Morning all.
Bored with international football? Me too!
According to Spanish newspaper Marca, Gerard Pique has confessed to a bit of naughtiness whilst at Man Utd and he’s dropped our old captain in the mire too:
Cesc was a pioneer to go to London at 16 years of age and then others went and he was an example to many, for me he was an example.
When Manchester United played Arsenal…. we called to tell each other the teams.
I’d imagine neither player kept such information to themselves, not that it seemed to do Arsenal much good as back in the days when Pique was at Utd, which was between 2004-2008, our results against them weren’t always good. Probably the best result came at Wembley in the FA Cup Final in 2005 when despite being battered for most of the game, a great penalty shoot-out resulted in us lifting the trophy.
In January 2007 and again in November 2008 we managed to beat Utd at home in the league, both by the same 2-1 score-line but we just couldn’t beat them at Old Trafford. On the odd occasion we’d scrape a draw, but not often as Fergie always got the better of Arsene Wenger.
Fergie and Wenger have had their war of words over the years but neither quite reached the low levels of which Mourinho has and still does but one comment from Arsene made me chuckle:
‘Everyone thinks they’ve left the prettiest wife at home.’
That was in response to Fergie stating his Utd side had played the best football in England during the 2001–02 season just after Arsenal had been crowned Premier League Champions. Missing out on the league clearly irked the Scotsman…
As Arsenal moved stadiums and with money being tight, they became less of a threat to Utd and the battle between the two managers became less intense. Just recently in fact, Fergie has spoken out in defence of our manager, suggesting he’ll be a tough act to follow.
Utd haven’t really been the same since Fergie left, in fact I think he got out at just the right time. One last big signing during the summer prior to what turned out to be his final season, was enough to win the league. He knew it would, most Arsenal fans knew it would too. After that, Fergie walked away, possibly knowing he’d left behind and old and quite average squad. Yet still we couldn’t beat them.
But that changed last season, we finally came away from Old Trafford with a victory, something we hadn’t managed for years and then just a week ago, we battered Utd good and proper, and with ease at The Emirates.
Maybe the tide is turning, maybe Arsenal will become more successful again in the league and finally lift that big trophy.
We’ve got the players as last weekend proved and with a little bit of lady luck on the injury front and with a signing or two in January, Arsene Wenger might just get the ‘hasn’t won the Premier League for…………… years’ label off his back.
Even if he does, I doubt he’ll walk away from football as Fergie did.
Do you?
One more week and we’re back…..
Have a good Sunday…
Wakey Wakey… 😉
Afternoon Rico….almost…
Good post, considering the interlull…
For some strange reason, I think that England could do quite well in the Euros…
Maybe it’s the thought of the many post match interviews from Woy Hodgson and the eloquent Harry Kane that’s convinced me…
Afternoon Kev, quiet one again. Darn international football..
Beginning to think i’d be better off just posting articles when it’s match-day and the following day
Afternoon, Rico, big day here in Ireland, 2 crucial games, both in the Footie and the rugby. A chance to get automatic qualification and a great chance to win the group and play the pumas in the quarters. Definitely an exciting night. What a euro campaign it could end up being with all the home nations hopefully ourselves there too, sorry Scotland.
Anyway, there does seem to be a certain optimism in the air that this could be the season, we finally lift the title, even Chelsea, liverpool and united supporters admitting it could be Arsenals year. I still think City will just prove too strong, though. Sanchez will be pivotal to our chances, Player of the season performances will certainly be needed, we also need Ramsey to start stepping up, Ozil, Theo, Le coq and Santi could certainly receive legendary status too, who knows what will happen, but surely failure from the Manager to get this current squad up for this season, knowing he had substantial amounts of money to make it happen, should ultimately be the end for him.
Good luck in both Dublin…
I see the Chile boss has admitted he played Alexis despite him being in pain..
Can’t see AW walking away regardless of how the season ends tbh…
Thanks Rico, no he,ll no doubt leave on his own terms,He says that while he is plotting to retire, he does not intend to be pressured into quitting his job prematurely. 20 months left on his contract, I do think it will be his last contract.
Interesting to see how Klopp gets on in the premier league, have we missed the boat with him.
I think so, especially al the time Kroenke is there but I can see him staying on longer…
Great read Rico…
one thing at a time…we have the squad to win this league…not just in individual players, which we don’t truly lack imo, but actually in team spirit. As a team Arsenal is most solid in the EPL.
Petr Cech is the only addition, and as an experienced keeper, he’s fast knitting the defense together as an impregnable unit. Four clean sheets and joint best with seven goals conceded, the importance of acquiring Gabriel Paulista and coming-in-status of Francis Coquelin has quite significantly strengthened the side. Arsenal is the only top four side that has played three matches against top five teams – Chelsea, Man U and Liverpool. ..and it took the shameful intervention of Mike Dean for the team to concede against Chelsea…otherwise, both Man U and Liverpool couldn’t score…when last was Arsenal that rock-solid in defense?
Many times we accuse Arsene Wenger of being rigid but the flexibility of shifting Santi Carzola to deeper role and Theo Walcott to central role in attack is happening with evident success…yet people talk of Le Prof’s lack of tactical suavity in a league where their favoured Jose Mourinho can’t get over the disappointment of missing out on Everton’s Stones. Instead of the loquacious Portuguese to shift Ivanovic back to CB, shift Aziplicueta back to RB then Rahman in natural LB, he continues playing Ivanovic at RB where the Serb’s lack of pace has been ruthlessly exposed this season. He insists on forcing inexperienced Zouma as the one to replace a mercilessly aging John Terry.
Good for Chelsea though…but I’m confident that if what we saw against Man U will constantly be repeated then only serious unlucky patches will deny us this season’s title. Yes, because that display against Man U is the true reflection of the quality of this Arsenal team.
Sup guys. Slow Sunday it is. Was stuck watching those expensive toys in Sochi Russia race.
Ferguson took time to study Wenger and figured him out. He knew if the defended well and hit Wenger on the counter we wouldn’t defend well hence concede. Remember that domestic cup game he played with 8 defensive players? I wish we gave him one good whooping before he left ie 6-1.
When Wenger leaves he won’t leave us handicapped like Fergie selfishly did. There is great bank balance, talented kids- and if he leaves in the near future ox, ozil, Theo Sanchez, Welbz, Wilshere, Gabriel and co will be hitting their prime.
And when we win this title, Wenger’s ambition will shift to Champions League…Le Prof won’t quit without giving it a go…Sanchez, Ozil, Ramsey, Coquelin, Walcott, Wilshere, Gabriel, Welbeck, Gibbs – all seem set to peak together in two-three years’ time. Of course, Petr Cech will be very much there….
So, I don’t think the current contract will be Wenger’s last at Arsenal.
I think performances and how far we can go, will ultimately determine AW,s future, he,s shameful ignorance in this seasons TW, said a lot about the man, by not buying, he suggested that he has a squad he believes in and that he feels is good enough to win the title and Champions league, well he has all but failed in one of those already. I think failure this season and next to win the title, surely even He will admit he has took us as far as he can, under he,s terms.
Wenger won’t be leaving any time soon! The reason is simple, Rico spotted it! We all think we have the prettiest wife at home! Well, he ain’t. She’s upped sticks and offed! So he has no one to go home to. He will just throw himself into his day job 100% and dedicate his declining years to the furtherance of searching for the perfect footballers playing the beautiful game, whilst seeking the holy grail, that is the Premiership title. When he has done a ‘Fergie’ he might quit but I wouldn’t bet my life on it……..unless he finds another wife from somewhere! How are you fixed Rico?
Afternoon all.
Seems that David Ospina could be on his way this January, if the rumourmongers can be believed…?
It would leave us, with Szczesny and Martinez on loan, with Matt Macey and then Ryan Huddart, as the only cover for Petr Cech…
I hope you’ve got your tin hat on, Wavy. 🙂
Evening all..
Wavy, as the song goes. I’m old, but I’m not that old… 😉
Kev, Debuchy too is rumoured to be wanting out in Jan… Leaving just Bellerin…
Marshall, all too easy for Lewis today… Love it…
Agree re the squad AW will leave eventually, we have done great youngsters coming through… Looks like a few might actually get to play too unlike those gone before….
Tai, I still think we are at least two players short. Unless we suffer no injuries, And everyone can play like they did Sunday for the rest of the season, or simply dig out victories when having an off day….
Yeah Rico, you can’t blame Debuchy for wanting to leave, he simply needs to play at this stage of his career…
It’s the eternal problem!
We all call out for a bigger/deeper/stronger squad, but these guys don’t wanna spend too long sitting on the bench.
Well, the good ones don’t…
So when Wenger negotiates with a player, and that player or his agent insists on being a 1st team regular and AW can’t give them those assurances, maybe that why we miss out on them?
It’s a double edged sword…
The majority of players who are happy to sit on the bench, aren’t up to the standard we want anyway.
And the ones that are up to our standard don’t wanna be benched…
Impasse…
That was a bit ageist Rico! I mean if you attend to his needs he may find a new ‘princess’ at home and, he would no longer feel the urge to go to work!
It’s definitely win, win. You get a new companion and we all get rid of Wenger! Come on you have to admit this plan B may have legs?
How about it? I’ll sort out a suitable ‘valentine’ like card and then I’ll leave you to weave your charms for the good of the club, of course.
Too true Kev. I think this fully explains why there was no one in this last TW. Nobody worth their salt would sign up on the off chance that they might get 15 minutes occasionally. Aa you say if players are willing to sit on the bench they just aren’t the Arsenal type of player. Perhaps that’s why Wenger was so keen to send the children out on loan, in that they understand the pecking order and know their chance will come, probably, and they are patient enough to wait, and they are not expensive either to buy or to keep happy!
Not all Kev, Flamini and Arteta don’t mind sticking around…. ?
But yes, you are right – I think it’s different when they are a bit younger as they have the fight in them but knowing they only have a couple of years left, playing the game they love is more important sometimes rather than who they play for….
Thanks for the idea Wavy, but if I was married to Arsene Wenger, I’m sure I’d be pushing the stubborn one out of the house and off to work each morning and not letting him back until I was fast asleep….
Must be hard to communicate with someone who thinks they are always right and allows little/no opinion from anyone else….
Great win for Ireland against France….
Kev you’re talking and talking real stuff…
Like Debuchy like any other good player worth his salt. From taking over from Bacary Sagna to Sagna taking over again, Debuchy must be a hugely frustrated man. He’d want to leave by January to get a chance to play at home during Euros…
So would Giroud if Walcott permanently pushes him out of starting role. Gibbs will only wait because he knows he’s younger than Monreal, who has maybe two more years to play at top level…
Brings us to issue Coquelin…it would have amounted to pure crazy ingratitude to shift him to the bench after the performnace he offered last half-season. We all wanted a player of his quality as a back up…Scheiderlin? He won’t play second fiddle to Coquelin or he’d leave January again…neither would Le Coq play second fiddle to Schneiderlin without asking to leave…and those would greatly unsettle the team….
See Ospina wanting to leave…yet we wanted solid back-up in all positions…
You need to pay huge money to benchwarmers like done in Chelsea to keep them glued to the bench.
Morgan? He’s playing second fiddle now at Utd….
With pay packet more than we’re were willing to part with…besides he won’t play it till season end …
And playing second fiddle to Schweinstigger and Carrick aint any stuff like doing that to Coquelin…both Man U midfielders are at their last legs…Morgan is far younger and will be anticipating to take over completely from next season…
After the way they played last weekend? I’d be really cheesed off sitting on the bench watching them… Regardless of how much I was being paid…
Every player or team gets off-day, even days. That they played below par against Arsenal doesn’t mean that’s their rating…both veterans have rich CV.
Morgan should be happy understudying both.
Well I wouldn’t be at all happy and it’s not the fist time he’s been left out. Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t fight for my place though…
I’m off guys, night all..
At 26 both Scweinteigger and Carrick were far better players than Morgan…that counts, a lot…the French got nothing to complain about…pocket the money, play sub roles here and there, slot in during injuries and wait to fully take over next season…
Coquelin understudied both Arteta and Flamini and even went on loan for playing time until injuries fasttracked his takeover.
Night Rico…
That’s pretty much how I see it Tai/ Wavy…
Wenger is gonna have a lot of work to do on this present squad next summer…
He could have to replace anything up to 9 or 10 players, not all of them top level, but you still need a 25 man squad so they’ll need replacing…
Just a glance at our playing staff and I can see that the following could need relaxing;
Ospina, Flamini, Arteta, Rosicky, Debuchy, Camlbell, Sanogo, Szczesny and Jenkinson…
Just seen a right typo…
Relaxing 🙂
Replacing…
rico, your no floozy, Arsene can do one !
Kev, your being kind, you say relaxing, I say need putting down !
True Rico, goobers winning everywhere even Lewis :).
I agree with Kev, maybe that’s why our transfer negotiations are a drag. Can’t promise anyone a spot straight into the starting 11.
As for Wenger getting himself another missus no chance of it happening IMO. I bet his sheets are in red with club logo on them. He’s giving and will continue giving 100% to AFC. For better for worse.
Jenko is the reason why am relaxed about Debuchy situation. If he leaves I believe Jenkinson will be happy to stay at the club he loves and play even if it’ll be a limited role.
The midfield will be an area that’ll need lots of upgrade/replacement…let’s win this season first.
Lovely night all.
Not good enough tonight micko
Let’s hope the draw is kind
Hi Malaga, first Germany and then France, maybe Poland was a bridge too far for this island with a big big heart this weekend, 2 outta 3 ain’t bad matey !
Too true micko
The country should be proud
Night mate
Fingers crossed for the draw on Sunday Malaga !
Marshall, It’s common knowlegde Arsene goes to sleep with his money in his top pyjamas pocket every nite, maybe we need to get Goonster on the case !!!
Nite Gooners.
Morning All
Glad to see N.Ireland and Wales qualify for the Euros, with the possibility of Eire joining them…
Should make to an interesting tournament as a British football fan..
Morning Rico, Kev et al…
Micko, now there must be a conspiracy… how can Eire beat the hkrauts with Neuer in goal? I bet if they had there reserve goalie in goal you wouldn’t have won. 😛
Morning Kev, Ts and all…
Shame about Scotland Kev… 😉
Micko, me? I’m hurt… lol
Ah, it seems I can’t post whilst I am at home..; there was me thinking I had been binned. 😉
Ah well, I shouldn’t be complaining if I can get paid whilst blogging on HH from work. 🙂
If the ONS say productivity is low; blame Rico and HH. 🙂
Morning all.
New post up now…
Scott, you just woken up? 😉