Featured: That was the Week that Was (5-9 2024)

[tlw content]

 

Monday Feb 5:

 

Lots of talk about the Arsenal celebrations and loads of people are completely missing the point. “They’ve won, why shouldn’t they celebrate”. Oh fuck off. They should celebrate, of course they should. We’d have celebrated too. We celebrate after every win and no-one enjoys a celebration more than Klopp.

 

The problem with Arsenal is the WAY they celebrate, it always just makes me want to die of cringe, and it’s not just me and it’s not just Reds. Everyone takes the piss out of Arsenal and there’s a good reason for it. It just all feels so forced and lame, especially Arteta. That cunt does not have an authentic bone in his body. He’s the anti-Klopp. He’s worse than Sadio when it comes to stealing celebrations too. Little bit of Mourinho running down the line, a touch of the Guardiola’s sideline antics and a big dollop of the Klopp fist pumps. Fuck that guy, he’s just an embarrassing little ex Everton knobhead.

 

It’s not just him though, it’s the players. It’s the Arsenal culture and it has been for years. They haven’t moved on from the “4th placed trophy dressing room selfies” and everything about them just makes me squirm. So yeah, celebrate all you like, but act like you’ve been there before because otherwiseyou look like a lower league club who’s just sprung an FA Cup upset. That Odegard with the cameraman was pure cringe. You know what that was? It was the kind of thing players do when they’re acting daft when they’re doing the lap of honour after they’ve just won a trophy. I could see Sadio or Kostas doing something like that, but not after winning a fucking league game. Fuck off Arsenal you sad cunts, you deserve every bot of ridicule you’re getting and it’s not about being the ‘celebration police’ it’s more about being the ‘cringey bastard police’. I hate the fact that this was what we served up for Klopp’s last game against Arteta.

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[Anubis]

People aren’t angry about Thiago, they’re exasperated and don’t want to hear how he’ll be back to play an invaluable role in the run-in, because the reality is he won’t.

[dave u]

4 hours ago, Anubis said:

People aren’t angry about Thiago, they’re exasperated and don’t want to hear how he’ll be back to play an invaluable role in the run-in, because the reality is he won’t.

 

Some feel that way. I've also seen anger and insults.

[halewood pete]

Enjoyed that dave,agree with everything, especially the blue card nonsense, it would just add another level of uncertainty to decisions 

[Paul]

Agree on that Xabi take, Dave. I think he really could be something very special in management. It’s like everyone thinks he’s good but also just riding a bit of a lucky wave. But when you look in detail at everything he’s done so far it almost defies belief, never mind looking to where he might end up this season: as you say, invincible in a one horse race coming from the relegation places last season and having spent fuck all. The whole thing is built on brilliant coaching, tactical planning and leadership. I think genius may well be right. 

[aws]

Maybe he’s a genius, maybe not.  With most of the other names in the frame, it seems to be a case of “Maybe he might be good, maybe not”. 

[TheSire]

19 hours ago, dave u said:

 

Some feel that way. I've also seen anger and insults.

Yeah I've seen a lot of snide comments where people are being weird and taking it personally, as if players just decide they can't be arsed training or something.

 

Being injured is probably the worst thing that can happen to a player, people don't appreciate how much toll playing at the highest level takes on the body and it seems more common now for players to break down.

[dave u]

17 hours ago, Paul said:

Agree on that Xabi take, Dave. I think he really could be something very special in management. It’s like everyone thinks he’s good but also just riding a bit of a lucky wave. But when you look in detail at everything he’s done so far it almost defies belief, never mind looking to where he might end up this season: as you say, invincible in a one horse race coming from the relegation places last season and having spent fuck all. The whole thing is built on brilliant coaching, tactical planning and leadership. I think genius may well be right. 

 

So I've been trying to think of a good comparison for what he's done and I'm struggling. It's a bit like what Emery has done at Villa last season, if Emery had done that and then this year got himself five points clear at the top, while not losing a game in ANY competitions having sold his star player and had a net spend of about £10m.

 

Emery has done a great job at Villa, so what does that make Alonso's job at Leverkusen then? Borderline miraculous I'd say. 

[Mark M]

A handsome genius to boot.

[Fowlers God]

3 hours ago, Mark M said:

A handsome genius to boot.

 

And Wife. 

[Paul]

7 hours ago, dave u said:

 

So I've been trying to think of a good comparison for what he's done and I'm struggling. It's a bit like what Emery has done at Villa last season, if Emery had done that and then this year got himself five points clear at the top, while not losing a game in ANY competitions having sold his star player and had a net spend of about £10m.

 

Emery has done a great job at Villa, so what does that make Alonso's job at Leverkusen then? Borderline miraculous I'd say. 

Yeah. They’re in the last four of the German cup too where they’re the only top flight representative left. Still going strong in Europe as well. It’s incredible what he’s doing. They’ve also lost players to AFCON and their main man up front is injured. It’s crazy that they’re where they are and is definitely not a fluke. 

[dave u]

7 hours ago, Fowlers God said:

 

And Wife. 

 

Alright Craig Bellamy, settle down.

[King Kenny 86]

The Celebration at Arsenal is an interesting one for me, Same would be at the Emptihad or Bald Trafford...

 

Worth Reflecting.... We revere our Managers, more than the Players really. We value our History, Elisha Scott, Billy Liddell

but this is why managers celebrating in from of the Kop with salutes, adoration or fist pumps.

History.

If you look broadly at our success, winning and runners up, whilst the latter can be heartbreaking, there is always the thrill of the chase in the League and the Cups. If we ignore the one offs and charity games and focus on the "We can win 3 domestic and 1 Europe 4 This season"

Looking at Wins and Runner Ups over the years...

Shanks - 10 in 12 seasons  (once we were in Divn 1 1962/1963 )   

Bob -      17 in 9 Seasons

Joe -       5 in 2 seasons

Kenny  - 9 in 5 full seasons (No European footy) 15 to go for won or close on 9...

 

41 trophies and RU in 28 seasons, 4 different managers.

 

Then the "Dark Days", Hope Springing eternal, these times for many clubs would be their Golden Era

25 years, 7 managers 

9 Wins 8 Runners Up, -  17 Wins close shaves in 25 years, most clubs would love that.

 

Along comes Jurgen

10 in 8 seasons, robbed of many by you know who. Rebuilt our belief...our Bastion of Invincibility.

 

Success for us is winning silverware, but on some of those oh so near ones, still had a great time, great moments (Kiev CL final was one such trip)

 

No other club has had 5 managers that have brought such happiness to us 51 wins or close shaves, finals etc in 36 seasons.

add in our fallow years that's 68 titles, cup finals, runners up chases... in 61 years (my lifetime)

 

NO other club can boast that few managers and that level of success, that is why we cherish all our managers and why the fans and the manager are bonded together. US v the rest.

 

Others imitate which is the sincerest form of Flattery.