Morning all.
That was a very odd night of football results, good though. Portugal could only manage a draw with Hungary, Iceland scored a last minute winner against Austria and the biggest shock was Italy losing to the Republic of Ireland 1-0, which would have been a great game to use your promotional code on. .
The Portuguese and Iceland results had an impact on England as instead of having to face Ronaldo and co, they now face Iceland in the last sixteen.
Here’s a list of who plays who next:
1. Poland vs Switzerland
Saturday June 25, 2pm, Saint-Etienne
2. Wales vs Northern Ireland
Saturday June 25, 5pm, Paris
3. Croatia vs Portugal
Saturday June 25, 8pm, Lens
4. France vs Republic of Ireland
Sunday June 26, 2pm, Lyon
5. Germany vs Slovakia
Sunday June 26, 5pm, Lille
6. Hungary vs Belgium
Sunday June 26, 8pm, Toulouse
7. Italy vs Spain
Monday June 27, 5pm, Saint-Denis
8. England vs Iceland
Monday June 27, 8pm, Nice
On paper, there’s a few tasty fixtures in there. Italy v Spain, Iceland v England, Croatia (who I quite fancy to win) v Portugal, Wales v Northern Ireland and of course, the ROI will want revenge for that Thierry Henry handball. Apparently, the draw will ensure that one country who has never won a major tournament will be in the final.
The quarter finals will be:
1. Switzerland/Poland vs Croatia/Portugal
Thursday June 30, 8pm, Marseille
2. Wales/Northern Ireland vs Hungary/Belgium
Friday July 1, 8pm, Lille
3. Germany/Slovakia vs Italy/Spain
Saturday July 2, 8pm, Bordeaux
4. France/Republic of Ireland vs England/Iceland
Sunday July 3, 8pm, Saint-Denis
All the talk here in the UK today is about Brexit v Remain as the big voting day has arrived. It’s important so don’t forget to get out there and insert your X in the box you believe in. It could be close if the latest polls are to be believed so your vote counts. 11% of the UK are undecided say the polls, well make a decision and make it fast as tomorrow is too late! Shame there’s not a Wengexit at the poll stations too.
Talking of potential exits, Man Utd, well, Mourinho is reported to be interested in signing Aaron Ramsey. £50 million is the suggested price tag but even though he had a poor season, there is no way I’d even contemplate selling the Welshman to Utd if I was Arsene Wenger.
It’s odd though isn’t it, Ramsey really struggles in an Arsenal shirt but stick a Welsh shirt on his back and he plays very well which speaks volumes . Is Chris Coleman really a better manager than Arsene Wenger or does he just play Ramsey in the right position which allows him to play his natural game?
Either way, Coleman is getting it right and Wales are really benefiting and perhaps Arsenal would too if Wenger did the same. Against England and Russia, the Welshman was all over the pitch, working hard, tracking back and tackling which wasn’t the way he played too often last season. Clearly there’s a great player there still, but it seems Arsene Wenger doesn’t know how to get that greatness out of him whilst playing for Arsenal.
And Aaron Ramsey is not the only one……
Finally, Mesut Ozil is happy in the Premier League and if he had to make a choice all over again, he would. According to German newspaper Bild he’s said:
German youth players have excellent reputations, and top foreign top clubs become aware of them quickly.
If a player in the German national team asks me how it is in England, I’d reply: ‘If you have the opportunity to do it!
If I was again facing a decision whether to move abroad, I would do it like this again, 100 percent.
Mind you, he doesn’t say he’d move to Arsenal but I hope his words are a hint towards him staying put for a while yet.
Have a good day guys…
Good Morning Lovelies and Hunkies.
Today PV04 is 40. Happy Birthday.
Internet boring today……as it is every day for that matter.
It will be until the Euros and COPA America finish….
Or until Wenger gets going with his transfers…
Vardy has signed a new deal at Leicester….
Good post Rico. You raise some interesting points.
Firstly Brexit or Remain? Everybody should make enough time to go and vote today, if they haven’t already. This is, probably the most important decision any of us will make in our life time. It will determine our future and perhaps more importantly, the future of our children’s destinies! No matter which way it goes.
And Ramsey and his future. ‘Wenger the stubborn’, he WILL DO IT HIS WAY! No other way is even to be contemplated. So Ramsey plays where Wenger puts him, knowing it is not his most comfortable spot. Why? Because the old geezer still believes in the Dutch coaching manual that suggests, ‘all players should be able to play in any position on the field of play and be comfortable in his designated role. To an extent of course, this view is the right way to go, but I think as a manager you have to be cute enough and, honest enough to change things if they are clearly not working. Sadly the old chap is to stubborn and perhaps too arrogant to ever admit his fall ability after he has made his ‘decision’! As such Ramsey will not flourish in an Arsenal shirt until his role is changed to that of a number 10. The job he does so well for Wales, whilst playing him on the right of MF or even as a winger is obviously not playing to his strengths but is wasting his contribution to the team!
Time for Wenger to wake up and do the right thing and stop being so one eyed!
Couldn’t agree more Wavy. I guess this is where AW needs to be brave and bold because where would playing Ramsey in the number 10 role leave Mesut Ozil? After all, we know Wenger seldom rotates players so how does he leave out a player like Ozil?
He doesn’t, so it’s Ramsey who gets shunted around and his performance suffers… As do our results.
Can’t say I’m bothered about Vardy not gracing the red and white shirt of the Arsenal. Round peg in a square hole! I fancy that if he had signed for us he would have found himself warming y the bench far too often and like Feo, used only as a late impact sub. He’s probably taken a good decision. And after his one on one failure the other night, I closed my eyes, and guess what I could see? Walcott in disguise! So there would have been no change there, except of course Stan would have spunked £20m on the bloke. What a waste! And he’s nearly as old a Wenger!!
We still have project youth, so we’ll be OK!
There was a time when players seldom turned down Arsenal. Now we can’t even attract a player from a club which will possibly finish low down the table next summer….
Laughable really…
🙂 Wavy but you have a point…
Vardy extends contract at Leicester…….. GOOD!
Hope Mahrez and Kante fuck off now!!!
I voted by post last week before I left for Catalonia. Last night I was at a silver wedding party with people from all over Europe. They all wanted remain to win because it makes their lives easier to travel and work in Britain. None of them seemed worried about federalism in their own countries just their ability to use Britain to make money. Out of 70 plus people only the 10 British saw that as bad thing. It was a lively night and no doubt a few sore heads today but if nothing else the debate has made people think about politics again.
Vardy signs contract??? I am simply relieved and delighted
I had a feeling a few on here would be glad to hear the Vardy news..
Hope Wenger has his eye on someone else…
Perhaps he’ll try for Deeney now…. 😳
Lacazette, Batshuayi, Icardi, Morata, Aubameyang, Benzema, Lukaku…….. get your finger out Arsene!
And the money. Start bleedin spending it!
Chelsea are in talks with Morata according to Sky…
Kev’s signing Moretti….
Dead on here so I’m off to walk the hound….
Icardi and Dybala for me.. but with their serie A background, they are likely to flop…
Lique 1 imports like Batshuayi and Tolisso will be decent additions.
Good morning Rico and all…
I don’t think Wenger will sign a striker at all. Vardy was his token gesture. If he’d signed that would be OK, but if he didn’t that would be Arsene’s get out of the market card. “We tried hard to sign a top, top player but he chose to stay where he was. There was no one else of suitable quality at an affordable price!”
I rest my quill!
Good Afternoon to The Lady of the House and all fellow Gooners in residence.
I can’t say I’m fussed one way or another about Vardy. I wasn’t convinced that his game would fit with the Arsenal style.
I can’t say I’m fussed about Morata either. He may be the next great world striker, but at the prices being touted by the press he will be a great risk that may or may not pay off. If he does, he is another player that will be added to the list of those Arsene/Arsenal ‘nearly’ signed.
With little action in the current transfer market because of the ongoing Euros and Copa America; I think most of the current transfer stories are dreams, fantasy or outright lies. The transfer window hasn’t even opened yet and the list of players, as usual, continues to grow. I’m not going to get to excited until we do sign someone or August rolls around and we’re still waiting for the second coming.
As for other striker targets, Lukaku interests me. If Chelski do sign Morata, that should see them drop out of competition for Lukaku.
Hi Ts.
I do Wavy but I don’t think it’ll be anyone on Lee’s list above… Annoyingly!
Afternoon Cg. I wasn’t fussed either way either really but I just thought if that’s the best Wenger can get, then ok but we should be looking for someone younger imo…I’d love Lukaku…
With Costa expected to return to At Madrid, Chelsea will probably go for two strikers…
Video: Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez too strong for James Rodriguez in Chile win over Colombia
http://metro.co.uk/2016/06/23/video-arsenals-alexis-sanchez-too-strong-for-james-rodriguez-in-chile-win-over-colombia-5961647/#ixzz4CPB16zww
Sanchez brushes of Rodriguez like he was lint on his sleeve.
Good post Rico but as I’m not from Britain I don’t really give a rats arse if you stay or leave 😛
Re Aaron Ramsey this has been done to death in my opinion. He will never excel at Arsenal while the old git is still pretending as a football manager there. Apart from that he should never be the first choice #10, there are much better players around better than he is and for a club of Arsenal stature he would be an average player in that position. If a real manager was at the helm and united offered 50m for Ramsey I would bite their hand off, but we know wonga would only put the money in the bank and buy a third class replacement or transform a youth team goalkeeper into a make shift replacement 😛
Re England V Iceland I’m gonna take a position that will differ from most posters here I believe. England has far better individuals in every position……..but Iceland has a better team! How? Well a team consists of so much more than the individual players, like how they fit together, how well they know each other, how well drilled they are in teamwork, how well the management staff readies the players for a game, how well the tactics fit the group and how the group carries them out. To be honest from what I have seen from both teams Iceland is ahead of England in many of those areas imo at the moment.
And England has always been physically strong, well the Icelanders are stronger so there goes that.
All that said England should win this comfortably…..but I have my doubts and remember the Icelanders have absolutely nothing to loose where as the English have. Can you imagine what the reaction will be if they loose to the minnows? If their mental approach is not spot on before the game they may well play with fear and the opposition are already national heroes at home so they will have none.
Re Vardy…. Yea I’m not bothered unless there is no plan B which is quite possible considering who is the manager :/ I would Like to see Morata at the club or even Lukaku but tbh I don’t believe either is worth the money the press is saying they will cost. Hugian though I would love to see there, proven goalscorer and in the Arsenal system he would excel I think.
Rico – I like Lukaku, he has many of the best qualities of Giroud, but has the speed and dribbling skills to penetrate the opposition back line. He is a known and proven quantity in the BPL and should be a lot cheaper and much less of risk than Morata. Only time will tell who is the better player, but I think Lulalu would deliver more initially and sooner than Morata.
A lot will depend on their actual prices as opposed to the press speculations. I don’t think Real will get 50 million for him unless their is some real competition for his signature. He may be doing well at the Euros, but his league goal return hasn’t been very good, far less spectacular.
Ahoy there matey’s…
Or is it maties?
Or maighties?
Adam…. Help….
Afternoon All
Afternoon Rico, good post…
Well I’m in the minority, and I don’t care.. ✌?️
I wanted Vardy and I find it quite embarrising that Arsenal cannot attract a player from Leicester…
What does that say about Arsenal???
And
What does it say about Arsene Wenger???
🙂 TT. I do, and Wengexit…. lol
You’re not alone re England, I have a feeling Iceland will cause an upset…
What qualities does Ollie have Cg? 😉
Afternoon Kev. Once Vardy started messing us around, Arsenal should have told him to stuff it….
Rico, Rico – Olivier is a good striker, but not the great striker many are looking for. He is good at holding up the ball, linking up play and heading the ball. He has consistently scored more goals than the likes of Morata, who many Arsenal fans seem to crave.
Kev – I think the whole Vardy saga was more about him getting a new and improved contract at Leicester than a transfer. The longer the saga went on the more likely it was that his club would improve their offer of a new contract. There is nothing focuses the minds of management than the prospect of losing their star player.
I think the whole situation says more about Vardy and his agent than it does about Arsene and Arsenal.
CG, you might be right, all the same its humiliating…
The fact Rico, that Arsenal didn’t pull the plug on the deal, when they suspected they were being used, that’s ‘if’ they were in fact being used by Vardy’s agent, is also worrying and smacks of desperation…
We ain’t getting Aubangayang or whatever his name is, we ain’t getting Morata or Benzema or any top striker because our club won’t pay top dollar….
So we have for next season, what we finished with last season. If folks out there don’t think that Vardy is an improvement on that, then fine…
Roll on Sanogo at centre-forward another another season of Walcott and another season of a static attack.
COYG ?
Hello All:
Vardy is not a bad player as people are making it out to be, I would say he probably works harder than 90% of the players on our team. Football is a Team games as TT just said and as Devil always says. Who here would disagree that Vardy could have gotten us a minimum of 12-15 goals, in addition to Giroud’s 16-18 thats good production from that position, more than we are getting now, especially in CL. A lot of us here sound like AW, let’s be flexible. Now let’s see what AW will get.
I meant to include a smiley Cg… I agree, he’s good, but he’s not great…
That’s what cheeses me off more Kev, and now it’s all about Vardy snubbing Arsenal which tbh, he probably knew he was going to do all along but it’s not a snub really, it was no doubt all about him getting a new deal where he was. Walcott’s agent is another to strike off the list….
Kev – Vardy is a good player. I just don’t think he would integrate into or adjust quickly to Arsenal’s style of play and it is highly unlikely that Arsene is going to change all that to suit one player (i.e. Vardy).
Morata isn’t a top striker – yet. He could turn out to be a diamond in the rough or a pig in the poke. Either way, it will be at least a full season before we’d find out.
For the prices being quoted for Morata, I think the money would be better spent elsewhere. I’d rather add the difference and go after someone like Higuain. However, I think it more likely that we’ll go after a player like Lukaku who could deliver from the start of the new season as he wouldn’t need time to adjust to a new league. Failing that, we’ll probably go for Janssen from AZ.
I sense that one of your more pessimistic alter-egos is emerging like last summer.
Rico – The smiley face would have made all the difference.
It is just that in the past many Arsenal fans/supporters, here and elsewhere, have bemoaned Arsene buying potential. Yet, many of them are now wanting him to sign Morata, who’s league record adjusted for playing time, starts etc. is poorer than what we already have. He is unlikely to give us the goals we need right away. Go figure.
Here we all have agreed that Vardy is a good player.
However, the questions that we were asking of him were of a different nature. How would he have fitted in with our style??? Would AW have changed the style to fit him in?? Was he the answer to beating teams which park the bus?? Would Vardy have played centrally, off Ollie or on the right???
The answers to these questions are dubious and somewhat bordering on the negative. So it was more of a case of many of us not wanting him to come. Personally I am relieved that he stayed there.
And let’s be honest….Vardy himself reasoned these things out as well. Whether AW was on our level is another matter.
Personally, instead of spending 50mill on Morata or 20 mill on Vardy I would prefer to spend 40-50mill on Lukaku
Rico, there’s always Kalou…
I realise Cg… lol
That’s why Vardy might have been good for us though, team player as others have said, PL ready and proved and we know what we would be getting. The same for Lukaku who would be ideal as again, we know what we are getting but he’ll be far too expensive for dear Arsene.
I see Southampton’s Mane is being linked to us now…
Why not just go for Lacazette, after all, if he’s good enough for Bilic, he’s good enough for us surely….
Gawd help us Kev… 😉
Ramsey for 50m, I don’t care am selling him -United, Chelsea, Spurs. It doesn’t matter where you play him, the guy is so indiscipline is troubling. Even playing for Wales he’s all over the place. He’s the 10, but 1 minute he’s on the wing, the next he’s DM, and you know it’s not a tactical change because it lasts for 10 seconds, exposing the entire team. I have watched all the Wales games Rico, he hasn’t been that great because the competition has been pedestrian. His positional awareness is non-existence, and always dribbles into trouble just like at Arsenal.
CG/Coach I think you both underestimate how technical Vardy is and how intelligent on the field he is, forget the Euros, nobody is pulling up trees in that park the bus fest.
He scores goals, all kind of goals from all over the pitch and he isn’t a flat track bully he scores against top sides.
Next season, fitness permitting, he will out score all the strikers we currently have at Arsenal…
Not worth a risk at £20m…?
Well I think he was…
So are we saying that no team parked the bus against LC this season? They did.
Wenger must know he needs the fans onside now, because last season’s turnout isn’t one we want to see repeated. If the club show ambition by upping the quality of the squad then fair enough.
I don’t see that comparing players at different clubs, in a different country in another league, possibly playing in a different position, alongside other players under a different manager has anything but purely academic relevance myself.
I like to watch a player’s all round game and personality on the pitch myself.
Rico – Lacazette and some of the other strikers in Ligue Un might work out, but we need cover and competition as of the beginning of the season. Even Ozil, a world class player, needed time to adjust. So, if it isn’t going to be a top class striker like Aubameyang, Higuain or Lewandowski, we should go for someone with a proven record in the BPL.
Kev – You could well be right. Right now it’s all a matter of opinion.
I’ve made a copy of your 3:33 PM comments. Come the end of next season we’ll pull them out and see if you were right. However, as Adam alludes to, Vardy’s performance will be dependent on the team he is playing with. His goal tally may slip if Leicester lose Kante and Mahrez.
Anyway, dawn has come & gone and I haven’t been to bed yet. So, a Good Day to you all.
CG, you are welcome to copy what I say, but don’t you worry mate, I will be reminding you every time Vardy scores… ?
Madness everywhere..
Shooting in Germany
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36610068
the attacker has been killed
The F.A have just released this statement… “England players will not be voting in today’s referendum, as they would struggle to find the box let alone put a cross in!”
Pre season;
RC Lens vs Arsenal
22nd July
Ha ha Lee. So true……so sad!?
🙂 Lee, that’s funny…
Anyone at Lens we could sign Kev….
Evening guys…
Rico, didn’t we sign Reine-Adelaide and Fortune from Lens ?
Maybe this friendly was part of the deal…?
Blimey we’ve had some rain in London today…
I don’t know Kev…
More rain and storms coming in….
Kev, did you see Nick Compton is taking a break from cricket? Could do him the world of good…
I didn’t know that about Compton, but his confidence is shot to bits Rico, so yeah, I make you right…
Woakes and Ballance looked good in the one-dayer
Age is against him though Kev…
I’m off guys. Night Kev and all..
Evening all and good night Rico ! 😀
Just back from the polling centre at the local church and within a few feet of showing my card to register I went into the wrong booth and somehow ended up taking a confessional from local bored housewife !……………..”Bless me father for I have sinned !”……………..carry on my child I said !……………”My husband is a boring deluded Tottenham supporter and I have been having sex with his boss who is an Arsenal supporter !…………………go on go on I said !………………….” I think I`m falling in love with his boss as he is a happy person with a nice tan, whereas my husband is a miserable bastard with a lacking in vitamin D pale face !”……………………tell me more I said !……………..” more of the sex, Father ?”…………………………….No my child, more of pain of your totnumb supporting suffering bastard husband I said, whilst wacking my groin with rosemary beads to control my arousal !.
Anyway back to Earth………….Darth Vardy has gone up in my estimation !……………..shame some of our ex-players like Fabregas, Na$ri, Van Judas etc` didn`t show as much loyalty !.
Morning Rico and the house
I wonder how the brexit vote will effect football?
I
Transfers using Euros just got more expensive….
Morning all..
The sunshine is back… 🙂
I do try my best Rico 😉
Morning Mg & Lee..
Perfect excuse for Wenger…..
🙂 Lee…
Cameron resigns…
That was always on the cards if Brexit won.
Next out will be his little buddy no doubt…
Morning all,
I was wondering, why does the FA have to change the rules because of Brexit?
Wouldn’t it depend on Visa’s and work permits only?
Good Morning Brexits.
You are still my lovelies and hunkies don’t worry.
Holland and France will be the next countries to do a referendum it seems.
In what ways will it effect British teams???
The clubs will go back to same rules as they were before. Players from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and NI can play in any club. However players from the EU will be foreigners. Players like Bellerin, Iwobi and Gnabry will all be considered home grown seeing they came before their 18th birthday. However players like Cech, Merts, Kos, NAcho, Cazorla, etc will all be foreigners. Obviously their contracts have to be respected.
This will also mean that AW will not get rid of Theo, Ox, Gibbs etc. Simply because now they are worth their weight in Gold.
England will have its own set of laws….independent of the EU.
BDW…..France and Holland are getting ready to call for a referendum as well.
The issues of Turkey has put people off the EU. The issues of Greece as well. And with Merkel and Malmstroem poking their noses up every country’s shit creek has seriously pissed off many people. And believe me…..this is just the beginning of the end for EU as it is now. If France and Holland opt out…..expect these three to join up with the Swiss and Norway and form a new union.
Ok, so currently what is the limit on foreign players?
Scandinavia too .Both Sweden and Denmark agitating as well. It’s a game of poker now but who has the cards.
Looks like the Uk will kick off the breakup of the EU..
Chelsea are rumoured to have made a €50m bid to sign Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata.
West Ham have made a €35m bid for Marseille striker Michy Batshuayi, according to Sky sources.
this explains a bit of what might happen now.
http://arseblog.com/2016/06/sorry-hector-cant-come-around-no/
Morning Rico and all.
Seems we live in interesting times.
Morning Adam. We do, the path ahead will be very interesting indeed, especially now David Cameron has resigned….
The new post is up now..
very interesting times Adam. it seems that the face of political Europe is beginning to change. Imo even the geographical face will change with it……North Italy, the Alleanza Nord the land of my fathers, might consider breaking away from the rest of Italy. So we might see countries changing borders as well.