Morning all.
The main news today is fixture changes to suit both Sky Sports and Bt Sports and there’s loads throughout the Premier League.
Here’s ours:
Sky Sports:
Hull City v Arsenal, Mon 4 May, 8pm
Arsenal v Swansea City, Mon 11 May, 8pm
Manchester United v Arsenal, Sun 17 May, 4pm
Arsenal v Sunderland, Wed 20 May, 7:45pm
Thankfully none for BT Sports as that would mean lunchtime kick off, and we don’t like those…..
Just like I don’t like the thought of Danny Welbeck possibly not being fit for tomorrow’s match. Although a part of me believes he will start after the managers comments yesterday…
Much has been said about Welbeck after his summer move away from Manchester and this week, the player has said he’s improved since becoming an Arsenal player.
Arsene Wenger agrees:
I think he’s an important player who contributes a lot. Not only does he now score goals, but as well contributes a lot to the team work.
He’s a team player and I believe technically he has improved a lot. When you look at him now I believe that technically he is much more mature, more composed in front of goal, the quality of his runs is getting better and he has huge, huge attributes.
I’m sure there are a few Arsenal fans who still struggle to accept he’s what we need, Welbeck I mean, not Arsene Wenger, although he has his haters, I really rate our Englishman and he’s only going to get better and as the manager says, his work rate is immense and he’s never shy to get back and defend when needed.
I’d still love to know what Arsene meant when he said that had he not been out of the country last summer, Arsenal would never have signed Danny Welbeck…
But I guess I’ll never know…
Finally, well done to Olivier Giroud and Arsene Wenger who have been awarded Premier League player and manager of the month respectively. Taking 12 points from a possible 12, Arsenal have moved six points clear of fifth place Liverpool and sit just one point behind champions Manchester City, who lie second. Ollie’s five goals were enough to see him beat the latest England blue-eyed boy…
I hope this time next month, they make it a double….
That’s me done for Good Friday.
Have a great day guys and gals. Don’t eat too many hot cross buns as the Easter Eggs are just around the corner……
Amusing to see all the ghastly old Scouse has-beens coming out of the woodwork to ‘warn’ Sterling that he should never even consider leaving such a successful club. As Brenda said, through freshly whitened teeth, Liverpool are one of the Giants of World football. Yes, Brenda, loyalty is a great thing as you proved when you ditched your wife for a slimmer, younger model more in keeping with your managerial status. And your white teeth of course.
🙂 Adam..
I liked AW’s comments on Gerrard.
‘He could have joined any big club but stayed loyal to Liverpool’….
Or something like that…
I’m off out for the day so catch up later this afternoon..
Have a good day guys…
Have a nice day Rico. 🙂
Good post rico, morning. Well deserved awards for the pair, great to see someone other than Kane get some praise.
Nice post Rico.
For what Arsenal paid for Welbeck, he has been a good buy. The player from the age of 8, has been with one club so it must have been a wrench to up root and move south. With that, sometimes it takes a while to settle. He always puts in a shift and as Wenger said has improved since joining.
Let’s hopefully celebrate a win against Liverpool and then move onto the next game with the confidence that winning brings.
Have a great Easter break everyone.
Marinello.
Good read Rico…
I can understand Brenda trying to stay relevant and newsworthy as by next season he won’t be able to use Suarez leaving as an excuse..
Happy Pesach/ Easter to all…
Nice Post, Rico, and I hope you have a good day out. 🙂
AW also said he was worried about Theo’s confidence following the England game – but I expect it is better not to go there. 🙂
Morning All
Morning Rico, great post on a no news day.
I read somewhere, that a deal for Raheem Stirling could cost in the region of £50 million…
Really???
I’m sure that Wenger could invest £50 million, better elsewhere…
Stirling is good, but he isn’t a world beater imo…
Agree with the positive comments on here, regarding Danny Welbeck.
He’s been a very valuable addition to the squad, not least his versatility, his strong work ethic and his winning mentality.
He may not score as many goals as we’d like, but then if he was a 20 goal a season player we wouldn’t have got him and certainly not for £16 million…
We got him at the right age and I can only see him getting better…
Well said Kev.
Now, any predictions on the Liverpool match? I am going for a 2-1 win.
Good read Rico.. …. I don’t trust sterling yet.
Hi Marinello…
Arsenal should win, even though there is still that ‘fcuk it up’ element in our teams mindset… Monaco for example!
You know what mate, just over a year ago, we went to Anfield, top of the league and got spanked 5-1…
So it would be nice if we could dish out a bit of pay back…
I agree Kev. Its the big games that always worry me. Still they put in a shift like they did against United, I will be pleased.
How are you keeping?
I’m not too bad mate.
Working, as we blog…
What about you Marinello?
You been to any/many games this season?
Liverpool will go to Ewood Park for their FACup replay this Wednesday, full of their usual arrogant feelings of entitlement, confident of dispatching Blackburn, without too much trouble…
And so they should, I suppose…
But would it not be hilarious if Blackburn knocked them out… 😉
Afternoon guys, thanks re the post…
What a miserable day, and I’ve eaten far too much!!
3-1 tomorrow for me, although any win will do.. 🙂
Kev, I can see Blackburn winning that replay…
Too many hot crossed buns Rico? 🙂
3-1 would be nice Rico…
Although 5-1 would be nicer…
Unlikely I know, but you have to dream…
Saw the Arsenal goals vs Brentford
Crowley looks such a quality player…
Not one has passed my lips Kev, it was all the other stuff, especially cream! 😉
Wonder if Brenda will drop Sterling…
5-1 would make my weekend….
Good news re Crowley. Where does he play Kev?
Does anyone else other than me think Arsene Wenger made a mistake selling Benik Afobe?
Yes, I agree Rico…
If Afobe isn’t a better option than Sanogo, then I’m a Scotsman…
Jam, cream, scones, am I getting warm Rico? 😉
Well he might have killed Sanogo’s development.
For sure he is Kev…..
Eaton mess 🙂
Crowley is an attacking midfielder, who can play either wide or centrally…
He’s a bit like Jack, if a little quicker across the ground…
Hmm Eton Mess is yummy…
Potter, you and I have more chance of playing for Arsenal than Sanogo…
Kaba Diawara MK II
I know which one I’d prefer Potter…
I’d have Darren Bent in front of Sanogo, let alone Afobe…
If Wolves come up, he could be another Andy Cole…
That worries me Kev…..
I’m done…
Night Kev, Potter and all….
It’s a calculated risk that Wenger has taken Rico…
Maybe he thought that Afobe can do it in The Championship but lacks that bit extra to do it in the EPL…
Also, he might have thought that the injuries had taken something from his game, in terms of pace?
And he had to give Akpom encouragement so he choose Chuba and sacrificed Benik?
Yes, I’m gone as well…
Night Rico
rico, 7.17, you don’t need tsgh’s crystal ball to see where I’m coming from, Sidwell, Muamba, Hoyte, Voltz, Lansbury, Eastmond, Senderos, Dench, Eisfeld, Nordtveit, Olsson, Afobe, Hayden, Akpom, the writings on the wall !
Always nice when a rough diamond breaks the mould…….enter Bellerin…….the future’s bright……the future’s red and white, as for Sanogo don’t know about him being worth potentially 20 mill I’d let him go for 20 quid !
Match-day tomorrow, bring on the Scousers, they’ll want to make the Europa place spot their own !
Up the Gooners.
Come on gooners!
Micko leave Dench out of your mouth! 😉
Morning all btw….
2:1 it seems.
Rico,
From your earlier comment, I agree that it is disappointing that Afobe and many others have not managed to make a breakthrough at Arsenal.
The truth is that most of them have not gone on to do better at other clubs – also a shame.
With the squad ‘age’ restrictions, once players get to 21 y.o. they either become part of the 25 man squad, [home grown rule] where they are competing with established players, or they have to be let go.
Afobe is someone I had high hopes of being a top player for us. 🙁
Akpom and Hayden have to stay Micko. Greg Dyke has said so…. 😉
Morning all…
Henry,
It’s hard to disagree re players who have left us not doing so well, but so often in life, once you drop a level, a person slots into that same level. Training with better players brings out more in others if they have it in them. Alexis has shown that this season with Santi, Ozil and AOC. imo of course.. 😉
HB. In my view not excelling away from Colney has less to do with talent but attitude.
Most players who leave top teams across europe at young age end up making the quotas at lessor teams anyway;
If we consider that in the last 5 years the pfa has had over 4000 players as members but less than 100 different players have won the title it goes to show how elitist the epl can be.
In my view those who left us and wanted it more have had a decent career.larson and Muamba come to mind. Even Sidwell ended up at chelsea when they were EPL champions.
The others like JET have the talent but are unprepared to put in the required shift and their attitude stinks too…
Noidvert made it in the bundesliga until this season when kramer and xhaka replaced him from starting xi.
Muamba was allowed to go because of flamini….for reasons that need not to be said 😉
Le coq would have been added to that list had Arteta and ramsey not gotten injured before xmas…
Ditto above Rico
What does the stats say about AW winning manager of the month award? Re. Results afterwards… 🙁
Bale was half a million sterling away from being sold back to southampton by the wheeler-dealer… 2 seasons later he is the most expensive player on the planet.
kane was also nearly sold…
Like in all walks of like if you have half a talent but are willing to work harder to compensate I believe you can do it…
Life.even
I hope that record doesn’t continue today Ts…
Don’t think it will either, nor the lunchtime disasters… 😉
Aneke is the player who in my view has been unfairly treated.
I defend AW most times but Aneke’s situation goes to show AW is only human. ;(
I would like to see Hayden make it but imo he is not a cdm. Seen him play a few times live to see another Djourou situation. Saying thst he is English so…
Agreed Rico re. record
I like Aneke too. Always thought he’d stay and get his chance…
Disagree re Hayden though Ts, even he says he’s a proper Cdm…. 🙂
Lol Rico.He considers himself a thiago silva so if he turns out half as good, it will be good for us and E
Ngland
Rico and tsgh,
I think your comments re. our young players are spot on.
The point about luck being an important determining factor in the case of some players is also very true.
IF – Arteteteta and Flambo and Rambo had not all had bad injuries, Le Coq would have gone this summer, and frankly he was not pulling up trees with his various loan clubs.
Others? Well luck has two sides, unfortunately.
I watched Chuks in some of the youth games, and he looked superb.
The thought that struck me two or three pre-seasons ago was how much weight he had put on – and had also slowed down.
What a talent tho’. Really sad.
No Ts, he says he can emulate his hero Vieira. I watched his interview and he wants that Cdm place badly….
Henry – looking back, I’m glad they picked up injuries as it’s no coincidence that we look much better since Coquelin arrived…
New post up now…