Archive for March, 2011

25 results.
Mar31

Rocky – We salute you

by WiganGooner on March 31, 2011 at 9:20 am
Posted In: Uncategorized

Today is the 10th anniversary, if thats the appropriate word of David ‘Rocky’ Rocastle’s untimely departure from this earth after being diagnosed and succumbing to Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.

In an Arsenal shirt he showed everything we wanted to see, pace, flair, an eye for a pass and an engine to leave all of his opponents gasping for oxygen.

I think I first remember him from the 88-89 season. I really didn’t appreciate his game as much as I am able to now, I thought he busied himself about and wasn’t as effective as some of the players around him. However, those were the foolish impressions of my youth and I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to reconsider. Hindsight is a wonderful thing when mixed with my own experiences I’ve been able to get a more reasoned perspective.

I wonder what he’d be worth now? In this media-hyped, blog-induced opinion inflated transfer-market driven results game, what would he be worth? Certainly I believe he had the game to compete in todays game and I think he’d be an asset.

We sold him to Leeds (who were league champions at the time) for a mere 2 million, a record for Leeds United and he never really hit the same highs. He suffered an injury hit period at Leeds where injury and competition kept him out of the first team for his stay at the club and was transferred to Man Citeh and then after a year and a half went to Chelsea.

He discovered a bit of his form for Chelsea and enjoyed a renaissance in his first full season but an injury hit second season called time on his career there with several attempts at free transfers and loans to try and regain fitness failed to rejuvenate his career.

He died aged 33 from his illness, diagnosed only two months before.

He died a man, but will always be a legend to me.

Arsenal Career
277 Appearances
34 Goals

WG

Technorati : ,
Del.icio.us : ,
Zooomr : ,
Flickr : ,

└ Tags: ,
 Comment 
Mar30

Thank the lord thats over! Injuries ahoy!

by WiganGooner on March 30, 2011 at 8:18 am
Posted In: Uncategorized

As our players return from international duty, the treatment room is again going to be busy as Bendtner and Van Persie both picked up knocks for their respective nations. Bendtner has played in both international fixtures, so this suggests its something he’s been able to work off, required minimal treatment or, like his groin injury, ignored until it gets a lot worse and we suffer.

Robin took a knock in the first half and spent the last 10 minutes of the half limping about the pitch. In these situations my mind thinks that the manager should have taken him off, having a responsibility to the player and to his own team.

That said however, of all the players who went off for international duties – it seems Robin is the only one returning injured and that can only be a good thing for what its worth, we’ve still lost a critical player (whose body is made of cheese!).

Jack looked good didn’t he? Whilst I hate it when we lose players as a result of International football, it does help them develop and he looked fearless in the England midfield. The much hyped meeting of Jack v Rambo ended up being a damp squib and not unexpectedly so, with Rambo still chasing match fitness and form following his injury.

Nasri was captain yesterday for France and played extremely well, influencing the game all the while he was on the pitch, is his form returning also?

For me, its all about this weekend.

WG

7 Comments
Mar24

What it is to be a fan

by WiganGooner on March 24, 2011 at 11:05 am
Posted In: Uncategorized

In the middle of this international break the dearth of actual news consumes me and I tend to get a bit philosophical.

Being a football fan is about passion, belief, fanaticism, desire and the basic human need to be part of something.

Its about one-upmanship, its about bragging rights and its about joy, sadness, frustration and ecstasy.

Its a religion, the manager is your preacher and we all clammer to hear his words, to view his acts and watch his disciples (the players) follow his orders and battle against the infidels and their false gods for 90 minutes on a pitch of grass.

Looking at it in this was lends new perspective, we need the frustration and the anger for the ecstasy to be so sweet.

We need the lows to experience the highs.

I believe Arsenal are very close to doing something amazing. The margins in football are tiny and we are close. With a fit squad we can battle and win.

Here’s hoping for a Wenger miracle this season.

WG

 Comment 
Mar22

New Poll Added – Can we win the league?

by WiganGooner on March 22, 2011 at 8:10 am
Posted In: Uncategorized

In an effort to gauge the feeling of the Arsenal blogosphere, I

5 Comments
Mar21

What made the Spanish Waiter run out like that?

by WiganGooner on March 21, 2011 at 10:31 am
Posted In: Uncategorized

I’ve been pondering this since saturday. What on earth made Almunia run out like that? Has he forgotten that his job is to stand between the sticks and stop goals?

In credit to him, he was reasonably quick over the ground but he should never have been there in the first place. With a defender covering (whose confidence is already low) why would you go out and effectively rugby tackle your own player out of the way to let the opposition striker get free? Other than winning a bet of course…or a large envelope full of cash.

It was a daft decision and one without any grounds that I can see. If Odemwingie got past Squillaci which is perhaps a reasonable chance on this occasion then surely making yourself big and cutting down the angle is far better than a rush of blood like that?

We all knew Almungo was an idiot. Conclusive proof isn’t hard to find. I would just like to ask him what made him do it.

In other news, its the international break now. A chance for our players to return to fitness and return to our side in the run in. We need them and we need them match-fit asap. We will need many big performances to win this league now and after Saturday, I’m worried. Not that we will score goals, because we can always score, but defensively we are more nervous than a banana at chimpanzee feeding time.

Lets hope the likes of Song and Cesc are fit to return for the next fixture, their presence is certainly required.

WG

Technorati : ,
Del.icio.us : ,
Zooomr : ,
Flickr : ,

└ Tags: ,
4 Comments
Mar20

Whatever happened to Denilson Pereira Neves?

by WiganGooner on March 20, 2011 at 11:13 am
Posted In: Uncategorized

Captain of the Brazil under 18s, once considered a solid first teamer, the decline of Denilson has been meteoric.

As fans we must take our part in this, our support of him has waned and his selection is met with a groan and not a cheer.

His confidence is shot to pieces, I’m not sure he hit one pass to the right player yesterday. Arguably his performance was down there with Squillaci and Almunia.

So what do we do with him apart from taking him out back and releasing him from his torment? A loan spell away might help but the argument is valid that he is no longer integral and has been superceded by Wilshire and Ramsey.

I suggest we cut our losses and sell him, along with Diaby. Between them we’d get a good 12million easy and save on the wage bill.

I don’t like giving up on players, especially talented one’s but I just think both of them are square pegs now and I just wonder if its time to let them move on?

Let me know your thoughts folks

WG

5 Comments
Mar19

A rather fragrant performance in Cologne

by WiganGooner on March 19, 2011 at 11:04 am
Posted In: Uncategorized
 
 
Arsenal took on Cologne on Saturday as a pre-cursor to a 4 day training boot-camp in Bonn.
 
There are plenty of great match reports online, but I

 Comment 
Mar16

Survival of the fittest?

by WiganGooner on March 16, 2011 at 1:15 pm
Posted In: Arsenal, Manchester United, Manyoo

It seems this isn’t a football season anymore, its a war of attrition. Our well documented injury crisis is rapidly being matched by ManYoo in the bizarrest game of one-upmanship I’ve seen in a long while.

In their game last night, first John o’Shea and then Rafael (who came on as a sub for o’Shea) both went off with hamstring injuries in a injury ravaged side who emerged, battered but victorious against Marseille.

Now usually I’m not up on ManYoo news, but this information tickled me somewhat. Its worth hoping that the injuries continue to mount up as our players slowly start to return. Cesc should be fit to return for the West Brom game and I’m hoping that Rambo gets a start in midfield with him, or indeed without him if he’s benched.

Its time for our players to start going for this league. We’re being given enough opportunities like the above to do it so the players should take what luck has been given to them and make it count. We have a game in hand and a victory is the minimum requirement.

Come on you Gooners! Get it done!

WG

Technorati : ,
Del.icio.us : ,
Zooomr : ,
Flickr : ,

└ Tags: ,
 Comment 
Mar16

Ignasi Miquel – another wonderkid on his way?

by WiganGooner on March 16, 2011 at 10:43 am
Posted In: Arsenal, Francesc Fabregas Soler, Transfers

..to the first team? Ignasi Miquel is now training full-time with the first team to provide cover during this defensive crisis we find ourselves in.

Whilst I find it abhorrent that again we are hamstrung by injuries in crucial areas of the pitch I hope the players use it to drive them on to put in some cracking performances. Miquel, born September 28th 1992 is a serious talent who, whilst still very young is showing his class and talent as a footballing centre-back.

He joined us on September 1st, 2009 and has since established himself in the reserves and putting in such assured performances that the reserve captaincy followed. Neil Banfield and Steve Bould both think he’s a great talent with Neil Banfield saying the following after his first-team debut against Leyton Orient;

“I think he did [show the Arsenal fans what he is all about] and he made a good first impression with the senior staff. He’s only 18 and he’s still got a lot to learn but he’s made a good impression which is all you can ask.

“It’s so hard to get there and then to actually keep your position is a real feat. It’s hard work but he’s had a taste of it now, being in and around the first team, and once you get that you want more of it. Hopefully he will work on his game to achieve his ambitions.”

He seems to be a sensible lad, realising that there is a lot of work to do, but as Banfield said in that same interview, the 20 yards between the Reserve dressing room and the First-Team dressing room is the hardest 20 yards Miquel will ever walk. Personally I think he’s got what it takes to make it because he knows he’s miles behind the first team but is willing to work and fight to get there.

I’m looking forward to seeing more of the young Spaniard and once again lifting two fingers at Barca because they let another great talent leave.

WG.

Technorati : ,
Del.icio.us : ,
Zooomr : ,
Flickr : ,

└ Tags: ,
 Comment 
Mar15

World exclusives? You get ‘em here first!

by WiganGooner on March 15, 2011 at 9:40 am
Posted In: Uncategorized

As reported by me on March 11th, 2011 at 1:28 pm, ‘Mad’ Jens Lehmann is returning to Arsenal for a short spell as cover in the Goalkeeping department.

Jens has been in London working on his coaching badges and had this to say when interviewed;

“I know this Arsenal team and I am sure we can go on and win the title. If I can play a part in that, so much the better,” he said.

“It never crossed my mind that I might end up saving it [Arsenal's keeper crisis]. But when they asked me, I was more than happy to oblige.

“It was just over the last few days that they contacted me to see if I could help out for the rest of the season and I agreed straight away.”

As far as I’m concerned, it’s cracking news, he’s a great personality and he will be a great addition to our squad.

WG

└ Tags: ,
1 Comment