Monday 31 January 2011
robbietktalksarsenal - The Arsenal Podcast: 31/1/11
World’s gone mad
Its Transfer Deadline Day, you know what that means, Arsenal fans carry on with their day as normal, buying superstars on FIFA, PES and FM, saying “Why wont you join us, Gary? Why does Coyle think you’re worth £25m?”. I have got good old Sky Sports News on, because despite not caring, I do want to know where Fernando Torres is playing and how much.
However, how mad is the world? £50m for Torres, a Torres who is playing in the worst form since joining Liverpool, and £35m for Carroll who’s a kid who, yes, is good but not worth £35m. It does show how hyper-inflated the English player market is, and why intelligent spenders like Arsene Wenger sign players like Chamakh and Fabregas on frees. Heck, Nasri, this years Player of the Season was not even £20m.
Fernando Torres 2010/11 stats – 26 appearances – 9 goals – Value in January 2011: £50m + Nicholas Anelka.
Torres is playing terribly, yet somehow he’s hyper inflated, didn’t score in the World Cup and is being carried by most Liverpool players.
Cesc Fabregas 2010/11 stats – 25 appearances – 9 goals (as a midfielder) – Value in Summer 2010: £30m
I appearance less, and 7 less in the league, yet somehow Cesc has scored as many as Torres, and from midfield, he’s also made 11 assists. Yet, Cesc is worth potentially half as much as an overrated Torres.
Marouane Chamakh 2010/11 stats – 30 appearances – 10 goals – Value in Summer 2010: Unknown but joined Arsenal on a free
Chamakh in fairness, has played more from the bench this season (other than Van Persie injury period). However, he is a new player who joined on a free and is performing so much better than Torres right now, he also has 6 assists.
Andy Carroll 2010/11 stats – 20 appearances – 11 goals – Value in January 2011: £35m
Carroll is performing well, and has an immaculate goals to games record for a lad his age, however, he’s never played in the Champions League and has played half a season in the top flight. How is he suddenly worth more than Fabregas? It just goes to show the ridiculous hyper-inflation in the English League.
So, those are the stats and how ridiculous this day is, well being an Arsenal fan today is like being Andy Gray at a feminist rally.
Saturday 15 January 2011
I’m fooking hyped!
If you’re reading this, and I hope to Sasc Nasrigas that you are, it means I have successfully purchased two tickets for the upcoming fixture: Arsenal Football Club Vs Wolverhampton Wanderers. As many of you may realise I live in Wolverhampton, have done all my life, probably always will. So when it comes to football, my two clubs are Wolves and Arsenal, Arsenal because my Uncle lent me loads of VHS’ of old times and new ones, and then brought me hundreds of DVD’s afterwards, which convinced me to support Arsenal (bit of a glory-hunter move) and Wolves because my Dad said “Your (other) Uncle’s pissed off to Saudi Arabia with the Navy, fancy coming to the Play-Off Final?” Being 8 at the time, I legally could move teams or hold a dual-supportership of clubs. So throughout the years I’ve supported both, which was very easy because they never played each other, until 2009. Whilst I kicked the chair in anger because Lukasz “STAY IN FUCKING GOAL YOU POLISH FANNY TWAT!” Flappianski let Drogba through, my Dad got hammered watching Wolves rise to the promise land, and unlike 2003/04 where Arsenal were magnificent and Wolves were lovable because they beat Man Utd (I was there!), 2009 was different, Arsenal were frustrating and Wolves were still lovable because they beat Tottenham, twice.
However, like the man I am, I supported both still and forever more, and I am going to dwell on this fixture, by listing the times I have actually seen this fixture live in the flesh (or not)!
2003: Boxing Day: Arsenal 3-0 Wolves
I remember this game well, for months upon months I’d said “I’d love to go to this on Boxing Day” and my Mum said “No!”. Little did I know, my Dad, my Uncle and my Aunt devised a plan to make it the best Christmas present ever! Me and my Uncle sat in the East Upper, below us were my Dad and Aunt, who sat with the Wolves fans. Because it was 8 years ago, I have no memory of the game, however, I’m sure I enjoyed it and that it made me never chuck Christmas Cards on the floor when they seemed moneyless again.
2004: Wolves 1-3 Arsenal
Like 2003, I don’t remember too much about the game, however, I do remember sitting in the Wolves end with my season ticket. I had to apologise to all my Arsenal memorabilia because of some of the abuse I shouted during the game.
2005: The FA Cup Game I never went to: Arsenal 2-0 Wolves
One day I returned home, after recording the 5th Round Draw for the FA Cup, my Mum was smirking, so I ran upstairs watched the draw and who else came out the bag but Arsenal and Wolves, immediately, my Dad got tickets, in the Clock End with the away supporters, all geared up, there was one problem, the flu. on the Thursday before the game I was struck down with illness, anyone who listens to “Its Up For Grabs Now” will get this term, I had what the podcast doctors call the Dovers, except the nasty part, I basically was in a very hallucinogenic state for a few days and unfortunately, I did not go to London to see Arsenal win 2-0. However, me and my Uncle did go down to Cardiff to see us win the FA Cup.
2009: Wolves 1-4 Arsenal
After a 5 year hiatus, Wolves finally got promoted, and in my attempt to beat DJ Tayo Popoola (only joking T) in away game appearances, I got to see Arsenal once more. Luckily, my Dad knows people who own an Executive Box at the Molineux, and I am straight in for the Arsenal game. Arsenal embarrassed Wolves in this game (as the scoreline shows), the one remark I remember was my Dad saying “Bloody Hell, they’re small! Who’s that one there Rob?”, “…that’s the mascot Dad.”, “No, he’s got 23”, “That’s Arshavin”.
2010: Wolves 0-2 Arsenal
In probably the closest game between the two, Arsenal again beat Wolves, I actually think this is one of the best games of the season, I just got in the box to see the first goal, and I would’ve have won £660 if Wolves had got one as I had a tenner on Chamakh 2-1 Arsenal.
2011: Arsenal Vs Wolves
So, this time, I’m going with my Uncle, Clock End Upper, I again think it will be tight, Wolves are playing well against the top teams, well, the result, we’ll see.
Saturday 8 January 2011
According to Glen Johnson, this blog’s average and is an alcoholic: THE FA CUP!
Don’t you just love FA Cup weekends? Well, since 2005, I don’t, simply because the end in some humiliating 2-1 loss to some caveman team who use professional Rugby #10s to kick the ball as far as possible. I’m joking, I do love the FA Cup, it was the first match of Arsenal’s I saw (2002) and it was always an aspiration of mine to see them win it every year, I did see them win it (2005), and it maintains to be probably my favourite live game (despite the fact it ended 0-0 and was I believe the first to go all the way).
No, if someone offered me two tickets to domestic cup finals or 4th and a Champions League quarter-final loss, I’d ask “Who’s playing in the final and which end?” – because Arsenal don’t win trophies. The Cup really is still a fan’s pinnacle of the season, I know it gets low attendances but I still get excited on Cup Final day even if its Tottenham Vs West Brom.
Anyway, so we were drawn against Super Leeds, easy tie, they’re not the same side they were 10 years ago, 4th round here we come. Yeah, fucking right, I knew from the off it would be difficult, however, never this bleeding tedious! Lets be fair, we played badly until Fabregas and Theo Divecott (Just kidding) came on. What is it with Arshavin? He has glimpses of world classness then buggers off and gets shown up by half the Stevenage squad. I think most of the team it was that Nicky B can’t pass (please play the JET!) and that it bobbled over his short legs, but still AA doesn’t look like the Russian magician I fell in love with.
Luckily, for us the referee decided that Theo was fouled and gave us a penalty, despite (I don’t care what Theo said he was fouled for the first one, the second one looked more of a dive) the fact Theo was caught, stayed up, then fell over.
So, a replay it is, and an annoying one too, ah well, that’s football.
As for Wednesday, beware of the Tractor Boys, they may be brilliant without Roy Keane.