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.
Anybody know which pubs people are heading too for a pre match drink?
Went Everton Saturday and didn't have a clue which pubs are friendly/had arsenal fans in so went straight to Goodison Park, anywhere for Arsenal fans tomorrow?
I think that the Old Firm would probably be in the top half if they were to join the Premiership. Playing in a higher profile league would mean that they would be able to attract better players. But it'll never happen so it doesn't really matter what I think.
On the game itself, I saw Champagne Charlie on Soccer AM last Saturday and he was saying that Mowbray has Celtic playing more football now. Even when they went to Moscow 1-0 down after the first leg they continued to play along the ground. I think that if they continue with this tactic it'll make tomorrow nights game a little bit easier for us. I'm going to go for 1-1 or maybe 0-1. I'm going to put a couple of €'s on Home-Draw at 13/1
aajsmh1 wrote:Anybody know which pubs people are heading too for a pre match drink?
Went Everton Saturday and didn't have a clue which pubs are friendly/had arsenal fans in so went straight to Goodison Park, anywhere for Arsenal fans tomorrow?
PJ Champs on bryers road is the scottish arsenal supporters club's pub, should be packed to the rafters with gooners, so it will be a good place to start.... it's far from the ground though - over an hour on foot.
i think a few heads are also hitting the wetherspoons by queen street station which is much closer
im finding all this chat about celtic's home record really getting on my nerves, especially the atmosphere front. 'oh arsenal wont be ready for such a noise that they'll get at park head' blah blah blah, forgetting that we beat roma on penalties in an atmosphere more hostile than people have seen on these shores for a good 20 years, and put 5 past fenerbahce in istanbul, who until that night, had a better home record in europe than celtic. not to mention victories against both milan sides in the san siro, the first british team to win in the bernabeau, the club which holds the best defensive record in european history and the 4th ranked team in europe. who gives a fuck that they won the european cup 40 odd years ago and milan couldnt beat them at home, their manager finished bottom of OUR league last year and insisted on bringing in a striker from that squad. there is a vast gulf in difference between the SPL (ranked on a par with belgium and below romania) and THE premier league, if they get a result it will be because WE played below par.
CELTIC are underdogs in the first leg and if they get a result, well done them, if they progress to the groups it will be because the arsenal did not play to their ability.
Yeah, I've never understood that "atmosphere killing players" bullshit. It's just noise at the end of the day. As said above if you are a poor player lacking belief you might get fucked over because of it but true quality won't be put off... that's us fucked so...
Seriously though I always find a hostile atmosphere should inspire players to play well and shut the fuckers up. On a purely amateur level I've played in some real hellholes like Tallaght and Neilstown in Dublin where the oppo supporters (mostly players mates and families) just hurl vile abuse (and sometimes threats) at you for 90 minutes and it's always fired me up to stick it to the crunts (not always succesfully though... ).
It could be another spanking. What is Mowbray going to do? If Celtic try and play like the Baggies, ie have a go at playing football, I think we'll rip them apart. If they shut up shop (not really like Mowbray's teams) well we can play keep ball for 90 minutes and try and break them down. Worst case we take 0-0 back to the Grove.
The atmosphere thing can only work against them. We are not a passion team. Our players don't give a stuff what is happening in the crowd becasue the way we play is about concentration, technical abiliity and fitness. Our French/Spanish/Dutch/African/Belgian/Russian/Croatian team don't give a monkey's that the sweaties hate the English. The only way our boys will lose their head is if they genuinely think they are being outclassed by the 11 players opposing them (Man U CL Semi). That won't happen with Celtic.
On the other hand, all that Buckfast fuelled passion will effect the Celtic players and it may mean they overstretch themselves in attack - leaving holes for us to expoit.