Tag Archive for Barcelona

A Girl Arsène Once Knew

May 9, 2013 Arsenal, Guest Bloggers 5 comments

Today on NLIR I am pleased to introduce a new guest blogger Dalitso Njolinjo (@chocoteddybear) . Dalitso is usually a film blogger but has decided to write for NLIR about his true love, Arsenal. Take it away Chocolate Teddy Bear…..

So, I have a friend (she’s more than a friend, she’s a lot like family) and she’s a stunner. Everybody thinks so. Awhile back she was the talk of the town, but then she got together with this Mediterranean looking bloke and to be fair, they were good together – but truth be told, she let herself go.

She used to be with this French-African bloke. I’ve always wondered what happened to him.

Anyway, she and her man were together for a good while. Always smiling and holding hands. I was happy because she was happy. Her family loved him, so did the rest of her close friends and almost 3 years ago things went sour.

It turned out that this fella was still in love with his old Mrs from his hometown. He always carried a torch for her. When my friend first caught a whiff of this old girlfriend poking around, she asked him if there was anything going on and he denied it. She believed him. I believed him. There was no reason to suspect otherwise. Read more

Wenger Still Has Fire In His Belly

April 25, 2013 Arsenal, Guest Bloggers 14 comments

On NLIR today I am delighted to welcome Martijn Stolze (@hahostolze) . Martijn is a Dutch history student with a love for Britain and has been a Gooner since 1997. Martijn has written an extremely emotive piece and I’m sure you’re going to love it. Grab a beverage and strap in for an epic ride.Take it away Martijn…..

You can’t blame Arsène Wenger if over the last two or three seasons he has looked glum, burnt out and tired. You can’t blame him if he has felt despondent and absolutely lost. This is a man whose love for Arsenal FC is absolute and unequivocal.  But also a man who has seen his hard work, on one of his finest generations, fail and falter at the last hurdle too many times, and seen the lure of money and glory rip apart the teams he set about to mould in his image. A man who was on par with the greatest manager in PL history when the influx of money set the PL alight. Yet during recent weeks Arsène Wenger seems a man repossessed. The fire in his belly that drove his incessant desire for perfection, for better, for prettier, seems to be roaring at its fullest again. And just when we needed it.

Very few things are as harsh on a person as their position in history. In the last few days the glory of Sir Alex Ferguson has been sung by all those who love him, need to suck up to him or those who respect the man’s achievements. Looking through the Guardian’s review of the titles he won it makes it very obvious that the only man who consistently got close to his all conquering teams was Arsène Wenger. But Arsène Wenger is not a man en vogue today. He is not popular. His legacy isn’t being remembered the way it should. Not even with some of the fans of the club he has helped into one of the biggest and most valuable in footballing history. That has got to sting. I know it stings me. Read more

Arsenal or Ajax tickets – Is it any better on the continent?

March 28, 2013 Arsenal, Premier League 7 comments

I’ve chatted with a few buddies recently about ticket prices and arguing until I’m blue in the face that Arsenal do not have the most expensive tickets in the EPL. The two chaps I spoke with are not Arsenal fans, one is a Liverpool fan and the other is a Bristol Rovers fan (I live in Bristol these days).

The Liverpool fan hasn’t been to an away game for over 10 years and maybe makes it to Anfield about 4 times a year, once for the Merseyside derby and the other times for what we Gooners know as category C fixtures.

The Rovers fan however goes to every home game and 80% of away games with The Gas. He has never been to the Emirates although he has said he would love to but can’t justify the cost especially when him and a few other mates hop around Europe a few times a year catching games in other leagues in countries like Belgium, Czech Republic, Holland, Portugal, Austria and Denmark or any league where you can name at least one “decent” team for less than the price of day in London. Read more

Bayern Are Already Finished and They Don’t Even Know It

March 13, 2013 Arsenal, Guest Bloggers 12 comments

Today I am delighted to welcome, what is a real coup, the most original and talented blogger on the Arsenal blogging scene, @PoznanInMyPants , as a guest blogger to North London Is Red. Paul usually blogs on his site PoznanInMyPants but I’ve managed to kidnap him and force him to write for NLIR under the threat of torture. He’s a bit sadistic so that didn’t work and I had to promise to torture him some more to get him to write for me. Take it away Paul…

Bayern Are Already Fucked and They Don’t Even Know It

I just listened to Arsene’s ArsenalPlayer interview on Bayern…and I think he’s right. Bayern ARE fucked.

We have them right where we want them, those poor bastards.

You know that bit in the movie where the cavalry chase down a group of Indians towards the river so that they trapped for the slaughter. Well that was the 1st leg at the Emirates.

300px-Cavalry_and_Indians

Then as they come over the top of a hill they discover a massive army of Indians lying in wait to slaughter the cavalry. Well, that’s the 2nd leg at the Allianz with the away goals rule lying in wait. Read more

Monreal Is Cause For Renewed Positivity

February 1, 2013 Arsenal 50 comments

The transfer window has slammed shut and Arsenal have managed to sneak in a deal for Peter Crouch lookalike aka Spain international Nacho Monreal to the delight of some supporters. To the chagrin of others it seems that one was not enough and whilst I agree that the team needs further strengthening I have woken today with a renewed positivity.

I feel I have always been good at looking at the positive side of things, especially when it comes to Arsenal, whilst maintaining a reasonable degree of balance. I have never identified with any group or acronym that exist nor will I probably ever. I am an Arsenal supporter and my opinions are my own and not defined by others and I’d like to think the majority of Arsenal supporters would see themselves the same way.

Our newest signing... and a good one to boot

We’ve signed Peter Crouch!

I think we have the makings of a special team. The current squad I think are good enough to make the Champions League spots and good enough to win the FA Cup too but probably a few players away from title winners. The players that will “complete” our squad will hopefully arrive in the summer and I’m quite confident that hopefully is actually certainly.

Arsène said that he almost signed one more player and I wouldn’t want to speculate who but I think it would have been a big money move.

We were close to one more signature, it did not happen because of the desire of the clubs to sell or not sell. It is only linked with that.

Arsène Wenger – 01/02/2013

The signing he did make I feel has really added to our squad despite being told yesterday that Monreal lacking a YouTube video means he is a bad player!! Read more

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