Morning all.
What a weekend of football results. The best being ours of course but closely followed by Brentford thrashing Man Utd, Nottingham Forest beating West Ham and then both Chelsea and Totts dropping two points. Tuchel and Conte were at each other after Totts scored to make it 1-1 but after Kane scored to make it 2-2 with just seconds to go, when Anthony Taylor blew his whistle, both managers lost the plot and were subsequently shown a red card. I’d be pretty cheesed off if an opponent got away with pulling the hair of one of our players as Cristian Romero did to Marc Cucurella’s, so when Kane nicked the equaliser from the subsequent corner, I can imagine Tuchel was livid.
Tuchel:
It was a clear foul on Kai Havertz in the build-up [to Tottenham’s first goal], a clear foul. We had one tactical foul from [Reece] James which got a yellow. I don’t know how many tactical fouls Hojbjerg and Bentancur did today. The situation went on and on, and it was a clear offside on Richarlison. He is in line of the shot. He even goes to the ball, so Mendy can’t see the ball. They check it, it is a clear offside.
Mike Dean, the very man who saw through Jamie Vardy’s dive on Saturday afternoon was operating VAR again yesterday. The closet Totts fan.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not fussed about what went on at Stamford Bridge yesterday as far as the result goes and I’ve only mentioned the game because of the referee and the way he failed to manage the game. Arsenal have suffered because of the officiating for years now. Not only because of the officiating I know as the club have contributed to the demise over the last 10 years or more but the odd point or ten we’ve been denied during a season has cost us dear as we’ve missed out on top four by a point or two.
If Granit Xhaka, Gabriel or Thomas Partey had pulled Cucurella’s hair, you can bet your bottom dollar that the very least, they’d have been booked and the opposition awarded a free kick. The draw yesterday suits us, of course it does but it’s wrong that VAR are all too often making mistakes when it’s there to ensure fairness. I’m sure the Conte v Tuchel spat will rumble on, as will the discussion about fairness in the game.
Transfer rumours will rumble on too and after seeing how Martinez is doing at Utd, I’m so glad we as a club swerved that deal. I think I’m right in suggesting that Oleksandr Zinchenko was linked to Arsenal at the beginning of the summer so perhaps he was Mikel Arteta’s plan a all along. Gabriel Jesus clearly was too and I’m glad it’s Arsenal that both wanted to join. According to reports, Youri Tielemans only wants Arsenal too and whilst there’s much written about Arsenal waiting to sign him for free next summer, logic would suggest that it’s better for both clubs and the player, to move now if his heart is no longer with Leicester City.
Over the weekend, the back pages were awash with pictures of Edu, or a very good double, boarding a flight destined for Valencia, Spain. Yep, 2+2 makes Yeremy Pino is about to become an Arsenal player. If it was Edu then great, if he’s in Spain to seal another Arsenal deal, even better but if it’s Mino, we might have to wait a season or two before we see him in the first team as he’s only 19 years old. Or will we? He’s already played 56 times for Unai Emery’s Villarreal and 4 times for Spain so if he’s good enough, he’s old enough I reckon. Mind you, Edu could be in Spain to sign a different player or a totally non football related reason. The latter is unlikely really, not with 16 days of the transfer window remaining, the new season underway and Arsenal still needing a midfielder. At least I think so and Arsenal are now eyeing a move to sign Brighton star Moises Caicedo according to the Sunday Mirror, The Express and many other football outlets this morning.
Roll on the 31st August eh…
Good morning Rico, both the managers involved into he Stamford Bridge fracas are desperately trying to downplay the episode in the knowledge that further punishment is likely to follow.
Their actions could so easily have sparked serious trouble among a volatile and over-heated crowd. It was not the sort of example to set their fans.
It’s my contention that there are far too many people allowed into the dug-outs, most of them ready to pile in at the least provocation. The manager, one assistant and a small medical staff should be the only ones in the actual dug-out and the rest along with the subs should not be allowed pitch-side during play.
Morning Cicero, I can’t see them getting anything other than a three match ban.
Is it really likely that Edu would fly with Ryanair?
Rico, I disagree with you. Mike Dean is not a closet spud fan, he’s definitely out of the closet. The man has zero integrity as a refree.
Ha ha Obi, he can’t admit to it though.
Why not John? We all have to mind the pennies. Lol
Edu spotted trying to thumb a lift on the A23 Brighton Road. Economies are going to far..but Edu’s not. 😉
Never cast a clout until May is out , and as the last game is May 28th ,I think any predictions can wait until then suffice it say it’s a good start but there’s a long way to go yet and we will get Anthony Taylor at some time as Dean and Atkinson are no longer about and the so called top referees will get spread out more.
Liverpool drops points again. Very good weekend for the Arsenal. They should’ve lost if Zaha was more clinical. Missed two sitters. Nunez is such a dirty player as always.
Alex Runarsson loan move to Alanyaspor confirmed.
It’s a pity Runarsson has gone out on loan, we could have flogged him to Man U as they are desperately looking to replace De Gea. 😉
Morning..
Ha ha Cicero, there’s always next summer.
New post up now