Tuesday, October 31, 2006

The Thierry Henry booing furore.

Did we boo? Didn't we boo? Are we even allowed to boo Thierry?

I was sitting in the West Upper. At around the 60 minute mark or so, Rosicky knocked a great ball forward to Henry. Thierry not only missed it, but he seemed to be on a completely different wavelength to Tomas. The miscommunication between the two seemed to sum up Thierry's performance so far that day. He'd struggled to get into the game, and occasionally his stylish nonchalance could have been mistaken for indifference. Which, of course, it never is.

Thierry did not have a good game on Saturday. Not just by his standards, but by general premiership standards, and when he failed to latch on to Tomas's ball, a lot of people got up and shouted. A few people around me even accused him of laziness. It was more than a collective groan; it was nearer to a collective venting of frustration at a performance in which we'd been utterly dominant yet unable to turn our possession into goals.

Yet booing it was not. Booing is what happened to Phil Neville every time he got the ball [ just because Jose's gone, doesn't mean we've forgotten.] Booing was what occurred, increasingly, every time Cahill complained over some none existence grievance to the ref. Booing was what occurred every time Tim Howard took 10 minutes to take a goal kick.

Only a journalist looking to sell copy could mistake a moment in which the crowd screamed in frustration for one in which we booed Thierry. So, let's get it clear, we did not boo him.

But do we, theoretically, have the right to boo possibly the greatest player in our history? Maybe. If Thierry went on and didn't bother playing to the best of ability, and, more importantly, didn't care that he was no longer pushing himself, we should probably let him know. But I can't see Thierry acting in that way any time soon. Indeed, I think Thierry would have to score a hat-trick of own goals before I considered booing possibly the best player I've ever seen in any shirt.

So, to everyone going to the Emirates tomorrow, lets get behind the team and, especially, try and show Thierry what rubbish that NOTW hack was spouting.

And finally, Arsenal are not the R.E.M of football. They are the avant-garde free-jazz of football. Beguiling, often mistaken for being overly complex, but, ultimately, free-flowing and beautiful when it comes together. Go buy a few John Coltrane albums [if you haven't got some already] and hopefully you'll see what I mean. Arsenal do not play like a corporate, stadium rock band.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maybe he meant early REM ? I'd tend to agree with you though. Good article anyway.

Come on you Gooners !

Goonerboy said...

Even early REM...it's a little dreary. I do like some of their stuff though. But it doesn't sound anything like Arsenal look.

Anonymous said...

Another great post here, I wholeheartedly agree, well done Goonerboy!

Anonymous said...

I quite liked REM. And I quite like Arsenal. There are good players in both bands. Myles was right about one thing, though; I don't get that gut-churning, visceral feeling I get from Radiohead (or Australia, for that matter). It's the consequence of gloryhunting, I suppose.
Still, I'd rather them than the lads from Manchester.

Anonymous said...

great post. by saying that we should let him know i hope you do not mean by booing. personally i feel that you should never boo an arsenal player regardless - unless he meets the manager of a money... you know what i mean.

Goonerboy said...

No, I meant by making a point of continually singing the Thierry Henry song so he knows that the NOTW journo was lying and we all love him.

Anonymous said...

that i agree with.

Anonymous said...

and off topic, looks like the diving catalans may end up playing in uefa cup with the spud.

Anonymous said...

either is good enough for me. the divers for the cl finals and that la porta of theirs who had the cheek to say that we are a nobody and they are the reference point of european football or something like that, after they missed out on henry.

and the chavs for being just the chavs.

the only downside is that we shall be playing the chavs when they would have probably qualified.

Anonymous said...

Miles P*lmer is a Coont! Boring pointless meandering self indulgent B*ll*cks! REM are very similarCome on you Gooners!

3-0 Tomorrow

Ta

Anonymous said...

Is he a relative of Myles Palmer?!!I did not hear TH get booed on Saturday, there may have been criticism - but I was suprised when my mate asked me if the crowd were booing him??? (I didn't hear a chorus of "Thierry Henry..." all afternoon though) so you know he didn't have a great game....even though- he still produced one or two touches of sheer brilliance that just show's on an off day, the guy is still a cut above the rest. By the way, this "SHHOOOOT" business had got to stop.... Are the fans who shout this getting satisfaction from seeing Kolo take R.Carlos style shots from 50 yds out??? Do you enjoy watching movement like Hleb, Rosicky, Hleb, GOAL! against Reading? Do you really think Cesc was going to score when he took your advice on the outside of the box and stuck it tamely? Well then shut up!!! Yes, Arsenal are guitly sometimes of overplaying. But for gods sake shut up with your SHHOOT. TH will shoot, Rosicky will score more 30 yarders, Kolo may even get one too by the end of the season, but not because you tell them too!!!

Anonymous said...

Arsenal are like the QUEEN of football. They "want to break free" of standard english football and "rock" us with the free flowing football. Yeah, I know it's lame but NO ONE should compare ANYTHING with REM. That's just wrong.

Yelling "SHHOOOT" is like a reflex to me. I yell it even after kick-off. BUT! Kidding aside, I am willing to tape my mouth up and show support if I have to.

Gunning for a 2-0 win tomorrow!

Anonymous said...

Myles can sometimes be talking like a smartass but at least he dares to speak out what he thinks.

When he compares Arsenal to REM, well it's just his style of writing. I also have no idea how he came up with such analogy.

I am not saying that you have to agree with him. Sometimes he got it all wrong. In fact I'd love to challenge him for a debate.

But he is definitely better than those of you who couldn't put up a good argument and could only call him names just because he does not subscribe to the idea that AW and TH are gods who can do no wrong. If you think you know better, go write a blog and proves that you can be more popular than ANR.

gazzap.. he often talks about Rooney simply because:
1. Rooney is England's best player at the moment
2. His attitude apart, he is a very exciting player

Oh.. and I do agree that against Bolton, Man Utd were simply irresistible. Rooney fought hard and his work rate was admirable.

Ops.. does that make me a Man Utd fan now that I praise Rooney?

Come on guys.. we love it when other fans come to us and tell us how they love to watch Arsenal play. We love it when they praise TH's skill. But we can' take it when our own fans come out and acknowledge other team's brilliance?

Goonerboy said...

I've got no problems with Myles liking Rooney; I just thought the REM analogy was a bit rubbish.

Anonymous said...

Yeah goonerboy.. I thought that REM analogy was out of place too TBH. Well the Rooney part was not pointed towards you mate. I was actually refering to some people who dislike his postive comment on Man Utd.

Anonymous said...

REM analogy a nice reply yo Myle buddy
Liked your Blog something different
Keep writing

Anonymous said...

Hi there -- I have a few questions regarding your site. If you get a moment, please drop me an e-mail.

All the best,
Michelle
michelle@sportingo.com