As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
Chippy wrote:Kite. Should we start a betting thread on here? You say what you are backing and we all do the opposite. I'm sure we'll be able to cover your losses from our winnings.
BTW Tennis was much better than footy today. By a huge margin.
But I tell you.. one game to go and I got every single game wrong in fact that's as good as predicting every result the right way
Think the final will be fucking boring. Will go one of two ways: pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass from spain, with no threat to the well organised italian defence and midfield, then ET and pens, much like Spain-Portugal OR pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass, italians get a goal on the break then sit back. I don't know about anyone else but I'll see enough aimless passing trying in vain to break down well organised teams in 8 weeks time.
Or maybe I'm just bitter cos I had a tenner on the germans AND got them in the office sweepstake.
Leyton Gooner wrote:Think the final will be fucking boring. Will go one of two ways: pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass from spain, with no threat to the well organised italian defence and midfield, then ET and pens, much like Spain-Portugal OR pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass, italians get a goal on the break then sit back. I don't know about anyone else but I'll see enough aimless passing trying in vain to break down well organised teams in 8 weeks time.
Probably won't even watch it, Spain bore the hell out of me and the Italians hardly play at 100mph. Will probably just save all my Euro excitement until 2016 when it will be expanded to 24 teams and the mighty Wales may qualify
Leyton Gooner wrote:Think the final will be fucking boring. Will go one of two ways: pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass from spain, with no threat to the well organised italian defence and midfield, then ET and pens, much like Spain-Portugal OR pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass, italians get a goal on the break then sit back. I don't know about anyone else but I'll see enough aimless passing trying in vain to break down well organised teams in 8 weeks time.
Probably won't even watch it, Spain bore the hell out of me and the Italians hardly play at 100mph. Will probably just save all my Euro excitement until 2016 when it will be expanded to 24 teams and the mighty Wales may qualify
Leyton Gooner wrote:Think the final will be fucking boring. Will go one of two ways: pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass from spain, with no threat to the well organised italian defence and midfield, then ET and pens, much like Spain-Portugal OR pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass, italians get a goal on the break then sit back. I don't know about anyone else but I'll see enough aimless passing trying in vain to break down well organised teams in 8 weeks time.
Probably won't even watch it, Spain bore the hell out of me and the Italians hardly play at 100mph. Will probably just save all my Euro excitement until 2016 when it will be expanded to 24 teams and the mighty Wales may qualify
Dont bank on it
Chances are we will qualify for a major tournament in my lifetime, I remain semi-confident despite the wound of losing to Russia in 2004 still hurting. It was a victory for performance-enhancing drugs and not football, not that I'm bitter or anything. I still remember being in the pub before the game and an 80-something bloke turning to me with a cigarette in his trembling hand and saying "I haven't smoked in 55 years but I'm so fucking nervous tonight I've gone through 20 already". Such is the nature of international football that we've gone from being in a pot with Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and San Marino to being a team with an outside shot of qualification in major tournaments. In reality once you get past the top 8 teams or so in Europe the standard is woeful.
This match (and the tournament in general) has for me just re-emphasised what I've always believed: how important it is to have a good and disciplined defence, to go along with the attacking flair. Having one without the other may get you far, but it rarely gets you all the way to the promised land.
Leyton Gooner wrote:Think the final will be fucking boring. Will go one of two ways: pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass from spain, with no threat to the well organised italian defence and midfield, then ET and pens, much like Spain-Portugal OR pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass, italians get a goal on the break then sit back. I don't know about anyone else but I'll see enough aimless passing trying in vain to break down well organised teams in 8 weeks time.
Probably won't even watch it, Spain bore the hell out of me and the Italians hardly play at 100mph. Will probably just save all my Euro excitement until 2016 when it will be expanded to 24 teams and the mighty Wales may qualify
Until someone knocks the spanish off their perch with fast, EXCITING, attacking football, things won't improve on the excitement front. Really thought the germans were the team that would do it They're not my favourite bunch at the moment with the CL final and now this.
Oh, and I'd much rather watch Wales than Spain or Italy. I'd rather watch welsh rugby over those two.
Leyton Gooner wrote:Think the final will be fucking boring. Will go one of two ways: pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass from spain, with no threat to the well organised italian defence and midfield, then ET and pens, much like Spain-Portugal OR pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass, italians get a goal on the break then sit back. I don't know about anyone else but I'll see enough aimless passing trying in vain to break down well organised teams in 8 weeks time.
Probably won't even watch it, Spain bore the hell out of me and the Italians hardly play at 100mph. Will probably just save all my Euro excitement until 2016 when it will be expanded to 24 teams and the mighty Wales may qualify
Until someone knocks the spanish off their perch with fast, EXCITING, attacking football, things won't improve on the excitement front. Really thought the germans were the team that would do it They're not my favourite bunch at the moment with the CL final and now this.
Oh, and I'd much rather watch Wales than Spain or Italy. I'd rather watch welsh rugby over those two.
This tournament has just been absolute dross to watch. To be fair I think what gives the World Cup the edge over the Euros more than anything is that the South American and African teams are a lot more carefree than their European counterparts, which makes for far more entertaining games. People were praising Spain's style wildly after their WC win and make out that it's changed radically since then but they played boring football then and scored very few goals. That said, there is undeniably a difference in them (and Barcelona) since Villa's injury has led to both of them not employing a striker. I remember how much I laughed at Scotland's 4-6-0 in Prague so for the world and European champions to copy it is embarrassing. Barcelona's display in 2010 at the Emirates was absolutely mesmerising but even with a defence like ours they couldn't hope to recreate it again with Fabregas furthest forward, managing to lose to Chelsea over 180 minutes given the gulf in class between the sides was a farce.
northbank123 wrote:Chances are we will qualify for a major tournament in my lifetime, I remain semi-confident despite the wound of losing to Russia in 2004 still hurting. It was a victory for performance-enhancing drugs and not football, not that I'm bitter or anything. I still remember being in the pub before the game and an 80-something bloke turning to me with a cigarette in his trembling hand and saying "I haven't smoked in 55 years but I'm so fucking nervous tonight I've gone through 20 already". Such is the nature of international football that we've gone from being in a pot with Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and San Marino to being a team with an outside shot of qualification in major tournaments. In reality once you get past the top 8 teams or so in Europe the standard is woeful.
The player on drugs (Titov) played for 59 minutes (out of the possible 180 minutes (match 1, match 2)) and hardly did anything of note. The way you said "it was a victory for performance-enhancing drugs and not football", one would think the whole team was on drugs
If Spain fail to defend their title on Sunday, tiki-taka will be over. Anyway tiki-taka is overrated. What has it ever won?
I think the Spanish will look to British shores for solutions. Hodgson's revolutionary two banks of four and ten men behind the ball is something they might look to copy. No siestas and Iniestas for the Spaniards anymore. It'll be exciting! Unlike tiki-zzz-taka. But who would they hire after they sack the hapless Del Bosque (he can't even pick a striker)? I think Pulis could be the man. But have Spain got the players for the Pulis system? Xabi Alonso would certainly be the man for place kicks and Llorente could be handy in corner scrums.
I think Spain need to learn that the plebeians want less fútbol, and more "stick it in the mixer". Don't win, entertain. We want steak, not sushi. Be like the exciting Germans. Yes, they are always the bridesmaid and never a bride. But hey, exciting! Anyway Spain may be the champions of the world but they will never be champions of the people. Do Spaniards have no shame? How can they celebrate victories after their team bores everyone to sleep? I would never celebrate my country's or my club's victories if we won with tiki-taka. I have principles.
It makes it all harder to swallow when you consider that our Arteta is sitting at home, twiddling his thumbs, instead of bossing in Spain's midfield. If he was a Barcelona player, he (like the other 8 Barcelona players) would be in Spain's squad. Spain have even found a place for two Chelsea players and they finished sixth. There's even a Scouser in the squad! A man who finished eighth in the Premiership. Finish eight and go to the Euros, finish third and stay at home. Meritocracy? Ha! With Spain, it's all about cronyism.
Why did they not call up Arteta? Because they hate us. Barcelona hate Arsenal, hence Spain hates Arsenal. Why do they hate us? Because we stand for everything they hate. We play pretty football, we play 4-3-3, we don't have players whose sole role is to harass opponents. Of course, we hate Barcelona back. None of us hate them and call them "Barca Whores" because we're jealous. No! Rather we only hate because we're hated. Barcelona to Arsenal are what chalk is to cheese (French?).
Red Gunner wrote:If Spain fail to defend their title on Sunday, tiki-taka will be over. Anyway tiki-taka is overrated. What has it ever won?
I think the Spanish will look to British shores for solutions. Hodgson's revolutionary two banks of four and ten men behind the ball is something they might look to copy. No siestas and Iniestas for the Spaniards anymore. It'll be exciting! Unlike tiki-zzz-taka. But who would they hire after they sack the hapless Del Bosque (he can't even pick a striker)? I think Pulis could be the man. But have Spain got the players for the Pulis system? Xabi Alonso would certainly be the man for place kicks and Llorente could be handy in corner scrums.
I think Spain need to learn that the plebeians want less fútbol, and more "stick it in the mixer". Don't win, entertain. We want steak, not sushi. Be like the exciting Germans. Yes, they are always the bridesmaid and never a bride. But hey, exciting! Anyway Spain may be the champions of the world but they will never be champions of the people. Do Spaniards have no shame? How can they celebrate victories after their team bores everyone to sleep? I would never celebrate my country's or my club's victories if we won with tiki-taka. I have principles.
It makes it all harder to swallow when you consider that our Arteta is sitting at home, twiddling his thumbs, instead of bossing in Spain's midfield. If he was a Barcelona player, he (like the other 8 Barcelona players) would be in Spain's squad. Spain have even found a place for two Chelsea players and they finished sixth. There's even a Scouser in the squad! A man who finished eighth in the Premiership. Finish eight and go to the Euros, finish third and stay at home. Meritocracy? Ha! With Spain, it's all about cronyism.
Why did they not call up Arteta? Because they hate us. Barcelona hate Arsenal, hence Spain hates Arsenal. Why do they hate us? Because we stand for everything they hate. We play pretty football, we play 4-3-3, we don't have players whose sole role is to harass opponents. Of course, we hate Barcelona back. None of us hate them and call them "Barca Whores" because we're jealous. No! Rather we only hate because we're hated. Barcelona to Arsenal are what chalk is to cheese (French?).
he's got a point, the people that are complaining about the way spain play probalby go nuts for pulis stoke and how anti-football they are.
it's the culture of the modern football fan, moan about everything, even stuff which you moaned for earlier on. fuck them, spain are a fucking great side, like we played great football in the tournament?
in fact that's as good as predicting every result the right way 
