Arsenal

[Art Vandelay]

Seems like we're cutting off our nose to spite our face. Are we that hard up that we desperately need £2m? Half of it is money we'd already resigned to spend anyway. My advice would be to remortgage the ground and bet it all on any or all of Walcott, Gervinho and Chamberlain getting injured at the weekend.

[Rocafella]

He's gone so he can get some first team football in before the Euro's. Can't see Wenger being the type to stand in his way. As long as they're paying his wages, I don't mind. He's a bit part player.

[wev]

Is there anyone from amongst the youth players that could take his position now? We've seen a great amount of fight in the likes of Chamberlain (admittedly, not a youth player, but he's still young) Coquelin and Yennaris when they've had to make any appearance, I'd rather see that than Arshavin not putting in any effort.

[Cosmic_Guru]

It's a sad state of affairs alright. Anytime someone tries to talk football with me (which is usually just them telling me how and why Arsenal are shit) I just trot out my new running joke that I don't watch football anymore and prefer tennis.

Well, any match up between the top 4 in men's tennis, particularly in a grand slam event, is infinitely more engrossing, more gut- wrenching and a much more intense experience than watching an Arsenal game these days, even over 3-4 hours. I wish it wasn't so, but the days of the Champs league heart breakers mentioned in this thread a few days ago seem a million years away now - everything is so stale, expectations are so low, I find my attention wandering back to the 360 or whatever long before the final whistle these days and when we play at 3pm on Saturdays I don't check the score before MOTD hoping but not expecting a pleasant surprise (cheers Blackburn) but trying to guess something from the scheduling of the match.

I am just hoping that another club comes in for AW this summer and we can move on because this utter stagnation is dire.

[Cosmic_Guru]

This just turned up - says it all really.

[Jonathan_Kerr]

Arshavin doesn't seem like a bad apple though. Lazy, sure, but not disruptive.

This is mental.

It's the same thing if you ask me. If junior players like Chambo only have Arshavin to look up to, then they'll think it fine to just coast along. Look at Man City - their players seem to get fired up at training and it shows. They're still mercs, but at least they seem happy to work for their obscene wages...

[Dude Ranch]

I dunno, it's a pretty good sign that if you're not cutting it, you're fucking off, regardless of how big a name you are.

(Or whether you're the Russian captain.)

Be nice if a few players didn't feel so safe and comfortable.

Yes, I totally agree. He's been a disgrace IMO.

Is there anyone from amongst the youth players that could take his position now? ... I'd rather see that than Arshavin not putting in any effort.

Me too.

[The Fox]

Seems like Koscielny and Gibbs are both fit to start, if Twitter can be believed, so I guess it'll be Sagna-Kos-Verm-Gibbs.

VDV and Adebayor also fit apparently (Guardian had them down as doubtful on their squad lists).

edit: yep lineup now on Arseblog. Szczesny; Sagna, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Gibbs; Song, Arteta, Rosicky; Walcott, Van Persie, Benayoun.

No Djourou on the bench, but Jenkinson is fit enough to be a sub. Ramsey out but we already knew that. Interesting to see Yossi get the nod over Gervinho/Ox.

COME ON ARSENAL

[Dude Ranch]

Walcott and Benayoun . Maybe he's thinking Gervinho and Chamberlain from the bench if we're chasing the game.

[Art Vandelay]

Van Persie better turn up today as there's not a lot of goals in the rest of that team. Ah dread, my old friend.

[Art Vandelay]

What the fuck am I watching.

[Silent Runner]

Fucking hell. What was that? I'm sensing a bloodbath here.

[The Fox]

Awful, awful defending. Song not paying attention at all and the back four all over the place.

[Art Vandelay]

Looks like we're going for the time tested tactics of sitting off and playing in second gear when we do have the ball. The conservative starting selection is the kind of thing you'd pick for an away game, not a home derby where you need a win.

[Silent Runner]

We're worth a goal for the last 10 minutes. Good, energetic stuff with a few chances.

COME ON.

[SeanR]

anyone got a 'cast channel that isn't bloodzeed?

[Art Vandelay]

Diving monkey faced cunt.

[toythatkills]

anyone got a 'cast channel that isn't bloodzeed?

To be honest, I'd just go out and do something else.

[humdrum]

Bale is a diving cunt!

[The Fox]

Diving cunt

[KRP]

Fuck

[The Fox]

lol, some cunt negging people in here. Even Gary Neville said it was a dive, and it's not like he doesn't have a reputation for it.

[Silent Runner]

Fucking RAGE.

[Art Vandelay]

Absolutely disgusting. Why aren't the commentators going nuts? They've just said there was no contact and now they're suggesting the keeper should have been sent off? Farcical.

[humdrum]

Can't believe they are just glossing over the fact it was a blatant dive by a cheating cunt!

[The Fox]

What the fuck is Martin Tyler on about?

And ffs Theo

[Charliemouse]

Yes it was a dive but sadly there is hardly a footballer alive for any team that would not have done the same thing.

You have been the better team as well.

[Art Vandelay]

I thought Martin Tyler was a gooner? Sort your shit out son.

[The Fox]

Fuck off you twitchy cunt

[Silent Runner]

Here we fucking go.

Good lad Sagna.