Morning all.
The English media really are foolish people. In the buildup to England’s opening World Cup fixture, the BBC showed mocked up headlines, news bulletins and other silly stuff portraying England as World Cup winners at the end of this current tournament. Only they would do such a thing wouldn’t they? The very same people who when the team are knocked out will be right on their backs with scathing and insulting reporting on how their country failed yet again.
The only thing true about ‘football’s coming home’ is the home bit. England will soon be coming home if they don’t improve on last night’s performance. In spells, short ones admittedly, they look good but get at the defence and they look shaky to say the least. Kane stole the headlines for his two goals which is fair enough but the header from Stones before the first was the key. Same with the second, someone else did the hard work before the Totts striker header home. I know, that’s what great strikers do and in all honesty, without him last night I’m far from convinced we’d have won. Sterling and Lingard alone could have killed the game off with the amount of chances they had, Young was hopeless and imo, in the next game Rashford really needs to be on the pitch from the start. He and Loftus-Cheek improved the team with their pace and energy. Maybe I sound a bit cynical but the reality is, we’ve been here before with England. Offered great hope and then it soon becomes clear that little has changed, a bit like the last ten years of Arsenal. Perhaps after another fixture, things will improve and the players will settle as confidence creeps in. Oh, and they’ll be no mosquitoes or other insects for them to worry about.
But England aren’t the only team to endure a tricky first fixture as Germany and Brazil both struggled too, at least England grabbed all three points though, unlike the other two.
Today’s fixtures are:
Russia v Egypt
Colombia v Japan
Poland v Senegal
In other news, the signing of Bernd Leno is expected to be announced today according to reports.I’d imagine he’ll be after that number one shirt from Petr Cech which if he gets it will be odd as it’s not been long since the club announced that Cech was taking it. Those poor Arsenal fans who rushed out to buy the new number 1 shirt eh.
Another name on the media lips this morning is Ever Banega, a player I’ve never heard of. He’s a midfielder, 29 years old, 30 later this month and currently with Seville.. He’s experienced as he’s been at many clubs during his career and he still plays for his country Argentina. In fact he’s in Russia right now trying to help Messi and co do well…
Good luck Elneny, your country needs a win. We need you home…..
Good morning Rico, thanks for another lovely post.
I don’t think there were many fans who bought new Number One shirts in the first place. ?
Morning Cicero and thanks.
Could you sense the irony in there? 😉
Oh I see, sorry Rico but irony is lost on me at least before breakfast. But now I’m settled in the garden with my post “Full English” cup of coffee I’m better able to fully enjoy your wit. ?
That’s a late breakfast then.. lol
Ornstein reckons the Leno deal is done, medical pending..
Morning Rico. Nice post.
I have been watching Banega for years. He’s a very good, in the right set-up. Not very tall but a grafter with a good range of long and short passing. He can also put it about a bit, which is much needed. I believe he moved to Inter a while ago but it never worked out and he came back to Sevilla. Like all Argentinian players, he is supremely cynical in his play.
……..A cup of Darjeeling and the sport section awakens the taste buds before breakfast Rico. ?
If we sign Leno which of Cech and Ospina will be sold? Both are in the last year of their contract, Cech may command a higher fee on past reputation, Ospina a regular in the Columbian national side and younger could also be worth a reasonable fee.
We need to generate revenue and reduce the wage bill, sell ’em both and promote either Macey or Martinez seems the logical thing to do.
The only Leno I can think of is/was Ben Leno a star of the silver screen, pre talkies. He was very accident prone, if I remember rightly. I hope this goalkeeper and clumsy Leno the movie star are not related. The last thing we need is a keeper who makes a joke of keeping!
One to go though, Ospina or Cech? Now old woman Wenger has left I suspect it may be our new number 1. It is, after all out with the old and in with the new. It’ll free up a few more quids to pay the new boys and balance the books.
Still warm and sunny here. The Costa del Trent is looking quite appealing!?
Morning Adam, thanks.
A potential good signing then? More experience and I’m with you, we sure lack a bit of physically in the side..
Or both Wavy, with Macey/Martinez given a chance..
Overcast but warm and humid here in dreamy old Norfolk Wavey.
I’m on garden watch today, camped out looking for an injured jackdaw that was hopping around the lawn yesterday. It appeared to have a damaged wing. Hopefully I can catch it and get it treated.
I’ve just lost a long comment…
Hope you find him Cicero and catch him him, poor thing..
It’s not anywhere behind the scenes Kev….
Watched 2 crows raid our local magpie’s nest a week or so ago. A lot of cawing awking. Lasted 5 minutes or so. 2 crows seen leaving the maggies’ nest carrying 2 baby mags. Such is the life of the would be bird parents. 2 weeks on mr and Mrs magpie having moved to another not quite adjacent tree and built a new breeding abode for another attempt at parenthood. I was alerted again by a commotion of some proportions. 2 crows attacking the new nest the maggies’ defending their territory violently and valiantly but, to no avail. Out popped the crows an egg each carried carefully in their long curved beaks. Another family destroyed!
Ironic really as the magpies get such a bad press for a similar kind of predation. It’s all part of the unnatural pecking order!
It’s a dog eat dog kind of world. Not very nice when you weigh it up.
I’ll return later with another tale of happiness and joy!
Afternoon all and thanks Rico……………………….Ornstein knows ! 🙂
https://twitter.com/bbcsport_david/status/1008995612866613249
Watching Poland now…………………..our country will come to a economic standstill and forget about getting your car cleaned in the next hour and half !
😆
If it was a dog eat dog world, Wavy, the Koreans would be really pissed off……………probably die of starvation !
If Its not crows it Will be cats getting the fledglings. Its life.Here on the broads coots ,ducklings ,and other river birds are losing out to otters that were reintroduced a few years ago. They have done in the eels and the fish and now are on the meat course.
https://twitter.com/jenslehmann/status/1009095190982922242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.football.london%2Farsenal-fc%2Fnews%2Fjens-lehmann-issues-bitter-parting-14804135
Mission accomplished! ??? Jackdaw caught and handed over to a wildlife rescue centre.
Not a good day for former and maybe soon to be former Arsenal ‘keepers. Both Szczesny and Ospina let in two goals.
The backroom staff have been sorted out, Banfield, Lehmann, Colbert, Peyton, Primorac, Lewin, Rolls, Ashworth, Boixel and travel manager Paul Johnson have all left the club.
Emery will now have two First Team Assistant Head Coaches Bould and Juan Carlos Carcedo. Plus seven others of assorted varieties.
Arsenal have finally confirmed via Ornstein that we have bought Leno !
And Elneny will be home early !
Leno signing confirmed on the official site.
Next… lol
Mixed feelings re Egypt, sad for Elneny but it’s good for Arsenal..
Yes Rico………………………………Salah needed more playing time to pick another injury !
Ideal scenario will be England winning WC with Spud players falling off celebration platform breaking legs !
Well that isn’t going to happen Lc.. lol
It’s significant that Leno has not yet been given a squad number. Cech currently wears No.1. Why wouldn’t Arsenal have nominated any other number unless Cech’s was likely to become available.
Jack has just announced he’s leaving on a free. No idea where he’s going though, yet. A shame really he could and probably should have become a proper Arsenal legend. I hope where ever he ends up he keeps fit and does enough to get back into the England squad. Good luck to him.
Leno number one surely..
Night guys.
After seventeen years at the club Wilshere is a wealthy young man, or at least he should be, the new manager has been open and honest with him about reduced playing time so the only realistic option is to move on.
As a free agent he can go anywhere and command a good signing on fee and decent wages. If he’s serious about progressing his career he needs to go abroad, not to the pre-retirement home that is the MSL, but to a strong European league, either Italy, Spain or Germany.
Looking at the present England midfield there is certainly a place for a fully fit Jack Wilshere.
I’m sad to see him go, but I wish him well wherever he ends up.
On one hand the contract offer was apparently a lowish basic plus pay as you play bonusses. As he couldn’t get assurances about playing time it was not a good deal financially which on the other hand can be translated that the club did not think he could fit into an Emery style of hard pressing , chasing football .
Whichever , he is going and that is a shame .
I think he might be suited footballing wise to a term abroad and the hope that too much damage has not been caused by the Premier physicality , although I suspect that the draw of his mates in the East End might be too strong to get him away from the “” Jack the lad “” lifestyle.
Good morning all, Jack has already been deleted from the squad, on arsenal.com, but surprisingly Mertesacker is still there.
Emotions aside, I can see why Jack has gone. Will he be missed as far as his football goes? I’m not sure but I don’t think so. I kind of blame Wenger for that, Jacks game is what it is because of Wenger and it’s possible that a different manager will be able to change that. Imo of course.
Morning Potter, all.
New post up now..
Morning Cicero, they didn’t hang around…