In the wake of the gamut of guff being spun about Cesc’s appointment, Up For Grabs Now would like to single out for special attention Arsenal’s erstwhile left-back, Gael Clichy,
In this player’s loveable heart, head and legs lies the beating essence of Arsene Wenger’s philosophy as a football manager. He is as quick as the wind, skilful, attack-minded and young. So far, so erratic Arsenal. But what separates Gael from the rest, and what’s been clear since he joined, is that he will give his all every time he steps onto the pitch. When all around him players are dropping or giving up, Clichy will be there chasing, harassing and driving forward. How many times have we seen him, having run all game, collect the ball in the 80th minute only to go stampeding up the wing, surprising his own teammates as much as the helpless, exhausted opposing right midfielder? It doesn’t seem to matter whether we are winning or losing – as long as he is on the pitch in an Arsenal shirt he will keep fighting.
This is not to say he never makes mistakes: he had a bad game against Man City at the weekend, and he was responsible for Tottenham’s crucial third goal. Last season it was the penalty he conceded against Birmingham that marked the beginning of the end of our season. Unlike William Gallas he got up, shook himself down and went back to the fight. All players are going to make mistakes, particularly at the start of their careers. This is particularly going to be the case in an attacking team like Arsenal, where movement and speed are prioritised. The difference with Gael is that he always looks willing to learn from his errors, and to atone for them.
As I have written, he was my pick for captain. In hindsight it’s easy to see it was always going to be Fabregas, and I’ve no doubt Cesc will be a great leader of the club. One wonders what Clichy would have made of the talk he would be made captain. No doubt he would be too modest ever to accept the possibility, or at least to say so.
His response to the captaincy announcement was typical of what we’ve come to expect. He addressed some of the expected criticism about Cesc’s age and experience, and made the comparison with Tony Adams which will warm the hearts of gooners everywhere. But more than that he dealt with the Gallas situation, and restated the support he feels from the whole squad. True or not, it is exactly the message of unity the club needs to project at the moment. Even if we suggest cynically that the words were put into his mouth, a PR department could not wish for a finer spokesperson. Gael Clichy, this blog salutes you.
On to other matters, and this evening we face Dynamo Kiev, a game which could cement our place in the next round of the Champions League. With our league form as it is, the European competition is crucial, and a cup run can build a head of steam which carries over into the league. If Gallas, by the end of last week, had become a dividing force in the dressing, here’s to hoping Cesc can launch the new-look squad afresh and let them unleash their baby-faced potential on the world. We’re still missing key players, but I’ve no doubt the importance of the game won’t be lost on the side. One wonders sometimes if the European game holds, for the foreign imports, the magic which the FA Cup holds for English players. It certainly might explain our recent superior form on the continent.
It will also be interesting to see how Gallas responds. Who doesn’t want him to unleash his full defensive majesty on the game and respond to the abuse he’s endured with his feet? I know I do. If he can accept his role in the team and calm down, there’s no reason he can’t play a part for many more games to come, but he needs to knuckle down and get on with it.
Time to silence the critics, Arsenal.
P.S. We wish to apologise to Le Grove and its many, many readers for any offence we may have caused yesterday. We may have the given the completely true utterly false impression that he was mad. We now realise the error of our ways, as he has conclusively proven himself to be a visionary genius with his revolutionary 2-4-4 formation for Arsenal’s future. What’s more, his 2-4-4 formation includes Bacary Sagna, hitherto understood to be quite injured. I daresay an explanation will be on its way. Perhaps he knows a guy who knows a guy.
Here is the link: www.le-grove.co.uk
Tags: Arsene Wenger, Bacary Sagna, Cesc Fabregas, Gael Clichy, William Gallas
November 25th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
looks like you well and truly got le grove’s goat. that guy is such a loser
November 25th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Now now, none of that. We don’t want any trouble on here, thanks very much…
November 25th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Can i take this time to tell you that there is no point in posting the link to le grove as no one of any importance reads your blog so whats the fucking point??? Its a total waste of your time. You would be better of cutting your own head off!
Im surprised you managed to get your tongue out of Arsene’s are to write this blog today……
Do you have posters of Arsene Wenger on your ceiling above your bed in which you furiously wank yourself over every half an hour???
But anyway onto your blog i thought it was quite a good post until i got to the second word then it bored the arse off me.
I do like the fact you used the word hitherto though. It makes you look like you are smarter than you are. I guess using words like that is a good idea when you are trying to hide from all of the 2 people who read your blog that you are in fact a total fucking retard!!!!!!!!!!
Honestly mate just give up eh
CUNT!
November 25th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Now now, none of that. We don’t want any trouble on here, thanks very much…
We’re not even pretending to be relevant next to the might of Le Grove.
November 25th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Absolutely great post!!!U said exactly what I just thought!
I for one,love Gael Clichy so much.He’s the guy who speaks out to the fans with his love !Though he’s not the Captain C but Cesc is ,no matter what,C&C rocks!
So keep the faith, cross your fingers–Arsenal will bounce back!
November 25th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Thanks Kima, nice to know some people respect different opinions!
Come on the reds.
November 25th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Grabber there is difference of opinions and then there is going out of your way to be a cunt which is what this blog did yesterday and today…. and which is what i am doing now!
November 25th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
sorry not yesterday on the 24rth…… calling le grove the pits of the world etc etc.
U exocised your right to criticise le grove now im excersising the right to criticise this blog.
If you dont like it then don’t write things so utterly stupid
November 25th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Sorry not yesterday on the 24th (**punctuation needed**)… Calling Le Grove the pits of the world etc (only one required).
You exercised your right to criticise Le Grove, now I’m exercising the right to criticise this blog.
Please adhere more closely to the rules of the English language.
And stop using the word “cunt”. I don’t know what anyone else, including the writers of this blog, thinks but I find it extremely offensive to women and there are a lot of kids reading this.
Thanks. Good luck to Arsenal! And keep up the good work grabber!
November 25th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
WTF Arsenal Fan? but yeah pipe down Kenny. Stop being a dick this blog is sweet
November 25th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Oi arsenal fan, dont correct my spelling unless your name is Samuel Johnson… ill write whatever the cunt i want!
If the word “cunt” offends you then i suggest its far past your bed time.
Since it offends women would you like me to use words like big sweaty hair cock instead???
Im sorry but if this blog is big enough and old enough to rip the big hairy sweaty cock(revised word instead of cunt as not to offend the women) out of other blogs then it should be able to take the abuse back!
November 25th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
kenny smith why are you so angry? this blog wasn’t defending arsene that much yesterday – in fact it said he had to make big changes but that arsenal fans should get behind him. it was just attacking le grove for saying really really stupid things about wenger. and you’ve gotta admit that today’s guff about 2-4-4 with Sagna in the team is pretty stupid too.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Here here grabber, good blog, and some good, thought-provoking points.
I also think Clichy would have made a great captain, and like you, I’m bucking the ‘get Gallas out’ trend. He’s the best central defender we currently have and if the loss of the captaincy means he can focus fully on his game and get somewhere close to his best form, he will be a major, major asset for the club for the next few years.
Remember, as his first season with us (when Henry was captain) was beset with injuries, we’ve only really known ‘Gallas the captain’ during his time at Arsenal, and that’s been detrimental to every aspect of him as a player, I believe, as it’s not in his make-up to be a captain. Now we are back to just ‘Gallas the player’ and, as you said, if he can knuckle down and swallow his pride in the coming months, I think we could see a rejuvenated player – the defender we all hoped we were getting when he arrived from Chelsea.
PS: Shame about the abusive e-mails today, as Arsenal Fan said, there’s not really a place for obscenities on footy blogs, as younger people read them too. Let’s leave the ManU and Chelsea fans to offensive name calling on their blogs, Arsenal fans are above that!
Enjoying the blog grabber, keep it up.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
kenny smith
I would just like to say, how refreshing it is to read your views, and i have to concur with all of them.
You are obviously a very intelligent man, who has a very sound objective look at our club and those who report about it..
I woul;d like to take this opportunity to guide to a blog site that seems right up your alley…
Le Grove my friend, Le Grove
November 25th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Thanks DRC1 – appreciated! Nice to know there are some people who enjoy it!
November 25th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Steve the gunner i am not angry. I was merely sticking up for Le Grove. You dont want to see me angry pal.
Rico ill see you there mate.
November 25th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Don’t you have a job Kenny Smith?
November 25th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
I dont know who wrote this blog, and i dont really care, but the fact you are so obsessed with Le Grove suggests that you were once blogged on there and got booted off for your stupidity.
Your an upset blogger who never made it, or will make it with this site, its ridiculous.
One of the good things about Le grove is sarcasm and freedom to express an opinion if things arent going right within the club we love.
The 244 formation line was being sarcastic, when you think about it thats the formation we play anyway. Its all attack and no defence.
And the end of the day Arsenal are in trouble, we are in trouble because of wengers reluctance to back down from his stupid vision.
Le grove and its readers do not want the head of wenger, far from it, we just want him to do the right thing and get the players we lack.
We almost did it last year, and we all know where we went wrong, yet wenger weakened the squad and replaced the players he let go with………. nobody but nasri, another promising young player but not the experienced winner we so badly need.
Le grove and its readers are not idiots, we support Arsenal FC, not Arsene FC, as loyal fans to ARSENAL FC, we have a right to express our opinion when thing arent going right, and correct me if im wrong, but things arent going right. We were here long before wenger and will be here long after hes gone. Wengers done a great job while hes been here but that doesnt give him the right to do to the club what he wants to, and at the moment he is, its his experiment. Things are not right at the minute.
Way off the leaders, discontent in the camp, not enough quality players, too many inconsistent youngers, players playing out of position when we have the players on the bench who can play them positions, refusal to drop off form players, dodgy line ups dodgy substitutions and most importantly, lack of value for money.
we pay the highest prices in the league, for what?? To watch this happen to our club?? i dont think so.
We dont want wenger out, but we are not sheep to the shepard, he doesnt own arsenal and when theres critisism to be thrown it should be thrown, just because people on other blogs have different opinions to yours, doesnt make those people idiots, they are realists, and when you compare the amount of comments between the sites, you are in the minority. Which suggests you are the idiots.
It also suggests that you are a jealous blogger who uses Le Grove as a tool to boost your comments count.
This will be the only time i will post a comment here, if im honest your site offers nothing but nonesense and very little debate topics, which at the end of the day, what bloggings about, creating an interesting read as well as much topic for debate. Incase you havent noticed, Le Grove are the best at.
Good luck for the future, your site will need it.
November 25th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Thanks JonJon – I’d take issue with a couple of things – namely ’stupid vision’, but I appreciate your comments. At Up For Grabs Now we are also much more concerned with creating an entertaining and legible product for our readers; we figure people have lots of better things to do than spend all day exchanging views on Arsenal.
But horses for courses and all that.