Morning all.
This international break is done and dusted and thank goodness for that! Have to say it’s been quite a boring two weeks and I’ve couldn’t even bothered to watch my own country play. Whether that’s because of the ‘minnows’ they’d had to play or whether like many, I’ve just lost interest in watching England, I don’t know but not even knowing Theo was playing could tempt me to tune in.
There’s been quite a few surprises in this qualifying stage with Wales and Northern Ireland securing a place in next year’s European Championships for the first time in a long while and The Republic of Ireland could yet qualify courtesy of the play-offs. They had a tough group which included Germany and Poland so to get 3rd place was pretty good. Scotland however are out. (snigger snigger)
Perhaps the biggest upset is Holland as last night they lost their match against the Czech Republic and boy didn’t I laugh when reading Robin van Persie had scored an own goal! The Czech Republic played the entire second half with only ten men too….. 🙂
Another surprise is Belgium who are now ranked number one in European International Football.
In other international matches, Alexis Sanchez was involved for Chile in the American 2018 World Cup qualifying matches who last night beat Peru 4-3. Alexis scored two, as did Eduardo Vargas.
Joel Campbell was on target for Costa Rica as they defeated the USA 1-0 in a friendly.
Anyway, as said, this break is now over and now it’s back to proper football for a while and we certainly have a testing time ahead.
On Saturday we face Watford away from home, a match which is live on Sky Sports, then on Tuesday, we face Bayern Munich at home in the Champions League.
As far as I know, none of our players have suffered any injuries whilst representing their country but perhaps fatigue will give Arsene Wenger a selection headache ahead of our match on Saturday. The biggest concern has to be Alexis Sanchez who appeared to pick up an injury in our last match against Man Utd, yet he’s played both matches for Chile and as the photo shows, he’s applied something to his thigh which suggests he’s struggling a bit.
Travel has to be a factor too as unlike others who have enjoyed a short trip to Europe, he’s been to South America and back. Surely he needs a break and Watford would probably be the best game to leave him on the bench at best, especially if Arsene Wenger plans to field his strongest side against Bayern.
Surely it’s better to miss him for one game rather than lose him for more….
Rotation is key now, not three or four at one time which would upset the balance but just one or two so that we don’t lose momentum. Arsene Wenger has a squad, not a deep one I know but with five fixtures to squeeze in before this month ends, he’s got to use it wisely….
Have a great guys, the sun is back, and so is Arsenal in just a few days time…..
Good read Rico.
Its worrying how Jorge Sampaoli opted to play AS17 when he was not 100% ok..
I guess he will hid behind the argument that AS17 wanted to play…
Even Vidal who has not played much for FC munchen played only 70 or so minutes…
As always Arsenal gets the bum deal…
hide* even. tsk
Don’t drop anyone,lets have our consistency first before dropping our star players.we all know the champions league is done and dusted for us…let’s stop hoping!
Morning again all…
Ts, as Lee said before, he should never have travelled. AW is too soft, he should stop players from going off on international duty IF they have a slight injury like so many other managers do..
Dead on here again so I’m offski…
You mustn’t get too downhearted, Rico. I had a swan around some of the other News Now sites yesterday and whilst quite a few of them racked up quite high activity contributions the number of different bloggers were very low. I’m not ocd enough to count them out but Le Grove for example only had about 12 different contributors, the difference perhaps was that they wrote lengthy pieces and didn’t know when to stop! 263 blogs when I looked late last night! Plus some quite lengthy time gaps between blogs, one guy was even answerering his own posts as no one else was about! How sad is that?
Anyhow, I think it’s just the time of the season and the self-satisfaction of the bloggers in general. You know as well as I that there are far more angry and discontented bloggers when we lose but, not so many when we are cruising! We all love to complain, we are not so good at praising! Everybody will be back, as and when, well most people, at least.
Just while I’m in analysing mode, human nature dictates that we all start off with the best of intentions and sometimes massive enthusiasm, all we want to do is contribute as best we can, as often as we can and as cogently as we can. Then as time goes on we lose a little of the ‘edge’ and blogging becomes a little less exciting, contributions become fewer. We don’t go away, there’s always someone reading but not necessarily responding. There are countless different reasons why folk ‘just move on’.
Presently some of the regulars are just too busy to be ‘on line’ and active just now, but when the time comes to start ranting and railing at the Club they’ll all be back!
Today’s post is a good one, something for everyone to have an opinion about, it’s just that, unlike me, most people don’t have the time and the space to get on line and have their say, but I dare say there are many who read the contributions on the site avidly but never ever blog themselves! The silent majority, as you might say!
I suggest a bottle of Cava, always an excellent pick me up! And a long walk with the woofa, whist eating boiled eggs. Magic!
Have a good day now! And I hope this helps a little bit!
Well said Wavy.
nice post Wavy
Ginge how about some stats to get the blood boiling on the Watford game
Here’s a joke, how long does Peru voodoo last?
Yeah it raises concern when a half fit players gets (over)played. I don’t think the club can stop a player from representing his country, they’d just recommend.
I think we can afford to rest Sanchez this weekend and give Ox playing time.
Cava and pickled eggs ?? Probably one way of ensuring solitude.
The keep the players with a niggle question . Do they not have to be inspected by the national teams doctors now , the days of a letter from Mrs Ferguson are long past . It would of course make sense for players with injuries not to be subjected to extra games but that would need joined up thinking from the various members of the footballing fraternity. Who knows should Blatter and his ilk disappear a more common ground approach could be found that would suit all parties. However don’t hold your breath.
One problem is that the badly run F.A’s like ours are so far in debt that they have to have regular games to get the income to pay off their loans. It would make sense to regularise all the leagues to play over the same period and have internationals in May and June. The players get a month off and come back for pre season in August and start leagues again in September . Another pig makes it’s way across the rain filled skies of Norfolk.
Paddy finds a sandwich with 2 red wires sticking out of it. He phones the police and says” Be Jesus, i’ve found a sandwich that looks like a bomb” The police operator asks, “Is it ticking?” Paddy says “No i tinks its Beef”
Sorry Micko/ Irish lads in advance!
Haha, hiya Lee.
Tomorrow is Kroenke’s worst day of the year. Anyone here who’s honored to attend the AGM? There are a few questions I’d like answered.
Very good read Rico…
Resting Sanchez would be a healthy decision and giving Chambo/Campbell a change…
With respect to replying to blogs, I agree with Wavy… I’m also part of Silent Majority… I read the posts from HH daily without fail but reply only when I get some free time…
Love the vid Lee, classic…
Thanks Wavy, I’m not disheartened, honest – just when it’s quiet, I’ll make the most of my free time and do other things… I like the thought of Cava and boiled eggs though, in fact that’s often my lunchtime indulgence when returning from a walk with the woofa… 🙂
Potter, solitude works for me though. I only really like talking to people on here, otherwise, animals all the way….
Evening Rico and all.
Evening Rico and the house
What’s it like running the best blog around?
You lot seen the Portuguese prick has got a one match stadium ban and a £50k fine for his remarks about officials being biased!
GOOD!
The Perfidious Ponce deserved far more.
He’ll head for the laundry basket again! KNOB!
I’ve just heard on the BBC The poisoned pygmy’s ban is suspended for 12 months.
So brave of the FA don’t you think?
Such a powerful deterrent!
Evening Adam, Mg, Lee, Wavy and all…
Doesn’t it get dark early….
Mg, I wouldn’t know….
That under tall git from Portugal is lucky not to have been banned long before now for his comments… And more…
Wavy, FA is spelt ‘gutless’ these days….
It does Rico. Winter is coming for sure.
He should be keel hauled. 🙂
Really noticeable with shutting the feathered ones in Adam…
Oops, sorry big brother, that should be ‘when’ not ‘ with’….
Night then all….
Mourinho should be dragged through the street, tied up behind a cart…
Then he should be put in the stocks whilst being bombarded by rotten fruit, eggs, horse shit and bricks…
Then he should have the shirt ripped from his back and he should be beaten with a birch until the blood flows.
And then, and only then, should he be keel hauled…
I reckon the dwarf should be ‘racked’ he talks big let’s see if we can make him big! Or will he shed his limbs first? Then keel haul him.
Hang , draw and quarter then a trip from Newgate to Tyburn then pack him off to the Tower to let the crows have their way and peck his eyes out. Then drag him behind a speed boat to Chelsea bridge.
Happy birthday Mesut!
Lock him in a cell (without a mirror) for 50 years with a recording of Michael Owen reading Sam Allardyce’s thoughts on why he should have been England manager playing on continuous loop at 100 decibels.
Then keel haul him, preferably alongside Robbie Savage.
Morning Lee, Adam and all…
Morning Rico.
Morning all.
Any player with any pride wants to play internationals, so I don want Wenger standing in their way.
I want the players to use their brains if carrying injuries to speak up.
Who is this little, wee Portugese giddy midget of whom we speak?
Morning Brudder and Cava-woman….
No idea Scott, couldn’t work that out from the comments… lol
Cheeky Lee, but with an element of truth…..
It’s sooooo tedious this International bore-fest! At least we are back again on Saturday!
Good Morning to all those members out there, of the Jose Mourinho Appreciation and Keel Haul Society…
Morning Rico…
Brudder.
What would you do if you were Wenger re CL or PL?
Me personally I’d rest players for Bayern and go for the PL.
Apparently Bayern fans thinking about boycotting Arsenal v Bayern over the extortionate price of their tickets!!!
Can’t really blame them , we all know the price of tickets throughout the premierleague is extortionate.
Morning Kev..
Agree, boring boring international football!
I reckon AW will play his strongest against Bayern, then if we lose, a totally different team for the away fixture as we’ll pretty much be gonners…
Bugger the CL for mine 🙂
New post up now..