11Gunners: The Unofficial Arsenal FC Blog and News » White Hart Lane

Time To Pluck The ‘White Lillies’!?

GuestGooner — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 10:18:04 +0000

The North London Derby

The part of the season where nerves begin to kick-in, is here. An important last 5 games lie in store for us, starting with a tricky local derby against Tottenham Hotspur.

With our last game coming in a 4-1 defeat against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League, the team’s stamina could’ve been low, the team could’ve lost all belief, however.. we had a free weekend. Allowing Wenger to get to grips with the team a little more, show them what needs to be done to continue the push for the Barclays Premier League against local rivals, ‘Spurs. ‘Spurs’ve been flying through their fixtures, thick & fast. Games against Portsmouth, Sunderland & Portsmouth again, have left Redknapp re-shuffling the back four and midfield, in order for them to be ready for the derby.

Ross, a passionate Arsenal fan from England, takes time out & previews the game for 11G. You can follow him on Twitter as well!

Gooners should approach the local derby, confident, yet aware of the attacking presence ‘Spurs present. The confidence comes from the recent form of Theo Walcott & fine goal-scoring form of Nicklas Bendtner, who seem to be finding the net at-will. However, Arsenal must be aware of the form of Hotspurs’ front-two. Pavyluchenko continues to give centre-backs’ a hard time with Defoe making crafty runs’ behind the CB’s. Old-timer, Sol Campbell, if he were to start, must work on his pace in order to stop the attacking creativity of an inconsistent Tottenham side.

In the last 10 Premier League games against ‘Spurs, Arsenal have won 5 and drew 5. Two memorable victories that spring to mind are a historic, 5-4 victory at White Hart Lane, in late 2004. And a recent, 3-0 victory at The Emirates where Cesc Fabregas stole the show. This time, we’re without Cesc. Relying on the creativity of Nasri & Diaby in the midfield, Rosicky on the left & Campbell at the back doesn’t give many of us Gooners hope, but I see another side of the coin. A thumping, 5-0 victory against FC Porto without our big names proves that when called upon in big games, our second-stringers can produce the goods.

Now to ‘Spurs. It’s more than likely that this Hotspur team will decide the outcome of the Premier League, facing us, Chelsea & Manchester United in the weeks to come. Many people will consider Tottenham to be drained of energy after going to extra-time in their FA Cup semi-final defeat to Portsmouth, I see it differently. Redknapp will be drilling the fact into his players, that 4^th place is all they have left to fight for, pumping more motivation into a derby that doesn’t need pumped up even more.

A win is a necessity for us, in our pursuit for Premiership gold. With United slipping up at home to Blackburn, this is the perfect opportunity to get ourselves back in the mix, and push us into second place. Number 52, Nicklas Bendtner believes that this game is the perfect opportunity to get our season back on track after falling out of the Champions League to favourites Barcelona. He went on record as saying:

“It would mean a lot to us because Tottenham are our main rivals. Beating them at their ground and maybe going second in the League, depending on other results, would be a massive thing for us.”

A massive thing, indeed. The walk/train/bus to White Hart Lane will be a nerve-wrecking trip for us Gooners, but it doesn’t need to be. Confidence from us, will radiate onto the players on the turf. Manuel Almunia will have a huge responsibility on Friday night, as club captain. Ensuring that the players stick to their role, ensuring that the team is motivated through-out the match, and ensuring that we go onto win the game. Whether that be comfortably, or through a lucky last-minute goal, again.

Reports filtering in suggest that Robin might just make it to the squad for tomorrow’s game. What a boost will that be!? Read more on the same here:

RVP Returns To Gun Down The ‘Tiny Totts’!

Here is the team I think Arsene will start at White Hart Lane:

Formation

Go Gunners..

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Note: If any of you want to share your views/opinions on the club from N5 (read: Arsenal!), leave Us a comment at the bottom. We’ll get back right away & be glad to give you a chance. Keep Gunning..

Also Enjoy These:

The Best Anti-Tottenham Jokes: Part 1!

The Best Anti-Tottenham Jokes: Part 2!

The Best Anti-Tottenham Jokes: Part 3!

The Best Anti-Tottenham Jokes: Part 4!

“Not-So-Hot-Spurs”: A Pictorial To Confirm The Same!

11Gunners Exclusive: ‘The North London Derby’(EXPLAINED)

GuestGooner — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:57:58 +0000

Stand Up, Speak Up!

When we talk of the Main ‘London Derby’, it hardly reflects on the status of Barnet and Orient, or QPR or Brentford, it is a much famed passion ‘THE Arsenal’ have when they meet ‘TotenSCUM HotSperms’, not because they are the 2 biggest clubs of the Capital City, how can Spurs be labeled anything other than a joke, in fact other than Arsenal [and recently Chelski] the ONLY other London club to get near the top of the table was QPR Under Frances, when Big Lez Ferdinand was good, Spurs even finished behind them for much of the 80’s / 90’s!!

Barney, a Die-Hard Gooner from London, takes time out to demystify ‘The North London Derby‘ for us. ‘An 11Gunners Exclusive‘. Here we go:

The History runs deep and I will not bore you with all of it – but it goes something like this..

It is often said that Spurs were the FIRST of the 2 to be based in North London, that they were there BEFORE US >> check this out – IT IS A FAT NAUGHTY LIE AND I HAVE PROOF..

“TotenSCUM” were in fact based in .. Wait for it … “MIDDLESEX’!! And they were a MIDDLESEX BASED CLUB until 1950’swhen in fact the geographical / demographic map changed, was re-drawn. And what happened was SPURS B.E.C.A.M.E – Note: BECAME a club situated in North London as some of Middlesex was re-shaped see. Hence the “7 Sisters Area” was previously MIDDLESEX. They are really only called OUR RIVALS as they are the ‘nearest’ to us, but they pose no threat, no competition, they have never won the league since 1961, how is that a threat? LOL!

“A.R.S.E.N.A.L” were of course, founded in 1886, by a group of workers at the Woolwich armaments factory in south London [hence spurs were NOT our rivals as such then] , and the club was first known as “Dial Square”. The name was soon changed to “Royal Arsenal”, though when the club turned professional in 1891 the name changed again to “Woolwich Arsenal”. The prefix was later dropped and the club became “Arsenal Football Club”!!

For 27 Years, ‘THE’ Arsenal (as they were nicknamed, and as you will know, has stuck,) played on various pitches in / around Plumstead in South London, often at the MANOR GROUND.

IMPORTANT FACT FOR ALL GOONERS: It was on November 19^th 1887 when the 2 first met!

ROYAL ARSENAL met Spurs; it was in truth designed just to be a sort of “Friendly” / Kick-a-Round” but lol now looking at that, a friendly, Us n Them, lol!!

It was called off after only 15 minutes due to bad light, ok I’ll be honest also Spurs were winning 1 – 0 of course this would NOT have continued and they only ended 1 – 0 up as it finished early, we were just warming up, toying with them..

THE FIRST “REAL” ‘POINTS AT STAKE’ affair between the two was Dec 4^th 1909 and obviously it finished – ‘Sing-a-Long Now, 1 – 0 to the ARSENAL 1- 0’.. HAHAHAHAA..

1913 was probably the most noted year in our history, THE ONLY TIME E.V.E.R we were in fact sent down! Relegated! But it signaled the start of what we know as the REAL ‘Modern’ if you will, History of the best club ever!

Henry Norris invested in Woolwich Arsenal and bought land next to Gillespi Road – Tube Station, and EVEN IN THEM DAYS Spurs Shit Themselves and made a big fuss, complaining, trying to stop a PROPER CLUB moving into the area. And of course being pathetic losers that they are – they even lost that appeal LOL, AND GOD’S GIFT TO FOOTBALL WAS BLESSED AND BORN, ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB =

Just 4 miles from the Scum ‘Up the Road’ and THE TRUE rivalry was born!!

Now as forementioned, Spurs were literally classified as a MIDDLESEX CLUB till 1950’s hence ‘WE – WERE – THERE – FIRST’ in terms of recognized, official geographical history! NONSENSE n LIES that they were a “North London Club” before us – it does not add up!!

They immediately began to learn, rehearse, practice what we call coping skills, learning / acceptance that they are second best!! Inventing many jokes to throw at Arsenal, a sort of way of deflecting the TRUTH! >> D E N I A L!

Without this so-called ‘Humour’, the club would have a break-down, collapse and be taking into care and sectioned under ‘FA Rulings and the Mental Health Act’!!

BANTA between the 2 is literally – Legendary!!

1887 and 1909 apart, in terms of US being North London just 4 miles from ‘Middlesex’ / Totenham Area, the first game between the 2 was August 22^nd 1914, at White Hate Pain, following our relegation the yr before we were in the 2^nd tier [the championship so to speak] and they were in the Top Tier [damn cheek]. Anyway Gooners GOOD NEWS as we won, wait for it.. 1 – 5!!

A so called LOWER TEAM and we beat them by four!! Scum, they were crap and they knew it!! Again you see, reference the BANTA , their coping skills PMPL

The rest truly is, as they say, History!

OFF the field of play, and on it, we developed and built a good solid team and financially managed well. Our FAN BASE grew, and frankly Spurs didn’t lol..

“THE REAL JOKE IN THIS PART OF THE STORY, IS THAT THEY L.A.U.G.H.E.D AT US FOR BEING IN A LOWER TEAR, WE WENT UP, AND FOREVER AND EVER AMEN – STAYED UP”..

Here’s the funny – THEY SPENT NINETEEN [YES, 19] YEARS O.U.T.S.I.D.E the top flight since we beat them by four that day up till now. 19 years in the lesser league while we remained the C.R.E.A.M and they laughed at us for dropping for only one year!! Now of course, he who laughs last, laughs the loudest, and for the longest, and as we all know, T.H.F.C is THE joke!!

Have you ever looked at someone who for some reason or other, has got themselves totally in a quick sand situation, however much they try – they just fall down again, and in a cruel way, you giggle, find it funny.. This is Spurs in it.. ‘A bunch of complete Wankers who can’t win a Raffle’..

Just consider this for a moment, before even the end of the FIRST World War – we have remained a club ALWAYS on top, even, even Man U dropped once [ in 1974 – 5,] Spurs dropped 19 times, [1976-77 the last time]and Everton in fact [not Liverpool] are second to us, and only us, in that sense, they have remained a top club many decades, Liverpool only got ‘Big’ when PAISLEY [R.I.P] took ‘em up in the late 50’s / early 60’s..

ARSENAL ARE THE BEST, REALLY, AND THIS ACTS AS PROOF..

ACCCEPT NO ALTERNATIVE, NONSENSE THEORY, WE RULE.. THE .. ARSENAL!!

It was not ONLY in the National League we beat them, Ooh No Goners, the first EVER meeting of us – them in the Football Association Cup was in 1949, [obviously] we won by three goals to Nil!! Note: The habit already learned by us to keep the clean sheets!!

In more recent years of course the leagues have been re-named, all seater stadia’s, various rule changes n so on, the game developed so literally, the world cup meant just that, WORLD cup.. But even now, Arsenal are still so far ahead of them, it’s laughable!!

I will not just pen this as I am ‘A Gooner’ it’s the 100% truth and fact, when Spurs begin the league campaign, they truly truly D.R.E.A.M of finishing 4^th.. FOURTH..

In Wenger, it is FACT that E.V.E.R.Y year our aim is to WIN everything.. So it not always happens but we aspire to these heights. We may at some years, finish fourth, but only in trying to finish higher, Spurs finish 5^th, 6^th in trying to finish 4^th do you see.

While we battle with the big boys like Milan, Barcelona, Munich, even dare I say with Man U, the Scum set out to finish ahead of Everton, Man City, Villa, what does this say – honestly it’s a joke how good we are. They struggle to find a manager to stay in the job, even copying us in going foreign, “IN WENGER WE HAD THE F.I.R.S.T Foreign Coach / Manager to W.I.N the Premiership” or even as it once was pre 1992 the old first division.. We set records; we make “Firsts” and others attempt t follow.. We lead – the Scum Follow, this is FACT!!

FACT: Since the birth of the Premiership in 1992. They have Won Only TWO League Cups, again like the thing with them finished 6^th wishing to be 4^th, we are different planet, we treat this cup as a TRAINING EXERCISE for players not yet good enough for our proper first team, and maybe play 3 fringe squad players to act as captains if you will, they do there upmost to WIN this cup every year, and in 17 – 18 years win it twice, PATHETIC ISN’T IT??

Hmmm Lets think so in these 1992 -2009 era we have won

PREMIER CHAMPS IN WENGERS FIRST FULL SEASON after we finished 3^rd in his first [not full] year. Here’s the record..

1993 we won League and FA Cup under Graham.

1993/94 – Win the European Cup Winners’ Cup

1977 – 1998FA CUP [Newcastle @ ‘Old’ Wembley] –+TITLE = D.O.U.B.L.E

[Overmars @ Old Trafford cutting’ in n scoring!! [Among top top key, critical, “Title deciding” goals of the Prem Era, YouTube this up, a brill goal]

2001 – 2002 A.N.O.T.H.E.R D.O.U.B.L.E [Chelsea Defeated In Cardiff FA CUP Final]

FA CUP WINNERS [V Saints] in 2003 Again At Cardiff.

2003 – 4 INVINCIBLES .. Sound’s Great, Does it Not!!

FA CUP IN 1995 v Man U [Vieira Last Kick Of A Ball = WINNING PENALTY]

** 2005 – 6 We got where many others only DREAM… 17 – y e s s.e.v.e.n.t.e.e.n minutes from beating the Spanish Side Barca, and the rest (we all know but at least it’s top top experience for us as a club, again Spurs applying these coping skills to reduce the pain / tears they were in, laughing at us for not winning, how awful it must be for them to watch us be THAT good..

GRAHAM = 2 TROPHIES [not including the 2 titles he won us, I mean SINCE birth of Prem]

FOUR FA CUPS, THREE TITLES under Mr. Wenger

Hmmm .. Where’s my calculator .. hmm

N I N E trophies in all… what they have up the road, TWO Pissy Cups !!!!!

“They are Shit – They know it – They can rot in Hell..”

Up The Gooners..

11Moments- ‘Double’ The Fun: ‘71(Part 5)

TheGooner — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:28:33 +0000

The Distinguished Men

I can barely imagine what it would have felt like to be an Arsenal fan in the year 1969. 12th position in First Division, knocked out in FA Cup 3rd round replay, trophy-less for a long 17 years, despairing times those must have been. The 1970-71 Season didn’t exactly start well either. Early in the Season, the Gunners got hammered 5-0 by Stoke. What happened next, was a fairy tale and 11Gunners relives the story..

Once upon a time, there was a group of individuals whom everybody knew to have talent but they lacked the Silverware backing through which they could prove themselves. People had their doubts whether this team could make it big and the apprehensions were at their peak when Stoke thrashed us on a fateful 26th September, 1970. That defeat instead turned out to be the blessing in disguise. The boys stepped up a gear and took English football by storm.

14 games without defeat in which they had drawn only 3 saw them make headway into a 3 pronged Title race – Leeds being the clear favorites, Liverpool and Arsenal close on their heels. But this story has its share of twists and turns. The Arsenal team was one which didn’t boast of any renowned star but a group of diligent players who complemented each other to good effect. Their attitude was their hallmark and captain Frank McLintock was a symbol of that positive energy which a team needs.

“Now is the time for you to be really ambitious and to aim for the success which may never be possible for you as players again in your lifetimes.”

These were the words of inspiration from the Captain when Arsenal looked in an ominous mood but overhauling Leeds was something nobody expected frankly. An FA Cup semifinal victory over Stoke and the captain gladly announced:-

“We are going for the Double”

The climax is what makes the story special. Picture this – Last day of the Season, victory and our names enter the Histroy books, defeat and Leeds take away all the Glory, and where do we tarvel – only a few kilometers away to a place called White Hart Lane, a place where we ahve received so much “Love and Affection” over the years. Their intentions were clarified by their captain:-

“Arsenal have got as much chance of being handed the title by Spurs as I have of being given the Crown Jewels.”

I do not know if he was actually given the crown jewels but Arsenal did their bit in this one and they had to wait a long 88 minutes to do that. It was nothing comapred to the 17 year wait, was it, and thumbs up to this romanticism we call “Football”. Nightmarish for the Spurs fans, and since then to this day they have been destined to play second fiddle to us!

We became only the second team of the Century to complete a Double and altough the feat was repeated a number of times by a number of clubs including the Wenger-grown Arsenal but that feat in 1970-71 was by all means special.

May the Glory days come back, Waiting..

This high flying group of Gunners weren’t close to being satisfied. Liverpool stood between us and History as we squared up against them on a hot may afternoon at Wembley. The weather got the better of the two teams who failed to find breakthrough in normal time. 2 minutes into Extra Time, Liverpool struck and the dream became a distant blur. I wasn’t talking about attitude for no reason earlier. We rallied back to equalise and then the master Charlie George clinched it with a thunderous shot from 20 yards. Graham celebrating with his arms outstreched is an image I am sure you would have seen plenty of times.

We Were There!