Monday 21 November 2011

Away Day Gooners, I Salute You!

People always knock Arsenal fans for being as quiet as a library that is situated in a cemetery but I think that is unfair.

Sure, the Emirates probably doesn't have the greatest atmosphere in the world, but it has it's moments though.

Who can forget how the place was rock and rolling louder than an Elvis Presley concert when Manchester United came in the Champions League semi-final?

The place was buzzing more than Lindsay Lohan's favourite vibrator on top speed. There was a fantastic vibe around the place. Then United fucking ruined it.

We get mocked for this 'lack-of-noise' by rival supporters all the time and I suppose it is something we have learnt to live with.

Despite this, and until the day I croak it, I will always say that the atmosphere at our ground isn't any less than that of other big clubs in England.

As I have said, our 'lack' of loudness at home is well documented. However, one thing is for certain, they can not knock our away fans.

Away day Gooners, in my unbiased opinion, are the best bunch of supporters in the English Premier League.

They do us proud at every stadium they flock too and in my view deserve the upmost respect.

Not only do they provide fantastic support for the team but they continue to sell out the allocated seats every game.

A Norwich fan wrote on the Sky teletext letters page that he was a season ticket holder at Carrow Road for 30 years and the Arsenal faithful on Saturday was the best away support he had seen there.

That, for me, speaks volumes and just enforces my view that Gooners are the best travellers on the road in the league.

Every away day Gooner out there gets a massive thumbs up from me. I salute you in every way possible.

Keep it up, and keep doing us proud like you always do.

Keep It Goonerish......

Saturday 19 November 2011

Where Was Delia Smith?

What a thoroughly entertaining game of football that was. Even Robbie Williams, the greatest entertainer known to mankind, had nothing on that.

The only thing missing was a pissed up Delia Smith coming onto the pitch and cooking a Sunday roast (on a Saturday) at half-time.

To be fair though Norwich City were roasted enough as it was and had Delia showed then she would have only overcooked them.

Sure City battled valiantly, but the score of 1-2 truly flattered them. I swear I do not exaggerate when I say Arsenal created enough chances to have won at least 6 or 7 games

If we continue to play, and create, like that, someone will get a bigger hiding than the one Joey Barton suffered at the hands of Gervinho when bitch-slapped earlier in the season.

At times we were a joy to watch. The football flowed like a river and not the one that Justin Timberlake cried about.

Theo Walcott, for all his doubters, put in the type of shift that proper wingers would be proud of.

He was marvellous and I haven't seen that type of performance from a winger in an Arsenal shirt since Glenn Helder in 1995.

Seriously though, and I mean seriously, Theo did everything we wanted and more today. Except score.

Walcott wasn't the only player had a decent performance either. There were so many candidates for man-of-the-match it was unreal.

I thought it could easily have gone to several Arsenal players. Or Delia Smith.

I said on Twitter (follow me @_Wrighty7) that I'd give it to Delia Smith for her 'lets be aving ya' chant in 2006, but I think in fairness the right man in RvP shaded it for his match-winning goals.

We have won 5 games in a row in the league now and still the commentators and Sky media continue to try and create some kind of crisis at Arsenal.

Alan Smith, a former Arsenal player, appears to knock the club at every chance possible and if the mute button hadn't of been invented I think I would head-butted my TV.

Not TV as in Thomas Vermaelen, because quite frankly I think he would knock me clean out, but my actual television.

Its a shame that most of the ex-Arsenal playing pundits seem to act this way but I will not let Smith take the gloss from a great win.

I have to add my support to Per Mertesacker as well.

Yes the giant German's mistake led to Norwich's goal, a mistake that could have cost us due to woeful finishing, but in the end it didn't matter.

Let's not jump on his back because;

A) We wouldn't reach

and

B) He will become an icon with the club.

Mark my words Per will become a hero with us one day. Of that I am sure.

Keep It Goonerish..........

Thursday 17 November 2011

The Tide Will Turn For Marouane Chamakh

From a Gooners perspective there are many opinions on Marouane Chamakh.

My own thought is that I think there is still a great player there but one that has hardly any confidence these days.

Like Austin Powers his mojo has been stolen.

With Robin van Persie in the form of his life Chamakh knows that he is back-up at best.

It's no coincidence that we saw the best of Marouane when he was leading the line and very much first-choice at the beginning of last season.

Most of us believed that Arsene Wenger had pulled off a master-stroke the way the Moroccan begun his career with us.

Chamakh shot out the traps quicker than John Terry nipping round Wayne Bridges house and seemed to adjust to the English league right away.

The form he showed in his early Arsenal days convinces me that deep down there is still a decent player in him.

A player who still has a part to play for Arsenal this season.

If Marouane Chamakh can gain back his self-belief then we have an asset. A different option.

He is being linked with a move back to Bordeaux but he brushed talk of that away and confirmed his commitment to Arsenal.

Isn't that what we want? Players committed to the club?

I am not saying that Chamakh will ever be a world-beater but he is a decent squad player who needs to believe in himself again.

He earned a move to Arsenal and that ability to do so hasn't gone. Just his confidence.

When he gains that confidence back I'm sure he will win round the people who doubt him.

Keep It Goonerish...