Saturday's Football

[21.05.2016]

Two brilliant cup finals today though

[Mon Dieu4]

Well done Atletico the amount of work they put into that game

[hibsbollah]

Delighted for Atletico.

[Golden Bear]

Great display of sportsmanship by the Barca fans at the end. Well done to them.

[Pretty Boy]

Great day for Atletico. 1st title since 1996 and the 1st team outwith the big 2 in 10 years.

Different class from the Barca fans as well. Someone will be along in a minute to call them soft!

[cabbageandribs1875]

only just realised the FA cup was on stv :doh:

[Aldo]

A face you would never tire of slapping.

You mean punching!!

[Twiglet]

Are Hull deliberately trying to lose this? Some of their decisions in the last 40 mins has been very questionable. They dither on the ball so much that they make it easy for Arsenal to get the ball. Far too static too, they just keep standing there waiting for the ball too.
Some of them seem to forget they're in the FA cup final. Want the ball!

[heretoday]

Hull will win on penalties! Arsenal are out of ideas.

[down-the-slope]

amazing how much Hoof ball Gunners have played in this... Hull have fallen away a lot since Huddlestone not on the ball so much. Looks like Aluko are their best hope on the break if he can get supported.

Gunners - Free kick looking most likely from them

[Billy Whizz]

Hull will win on penalties! Arsenal are out of ideas.

Would be nice, its the day of the underdog

Edit
Spoke too soon

[Twiglet]

Booooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Pretty Boy]

Game over 3-2 Arsenal.

Ramsey.

[emerald green]

All the media luvvies in London support Arsenal and as a result Wenger and his team have had an easy ride from the press. Wenger is very charming and the hacks are cowed by him.

Any other club and he'd have been out on his ear years ago.

What a load of utter garbage. Wenger's record at Arsenal:

League winners 1998, 2002, 2004.

FA Cup winners 1998, 2002, 2003, 2005.

Voted Manager of the year 1998, 2002 & 2004.

Runners up in the above competitions several times too. Seldom out of the top four in the Premiership.

Furthermore, he hasn't had nearly as much money to spend as Man Utd, Chelsea, and now Man City.

Yep, Arsene Wenger is useless.

[SJNB Hibby]

double bugger

[Pretty Boy]

What the hell is the keeper doing there?

Complete rush of blood to the head. Lucky boy.

[Golden Bear]

Ah well - I'm off to the German cup final now on BT Sport 2. It's an exhausting day this!!

Time for a wee dram methinks.

[Nuitdelune]

All the media luvvies in London support Arsenal and as a result Wenger and his team have had an easy ride from the press. Wenger is very charming and the hacks are cowed by him.

Any other club and he'd have been out on his ear years ago.

What a load of utter garbage. Wenger's record at Arsenal:

League winners 1998, 2002, 2004.

FA Cup winners 1998, 2002, 2003, 2005.

Voted Manager of the year 1998, 2002 & 2004.

Runners up in the above competitions several times too. Seldom out of the top four in the Premiership.

Furthermore, he hasn't had nearly as much money to spend as Man Utd, Chelsea, and now Man City.

Yep, Arsene Wenger is useless.

And the media luvvies do not give him an easy time--quite the opposite, they do not like him because he cannot be bothered with them. The media luvvies are just about greetin now that Arsenal are winning

[emerald green]

[QUOTE=emerald green;4014993]

And the media luvvies do not give him an easy time--quite the opposite, they do not like him because he cannot be bothered with them. The media luvvies are just about greetin now that Arsenal are winning

:agree: Agreed mate. Now add another FA cup to the trophies mentioned in my previous post. Winning from 2 nil down too.

[Green&White]

2005 is a loooong time ago.

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[(((Fergus)))]

Arsenal were better team and had three penalties denied

[Golden Bear]

Half time in the German cup.final. It's Bayern 0, Dortmund 0.

[Scouse Hibee]

Arsenal were better team and had three penalties denied


No, none were penalties great refereeing.

[MWHIBBIES]

No, none were penalties great refereeing.Cazorla one was an absolute stonewaller.

[emerald green]

2005 is a loooong time ago.

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A few hours ago isn't that long.

[Scouse Hibee]

Cazorla one was an absolute stonewaller.


No chance, great refereeing and pity we don't see more of it.

[Green&White]

A few hours ago isn't that long.

9 years is tho. For a club that big even longer so.

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[Scouse Hibee]

I said at 2-1 Hull, whoever scores the next goal will win the cup. Not a fan of Arse Wingher but despite being trophy less for nine years you can't really belittle his achievements.

[crash]

Arsenal were better team and had three penalties denied

Correct, Arsenal deserved to win ending an overdue wait for their great football philosophy.Well Done Gunners.

[MWHIBBIES]

No chance, great refereeing and pity we don't see more of it.Opinions, if it was Hibs we'd both be screaming for it :greengrin

[Haymaker]

Nice to see the "specialist in failure" having more trophy wins this season than "The Special One."

[cabbageandribs1875]

Att: 96,973

at the Barca v Atletico game


not a bad wee crowd :) only hertz could top that at the Wonga Arena

[emerald green]

9 years is tho. For a club that big even longer so.

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No it's not. Liverpool (a big club you would agree presumably?) for example, haven't won the title for 25 years. Man City hadn't won squat since goodness knows when until they started buying trophies. Ditto Chelsea. Spurs - what have they won recently? It was only the size of Manchester United, allied to the spending of Chelsea and Man City that prevented Arsenal winning more in the last 9 years or so. I presume you believe Wenger is a poor manager? Knows nothing about the game?

[CallumLaidlaw]

Interesting view of the trophy being lifted http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2OeJve3q5UU

[Pete]

I really can't stand Bayern Munich as I think they've ruined the competitiveness of their league. I wonder what Dortmund player they will pursue this season.

Hope they get gubbed.

[Golden Bear]

Dortmund score - oh no they didn't. Another case for goal-line technology.

[emerald green]

Correct, Arsenal deserved to win ending an overdue wait for their great football philosophy.Well Done Gunners.

:agree: Absolutely correct.

[silverhibee]

No chance, great refereeing and pity we don't see more of it.

Nonsense, poor refereeing, the ref had a howler today.

[Green&White]

No it's not. Liverpool (a big club you would agree presumably?) for example, haven't won the title for 25 years. Man City hadn't won squat since goodness knows when until they started buying trophies. Ditto Chelsea. Spurs - what have they won recently? It was only the size of Manchester United, allied to the spending of Chelsea and Man City that prevented Arsenal winning more in the last 9 years or so. I presume you believe Wenger is a poor manager? Knows nothing about the game?

Nope. How anyone can say he knows nothing about football is ridiculous. But I do think he has outlived his time at arsenal and has only taken them backwards considerably in the past 9 years since the league winning side he had. Don't think anyone can argue with that?. Winning one cup in the past 9 years for a club like arsenal with the resources/players/fan base and dosh they have really isn't good enough. Wigan and Birmingham have won the same in the same time frame. I have no affiliation to any English team and nothing against wenger or arsenal but in my opinion they need a change to take the club forward.

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[MWHIBBIES]

Nope. How anyone can say he knows nothing about football is ridiculous. But I do think he has outlived his time at arsenal and has only taken them backwards considerably in the past 9 years since the league winning side he had. Don't think anyone can argue with that?. Winning one cup in the past 9 years for a club like arsenal with the resources/players/fan base and dosh they have really isn't good enough. Wigan and Birmingham have won the same in the same time frame. I have no affiliation to any English team and nothing against wenger or arsenal but in my opinion they need a change to take the club forward.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using TapatalkThe people that matter strongly disagree.

[lapsedhibee]

Winning one cup in the past 9 years for a club like arsenal with the resources/players/fan base and dosh they have really isn't good enough. Wigan and Birmingham have won the same in the same time frame.

A classic Stevie "Frail" Fail argument.

[BOB MARLEYS DUG]

Bout time Arsenal won a trophy:faf:

[Green&White]

A classic Stevie "Frail" Fail argument.

Easy now. :) Facts are facts

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[Spike Mandela]

Interesting view of the trophy being lifted http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2OeJve3q5UU

Like it. Still preferred it when teams had to go 'up the steps' to collect the trophy.

[Green&White]

The people that matter strongly disagree.

True. Only my outside opinion

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[ekhibee]

Thought it was a great goal that won it, and Arsenal were the better side. The only thing that I thought was wrong was that, with about 5 or so minutes left in the game the coverage showed the engraver putting Arsenal on the trophy, that was a bit cheeky, particularly when Hull had 2 decent chances after that.

[emerald green]

Nope. How anyone can say he knows nothing about football is ridiculous. But I do think he has outlived his time at arsenal and has only taken them backwards considerably in the past 9 years since the league winning side he had. Don't think anyone can argue with that?. Winning one cup in the past 9 years for a club like arsenal with the resources/players/fan base and dosh they have really isn't good enough. Wigan and Birmingham have won the same in the same time frame. I have no affiliation to any English team and nothing against wenger or arsenal but in my opinion they need a change to take the club forward.

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Of course it's ridiculous. We're agreed on that at least. :agree: I set out in my last post why IMO Arsenal have not won a trophy since 2005 (apart from today). I don't think it's Wenger's fault that Man Utd, Chelsea & Man City have basically outspent Arsenal. I think I'm correct in saying that. That's presumably down to the Arsenal board, not Arsene Wenger? Wigan & Birmingham City's one-off flash in the pan trophy wins (however laudable) can in no way be compared to Wenger's achievements. I don't support any English club either. I support Hibs. I just believe Wenger's teams play football the way I like to see it played.

[Sir David Gray]

Att: 96,973

at the Barca v Atletico game


not a bad wee crowd :) only hertz could top that at the Wonga Arena

They could fit more than that into their brand spanking new main stand alone.

What's that?

What do you mean it never got built?

[emerald green]

They could fit more than that into their brand spanking new main stand alone.

What's that?

What do you mean it never got built?

Their pals at the "cooncil" will be along soon enough though no doubt.

[MWHIBBIES]

Bout time Arsenal won a trophy:faf:Bout time Liverpool won the premier league, oh no nvm :faf:

[Mibbes Aye]

Nope. How anyone can say he knows nothing about football is ridiculous. But I do think he has outlived his time at arsenal and has only taken them backwards considerably in the past 9 years since the league winning side he had. Don't think anyone can argue with that?. Winning one cup in the past 9 years for a club like arsenal with the resources/players/fan base and dosh they have really isn't good enough. Wigan and Birmingham have won the same in the same time frame. I have no affiliation to any English team and nothing against wenger or arsenal but in my opinion they need a change to take the club forward.

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I think Wenger has done okay. The club went through a period of real constraint while the new stadium project went through, yet he kept them in the Champions' League year in, year out. Arsenal have never seemed to generate the commercial revenues of their competitors but through prudence and investment, have got to the place where they could spend big on an Ozil, which marks a progression from previous years. Arsenal's dry spell coincided with their shift towards funding the Emirates, but equally importantly the landscape-changing money being pumped into Chelsea and Man City

A bit like Ferguson, Wenger has had several teams during his tenure. Probably the most sublime was the one he developed as the trophies dried up, ironically enough. Yet, looking ahead to next season, I see a team with a resurgent Aaron Ramsey, playing alongside Jack Wilshere and Mesut Ozil who will now know what the EPL is like. They will have Walcott back and Oxlade-Chamberlain. These are all players who are more than capable of starting for any of the top four.

There's a pressing need for one, probably two top-class strikers, it will be critical to replace Sagna and replace him well. Probably a need to ensure there is cover for Arteta as well. All that notwithstanding, Arsenal are in pretty good shape.

Maybe most importantly, they are still playing astonishingly good football. There may have been less trophies in recent years but the various incarnations of Wenger's Arsenal side have been some of the most joyous exhibitions of how simple yet beautiful football can be, when you just pass and move with skill and pace.

I can watch that any day of the week, certainly in preference to the 'anti-mistake' tactics of a Mourinho or the likes.

[Viva_Palmeiras]

I think Wenger has done okay. The club went through a period of real constraint while the new stadium project went through, yet he kept them in the Champions' League year in, year out. Arsenal have never seemed to generate the commercial revenues of their competitors but through prudence and investment, have got to the place where they could spend big on an Ozil, which marks a progression from previous years. Arsenal's dry spell coincided with their shift towards funding the Emirates, but equally importantly the landscape-changing money being pumped into Chelsea and Man City

A bit like Ferguson, Wenger has had several teams during his tenure. Probably the most sublime was the one he developed as the trophies dried up, ironically enough. Yet, looking ahead to next season, I see a team with a resurgent Aaron Ramsey, playing alongside Jack Wilshere and Mesut Ozil who will now know what the EPL is like. They will have Walcott back and Oxlade-Chamberlain. These are all players who are more than capable of starting for any of the top four.

There's a pressing need for one, probably two top-class strikers, it will be critical to replace Sagna and replace him well. Probably a need to ensure there is cover for Arteta as well. All that notwithstanding, Arsenal are in pretty good shape.

Maybe most importantly, they are still playing astonishingly good football. There may have been less trophies in recent years but the various incarnations of Wenger's Arsenal side have been some of the most joyous exhibitions of how simple yet beautiful football can be, when you just pass and move with skill and pace.

I can watch that any day of the week, certainly in preference to the 'anti-mistake' tactics of a Mourinho or the likes.

So are you saying we're like the Arsenal of the North ;)

[Michael]

Very pleased with the outcome of all today's matches.

Wenger's a genius and football won't be the same without him when he retires. Hopefully not for a good few more years.

Atletico have done the impossible.

St. J I'm very happy for. Can we win the Scottish next please?

[Mibbes Aye]

So are you saying we're like the Arsenal of the North ;)

Put it this way, the white sleeves contrasting with the coloured torso on the strips - that's no coincidence :wink: :greengrin

[ekhibee]

I think Wenger has done okay. The club went through a period of real constraint while the new stadium project went through, yet he kept them in the Champions' League year in, year out. Arsenal have never seemed to generate the commercial revenues of their competitors but through prudence and investment, have got to the place where they could spend big on an Ozil, which marks a progression from previous years. Arsenal's dry spell coincided with their shift towards funding the Emirates, but equally importantly the landscape-changing money being pumped into Chelsea and Man City

A bit like Ferguson, Wenger has had several teams during his tenure. Probably the most sublime was the one he developed as the trophies dried up, ironically enough. Yet, looking ahead to next season, I see a team with a resurgent Aaron Ramsey, playing alongside Jack Wilshere and Mesut Ozil who will now know what the EPL is like. They will have Walcott back and Oxlade-Chamberlain. These are all players who are more than capable of starting for any of the top four.

There's a pressing need for one, probably two top-class strikers, it will be critical to replace Sagna and replace him well. Probably a need to ensure there is cover for Arteta as well. All that notwithstanding, Arsenal are in pretty good shape.

Maybe most importantly, they are still playing astonishingly good football. There may have been less trophies in recent years but the various incarnations of Wenger's Arsenal side have been some of the most joyous exhibitions of how simple yet beautiful football can be, when you just pass and move with skill and pace.

I can watch that any day of the week, certainly in preference to the 'anti-mistake' tactics of a Mourinho or the likes.
Good post, I agree with all of it. Arsenal are run quite differently from other 'big' clubs. Arsenal Holdings PLC, the parent company, aren't traded on a public exchange such as FTSE, and shares are tricky and expensive to buy. Not sure what their financial standing is now, but in the season 2009/10 they made a pre-tax profit of over £62 million (excluding player transfers) from a total turnover of £313 million. The mid-price of just 1 share is over £10.2k, and largest major shareholder is the American, Stan Kroenke,who is incredibly wealthy. Generally he doesn't seem to have much to do with the running of Arsenal at all, but is also a major shareholder in Wall-Mart and owns several teams in different sports in the USA. It would seem that Arsenal are, as you say, in a very healthy position financially, and they have over the years produced some great stuff. Players like Walcott, Willshire and Oxlade-Chamberlain are good English players who've come through the youth system as well as the foreign players that they've brought in. Financially they are run very astutely, and instead of the other teams that just build up a bigger and bigger debt, they have room for a lot of growth, both financially and on the park.

[Scouse Hibee]

Nonsense, poor refereeing, the ref had a howler today.


Rubbish, you're that used to watching poor performances from referees that you don't know a good one when you see it :greengrin

[easty]

Good post, I agree with all of it. Arsenal are run quite differently from other 'big' clubs. Arsenal Holdings PLC, the parent company, aren't traded on a public exchange such as FTSE, and shares are tricky and expensive to buy. Not sure what their financial standing is now, but in the season 2009/10 they made a pre-tax profit of over £62 million (excluding player transfers) from a total turnover of £313 million. The mid-price of just 1 share is over £10.2k, and largest major shareholder is the American, Stan Kroenke,who is incredibly wealthy. Generally he doesn't seem to have much to do with the running of Arsenal at all, but is also a major shareholder in Wall-Mart and owns several teams in different sports in the USA. It would seem that Arsenal are, as you say, in a very healthy position financially, and they have over the years produced some great stuff. Players like Walcott, Willshire and Oxlade-Chamberlain are good English players who've come through the youth system as well as the foreign players that they've brought in. Financially they are run very astutely, and instead of the other teams that just build up a bigger and bigger debt, they have room for a lot of growth, both financially and on the park.

Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain came through a youth system.....wasn't Arsenals though.

[Hibby70]

Thought it was a great goal that won it, and Arsenal were the better side. The only thing that I thought was wrong was that, with about 5 or so minutes left in the game the coverage showed the engraver putting Arsenal on the trophy, that was a bit cheeky, particularly when Hull had 2 decent chances after that.
You could see Arsenals name from a previous win and 2014 was being engraved. He hadn't started the winning teams name at that point.

[ekhibee]

You could see Arsenals name from a previous win and 2014 was being engraved. He hadn't started the winning teams name at that point.
It's just that even the commentators said that it was a bit premature, they obviously thought the same as me.

[ekhibee]

Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain came through a youth system.....wasn't Arsenals though.
I stand corrected indeed, both products of Southampton Youth Academy.

[silverhibee]

Rubbish, you're that used to watching poor performances from referees that you don't know a good one when you see it :greengrin


Thomson done better in the Scottish final yesterday. :duck: :greengrin