Et Tu RvP

I'm emotionally in a fragile state right now. After knowing that the captain that steered the Arsenal ship from the brink of relegation to Champions League football last season, has joined the most bitter of all rivals, Manchester United.

After loosing key players in each and every summer, I was hoping Arsenal's summer would be somehow be peaceful and stable. After all, snagging both Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud of less than half a price of a Fernando Torres is actually good business. Unfortunately, we were dead wrong. A week after the purchase of Giroud, Robin van Persie dropped the bomb, he is not going to sign a contract extension.

Sighting that the club did not match his ambition was beyond belief! Arsenal made a gamble on signing this trouble maker from Feyenoord for a meager £2.7 million. He was accused of rape and was imprisoned for 6 weeks. He had a string of bad injuries that plagued his Arsenal career. Through it all Arsenal was there. I began to question his ambition? Trophies? Now with Podolski and Giroud on board, plus 1 or 2 more signings, Arsenal can win trophies! Money? The club can only offer a maximum of £130,00/week.

 The BBC reported that RvP wanted to stay. But Arsene Wenger had a plan B, and he was not part of it. The club had no choice but to sell him while he was still under contract with Arsenal. And there were three suitors for RvP's services: Juventus, Manchester City, and Manchester United.

I first thought Manchester United would be a farfetch destination for him, but I was wrong. If Graham Hunter is to believe, RvP was already in talks with Manchester United 7 months ago! He told Cesc Fabregas that he'll be staying for another year, and see if he can win trophies with the club. Unfortunately, Arsenal only managed to cling on third place in the league, and bowed out (but with a fight) on cup games.

It was a perfect betrayal to Gooners, similar to the unsuspecting Julius Caesar at the Ides of March. When the captaincy was entrusted by Wenger, he acted as if he was indeed the captain of Arsenal. He led the team by scoring the goals, gave pre-game pep talk, he organized parties off the pitch. But he was and is a linchpin. Just like the wankers who left for money before him like Ashley Cole, Emanuel Adebayor, and Samir Nasri. "Et tu, Brutus!" was the last word Caesar said to Marcus Junius Brutus. Like Caesar, we Gooners were appalled by such treachery, "Et tu, RvP!", we exclaimed.

For £24 million, he has sold his soul to the Devil, and forever tarnished his Arsenal legacy not just as the club's 8th all-time leading goal scorer, but also as the leader of the club with most come-from-behind wins in a season. Gone were my memories of your early Arsenal career, Robin! That equalizer vs. Southhampton. That Volley at the Valley vs Charlton. Your brace vs. Blackburn in the semis of the FA Cup. For volunteering to take Edu's penalty in the final vs. your new team!

Like a jilted lover, I wish you nothing but misery in your new team! Arsenal will be a better team without you! Victoria Concordia Crescit. Victory through harmony on to the new club football season.

Lucky Charm

Photo taken by Stuart McFarlane.

Who would have thought that the last thing I added inside my backpack could be my trip’s lucky charm?

1. When we went to the fans party, Kyle Bartley asked us to raised the Philippine NT bar scarf and took a photo of it.

2. As we entered the stadium, we saw and called out Stuart McFarlane, the club’s official photographer. We had a brief chat, and he asked us to pose in front of his camera. Lo and behold, the photo above.

3. We waited for the club coach outside the stadium. But we made sure to stay away from where the crowd was. The coach stopped as the ushers try to widen the barricade, I flashed the flag part of the scarf while the others roll out our banner. We waved our hands and screamed, “Arsene! Arsene!”. The great man saw us, he smiled and he waved back. That was the best moment ever! Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also waved at us too. 

Photo can be seen on this site.

We're by Far the Handsomest Team the World Has Ever Seen

 Three of the most of most prolific strikers in the world are now playing for Arsenal.

The whole of Goonerdom were celebrating the arrival of their latest addition to our beloved Arsenal, Olivier Giroud. The announcement was made official at around 5 o'clock in the afternoon in my time zone, and Beliebers might have the shock of their lives upon seeing the name "Olivier Giroud" topping the trending topics worldwide.

Just like Lukas Podolski's signing, the Giroud signing was a mere speculation for months. But it happened to be Arsene Wenger's worst kept secrets. As of this writing, Arsene Wenger has 3 of most prolific  strikers in world at his disposable and all three happened to be left footers. The lack of quality back up striker really hurt Arsenal's chances of attaining at least a trophy in what was a tumultuous season under Wenger. And doing business this early, made me think that Le Professeur's did learn something from last summer's transfer shenanigans.

Speculations that either Giroud or Podolski could be club captain Robin van Persie's replacement in case the latter's contract negotiations breaks down are just mere speculations. Robin is on a holiday somewhere, and he'll be reporting to the club by July 3 for the preseason training. By then we will know what will be his plans.

I wonder what would be Arsenal's next move? Adding some steel in the midfield by acquiring either Lucas Biglia or Yann M'Vila? Will they purchase a decent goalkeeper to back-up or even challenge Wojciech Szczesny? Which young Guns will be featured in the first team in cup matches? Which young Guns will go on loan? Do we have buyers or willing loaners to some fringe players? Will Joel Campbell finally have his working permit? So many questions by most Gooners that need to be answered. Roll on, July!

PS1: The acquisition of Olivier Giroud officially made Arsenal as the most handsome club in the world. Thus, I took a pun on a favorite Gooner song, "And it's Arsenal".

PS2: All three forwards photographed above have "bromances" with 3 club centerbacks: Lukas Podolski & Per Mertesacker, Robin van Persie & Thomas Vermaelen, Olivier Giroud & Laurent Koscielny.

Arsenal 2011-2012 Review

Arsenal Season 2011-2012 was summed up by just 1 photo taken in the dying minutes of the last game of the season.

Ooh to, ooh to be, ooh to be a Gooner

The Return of the King

Tolkien's "The Return of the King" was the climax of his literary masterpiece, "The Lord of the Rings" (LOTR) trilogy, wherein the reign of Sauron was finally put to an end, and the return of the rightful heir to the throne of Gondor.

I am not blogging about LOTR. I am blogging about the Thierry Henry's return to the club that made him a global football superstar, Arsenal. My love affair with Arsenal began with Thierry Henry (But I have no intention to end it with Thierry's impending departure at the end of this week.). He may have left the club for Champions League glory, but he is a Gooner through and through.

His brief second spell as a Gunner are stuff that fairy tales and/or Hollywood sports movies are made. Unlike the LOTR's, Theirry's return is not the climax of Arsenal's 2011-2012 season. I must say his return served as a band aid to the club's beleaguered line-up due to injuries, out-of-form players, and players on-duty for their respective countries.

Thierry's first game was versus Leeds United in the third round of the FA Cup. He started from the bench. Arsenal fought a gritty Leeds United team who were playing for a draw at the Ashburton Grove in order to attain a replay at Elland Road. Just as we thought that this game was going to end in a goalless draw, Thierry Henry scored a goal that was reminiscent to his Arsenal heydays.

That goal brought tears in my eyes. I could not describe the feeling, as if that moment was already written in the stars. I had high hopes with Arsenal's next fixtures in the Premier League now that the legendary player who was cast in bronze last December, came to life with the same clinical precision with his feet.

Unfortunately, Arsenal failed to win their fixtures vs. Swansea City, Manchester United and Bolton. One time they were sitting on seventh place, the lowest rank that they have ever  been since Arsene Wenger took over the reigns of the club (at this time of the year).

But on the first fixture for the month of February, Arsenal thrashed Blackburn Rovers 7-1 at the Grove. The club's present captain, Robin van Persie, scored a hattrick. Thierry came on as a substitute. In the 90th minute he exchanged passes with van Persie, and scored the 7th goal for the Gunners. That goal seemed to remind me of his partnership with Dennis Bergkamp, van Persie's now retired compatriot.

Just this weekend against Sunderland with scores tied up at 1-1, Andrey Arshavin delivered a lovely cross to Thierry Henry's foot, and snatch a hard fought victory almost at the death (and not to mention a very patchy pitch).

Goal # 229. That could be Thierry's last goal for Arsenal in the Premiership. He he will have to return to his present club, the New York Red Bulls, for the coming Major League Soccer season. But before he goes back, he'll have to face AC Milan at the San Siro in the knockout stage of UEFA Champions League. Thierry competitive as he is, will always stand up in any huge occassion. I remember how his teammates then thrashed AC Milan's bitter rivals, Inter Milan, at the same stadium, when qualification for the CL knockout stage was on the line. I still remember that scoreline, 1-5.

They say I am too old for fairy tales, but because of Thierry, I still believe in them.


Au revoir and merci beaucoup, Titi! Bonne chance!

PS: I am quite disappointed that he will not play vs. Tottenham on the 26th. He is fond of scoring goals against them.

Finding Consolation. Thank You Mr. Hornby.

As a football fan, you have to stick to your team, no matter what.
After loosing against Swansea last Sunday, Monday in my time zone, 
Gooners are demanding for the manager's head, the players' head,
and even a spat between a returning club legend and a fan.


I find consolation by reading the book written by a certain Nick Hornby, 
who himself a Gooner. In his memoir, he wrote the highs and lows of being an Arsenal fan.
He was able to keep his faith on a club that went barren for 18 years, then won the league title again in that magical night at Wembley.

My copy of this Nick Hornby book is full of dog-eared pages and receipts marking his favorite highs and least favorite lows. I always carry this book wherever I go, his and Haruki Murakami's.

PS: Here's a quote by Dennis Bergkamp, "I really like Arsenal. But you, do you really like Arsenal? Or just Arsenal with trophies?"

Ooooh To Be A Gooner

What does Queen Elizabeth II, Osama bin Laden, Fidel Castro, Piers Morgan, Dido, Nick Hornby and Kevin Costner have in common with little me? We support the same football club named Arsenal FC. We call ourselves the Gooners, since the team is aptly nicknamed the Gunners.




I have never met this people, and I have never been to Highbury or Ashburton Grove, but I felt a connection with this people, all because we support the same football club.

This blog entry is about how I became a Gooner. I have to say, I never dreamed of supporting a football club before. Back then, I consider myself as a, ahem, "glory hunter". Hopping from 1 team to another, that would depend if who is winning. I was more of a basketball fan then, but I also had a fleeting interest on football or soccer.

It was one lazy October 2003. I was a semester shy of completing my first college degree. Back then, we had a ladderized system of obtaining your degree for veterinary medicine. The undergraduates were most likely packed their bags and went off to their homes for the semestral break. That time, I already passed all my first semester subjects, and was waiting for my classmates who were taking their dreaded removal examinations. I was sitting in our usual table to eat my lunch, when the boyfriend of my housemate, Justin, sat across me. I don't exactly remember if he took the removals or already passed the subject in question or completely flunked it. But anyway, we talked about the new NBA season, where the San Antonio Spurs were the defending champions. As I have said, I have no loyalties in sports, and I hated the Los Angeles Lakers during that time, so my dime was for the Spurs. And as a girl, I was gushing on Tony Parker, the young French point guard, with a daze that melt you! Or in my case, melted me. So Justin gave a trivia about Tony Parker that sparked my interest. He said Tony's best friend is a football player named Thierry Henry, who plays for an English Premier League club, Arsenal. Being so head-over-heels on TP, I became interested to watch the Premier League and Arsenal. It turned out that my Barcelona-loving friend, Justin's favorite team happened to be Arsenal and his second favorite player is Thierry Henry (Ronaldinho's his favorite).

When I went home that weekend, I checked the TV schedule for any EPL match. I can't remember who were Arsenal's opponent, but all I remember was that the match was at Highbury, the home pitch for the Arsenal. I kept my eyes on Henry. He is quick, he is lethal. I thought I might fall asleep during the match. In the past, watching two hours of football knocked me out to sleep, but watching the Arsenal play, I was mesmerized by their passing, attacks and counter attacks. They won that match, and after wards I was looking forward to watch their next games.

Academic Year 2003-2004 and Season 2003-2004, was truly a memorable one. I graduated from my first degree, and Arsenal won the Premier League without even a loss. Played 38-Won 26- Drawn 12-Loss 0. That batch of players later became known as the Invincibles. It was not only Thierry Henry who I became fond with. There was Dennis Bergkamp, the Dutchman, who orchestrate their attacks on goal. He happened to be the same guy who scored that marvelous winner against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup quarterfinal (Since that clip was kept on replay by CNN, the BBC and ESPN, I grew to like the Dutch National Football team.). I also came to like Freddie Ljungberg, whose marauding runs towards goal made him a thorn on every defender. Then there was Robert Pires, Mad Jens, Ray Parlour, Lauren, and the list goes on.

That my folks is the reason why my Twitter time line is filled with Arsenal stuff. I'm a Gooner for 8 years and counting...


PS: I am currently reading Nick Hornby's memoir, "Fever Pitch". It's about his life based on Arsenal FC's season. I haven't finished it yet again, but I enjoyed it. Many more blogs about Arsenal to come. Thanks for inspiring me, Mr. Hornby!