Morning all, the international break comes to a close this evening with the final matches. Fingers or whatever crossed for no injuries. England take the focus with a match against Poland, almost forty years to the week on from a seismic encounter at Wembley. The match in 1973 ended the international careers of legends such as Moore and Ramsey whilst killing those which had yet to begin, e.g. Clough. It seemed inevitable that the original Special One would take over from Sir Alf given the propitious timing of his dismissal from Derby County.
Arsenal meanwhile were playing a friendly in Barcelona, the first time that the clubs had met. The Catalans had Johan Cruyff in the ranks following his record-breaking transfer. With the forward line decimated through international call-ups – Kennedy and George were with the Under-23 squad playing Poland at Plymouth, a Trevor Francis goal settled the match – and Radford with the seniors. A makeshift team lost by a single goal in the Camp Nou.
This time around, England will be in the Polish capital, a change in venue for the match. In past qualifying campaigns, the Poles have preferred to play these games in Silesia where the atmosphere was more hostile. In 1994, England’s campaign got off to a mixed start. Dropped points at home to Norway in a 1 – 1 draw were followed by the expected wins over Turkey (twice) and San Marino, a match in which future Arsenal player, David Platt, would score four times. Next to Wembley were Holland, Dennis Bergkamp, Overmars and all. England battered them and by the halfway point in the first half, were 2 – 0 up through Barnes and Platt. As was typical of Graham Taylor’s reign, the good times were a fleeting byline in a tragi-comedy that would make Shakespeare weep. The match ended 2 – 2 with England holding on at the end following a Bergkamp goal before the interval and van Vossen’s late equaliser from the penalty spot.
The point of that potted England history? It led England to Katowice, requiring a win against Poland to keep pace at the top. It didn’t work out that way with England utterly outplayed by the Poles. If the defeat in Oslo in June 1993 was shambolic, this was not much better. Adamczuk gave Poland the lead and just when it seemed that this would be enough for the points, up popped Ian Wright, Wright, Wright with his first England goal to steal the point.
You knew there was an Arsenal point in there somewhere.
Wright’s international career was baffling. From the point he joined Arsenal, he was criminally underused by successive England managers. The leading scorer in the domestic game, Wright was rarely given the chance he merited. For whatever reasons, a man who scored a goal every game and a half surely deserved more than 33 caps for his country, sixteen of which were gained from the substitute bench. According to his wikipedia entry, only Mick Channon played more than Wright without going to an international tournament.
You wonder if part of the problem was Arsenal’s metamorphosis into a long-ball team. The over-reliance on Wright for his club possibly created a weight of expectation that could not be matched at international level. From that he suffered; the media were not kind to him. It was almost as if he were viewed as the problem rather than being part of the solution.
As it is, Wright scored nine times. One above, four below.
Apparently San Marino’s goal is still the fastest in international history. Certainly in a European Section World Cup qualifier.
As you might have guessed, there’s pretty much bugger all going on for Arsenal at the moment. Vito Mannone is keeping his options open with a contract due to be renegotiated but more than anything, wants to stay at the club. Whether he’ll feel the same when Szczesny returns remains to be seen. Presuming of course, that the Pole is not suffering a tactical injury of which the manager is growing increasingly fond. Nicklas Bendtner meanwhile has taken the chance to moan about Arsenal’s training regime, claiming the one at Juventus was much harder. Given the £52k per week striker was asked by the Italians if he’d eaten all the pies at Sunderland, I’m not surprised that he found it hard. Nor that it has taken him nearly three months to get down to his ‘fighting weight’ as he calls it. But there’s a more simplistic reason for training being easy at Arsenal; the manager didn’t think you were good enough for the first team or the reserves. The presence of Marouane Chamakh on the bench proves that. Christ, even Park made the bench and no-one understands why he was signed.
’til Tomorrow
Didier Peskovitch,
Jose Arrogantio…
My guess is that Harry Enfield has a red and white CV.
Says the man currently sitting in a tree in hampstead at the arshavins residence. Dressed as a ninja.
It’s official. Arsenal are D**Med. Just don’t mention Arteta.
Says here on Aunty Bleeb:
“Arsenal are named the ‘club of the year’ for providing the best customer service to fans under a new awards scheme being run by the Premier League and tourism board VisitEngland.”
Reading the review and comparison on Goonerholic’s bar of an Arsenal fans trip to sunny Webbley the other night, it’s hard to disagree.
Just thinking ahead to our bogey month – November and for once feeling quietly confident. For once we do not have the usual injury crisis looming (in fact we have players on the way back).
A look at the forthcoming fixtures for the main title contenders, highlights the importance of the fixture against the scum.
Chelsea are away to Tottenham and then after a trip to Donetsk they face Man Utd twice in 4 days at home (once in the league cup). Even better than that, they are playing a 16.00 on the Sunday and then again on the Wednesday (cue Fergie grumbling).
Sure, I know that neither team will play many of the same players in both games, but I do think both games will be fiercely contested and they will have to recover focus quickly – as Chelsea have a tricky trip to Swansea the following Saturday. Whilst Man Utd have the Saturday lunchtime kick off against US (cue justified moaning).
In the PL prior to Dec, Chelsea’s trickiest ties are Spuds A, Scum H, Pool A, City H
The fixture against City will be made a little tougher by having to travel to Juventus mid week beforehand.
On paper, City have the easiest PL fixtures but have the visit of Real Madrid to distract them. If they were to slip in Ajax their remaining CL fixtures would take on huge significance.
In the PL their biggest fixtures are Spuds H, Chelski A
Man Utd’s only really big big fixtures are Arsenal H, and Chelsea A. But the 2 Chelsea games back to back might provide us with a real opportunity to cause an upset.
This is our schedule until the start of Dec.
Norwich v Arsenal
Arsenal v Schalke 04
Arsenal v QPR
Reading v Arsenal (league Cup)
Man Utd v Arsenal
Schalke 04 v Arsenal
Arsenal v Fulham
Arsenal v Tottenham
Arsenal v Montpellier
Aston Villa v Arsenal
Everton v Arsenal
In the PL Arsenal have 2 standout fixtures – Scum A, Spuds H.
Plus a not be underestimated ‘Everton A’.
After last year, I think we would be happy if we get any points at OT. A win would be wonderful but a draw satisfactory. The more I look at it the bigger that tie becomes – not least for the psychological importance of the game. A point to be proved about the relative merits of the two sides. I am confident we can take them but it is such a difficult place to play and history is not really on our side.
I think Chelsea are going to find some harsh truths based on that schedule – if they are still top at the start of Dec it will be on merit.
One things for sure it will be great to get back to football – it’s a mouthwatering schedule ahead of us and I’m thinking we will shake off our November blues and paint the town RED.
COYG!
That didn’t take long:
http://www.101greatgoals.com/gallery/gimages/image/joey-bartons-bad-tackle-on-guy-roland-niangbo-leads-to-a-bust-up-at-marseilles-training-ground/
I see Johnny is hard at work
George – Hope you brought a nice hot flask with you, might get a hit chilly up in that tree
Cheeky Irish fecker – I’m just getting ready to START my day at work!
BTW Irish, a few years back a friend of mine went to an eighties party as Kirsty Macoll by simply placing a small speedboat in her hair.
It will be worth the wait Irish
Hooray – more good news – the Ox dropped from tonight’s starting line-up.
Hart Johnson Lescott Cole Milner Gerrard Carrick Cleverly Rooney Defoe.
Good evening ACLF.
Interesting analysis this – on top 10 Premier league defenders, albeit only after 7 games.
The Jenks and Jethro make it on that list, no Vermaelen, Mertesacker or Koscielny, but at least Jethro is considered a better defender this season than John Terry or Patrice Evra.
http://www.football365.com/topical-top-10/8158294/The-Top-Ten-PL-Defenders-Statistically-
And as for Goal keeper ratings, its great to see Don Vito of Colney getting some recognition, a clear 5 places above darling Joe Hart.
http://www.football365.com/topical-top-10/8152653/Top-Ten-Statistically-Speaking-Goalkeepers
Jonny
Thanks for the post regarding the schedule. On paper it seems to favor us over the red mancs and the chavs. Hope it works out that way.
Irish: tonight’s game for the yanks does not seem like a fair fight. Verlander vs Hughes at Comerica Park. Bad karma for the yanks in this one.
Another missed call in the NLCS last night. When I was growing up my dad was a huge baseball fan and he always told me the umps were always right or at least they were very close to perfect and he honestly believed that. Now we can see just how many things they were really missing. I don’t believe the umps are worse now then in the good old days, but unfortunately for them the mistakes are now documented in slow motion. Hopefully the media coverage will force MLB’s hand regarding video replays.
goonerandy
October 16, 2012 at 1:12 pm
What do you have in mind
Bill – My thoughts exactly on tonights game. Not feeling overly confident
George – I have this great image of a Meerkat fighting a squirrel with AA looking on, thinking it is the funniest thing he has ever seen. Little does he know…….
!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=s6lS90SFWxA
hmmm. Try Again.
Rambo suspended for the Wales game,good news for us.
Jonny/Irish – I once went to a fancy dress party as a one man Mexican Wave.
It was the mid-1980′s and considered quite an advanced costume in its day, comprising a sombrero and me bowing from time to time. Admittedly not that funny but I scored highly for conceptual originality.
As women had, in the main, not yet discovered football, the outfit only really worked for about half its intended audience.
Worse than this, though, the phrase ‘I’ll get me coat’ had yet to be invented so offering to ‘get me hat’ had no comic value whatsoever.
Tough back in the ’80′s, but try telling that to young people of today.
They won’t thank you for it, oh no.
Mel – enjoyed your Harry Enfield reminiscences. (Gutted about the P Whitehouse revelation tho).
For years I was convinced one of my best friends was the real life version of Tim Nice But Dim. One very drunken evening I got an extraordinary confession out if ‘Tim’.
He and Harry had been in the same 6th Form together!!
Not sure I can match anyone’s ‘famous people meetings’ although I did have that Margaret Thatcher in the back of my bookshop once, back in the early ’90′s. Funnily enough, she bore a remarkable resemblance to her Spitting Image puppet, as she sat, signing copies of her memoirs.
Fittingly, I believe Harry Enfield may have contributed scripts to Spitting Image, once upon a time …
Sorry to Bill who may not have a clue about any of this stuff.
I’ll get me hat!
Koscielny goes mental and gives away a pelanty. Cesc F Word misses!
Almost as entertaining as the referees pitch inspection in the England game.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Bk8jkttSXj8
Per Mertersacker scores a fine goal.
Horrendous racist incidents in Serbia – Rose sent off in unbelievable scenes. Ref a monster. Can’t believe we are seeing these scenes in this day and age. Very depressing.
i see Serbia is being their ususal self. It does not come as a shock but it is equally dissapointing every time
I see it really helped Coleman to take the armband away from Ramsey too. It really made Wales alot better :p
Serbia players “attack” England players and officials – WTF???
http://football.uk.reuters.com/football/news/2012/10/16/FC901FAA-17C6-11E2-9A9C-97348033923B.php
No doubt they (Serbia) will feel the full force of FIFA’s rage with a €100 fine (as some wag on twitter suggested earier).
***
Good to see Ramsey taught a lesson there …
I watched a very good Belgian side hammer Scotland – ok it was 2-0 but it was a 2-0 slaughter
What the hell happened in Berlin ?
olivier giroudddddddddddddddddddddd
scores for france at the last minute against spain
Giroud scored for France, that should do good for his confidence
anicoll5 – I don’t know – precious little shown on TV tonight. Just about to watch the Spain v France game; German ‘highlights on around midnight on ESPN (in UK). But historic result – Germany have never lost a 4 goal lead before to end in a 4-4 draw. Suggestions (from George) that Phil Dowd had a part to play!!
Giroud Giroud,hailing.
What a cracking header from Giroud
http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/olivier-girouds-94th-minute-equaliser-france-v-spain/
anicoll5
Another wall came down
Another pasting for the accountants of Malaysia (turf).
Joking apart great result for the Swedes
irishgray
“Totally off topic but I just got told by The Girlfriend that I will be firmly in the dog house if I go through with my Halloween costume plans. It seems it is entirely too soon for someone (me) to wear a Superman costume, whilst sitting in a wheelchair.”
****
I want to emulate Dom Joly (from Trigger Happy TV) and and wear The Grim Reaper costume while standing in a bus queue in Washington DC or in Union Station. Maybe outside one of the many churches. Perhaps even when working on my Essex Pasty stall?
Steww – Pointless me making one now as my life is in uproar having just moved house (and country), but when I gett settled I intend to become a regular listener to the show. I was thinking maybe some Neil Young for starters? Hey hey, my, my, has a nice grimey riff which I have been working on.
amazing how jonny calls manure scum and the tiny todds spuds,manure are citys scum and the totts are our scum lets get the basics right!
Ok fellows. Half the stuff you said today went right over my head.
Can you please keep it to proper simple ENGLISH.
moochas gracias ….
Morning all, Let Your Heart Dance, Proper Football Is Nearly Back
http://www.aclfarsenal.co.uk/arsenal/let-your-heart-dance-proper-football-is-nearly-back/