Stoke Vs Arsenal | Premiership 27/02/2010

[CynicalGooner]

Each to their own. I enjoy listening to the opinions of other fans. it keeps me a bit grounded and anyhow it's nice to hear a different side to it now and then. I would also suggest that not *most* other fans are scum. Being in the North there are a lot of united fans around here - city too... and we have a good banter, of course I get a bit of stick being the only gooner! But overall they've never said that Arsenal cheat for example. And any time they have pulled up an Arsenal player for something, they've generally been right about it. By the same token they listen to my opinion of issues with their teams as well.

Maybe I just know more civilised people than you?

I doubt it. We probably just have a different idea of what makes a civilised person and what consitutes good honest football discussion.

Also I'm amazed you've never heard us branded cheats from such fans, we gotta listen to the song every away game. It's one of the most shortsighted and hypocritical 'known facts' in the game

[Galls]

Of course I hear them singing it and it annoys the crap out of me too. But they sing other things to other opposition fans and I'm damn sure there are some choice things sung at them by Arsenal fans as well We're not angels. it's all part of the experience and it doesn't make them scum. It just becomes a group mentality.
I'm not talking about the match day experience,It's not about what goes on on the terraces. That is in a reality of it's own I'm talking about your actual discussion with an opposition fan. I have colleagues and friends who I know for a fact rate Arsenal amongst their least favourite teams - in fact I was talking to one of them today - never in the 12 years I;ve known him has he ever said that Arsenal cheat. I know he doesn't like them, he knows I dislike his team more than anything (he's a united fan) yet we are still able to hold a 'good honest football discussion' .

[Leody]

I don't understand why you're even worried about Cesc. He has a very average number of yellow cards every year for a midfield player in the EPL. If not low. And he's only ever had 1 red card in his career with like 300 games played.

It isn't like he lashes out often at all. And after what happened to him personally yesterday and what happened to Aaron... If i were him I would have broken that prick coaches nose when he opened his mouth.

If he didn't foul people from time to time people would be calling him soft and a pushover...

Can't please them all I guess.

[CynicalGooner]

Of course I hear them singing it and it annoys the crap out of me too. But they sing other things to other opposition fans and I'm damn sure there are some choice things sung at them by Arsenal fans as well We're not angels. it's all part of the experience and it doesn't make them scum. It just becomes a group mentality.
I'm not talking about the match day experience,It's not about what goes on on the terraces. That is in a reality of it's own I'm talking about your actual discussion with an opposition fan. I have colleagues and friends who I know for a fact rate Arsenal amongst their least favourite teams - in fact I was talking to one of them today - never in the 12 years I;ve known him has he ever said that Arsenal cheat. I know he doesn't like them, he knows I dislike his team more than anything (he's a united fan) yet we are still able to hold a 'good honest football discussion' .

You're probably in the minority. I reckon most people on this forum have at some stage had to defend against the 'Arsenal are cheats' bullshit

Oh for sure it's all part of the game, just as every away fan in the country relishes in informing the resident home fans that their support is shit, and just as our fans relish in proclaiming United are all glory hunters and Chelsea as having no history. But the cheat thing hits a nerve because we are one of the most cheated against (and I think THE most fouled) teams in the english game

[Galls]

It does seem a bit ironic (to put it mildly!) when we're always right near the top of the Fair Play league, doesn't it!

[Gunner Down Under]

Er, they're some, other bad teams you know?

[StLGooner]

I haven't said I don't understand why Cesc behaves like he does, and yes he does a good job of containing himself. However he still needs to lose this petulent streak. No-one will care whether he was provoked or not when they are showing him a red card for reacting badly. He is the captain, he has to be above such things. Vieira is only remembered by us as being a legend, everyone else remembers him as a thug who got sent off a million times.

Cesc is one of my favourite players. i enjoy watching him very much. i don't want him to be remembered for having a temper I want him to be remembered as being the best. There are ways and means of getting your own back on players who are consistently fouling you, or reacting to situations that annoy you. He's just got to find a way of doing it... *legally*. I probably haven't explained myself very well lol

I get what you're saying and I agree, he does do some childish things sometimes, but I don't blame him at all, nor am I worried about it. He's still young and on those occasions he's just showing his age. If I was in his position with my temper, I would've been kicked out football a long time ago, so for him not to be, I applaud him. You have to show a little toughness and grit as a player, and there is a fine line between being dirty and just being tough and playing hard, and Cesc is still learning that part I think. He's an emotional player, and I personally like that about him.

[Myrmedus]

On the topic of Cesc's reaction I actually think it's good from a winning mentality point of view. If a player is so well behaved they're often like a wet paper towel, getting pissed off like that shows a steel that our team has lacked for a very long time. Not to mention: doesn't he have history with Pulis? Both Fab and Pulis were as bad as each other in my eyes, in fact Pulis was worse because he's meant to be 20 or 30 years older?

Wishing Ramsey a speedy recovery, was especially sad in that game in particular as he was flying.