Morning all.
And so it begins….
England fans have arrived in France ahead of tomorrows match against Russia and the trouble has already begun. French Police had to use tear gas to stop a bunch of thugs who had a spat with locals last night. Why do they do it? It’s embarrassing and wrong. ‘ISIS where are you’ they are reported to have been shouting with a belly full of alcohol inside them no doubt.. Disgraceful stuff and hardly the kind of behaviour which will help England during the Euros. They need support, not to be reading about how their fans are letting the country down, again.
England fans have blamed the French people, France of course see it differently but either way, I hope that’s it and we hear no more about England fans being involved in such scenes. France, a country already broken by terrorist attacks, simply don’t need this kind of thing.
Another ‘and so it begins’….. involves the under tall git in Manchester as it looks like he’s trying to wade in on any deal Arsenal might be trying to secure for Dortmund’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan. That’s according to Jan Aage Fjortoft, a man who professes to know what’s going on in Germany. I wouldn’t be at all surprised though as that’s what Mourinho does and has done for years. If Mkhitaryan really wants an Arsenal move and Arsenal really want him then Mourinho’s interference shouldn’t make a difference.
Arsene Wenger has been talking ahead of the Euros and he believes Jamie Vardy won’t be a starter for England which is odd if the Frenchman really is trying to sign him but what he has done is go overboard with praise for his fellow countryman N’Golo Kante who funny enough, also has a £20 million release clause in his contract.
I admire and like N’Golo Kanté a lot. It gives you idea. He gives you the feeling that the higher the level he plays at, the more at ease he is.
We are talking about numbers. He has the most interceptions in Europe and by far.
He has incredible quality. He feels the game, only very few people can do that. He’s always where he needs to be.
It is very rare to have that in the central midfielder. Not always orthodox, but always in the right place.
One could add two and two together and make five on this one and it’s not Vardy Arsenal have made an offer for, but Kanté. The player has said he’ll sort his future out after the Euros but perhaps he already has and he’s heading to Arsenal to earn more than the reported £35k a week he’s earning now.
What a strong midfield we’d have should that turn out to be real. Xhaka, Kanté, Elneny and Coquelin.
But where would that leave Cazorla, Ramsey, Wilshere? The little Spaniard could bring something extra to our attacking unit that’s for sure but Wilshere, wanted by Pep and Ramsey, wanted by no-one other than Wales, would struggle to get game time surely?
Maybe I’ve let my imagination get the better of me on this Friday morning, just as those who fuel the transfer rumours have.
Anyway, the Euros finally kick-off tonight with France playing Romania and all I hope for is the competition goes by peacefully and without any threat from terrorist attacks…
Nice post Rico and Good Morning to you…
I was listening to John Hartson on the radio last night and he mentioned that two years ago Barcelona made a £40m bid for Aaron Ramsey, obviously the season he was scoring for fun – where did that player go?
As far as England fans is concerned, the question I’ve got to ask is who was responsible for the fixtures and what ‘brain-cell’ at UEFA thought it would be a good idea to send England to Marseilles…???
Morning Kev.
It’s hard to fathom out what’s happened to Ramsey, maybe the Barca talk got to him…
1998 all over again… Although I hope not, perhaps last night will have been a one off. Just heard the bar owner speak and he says England fans weren’t to blame, then again, he might just want them to come back and spend more money in his establishment….
Well he hasn’t been the same since and you can bet that Gareth Bale is constantly in his ear about how great La Liga is…
Given his performances over the last 12 months Rico, I wonder if Wenger would refuse £40 m if it was on the table again?
The French Police are cnuts Rico…
They act as if they’re the Waffen SS…
I wouldn’t if I was Wenger Kev…
They do tend to go a bit over the top don’t they, even with their whistles when directing traffic… 😉
The day of our Barcelona match in Paris , it was all sweetness and light before the match both sets of fans getting on really well. After the match though as we left the stadium the French police were armoured up with batons drawn and were agitating the fans as we tried to leave. They were looking for it and were deliberately looking for any excuse to wade in. It was very intimidating as they lined either side a 15 foot wide tunnel that we were forced into. Paris and Lyon are one thing but Marseille has always been a melting pot of violence and somewhere that I have avoided since my one and only visit there in 1968.
Clearly Wenger see’s Leicester as his biggest rivals next season and is forcing up their wages so high they can’t afford to buy any new players
I think that Wenger sees Leicester as a Feeder Club…
Ramsey has not been the same since he coloured in his leg, grew a beard and took up nesting!
Whether he can change any of his current behaviours is doubtful, so we will be left with an underperforming midfielder. C’est la vie!
Oh, while I’m here and not somewhere else.
K-A-N-T-E= 5 letters, the five fingers of Gazidis, so maybe he was,telling the truth and Vardy waa just a smokescreen?
Who knows?
Arsenal.com will reveal all, or state nothing at all!
Well done Chris Woakes…
Now come on Jonny Bairstow, make it 150..
David, I doubt he does really…
Just a club he might be able to nab a few cheapies from… 😉
Perhaps the new bleaching will see an improvement Wavy…
I doubt it!
England is half way to go home quickly: the fans, England and the they want to leave Europe Community. So, the “environment”, the referees,etc can give a help.
In a opposite way, is Portugal. “this is Portugal year!”; “Portugal have been since the 2000, at the semi-finals or quarter finals”; “Portugal could be the good surprise of the Euro”; “Portugal, already deserves to win!”; “Portual has Ronaldo and a new generation of very good players”.
So, the impact of the two nations is completely different. The sentences put, were said also by people from UEFA. There are teams that have a “caring” different from the others. The “adventures” of every game do the rest. Moreover, Portugal plays at home Many immigrants there. Two players of Portugal team were born there. (like Robert Pires) but choose to play for Portugal..
So, It will not surprise me if France and Portugal are two semi-finalists. It’s good for the competition at all levels. England, does not fit the 4 semi-finalists.
I will follow the Euro with passion and attention. I want to see Ramsey playing in a a different context; Vardy too. I have the idea Vardy is not a player for Arsenal and we can’t repeat another so good season; Ramsey, I’m pretty sure that has evolved little, or even not regressed. Willshere is a good player but not a professional player.
Kante was the key to the success of Leicester. He was always where it was necessary and when it was not, it was, because he have been there before.
Iordanescu (Roumanian coach: “Giroud is a fantastic striker. I know it’s not well-mated by the French, but I consider it genius”.
I have the same opinion.
Well done Jonny Bairstow…
And well done Chris Woakes, should have been a ton though…
I’m surprised AW didn’t sign Kante before Leicester snapped him up…
Really good innings by both Kev, especially JB… They’ll surely declare soon with the weather forecast being so poor…
Good Afternoon Lovelies and Hunkeis.
Nice post boss.
Here the sun is shining and in France the British fans are Fighting. No seriously, you could not make that up. Fighting in Marseille??? you gotta be kidding me right.
In Italy we have a saying, Chi scherzo col fuoco si brucia (he who plays with fire gets burnt). So if you are playing in France….a nation terrorized with threats from militants, a nation which is facing lots of protests across its country and you are drunk and shouting ‘Isis where are you’…..and you are drunk, does one honestly expect a red carpet treatment from police who probably have been issued with a zero tolerance order????
Some behaviour takes the biscuit.
To be fair….I also read it was the locals who provoked them while the police where chomping at the bit.
Kante to AFC???? hmmmm have to see it to believe.
Imagine a line up with…….
Kante, Xhaka
Mkhitaryan, Ozil, SAnchez
Per Mertesacker can stay with that in front of him and be made to look world class once again
Hi All:
AW talking up Kante means nothing, remember how he went on and on about A. Vidal during the world cup and didn’t even bid for him.
Parlour says Vardy deal has fallen through and he’s staying put…
Devil, I doubt we’ll get MKhitaryan either…
Good point Obi….
What is the weather forecast Rico ?
Bairstow might as well open his shoulders a bit now or else he’ll be left last man standing…
Well if Parlour is right, then Wenger better have something else up his sleeve or else next season could be toxic…
You should not wish ISIS on anyone, are fans maybe morons and let the country down, but you need to think about what you say before writing it…. Two wrongs do not make a right!!!
Wow Devil @1:56 and imagine the bench also. Now that would be a complete team. Plus is not over AW quota of maximum of 3 in TW.
Could next season be the breakthrough season for the Postman…. ?
Rain all over the weekend I think Kev…
What the heck are you on about Ed?? Where have I wished ISIS on anyone?
Read the sentence again before making such a stupid accusation…!
Dear oh dear ed. What the hell was that comment about?
Elsewhere maybe Kev.. 😉
Pity, only 20 more runs for 2 wickets, shame Bairstow didn’t go for it a bit more, that was a 200 opportunity lost…
Rain eh, this game has a draw written all over it unless Broad and Anderson hit top form…
Ridiculous Adam.
Guess he put England before his 200… (
You never know Rico, Sanogo could be Arsenes surprise package…
Also, I see that Arsenal, in some quarters, are being linked with Benteke.
Gawd help us if he is Kev..
I saw that about Benteke, please no….
Afternoon All
Hard to sum up Wengers new approach to signing players
Not sure what his up to.
Surely if Vardy’s staying at Leicester would’nt it be wise to
announce that..then get on with his football.
But one thing I do know.
Parlour’s the last geezer Arsene he would tell anything too.
Any drunkard with half a brain ought to know that at the moment the security personnel in France are extra vigillant. Any sort of lawlessness with be met with equal or excess force to quietten you down. ISIS chants didn’t help though regardless of whether you were a victim or a perpetrator.
Kante, nice fella. Arsene doesn’t talk about players he’ll sign so definitely he won’t be coming to the beautiful Arsenal..
JM i don’t think Brexit will influence officials at the Euros, they already don’t fancy our guts!
Travel advisory; if you’re going to Marseille don’t say Giroud is shit.
Fred, it did go through my head too about how Parlour would know anything for sure…
Spot on Marshall. First sign of trouble, they’ll be all over it. They must be twitchy anyway…
If Parlour’s comment is correct I won’t be too disappointed.
If that’s the only striker in Wenger’s mind, I will be very disappointed….
Surely it won’t be though….. will it…?
Rico. Don’t. 🙂
It’s quite a worry Adam, we know what he’s like….
Have you seen the de Gea stories?
Since we are signing oldies can we sign Hamsik? Then we can have project Ox still on. Just a wild thought.
Who is Hamsik?
Not sure the De Gea stories are real Rico. Hope not as they are squalid beyond belief.
Spain press conference due Adam, de Gea is set to speak apparently.. Should know more then…
110 for 1….
Yawning it’s way to a draw.
Depends if the clouds come over and it’s humid tomorrow morning Kev, might get interesting then.
For a manager who built his reputation on unearthing uncut diamonds from the French league, maybe Arsene can explain how and why he missed out on/ passed up on Payet, Mahrez, Kante, Pogba and Matuidi..?
Afternoon Rico and the House.
Kev some breaking news.
EFL clubs have agreed to pilot a new format for the EFL Trophy
The one season trial for the season 2016/2017 will include the League One and Two clubs plus 16 category 1 Premier league academy/ under 21 sides.
Full details for the compitition format will be finalised within the next 14 days
Interesting point there are 24 Category1 academy so which 3 miss out.
No news yet about the Academy revamp expecting something with the P/L fixture’s
He’s lost his mojo Kev.
Afternoon Rick.
That’s good news isn’t it?
Re Adam @5:19, I don’t know Adam because they have named the 1st player as Athletic Bilbao’s Iker Muniain. I don’t know why they haven’t named the 2nd player.
Re, Rico @ 5:16 Marek Hamsík, Napoli/ Slovakia, or were you joking? Wonderfully skilled player.
Oh dear. Up to a couple of years ago Muniain was a great young player. I lost track of him.
I think it is Rico.
One thing I missed .It is 16 groups of 4 with the top two going into knockout stage just like champions league and each academy will play 3 league clubs.
I also think that there will be no loans this year we need them all.
3 more snippits the U19 are defending the Durban Trophy in july,
Freddie Lundberg coached the U 15 in italy last week
and the club published the retained list today.
At the moment Arteta Rosicky and Flamani are the only players leaving when their contracts run out.
See you Latta
Evening all.
If Vardy is Wengers main striker target and it falls through………….well, the mind boggles at what his back up striker planned buy is !……………..obviously something less than £20M !
I will be more upset if we dont get Mkhitaryan !.
Lucky that the Tarnsfer Window only officially opened yesterday, so forgetting the anomaly of Xhaka being bought before it opened, Wenger has quite a bit of time on his hands to buy some quality and maybe even Vardy at 20% possibility
I see on newsnow tha De Gea may be involved in some sex scandal !……….more like a paternity test case, but why waste the money, anyone can see he`s the father !.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BIFBLHDCYAAFLpU.jpg
No obi, I was being serious. Thanks for the info.
Rick, looking on the released list, Flamini is not present. Maybe he is staying…
Only for the Pl clubs LC, so pl players can move to clubs in the pl…
Mind you, it’s all rubbish really as we’ve already signed Xhaka… Lol
LC @ 6:11, I agree with you if we loose Mkhitaryan it will be inexplicably. If that happens AW must definitely go….
Catch you guys tomorrow, have a good evening.
Night all.
Night Rico !
Flamini is being released !
https://arsenalyouth.wordpress.com/2016/06/10/arsenal-release-flamini-chatzitheodoridis-duo-sign-professional-terms/
Obi, I have a feeling maybe Wenger doesn`t think we need him !………..stupid if you ask me, he has in the past said he favours Arsenal and his fee would not be much more than Darth Vardy`s and we`d get a player of real talent !.
Evening Rico and the house
I still think vardy is a smoke screen
I wouldn’t be surprised if we went for lewandowski
We don’t buy a particular player so we must sack the manager the player of course has no say in it if he wants to join the club.
No Joe is not just one particular player but numerous players, numerous players of quality that AW has deemed that the price is too high or we don’t need. Consequently, this, along with the lack of tactics and other things such as favoritism is the reason he should be sacked. We can list them, but its unnecessary. But the point is Mkhitaryan has said it on numerous occasions that he wants to join Arsenal, and we need his quality. This is a situation where it’s obvious.
Sorry obi I don’t agree I find it easier to wait for the club or the manager to tell if a player is coming to the club not the press.
As for Mkhitaryan we already have two players who can play in the no 10 role Jack and Ōzil .
Maybe Iwobi as well not sure yet on him.
Thanks for that Rick, you out scooped Jeorge Bird with that one mate.
If the League One and League Two teams make some money out of the competition, it might encourage more integration in that area…
Could we be seeing a kind of re-introduction of the Football Combination/Central League format, that was so successful..???
Just watching France vs Roumania…
Quite a good game, both sides attacking.
The changes to qualifying out of the groups seems to have taken some of the fear out of it…
That should suit England in the early stages…
It’ll become more tactical and problematic for us later in the competition…
Three questions Rick, which you may not yet know the answer…
Do you play home and away, thus 6 fixtures in the group ?
Do Arsenal play their home games at Borehamwood or the Emirates ?
Are the games set to be staged midweek or weekends ?
Four Questions ?
Are the Academy teams allowed overage players and if yes, how many per game ?
Five Questions ?
Is there any talk of this competition being televised ?
Rick; ?
Question six;
Will the groups be regionalised ?
Great Minds Kev
They were some of the Questions I asked.
I was told you will find out in 14 Days.
My Question Seven who would be our coach.
Kossy looking good.
Malaga 7.32, do behave, I know Arsene is about as unpredictable as the Irish weather but that’s just taking the pish lol !
Giroud’s 50th cap for France tonite !
Giroud scores again
My boy Og12
Joe agree with you on Ozil, but Mkhitaryan is an upgrade on Jack.
Og12 probably misses chances because he never goes missing even during barren spells….so under rated.
Is that the new hagi?
Tsgh this is not the site for Giroud propaganda?
The conspiracy of Oli G. Lol
Spot on tsgh, Oli loves a barrren spell lol.
Always nice to get the opener in a tournament, 1 each now with 15 to go.
Obi the club needs a no 9 more than a 3rd no 10 and we as need a winger
We need a …
Hey Micko it was only 856 mins long…
Lol Joe.
Someone had to take the shine out of the Giroux party
tsgh, opening day of the season and me saying to you how good Payet looked, your response, how did Arsene miss out on him, enuf said.
Snuff said indeed Micko…
Wenger stopped shopping from France oddly…
Maybe he read your views on Diaby and Gervinho…x
Enuff*
Nah tsgh, the numpty probably thought he could throw Petr Cech up front with 5 games to go !!!
Nite Gooners.
Kev late news
Compitition is on north/south basis.
Each team will play each other once with the academy team getting just one home game.
I gather the Premier League is providing £1m towards the prize fund of £1.95m
with bonuses being paid for each win.
It is also being said several league 1 and 2 clubs are voicing their displeasure at what is taking place claiming P/L clubs are money grabbing dont look like that to me.
We could be lumped together with Barnet Southend Crawley .
All those stadiums are do’able Rick, in fact I’d rather do the away games as there’s far too much piss-balling about getting tickets for the Emirates.
Southend would be nice, in August or September…
Spend the day on the seafront and then go to the game.
Pity the Kersal ain’t there anymore…
Money grabbing ?
Are they for real…
If Southend or Barnet or Crawley or Dagenham or Leyton Orient, or Colchester or Stevenage etc etc, play at home vs Arsenal, it will be a sell-out…
How is that money grabbing?
And what are they afraid of ?
Cheers for the info Rick…
Morning Rico and all.
Muggy old day in London Town.
Morning Adam and all.
Same here, should help the England bowlers though… 🙂
Oh yes, I forgot about the test match. Like most Lords tests, it’s been a bit of a bore.
The next series could be a lot more interesting..
Looks like Flamini is definitely off then.
Seems so but apparently, he could still be offered a new deal. The PL site have named him because he’s out of contract but you know what AW is like…. lol
He wouldn’t get much playing time though if he did stay…
Flanimi may not play a lot but what about using some of his bank balance for future spending? He should be a billionaire by the end of next season, if his business thrives!
Morning all. Miserable here.
Perhaps he could buy Stans shares Wavy…
Sun’s out here now, nice….
Morning Rico…
I reckon the Sri Lankans will bat all day,,,
Bairstow is a great batsman Rico but an average wicketkeeper…
Morning Kev. He dropped a sitter yesterday didn’t he?
I bring in Buttler myself and drop Compton… 😉
Not so sure Rico. With MA and TR gone, add an injury or two and we’re short again. It’s a difficult balancing act which means that, knowing the club’s injury record, we should perhaps indulge in a bit of squad reinforcement.
Very true Adam, Kante would be a good addition and perhaps Payet…. .. 😉
New post up now..