Morning guys.
51 minutes! That, according to reports in the Daily Mail, is how long the ball was actually in play during the Arsenal v Newcastle Utd match. Just over one half of game which is daylight robbery for football fans who pay to watch, a rip off too for fans who can’t get to their clubs ground so pay for television subscription instead each month. Would I bother to subscribe to Sky Sports each month, or BT Sport if they didn’t show Arsenal fixtures? Absolutely not.
David Dein has come up with a plan which The Times has printed:
The time has come for transparency via a countdown clock so the public can actually see how much time is left. It should not be a national secret. I’m not saying the clock should be stopped every time the ball goes out of play, but certainly for those incidents which cause the greatest delays: goal celebrations, substitutions, penalties, injuries and now VAR checks.
Time wasting is infuriating but nearly every team does it, especially away from home when trying to hang on to getting something out of the game. I’m pretty sure though, if we started to see the kind of numbers we saw added onto each half which we saw in the World Cup, the amount of time wasting in the Premier League would lessen pretty quickly. I think just knowing the wasted minutes will definitely be added on to each half would stop a lot of it. It’s all very well dishing out yellow cards, but that won’t give the team trying to win a game, or snatch a draw, time on the pitch to do it. That’s one of the reasons why Mikel Arteta was angry on Tuesday night. So yes, I hope FIFA referee chiefs like Dein’s ‘Pure Time’ presentation and approve it in time for next season.
Something else which might come into play next season is a change to the domestic cups as according to an article in The Times, English football chiefs are set to hold talks over whether to scrap FA Cup replays, restricting clubs in European competitions to only fielding junior sides in the League Cup Cup and moving the Community Shield from its regular slot as the season’s curtain-raiser. Scrapping FA Cup replays makes sense although lower league clubs could potentially lose revenue but if fielding a ‘junior’ side in the League Cup becomes compulsory, what’s the point in clubs involved in European football taking part? The option to play the under 23 players is there already isn’t it so what’s the point in changing it? The only positive I can see for this idea is that it could potentially provide stronger opposition for the academy players therefore making the step up to the first team a bit easier but, I can’t see managers holding their best younger players back from going out on loan just to play in the League Cup.
In other news, Cesc Fabregas has popped back to Arsenal where he joined Jack Wilshere who was training with the under 18’s. Jack posted on social media:
Learning from the best football brain I know! As a player, I wish I had the chance to play with this guy for longer but having the chance to pick his brain about certain situations and how he thinks about the game is invaluable. Thank you @cescf4bregas.
I guess it’s only a temporary arrangement as Fabregas is still signed up with Italian club Como 1907.
Lastly, Man City defeated Chelsea last night to close the gap at the top to five points. So what, it’s not like Man City were ever going to continually drop points just to help Arsenal out. Chelsea had seven players out injured before the start, Mount, James, Fofana, Chilwell, Mendy, Kante and Broja. Sterling and Pulisic suffered injuries during the game and Aubameyang, having come off the bench, was substituted. Yet still City huffed and puffed for a win. All I’m saying is, respect City when they come to The Emirates next month, but there’s no reason to fear them.
Catch up in the comments..
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I’m still looking on the bright side, we are still 5 points clear of Man City and even better they are only 3 goals more than us.
Anything from 4th upwards would be a good season I reckon, with a big Europa Cup in the cabinet. Lol
With the FA Cup right next to it
That’s getting greedy.. lol
As per Carra’s comments City are still not playing at the level they can perform. The first half was testament to that and it the double substitution that finally led to the breakthrough. So I agree on current form we should not fear them. And they will come and play rather than park the bus. So it should be an exciting game. My biggest fear still is we don’t have any significant impact players to come on. That’s where we are short and the Arsenal hierarchy need to move and provide these players and soon!!
RIP Gianluca Vialli.. 58 years old….
Agree Mig. We’re lacking a game changer or two from the bench. Vieira and Marquinhos are still relatively unknown and in their first season. Hopefully, ESR will play against Oxford and be back to full fitness real soon.
Agent fees to capped from Monday
Agents’ fees will be capped from October under new FIFA regulations which start to come into force from Monday.
A cap on all service fees will limit agents to earning three per cent of a player’s total contracted salary when an agent is representing a player, three per cent of that salary when an agent is representing the buyer and six per cent of that salary when an agent is representing a player and a buyer.
An agent representing a player or buyer can earn up to five per cent of the contracted salary if the player’s remuneration is less than 200,000 US dollars a year.
An agent representing a selling club can earn a maximum of 10 per cent of the transfer fee. Payments to agents would be issued via the new FIFA Clearing House.
Triple representation – where an agent represents a player, buyer and seller, is outlawed in the new regulations, and so too is dual representation except where the agent represents the player and the buying club.
If the fees cap on agents is in the slightest way effective, there will be a flood of brown envelopes flapping around. HMRC will have to open a complete new department to hunt down the greedy b******s.
The sea temperature today in Sharm el Sheikh is 23.5 degrees centigrade, I’ll be there next Friday, can’t wait to dive in. 🏊
Very nice too Cicero. I’ll be in not so warm Dorset the week after. 😂
https://twitter.com/charles_watts/status/1611393324207808512?s=20&t=-xhw5z4-f9MrNCi4pjOtEg
Oops…
I love Dorset Rico, my two older brothers were evacuated during the war and spent a couple of years living in Maiden Newton. We went on holiday several times to Boscombe and visited the family who took my brother’s in. Great memories.
Me too Cicero, go there every year at least once. Nice to have memories..
up before the beak again , it’s traditional as soon as we look like being succesful .
Interesting regarding the FA charges against Arsenal, but it’s ok for 5 or 6 or more Newcastle players to crowd around and badger the weak Mr Madley, I sense the FA trying to divert attention away from a clearly inadequate refereeing performance…
Arteta’s touchline antics led to criticism from swathes of the media.
In particular, former Sky anchor Keys, now of beIN Sports in Qatar, was scathing of Arteta’s behaviour.
“Seriously – when is someone going to get control of Mikel Arteta?” Keys asked on Twitter. “He’s an embarrassment. Totally out of control during games.”
The broadcaster revisited the argument hours later while discussing other matters, claiming “His pitchside behaviour is the scandal – nothing else.”
Keown critical of Keys
Former Arsenal centre-back Keown defended Arteta’s touchline behaviour and was critical of Keys in the process.
When asked on TalkSPORT if Arteta had crossed the line during Arsenal’s draw with Newcastle, Keown claimed: “It didn’t offend me.
“Who was it, Richard Keys? Is he still working Richard? I think Richard’s had a little go. What’s he having a go at?
“I think he’s just trying to create a headline because he’s on the other side of the world and no one’s really listening.
“But Arteta knows how to behave and he’s been outstanding in what he’s done this season.
“They’re a million miles from winning something because Man City find a way – that’s what you’re up against – and they’re ten years ahead in terms of what they’ve been building. Nevertheless, I think Arsenal are doing really well.”
TalkSPORT presenter Alex Crook subsequently said, “That was an audio equivalent of a two-footed Keown tackle by the way” to which Keown responded, “I hope he’s listening.”
On Arteta’s enthusiastic touchline decorum, the Gunners legend added: “I’m not going to tell him how to behave. I want a bit of passion.
“I certainly don’t think the manager is a clown. People saying that is absolutely ridiculous. He’s full of passion, he’s been quite brilliant all season.
“He’s the one, he’s the catalyst. He’s driving, he’s pushing. You can see that energy. He energises his team to go and match that enthusiasm on the touchline.
“Yes, of course, he has to keep a lid on things.”
I know which one I would back if they met down a back alley
Always did like Keown…
Good morning all, well that’s one signing that slipped past the tabloids, Dutch midfielder Victoria Pelova has joined from Ajax. A replacement for the sadly departed Jordan Nobbs.
Sad that to get hits that the headlines don’t differentiate between men’s and women’s football.
How long will it be before Fifa announce a transgender World Cup?
All about the money Potter.
Harry Kane is onegoal away from equalling the club record held by Jimmy Greaves, so be prepared to hear this guff a few times before the NLD.
How old is Joan Nobbs?
Was it formed at Arsenal?
30 Jm.
Jimmy Greaves scored his total in far less games and without the gift of so many penalties.
That may be so Cicero but you just know that Kane is going to score…
What a difference a year makes?
12 months ago Nottm Forest were beating Arsenal at the City Ground, this afternoon they’re losing 3-0 at Blackpool.
And Southampton have beaten Palace, two sides we struggled against last season..
From what I’ve read Arteta/Edu have ruled out taking part in an auction for Mudryk, they are prepared to let the player decide which club he wants too join.
If Mudryk is a non starter they will increase their efforts to sign Joao Felix.
Sensible I think. If every club did that, perhaps transfer fees would begin to reduce.
Jorge Mendes will not be happy with that news, the media styled super agent is apparently on the Chelsea payroll for the Mudryk bid.
I wonder what Dr Sogut thinks of it all…?
Morning Rico and all.
I have always felt that goals scored from penalties should not be counted for the golden boot or clubs highest goal scorer. There should be a separate trophy for the person who scores the most penalty goals.
The Daily Mail are claiming a group of top managers are going to challenge FIFA in court over new manager restrictions rules.
Hi Geoff, quiet one today.
New post up now