For Villa's third, the referee was running to keep up with play and suddenly found himself ahead of the Arsenal defence so had to slow down. No joke.

 

Embarrassing.

Arsenal 1-3 Aston Villa: Arsene Wenger says sorry to fans

 

 

Arsenal 1-3 Aston Villa: Arsene Wenger says sorry to fans

 

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger apologised to the club's supporters after the Gunners lost 3-1 at home to Aston Villa on the first day of the Premier League.

 

Wenger's side were booed off at full-time, with chants for the Frenchman to strengthen his squad before the transfer window closes on 2 September. "What hurts me is to disappoint people who love the club," said Wenger. "I'm here to make them happy and when I do not I can only say sorry, come back and make them happy in the next game."

 

Earlier this summer, chief executive Ivan Gazidis revealed that Arsenal were ready to spend big after an "escalation in our financial firepower". But the only arrival so far is 20-year-old striker Yaya Sanogo on a free transfer from Auxerre, with numerous players leaving Emirates Stadium.

 

Wenger confirmed on Thursday that he will attempt to make signings right up until the transfer deadline at 23:00 BST on 2 September, and his team seemed to be in need of reinforcements against Villa. Olivier Giroud gave Arsenal an early lead but Christian Benteke equalised and then put the visitors 2-1 ahead before the Gunners were reduced to 10 men when Laurent Koscielny was sent off for a second yellow card.

 

Antonio Luna, one of six new signings by Paul Lambert, scored a third to complete Villa's victory as sections of the crowd turned on Wenger, with anger building as the match reached its conclusion. Lambert later said: "It's never nice to hear it, you need the fans to stick with you. Mr Wenger certainly knows what he's doing."

 

Wenger felt the side he named was good enough to win the match but confirmed he was willing to invest in new signings. "I'm there to buy players, if we find them we'll do it," he explained. "I'm not the only one working on that - it's not my money, it's the money of the club and we're ready to spend it if we find the right players. We could have won the game today with the players on the pitch, I'm convinced of that. We started well but after that everything went wrong - injuries, decisions, going down to 10 men and the chances missed. It was a bad day, not on the quality of our display but everything went against us. That [injury to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain] did disrupt us at half-time already and especially when we went down to 10 men. It was difficult but I must praise the spirit - until the last minute the players gave everything and the team showed great quality. It's a great disappointment but the spirit and attitude of the players was fantastic. I'm unhappy with the spirit the referee let the game [go in], I was quite amazed. But it's not my job to talk too much about that, I have to take care of the team and, despite that, we could have won the game."

 

Arsenal turn their attention to Wednesday's Champions League qualifying play-off first leg at Fenerbahce and travel to Fulham on Saturday. "We're not happy, we've got to look at ourselves," said Gunners midfielder Jack Wilshere. "We've got a big qualifier coming up and there can be no mistakes now - we've got to push on. We've got to pick ourselves up.

 

"It [the crowd reaction] is understandable, they pay their money to watch us and we need to put in better performances and win games. My message to them is to stick with us - it's a long season."

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23742476

What Wenger should do is go into his pockets and give refunds to all the Arsenal fans who attended, to say sorry for the result.

 

In other news, Chelsea win on the return of the 'special one'

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/16/paolo-di-canio-sunderland-revolution

 

Just found this.

^Sounds like a good plan if you're trying to get away from that old fascist stigma that haunts you.

 

As crazy as it all generally is, the part that makes him sound completely bonkers is that he doesn't just throw their mobile phones out, he plans to drive out to the coast and throws them in the sea. It's probably bullshit but still, it literally sound like an idea from an insane dictator.

City could have had 2 goals in the first 3 minutes, but 20mins in they now have their 2. While they've set a good pace they aren't even out of 3rd gear, very worrying.

 

THIS is why I wasn't looking forward to the start of the season.

City could've scored 7 tonight, Krul was great, and they had a disallowed goal which was clearly onside. On top of it, as I said before, they weren't even applying that much pressure on the final third, our defence was woeful.

 

Someone hold me.

Sorry man :(

That effing loaf Dzeko should have scored five for me tonight but all he gets is an assist and a booking and probably on the bench for the next match. Arse.

Aguero was worse for diving head first in the way of Taylor's arm which was innocently moving with momentum, he could've injured him and that's his handball arm.

https://twitter.com/GavinJuniper/status/369566864357490688

:lol:

 

Ian O'Neill‏@Da4thDukenow

@GazWaldoTweets You'll love this. Gary Neville 1-0 Jamie Carragher on MNF last night. #YSB

 

Newcastle made us look like Barca last night, they were very bad and will have issues in staying up if they dont spend some more money..

Why do you keep coming back on here when nobody wants you to.

All people have done over the past few weeks is post on how much they miss me.. and what my thoughts are ... so there you go...

 

You lot going down unless you make wholesale changes.. Down With Sunderland.. so you can keep you so called Regonal Derbies..

Does anyone else think Liverpool have lost pulling power in transfers? I know it's dropped since Rafa left but it was even more noticeable this summer. We apparently were "very confident" in signing Mkhitaryan and Costa. Then Willian was almost a done deal until Tottenham stepped in with the exact same bid. They've made good signings but no one that would be considered a blockbuster signing y'know.

I think liverpool have made some great signings with premier league experience recently, and some like aspas and coutinho who need a good season to make them worth the wonga. So far so good though. If I were a liverpool fan I'd have more confidence in Rodger's signings because of his squad at Swansea than Rafa.

All people have done over the past few weeks is post on how much they miss me.. and what my thoughts are ... so there you go...

 

You lot going down unless you make wholesale changes.. Down With Sunderland.. so you can keep you so called Regonal Derbies..

 

What the fuck are you talking about?

I think liverpool have made some great signings with premier league experience recently, and some like aspas and coutinho who need a good season to make them worth the wonga. So far so good though. If I were a liverpool fan I'd have more confidence in Rodger's signings because of his squad at Swansea than Rafa.

 

Don't get me wrong I'm happy with Aspas so far and Coutinho and Sturridge are still looking like the on form players we signed back in January. Toure is a good signing based on his experience too. I think Liverpool just have lost that spark that attracted big names to the club, Willian being the latest this summer.

 

Rodgers is a good manger and I'm positive he's getting us back to happier days. That's not my worry, I just feel we're getting beaten in the transfer market when we used to be the ones who'd brush the likes of Tottenham aside for big names. That was only a few years ago too!

I think Liverpool just have lost that spark that attracted big names to the club,

AKA top 4 spot

 

They appear to be doing their best in attracting names who know Liverpool may be their best best in fulfilling their potential and a stepping stone to Champions League football...?

And a decent pay packet.

Koscielny kicked in the head/face during Fenerbahce match. Bleeding and a possible concussion.

All people have done over the past few weeks is post on how much they miss me.. and what my thoughts are ... so there you go...

 

Can you show one post that proves this? Just one?

HT: Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa

 

Luna OG (7). Benteke equalises for Villa (45+3) on stroke of HT out of absolutely nothing

I'm watching it with a villa fan