Morning all.
Yesterday saw some good news come out of Arsenal Football Club as Stina Blackstenius signed a new contract. Stina might be 30 years old but there’s a lot of goals left in her legs yet.
On the men’s side of the club, to be pedantic, the academy, Marli Salmon has signed a pre-contract agreement with the club that will lead to him signing professional terms when he turns 17 in August.
After signing, Marli said:
It’s a very big moment for me, for my family as well. I’m very proud. I’ve been at the academy since I was nine and I just want to give everything to the club.
I’m an Arsenal supporter, and I’ve had some great memories so far. I’m so proud to have made my debut this season, I just want to keep pushing on still, keep my levels high and try to get as much experience as I can in the first team.
Securing the future of our young players, especially someone like Salmon who at just 16 years old has already shown signs of being a cool and calm defender, is crucial. I’d imagine others in a similar position to Marli will follow suit over the next few months.
Man City face Burnley tonight and a win will see them nudge us off of top spot on goal difference. Pep Guardiola has spoken about the comments made after the incident between Haaland and Gabriel on Sunday and whether his striker could/should have gone to ground:
I would not play that game right now. I don’t have much sympathy for the referees’ world in this country so what am I going to say? I know Erling has behaved as he did. I know my experience with Nolito in the first season and I remember perfectly Rodri with Morgan Gibbs-White and Nottingham Forest. Both had three-game bans because the other player was a big artist. Erling has not done it. But this is a decision for the referees. I’m really pleased I get another yellow card [for my team].
Asked about pundits calling for Haaland to show more play-acting in those circumstances, Guardiola he added:
That’s nice! Referees still believe Jeremy Doku is a diving player, when there’s no less diving player in the planet. Every time they believe he’s diving. Now the pundits encourage to do that! Erling behaved like he is: an extraordinary player. I’m really proud what Erling has done.
Whilst I’m not at all bothered about what City or Guardiola says or does, obviously I’m glad Gabriel didn’t get sent off and glad Haaland didn’t try harder to get him sent off but the reality is, if referees weren’t so selective about what is and isn’t a foul, a player wouldn’t need to go to ground to have a chance of getting a decision. In many cases nowadays, it seems it makes little difference because what happens one day, doesn’t often happen the next.
Football London have this photo on its website.
The first action was a tug on Gabriel’s shirt by Haaland. Had the free kick been awarded, no winning goal for City. Isn’t that the rules? I know Arsenal get away with a lot of shirt pulling, pushing and shoving etc but two wrongs don’t make a right. I get it, the ref perhaps didn’t see it, but VAR would have had they bothered to do their job properly.
As said though, this kind of thing goes on every week and involving all clubs in the league but again, that doesn’t make it right or acceptable. Just because the decision went against us on Sunday, it doesn’t make it any worse than other mistakes throughout a season either.
Haaland took his chance, Arsenal failed to take theirs and that alone was the reason for Arsenal not taking at least a point from the game. Injuries aren’t an excuse either, not in my opinion and certainly not when Mikel Arteta has a squad as deep as ours is. The saying, “use it or lose it” couldn’t be more true, Arteta hasn’t really used his squad to its maximum in my opinion. Those who haven’t played much have lost their edge, those who have continually played have lost their energy at best, their playing availability at worst.
That’s why I think we’ve been off in too many games post Christmas and it’s not just this season we’ve seen it.
Catch up in the comments.
Come on You Clarets……
Morning Gooners, I always enjoy my dose of the Daily Voice.
Morning Kev, all. The man behind the scenes is rather good isn’t he… I’d be lost without him.
So it’s here , tonights the night that in all probability we vacate the top spot and the acid test is how we react..
We have two games at home in the league before they play next and we need to stretch our lead to 6 points and up the goals scored column at the same time.
Both Newcastle and Fulham have given us problems in the past but neither are in the best form at the moment and have nothing really to play for .
We have to go for the throat and take both teams to the cleaners. If we don’t we do not deserve to win the league anyway.
Could same the same in relation to previous results. Certain teams were there for the taking yet we limped through them and dropped points..
He’s a bit of a tech wizard Rico, what are all those boxes above the comment box for? I didn’t want to click on them in case I ended up on the ‘dark web’ 😀
Good morning Rico, I don’t like the new format the text is so small I can barely read it.
Morning Cicero, ok, thanks for letting me know. I’ll ask for that to be adjusted.
Come on the Clarets,too right. This is the least likely game for City to drop points but we live in hope.
I like the new font,it looks great,I was finding the previous(24 hours) one made my eyes go funny,this is really smart.
The retro picture is funny,I’ve heard of players being kicked up in the air,funny to see it actually happen.
Should have gone to Specsavers. 😂
We can hope Limey…
I saw that photo and couldn’t resist. It made me chuckle.
Spain defender Ona Batlle is close to agreeing a move to Arsenal as a free agent in the summer.
Batlle’s deal at Barcelona expires at the end of the season, and BBC Sport reported in January she had held advanced discussions with Arsenal over a pre-contract agreement.
Arsenal are increasingly confident they are set for a successful summer, with deals for Batlle and other key targets to be completed early.
The 26-year-old Spaniard has been a priority target for the Gunners, with Republic of Ireland full-back Katie McCabe set to exit.
England midfielder Georgia Stanway, 27, is also likely to join Arsenal when her Bayern Munich contract expires at the end of the season.
The new font is getting smaller all the time !
Or that’s how it appears. Definitely needs adjusting.
Looks great,needs to be a bit bigger….
I’ll get my coat.
I guess we just have to hope that Burnley take a point or three off City this evening.
Just saw some pigs fly over the Thurne , might be headed up north but I doubt it.
Hi all, wishing you the best of luck tonight, unfortunately Burnley have nothing to live for other than last minute bit of pride and that can be a strong emotion.
How are the comments looking now? Let me know what you are seeing, what needs fixing and what browser and I will take a look.
He is Kev and I’ve no idea 😝
Better Limey?
The easiest way to comment after reading the comments is tap on the little green circle bottom left which has white lines in it. This takes to straight to the comment box.
Perfect Rico,thanks.
Now I know what the little green icon at the bottom left is for, my eyes are opening all the time Rico.
Chelsea have sacked Rosenior…
Ha ha Kev.
Not much of a surprise Rico, it’s their worst run of defeats since 1912, I wonder if Iraola has been lined up as a replacement? I hope not!
I hope not too Kev. Or Utd for that matter but he’s clearly got a club lined up and I’m going for the latter. Unless Real are on the look out..
Thanks Rico.
That conveyer belt at the Bridge has cost the club a fortune (estimated 161 million to date. Rosenior may cost as much as another 34 million). In the Premier League era Chelsea were the first club to sack a manager when they dismissed Ian Porterfield in February 1993. They have fired a further 17 managers since then, including Jose Mourinho twice.
Mourinho has earned an estimate 54 million from his sackings by Chelsea, Man U and Spurs.
Spurs have sacked 14 managers in that time costing the club 66 million. Man U 6 managers 60 million, Liverpool 6 managers 51 million, City 9 managers 25 million.
Arsenal? 4 managers: George Graham, Bruce Rioch, Arsene Wenger and Unai Emery. George didn’t receive any compensation due to his misdemeanor. Arsene got a (thoroughly deserved IMO) 17 million.
Unai cost 12 million, Bruce, 200,000. He should have been given the keys to The City of London for signing DB10.
City already 1-0 up..
Chelsea’s behaviour with managers is shocking Stuart. The money they waste is a disgrace.
The aggregate score between these two clubs in the last 14 meetings and 40 minutes is…Burnley 3-52 Manchester City.
Still, it’s only 0-1 and these Burnley boys are playing for their futures.
Looks like it’s going to the wire 🙏🏻
The discussion within the Chelsea hierarchy about who to appoint as the next sacrificial goat will be somewhat convoluted as they have five, yes 5, sporting directors. The old adage that the camel was a horse designed by a committee, holds good down the Fulham Road.
Morning Gooners/Rico. I’m not going to lie, I expected City to dish out a right old spanking to Burnley yesterday evening, probably a 3 or 4 goal demolition, but in the end they only managed a narrow 1-0 win which leaves them on exactly the same goal difference as Arsenal with just more goals scored and putting them top of the league.
Morning Kev, Cicero and all.
I too thought City would severely increase their goal difference last night. Thankfully that was not the case..
Cicero, haven’t they got five players for every position too? 😜
New post up.