Morning all.
What a difference a change of manager can make. From not really focusing on the defence for the past few years, it appears that most of this summers signings are all about defensive players. We’ve already signed a keeper and a right-back and now Sokratis Papastathopoulos is on the verge of becoming our third signing and not far behind him seems to be Caglar Soyuncu who Sky Sports report could also become an Arsenal player if the defender gets his way. Interesting really considering the number of central defenders we’ll have in the squad should both the above signings materialise. I make it seven, two Englishman, one German, one Frenchman, a Turk and an young Greek and a more experienced Greek too. Seven central defenders in one squad just isn’t going to work I’d have thought so something has to give surely? Thankfully, that’s not something we’ve got to try and juggle.
How lucky were Argentina last night eh? If only Nigeria had a player who can put the ball in the net, they’d have breezed through that game, walked away as winners and through to the knockout stage. Instead, like Germany, Argentina scraped through, largely thanks to Ever Banega, another player who according to the media, is heading to Arsenal. All tournament so far the midfielder has been left on the bench while Argentina have been poor, yesterday though, his linkup play with Messi particularly was very good. He was behind much of the good stuff on show, not that there was much. Iwobi played a few minutes at the end but for him and his team-mates, his World Cup journey is over.
Today sees the following fixtures take place with other nations are fighting for a place in the knockout stages.
GROUP E
Serbia v Brazil
Switzerland v Costa Rica
GROUP F
South Korea v Germany
Mexico v Sweden
- Mexico need just a point against Sweden to qualify as group winners. They will go through regardless if Germany fail to beat South Korea.
- Sweden are guaranteed to qualify if they better Germany’s result. They will top the group if they beat Mexico and better Germany’s result.
- Germany will qualify if they win by two or more clear goals.
- If both Germany and Sweden draw their games, then the team in the higher-scoring game will finish second. If the matches finish with the same score, then Germany will finish second because they beat Sweden.
- South Korea can qualify if they beat Germany and Sweden lose, and finish with a better goal difference than those two teams.
The crux of that is that Germany could go out and they probably will if they continue to play as poorly as they have done so far in this tournament. Good news if they do though as Ozil will head of for a break before pre-season although the cynics amongst us might be tempted to suggest he doesn’t really need one. Switzerland and Brazil look certain to go through to the next round unless one of them have a disastrous result later.
Tomorrow of course it’s the big game in Group G with England and Belgium fighting it out for top spot. Either way, from what I’ve seen so far, it matters not whether they finish first or second in their group, their opposition in the next round won’t be too difficult.
Finally a bit of great news for Arsenal fans and that’s Marouane Fellaini is set to sign a contract extension with Utd. Phew, I thought for one awful minute he might just be moving down south to North London..
Good Morning Rico….. good read and informative. I think its possible that our back 3/4 players, depending on the tactics, will be different all season with no one from last season. It’s interesting that Emery kept Bould, maybe Bould gave him an honest assessment of the players, that they are all lacking in quality.
On Benega I commented on his qualities several post ago, passing and defensive awareness. If we do get him, imho, he will be our best midfielder.
G’day all, thanks for the post Rico, another good un.
I can’t really see us keeping all the centre backs, even with Koscielny out injured until Christmas we don’t need them all. Oh wait a minute, injuries, with our record maybe we should sign a couple more. 😀
arsenal.com must be desperate for clicks, under the heading “News” they are reproducing tabloid speculation about possible Arsenal signings. I thought we were above that sort of thing, but heyho clicks means cash I suppose.
Ozil set to start for Germany, I’d better be off and grab the remote before my wife can get set to watch the tennis.
2 TVs and 2 iPads (showing off!) but there aren’t many arguments as a rule, so long as I get my own way most of the time???!!!
Not watching any soccer! Today. Too boring. No national interest and not much class on show. The Germans have been pants, the Mexicans have shown some enterprise the rest pretty ordinary. The swedes have been better without long tall big ego up front imo. I’ll watch the highlight, only one, later on. Perhaps……
Nice one Rico. It would seem the Arsenal are going for a total overhaul, renew and replace. Not before time. Mind you it may be a longish job getting all these newbies to gel into a challenging team. Look how long it’s taken Klopp and,the poison dwarf hasn’t exactly set the world alight with his team tweaks, has he?
Lovely day here. Just a shame we haven’t got any golden sun kissed beaches locally, oh, apart from Rutland Water, there’s a beach there and now I come to think of it there ares few beeches in Sherwood Forest? Too!
Thanks guys and good afternoon to you all… 🙂
You did Obi and by the looks of it, you were right. Crazy to think he’s been left out until yesterday.
Cicero, to be fair, Arsenal have been doing ‘media watch’ for a couple of years now, rehashing the years gone by seems desperate though. I quite enjoy reading it though…. Lol
Fine and very warm here, had a good swim this morning. Sea temperature at Cromer 14.6c. But that has nothing to do with where I swim, a privately owned, heated indoor pool.
Can’t honestly say the Germany v Korea game is much good at all. Korea don’t seem to have any ambition to score and Germany don’t have the talent to do so.
I switched off and opted for some gardening instead..
Going to watch the later games though, hopefully they’ll be a bit more entertaining…
Difficult to understand how bad some of these ‘big’ sides are during this WC.
Indeed, looks like an outsider might win it this time… Belgium is my guess, or Mexico.
Mesut off for an early holiday, hope he comes back fit and raring to go.
Bye bye Germany 🙂
Rico. Why didn’t the Germans take Sane? 🙂
I’ve just received an e mail containing a picture of Basil Fawlty with a bandaged head saying to Polly “Listen, don’t mention the VAR”
? Adam, I don’t know. Wonder if Low will get the sack…
I read that Wenger is lined up for the job Rico.
Lucky Germans Adam…
I reckon so Rico.
You reckon Wenger will improve them Adam?
From where they are now. Probably.
I do think being an international manager would be better for him. At least he wouldn’t have to worry about the transfer windows or money in general…
You start no pace Khedira and Kroos you get run over by the Mexican team, so what do you do next bring back the same midfield against a fast Korean team. Reminds me of Wenger, but guess what? It’s all Ozil fault.
Jeorge Bird
@jeorgebird
First-team players due to start training next week: Leno, Cech, Bellerin, Holding, Mustafi, Chambers, Mavropanos, Kolasinac, Mkhitaryan, Ramsey, Maitland-Niles, Lacazette, Aubameyang, Martinez (already back), Jenkinson, Reine-Adelaide, Perez and Akpom (18/28 players)
8:54 PM – Jun 27, 2018
That’s an entire team there Kev.. ?
Yeah Rico, not a bad team at that ?, not sure how many of them might be on their bikes by August?
Southgate makes 8 changes for Belgium. ?
Afternoon all.
Dont like to tempt fate, but realistically and on world rankings England would be better to finish second in the group as the path to the final would be on paper easier, so a draw and a couple of yellows would do the trick……..or lose !
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44620166
Ha ha Kev, my guess is at least four of those you listed will go…
Belgium have scored two yellow cards so far, that`s 3-0 on aggregate !…………….we need 4 in the second half without the Belgies conceding anymore if we are to go through as 2nd placed team and get the easier path !
Much more intelligent than our players in getting the yellows !……………………..I just hope in the final seconds at 0-0 Pickford “acidently” throws the ball into his own net !
🙂
As much as I’d hoped we’d win, losing isn’t so bad really… ?
A very smart move by England to avoid Brazil by deliberately losing to Belgium. ?
??
Alexander-Arnold needs to work on his crossing, otherwise a good game.
Rashford is such a good player, wish we could get him off of Man Utd.
So do I Kev, him and Martial..
Delph and Dyer in midfield are just not good enough defensively or in attack.
Poor old Tommy Vermaelen, just when it looked like he’d complete ninety minutes he cops a cut eyebrow from a Vardy head butt. Still it was nice to see him playing again.
How must Danny Welbeck feel,makeweight for club and country.
Potter, it just emphasises the lack of quality England qualified strikers. Welbeck has never been a prolific goalscorer and is in no way a first choice starter at Arsenal, yet gets picked for the World Cup squad.
Morning guys, just. 😉
New post up..