A Gooner Wishlist To Santa

Dear Santa,

It is that time of the year that I tell you how great I have been (in this case, I have been a great fan) and how I deserve a visit from you to grant my wishes.

This year however I am transferring my gifts to the Arsenal.......you know, that top club in England that doesn't seem to be at the top any more.

As you know, this is my 14th Christmas as a gooner and by far the worst. If you follow football, you will know that Arsenal have had the
worst start to the season during Wenger's 16 year reign. This has left lots of gooners depressed and hopeless. Due to that, I have decided to forego my wishes so you can give them.

Santa, these are my wishes.

1. Please get Papa Wenger a new coat. He has one made from an old duvet and he gets really hot in it. This interferes with his thinking ability which causes him to make questionable substitutions.

2. Still on Wenger, please get him spectacles. He doesn't seem to see well and thus cannot tell how play is going. This has the same effect as the above said coat.

3. Dear Santa, please ensure during every matchday, the liquid in Papa Wenger's bottle is something expensive (preferably Bourbon Whiskey). This will help him relax especially when the team is losing and it will also save the ground and the waterbottle loads of pain.

4. Dear Santa, please find teams that can accomodate Chamakh, Arshavin, Squillaci, Djourou, Santos, and Fabianski. They are not deadwood (as lots of people say) but they will be if they stay on that bench, and also we need the money to pay other players and sign two or three more.

5. Santa, please buy Arteta and Wilshere new boots. I believe they have the ability to shoot but they hardly ever. I think it is the boots that they have. They are not shooting boots. Kindly get them multipurpose boots that can both pass and shoot. Also include Rosicky on that list for multipurpose shoes.

6. I don't know if this is possible but Santa please get rid of Gervinho's excess imagination. I believe the excess imagination makes him see several areas outside the post as possible goal posts and thus he hits the ball wide.

7. Dear Santa, please return Harry Potter's invisible cloak back. Because all gooners would like to see Podolski more on the pitch.
Danke!

8. Santa, please confirm whether the Arsenal medical team is qualified enough. Because we need Diaby back. Alternatively, make him strong as a mule.

9. Dear Santa, as the Arsenal DNA replicates and duplicates in warrior Wilshere and other young British young gunners, please enable horizontal transfer of Arsenal DNA to Vermaelen, Mertesacker, Sagna, Cazorla and Giroud.

10. Santa, please get the board a cheque book. This may help them invest. The money is there but I believe they don't know how to transfer it from their account to another account. A cheque book would come in handy.

11. Santa, please get Theo Walcott a pen so that he can 'sign da ting'. I think he lost his. Santa, you see this pen may also have another use...refer to wish 10. Maybe the board has no pen to 'sign da cheque'.

12. Santa as you know a trophy has been elusive for the last 7 years. I will take the FA Cup and Champions League, and yes I dare ask this, the Premier League... Okay, we'll take one this time.


That is it for my Arsenal wishes. However, in the holiday spiritplease let me request a few more things albeit for the enemy:

- Please provide a new gum for Alex Ferguson, he seems to be chewing the same one from 1986.

- On behalf of Chelsea, please get Ivanovic and Hazard bigger shorts. They have really tiny ones that make their behinds bubble.

- Please get Gareth Bale of Tottenham and a few others of Manchester United a swimming pool with a diving board.

- Lastly, Santa please get Robin van Persie a helmet...no scratch that..get him a helmet, faceguard, gloves..just get him American football gear in Manchester United colours. Santa, we wouldn't want him brutally murdered by a football.

That is all Santa. Thank you.

Merry Christmas all football fans.

Special Merry Christmas Gunners.


Wished by,
Fridah & Nishanth

An Open Letter to Arsenal Players

Dear Arsenal players,

I use the word 'dear' because I love Arsenal and also because you are an expensive lot to support.
Supporting you has not been easy. I will start by informing you of how hard it is for a female football fan in a third world country where the notion is not widely accepted labeling me 'weird'. It comes with insecurity as I can't watch the game in the house. It is harsh on my pocket (I am unemployed by the way) as I have to buy a drink at the sports bar. Don't forget the time difference and I do love my sleep. It is also not good for my heart because when you lose or draw, I get these mini heart attacks that I am afraid may become the big one that will be the end of me p.s. I am only in my 20s. Despite all these factors, I do my best to watch you, to support you, to defend you, to be proud of you and love you lose, draw or win.
You're playing worse every day and right now you're playing like the middle of next week.
I am hating this relationship as you do not give as you receive. So here is what I want from each you... and it's not much to ask:

Dear Wojo,
I appreciate the work you do. However, sometimes your positioning is so poor I am tempted to send you a compass. Your confidence is great but sometimes it borders on cockiness and at times it is not there. Balance that! Thank you.


Dear Sagna,
You have developed to one of the best right backs in the game,if not the best. Of late however,your game has been off. Please go back to the old you and send those crosses in. Stick to your name... Mr.Reliable.


Dear Jenko,
Your game has brilliantly improved it seems like a miracle. I trust you would do anything for your boyhood team so please improve your ball distribution skills and pass the ball quicker. Thank you.


Dear Per,
I love the way you play. You have saved the team lots. I would like to ask you to improve your pace but that needs a miracle. You can however use your great vision to organize the defence i.e. be more vocal. Also, use your good distribution skills to start attacking faster.
Danke.


Dear Koscielny,
You have been great since your arrival and you have improved. However, you get sloppy at times. Please be consistent.


Dear Vermaelen,
Captain,your confidence has been low and this has badly affected your performance. You were made a leader because you have the qualities. I need you to believe in yourself and your teammates and get out of the hole the team is in. Also, please go back to scoring. Thank you.

Dear Gibbs,
You have been great so far. You could improve on your crossing ability though. In the spirit of teamwork,please teach your teammates how to do sliding tackles. Thanks.

Dear Arteta,
I know you are playing a new role this season. This means you have to be more careful with your tackles (talk to Gibbs). Also, try to pass forward and less sideways and backwards. Lastly, SHOOT. You used to.
Why did you stop?

P.S. I love your hair.

Dear Jack,
Your vision,accuracy and strength amaze me. However, your temper is horrible. Nobody needs your temper,so don't lose it. Also shoot more often. Thank you.

Dear Aaron,
I am one of your few genuine fans. I believe you can prove your haters wrong if only you didn't hold the ball too long and just played simple touches. Also improve your crossing and defending. Thanks.


Dear Gervais,
You have the ability to get past defenders but your final touch...my oh my! Please pass or shoot quicker. Basically, think and make your decision faster. Thanks.

Dear Santi,
You have been amazing since your arrival. Amazing and just fun to watch. Lethargy has creeped into your performance crippling it. That
is EPL for you. Get a massage, relax and play. Thank you.


Dear Diaby,
Please stop getting injured. That is all. Thanks.


Dear Rosicky,
Glad to have you back. Please steer a come back. Thank you...
Oh and don't get injured.

Dear Podolski,
Thank you for the goals and assists so far. During matches please stop acting like a ghost and disappearing. Fight for the ball...look for
the ball hard. Also shoot more often. Thanks.


Dear Theo,
You have been sensational and deadly so far. Please improve your 1st touch and timing of runs. Thanks.

P. S. Sign da ting.

Dear Ox,
So far I can't complain much but please stop disappearing during matches and also track back when you lose possession. Thanks.

Dear Giroud,
I am glad that you started scoring. Now,please continue. Enoùgh said. Merci.

Yes I know our relationship is long distance but I am loyal to you so be loyal to me. Just make me happy.

COYG.

Yours truly,
Suffering fan.

Written By: Fridah Kariuki

Playing to the name

"Nicknames stick to people, and the most ridiculous are the most adhesive.  ~Thomas C. Haliburton"

Well William Shakespeare did say "What's in a name?  That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet." 
Footballers have been named (by their parents at birth) and nicknamed by the fans and fellow players. The nickname comes from the player's name, from their style of play, from an anatomical attribute they possess thanks to genetics. 

Arsenal fans are keen at nicknaming the players in Arsenal and other teams. Are the nicknames fair or sensible. Do the players live up to it? After all words have meaning and names have power.

Wojciech Tomasz Szczęsny is just called Wojo or Sirchesny. To be honest he was born in a country whose people give names only they can pronounce. This led to the derivatives and the short form of his name. The trained ballroom dancer and excellent javelin thrower oozes of confidence and thus does deserve the Sir at the beginning of his name. He does boss his area.

Per Mertesacker has become a favorite to many this season with his timely tackles and intelligent reading of the ball proving himself a vital member of the team. While at Hannover 96 the slender Mertesacker was soon dubbed "the Defence Pole" (die Abwehrlatte) by German tabloids and gained a reputation for his good disciplinary record and went 31 Bundesliga games without being booked. He was 'Mr. Clean' of the Bundesliga. Over the course of his final two seasons at Bremen, the giant defender received just one yellow card in 63 league matches. Most people would expect that a central defender of Mertesacker's size would clumsily concede lots of fouls, but in fact, Mertesacker averaged less than one foul per game. His clean tackle reputation does continue even for the gunners. He has since earned the name "BFG" which means Big Fantastic German..... okay the F is not for fantastic but it might as well be.

Daddy long legs

Thomas Vermaelen  the current captain is best known as Verminator. This is an affectionate term that combines his name and that of terminator. This is because of his hard style of play and no-nonsense tackles. Verminator explained

Verminator

Verminated

Laurent Koscielny aka Bosscielny is  an aggressive, uncompromising and ball-playing defender. He is an efficient tackler and scores some important goals for the team too. He may have had the worst start to the season but he is still an important player for the team. He is also fondly known as Kozzer- a short variation of his name.

Tomáš Rosický was nicknamed "The Little Mozart" and "The Mozart of Football" for his ability to orchestrate play on the pitch. He has great vision, great passes and an amazing first touch. He conducts the mid field, creating chances and scoring a few as well. He is a key player in the Gunners symphony.

Olivier Giroud was dubbed le buteur de charme (the charm striker) during his time in France due to his goal scoring abilities and great looks and personality. He may have scored only three goals so far for the team but I know he will live up to his name.

Charming

Alexander Mark David "Alex" Oxlade-Chamberlain "the Ox".. So called as a short form of his name and also due to his obstinate nature when playing. Ox nearly chose rugby over football, he played rugby as a scrum half or full back.

Santiago "Santi" Cazorla González already known by his nickname "Santi". He is also commonly referred to as Saint. It is a play on the name Santi and also because he has been the savior for the team.

Lukas Josef Podolski aka Prinz Poldi as he was known by Koln fans due to FC Köln fans a spizname or nickname bestowed upon him by the Cologne press due to the title given to the head man of the Kölsch Prince Carnival. The name seems to have stuck at the Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta Amatriain the vice captain is some times referred to as the artist. He is so referred due to his ability to send killer passes, intercept opponent's passes and create chances from nothing. He plays an important pivotal role in Arsenal's midfield.

Theo James Walcott has been nick-named "Bolt" due to his speed. He is also known as "unlucky Theo" as he sometimes does not have much luck in front of goal. Where I come from he is known as "duthi duthi" which means motor bike. This reflects his speed and ability to get past defenders.

Aaron Ramsey aka Rambo....no  he is not called Rambo because when he scores someone dies. That is not the reason. He is so called due to his fighting ability. He doesn't give up at all. 

They do look alike too!

Gervais Lombe Yao Kouassi aka Gervinho aka Forehead. Gervinho is a Brazilian form of the name Gervais probably so named due to his dribbling skills. Forehead is a name in reference to his forehead which seems big.
 

Now, is this forehead big?

The rest of the Arsenal squad do have nick-names but the above are the most unique. Is there much to a name I ask? 

Until next time gunners/come back kings, it is I of the nickname Bobo.

 

Types of Arsenal Fans.

Arsenal football club boasts of a fan base of about 100 million people worldwide. That’s like having a one Arsenal supporter in at least 10 people. It has the third largest supporter number for a football team worldwide. There are different types of fans though. Some real, some well…….

1. The Diva fan

This one is an Arsenal fan because they heard that Arsenal is class. They want to be associated with classy trends. This fan has the latest outfit, latest watches and jewellery and they match from the top to the bottom. On match day, this fan will don a home jersey, red shoes and a red cap. This fan is also a staunch fan of Barcelona and really loves Christiano Ronaldo (though he/she won’t admit it in the open).

2. The Escort

This usually refers to female fans though it may apply to some guys. This one is an Arsenal fan as long as she/he is dating an Arsenal fan. When there is a break-up in the relationship, Arsenal has lost one fan, unless of course the next boy/girlfriend is also an Arsenal fan.

3. The Idolizer

This one supports Arsenal but idolizes one player. They have the players name on all 8 replica jerseys they own. They have the player’s country jersey also in all available colors. This fan has the players name on their Facebook, Twitter handle and even personal e-mail. They possible have a tattoo of the player somewhere. Their computer wallpaper, phone wallpaper has the players’ picture. The fan knows all personal details about the player…birthday, favorite colour, birthplace, parents’ details, career path, height, weight just to mention but a few. This type of fan will try to imitate the physical appearance of his idol to extreme extents like an Arteta fan trying to imitate Arteta’s hair. This fan gets angry when the player is benched or even doesn’t play because of injury. You do not want to hear or read the responses from this fan if the said idol is criticized. The said fan usually moves along with the player… I know a few Cesc fans that moved to Barcelona with Cesc.

4. The Ignorant

This is the Arsenal fan that has no idea that Clichy and Kolo Toure left. He/she still thinks that Fabregas is captain and van Persie is out injured. This fan knows that ARSENal is so called because it is owned by one ARSENe Wenger (and that’s why we bought ARShavin). The ignorant fan watches three games a season and doesn’t know why the Arsenal/Tottenham match is more important than the Arsenal/Liverpool match. This fan is akin to the Manchester United fan who still thinks CR7 plays for them.

5. The Seasonal

This fan is only an Arsenal fan when the team wins. They usually carry their Arsenal gear in a bag and keep them concealed for during the game. The jersey and other gear will be donned if the gunners win or get an honorable draw. At the stadium, these are the fans that leave as soon as the team is two goals down. Most of these fans have since shifted to Chelsea or Manchester City following Arsenal’s trophy drought. Expect the number of Arsenal fans to increase to 120 million worldwide when the Arsenal get a trophy….. the prodigal sons will be back. The ones who are still here, keeps saying “We need to spend money and buy Messi”. Yes, too much of FIFA Manager.

6.The Suicidal

This fan starts prepping for a Saturday game on a Sunday the week before. On the eve of the game eating, sleeping or just doing normal stuff is impossible. Game day is like a 9 year olds birthday, the excitement and the worry…emotions and hormones run wild. This fan watches pre-match analysis anywhere possible. If the game goes well, this is the best character you will meet. However, the gunners lose and sometimes they will, this fan has to be put on suicide watch. This fan cries and cries and then some. He/she breaks the TV remote, crosses the road without checking, drink some strong dry vodka without stopping, and picks fights with wrestlers and all kind of destructive behavior. This fan will even commit suicide if left alone. Remember this guy

7. The Obsessed

This one has everything Arsenal. From personal items like toothbrushes, soap dish to clothing to beddings to books…everything. This fan always has an Arsenal item on regardless of where they are, be it a job interview, wedding, funeral…wherever. He/she knows everything about the team, the players and their families, the coaching staff and even the mascot. This fan watches all Arsenal matches..the senior team, the reserves, the ladies team, the under 18s, under 10s and even repeat matches from 1965. This fan eats on an Arsenal plate, drinks from an Arsenal cup and sleeps on an Arsenal bed…literally eats, drinks and sleeps the Arsenal. All their Facebook updates and Tweets are the Arsenal. This fan will pick the team over anything on this earth.

8. The Optimist

This fan is always positive. Also a fun type. He sees nothing wrong with the team. This is the fan who at 2-0 down with 1 minute of extra time to go believes we can still win it. This fan blames every mistake on the referee, the opposing team, the weather, the time, the ball absolutely anything that can absolve the team of blame. This fan claims that the goalpost is too small when Gervinho shoots wide, no tackle is Vermaelen’s fault he always gets the ball. This fan loves the team just the way it is.

9. The Perpetual Complainer

At 5 goals up and the ball rolls out for an opponent’s throw in, this fan complains. He complains when the team scores, when the team concedes whenever. This fan will complain win or lose, big win or big loss… all the time. You can never satisfy this one. He complains that Cazorla is too short, Mertesacker is too tall, Walcott is too fast, Arsene Wenger speaks too many languages. This fan gives a player 10 minutes to prove himself, blames the goalkeeper for letting in a penalty etc. You do not want to watch a match with this fan. That guarantees you 90 minutes of negative commentary.

10. The Crush

This mostly applies to the ladies. This type of fan supports the team because there is a “hot” player in the team…most went for Walcott’s cuteness or Henry’s sexy demeanor among others. Most of these fans have since grown tired of Walcott and has moved on to Chelsea in such of a certain Hazard or to Newcastle to see a certain Ben Arfa.

11. The Real

This fan is a realist. He/she has some Arsenal regalia…jerseys, arm bands, maybe a cup or a cap just not in excess. This fan wears Arsenal regalia on match day only. This fan appreciates a win and accepts a loss with dignity. Compliments where deserved and criticizes once in a while when necessary. He/she knows about the team; the injuries, the formation, goals and assists per player, player positions and other football related information. He/she follows the Arsenal football information and nothing else. This is the best person to have a football discussion with. They agree when a win is deserved and agree when it is undeserved. This fan is as faithful as a dog and still has hope of a trophy 8 years on. He accepts the team with its strengths and weaknesses.

Quite the fan base ha? Where do you belong?

Written by,
Fridah Kariuki

*images are for representation purpose only*

THE GAME CHANGERS

Football as we all know is played by 11 men with the option of substituting 3. It is the ultimate team sport. Everyone of the 11 men has an important role to play and not only is it vital but it is also unique. However, some players shine at their roles, they stand out from the rest of the team. They become what we call "key players". The presence or absence of this players largely influences the outcome of the game and eventually the overall team performance. I aim to look at the "game changers" in every team in the English premier league. 

1. Manchester City

The defending champions have not had the great start that they had last season. The campaign has started rather slow for them though still unbeaten. The key players remain largely unchanged from last season. The men dictating the team are Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure and their very influential captain Vincent Company. Aguero, the dangerous and pacy striker, won the league for the Etihad boys last with a last minute strike. He scored key goals for the team that helped them win the league and consequently won Manchester City Player of The Year.

Yaya Toure plays a vital role in the midfield of the city boys. He is seen as the heart of the team. He links the defense with the attack. Provides asssists and scores some important goals too. He is rated as one of the best midfielders in the EPL.

Vincent Kompany is one of the best center backs in the world. He forms a solid rock at the heart of the Citizen's defence. He scores some important goals too. (Manchester United can attest to this). 

2. Manchester United

This is a tough one. The key players from last season have started on the bench. There is one obvious one though: Robin van Persie. Hurts to admit this as an arsenal fan. van Persie will be looked upon to score goals for the team. If he stays injury free, he will be very key to the Red Devils. Wayne Rooney also remains a very key player for the team. He is a prolific goal scorer and his assists remain vital. Lastly, Antonio Valencia also holds a lot of keys to Manchester United's race to the title. He can play on the wing and right back equally well. He provides assists for the team. On top form he is a player to watch.

3. Arsenal

This season the gunners have had a better start than last season. The players look more like a team and have generally improved. It is hard to pick a key player but there is always that special one. For the gunners I think the key men will be: Santi Cazorla, Lukas Podolski and Mikel Arteta. Santi Cazorla is already showing some amazing statistics. He creates goal scoring chances and scores them too. He has already been seen as buy of the summer by many football pundits.Lukas Podolski, the Prince, also a summer signing is showing his worth already. He is a world class finisher and we have seen his ability defending and tracking back. Mikel Arteta has taken on two new roles at the club: a defensive midfielder kind of role and the vice-captain. He has shown that he is adept at breaking up the opponents play and starting Arsenal's attack with his brilliant passes and vision. In only his second season with the team, he is a favorite to many fans already.

4. Tottenham Hotspur

After a disappointing end to last season and a poor start to the season, Tottenham have recorded important wins in their last two matches. The key players in the team are: Gareth Bale, Jan Vertonghen and Clint Dempsey. Gareth Bale was influential in Spurs 4th place finish last season. The pacy winger scores important goals and provides important assists. Jan Vertonghen is a very versatile defender. Besides getting the blocks in you can be sure he will be getting the goals in as well.Clint Dempsey scored the winner against Manchester United. He was an influential player for Fulham and he will continue to be for Tottenham in the battle to a Champions  League spot.

5. Newcastle United

Newcastle United will be relying on the services of Papiss Cisse, Hatem Ben Arfa and Demba Ba. Papiss and Ba have proven to be natural goal scorers and their goals contributed to the success of the team last season. Hatem Ben Arfa is a massive talent and when he puts his mind and legs to it he can be a game changer. He can score from tight angles and also assist. 

6. Chelsea

Chelsea possesses a range of great talent so it is difficult to say who is the game changer. I will pick Juan Mata, Fernando Torres and Branislav Ivanovic. Juan Mata is a consistent performer who can score and asssist. He is a highly talented playmaker and a game changer. Fernando Torres is the most inconsistent player in the EPL but he possesses talent that cannot be ignored and on top form he is a very dangerous striker. Defender, Branislav Ivanovic has been a key player for Chelsea. He has been both key in defense and attack for Chelsea.

7. Everton

Everton has shown some wonderful team displays and now lie second after six games. The key players in Everton are Leighton Baines, Kevin Mirallas and Marouane Fellaini. Baines is important with his tackles and sight for goal. He has been an important part of Everton's team since joining them. New signing Mirallas was top scorer in the Greek league before moving to Everton. He has great movement and great goalscoring ability. Fellow Belgian Fellaini has been hailed as a top midfielder and he has proved his goal scoring ability and amazing passing. He is strong and very pacy and has so far been the difference for Everton.

8. Liverpool

Liverpool may have had a poor start to the league but as a football fan I have learnt not to rule out a Liverpool come back. Brendan Rodgers is still trying to build a team but the players that stand out from the rest are: Raheem Sterling, Luis Suarez and of course Steven Gerrard. Raheem Sterling at only 17 has become a regular starter. He has wonderful pace and good dribbling skills. He has the ability to get past oppposing defenders and cause trouble. Luis Suarez has already score a hat-trick for his team. He has the ability to score goals that will see Liverpool back to Champions league football. Age may be catching up with Stevie but he is still very influential to the team's performance.

9. Fulham

Fulham will be looking to Berbatov to supply the goals to improve their mid-table performance, Brede Hangeland to keep the defense impervious and Mladen Petric who has already scored 3 goals in 4 appearances for the team.

10. West Bromwich Albion

I'll start with Romelu Lukaku. Although he has been loaned to the Hawthornes by Chelsea he has been very influential thus far. James Morison and Shane Long are also very influential performers for WBA. They are game changers.

11. Swansea City

One of the key players for Swansea is in almost everyone's fantasy premier league team... Michu. He has been exceptional this season so far scoring 4 goals now. Nathan Dyer ha been a great influence so far scoring 2 goals in 2 appearances. Ki Sung-Yueng if he breaks into the first team will be a great addition to a solid looking Swansea team. He is known for his vision, technique, long range passing and shooting, along with his good set-pieces.

12. Norwich City

Norwich city star players are Grant Holt, Steve Morison and Robert Snodgrass. The three possess a potent ability to score goals and keep Norwich in the top flight.

13. Sunderland

Sunderland will require Stephane Sessegnon to replicate the form he was in last season, Sebastian Larsson and Steven Fletcher are also key players for Sunderland. Fletcher's form has been great so far scoring 5 goals so far.

14. Stoke City

I am tempted to put defenders as star players for Stoke. They play such a defensive game with high balls to look for their striker. Ryan Shawcross is a massive defender, top talent. Peter Crouch will also be massive for the Britannia outfit. Jermaine Pennant is also a star player for Stoke.

15. Wigan Athletic

Last season Wigan staged the bravest battle ever against relegation. It was amazing. They had Victor Moses then...now they don't. They will be looking at Franco di Santo and Arouna Kone to get the goals to keep them in the EPL. Shaun Maloney is also a key player for the latics. Maloney is known for his set-piece accuracy, technical ability and confidence when shooting.

16. Aston Villa

	Aston Villa star players will be Charles N'zogbia, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Karim el-Ahmadi. The team will be looking at this players to improve on their last season 16th place finish.

17. Queen Park Rangers

Barely surviving last season, I don't think QPR will be waiting for another team's result to help them survive. Esteban Granero, Bobby Zamora and Adel Taarabt will have to shine for the team to battle relegation.

18. Southampton

Adam Lallana has been wonderful this season. So wonderful that he earned himself a call up to the England squad. Rickie Lambert has also been exceptional. Lastly, Jay Rodriguez also another wonderful performer. The three players are key in Soton's survival.

19. Reading

I haven't watched a full match pitting Reading FC but I think alongside the team captain Jobi McAnuff, Pavel Pogrebnyak and Danny Guthrie are the key players for the party Russian owned team.

20. Westham United

I find it very hard to pick a star in this team. Westham have come back to the premier league with a formidable team. However, I think Ricardo Vaz Te, Matt Jarvis and Andy Carroll will make the difference for Westham. 

That is my opinion of the game changers in each team. However, a team does have 11 players.....watch all of them.

Just made this pic with some inspiration from "ever free" Google. Those paws are so cute, isn't it ? ♥

Manchester United to win trophy- I don't think so.....

I followed an argument between two Manchester United fans (rare I know). One was saying they will win at least two trophies while the other was saying he has no hopes of a trophy or that if Manchester United win a trophy Lady Luck will have smiled upon them. I then thought of that argument...who is right?

I have watched United's first three games and while it may be too soon to judge I think the second guy was right. I don't reckon that Manchester United have a chance at a trophy this season.

I will start by pointing out that they have a superb striking force. Robin van Persie is world class (it really pains me to say this), Wayne Rooney is amazing too, he can score all sorts of goals, Danny Welbeck has massive talent and is developing into a lethal target man and finally Javier Hernandez is a great finisher, a world class poacher. This means that goals will be abundant for the Manchester team.

I may say that that is where Manchester's top quality ends this season. Last season United's undoing was the midfield. Everyone was expecting Sir Alex Ferguson to invest in at least three midfielders. He brought in one, Shinji Kagawa. Kagawa is a massive talent and will fit in well into the team. The problem is that he plays the role just behind the main strikers and SAF brought in van Persie as well. This means that Rooney will play the same role as Kagawa or push Kagawa out of position or one of them will be benched. The first match van Persie was benched (lost 1-0), the second match Rooney was benched (Won 3-2 undeservedly) and in the third match saw an injured Rooney miss out. The midfield at Man-United is a weal link. Scholes and Giggs are old, Nani is unhappy, Young is under-performing, Cleverly needs more time to develop his talent, Carrick has become rather over-used. Valencia is apart from the rest in midfield with very fine performances but one man alone cannot link the whole mid-field section. In short Man-United's midfield is short.

The defense is not even weak, it is absent (these are not my words by the way, words of a Manchester United fan). In the first match, the defense was physically absent due to injuries which saw Carrick play at center back and Valencia fill in at right back. They lost the game. In the next two matches, Manchester United conceded 4 goals...2 in each respective game. The goals came from poor defense. The defense is porous and easy to pass. Vidic has still not returned to full form yet following a long spell of injury, Rio doesn't look too great either, Rafael cannot defend to save his life..he constantly moves upfront and forgets to fall back and his tackles are rather wanting while Evra has just grown old-his pace has diminished, his tackles are not so strong and he is quickly caught on the counter attack. Alex Buttner is set to start against Wigan in place of Evra. I will not make judgements about him yet as I haven't watched him, but new boys usually have a hard time adjusting to the pace of the EPL. Phil Jones is out injured and so is Chris Smalling. If any defender is injured Manchester will be stretched thin.

Therefore, goals Manchester United will score and goals they will also receive. Most people (even Manchester fans) will agree that the last two results were sheer luck and totally undeserved. Against better defending teams Manchester will not make it as the case was with Everton. Last season they missed it on goal difference, this year will be worse.

There is however the January transfer window and a bit of luck.

Till next time..........

Le Professeur ou Le Prophete? Or maybe both?

Transfer deadline day was here, refresh was a favorite tab to many football fans around the world and particularly Arsenal fans. I must admit I was one of them though not as fervently as most Gunners. I may have refreshed my twitter timeline about 20 times per hour and other sport pages roughly about the same time. Most fans were expecting the Yann M'vila deal to be completed, along with El Rey Leon (the Lion King) Fernando Llorente and a defender. However, none of that happened. Gunners watched, some read and most just heard of Tottenhum signing Lloris and Dempsey, Manchester City signing Javi Garcia etc but no-one was coming to the Emirates. And thus the curses began. I could hear shouts of  "Wenger out", "Ivan The Terrible", "Usmanov In" among other profanities that I shall dare not repeat.

Then came Anfield... The result Liverpool 0- Arsenal 2. This result did not bring any mixed emotions. It was just joy all over. It felt like the team had won a title winning much. I actually think the team won a title winning much. The title they won was the fans' hearts. A turn around was witnessed. Hardly was there any results, or any buts for that matter. The fans were satisfied with all departments. The two youngsters playing as fullbacks impressed with their intercepts, hard but clean tackles and ball distribution. The captain was just as solid as ever with his partner Per putting the Per in Perfect. The " Steve Bould Effect" it is now called. The center trio were just world class. Diaby could almost put Vieira to shame, Arteta was solid as a rock..he would die for the team and Santi Carzola... just beautiful with those perfect passes and well timed runs. The attack was just glorious, finally banging in the goals that calmed the nerves. Lukas Podolski showed his ability to score, tackle,hold the ball, pass and defend too, Giroud's movement of the ball was amazing and his vision just great and Oxlade showed his strength and agility, his speed we already knew about. The individual performances of each of the players indicated that Arsenal is finally a team.

It seems that Wenger was right again by not looking into the transfer market. The opinions of most fans changed and all over sudden it was content everywhere. The team was labeled as perfect and the shouts changed to "Arsene Knows", "In Arsene we trust" and many other nice things.

After that performance and three clean sheets, most football fans saw what Wenger had seen way before. A solid team without spending millions. The Arsenal options also looks solid with Ramsey (yes him!), Walcott, Gervinho (and yes, him too), Coquelin, Koscielny and the injured players Wilshere, Rosicky, Frimpong and Sagna set to return. Of course there are also the Arsenal youth players Serge Gnabry and Thomas Eisfeld who I am sure will get a chance at first team.

In my opinion Arsenal now has a team that can challenge for trophies, make profit and still create stars without spending billions. With the defense in place, very few attacks will get past that, the midfield is strong and we can expect goals from anyone.. Podolski, Giroud, Gervinho, Carzola, Walcott and Chamberlain especially.. Of course I expect Arteta, Diaby and Vermaelen to contribute too.

"We do not buy superstars. We make them."                               Arsene Wenger

Another quote by the man himself...

 "We try to go a different way that, for me, is respectable. Briefly, these are the basics. I thought: "We are building a stadium, so I will get young players in early so I do not find myself exposed on the transfer market without the money to compete with the others. I build a team, and we compensate by creating a style of play, by creating a culture at the club because the boy comes in at 16 or 17 and when they go out they have a supplement of soul, of love for the club, because they have been educated together. The people you meet at college from 16 to 20, often those are the relationships in life that keep going. That, I think, will give us strength that other clubs will not have.

I think most Arsenal fans will agree with me that Arsene was right. He has brought in three wise men and if the team is consistent, then success will be renamed Arsenal.

As usually..COYG.

 

Things I learnt being an Arsenal Supporter

Since I started supporting Arsenal, I have seen many things pass me by. Be it a happy occasion or a sad moment. I lost my grand mother and some of my cats. But also I completed graduation and got a job. And I also learn few things. And its safe to say that Arsenal played a part in some of them.

1. Patience:
You don't need Arsene Wenger to knock your door and say "Have patience" do you? You just feel that. It maybe frustrating not to win any silverware from 8 years. And we see gooners venting their anger through social media. But so did other clubs. Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool all had trophy less seasons. After the elite crop left in 2005-06, We need to wait for few years until the current generation of players to mature and soon, we will rule England and Europe.


2. Spend Wisely:
I don't think anyone would disagree with me on this one. Since 1996, Arsenal's net spending is 4.5 million (can you believe that?), compared to 250 million of Man Utd and 504 million of Chelsea. And yet, we have been finishing in top 4. Like someone said, "It doesn't matter how much you spend, but was it really worth it?"


3. Be Quick on the Uptake:
Arsene Wenger amazes us with his transfer policies, he brings out rare talent which nobody can discover and make them a better player. From a financial point of view, he is exceptionally brilliant!
He brought certain Anelka for £500,000 and after 2 years, sold him to Real Madrid for £22.3 million. That is some deal. He's been criticized for this. But still, he hardly fails.


4. Never forget the one's who helped you:
Arsenal is a model club. Every player will be loved here. And players who leave us for better opportunities (except for the ones with inner child screams and DNA issues) will have a special place in their hearts. I don't have to give out the names. Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires, Eduardo.. list goes on. And Arsenal club doesn't forget it's players as well. Thierry Henry had his sculpture built outside Emirates Stadium. Robert Pires and Sylvestre trained with Arsenal Team, when they were free agents.


5. Hardwork and Class Matters:
When you think of Arsenal, you think about a hard working coach, with a decent team trying to win things. You don't think about sugar daddies with pocketful of money spending on overrated players and buy the league. Compared to Chelsea and Man City, I feel happy that I'm not supporting them. They can buy expensive players win the title too. But the way they win, will tell the value they believe. Is it winning the league by unbalancing the nature of the game or is it winning the league because you deserve it?


Supporting Arsenal brought out a lot of changes in me. And all of them are positive (so far)
To be honest, I'm glad I support this club.

Until next time,

The Gunner Red Herrings

It is human nature to blame other people for our failures or the failures of those we love. For the gunners that has become routine. With every match there is someone to blame. Occasionally, the referee is blamed (especially when all time favorite...Howy the spider on the web is on the pitch). Le Professeur gets his beating and fair share of insults and blame too (the best memory I have of this is that awful substitution during the home game against Manchester United when he brought on the little Russian for the Ox). Talking of the little Russian, he has been blamed and insulted way too much for his tiny stature. If you play for The Arsenal, I suppose you can expect a bashing every so often... I say this because even with a win someone is always blamed for missing a shot here,misplacing a pass there etc. However, there are two players constantly blamed for every lose or draw...

I will start with the Welshman...Aaron Ramsey. Ramsey has been blamed for misplacing passes, shooting awfully, shooting instead of passing and vice versa and of course the mystical death of famous people when he scores. So I beg the question, what's a man to do? I will not try to defend Ramsey but I will let you know that I rate him very highly.
Ramsey Skills:


A look at the above video explains why I rate him so highly. Ramsey is gifted with accurate passing, an eye for goal, he is obstinate especially when he loses possession of the ball and he is always willing to track back. Why don't we see this, you ask. The simple response is that you don't want to. I go back to human nature, you don't see the magic he has because of the need to point a finger at someone, or just because it is characteristic of humans to make mountains out of mole hills. I know that what happened to Ramsey on that fateful 27th February 2010 kept him away from football for one year, it also slowed his development into the world class player that he is meant to be by at least two years. I would also like to remind you of the partnership that he had formed with Jack Wilshere. They play so beautifully together, so clearly that might be what Aaron needs to prove himself to you. At the moment he is like Rooney without Antonio Valencia. I am not asking you to give Ramsey time, just your confidence. When Wenger describes a player as "An offence-minded Roy Keane" and "an all-round player,with fantastic ability to cover distances" then that player is special. Remember he is only 21.

I bet you know who is next....yes, you guessed right... Gervais Lombe Yao Kouassi or simply Gervinho. Gervinho is often praised for his ability to take on defenders. The man never fears to try a dribble or two or three. However, this often praised trait is also the one used to slaughter him. He is blamed for staying on the ball too long instead of passing or shooting. This is mostly blamed on his forehead (I don't see the relationship, but that is football for you). It may be true that Gervinho loses possession sometimes too easily, but you got to admit he is world class and plays with all his heart (and pace). His quick runs on the wings trouble defenders, his ability to cut into the box is amazing. He uses his size and pace very well. All that Gervinho needs is to be a bit quicker in his decision making. This does not mean that he is slow, I am not flawing the man. He came from the French league and if anyone has watched a French league match you will notice the game is highly defensive and rather slow. Gervinho was used to that. I believe with time, he will be indispensable to Arsenal. So yes, I am asking for patience from you.
Gervinho Skills:


Lastly, the same way winning is a team effort losing is also a team failure. We are one team so support all your players through every win and every lose. Supporting any football team is like taking marriage vows... "for better, for worse".

Verminator: Explained

Hi there,
Now that "he who must not be named" has left Arsenal for goodness' sake, making the captain was unanimous. Thomas Vermaelen wore the captain armband for the gunners campaign this season.
Also known as “Verminator” among the gooners, Thomas is known for his powerful presence on the pitch. Although a defender, you can see him running towards the goal during the game hungry for goals.
How does he do that?
It’s a no-brainer really. Being a Verminator comes with lots of benefits. The Verminator is a formidable robotic assassin and soldier with an ultimate goal of exterminating players of Tottenham Hotspur. He can defense like a defender. Attack like a striker and even play very good Table tennis.

Interesting thing about Verminator is his vision. He does not have the vision we earthlings have. It is far more superior to that. With his patented Verminator vision, he can easily get details about attendance in stadium, bio-data of opponent players, weather, wind, pitch condition in one glance.

All in fairness, I’ve got to say that Vermaelen deserves to be captain. Its high time since we had someone aggressive as our captain. If that is what it takes to make the team strong, let it be. Eh?
Until next time.

Why Arsenal?

I often get the question, "why do you support Arsenal?" I am sometimes tempted to just be curt and respond "because I can" or the more expected answer(due to the fact that I am female) "because it has the best looking players year in year out", but I usually just take my time to explain.

I will let you in on a little history...the history of me and football... I started watching football when I was about 7 years old. I watched the Kenyan Premier League with my dad(thank you Dad) first. Then came my introduction to international football during the 1998 world cup in France. I watched in amazement the passing skills of Zidane, Ronaldo's goal scoring abilities and the top scorer with the funny name: Davor Suker from a country I had never heard of. After the world cup, I was left wonderind, where do all these people go for the next four years? I guess I couldn't wait four years to see them again. It was then I discovered the EPL and consequently, ARSENAL.

I was first attracted to Arsenal's style of play...the neat passes, creative goals, attacking game in two words...Beautiful football. There was a young Ljungberg, Kanu, Nicholas Anelka and of course Thierry Henry..among other wonderful players. And thus my bitter sweet journey with the Gunners began.

I watched Arsenal till about 2004 without knowing about the club policies(shame on me). I then found out about the Arsenal Ladies team. I read about the team in the Arsenal magazine. I was so amazed... The team is the most successful club in English Women football.

The youth system at Arsenal also impressed me. The team has some of the best youth products. I am talking about the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Jack Wilshere, Ashley Cole, Seb Larsson etc. The manager Arsene Wenger also impressed me (and still does) with his ability to turn players rejected by other teams or not thought of as good into world class players. The likes of Patrick Vieira, Samir Nasri, Cesc Fabregas, Thierry Henry, Alex Song, and of course Robin Van Persie owe Wenger there world class status as footballers and as men. I guess that and the name Arsene duped me into believing he owns Arsenal. I was very shocked to find out the club is not his.

Of course the spending at Arsenal also impresses me. A look at the spending from 1996 -2012  for the top four teams:

Net spends since 1996/97…
Arsenal:
Overall Spend: £314.75m
Overall Received: £310.514m
Net Spend: £4.236m
Manchester United:
Overall Spend: £534.05m
Overall Received: £283.975m
Net Spend: £250.075m
Manchester City:
Overall Spend: £628.1m
Overall Received: £155.543m
Net Spend: £472.557m
Chelsea:
Overall Spend: £720.83m
Overall Received: £216.185m
Net Spend: £504.645m
Liverpool:
Overall Spend: £523.33m
Overall Received: £318.87m
Net Spend: £204.46m
Tottenham:
Overall Spend: £392.55m
Overall Received: £217.93m
Net Spend: £174.62m

Look at Manchester City and Chelsea...(Spending link).
I appreciate that Arsenal has been successful despite spending so little.

Furthermore, Arsenal has always had an African player. As an African I am proud to see an African donning the red and white and playing football so beautifully. The likes of Kanu, Lauren, Song, Chamakh, Eboue, Gervinho have all put Africa on the map, this is compared to only four in Manchester United's history (for curiosity sake...Fortune, Diouf, Manucho and Djemba-Djemba).

That all but summarizes the beauty of my team. The team may lack a trophy for the last eight years but it does give more satisfaction than expected. Therefore, fellow gooners and haters, Arsenal is here to stay and I am staying glued to it.

it all began when.....

Hi,

I was scribbling through the internet to find a suitable picture for the blog and I found this.
Cute isn't it ?
Definitely makes your day better. Provided you like cats :P

Here's to the beginning of Feline Gunner.
Cheers!