Towel sir?
Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Towel sir?
By Boris Mellor
January 24 2010
Stoke could be the first Premiership club to go bankrupt, their towel laundry bill must be excessive. It was wonderful listening to their fans sing "same old Arsenal always cheating" as their players wasted about 7 minutes of the first half on ball drying.
Towel sir?
January 24 2010
Stoke could be the first Premiership club to go bankrupt, their towel laundry bill must be excessive. It was wonderful listening to their fans sing "same old Arsenal always cheating" as their players wasted about 7 minutes of the first half on ball drying.
And before some Stoke moron comes on to cry sour grapes I have no complaint about the 3-1 result. Stoke outplayed us for most of the match and wanted it far more. They completely controlled the second half, Arsenal were hardly in it, looking like eleven strangers who had never played together before, maybe that's because only a few had played together at this level. Very few, if any presented a threat to first choice players.
Although Campbell had a good game his skill and confidence did not transmit to the rest of the back four. Fabianski did enough to ensure Almunia will keep his place for a while to come.
Does it matter?
So we were well and truly dispatched from the fourth round, I had been far too optimistic having predicted a 1-1 draw on the prediction league. The team lacked balance, no one got a grip of the midfield, and no one threatened up front. I had to check if Walcott was still on the field. Fabregas had too much midfield work to do to get into many, if any, goal scoring positions.
Even the three subs were unable to change things, in fact things got worse. There was no tempo or work ethic about most of the team, unlike Stoke who broke at speed and closed us down all the time.
The team sheet clearly underestimated how strong Stoke are at home, but does it matter? What if Wenger played his best 11 and undermined the prospects at Villa on Wednesday. You might say that he could win the cup but not the league, you might even be right, but I would not like to see Wenger sell the league at this early stage. There is a chance he has to go for it.
Whether it matters or not will not be decided in the fans' moments of post match anguish, but at the end of the next four games. If Wenger gets 10 out of the next 12 points he will be a genius, get a lot less and it will be Hero to Zero, oh well that's showbiz.
The main reason for this defeat is the weakness of the squad, of course Wenger had to rotate, but that meant depending on youth who have hardly played a first team game, some old timers, and some lightweights. Without all the injuries and the demands of the Africa Cup he could have played a stronger team.
Sequence Theory
The result will bring out the sequence theorists; they will argue this defeat brings to an end a winning run that will spill over into the league. They could be right because there is an element of chance in football, it's not a science.
However Man U have beat Burnley 3-0 and Hull 4-0 since they went out of the cup. True they drew at Birmingham but that's a good result for anyone these days. It's also true that losing to Man U in the cup put Arsenal on a losing run in the league, a year or so ago. It's also true that losing to Man U in the cup in 2004 did not stop the Gunners completing an invincible season. So sequences are not an immutable law.
So what are the consequences?
It is claimed that when Mao Tse Tung was asked what had been the consequences of the French Revolution, he replied that it was too early to tell. It may be too early to tell the consequences of this result, indeed Wenger will want his team to forget about it as soon as possible.
They will have to for the next 14 days, or Judgment Fortnight (Villa away, Man U home, Chelsea away, Liverpool home) as Sky will call it, will weigh and measure his team. I do hope Song is home soon because with Diaby injured I did not see his replacement today.
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Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Arsenal Times (IP Logged)
Date: 24/01/2010 17:05
What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:01:26:20:24:24 by Padre Pio.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:01:26:20:24:24 by Padre Pio.
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Bee#4 (IP Logged)
Date: 24/01/2010 17:16
Nice Post
That ball drying thing is a bit pathetic though, it's effective granted. But it's like you have to alter the balls state to gain an advantage, which is cheating a bit imo.
Oh well we will just have to deal with that when we go back there at the end of February.
That ball drying thing is a bit pathetic though, it's effective granted. But it's like you have to alter the balls state to gain an advantage, which is cheating a bit imo.
Oh well we will just have to deal with that when we go back there at the end of February.
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Bergmars (IP Logged)
Date: 24/01/2010 17:23
We have so many injured or not available,but the dis[lay was poor,Stoke got their tactic spot on.
Back and raring to go.
Back and raring to go.
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Padre Pio (IP Logged)
Date: 24/01/2010 17:26
Perhaps you should get a towel before you take a shot. stop the game, mark the spot with a tee, dry the ball take a shot
The game is about Glory. It is about doing things in style with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom".
Danny Blanchflower
The game is about Glory. It is about doing things in style with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom".
Danny Blanchflower
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Bee#4 (IP Logged)
Date: 24/01/2010 17:30
Haha spot on Padre. I'm taking nothing away from how they play, they played to their strengths but the towel drying thing is a nuisance. It takes them 30 odd secs to take a throw in, yet in the 1st half we only had 2mins stoppage time.
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Padre Pio (IP Logged)
Date: 24/01/2010 17:37
Ferguson would have gone mad. They even did it in their own half, on one occasion the throw was so poor that Arsenal forced them to conede a corner
The game is about Glory. It is about doing things in style with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom".
Danny Blanchflower
The game is about Glory. It is about doing things in style with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom".
Danny Blanchflower
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Merlion96 (IP Logged)
Date: 24/01/2010 18:07
Pity.
It shows up Fabianski, Silvestre, Vela, Walcott and Denilson today as a squad lacking in depth.
It si unbelievable that Denilson played 2 bad games in a row.
How do you explain that Tom?
It shows up Fabianski, Silvestre, Vela, Walcott and Denilson today as a squad lacking in depth.
It si unbelievable that Denilson played 2 bad games in a row.
How do you explain that Tom?
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Padre Pio (IP Logged)
Date: 24/01/2010 18:31
I wouldnt include Vela, he worked hard enough
The game is about Glory. It is about doing things in style with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom".
Danny Blanchflower
The game is about Glory. It is about doing things in style with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom".
Danny Blanchflower
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Bring back stepanovs! (IP Logged)
Date: 24/01/2010 19:42
spot on about the towel thing 2 mins added on in 1st half!i mean its not rocket science is it.....
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: eduardo (IP Logged)
Date: 24/01/2010 22:27
don't forget how denilson just lay down v Everton, so its his last 3 games, he is in a slump or form, lets hope Cameroon go out very soon so Song can come back
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Padre Pio (IP Logged)
Date: 24/01/2010 22:47
I wondered where the towel came from
The game is about Glory. It is about doing things in style with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom".
Danny Blanchflower
The game is about Glory. It is about doing things in style with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom".
Danny Blanchflower
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: eduardo (IP Logged)
Date: 24/01/2010 23:03
each ballboy has one, ITV said it was all right cos the ref would allow Arsenal to use a towel too if they wanted
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Merlion96 (IP Logged)
Date: 25/01/2010 03:22
Mao Zedong :
"When the Enemy is strong, I retreat.
When the Enemy si tired and weak, I attack"
And this is Wenger's tactic.
ABsorbed all the ounsihments with opponent attacking with verve during initial 80-minutes, runing them off their feet.
And when they are tired, attack and put 'em to the sword after 80th minute.
But sheeeeesh after a soft goal within 68 seconds, it is like "The 300".
Any people interested to read up on Mao Zedong, Lenin, Stalin, Trotsky, Marx, et al..go to www.marxists.org run by our good old "Red" Ted Grant & Co.
It is all free.
"When the Enemy is strong, I retreat.
When the Enemy si tired and weak, I attack"
And this is Wenger's tactic.
ABsorbed all the ounsihments with opponent attacking with verve during initial 80-minutes, runing them off their feet.
And when they are tired, attack and put 'em to the sword after 80th minute.
But sheeeeesh after a soft goal within 68 seconds, it is like "The 300".
Any people interested to read up on Mao Zedong, Lenin, Stalin, Trotsky, Marx, et al..go to www.marxists.org run by our good old "Red" Ted Grant & Co.
It is all free.
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Padre Pio (IP Logged)
Date: 25/01/2010 07:26
Re Ted Grant is long dead Merlion
The game is about Glory. It is about doing things in style with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom".
Danny Blanchflower
The game is about Glory. It is about doing things in style with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom".
Danny Blanchflower
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Bergmars (IP Logged)
Date: 25/01/2010 10:03
And thankfully so is communism.
Back and raring to go.
Back and raring to go.
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Red Thomas (IP Logged)
Date: 25/01/2010 10:05
55 years ago, when just a young lad in west London, my first football strip was an Arsenal one which I wore with pride. Many many years on, I groan when Arsene Wenger's contorted face starts moaning about all and sundry when things do not go Arsneal's way. I hear that he is known elsewhere as Wenger the Whinger. Certainly, he offers no role model for younger less accomplished managers developing in our leagues. It would be so easy for him to be the statesman of our football establishing himself as the generous and magnamimous spokes person for our game. His achievements are beyond question and he is well educated and spoken. It would be so easy for him. But .... he whinges and is so easily out manoeuvred by the likes of Tony Pulis in front of the cameras. Wake up Arsene, although it is a challenge to tecah old dogs new tricks, you could change and we would all be the better for it.
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Bergmars (IP Logged)
Date: 25/01/2010 10:14
He has not complained about the defeat,in fact he said Stoke deserved it.He merely stated he stuck by his selection and we were physically outplayed,though why he is suprised at that I do not know.
I will admit he has said some cringe worthy things,the "I did not see it" being the most pathetic,but mostly he is answering the questions put to him in a honest way,nothing whinging about that.
Back and raring to go.
I will admit he has said some cringe worthy things,the "I did not see it" being the most pathetic,but mostly he is answering the questions put to him in a honest way,nothing whinging about that.
Back and raring to go.
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Merlion96 (IP Logged)
Date: 25/01/2010 12:05
Quote:Padre Pio
Re Ted Grant is long dead Merlion
Oops.may he RIP.
But his legacy lives on at that web site.
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: eduardo (IP Logged)
Date: 25/01/2010 22:21
maybe Red Thomas Wenger should be more like the ever so polite sir alex and never complain, never ban journos who write anything he dislikes and who always speaks to the BBC, never sends out his teams to intimidate the refs, oh if only Wenger had his grace
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Padre Pio (IP Logged)
Date: 26/01/2010 00:04
Wenger made a joke of the defeat he made no complaints about Stoke, not even their towel waving.
Its not his job to be a stateman, its his job to do best for Arsenal
The game is about Glory. It is about doing things in style with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom".
Danny Blanchflower
Its not his job to be a stateman, its his job to do best for Arsenal
The game is about Glory. It is about doing things in style with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom".
Danny Blanchflower
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Simon68 (IP Logged)
Date: 26/01/2010 00:16
Or Mourinho's.
Or Hughes's.
Or Brown's.
Or Jewell's.
Or Allardyce's.
Or O'Neill's.
Or Benitez's.
Virtually every manager has jumped up and down or thrown a right strop or blamed this and that. It's a pressure job.
However, it's how the media choose to portray it according to bias. So when they all say virtually the same thing, Ferguson plays mind games, Mourinho is funny and entertaining and does it to take the pressure off his players, Wenger is a whinger.
However, Ferguson and Mourinho are often sulky, vindictive, spiteful, personal and nasty. Wenger has never been that. And he is well respected amongst the more intelligent of the press as being interesting and often funny and always available.
Or Hughes's.
Or Brown's.
Or Jewell's.
Or Allardyce's.
Or O'Neill's.
Or Benitez's.
Virtually every manager has jumped up and down or thrown a right strop or blamed this and that. It's a pressure job.
However, it's how the media choose to portray it according to bias. So when they all say virtually the same thing, Ferguson plays mind games, Mourinho is funny and entertaining and does it to take the pressure off his players, Wenger is a whinger.
However, Ferguson and Mourinho are often sulky, vindictive, spiteful, personal and nasty. Wenger has never been that. And he is well respected amongst the more intelligent of the press as being interesting and often funny and always available.
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Padre Pio (IP Logged)
Date: 26/01/2010 00:33
Its ironic that Fergy bans the press, and Wenger never does, but its Wenger who is labelled whinger. I dont think any self respecting Arsenal fan would repeat it.
If Wenger's a whinger what is Brown? What is Coyle for labelling Gallas on a mistimed tackle. I suspect a troll
The game is about Glory. It is about doing things in style with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom".
Danny Blanchflower
If Wenger's a whinger what is Brown? What is Coyle for labelling Gallas on a mistimed tackle. I suspect a troll
The game is about Glory. It is about doing things in style with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom".
Danny Blanchflower
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Simon68 (IP Logged)
Date: 26/01/2010 00:41
And note when Coyle retracted his ridiculous allegation of 'assault' it didn't receive a 100th of the coverage his original statement got.
It just wasn't in Sky's interests was it and besides it would have made them look (even more) foolish to have the foundation on which their witchhunt on Gallas was built, to be removed.
It just wasn't in Sky's interests was it and besides it would have made them look (even more) foolish to have the foundation on which their witchhunt on Gallas was built, to be removed.
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Padre Pio (IP Logged)
Date: 26/01/2010 09:01
Yet when Wenger had the decency to retract his comments on Tiny Taylor they played it again and again as they enjoyed humilating him.
I am not so sure he should have retracted that much, the Taylor tackle and gallas tackle dont bare comparison
The game is about Glory. It is about doing things in style with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom".
Danny Blanchflower
I am not so sure he should have retracted that much, the Taylor tackle and gallas tackle dont bare comparison
The game is about Glory. It is about doing things in style with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom".
Danny Blanchflower
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: Simon68 (IP Logged)
Date: 26/01/2010 09:59
That's one of the things that annoyed me. Sometimes I wish Arsene would retract or tone down some of his comments, but he was 100% correct about the Taylor incident and should have stuck by his guns. That way the media would have been forced to look at the evidence which damned Taylor totally.
Yet to this day no-one will come out and say Taylor's assault was despicable.
Yet to this day no-one will come out and say Taylor's assault was despicable.
Re: Stoke Bankruptcy - Does it matter? Sequence Theory and Mao
Posted by: redanddread (IP Logged)
Date: 26/01/2010 22:10
You might listen into some of Wenger's press conferences more often. The press generally love them as they are entertaining and astute. He's not afraid to answer any question asked and will always give his mind, regardless of the consequences. Nobody likes to lose and quite frankly the only reason Wenger is known as wHinger (moreso then any other boss) is becasue it some what goes with Wenger-u know.
We lost a game. it @#$%&' happens. We have another game tomorrow. Enjoy it folks. Yet another Arsenal game will be a @#$%& cracker. You know it.
Cry down Arsenal all you want but they are the team you want to watch. Hmmm. If we had 10 Stokes in the EPL , do you think there would be so much TV money in the EPL? Doubt it. Appreciate what you are watching cause the football Arsenal play is a big draw. Hopefully, it will once again be dominant. It;s always been at the top or near the top in the last 12 years and the club has a history behind only MANU & Liverpool in the English game.
I appreciate the difference a Stoke bring to the league and they play to their strengths. Give some credit to the way Arsenal play because you know that's how most of the teams aspire to play football. Ask the non-whingers, ask them what they really think of Arsenal? Generally, they are always full of praise.
We lost a game. it @#$%&' happens. We have another game tomorrow. Enjoy it folks. Yet another Arsenal game will be a @#$%& cracker. You know it.
Cry down Arsenal all you want but they are the team you want to watch. Hmmm. If we had 10 Stokes in the EPL , do you think there would be so much TV money in the EPL? Doubt it. Appreciate what you are watching cause the football Arsenal play is a big draw. Hopefully, it will once again be dominant. It;s always been at the top or near the top in the last 12 years and the club has a history behind only MANU & Liverpool in the English game.
I appreciate the difference a Stoke bring to the league and they play to their strengths. Give some credit to the way Arsenal play because you know that's how most of the teams aspire to play football. Ask the non-whingers, ask them what they really think of Arsenal? Generally, they are always full of praise.
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