I'd have no complaint in Spurs had had 5/6ths of the goal efforts on and off target, possession,corners to match the 5/6ths of the goals scored. ... but they didn't, the football gods and the laws of averages just had mercy on them, it's a funny old game! Carraghers behaviour that day would have brought out the spursyob in a bleedin' saint and did you never wonder if Brucie was pulling his weight?

quote:

Originally posted by AndyCardiff:
For all you Arsenal fans out there:

Last night a plucky young team of Arsenal up and comers were desperately unlucky to lose narrowly to a vastly more experienced Tottenham side, despite being so much better. And less experienced. And younger. And they didn’t really want to win anyway. In fact, losing the game was a better outcome than winning. “Lets open the champagne” - Alan Smith.

The game saw Arsene Wenger stay true to his word, as he persisted with his ‘reserves and youth only’ policy in the Carling Cup. The match saw rare outings for Arsenal reserve players Gallas, Sagna, Hleb, Fabregas, Eduardo and Adebayor, many of whom some Arsenal fans had never even heard of. This team of unknowns therefore rubbished claims that Wenger would directly go against his pre-match team speculations by playing established first team players in an attempt to desperately cling on to a chance at cup glory.

Glorious and ever-triumphant leader Arsene Wenger (Hasn’t challenged for Premier League title in 3 seasons, including 2 consecutive narrow 4th place finishes in 2005/2006 and 2006/2007) also persisted with his admirable policy of blooding youth payers in the Carling Cup, despite claims before the match that only a small portion of the side could genuinely be called ‘youthful’. Current youth team players Gallas (30), Sagna (24), World Cup winning Gilberto (31), Hleb (26) and Eduardo (24) took to the field in an Arsenal team that simply had no hope of victory yet bravely went on despite their inexperience (Eduardo - 21 full International Caps for Croatia).

This team of home-grown youngsters such as Walcott (Fee £12 million, 30 games 3 goals, none in Premiership), Denilson (poached for £3.4 million from the London suburb of Brazil) put in an admirable display. To only lose 5-1 is an outstanding performance and the best is yet to come!

1) Alan Smith is an idiot and a Leicester fan. Its where he came from and where he attends games when he isnt spouting rubbish about Arsenal (has been banned from Highbury for stuff that he has written). Sick of reading his moronic prose.

2) Apart from what Spurs, other fans and the general idiot media will have you believe Wenger has always played a mixture of experience and youth in the CC. Most of the changes brought in were because of injury or players missing. Adeb ayor played in this last year, he is now first choice striker.

Gilberto - yes once world cup winning but but so was Pele once, is now past it and we would have been better off without him. Played in all the CC games so not a special change.

Gallas - playing because Senderos and Djourou bouth got injured in the first leg and Song is in Africa.

Sagna - playing because Eboue is in Africa and Hoyte playing CM because Song is in Africa Senderos and Djourou also internationals are injured, not much other choice.

Hleb - playing because again right wing in CC up to now has been Eboue now in Africa. Eduardo when RvP is fit is our 3rd choice striker and 24 is hardly ancient you can win the young player of the year award at 23.

Fabregas - brought on because Denilson was injured after 15 minutes while we went 1-0 down. Would have been Diarra who has played the other games but he has effed off as we all know and do i need to mention his age .

Why they cant just enjoy the 5-1 without trying to make out it was our first team which it wasnt by any means. In the premiership you will find many players on the bench with international caps. Senderos has a few as well but nobody worried about him being missing.

So as for Wenger sticking to his reserves and youth yes he did. He picked 5 of our first team and started with 9 non first team first choice players but the reasons why I explained above (without the ACoN, injuries and the new le sulk). I guess they would prefer we put out the under 18's instead and it be 10-1.

The rest of our first choice players defeated their gloryousness are...
Fabianski - (6 caps for poland) third choice keeper behind second choice Lehmann (51 caps).

Eduardo - until recently was 4th choice striker behind Bendtner (19 caps) RVP and Adabayor even Walcott was picked ahead of him earlier this year while he was knocking England out of the European cup. Had RVP not got injured in the first leg he would have played in this and then they would have had even more to moan about even though they won.

Denilson

Diaby - (3 caps) which is probably why he was picked in front of Flamini because he has 2 more caps...

Bendtner (19 caps).

Traore

In fact the only players without caps in the Arsenal squad that night were.

Walcott
Vito Mannone
Hoyte
Traore.

None of the English players that played in both legs have caps.

quote:

Originally posted by YELLOW PINKY:

quote:

Originally posted by AndyCardiff:

quote:

Originally posted by YELLOW PINKY:
Just making the point that the scoreline doesn't always accurately reflect the play in football. Spurs certainly hit the target more frequently...with missiles from the stands thrown by their notorious fans, will this be investigated?

To be honest, and it's not because I have a soft spot for Tottenham, I thought they were the better side. Like I said, it does sound like you have a case of sour grapes

Only a Cardiff fan would not have a problem with the fans joining in throwing missiles, this isn't the first time, far from it.

When did I even mention missile throwing? I thought that Tottenham were the better side, as I have said, and it was up to Arsenal to beat them, fair and square, over the 180 minutes of the tie, using the whole squad you have at your disposal at the time. Sometimes you get your tactics and selections right, sometimes you get them wrong. Arsenal and Wenger got them wrong on the night, thats the way it goes.

Looks like the only missiles now are coming from Arsenal fans and they're still of the sour grape variety

quote:

Originally posted by YELLOW PINKY:
I'd have no complaint in Spurs had had 5/6ths of the goal efforts on and off target, possession,corners to match the 5/6ths of the goals scored. ... but they didn't, the football gods and the laws of averages just had mercy on them, it's a funny old game! Carraghers behaviour that day would have brought out the spursyob in a bleedin' saint and did you never wonder if Brucie was pulling his weight?

so its Carraghers fault now, lets scrutinise his behaviour, not the idiot arsenal fan who threw a coin at him and started the whole thing. Whilst he shouldnt have reacted as he did i dont blame him for what he did.

I never doubted Brucie when he was playing, he made saves no other keeper could have made at times

The rare Highbury coin throwing incident you ALWAYS dredge up must be seen in its fullest context. The Highbury crowd had been whipped into a frenzy by a series of blatent penalty claims denied Arsenal by the twobob ref officiating that day when Carragher play acted dead to get Bergkamp sent off prompting someone in the schoolboys section to, wrongly, throw a coin which Carragher randomly threw back earning him a red card and three match ban, what if he'd blinded someone? a four match ban? He again showed what a dodgy character he is recently at Luton.

If Spurs had any decency they would offer to replay Wednesday's tie to make it clear they won't tolerate their fans throwing missiles from the stands at players, Arsenal would likely decline the offer as they couldn't risk any more players on this minor tournament at such a key time.

You had/have total faith in Brucie?

Who is going to win the cup guys????

just trying to add some calm here

No sour grapes from the Arsenal fans jusrt responding to the accusations that it was in any way shape or form the first team out there.

I know it was Wengers choice to play the players he did and they are more than capable. Injuries and absenses did also have an affect on a side that beat Newcastle and Blackburn.

Personally I dont think he gort it wrong at all. They said the same last yaer with the team he used but last year we learnt that Baptista wasnt up to it and Adebayor could step into the team. This year we know that Eduardo has moved up and Bendtner has some way to go still. Both Song and Hoyte played excellently and so did Diarra before he humphed off. He will do the same next year and it will probably happen all over again. We have Newcastle at the weekend and cant afford to not be on the top of our game for that, the league is much more important ask Chelsea.

I didnt have any moans before you brought out the quoted piece and brought up Alan Smith AGAIN.

I understand that had our side one the media and some fans would have been equally bringing up you lost to the "kids" line. But stupidity in football fans goes both ways.

quote:

Originally posted by ScouseTiger:

quote:

Originally posted by YELLOW PINKY:
I'd have no complaint in Spurs had had 5/6ths of the goal efforts on and off target, possession,corners to match the 5/6ths of the goals scored. ... but they didn't, the football gods and the laws of averages just had mercy on them, it's a funny old game! Carraghers behaviour that day would have brought out the spursyob in a bleedin' saint and did you never wonder if Brucie was pulling his weight?

so its Carraghers fault now, lets scrutinise his behaviour, not the idiot arsenal fan who threw a coin at him and started the whole thing. Whilst he shouldnt have reacted as he did i dont blame him for what he did.

I never doubted Brucie when he was playing, he made saves no other keeper could have made at times

Erm he threw it back into the crowd and it hit an innocent person so he should shoulder the blame for that.

This goes on a bit too much though and goes largely unreported. Its not that unusual to have darts thrown. Yes I said darts.

quote:

Originally posted by YELLOW PINKY:
The rare Highbury coin throwing incident you ALWAYS dredge up must be seen in its fullest context. The Highbury crowd had been whipped into a frenzy by a series of blatent penalty claims denied Arsenal by the twobob ref officiating that day when Carragher play acted dead to get Bergkamp sent off prompting someone in the schoolboys section to, wrongly, throw a coin which Carragher randomly threw back earning him a red card and three match ban, what if he'd blinded someone? a four match ban? He again showed what a dodgy character he is recently at Luton.

If Spurs had any decency they would offer to replay Wednesday's tie to make it clear they won't tolerate their fans throwing missiles from the stands at players, Arsenal would likely decline the offer as they couldn't risk any more players on this minor tournament at such a key time.

You had/have total faith in Brucie?

this is now just garbage, i ALWAYS bring it up?? This is the first time i have mentioned it i think on here, how do i always bring it up

also you're justifying a few refs decisions as fair reason to throw coins at players (not even the ref). Of course Carra play acted, Bergkamp never did anyone any harm did he, didnt have a nasty streak at all!!!

And then you say Carra could have blinded someone???? Well who threw the coin first? Could Carra not have been blinded?

A replay for someone throwing something from the crowd? Have you lost your marbles? No cup competition would ever be finished...

quote:

Originally posted by CaptVimes:
A replay for someone throwing something from the crowd? Have you lost your marbles? No cup competition would ever be finished...

Arsenal players and the Arsenal bus have increasingly been the target for missile throwing Spurs yobs at White hart lane in recent years and Tottenham Hotspur plc and the FA do F-all! something has to be done, possibly make Spurs a members only club, any proven missile throwing home or away or any other football related hooliganism earns a life ban, what do you think?

quote:

Originally posted by YELLOW PINKY:

quote:

Originally posted by CaptVimes:
A replay for someone throwing something from the crowd? Have you lost your marbles? No cup competition would ever be finished...

Arsenal players and the Arsenal bus have increasingly been the target for missile throwing Spurs yobs at White hart lane in recent years and Tottenham Hotspur plc and the FA do F-all! something has to be done, possibly make Spurs a members only club, any proven missile throwing home or away or any other football related hooliganism earns a life ban, what do you think?

Opoen your eyes its not just the Spuds as I said no game would ever be finished. We need to get our own house in order before we start screaming in tears to the FA

Also edit to add you pretty much have to be a member to get a ticket at the spuds nowadays (my sister goes to a lot of games) and they closed their membership last year. Added to that it was a derby match.

Also enforced membership was a thatcher idea :shudder: and justice Taylor threw it out thankfully. Its alright for the big clubs but it could cripple smaller ones with casual fans.

quote:

Originally posted by CaptVimes:
Also edit to add you pretty much have to be a member to get a ticket at the spuds nowadays (my sister goes to a lot of games) and they closed their membership last year. Added to that it was a derby match.

Also enforced membership was a thatcher idea :shudder: and justice Taylor threw it out thankfully. Its alright for the big clubs but it could cripple smaller ones with casual fans.

Well are Spurs membership only 'a la thatch' or not? I understand they have a strict policy with regard to 'homophobic chanting' terminating the season tickets of the offenders.

Since all tickets are sold to members first then pretty much yes derby games will not go on general sale they may have the odd game here or there that does but not very many. Bit like a person trying to get a ticket at the Emirates who isnt at least a Red member.

quote:

Originally posted by YELLOW PINKY:
If Spurs had any decency they would offer to replay Wednesday's tie to make it clear they won't tolerate their fans throwing missiles from the stands at players, Arsenal would likely decline the offer as they couldn't risk any more players on this minor tournament at such a key time.

This is a joke post, right? And, if it had been Arsenal fans throwing missiles, they would offer the same thing? No chance. This wasn't mentioned by anyone at theclub, by any newspaper (to the best of my knowledge) and didn't appear in the ref's report. Nor was any player struck by any missile. Get a grip mate

quote:

Originally posted by AndyCardiff:

quote:

Originally posted by YELLOW PINKY:
If Spurs had any decency they would offer to replay Wednesday's tie to make it clear they won't tolerate their fans throwing missiles from the stands at players, Arsenal would likely decline the offer as they couldn't risk any more players on this minor tournament at such a key time.

This is a joke post, right? And, if it had been Arsenal fans throwing missiles, they would offer the same thing? No chance. This wasn't mentioned by anyone at theclub, by any newspaper (to the best of my knowledge) and didn't appear in the ref's report. Nor was any player struck by any missile. Get a grip mate

Its been widely reported that there was missile throwing so he isnt making it up not endorsing his views on the punishment but it was pretty bad by all accounts.

Must have been the English papers because I read none of it down here. The thing is, it didn't affect the result of the game and, on TV at least, it was one small, isolated incident. If a player had been struck and put out of the game, fair enough, but this didn't happen so you can't overturn the result, nor can you expect a replay.

I'm not condoning this sort of behaviour either, it belongs back in the 80's, but it was an isolated incident, so lets not go making mountains out of molehills

Correct me if I'm wrong but games being replayed as a sanction after missile throwing from the stands incidents is not entirely unprecedented. does AndyCardiff have no sense of fair play? does he want an uneven playing field?

What sense of fair play will kick in on this occassion? Absolutely nothing; no mention of it anywhere, no players who could influence the result were injured, just Fabregas having to delay taking a corner. Oooh, how unfair

quote:

Originally posted by YELLOW PINKY:
Correct me if I'm wrong but games being replayed as a sanction after missile throwing from the stands incidents is not entirely unprecedented.

I think that would be very harsh. It's not difficult to accept that they were the better team on the night and clearly our hybrid A and B team just didn't work. I don't think anyone's to blame for that. Wenger kept to his word and stuck with the kids but injuries meant that he had no choice but to include more senior players and funnily enough our 1st team captain was one of the worst performers of the night.

The disgraceful behaviour of the spurs fans had nothing to do with the way we performed, although it wasn't surprising to see what classless victors they really are. People can call us sore losers etc but I am glad to see my manager not taking a defeat well, in fact, what team with any sort of ambition would?

All we can do now is forget about the result and laugh at the spuds' claims of becoming the dominant side in North London and challenging for the title next year. The fact that they released a dvd of the result says it all in terms of the size of their club. Their own overreaction is keeping them in Arsenal's shadow and quite frankly it's embarrassing to see (although humourous nonetheless)

quote:

Originally posted by PinkGooner:
The fact that they released a dvd of the result says it all in terms of the size of their club.

I think they do this for all home games, not exclusively Arsenal and certainly no reason to get a persecution complex. And, if you can't celebrate getting to a final at the expense of your fiercest enemies, when can you celebrate?