Morning all.
We’re well into single figures now as the season nears resumption. Arsenal are one of the four teams to kick things off a week from today. I know you already know that but in case you’ve slept and thought football returning was just a dream, I’m reminding you that it’s not. It’s real. Very very real.
I was thinking about our little friendly against Charlton and scoring six goals – two in the first half and four in the second. Are there any conclusions to be drawn form that little morsel? Did we create less chances during the first forty-five minutes, was the finishing not as clinical as in the second half, was their a better balance to the second half team or were Charlton worse after halftime? Or should everything other than the players having a good workout, be ignored? I reckon it’s the latter.
First half: Leno, Bellerin, Luiz, Mustafi, Tierney, Guendouzi, AMN, Nelson, Ozil, Auba, Laca.
Second half: Martinez, Sokratis, Holding, Mari, Kolasinac, Ceballos, Xhaka, Pepe, Willock, Martinelli, Nketiah.
The only thing of interest I take from the above group of players is that Cedric Soares didn’t play yet he’s been training with the first team. Instead, Papa was at right back during the second half. I suppose with just ten fixtures left, more if we progress in the FA Cup it doesn’t matter too much if Cedric is available or not but it’ll probably lessen his chances of being offered a permanent deal. Now I’ve said that he’ll be fit to play in a weeks time and he’ll run Sheffield Utd’s left back ragged in a few weeks time.
Another subject I’ve been mulling over during the last few days is the BLM protests. I don’t mean the subject itself as that’s a bit too sensitive to discuss on a football blog but rather the vast numbers of people taking part. ‘Thousands’ we hear the newscasters announce during their daily bulletin and as far as I can see from the pictures/video clips they show to support their claims, social distancing seems to have gone out the window. Yet football and other sports fans are being denied entrance to their respective clubs stadium to support their team.
Leagues One and Two ended prematurely yesterday. There’s a chance some of the clubs might fold, players might be out of a job. Is it fair? One certainly has to feel sorry for Stevenage who are sat firmly at the bottom of League Two but with a game in hand over Macclesfield who are just three points better off than them. Bolton, Southend and Tranmere are relegated to League Two. Bolton and Southend have no reason to complain as they’re too far behind to save their place in League One but Tranmere are in the same position as Stevenage with a game in hand over Wimbledon who sit above them with just a three point advantage. Tranmere were on a winning run before the break too which makes matters worse for them.
I can understand why both League’s have been ended prematurely but when such vast numbers of people are breaching the governments directive on social distancing during the BLM protests, it seems rather unfair.
Stay safe guys…
Morning all.
How these protests were allowed to go ahead is beyond me.
How people attended them is equally beyond me.
They’ll achieve nothing at all, imo.
Bring back football 🙂
Must admit Scott, I’m baffled by them now. The message, the true one is being lost.
Good morning Rico.
The Soares signing looked a bit opportunistic to me. A decent, Premiership experienced fullback taken on loan with an option to make the move permanent. All well and good but… he was already injured when he arrived and did not achieve anywhere near full fitness by the time the season was suspended. Even now there is no word about his availability and it’s ever more likely that he will turn out to be another Tierney or Kallstrom or even Suarez. I wonder when our Executive Team will twig the fact that signing unfit players is not the way to go.
They were allowed to go ahead because our police have been politicised, with senior police officers being more concerned with not rocking the political boat or being accused of racism, rather than doing their job, they have been neutered by extremists on the political fringe of our society, anarchists, students and it’s only the start of all this bollocks believe me.
It’s only going to get worse and more dangerous out there…
Maybe the football vs demonstrate question should be posed to the creepy Sadiq Khan, thank God I don’t live in London anymore, I’m certainly not missing working in London that’s for sure.
Khan has blocked several big London games going on but is happy to see Antifa, criminals and naive students marching through our capital, what an absolute disaster that man has been to London, the damage he’s done in immeasurable.
Hi Rico and All The one positive thing i am taking out of the Charlton game was the fact the player never stopped in the past 2 up at half time they seemed to stop playing but against Charlton they showed that hunger that we have not seen for a while and keep going and not stopping hopefully they take that hunger in to the rest of the season
I’m not sure how to spell his name but Kia J’chin is the agent of Soares so I’m sure that there was some collusion between him and the executives, although Arteta must have had some say, Mikel needed a right back and he was available, unfortunately the injuries took longer to fix than was anticipated by the Arsenal medical team who must have checked him out.
From what I’ve read Arteta definitely wants Mari to stay but has said nothing on Soares, therefore Cedric has 10 or 11 or hopefully 13 games to secure a permanent move to Arsenal.
If Sokratis and Mustafi stay and Luiz re-signs then the need of Soares will decrease even further, unless he is outstanding when he plays.
It’s a shame really as Cedric seems a really decent guy, during lockdown he did a lot of charity work so I hope he can show us that he’s really worth keeping.
Morning Cicero. Maybe there was a last minute concern over Bellerin and then AMN so Cedric seemed like the cheapest option. We’d been told all winter that loans would be our only option. If we get a few games out of him now and get a top four finish, he’d be worth every penny.
Kev, all I’ll say is that I’m glad I was born when I was and not twenty years later. Actually, sometimes I wish I’d be born long before all of this because Great Britain certainly isn’t looking so great these days.
Hi Rico.. maybe Soares still has a little niggle, I don’t know. Torreira didn’t play either. Maybe they’ll both be eased in slowly. We’re bound to have another game at the weekend, so they may play a part then.
Wow and to think it doesn’t seem that long ago Bolton were in the PL. It does seem unfair, Rico… I’ve just seen Oxford are in the play offs! So are Fleetwood – I can’t stand Joey Barton!!
Even though I’m sooo happy the football is very nearly upon us, the only thing I’m gutted about is not being able to laugh at the scousers anymore. The thought of them missing out because the season was going to be cancelled was brilliant!!!
I see that the yob who tried to rob Kolasinac and Ozil has had his 10 year jail sentence reduced to 6 years as it was deemed excessive.
He’ll probably be out in 3 years!
Apparently his ‘brief’ used as part of her argument the fact that nothing was actually taken – really?!
So you can get a 40% reduction on your sentence if you don’t actually lift anything, crazy, what a mad world we live in.
I despair when I see police officers “taking a knee” when they should be confronting demonstrators (thugs) in front of them and stand aside whilst those same thugs vandalise public property. There is a picture in this morning’s paper showing three or four of the Met’s finest guarding the vandalised statue of Sir Winston Churchill. Typical of their attitude too little too late.
Rico, what message?
I don’t believe the majority of protestors actually had one lol
Our state premiers allows the protesters yet still haven’t opened the state borders and business are literally going broke by the day because of it.
Meanwhile, we have 2 people in hospitals around the country due to Covid-19!!!
That adds weight to the idea the protests aren’t really an issue, but why are we still under so many restrictions?
Obviously, things are very different around the world, but this is what’s happening today here in Oz
Morning rico, all. Sad times all round, I wonder if demos of this size were being held by solely white people, police would still allow? They are definitely unable to stop them, as one phone video of them physically apprehending someone will be round the world in a flash. Such a shame, as the highlighting of the original issue and the condemnation by all, could have been such a positive. But the odd idiot throwing a cycle towards a police horse and another lighting the union jack is harming the message. As is grouping at this time when pleaded not to.
Anyway back to footie, as well as Torreira and Soares, Saka was also absent from the friendly. Do we know why?
Looking back …..Mari and Ceballos started, sub Lacazette got the winner and only goal, 12 minutes from time. Am I the only one that had to look back to fullt remember our last league match, a 1-0 win against West Ham!
Hi Geoff, Sue.
I’d forgotten Torreira didn’t play Sue, good point about him but he did suffer a bad one I think whereas I’ve no idea what’s wrong with Cedric. He’s be3n training though so fingers crossed.
Scott, the one to do with that thug in a uniform and the blokes watching on… now though it’s gone beyond that. Way beyond.
Kev, breaking in mind thieves seldom go to jail, the reduction is extreme, not the sentence.
Ditto Cicero
Hi Andrew.. there was a clip of Saka warming up against Charlton. Maybe he’ll play in the next friendly?
Also, Andrew, that West Ham game feels like an eternity ago!!!
1.08 Scott. I think was a strong message to be sent out and that’s that black lives matter equally to white. But, and as often happens imo, people join the protests who are more interested in behaving badly than concentrating on what the issue is.
Hi Andrew, I missed Saka too. I really need to go to Specsavers because at this rate, I’d have missed half the squad. Saka is another who has been training.
Must admit my first thought was not Soares being in any of them teams, but the missing Saka!.
Hey Sue, them playoffs, I would like Fleetwood to go up because their Stadium is called Highbury Stadium and they play virtually in an Arsenal kit, they also have a french speaking manager in Joey Barton which is pronounced Shoey Barrrtoon! 😆
I suppose it would help if my comments did not keep going into moderation, technical problem?
Should be fine now Lc.
Sue, rico, oh thats good if Saka was training, apart from Torreira, and of course Chambers, all present and correct then
Sue, lifetime ago!
Who do we play against on Sunday?
Thanks.
My Grandson was born on Sunday, my son has already got Gooner baby grows.
His other grandad is a Spud, but my son and his wife live in a detached annexe (Little Highbury)on my property and the other grandad who lives 30 miles away thinks Baby Arsene Mikel Chapman Bergkamp Henry Stepanovs Monster will choose his own team! 😆
😂😂 Shoey Barrrtoon!! You’ve gotta admit he’s vile, Le Coq!! Plus, Oxford are closer to me 😉
I was asked this the other day – Who scored 18 goals at Highbury, has a PL medal and still plays in the PL? (I knew 😉)
Aww congrats, Le Coq 👍 Bless him, the future of our club! Sod the spuds!!
What Highbury?…………………………Jamie Vardy ? 😉
Rumour has it Brentford are playing a friendly at the Ems today, if they are wearing them Brentford Nylon shirts and with our semi plastic pitch, it could be electrifying!
Nice one, Le Coq 😉👍
I`m smarter than the average Monster! 😆
We lost 3-2 to Brentford?????
Willock and Laca scored. Our former player Josh DaSilva scored their winner…..sigh…..
Maybe the result should have been kept behind closed doors aswell ! 😆
Lost to Brentford?? Bloomin heck..
Playing out from the back it seems.just saw the goals
I did hear that Saka did come on late in the Charlton game.
Trae Coyle came on vs Brentford in the 85th minute.
Xhaka didn’t play, nor did Torrieira or Soares.
Brentford are actually a decent team and these are still training games, club staff again officiating.
Arteta took a training session on the pitch after the game, Medley, Swanson Andrew Matt Smith joined in, seems as if Arteta will fully utilise the 9 substitutes which might mean our youngsters get opportunities in the weeks ahead…
Andrew? That should be ‘and’ – how the feck did and turn into Andrew?
https://arseblog.news/2020/06/arsenal-lose-3-2-to-brentford-in-latest-friendly/
Lose and concede 3 goals …
Morning all.
Rico, on 2.33.
The message is relevant, but most protesting/rioting don’t have a message, They just saw an opportunity.
We’ve had one dumb arse protesting last Saturday test positive to Covid-19 so to those protesting, do ANY lives really matter???
To risk an outbreak right now was ridiculous.
All lives matter.
The morning after a loss blues… plus waking up thinking it was Friday… surely today can only get better?!
Agree there Scott. That’s just what I was saying. To begin with yes, now, nope, just thuggery and crime imo.
Morning all.
New post up now