Tag Archive for North London Is Red

Forgo Sanogo, Summer’s A No Go

May 18, 2013 Arsenal 28 comments

Say that title five times really fast. Social media exploded yesterday with the news that Arsenal are close to signing Yaya Sanogo from Auxerre on a free transfer. In true Arsenal style we are set to sign a relatively unknown player from France and in true Arsenal style a section of supporters have blown a gasket over what they perceive to be a poor signing.

This summer promised to be a close season of quality, big name signings so I could understand the reaction to this news if it was August, as the last time we commented on a player joining before the season had ended it was Podolski and his reputation was/is huge, but it’s not, it’s May. An argument can be put together that Arsenal’s squad, based on February onwards’ form, doesn’t need enhancing too much but I’m not going to make that argument.

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Overseas Gooners ARE True Gooners

May 12, 2013 Arsenal 26 comments

Okay, so this is a bit of a cheat post. It’s a reworking of an old post but the point remains as valid as ever. There has been a bit of a hoo-hah online today with people arguing the toss about what types of supporters are best etc and some people claiming overseas fans spend all day online slagging off the club and as with the last time it has really wound me up.

Amongst some supporters there is this asinine delusion that certain fans are superior to other fans. These irrational halfwits have come to the conclusion that season ticket holders or native North Londoners are more “Arsenal” than overseas fans and to an extent, non-locals and “armchair” supporters.

I have seen comments such as “foreign football fans buy a few tops and that’s it” bandied about, retweeted and fervently lauded by troglodytic morons, you know the types, the cerebrally challenged ones who hide behind their keyboards and avatars frothing at the mouth, smashing their keys in a near orgasmic state because they’ve found other morons who share their idiotic discriminatory views. Read more

Arsène Arsenal’s Greatest Ever Manager?

May 11, 2013 Arsenal 5 comments

Many things got me thinking about what makes someone worthy of the title “the greatest ever” and I guess there is some irony that I had this post all planned out in my head days before Sir Alex Ferguson announced his retirement.

I don’t want to dwell on his retirement and I know quite a few readers will be offended by my use of Sir as most of us prefer Slur Ferguson or just plain good old Rednose however I think it would be foolish not to recognise his achievements and respect him for what he is because had things been different and the Arsenal board willing to wait until after the World Cup in Mexico Ferguson may well have been our manager for the past 27 years and I’m sure very few would complain if we’d had their level of sustained success.

Ferguson is already hailed as the greatest ever manager in premier league history and will probably remain so and may even be hailed as the greatest ever manager in English football history and it is this word “great” that got me thinking. Read more

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

What Dropped Points Will Cost Arsenal?

May 5, 2013 Arsenal 31 comments

Let me start by saying that I am not the sort of person to scapegoat a player; that’s not my style. I have strong opinions on players sure, but I wouldn’t ever pick out one player and blame them for an entire season. A game maybe, if it’s warranted, but never a season.

Gervinho for example. I have very strong opinions on him. I think he has amazing talent but awful execution of said talent. He could be something special but more often than not he is something distinctly average at best. This is an opinion some share and some don’t and the cause of many heated debates.

Ramsey is another. I hate the way people scapegoat him and have also had many heated debates defending the lad and have lost count of the amount of blogs I’ve written in his defence, and Theo’s, and Per’s and Giroud’s. All players the boo-boys hop to and from to blame our season/s on.

Sagna’s mistake against United is pretty much the reason for this blog today. Some will call me a hypocrite and say I am scapegoating him, in fact many have already, but from my perspective I don’t think I am. I’m not blaming him for the season although I do apportion more blame on his shoulders for the United result than I do the rest of the team. Harsh? Maybe. Justified? Also maybe. Grossly unfair? No.

Needless penalty to concede

Needless penalty to concede

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