I don’t know how prevalent the slang “ain’t” is in the conversations around the world but it’s part of Kentucky’s everyday vernacular. Used for the contraction, isn’t, it was also the new nickname of the New Orlean Saints. The Saints of the American NFL were so bad in the 1980’s that their fans began to wear paper bags on their heads and referred to their club as the “New Orlean Aints”. Southampton is so bad that I can see the practice being ressurected across the pond.
The ArseAm content has been intense so for the members lack of time I will keep it short. Ormerod was the spark and general of this squad but injury has kept him from his game. Fernandes, I thought, would be the creative genius that would keep the Saints in the top 10, but he has failed to come through. The midfield is so disorganized that not even James Beattie is given opportunities to score, he has just 2 goals. I really thought that Kevin Philips would make a difference but he has just disappeared when he’s needed.
Some positives, though. Anti Niemi has continued to be a secure force in goal. Big and strong, he was rumored to be a Wenger target (I know I say that about every GK but this is true). He has had plenty of experience with a less than average midfield giving away possession. He has a very young group of defenders in front of him but Graeme Le Saux has managed to rally these young players into a solid force. The defense remains under constant assault and it’s surprising they have only given away 12 goals.
To give the club some due, they have been plagued with injury. Also there is some unrest at the managers position and when you change management in mid-season it’s hard for the players to adapt. They are currently in the relegation zone and by seasons end may have worked themselves out, but it will take some effort.
The Saints are winless on the road and have just one point and one goal on their travels. They have not scored in four straight matches. It does not take Bobby McMahon to read that this could be an one-sided affair.
ArseAm Predicts: This should be an easy win for the Gunners, 3-0.
7 Responses to “The Saints or the “ain’ts” ?”
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October 29th, 2004 at 12:07 pm
We’ve got a few pipers down, so it cold be more of a scrap and scrape affair than if we were first XI strong. Still, time to beat up on the bottom feeders.
Manure away at Fratton Park, Chelski away at West Brom. Let’s hope they drop silly points. They can hack us all they want, but its in these games that the league is won.
Come on GUNNERS!!!
October 29th, 2004 at 12:53 pm
let me say this…
I don’t see it happening… but somehow, some way… if we manage to draw or lose this match to Southampton… I just do NOT want to hear about how we are done, the team sucks, so and so needs to go, we have no heart/courage, why aren’t we more like United or Chelsea, etc etc etc…
Its always a strange scenario after the long run is over… to see how the immediate reaction on the pitch goes…
If we lose or draw… please lets not have the end of the world reactions!!!!!!!!!!!
I see this as a close match, not sure exactly why, just have a funny feeling about it…
Arsenal 2-1
October 29th, 2004 at 6:48 pm
Of course my favorite memory of Southampton was us basically annihilating them 6-1 the Wednesday following DIRTY F@$#ING LEEDS beating us and handing the title back to Man U in 2003; this was before the FA Cup Final, mainly a reserve team playing, and both Pires and Pennant getting hat tricks (Pennant within 25 minutes!)…my stepson even declared “This is the best soccer game I’ve ever seen!”
Anyway.
I predict another annihilation. Coming off a hard loss like Sunday, we need to blow some steam off and Soton are the team to do it against. Besides, they’re a frickin mess right now anyway — going from Strachan to Sturrock to Whatsname in such quick succession, it provides no kind of unity for the Saints to look at. Another ass-whippin, 5-1.
— Geoff
October 30th, 2004 at 1:45 pm
Well, we drew the game Stag. I am not going to make some end of the world reaction but, let’s just say that I am REALLY REALLY disappointed at the fact that AGAIN, we let in goals from set pieces. Two set pieces, two goals. What are they doing in training? We can’t score from set pieces? Fine, I can accept that.
But keep allowing oppositions free headers like that? Heck, Lehmann is not Toldo or Niemi who can pull off fantastic reflex saves. Is it that difficult for our players to learn from this set piece lesson?
Stop ball gazing, watch oppositions movements. Sigh..
Having said that, I am glad Persie came on and score. Hopefully he can get more time to play in next games. This boy got amazing striker instinct.
October 30th, 2004 at 3:44 pm
Worse, we were actually fortunate with the draw since Henry’s goal was way offside. Reyes’s injury is a pain, but let’s hope it won’t keep him out for long. Who should play up front on Wed - Dennis (who I thought was not at his best today) or van P? It’s bound to be Dennis, of course, but should it be if he’s going through a bad patch?
October 30th, 2004 at 4:48 pm
Miranda, Henry’s goal was not offside. Look at the player standing on the top of the screen, he played Henry ON side. U couldn’t see it on the screen at the first moment, but wait half and second, u would see him standing there. In fact, Henry even explained to Southampton keeper and got him look on the Giant TV Screen at Highbury to watch the replay to prove the point.
October 30th, 2004 at 5:07 pm
Well there ya go!
NO Miranda… as Andez pointed out… Henry was ON side… we had a number of chances in the first half… we didn’t convert… we let Soton stay in the match and … BANG… BANG… two headers, two goals…
I don’t know why Reyes is starting over Pires, but I think its a mistake. Reyes has not scored since??? Pires should be starting, Reyes coming on later.
Henry misses a penalty… yes, it happens…
Freddie with a chance to make it 2-0 after a BRILLIANT move by Henry… Bergy had a couple of decent chances… we simply didn’t take our chances again… and the EPL IS A VERY COMPETITIVE LEAGUE… so when you keep a team in the match, they can easily capitalize on one or two chances… in this case BOTH their chances in the 2nd half. Other than that, Soton didn’t do f-all in the 2nd half… we had 72% possession.
so it goes… at least we didn’t lose… and perhaps we deserved to.
Fantastic goal by VanPersie in extra time… but then he should have WON it on the last chance on the header from about 3 feet away…!!!!!!
I never felt comfortable in this match, because we simply never closed the deal and scored goals when we should have. The match should have been over at half time…
Play VanPersie? (over who?) Play Cesc over Edu? I would definitely get Pires back in the starting line-up immediately… but other than that, we are still the same team that went 49 in a row… so lets not go crazy here and panic over a questionable loss to United and a draw v. Soton… life goes on, and so does the Arsenal.