Good morning.
Nice to see the back of the rain for a while. There’s an odd looking yellow thing in the sky in West Berkshire too. Perhaps it’s shining in celebration of the news about Harry Kane. I wouldn’t wish injury on a fellow human being but at this stage of the season, any help Arsenal can get, I’ll take. If, as being reported, that’s the season over for England’s greatest striker since the last one the media gushed over, then it’s a serious blow for Toots but a boost for Chelsea, Utd and ourselves in the chase for top four. Mind you, Son isn’t to underestimated as City found out last night.
The Europa League returns for us tomorrow and the official website has an update on the fitness of our players. Or that’s what the article heading suggests but in all honesty, it’s of no use whatsoever.
Laurent Koscielny
Bruised left foot. Being assessed ahead of Napoli (h).
Granit Xhaka
Left groin. Being assessed ahead of Napoli (h).
Hector Bellerin
Left knee. Recovering after surgery.
Rob Holding
Left knee. Recovering after surgery.
Danny Welbeck
Right ankle. Recovering after surgery.
We knew all that last weekend.
Hopefully both Xhaka and captain Koscielny will be fit enough, if not, fingers seriously crossed for next Monday as we’ll need them, especially as Sokratis two match ban kicks in then. Tomorrow though he’ll play, as should Torreira which is a big boost as we go up against Napoli. We need a convincing performance and victory because we’re so poor on the road.
Napoli have a few injuries. David Ospina for one and I bet he’s extremely disappointed not to be facing the club he’s still employed by. Central defenders Amadou Diawara and Raul Albiol miss out too through injury according to reports.
Napoli are second in Serie A but a massive twenty points behind leaders Juventus. I think we’ve only come up against them twice in the group stages of the Champions League with the results quite even. 2-0 at home, 0-2 away.
As always in a two legged tie, it’s crucial not to concede at home because if it’s honours even at the end of the two matches, away goals count.
Carlo Ancelotti is no fool when it comes to European football. Although he’s probably more accustomed to the Champions League, he won’t be taking this competition lightly, and certainly not tomorrow night match. What he doesn’t know about the game probably isn’t worth knowing and apparently, he was Arsene Wenger’s choice to replace him.
Napoli scraped through to this tie. Having thrashed Red Bull Salzburg 3-0 in Italy, perhaps complacency set in as only an away goal in the away leg spared their blushes. So it looks as if Napoli are a bit like us, great at home, dodgy on the road.
See you in the comments…
Hi Rico,
I think I missed the cut after the New Post was announced, so I have copy pasted it here, if that’s OK.
Good Morning Rico, and All,
Because we have been playing some very good football at home, and I was able to go to a couple of games, I have been very relaxed about playing Napoli up until now.
Suddenly, the sharp shock of seeing such a miserable performance at the weekend makes me wonder if we will get monstered away by Napoli. Everton are a very ‘ordinary’ team and that says a lot about our guys when they are not in the mood to play as a team, as you have said earlier Rico.
I am looking for more optimistic bloggers to bring me back my hope — altho ‘hope’ is a feeling and not a plan, so it will take Mr Emery as well as the team to do something special, too.
Thanks for the update on the injured players, Rico, and it was a good Post, thank you.
I have to concur with your sentiment regarding Kane, no one should wish injury on someone, but he is a hard character to like.
In fact, he is a clever, dare I say sly, footballer when it comes to engineering fouls in his favour. He has often put himself in the way of Arsenal players when we play the Spuds, and gets an unjustified foul awarded to him, and for instance that happened in the last Derby game when he ‘won’ a penalty.
I saw much the same thing when the swamp dwellers played Citeh. I clearly saw him look for Fernandinho (?) and make no attempt to win the ball, but made the Citeh guy run into him, and then lashed out with his elbow, after he got a slight tap on the head caused by his own cheating. No yellow cards, the ref just let it go — with a free kick to the Spuds.
Oh well, chest la vie.
Henry/RA – can you do us all a favour and stick to one name on here? I can see you chop and change names ok, but others might not realise.
Hi by the way.
G’day Rico, the injury updates on our glorious club’s website are absolutely first class, that is first class in not giving any meaningful information. I can’t really blame them for that, publishing more detailed reports would only aid our opponents.
Kane’s injury was largely self inflicted, attempting to wipe out Delph he slipped and crocked himself instead.
VAR has got to improve. Having quite rightly advised the referee to look again at the penalty shout, they then missed the two offences that should have resulted in the penalty being retaken. Just as in the one awarded to us against the Spuds, Lloris took a pace forward before the ball was kicked whilst Vertonghen took two paces into the box and so was able to clear the ball when it rebounded off the ‘keeper.
How about Henri La Rouge… 😃
I’d be more inclined to not play Koscielny as we’re going to need him at Watford.
I’m not sure what the problem with Mavropanos is, why doesn’t he even get on the bench?
A match fit Mavropanos would have been the perfect antidote to Deeney, but there ya go…
Hi Cicero, reap what you sow then re Kane…
Lol Kev, anything as long as it’s the same..
Agree re Koscielny, especially if there’s the slightest of doubt.
Yes, something funny looks to be going on with Mavropanos,we are crying out for physicality,Everton won everything in the air.He isn’t even in the Europa League squad(bizarrely) but Watford will be even more physical.
We will probably beat Napoli at home but the away leg is already giving me nightmares!
I just think Emery has opted for experience rather than risk Mavropanos. There’s a lot to lose right now although Mustafi is just as likely to lose it as Mavropanos or Medley. More so perhaps…
Afternoon Rico and the house.
Kossy , Xhaka and Joe Willock have all taken part
in full training today. It looks like all could be in the squad tomorrow..
The u18 league is going down to the wire after the spuds beat Chelsea 2-0 this morning,
The U16’s have today beaten Valenicia 2-1 to win the Liam Brady Cup.
Afew days ago while we were commenting on the change of rules for next season
I said I wonder how the so called experts would see the new hand ball rule
the arm enlargeing the body
We didn’t have long to find out for last night the ref used it and gave City a pen.
The reaction of Jennas Linnika and co told me they have no idea of the new rules.
Hi again, Rico,
Sorry about the delay in responding – had to go out.
[Just lost my previous attempt to reply – I somehow made it disappear into the aether — so in summary.]
Yes, of course, I will now write as RA again — a small problem with another blogger’s similar blog name, some years ago, was too similar so I changed mine. No problem now.
Mavro has had a long term injury, and just as he was starting to get playing again recently (Dubai) he got injured again. It seems he has almost recovered his fitness now, just in time for the end of season.
Hope all is well with you — and cannot believe HH is now more than 8 years old. Time flies. 😀
Cicero,
At the moment VAR will not be used in the Premier League until next season.
I agree that the Kane penalty against Arsenal should have been retaken, but unless the Referee or the Referee’s Assistant had seen it, and they apparently did not see Vertongen entering the penalty area before the ball was kicked, VAR was not available.
UEFA have issued some guidance on what VAR can be used for;
Three main incidents (plus one administrative) have been identified as game-changing, and where VAR can be used.
Goals (the lead up etc)
Penalty decisions
Direct Red Card incidents
Mistaken Identity.
Here is a link that explains it;
https://football-technology.fifa.com/media/1070/feature_penalty.png
Evening all from the land of the permanent sun…………………………..Cornwall !…………………………a corn is yellow and we have a wall of the stuff !……………………..these may look like emojis but they are little bits of sun I collected to share with you northern bar stewards………….. 😀
😀 😀
Our home form in the league is at a record high, but the Nipplesians are from Italy so it`s a different ball game …………………it`s not really as they play football there as well !.
So I predict a riot of a score…….11-0………………eleven different scorers including the goalie, one from every position, a sort of Karma Sutra score ! hahaha
Oh……………………and thanks Rico……….. 🙂
Monsieur Le Coq, if I may be so informal, how the devil are you?
Catching bits of Cornish sunlight and stuff is really not on!
You are the Monster that is causing all those tourist traffic jams with people leaving the peninsula in their hordes because it is too dark.
How are you keeping otherwise? 🤪
Red Arse !………………………………………doing fine, but more importantly how are you doing as I know you had some health issues from reading on AA ( I dont comment on there as I was banned for having the sheer audacity to question Big R`s qualifications as the worlds leading authority on humour hahaha )
How do you feel that your fellow American is owner of our great club ?………………………….you must have a dislike for him as he runs the Rams and you being a Giants fan…………………..hope I got that right !
GLIC,
You are correct on all counts.
I did have a bit of a brain opp last August — but all seems OK at the moment. One good thing is I luted to look like a 6′ 7″ rather fat bar steward, but I have lost about 2 stone and now I am a svelte 18 stone. 🤪
I did not know about your run in with BR, and that is a shame. I think you are funny — and your humour is not bad either!! 😂
I have lost contact with our man Terry Telescope have you any idea how he is?
I have to go and have a bite to eat, so see you tomorrow, you monster. 😜
Afternoon Rick, good news on those back training. We’ll need them..
Touch wood, good to hear you are on the mend Redders……………………………a brain op` !……………..was it a transplant to give someone else some of that mighty grey matter of yours ! 🙂
Last time I got emailed by Transplant he was moaning why I wasn`t on AA, then told him why and he then went on AA to protest, but it fell on deaf ears ! 😆
Barca are going down hill, only had 86% possession !
RA, are you the Red Arse from back in the Avenell Road days?
HI RA. Its getting like a reunion here. Much better than AA, Rico allows you to disagree!!!!!!!!
Glad your on the mend Amigo.
I tried to contact TMHT several months ago by text, but never received an answer. Sad really, as HH is a great platform. We could get the old timers back together if rico allowed.
Take care, halo mañana.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_h-v3NrDaAQ
Thanks for the link Kev. Goal number seven was a stunner.
Good morning, Rico,
Yes, I am indeed the miscreant who enjoyed your Posts and administration skills on AR – and attended the birth of your wonderful HH. Cannot belief how the years have slipped by.
Morning all.
We really ought to be beating Napoli at home, but can we do enough damage to head there in relative safety?
Let’s hope so.
8 years??
Damn!!!!
Morning Scott,RA and all.
I thought so RA. A long time passed indeed.
New post up now