Morning all.
I’m probably one of many football fans who are happy to see Liverpool’s defence of the league title go so horribly wrong but it’s worth remembering that they have a glut of injuries and they’re still five points better off than us in the league and we’ve not had anywhere near the amount of injuries they’d had. Are you that confident we’ll beat them at The Emirates in a few weeks time because I know I’m not. Liverpool are chasing another Champions League trophy, ourselves, Europa League glory with little else but pride left.
Olympiakos will be tough, of that I’ve no doubt and no, I don’t fancy our chances over two legs. Partly because we often seem to shoot ourselves in the foot and because we’re so poor in front of goal. Still, at least VAR in Europe isn’t run by Riley and his muppets so if they’re called upon, honesty might prevail. If we do manage to progress then it’s possible Man Utd or Toots could be up next.
The stats say Arsenal had nine shots at the Burnley goal on Sunday with five on target. It felt like more but perhaps that’s because of the frantic final minutes when Arsenal did everything but score. Pepe’s miss still plays over in my mind.
I’m really disappointed with the result, but the reality is that we generated so many big chances but only scored one goal. We started well and then that’s when you have to put the game away and it has to be two or three-nil and the game is over. – Mikel Arteta.
That’s our season in a nutshell really. We’ve bossed games as far as possession goes, created chances but haven’t been clinical in front of goal. But, the positive is that we are creating chances which we weren’t always managing in the first half of the season. Good ones too rather than half chances.
Burnley at the weekend, Wolves at Molineux, Leicester City at The Emirates, Southampton at The Emirates – just a few fixtures which we were in total control of but either couldn’t find the back of the net or a sending off made life difficult for us. In those games alone, only because they’re the ones off the top of my head, had Arsenal been able to score from the one or two of the opportunities we created, an extra eleven points would have been ours. Forget VAR decisions, I’m on about Arsenal being their own downfall. Funny enough, eleven extra points would have put us in 4th place. (as the table looks today)
Of course Mikel Arteta was disappointed after Sunday’s result because we should have won. VAR should have given us the opportunity to win it with a penalty but that still doesn’t take away the fact that our front players are not doing their job very well. Other than David Luiz at Leicester, I cant remember the last time we scored from a corner or set-piece either. Our defenders, who aren’t exactly small, need to do better in the box. Perhaps with a better delivery, they might.
Arsenal need to score in Greece and score big. Take home a couple of away goals and there’s a chance of going through but if Arsenal players fluff their lines in front of goal, then we’re in for a nervy 95 minutes at The Emirates.
See you in the comments.
Good morning Rico, a fine post but it’s missing a vital “not”. 😉
Good Morning Rico and everyone
Set pieces are trained on the training grounds Rico. They are something that needs to be practiced regularly. Innovation, creativity call it what you may want…..but we have to be a step ahead than the opposition. Something which leaves them into disarray, pulls the opposition defence all over the place. We have to leave them guessing.
Sadly we see the same situations being churned out game after game. The player puts his right hand up and we go….oh its the first post. The player puts both hands up and we know its the 2nd post. And then just chip it in there hoping for the best.
We dont have Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos, Henry etc to bend it into the corner. When was the last time we got a freekick directly on target and scored??? Freekicks and corners, if executed well, will give us around 9-12 points a season.
Devil, from memory, Lacazette and Xhaka are two of our guys who’ve scored from free kicks, so when we see others line up to take them, I ask why?????
It makes no sense.
Yes you are right. But they were freekicks from the centre. Still…..as you pointed out….why dont they take them more regularly.
However I am talking about other freekicks as well. Those which are taken from the side. We do need a bit of creativity in them. And a dash of difference as well. Because many times its the same old same old being churned all the time.
Morning Devil. For sure they are but by the looks of it, they need some homework.
Morning Cicero, thanks. In the heading?
Scott, Xhaka used to score from long distance as well…..he scored about three in his first season for Arsenal.
Has that ability been coached out of him??
We do seem to have a tendency to try and walk the ball into the net so it may be that reason.
Some homework Rico?? they need a lot more than that. They need extra practice, need routine practice until it becomes a skill etc. They need extra thoughts. Extra mental replays. Extra sessions after training time.
Afternoon Rico, thanks for a good, realistic post as usual.
With this team of players you just never know, are they just a group who flatter to deceive, could a different coach get more out of them? You know as a Tuchel has gotten more out of Chelsea, for now, apparently he’s the new white hope but we all know that that doesn’t last long, hero today zero tomorrow that’s how it is in these Twitterer days of instant criticism.
I wonder how long it’ll be before certain sections of our fan base turn on Saka – ‘impossible’ I hear you cry, well you wait and see?
I’m not confident at all that Arsenal won’t lose to Liverpool, we probably will and I’m also preparing myself for a defeat this weekend when the Scum visit. As for Olympiakos well that could go anyway you can imagine, how can you be confident at all in this group of players?
I was being polite Devil.
I do think our players are discouraged from shooting outside the box.
Devil, with the modern ball and it’s want to swirl and swerve in the air, any manager NOT wanting players to take the odd long shot is mad!!!
In the part about who runs VAR, Rico.
Kev….do you know that that thought about Saka passed my mind? I was thinking about …..let’s see next season when he suffers that dip in form. That is why I feel it is important that he is rested after 4 or 5 games. even if for one or two games as sub. Because this season he is the top dog….but next season we will see if he moves higher up, stagnates or even suffer a dip. Because his body is still growing. He will not be ready till he is 22. He is still three years away from that. So he needs frequent rest. ESR as well.
Scott…..a couple of weeks ago I suggested that in the first 10-15 mins we should at least shoot around 5-10 times from outside the box. At least get them on target. Maybe even a deflection might go in. I dont care…they all count.
Rico….I dont know why they should be discouraged. As Scott pointed out….with the modern ball and the way it swerves a coach must be mad to discourage that.
Had I been coach I would have around 20 goals a season as contender for the goal of the season as I always encouraged it.
At least the opposition keeper would ahve to hurtle himself around a good amount of times. he should earn his wages.
George Graham knew the value of free kicks and corners, whenever Arsenal got a corner we knew we had a good chance of scoring and why was that? Well it was because Graham worked really hard on dead balls in training, both from an attacking and a defensive perspective, and he didn’t need a dead ball coach to do it, he just knew.
Wenger gradually weened us away from being dangerous from dead ball situations, he wasn’t interested and as our old guard retired all that valuable knowledge went with them, it’s the modern way of coaching I suppose, but the Luiz goal showed how valuable it can still be but you have to work on it in training and don’t just spend all day playing first time one-two passing sessions that are pleasing to the eye but don’t pay off in matches as often as they should.
We have to keep in mind that Arteta is of the Wenger school of football Kev. He was already managing Arsenal from the pitch as captain when he was player.
Yes DG, it’s obvious that Saka will see a dip in his form just as we’ve seen from Aubameyang this season, last season Auba was Superman and we all celebrated when he signed his new contract – except Cicero. Now many fans would be happy to sell him if we got a half decent offer of say £30/£35m. I’m not sure either way, if a club came in with an acceptable offer and given the clubs’ finances I’d understand, but Auba could quite easily recapture his form and score 30 goals next season?
Hi Rico and all, It’s not only our free kicks we seem to struggle with set pieces from corner kick in, as for long shots at goal i recon the players have been instructed not to take a long shots any more and only shoot when they are in the box or just out side it.
Well DG, we must also bear in mind that Wenger was greatly influenced by the Barcelona way in his post Invincible days and Arteta is out of that mould so it’s a cross fertilisation of ideas, but none of them are British. It’s probably why Wenger’s later teams were so vulnerable to a long or high ball as used by Bolton, Stoke, Mourinho and the like. They just sussed out our weakness and Wenger stubbornly ignored addressing them, hence a centre back pairing of Gallas and Silvestre, a pairing that nobody else would choose, but he did and he was determined to be proved right, that is until the damage was done and he had to change.
Kev….I too have been saying all along that Auba cannot do well with the present formation. So not only Cicero. JM says that as well. Its not a question of of whether he will score 30 goals next year or not. Its a question of whether or not he can play in this system. See the difference when Laca was played as a CF with Saka, ESR, Odegaard/Pepe were behind him. We need a Laca upgrade…..a type of Lewandowski, Weghorst/Kane/Lukaku/Benzema/ etc. I am not sure Edouard of Celtic is a better upgrade on Laca either. We need a strapping CF who can play with his back to goal but also score 20+ goals a season in the league.
Next season, players like Saka, ESR, Martinelli, Pepe and whoever is there that plays in those positions like Odegaard (??), Ceballos (??), Willian…..they all need to chip in with their fair share of goals in the EPL. And I am talking of 8-10 goals each. Whether or not the striker is Auba, Laca or whoever it is remains to be seen. But what is important is that the CF must get 20-25 goals.
Afternoon Kev, thanks.
That’s this Arsenal isn’t it, we just never know. Frustrating as hell.
Since he has been with us Auba has had the following goal scoring sequence…..
2017/18 played 13 scored 10
2018/19 played 36 scored 22
2019/20 played 36 scored 22
2020/21 played 23 scored 9
so in the remaining 11 games he must score at least 13 to equal the previous seasons. Is it a big ask?? If he does not miss chances yes he will even surpass that.
I am referring to the EPL only. The other competitions its not that important who scores….what is important is you win and pass to the next round. The EPL shows consistency over 38 games.
Got it, thanks Cicero.
DG, the “strapping CF who can play with his back to goal” is already on the Red List of endangered species.
Heading the ball is fast becoming anathema to the medical profession. The risk of developing dementia as a result of heading a football is all to real to ignore. In youth football there are calls to ban heading altogether. In the professional game there are moves afoot to cut down the amount of heading in training. How long will it be before it is banned in it’s entirety?
Have a glance around the various top leagues in Europe how many clubs have an Andy Carroll in their squad?
Arteta, along with more and more coaches, is working towards a game without heading, a game where the ball is kept on the ground. It’s my personal opinion that Balogun has not made more appearances is for that very reason.
I am not talking about heading Cicero. Lacazette does not score that much with his head. Nor did Henry. . But they could all play with their back to goal. Someone who could hold the ball up. Lewandowski and Weghorst are not the type to who score a good number with their head…..but they are big, strapping and can hold the ball to bring others into play.
I will put my name in the ring for the Auba is better on the left brigade and the fact that we are unlikely to be able to get an upgrade on Lacazette I can’t see us selling him .
Our goalscoring shortage is directly related to the style of play . When we get possession we faff around at the back usually taking three passes where one would do and we play into midfield where we are very pretty to watch but not forceful . By the tme we reach the oppositions defence they have time time to dog their cigars and put down the brandy.
The way that modern football is played it requires speed of foot and thought . Speed we have but no idea of what to do when we get there . I think Kev mentioned the 5 a side mentality yesterday and it is difficult to see past the effect it has in the final third.
As an ex central midfield player I would have loved playing against Xhaka , Ceballos , Elneny type players . You know that they are not going to burst past you and all you have to do is jockey their position and send them sideways , you don’t even have to tackle them because you know that eventually they will over complicate things and give the ball away when it gets too tight.
Midfielders do not like playing against players that make them turn and follow runs into their own area which is why so often goals are scored against us because we don’t pick up on runs , we don’t follow players , we just try to pass them on to someone else to take responsibility .
I hear so many calls to shore up the defence , buy another forward but until we get a working midfield that plays forward and back and works it’s whatsits off . We are going nowhere.
Over to you Mikel and Edu.
The way things are going in-regards to head injuries I can see the day when it will be compulsory for all players to wear some sort of padded helmet similar to a boxers sparring helmet.
what I don’t understand is why a player is allowed to stay on the field when he is bleeding
Officially he is not Geoff , not only should he go off but has to change his shirt so that no blood is on the pitch. ( Just another thing our refs miss )
As for heading when I played a ball was as heavy as lead and it was like heading a cross between a suet pudding and a cannon ball.
I think that as the modern ball it much lighter the evidence needs to be based on the present day rather than the tragic experience of players like Geoff Astle. The only thing about the new ball is that it travels faster so might cause damage that way but probably no more at risk than a possible broken rib or damage even lower.
should be is much lighter ,
Didn’t Mikel bring in a set-piece coach from Brentford?
Nice read, Rico. And it pains me to admit, but no, I’m not feeling overly confident about beating the scousers. You know how we love to end a winless run, goal drought, a debut goal etc… We’re usually beaten by ourselves, not the opposition!
The nerves are kicking in already over Thursday and Sunday!! 2 huge games… I just hope we show up..
Another POTM award for Starboy Saka! Hardly surprising, is it?!
I too think Auba is better on the left and I don’t think we need central defenders either. We still have Mavropanos and Saliba to come with McGuinness and Medley in the wings too. I also agree that our play from back to front, or in transition as I heard it called, is far too slow. I’m all for another player like Partey. Long legs, speed and strength.
Thanks Sue and yes, he did but I’d send him back to Brentford. Lol
I’m not looking forward to Sunday one bit. Luiz v Kane or Son is frightening..
I have reached the stage where premier league results are not the be all and end all.. It’s how we play that I am finding more interesting . I don’t think that we are good enough to win the Europa and as such the season is now all about preparing for the next .
Bragging rights are fine with the Totts , but really if they finish 6th and we finish 9th who really cares.
What I want to see is a group effort that plays to our strengths and not playing to stop them . I don’t think that there is too much difference in players ability. We could win it and also lose it . If I was a betting man I would probably go for a draw.
Lets do something different , lets upset Moanies game plan , he’s not good when he has to change things . Lets just give it 100 minutes of blood and guts and see where we finish .
Good eBening everyone.
Dont know why but I keep thinking of Emery this ebening
Does anyone know if next season the Home grown quota will be increased due to brexit?? Because the present contracts have to be respected but any incoming player who does not have a UK passport will have new rules applying for him (and her with regards ladies football)
For example if Arsenal were to sign Buendia now he needs to have permission from FA and visa I think as he is an Argie international. Even if Arsenal were to release or sell an overseas player. He must have certain criteria If I am not mistaken.
Potter….dont worry we will beat the Toots 10-0. Auba scoring 9 with Willian the other. Willian will have 10 assists to his name as he will be assisting himself as well. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Joking apart now….I do happen to go into the game dreading it a bit….but knowing that if we play to our strengths and take our chances we will win.
I don’t think we can win the Europa either, or finish high enough in the league to be in Europe next season. Maybe being out of Thursday/Sunday football will help us long term. But without it, we lose money and perhaps wouldn’t appear such an attractive proposition for better players. If we’re intending to sign any.
Depends on what one thinks who the better players are Rico. Pablo Holding, Mari and Gabriel and Tierney were plucked from clubs who are not better than Arsenal. But look where are they now. Holding did not cost 50million but 2million.
So yes we can get solid players from elsewhere Rico. Honestly I dont want players bought for big money. Rather I want players wiht a good attitude like the ones mentioned above.
That is why I want AFC to buy players from the lower divisions. Like many here do.
And then we develop players like Saka and ESR.
If we dont qualify for Europe its the players like Pepe, PArtey, Willian and Luiz who will not come. And if they dont come its the youngsters who will get more precious game time.
The problem with Auba on the left is one of balance. Not shape in particular but in roles. I always think we need 3 creative outlets. 1 can be marked, 1 can have a bad game the third will win it for us.
Currently we have very few creative players. Normally I’d be thinking about creation on the wings and 1 in midfield. However Auba takes one of those slots. Pepe is also more of a transition runner than a creator.
Rico, I’ve gotta agree because I didn’t see centre back as a key position to be strengthened even if the boy from Leipzig is highly rated. Arsenal won’t have a lot of dough to spend and they have to find some cash to pay the instalments of the business they’ve done over the last 24 months so spending pretty much the majority of what you have on a centre half seems odd to me with so many other positions in need of attention. Of course, if this French kid is a game changer like VVD then yeah, I’m in, but is he?
Rico, look on the bright side, if we’re out of europe then Arteta can really focus more on the League Cup…
Potter I have never played Soccer but I remember as a kid trying to kick an old soccer ball it was made of leather with a thick lace and not to mention it was water logged it was like a small medicine ball you find at the gym.
Why I can see helmets getting introduced is clubs are getting worried about being sued. Personally I think in both Soccer and Aussie rules every one under the age of 16 must were a helmet
Geoff, there’s no comparison at all between modern balls and the old leather ones.
They were like bricks when wet.
Today’s balls don’t change much, if at all.
Referee: Michael Oliver (pictured). Assistants: Stuart Burt, Simon Bennett. Fourth official: Kevin Friend. VAR: Paul Tierney. Assistant VAR: Lee Betts.
For the NLD
Geoff, wearing a helmet may well help prevent external injuries to the head, but it would not stop the brain from being rattled around inside the skull and that is the thing that most likely causes the long term damage leading to dementia.
Kev, at least we won’t have the evil influence of Mike Dean and Fatty Moss all over the game. 😉
…..all though the spectre of Mike Riley is ever present. 👻
Referee: Michael Oliver (pictured). Assistants: Stuart Burt, Simon Bennett. Fourth official: Kevin Friend. VAR: Paul Tierney. Assistant VAR: Lee Betts.
Like a rogues gallery , Could be described as a Riley stitch up.
Good Morning everyone.
Football is evolving all the time. And likewise the football balls which are used.
However I tend to disagree that heading should be linked to dementia.
My dad and mum never headed a ball in their lives….yet both have got early stages of dementia.
I feel a mountain is being made from a molehill. Because the incidence of heading the ball leads to dementia is no more than the incidence of dementia happening to a person who has never kicked a ball in anger.
As has been pointed out earlier in this post. the balls of yesteryear were heavy, especially when wet. Today they dont get wet easily plus they are very light. Its like heading a soft ball. While it may be true that those who are over 75 today and played football may point to heading contributing to dementia those who play today will only use it as an excuse to acquire more money out of clubs.
With kids its different. The brain keeps on forming till the age of 22 (like the body) So any damage that is done to kids’ brain will remain permanent. So its wise to stop kids heading the ball.
To be honest I never liked heading personally. I preferred to whip in crosses or thread passes or shoot myself rather than head the ball. Being just 5ft 5′ myself I did not fancy heading or competing for balls flying over my head. That is why I always hogged the touchlines on both sides.
Devil,
You never had the chance to head a ball at that height hahahaha
I’m with 100%.
With head injuries handled the way they are in sport now, we really must see a decline in sports related injuries is this kind.
Saying that, we can’t keep stopping every single damn thing with a potential to hurt us, else we won’t ever leave the womb.
After the criticism Friend received following our Fulham game, I’m surprised he’s involved in another Arsenal fixture but at least he’s not on VAR.
Michael Oliver is probably the League best referee so hopefully he’ll prove that on Sunday.
More importantly though, I hope Arsenal don’t give him a decision to make and we play well enough to win the game.
Morning all.
matches. win . draw . loss . yellows . reds.
Arsenal 38 14 10 14 71 2
Spurs 39 23 7 9 67 2
It would appear that they do better with him than us and we pick up cards quicker.
These are Premier League and F.A Cup stats
You know, it’s absolutely awful when a footballer or anyone for that matter develops dementia, but is heading a football really to blame and what it the proof?
What percentage of footballers actually get this disease and how do we know that they wouldn’t have got it anyway because it’s not endemic is it, there have been a few high profile cases and all of a sudden we’re hearing talk of the possibility of heading being banned?
Is there any evidence of the possible effects of heading and dementia may have on ex footballers in Italy or Spain or France or Germany etc? Or is this just a British thing?
How many footballers have had this condition since the war, has there been any research because it’s only been an issue since Jeff Astle died. Because I don’t remember any stories of mentally ill ex-footballers in the 1980’s or 1970’s as these would have been the guys who played in the 1940’s and 1950’s when heading was at its height.
And if it’s proved that heading a ball is dangerous does that signify the end of boxing and what about rugby and the forwards who battle it out in the scrum, how dangerous is that?
Morning Rico.
Yes, Imo Oliver is clearly the best referee in the League.
Guys, my mother in law is 71.
In the past 4 years, she’s gone from a strong willed, highly intelligent and proud women to someone who can’t carry a sentence, and dirties herself every day.
Dementia has done this to her and it is not anything to do with head trauma.
Her mum went the same way.
Nobody is saying that heading a football is the only cause of dementia, Just as smoking is not the only cause of lung cancer. However, there is certainly enough evidence in existence that sport related head injuries can be a factor in causing dementia in later life.
Morning Scott.
I’m of a similar opinion re heading a ball. Whilst I’m sure it doesn’t do the brain much good long term but the numbers of dementia patients there has been in the game, don’t really prove anything, certainly not compared to the numbers suffering from dementia who haven’t played the game.
Lockdown has done more harm to elderly folk than heading a football will ever do in my opinion.
Rugby Union has introduced H I A ( Head Injury Assessments) Worldwide. Boxing and cricket authorities are looking into the problem too.
It will be a while before the lasting effects of heading the modern day football are known, but the whole idea cannot be swept under the carpet.
Rico, you nailed it.
Let’s see the stats that show footballers or more prone to suffering from dementia then the general public, and if it is true, then definitely things need to be done.
Genetics Scott, they have a lot to do with the health conditions we or family members suffer from, it’s why some woman are more likely to develop breast cancer, why heart disease runs through the male members of some families and you can go on. It’s terrible what happened to Gordon McQueen but is he the only member of his extended family whose had dementia?
I agree Cicero but there needs to be a lot more research and proof out there before we start changing too many things. I mean do we ban the taking of corners?
Please don’t get me wrong I am not saying stop Headers in matches as it is part of our game how ever I am not sure what test have been done on heading the ball in England but in in Australia they have been doing test on older ex players and also on younger current players in Soccer, Aussie Rules and Cricket. I am not a Doctor but from what I have read they have noticed different types of early stages of brain injuries from some forgetting things to players that were happy to now having mild moon swings mainly in our Aussie Rules Players.
Rico, if you compare the number of people who play football on a regular basis over a period of years with the rest off the world population you will get some perspective.
Geoff, Aussie Rules players suffering such issues are now in their 50’s, 60’s and older.
Aussie Rules was a battleground in the early days and really only started getting cleaned up on the 90’s.
Elbows, stiff arms were par for the course.
It was brutal, and no wonder older guys are now suffering.
But we’re not talking about just pro footballers though Cicero. The percentage of males, and females for that matter who have played football or rugby during their younger years is probably quite high. Add in boxing and other contact sport and the numbers grow. Also, those who don’t play the game professionally or only play through their teens, are doing so when then the body is still growing so I’d say when it’s most vulnerable. Plus, I bet footballers/rugby/boxing who play the game in Sunday League etc, use their head much more, or get hurt more than in the professional game.
As others have suggested, let’s see the real stats rather than just one or two famous names.
Playing centre midfield I learned the art of deflecting headers rather than full on smack on the head. Frankly it hurt if you got it wrong.
Potter, again, the balls used back then were vastly different to know.
I first played in 1977, last played a few months back so I’ve seen a few changes in the technology.
The difference is ridiculous, believe me.
short read, Just googled ( Amy Ellis Nutt soccer head injury) and she talks about a study done in 2019 on short term memory loss due to heading a soccer ball
It did Potter, especially in the cold weather. I suffered one or two headaches. 😆
Scott , I gave up playing aged 50 some 24 years ago . and then went on to coach a local team for a bit and I know the difference in the balls from my days to now . My biggest concern with wearing helmets etc is that the more you wear protection the harder the game becomes .
I remember Test cricket from my youth and in the days of Trueman and Statham it was probably only once in every three overs the ball was head high , Statham was famous for his line and legnth and Lindwall and Davidson were hardly head high bowlers.
Then came Lillie and Thomson and the West Indies quartet and suddenly helmets arrived and subsequently a rule restricting balls flying at heads
. American football grid iron players are padded up to the hilt and it is pretty violent and rugby league padding has increased the “hits” in tackles .
There are plenty of things to look at in contact sports . In football over the top or pincer tackles , the knee in the back and the Harry Kane special of ducking out of a challenge to send his marker crashing to earth from a great height are in my mind far more dangerous .
I remember a nurse telling me that Sunday morning was the busiest time in A&E as the broken legs , Ankles , Collar bones came in from Hackney Marshes, nowadays before covid it would have been London stabbings , but that’s another subject.
Geoff, but how old are the people involved in the study???
We can keep going around in circles here, but you could sit a football made today in a pool for a week, throw it 20 metres in the air and i’d have absolutely no issue allowing my 15 year old son to head it.
A ball made 30 years ago could have a dog cock it’s leg on it, and the weight of the ball would increase dramatically-yes, they were bloody terrible to head, especially if you misjudged it and copped it on top of your head.
It’s utterly ridiculous to be talking about stopping players heading the ball now because of issues caused decades ago, though, so until some evidence is shown to prove it’s an issue with today’s footballs, it’s redundant.
Scott yes Aussie rules is more contact than soccer but their has been some younger players in the last five years who have retired because of the amount of mild concussion they received over several years at major AFL clubs. I know when I played Aussie rules and done motor cross I suffered mild concussion but would not admit to it to any doctor / first aid person as I sore it a sign of weakness and wanted to kept playing / racing on now I look back at it I was pretty stupid back then.
Rico looks like I may have touched on a touchy subject Sorry
Great comment, Potter.
I hated wearing a hat when batting, let alone a helmet but in all fairness, I wasn’t good enough to play at level where bowlers were rolling them down at 150 K’s an hour, either lol
I remember the story of some NFL players heading to Oz in the late 70’s to have a crack at League.
First training/trial session, one asked where the protective gear was, they were told players don’t wear them, they left 🙂
Geoff, an elbow to the head is vastly different to heading a football.
I genuinely can not see how you can compare the two, because no AFL player ever retired due to a concussion caused by a ball, mate.
Going off topic, is it just me or does anyone find it worrying that Saka has won player of the month for the last three months?
I know he’s great and fully deserves it, but doesn’t it tell us a lot about many of the rest of our multi million pound footballers?
Rico, I think he’s just that good.
World Class player in the making, imo.
Rico, I think he’s just that good.
World Class player in the making, imo.
And sadly I can see him reach his full potential somewhere else.
As we teeter on the edge of financial ruin as our losses increase year on year I can see him being sold as very few others can raise the cash our directors will require.
Perhaps Scott but it says a lot about the others too. I love Saka but I do think he has games where his form dips a little yet he’s still beating others.
We can sell in numbers though Potter, we shouldn’t need to sell the likes of Saka, ESR and Gabriel to generate funds.
Rico, maybe, but clubs and players everywhere are being inconstant this season, bar City.
He’s a kid so will always have a little inconsistency, but it’s only fleeting, and he finds his best quite quickly.
The thought that eventually we have to sell Saka has crossed my mind.
And if Arsenal don’t improve and win trophies he will eventually want to move on to better clubs.
The problem will be the following…..will Arsenal sell or dig in their heels and refuse? And if it is refused will Saka run down his contract and move on for free??? Either way the fans will revolt.
The only way to stop him and ESR moving on is to build a team good enough to win trophies.
Just not as inconsistent as Arsenal Scott. Lol
Seriously though, other players really need to step up, especially our front players. I also wonder if its coincidence that when ESR is missing, our attacking play isn’t as affective. He’s the guy who keeps the ball moving.
Devil, wouldn’t it be nice to see the players stay and allow a club to build around them, rather than demand a club to spend, spend, spend to make them competitive now??
I’m not having a go at anyone here, but football now is just shit, in ways.
20-30-40 years ago, would people have been talking about a player with Saka’s ability having his head turned so early into a new contract?
Back when players wanted to play for the club they grew up supporting, when only kids from lesser clubs really had no choice but to move up, but damn, we are not a small club.
This is what football has become, and even as fans, our expectations have been lowered by money, which attracted the pond scum known as player agents.
If the worst come to the worst and we have to sell Saka or ESR lets hope that they put a big price on their heads and and don’t let it get any were near 1 1/2 years before their contracts run out.
If Arteta does not rest Leno against Olympiacos will Matt Ryan start regretting joining Arsenal or does it show that Arteta does not trust him
Geoff,
I’ll be horrified if we sell either.
If we do, we are doomed to be just another club.
Let’s hope the rebuild continues and these guys see the future as bright, and some of their young mates progress through the ranks.
Fingers crossed.
On Ryan, I heard a rumour yesterday we are looking to keep him after the loan ends so if that’s true, I reckon we will start seeing him play a bit.
Just of Arsenal for one second, are thugs targeting soccer players in England. 2 weeks ago people broke into Carlo Ancelotti place now I have just read that Everton Goal keeper Robin Olsen and his family have been robbed in their home, I hope they are all ok and these low class scum get court soon.
Scott I would hate to see either leave as the both have the chance not only to be a great player for us but also as a future captain
Geoff, they are more than capable, imo.
Hate to say it Geoff but it’s been happening for years and there is a common denominator .
Fabinho is the latest Liverpool player whose home has been robbed over the years while he has been playing in a match. Sadio Mane’s home was burgled during a game against Bayern Munich in 2019. Before that Dejan Lovren, Roberto Firmino, Pepe Reina, Daniel Agger, Dirk Kuyt and Jerzy Dudek were among those targeted by thieves.
Now it seems to have changed from red to blue . however from the Liverpool echo :- https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/15-liverpool-everton-players-burgled-15868890
don’t u-18 and u-23 win any games?
Thanks Potter now I see why these players are buying guard dogs and having security guards at there homes
Not curently JM .
Mainly because they are either out on loan or training with the first team . Curently we have at least 10 players that would make the under 23’s team on loan playing first team football in lower leagues.Most under 23 games are played with 18 and 19 year olds but Rick and Kev could really give you more information on that.
Gated communities looks to be the only answer to all these burglaries and with all their bloated wealth could come even more issues, like kidnapping, car jacking etc. Keeping a lower profile helps imo, like driving an ordinary car for example, don’t wear a stupid watch on your wrist, don’t wave your wealth in the faces of others less fortunate.
https://www.arsenal.com/results?field_arsenal_team_target_id=academy&field_competition_target_id=All&field_home_away_or_neutral_value=All&field_season_target_id=8571&revision_information=
https://www.facebook.com/btsport/videos/529660404673024 did anyone see this . VAR is a joke.
I agree with Rico 11.01 Saka was a bit out of sorts against Burnley ,and still our best player.I thought he looked a bit jaded.We seem to produce our best performances randomly out of the blue,for example the Chelsea game,I never saw that coming.And when we have a full week to prepare,the team look off the pace.
I see more in the news on the Balogun saga.
I may be wrong but I think Saka is starting to try too hard to score goals which is now putting him off the rest of his game
Geoff I think it’s Sake’s growing self confidence and belief in his own abilities. He no longer feels he must defer to Aubameyang and Lacazette rather than take the shot himself.
Over the last few games he has also shown that he’s not prepared to take stick from defenders and is looking more robust physically.
Just seen on Twitter Balogun linked to Brentford !!
Bizarre or what. I’m sure it’s just his agent trying to get the most money possible.
Balogun to Brentford? Well, they might be a PL club next season.
Afternoon guys.
Also read on Twitter, Balogun, or rather his agent, is after £40k a week to stay.
First he is talking to Brentford then agent asks for £ 40k to stay . Someone needs to tell him that the top salary there is £24k . Toney is on £21k so there’s not a lot of logic there.
Testing
I don’t think Saka is on £40k a week is he?
He’s on 30k a week apparently, Rico, can’t be bad hey?!
There’s such a thing as overplaying your hand and the agent of Balogun is in danger of doing just that because he’s not getting £40,000 for Flo especially as a Reiss Nelson is only on £15k.
Saka gets what he gets because he’s proved he’s worth it, in fact he’s worth twice that amount and Willian is worth 75% less than what he’s getting, but it is what it is…
Kev, that’s why I believe Balogun is proving to be more trouble than he’s worth.
What will he be like if he actually proves his talent at the top level???
That’s always the fear Scott and the danger if you give way, the players and agents are already in the ascendency, they hold most of the cards but to give in when a player has done almost bugger all is opening yourself up to a world of sh*t. I keep on hearing about how Arsenal let that world class talent Serge Gnabry slip through our fingers but whenever I see Bayern talking he’s never in the team, Yunus Musah is another, he’s doing ok at Valencia and getting some good write ups but Valencia aren’t the Valencia of 20 years ago or even 10 years ago.
I want Balogun to stay, but if he leaves then so be it, see ya later.
‘Bayern playing’, not talking, although they do love to talk a lot on Twitter.
I want Balogun to stay, I’d like to think Arteta is truthing when he says the player wants to stay. If he does, he needs a reality check because £40k a week is a big fat no no, I think £20k a week is pushing his luck.
New post up now
https://highbury-house.com/2021/03/11/olympiacos-defence-can-be-clumsy-get-at-them/
Morning all.
I wouldn’t mind that amount Sue.