Afternoon all.
The week kicked off with good news, the best of which was that neither Bukayo Saka or Declan Rice are gone off on international duty with England and Martin Odegaard has withdrawn from the Norway squad too meaning all three will have the next two weeks of being pampered and prepared for the visit of Nottingham Forest after this break. As of course will Riccardo Calafiori, Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Gary Linekar is leaving Match Of The Day which is certainly something to be pleased about but is Alex Scott the person to replace him as reports suggest could be the case? I’m not sure but if she is, at least the anti Arsenal agenda might lessen. Gabby Logan is another name doing the rounds which kind of suggests the BBC are set to tick another box with their selection.
Lastly on the news front, David Coote has been suspended after a historical video of him insulting Jurgen Klopp went viral on social media. The video shows him calling the old Liverpool manager a ‘German C*** and ‘f***ing arrogant’. Apparently, this rant from Coote came after Klopp moaned about him allowing too many challenges on his players go unpunished after they drew 1-1 with Burnley. According to the back pages, Coote has confirmed it’s him in the video although his comments have been taken out of context.
Could this be the can of worms which have needed opening for a while, being opened? Probably not as the PGMOL will possibly try and brush the whole incident under the carpet. We’ll see.
I’ve nicked this from the BBC, it’s from their chief football writer Phil McNulty.
The video has been widely shared around social media. It has not been verified by the BBC, but a source has said the PGMOL investigation is treating it as genuine. There has been no denial nor apology yet from Coote. If this proves to be legitimate, the fall-out will land on every official throughout football’s pyramid. In the current climate of social media debate, 24/7 punditry and tribal fandom, it will provide fuel for the conspiracy theorists who believe that any decision made against their team is provoked by a grudge, personal bias or dislike of their particular club.
The notion is misguided as any mistakes made by those who take charge of games, as with players, are because of honest human error, not ill-feeling towards – or bias against – a particular manager, player of club.
The problem for the head of PGMOL, Howard Webb, is that Coote’s words, should they be confirmed as genuine, will fly in the face of that belief to many, going to the heart of what should be every official’s personal code. Referees will inevitably have clashes with teams and individuals given the high-stakes nature of professional football, but there must be a belief that any lingering antipathy is put aside the moment they take change of their next game.
The rise in dissent towards officials was reflected in the £1m of fines for surrounding referees and mass confrontations in 2022-23. That resulted in a clampdown on player and manager behaviour at the start of 2023-24 and by Christmas 2023, bookings for dissent had doubled to 1,813 from 966 at the same stage the season before. The figure trebled in the Premier League from 24 to 80, with referees’ chief Webb saying the “culture change” to try to “reset behaviours” towards officials was “early days” but “moving in the right direction”. As Webb has been at pains to point out, referees are human – but they must also be impartial and professional. The slate must be cleaned of any previous confrontations next time paths cross.
It is stretching reality to breaking point to suggest all is sweetness and light between officials, players and managers but what has to be real is the principle that none of this goes through any official’s mind when it comes to the decision-making process.
In other words they, as in the time-honoured adage about Caesar’s wife, must be above suspicion.
Finally, good luck to Arsenal’s women who have just kicked off against Juventus in the Champions League. Interim manager Slegers is expecting something very different to what players are used to in England. Juventus are apparently very strong defensively so it’ll be tough, especially as Juve are unbeaten in their last four in this competition.
Catch up in the comments.
It’s good that there is at least one international manager who is more concerned with his players physical well being than his own ego and reputation. The Norwegian medics decided that Martin Odegaard should not be playing in the next two matches and recommend that he return to Arsenal in order to continue his rehabilitation.
Arsenal Women one nil up approaching half-time.
Had that been Southgate Cicero……
Who is David Coote?
A premiership referee, one of the so called elite group. He has allegedly made derogatory comments about Klopp the former Liverpool manager. He has been suspended and will probably get sacked.
Surprised you’ve not seen him officiating one of our games Jm.
Very nearly 2-0..
🎶…and another one bites the dust🎶. Justin Welby Archbishop of Canterbury resigns.
2-0 now.
I was just reading about that..
Final score 4 – 0 to the Arsenal. 🔔🔔🔔🔔
4-0 away from home is super result for the women.
The Interlull kicks in and NewsNow is struggling for content, so they decide ‘let’s talk about the January Window’ with 2 months to go before it opens. 🥱
I couldn’t give an toss about MotD, nothing is changing with Gary Lineker for the next two years – unless I’ve got that wrong, so he could be replaced by any inanimate object in 2 years for all I care because I won’t be watching it.
But if the BBC want a tip about what to do in two years they could do a lot worse than to copy the US chat show The View on MSNBC. I reckon that would go down a storm with footie fans, tick a load of boxes and make the producers feel very smug about themselves…
Phil McNulty is a dyed – in – wool Liverpool fan and we all know how even handed and unbiased Scousers are, particularly when they’re top of the league. I’d rather see City win it again than Liverpool because we’ll never hear the last of it…
Nottingham Forest really is the biggest game of the season so far for Arsenal, with a run of winnable games to come when we return from the Interlull, we need to take the Forest three points to help get us on a roll.
The alternative is really no alternative at all…
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5908431/2024/11/12/premier-league-academy-transfers/
Good afternoon Rico and gentlemen
https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/arsenal-eyeing-cheaper-alternative-to-viktor-gyokeres-report
I honestly hope its just click baiting this article. Retegui is good but Gyokeres is waaaayyy much better. Retegui is not much better than Havertz regarding finishing, more or less we will be getting the same. Maybe for rotational options yes because being equal to Havertz will mean both players will be on their toes and hungry to perform well.
I dont think Trossard and/or Partey will be sold in January. Jesus might go if we get one of Sesko, Gyokeres or Retegui. However, Trossard will not go before summer since he can play instead of MO08. This will give Nwaneri time until season 25/26. Partey seems irreplacable atm in midfield and we need a similar player after next season. So only Jesus might go.
Next season will see Nwaneri and Skelley get much more game time.
Thank God for Saka, Rice, Partey and Odegaard not going with the national team Maybe Havertz should complain about headaches arising from his cut and withdraw from the German team.
Gotta say Devil that Rategui sounds, from that article, pretty impressive with the potential to get better.
Gyokeres will probably end up at Man United with his old manager from Sporting.
If we signed Rategui that might mean no move for Sesko in the summer?
Afternoon Devil, Kev, all.
Didn’t the Atalanta guy help to batter Liverpool and Bayer last season?
Retegui is a good striker. But not that much different than Havertz. His average is good especially with Atalanta. However, although he has scored 6 goals in 16 games with the national team I was not impressed with his work rate off the ball. With Atalanta he has scored 11 goals in 12 games, however in Europe he has not had that much success…..4 games 0 goals.
If Arteta’s intention is to rotate him then yes….go and buy him. But ideally we get someone who can run (like TH14 used to do)…but that will cost us an arm and a leg.
Anyone who can put the ball in the net would do for me in January, even a loan..
What a plonker…
Harry Kane: England captain expresses disappointment after eight withdrawals from Nations League squad
England captain Harry Kane on squad withdrawals: “It’s a shame this week, obviously. It’s a tough period of the season and maybe that’s been taken advantage of a little bit. I don’t really like it if I’m totally honest. England comes before anything and any club situation.”
to be fair to HK I dont think he ever withdrew from playing for England.
I dont agree with him and what he says but I stand to be corrected since I might be mistaken in the above statement
Doesn’t mean he can suggest others are withdrawing without being injured.
Didn’t he earlier go with the squad but wasn’t fit enough to start two of the games? Easy for him to say, but he mostly jogs around the centre circle avoiding anything that looks like a tackle coming his way.
Still if you’ve never won anything with club or country, I guess you would turn up with broken leg if there was the chance of a trophy.
Morning Rico and all,
finally managed to get site back up.
The only reason why Harry Kane is complaining about player pulling out of the England side is because he new when he he was at Tottenham, he had no chance at winning tropthies.