Does humour have a place in football?

When I gather with a few mates at the Auld Triangle (or whatever it chooses to be called this season), prior to another stunning Arsenal victory, we stand in the road (in contravention of the 2004 Road Traffic Act), drink (ditto) and talk (probably ditto under the Terrorism Act, and now punishable by 42 days inside without charge).

We talk of serious matters sometimes, but also we joke, we have fun, we laugh. We do the same in the stadium. Of course we have serious moments, we cringe, we scream abuse at Robbie Savage, all that stuff, but also we laugh.

Even some of the songs have me in stitches. Singing, “We’ll race you back to London” to the Man Bankrupt supporters who managed to find their way to the Elder Trafford, is very amusing. Droll even.

So what is it that the journalists and the bloggers have got against humour in football. If you are reflecting football, there should be the odd laugh. The Guardian does it ok but otherwise it is all a bit serious.

I only came to think of this when I noticed that very few of the slightly amusing pieces published by Untold Arsenal ever make it onto the rolling Arsenal story sites like GoonerNews. I’ve never quite worked out why. It can’t be censorship can it?

Now I know that I am inviting a load of emails saying that it is because we are a bunch of turnips for whom a season ticket at Tottenham would be suitable punishment, but well, a bit of lightheardedness doesn’t go amiss. After all, Up the Arse is often advertised as “Laugh at those who deserve it”

Anyway, if you look back through yesterday’s stuff you find odds and ends that are marginally mirthifull. If you are that way inclined. None of the last 3 posts made it onto the rolling news services. I leave you to work out why.

Eduardo will END the curse of the Arsenal number nine shirt

I can't wait for the day that I see Eduardo put the red and white shirt of Arsenal on his back again.

We won't know what type of player Eduardo will be after coming back from such a bad injury.

Before his "assault" we were beginning to see the reason why Le Boss signed him. He was starting to settle in and was producing some great football.

Of top of this, he seems such a nice bloke, and to see him suffer such a cruel injury just seemed damn wrong.

I've a feeling that he will come back better than before and will become one of the BEST forwards in Europe. I've rated him from when before he signed for Arsenal, and was very pleased when he signed on the dotted line for us.

I reckon that finally we will have someone who will end the curse of the number nine shirt at Arsenal. The last few to wear it have struggled, Jeffers, Reyes and Baptista, and even Eduardo himself suffered from the curse when getting injured!

The number nine shirt is prestigious in football. It's a goal-scorers shirt, and Eduardo is a goal-scorer. I've no doubt when he returns he will do us proud.

He was a hungry player before and after missing the last part of the season and the Euros, he will return even hungrier. He is a strong person and that strength is what he will need on the long road to recovery.

He will get there. And I reckon that he will score a bucketful for our club. In fact. I think he will get 100 goals for Arsenal. At least. In fact, I'm having a bet on it!

The curse of the number nine has affected numerous players, including Eduardo himself.

But he is just the man to lift it.

Keep it Goonerish.........

Samuel Eto’o - No medical at Arsenal

There have been a lot of rumours this week about Samuel Eto’o joining Arsenal. It was also said that the player had already passed a medical at Arsenal.

Barca have made it clear Eto’o can leave the club this summer, but suggestions he has been at Arsenal this week for a medical have been rubbished by his agent Jose Maria Mesalles.

“Saying Eto’o had a medical at Arsenal is totally wrong, there’s strictly nothing,”

Arsenal Transfer Rumour - Clichy wanted by Roma and Juve

Hello all you Gooners, anyone heard anything about this Clichy rumour? Roma and Juve are both interested, the papers claim.

The evidence lies in two quotes, neither of which really link them directly, all they say is that they think he is a good player, so don’t get too worried by this rumour!

Firstly, Roma manager Luciano Spalletti:

“Clichy is an excellent defender of international class. He is also still very young, so has plenty of football improvement left in him. Certainly it would please me a great deal to see Gael Clichy in a Roma shirt. We will have to wait and see what develops.”

Secondly, Claudio Ranieri (ex-Chelski) Juve manager:

“Having worked in England with Chelsea, I know the Premier League players very well and I have to admit that Gael Clichy is one of the most impressive players right now. He is an important player, above all, because of his versatility. I believe he can play anywhere down the left and across the defence too. He could come to Juventus.”

It strikes me that these quotes are both from interviews where journalists may have just asked ‘do you think Clichy is good?’ These sort of quotes just mean that they think Clichy is a good player, and who doesn’t after seeing his performances last season, of course he is in demand.

He is loyal, so I don’t see him going anywhere!