oliwan posted:

Liverpool versus Aston Villa at Anfield. Never a game for the Kop to look forward to. It doesn't seem to matter who is in either dugout or who is playing for either team, Villa have a bat habit of being a bit of a bogey team for us.
For this Liverpool fan however, this game was hotly anticipated. So far this season there's been a feeling that we're playing the waiting game. Waiting for everyone to be fit, waiting for everyone to get their debuts and most of all, waiting for the team to get used to each other and start to gel. Add to that the waiting for the sodding international games to sod the sod off and I couldn't wait for half five.
So what exactly did this game tell us?
If, like me, you have moved away from your home town in seek of fortune and women in the evil, represents everything that is wrong with the world (but I kinda love it) London then you could find yourself watching the game with the help of your laptop.
Use that technology.
Don't spend an entire football match listening to a pair of boobs drone on and on about, frankly, who cares. Mute the footy and give the game a soundtrack.
It just takes a moment or two to knock up a 90 minute playlist (or an 105 minute playlist if you wish to soundtrack half time as well) in order to truly enrich the experience.
Music is very personal, so just follow your heart but if you must insist on my advise, I recommend something dramatic and/or sinister.
Take for example the playlist I used today. Ride of the Valkyries followed by Dies Irae followed by O Fortuna followed by the choral from Beethoven's 9th symphony.... you get the idea.
Another good one is the soundtrack playlist I occasionally use. It's a bit James Bond heavy, but as I have only used the instrumental and score pieces I feel it works very well. Think 007, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Capsule in Space, Fight at Kobe Beach, Snow Job. Mixed with a bit of Assault on Precinct 13 by John Carpenter, Dirty Harry, Bullet, The Wave (amongst others) by Lalo Schifrin, The Equalizer, Magnum PI, the theme from (the original) Battlestar Galactica. Again, you get the idea.
I tell you what else I really noticed today. I really quite like Standard Chartered's branding on our shirts. Now don't get me wrong... I would prefer that we had no corporate sponsors at all, but now is not the place for that particular argument. This is purely about the aesthetics.
Glossing over Hitachi as I can't remember that far back, our old Crown Paints kits were the best. Yes, it's because they represent a better time, a rose-tinted glance towards the pain and comforting feeling that is nostalgia, but who cares? They were loving brill.
Candy, less so. Carlsberg less so again. But at least there was a bit of symmetry. With the dominant “C” and the scripty lettering, both logos were fairly similar and inoffensive. Unless of course you despise washing machines and/or yucky lager.
I always thought the next obvious step would be to get Coca Cola as our sponsor. Again, the dominant C with scripty writing but with a company that is less offensive to countries and states that forbid alcohol. I hear they've got a penny or two and our traditional red already matches their corporate colours.
Our white, grey or silver kits could be branded with Diet Coke, any yellow kits would be Coco-Cola with Lemon, Green would be with Lime, Black could be Coke Zero. What a billion dollar idea and here I am out of work.
Anyway, it wasn't to be and we got a stupid, stupid bank that no-one has heard of. Yet today I acquiesced and realised it's OK. It's 2 words spread across 2 lines. The second word is slightly longer than the first. It is, very, very similar to the old Crown Paints logo. Lovely Stuff.
So. The game. gently caress me we were poor. I got a little distracted at times. Can you tell?
Admittedly Villa has obviously spent all week going through Roy Keanes' various ways of hatchet-jobbing a man out of a game. Mario got it all game and Sterling got it from the moment he arrived. Agricultural stuff boys, agricultural stuff.
I thought we looked a little like “classic Wenger” Arsenal today. A lot of elegant, rangy, classy players who don't seem to know how to defend, not sure what to do in front of goal and seem lightweight in comparison to their bigger, stronger, bullying opponents.

PirateBob posted:

Can't stand middle eastern people commentating on football... and I'm a man city fan so... yeah , I've got nothing against them otherwise.

jyrka posted:

Who the gently caress is Mike Bradley?

jyrka posted:

Who the gently caress is Mike Bradley?

Monday Bandele posted:

Mike Bradley gets paid roughly $2 mm per year by TFC more than super Jack does at Arsenal. As other, more informed posters have noted, English players don't leave the EPL because they are at a salary premium in England. They would command less money abroad. Jack could not reach his $5 mm per year abroad. Mike Bradley makes more than $7mm per year in MLS. He dose not receive the bonus of being an English player in the very rich EPL, and yet he is paid substantially more than Jack. Because his services, on the world market are valued more highly.

I dont recall Wenger having an opinion about Mike Bradley. So I can't compare it to my own. But I do know that it is a rare day for Arsenal when Jack starts. He is not a "regular starter". His starts come mostly due to injuries. Jack is a nice player, but he is 5' 6 " and 135#. Mike Bradley is 6' 1" and 180#. It is a physical game; those stats matter. Jack W would not start in front of Mike Bradley for the US.

trem_two posted:

Jippa posted:

Jippa posted:

Mickolution posted:

Don't post my picture, I don't want anyone knowing I shop at Sports Direct!

itsjustdrew posted:

So yesterday I went to my first game of the season, got to see falcao's debut, saw my team score 4 and not concede, and even had a few beers. All would be well if there wasn't a fat gently caress with B.O next to me who had to smoke every 12 minutes.

itsjustdrew posted:

So yesterday I went to my first game of the season, got to see falcao's debut, saw my team score 4 and not concede, and even had a few beers. All would be well if there wasn't a fat gently caress with B.O next to me who had to smoke every 12 minutes.

TheBigAristotle posted:

TheBigAristotle posted:

saihttam posted:

Mine says Ribery Im over

saihttam posted:

Mine says Ribery Im over

T Bowl posted:

Brony Car posted:

I saw LFC as the Targaryens. Formerly on top, but now trying to get back to our throne.

United would be the Baratheons. No longer really in power but believe they should be, like Stannis.

Chelsea are the Lannisters. Loaded and are in power.

Man City would be the Tyrells. Fairly new to being in power and are proving to be formidable.

Arsenal would be the Martells. Biding their time patiently and then finally planning to strike after buying players like Ozil and Sanchez.

Spurs are the Greyjoys. Haven't really accomplished much recently but are trying to press their claim.

I guess that would make Everton the Starks. Strong players but no-one expects them to finish on top.