Morning all.
I didn’t watch the England game last night. Not because I’m not patriotic but because it was a pointless friendly. The only thing which interests me through this international break is the health of our players.
I’m not stupid, I know not every football fan agrees with a managers team/squad selection, that’s quite apparent on any footballing forum each week but to boo a player when his name is announced, when he comes onto the pitch and staggeringly, when he scores a goal, is disgraceful. Yes, I’m talking about Ben White and the way the England fans treated him last night.
When players come together to represent their respective countries, club football should go out the window. Whatever happened between White, Southgate and his coaching staff a few years ago is irrelevant and quite frankly, it’s no one else’s business other than those involved but whatever it was, it was enough to cause White to leave the England camp. Thomas Tuchel wiped the slate clean and so should the rest of the England fans. Why pay an arm and a leg for a ticket to watch a game only to then boo a player before he’s even kicked a ball? Shameful in my opinion. This isn’t about White being an Arsenal player, it’s about fan behaviour towards players.
Thomas Tuchel:
“There was a mixed reception which I’m disappointed about because we protect our players. He’s been excellent in camp. He deserved also to start and got us almost the winner, but I also understood that it happened to other players before here. He needs to take it on the chin. We will always protect him and hopefully we can put it behind [us] because he is ready to write some new chapters and we are ready to give him the chance, so hopefully everyone can move on and accept it.”
Both Phil Foden and Noni Madueke were on the receiving end of nasty challenges leaving both unable to play on. I read the referee had a shocker, as did VAR. As for the penalty conceded by Ben White, he got a touch on the ball first apparently but after a couple of seconds of looking at the pitch side monitor, the German referee overturned his original decision. The World Cup should be interesting then if the officiating last night was an example of what to expect in the competition.
England play again on Tuesday and it’s widely expected that Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka will feature. Hopefully a better set of officials will be appointed and the England fans focus on supporting their country instead of booing an individual player.
Catch up in the comments.
From the little I saw of it as I was doing my local pub quiz ( asking the questions ). White went from villain to hero to villain again. Probably the least of his worries or mine for that matter . The general impression was that the penalty was given to make up for the fuss over our goal and the ref thought that it was best to even things up. ( coward _)
Inevitably we lost a player to international duty as did City how long for in either case we don’t know. Next we run the gauntlet again with Saka and Rice , strange how it always seems to be us that suffers.
Agree, a pointless game, pointless officials and just more injuries. Stupidity imo at this stage of the season.
Nobody is as two-faced as the British sports media and wasn’t it was them that highlighted the Ben White ‘scandal’ in thd first place, banging on about it endlessly, so I wasn’t at all surprised by the crowd reaction just as I wasn’t then surprised by the media’s hand wringing following the crowd’s reaction. I’d love to see Ben White go to the World Cup just so it pisses off all those media wankers.
Worried about Madueke, just as we needed him as well, really needed him. Arteta will need to dip into the Academy for the next couple of games before Bournemouth.
Intereseting reaction from Bowen and Maguire after White scored as they were probably in the dressing room when the Southgate , Holland spat took place.
Maybe they know exactly what happened .
Rico, you ask what were the (some) of the England fans thinking, probably how bad and boring the match was as whole. There’s always a number of brain-dead morons among the crowds in the cheap, relatively so, seats. They pay their money so I suppose they feel entitled to make their feelings known.
Early in the game Madueke injured one of the Uruguay defenders while battling for possession, the ref ignored the incident but shortly after two or three players clattered him and left him in a heap on the pitch, no action from the ref, again. In my opinion Tuchel should have subbed him immediately, but left him to try and “run off” the injury which he couldn’t and was only then subbed. The same thing happened with Foden, injured and left to carry on whilst it was obvious he was struggling.
The game was a “friendly” Tuchel had bench full of subs so had no need to risk aggravating the injury to either player.
Clubs will be wary of releasing players if they are to be put at risk by bad management decisions.
So would I Kev, as a Premier League winner.
Glad I missed it Cicero.
I reckon the entire England camp know what happened, the media are just cheesed off they don’t know imo.
How many players are injured and unable to play against Southampton and Sporting?
If Arsenal insists on playing the way they did against Manchester City, they will be eliminated from the Champions League. Arsenal needs to play the way they are used to playing and not just launching balls to Gyokeres. They need a midfield that builds the game even if they don’t have a “center forward”. Otherwise, Sporting will play like Manchester City did in the second half: two fast and agile wingers very “glued” to the lines, very high, strong and aggressive pressure to prevent the ball from going out and forcing Arsenal to kick it forward where the defenders facing the ball, strong and fast, nullify all plays. Either Arsenal makes the best technique of its players prevail, playing on the ground and exchanging the ball, bringing possession to themselves, or they will be easily “swallowed up”.
Depends if those who skipped international duty are really injured…
Russo making hay at the Em’s, a hattrick in the first 27 minutes. That girl is on fire. So, as ever, is Kim Little in the midfield. With a new contract under her belt, 37 years of age, the lady is a wonder.
Good performance from the women so far. Shame about the og…
Great goal Foord.
Rice, Saka and Madueke have left the England camp and returned to Arsenal. Good.
It seems that Madueke left Wembley wearing a brace on his leg following a heavy tackle against Uruguay.
Saka and Rice will be assessed for slight injury worries, back Arsenal.
I think our players are just being smart. If I’m right, I’m glad..
Morning guys.
Good morning Rico.
The only Arsenal player left in the England camp is Ben White and I should think he will be released along with a number of those who played against Uruguay. It’s a relief to know that many of our internationals are getting a bit of a rest. Just training injuries and sickness to worry about now. 😕
Morning Cicero.
I bet our players would be playing if these fixtures weren’t friendlies. lol
Credit to Tuchel for sending players home.
Morning Gooners, maybe Tuchel and the players, all 8 of them although the media will highlight (pathetically) the 3 from Arsenal, are being smart as the German needs them in the summer.
Hopefully the Madueke brace is just precautionary, once again it highlights the stupidity of loaning out Nwaneri, on the plus side Martinelli has shown that he can play on either wing and Dowman will now get more minutes as should Myles. We’re going to need all of them!
Morning Kev, shame Martinelli is playing for Brazil, fingers crossed he returns healthy.
I get the loan in principle for Nwaneri but to not include a recall option was ridiculous.
Cicero, I’d like to see Ben White get some minutes vs Nippon, he probably needs them and we’re going to need him during the run-in.
Arteta really needs to use his resources carefully over the next 10 to 15 or so games over the next nine weeks, yep it’ll all be done and dusted in 9 weeks….
Yes Rico, a recall would have made a lot of sense but then maybe Nwaneri’s people didn’t want that? Getting your head around loans and how they’re worked out leaves me a tad confused.
I think we could see some surprising and for some disappointing departures this summer.
As do I Kev, just hope Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri aren’t part of any exits.
Hopefully we’ll see MLS in midfield against Southampton alongside Norgaard. But I strongly suspect we won’t.
All three are back at the club , apparently Rice and Saka were carrying little niggles . Hopefully they get a much needed rest in the cup match to freshen them up a bit.
Martinelli played 62 minutes for Brazil against France and now they play Croatia on the 1st April . He was subbed for Joao Pedro if that’s the manager’s policy hopefully he gets the 30 minute bit of that match.
Fingers crossed. We can’t afford to lose him and Madueke. especially as Trossard withdrew from Belgium’s trip to USA due to injury.
Let’s hope that the Trossard withdrawal was precautionary, although it does make you wonder, if so many of our players are withdrawing from their international teams, just how fit our players are just now?
Now Hincapie is back from the Equador squad having picked up a training injury.
SHOCK HORROR!!! Tudor has left Spurs by mutual consent after just 44 days.
The end of an error! 😉
Crikey, our players are dropping like flies. Allegedly.
Makes the sacking of Frank look even more stupid than it was.
Zubi out too, according to “L’Équipe” (4:28 pm). Something wrong with his knee, or so it seems.
Now a Nørgaard-Myles engine room at St. Mary’s is not as unlikely as it was, Rico (11:28, which I agreed with) …
I look forward to it Lg. lol
Not for one minute do I believe all these players are injured. In fact I’d go as far to suggest none of them are. Well, maybe Noni a bit..
Jordan Henderson has given an interview on the White situation . He says that the press have embellished the story and that they have got their stories wrong . He said that only a few people know the true story and that White has their full support .
Well done Jordan Henderson. Makes a refreshing change for a player to speak out against the media.
Just been announced that Tottenham are planning to come down our way in July, playing Auckland FC at Eden Park. I’ll be surprised if they can get around our biosecurity laws.
Morning Stuart, all.
Unusual for Championship clubs to travel that far for pre season. 😜
Evening Rico. NZ just beat Chile 4-1 in a friendly. Chile went down to ten men midway through the first half, but four goals without Chris Wood in the line up made for an encouraging evening.
Back in the 60’s/70’s we had Man U (twice), Spurs, QPR, Rangers, England B, Stoke City, Bournemouth, Middlesboro, Luton Town, Sunderland, Hearts, Aberdeen, Dundee Unt and Wolves all come down our way.
Just being naughty Stuart.. lol
New post up