Thursday, 24 May 2012
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Gunners Progress Despite Greek Loss

By 2011/12/06 73 Comments

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Arsenal’s last Champions League group stage match ended in defeat, as a tough Olympiakos team beat an inexperienced Gunners side 3-1 in Greece.

In a match where poor defending dominated, Arsenal went behind from a 16th minute strike from Rafik Djebbour, who rounded Lukasz Fabianski before slotting home to give the Greek side the lead.

After picking up an injury from an unfortunate collision with goalscorer Djebbour, the Polish goalkeeper was then stretched off and replaced by Vito Mannone.

In the 36th minute, David Fuster was able to score an easy second goal for the Greek champions, after a poor clearance from the newly-introduced Italian goalkeeper.

Yossi Benayoun pulled a goal back, with a sensational strike in the 57th minute, after good work from Ignasi Miquel and Marouane Chamakh.

However, the Greek side sealed the win with a simple goal from Francois Modesto, who tapped in from close-range from a corner in the 89th minute.

While Arsenal progressed as group winners, Marseille grabbed a last gasp winner and stole Olympiakos’ knockout place, with a stunning strike from Mathieu Valbuena.

 

by MIKE HARVEY | Follow me on Twitter @My_Karvey

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I'm 20 and have been an Arsenal season ticket holder since 2006. My family has had Arsenal links since the 1920's, and the support is still going strong. I am at every home game, and also manage to get to multiple away games, when I can.

I have been writing for various blogs and websites since I was 15, but have now settled down and have become a regular writer for Arsenalinsider. I also run my own Pro Evolution Soccer blog, Only Pro Evolutions.

Arsenal is my passion. Writing is my passion. I was never good enough to play for The Arsenal, so I'll do the next best thing!

  • Donnyfan1

    I enjoyed the game. I have to say I admire AW’s optimism. How can a team carrying Douj, Squillo, Arsh, and Chammy expect to win anything. Two cannot score and two cannot defend,  I felt very sorry for the rest. It must have felt like being on a punishment detail. Now must be the time for that quartet to go and for one quality striker and one quality CB to replace them. That should ensure a top four finish.

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  • Anonymous

    Thought it was a good test last night and may help AW realise who just wont cut it. These players were given a chance last night to stake a cliam for a first team spot and bar the odd exception, they failed. Mannone, Djourrou, Squillacci, Arshavin, Chamakh showed that they are not up to the job. All first half chances came from our right flank. JD and SS were awful. SS played like he knew he wont be there in January and so did AA. Thought the young midfield did well and again AOC showed he will be a top top player. Lets see him on the bench now ahead of Arshavin.

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  • Berg10

    Agreed Mashman.Merson’s comments to Ben Shephard was that Chamakh doesn’t receive enough aerial balls, he did last night and apart from coming off second best each time just like AA he stopped and stropped, that’s more frustrating than the excuses continually used to defend these two.

    JD was a player I used to admire but he’s gone backwards making SS look normal (almost), a good back up keeper is required asap, it’s never good to see an Arsenal player going off but I actually felt we’d got away with a few potential disasters when fabianski went but was soon proved wrong.

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  • Anonymous

    I know it’s nearly Christmas but the pantomime season doesn’t traditionally open untill Boxing Day except maybe in Greece.

    Fabiansky and Manone are about as much use as a one legged man in an arse kicking contest, they even manage to make Almunia look useful.

    We all know that Djourou is not a right back and he amply provided proof of that last night, Squillaci was …well Squillaci.  I felt sorry for Vermaelen who, understandably, had a poor game as did Santos although with the panic going on behind them, and to their right, that was no surprise.

    Coquelin and Frimpong are too inexperienced to start together at his level but at least stuck to their guns, Coquelin despite getting a painful knock.

    More later, got to go and watch my grand-daughter’s nativity play.

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    • HonestBigsy

      Enjoy JIN, I am off for a spot of Christmas Shopping in the Fine City, and a wrestle around Chapelfield..FOYR !

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  • HonestBigsy

    I don’t think you can take it too seriously, if you had first team defenders playing like Djorou, Vermaelen and Santos then I would be a bit worried..but as you demonstrated you have enormous strength in depth like us and all is well, On a non sarcastic note I am now intrigued as to just hyow you guys react and respond to Arshavin, now it has been pointed out that we at the lane are neanderthals and to a degree I accept we have a distasteful following at the best of times, but we do not allow players to disrespect our shirt however shit we may be it won’t happen, Ghaly was hounded out of our club and countless others have felt the wrath for not trying, now let me tell you if my young son lost a ball on the half way line and then walked back and neglected his duties I would kick his arse all around the Norwich Academy, yet Arshavin struts about doing sod all, isn’t that an insult to the paying thousands ? and when does this fraud get the Emirates on his back at every given moment like wenger did earlier in the season, shocking shocking example for any kid watching that man is..shocking !…and where the hell did Wenger manage to get a keeper worse than Gomez, you are right he always goes one better than us ..good day my red faced buddies !

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    • Azemiops

      I wonder what will happen when Spurs play their nex Euro-match? If that’s a disaster then watch the whining start.

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      • HonestBigsy

        lets be sensible about it all, lots of positives from last night I think as berg10 rightly says some good young talent about, as for the Europa League, I just fail to see how we take it seriously when our manager has arsed about since it started playing idiots, any spurs fan whining will be out of touch and not seeing what he is doing ..The Europa league has been treated with total disrespect by our club this term but for once I support the west ham barrow boy, it is a waste of time if we are to concentrate on keeping the likes of Bale and Modric, we ned top 4..so no moaning from me if we lose 10-0 to shamrock couldnt give a toss, that is what surprised me when you lot all kicked off when you lost to Bham in the noddy and big ears cup, so what / it wasn’t worth worrying about, when we lost to united in it I didn’t care, I would have if we lost to Chelsea though, that was different !..

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    • Berg10

      Ha Ha, you’re on something mate!!

      I note you didn’t comment positively re. Miqel? The kid looked good and fitted in like a pro, a bit more strength in depth than yours eh?

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      • HonestBigsy

        what about Arshavin ? surely you can bring yourself to be negative about him ? what a waste of space that bloke is, totally disrespectful to the hundreds who travelled out there..yes a few good kids starting to emerge at the silent greenhouse, time Oxo found his way to the bench in place of fat arse arshavin

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        • Berg10

          AA is a waste of space, his attitude is at best very poor and imo he’s not misunderstood as is generally portrayed we can all see it in his body language.

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      • Anonymous

        Miquel did look good. Playing at left back will aid his development as a centre half. Lets promote him above Djourrou and SS as he should now be our 4th choice. Cant believe we now have or 4 fullbacks all out injured at the same time. Expect Miquel to start on Saturday.

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        • Berg10

          Normally I’d be a bit concerned but he did appear to change the game Tuesday.

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  • Anonymous

    Well that was a treat, 5 degrees centigrade, a wind howling in off the North Sea and the school decide to stage the Nativity OUTDOORS!  Still my little grand-daughter was the star that lead the wise men to the stable where the donkey’s head fell off and the crown of one of one of the wise men was blown away into the paddock next to the playing field.  Still the kids all enjoyed it and it brought a bit of much needed light relief after last night’s Greek Tragedy.

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    • Berg10

      On the bright side JiN there’ll be no Euro hangover for the majority of first teamers against the toffees like the cottagers. I stayed at Oulton Broad a few years ago and that wind sure does blow hard.

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    • Brianpat02

      Hehe kids plays are the best you never know whats going to happen!.

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  • Brianpat02

    I hope AA is gone by end of Jan transfer,the man gets 65,000 plus appearance fees on top of that and he stands with i couldnt be bothered expression eveytime he plays,this is an absolute disgrace, when a season ticket at Arsenal is one of the most expensive in the country.He doesnt have  to really earn every single pence that he works for,just turns up for training everyday,maybe warm the bench on a Saturday,then come on for the final 20 minutes,players should be paid per performance like sales reps.Too many players at Arsenal just dont give a damn,this is evident when we play Spurs,we should enter this match all fired up win at all costs mentality,nope not our players bar 2 or 3.This is also the reason way spurs beat us  the last time we played them cos they had the mental atittude.

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    • Dan

      I think most players at Arsenal now do give a damn. I think that comes from having RVP and TV5 as captains who are passionate about the club. Walcott has massively upped his work rate, arteta and gervinho never stop running, we all know that Wilshere is pure passion. frimmers and Schezny are winners and put everything into every game. Then the likes of Song, Sagna & Kos are just very proffessional the way they go about the game.
      I genuinely think this is the best togetherness and fight we have had in a team for a long time. Theres only a couple of let downs – Arsh and Chamakh who seemingly have zero passion and never put a shift in anymore (oh, and Bendy). I fully expect and hope these 2 to leave in Jan or the summer at the latest. I also think Fabianksi has played his last game in an arsenal shirt – One too many errors to come back from now.

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      • Anonymous

        You’re right Dan, there is a much greater sense of togetherness in the current squad, the sight of Arshavin with his arm around Frimpong’s shoulder and having a quiet word in his ear when he got booked was a case in point.  A lot of the disconsolation shown by the Russian, last night, was due to his own disgust at failing to make it count on the few occasions when he actually got hold of the ball, let’s face it the service from midfield was pretty hopeless.

        It is now clearer than ever that Wenger must buy a class striker in January, Chamakh and Park are just not good enough.

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        • Berg10

          In fairness even when AA does get good service you know the move is about to end, that’s bad enough but to then not track back and try to recover the ball is unforgivable. Both he and Chamakh cannot retain the ball.

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      • Brianpat02

        If i was a graced with the talent to be a prof Football player and lost 8-2,i would promise myself to do all i can to never be in that position again,maybe this is what happened to our club.

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    • HonestBigsy

      Now Brian I won’t be popular for this but it didn’t happen when you had Rocastle, Thomas, Adams, Merson, and it didn’t happen when you had Parlour, Cole, Seaman, Keown, etc, Wenger has brought in too many foreigners who don’t understand what the nth london Dawson, King, Defoe, Lennon, Bale, Parker, Livermore, all British and been with the club since kids or from London and know what it means Walker excluded..This makes a huge difference in these games, jesus even clowns like Bentley turn up for 90 minutes, when you have 1 or 2 players who are English it just isn’t enough, even back to 91 it wasn’t Gazza or Lineker who really done the damage in the semi, it was Samways, Howells, Edinburgh, Sedgeley (my cousin bless him) ..who got in there and made it happen..I think with Jack and Theo, with Oxo coming along it may change soon but you need that extra oomph in this game and right now you don’t have it..

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      • HonestBigsy

        * derby means..(rushing away)

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      • Anonymous

        Defoe “been at Tottenham since a kid”   I don’t think so.

        Defoe began his career with Charlton Athletic, joining their youth team at age fourteen, before moving to West Ham United aged sixteen, and rising through the ranks. He made his professional debut for West Ham in 2000, and after a season-long loan spell at Bournemouth during the 2000–01 season, established himself in the West Ham lineup. A move to Tottenham in 2004 soon followed, and Defoe also spent a year at Portsmouth after he was deemed surplus to requirements at White Hart Lane. He has since returned to Tottenham in the January 2009 transfer window.

        Check your facts Bigsy, or has all that Christmas shopping numbed your brain!

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        • HonestBigsy

          Read it again !!!!! OR LONDON it clearly says..

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          • HonestBigsy

            apologies always accepted in genuine cases, numbed brains must surely be at your end..shame too as you done all your research for nothing JIN !

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          • Anonymous

            Since when have Portsmouth and Bournemouth been in London?  I’ll accept your apology now!

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          • HonestBigsy

            he is a londoner !

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          • HonestBigsy

            he was born in Beckton what are you not reading clearly about coming from london ?

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          • Berg10

            But Bale was born in Cardiff, yes he came to s**rs at 16/17 but wasn’t that from Southamton?

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          • HonestBigsy

            see new post

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      • Anonymous

        You mug. When we dicked on you home and away for years, our team had mainly foreign players. Unless you are now going to say you meant the European Union. You are so full of shit. Your opinions are a joke as is your team, jog on you mug.

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        • Kevin

          been on the ale again ? ..in fact i must be honest and say i don’t even see you writing decent footballing comments it is all about having a go at me all the time, do you actually support arsenal or just sit at home tugging one off abusing others..as your title would suggest..trashman

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          • Anonymous

            You come on here and slag off arsenal. It is an arsenal forum and i will defend my club. Not blind faith, but you talk more shit than Danthehotspurman. If you dont know him, he was the first illiterate spurs fan before you took over. So if you slag off arsenal, i will reply. You know where the door is.

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        • HonestBigsy

          is it an arsenal thing to fail to fucking read properly, when you had foreign players you had the english ones I mentioned, forgot when it was you last dicked on us ‘nice norfolk dialect’ as it has been that long since i feared playing you I can’t recall who you had playing, since the 5-1 years ago it seems like one long piss take when we play you now..just accept you are having your last swansong with the champ league and wenger has turned you into a farce, nice defending the other night against a pub team, with tv at the heart of it..quality ..you C**t

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          • Anonymous

            Oh right. We had one or 2 english players. But you said that wasnt enough? You need to learn to think before you write. That might help you. Mug

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          • Anonymous

            http://Www.mehstg.com/arsematch.htm. This site has all the lineups for the matches between us and you will see when we had a long period of not losing to you, we rarely had more than 2 brits in our team. This is the reason I slag you off. You come out with statements that you cannot back up. There are the facts for you. So I suggest you get your trainers out the cupboard, put them on and jog back to the spurs blogs.

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  • HonestBigsy

    How clear does it have to be for people to understand..they are all British, and have been with us since kids, or from London…indicating ..they were British, young when they signed or from London..now we are getting people saying Bale is welsh, yes he is British, and signed as a young lad..16/17 the same as age as Oxo the young lad also from Southampton Fc….this means that although Parker and Defoe were not signed as kids they are from London so would understand the derby rivalry growing up in the capital..bloody hell..no wonder I struggle..

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    • Anonymous

      So we have gone from being at Tottenham since a kid, to being from London and being British which therefor makes him superior to somebody who isn’t from London or isn’t British or hasn’t been at Tottenham since a kid.

      Jesus!

      I’m of for a lay down in a darkened room!

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      • HonestBigsy

        Jin mate ..nowhere does it say Defoe was there from a kid, it says all from kids or from london, defoe fits into the from london clearly as we all know..do you honestly think I would make a glaring error like that..give me some credit mate..ha ha

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  • HonestBigsy

    Party Party..my word said Ray Wilkins everything is going the way of THFC , see ya later Fergie , See ya Mancini…looks like they will have to bin the europa league too now..United are in shit street, no midfield..and someone get me Paul Stretford on the blower..how did that guy get Rooney  over 200 k a week ?  and hold a club uniteds size to ransom he is absolute shit and the most over rated player in Englands history..

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    • Anonymous

      Yet another ill informed comment and yet another quote from a 2 bob pundit. You really are a joke.

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      • abovearsenalbigsy

        blatantly obvious I am taking one out of wilkins, so we are in agreement, and a swipe at the other 2 in agreement again, so obvious to me you have nothing better to do than have a pop at me ..how sad !

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        • Anonymous

          Your comment about Rooney is the ill informed one. He is a top player and Englands finest whether you like it or not. On form he is unplayable. Even when not scoring he puts in 100%. is he 30K a week better than Adebayor? No, he is a 150k a week better. So who exactly is overpaid?

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          • HonestBigsy

            that is your view and you are entitled to it, in fact his salary is up with messi and ronaldo who both score at will, and rooney the dopey shit gets sent off left right and centre, abuses our fans on international diuty and is yet to anything in an englans shirt..if that is worth top dollar you and me are miles apart fella..miles apart..did you see the sitter he missed last night, bendtner would have buried it with his cock..rooney is an absolute turd for his dough and If there are any arsenal fans other than you 3 who use this site I would actually like to hear their view on it..ROONEY IS OVER RATED and you have the facts !

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          • Berg10

            I don’t like Rooney but to say he is over rated is daft, his presence alone is a big boost, he fights for every ball, wins most and assists in most plays. He’s human and probably had an off night last night or perhaps his transplant is irritating lol!

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          • HonestBigsy

            why is it ? what has rooney done to warrant his big I am status ? one over head kick ? so did sinclair ? what has rooney done compared to messi or ronaldo ? ronaldinho ? maradona ? pele ? Zidane ? platini ? he is no more class than I am !

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          • HonestBigsy

            hasn’t scored in open play since september..yeah world class forward..lol

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          • Anonymous

            Laughing again.

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          • Anonymous

            Look at the alternatives to Rooney. Defoe, Bent, Crouch, Zamora. One thing in common. Apart from being shit, is that they have all played for spurs. Rooney is our only hope at international level. Not any of those poor players. Where are your facts you tit. And another one of your twat comments on his salary. He is paid by Man Utd, not England, so money cant be thrown at him when on international duty. Mug.

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          • HonestBigsy

            precisely why we won’t win fuck all and why our prem is shit and the worst for years..yes even though spurs are up there..poor league poor footballer and does very little..still waiting for this 16 year old sensation to become a world star..mind you theo and all that ha ha..also a waste of space..with young and johnson about..

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          • Anonymous

            Mug. Walcott is flyng this season. Loads of assists, final ball has been superb. Tracking back defending. He is coming of age. And we beat Spain so we are unofficial world champions. Keep the stupid comments coming nob rot.

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  • HonestBigsy

    What kind of tit tells the world they are having a bet on their own team when they know it is against the rules ..ha ha ..just shows what you boys are all like, perhaps he doesn’t understand the difference between coming from London and playing for Bournemouth..(joke JIN ) ..well done Jack just the latest in a long line of slly billy things to do as an afc player..cab anyone ?

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    • Anonymous

      What kind of tit tells the world to back Spain to beat England and put their house on it? Nobhead

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  • Anonymous

    Well well well, Tottenham have really arrived at the summit, they have been joined by the other two teams who make up the current Premiership top three in the Europa Cup.

    Thursday night, Channel Five.

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    • Berg10

      Never mind, London is still represented at the top table eh?

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      • HonestBigsy

        have I missed something here, is football about finishing 8th or maybe even 4th in a european competition each year and nothing to do with the domestic league we play in now, are you sure Arsene and his mad ways have not rubbed off, I note some are mocking Nasri on another blog, I am sure he will really cRE WITH TREBLE HIS SALARY AND THE LEAGUE TITLE IN HIS BAG COME MAY..WHAT ARE ARSENAL ALL ABOUT THESE DAYS ? take a look gents, you are failing your clubs proud history..its ok for us we haven’t got any but are you now actually happy to settle for top 4 and no chance in europes elite comp just to swell the coffers, you are more commercial than your board wakey wakey..

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        • Berg10

          Fat lady and singing bigsy boy!

          We’re not content as a club to finish anywhere apart from top but at least we’re always there with a chance.
          I sense some premature ejaculation in the Bignall household.

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          • HonestBigsy

            honest truth my 2 chelsea pals are gutted, they now realise we all rest up whilst you 2 play who’s squad disintegrates quickest..

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          • Anonymous

            Your invisible friends are gutted. What a bellend. They would rather be in with a chance of winning the Champs League than Europa Cup. Your comments are so laughable. You are justifying getting knocked out of the worlds greatest comp so players can have a rest. Such a tit.

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          • Berg10

            These friends probably have 4 legs and a nosebag  at newmarket

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          • HonestBigsy

            you’re a pair of wankers, just sticking up for each other to save face, rather than be men and actually disagree with each other, or are you the one and same..seldom do you disagree and often you write within minutes of each other saddos 

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          • Anonymous

            Bigsy is rattled. We agree on most things as we are both arsenal fans on an arsenal blog. Whereas you are, whats the word i am looking for?? Oh yes, a c&nt. Thats it.

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    • HonestBigsy

      and like us they will treat it with contempt, indeed it is you and chelsea that will now have a hard slog twice a week whilst we all rest up..not such a clever brag really is it ? your squad is about to be tested to the max whilst us 3 sit about watching you all fall down like dead flies..

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      • Berg10

        But isn’t that what it’s all about? Competing at the highest level, proving yourselves against the other great teams? Oops sorry, you wouldn’t know about that.

        The biggest disappointment injury wise occurred when that freak Ekotto assaulted Sagna in mid air.

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        • HonestBigsy

          i shall ignore the pathetic digs and concentrate on footballing facts, Arsenal must be in the champ league to have any chance of keeping RVP, TV and numerous others, so no competing at the highest level if it jeopardises next years assault and the squad is not what it is all about, your squad is now along with Chelsea under serious strain whilst your rivals for that top 4 have a day off, even you can see  the sense I am talking here.

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          • Berg10

            So what you’re suggesting is throw the champs league to keep RVP, TV? Ha Ha, no digs required. Better for them to see our aspirations and manage to rotate as we often do, yes we are a bit light at the moment but that will change soon and it’s a while away to the next CL game. Even Fergie said prior to last night’s game that it would be unthinkable not to progress so it means a lot to one who is percieved to be the most successful manager for a long time or we share your view? Thanks but no thanks, glad to be in the errr.. predicament we find ourselves in than swap with you 3 mugs.

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          • HonestBigsy

            that was a perfect response until you ruined it with the last line, quite how 3 teams above you, 2 of which have won the lot for years, and the other with cash to burn anddestined to reduce you to a bit part are mugs is beyond me, you have won a group that was wank and made yourself look clowns along the way like midweek with an awful defensive display..you are shit berg10 absolute shit and the league don’t lie mate..laters bored with this crap..

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          • Berg10

            Can you define between manU, ManC and Sp**s in your last post, i.e. “2 of which have won the lot for years” ManU…OK but assuming the” other one with cash to burn is citeh that leaves yourselves as winning “the lot for years”?

            As for the group, not so easy as we made it look and we won it with a game in hand, the team put out was experience for the not so experienced.

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          • HonestBigsy

            like vermaelen, djorou, santos, arshavin, chamakh, benayoun, is n’t this a bit like when you beat our kids in extra time with a string carling cup side last year that went to the final..apart from lansbury if i remember rightly a strong side. #kidsisamyth

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      • Brianpat02

        I wouldnt call playing on a Thursday a week off,the only crowd to benefit from this is Sky Sports two top teams playing more often on a Sunday now.

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        • HonestBigsy

          they will be weak sides fielded though, city and united won’t play their top players, we are as good as out thank christ..so on the whole a week off

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      • Anonymous

        What a nobhead

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