Morning all.
Two big matches for Arsenal this week and both against tricky opponents. Crystal Palace, who thrashed the Toots not long ago on Monday night before Dean Smith brings his Aston Villa team to the red and white side of north London on Friday. I suppose it’s no different to the fixture schedule we’d have encountered had the club been involved in European football. Five fixtures to get through in 21 days before yet another international break takes place.
Granit Xhaka won’t be involved in any of them of course as he’s out until Christmas at least it seems but when Thomas Partey leaves in January, it’s possible that the club might dip into the transfer window. Talking about the ACON, Mikel Arteta has said:
Let’s see where we are at that point, which players we have available, which players definitely have to be there and for how long, because there are some question marks there as well. We will find a solution. If they have to leave, they have to leave. We’ll have to find the right replacements for them.
Auba, Pepe, Partey and Elneny. I wonder which players have question marks over their involvement? I’d love for it to be Partey.
His Arsenal team-mate Benjamin ‘Ben’ White has been talking to Sky Sports ahead of our Monday night fixture. He prefers to be called Benjamin because that’s his name he said. Ask him about Patrick Vieira, Palace’s relatively new manager and by the sounds of it, he’s never seen any reruns of the Arsenal legend in action:
I didn’t ever watch football when I was younger. I still don’t now. I just loved the game, I was always playing it, never watching. So I don’t know too much about the older generations, but I know Vieira was a very good player. But I don’t know the details.
A footballer who doesn’t watch much football?
I didn’t think they even existed. White watches himself for analytical reasons he said but that’s about it. How can he not know much about Patrick Vieira though, I thought every player who played for Arsenal post 1996 would know about one of the best captains and midfielder the club has had. And the rest of the Arsenal players during his era.
Ben White even wears the iconic shirt number and I’m surprised he hasn’t watched some of the reruns of the early Arsene Wenger days, especially after finding out he was heading to Arsenal. I’d certainly expect him to know a bit about the players who have worn the number 4 shirt before him. White wasn’t even born when Vieira arrived at Arsenal and was just seven years old when he left so even if he was a keen watcher of football, he would have missed those great battles between Vieira and Keane, Arsenal and Utd. He was just 6 years old when the Invincibles did their thing.
It is unusual though for a young man, or woman for that matter, not to go and watch their local team in his/her teens. Standing at Elm Park on a Saturday afternoon was the highlight of my weekend many years ago. I think it’s unusual for a footballer not to watch football full stop. As the old saying goes, watch and learn. Still, what he does in his spare time is his business, not mine as it’s what he does on the pitch which is important.
I’m sure the trip to north London will be an emotional one for Vieira on Monday night but not because of the Emirates as he’d left the club before Arsenal moved away from Highbury. Saying that, he did play in the opening match of the new stadium which was Dennis Bergkamp’s testimonial in July 2006 against Ajax. A match which brought the best out of Gilles Grimandi.
I’m sure The Arsenal fans will welcome him back with much applause and cheers and it’d be the least he deserves after what he helped Arsenal achieve during those early years of Arsene Wenger. As the ex player said himself, he arrived at Arsenal as a boy but left as a man. Born in Senegal, made in the red and white side of north London!
Of course I hope it’s the worst possible return to Arsenal an ex player has experienced in the dugout but that’s because I want this current Arsenal squad to do well. We need that European spot finish come May.
See you in the comments.
Morning Rico and H Hers everywhere.
Not being critical here but, you left Leno out of the leaving list. I can’t see him wearing an Arsenal goalies shirt beyond January 2022. As for the rest they could all go or none will! However, the overhaul is far from complete.
Palace have been one of our bogey clubs just recently, just saying. We need to pick them off. 1-0 will do. The result is everything. Another must win game, I think.
Good morning Rico.
Monday night football followed by Friday night football, not he best but I suppose we have to be grateful the games are televised. It’s a consequence of the poor start to the season and I can’t see it getting much better with the disruption caused be international breaks and the ACON.
It’s symptomatic of the lack of forethought that Arteta doesn’t seem to know who is going to the African tournament, for sure, and what we are doing about replacements. Buying players in the January window is a bit late, by the time contracts, medicals and paper-work are completed the ACON will be virtually over and our players will be on their way back.
All that aside, I’m looking forward to both matches, six points are there for the taking.
Probably being diplomatic and not giving the interviewer any thing to misrepresent.
5 games in 21 days not only hard for the players but supporters who have so much to pay within 1 months salary. Always the last to be taken into cosideration . There is a case for the international season to take place at the end of the season without all the interuptions the season would fininsh at the end of April plenty of time to reschedule the various international programmes providing that they keep the world cup every 4 years.
Morning Wavy, Potter, Cicero, all.
That’s an ACON exit list Wavy. Goodness only knows who’ll actually leave in the winter window but I’d imagine a few of our younger players would like to get out and play football.
Hard on the ticket holders though Cicero. London on a Friday night will be mayhem.
I like that idea Potter, these breaks are annoying and must be hard for the managers. Still, I’m not overly bothered that Utd have picked up a few injuries. Lol
Agreed Cicero and just why I thought White wasn’t the priority back in the summer. Imo, we could have kept Saliba and signed a top notch CM.
Sorry Rico. Got the wrong end of the stick. It’ll teach me to read thoroughly and not skim, scan so carelessly!
I’m away to the fridge for a spoonful of humble pie.🥟
Hi Rico and all
Ben white not watching the old Arsenal matches may be a blessing in disguise as he will not have the pressure or caring about who wore that number.
Good point Geoff, maybe that’s why we’ve had so many crap ‘keepers since “Safe Hands” David Seaman left. 😉
Ha ha Wavy, easy done..
Hi Geoff. I can see where you’re coming from but I just think it’s a shame that current players don’t know about our history. Well, some of them.
No wonder they don’t always play at full throttle.
How on earth did Watford manage to get promoted last season…
The gap between the top and the bottom ever widens . Get promoted take the beatings drop down and get the parachute money and hopefully pop back up again and repeat.
The big money magic roundabout…
Often the newly promoted start off like a rocket and as the season wears on they gradually descend the table .It will be interesting to see where Norwich , Watfod and Brentford end up.
It’s really hard judge what sort of team Watford are, or could be. Since new owners took over in 2012 they’ve had no less than fourteen managers. Stability? Continuity? Working to a plan? Yer avin a larf!
Heading for relegation I suspect, certainly Watford and Norwich.
The game at Villa Park must have been a cracker. Wolves were 2-0 down but came back to win 3-2.
Leicester beat Utd 4-2 too.
So IF we beat Palace and Chelsea beat Brentford , West Ham draw with Everton and Newcastle under new ownership take Totts out we will be 7th tomorrow night .
The pigs that they can’t cull are flying high over Norfolk tonight.
I did wonder for a moment there Potter.
Palace will be tough imo.
Because of our lack of a prolific goal scorer, all games will be tough Rico. The players that are picked to play have to take the responsibility for goal scoring rather than rely on Aubameyang. The game on Monday will be made tougher by the fact that the referee is to be Mike-bloody-Dean.
Agree Cicero but I think the way we play makes it difficult too. If we start the tippy tippy sideways stuff, we’re in for a long night..
Part one done , Chelsea beat Brentford still wouldn’t put any money on it
Knowing Arsenal, they’ll cock up the final part.
Rico I agree it would be nice for new players to understand the history of our club and some of our great past players, we have had but lets just not mention the number they wore.
New post up now
Morning Rico, tin hat time I see… 😄
Morning Kev, it sure is. I have it firmly in place. 😅