Disappointing But Maybe Some Perspective Is Needed?

It appears that in the minds of our players the campaign ended when Lionel Messi knocked us out of the Champions League.

Since that hiding Arsenal have been about as much use as a one-legged man at an arse-kicking contest. We have been diabolical.

I've the heard the term 'European hang-over' before, well let's just say that must have been one hell of a piss-up!

After so much promise the way the season has ended has been very, very disappointing. Whilst we are 'pot-less' again I think maybe a little perspective is due.

Let me start by saying that I do not believe that finishing (nearly there) third in the Premiership is a brilliant achievement. To be fair, third place (nearly there) is for losers.

You just don't win trophies for coming third (nearly there) do you?

But cast your mind back to last summer. By rights, according to 'experts' and many others (including some Gooners) Arsenal shouldn't be where we are right now in the league table.

We should be where Liverpool are.

Arsenal wasn't expected to even compete for the Champions League places, let alone the title, so are things really that bad?

If you believed everything you read, heard or saw in the summer of 2009 then Manchester United, Chelsea, Spurs, Manchester City, Liverpool and even Aston Villa should be above us right now.

How many of those mentioned actually are?

The truth is Arsenal are not that far away from becoming the best team in England. By far too. We are the nearly men and that has to be addressed. I think it will be.

Wenger could have strengthened in January but he didn't. Maybe that is what cost us winning the title this season maybe it isn't. What I really feel though is Arsene is ready to spend this summer.

He appears to be hinting at making some signings and while I know we have heard it all in the past I genuinely believe he will strengthen our squad with quality. He needs too, and I reckon he knows that now.

The problem is the likes of those mentioned above will add to their squads making our future tasks even harder. From next season the Premiership will not be a top-four, it will be a top-seven.

I believed that Arsenal would win the title this campaign, I said it last August. I was wrong but so are those who doubted we would even make the Champions League for next season.

So while the season has ended on a disappointing note maybe it hasn't been that bad. As I've said, third isn't something to shout about but it's better than most expected.

A title-challenge is the least I'd expect from Arsenal and until a couple of games ago that is what we had.

Our challenge ended prematurely this year but if Wenger makes the right signings this summer then I'll go out and predict that Arsenal will be Champions next season again even if most will predict the usual doom and gloom that we won't even finish in the top-four.

Keep it Goonerish.................

Sometimes I Wish Arsene Wenger DID Go To Real Madrid

I can understand people questioning Arsene Wenger, I really can, but what I don't understand is people calling for his head and demanding that he is replaced.

Of course Wenger isn't the only man in the world capable of managing Arsenal Football Club but you have to concede that the next bloke in charge will have a massive job on his hands.

Arsene's eventual replacement has got to be the right man. It has to be thought out.

Who out there at the moment would you suggest Wenger pass the managerial baton too? I can think of a couple but they are not available.

Josep Guardiola is my personal favourite, and I think in the future it's a possibility, but if Wenger went tomorrow then the Spaniard wouldn't be an option.

For now we are 'stuck' with Arsene Wenger and I'm pleased. Despite the lack of silverware at the club I still feel he is the right man for the job.

Yes, the last few years have been frustrating and Arsene has got questions to answer but I can't join the queue of people demanding he be sacked.

The media don't help. They constantly remind us Gooners, and everybody else, that we haven't won a thing since the Stone Age.

I think a few Arsenal fans, and this is no insult, have been taken in by the media-spin. Although it's been a difficult time I find the way the media treat us disgusting.

It seems to me the media have taken great delight in dividing Arsenal supporters. I wish it worked the other way and united us but that's life.

You don't hear that Liverpool haven't won a thing since 2006, only a year less than our last trophy, do you? Why not?

Sometimes I wish that Arsene Wenger DID go to Real Madrid when they courted him last season. I think a few people would realise that 'you don't realise what you have got until it's gone' or 'the grass isn't always greener on the other side'.

I include Gooners and the media in that.

I think sometimes we Gooners forget that we already have one of the best managers in the world at our club and the media forget what a fantastic man Wenger is.

In our case we have to realise that if Arsene Wenger were available he would easily be the most-sought after manager in the world. No doubts.

The media have to realise that Wenger never ducks a press conference or a question unlike the 'favoured' Alex Ferguson. So why do they try to mug him off?

It's obvious the financial situation (because of the new stadium) at Arsenal has restricted Arsene Wenger. I think he has been throwing hints that the restrictions could finally be lifted.

He wasn't tight before the stadium was built so I expect to see investment this summer.

I think Wenger has done a tremendous job trying to compete with limited funds over the years compared to the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and even Spurs. Not forgetting Manchester City's new found wealth.

Could Fergie, Mourinho or Benitez have done same? I doubt it.

Arsene Wenger is a brilliant manager. Of course he has his faults but had he gone Real Madrid we would have suffered.

Wenger is suffering for Arsenal Football Club. The future of Arsenal is secure because he sacrificed himself for the good of the club.

I think he deserves a chance to have a go at managing Arsenal without financial restriction. And it looks like those times are just around the corner.

Keep it Goonerish...................

I Think Arsene Wenger Will Get Tough This Summer

The defeat to Wigan was only a few hours ago but I'm already seeing the 'Wenger out' brigade in full force.

Don't get me wrong, I'm frustrated too. The performance today was limper than Pele's todger and even more embarrassing than seeing your Father dancing at a family wedding.

To lose after leading two-nil with only ten minutes left felt like Mike Tyson had taken a run-up and punched you fully in your face. It hurt. Badly.

Yes the defeat was painful, but sacking Wenger isn't the answer. I honestly believe that despite the lack of silverware he is still the right man for Arsenal Football Club.

It's easy to say 'Bring in Jose Mourinho' and the like but life isn't that straight forward. It isn't Championship Manager.

That's not to say that aren't people out there who could do a job for Arsenal. Josep Guardiola for example................

Anyhow I have a theory that Arsene Wenger is at the end of his tether with this bunch of players. At the beginning of February I wrote this. I stand by that.

I think its the end of the road for some of this squad. Game over. Finito.

Wenger has hinted at signings this Summer and although he has said the same in the past I actually think he means it this time.

I expect some investment in the team. None of this 'killing players' bollocks. Wenger is pissed and I actually feel that he is going to be ruthless.

In my opinion he put a lot of faith into the current crop and now feels let-down. I don't blame him really.

I'm more than willing to give Arsene more time. I don't believe he is the be-all and end-all to Arsenal but he hasn't 'lost it'.

Mark my words. This Summer we will see changes at Arsenal. For the better.

Keep it Goonerish...........

Well Surely That Argument Is Finally Killed Off?

How people can say that Wayne Rooney is the best footballer on the planet while Lionel Messi is around is beyond me.

That little Argentinian git has more talent in his little toe-nail than Rooney has in his whole body. The boy is unbelievable, as we found out tonight.

Don't get me wrong, I'm gutted we are out of the Champions League. I honestly believed that we would beat Barcelona but sometimes you have to give praise when its due, even if it hurts to say it.

We Gooners have just seen the greatest player in this generation and in my opinion a player who will surpass even the likes of Pele and Diego Maradona as the best footballer of all-time.

Well that's enough of my Messi arse-licking. I'm sure Andy Gray and the media will do more than enough of that.

What of Arsenal? I just hope we can pick ourselves up for the rest of the Premiership campaign.

This season we have shown good character when needed and holy shit we need some of that now.

We have just over a week until our next game, against those wankers from down the road, and the gap in games could go either way.

Sometimes you need to play straight away to get over a result like tonight's but obviously we won't be. A weeks rest will either do us good or it could fester in the players minds.

I think the result won't be too damaging. The players know that they have just come up against a cracking side who have an even more cracking player in their ranks.

If anything tonight should spur them on.

As I've said, it's disappointing to lose but it's no disgrace to be beaten by who we have just lost too.

The way Barca have played over two-legs would have seen them knock any club out.

I genuinely hope that Barcelona win the trophy now. They play the right way and Arsenal could learn a lot from them.

We play a similar way but I think that they are better without the ball. The hard-work and pressure they put on opponents is quite amazing.

For now let's get behind the boys in our final push for the Premiership title. We can do it and we have to believe it.

Keep it Goonerish.............

Why Do Arsenal Moan All The Time?

What a liberty. What a diabolical liberty.

Did you see that poor Karl Henry's sending-off against us?

It was never a red-card. Never.

I mean, going through a player from behind, two-footed with studs showing? How can that be a dismissal?

And that dirty foreign bastard Tomas Rosicky, rolling around the floor. What was he playing at?

Did you know Rosicky put fake bloody stud-marks over his calf as well for good measure? That cheating bastard.

Let's not forget Henry leaving his foot in on Theo Walcott's leg as they challenged each other earlier as well. Even the commentator said so.

Never mind all that.

Arsenal just don't like being kicked. We moan about it. We are moaning mother-fuckers.

Players like Karl Henry are right. Why do we moan all the time?

We are like the Victor Meldrew of football. Always whinging.

In fact its embarrassing supporting Arsenal. I can't believe that we even complain about our players having legs broken. The shame!

I might even start to follow Wolves so I can see the class of players like Karl Henry every week. Change the name of the blog to Wolvesy 7 or something.

I love watching good hard fouls and Karl Henry, Wolves captain supreme, is the man to give me my fix.

I have one word for you, Mr Henry and it aint pretty.

Cunt.

Keep it Goonerish.............

Barcelona? Their 'Balloon-Knots' Went!

Have you ever looked closely at the knot you tie in a balloon after blowing it up? It kind of looks like an arsehole. All puckered up.

Barcelona's arsehole went like night. Hence the term 'their balloon-knots' went.

Yes, for long periods of the game they pissed over us more than that specialist Granny-pisser Wayne Rooney paid to give him a golden shower but despite this, for all that play, the game finished level.

An important lesson learnt. Football is played over 90 minutes, not 65.

Admittedly at times Barcelona were mesmerising to watch. The neutrals and the Spud fans out there must have loved it. Me? My balloon-knot was going.

Josep Guardiola (my future Arsenal manager thank you please) said that the first 45 minutes were the best that Barca have ever played in his whole entire stinking existence as their manager.

I don't think they could play like that again. Ever. Ever again.

That gives me hope. We have seen Barcelona's best, yet we still go into the second-leg at the Camp Nou on level-terms when maybe we shouldn't be.

The last twenty-five minutes from Arsenal were impressive. The shackles were off and the Catalan side looked more shaken than a James Bond Martini.

It seems to me that up until that point Arsenal looked a little taken aback at someone playing them at their own game so well. Although it was anticipated I don't think it the performance from Barcelona was expected to be that good!

It almost as though we believed the hype. We gave them too much respect and I honestly feel that if we took the game to them a lot earlier we would have won the game last night.

I rated our chances and had a tenner on Arsenal to win 2-1. I fancy our chances even more in the second leg than I fancy Shakira and trust me, I fancy that Latin princess. A lot.

We can win in Spain. We did at Madrid and we can do it in Barcelona.

The pendulum has swung in our favour. The belief will surge through the side now we have shown to ourselves that Barcelona are actually made of flesh and blood not whatever Superman was made of.

I think Barcelona will fear us. We never gave up but not only that, they are without their favoured centre-backs.

People will say we have no chance. I beg to differ.

Keep it Goonerish..................