Arsenal v Aston Villa Pre Match

[Drummond]

Our centre backs will play tippy-tappy with Martinez in and around the 6-yard box, try and hoof it, scuff it and we'll concede.

Unless Gerrard has a Damascene conversion, Jesus will show us the error of our ways.

[Villa Lew]

Bailey is one of the first players I would start, the one player we have with speed, ability to beat a man and score, but sadly think he will probably once again start on the bench, wouldn't be surprised, if he went 5 at the back tonight.

[Rory]

1-1

[darren woolley]

I'm going to this I just hope we put on a good performance the players really need to step up tonight.

[Skerra]

John, whatever you’re on, I want some and willing to pay a substantial amount

[cdbearsfan]

Out of order

The rape of Lucretia and tipping point for the downfall of the Roman Kings and the subsequent establishment of the Res Publica.

All likely myth, although rape features quite heavily in Roman foundation history/myths.

Tarquin Superbus is however the origin of the Arsenal fans sobriquet rather than his likely fictional son, the rapist Monty refers too.

Fuck yes, pre-Republican Roman history, in the match thread and not even that wildly off topic.

3-1 Villa.

Always struck me as quite weird that the Romans seemed to take some pride at being founded on fratricide by a bunch of criminal rapists. (Talking about the Sabines here rather than Lucretia).

[Monty]

Out of order

The rape of Lucretia and tipping point for the downfall of the Roman Kings and the subsequent establishment of the Res Publica.

All likely myth, although rape features quite heavily in Roman foundation history/myths.

Tarquin Superbus is however the origin of the Arsenal fans sobriquet rather than his likely fictional son, the rapist Monty refers too.

Fuck yes, pre-Republican Roman history, in the match thread and not even that wildly off topic.

3-1 Villa.

Always struck me as quite weird that the Romans seemed to take some pride at being founded on fratricide by a bunch of criminal rapists. (Talking about the Sabines here rather than Lucretia).

Rape wasn't the crime - violation of Roman aristocratic honour (and, for want of a better word, property) was. In that context, the Sabine incident is like, hell yeah, we absolutely battered those pathetic Sabines and stole their honour. Not a lovely bunch, really, Romans.

Anyway, that's sorrrt of veering too far off topic, so let's just go back to hoping that we ourselves have any honour left after tonight. I have my doubts.

[LeeB]

I was going to say, the Romans were bellends. Successful mind, but ultimately bellends. They may have left nice roads but the bequeathed feudalism, the horrible bastards.

[Legion]

More interesting than the thought of this evening's massacre.

[Monty]

I was going to say, the Romans were bellends. Successful mind, but ultimately bellends. They may have left nice roads but the bequeathed feudalism, the horrible bastards.

It's complicated, and it changed over time for sure, but certainly the pre-imperial period of Rome's founding and expansion is all about a ferocious belief in might making right, and by fuck they were going to have all of both. I mean, the Carthage thing...it absolutely makes you shudder.

Why does everything I want to say about the Romans also fit perfectly with the pre-match thread?

[LeeB]

They basically got everyone else to do everything, war, food etc. whilst sitting on their fat arses or fucking their sisters. It's amazing they got away with it as long as they did.

[Sexual Ealing]

I was going to say, the Romans were bellends. Successful mind, but ultimately bellends. They may have left nice roads but the bequeathed feudalism, the horrible bastards.

It's complicated, and it changed over time for sure, but certainly the pre-imperial period of Rome's founding and expansion is all about a ferocious belief in might making right, and by fuck they were going to have all of both. I mean, the Carthage thing...it absolutely makes you shudder.

Why does everything I want to say about the Romans also fit perfectly with the pre-match thread?

Six mistakes mankind keeps making century after century ft. John McGinn; leaky defences; upfront profligacy; an inability to link the midfield to attack; poor substitutions; rigid tactics; the silence of Ashburton Grove.

[Monty]

They basically got everyone else to do everything, war, food etc. whilst sitting on their fat arses or fucking their sisters. It's amazing they got away with it as long as they did.

Harsh on Arsenal fans.

[Sexual Ealing]

They basically got everyone else to do everything, war, food etc. whilst sitting on their fat arses or fucking their sisters. It's amazing they got away with it as long as they did.

The 'next prime minister' thread is that way <<<<

[LeeB]

They basically got everyone else to do everything, war, food etc. whilst sitting on their fat arses or fucking their sisters. It's amazing they got away with it as long as they did.

The 'next prime minister' thread is that way <<<<

Ad infinitum