Markus Liebherr Trophy just elaborate joke at Arsenal’s expense
July 15, 2012
….And we’ll keep on fighting til the end!!
Yes, Arsenal finally ended their search for silverware last night (Nurse, my sides!!) but unfortunately there’s not very much I can tell you about it as I didn’t see it and I’m guessing neither did you.
Apart from not knowing how we won it I’m not even particularly sure why we won it. We beat Anderlecht 1-0 but then we lost to Southampton on penalties after a 1-1 draw. So one win, one defeat. Same as Anderlecht got, same as Southampton got. Presumably they gave it to us because effectively we drew with Southampton but then I’m not sure why we bothered with a penalty shoot out. All very strange but what do I care? This is what I’ve been hearing about for all these years. It’s not about the football we play. It’s not even about getting more points than the opposition apparently. It’s about the silverware. What time’s the open top bus parade? (Oh, me! It’s a laugh riot here today I tell you)
Here’s what we do know. In the first game against Anderlecht only Gibbs, Jenkinson and Chamakh could be said to really represent the first team squad but we won it thanks to a goal from Henri Lansbury, a player who I wouldn’t be surprised to see leave the club this summer. If you can’t wait for the official Arsenal Player highlights this afternoon you can see that goal here. Nice work from Jenkinson down that right hand side and with Bacary Sagna still recovering from his leg break that’s something that we could well be seeing a bit more of at the start of the season.
In the Southampton game we fielded a bit more experience with Santos, Djourou, Coquelin and Gervinho starting. Gervinho scored a half decent goal using his pace to get down that left hand side, cutting back on to his right foot and then firing home. Good for his confidence to get his name on the score sheet whatever the game and it reminded me of the aplomb with which he was scoring goals last pre-season. Let’s hope it continues.
Want to see more? How about this short video of our boys lifting the trophy? You might notice that the trophy itself seems to be in the shape of a polar bear, an animal that’s becoming increasingly rare thanks to the unscrupulous operations of certain oil producers. What is this? Some kind of ironic comment on our lack of trophy success in recent years? Now I see why they let us win despite not actually winning. They’re mocking us I tell you!
What else is happening? The Mirror seem pretty sure that RVP returns to training tomorrow which should help to force the issue of his departure one way or the other. I’m a bit confused. I thought the Euro participants got an extra two weeks break rather than one? Might be wrong. The Mirror say he’s expected to take part in our Asia tour that starts next Saturday unless he’s been sold by then. They mention the Nasri situation last year in which he basically played every game of our pre-season despite the fact that he knew, the club knew and we knew that he was on his way out. Apart from anything that just seemed like a wasted opportunity for someone else to get some playing time and I really hope we avoid that situation this time around.
The Mail claim that with Carlos Tevez on his way to AC Milan that should clear the way for them to make a bid. Because money’s obviously something they worry about a lot at Eastlands.
Meanwhile new boy Lukas Podolski says he hopes that RVP will stay but he’s optimistic that Arsenal will be aiming high next season whatever happens.
And this was before we landed the Markus Liebherr Memorial Trophy. Imagine how confident he must be now.
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29 Responses to “Markus Liebherr Trophy just elaborate joke at Arsenal’s expense”
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We won it as we collected 4 points, 3 for win and 1 for penalty shoot out defeat against Anderlects 3 points and Southampton gained two points for their penalty shoot out win-see its easy!!
@willy – You get a point for losing a penalty shoot out? Nice!
The polar Bear trophy, you numpty, is a replica of the logo of the Mali Group. The Markus Liebherr group of companies. That’s what you won (were given) – the Markus Liebherr Trophy.
Need to research more.
Although I sense your comment is very much in jest re: trophy being a polar bear, please understand that this is a logo used by the Liebherr group – it is a big part of their numerous businesses.
As this competition is in memory of the late Markus Liebherr, (spelt with a ‘K’ and not a ‘C’), I find your comments a tad disrespectful.
Also, had you researched the format of the competition properly, you’d have realised why Arsenal were the overall winners.
Congratulations on the win, and all the best for the season ahead.
So a team that wasnt really Arsenal played in what wasn’t really a tournament and got a trophy for kinda winning. Wow can’t wait for the highlights of this historical moment.
@Daniel & SaintPaul 120 – yeah, I realise the trophy and competition weren’t really conceived of to be an extraordinarily elaborate pop at Arsenal. Apologies if you found the comment disrespectful but I trust my regular readers will understand that it was merely a joke at the expense of Arsenal’s recent lack of trophy success and not the result of ‘lack of research’.
Thanks for the spelling heads up though, now corrected.
Its simple, you get a point for every goal you scored. We scored two goals, had one win, and one draw.. Techincally a defeat. Very simple format, and they’re are plenty of videos of the goals floating around.
to the writer !!!are you depressed this morning or having a bad hangover or something?! clueless article!
Hope saints don’t invite arsenal next year if that’s the response. How often do a prem side get a promoted championship team and champions league opposition in the same day. Anderlecht were 12 games intot their preseason and looked very sharp. I’d say the arse were very lucky to test their young players against such good opposition. As a saint I’m pleased we played and it was a fun event.
You won it because if a game goes to penalties the points are split, with the losing side getting 1 and the winning side only getting 2.
So Arsenal ended up on 4pts, Anderlecht on 3 and Saints on 2.
” I thought the Euro participants got an extra two weeks break rather than one? ”
The euro players going home after group phase are expected back in training Monday 16/7:
Szczesny, Arshavin, RVP
The players playing beyond group phase will return to training Monday 23/7 and will probably not go to Asia:
Rosicky, Per, Podolski, Walcott, Chamberlain, Kos and Giroud
it a shame you write a decent-quality post every day, for free and yet still get hounded cos you happen to have a sense of humour!! madness.
i had a chuckle anyway thanx.
maybe the trophy was a reference to the tv series Lost.
Wow, a lot of humourless people have read this blog this morning.
@ak47 and Zinc – Thanks for the sanity as ever. Lot of angry people about today.
It’s not a lack of humour by any stretch. I appreciate the jist of what is an interesting blog. Always nice to read the view of opposing fans!
However, Saints fans (and rightly) get defensive if this competition or the Liebherr family are mocked as it’s a mark of respect for Markus, a man who saved us from the brink of oblivion.
That’s the only reason why some fans have commented.
Whoever wrote this article is a fool. They have insulted the good name of Markus Liebherr too….SHAME ON YOU.
The tournament is a celebration as well as pre-season practice. The Arsenal team won by the rules….and congratulations.
You are a disgrace to your Club.
The tournament is in honour of Markus Liebherr, our late former owner who invested a lot of money into the club when it was in administration and passed away in 2010. It is laid out as a bit of pre-season fun for the 10,000 or so in attendance and as a warm-up for the players. As a non-attending fan, what exactly were you expecting?
The bear is a Black Forest brown bear (despite the colour of the trophy) and is the emblem of the Mali group, which is the group Markus Liebherr traded under.
Arsenal’s participation may be connected to the Chamberlain transfer.
The format of 3 points for a win, 2 points for a penalty win and 1 point for a penalty loss is there to encourage the teams to try to win in normal time. As it happened, the shootout was pointless, but them’s the rules and there could have been circumstances where it would have had a bearing. It’s a new and original format that was created simply to entertain and not one we expect to catch on.
Why do morons like you bother to blog.
@steve Andrews – I just really enjoy the light hearted banter it generates.
no worries marbz,
wow there still at it. should we assume Markus Liebherr didnt like jokes? he’s had a tournament named after him. usually when people get honoured its cos there a decent human being. and decent human beings can usually take a joke.
would he be offended? should he be?
id suggest some reading the joke again if you think it was mocking Markus. madness.
To any other Saints fans planning on sending me personal abuse can I just point out that mocking the idea of Arsenal fans celebrating winning a pre-season tournament as if it were the Premier League or the Champions League is a joke at the expense of Arsenal fans and our constantly referenced seven years without silverware, not a joke at the expense of Markus Liebherr, Saints fans or Southampton Football Club. Sorry but it’s just not.
I genuinely hope none of the people that have written in ever have to read anything genuinely malicious or abusive towards their club because I get the impression it might tip them over the edge.
No saints fans expect the tournament to be on a par with other Competitions, it is just a friendly. The tone of this article however, is very disrespectful considering the reason the tournament exists – to remember and honor Markus Liebherr.
Why the disparaging comments about Gerv’s goal? Every web site is mocking the goal which was a quality piece of work which he is one of the few members of the squad that can pull that off. If RVP had scored that people would b creaming themselves. Gerv’s ability to dribble beyond the defensive line and pull defenders out of position is greatly underestimated, he will not score many when he pulls two defenders to the by line but it creates havoc for the defence and should alow his teammates opportunities to score … blame them if they don’t take advantage of this
I thought it was pretty funny.
No offence saints. But I have no idea who Markus Liebherr is. Nor should I, or anyone else that isn’t a Southampton fan.
Grow up.
And keep up the good blogs marble. You crack me up!
The reason you were in the ML trophy was part of the deal for taking another one of our talented players.
With Arsenal’s track record of trying to nick our youngsters,no doubt we will see you in the tournament again next year.
I’m a Saints fan, and don’t worry, I get the joke.
Surprised at how my fellow Saints are reacting. It’s a clear pop at Arsenal not Saints or Markus…
You’ve had 7 years without a trophy, we’ve had 7 years without top flight football…I guess we’re the grouchier of the two
WOW-ZERS! Glad I checked these comments for my Monday morning dosage of disgust for humanity.
TMH, you don’t need telling how articulate, balanced and humourous your articles regularly are.
To all the douchebags that got offended by satirical comments, you clearly like crusades that don’t exist and function through spite and bitterness. Write to the Daily Mail.
Unbelievable.
Wow, these comments from Saints fans are incredible?! I come from Southampton, and I would just like to assure everyone that not everyone has a complete lack of humour. Some of us recognise when some one is saying something tongue in cheek.
I would like to see Saints invited to a Portsmouth pre-season tournament, named after a mystery benefactor that saves Portsmouth and see if any Saints fans dare make a joke about the tournament. I reckon at least one would.
And Arsenal fans, I don’t blame you for not knowing who Markus Leibherr was, why would you? Saints were in Div 1 when he saved them. Totally off the radar. And as for knowing that the Bear represents his companies Logo?!!! I don’t think ANYONE would know that would they?!!
Direspectful. Ha ha! Get a life!
Although at first glance some of the comments seem disrespectful, the tone of this blog is very much a self-deprecating affair, so no need to get your knickers in a twist.
Anderlecht were by far the best team on the day, but I think that’s largely down to the fact they are almost ready to start their season.
Arsenal’s reserves were probably slightly worse than Anderlecht and slightly better than a Southampton side which had a mixture of first teamers and youth players.
Gervinho looked quite good, but his goal was also pretty poor defending and goalkeeping. I commented during the game how awful Arsenal’s number 25 was, and then realised it was Carl Jenkinson, one of the few players I had heard of. Chamakh had some nice touches but overall didn’t do much.
People can mock the competition but for Southampton and Arsenal, it was a way to get the preseason underway against some decent opposition and a decent crowd. The games were 45 minutes each, which on the face of it seems odd, but anyone who has sat through a pre-season friendly will see the sense from the teams’ and spectators’ points of view!
The penalty shoot out was unbelievably pointless, but it was a bit of extra entertainment. Amazing how well penalties are taken when there is no pressure.