International break assisting Arsenal as Theo and Alexis get off the mark…

Morning all..

The international breaks are a pain aren’t they, especially three weeks into the new season. The timing all seems a bit odd to me as just as players start to find some form for their club, (or not in some cases) off they go for two weeks..

This one seems to be flying by though and perhaps that’s because we had the transfer windows as a distraction.

I haven’t watched much of the football over the last week and was determined not to watch England as perhaps like a few of you, I was fed up with all the hype surrounding Rooney and whether or not he’d become England’s highest ever goal scorer. He’s so good it took a penalty against minnows San Marino to draw level with Bobby Charlton’s record…

But the good news is, Theo Walcott came on as a second half substitute and scored two goals which should have given him a lot of confidence as he’s failed to hit the target yet for Arsenal this season and as much as the opposition were nothing more than average, at least he managed to do what the ‘great Wayne Rooney’ couldn’t and that’s score from open play. Alex Oxlade- Chamberlain crashed a shot against the cross-bar during the game too and by all accounts, he had a very good game

The same for Alexis Sanchez too, he found the back of the net for Chile in their 3-2 victory over Paraguay, something he’s yet to do for Arsenal so far.

I’m always a firm believer that when a player breaks his duck in front of goal, more will follow and we sure as heck need that to happen and fast. So last night was good for Arsenal.

In other internationals, Santi Cazorla played around thirty minutes for Spain as they ran out 2-0 winners over Slovakia, Gabriel was an unused sub in Brazil’s 1-0 victory over Costa Rico. Joel Campbell was a second half sub in that friendly fixture.

Wales and the Czech Republic play today so fingers crossed both Cech and Ramsey get through unscathed…

That’s it for Sunday, enjoy the sunshine…

57 thoughts on “International break assisting Arsenal as Theo and Alexis get off the mark…

  1. Malaga gooner says:

    Morning Rico, scott and all
    Good post
    International break is like watching paint dry

    Wenger out, klopp in….

  2. Brian Price says:

    Hi Rico

    I watched the England game and The Ox did have a good one – headed for the by-line more often than he’s done for us recently. Theo’s goals were excellent, it should do him a lot of good, and it’s good to hear about Alexis as well. I thought Shelvey was very good , his passing accuracy has improved although he was given a lot of time..
    I can’t wait for Stoke, though

    Brian

  3. rico says:

    Morning Scott, Mg, Brian and all…

    That’s not going to happen though Mg, not at this stage of the season or whilst Kroenke is the owner…

    I saw Theo’s goals Brian, maybe there is a striker in him against the right defence… Lol

    Odd how OC stays wide for England but not for Arsenal, maybe Roy is a bit more clear about what he expects…

  4. scottfromoz says:

    Morning everyone.
    MG, Wenger is there as long as he wants.
    Rightly or wrongly, I think that’s the reality of the situation.
    Rico, I can feel your pain in posting today 🙂

  5. allezkev says:

    Morning Rico…

    Morning everyone…

    Good post Rico, yes I agree, against the right opposition Theo is lethal.
    I mean, can you imagine him on the North Marsh, he’d be like Gerd Muller… 🙂

  6. Adam says:

    Morning Rico, Wath, Kev, Scott and all. I too am bored with it all but some people apparently aren’t. I have read articles saying that Arsene, in buying no new players and having to cope with Danny being out for (effectively) the season, has struck a blow for financial prudence and all round gentlemanly, sporting decency. He has stuck two fingers up at City, Chelsea and Man Utd and told us that there were no players available, at any time over the past 3 months, in the world, that could have improved on what we have. The Emirates crowd will just have to trust him, as they have for the past decade, when he says that we are title contenders and that we can win the CL. We don’t actually ‘need’ the money at all. The £9 million he earns, just from Arsenal and not including his outside interests, are merely a side issue to his genuine loathing for big money in the sport.. He has criticised the money paid for certain players as insane while managing a club that charges the highest prices in the known universe to enter the divine portals of the Emirates stadium. Yes, money it seems, is a mere illusion employed to sidetrack those prepared to pay a tenner for a few chips and a clump of batter with a minute part of a dead fish in it and we had better wake up and smell the coffee because that’s the way it is.
    Long live the Corinthian spirit because all that money has turned our heads and made us greedy. The money is ruining football and anyone who doesn’t agree wants to send the club broke and sell its very soul.
    Stan Kroenke, a man destined to live forever, knows this only too well as he surveys his vast empire from the saddle of Bucephalus, his great stallion. Arsene, he tells us, is just like Billy Beane, the well known conjuror and illusionist who has won every honour in American sport and only spent £6.80 doing so. Fear not oh ye of little faith, Stan knows!!

  7. scottfromoz says:

    Adam, those suggesting our lack of spending is a positive are being very presumptuous…….it’ll all mean nothing if we don’t win the League, and Wenger will have a target on his forehead…if he lasts until then.

  8. rico says:

    Morning Adam..

    That article in the Mail yesterday said it all really. One fan who has taken a very negative situational and somehow tried to put a positive spin on it. I can’t think of anything positive from our summer, other than Cech…

  9. Adam says:

    Rico. I took that ‘article’ in the mail with the same seriousness as the one that shocked the world entitled “Freddie Star Ate My Hamster”.

  10. rico says:

    I have Bristol v Oxford on the TV, a Bristol player has just been sent off for leading with his elbow and catching an opponent in the face.

    Straight red card given..

    Fellaini does worse every game but gets nothing!

  11. Gdna says:

    GM all, good post rico.

    Former Gunners man Parlour believes the failure to land an outfield star this summer immediately puts Wenger under pressure.

    “Everybody was waiting for a big outfield player,” Parlour told BT Sport. “They had Ozil two years ago, Sanchez last season and it just didn’t happen.
    “It will be interesting to see what happens with Arsenal because Wenger will be under pressure.
    “If they start losing a few games fans will be looking back and seeing Lord Harris saying ‘we’ve got £200m to spend – where’s that money going? We want to spend that money. It’s not your money Arsene Wenger’.”

    Speaking exclusively to Inside Futbol, the former Arsenal captain was asked what his feelings are over the Gunners only having won the league once since he left, and replied: “I’ve felt quite upset about this.

    “I’m not going to go into too much detail because they have a fantastic coach and they’re a fantastic club in a magnificent stadium.

    “I think Arsenal have struggled to get the balance right in recent years and this is as far as I will go.

    “I’m saying he [Wenger] has got a great offensive unit, but I think he is neglecting the defensive side and I think that’s where the problem lies.

    “If they strengthen that area I think they could go and win the league, but I think that’s the error of the team.

    “He sticks to his principles and he wants his team to be offensive. I think he’s not got the balance right in recent years.”

  12. Malaga gooner says:

    Gdna i think Ray is being fairly diplomatic
    I just want a change, someone who takes the occasional risk, someone to spice it up a bit

  13. joaquim Moreira says:

    afternoon all
    No new signs, so time for watching La Vuelta, Rowing World Cup, European Baketball cup and later, fottball

  14. Gdna says:

    Tony Adams,

    Speaking exclusively to Inside Futbol, the former Arsenal captain was asked what his feelings are over the Gunners only having won the league once since he left, and replied: “I’ve felt quite upset about this.

    “I’m not going to go into too much detail because they have a fantastic coach and they’re a fantastic club in a magnificent stadium.

    “I think Arsenal have struggled to get the balance right in recent years and this is as far as I will go.

    “I’m saying he [Wenger] has got a great offensive unit, but I think he is neglecting the defensive side and I think that’s where the problem lies.

    “If they strengthen that area I think they could go and win the league, but I think that’s the error of the team.

    “He sticks to his principles and he wants his team to be offensive. I think he’s not got the balance right in recent years.”

  15. Malaga gooner says:

    Rico i believe kroenke will sell his stake when wenger finally steps down. The club is not earning him any cash, what he can get for his shares is where his money is.
    Wenger believes in being self sufficient and that’s kroenkes dream manager.
    We need an owner thats a supporter, bring on Usmanov and Dein

  16. rico says:

    Mg, when Wenger goes, we’ll find out just how much Kroenke is prepared to spend as any new manager will probably demand money if they are to take the job…

    But considering he’s already got his son on board, I think Stan is here for a long time. Annoyingly and I hope I’m wrong….

  17. Bob John says:

    Hi Rico
    Like you I am sick and tired of the Rooney hype. Bobby Charlton was the greatest England player of all time. He scored his 49 goals from midfield and didn’t take penalties either. Also the likes of San Marino and Andorra weren’t around in Bobby’s erase. Rooney isn’t fit to lace his boots.

  18. allezkev says:

    Just seen Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ goal for England U19’s vs Germany…

    Quite a finish, he’s looking very promising, just as you predicted Rick…

  19. allezkev says:

    Morning Everyone…

    Morning Rico, Wath, Ginge…

    And Morning Adam, Lee n Rocky…
    It’s about time that the Club reconvened…

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