Afternoon guys.
There are footballers to be admired regardless of which club they play but there are more who I personally find easier to dislike. Detest even and Bernardo Silva is definitely one of them. Not because of his challenge on Martin Odegaard a couple of nights ago although that in itself is a good enough reason not to like him but he’s just a bit of a git. A sneaky one at that. January 1st 2022, what a cheat he was that day eh…
Oh the irony though when one considers how his 9 years at Man City are part of the 115 cheating charges of which 114 are reported to have been proven. So for all his ridiculing of Arsenal a year or two ago for winning nothing, he too might end up with zero Premier League titles which I think would be hilarious.
Martin Odegaard, who himself said he’s likely to be fine in a day or two, said that the kind of after the ball incident during Portugal’s match against Norway on Sunday “does not belong in the game”. Silva dismissed his claim by saying: “It’s football my friend” – but it’s not is it, not really… It’s just nasty, but that’s Silva. Nasty and sly.
I guess he’s still trying to help City cheat even as a Real Madrid player.
Anyway, we still have ten days to go until Premier League football returns, for Arsenal that is a home fixture against Leeds Utd on Saturday lunchtime.
Kai Havertz is likely to be ruled out for the match after picking up an injury if Germany’s first fixture so the door should swing open for Viktor Gyokeres. Our Swedish striker has scored in both of Sweden’s matches so it’s quite clear that he’s not lost his ability to find the back of the net, not that I ever thought he had. The players around him at Arsenal just need to find him. He’s not a fancy footballer, he’s a goal scorer which is what many of us called for Arsenal to sign last summer. Haaland isn’t a fancy footballer either but he scores goals. Does he track back and defend? I don’t think so, he just waits for the ball to be delivered and the rest is down to him.
Other Arsenal players in the goals during this break is Bruno Guimaraes and Christos Tzolis, the latter was in the team which shocked Germany with a 1-0 defeat. Tzolis’ goal though came against Serbia while Bruno’s helped Brazil beat Australia in a friendly. Thankfully, Thomas Tuchel has not been overplaying our players so far. All have played but unless my eyesight has deceived me, none have played the full 90 minutes in both matches.
The Nations League fixtures have a day off today with the second set of matches kicking off from tomorrow. Here they all are, at least those who are likely to involve our players. Yes, I’ve nicked the below from Arsenal.com.
Thursday, October 1
- Malta v Gibraltar (Scanlon) | 5pm | Nations League | Ta’ Qali
- Greece (Tzolis) v Netherlands (Timber) | 7.45pm | Nations League | Thessaloniki
- Wales v Norway (Odegaard) | 7.45pm | Nations League | Cardiff
Friday, October 2
- France v Italy (Calafiori) | 7.45pm | Nations League | Paris
- Ukraine v Northern Ireland (O’Neill) | 7.45pm | Nations League | Trnava (Slovakia)
- Bosnia & Herzegovina v Sweden (Gyokeres) | 7.45pm | Nations League | Zenica
Saturday, October 3
- India v Brazil (Guimaraes, Gabriel) | 3pm | Friendly | Kolkata
- Croatia v England (Lewis-Skelly, Saka, Eze, Konsa) | 5pm | Nations League | Rijeka
- Spain (Merino, Raya, Zubimendi) v Czech Republic | 7.45pm | Nations League | Oviedo
Sunday, October 4
- Greece (Tzolis) v Germany | 7.45pm | Nations League | Thessaloniki
- Netherlands (Timber) v Serbia | 7.45pm | Nations League | Eindhoven
- Portugal v Norway (Odegaard) | 7.45pm | Nations League | Porto
Monday, October 5
- Liechtenstein v Gibraltar (Scanlon) | 7.45pm | Friendly | Vaduz
- Italy (Calafiori) v Turkey| 7.45pm | Nations League | Bologna
- Northern Ireland (O’Neill) v Georgia | 7.45pm | Nations League | Belfast
- Romania v Sweden (Gyokeres) | 7.45pm | Nations League | Bucharest
Tuesday, October 6
- England (Konsa, Saka, Eze, Lewis-Skelly) v Czech Republic | 7.45pm | Nations League | Wembley
- Croatia v Spain (Zubimendi, Raya, Merino) | 7.45pm | Nations League | Split
As always, my fingers and toes will be crossed that no more of our players suffer injury.
Lastly, good luck to the Arsenal women who tonight take on Paris FC in the Champions League. It’s a 5-45pm kick off for anyone interested in watching. Disney+ is showing the game live.
Catch up in the comments.
I like Alisha Lehmann
Fair enough, Rico.
I don’t, can’t stand her Dennis.
Apart from tonight of course and then blew it.
I often wonder how someone like Emma Hayes would do in the men’s game, Rico.
They have been playing well, just cannot get a break in front of goal.
I have a slight interest, Rico, because they are part of the club.
I will watch when they show Arsenal ladies on the TV.
Do you watch the women’s game I don’t think it’s about turning things around, the players are the ones who need to do that by scoring goals, certainly in the WSL. A bit like the men really.
Chelsea and City – huge financial advantage just as they have had in the men’s game. I wonder how much the City owners have been involved with the women’s side of the club. Might not just be the men’s side who have been been breaching the rules.
I know she started with a bang, winning the CL after only a few months, are City cheating with their ladies team too?
How’s £1m girl Olivia Smiith doing?
I’d have thought her and Russo would be the ideal strike-force.
And you know, Rico, with the level of competition in the WSL, as with the PL, a slow start can be fatal, it allows your rivals to take what often can be an unassailable lead.
I hope she turns it around, it’s been a while since Arsenal ladies won the WSL title.
I do Dennis. Just a bit of a slow start, a bit like last season. Don’t forget she guided them to Champions League Final victory just over a year ago.
Do you think Rene Slegers can cut it at Arsenal, Rico?
Last season was a disappointing one for Arsenal Ladies.
Dreadful result after finally taking a 2-0 lead this season..
Dev, will you being going to the Ta’ Qali to see the Gibraltar game, if so then give us a scouting report on Scanlon?
2 – 2. Are we turning into Spurs? Throwing away a two nil advantage.
And then it all went wrong..
At last, Russo makes it 1-0
Afternoon Cicero, agreed, glad he’s gone from the PL, Rodri too for the same reason.
I read that Bruno had left the Brazil camp which I hope is true. Hopefully he handcuffed Gabriel to him before boarding the plane.
Good afternoon Rico.
So many games, so many chances for so many players to get injured.
I can only agree with you concerning Silva, referees so often fail to see the sneaky of-the-ball fouls he commits, he is an expert at appearing to be injured when he commits many of his fouls and refs frequently fall for his antics.
Happily we won’t be seeing him again in any more domestic matches.
I’ll remove the dislike and like option as it seems to be causing more problem than it’s worth. Criticism is hard to accept I know.
Hi Dennis, like I suggested, what City had on record for paying staff is unlikely to have been what those staff received. That’s what this City case tells me anyway.
You haven’t upset anyone as far I can see, certainly not me. I just agreed with Cicero in that what went on at Arsenal and City bear little to no relevance to what has been found to have gone on at City.
Hi Rico, just to clarify.
Cicero posted two figures, clearly indicating City were falsifying their accounts.
But what struck me was even at £1.75m, City were paying over £3m less a year for their manager, than Arsenal were paying for Wenger, whose best days had gone, and it surprised me. (And it was that ‘surprise’ which prompted the question, it wasn’t meant to upset anyone).
Especially when you think about the amount they would have had to pay Pep.
And whoever disliked my comment when I was trying to explain the question in the previous post, grow up, it’s called back and forth dialogue, or as we used to call it, conversation (albeit digital).