Morning all.
He’s a big presence. He’s someone who doesn’t hide. He has very clear principles and values, and he puts that on the pitch every time he’s there. His commitment is excellent and he’s a really good example for the rest. But I don’t like to focus on any individual.
Mikel Arteta is clearly a fan of Granit Xhaka. He even suggested a few weeks ago that Man City were looking at him around the time Arsenal signed him but our Mr Marmite cannot seem to win Arsenal fans over. Not entirely although thank goodness the online abuse he was suffering has come to an end as well as the ridiculing from the stands. I mean post lockdown. A Lockdown which seems to have done us little good, certainly for the first two fixtures.
For Granit Xhaka, ex Bundesliga player himself, to come back from such a horrid period of his Arsenal career shows character that’s sure. Especially having been stripped of the captains armband, a decision Unai Emery had little choice over. But back him came, tail tucked between his legs, and carried on as if nothing had happened.
Xhaka isn’t the quickest of midfielders by a long way and that lets him down but none of us can help the speed our legs move. It is what it is and we make the best of it which in my opinion, Arsenal have failed to do with Xhaka. Had he played alongside a player who had pace and energy to burn in order to get up and down the pitch all day long, perhaps it’d have been easier to spot his qualities rather than his downfalls. A bit like when Kolo Touré played in defence. He wasn’t the best defender Arsenal have had in all its years but he had legs which never stopped running and he was quick. If Sol Campbell, no tortoise himself, couldn’t get to the ball, Kolo invariably did. Which is why their partnership worked so well. It’s why most successful partnerships work well.
Yes, Xhaka can be a tad hotheaded yes, he can give away silly fouls which if he was wearing any other shirt than an Arsenal one probably wouldn’t always be penalised, but when he doesn’t play, we struggle. I’m not trying to suggest he’s the answer to all our problems, far from it as our problems run deep, but unlike quite a few of our players, he always looks like he’s trying his absolute hardest. He obviously loves the club otherwise the first thing he’d have done after ‘that incident’ would have been to request a move away.
“Yeah, he’s (Xhaka) a natural leader,” Mikel Arteta told Arsenal.com.
“He’s someone who is always 1,000 per cent committed, not just for himself but to help all his teammates all the time. I’m happy that you can hear him more now!” (Empty stadiums)
There you go. Mikel Arteta said something yesterday about wanting players who are prepared to jump on the Arsenal boat, the boat he’s trying to steer in the right direction. Granit Xhaka is clearly one of them whether you or I like it or not.
Arteta as hinted towards changes for tomorrow’s lunchtime FA Cup quarter-final match against Sheffield Utd which is understandable considering the number of games we’re having to play and the weather.
Lastly, The Mirror report that ‘Guendouzi is believed to be in contact with Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain regarding the possibility of making a swift exit from North London – according to TF1, via GFFN.’ Who on earth are TF1 and GFFN?
Didn’t PSG sell him to us in the first place because of his ‘personality’?
Not sure about GFFN but I’m TTFN..
See you in the comments guys.
Good afternoon Rico, I read something earlier this morning, around 4.15am, so I may not have thoroughly taken it all in but it seemed Guendouzi had asked if the club wanted him to leave in the wake of his behaviour after the Southampton game. No hint as to the club’s wishes was given, but then came Arteta’s “boat” analogy which I may have misconstrued as “anyone could get on the boat if they wish” meaning on their bike!
I hope Guendouzi stays, we need a few committed players ready to put in 100% effort and he is certainly in that class.
Afternoon Cicero. I assumed everyone had disappeared off to the south coast. I think anything written about our players should be taken with a pinch of salt. Nobody knows what’s going on at the club. I don’t even think Raul knows…
South coast maybe Rico, certainly not the Norfolk coast today cool, cloudy, blustery and occasional showers. Actually there could be some decent surfing up at Cromer. I might just put on my Bermuda shorts, a long blonde wig, some fake tan and hit the beach. 😎 👍
Potter Heigham is rammed though Cicero . Queuing for 500 yards to get into Lathams , About 30- lycra clad cyclists outside the ice cream window and no space in Herbert Woods car park as the line for day boats stretches over the bridge. God knows what it will be like on July 4th it’s nuts now.
Really glad I stayed in for 16 weeks , with this lot descending on us probably will stretch that to 24.
Just being ironic really Cicero after the scenes over the last few days.. Grey, windy and rainy in the south too. Much nicer for the game tomorrow
Thanks Rico.
If I see more than one car every hour go past my gates then it`s like bloody Piccadilly Circus!…………………….
There are nice walks around Potter Heigham, we always finished up in The Fall Gate but when I passed it late last year it looked as though it had closed down. Shame really the fish and chips on a Friday was good quality and very reasonably priced.
I`m off to Iceland!, no, not the country, but the store to go in person and ask for a job as I`ve seen the job come up on Indeed again!. The first 3 attempts were blanked, not even my attempt at humour got noticed, a bit like here! hahaha
Trouble is I have no qualifications and it doesn`t seem to go down well with on line application forms……………….for a driving job all they need to know is I have a clean license and been driving around Cornwall delivering for 16 years!………….what GCSE`s etc` are needed for is beyond me!
My school days were littered with injury`s and illnesses mostly like I didn`t have any trousers to wear !…………………being the last in line of 5 brothers I had to wait for the “hand me downs” and my next brother up was a bastard that he wore skirts instead of trousers just to embarrass me knowing I would have to wear a skirt for school, so every time I went to school I had to put on a scottish accent and say my frilly dress was a kilt, but the other kids cottoned onto it knowing all my family spoke Cockney, even pleading that my real dad was James Bond!……..so lots of truant!….and no qualifications!……………………..however I am good at impressions and accents, so maybe I`ll walk in Icelands and try to impress with my Sean Connery accent………………or my Roger Moore posh one!……………………..wish me luck!
The Falgate changed hands a couple of years ago and went into a refurbishment period .The girl that did the cooking’s parents took it on and although she was good in the kitchen they were not so good up front. and lost a number of local customers. Shame really when it’s run right it’s a nice pub . Now of course Covid has struck and they will be struggling like everyone else ands he has tried to do Sunday lunch take outs but how successful that has been I don’t know.
L.C good luck with the interviewing I gave up on a drivers job after I retired when I had to put my age on the applications. I did once leave the box empty and got an interview . The first question on the day was why had I not filled it in . I said that I did not think it should be a factor on whether i could do the work . I never heard from them again .
Good luck, Le Coq 🙂🤞
Nice one, Rico… I wonder how many changes there will be tomorrow?! 1, maybe 2, the rest are bleedin’ injured 😂😂
Just watched Villa lose… Wolves really are playing well, what a great job Nuno has done! Villa looking like they’ll be in the championship next season (Can we please have Mings and Grealish?! 😁)
Hahaha, Cicero, didn’t have you down as a wig and fake tan kind of guy 😜
Le Coq.. I hope you’ve left your smugglers at home 😂
Smugglers in Cornwall ? I don’t beleeeve it.
Now Leeds (really like Ayling and Phillips) v Fulham… then Norwich v United… sorted! 👍
Reading lost, Rico….
Potter I used to work with an accountant who was a regular at The Fall Gate, a WW2 tail gunner flying Lancasters, he lived just round the corner from the pub. Right out of the front door, first left and down a path on the right in a bungalow called The Dell I think. Probably long since departed.
Cicero , The first turning is Grapes close named after Sidney Grapes an author and comedian who lived in the village and wrote the Aunt Agatha Norfolk folk sayings which have been immortalised first in the EDP and now on tea towels and such souvenirs which keeps Lathams as crowded as it is.. He died about 15 years before I came to the village so it may have been renamed after his death. I would offer to ask one of the real oldies but as the pub is shut I hardly ever see them.
Still it’s worth looking him up and some of his Agatha sayings are quite amusing.
Potter I don’t think there’s any point in asking about him, he would have been born in the early 1920s so would now be around the 100 mark at least, he was a Londoner and moved to P H in the late 1960s.
Almost kick-off time.
On the ball City, c’mon you Canaries!!
Thats exactly what I thought, Potter, the age discrimination!………………….that`s why I went to the store!
Got to the store and used my Roger Moore voice, but I think they were distracted by the frilly skirt! hahaha
No managers there, so nice young girl said come back on Monday @ 8am before they open @ 9am!………………..I need the manager to be either a gay man or a women over 40 to charm them !
😆
Or a James Bond fanatic, Le Coq 🤣
Never mind James Bond impersonations your best bet Le Coq would an interviewer of the gerontophile persuasion. 😉
Norwich being held to a nil nil at half time. Mike Riley will be giving Lee Mason, the ref, an earful by ZOOM, at half-time, for not favouring the Mancs anywhere near enough. The public love a giant killer but the F.A want the big clubs in the semis to boost the revenue.
C’mon The Canaries.
Cantwell 😁
Mason has obeyed his master’s order and sent off a Norwich Player. Par for the course I should say.
Sorry to malign Lee Mason, it’s John Moss who’s officiating but the outcome is unchanged.
Full time 1 – 1 extra team and penalties to central
Extra time and penaties to come.
Jammy bloody Mancs
Evening guys, thanks Sue. Shame re Reading but at least they’re safe.. I think.
Reading are on 49 points, Rico… Barnsley are bottom on 38… with 7 games to go…
Some good news though – there’s a chance Stoke (43) could go down 😁👍
Not safe just yet then Sue, fingers crossed.
Oh how I’d love to see Stoke relegated.
Fingers crossed for that too, Rico 😂
Taking off Buendia and Cantwell left Norwich with no real attack and they dropped back until the inevitable late goal.
My family will be grumpy otherwise Sue. 😂
Morning all.
Game day baby.
Best thing is I can watch it without losing a nights sleep 🙂
Todays Team
Martinez Mustafi Luiz Teirney
ANA Xhaka Willok vKolasinic
Pepe Lacazette Saaka
Dozy and Ozil NOT in squad
ANA should be AMN
So we are playing two left backs, and relying on Lacazette to do the scoring. Bellerin on the bench, Ozil sitting at home watching on the telly.
I hope Arteta knows what he’s doing.
Afternoon. Youngster Smith have more chance of changing a game than Ozil or Guendouzi?
Wondering if Matteo was another player that refused payout, that’s why pay banter throughout Brighton match?
Guendouzi absent as well.
July 4 th comes early just arrived at son’s house Wroxham absolutely packed
Afternoon all.
The easiest offside decision VAR will ever make.
Didn’t expect this starting eleven.
Well taken penalty by Pepe, but we need to be careful with all the playing out from the back we can’t afford to keep giving the ball away in midfield.
HI Rico and All bit worried first 10 minutes, we need to come out firing and scoring the first goal in the second half .
I see that Mustafi’s renaissance under Arteta has come to a sudden halt.
Going to be a long 45!! COYG
Great penalty… and as the half went on, we improved…
RVP in the studio at half time – needless to say I turned over!
How dire is Mcmanaman’s commentating??!! Urgh I can’t stand it!
Hi Geoff
Scrappy old game. The wind in Sheffield must be strong to blow so many players over..
Dear oh dear..
Oh Dani boy… 😂
He drinks Estrella, he eats paella, the boy’s ******* magic!!! 😁
One of the best things he’s done all season Sue.. lol
Nice second goal but could not wait for the final whistle, still too many back passes for my liking.
Too right, Rico 😅….. I was sweating like a good ‘un after they equalised …
Wow, 2 away wins on the spin…. and a semi final to look forward to! Happy days, Rico 😜
I understand that the team is very tired because we are the team that plays the most games after the break, at this time of the year and at these hours.
However, the lesson that comes from years ago and it is necessary to change: we are winning 1-0 and we cannot wait for anything else to happen during the rest of the game (in this case, the entire 2nd half).
Letting time run, that the opponent creates danger (and also opportunities), not having the game controlled, not attacking for the purpose of scoring goals, has led us in the past to lose many games (ex: Brighton).
I realize that we are technically superior, we have better players, that the SU plays football from “Flinstones time”, but we have to score a 2nd goal, preferably in the last 15 minutes of the 1st half.
Aint seen anything and if we were lucky who cares ………………another semi! 😉
As Gooners we get more semis in the FA Cup than most! 😉
I always giggle when they say it`s the Mens Semis day at Wimbledon! 😆
The Semis draw is tonight at 19:15!
Thinkj that is enough of trhe Semi talk! 😆
I honestly thought SU would get the winner Sue, they sure looked the more likely.
I did too, Rico….now I’m sweating thinking about the draw 🤣🤣
Seeing who`s left in the cup it`s looking like any semi will be hard! 😉
I wonder what ex-pro`s will be rummaging around the ball sack tonight ?…………………we`re ball No 1
I’m not sure they’re tired Jm, there’s just a lack of organisations and leadership at the back and in midfield imo. We need big characters in both signed during the transfer window.
I think it’s Shearer, Le Coq….
I watched the first half live then had to go out so have just watched the second half.
How we came away with a win I just don’t know.
Just as I thought we were beginning to settle into some sort of regular formation Arteta changes everything , plays a back three and his team selection looked as though it came out of tombola drum.
Back to the worst of farting about with the ball in our own half and allowing Sheffield to dominate possession and run our, so called, defenders ragged.
If this is the way Arteta wants us to play it ain’t going to work!
Today’s game was exactly the kind of display that got Emery sacked, Arteta’s honeymoon period is well and truly over. He’s had enough time to assess his squad and should be able to devise a formation that plays to their strengths not their weaknesses. Instead he’s presiding over a complete shambles.
Aww, how cute is this, Rico….
https://mobile.twitter.com/mollsafc/status/1277239600503717890
Cicero…………………….I`d bite your hands off for a shambolic FA Cup final win! 😉
Bit like when we won the FA Cup against ManU with PV4`s penalty, we were if we`re honest completely outplayed, I dont think we had a shot on target apart from the penalties!………… but sometimes it`s just as sweet when you know the opposition are even more gutted after playing so well and getting nothing! hahaha
Afternoon, Peeps – Rico, Sue, Cicero et all.
Very happy with today’s result – not able to see the game, tears in my eyes after catching up on the blog and reading Le Coq’s trouser-less memoirs and grass skirt wearing sashaying around the playground. 😁
Well hellooo, RA.. 😄 made me laugh too… now I’m imagining you in your ra-ra skirt 😜
City or the Geordies it is then….
Lovely that Ceballos replied to her tweet Sue.
City it is.
Horrible watching us play out from the back so often.
Nearly Undid us a few times!!!
Balogun is set to leave this summer??!! 😳
Scott.. Yes! A few heart in mouth moments… I have to look away 😂
Sue, I still can’t see the benefit of it.
Risk v reward-every time I watch a side do it, the rewards aren’t there.
If there’s no pressure then fine, but doing it under pressure is asking to be punished.
After 4 away games on the trot it will be great for the team to finally play in front of their own cardboard cut out fans!
Norwich are a mostly young team. but their ageing wing backs Charles Charlie Charles Potter and Jamie Jimmy James Cicero push their average age upto 104!
That Sue, is not good news at all. Really disappointed if this is 100% true.. ☹️
New post up now