Morning all.
So the Champions League draw did us little favours, but so what…
Last year it did and look what happened. Most thought we’d progress but we didn’t because we cocked things up at home so who knows what might happen in February. Yes Barca can brag about having a wicked attacking force but if we have Ozil, Alexis, Walcott, OC and Campbell firing on all cylinders, we can match them. Then there’s Ollie, and as much as he’s not the quickest, he can be dangerous with the right service.
The midfield is where that battle could be won or lost imo. But that’s all a couple of months away, we have a transfer window before then and time for the injured to heal, although neither Coquelin or Cazorla are expected to be back before the Spanish giants head to The Emirates. Maybe Barca will have a January/February like our November and turn up with half a team fit, maybe we’ll get a neutral set of officials for a change and who knows, if Arsene Wenger really wants to beat the Spanish team, he might just get his chequebook out any time soon…..
As said though, let’s worry about that match when it arrives as between now and then, we have the Premier League to concentrate on and we are back into second place now after Leicester beat Chelsea 2-1 last night.
For a change, I tuned into the Monday night football and quite enjoyed watching, not only the match but the antics of Eden Hazard. If ever there’s a footballer who doesn’t want to be where he is it simply has to be him. To leave the pitch after a tumble as he did, seemed rather odd to me and I think I’m right in saying he just sulked off down the tunnel and didn’t hang around on the bench to support his mates. I doubt he’ll be at Chelsea for much longer and as long as things remain the same there, a few more might see the exit door too, unless Roman decides Jose is the man to depart because clearly, that club have serious problems. How can a team full of so many really good players suddenly just ‘not turn up’. Jose has lost it imo and it’s great for all things Arsenal, and the Premier League in general.
No longer has the Portuguese man any right to be talking about any other club in his press conferences because he’s got far too much to be worrying about right now and as much as I know it’s unlikely, I’d love to see that West London side drop into the relegation places and stay there! Just one point is between them and third from bottom so from now on, I’ll be cheering Big Sam’s team, Swansea and Norwich…. 😉
Thank goodness we have a united and happy camp, even when we go through a bad spell, never do we witness sulky behaviour on the pitch and seldom do any of our players hit the headlines for the wrong reasons, well, not these days. Jack has been a bit of a lad in the past but he’s too busy these days trying to rebuild his fitness and to be fair, the last we heard of him in the news was after winning the FA Cup with his little sing-a-long at the expense of Spurz… Hardly something to be concerned about eh…
Going back to all things funny in the league, that idiot who is allowed a voice on Talksport, you know the one, he’s ginger, well he’s been talking about how fantastic Jurgen Klopp is and how we all must listen to what he says. He’s been talking about the Germans criticism of the ‘long ball’ game of football and in The Mail he writes:
We ignore him at our peril. Only the frightened and stupid will get caught up in the final score at Anfield on Sunday – this is so much bigger than the result of one game.
Klopp’s open criticism of West Brom’s gameplan of long balls and set plays is overdue. Someone had to say something, and it needed to be specific.
Err – hasn’t Arsene Wenger said something similar for years now Mr Durham? Yes of course, but as the buffoon goes on to say:
Arsene Wenger has tried to address this issue in the past, but his muddled words were misinterpreted as the ramblings of an angry man upset that either his players had been injured, or his team had lost.
What a chump! Weren’t Klopps comments made after his team snatched a draw in the dying seconds of their match at the weekend and celebrated as if they’d just won the Champions League? A match during which Klopp had a touch-line row with Tony Pulis and a match which the German described as being ‘not friendly’ after one of his players suffered injury… And let’s not mention the ‘hand-shake’ snub….
So what makes his words any more meaningful than Arsene Wenger’s……?
Nothing. Nothing at all….
Transfer gossip:
Arsenal are likely to intensify their search for a holding midfielder in January after being drawn against Barcelona in the Champions League, with William Carvalho, Grzegorz Krychowiak and Ruben Neves among those under consideration. (The Times)
If only eh….
Have a good day folks….
Very good post rico. Always double standards.
Morning Andrew and all again..
Isn’t it just. Durham has made himself look a right twit. More so than usual too…
Morning all… Never have I seen a journalist who complicates himself more than that Adrian “Buffon” Durham.
Klopp is new to the PL but Milner, who is fast turning into a chopper and Skrtl, who always has been, both made horrendous tackles in that game. If the player hadn’t hurdled Skrtl’s 2-footed lunge I doubt he would still have the limbs to do so. Klopp needs to stamp that shit out before his players seriously injure an opponent and he loses the high moral ground. Gardner opened Loveren’s flesh up with a real shocker although the usual suspects said that he didn’t mean it. I say he did if only because he raised his studs after the initial impact and he has been a filthy player his whole career. The bloke has huge form for that sort of thing.
But no different to some of the stuff our players have been on the end of Adam, yet AW is deemed a old moaner when he complains…
From what you have just said, Klopp has little reason to moan about the way WBA played…
Morning all,
It’s been a while but I’m here now and forever…
The funny thing is that if by some miracle we beat Barcelona,you’re sure we will still go on to lose against Zenit
Morning All…
Great post Rico…
I suspected Mourinho and Chelsea would willingly lose to Leicester City if only to prevent Wenger and Arsenal from staying top for just one week! Or didn’t Hazard do that in style? Or why were the pair of Terry and Zouma sleeping as aptly, if comically, captured by Costa after Vardy’s goal?
Well, as much as they would wish to deny us top spot, I’d equally prefer Arsenal ended 4th in May then see Chelsea relegated than winning the title and having Mourinho and his bragging bunch play in same league next season.
I warned earlier Chelsea will sweat profusely to make top 4 after just eight matches…now I’m certain they won’t.
When next I tell you they may not survive relegation take it seriously…and we’re approaching that. The Stamford Bridge empire is on a free fall.
Love absolutely everything happening to the Portugal prick,I hope he relegates them but I want him to be sacked because his absence will bring more dignity to the league
Ignore my 10.20 Adam, gawd knows where that came from… 😉
Welcome Kc and Dee..
The goings on at West London are better than a carry on film… lol
‘He’s got to approach that game
on Monday and think, “I might
not get into the box ten times, I
might just get there two or three
times, but what I will do is
protect my back four when I
need to.”
‘Against the top teams you need
to be more focused and more
secure.
‘I love him as a player, he’s a
very talented player. He’s very
good on the ball, he’s very
bright. At the moment he hasn’t
quite got the discipline to play in
a midfield two but I certainly
think he has the capabilities.
‘I think this could be the making
of him, if he manages to take on
this responsibility, it will add
more to his game and he could
develop into an all-round
midfielder.’
– Lampard on Ramsey
AW have to buy a good defensive partner for Ramsey
I doubt that very much Tai, too much is going wrong over there – I suspect Joe isn’t even looking at the top, more likely to be checking the bottom…
Dee – he’s not alone…
Amen to that Kc. A midfielder is a must next month imo…
I get it Rico. Klopp does have a point. For me, if you employ Pulis then you are really only interested in getting the PL money. As far as football or fan’s entertainment goes, forget it. Pulis was, after all, the architect of Ramsey’s broken leg. That must never be forgotten much as though he would like us to. He is a nasty, spiteful little man.
Mourninho saying that Chelsea won the title because he made them to play above their levels implying that the players are now playing at their level..so he’s responsible for their success but the faikres are the players fault..he’s seriously cracking..
Metro reporting that DW is out till February and Mundo Deportivo says we are in talk with Nolito,for those that watch la liga,how good is he?
Rico – I am sure he isn’t but like said i am struggling to name one except for that blogger on ANR.
Adam..Klopp is right but me think he’s finding it a surprise how difficult it is to win games in this league,his celebration for a point at home testifies it
Tongue-in-cheek really Rico…
Adam, I agree re the long ball and how that, coupled with bully tactics is not only boring but wrong, especially the latter. I guess the point I was making in the post was that AW has been saying the same for years yet suddenly, we must all stand up and take note of a man who has been in the PL for five minutes….
AW get’s a lot of stick, but this just proves that not all the time does he speak out of his butt…
Southern softies we have been labelled because of folk like Pulis, I wonder what the Dippers nickname will be….
Rico..I think he will buy,on a serious note AW should not tell us that Wilshere is like a new signing,we have a good chance to win this title,so he should not Kallstrom this Jan window again
Dee, if you are talking Durham, I’m sure he is…. lol
I missed that one Tai… lol
Totally agree Kc and in any case, Jack isn’t the man to step in for Coquelin imo….
I’d love to see a bit of bite in our midfield, height too….
I wonder if there are any half decent so called pundits left. Durham can go on about I look (who imo is great) however to say that arsene said that after injured etc is delusional. In any case I am not worried about the cl draw. No one expected us to beat bayern either 🙂
For now I look forward to man city as if it were the finals of CL.
Coyg. Can’t wait.
I’m certain…that more than any of us, Wenger wants to win this season’s title. The difference is that he wants to win it his way…and that, is the BIG problem.
Will AW’s way win it? Fingers crossed!
I meant klopp instead of I look 🙂
City is the only game I’m interested in right now too AGooner, take each game one by one and see how we go….
And that could be his major downfall. Stubbornness and naivety…….
Who Wenger?
Yes Lee…
Anyone here if Sanchez made it back Sunday as planned and has trained yet?
Is he even back in London?
Was hoping to see a photo proving it! Reports last week said he would be training at 09.30 Monday!
Should see training photos tomorrow or Thursday, perhaps they’ve had a day or two off for a breather…
Part of the shrinking pygmy’s CV.
Players bought:
Schurlle, de Bruyne, Hazard – flair players.
Players sold:
Schurlle, de Bruyne, both to Wolfsburg, de Bruyne now Manciteh very, very expensive and much better than when he was at the chavs place. Schurlle too playing well.
Hazard feigning injury to get off the pitch making it quite clear that he will not play foe the vertically challenged one!
Point to make, simple the self styled best coach in the world doesn’t know how to get the best out of his most creative players and so he sells them, as he cannot control them!
Conclusion, the man? Is a deluded, bigoted control freak who has not the stature to create any kind of lasting legacy. He’s a little like Napoleon, on his way to Waterloo (with his luggage) and a one way ticket across the channel! Never to return? I hope so. The Moron at chavsville show should now end, in tears, his and ours too, crying with laughter.
How the mighty are fallen! And good riddance.
Afternoon all. Grey and bleak here, again! But my heart is singing at the thought of the pygmy’s demise.
Horrid here too Wavy. Dark, foggy, raining and darn right horrid and I’ve go to go out in it in a minute….
Didn’t he sell Matic and re-sign him again too?
Al very odd over there but loving it….
Sold him for £3.5m I think….
And then paid an awful lot more to get him back. Crazy transfer business….
Catch up later…
He bought Sallah from the grips of Liverpool…he bought Cuadrado…both gone…he bought Pedro too. Poor Pedro…your career about to end!
The argument with the good doctor over the Hazard injury seems to be wreaking it’s full devastation .Obviously Hazard has sided with her and probably the Spanish speaking players too. Only Pedro of them last night seemed to be pulling his weight and he hardly had time to know her. When Cesc came on I thought they looked better in possession but there seemed to be a rift between him and Matic who ignored passes to him on a few occasions.
Stamford Bridge is falling down , Poor old Chelsea !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Rico and everyone else,
Good post.
Looking at the way Chelsea have floundered this season, it may make one think “be careful what we wish for…”
Wenger can be arrogant, stubborn, one directional etc in his approach of “his way or the highway” but with all the injuries that we currently have, we are still 2nd in the League, in the Champions league still….. and have the FA Cup to defend. So not too bad. I am sure a few Chelski fans would swap with us.
The overall team performance, attitude etc against Olympiakos, was outstanding.
Just need to add a little more consistency and who knows.
Was it Matic or Ivanovic that was “passing” to Eva????
Bring on Barca!!!!
The tie will be tasty!! And for Suarez, likely literally. ? Carragher has also made some dodo comments defending Liverpool’s reaction to their draw!! Pfft. As always, rico double standards!!
Hello, all!! ?
I love that, Agag…re Barca
The goings on at Chelsea are embarrassing!! I can’t say I feel bad for The Unraveling One, but Hazard is doing his club such a disservice! Not quite the professional, is he?
Tai, I know you like Barca. And I know you know I absolutely cannot stand them. ? I’m looking forward to our match though. If any team can beat them, it would be us.?
Whoever loves football wouldn’t like Barca Agag? Only that I like Arsenal more and believe this time we’ll beat them. Nothing lasts forever!
But they’re such tarts, Tai. Always diving!! I reserve a little extra distaste for Busquets, Neymar, and Shakiro. Plus I could never them for tapping up Cesc and that whole Barcelona DNA nonsense.
*Forgive
Yeah…we all did…but no football lover wouldn’t love Messi…he never dives, is selfless…and a football god. For just Messi many lovers of the beautiful game forgive Barca their sins. I do too.
Yeah. Messi is something else! And I must say, it pains me to concede even that incontrovertible fact. ?
But take it from me, we’re beating Barca this time around…
Afternoon Marshall, Agag and all..
🙂 Lee, that’s funny….
Unlike me getting soaked through this afternoon!
I like Turan and Suarez (minus the biteyness) though; I quite enjoy watching them play.
Rico, there is a typhoon here, too!! So so weird. Our Decembers should be cool and dry!!
I have that same feeling, Tai. And anyway. The pressure is off us. We barely made it through the next round, and they are the defending champs!!
Agag, it the Chinese since they ‘acquired’ the South China Sea!
We have strange weather events here, too, ever since we joined the Common Market!!
I’m a euro phill too!
That’s not good Agag….
The only way I see us beating Barca is if AW does something about our midfield. ie, sign a defence minded player….
A winger who can score goals wouldn’t go amiss either…..
Wavy, we have taken the Chinese to the Permanent Arbitration Court over their appropriation of the SC Sea. ?
rico. I knoooow. It’s put a damper on everything. As for Barca, our defense needs to be on top of their game. And I suspect Alexis will have a point to prove. A few key injuries to Barca would also come in handy. ?
Don’t forget that in january Barcelona can improve the team with Thuran can now go to the market again… (was forbidden to go)
Nolito will be out maybe 4 weeks or more
Agag, if Merts starts, we’re dooooooooomed… 😉
So can we Jm… 😉
rico, waaaaaaah!! You have grounded my dreams of revenge even before they have had a chance to take flight. But yeah, Merts will have his work cut out for him.
Agag, one word, Flamini!
Actually, two, Flamini & Merts… 😉
Welbeck out until mid Febuary , did Van Gaal know something ? It wouldn’t surprise me if our medical geniuses missed something.
Looking at Utd, I doubt van Gaal knows much… After all, odd decision to let the little pea go… Lol
Night guys..
Hola…
Morning Lee, All…
Both Aguero and Kompany started training…with Kompany, City kept seven clean sheets in eight. Without him, no clean sheets yet. He’d better not start at The Emirates then!
I don’t think we’ll lose to citeh….
Morning Tai and all
We won’t…I’m only praying that we win…and I feel so strong we will.
Ahoj Lee and Tai looks like the big boys will be back for us. Still they might be ring rusty but who said that it would be easy? .
Morning Lee, Tai, Potter and all..
I don’t think City will beat us either, not if we are disciplined….
Morning Rico and all.
I hope Roman doesn’t sack the PP. 🙂
Morning Adam. Me too, let them be relegated first….
Maybe they’ll get Big Sam in to steady the ship…. 😉
Anything that draws the agony out to unbearable levels of excruciating pain for the whole club and supporters. Just as they have been delighted to do to us whenever he has been in charge. That man is responsible for so much crap.
Morning Rico, Adam and all…
Tai, that Kompany stats is only applicable if one considers this season only…
Kompany apart from 2 or 3 goals this season is as spent as ‘Tom Terry’ at the bridge…
Couldn’t agree more Adam.
Morning Ts.
New post up now.