Aston Villa match up

This weekend brings another match up against another Birmingham based team, this time in the guise of northern monkeys Aston Villa, and lets hope they don't bring any pub team playing thugs with them. However, it must be said The Villa are more of a football playing team under the guidance of nutty Irishman Martin O'Neill than the thuggish 'get in their faces', i.e. 'Kick the sh*t out of them' team talks of Alex McLeish. In a week where you would hope the media would at least show some sort of balls or be anti-thuggish behaviour and actually looking at dangerous tackles and what should be done they haven't even looked in that direction let alone try and address it. However I digress, this is supposed to be the Arsenal versus Aston Villa match up, I can assure you many more column inches will be written about fallen hero Eduardo's injury as he begins the long road to recovery and Allgoonerdup will not be forgetting about him. I'm not going to whine on about Fast Eddie but I still find it strange no one in the media has said how crude and downright dangerous that 'tackle' was - we can always hope. But I think The Arsenal team and The Arsenal fans will adopt a seize mentality, the players on the pitch and the fans on the street and columns on sites, voices on radio programmes etc.

However, as I said I digress - lets talk about the match this weekend. OK first up, injuries. The usual sicknote waving shenanigans do not seem to be abating with leading figure Robin van Persie still out with Le Gaffer Arsène Wenger OBE saying the Dutch Master 'wont be rushed back'. I think I speak for most Gooners when I say we cannot wait to see old Glass Boy get amongst it again, however at this rate I think there's more chance him playing at the beginning of next season than seeing him playing any cameo's. And boy do we need him, what with Manu Adebayor firing more blanks than a Eunuch and preferring to punch Bendtner than pass to him we could do with someone to take the strain off the forwards especially now that 'If I see the goal I hit the target' Eduardo out of the equation. So that's van Persie out, add Tomáš Rosický,  Kolo 'The Lion of the Grove' Touré, Alex Song and Johan Djourou to the list and you have a full set. In fact it's only Abou Diaby who is able to get off the sick bed to play a part against Villa.

This could be a huge game for one Theo Walcott, who after the Birmingham game I felt really sorry for. After weeks of media attention writing the youngster off at the age of 18 (WTF?!) his two goal haul was completely overlooked. Let's hope he gets the nod, which he should do as the clown prince Eboué is still banned. Also lets hope the youngster is on fire again and the Villa defence forgot to pay attention to his scoring spree.

Nutty Martin O'Neill who I actually like as a manager has already said his team will have a go, (in the footballing sense and not in the battering the sh*t out of them sense) and take the game to The Arsenal, we'll have that although it could be a double bluff and he parks the team bus in front of the goal. However I don't think he will as Villa have players who could hurt The Arsenal with Ashley Young, Arsenal nemesis from his Valencia day John Carew and
Gabriel Agbonlahor amongst the main perpetrators. So Billy Gallas will have to have a captains innings and tell the likes of Gael Clichy and Phillippe 'Swiss Tony' Senderos to keep vigilant and stay focused. I can't put Bacary Sagna amongst that little list as he always seems to have a good game, I just hope I haven't hexed him now. 

So with a home game against Aston Villa and the manc's on a dead cert for three points against a fast hurtling towards the Championship Fulham team - this is already a must win game - no pressure.

Any road up, if you want to know a bit more regarding the possible team line ups and trivia, the folks at the Beeb have done all the stats and that malarkey, so have a butchers to get yourself up to speed. The Tale of the tape: The Arsenal vs Aston Villa

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Jump onto the Allgoonerdup Shop

Once you get there have a look through the different categories to make it easier to choose just which shirt you want. Is there a shirt you like but would prefer it in a different colour? Well have word via email (shop@allgoonerdup.com) and we'll see what we can do for you, see how helpful the staff are? Go on, have a butchers - The Allgoonerdup Shop

 

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LAST FEW DAYS... ends 3 March 2008

Calling all Gooners - Win an Arsenal Opus with O2

 

Now unless you've been in hiding or just don't care for any current goings on, you should all by now of heard of the The Arsenal Opus. And guess what? That's right you lucky people, you can get your grubbing little hands on one glorious historical epic of a book, straight up, no messing. And it's starring Arsenal FC. To find out more click the link - I want to win one of those glorious Arsenal Opus big books!!

 

Good luck Gooners.

 

 

 

 

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Win a 'Togo-nator' t-shirt...

OK, competition time again folks and your chance to win a fantastic Manu Adebayor (without the Olympic dive) inspired t-shirt. All you need to do to win this fine bit of clobber is tell us this. When did Le Gaffer splash the cash to get the big Togo forward to these shores? Easy isn't it?

Send your answers, name and postal address plus your choice of t-shirt, colour and size to:

iwannafreebie@allgoonerdup.com

Competition closes Monday 24 March.

Good luck Gooners.

 

 

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Fantasy League Top Six Standings

Table is correct from fixtures on week ending 24February.

P Team Manager Pts 1 Catflap Overmars Tony Heywood *Smug bstad* 1518 2 Brian Munich James Cooper 1503 3 CPH Reds Philip Wolfe 1499 4 Bally Boys Mark Jeffers 1475 5 TopBanana FC Jerry Rumball 1444 6 Red Lions Matthew Nerney 1443

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Forum

Got something to rant about? Want to see what the discussion of the day is? Well jump on board The Allgoonerdup Forum and register if you haven't done so already and have your shout about Arsenal and general football topics.

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60 Second Round-up

Hleb tells Inter to 'do one': The latest Arsenal sensation to draw interest in his talents Alex Hleb has told It-i outfit Internazionale that he isn't interested in upping sticks and going abroad. Alexander the Great who has taken time to show us all what he can do is having by far his best season in an Arsenal shirt and comes as no surprise that the Euro big boys are circling. Be sure to see Barcelona and Real Madrid next in the queue and circling like sharks after the Belarusian   midfield genius... The Arsenal wins some more silverware: OK silver clutter of some description anyway. The Arsenal match day Programme has picked up the prestigious (don't heckle or laugh) award of best in the whole wide f*cking world. These things are taken seriously you know, well if  that chav scum spurs down N17 can see and dance about winning the Carling Cup can't see why we can't embrace this great moment too. Read more - Arsenal win programme award... Arsenal girls is loss shocker: It's true straight up, after bossing the women's game since the 1700's The Arsenal girls suffered a shock 1-0 loss to Everton in the League Cup final last night. You just can't make this stuff up... That's your lot, we out of here, au reviour mon amis...

We are Arsenal. Let's do it for Eduardo.

 

Who: Aston Villa Where: Ashburton Grove When: 1 March 3pm

ATVO

P Team Pl Pts Gd 1 Arsenal 27 64 36 2 Manure USA 27 61 40 3 CSKA Chelski 26 55 21 5 Liverpool 26 47 24 4 Everton 26 48 18 6 Aston Villa 27 47 15 MIND THE GAP 11 The Scum 26 32 7

Player Apps Goals  Adebayor 32 (5) 22  Cesc 32 (2) 12  Eduardo 25 (6) 12  v. Persie 14+1 7

Click here for full list

Player Apps Cards Eboué 25+4  4 /1 Denilson 17+8  3 /1 Bendtner 25 (16)  2 /1 Senderos 21 (3)  1 /1 Cesc 32 (2)  9 /0

Click here for full list

Sky/BBC Like Arsene Wenger withdrawing his comments about thug and leg-breaking Martin Taylor being banned for life, I TommiGooner have withdrawn William Gallas as being Allgoonerdup Tool of the Week. It has been an emotional few days and I have had time to reflect. As much as I wanted our captain to stand up and behave like a captain and not a fan, I realise one thing - he has passion. Big Willy was completely incensed that two points were thrown away to a very dubious penalty. Who wouldn't be? However what has riled me more, is the way the media but more to the point Sky and BBC Sports have reported the incident involving Crozilian hitman Eduardo. It seems the blame is to be left at the feet (or broken leg) of Eduardo for being too good or too quick at no point have the broadcasters laid any blame on Martin Taylor. It is a complete joke and their reluctance to even shed any blame on Taylor for the tackle is disgusting as it is shocking. Had it been an English player of the likes of Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen or Scouser Stevie Me on the end of that assault there would be a lynch mob in Birmingham before the ref could even blow his whistle. I've read countless blog's from opposition fans some agree that it was a nasty tackle but some surprisingly didn't think there was anything wrong about it and didn't even warrant a yellow card. Excuse me? If you don't even get a yellow for breaking a mans leg then the question is just when do you get a yellow. More sickening than that some sites change the subject and compare Eduardo's broken leg to Big Willy kicking out at Nani the other week. I'm sorry even though I don't condone Big Willy kicking out, at no point was Nani in any danger of having his foot hanging off by a thread. But I will say this, I'm not being malicious but I would like to see Wayne Rooney on the end of a challenge like that and see if the BBC or Sky make the aggressor the victim or see if they don't try and demonise the player who's doing the leg breaking and exactly have some bollox to say it was a f*cking over the top challenge that's not needed in the game. I could go on but I think you get my point. S0, Sky and BBC Sports, you've been murked and you're this weeks tools of the week.