Afternoon guys.
Football is boring during a two week break isn’t it? I have absolutely no enthusiasm for international football, certainly not an England team full of Toots, Utd and City players. I don’t even know when England are playing, let alone who which I never thought would be the case. Gone are the days of having an Arsenal interest to keep me tuned. Even when Danny Welbeck was in the squad, Southgate seldom played him.
I guess over the next five years though, that might change. That is if Arsenal don’t sell all the young England players we have coming through. Smith-Rowe, Eddie, Nelson, AMN, Willock etc, could be donning the three lions shirt before they know it. If they continue to work hard and improve of course.
After a great start in Germany, Nelson’s loan spell has taken a bit of dive. Injury I read, discipline too was another line spun in the media. If it is the latter, and there’s no reason to believe it is, I hope he’s over it. He needs to be playing between now and the end of the season. Smith-Rowe has been struggling too. Not ideal to go out on loan only to get injured. Mind you, he’d been out for us because of injury so perhaps he’s never really recovered. I’m not convinced many of our players on loan are having the best time. Martinez maybe as he’s been first choice at Reading and has produced a few man of the match performances and perhaps Krystian Bielik at Charlton. Whether either or both will be at Arsenal next season remains to be seen but for now, at least they’re both getting valuable match time.
Back at Arsenal though, AMN is impressing. Me anyway. He’s gone from looking a little indecisive, a tad too laid back, to an intelligent, calm and good right back. Not just against Europa teams, or ‘lesser’ teams, but up against Man Utd, I thought he was excellent. He’s been quoted as saying he’s enjoying himself at right-back, although he wouldn’t want to push Hector Bellerin out of the team. His best attribute is his forward play although he’s grateful to Unai Emery for moving him to right back as well as with all the hard work he and his coaches put in to help him improve as a footballer he’s said.
What a softie. He should be thinking of pushing Bellerin out the team and taking his place. Just as the Spaniard did when Debuchy suffered a nasty injury. Bellerin got his chance and hasn’t looked back since. Perhaps there have been times he should have….
I jest of course, AMN doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who’d come out with that kind of thing even if he was thinking it, which I bet he is. Healthy rivalry I think were the two words he used. Either way, whilst Bellerin remains out injured, it seems that AMN might just be winning over a few of his doubters with his recent performances. If there were any.
For Hector, well I guess he’ll be at home with a bottle of Cava and his feet up. He’s an old man now having turned 24 today!
Finishing on the old man theme. I watched Harry’s Heroes last night. Great to see Merson, Parlour and Seaman all donning a football kit again. Merson still seems to be battling a few demons. Sad really but just goes to show, one can want for nothing yet still struggle with life. I’m just so glad people are talking about it now though. Talking doesn’t solve everything, but it helps over time. Talking is a strength, suffering in silence can be fatal.
See you in the comments guys.
Evening all and thanks Rico.
Agree with the England stuff, not a lot of interest from me either. Arsenal have always been my number one interest and the only thing that comes second is Tottscum losing ! 😆
I too am glad about the attention the illness of depression is getting now, because it is an illness that anyone one can get and doesn`t matter how rich you are, how good looking you are, how life and soul of the party you are, it doesn`t care, so indeed as you say dont suffer in silence, talk.
Long overdue Lc..
It can strike anyone, at anytime, LC.
People can suffer it almost under boses without us even realising it.
Amazing how much pain the odd smile can hide.
Our noses became boses thanks to the bloody Phone!!
It looks as if Denis Suarez is being sent back to Barcelona at the end of his loan spell. Can’t say I’m all that surprised, or worried, he’s hardly got on the pitch since his arrival. Wages, loan fee, more dosh down the drain. Was he a Mislintat find? Just a sop to the fans for lack of other action in the January window?
Emery, our Head Coach (official title) now has a staff of twenty-five coaches, physios, analysts, and various other odd bods. Add in the board and the various directors of this, manager of that etc. and they outnumber the players in the squad and we’re still looking for a Director of Football. Talk about too many chiefs and not enough indians.
Let’s not forget that all their salaries, bonuses and employment costs come out of the same budget as that of the players, all that is after Kroenke has had is snout in the trough too.
Summer transfer window? Forget it! 😠
25??
Really?
Bloody hell!!
Morning all.
When little Dick leaves the building for the final time, will he take the majority of the ‘staff’ with him or leave them in station? If they go he’ll have to hire a ‘coach’ to take them all away!😀
Boom, boom.
Sunny blue skies here and no wind.
Not sure it’s Dick that’s hiring them , I think it’s Sanhelli enlarging his regime.
I don’t think for a moment that Emery is hiring them, but surely he is consulted on what backroom staff he needs, or wants.
“”Unai Emery is to become our new head coach “”. Quote from .com on his appointment.
He is head coach not manager his brief is with the team only . He no doubt sits a t the table when it concerns team matters but eveything else comes under Sanhelli.
Just how it should be re Emery. They’ve learned from past errors no doubt.
Morning…
Morning Gooner’s
Morning Rico.
Yeah, Emery’s priorities should be the 1st team, but he is surely consulted about who the club will or will not buy. He obviously has an input and an influence, he probably makes suggestions on individuals and positions, Raul for example wouldn’t go out and buy Hatem Ben Arfa and say to Unai “there ya go mate, enjoy”, so I’d imagine it’s more of a group decision now. But if Emery said he didn’t fancy a player then I doubt we’d buy him, whoever he was…
As for the staff, if Emery left he’d probably just take the Spanish guys who came with him, the rest of them run their own departments like fitness, scouting, youth and aren’t dependent on Emery being in the job.
Morning all.
Kev, I’m sure you’re right. In this, the modern era, it would seem Head Coach travels with his ‘own team’. They are all part of a unit and, perhaps that’s a good thing, especially if success is on their c.v’s.
Back in the day, Taylor and Clough were a ‘team’ but when They fell out and Taylor left neither of them really flourished again. Without each other the magic touch floated away. Sad. Similarly, Wenger and Primoric(sp) or even Paddy and Wenger the former pairing were pretty ordinary as a ‘team’ the latter had more success than failure but t didn’t last, sadly.
I suppose the chaps behind the desks are in control, mostly but not totally. Perhaps having a DoF to act as go between is the ultimate solution. A David Dein for example!
Warmish but cloudy here today but no rain nor is it forecast.
That’s it Wavy, also there’s less disruption if a manager/head coach is sacked…
I guess the upheaval when Wenger left was the end of the old way, when numerous coaches and medical staff followed him out the door.
As you say, we miss someone like David Dein, hopefully Raul can be that person.
Interesting to see that Welbeck, Holding and Bellerin have joined the squad for the trip to Dubai…
Kev, it’s not surprising that the trio have gone to Dubai, the duty free area is enormous and the prices are very competitive, last year I got two 1 litre bottles of 47 proof Gordons Gin for $25. Whereas two 1 Litre bottles of Bombay Sapphire 47 proof in the Hong Kong duty free this week was $32. Still a bargain. 😉
Evening all.
Loved Harry`s Heroes. West Ham always say they won the WC in `66 with 3 players, well we beat the kruats 4-2 with 3 Arsenal players ! 😆
One thing I was surprised with in that programme was how far behind in reality the womans game is compared to mens game when the completely unfit overweight old ex-players beat a womans Championship side in Crystal Palace 1-0 !………………………….I was expecting the ladies to win with ease considering Harrys Heroes lost to a 15 year old boys team a week earlier !………………………………
Merse is lucky to have Big Dave as a mate should he ever need a shoulder to cry on, a real diamond geezer, you’d have to go a long way to find a nicer bloke on planet Earth !
New post up now