Morning all.
Back in 2004, Arsene Wenger and his Arsenal team had just beaten Toots 5-4. A scoreline that little man from Portugal called a disgrace. A ‘hockey score’ he said, ‘not football.’
Not that anyone Arsenal related would have given a toss what his views were back then, or now for that matter but just like Toots back in 2004, Mourinho’s Toots team lost by the same score last night but against Everton in the FA Cup.
In a three-against-three training match, if the score reaches 5-4 I send the players back to the dressing rooms as they are not defending properly. So to get a result like that in a game of 11 against 11 is disgraceful.
Sometimes, certainly in a Cup match, any victory is a good victory because it usually means your team is through to the next round. Or of course, three points have been earned. I can remember Unai Emery saying that he’d always prefer to win a game by a higher scoreline, even if it’s close, than to win 1-0. Try telling that to George Graham. I don’t know what’s more amusing though, his team losing last night or the fact his 2004 comments have not only come back to haunt him but are all over the sports back pages.
Back on the good side of north London, Bukayo Saka has been voted Arsenal’s player of the month for a second time on the trot. To be fair to him, seldom does he have a bad game but as January was pretty good for the club in general, he shone. He finished off what was a lovely team goal at West Brom in our 4-0 victory, linked up with ESR for another goal against Southampton, twice and in amongst it somewhere, he scored ‘that’ wonderful goal although I think that came in December against Chelsea. ESR and Holding came second and third respectively.
Love him.
See you in the comments.
Good Morning Rico and everyone
I wonder what Joesay had to say to the toots’ players after the game!!!!
Good morning Rico.
Mourinho’s negative style of play is not suited to sudden death cup matches. It may work in the long haul of the league but we will just have to wait and see.
Spuds were always known for their attractive, attacking style of play but it didn’t win them any trophies in past decades. So a change had to be on the cards. Will it work? I doubt it!
Morning Rico /all
Hilarious stuff, Jose is such a snake he will probably try and spin it somehow. All gooners would have loved it though.
Similar to Saka, that was a lovely video. What a player we have, I just worry about the rough treatment he gets, it seems like every game.
Going back to yesterday’s post, I’m not sure about qualification for the Europa Conference League, it was a couple of months ago I read an article. I think it said England will only have 2 Europa League places, the next place goes in the conference league, so that would be 7th place. I think it said 60/70 teams qualify so there’s probably play off rounds. I looked on the UEFA website and couldn’t find anything.
Looking forward to seeing Guardiola finishing off Mourinho’s season in the League Cup final, I’ll definately have my sky blue socks on that day…
Morning Devil, Kev, Limey, Cicero, all.
Sky blue socks for me too on that day Kev. I detest that bloke more than the team he manages.
Limey, all the time he’s playing for England, people might start moaning about the treatment Saka gets. It’s disgraceful that teams are allowed to rotationally foul other players. It’s not like it’s not obvious.
Hi Rico.. City for the domestic treble 🙏😆 Save us from a United or Liverpool title and listening to the Spuds brag forevermore about winning the league cup!!
Oh I loved last night… Sigurdsson with a goal and 3 assists to dump his former team out!! Wonderful!!
Partey and Tesco will miss Sunday ☹ And Allioski has said to Bamford that he can’t wait for the game, as he’s playing against his mate Pepe again… more theatrics then!
rico, Limey, regarding rotational fouling, i’ve been saying this for some time in respect of Saka.
Am I seeing it with my rose coloured Arsenal glasses, or am I right, that it is happening in every game.
Our officials do not obviously agree with me, as they are far too lenient and let it go mostly all the time.
Totally hypothetical, but I would lay lots of money that if he played for Manchester United he would get more than his fair share.
Sue 2:24. It has to be said that Alioski mugged Pepe off. He managed to achieve exactly what he set out to do, get Arsenal down to ten men. Pepe made it easy for the referee to show him a red card.
Now, if Pepe wanted to get his own back, just go out there and run at their defenders. He has the pace and trickery, so when he is out wide and has the opportunity one-on-one, push the ball past the full back, run and cross the damn thing and NOT turn back, as he almost always does.
The solution to the overcrowded fixture list for those teams still in contention for the Europa League is to make all remaining ties one off, ninety-minute matches with a penalty shoot-out if required at full time. All games to be played at a venues in neutral countries.
This would reduce the “burn out risk” for players and the amount of travelling for squads and other essential staff.
The idea of arranging some sort of competition after the end of the season would put the players at risk of injury and exhaustion as well as extending their season well into the summer with no time for a break. It would also clash with the Internationals already arranged for that same period.
Hi Sue, I thought Partey was declared fit? That’s a real disappointment.
I too read Bamford’s comments about his mate. And to think they’re probably proud… idiots.
No rose tinted specs Vcc, not imo anyway..
Spot on, VCC! Be even better if Pepe’s shot deflects in off Allioski 😄 Here’s hoping!
Rico… I’ll be amazed if Partey’s back for Benfica. Have to hope KT is..bloody injuries, it never rains but it pours.. sigh!
Well, the Saints are through – good on them!
Just watched brief highlights of the Wolves vs Southampton cup tie and it was all Southampton.
Wolves were absolute rubbish, how on earth did we lose to that shower?
Just seen that Sue, a real blow.
Kev, ask the officials, and Leno…
New post up now