Morning all.
Speculation is rife that Jurrien Timber’s knee injury is serious and he could miss much of this season. The update on Arsenal’s official website doesn’t confirm this but the player will undergo more tests before deciding on what happens next. It’s rotten for him, the club and the rest of the players.
Arsenal released a statement saying:
Further to his substitution during our match against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, Jurrien Timber has received extensive assessments and scans which have confirmed he has sustained an injury to his right knee. Jurrien will undergo a further detailed assessment and review with a consultant in the coming days to assess the full extent of the injury, in order to determine the next steps. A further update will be provided in due course.
Doesn’t sound good does it? Not if a scan hasn’t determined the extend of his injury, or maybe it has and surgery isn’t required.
If it turns out Timber’s injury is a bad one, we’re back to having three injury prone players in Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu as cover for both left and right back. if Zinchenko can stay fit, I imagine he’ll be Arteta’s first choice left back anyway but the problem is, he doesn’t seem to be able to stay fit.
There’s always Nuno Tavares of course but like Tierney, his days at Arsenal seem numbered.
Flo Balogun, another player on his way out has been linked with a move to Totts to replace Kane. Stranger things have happened in football but we know Totts have money to spend. If they offer £50 million for Balogun, then I wouldn’t be surprised to see Arsenal accept it. Whether or not Balogun would want to move across north London or not is a different matter. Hopefully he’s focused on a move abroad.
Poor old Liverpool eh, not only did Caicedo reject the but now Lavia has too as he also wants to join Chelsea according to Sky Sports. Do these footballers ever stop and think about their actual playing career before jumping from one club to the next? Putting aside my dislike for both clubs, if it comes to playing for Klopp or Poch, there’s only one winner in my opinion. If I was Lavia, I’d be looking at how many players in my position are already at each club – Liverpool need him, Chelsea just want him. Liverpool only have themselves to blame though because once Southampton said £50 million for their player, they should have just paid it and had they done so early in the transfer window, I suspect Lavia would already be theirs. Now they’ve had a £60m offer accepted but allowed Chelsea time to get involved.
Man Utd scraped past Wolves last night. The away team had 23 shots at Utd’s goal but couldn’t convert one of them. Then, at 1-0 down and late in the game, Wolves really should have been awarded a penalty. So much for cleaning up the game eh.
On Sunday afternoon, Totts and Brentford drew their match and later, Chelsea and Liverpool did the same. Every point dropped counts regardless of what stage of the season we’re at. Lol
Three Arsenal players are in action today for Sweden as they take on Spain in the women’s World Cup Semi-Final.. Stina Blackstenius, Lina Hurtig and Amanda IIestedt are the Arsenal ladies hoping to make through to the final where one of Australia or England await.
An interesting factoid for you, or maybe not if womens football is of no interest to you but only one player in the Spanish team plays for a club outside of Spain yet Sweden have 14 players currently at other European clubs and 1 in the USA. England is similar with just three of its current squad playing for an overseas club whereas Australia have just 2 players playing for clubs in their own country. 11 are in playing England, two of which are at Arsenal. Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord.
Catch up in the comments.
Morning Rico and all,
The reason why the Aussie ladies like playing overseas is simple, better conditions and much better pay.
I wonder if Timber already had a small injury before he joined us and just kept it quiet, as it didn’t look that bad when he come of a half time.
Good morning Rico, worrying news, or not news, about Timber. Especially as Newcastle are again sniffing around Tierney. We also have Kiwior who can play full back.
Surely Arteta/Edu would not for a minute consider selling Balogun to the Swamp Dwellers e enough for £50 million. At least hold out for double that and let Levy sweat.
I’ve also seen reports that one of the big four in the Saudi league are interested in Gabriel, the figure mentioned is around the £50 million mark.
Hi Rico..
Nice read 👍 United are one of the most jammiest teams out there, Wolves should have hammered them out of sight.
All that money they’ve spent and they’re still about as much entertaining as watching paint dry. But at least they can rely on the officials for a result – that was a shocker and it’s only week one!! Howard Webb will be readying all of those apologies 🙄 ETH doesn’t get enough criticism imo, he’s just like Ole but with Pep’s hairdresser 🤣
Gutted about Timber, he’s slotted in nicely and looked really good. Now back to the drawing board, a tad worrying though as all the others in that position are injury prone. I can’t imagine Tierney going to Newcastle now, and besides why would we want to strengthen them?!!!
It’s being reported that Monaco have put in a bid for Balogun, can’t see us turning down 40+m, can you?
As for the Scousers, I cried with laughter at not once, but twice!! Made me think of that Pep meme at Anfield when he was screaming twice at the fourth official 🤣 They haven’t got the pull they once had and Klopp is looking knackered now, so that’s all good!
Maybe we’ll be back in the market now for cover…
Morning Geoff, Cicero and Sue.
If the injury to Timber is bad, surely Tierney stays?
Can’t see Gabriel being let go this late in the window.
Thanks Sue, ha ha re the hairdresser.
If it’s the only realistic bid for Balogun, I reckon we’ll take it but probably not until late in the window in hope to get more. I still think he could do a good job for us, especially as I’m of the opinion that Jesus will breakdown again as the season goes on. I like his energy but he’s not exactly prolific.
Talking of Utd being jammy, so are the Spanish women’s team. This ref has been in their pocket all game..
So the officials from last night – Simon Hooper, Michael Salisbury and Richard West have been dropped for next weekend.
Doesn’t exactly help Wolves does it? A kick in the teeth..
We have David Coote for the Palace game (god help us).
Yes Rico, unfortunately Jesus is injury prone too. Funny though, how players are rarely injured, come to North London and you have a job getting them off the treatment table. Do the medical staff need looking at??
Retrospective penalties just don’t work do they. It’s too late for the team deprived of points, or potential points. I’m still cheesed off about the Brentford game because those two points we were deprived of could have made a difference.
Good question Sue and one we’ve been pondering over for a while. Did Timber not overstretch though in the challenge he made prior to him going off.
I was surprised he wasn’t taken off at half time, Rico.
Me too Sue.
Raya confirmed.
looks like he will be the one we will have to forget for a bit
Seems that way. Typical eh..
Should we open a book on how many apologies Webb issues this season ?
Sue, I agree with you about looking at our medical staff, I would add our training ground too, is it too hard or too soft.
Can anyone explain why clubs water the ground before and at half time during a match?
For anyone looking for info on Timber’s injury this is free to all without subscription to patreon… https://www.patreon.com/posts/87376855
In the light of the latest refereeing cock-up, when Wolves were not awarded a penalty for a blatant foul by United’s goalkeeper, the officials concerned have been “stood down” for the next round of Premiership games and Howard Webb has spoken of “lessons being learned” so that’s ok then.
Looking back to a certain game against Brentford last season, when a similar catastrophically wrong decision cost Arsenal dearly, the ref concerned one Lee Mason left his job at PGMOL by mutual consent, but guess who is back at PGMOL in a new role training and coaching so called elite referees…you guessed it…Lee Mason! What’s more he has recently worked with the trio who officiated the Wolves/United game ref Simon Hooper, VAR Michael Salisbury and Asst. VAR Richard West.
I do like an oxymoron, PGMOL Fit for purpose is a prime example.
The officials are poor, those on VAR are just failed/retired poor referees, and imo, the bias towards certain clubs is still out there.
New post up