Morning all.
What’s going on in the world of Arsenal forums?
We have lost just one fixture this season, drew at West Brom, sit top of the Premier League, yet Arsenal fans are quiet. Well a lot quieter than during last season and through the summer, that’s for sure.
I wonder though if it would be the same if we having a rotten time, playing poorly and losing games that we really should be winning?
If that’s the case, then silence is good and long may it remain…….
News is that Laurent Koscielny is fighting fit and healthy and will be available for France tonight. Having read the rumours that he was set to be out for five weeks at least, this really is a boost to our team as he’s having a top season to date. His partnership with Mertesacker gets stronger and stronger and losing either would be a huge loss right now especially when we lost just one of the last 28 games when he has played for 90 minutes.
Yes we have Thomas Vermaelen but he’s played little football and some of his horror performances last season still haunt me. He’s been talking about the lack of playing time and has suggested he’ll consider moving in January if need be. It’s World Cup year and he wants to be there playing for Belgium.
Talking of defenders – according to reports in Italy, we are set to rival Inter and Juventus in the race to land Feyenoord full back Daryl Janmaat at the end of the season. The 24-year-old’s contract expires next summer so no doubt in January, he’ll be ready to talk to other clubs. If Bacary Sagna really has set his heart on leaving then there could be some truth in this rumour.
Staying with the transfer theme, poor old Arsene has had to answer more questions about transfers, Ozil and spending big.
This time he was asked if he’d been at all wary at spending so much on one player:,
Of course, it’s a big responsibility to spend that amount of money but I feel comfortable with it because we had the money to do it.
Before we couldn’t have done it because we didn’t have the money available. It’s as simple as that. I had a huge sense of responsibility when we built the (Emirates) stadium (which opened in 2006) to get the club through it without going bankrupt. The first years were difficult, and also explained why we lost some players.
Now we are in a more comfortable financial position, I – more than anyone – want the great players to play for Arsenal Football Club.
If we have to spend the money to do that, I will spend the money.
It didn’t end there, was the big money spent on Mesut Ozil the sign of things to come, will he now only buy big named, big priced players?
No, the policy is exactly the same – I always want to bring the best players in here, world-class players, at the best possible price. And I want to continue to educate 60 to 80 per cent of the squad ourselves.
The culture of the club, the way we want to play football and the way we want to behave, comes from within. The (Jack) Wilsheres, the (Aaron) Ramseys, the (Kieran) Gibbs – these kind of players have to be the culture of the club.
Then on top of that we want to bring world-class players who will help us to be even stronger.
Can we expect to see one or two big-name signings following each season now?
If they are needed, then yes. If it’s just for marketing reasons, then no. But for football reasons, why not?
Why not indeed Arsene…..
So, what to make of that then?
Not a bad percentage of world class players we can expect to see from now on….
That’s it for another day….
Morning all :-
So having 26 in his squad he is looking to have 10 to 15 imports , the rest home grown. This of course begs the question of what counts as a homegrown player. if you accept that we currently have 12 imports including Diaby, it looks likely that we will be looking to add more. Where of course Szczesney , Fabianski, Myaichi et al stand in this and which side of the equation they fall probably dictates how many.
Rough estimates here , early morning to get my brain round exact figures.
Hi Rico and everyone,
Let’s hope that top striker is bought as we don’t have a youngster who’s banging down the door to start.
I tried to work that out when writing the post Potter, I gave up 😉
What chance is there that Chelsea would sell Lukaku to us as they’re swelling with strikers. He’s the next Drogba for me.
Is any body else as bored as I am with this interlull? I mean, I wish every week can be actioned packed with the Arsenal sense of dominance… COYG! Lets make winning an instinct at the Arsenal starting with Norwich. Uhmmm, helo house!
Morning all,
Hi Potter, the likes of Scez are all considered home grown as they had their ‘education’ with us. Next year when Serge completes his 3rd year he will be considered homegrown…
That is where it gets grey and quite unfair for the likes of Lansbury and co who could have possibly made it had been a year or 2 younger when they left…
Good post btw Rico…
Hi Brad,
Lukaku turned us down before he joined Chelsea… we had a £9M bid accepted but then he decided to stay and then Chelsea came in with a bigger offer when his profile was higher… just like Hazard…
Another example is Atsu who was on the verge of being as good as Ayew but moving to Chelsea and getting loaned to Eredivisie imho will ‘stunt’ his development…
Before Schurle joined Chelsea he was better than Hazard imo and as good as Reus; but now most fans won’t consider him that good because he does not suit their system…
I am TT..
Brad, nil I suspect, they wouldn’t even loan us Ba.
Thanks Ts.
Morning all, good post rico.
The club captain crying like a girl about not playing, when the team is in 1st place. lol
Morning Rico. I believe that the fans are delighted with the start and are a little on tenterhooks as to whether it will continue as we have had so many false dawns in the past. If we can hang on in there and stay in the top 3 by the time the January transfer window opens, then who knows?
Then, if Arsene can do some serious business of the sort he should have done in Summer, we could certainly challenge and even win the title. A bit of luck with injuries wouldn’t go amiss either methinks. The breadth of our options will likely be key to any eventual success.
Good Post, Rico.
The truth is that very few bloggers can be arsed about internationals, and it becomes a turnoff for every one, which affects all the club blogs too.
With the latest TV rumours, that is if we make a huge assumption that what is being reported is what was actually said and in that context…
Like the Lewandowski news yesterday… he never said he will be playing in the EPL next nor did he say he is not joing BM… it was however reported that way to make news out of a common and simple answer…
Morning Gdna – thanks re the post. I’d keep quiet and wait for my chance if I was him, and then take it….
Morning Adam. It’s kind of too good to be true right now and I agree, make sure we are there around the top at Christmas, not too many points from the top. One or two additions in Jan and then go all out to finally break the PL trophy drought.
Morning all.
Please do leave our captain alone, he is only thinking about playing in the WC next year, and as he said that what was said was between him and AW.
Good news is that Theo will be available for our next game. Cannot wait for Ozil, Carzolla, Walcott and Ramsey to be playing together, does that not make your mouth water. This has been a very boring 2 weeks. GO Arsenal.
Thanks Hb, yes, that could be part of it. I’m certainly fed up with this one, having a worry about any injuries..
I still think our coaching is not strong enough or incorrect at youth level. I think Wenger needs new foreign coaches astute in technicality and positional awareness. Basically things I’ve seen wrong with Walcott and Wilshere.
I am quite confident about the Norwich game now…
For the first time in a while we have a core of players at home or not starters for their respective countries…
We could also have SC19, AR16, Poldi our 2 DM’s, Serge all available after the break…
CJ25 is not injured so will be fit to go… the Panzer looked very good with Boateng playing for DfB last Friday… there are even rumours that Effenburg is looking at bringing our BFG to Bavaria…
Hopeful, Ozil and OG12 come back ok.
My only worry is that with Coleman potential managing his final ever match for Wales he will play Ramsey for 90 minutes again;
Another unnecessary exercise imho…
It has been noticeable that fewer and fewer bloggers have been contributung to HH recenty, my self included! Have read all comments every day for weeks but have not felt the need to add to many of the numerous debates. This is/was not inertia it had far more to do do with self-satisfaction and smug arrogance! Arsenal in pole position and playing a very good brand of football. Scoring plenty for and conceding few against. Nirvana! Utopia! Heaven!
I suspect many other would be bloggers are suffering from the same over confident feelings and so have little to rail against, we are a nation of moaners, after all! And as Englishmen and gentlemen or Ladies we are not too good at lavishing praise on success and achievement, so we dom’t bother. As soon as we start to falter, (i really hope we do not have any hiccups) but if we do many of the absent writers will return to vent their spleens on how poorly the club is run and how and where we have gone wrong. By the same token if we continue with our current vein of rich form the lack of comment will continue.
I think there many readers out there who will contribute when they have something vitriolic to say!
Quiet, whilst a little unedifing is good if it means we are winning!
And finally, the quality of articles that have kicked off the daily debates have all been first class, relevant and challenging. Rico has done and will continue to provide a really sharp start to the day’s debates!
Brad, think you are right, but it is also an English thing, have you ever seen the England International team keep the ball for long periods? We have Liam Brady in the coaching academy, which was one of our best midfielders ever, and he was technically gifted. we are now also being linked to one of the best in Mr. Bergkamp coming into a coaching role. Theo and JW will come right as they have world class players around them.
Brad, re 10:57.. Dev and Cg often says that…
Our youth setup is a factory for the lower tier not for our level…
When you consider Song had to come and take someone like Sidwell’s place in the academy it is a concern…
🙂 Wavy, I am with you on 11:01
Two typos!
“There are many readers…….”
And
“Unedifying”
Bfl – it’s it’s between TV and AW, why tell the media?
I just wonder how the La Masia and German youth coaches pick the talented youngsters from say 6 or 7.
Is it a massive pool that constantly gets added to and decreased at all levels as the kids develop?
Is it possible to teach most and it’s not all about talent?
Regarding the Verm ‘problem’, it seems to me that the faults some see in his CB play that may lead to his leaving the club, could possibly also be a benefit to him and the team.
You see, the rampaging, full on style of play that leads to Verm charging upfield, has often left the defence exposed but could be a very useful tool if Giro ever got injured.
We have seen him scoring goals from CB with surging pace through the midfield, and his thunderous left foot shooting as well as also scoring headers with the terrific spring in his legs.
What’s not to like? It sounds far fetched, I admit, but he does have those physical attributes that all goal scorers need, and frankly if Real’s latest big money buy was converted from an iffy left back to the most expensive player in the world based on his goal scoring, why not the Verm? lol
Brad,
I think the dutch are the masters of youth development… La Masia is based on Ajax’s ideas brought over by Cruyff…
In my opinion, the quality of talent has nothing to do with the numbers but a mindset…
I have nephews and nieces in Belgium who at 12 y.o are far better tactically than some kids I use to coach here in this country…
The mentally of other coaches was so wrong I quit because I could not be dealing with ignorant egos in my spare time…
I think there is a huge difference between a footballer and a player…
The same way here is a huge difference between a fighter and a boxer.
Most talented individuals can be decent players but to be a decent footballer you need a better teacher.
As an example, how many west African players or countries win or finish in top 3 positions at u-18 level internationally but fail to make the jump further?
Additionally, most inner city kids in the US of A are good at BB but only a few make it to the NBA; the major difference is intelligent and opportunity to refine the art…
Wavy – thank you re the last bit, but I’m not so sure that Arsenal fans only like to moan, certainly not the main crop here on HH. 🙂
I’ve been quiet too, but that’s because I have run out of good things to say about Wenger and his team 😉
Mind you, he should have signed a striker…. 😉
Someone reads Le Grove on a daily basis here, hey ?
Bradster I am not in a position to answer you other than to relay comments from pundits who I have heard discussing the youth programmes.
Leaving aside the coaching and the nurture or nature questions regarding skill, it seems a fundamental difference between the English and the Spanish systems is that the physique of a Spanish kids enrolling at La Masa etc is not considered.
Big or small provided they have a basic skill that can be developed they are given a chance at the various academies.
It appears that in England a youngster has his physique assessed first, and if he is deemed too small he just does not get into the academies.
The result is there is an inclination for physically big kids to be taken on who might not have the requisite skills.
Fortunately, even though Jack was tiny at age 9, someone must have said OK take him on, and he has developed into one of the best players we have had through the youth set up.
But he is something of an exception, I think.
HenryB, I like TV and I think he can improve further as he has natural talent and when I see him play for Belgium he is better than Kompany…. most will disagree but…
I think the issue was to do with partnership than just TV being a calamity.
The perception of TV is a strange one imho because I had friends who claim that Ashley was a far better defender but when I showed them ‘stats’ indicating that TV and Williams caused my errors leading to goals they couldn’t believe it.
As an example, Hummelss is struggling now with Subotic the same way TV struggled with Kosser. At national level Hummels and the BFG do not work. In fact when Germany drew a match from 4-0 up most pundits blamed our Panzer due his affiliation with Arsenal.
I remember that evening Emma and I discussing on here that it was more to do with Hummels than the BFG; Oddly Hummels has not been paired or started with the BFG since that match last year. But on paper Hummels is a better all round footballer than Per.
Mighty karim, I don’t get your point?
I suspect most fans read Le Grove, it’s the biggest Arsenal forum on NN..
Talking about talent.. how many Brazillian kids actaually end up being the next Pele’s?
I think our FA are going down the wrong path but that is just an opinion based on observing from a distant.
It is interesting that a player of Drogba’s quality played only 7 or 8 years at the top level.
How old was he when he got the opportunity to join OM? He is just an example of someone being lucky to be spotted and developed even though he had the talent…
Ricky Lambert is an example whilst Crouch made a career much earlier at the top level even though imho he is decent at best…
Wavy, I think most bloggers spend majority of their time on the player watching the highlights of the seasons so far, the Spuds, Fulham and Napoli games are so enjoyable. The international break is so boring that that JW was film taking a piss in the England training. Afc is in 1st place and majority of the fans are enjoying it even if its doesn’t result in anything in may.
Martinez is joining Shef Wednesday on loan… Syg will be pleased. 😛
Dna, to me the Fulham game was the best game we have played since the Barca 2-1 win
Got to go out for a few hours, back later…
tsgh,
I am with you concerning TV’s abilities.
I do not have your background knowledge of the Belgian team or the Germany team other than what I have seen at UEFA and FIFA championships, but what you say makes sense.
The Verm did get a lot of stick from the fans before he went down with long term injuries, but I think that his upfield forays were as much to do with his frustration with the way the whole team was playing at that time, and his duties as captain perhaps made him feel he had to take chances to try and get results.
He is still a very good player in my opinion, hence my suggestion about trying to keep him by using him up front if Giro was injured and giving AW the option at CB if Kozzer or Per got injured.
Once he goes those options go with him.
Enough of me for one day! lol
🙂 HB; I do not have any credible background other than observations.lol
Records have shown that even when the German’s are having a bad tournament like in 2002 they finish in the quarter finals… when we are doing well we finish in in the quarter finals.lol
Imo, the Belgium team have just copied their neighbours Holland who have over 40 years continuously produced superstars…
The Spain formula is a based on the Dutch… Most fans and pundits choose to have a short memory but I can remember Spain with Raul and Mendieta etc being habitual ‘failures’ at tournaments until the last 12 years…
Re. TV,we will be lucky to get a defender half as good as TV to be 2nd or 3rd choice…
I agree with you though about his surge forward… when he bombed forward to win us the match against NUFC at the Erms the season before last no one complained…
I will say he needs to be a tad patient as he will definitely get games…
He was a bit ‘patchy’ last season but I am certain he has gotten over his best friend VP moving over to the dark side..
My only surprise is that AW has not used him in the last 10 minutes in recent games instead of Monreal but I am sure there is a valid reason behind that…
This makes it very crucial to renew Sagna’s contract too as he could be a nice little backup to help along Miguel and Hayden come through…
later all…
So what did Thomas Vermaelen actually say?
“I’ll have to think about that when it’s necessary. January is still a few months ahead. Of course, never playing will not be the ideal situation for me to go to the World Cup, that’s for sure,” Vermaelen told the Daily Mail.
“People ask me if I panic because I’m not playing a lot but I’m not. I have spoken to the manager but it will remain private between us. Things can happen in a split second and change my situation. That can happen tomorrow or next weekend.
“In that case, we will speak differently in January. I have to be ready for that”
Morning all.
Just a quick drop in to say hi.
Vermaelen answers a question and suddenly he wants out….love the media at work 🙂
Wenger never spent because the money was not there……i have said that for years.
Bring back football!
I can’t even get joy watching the Aussies because they could not beat Seans Under 7’s group.
Our lads suffer the same problems as the English from what i see.
The lack of decent coaching at the youth level cause by egotistical tossers more interested in winning games than educating kids is compounded by a lack of patience with younger guys at the top level whilst constantly recycling guys who are past it, if they ever had it.
How does that sound…familiar?
Good to be back, and i can’t wait til Norwich.
Hi there Mr Scott…
Hope you had a great break with the Mrs? catch up soon when football returns…
Afternoon All.
Afternoon Rico, nice post…
Buy big in January? A nice thought…
Not sure that we will, may all depend on injuries of course…
A loan signing and a low profile signing like Hughes from Derby or some foreign player we’ve never heard of is more likely…
But I wouldn’t be disappointed if we signed Reus either… 😉
Dutch boy Mclaren wants to sell Hughes so why not… lol
Hi Kev
Tbh Ginge, I’m not sure we need another midfielder, as we have Zelalem, Olsson, Toral maybe, Jebb possibly and Crowley in a year or two…
Unless of course Hughes is an exceptional talent.
I just kinda used him as an example..
Wonder how that kid we signed from Charlton is coming along?
Iwobi the defender? He is doing well according to Jeorge..
You have a point about the congested midfield… Ox also considers himself a CM too… don’t forget AW’s love child Abu.lol
Good Afternoon Rico and good afternoon folks.
Good read Rico and our manager has been saying it forever that the money was not there and that is why we sell our best players. Who wants to nurture a player to play football the way you want then sell him just to watch him score goals for other teams?
Tsgh said, I quote, “Re. TV, we will be lucky to get a defender half as good as TV to be 2nd or 3rd choice.” I cant disagree with that and if he move to team like ManU he will be first choice. Just as you and Scott have been rubbing it on our faces, how good Ramsey is, come a time I will remind my follow bloggers what they were saying about The Verminator.
Good post rico,
It’s being one boring interlull but this one came at the right time as it will allow us to recover some injured players(Cazorla, Walcott, Sagna, Podolski and Sanogo). Hopefully others on international duty today comes back injury free.
TV should be patient, his time will come and when it does i hope he grabs it. Looking forward to watching Belgium(T.Vermaelen) v Wales(Ramsey) tonight.
Doubt we will be signing anyone in next transfer window. We are really stoked at the moment esp in midfield. I still think Bendtner could do a good job until the summer. Giroud now looks a different animal. He looks fit and quicker to the ball and his linkup play has improved tremendously.
Gnabry and Olsson are knocking on the doors. Watched Olsson this afternoon for the swedish U19. He is class. He had 3 assists. Heard Gnabry scored the equalizing goal v Scotland U19
follow=fellow
Hello Ng and Emma… can’t agreed more with both statements. lol
Emma- I was recording that match… you spoilt it for me. 😛
On a serious note I always said if Olsson was English he would be playing ahead of most other players irrespective of his physical strength… the true next Cesc. lol
I will be crossing my fingers in anticipation for you ‘gloating session’ very soon. Ng… lol
ts 😉 It could be 4 assist. Not so sure. He was immense in midfield
was he that good? Emma.
I am surprised he was given the u-21 captaincy ahead in the absence of Nico…
For those of us wanting Draxler, we’ve got Gnabry. What we need is a Suarez kind of striker. I don’t think Wenger will be interested on an out-out striker with the performance Giroud
has shown
Afternoon guys/gals
It won’t be a ‘gloating session’ tsgh; more like ‘I told you so session’.
ts -Nico career has being plagued with injuries which has hampered his development. Hope he stays fit as the next 2 seasons will be a defining moment for him at arsenal. Rather the captaincy given to a fit player than one who is always on the treatment table
🙂 Ng
Emma, I think this is his last year for him due to his age…
I still think he could be a decent RB…
He needs to stay fit
I think Draxlers opportunity is gone with Ozil signing… as you said;
We could do with another winger/striker ; Pierre-Aubemang would have been ideal but, he looked too much like Gerv in terms of playing style… he would have ‘cheesed’ off the regular fan who did not know he is french but chose to represent Gabon.
Cabella is the player for me but he does not score enough currently… arguably the best out and out winger in Europe…
Hi Rico, didn’t see you come back…
Ozil played the false 9 v ireland last week and did very ok. I won’t be surprise come next summer Wenger doesn’t bring in a suarez/reus-type strker but rather develops ozil into that type of striker.
continue from previous: Just like he did to the greedy badger
Good day all.
Santi and Walcott on the bench this Saturday?
Hiya Lewis.. any news on when Poldi is back?
I miss his left peg…
Yennaris is suffering the same problem that Lansbury had . All his development time at Arsenal is being lost to injury. When the time comes to make the decision , chances are he will not have improved enough but will go on just like Henri has to play elsewhere and do the improving that he needs. The F.A squad rules regarding age groups will count against him in the end too. Sadly.
Hope so Lewis 🙂
I agree with you on Nico Potter…
For a boy who came through as a match day mascot he is a true gunner but when ever he has to come through he breaks down…
Last this summer he had an injury a day before the squad for the far East tour was announced…
Good point potter, same happened to Henderson and Frimpong to a degree..
Evening Rico.
Evening Adam, it’s turned quite cold tonight.
Yes. It was bright here this afternoon but chilly. I hear that the Benzema thing might have some real legs.
We’ve had sunshine all day here but still chilly, and now the temperature has dropped a lot.. Brrr
Well, if he signs, then he’ll be my new favourite, even though I would prefer Suarez or Rooney. 😉
Wonder why Real want him out….
Why do that club do anything Rico? I guess it is about getting someone else in, finance and prestige. They are a complete enigma to me and seem to operate in a bubble.
But they are in so so much debt Adam, you’d think they’d keep Benzema rather than sell him for £20 million and then have to pay out a lot more to get Suarez.
Maybe that’s it. We pay in cash and then they go and get Suarez on the never never 😉
I know only a little of the club Rico but I would say that financial prudence has never been high on their list of priorities. They are an institution and it’s not hard to imagine the powers they can exert behind the scenes of world football.
As I mentioned before, when you look at the state of Spain’s economy and at the way they carry on, it’s hard to see that RM are remotely concerned about anything either than themselves.
Very true Adam, they way they spend their money is and always has been incredible. As soon as a player looks outstanding, they sign him.
Bit like a kid who wants the biggest and best toy really…
FFP police should soon be knocking on their doors surely.
Are you going to watch England tonight?
RM have to balance their books or at least try to £20m from us is half way to Suarez, the bank of Castile will pay the rest! But if they are to buy from the dippers they will definitely demand cash in the hand. There will be no never never. Oh I forgot, then they will gazump us or play us off against Monaco or PSG and we won’t get him. Etc. etc.
Benzema won’t reach Islington anywhere in the near future.
Wavy, you can’t be sure of that, if PSG or Monaco wanted Benzema, I suspect they would have signed him in the summer as it was clear he was available…
I read that Real are interested in Falcao, if that’s true, maybe a player/cash deal would be more their style…
Oh, and have the Bank of Castile any money left?
The clue is in the name :- Real ( royal ) Madrid. Should they be forclosed the ramifications in Spain would be incredible. They operate feeling that no matter what happens they will get bailed out, and the truth is they probably would.
No, I really have no interest Rico. I suffered the first half the other night and found it to be incredibly boring. I would almost watch that ghastly baking program with that twit Hollywood droning on and on about proving while trying to hold his gut in to impress that young girl. I caught it at a friend’s a couple of evenings ago as his wife seems addicted to it. Strange as she has never cooked a thing in her life. But only almost. I will watch a DVD of banalities instead. After I have finished listening to a little music that is.
C’mon England…
I am feeling rather chuffed thus far… Ghana just beat Egypt 6-1 in the WC playoff’s…
3 lions next 3-1 pleaaase.
Anyone know if CJ25 started for the u-21s?
I seem to recall another sage saying that Ozil would never come to Arsenal.
Potter. Bang on. In the good old days Franco would have had dissenters shot. They still love him up in Barcelona.
TV starts for Belgium tonight…
Wrong though isn’t it potter. One rule for one….
I actually thought that was the best England have played for a while Adam. Will be watch tonight and hoping we beat Poland. And of course to see what all the fuss is about the Polish striker 😉
You are so cruel – I like the GBB 🙂
I am off then. Goodnight Rico.
Watch your prove then Rico and try for a good crust on that bake. 🙂
Jenks started on the bench Ts but he’s on now…
Night Adam, I have perfected mine already thank you…. 😉
Good for us then Rico… at least he will be fresh come Norwich ….
Came on at 60 mins, so yes, should be rested enough as long as nothing happens between now and the final whistle Ts..
Don’t think the Catalan’s particularly like Franco or his general Santiago Bernabeau. If they are to be bailed out probably Juan Carlos would be behind it.
Catalan’s are not very keen on the ‘Spanish’ at all are they…
He is, nonetheless, vilified in Barcelona for his army record. “For people who are not from Spain,” suggests Joan Maria Pou, a Catalan radio presenter, “it should be weird to hear that Real Madrid’s ground is named after a big Franquista. Could you imagine if one of Berlin’s stadiums was called after a Nazi soldier?”
Bernabéu was in Franco’s army during the Spanish Civil War. There’s nothing sinister about this. In civil wars, people take sides. He was part of Franco’s nationalist army that overran Catalonia, a formative experience, which, contentiously, he harped about during his 35 years as president of Real Madrid.
Bernabéu, however, made a practice of firing politically loaded insults at Barça during a fascist dictatorship under the guise of football banter. He used to publicly refer to his role in the “reconquest” of Catalonia; and mocked Catalans at a time when the country was still reeling from the horrors of its civil war, most notoriously when he said in 1968, “I like Catalonia very much except for Catalan people.”
Can’t see them being over enamoured really. In fact I know they aren’t.
😀 Potter still stalking Cesc? lol
Good bit of info btw…
Mert is ill according to NN
I’m not surprised…
So he misses out tonight, good, as long as it’s not another bug that’s going to do the rounds at Arsenal…
hopefully he is well come saturday… he Germans have qualified anyways he shouldn’t be playing…
Said the same a couple of days ago Ts, neither he or Ozil need to play…
Off to watch the footie now so catch up tomorrow…
Night to you, potter and all…
night
kosser starts…
Ollson was immense earlier… he should be playing for the Swedish u-21s at least
Ramsey is ‘killing’ Witsel and Dembele…
Townsend got a sweet left foot.
Wellbeck is poop though Gdna…
Scz needs to give England 1. lol
Rico, England is on top now.
Come on England.
I’m watching Gdna, nice header 😉
‘Ethiopia hope Arsenal’s German-born teenage midfielder Gedion Zelalem will choose to play for the Walya Antelopes’.
Can’t see they have much chance really….
I hope that’s the final score, i don’t want Scz to concede too much.
Great minds think alike Gdna, don’t want his confidence shattered, had hoped that we’d win by a couple of penalties 😉
This time I am off, so night for a second time 😉
Night rico..
Madrid reject scores again. lol
And then goes off injured !
I would simply say – goodbye Sagna! Who’s better than Arsenal that he can go to? No one!
Ozil injured?
Morning all..
Morning Rico,
Good result for England last night..
Waking up to news that one of the signallers who served in one of my troops has passed away…. stupid war.
Morning Ts, great result… Sorry to hear that, were you close?
Not really… he join when I was about to leave so…
I was given the heads-up earlier by an old colleague.
Was very impressed withh Scez last night… for once I thought he was going to deny us all evening…
Finally, new post is up..
He did have a good game..
There was a service man’s death announced yesterday in the news, same one?