Foxy Oxy, Funky Subs and Flippin’ Stupid Fans
Arsenal 1-2 Manchester United
Well, when it rains it bloody well pours.
Little seems to have been made of the fact the last time we played Manchester United, we got tonked 8-2 (hey, remember that one?!) Of course yesterday we played players that we’d had missing that shitty day in August, but given the injuries we nevertheless have at the moment, the team was far from our strongest. So, that so many felt outright ill before kick off yesterday was fair enough. In fact after the match, my dad, a fellow super-believer, said, “Part of me did think we were going to get battered again”. So when all’s said and done, a 1-2 loss was a lot less scarring than the away version of the fixture. However, yesterday was much, much nastier than the 8-2 defeat. And how very sad does that sound.
There were whoops and jives and high fives galore an hour or so before kick off when Julien Laurens became the first to announce that Thomas Vermaelen would start after a three match absence. The subsequent teamsheet also filled us all with that least loyal bitch in the world: hope. OX-CHAM!
Considering our uselessness up front and our really quite rubbish goal difference, it was exciting to see the manager had finally decided to give him a go after months of trying to protect him from the spotlight and/or injuries. Emmanuel Frimpong has now been added to the Conor Henderson/Benik Afobe/Jack Wilshere/Carl Jenkinson list of young person doom, so while the Ox does look strong as a… well, yeah an Ox, I would imagine it’s a combination of the two factors he’s been trying to save him from.
So, the 18-year-old newbie started over the captain of the Russian national team. Against Manchester United. In a ‘must-win’ game (was a more bollocks description ever uttered? No, no it was not). Strange that this was the way we felt, but when you’ve seen poor old Andrei’s performances for much of the past six months, an understandable way to feel.
The first half was fairly even (I thought). We had one obvious weakness and it was a weakness those wily Mancs sought to exploit. He was Swiss. Bless poor Johan. He seems the nicest guy in the world, and looked like he was shaping up to be a vital cog in our machine last season. Remember the feeling when he was injured in that FA Cup match against this very opposition? Then he came back this season with his feet on back to front and then got stuck in a position that is not his. Arsenal Report gave a brilliant drumming Lady Gaga analogy during the match on this point.
In addition to this, JoDjou was not helped by the fact his support was baby Ox-Cham and Theo Walcott. He looked about as slow as a Marouane Chamakh/Per Mertesacker/Cesc Fabregas hybrid. Anyway, United were ahead just before half time, at a time in which we looked like we really needed half time. Nani had just had a shot saved by Szczesny, while Sleepy McWifeSwap had another go at Szczesny and also failed to score (for a change, fnar).
In the 44th minute, the same man’s cross was not-blocked-at-all by JoDjou for Antonio Valencia to take his side into the break with a lead. Oh God, we thought as the players traipsed off, this could be a long afternoon. We all know Wenger never makes a substitution before the 70th minute… how many can they score between now and then?
Happily, he seemed to have seen what we’d all seen. Djourou was off to make way for former Junior Gunners mascot Nico Yennaris. I mean, really. Man Utd in a must-win game (vom) and we’re dancing at the thought of a player hardly anyone had heard of coming on to rescue us. Arsenal, you make me weep.Rescue us he did though. He was pretty much faultless for the second 45 minutes – oh I’m sure I’ll be corrected on this by someone – and was a big positive in a bleak day. The other positive was good old Ox-Cham. As well as being generally Oxy (can I call him Foxy Oxy?), it was he that provided the goal for Robin van Persie.
RvP had missed an absolute SITTER in the first half. Why didn’t you take it yourself, Rosicky? Why why why? Of course I know why… your goaliscious captain was to your left and you’ve just celebrated two years without a goal yourself… still why why why! And that sitter was way sittier than the goal he did score. Great work from Foxy Oxy to set him up, but brilliant from Robin nevertheless. Happy 91st Grandad indeed.
MINUTES later, Chamberlain’s number came up on the substitute scoreboard thing. I was obviously staring into the middle distance at the time, as my first thought upon hearing the reaction was that someone had been inexplicably sent off. I have never heard a reaction like that in response to a substitution announcement, never in my life. His replacement was, unfortunately, Andrei Arshavin. I choose to believe the reaction was more a consequence of Chamberlain’s brilliant performance than a consequence of the announcement of the arrival of the Russian. We were looking much sparkier and much of the threat we were providing was coming from the debutante. Still, the venom sprayed forth onto Arsene was quite unprecedented.
I understand the confusion. It was a “Whaaaaaaaaaa?” moment from wherever you’re sitting. But has anyone remembered the reaction we had to his signing? “Ah brilliant, another fucking kid” was one I heard in real life. I know we as football fans are fickle but. There were reports of “You don’t know what you’re doing” being sung, but I can honestly say I did not hear them. I would have noticed. And don’t give me “But there were, I heard them!” because all I’m saying is that I did not. Thus, it may have been sung, but not near me and not overwhelmingly so that it rang out around the Emirates. ‘Kay? There were definitely boos though, audible to all, including our little out-of-form Russian. Which he’ll have enjoyed, I’m sure.
While it was most definitely a baffler with regard to the substitution, if you’re going to cane Wenger for that one, then give him credit for the Yennaris sub. Arshavin’s arrival changed the game? Well so, I think, did Yennaris’s. Arsene scrabbled around for injuries as excuses for both substitutions, once again protecting his player. Obviously, he’s been rinsed for not starting Yennaris the new guy over Djourou the experienced defender as well.
Anyway, minutes later, Man United were ahead again. Arshavin has been directly blamed for that goal, but there were defenders missing when Wellbeck slid it home. As Vermaelen’s biggest fan, I have to admit that (I tried to say he’d had a good game last night, and got absolutely BULLETED)… but again, out of position, and just back from an injury.
We had a few more opportunities afterwards, but, well. We lost, so obviously they didn’t get taken. There were more boos at full time. I don’t know what gets into people’s minds, really. Arsenal are the only team I support but, maybe due to the Bobby connection, I’m quite fond of Villarreal. Maybe it’s that we beat them to get into the final in 2006, I don’t know. Anyway, they’re currently sitting four points off the bottom of the Spanish league and got beaten by Atletico Madrid 3-0 at the weekend. I follow their Twitter account, and properly welled up when I saw the banner their fans had made ahead of their match. It read: ‘Creemos en vosotros’. I took A level Spanish but despised my Spanish teacher, thus in my 17 year old wisdom decided I was going to be crap at it, just to spite her… but I believe that translates pretty much to ‘We believe in you’.
Imagine if we were down at 19th in league. Reckon we’d have banners like that made? No, we have ‘Ta-ra Wenger!!! Don’t let the door hit you in your French arse on the way out Wenger!!! See ya Wenger, wouldn’t wanna be ya Wenger!!!’ banners made instead. Of course everyone has a right to their opinion, and on blogs and Twitters and Facebooks and general conversationings, it’s cool to express that (annoying sometimes, but cool all the same). But how productive is it going to be at an actual match? They say Eden Hazard was at the match yesterday… well he’ll have loved that, won’t he? And as @Hayesymemories said post-match yesterday: “After that great reception I can’t believe Arshavin’s poor display”.
It was just quite vicious yesterday. Not from everyone, not at all. But it was vocal enough. A poisonous atmosphere which was in massive contrast to the support the players received when we lost 8-2. And that’s the funny thing: I thought our performance yesterday against tougher opposition than the matches we’ve ballsed up before, was really pretty good. I actually feel more confident for upcoming fixtures than I did before. Odd, but that’s the way it is.
Much has been made, also, of Robin’s reaction to the substitution of Chamberlain for Arshavin. It was a face. OK? A face. We can all see where he’s coming from, but a face does not make a move to another team. “Oooooh it’ll be the straw that broke the camel’s back”, shut up. OK? Just shut your stupid mouth with its stupid words coming out of them.
I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be nasty. Don’t shut up. Well do, but you know. Gentler than that. I realise fourth place is still looking dodgy, but there are fans of teams in worse places than still in the Champions League and the FA Cup and fighting for fourth, and not embarrassing themselves at home matches. That’s all. I also realise securing fourth is a big factor in Robin staying or leaving, yet I still think there’s more to it than that. Cesc buggered off because he had a Barcelona. We are Robin’s Barcelona. He could flit off to Real Madrid or Bayern Munich or someone and (possibly) win some stuff, and he’ll be happy and smiley and love it, and he’ll still regret leaving. They always do.
I don’t know. Maybe it’s the fantastic support they get here.
vaders_grandfather
132 days ago
Sian,
Never again till next weekend.
That is all.
Sian
132 days ago
Ha… the fate of a football fan eh?
vaders_grandfather
132 days ago
Do they sell burger pies?
Damien
132 days ago
I was very angry, still am, about the fans yesterday. They should be ashamed of themselves, it really was pathetic. We have a season ticket waiting list that is in the 30,000 range, I am still waiting after 4 years, if they don’t want to actually support the team then why bother turning up?
Let us remind ourselves that the booing and chanting against Wenger started at 1 – 1 against Manchester United. We were not losing, we were not even playing badly, and the fans turned on the team. Players may not want to play for us if we’re not in the Champions League, they won’t want to play for us if we have fickle fans who turn on their own players in the middle of a match.
Also let’s look at the Arshavin thing. The reason we conceded both goals was our lack of full backs. Correct me if I am wrong but Chamberlain was not covering either of the full backs so I fail to see how he would have stopped the 2nd goal. Yes, Arshavin’s defending was woeful, but he is hardly the sole cause of that goal. Why was Arshavin at the left back position anyway?
GAH.
Andrew
132 days ago
It’s great to finally read a non-knee-jerk-and-intelligent reaction to the game yesterday! I think there were a lot of positives out of yesterdays game, Yennaris and the Ox being the obvious ones. A freakish run of injuries to all the full backs at the club has brought into question our “strength and depth” but it is just bad luck that all of our fullbacks are injured. TV5 is one of my favourite players and at center back with Koscielny over the next few years I think we’ll have the basis of a really solid defense! Only real negatives out of yesterday were Arshavin letting down Arsene in a big way, Djorou proving he’s not a full back and at best a backup center back and Ramseys continuing run of suspect form… With Arteta, Wilshere, Diaby, Sagna, Gibbs in that team, we would have turned them over! All fixtures from now till the end of season look winnable!
Paul Briggs
132 days ago
I think sometimes its this blind faith and inability to accept that we aren’t good enough that is the problem at Arsenal. I don’t doubt that 1 of the thousands of Villa Real fans brought a banner supporting his club who were languishing in 19th position, but i would bet you that for every 1 person adopting this view, there would be hundreds thinking the opposite.
I pay almost £1,200 a year for my season ticket, not to mention shirts, beers and pies and all I have seen in the past few years was terrible performances such as yesterday – I for one am fed up and fed up with Wenger’s excuses and fed up with us now selling all our decent players, holding onto dead wood thinking that someone is going to come in and we will make a tidy profit not to re-invest.
Before moving into the Emirates we were told that we needed to move in order to compete. What happened? I for one think we need a shake up and we need change otherwise we could be doomed to becoming the new Tottenham of North London while our poorer neighbours show us how to play silky, attractive football.
Lets not get blinded with loyalty and faith, Wenger is a man, he is not Jesus Christ!
Sian
132 days ago
The pies are shit. I would boo the pies if I could.
Daniel
132 days ago
100% agree with everything. I didn’t hear the chants as loud as some say they were eietehr. nobody around me was singing it and if they had I would have sent them out to face the wall.
Wenger would have got zero stick for leaving the Ox out of the team, so he deserves credit for giving him his first prem start in such a huge game, resulting in a man of the match performance. But, that’s not the way the cruel world works, is it?
And I know what you mean about upcoming fixtures. I feel quite good too. But, yes, it could be something to do with the magic of this blog.
Oh, and Robin should have seen MY bloody face when he missed that chance
Treez
132 days ago
Arsenal are still behaving like a naughty child, even after all the warnings they’ve had, so I’ve sent them back up to their bedroom in my head. They are grounded until Sunday and I won’t be speaking about them until then.
Another great blog Sian and even in the depressing times we find ourselves you still made me laugh with the,’ and shut the door behind your French arse’.
Paul Briggs
132 days ago
Most expensive pies in the league too…. if you can find a queue within the ground that moves quicker that Mertisacker. Maybe that’s the issue, if we could get the beers and pies out quicker then Wenger might have some cash to bring in some much needed new faces
Sian
132 days ago
Ha! Funny, I seem to always end up in the shortest, yet slowest queue in the world. Every. Single. Week.
Jon
132 days ago
If I were Eden Hazard, I’d have been put off Arsenal yesterday. but not by the team or the manager. AW made a mistake, fine, but from the reaction of some, you’d have thought that he was murdering babies in the centre circle. And the team lost. To the reigning champions. This is, at least, a step up from losing to Fulham or Swansea. Not satisfactory, but what were we really expecting under the circumstances? No, if I was Eden Hazard, I’d have been put off by the fans’ reaction to their manager and to one of their own players. Not good at all
Paul Briggs
132 days ago
Yes, I usually leave about 2 minutes before half time and so there is no queue and yet it still takes me between 5-10 minutes to get served.
I’m not sure where they get those guys from…. but i worry about how some of them can get through life on a day to day basis
Daniel
132 days ago
2 mins before half-time? Nah, Arsenal > pies. Usually.
gunny
132 days ago
Good blog! I watched the game on tv in Holland, and did not have a joyful evening, but:
I thought being a supporter meant supporting your team in good and bad times….
Treez
132 days ago
AMEN!
g clarke
132 days ago
arsenal is built by wennger without him it will turn ordinary much like half dozen teams the pies would be just as interesting to watch then
wrightdenhenry
132 days ago
Your comments need to be in context we played a very weakened Man Utd team then lost their great white hope Jones and for 30mins in 1st half we were outplayed. I love Wenger and everything he has done for this club but his stubborness and inflexibility in his game strategy have let us down badly. Brilliant substitution with Yennaris who was excellent but I believe no other manager in all Europe would have made that change one minute you have Valencia running back to cover his right back and the next minute. Valencia is walking past our least motivated most out of form player. Then instead of being a man and admitting he made a mistake we get the usual tirade of excuses! No 4th no more Wenger
Daniel
132 days ago
“I can understand that the fans are upset and frustrated about the decision, especially when it doesn’t work. That means that you made the right decision at the start of the game.”
That’s Wenger being a ‘man’ and admitting he made a mistake! But would you have minded all that much had he started Arsh with Ox on the bench?
jmcclintock
132 days ago
I’ve never wanted to finish fourth so bad in my life. Damn, this is … well, odd.
Paul E
132 days ago
Sorry, but even RvP voiced his anger at the change. So if you are going to going to call those who voiced their anger at the ridiculous substitution as ‘stupid’, then include RvP also.
Wenger, Gazidis, and Hill-Wood are bringing our club down, and we are all sick of it. It needs to change.
We pay a small fortune for the privilege to see our team (the most expensive tickets IN THE WORLD), and are entitled to voice our opinions.
Sad that we’ll likely not finish Top 4, and subsequently lose the likes of RvP, and be unable to replace them with the quality required to fight for top honours. Still, we are keen to keep Arshavin, Chamakh, Squilaci, and Diaby…we are becoming a joke!
Sian
132 days ago
It’s interesting you quoted me on the ‘stupid’, as I didn’t say that at all. The ‘stupid’ fans were not ‘stupid’ for bemoaning the substitution. They were ‘stupid’ for booing a player coming onto the pitch, oh and also AT HALF TIME AS WELL. I think it’s clear I was baffled by it as well. It was a ‘stupid’ way to react.
‘We are all sick of it’. I don’t claim to speak for anyone but myself. It would be nice if others would do the same.
Paul E
132 days ago
Fair point!
Paul E
132 days ago
Paul E.
Agree completely with your comments.
There has and always will be a blind faith in Wenger, which is fine. My question is to those who believe he is still the man to lead us to future glories – is this because you actually believe he will do so or is this because you can’t see anyone else fulfilling that role?
Better the devil you know I guess, but sometimes a cushy job leads to complacency.
My criticism is of Wenger and not of Arsenal. I support the team in the good times and the bad. I just wish that Wenger listened to some of the messages, whether they be from respected pundits or from Joe Public. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn’t. Either way you can’t sent that he is a very unpopular manager with other teams, and dare I say it, this has been brought on by stubborness and a refusal to admit when his players have made mistakes.
Opinions are subjective, but our club is more important than 1 man.
Adam C
132 days ago
Oops think I buggered that up. Ha ha. Sorry Paul E.
korihikage
132 days ago
Sian,
this is akin to a propaganda war. the media will blow up everything. the boos, rvp’s reaction to the substitution. every single thing. just so they can sell more papers, or cause unrest in the team.
we cannot give them anything that they can use against us.
korihikage
132 days ago
Paul E
‘We pay a small fortune for the privilege to see our team (the most expensive tickets IN THE WORLD), and are entitled to voice our opinions.’
you are. but it doesnt mean you are right.
i think we all know that wenger’s way is to protect his players. is that the best way? i don’t know. after the swansea game for example, i felt that if iw ere him, i would be giving the players a hairdryer treatment for that effort shown.
but what do i know?
you know what i think? i think our players, wenger and the coaching team knows what our problems are, and are trying to rectify them.
really, they could do with more encouragement, more belief, more faith, than ‘Sad that we’ll likely not finish Top 4, and subsequently lose the likes of RvP, and be unable to replace them with the quality required to fight for top honours. Still, we are keen to keep Arshavin, Chamakh, Squilaci, and Diaby…we are becoming a joke!’
korihikage
132 days ago
judging from the reactions of many people, and the result yesterday, i think we have reached a watershed in our campaign.
let me just say that this is war, and we are in a very difficult position. we need to stay together. get behind the team. put aside whatever dislike you may have for particular players. as long as he is playing for arsenal, get behind him.
of course we are allowed to be frustrated. we are allowed to be disappointed.
what i cant condone is our own fans slagging off our own players, saying wenger must go.
the season is not yet over. in fact, it has really just begun. we need to stay strong.
if you think you cant stomache the fight, then get off the bandwagon. especially if you love arsenal, as you claim. undermining the team by slagging off our players, by saying wenger’s time is up…is no better than backstabbing your comrades, betraying your family.
we really would do better without you.
so be a man, do the right thing.
Adam
131 days ago
Sorry but my views on Wenger have been bubbling away since he started losing his cool on the touchline and spending 45 mins of each match giving the 4th official a bollocking (the sign that you have lost the plot – I mean what is he going to about it?). It was not always the case…
I will re-iterate that whilst certain players look like they are not interested anymore – Arshavin & Rosicky, mainly – and even though we may not be the same Arsenal that would destroy the likes of Swansea and Fulham in 2nd gear, I will never stop backing the players. To think otherwise is just not an option. Period.
My comments are about the management and the management only. Change is not always a bad thing, it may even be the thing that saves Wenger sanctity.
korihikage
132 days ago
and i think Foxy Oxy will catch on. good job, Sian
Alan
132 days ago
Sian, I’ve already told you that brilliant blogs are not enough. You’ve just got to get your finger out and sort our team out!
MattWFC
131 days ago
I’m not going to go into the ins and outs of yesterday as I’m still smarting at the complete mass overreaction to a simple 1-2 defeat in a game in which we didn’t play half badly Suffice to say, i’ve plenty to say but will keep stum for now. Who knows, I may even start a blog.
Anyway, I’ve decided I’m going to start to boo more in my everyday life. If Waitrose have run out of those noodle things I like then I’m going to boo the checkout girl. If my boss says something in a meeting that I don’t like, I’m just going to sit there booing. Booing is ace.There’s a definite place for it in everday society.
Arsenal will still finish fourth. Easy. Chelsea can’t even beat Norwich.
MattWFC
131 days ago
Oh, and isn’t Harry wonderful. The bloke’s in court today and the mainstream media hardly bat an eyelid. In fact, they still laud his team who have won diddly squat in a gazillion years and tout him for the England job. “He’s done something illegal you say? Oh never mind, he talks to us lots through his car window and is a good all-round egg”. Please do one.
Yet if Wenger even bemoans referees or says he didn’t see something, there’s a four page pullout exclusive in the red-tops. Ridic.
Adam
131 days ago
I completely understand why supporting Arsenal can be frustrating. I understand that people are entitled to express their opinions, like disagreeing with THAT substitution. What I don’t understand is how booing, shouting abuse at Arsene, blaming the board or hounding Andrei Arshavin (the new Emmanuel Eboue) is helping us.
Thanks Sian for the brilliant blog and for all the comments proving that Gooners who get behind the club in bad moments still exist.
Alex
131 days ago
I can always count on you to keep it real in your blog Sian, plaudits all around. I’m scared that Arsenal haven’t won a game since I made my Twitter account, but I’m positive things will be on the up starting from Villa at the Ems on Sunday.
He may be a stubborn manager, but he’s our manager. Same as Andrei is our Russian, and Tomas is our Czech. As long as they managed/play for the Arsenal, I’ll support them as I should as a fan.
Supporting Arsenal gives me grief at some stages, but I’ll always be back for more, hoping that there’ll be light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.
UTA.
El Greco
131 days ago
Great blog from a master blogess – thanks Sian.
Yeah, loads of opinions. Hell, and so there should be – it’s healthy, it shows Gooners really care and laughs at the face of ulcers!
My personal reaction? Today I’m gonna make a pilgramage to the Emirates (N London, not middle east) in the cold and wet, and I’m gonna get me an Arse replica shirt. Might even throw in a mug and one of those baseball caps.
Oh, and then I’m gonna carrying supporting the club a lot of us love:-)
1NilToTheArsenal
130 days ago
Wow! Great comments by many and the Gooner blogosphere is buzzing with our THIRD LOSS IN A ROW!!! Where are you Thierry Henry??
It’s EASY to support your club when times are good, but when we’re struggling…not so much.
Much is made of Arsenal’s price of entry being the highest in the EPL, and it’s easy for us across the pond in North America who watch and cheer via telly to criticize those season’s ticket holders who pay a thousand pounds and up to see our club in the flesh fighting for our lives.
But Gooners, the long and melodramatic opera that is the EPL season is still in full swing. For the top half of the table the fat lady doesn’t start warming up until late March, so there’s still time and there’s still hope.
Gather yourselves for the run in, and support your club.
“Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”
Alfred, Lord Tennyson