bad performances which made us want Silverste back but the winner has to be Almunia. When he’s about, you’re never going to leave empty handed, if you’re an opposition player. He may not have played many games, but he certainly left his mark with signature moves such as failing to cover your own post, coming out of goal to clear the ball when a player can clear it, or failing to close your legs, something he has in common with Imogen Thomas.
Seems Almunia will have more time to walk his dog next season
The Andy Gray “TAKE A BOW. TAKE A BO-W” Award for Best Goal
We scored many oh la la goals this season, but Samir Nasri’s “football ballet” technique for his goals in the 2-1 win over Fulham both grab the award. A bit hard to separate the two goals because they’re both exceptionally great goals and show signs of the World Class form of the French lesbian. Other contenders is Van Persie’s near impossible volley against Barcelona, Arshavin’s finish against Barcelona, Van Persie’s sliding volley against Wigan and Bendtner’s turn and curling shot against Ipswich.
The Michael Cera Award for Most Awkward Moment of the Season
Arsenal this season have had their fair share of moments where they have just scraped a result such as the late goals against Huddersfield and Leeds but this award has to go to the moment when Manuel Almunia realised that Jens Lehmann was returning to Arsenal on a short term contract. Imagine the dressing room when Almunia and Lehmann were in there together? It must have been silent with Eboue on hand to break the silence with a light hearted joke.
Gaffe of the season That Made Arsenal Fans Get Abused For The Most By Schoolmates and Workmates Award
Only one real contender, that moment in the Carling Cup Final. That goal caused by Koscielny and Szczęsny being unable to decide who should have the ball. Christ. I was in a Xbox Live Party Chat and I got laughed at and jeered at. The next day at school, friends logged on and played that clip on the school computers. I just wanted to curl up into a ball and cry. But at least they got relegated, becoming the first team to ever win the Carling Cup then get relegated. Heh heh. Other mentions go to the Newcastle comeback game, Eboue’s trip on Lucas to give Liverpool a last minute penalty and any Almunia cock up.
L'oreal Award for Best Hairstyle
Has to be Alex Song. Song's blonde/grey hair is probably the reason why he's played so well this season and it certainly trumps Chamakh's messy mohawk/bird hairstyle.
Strut 1, 2, 3, 4 and pose.
Player That Was Moderately Better Than Last Season Award
While there has been players who seem to have gone backward rather than forward, there's been players who have improved well. I'll give this one to Łukasz Fabiański for his rise from ashes like a phoenix at the beginning of the season. When the Godfather of goalkeeping howlers got injured, fans rejoiced that Almunia wasn't going to be playing then quickly remembered that his calamity junior was going to be playing instead. Oh shit we all went. But ever since that penalty save and then World Class save against FK Partizan, he started to come out as a great Polish goalkeeper and we finally had someone that was confident enough to pull off save after save without any howlers. His season sadly ended with a shoulder injury and I feel bad for the lad after his fine performances during his stint. He'll likely be number two in the goalkeeping line up behind Szczęsny, but it'll be an interesting battle for the Number 1 spot next season. A player worthy of mention is Walcott as he's no longer that player who could run faster than anyone else and suddenly became better at crossing and finishing.
The Player Who Was Better Than All The Rest and Made Everyone Look Awful Award
Tough one this, a range of candidates for this award. I’m tempted to give this to Van Persie who has had his best goal scoring season at Arsenal, but he’s only really been around in the 2nd half of the season and this award is for Player of the Season, not Player of the 2nd half of the Season. He would win player of the 2nd half of the season hands down purely because he was the player that constantly did well while everyone else were too busy booking for their summer holidays, but the winner of this award has to go to Jack Wilshere. I continually praise his no nonsense, passionate performances because he plays like he wants to play, unlike say, Denilson. He puts in 100% every game, extremely confident and had a memorable performance against Barcelona. He may not have the best shots on him (Wished he could still do this) or many goals or assists, but his effort is admirable, a great role model for younger footballers. Other contenders are Bacary LaSagna and Samir Nasri.
