Daily Bits and Bobs

Max Allegri to Arsenal gathers pace but a few others are in with a shout….

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

I’ve never really been one to check the Arsenal website to see what fans think about the upcoming fixture but this morning I did take a peep. It’s what one does when insomnia kicks in.

At the time of writing this post, this is how 26,111 voters feel ahead of us facing Hull City tomorrow lunchtime:

Draw – 7 %
Arsenal to win by one goal – 16 %
Arsenal to win by two goals – 37 %
Arsenal to win by three or more goals – 27 %
Hull to win by one goal – 6 %
Hull to win by two goals – 3 %
Hull to win by three or more goals – 4 %

Whilst thinking about hitting the ‘Hull to win by one goal’ option, I was quite surprised to see how many fans believe this Arsenal team will win and win comfortably. Sky Sports were live at Hull’s training session a couple of days ago and their squad is full of big guys, physically strong looking guys, a bit like the Watford team and we really didn’t cope at all well with them. Perhaps that’s why I have reservations about tomorrows result.

Hull City have the ‘new manager’ syndrome, they are fighting for their Premier League survival and having just thumped Liverpool 2-0 at Anfield, if there’s anyone at the club expecting this game to be a walkover, they need to have a serious rethink….

Arsene Wenger:

“It’s an interesting week because it’s a good test at an important moment of the season and it’s as well a good opportunity to show what we are made of and to deal with what matters to us.”

Wrong! The important moment in the season is the day it kicks off. To be ready, well prepared, have a motivated squad full of players who as one have a goal, and that’s to win. Of course that is not always possible but I can stomach a loss when it’s clear every player has given their all for 90 odd minutes but to see players dipping out of a challenge, not tracking back or just poncing around the pitch as if they couldn’t care less, it’s annoying to say the least.

My assumption when reading Wenger’s comment above is that he is referring to a Champions League place. No, not the next round after beating Bayern, but at the end of May as it’s crucial for him to get his side to finish in the top four. And before anyone suggests I have got that totally wrong, read on:

“We fight with Man United, Man City, Liverpool – they have big expectations as well and big histories. We are in a fight there, we absolutely have to be united or we have no chance to do it. You have Tottenham, everyone is in the fight and everyone is behind their team. We have to do exactly the same, even if we had two disappointing results.

He says the title dream is not over but I think it’s fair to say it is. We are too soft, too disorganised and any inner belief or motivation these players had, seems t have long gone and I doubt Arsene can help them get it back again.

There’s a little dig at the fans in there as clearly he wants The Emirates to be buzzing on a match day:

“I want the fans to be behind the team. But at the same time, I am not fool enough not to know that the first priority is us and our dynamic inside the team that will create and facilitate the support of our fans. That is down to the quality of our performance.”

As he says, up the level of football on the pitch and I’m sure that would go a long way to lifting the spirits but in all honesty, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen this Arsenal team put in a top performance. The FA Cup victory over Southampton was a cracker, but that was our second string and the first eleven haven’t been able to match that kind of performance since we beat Chelsea. We’ve seen good bits here and there but there’s been little consistency on the positive side of the game.

Hopefully tomorrow that will change but even if it does, we know that just around the corner, they’ll be another shocker….

With Arsene Wenger’s contract up in the summer, the last two performances/results seem to have woken the media/press up from their slumber. The back pages have been full of will he or won’t he sign a contract extension and despite slating Wenger and his team week in week out, most of the so-called sports football experts believe the Frenchman should stay on for a while yet. Bloody hypocrites!

But just in case he does go, a list of replacements have already been identified which I’m sure the Arsenal board will appreciate after all, it’ll save them a job.

Thomas Tuchel, Max Allegri, Leonardo Jardim and Roger Schmidt – The Mirror

Max Allegri is The Daily Mail’s favourite as they have an article which suggests the current Juve manager refuses to rule out taking over from Arsene Wenger in the summer.

Nineteen different managers names appear in The Telegraph! Crikey, our board won’t like whittling that number down will they. I can see them all sat around a table scratching their heads before throwing the list into the ‘too difficult’ tray.

Still, maybe they won’t have to as The Express, bless them, via reports in the Italian media, write that Max Allegri has held advanced talks with Arsenal over becoming our next manager at the end of this season. Add that to the fact he wouldn’t deny a move to London yesterday, it must be true. Mind you, he didn’t confirm it either…

Have a good Friday guys…

rico

61 thoughts on “Max Allegri to Arsenal gathers pace but a few others are in with a shout….”

  1. Wavy says:

    Morning all.
    Hull? Now managed by the guy who was at Olympiacos when they beat us in Greece last year. Has he got Wenger’s number? He’s certainly made a difference at Hull, so far. Perhaps they won’t be that easy to roll over and beat. As a relegation threatened team they will fight for every ball and situation. They will compete. They will be physical. They won’t be easy!
    Will Wenger have prepared his team properly? These days I believe he won’t have. Will the crowd get behind the team? Probably until such time as it becomes obvious that they can’t score a goal or two against these inferior players or they do the unthinkable and concede a couple of goals! The crowd tend to react to what they see in front of them. If they serve up shite they will get ‘it’ in the ear, and deservedly so.
    The old wrinkly one has forgatten that to get respect you have to earn it. Another toothless exhibition of tikka taka football will only encourage derision! More of the same will leave the good old boy very little wriggle room. The exit door will be increasing in size exponentially!

    Should be a comfortable win tomorrow, despite the kick off time. But I’m prepared for yet another disappointment!

    Was snowing here, flurries only. A bit like an Arsenal performance, it’s started but it just hasn’t come to anything much!

  4. Alex says:

    Morning Rico
    Happy if we win ….just because we want to win
    Happy if we loose as we are going to hear a loud booooo….and you know what does it mean.

    But neither will happen ..i predict 1 v 1 draw

  11. potter says:

    A draw or loss will heap the pressure on but a win will not change the minds of those already decided.Should we not win a few more will become disaffected. Which is the dilemma we face as those that want a change also want to win.

  15. Obi says:

    Hopefully AW takes Kos suggestion and play the best available players. I would select:
    Perez
    Sanchez, Welbeck
    Ozil
    Ox, Mustafi (yes Mustafi)
    Gibbs, Kos, Holding, Bellerin
    Cech

    Rico btw on previous post, I got it from Calciomercato via Team Talk: “A mutual decision between Allegri and Juventus will see the 49-year-old leave the Serie A leaders at the end of this season, the agreement was reached in January”. Apparently the reporter is a very reliable source, not “sauce”.

  16. frednerk says:

    Afternoon All

    Before any of you lot get on your high horse,
    telling us Gooners who’s to blame for the lack
    of passion our player’s seem to leave in the dressing room.

    Most of the Gooners I know have supported Arsene
    all over the world,
    Singing about his Magic Hat.
    But the Magic is long gone,Now
    I know not one Gooner who thinks Arsene should stay.

    Arsene has made it crystal clear,the two year contract
    on the table depends on How the fans feel about him.

    Stan will not sack him,what he know’s about football
    you could write on a stamp.
    Stan is going nowhere.It’s Billions not Millions.

    Anyway came across this a couple of weeks ago.

    Ralf Rangnick now with RP Leipzig manager.

    ‘At Hoffenheim, before we built our new training ground, Arsene Wenger invited me to see their new training ground in London Colney

    ‘On our way there was a road-sign: ‘Don’t stop here for autographs.’ I said to the driver: ‘Stop, drive back. I want to read that sign.’ Then I said to Arsene: ‘To whom is that sign addressed?’ He said: ‘Well, to our players.’

    ‘Oh my God! If one German club should dare to have such a road sign, they would kill us. But in England, when I spoke to Arsene about it, he said: ‘What’s so special about it? That’s normal.’

    ‘In England there is sometimes too much of a wall between the teams and the supporters. We don’t want that. Our players live in the city, they walk in the city, they go shopping in the city and everyone says: ‘Well done. Keep going, we’re behind you.’

  18. rico says:

    Long time no see Fred..

    Interesting tale there, can’t imagine the spoilt players in England mixing with Joe Public, especially not our lot. Although they do get involved with charity stuff etc….

  19. Joaquim Moreira says:

    I didn’t vote and I predict will be a very difficult game.
    Marco Silva with Olympiakos beat us last year. Moreover, if you remeber, was one of the worst (if not the worst) performance of the season. The fans criticized everyone. Did not realize that behind the defeat and the exhibition, had much study on how to play Arsenal and his players.
    I am therefore very afraid for tomorrow.

  20. Obi says:

    Rico, knowing AW he will not play Elneny on the count that he just came from AFCON….. I could be wrong, but unless you are Alexis, you get the Wenger recuperation time, lol.

    On the serious side, since OX is playing, I will opt for more defensive mind player next to him. The way Hull played Liverpool, we have to be solid defensively in the middle to win the game.

  21. rico says:

    Me too Jm.

    Ha ha Obi but he’s missed one game so shouldn’t be too tired. I think our boys at home played more than Elneny..

    Last match ban for Xhaka isn’t it?

  22. kelsey says:

    Afternoon all.

    Difficult game tomorrow.Hull have had two good results and we look allover the place and many of the players look disinterested at Chelsea.

    Rico knows me for years and I do have the odd senior contact at Arsenal. It is 99% certain that Wenger is leaving at the end of this season regardless of where we finish or even win anything.

    Archive this comment 🙂

  26. kelsey says:

    I have a closed site on FB called Friends who love Arsenal. it’s a year old and currently have 630 members of which 160 + are active nearly daily .We had a poll last week after the Chelsea gam and 80% want AW out now or at the end of the season.

    I don’t set the agenda as anyone can start a thread.

  32. ScottfromOz says:

    Morning all.
    Kelsey, let’s all hope your info is correct, for everyone’s sake.
    There is no winner if Arsene stays.

  36. Ian Ure Face says:

    Evening Land lubbers arrrrrrr and shiver me timbers me `andsomes !…………………..Gnarley is right, I do actually have a few neighbours who honestly speak like that ! hahaha

    Thanks Rico although may I just correct you that Hull won at home not at the Bindippers ! 😉

    Well if Kelsey is right and I only put Ornstein above him in the oracle stakes, then it`s going to be an exciting summer not only on the transfer market, but the manager market !…………………I have no idea who would replace Wenger as I know nothing of all the new suspects apart from my choice of Simeone and all the best one`s previously are well tied down with their respective clubs and out of them I would have Koeman and The Spuds Argy, but that aint going to happen so Simeone if possible please !.

    Interesting listening to talksport today………….Jim White was talking to the owner of my fav` NFL team the Patriots………….(was once into it many year ago when they lost to Chicago Bears and “The Fridge” !)…………..Mr Robert Kraft ….billionaire………I only caught a bit of it, he said he knew Gazidis and Kroenke and that they were fine men, also said he has no knowledge of our football, but !…..the main thing he said was (and if only he knew how the complete opposite to Kroenke he is !)…………he would only buy a sports club for it to be a winner !…………he`s not interested in having a club just to make a profit, it`s all about winning !…………………the complete opposite to Kroenke !……………………Kraft`s Patriots have won 5 Superbowls and Kroenke`s teams ……………………………………………..do I really have to tell you !

    Kroenke Out !

  38. Marinello says:

    Hi Rico and all,

    Interesting info from Kelsey. Hope it happens. The time has come for some fresh input
    from a Coach who the team will listen to. Some of the current squad may leave, but on the same note, some of the current squad may get more of a chance and more playing time from a new coach.
    Tricky one against Hull. They will be up for this one. Having seen what Watford did against us, they are a big strong team who will fight for every ball. Hope most of our team turn up to compete for the full 90 minutes.

  39. gnarleygeorge9 says:

    Just browsing through Newsnow, things are gathering pace re Arsene moving on. Simeoni has a real football head, & might be ready for a change of scenery. Could be an interesting period to come for all those Arsenal. Arsene might just have one last trick in that magic hat, with Bayern the first to be spellbound. Why not, if Arsene could go out having gone deep into the CL, it would be a fairytale ending?

  43. potter says:

    Wasn’t meant to be an advert potter but the Wenger pre and post match interviews lately have got to me

    I was joking actually . But can’t work out how to put smilies on.

  47. micko says:

    Funny you should say that Kelsey, I heard Arsene was the only one at the club who didn’t get a 2017 diary at Christmas……

  52. rico says:

    Morning Adam, we’ve had snow since yesterday afternoon but it’s not really settled. White roofs all around and white grass, but not deep.. Jolly cold out though…

  55. Wath says:

    I hope it’s piss cold and snowing may give those pampered pussies an incentive to actually run around a bit and keep warm…! Then again early kick off they will still also be half asleep like normal..!

  56. potter says:

    Wind has dropped here , thermometer is still showing zero but it seems quite mild. Glad that I am not going today as I would have had to set off about 3/4 hr ago , as it is I am drinking tea and eating toast. As for the game who knows ?

  60. Adam says:

    It is sometimes hard to get ‘up’ for a game I admit, especially when it’s as cold and unpleasant as today. Some people that sit near me come from near Birmingham so that 100 miles each way, sometimes 3 times in 8 days! Another couple are about 60 miles away and they go to every game, home and away. Now that is commitment.

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