A Singapore Gooner's Highs & Lows

Oooh To Be A Gooner!

2008-04-06T23:50:00.004+08:00

It was Monday, 17 April 2006 when I started this blog. Didn't know how it was going to pan out but dived head first into it anyway. Since then, I've shared loads of highs and lows with you guys.

Almost two years and about 99,512 hits later, I have decided to put SgGooner to bed. Nope, it ain't a sick joke this time. This is for real, folks.

Been thinking about this for quite sometime. And while there isn't a particular reason for this, I'd like to look at it as 'moving onto another chapter' in the life of SgGooner.

Yup, SgGooner will always be the biggest Gooner in Sin City. Just that he doesn't have to be here to show it. And yup, I'll always be backing the red & white. Because once you're a Gooner, you're a Gooner for life. Let's look forward to a never-ending supply of scenes like this...

So here's to all of you who have been putting up with my shite (some bad shite but mostly good shite, I hope). And while I love the many of you who noisily leave your farts here, I'd also like to give a shout out to all you silent farters out there. You guys know who you are. And a big up to all my guest bloggers - eternally grateful for the colourful colour in here...

I hope all you guys had as much fun as I had from the many hours of maintaining this site. What an amazing journey it has been...

I'm not that sure how I'd like to end this so I guess I'd end this by giving you guys a quote by the most successful manager for the mighty Arsenal.

"Everyone thinks they have the prettiest wife at home." Arsene Wenger (2002)

Yes, everyone would have a good reason for me to go on blogging, but there'll always be a reason, right? If you can't get the drift, you shouldn't be reading this in the first place... Oh, by the way, I do have the prettiest wife at home...

SgGooner loves you all!

Oooh To Be A Gooner!

Draw Specialists

2008-04-06T01:01:00.000+08:00

My guest score announcers are Amelia and Cheryl. They ain't no Arsenal fans but they were the Tiger Beer ambassadors that were taking our orders. Aren't they cute?

Arsenal 1 - 1 Liverpool

If this draw does not confirm we will not win the league, I don't know what else will.

Talk more tomorrow as I've drank quite a bit of the froth.

Hic...

Got a dirty job for someone

2008-04-03T22:39:00.001+08:00

Hey, didn't any one of you enjoy Royston's guest post? Or were you guys still upset about the drawn game against Pool?

I need to say this: even though I'm just as down as many of you, we have to remember this is a two-legged knock out competition. If there are anymore games which we can still afford to draw or lose, it was last night's game. The Gunners are still very much in the competition.

So you guys should cheer up and not walk around with a long face like Avram Grant's.

Besides, last night's performance has improved from the last few games. Won't go into the game anymore because we should not look back but look forward to episode two of the arse-pool trilogy.

But before I do that, I need to say something in defence of Bendtner. A lot of people are giving him stick for blocking Fabregas' goal-bound shot but if you look at the replays properly, Bendtner was already off balance and could do no more to get out of the way when the shot came towards him. I'm quite sure he had no intention to block the shot or even try to back flick the ball into the net, as some had absurdly suggested.

So roll on the home league game against the Scousers.

I doubt we'll be seeing the same sort of game though. Liverpool will most likely make changes to its lineup as they have more or less secured the last Champions League fourth spot. Benitez must definitely view the Champions League as the most important competition now as it's the only chance for silverware for them. So I can't see them being too adventurous and would probably be happy to hold the Gunners to a drab draw.

The question is whether the powderless Gunners could breach a disciplined Pool defence? Hard to see it. Without v.Persie, with Eboue and without Rosicky, I'd be really surprise if the lads can even be capable of Wengerball.

Perhaps it's time for them to play the route one game?

Even if we don't go the direct path, the flank is a way better option. I previously said the Gunners should attack from the flanks and true enough, we scored from a cross, via an Adebayor's header. Don't see why Walcott shouldn't start in front of Eboue and blaze that right flank?

After saying so much about this Saturday's game, guess what? I probably won't be at the Liz for the game. Have this event that will run into the kickoff time. Pity... Pity because Modesto's & Tiger Beer will be holding an event on that night and I won't be there. Yes, there will be Tiger Ambassadors (read: chio Tiger girls).

Since I can't be there for the game, someone has to update me on the scores and help me ~~check out the Tiger girls~~ ensure the event goes well.

So who wants to do the dirty job?

Guest Blogger Wants The Big One - Royston

2008-04-03T00:21:00.000+08:00

Hey, all!! I’m Royston.

SgGooner’s real good at catching people to guest blog when they’re half awake (since I know Allen was a prey). A total of 4 hours of sleep in 3 days, and when I was into my 1st 30 mins of deep sleep, my phone beeped. That’s exactly how I ended up giving my virgin blog to him.

When I was a kid, I followed my dad to the National Stadium to watch most of The Lions’ home games in the Malaysia Cup. I grew into a die-hard fan of our national football team and invited more friends to join my dad and even bought season passes. That’s when I started painting my face red and white and that would be the colours of MY team(s).

As we all know, The Lions then got kicked out in 1994 because they decided that we were too good for them. It was then that I started to look at football outside Singapore. Collected stickers of Premier League teams in my Merlin’s Premier League sticker album and Arsenal was on the 1st page and it’s… RED and WHITE! That has got to be my team, I said to myself, and the journey began. It was then my turn to make my dad watch football with me (though on TV). And now, my dad has been goonerised and records every single Arsenal game on tape.

And he’s not the only 1 that has been goonerised by me.

It was indeed a right choice as the Arsenal brought the trophies right before my eyes.

Now what’s missing?

It’s none other than the Champions League trophy!

Now if I were to have a chance to hope that this trophy will be in Singapore for me to take a picture with, the Gunners will have to win it. And that will very much depend on the showdown in a few hours’ time.

We’ve got a fine record against the Scousers of late, beating them in both domestic cup competitions last season. Pool, on the other hand, is having great form in Europe in recent seasons. But wait. Having great form in Europe means they ARE a strong team in Champions League. Haven’t we beaten the likes of Real Madrid, Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan recently? It’s the smaller clubs that we have difficulty overcoming.

Let’s just end the Scousers’ season in a week.. or they’ll end ours. They’ve revived from the defeat to manure with a derby win, while we came back from the dead. Pretty much on the same boat but we’re in better shape. I’ll hope for a clean sheet and 2 goals, each from Adebayor and Walcott.

Home, home and away against the scousers. Up, up and away, we head to Moscow!

And for my next trick...

2008-04-02T00:06:00.004+08:00

10% Segment

Told some of the guys today that I'll be closing the blog after tonight's post. Shai even called it my 'swansong post'.

Well, I hate to do this but it seems like I had to.

Painful but I hope you enjoyed the lame April Fool's joke...

Only Jin didn't get caught. I think Shai got it the worst... Don't even think he knows it yet. I'm just waiting for him to read this... I also got Siren and she even gave me a genuine reply. Good thing no one gave me a "it's about f**king time!" response. Phew...

But to be fair, I really have been thinking about closing the blog. Not that I don't love the Arsenal any lesser but everyone will one day have an epiphany - the sudden clarity in the space between the ears to realise the essence of a higher state of something.

No, I'm sober.

Seriously, it will happen one day. Could be sooner than I'd like to but till then, SgGooner will keep this haven going for you Gooners.

90% Segment

What else is there to say about tomorrow's game against Pool?

All of us want a nice Arsenal victory. The Scousers want to get an away goal. Both teams just came out of morale boosting victories over the weekend. And both are hyped up for this game.

All points to a cracker of a game...

I just hope the Gunners do the following:

Cut out the supply to Torres.
Use the flanks to feed Bendtner or Adebayor.
Restrict Flamini to a holding role.
Not play a high line in defence.
Play a disciplined game.
Most of all, win the f**king game...

If we take a reasonably comfortable lead tomorrow, Wenger may even have the chance to rest some key players in the return leg in Anfield in view of the league game against ManUre.

The Liz will be open for episode one of the arse-pool trilogy.

Who's joining me?

Gooner In The Real World

2008-04-01T00:30:00.003+08:00

The next game will be on Wednesday night, Thursday morning (2.30am). The next game is a huge Champions League quarter-final match up between Arsenal & Liverpool. The next game will be shown live at the Liz.

The next game is one I'm really looking forward to...

Unfortunately, I realised I'm not able to take leave or take time off on Thursday. This sucks big time... That would mean I won't catch much zZzzzs for Thursday. But I guess it's a small matter compared to what's happening in the real world.

Riots.
Wars.
Hunger.
Slavery.
Increased ERP rates...

The good thing about SgGooner's is that while the world happens and he's all coping with all sorts of life's shite, there's this small spot of haven he's kept for all Gooners.

So what's happening today?

"Of course we would like to win the home game on Wednesday, but 0-0 is never a disappointing result in the first leg. We have seen many times that it puts the other team under huge pressure in the second game because they are in two minds. They don't really know whether to go for it or to sit back and wait - it gives you every chance."

Words from Le Prof.

Is he preparing to deploy the AC Milan tactic?
Is he playing on the minds of Benitez and his team?
Or is he setting a low expectation for the fans?

Frankly, I don't like the sound of this. We should be looking forward to a 2-0 first-leg cushion and not look to a goalless draw. It's way too risky to bring a goalless draw to Anfield.

But then again, this is what I said before the clash against AC Milan.

What do I know? I ain't no football manager. The closest I ever got to be one is by playing Football Manager. But mind you, I won everything there is to win - after setting it to the easiest level.

Anyway, we don't have to worry about us trying to play for a goalless draw. That's not in the DNA of a Gunner. For dull goalless entertainment, try the expen$ive blue $ide of London. I'm quite certain they'll ~~entertain the boredom~~ bore the entertainment out of you.

Yes, there will be goals for this Thursday's match up. How many? Hard to tell... Let's see what tomorrow holds.

There could news on the two teams or there could be news on the cure for stupidity or there could just be boring news on Dr Chee taking another 'walk'.

Let's see what tomorrow holds...

Defence Needs More Defence

2008-03-31T12:22:00.001+08:00

Now that we have calmed down from the wallpaper-over-the-cracks-in-the-wall display by the lads yesterday, I want to ask why has our form gone down so badly in just one month?

Yes, don't look shocked. Our performance in yesterday's win over Bolton wasn't something to be very proud of. Like what Irene said, we were lucky. The only thing that is going for us was the spirit and willingness to keep going till the end.

The first half was atrocious... There was no defence. I was telling a fellow Gooner how we have some of the best defenders in the world - Gallas, Toure, Clichy, ~~Eboue,~~ Sagna, Senderos etc. They could no doubt walk into any first team now but somehow, they have not been able to play collectively.

I'm not sure if it's a confidence thing or if it's a form thing. Perhaps it could be a disruption thing when Toure just walked back into the first team from the ACN even though Senderos was having a good run.

Is it me or is the Gallas-Senderos partnership a more stable one?

Whatever it is, Wenger must work out the chinks quickly. I've not seen the Gunners concede the first goal against the so-called 'smaller teams' so many times and what's worse, the games will be coming thick and fast from now, starting with the next three dates with Pool.

The bright spark for me is that v.Persie has got his first goal since his injury layoff, albeit a penalty. But I'm quite sure that's the first goal he needed.

I'm very hopeful of a really good finish to the season.

Your Sunday Clip

Managed to find this Japanese ad. Quite innovative. I know the customer always come first but how far would you go?

You're my customer. Tell me what you want...

It's about f**king time!

2008-03-30T03:18:00.000+08:00

My guest score announcer is the lovely Adeline. She has been a Gooner since 2000 and her new all-time favourite Gunner is v.Persie. It used to be David Seaman. Well, she's definitely a happy camper at the full time whistle.

Bolton Wanders 2 - 3 Arsenal

Woah... Just received a guest score announcer all the way from Bangkok where Shai & Ah Tiong are spending quality time together. They found this Thai Tiger Beer girl and got her to flash us all the way from the land of smiles... I wonder if they celebrated the amazing win with her?

Bolton Wanders 2 - 3 Arsenal

It's about f**king time!

I've always written about how great a feeling the Gooners get whenever we come from behind and win a game but this was way sweeter than any come from behind victory. Why? Because the lads did it with only 10 men!

And more than that, the lads won despite playing like crap for most of the game. For those who were at the Liz, you'd know I was a total miserable wreck spewing out colourful words every minute. I couldn't, for the life of me, decide which team was fighting the drop. Arsenal couldn't even hold the ball for more than 5 seconds in Bolton's half and the Trotters' really made the Gunners look pathetic.

Then came our first goal from a corner (how often can we say that?). Aptly, it came courtesy from the much-criticised captain who lead the way with a well-taken shot. The Liz came to life when the ball hit the net. I was muted though. In my mind, one goal was not enough. But Steve-o reminded me that the lads had to do it a goal at a time. I remained hopeful...

Then it became 2-2 when v.Persie crashed home a penalty. The screams of joy got louder. I finally punched the air with that goal. At that time, a draw with 10 men would have been a good enough result for me.

But I guess the Gunners knew they owe the fans the long-awaited victory and true enough, it came in the dying minutes of the game when Fabregas' hopeful shot went into the goal off Jlloyd Samuel's leg.

The screams of pure delight at the Liz never sounded so sweet in such a looong time... I hugged Steve-o, Eric, Dixie, Siren, Adeline and some other guys who I have no idea who they were. It's been too long since the Liz saw a victory. At least it came and we now remember what sweet victory tastes like.

A quick shout-out to Mervasaurus who came through for us once again. Not sure how he does it but he did. He's a good sport for being the only ManUre guy there and taking all that piss we dish out...

So that's one victory from the last seven games. Just six more to go. Like what Steve-o says, let's do it one game at a time...

Get In There!!!

Bench Adebayor, Please!

2008-03-29T01:47:00.001+08:00

I think it was three weeks ago when I had a full weekend to enjoy. Going to really rest loads for the next two days because that's what I've been lacking - rest. I especially have to because for the next two weekends, the Saturdays will again be juiced up for work.

There're seven games left to the season and I'm going to start the countdown to seven victories. It's nothing to do with winning the league anymore (43% of you agree with me), but to end the league how we had started - on fire. If we lift the title, it would be a pleasant bonus...

So first of the seven is Bolton Wanderers.

I seriously think it's the wrong time for them to face us. We're going to cream them. Yeah, that's my gut talking and when my gut speaks after some serious 'pang sai-ing', it's accurate.

Sure, Sagna is injured. Sure, even the young Lions can muster more points than the Gunners now. But somehow, I know the lads will do the deed tomorrow against Bolton. And of course it's boosted by the hint that Wenger may bench Adebayor for the game.

"I believe he has given a lot this year and so he would need a little breather, maybe. He has played a lot on his own up front and has had to fight very hard. So at the moment, to refresh him a bit would do him some good."

Bench him PLEASE! At least for one game...

Don't get me wrong. I think Adebayor has given us a load of great returns this year but his form has dipped faster than you can say "he should have kept his hairstyle".

Somehow, Adebayor plays better when he has some uncertainty in his starting place. When he was benched sometime earlier in the season, he came back banging away goals like some savage. The other time he hit form was right after his spat with Bendtner - almost as if he had to prove a point. But when his place in the team looks unchallenged, his form goes into a free-fall.

So I do hope Wenger puts him on the bench for tomorrow's game. His form is so awful now, his first touch is a pass to the opponent...

I want to see if the Bendtner - v.Persie combination could work or not. Quite confident it will. And I think I will put my money where my mouth is - I'll head to the betting window before I head down to the Liz.

Let's see if I'll have free beer or a single coke tomorrow.

COME ON YOU GUNNERS!!!

Guest Blogger Loves It At The Liz - Simon

2008-03-26T23:47:00.000+08:00

8pm, Tuesday. Phone buzzes.
Darling Wife looks at it disdainfully.
Again.
I pick it up anyway, putting the sandwich down.
See the ‘1 new message’ note.
Press to open it.
Swear when I realize the phone’s locked.
Unlock it, access the message.

“You are my next guest blogger.”

F**k.

What a week to have to write something.

Sunday.

Drive to KL to see the F1, banking on Lewis to clean the Ferrari’s clocks. Well, that didn’t quite happen, did it?

Bank on the Arse to do Chelsea later the same day to make my day.

Start to get a sinking feeling when I see Steve Bennett’s Man U beat the Car Thieves.

Or was it that the Scousers self-destructed? Who cares; job done for old Rednose.

Sms to Cheyenne and Ah Tiong, bottling out of going to the Liz in favours of much needed sleep. Sunday slides blissfully unaware into Monday. As do I.

Waking up is like climbing up a deep well with greased sides.

Reach over and turn the phone on after about 6 hits of the snooze.

Flick to f365.com to check the scores.

F*ck fu*k fuc*.

THAT doesn’t makes getting out of bed and going in to work for a Man U and Ferrari supporter any more appealing...

Football has turned into a right dog’s breakfast. The Mighty Arse have turned in a huge 4 point haul from the last possible 15. The Mancs seem to have managed about 853 points from their past few games, and the Blue chavs have also woken up. To the point where John Terry even suggests that referees should not be hounded by players.

What is the world coming too? Will the ST write an article slagging Man U and praising The Arse next? Nah, let’s not push it TOO far...

OK, so how come the bo chap ang moh gets to write for SgGooner’s blog then?

Guess it’s as a result of finally having been able to feel that Singapore really is home... and having fallen in with, as my mum would have said, a right crowd. My life revolves now around what happens HERE... OK, it’s only taken 5 years, split into lots of 3 and 2 years, but it’s finally happened. I have settled... of course, that happens just when my contract gets renewed only until December but hey, this ain’t the movies.
Or a Tony Parsons novel, despite the choppy writing style.
Who cares? If he was asked to work in shipping he’d probably copy my best ideas and ways of doing stuff...

Shame I’m not smart enough to write like Nick Hornby though.

Another reason. Going to the Liz to see games as often as I can has taken over from going to the Home of Football as my preferred way of watching Arsenal.

Yeah, I know I’m lucky to be able to say that, but given how the Emirates can be silent and a bit odd sometimes, (Wet Sham on a bloody cold New Year’s Day being the last time), the banter, the camaraderie, and the NOISE, at the Liz, is actually more fun.

And shedloads cheaper too, if you can believe that.
Still, it’s my thing, so I get to say it. I love it.

It feels like the right place to be to see the games, surrounded by like-minded, sweary, partisan, blinkered, single-minded supposedly intelligent adults all going ape at some bloke we don’t know whacking a sewn-up cowskin into an onion bag.

Well, OK, not so much of that of late but that makes it all the better when it happens, right?

Now if only SKY, who own the fixture list in England could sort their lives out and give us some 3pm Saturday GMT / BST kickoffs, so much the better. This 2am Monday morning finishes of games is not good.
Yeah, I’m old and I need my sleep.
‘Jump on Daddy Time’ comes very early to the baby animals at home the next morning. And it hurts enough without a hangover...

Still, that’s the price to pay for being allowed out to play when I’m old enough to know better. But if I am lucky enough to have found something like the Liz, then it’s best to make the most of it. I don’t think Darling Wife could quite believe the chaos that was the Man U home game, and despite various threats to accompany me again, has so far decided that her sofa, a large TV and iced Bailey’s is better than seeing the father of her kids degenerate into a tearful moron at the latest injustice inflicted by the wanker in the black / Alex Rednose Ferguson / fcuking Spurs / Cashley Hole / (insert your own demon here).
She’s a smart lady, despite having married me...

She let me brainwash the kids into being Arsenal; we agreed that religion could be their choice (we’ll point and laugh at that, whatever they pick) but something as important as football could not be left to chance.

Anyway, I have exhausted my Muse for the evening. Or rather, the Muse CD has ended and now I’m going to bed, but I thought I’d try and sound intelligent and cultured for a bit.
Failed, I guess...

(I can see the point of blogs, almost, writing this – you’re the boss. And editor. If you like it, it goes in. Fantastic! Beats writing presentations, that’s for sure. Not sure I could do it every day though... thanks to SgGooner for giving me the chance to write this crap... and thanks for reading it. Cheers... Simon)

Get up already!

2008-03-26T01:02:00.001+08:00

Wow... Just 24 hours later and there's so much news.

Rumours flying around about how Gallas is slowly losing the dressing room. I was just as shocked to read stuff like that. Check out the articles...

I did not watch any of the recordings on that team talk before the Chel$ki game but from what I've been reading & hearing, it seems the team thinks he's a phoney for talking like that in front of the camera. Apparently, Gallas ain't the man we see on the telly each week.

This Arsenal team will not win things with such Melrose Place drama going round. The team already has its fair share of injuries and dodgy calls from the refs, but having a rift between the captain & the rest of the lads takes the cake.

Whatever happened to the strong belief and high spirits?

Suddenly I feel that the Gunners are crumbling faster than the massive Xerxes' army against King Leonidas' army of 300. Ok, it may be a lame comparison but I reckon we need to find that old goat path quickly before we would even struggle badly against teams like Sunderland & Derby...

At least Le Prof is still positive.

"There are seven games to go. We have to think positive. Maybe if we can win all those seven games then something can happen. We know we cannot afford to lose anymore points now."

My poll is still going on and at last count, more than half of you thinks the Gunners can still win the league. I'm still trying to lift myself up and think the glass is half-full. Not easy...

The only consolation I have is that at least we are much better than where we were a year ago. We're still fighting so honours instead of the 4th spot. So I should better exude more positive vibes to egg on the lads...

Got another guest blogger up next. And I hope it's juicy.

Short Monday Poll

2008-03-24T23:09:00.004+08:00

I thought about a few ways to pen my thoughts about the Gunners' amazing fall from grace in the last two months but I can't seem to frame my thoughts properly.

Yes, it has been a really trying day today.

For those who don't watch the game or can't understand how a result can affect moods & emotions, don't even bother asking. No Gooner will even look at your smug look today, let alone explain how it all works.

Coming back to the Gunners, I can imagine how gutted every Gooner must be. After the final whistle last night, the crowd at the Liz just streamed out like they've just been diagnosed with terminal cancer - no one said a damn thing.

I was just as gutted. Couldn't even blog about the game.

But why has only the second loss in the league for the Gunners (only five in all competitions) affected us fans so badly? Why was this defeat especially painful & made so many of us stare blankly into space?

I can only conclude that the unexpected good form of the Gunners in the early part of the season had set a benchmark for all fans for the rest of the season. The lads were kicking everyone's arse. When expectations are raised, the fans want more and become harder to satisfy.

So we can't be faulted. We saw how good the Gunners can be. We saw the kind of football they are capable of . All of us remember the come back from behind victory at Shite Hard Pain and how we creamed them scum in nicely. We also saw how the lads ran circles round the Champions League title holders. Oh, how they took us to a level of football that was 'from another planet' and we've become junkies to really excellent committed football. And now we have to get that Arsenal adrenaline shot again & again.

So when the Gunners manage only four points out of a possible fifteen, it's like sending an ah beng into space with no Marlboros, techo music or his ah lians. A deprived ah beng is a disappointed ah beng.

I'm totally disappointed...

It's true that the Gunners played well last night but it's not enough. True champions don't drop points against the likes of Wigan, Boro and most of all, disintegrate after taking the lead at $tamford Bridge.

There's no need to ask if the Gunners deserve the title because they don't. But sometimes it's not about whether are we deserving or not. I'd like to question if there's any chance of sneaking the title away from the leaders now?

I know I'm not hopeful anymore but some of you out there might think something could still happen with some big games still around the corner - us needing to play ManUre, while they have still to play Chel$ki.

So who thinks we can still win the league?

Can we snatch it with seven games left? I doubt it. But that's just me. You might just be that positive vibe I need.

Get in there...

Game Over

2008-03-24T03:17:00.000+08:00

My guest score announcer is Ash. She is not an Arsenal fan, nor is she supporting any club. She just chanced upon this game with us.

Chelsea 2 - 1 Arsenal

Is there seriously anything to say?

What Sunday would it be?

2008-03-23T00:31:00.000+08:00

This Sunday has got to be one of the biggest day of the year.

No, I'm not talking about Glam Slam Sunday. I'm talking about Easter Sunday. Because HE has risen... Yes, it's a good thing...

Back to Glam Slam Sunday. Seriously, I can't see us getting anything from $tamford Bridge. Before you the unmentionables spew out in my direction, I am still hopeful that we'll do it. But for that to happen, the lads need divine intervention.

It's true. The Gunners really need any extra help they can get as Chel$ea has not lost in 77 league games at home. Any unbeaten home record like that must certainly be respected.

So if the big guy is listening, any help would certainly be appreciated - a wicked deflection, an own goal, a blind ref, Adebayor finally playing football, an unfortunate groin injury to Ca$hley... Things like that...

And while you're at it, could you also give superhuman strength to the Pool players too? Don't ask for much, a 5-0 win for Pool is enough...

Yeah, it's all a hopeful thing going into Glam Slam Sunday games. It could all be a major orgasmic feeling or it could all go limp miserably at the end of tomorrow. Like I said: any extra help would be much appreciated.

Happy Easter y'all...

On This Day...

2008-03-21T01:56:00.001+08:00

Thursday night, Friday morning...
Finished work, 12 midnight...
Met Siren & Baldman, Wala-Wala...
Three pints, one hour...
Woozy...
Love Mrs Blog. Love the Arsenal. Love Baby Clarah...
In that order...
Read to Baby Clarah yesterday...
Tiring...
Got bitten by Bam Bam...
Ouch...
Working from 8am in the morning...
Tired...
No one's going to read me on Good Friday...
He died for us...
Praise the Lord...
Amen...

Thank you...

Guest Blogger Spent Time Blowing... - Sherwin

2008-03-19T21:28:00.000+08:00

Hi all, my name’s Sherwin and I’ve the honour of guest blogging this week. That’s my girlfriend, Vivien and myself at the Emirates last year for the Emirates Cup. It’s also one of the rare moments where I manage to get her to put on the Arsenal jersey though I’m sure a few more visits to the Liz would change things around a little.

I’ve got no philosophical rants compared to many other guest bloggers so I guess I’m just going to talk about how I started supporting the greatest team in the world.

Sometime between watching Singapore play in the Malaysia cup and taking on old rivals like Selangor, Sarawak and Kedah, I started tuning in to Sunday highlights of English football. The very first game I watched was the 1993 FA cup finals. Then, an already quite legendary Ian Wright scored a goal each in both finals and that was when I started supporting them.

To be honest, after I made the decision to support them, I started to realize they were quite rubbish after all. We seem to be perpetually ending up in 3rd or 4th place and that red jersey with white sleeves never quite sat well with me. Even in 1996, amidst all the rumours of Johann Cruyff being appointed as a replacement of Bruce Rioch, a dorky Frenchman was chosen instead, I thought to myself, “made my choice liao, what to do” so I stuck with it, and thank goodness I did! Ha!

I spent 4 years in UK where I allegedly studied but essentially spent the time blowing (I should be wary of using words like this on SgGooner’s blog) a significant amount of my pittance of a student allowance on traveling to London and catching Arsenal matches. Perhaps the most spectacular one I attended was our come from behind win against Wigan in the last few minutes. Where after Henry scored, he picked the ball up from the net, tussled Chris Kirkland’s hair and sauntered off. I was seated at the block right next to the Wigan fans and having endured their taunts the entire game, it was the best feeling in the world to sing “1 nil and you f**ked it up” to their faces!

My most fond memory of watching Arsenal though, would still be my first ever live game. It was the one and only time I got to watch a game at Highbury. A Carling Cup match against Everton but brimmed with a bunch of players who are all stars today - Van Persie, Cesc, Clichy, Almunia etc.

For a very long time, I thought I was the only crazy arsenal supporter in the world. Most of my friends in school had poor taste and supported the likes of Man U or Liverpool and even then, was not even near as passionate as me about their teams. So for a long time, I really wondered if this was too much of an obsession, that perhaps normal people should just watch their football and learn to take defeats better and celebrate wins less vigorously, or not surf the web so much to learn to sing arsenal songs or buy every issue of the Arsenal magazine.

But that night when I stepped into Highbury, I was like a kid in a candy store. Everyone around me was a fanatic and as cliché as it sounds, I was home! I sang all the cheers like I’ve known them for years and was absolutely hoarse by the end of the night!

Supporting Arsenal isn’t always that rosy though. My biggest example lies in the Arsenal jerseys I have.

As you can see, every player I have printed on my jersey has left the club and if you’re good at identifying each jersey and which season it came from, then you would notice that most of the time, the player left not long after I printed the jersey. It’s certainly some kinda curse that I carry. Maybe I should print Eboue next…

But the biggest regret of them all?

That Chelsea scum, Ashley Cole.

I first noticed him when he broke through the Arsenal ranks. I printed his jersey immediately, hence the number 29 which was his first number rather than the number 3 (which Winterburn was still wearing at that time). When he scored with that diving header to put us through into the next round of the Champions League in 2003, I was in a pub in UK with quite a few man united fans but it didn’t stop me from getting up in front of the large screen tv and pointing to the number on my back. And then he started turning into that Chelsea scum he is now and the rest is history.

One of my biggest wish is to be at a Arsenal-Chelsea game and be able to burn that jersey right in front of him and remind him what a scum he’s become and what every Gooner thinks of him!

Everybody now: “We would rather have a willy than a c**t!”

So well, that’s my story. I hope everyone enjoyed reading it as much I enjoyed writing this. Thanks for giving me the chance SgGooner and keep it up with the writing man, there’s just so little shit to read about Arsenal these days. Haha!

Perky is good

2008-03-18T22:58:00.002+08:00

The buildup for this weekend's big games has started. A lot of talk has been going on about how things can change very quickly after the ManUre vs Poo & the Chel$ki vs Arsenal games.

Yes, just keeping talking things up, Fergie. I'm just hoping somehow ManUre will be distracted and forget they have a home game against Bolton.

But seriously, Bolton?

I won't be watching this game and I won't be checking on the scores on the internet or TV in the morning. I will, however, listen in to Class95 when I wake up and see if our Gooner voice on the air, Glenn Ong, will be perky or limpy when he does the sports news.

I want perky. Perky is good...

Going to turn in now and I'll read you guys later in the week because I have the next guest blogger lined up for tomorrow. You guys must come back and check it out because I've read the post and it's definitely perky.

Perky is good...

Entry Date: 17 March 2008

2008-03-17T22:43:00.001+08:00

Dear Blog,

Today was an overall productive day.

It started off with the meeting of the big boss and the department heads. It was a 'blooper' themed introduction and I related to everyone how at the end of my job interview with my big boss I had wanted to say "I look forward to working with you soon", but instead, I mouthed off "I look forward to being your boss soon"...

That's definitely a Kodak moment for keeps. Well, at least I can say I made a lasting impression and also got the job...

During the day, some of the other colleagues gave the snug smiles and asked me about the dropped points over the weekend (again). Won't deny that it stung but wasn't as much as before. I wonder if it's because I'm getting used to the Gunners dropping points or if it's because I'm no longer expecting the league title to come back to North London?

I noticed that my pessimism has rubbed off on some of the other Gooners. Damn... Not good... Must get something straight - me being pessimistic about the title doesn't mean I no longer back the Gunners. As much as I think we will no longer lift the title in May, I'm secretly hoping the lads to do the improbable and win the league by a single point so that every Singapore Gooner can laugh in my face and give me the "I told you so" jibes.

After all, if my new colleagues can laugh at my blooper at my expense, why can't I let the rest of my Arsenal-loving brother & sisters laugh in my face at my dark outlook?

Oh, Blog? I would be laughing with them for sure...

Your Blogger,
SgGooner

He Who Hesitates...

2008-03-16T22:33:00.000+08:00

10% Segment

It's Holy Week.

90% Segment

It's another week.

Your Sunday Clip

I have a disclaimer somewhere before this clip...

Found it: I love you, Mommy Blog...

Lights, camera & another disappointing stalemate

2008-03-16T03:50:00.007+08:00

My guest score announcer is BL. When he told me his name was BL, I told him it was a good thing he wasn't named BS. This Gooner has been backing the Gunners for over 10 years and his favourite player? The iceman, Bergkamp, of course... Say hi to him when you see him at the Liz next time. Just remember it's BL...

Arsenal 1 - 1 Middlesbrough

Yet another draw. That's four in a row. Actually disappointing is really just skimming off the surface of the many Gooners I saw earlier. In fact, I'm quite certain a saw 'disgust' written on one of the faces...

Anyway, I was telling a couple of the guys earlier that if the league is just over 4 games, Arsenal would have ended up in mid-table or even relegated.

I mentioned yesterday:

"If we can't get the win tomorrow, I will stand up and say we will not win the league title this season."

I still stand by that statement. With the performance the lads had shown over the last four games, do you really think we can get maximum points at Sold Trafford or $tamford Bridge? Don't forget we still have to host Pool & Everton. Hell, I'm even afraid of the trip to Reebok Stadium even though Bolton is facing relegation...

So what's wrong? The pitch can't be at fault now. The ref? We can't blame them every week even though he was really shite again. Two wrong offside calls and unfortunately both were against us.

I personally think Adebayor should take some of the fall.

Either way, barring some superhero performance in the last two months of the season, the league is over for us. I've become so pessimistic that I did not even utter a single word or punched the air when Toure headed in that equaliser in the 86th minute. For the first time, I was muted because I knew the single point was not enough.

On the Arsenal Singapore side of things, Football Channel came down and interviewed quite a few of the Singapore Gooners. A total of 7 of them in fact - 4 ladies, 1 guy, 1 kid & 1 ang moh. Here are some of the shots. See if you can recognise anyone of them.

Thanks to all those who agreed to be interviewed. These interviews will be shown next week when the Gunners take on Chel$ki. So look out for them.

What a disappointing night of football. And you want to know the best part about it? I have to work at 8am later...

SgGooner is morphing

2008-03-14T23:11:00.002+08:00

So the Gunners have been drawn to take on the Scousers. Fancy how the footballing Gods have paired up the two English teams that defeated the two Milanese giants. Oh, how the ManUrians and the blue Ru$$ians must be rubbing their hands with glee while they watch the two teams draw swords against each other.

So that would also mean the Gunners will face the Scousers three times in seven days - once in the league. As they say - 'familiarity breeds contempt'. I have no doubt we'd be sick them after that week... I'm feeling it already...

The good thing about this draw is that if we want to make amendments for the Champions League heartache against Barcelona this season, we would have a chance to do so in Moscow. We won't get to meet them till the finals.

Wenger has already given his reactions to the draw:

"It is an interesting and challenging draw. It is a big opponent and we play them three times [in a week] and you will not know what competition it is. All that you will know is it is Liverpool. They raise their game in the Champions League. We know we can beat them and therefore it is the form of the day that will be the decider."

Immediately after the draw, I thought of the high during the 3-6 victory and the low when they hit us 4-1. So Wenger is right to say whoever hits form will emerge winners.

Let's not get too carried away for now as we have the league game against Boro in the immediate future. After three straight draws, the lads really have to do the business now.

And I mean now...

No more time for excuses. No more time for conspiracy theories. No more time for "that ref is a damn c*** b**" nonsense. Injuries or any funky business, people will only remember the champs in years to come and not how many players we had out or how many times our shots hit the post.

If we can't get the win tomorrow, I will stand up and say we will not win the league title this season. Yes, even though it's still mathematically possible if we lose or draw, it would be psychologically impossible to play catch up after blowing the league lead we had over ManUre after dropping points against teams like Birmingham & Wigan.

If we can't handle them, what more against the ManUres & Chel$kis?

Doubt you've seen me this pessimistic before. Well, I was telling a few of them that I'm turning into Sg-Hornby-Gooner.

"I just know they're going to f**k it up."

See you guys at the Liz...

Baby Clarah is on her way...

2008-03-13T22:26:00.001+08:00

A quick one since I'm knackered (pronounced na-ked).

Arsenal will take a break today as I give all you folks an update on my uber cute niece, Baby Clarah. Alright, some of you guys have told me she's no longer a baby but a toddler now that she's already two but she's always going to be my uber cute Baby Clarah - like how Mrs Blog will always going to be my first love...

I recorded this short clip of the uber cute Baby Clarah last Saturday when Brother Blog wasn't around. In a nutshell, I got her to say something about Man Yoo. I actually got her to say... Well, you just have to watch it.

Isn't she uber cute?

Anyway, Baby Clarah will be staying with us for ten days as Brother Blog & Sister-in-law Blog will be away on a beautiful holiday.

Ten days... Wow... One day and I already got her to say "Man U eeee". Can't imagine what I'd teach her in ten days...

Brother Blog, enjoy your trip!

Guest Blogger Says "Schadenfreude!" - Ron

2008-03-12T22:10:00.000+08:00

It was a struggle to find something to write about the Gunners for SgGooner’s blog. I guess I wanted to write something different, everybody before me more or less covered the same ground - how they became Gooners etc etc. Maybe I’ll end up doing the same cos I haven’t read all the other guest blogs here. I’ll ramble along with some idea of the destination but I’ll just meander my way to reach it and won’t be too bothered if I don’t get there.

Anyway, as I was thinking about what to write, it occurred to me to ask why we (and I) support Arsenal. The usual reasons most give are obvious if you think about your own personally experience, because they play beautiful football or perhaps it was because watched they watched them play at some stage of their lives, usually when they were young. Both reasons apply to me but I wondered if there was something deeper. Why do I keep watching it every week? Of all the things to do in the world, why do I keep watching them every week, year after year.

History

I guess most would start by plunging into the depths of my foggy, distant memory on how I started becoming an Arsenal fan. When I was young, my dad took me to watch a football tournament which had Arsenal playing in it. It also starred the once mighty Red Star Belgrade and an Indian team that played barefoot. This barefoot team won the tournament and it was quite enjoyable to watch this quirky and unlikely team play. I remember one incident when an Indian player jumped over a stooping opposition player to get the ball and caused the whole stadium to roar with laughter. Anyway, I began to like Arsenal simply because I was attracted to its jersey, not because they won. IIRC, they didn’t even get into the finals. How could it be otherwise, red and white, the brightest colour scheme? Those were my reasons - it was the jersey, not the football or anything grand - simple as that.

I followed and played football through the years. In fact, I played more than I followed Arsenal or football for that matter. It was definitely more enjoyable playing football, at least until the era of the Invincibles. There wasn’t much good football to watch on TV as football in the 1980s was ugly. The hard tackle from behind was the tool used to not only get the ball but break the spirit of the striker. Thank God FIFA banned it and teams like Arsenal are the better for it.

Beauty

It has become annoyingly common to hear someone say “I support Arsenal because they play the (proverbial) beautiful game”. But I still do love this about them, and it’s not just Arsenal but any team that plays the same way - the West Coast Eagles (huh? An Aussie Rules football powerhouse), the Netherlands, Barcelona, Portugal and Brazil. The mechanical Germans, the sleep inducing Italians, the Americans who play football (not bloody ‘soccer’, fool!) as if it were an American football. These teams can all go to hell before they induce a coma in me. In fact, that kind of football is listed as a cure for insomnia in the Encyclopedia of Pharmaceuticals.

I’ve now become so drunk with their footballing beauty that I don’t like watching the other teams play because they’re just too boring. After 2 hours of the Arsenal, there’s not much else that can match them and since time is precious, why waste it on watching football that is as exciting as watching Singapore’s parliament in session (Taiwan’s parliament is another matter altogether)? I am an admirer of beauty and art and football isn’t any different. Music, art, architecture, sculpture, football - all the same. Perhaps football should be elevated higher because it is beauty produced reactively, quickly - almost at the spur of the moment, the body and mind acting together and spontaneously to produce art - the mind thinking ahead for possibilities but balanced with the need for immediate reactions whilst the body acts, following the mind, moving based instinct and on the memory of the muscles conditioned through thousands of hours of practice.

And there was no better artist than Thierry Henry and his Invicincibles. Henry was the one who wanted to be the artist for us. The Boltons of the world make football dreary but Henry was the cure. Any fool can score a goal, but Henry wanted more. He wanted to use the entire field as his canvas. To see him and his cohorts think and play as one, moving and passing forward quickly and inexorably in their swift counterattacks, knowing that the goal would somehow come was something the world was privileged to watch and which made the ugliness of the world forgotten for just 2 hours each week.

Cruelty

When I watch Mighty Arsenal steamroll over the weak and the fragile, I get this elated mix of triumphalism and pleasure. All the fist pumping, the cheering at the opponent’s misery are symptoms of this ‘cruelty’. The Germans have a word for it: ‘Schadenfreude’ and you may have seen me use this word in my posts (under Midnite77). It basically means to find pleasure in the misery and suffering of others. All your enemies have to be vanquished, exterminated like rats, and you delight in seeing them give up and flee. Conan the Librarian said it beautifully in his first movie: “To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women.”

It’s great to win, to rub it into the faces of the vanquished and be after all, a glory hunter. Well you might say, I should then support Crapchester United if I have these sadistic megalomaniac tendencies. Well, refer to Element No. 1 - Beauty. They may sometimes play a mildly attractive game but that’s like comparing street graffiti to van Gogh’s Starry Night. And one day, when we bloody knock ManUre off their perch, to use Alex Furgeson’s own words, there would be nothing sweeter in the footballing world. Let me boil it down into 3 letters: KKD- Krush! Kill! Destroy! :-)

Sociability

Supporting Arsenal used to be an act of loneliness as I use to watch its games by myself because it was the club of the minority. I didn’t know any friends who supported Arsenal, most of the Singaporean lemmings support the usual two suspects, Crapchester United and Liverpool. So I watched their games alone, at night and in the dark, just me, my TV and Arsenal - it was like watching a movie in a cinema. But after some time, I got to know strangers who also supported Arsenal and some of them have become regular friends who watch the game every week. And with the internet and an official supporters club, I have a wider net of fellow supporters. Watching Arsenal is now a weekly social activity and the tribe of friends - Arsenal friends gather in Katong (at High) to watch Arsenal steamroll the Victim of the Week.

Vicariously

We live our lives through the team’s ups and downs and how much of our lives are lived vicariously depends on you. As fans of the Arsenal, are we looking for something bigger than ourselves to belong to or do we want to feel that elation that comes from winning trophies or vanquishing opponents. Do we enjoy that smug superiority that comes with winning, of outplaying some hapless team, especially like the arrogant ManUres of the world? Does the week feel better when Arsenal win? You have the answers to those questions.

So there you have it, a journey through the reasons for being a Gooner. An odd mix or do you feel the same way?

Football (Channel) is Coming to the Liz

2008-03-12T00:12:00.001+08:00

Nothing much today on the Arsenal front.

On the other hand, there's some exciting bits on the Arsenal Singapore front - the Football Channel crew from Starhub will be coming down to the Liz this Saturday night and will do some shooting. Maybe interview a few of the passionate Singapore Gooners.

Thank goodness Joe or that Burridge fellow in loud suits won't be coming. Or so I heard... They just don't sit too well with me just yet.

I don't know who's worse: Burridge or Shebby.

Called K today and told him it could be Inter 15 - 0 Pool tonight. He had a good laugh. I actually did too. If they can win by two, it'll already be a big achievement but 15??!?

Can't wait for the results in the morning.

That's it for today. Look out for tomorrow's guest blogger. Well, it might happen or it might not.

Yeah, Derby might beat manUre...

Conspiracy Theory

2008-03-11T00:45:00.002+08:00

Still smarting from the lost 6 points from the last three games.

Still smarting from the bad-ass bruise.

Most importantly, still smarting from the disconnection...

A big shout out to Mommy Blog who just celebrated her birthday.

I love you, Mom! You still look blessedly fabulous...

So what do we talk about today?

The prodigy? The pitch? The mistake? The regret? The calm? The style? Or the usual rallying call after a bad day at the office?

Whatever...

Had a conversation with my colleague today. He likens the whole EPL or BPL (whatever...) to a huge Hollywood production. And this season is the biggest blockbuster ever produced (right behind the '89 Anfield climax, of course).

How may times has the Gunners blown the chance to pull away this season? There was even a moment sometime in December or January (someone help me out on this) when we could pull ahead by a massive 8 points but no... The Gunners had to drop silly points so that it'd be a nail biting photo finish at the end of the season.

In fact, anyone of you remembered ManUre took the lead twice during the Christmas period and losing it in the next second? How many times have you seen ManUre lose the lead so easily, like Looney losing himself to a granny?

Wait, that could be quite often. We wouldn't know. Bad example...

My point is sometimes - just sometimes - I feel that this is one big huge influence out there (read bookies) that is manipulating the results of some games. I can't give you any concrete examples for sure but just by watching the way some amazing games were played and how sometimes the players can't even string two passes together, you wonder if something funky is happening.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah... It's just some conspiracy theory at the back of my head. I really hope that it's all a load of freshly crapped crap because if it's even remotely plausible, it's really sad... All our highly charged passion is dictated by some award-winning Hollywood script.

But with all that Adebayor & Eboue dance, it could very well be scripted from Bollywood...

There's one thing that my colleague (a Scouser) and I concluded though: that the league title will be the Gunners' this year...

Like I said, I don't have any concrete examples. So, whatever...