The EPL’s Dirty Dozen, 2010
These are the twelve players, managers, or referees who are the dirtiest, most despicable, condemnable people in the Premier League this year, as I saw it.
#12, Tony Pulis
Tony Pulis might seem like a strange choice at first glance but hear me out on this one. This is the guy who allegedly got into a fist fight with one of his players over a Christmas party (James Beattie), who’s team is now allegedly fighting on the training ground, and who manages a player who is a serial leg breaker (Shawcross). Moreover, his entire coaching nous can be summed up with the song “you’ll get a throw in a minute” and his post-match press conferences are basically half an hour of him moaning about everything from the other managers, to the referees, to the press, to the tea lady. As despicable as Sam Allardyce is, Tony Pulis has him in a headlock this year and that’s good enough for the 12th spot.
#11, Steven Pienaar Karl Henry
Have you ever seen this guy play? He’s only 5’3″ or so but he’s an absolute wrecking ball! In the February Merseyside Derby he probably should have been sent off three times but somehow escaped the ire of Martin Atkinson — likely because Martin was otherwise indisposed dealing with all the other argy bargy that was going on.
After several people pointed out what a despicable player Karl Henry was in our meeting with Wolves this year I decided to change Pienaar for Henry. Here’s the video evidence, decide for yourself:
1) Here is where he stamped on Theo Walcott:
2) Here’s the tackle on Rosicky which earned him a red card. Please note the stud marks on Rosicky’s leg…
Indefensible.
#10, Lorik Cana
Not quite top of the disciplinary table, nor even top of the fouls table, still, the Algerian Albanian cum Sunderland destroyer has certainly left his stud marks on the Premier League in his very first season. Interestingly, he’s only gotten 1 red card this season which was actually kind of a harsh call. His two-footed lunge on Eboue in February should have been a straight red but only got a yellow, probably because he was tackling an Arsenal man and as we all know “they don’t like it up em.”
#9, Javier Mascherano
Speaking of the Merseyside Derby, dirty doesn’t quite capture the play of “Monster Mash” in that game nor the season. In that blood and guts Merseyside Derby, Mascherano miraculously escaped a booking, despite the fact that he instigated most of the trouble. He consistently tops the lack of discipline table and has taken the number one spot this year. For that alone, he deserves a shout out and the number 9 spot on the list.
#8, Kevin Cyrill Davies
Kevin Davies, who has led the league in fouls 5 of the last 6 seasons, is back on top this year with a 21 foul lead over his nearest competitor, Tim Cahill. Congratulations Kevin, you’re number 8. Even at what he does best (fouling) he still only manages mid-table mediocrity.
#7, Steven Hunt
Every time, LITERALLY, every time he gets near a goal keeper, he’s a danger to that keeper’s life. Fortune has prevented him from killing anyone this year, but it’s not like he hasn’t tried!
#6, Wayne Rooney
Dirty diving cheat who makes seemingly xenophobic statements about how he doesn’t dive because he’s English, in spite of the long list of evidence that Wayne Rooney is, in fact, a serial diver. Let’s set aside the fact that he dived against Arsenal to win a penalty back in August, that might have been questionable. This dive against Villa, was not:
Rooney La Plongeuse – The funniest movie is here. Find it
Let’s see, Man U is losing, Rooney is frustrated, he gets near the box, he dives like Greg Louganis. Typical. The only thing atypical is that the referee gave him a yellow card. Doesn’t he know that Rooney is an England star who plays for United? No? I’m sure Fergie will have a word with him after. You know, to re-educate him.
#5, Liam Ridgewell
As much as I like to piss and moan about players like Loric Cana, Liam Ridgewell is actually a brutal tackler. Don’t believe me? Here’s just two from this year alone:
1) Takes out the referee and the player and gets none of the ball — note that he also doesn’t get called for a foul and further note that the FA takes no retroactive action against him for this horrific challenge:
2) Same thing as above but this time on Theo Walcott and at least he gets some of the ball. The thing is, this is a red card tackle even though he wins the ball because in order to win the ball he must use excessive force and take the man.
Ridgewell on Walcott, Arsenal V Birmingham, 17th Oct – Funny blooper videos are here
#4, Lee Bowyer
How, exactly, a player like Lee Bowyer has been able to keep playing after his catalog of offenses is one of the miracles of the Premier League. Bowyer has already broken one leg, this season, and I’m sure that when Arsenal come to town McLeish will have a word with him about attending to Cesc Fabregas. I would hope that the FA would have a word with the match official about attending to Lee Bowyer.
7amkickoff.com “Dear English FA, these teams will try to break more Arsenal legs before the year is out .” The only reason he’s one slot above Ridgewell is that he actually broke someone’s leg this season.
#3, Crapenburg
The worst referee in the League, hands down. I’m not saying that he’s on the take or anything, but there has to be something that explains how he watched as Adebayor intentionally stamped on Robin van Persie’s face and didn’t even call a foul. Maybe he’s just got shit for brains?
#2, Emmanuel Adebayor
Enough said.
#1, Ryan Shawcross
Remember him? The c*nt who broke Aaron’s leg with an insane tackle that has no place in professional sports? Yeah, hands down the winner this year. Moreover, Aaron’s is the second leg he’s broken in Shawcross’ despicable career.
End of.
Honorable Mention
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention some of my favorite Fleet Street lickspittles.
The 2010 award for Consistent Wrongitude goes to Tony Cascarino. I mean, this is a guy who in his latest column compared Marouane Chamakh to “a poor man’s Christiano Ronaldo.” Saying that he has “the looks” of Ronaldo and already decrying Chamakh as a player who “goes to ground too easily.” Man, wait till he gets a load of that Rooney video, he’ll surely lay into him!
The 2010 award for Jesus Christ, How Does He Get Paid To Write This Crap goes to Jaime Redknapp for his column “Jamie Redknapp’s weekend watch: Unlucky break for Arsenal but Ryan Shawcross is not to blame.” How the fuck do you use a pun in that situation and not find yourself out of work the next day? You classless asshole.
And finally, the 2010 award for Somehow Managing to Write and Get Paid Despite Not Actually Having a Brain goes to Chris Waddle! Credit where credit is due, he did grow an amazing mullet.
Comments
Tim, Cana’s Albanian, not Algerian. I know it doesn’t make him any less or more despicable, but still
I would add:
John “Two Foot Lunge” Terry
Sam Allerdyce
Top class list, I believe you covered all the main culprits, with the usual suspects in attendance as always. How there is no one on that list from Chelsea or the Spuds is a bit difficult to believe but I don’t know that they could crack this list. Mikel or Ballack maybe? Terry definitely…
jojnny evans deserves a mention for his karate kick takedown on drogba earlier this season
what a joke. Arsenal fan complaining about diving and accusing someone of being a cheat? That is Arsenal football at it’s best. Did you see Risiscky against the Wolves?
Your team is a bunch of fairies that dive and moan all over the field. Other than Bareclona, no one dives more than Arsenal
PS. Ripping Pulis for talking about other managers? Hello? There is not a manager alive that critiques other teams more than Wenger. How many coaches rip him every year for just that? Don’t hear other coaches complaining about Pulis or other managers. Are you that stupid?
Also Fabergass is a sneaky cheap-shot sleazeball
Your impressive use of proper spelling and grammar lends your arguments gravity and your person much in terms of credibility. Knob.
We cannot criticise anyone on this blog for bad grammer as long as the blogger himself insists on using ‘irregardless’. It’s his “thing”.
“Its 7am. Time to right about the Arsenal irregardless the time.”
I mock. That’s my thing.
@Ted,
who let the stoke rugby club monkey out of his cage??
i suppose we faked those seven fractures we picked up this year too.
“cheap-shot sleazeball” ???
Go back to your teenie movies and leave the football discussion to the men. . .
@Ted, Is it half term holidays already ?Go back to school little boy…..wait till your ‘nads have dropped maybe then you may be able to talk any sense.
Only losers gripe about spelling on internet blogs. Since I probably make more money that the 4 tarts that replied, I am hardly concerned with your commentary. Want to post 1099′s dipshits?
In fact, I hit an obvious sore point. You know your team is a bunch of diving wimps. Truth hurts?
PS this is terrible English as well, but who cares. Notice you didn’t point out the capitlization msitakes of others. Why? Cause you are a tool
gravity and your person much in terms of credibility. Knob. – fail
@Ted, Oh Teddy, can you guess what happens now?
Now you get to sit here, jack off into your “1099,” and read while everyone rips you.
You are no longer able to comment on this site.
Buh bye!
@Ted, Not a sore point at all little boy; glad to see how our way of playing attractive football has created such an inferiority complex in you.
The more you bleat about how we are a “bunch of diving wimps” dive, the more you betray your envy.
Oh dear…
Welcome back Ted! Hey everyone, this is the little boy who wanted to compare W-2′s and said he made triple what I make. Remember him? The kid who couldn’t spell, can’t form complete sentences, and yet miraculously makes a billion dollars a year?
I’m happy to have another reader, but I think you should get permission from your mom before coming on here. This is where the big boys have big boy conversations and I’m not sure your mommy would approve of us and our salty language or some of the nudity on the site.
For the others, here’s Karl Henry’s attempt to break Rosicky’s leg. Maybe I should have put him up there instead of Pienaar.
Hmmmm hows the shandy boys
Have you made space in the trophy cabinet for erm nothing?
Wenger is the biggest moaner by a country mile.
And that dirty sulking nasty tw4t Gallas makes your arguments worthless.
See you all next season
Dude, your team is a bunch of ball-wipers, who’s the rent boy then?
Theo Walcott?
you tell me.
patrice evra, john terry and the whole stoke team??
While i agree that shawcross is a dirty thug of a player, i dont think he has broken two peoples legs, if you’re referring to jeffers as the second leg break, that was ruptured ligaments (still a bad injury) but the pro-shawcross lot will pick up on this and start saying “he hasn’t broken two guys legs, you don’t know what you’re talking about blah blah blah”
I’m quoting other sources there, like Sky.
@Tim, ok that’s fair enough (everytime i read an article about shawcross i seem to get visibly angry lol)
Top rant Tim, I’d a been proud of that !
Referee wise I reckon Howard Webb should also be given an honourable mention.
Pulis – you create a poisonous, vile atmosphere around a club and then you’re surprised when the managers starts scrapping with his players and the players repeatedly fight each other and the secrecy/confidence of the dressing room is breached regularly.
I see Stoke as the Hull of next season – all the ingredients are there.
First Phil Orange goes down, next season it’ll be Pulis’ pugilists.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Nick Snowden-Pears and munier cader, Tim. Tim said: New Post:The EPL's Dirty Dozen, 2010 @ http://www.7amkickoff.com/2010/the-epls-dirty-dozen-2010/ [...]
hey tim check this blog. his stuff is always good and a different take always. and really good..
http://legendaire.wordpress.com/2010/04/29/hypocritical-gooners-take-a-bow/
@munawwar, He’s a day late and a dollar short. See my comments 4/28. Hardly inciteful if even I can figure Mourinho out. I would be embarrassed if I played for Inter who tried very hard not to let a football game happen.
Get off the hunt-cech bandwagon. That was an accident. End of.
I’d be willing to let it go but he goes in hard on keepers in every game I’ve ever seen him play in. He nearly took Almunia out this year, it’s his thing.
@Tim, Well i am irish so i know what he’s like! But I think what mourinho did to him after that game, branding him like he did, was tasteless
Fair enough. I tried not to mention the Cech tackle in the article because I was basing it on this year only, hopefully that takes some of the sting out.
Besides it’s not like we’ll ever face Hull and Hunt again.
@Tim, Not so fast. Hunt represents the only “saleable” asset that Hull has they fade to black and may pop back into the EPL.
Diddums didn’t win anything again fairy boys, never mind when the likes of Cesc Fiberglass and Sol Camp-bell bugger off this summer you will replace them with players who are focused on winning not whinging.
Three broken legs blah blah, not enough protection from officals blah blah get over yourselves, what was the response from your footballing purists when Barca were ripping them a new arsehole, kick fuck out of anything that moves, that’s what happens when less gifted players come up against gifted players, it’s called competing it happens every week in sport all over the world.
Arsenole finger is the biggest hypocrit managing in the Premier league, he has assembled a team of diving, cheating, back stabbing surrender monkeys they have achived exactly what they deserved the square route of fuck all, A. Whinger has achived one thing this season he has turned an awfull lot of neutrals against him and his team of losers.
ABA !
Au-revior Girls
You’re joking about trophies, right? When’s the last time you won anything? The Auto Windscreen Shield in 2000? That you would spend the time to come to an Arsenal site and talk shite about us not winning a trophy when your side has never gotten higher that 12th place in the Premier League (much less seriously challenged for ANY trophy) is a sure sign that you have a serious mental health issue. I mean for fuck’s sake, you lot didn’t even win the League Championship when you got promoted. Runners up in the second division? Does your club even have a trophy cabinet? Do they need a place to keep all the runner’s up medals and 12th place finish cups?
You must be absolutely shitting yourselves right now; Rory Delap is 34, your team is fighting themselves, your manager is a mentalist, and your highest profile player is a leg breaking cunt. Relegation next season, followed by administration, relegation, and back to where you belong, the third division. That’s the only thing that explains your childish rant and irrational pointing out that we haven’t won anything in 5 years.
Now now Timothy, calm down you will spill your shandy in a minute, are you english or do you watch the EPL on the television like the rest of the resident yanks on here.
To be honest we have achieved what we set out to again this year survival, what objectives have your pussy’s achieved ?, I suppose at least you will have concluded that you will never be as good as the top European teams. Oh well toddle off to your gooners duvet set and dream of Sol teaching you the art of tackling from behind, I believe he’s know for that particular skill
Shax4England, clearly you are one of the ‘if you aren’t the champions, you’re crap’ brigade, which is ironic given your stance that Stoke have achieved by improving this season.
Take the same approach to judging our season, and you’ll notice that we’ve improved, despite a crippling injury list (yes, that you contributed to).
If you want to spend time slagging off underachieving clubs, go visit a Liverpool site. Remember that the season they have had was the one predicted of us.
Most sensible Gooners are happy with the progress and optimistic about the future.
Of course, you probably aren’t reading this. It’s WAY past your bedtime.
Wenger at press conference today:
“When asked about possible moves over the summer, Wenger admitted that he was looking to strengthen his team and believed that he could possibly make up to “two or three” signings over the summer.
“I will try to do what I want to do as quickly as possible, but it does not only depend on me,” Wenger added.
“Certainly, we will announce one player before the World Cup, but after that we will see.
“I believe in the squad I have and if I can make an addition to the squad – two or three maximum – then we will do it.”"
The one signing he will “certainly” announce before the World Cup = Marouane Chamakh, who we know is already done and signed.
Additions = 2 or 3 maximum? Let’s be cynical and say two, then minus Chamakh = 1 other signing.
Be prepared for a big disappointment everyone who thought he’s remaking the squad with a host of imports. The other signing might be big, but chances not. If Chamakh is free, and he does have a 30 million budget, then maybe we see Joe Hart afterall if he’s prepared to blow all his transfer cash on one big signing.
I’m assuming that means Campbell is staying as he’s not technically new. Does Gallas stay too?
Haha you Arsenal fans really are the biggest twats in football..you say shawcross is a thug for a accidental challenge which only arsenal fans and Mr Bean think was intentional.every single pundit said it was accidental so no surprise there its only your bunch..And also this coming from a team whose “model pro” captain spat at brian horton and flies into tackles studs up almost weekly but goes down like a sniper got him when the ball is taken from him… Ready for a Spurs take over next season?
a) Cesc flies into studs up challenges every week? Find some. Back your claims up. Compare the injuries he’s caused to those of Shawcross. Your players cause each other injury more often that Cesc does.
b) Brian Horton is a liar.
c) Not ‘every pundit’ backed Shawcross. Some of the ex-pros who forget that rules have changed since the 70s did.
d) Congratulations on invalidating your post by claiming Spurs would overtake us. Thanks for the laugh.
e) Did you know the alphabet went this far?
Oh dear… looks like the Oatcake fanzine has managed to send a whole 100 of their readers to my site. I’d link back but I don’t want to be accused of crashing your site.
Anyway, judging by the quality of their comments there and here, no one is under any threat of suddenly being enlightened.
Well you see timmy it goes as we say in the UK, we support our LOCAL team does that mean anything to you, I follow my LOCAL team, the vast majority of people who read and post on the Oatcake are LOCAL, that means we live in the LOCAL area.
What is your local Soccer team ? and do you care to enlighten us on how many trophies they have won, is that what floats your yankee boat trophies!, if so try switching your alligencies to Man Poo, they win loads unlike Arsenil that’s a tip by the way if you must be a gloryhunter hunt a team that get’s glory. Hope that helps.
Toodle Pip Old Chap
@Tim, Come back when you got a valid point mate and not sticking to things you hear from your pals and what you see while looking on the net..You obviously get to home matches alot dont you? look closer to your “supported” club for thugs mate..Better get the pitch ready at the brit next season so your players faces can get used to the surface they spend so much time on
LOL
I know Tim doesn’t need anyone to stick up for him, but he’s been to more Arsenal games that plenty of fans (of various clubs) that I know of. Doesn’t travelling that far to see the games say something?
Fulham 2-1 Hamburg. A mid table team that is simply playing great football. Time still left but I’m happy for Fulham if they hang on to win.
Inexcusable for Hamburg to fire their coach before this game and put their fate in a rookies’ hands.
Tony Pus. His assistant Peter Reid may have a “monkey’s heed,” but it’s Pulis who truly defies the theory of evolution.
Steven Hunt. I think that last name was misspelled.
Wooney. Retires the cup.
How does that song go? Oh yeah: “Hey… Lee Bowyer! I wanna know… why you’re not in jail!”
I don’t want to minimize what Shawcross did, especially since it came AFTER what Adebayor did, and what Adebayor did didn’t cause anybody to miss any games. But if you’re going for a body of work (and this may be the only time I ever use the words “work” and “Adebayor” in the same sentence), a full year, May ’09 to May ’10, I think Adebayor has to be Number 1 on this list.
Yet again some fat american whop knows F*** all about Football in the Premier league not Soccer in the EPL talks a load of Bull.
If You want to see some obnoxious Dirty players look no further than you own team including a manager in ARSEHOLE WANKER who does not see fouls by his own players but uses his failing hindsight to blame any opponent.
Sod off and stick to Your own side of the atlantic
@nev, There goes the neighborhood.
Please tell Sky not to sully the airwaves with that soccer nonsense and maybe we won’t feel the need to offer opinions since we have that right in America.
In light of the World Cup you might want to check your provincial attitude into some other blog.
I’m going to take a wild guess and say you support either Liverpool or Man U. I enjoy your pain. If neither one of those are your clubs then you must support a club that is ‘beneath’ us
Was Gordon Brown talking about you yesterday?
@ctpa, If you fail to comprehend the subtle sarcasm I’ve directed at you then you definitely are out of your depth on this blog and are directed to find solace on a S*#*s site.
Let’s summarize:
Homophobia
Racism
Xenophobia
Small minded provincialism
Having just discovered electricity they are all huddled around one computer high-fiving each other after each “quip.”
“HA HA Laar make joke!”
“Atook turn, now I make joke I make Arsenal sound like Arsehole!”
“ATOOK GENIOUS, PAINT JOKE ON CAVE WALL TO REMEMBER FOREVER! PUT NEXT TO PULIS GAME PLAN… ‘THROW BALL.’”
Wow, it seems there are a lot of idiotic posts from stoke fans on this ARSENAL post, i’m guessing they’re just pissed off that they got spanked 7-0 at the weekend, without even showing an ounce of the “resilient, honest, hard working team ethic” that apparently is exclusive to small, lower table teams
@cesc08, They’ve just learned how to use the internet.
@Tim, LMAO
Did everyone watch the Fulham vs Hamburg game?
Glorious football from a Roy Hogson’s team.
I am glad that at least one London team is fighting in an European final, with Liverpool falling at the last hurdle….
A team who lost two goals to a man named Forlan is not worth in the final, while an old Liverpool warhorse Danny Murphy can be in a final…
You Arse fans really are stupid
Shawcross HAS NOT broken two legs, there was a 50/50 challenge where the counter-part came out with ligament damage in his ankle, and guess what? He got on with it and admitted it’s one of those things.
As for ‘That tackle” having no place in the English game is just your typical Arsenal brain-washed minds who believe that a 50/50 challenge should be ruled out of the game. Now I can tell you of a challenge that should be ruled out of the game, one that makes me feel sick and disgusted with the English game and which went unpunished, 100X worse that the Shawcross tackle, this challenge had INTENT to end a players career. That was the tackle of Cesc Fabregas on Danny Pugh after Pugh had tackled him, just before the final whistle in a game you had already won.
Everyone else outside of Arsenal can see this, as it is though Winger has got you all brain-washed again. As for moaning about Rooney diving? Oh the irony!
And as for an American point of view? Are you joking? You aren’t even going to your clubs games yet you feel you have the right to write this bullshit? Oh dear, you are the people who ruin football, dirty glory-hunting wannabe’s. Go back to watching baseball or something because you Yanks clearly know fuck all about football.
Adebayor (that awful tackle off the pitch), Jeffers and Ramsey. Even as a Stoke fan, do you not think a young defender should be concerned by the litany of players he is injuring?
A 50/50 challenge is great, physical battles are great. Too many pundits take Wenger’s (actually quite restrained) comments about unacceptable tackles and twist them as if he was saying no tackles should be allowed. And then people like you lap it up.
Wenger has said time and time again that he enjoys the physical aspect of the game. But of course you won’t have heard that – you don’t take the time to actually research what you’re talking about before mouthing off on blogs. You will only have seen the carefully edited snippets.
Not everything the Sun says is true, y’know.
And Tim goes to club games.
@Pete,
If you’re mentioning Adebayor, do you mind mentioning the disgusting kung fu attack he performed on Shawcross moments previously?
Oh and as for the 7-0 cheap shots, I think you Arse fans should be more concerned that a team with the same aspirations as you who you will surely want to finish above next season have seen us off 4 times out of 4. you have beaten us 3 times out of 5 and only because of a very poor referee did you get your last victory.
@Sam, LMFAO, can you please give some more examples of teams that continually beat you, it gave me a good laugh
http://playfootballthearsenalway.wordpress.com/
The Shawcross “tackle” was not a 50-50. He knew he couldn’t win the ball so he took the man with a scything challenge that might end a promising young footballer’s career. It is an indefenible act of cowardice which if it happened at a Sunday pickup match would have resulted in jail time.
Arseblog is the biggest Arsenal blogger in the world, he’s also an Irishman who only gets over to see a handful of games a year (two this year by my count). I’ve been to at least one game a year since 2006 and got to two this year. I didn’t have the great fortune too be born in England but I’m probably a bigger supporter than many who were. But the bigger point is that the world has changed and football is a global game now with a global audience. If Stoke played good football they too would have a global audience but they don’t and the club is poorer for it. Just watch what happens with Bolton now that Coyle is in charge, they will pick up fans and soon dwarf your side in revenue.
But the larger point remains, football has changed radically in the 10 years I’ve been watching. Small minded provincialism like the Oatcakes are displaying is dead, it’s a global business now. The rules have changed as well and tackles like Shawcross’ have no place in modern football. Deal with it or be relegated to the history books as you seem so resigned to do.
Finally, how many legs has Cesc broken? 0. That’s the difference that you don’t get. It’s one thing to dole out lumps when kicked around the pitch, I do it in my games. It’s a whole different level to scythe down a young player in a disgusting act of violence because you are a no talent thug. I’m not surprised you don’t see the difference.
@Tim, He was split second late on his tackle. Hardly ‘no chance of winning the ball’. It was only due to Ramsey’s speed and awareness that he beat him to it. It’s one of those thing I’m afraid. Good luck to the guy on his recovery.
Interesting to hear people’s views on Gallas’ challenge on Davies while we’re on the subject?
@RipRoaringPotter, Gallas realised he was too late and backed off. Watch the replay, if he had committed fully then Davies would have come out far worse.
That’s the difference between a good, experienced tackler and a young, poor one. Gallas knew he fucked up and pulled out, Shawcross kept going at full force.
@b, While I don’t particulary agree with the bit about Shawcross being a poor tackler, that explanation makes a lot more sense than trying to portray him some blood-thirsty physco who set out to break someone in two.
@RipRoaringPotter, make no mistake, he’s a bloodthirsty psycho.
diddums
Fucking legendary day on 7amkickoff.
I’d suggest Fabregas or Sol Campbell for their reaction after the Shawcross tackle. While a Stoke player (Glenn Whelan)went to Ramsey’s aid and tried to talk to him to keep his mind off the pain, these pair ran away from THEIR man to try and get the ref to produce a red. Truly despicable the pair of them.
@RipRoaringPotter, let’s play some time. I’ll intentionally break your teammate’s leg and we’ll videotape your reaction.
Cunt.
I must admit, Arsenal supporters are certainly experienced when it comes to outlandish behaviour. We should trust there judgement on this one. It wasn’t that long ago when half the Arsenal team were assaulting Ruud Van Nistelroy, in fact Arsenal must be due to have one of the infamous 22 man brawls with United. Arsenal are the epitome of thuggery, but its because of this that they have perfected the art of deceit on the football field, often escaping punishment for such antics. I’m not sure what a Arsenal supporter (one that goes to games) hopes were for this season but i’m pretty sure it wasn’t a trophyless campaign whilst getting knocked out of the FA Cup in the 4th Rd – who did they lose against again?
This type of article would probably not appeared if this season had been a success, I suppose some Arsenal supporters need somebody (or possibly everybody) to blame for their mediocre season.
@Emily,
Hi Emily, just a couple questions:
3rd place is mediocre? What’s 12th place?
Is this 2006? I’m confused because the context of the post is 2010 and you keep mentioning van Nistelrooy, who last played for United in 2006.
A supporter of a 13th place team making fun of one of the most decorated teams in FA history for not winning a trophy is possibly the funniest thing I’ve ever read. And I read Tony Cascarino’s column.
I had to actually look up this alleged “leg breaking” tackle on Pugh by Cesc because I didn’t remember it and what I’ve come to the conclusion is that you Stoke fans are seriously, I mean like in need of medication, fucking delusional.
Seriously.
Get help.
wow. it seems like only recently have these comments been littering this blog. how do you people not notice this is an arsenal blog? of course we are going to say what we want, this isn’t a stroking citi blog fellas. We support our team no matter where we come from.
Bottom line:
Arsenal are pussies and so are their fans
Your next coach should be Greg Looseanus you flopping bunch of fags. I thought Emirates was a swimming pool you guys dive so much
Ok Flailer, or whatever your name is, you are saying your players are braver – where’s the bravery in sliding into someone from behind and late to “Let them know you are there” – it’s not manly, it’s cowardly and snide.
By your argument I suppose you think hitting women or childeen is brave and manly too? Well done, little boy – no toddle off and pull the wings off mosquitos, or from ths sound of your anal obsession perhpas you’d be happier getting a fisting.
I don’t agree with Steven Pienaar being on the list.Yes, he went off the boil in the Merseyside derby, but that’s a derby.They’re supposed to be fierce and tense.He’s a gifted player who gets fouled probably twice more than he fouls others.
Truely an epic flame war I must say.
I must ask the Stoke fans, are Arsenal thugs or pussies? Both accusations have been made and you can’t have it both ways folks.
Seems like it was quite a day here Tim and every comment left by a Pissy Potter proves you hit a raw nerve – if you hadn’t got so close to the truth they wouldn’t be whinging about it so much.
So they come on here to whinge about us whinging -oh the irony !
A truly ludicrous article from someone who clearly leaves what little knowledge of football he has, in the departure lounge over the pond.
Any real football fan and in fact 99% of people in the game accepted that the Shawcross challenge on Ramsey (it wasn’t a tackle as neither player was in control of the ball) was “just one of those things” and that it was an incident that could have left either player injured.
The sad fact is that since the unfortunate injury to Ramsey, both Wenger and many Arsenal fans have showed very little class and have portrayed themselves in a very poor light indeed.
We all know that Wenger is becoming a more desperate man as each trophy-less season passes by and that there seems to be an increasing number of disgruntled Gunners fans which has manifested itself into this “nobody likes us and they keep kicking us, sir” mentality. As if further proof were needed, the stance of Wenger in the light of the Shawcross/Ramsey incident served notice as to just how far he is willing to use an unfortunate accident to manipulate both the referees and media alike.
The reaction to Walcott being tackled by a Burnley player soon after the Stoke game showed that Wenger has instilled an attitude in his players that makes them believe it is wrong for them to be tackled and that they should make as much fuss out of every incident as possible to gain maximum advantage for their team.
I suppose it is each to their own though and if you want football to become a non contact sport then you may soon get your wish as we see an increasing number of players being sent off for laughable offences. What is probably most sad though is just how much football snobbery exists in the top division of English football and particularly at clubs such as Arsenal.
I am delighted to see Stoke City in the Premier League but if there is one thing I miss from the Championship it is the decent, knowledgeable fans that you find at football league clubs. Give me one Blackpool fan over 1,000 Premier League snobs any day of the week.
Loyal, proud and Stoke.
Lame-o – if the article is so “truly ludicrous” why bother replying to at such length and so speciously ?
The fact you need to refute so much of it proves there is a case to answer and deep down you know a lot of home truths have been exposed.
BTW – claay pehavour by your fans at our place last year when ytou attacked an attemoted Pro Wenger porcession beffore the gaem. Just like you knuckleheads to try and start a fight where there wasn’t one. But with a manager like Pulis it’s no surprise his pernicous mendacity oozes down to all areas of the club.
Chary,
Have you ever thought of using English as your first language?
By the way; “Lame-o” that’s class, did you come up with that on your own or did you get your ever so proud mum to help?
Lame-o, I wanted to speak to you in terms you could understand as you clearly know english is not my first language(as you know so much about me, do you think I should go for a wet or a dry shave tomorrow?)
So why are you here, are there not any Stoke Blogs you can go to? This is an Arsenal blog – if you don’t like the views here then don’t complain about it.
I’m here to educate the likes of you.
You obviously have as much trouble with your spelling as you do with understanding football.
We have a Stoke forum which is far more honest than the one-eyed drivel that is written on here, there’s nothing wrong with being biased towards your own club but when views are based around total lies, sites such as this lose what little credibility it had.
As for shaving, obviously a cut-throat razor everyday!
Lame-o , so you say your Stoke forum is honest and not one-eyed but the comments above from your fellow supporters show true objectivity then? How honest are you going to be about your leaks of information from the dressing room – LOL, even your players are fighting amongst themselves on a regular basis. How did you enjoy the 7-0 spanking by the way? Classy performance there.
Yeah, right. How many of them have said nothing but Shawcross did nothing wrong and the fact that at the age of 22 he’s managed a trio of hospitalising injuries must point to him doing something wrong.
Oh, and one of your fellow Pissy potters said how lame(lame as in your name) it was to have a go at someone’s spelling, yet you do the same so as it bothers you so much I proof read this. As I said before, the irony.
As for “educating” on this blog more like moralising and whinging – you are whinging more than those you accuse of it, but that’s what you get from people with an inferiority complex on top of a chip on their shoulder.
We lost at Chelsea, they’re a good team and will probably win the trophy that you are so desperate to get your hands on. I fail to see what that has got to do with any of the arguments on here though, you are beginning to look increasingly desperate (if you could look anymore so after resorting to Lame-o.)
As for chips on shoulders, I think you will find it is your sort who are so chipped up that you feel you can look down your noses at other clubs.
Like I have said, give me one real football fan over any number of you snobs who give football fans a bad name and would prefer the sport to be more like netball (at least you could wear that skirt that you are so keen to try out.)
Not desperate Lame-o, just screwing with you(as you like the american vernacular so much) At least you have the good grace to admit your club is to be looked down on. Maybe there’s hope for you yet !
Wow – Arsenal really like to portray themselves as victims, don’t they?
And what happened to “Winning the league for Ramsey”?
No JT, if you jate us it proves we’re doing something right.
Bring on the hate – so you say no one likes the Arsenal? We don’t care.
@Tim
I’m confused Tim, you replied to me with “you keep mentioning van Nistelrooy” – I mentioned him once? Maybe that hit a raw nerve.
Also you put “A supporter of a 13th place team making fun of one of the most decorated teams in FA history for not winning a trophy is possibly the funniest thing I’ve ever read” – oh dear get a life!! Doesn’t take much to make you giggle does it!
Finishing anywhere above the relegation zone was a success for Stoke this season, even football fans with little knowledge would know this – we have overcome second season syndrome, do I need to explain this concept too? Its good that your happy with the way your season has gone – because it looks like you’ll have to get used to being a feeder club for Man City and finishing the season trophyless.
ou are the perfect Arsenal fan it seems.
Foreign, Thick as fuck, typical whiner. Pussy’ole.
You yanks dont know shit, the “Insane (dude, rad) takle on Ramsey was BLATANTLY 50/50. What does it take to convince you – there are a number of slow motion replays on youtube, I’ll even link you to them personally if you like.
Go drink some root beer, eat some macdonalds, fire your gun, bend Fabregas over, and do whatever other stupid shit you Americans love, I dunno go to the Mall and get yourself a new XXXL baseball jersey.
“Well, to give you some insight into my madness, to give you a uniquely American perspective on Arsenal, to get you an Arsenal scoop, and maybe brighten your day.”
American perspective = bullshit/nonsense
Madness = Only fact on here
Brighten day = Gay
Sam – if it’s so awful on this blog why come here?
however I;m sure the owner of the blog is grateful for the extra hits you’ve given the site – all good stuff, and(especially for you as you like all things american) “Have a nice day” .
Kisses and love !
Sums Arsenal’s season up really – instead of writing a blog celebrating the club’s achievements (because they’ve failed in every single aim) they have to put together this kind of small-minded nonsense blaming everyone but themselves.
7-0, down next year.
What are you a Chelsea fan now? These gloryhunters change their colours (not colors btw) faster than I thought.
Sensitive about that are we? LOL. Now your team morale has gone down the crapper you can expect more of those. At least we’ll only have to play you chumps twice more in the League after this season – life is good.
Not sensitive at all LOL! Chelsea have knocked 7 in against a few teams this season – they are a quality side; you should know how good they are having conceded 5 against them this season without scoring yourselves – inculding an easy 3-0 victory for them at “fortress emirates” – “even bigger LOL”
Glad we’re all laughing together then mate.
We sure are, Arsenal and their Yankee supporters certainly are entertaining
The article is sadly a real indictment of the pitiful lack of knowledge displayed in some parts of America regarding football. Arsenal are one of the biggest culprits when it comes to cheating, whining and throwing tantrums every time a decision goes against them. Arsene Wenger is becoming more deluded and desperate as each year passes. I am sure it has nothing to do with his lack of success or the lack of trophies in the Arsenal trophy cabinet since the move to the Emirates.
The Shawcross incident was merely an accidental, very few people have concluded otherwise including the vast majority of professional players. Surely they would know whether a tackle was intentional or not. Those who disagree strangely all have some affiliation with Arsenal football club, wonder why that would be. Football is a mans game it should be played as such.
If we wish to discuss thuggish behaviour then shall we discuss Mr Wenger’s disciplinary record as manager of the Gunners, hardly makes good reading when throwing mud around does it. It seems in Mr Wenger’s warped mind a tackle is only ridiculous if it results in a career threatening injury, the fact his players have committed far worse tackles over the years and been lucky that no serious damage accrued from them doesn’t make them any less thuggish.
Some of the most unsavoury incidents in football over the last decade have involved Mr Wenger and his players, strange how he ignores these incidents when treating us to yet more verbal diorama on just about everything in football. Arsene we don’t give a damn what you think about anything, please do us all a favour and retire with what little semblance of reasoned thinking you have left you have become an embarrassment to football and every rant becomes more and more like an Ayatollah whipping up the masses in hysterical tones denouncing the decay of the west and its decadent society. It may sound good to the converted but for the rest of the world it just sounds like more desperate posturing in defence of the indefensible.
Still here Ted, unlocked the parental controls from mummys PC have we?
Notice how not even one of the Stoke fans who commented here could avoid getting xenophobic. As far as I’m concerned the moment you go into “Damn Yanks” mode you’ve lost not just the argument but any respect as a person.
Typically, shamefully English attitude that often embarrases me (as an Englishman of sorts) and betrays their narrow colonial thinking. It also shows that they have no real argument to make and just want to hurl insults so they can feel a little more manly (or womanly!).
“Its one of those things” some people have the guts to say this after a young mans leg is snapped in two. I challenge anyone to tell me that they’d still think that if it was their own leg that had been broken. Hypocrites.
Please please please stop trying to defend the indefensible. Its giving Brits a bad name and even if you support Stoke you are still British and should at least care about that, right?
Tony Pulis is surely next season’s Phil Brown.
Exactly Mikey, the sum total of their argumants is “I’m english so my opinion on football is gospel.”
Mikey,
It was “just one of those things” and it will happen again like it or not. I would like to think if it happened to one of our players we wouldn’t get so precious about it though. People get injured at work everday but they will not be paid thousands of pounds every week as they recover from their injury.
The Ramsey incident was a terrible accident but the last time I checked, nobody actually died.
It was your dumb manger who got so precious about the effect the incident would have on poor little Ryan. Did he cry..ahh, the poor little mite, there there.
Funny how these folks living over in Britain presumably, with its rich colonialist history of empire building, now get pissed off that people from the outside start invading their territory. I can only imagine what it’d be like if Kroenke takes over the team.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZQLEUj7LRU
Sweet and innocent Arsenal eh? B*ll*cks!
Make your mind you dumb ass Pissy Potter – are we thugs or pansies?
both
Jamo,
Being paid thousands of pounds a week will not reduce the pain he has to go through or the recovery time one bit.
Speaking of being precious, check out Pulis’ reaction to Wenger saying that the tackle was unacceptable. If it only takes a few words to rile him up this badly (he has not been able to stop talking about Wenger since) imagine what a broken leg would do.
That’s so true Mikey, Pulis acts like the psychotic ex who’s been dumped and then won’t stop going on about you.
Definite bunny bolier material there.
always has the good grace to shake an opponents hand after a game