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"Do a Wenger protest! Do a Wenger protest! Waaaaaahhhh!!"

14/8/2013

 
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Since the day we formed this supporters' group, our aims have been laid down in black and white. They're on this website for anyone to read, and if you've taken the time to have a look, you'll have seen that our focus has nothing to do with what happens on the pitch.

Like any other fan, as individuals we'll be pissed off when things aren't going right, over the moon when things are great at our club; it's how a football fan operates. Always has done, always will do. 


Of course where the BSM is concerned, there's a point that's been done to death... but it's a point that keeps getting revived by those who refuse to read or listen. Some still maintain we've got "an agenda", that as a group something is bubbling under, and we're conjuring up some grand plan to attack the man running the team at Arsenal. Sorry to go all Steve Davis on you, but there's no hidden agenda. If you still think there is one, can you get Lionel Blair over to Give Us A Clue?


Naturally there are some who don't like what we do because we dare to criticise the club. But we've always said that we're not a group to brown nose and nod along excitedly, hoping Uncle Ivan throws us a bone (or biscuit) every year. We'll be refreshingly honest and say it like it is. Something needs to be said? If it's good or if it's bad, we'll give our viewpoint. 

We've done a couple of walks which were designed to raise awareness of how the club was treating loyal fans, and anyone on these walks will confirm that they contained a LOT of pro-Arsenal singing. You see, our members and supporters are people who love The Arsenal. Before these walks we had a LOT of back and forth with some, and the conversations went like this:

Them: "It'll be a 'Wenger Out' protest"
Us: "No it won't"
Them: "It'll turn into one"
Us: "No it won't"
Them: "People will hijack it and make it one"
Us: "No they won't"
Them: "Er, well the press will report is as one"
Us: "No they won't"

And of course, it transpired that neither walk was anything to do with the Manager. If we wanted to change tack and go for Arsene Wenger, surely we'd have done so on these walks; however we didn't, as our aims have always been clear. Nothing to do with the Manager. Board? Definitely, as they control the things we're focused on. Ticket pricing? Yes. Atmosphere? Yes. Matchday experience? Yes. Food & beverages? No, that's another supporters' group. The club's relationship with fans? Definitely.

A couple of weeks ago, we appeared on the podcast 'A Bergkamp Wonderland' to talk about the group, about ourselves as supporters and generally have a rabbit about The Arsenal. Lovely stuff. Anyone who listened to that podcast will have learned our personal feelings about the club, and how as individuals we feel about the Manager. A lot of myths were dispelled, and feedback since then was very positive. Glad we put a few people straight.

What's funny though, is that from being a group that was slagged off for apparently targeting the Manager, we're now being criticised for not targeting him.
Once again, I'd suggest these people have a read of our aims and objectives.

I get a lot of stuff thrown my way on Twitter demanding we take action against the Manager, and it generally follows this theme: "Do a Wenger Out protest, do a Wenger Out protest!" ... "Why are you refusing to do a Wenger Out protest?" ... "When will you wake up and protest against Wenger?" ... "Do a Wenger Out protest!!!!" ... "Raaaaahhhhh!!!!!!".

However, our position has always been clear. You want a Wenger Out protest? Arrange one yourself.

We get the response: "But you've got a lot of followers, you have numbers!". So?


Yes we have a lot of members, yes we have a lot of followers. We've worked hard to get a following and to build a membership. This work has been based on our aims as a group and the work is paying off. The club are taking note and we shall continue to push on.

You want someone with numbers to help you out? Justin Bieber has a lot of followers - get him to sort a protest for you. Or of course you could just get off your lazy arse, and put the work in to arrange something yourself.

It seems there are groups who claim claim to be taking action and working to arrange some form of masterplan to oust Arsene Wenger as Manager. I'm interested to see what these plans are, because on the surface it seems to me like yet another case of cyber warrior hot air... lots of talk and threats, but no action.
But then regular as clockwork, these people will shift focus away from their invisible 'plans' and try to put the spotlight on us. They'll moan again, that we're not arranging anything.

Nothing from the BSM that you can piggyback? Diddums.

Up The Gunners

'Highbury Harold'

Fans stranded again, in every way

13/8/2013

 
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Hello? Anyone??

Day 86. It's now 86 days since we went through that squeakiest of squeaky bum games to scrape 4th place by a solitary point. Some fans rejoiced. Champions League again! In case you were also wondering, it's been 63 days since Uncle Ivan's much-hyped Fanboy Spinathon.

As we all know, not a lot has happened. And that's overstating it by epic proportions. We do have the one-legged French postman from Ligue 9 who came in for zilch, so that's ambition, I guess. The season ticket renewal time spin came, the suckers were sucked in again, job done. Let's just sit on all that LOVELY cash.

We're now 4 days from the start of the new season. Four days. FOUR SODDING DAYS! The squad is now looking thinner than a Supermodel with the Norovirus, having (rightly) shed a whole heap of dead wood. However, the trouble is the Manager seems to have thought "Hold on, we might be able to get through with the squad we have! Who needs expensive signings?!". Of course this may seem a bit flppant but despite loyal fans hanging on and hanging on, waiting for us to finally make a statement in the transfer market and show real ambition... nothing.

Luiz Gustavo may join. But then again the ITK types and the press told us Gonzalo Higuain was a done deal. As was Rooney. As was Suarez. As was Cesar. As was Fellaini. As was Williams. As was Jovetic. As was Bernard. Oh, and Fabregas was "coming home" (haha!!). Fans have rightly been desperate for good news and yet again the club has taken the piss. Only this time they've taken taking the piss to a whole new level of piss taking.

Fact is, with Walcott crocked in training for England and Ramsey carrying a knock, we're looking vulnerable before a ball has even been kicked. Wait for more inevitable injuries and the odd suspension, when we'll be royally shafted.

And talking of shafted, who suffers most? The fans. The loyal fans who love this club and follow it everywhere. They pay their hard-earned money only to get lied to and left stranded time and time again.

This morning Arsenal have put out a statement on their website entitled "
Travel options for Fenerbahce match", which then goes on to say that there are no options. The club have discovered that scraping 4th place in the league means you have to play in August and try to qualify for the Champions League... and that's in peak holiday season. Who'd have thought, eh?! So bearing in mind we have to travel out to Turkey for a match against Fenerbahce, chartering a plane is obviously a lot more expensive.

So basically the message is "If you want to go to Turkey and support the team, sort yourself out". And of course, there are fans who will; they'll pay through the nose just to follow their club. It never ceases to amaze, the lengths us fans go to, to watch The Arsenal. When we went to Cologne last pre-season there were fans who had travelled all sorts of routes via France, Holland etc, so no matter how hard it is to get out to Turkey no doubt our fantastic away support will be there, in their usual fine voice. We're an inventive and passionate bunch.

It would have been nice though, if Arsenal had made some form of goodwill gesture as a thanks to these fans. Bearing in mind we've got so much money in the bank which obviously isn't going to be spent on the team, why not use a few grand and charter a plane?

Not saying the club should necessarily pay for travel 100%, but what's stopping them subsidising a flight for our most loyal supporters? If the club can spend money flying over that 'Running Man' bloke to parade at the Emirates Cup, why can't it spare some cash to help out travelling Gooners? Didn't we have some link with Thomas Cook for this kind of thing? Or maybe that was just for conning fans who want to go to home matches, by charging them astronomical prices over and above the usual hotel rates.

If the club had made a gesture by subsidising a flight, it would have gone some way to repairing some of the bad feeling among fans which very much exists. It would show that the club DOES actually care about its fans, and it would generate positive copy which is definitely needed at the moment. Instead, however, it's yet again a case of Arsenal saying "pay up or piss off". Let's just hope that the 11 players, who are now under immense pressure due to no fault of their own, can win on Saturday - otherwise the reaction from the stands (towards the Board and club, not the players) could be horrendous.

You had a chance to do something good, Arsenal, but you blew it. Again. Not good.

Up The GunnersW

Wear The Arsenal

12/8/2013

 
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Recently we created a nice little graphic showing the numbers 71 and 04, because here at the BSM we love those numbers. Of course, it doesn't take much to work out what those lovely digits refer to!

At the time we were asked if we could put them on a t-shirt so we duly obliged, and it seems people like the thought of rubbing it in with our Middlesex neighours, so orders have been flying in!

In response to some other requests we put together some further designs. Take a look at the t-shirts and other pieces on offer by clicking here. And naturally, if there's anything you'd like us to include on a shirt for you, just give us a shout.


Up The Gunners

I'm lost... please send help?

11/8/2013

0 Comments

 
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I'm lost... no really I am. Before I go hell for leather into this let me state - I've always been pro Wenger. The last few seasons I have classed myself as a 'Wenger Fencer' neither AKB nor AOB. But at the moment I am slipping off of that fence and I'm lost. 

Highbury Harold's done a good piece below on the game yesterday and yes I agree in isolation it was a cracking result. Please, don't lose sight though that it was a pre season friendly and all too often have we created few chances and converted even fewer. If it weren't for some last ditch tackles and a couple of decent saves Citeh could have been out of sight there yesterday. Thankfully they weren't. Spirits are high, and what better than to get new players in on the back of a great result like that!? 

Ok - so why am I lost? I'll tell you. 

We've shipped out 26 players this season. Either on loan, or left to pastures new. Now, whilst I cannot argue a lot of those players weren't fit to be in the squad in the first instance, it leaves us seriously threadbare for the new season, doesn't it? Even if by some miracle we were to bring Suarez and Fellani in, that's 2 players. We're still 24 down?

To me it's fairly simple. If our club is in the latter stages of the CL / FA Cup / League Cup and still in the top 3 / 4 then we'll burn out come March / April. It's simple. We do it every season. Chasing 4 trophies and ending up with none. It was a blessing in disguise that we were dumped out of the domestic cups so early last season as it meant we only had the league to concentrate on. 

I've said it in the past and i'll still say it now. A 1st 11 fully fit will give anyone a game. A 1st 11 with 2 / 3 injuries is left badly exposed and that is where we are now. I could be wrong and we may go all season without a single injury... but, can you see this? 

Oh, and one final thing... has anyone seen Thomas Vermaelen recently? What the hell's happened there!?

Anyway - i'll leave it there. Look forward to 3 points Vs Villa and seeing you all on the boat vs Fulham. 

Up The Gunners...

David O'Leary (@mediabsm)

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Listen to my man Afrika

11/8/2013

 
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Loves the tackle

So that's that for pre-season, and now it's almost time to get down to business.

Yesterday we rounded off our warm-up for the new campaign with a 3-1 win over Man City in Helsinki. I have to say I didn't expect anything like that result and the same has to be said for the majority of people I'd seen commenting before the game.

Theo got things going with a fine finish and as I mentioned yesterday on Twitter, he's become a much better finisher when he doesn't have much time to think about the situation. It's those moments where he does have time where work is needed; at the moment I'd not be confident of him finishing the majority of one-on-ones that come his way. A top, top striker puts those away in his sleep.

Ramsey had another good game and got on the scoresheet, and Giroud rounded off our scoring. Both have shown some fine form recently which is encouraging.

It's fair to say that both players have come in for a shed load of stick from Arsenal fans over the past year - unwarranted in my opinion. Ramsey hit a poor run of form playing out of position, but I always recall how influential he started to become in our midfield before that thug Shawcross came along. I'm hopeful he can get that form back because I still think he has a lot to offer.

Giroud for me had a decent first season in English football. I liked his willingness to get stuck in, he didn't seem as lazy as people made him out to be, and although he does spend a bit of time preening on the pitch, I still think he's a fighter. Is he the answer up front for us? No, I still think we need a proven, top quality goalscorer. But I think Giroud is a decent player to have.

After the game, a particular comment from Arsene Wenger has us all wondering / hopeful / puzzled:

"I think what is important is the strength of the squad. Today is one game. We want to play 55 games and we are maybe a bit thin squad-wise to go through a whole season"

Firstly, he is admitting that the squad isn't strong enough. That should mean signings on the way, shouldn't it? We can only hope. As for the 55 games thing, I'm hoping that's based on some kind of average stat over the last few years. Because a full league and Champions League campaign (assuming we *ahem* make the final) would mean around 4 other games spread across the domestic cup competitions.

As for potential new signings, the Metro reported that we'd agreed a £14m deal for Bayern Munich midfielder Luiz Gustavo. Naturally that was pounced upon by everyone and now we have the nationals reporting it too.

Normally a transfer rumour in the Metro would be as watertight as a sieve, but I think we're all so desperate for new signings we'd take Louis Walsh if Luiz Gustavo didn't happen. I'm sure the little Irishman could do a job for us somewhere. When Uncle Ivan's 'Bloggers Inner Circle' starts to turn, you know things are desperate. Quick Mark Gonnella, do some more 'smoothing out' before they rebel even more.

Before the season starts, of course there's another annoying international friendly in the way. I hate these with a passion and seeing Jack Wilshere in England's squad to face Scotland has me a bit concerned. He's hardly played because of injury so let's hope "gweat wesilience, twemendous pwessure" Woy doesn't play Jack for too long. Wrap him in cotton wool and get him back safe.

So it's almost here, people. For all the outrage at another piss poor transfer window and (so far) lies aplenty from Uncle Ivan, when Saturday rolls around we have to forget our differences off the pitch and unite once again, 100% getting behind the boys and cheering them on to victory. As my old mucker Afrika Bambaataa once said, it's all about Peace, Unity, Love, and Having Fun.

Up The Gunners.

'Highbury Harold'

"We want to play 55 games and we are maybe a bit thin squad-wise to go through a whole season"

Arsene Wenger

Can Hakkinen play up front?

10/8/2013

 
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Our new MEGA signing?

Day 84 since the end of last season, and just over 6 to go until we kick off the new one against Aston Villa. Still, our squad is in need. Plenty of time!!!

Today we have our final pre-season friendly, against Citeh out in Helsinki. I've said all along that this is really the only pre-season game where we'll get some idea as to our chances for the coming season.

A few games against nothing teams in the Far East were just a runaround. Last weekend's Emirates Cup matches were slow-paced training games and thanks to that arsehole Drogba - who came out with an outrageous dive even by his standards - we ended up with nothing but pissed off fans.

Man City have had the kind of pre-season I really wanted us to have. Early, quality signings (obviously following plenty of early prep work) and all business done a month before the start of the season. That has meant plenty of time for the new arrivals to get to know their new teammates, get used to the way the (new) manager wants them to play, and obviously their aim has been to hit the ground running. It's how a team with serious ambitions should work.

Of course we all know that for The Arsenal, it's yet another case of 'Let's Go Round Again'. Groundhog Day. Same old same old. Boring. The manager might as well make a tape recording to play at his press conferences these days, because it's the same old answers over and over and over again. The squad I have is good enough, we concentrate first on the players we have here, yes we're working hard, no we're not close to signing anybody. Oh well Ivan, maybe your words will one day mean something.

Back to the game today, I'm assuming we'll just about have enough players available for it to go ahead. Both should put out something like their strongest line-up (a few have said to me ours will be our ONLY line-up) so you'd think we'll be able to get a flavour. I have to say I'm not at all confident having seen how Citeh have been knocking the ball about in pre-season so far. A draw I'll be happy with, but let's just hope a half decent Arsenal performance doesn't skew Wenger's view as to the actual ability of this squad.

While we're out in Finland though, any chance of us seeing if Mika Hakkinen can play a bit of football?

Up The Gunners.

'Highbury Harold'

Gooners Hate Jazz

9/8/2013

 
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We love you too!
Well some no doubt like the odd bit of Jazz, but 80s heads out there may remember the old Johnny Hates Jazz tune which went "now you're giving me, giving me, nothing but shattered dreams, shattered dreams". Seems Arsenal are giving us the same, yet again.

However, after The Master Of Spin had finished his Season-Ticket-Renewal-Time Spinathon 2013, many of us thought "Finally!!". All talk was on how powerful we were financially and everything pointed to us finally acting like the big club we are, and taking things seriously in the transfer market. We'd arrived.

Of course what's happened since then is very much par for the course. Piss all going on in terms of quality coming in, and I'm sorry but a postman with one leg from Ligue 2 who hasn't played for 6 years isn't the kind of inspirational arrival we've hoped for. It's another Aumary Bischoff gamble but this time spun and spun as if Ronaldo had just come walking through the door.

It's now 82 days since the end of last season and we've just over 7 days until the new one kicks off. We've dumped a LOT of dead wood which is great, freed up a LOT of wages which is better, and... zilch. Nada. Nowt. Nishmans. Bugger all. The money has been banked, as per usual.

Of course there have been the "nailed on" signings and I'm looking forward to seeing Bernard, Jovetic, Higuain, Rooney and the like pull on that famous red & white shirt. Erm. That's the ITK mob for you; full of shit and serving only to raise fan hopes then create a huge shit storm when the transfers don't happen. Still looking forward to @rajpatel1809 doing his Michael Douglas 'Falling Down' routine come September 2nd. He hates ITKs more than I do.

So this morning I'm greeted first thing by the utterly crass Media Watch spamming tweet from Arsenal. That page and that practice HAS to go. Arsenal's way (as much as it keeps fans hanging on) has always been to keep schtum on speculation and transfer stories until there's something to actually talk about. All this page is, is a vehicle to drive traffic to the Arsenal website. It's spam. It's crap. It needs to go. We can all get to NewsNow and choose whichever piece of made-up rubbish we want to read. No need for Arsenal to lower itself in this way.

Then I see the back page of The Sun with the big headline off the back of John Henry's "you're not going anywhere" declaration to Luis Suarez. The little 'Especially not to Arsenal' subtitle was there to really cheer us up!

Also there are rumours that Flamini is training with us. Great! What was that motto? FORWARD. Please let's not go down that Elastoplast route yet again. He walked out on us - why entertain him now?

No getting away from it, this summer has been yet another absolute shambles for Arsenal in the transfer market. The glass overflowing types have been clutching furiously at those straws and repeating what the Manager has preached: "Nobody else is doing anything, the market is slow, things take time!!" they've screamed. To that, I say "Bollocks". Man City had their business done a month before the season began, with a view to hitting the ground running. Chelsea have a new (old) manager and have bought, and that lot down the road have done over £60m on players. Nobody doing anything? Okay, you believe what you want.

"But who have Man United signed?!" is another question I get. There will no doubt be more but so far, Zaha has come in Remember him? Another "nailed on" signing of ours. And let's not forget they walked the title last season so their squad can't be too bad.

But let's focus on ourselves for a second and not use others as an excuse. It seems all eggs are going in the Suarez basket and yes it does seem crazy that we've put in a bid that absolutely obliterates our transfer record for a signing, but we need to move on other signings, and move NOW. I've seen numerous reports from yesterday's Members Day where people have commented on how thin the squad is looking in terms of numbers. I've seen people who've come away from the Emirates Cup completely disheartened at our prospects this coming season. Well we've got FIVE competitive matches before the transfer window closes, so it's vital we do as much as we can to strengthen and win those games. Lose them, get knocked out of the Champions League qualifier, and we're in all kinds of shit.

All in all this is heading for absolute chaos in the stands. Last season there was actual fighting among Arsenal fans at home games, and not just once. It happened a lot. Arsenal on Arsenal. There was physical violence too at away games, with some Arsenal fans attacking others. Think it'll smooth out this coming season if no top quality players arrive in the next week? No chance. I've never seen a group of Arsenal fans so divided, so angry and so disillusioned. Some fans blame supporters groups for this, some blame social media. The buck stops, however, with the club.

Early in the summer I created a graphic showing the numerous pieces of spin our Uncle Ivan has put out there. The big message on this piece of artwork was Summer 2013: it's time to walk the walk. In other words cut the spin and get on with it.

The hat-trick "kept our powder dry" bullshit comment won't work, Ivan me old chum. You put it all on the Manager earlier this summer. He reports to you. Time to manage the manager.

Up The Gunners.

'Highbury Harold'

Like a blog but not a blog

9/8/2013

 
Welcome to a View From The Clock End; the little part of our website where people from the BSM share their thoughts and opinions on how things are panning out at The Arsenal.

Is it a blog? No... it's sort of like a blog but not a blog. We fully recognise there are fourteen hundred and twenty twelve nine Arsenal blogs out there and this isn't us trying to muscle in. We're not aiming to become part of Uncle Ivan's #BIC (Bloggers Inner Circle) and get invited over to Highbury House for tea and Custard Creams, either. Our noses will be free from the brown stuff and we'll always stick to our mantra of saying it like it is.

So there you have it. If you'd like to discuss anything we write here feel free to leave a comment, give us a shout through the usual Twitter profiles, or use the Contact Us page of this website.

Up The Gunners.

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    Note that articles on this section of the website are the opinions of individuals and may not represent the view of the BSM as a whole. For official group announcements, visit the News page on this website.
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