My favorites were Nasri’s vs Porto and Cesc’s vs Tottenham. Hope he hasn’t scored his last Arsenal goal.
via Arsenal goal of the season
Popularity: 1% [?]
May 18, 2010
April 29, 2010
February 28, 2010
The Straight Dope from @Arseblog about Aaron Ramsey’s injury and the media’s role in it. And leadership.
Arsene Wenger addressed it already this season at one his press conferences.
I am always absolutely amazed that people get away with it. When we get kicked and lose the game, the question I get from the press is ‘oh, you did not fancy that’. But nobody is upset or shocked by it. When we are kicked they find that it is absolutely all right.
And the assembled hacks had a little titter and off they went to do exactly that. The furore over Gallas’s tackle after the Bolton game was incredible. I don’t remember any pundit saying “He’s not that kind of player”, only slamming him for what was, I agree, a bad challenge. The Shawcross apologists are out in force today yet these are the same people who made such a mountain out of the molehill that was Eduardo’s dive against Celtic that UEFA ‘investigated’ and tried to ban him. A dive. Yet when a young man has his leg broken in bits they keep their mouths shut or come out in defence of the honest English clogger (any coincidence all three challenges have been by Englishmen?). Honestly, they make me fucking sick. This willingness to overlook acts of horrific violence yet focus on trivia like diving.
Shawcross gets a three match ban, Alex Song is now banned for two matches for a booking that never was. How the fuck does that work in any sane kind of world? It’s rotten to the core, is what it is.
via oleole.com
Cesc Fabregas became the leader Arsenal fans have so dearly wanted for so long. I won’t hear a thing about how he’s not a captain because he fucking well is. First goal – assist for Bendtner’s fantastic header. Second goal – a penalty under the most intense pressure imaginable. He had the balls to get up there, take it and score it. Third goal – assist for Vermaelen. Nor did he stand for any of Stoke’s baiting. He had a little kick at one of their players who had kicked him earlier. He Sssshhh’d Tony Pulis. He dragged his Arsenal team over the line. He led by example last night and at the end of the game our players stood in a huddle, knowing they’d shown what they’re made of, and the captain rallied his troops. Each one of them was fantastic last night. The lessons of Birmingham have been learned.
I know people all have their opinions of this team, the players, the managers and everything else but if last night didn’t make you proud to be an Arsenal fan then there’s something wrong with you. My spine is tingling even thinking about it.
via oleole.com
Excellent summary in my opinion. I’ve had my problems with the English media when it came to foreigners in football, but then again who hasn’t had problems with media on either side of the pond. It’s become a wasteland of writers who value making a name more than getting the facts straight, of becoming the news rather than reporting it. So while I hope more attention goes to that fact, I don’t expect it to – especially past today.
Regarding the team leadership, I think two years on we can see the difference. The team fell apart after the Eduardo situation then (much like Chelsea is doing now), but rallied here to win the game in The Britannia and even gathered in a team circle after the game (much to the chagrin of the Potter faithful who, it would seem, would have cheered the Lions against the Christians.
3 points off the top with about 11 to go. We can do it!
Popularity: 1% [?]
February 27, 2010
Arsenal have another leg break on trip north [Aaron Ramsey suffers 'Eduardo-injury']
SKY TV how were screening the Premier League live decided not to show a replay of the incident because it was ‘upsetting’.
via dailymail.co.uk
Damned untechnical brute English players and their imprecision in tackles on Arsenal players. Early word is leg break (obviously) and dislocated kneecap. Ouch. Godspeed Aaron.
Popularity: 5% [?]
January 30, 2010
John Terry Wayne Bridge Jokes
The Press Association: Terry refuses to comment on claims
England football captain John Terry turned out to skipper Chelsea after refusing to comment on allegations that he had an affair with the girlfriend of a team-mate. Terry cheated on his wife Toni with French underwear model Vanessa Perroncel, then the girlfriend of former Chelsea defender Wayne Bridge, it was alleged in newspaper reports.
oh dear – well – here goes:
Wayne Bridge’s wife must be a goalpost in Moscow because John Terry hit it.
Wayne Bridge sent his missus a replica of his cock made from Cadburys chocolate. She said that she prefers Terrys
Capello is expected to name Gary Neville as the new England Captain since he hasn’t got a chance of sleeping with anyone’s wife.
John Terry has scored away from home again – this time it wasn’t Wayne Bridge’s girl.
Well, Wayne Bridge is always injured, someone had to step in and do it.
I don’t know why everyone is giving John Terry such a hard time.
As a footballer, getting a girl to consent is a rarity, he should be commended.
BREAKING: John Terry is set to appear before the Iraq inquiry after alleged secret meetings with Bush
John Terry has “vowed to give everything to the team”. Yeah, syphilis… chlamydia… warts… herpes…
I knew JT liked scoring at The Bridge, but this is just ridiculous.
“Hi, I’m John Terry and sneaking out Windows was my idea.”
John Terry to star in new TV program “Other Footballers Wives”
After Wayne Bridge refused to play for England while John Terry remains captain, fans want Terry to try it on with Emile Heskey’s wife.
At the end of February, Chelsea are playing away from home between two European legs. Something John Terry will be more than familiar with.
Same old Terry, always cheating.
Q: What do Wayne Bridge and the Titanic have in common?
A: They both should’ve stayed at Southampton.
Ashley Cole was stopped for speeding in London. When the police ask him to explain, he says: “I just heard that John Terry’s parked outside my house!”
What’s Wayne Bridge’s wife got in common with a Champions League final goalpost? They’ve both been banged by John Terry…
Pity, Wayne Bridge wasn’t even first choice with his wife!
Somebody bought me some terry’s all gold today. was suprised to find new chocolates called ‘bigamy’ and ‘coward’
Gag order lifted in Terry case? That’s what SHE said!
JT said he didn’t mean to have sex with Vanessa Perroncel – he just slipped while he was showing her how to take a penalty.
Songs: To the tune of Simple Gifts (Lord of the Dance)
Chelsea, wherever you may be,
Don’t leave your wife with John Terry,
He’ll take her to a clinic in a back alley,
And then he’ll fuck off to the UAE
Chelsea, wherever you may be,
Don’t leave your wife with John Terry,
He’ll whinge and he’ll cry, and he’ll piss off to Dubai
While the captaincy decision is nigh
Chelsea, Wherever you may be,
Don’t leave your wife with John Terry.
Cuz he likes a shag, he likes a bit of fluff,
And he’ll get your missus up the duff
Terry … his whole family
can’t stay away from the scrutiny
whether selling dust or nicking groceries
now it’s fratricide with adultery
Chelsea wherever you may be,
Don’t trust your wives with John Terry,
His dad sells crack, his mum is a thief
He cries when he misses a penalty!
Another song to The Addams Family:
They say his mum’s a stealer,
They say his dad’s a dealer,
He’s screwing his mate’s Sheila,
The Terry Family”.
To sum it all up: John Terry cheats, can’t keep a clean sheet and scores away from home.
Popularity: 72% [?]
January 12, 2010
Goodbye Setanta. Hello Fox Soccer Plus (via @epltalk)
Fox Soccer Plus will begin showing Premier League games on the weekend of March 6, as well as FA Cup quarter-finals and Serie A. The Premier League has yet to finalize the TV schedule, so it’s not known at press time which matches will be televised. Also, Fox Soccer Plus will be broadcast in HD.
Fox Soccer Plus will be offered to video providers across the country and be available to viewers as a premium service. No price has been specified but I wouldn’t be surprised if the monthly fee would be $15.
via epltalk.com
I still want to see how games are partitioned (I would hope that FSP isn’t just like Setanta) but it seems like I will upgrade to HD around March 1!
Popularity: unranked [?]
@EPLTalk: “Sepp Blatter is a World Class Weenie.” Me: “You’re too nice”
The lack of accountability of FIFA as a whole and Sepp Blatter in particular is simply staggering. In the world’s most popular sport, its leaders have somehow fashioned a deal which leaves them completely unaccountable to the fans that ultimately finance and support their organization. I feel nothing but sorrow for the Togolese players who found themselves in a war zone through no fault of their own, and nothing but contempt for the twits who refuse to take responsibility and address this catastrophe.
via epltalk.com
Sepp Blatter is the definition of “rotten to the core” as you can see his poor leadership reflected in many of his regional underlings *cough*Jack Warner*cough*. As they say – shit rolls downhill.
Popularity: unranked [?]
January 9, 2010
The Cabinda Conflict: Background To The Togo Bus Shooting
Cabinda profile: Cabinda is an exclave of Angola separated from the country’s mainland by the Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo-Kinshasa) and the Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville.) While by law it’s a part of Angola, local rebels dispute its status, and battle for independence.Cabinda, which is slightly smaller than Puerto Rico, is bordered by the two Congos and the Atlantic Ocean. Home to just over 250,000 people, it is largely jungle, and has been a part of Angola since 1975, a year after the latter’s independence in 1974. In the late 1960s, oil was discovered in Cabinda.
Independence movement: Various armed and political groups have vied for Cabinda’s independence since its absorption into Angola. The justifications range from the ethnic to the linguistic to the economic.
Reasons for conflict: Aside from any ethnic/territorial claims towards independence, finance is involved, most notably through oil. Despite its tiny size, Cabinda and its coastal area is home to a considerable majority of Angola’s oil reserves. While the local authorities receive some of the oil companies’ revenues in the form of tax, Cabindal opposition groups complain that too much of the money is given over to the Angolan central government, with aims ranging from greater autonomy to increased funding to, most commonly, outright independence.
Path to peace: Angola as a whole played host to a civil war that ran from independence until 2002; Cabinda’s conflict has raged on much longer. However, in 2006 Antonio Bento Bembe, still representing the pro-independence organisation Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC), signed a peace accord with Angola in Brazzaville. Nonetheless various FLEC offshoots and splinter groups opposed this bargain, stating that the resistance will continue. While numerous such groups exist, there can be a broad stroke drawn between FLEC-Renovada, which signed the peace deal and seeks to co-operate with the Angolan state (Bento Bembe in fact serves as a government minister), and opposing organisations, such as the FLEC-FAC (FLEC-Armed Forces of Cabinda), who reject it.
The group FLEC-PM (Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda – Military Position) claimed responsibility for the Togo attack.
Justification for attack: FLEC-PM released a statement via Radio France International after the attack, in which they stated, “The CAF (Confederation of African Football) was warned repeatedly that this was a country at war. They had documents explaining this, but they wouldn’t heed the warnings. They must take responsibility. We are not rebels, but a military and political movement originating in Cabinda. We’re not rebels, but resistance fighters. Cabinda is a territory illegally occupied by Angola, and we are fighting for its liberation.
“This operation was just the beginning of a series of targeted actions that will continue constantly throughout Cabinda’s territory.”
Unconfirmed reports attributed to FLEC-PM indicated that the attack was actually aimed at the Angolan security escort that accompanied the Togolese bus, and that the driver and squad were merely caught in the crossfire, but this remains only a rumour at time of publication.
via goal.com
money and politics
Popularity: unranked [?]
Sick Adebayor Joke
Wonder why Emmanuel Adebayor didn’t run the length of the bus to celebrate infront of the Gunners this time
via twitter.com
Popularity: unranked [?]
