The first league game and it's already make-or-break time

[Mo Britain less Europe]

I have a hunch if we lose to Liverpool there is going to be meltdown at the Emirates.

[Burney]

I have a hunch if we lose to Liverpool there is going to be meltdown at the Emirates.

Sorry, but how is it 'make or break time' exactly?

Oh, and there's 'meltdown at the Emirates' every time we even look like dropping a point. Because our fanbase seems these days largely to consist of entitled, whining little manbabies.

[IUFG]

I'm not going at the weekend. Simply cannot be arsed. First time in a long while I have felt like that.

We won't win and it groundhog day commences. . .

[Mo Britain less Europe]

Because people are highly frustrated at the transfer situation and all these tensions will erupt if they feel we've lost because of not having had the fairly simple foresight to ensure we have at least one fit senior centre-half on opening day.

Because many will believe (rightly or wrongly) that a loss at home to Liverpool will confirm we won't be challengers this year and thus the dream of winning the league will be stillborn.

[Bergkamp Was Best]

Are you a season ticket holder Burney? Or even a regular at Arsenal games?

[Pat Vegas]

I have a hunch if we lose to Liverpool there is going to be meltdown at the Emirates.

And if we win? Papering over the cracks?

[Burney]

Are you a season ticket holder Burney? Or even a regular at Arsenal games?

Used to be. Not anymore. Used to go pretty regularly up until about five or six years ago. The last few times I went, however, I couldn't s listening to all the bedwetters constantly slagging off our team and manager. They rendered the atmosphere toxic and made the whole business rather less than fun, so I stopped going.

[Mo Britain less Europe]

And if we win? Papering over the cracks?

No. If we win, things will simmer down.

As they would if we bought Mustafi and Lewandowski - especially the latter.

[IUFG]

:nod: the football often gets in the way of the drinking imo

[Pat Vegas]

No. If we win, things will simmer down.

As they would if we bought Mustafi and Lewandowski - especially the latter.

If we do sign the likes of Lewandowski are we proper title contenders?
I'd say we are as I already believe we have a better 'team' than City for example.
That may change once Pep get's things going in his way.

I don't think United will be that great imo.

[Mo Britain less Europe]

It's about perceptions. When you buy someone like Ozil or Alexis or Lewandowski that makes you, in some people's eyes, contenders.

If you are right, and I think we've got a shout, then to lose three points at home in the first game in these circumstances would be particularly pathetic.

[Pat Vegas]

It's about perceptions. When you buy someone like Ozil or Alexis or Lewandowski that makes you, in some people's eyes, contenders.

If you are right, and I think we've got a shout, then to lose three points at home in the first game in these circumstances would be particularly pathetic.

I agree but let's see what happens. Unfortunately we've been in similar situations before. you'd think we might want to start the season ready but lets see.

[Burney]

If we do sign the likes of Lewandowski are we proper title contenders?
I'd say we are as I already believe we have a better 'team' than City for example.
That may change once Pep get's things going in his way.

I don't think United will be that great imo.

I do sometimes wonder if we bought all these players the fans bay for and still didn't win the title, what would the story be? Blame the manager, I guess. Whatever happens, these people can never be wrong.

[Pat Vegas]

I do sometimes wonder if we bought all these players the fans bay for and still didn't win the title, what would the story be? Blame the manager, I guess. Whatever happens, these people can never be wrong.

We've always had some annoying fans but I am almost embarrassed to say I support Arsenal these days. Not because of the team but because of all these twitter types, voting on polls, 'doing madness' Arsenal fan TV. :-(

I'd say this has been happening since about 2011 and since then football has been complete ****.

[Bergkamp Was Best]

Used to be. Not anymore. Used to go pretty regularly up until about five or six years ago. The last few times I went, however, I couldn't s listening to all the bedwetters constantly slagging off our team and manager. They rendered the atmosphere toxic and made the whole business rather less than fun, so I stopped going.

The whingers have increased in numbers but they've always been there, even at Highbury when we were winning titles. If they're not moaning about the team as a whole then they will aim the criticism at a player (I remember the sh*t Parlour and Gilberto used to get). The only way to pipe them down is to win the league, or run someone very close.

[Pat Vegas]

:-( People used to treat draws like loses during our Invincibles era.

[Burney]

We've always had some annoying fans but I am almost embarrassed to say I support Arsenal these days. Not because of the team but because of all these twitter types, voting on polls, 'doing madness' Arsenal fan TV. :-(

I'd say this has been happening since about 2011 and since then football has been complete ****.

Yes. The fact that we have the most tech-savvy fanbase is a curse as it simply means all the ****s whose tedious, ill-informed utterances used just to be background noise now have a platform that makes them think what they say is in some way significant. This then encourages their fellow morons to be more vocal and before you know it, the whole place has turned septic. And that's before I even get started on pricks like Piers Morgan or Tim 'Tits' Payton.

In short: I blame the internet.

[7sisters]

It's about perceptions. When you buy someone like Ozil or Alexis or Lewandowski that makes you, in some people's eyes, contenders.

If you are right, and I think we've got a shout, then to lose three points at home in the first game in these circumstances would be particularly pathetic.

It's borderline neglect at this point. For me, an attacker would be a bonus but not essential. A top quality CB is a total no brainer. Even if Per were fully fit, he showed enough times last season that he's a complete liability at times. Hardly surprising that the ball scratcher left him out in the summer.
It's the same every season. The very best teams just walk through our ball watching defence.

[Mo Britain less Europe]

I thought this would be Per's last year and even wondered he might not have left in the summer. So when people talk about a stop-gap till he comes back, I wonder.

[7sisters]

Exactly.. The faux mourning over Gabriel I found confusing. I thought he was also deemed largely ****, despite a promising first few run outs.
Now it seems our future is hanging in the balance because of him.. Most strange.

[Ash]

The whingers have increased in numbers but they've always been there, even at Highbury when we were winning titles. If they're not moaning about the team as a whole then they will aim the criticism at a player (I remember the sh*t Parlour and Gilberto used to get). The only way to pipe them down is to win the league, or run someone very close.

There were even moaners in the 30's, when we were winning the league every year. There's nothing 'toxic' about where I sit, or where I used to sit. Doubtless there are some nests of discontent around the ground, and some particularly negative individuals, but sometimes I wonder if people just like to moan about the moaning as part of a 'it were better in my day' routine.

[Burney]

There were even moaners in the 30's, when we were winning the league every year. There's nothing 'toxic' about where I sit, or where I used to sit. Doubtless there are some nests of discontent around the ground, and some particularly negative individuals, but sometimes I wonder if people just like to moan about the moaning as part of a 'it were better in my day' routine.

I think the point at which I started to lose faith was the Wigan game when an Arsenal crowd booed their own player who was having a bad game (Eboue). I was disgusted by that. Unfortunately, that would barely be seen as unusual anymore.

[Jake]

There were even moaners in the 30's, when we were winning the league every year. There's nothing 'toxic' about where I sit, or where I used to sit. Doubtless there are some nests of discontent around the ground, and some particularly negative individuals, but sometimes I wonder if people just like to moan about the moaning as part of a 'it were better in my day' routine.

Agreed. But it fits the narrative of "back in my day" and Arsenal fans being ****, just as no big money signings fit the narrative of Arsene out.

People are one and the same, they just like to think they aren't.

[SWv2]

I think the point at which I started to lose faith was the Wigan game when an Arsenal crowd booed their own player who was having a bad game (Eboue). I was disgusted by that. Unfortunately, that would barely be seen as unusual anymore.

Eboue was an utter prize **** all the same.

He deserved all the abuse he got, though not during a game.

[Burney]

Eboue was an utter prize **** all the same.

He deserved all the abuse he got, though not during a game.

Come, come, sw. We are of an age to have seen many prize ****s come and go at the Arsenal - most of them far worse players than Eboue. That was the first time I ever saw one booed by most of the crowd, though. A sad, sad day.

[Monty92]

Because people are highly frustrated at the transfer situation and all these tensions will erupt if they feel we've lost because of not having had the fairly simple foresight to ensure we have at least one fit senior centre-half on opening day.

Because many will believe (rightly or wrongly) that a loss at home to Liverpool will confirm we won't be challengers this year and thus the dream of winning the league will be stillborn.

I don't think you can plan your transfer activity around the possibility that your three first choice centre backs won't be available for the first game of the season.

[SWv2]

Come, come, sw. We are of an age to have seen many prize ****s come and go at the Arsenal - most of them far worse players than Eboue. That was the first time I ever saw one booed by most of the crowd, though. A sad, sad day.

Well I’m of an age now where I don’t feel the necessary pressure to actually like our players, to pretend that I would like to be mates with them. Insufferable ****s some of them I imagine.

Eboue I really struggled with.

I enjoyed how so many people liked him and defended him as he was the proverbial japester. In fact he was a ****, and if you knew such a japestar in everyday life, in your place of work for example, you would think he was an insufferable ****.

Eboue was great craic though, because he played for us. In fact he was no better than an Ivorian Jimmy Bullard, and he was a complete **** as well.

Don’t even get me started on the penalty he gave away v Liverpool. ****ing cretin.


I’m with you on the booing mind you, a rum affair. But then what is football if it is not pantomime, boo and hiss, he is behind you.

[Monty92]

There were even moaners in the 30's, when we were winning the league every year. There's nothing 'toxic' about where I sit, or where I used to sit. Doubtless there are some nests of discontent around the ground, and some particularly negative individuals, but sometimes I wonder if people just like to moan about the moaning as part of a 'it were better in my day' routine.

The fact that the team does not have the absolute support of the crowd at all times (and let's stop to consider what an understatement that is) should be toxic to you. Unless you think knee-jerk negativity is a natural and healthy reaction by people to sporting imperfection by the team they claim to "love"

[Mo Britain less Europe]

You can if it's fairly foreseeable. Most people thought France would get to the semis at least and Per, as has been mentioned earlier, was hardly a tower of strength last season. Only the Gabriel injury can be seen as unfortunate.

[Monty92]

You can if it's fairly foreseeable. Most people thought France would get to the semis at least and Per, as has been mentioned earlier, was hardly a tower of strength last season. Only the Gabriel injury can be seen as unfortunate.

But I don't think you can buy a top centre back becase your best defender might miss one game. For that you have competent reserves like chambers.

If you think our three best centre backs are not good enough then that is an entirely separate conversation and irrelevant to the one we're having about squad planning

[Mo Britain less Europe]

Per was no longer a confirmed starter last season, which implies he was gradually being eased into being a squad player. Knowing that at best he and Gabriel (inexperienced pairing) would play should have rung some alarm bells.

But Per actually got injured on 22nd July, and was immediately confirmed as a long-term absentee, and the club hardly raced off to try and plug that hole.

[SWv2]

The fact that the team does not have the absolute support of the crowd at all times (and let's stop to consider what an understatement that is) should be toxic to you. Unless you think knee-jerk negativity is a natural and healthy reaction by people to sporting imperfection by the team they claim to "love"

Human beings are not robots mind you. It is nigh on impossible to expect them to be 100% positive in their support all the time. They react to what is going on around them, when good they cheer, when not good they shout.

It is **** all to do with support or “love” as you felt the need to highlights in inverted commas, it is simply entirely normal and acceptable human behaviour.

Of course it can overspill into nastiness which is never nice but you know we are not unique in that as a football club.

[IUFG]

Don’t even get me started on the penalty he gave away v Liverpool. ****ing cretin.


That wiped out any kudos he had for THAT cross against Manchester United.

[Monty92]

Human beings are not robots mind you. It is nigh on impossible to expect them to be 100% positive in their support all the time. They react to what is going on around them, when good they cheer, when not good they shout.

It is **** all to do with support or “love” as you felt the need to highlights in inverted commas, it is simply entirely normal and acceptable human behaviour.

Of course it can overspill into nastiness which is never nice but you know we are not unique in that as a football club.

Yes, I too have been known to wail in despair at a missed chance, perhaps even called one of our players a ninkompoop for a wayward pass. But I would never dream of shouting abuse at a player or the team beyond that instinctive reaction, save for the most extreme circumstances. This does not make me a robot. It makes me true to my stated claim of being a supporter with the best interests of the club at heart.

If you fall short of that, it is due to your own personal failings and you should a) be ashamed of yourself and work at being a better human, and b) feel guilty about tainting the match-going experience for those of us who are able to control their emotions and not act like an emotionally incontenent man-child

[SWv2]

Yes, I too have been known to wail in despair at a missed chance, perhaps even called one of our players a ninkompoop for a wayward pass. But I would never dream of shouting abuse at a player or the team beyond that instinctive reaction, save for the most extreme circumstances. This does not make me a robot. It makes me true to my stated claim of being a supporter with the best interests of the club at heart.

If you fall short of that, it is due to your own personal failings and you should a) be ashamed of yourself and work at being a better human, and b) feel guilty about tainting the match-going experience for those of us who are able to control their emotions and not act like an emotionally incontenent man-child

Please note I am not condoning sustained abuse of any player during the course of a game.

[Pat Vegas]

Per was no longer a confirmed starter last season, which implies he was gradually being eased into being a squad player. Knowing that at best he and Gabriel (inexperienced pairing) would play should have rung some alarm bells.

But Per actually got injured on 22nd July, and was immediately confirmed as a long-term absentee, and the club hardly raced off to try and plug that hole.

At that point Gabriel was still fit and we signed a young defender called Holding.

[ITSUPFORGRABSNOW]

Come, come, sw. We are of an age to have seen many prize ****s come and go at the Arsenal - most of them far worse players than Eboue. That was the first time I ever saw one booed by most of the crowd, though. A sad, sad day.

Alex Song got the same away at Fulham too, the whole team was utter ****e that game. Would never boo an Arsenal player.

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

Exactly.. The faux mourning over Gabriel I found confusing. I thought he was also deemed largely ****, despite a promising first few run outs.
Now it seems our future is hanging in the balance because of him.. Most strange.

The point is that Gabby had stunning stats in Spain. He's got what it takes to be a top drawer defender, even if he's made a few cock ups and was having trouble learning the lingo.

Chambers needs someone with experience next to him to develop, Holding's a kid from a relegated lower division team, and that Bielek {or however its spelled} looked woeful in pre-season, giving the ball away in the most dangerous of situations quite regularly.