Morning all.
Yesterday the Premier League released a statement which read:
The Premier League can today confirm that on Monday 25 May and Tuesday 26 May, 1,008 players and club staff were tested for COVID-19. Of these, four have tested positive from three clubs.
Four positive tests doesn’t sound many I know but it’s four too many. We don’t know whether those carrying the Coronavirus are from the same club or not. If they are then I guess that’s better for everyone as it’s easier to contain but imagine if it’s four people from three different clubs. I know players and staff aren’t meant to have any contact with each other, however what are the odds of two people from the same club being tested positive I wonder.
Despite this, contact training has been given the go ahead so Project Restart has taken another step further forward. As long as there isn’t a spike in the number of positive tests over the next few weeks, English football should return next month. However, there are further talks taking place later today which relate to ‘other aspects of Project Restart will be discussed, including the league’s contingency plans on relegation, the issue of the use of points-per-game, and the award of the Premier League title, if the season has to be curtailed.’ – Sky Sports.
Sky Sports have also clarified the situation with David Luiz. He’s out of contract this summer according to them although TransferMarket records his contract as expiring next summer. The Sky Sports article goes on to suggest that he wants to stay. If he is out of contract this summer, perhaps he’ll agree to take a pay cut because a 33 year old on his salary is something the club could do without, but his experience is invaluable. I had to laugh though when I read this little gem within the same article:
He (Luiz) has benefitted from Arteta’s appointment; despite having seven central defenders to choose from, the Spaniard has picked Luiz for 14 of the 15 games he’s managed to date.
Seven central defenders? There’s only six in the squad, not counting Mavropanos who is on loan. Chambers has been injured and Mari only joined in January so I think Sky Sports are exaggerating ever so slightly. I bet Mikel Arteta would love to have had seven fit and able central defenders to choose from.
It’s been a strange season for football in general but certainly for Arsenal. Before it’d even kicked off, Kolasinac, Ozil and their wives were subjected to a nasty and violent attack. One which kept them from the game for a few weeks afterwards. The final few months of last season had been awful so it was no surprise when the first few months of this campaign were all about Unai Emery and when the board would finally pull the plug on his time as head coach. Win, lose or draw, it mattered not really because on the pitch, things were a muddle. The players looked as disinterested in playing as fans did watching. There was the social media battering of both Mustafi and Xhaka with the latter eventually breaking. There were stories in the media of unhappiness within the camp. Some players wanted to leave, others were reportedly taking the micky out of Emery’s broken English. The ‘good ebening’ was in full swing.
The axe finally fell on a day late in November and after a brief spell of watching Freddie fill the gap, Mikel Arteta arrived. With a bang it has to be said. The results might not have changed overnight but it soon became clear that the players attitudes had. There was a spring in their step and a smile on their faces. Yep, even Granit Xhaka. A new beginning.
This season should have been done and dusted by now, the players either heading off to the Euros or a sandy beach somewhere. We fans should be wondering, waiting to see who the club would bring in during the transfer window. I suppose we are in any case but before then, this season has a long way to go before it’s over. A minimum of ten fixtures for the Arsenal.
Ten more fixtures for Mikel Arteta to move Arsenal forward just a bit more than he’s done already, to make a final assessment on who/what he has and who/what he needs this summer. I’m sure by now he pretty much knows that already but you never know, anything can change in a flash.
This year has certainly proved that…
’til tomorrow. Stay safe guys and stay healthy.
Morning Rico and all
Hope your all good rico.
Not much about other than the usual merry-go-round of all the players we want? About a dozen centrehalfs linked to us so far.
When you write down the names of our c/backs we have a few ..don’t we.
Maybe its me but of all names linked and all the ones we have..
In my opinion not one could lead a Brussel-sprout group..Dip Dip Dop Dop
The only one at the moment who seems to have any idea of what I would call..Verbal Diarrhoea
Is Long haired Dave and he could’nt fight his way out of a paperbag.
Good morning Rico, it seems that the restart is to be 19th or 20th June. Sky have advised some customers that their suspended Sports subscription will recommence on 20th June.
Matches that are not already scheduled for live TV coverage, by Sky or BT, may well go out free to air on the BBC.
Nice one, Rico! The restart will be upon us before we know it. This year has flown by, and yes, even in lockdown!
It’s Laca’s Birthday today, no balloons I hope! He’s 29…..will he still be with us at the end of the window?!
Watched a clip of them all training, so nice to see Tierney back! Actually, it was nice to see all of them…
Morning rico, all.
Sue, Tierney seems to have such a great attitude and was loved up north. Two Scots I spoke to on holiday last year, one a Celtic fan, one not, had nothing but praise for him. Really hope he gets the chance and shines in these last 10 games.
Morning Fred, Sue, Cicero, Andrew and all.
All good thanks Fred, how about you?
We have centre backs in numbers, you’re right but not the seven Sky Sports write about. Lol
Having Tierney back will be great but I do get the feeling his Arsenal career could end as soon as it begun if he keeps breaking down.
I’m looking forward to this ‘festival of football’ should be some cracking games being played out regardless of no fans. CL and Europa places still to fight for for a few clubs and a relegation scrap often makes good viewing.
Morning All, thanks for the post Rico.
The present pandemic may have had an adverse effect on the future of David Luiz for sure with the club also clearly needing to reduce costs’ with wages being a major part of that?
So we have a situation perhaps where players who previously may have been thinking of moving on this summer may now put that on hold for at least 12 months?
We therefore have the scenario where Mustafi and Sokratis decide to sit tight and see out their lucrative contracts (security of course) safe in the knowledge that they’ll be in a stronger position in 12 months as free agents.
Arsenal, who need to reduce costs, cannot force either of them to leave and don’t want to give them away as that is financially dumb and therefore have no choice but to release the player they’d rather keep, as they can do that without any extra resulting costs.
Just a theory…
I can’t see things being much better this time next year though Kev, not if empty stadiums are here for the foreseeable. Plus, I doubt either player you mention would be in a position to demand a high salary, even if they are free.
Guessing of course as I’ve no idea what the future holds for the game.
All ok my end Rico
Kev..Don’t you think most of these deals are mostly HP(not sauce) deals?
All lending and renting,you can pay us in 4 years time if you want type of thing.
As a club we never seem to get it right,we let some good boys leave for zilch,
we let players go for a loan till the contract runs out,zilch again,
the others just hang around like O.A.P’s waiting for the freedom pass.
Hi Andrew.. nice to hear how highly people speak of Tierney. I agree with you about his attitude.
He looked really sharp in the clip I saw and it’s apparent he’s been working out… so yes let’s hope he gets his chance to shine!
I know Rico but it’s what we do ‘now’ that’s concentrating minds in the Emirates, cutting costs in anticipation of next season starting in empty stadiums.
I’d imagine that there’s a lot of footballers wondering if they’ll have a job in a few weeks time?
Hi Fred, lots of clubs get it wrong we just happen to focus on Arsenal.
I’d imagine that there’s a lot of Man City fans who think their club was hopeless in losing Jaydon Sancho, didn’t Chelsea have De Bruyne and Salas but let them slip away, there’s got to be many more, All the same it does make you question the competence of those running our football clubs, I mean how is it the football agents in general continue to run rings around club directors, executives and managers?
How are you Fred, I hope that you and yours are well?
True Kev. Luiz is likely to go then and possibly any other player who the club gets a good offer for, especially those on the higher wages. Kolasinac is one of them.
All good here Kev,how are you finding it on the streets.
I think the last time I spoke with you,you were moving?
I’d be surprised now Kev if top clubs would now be that foolish
with a top player,in saying that this week we were told about KJ(agent)
telling the syrup to cough up.
I moved in 2016 Fred, surely it hasn’t been that long?
I’ve not been on the streets since March, but from what I’ve read all the woke tosspots who run TfL and the Councils have come up with a myriad of mental cycle lanes, bless ‘em…
Morning all.
Rugby League started back tonight in Oz.
They had canned crowd noise to help boost the atmosphere.
After watching a Bundesliga game for a few minutes then turning it off due to how bloody dull it was, the noise on tape actually added to the atmosphere, surprisingly enough.
Not sure if the FA have plans to try it, but it’s most definitely worth a go.
Telegraph Football
@TeleFootball
· 35m
Exclusive: Premier League will restart on June 17 with Aston Villa at home to Sheffield United and Manchester City hosting Arsenal.
More here from @JBurtTelegraph
https://telegraph.co.uk/football/2020
Always good to get the tricky one out the way Kev. Lol
Chips Keswick retires from the Board…
Yeah Rico, if we get a draw at City it’ll be like winning a trophy. 😉
We will belt City 3-1 🙂
The problem with restarting the Prem on 17 June is that it’s smack dab in the middle of the cricket season😎
With the retirement of Chips Keswick only two of the old guard remain on the board. Ken Friar and Phillip Harris, or as he is known, Baron Harris of Peckham, the last of the Arsenal Aristocracy.
20 days to go!! Just imagine if we did come away with something against City 🙂 my daughter wouldn’t be very happy!
Chips retiring is good news. Isn’t it?
Ha ha Wavy.
I saw a very good suggestion on the comments section of Arseblog News, there among the mixed responses I thought that this made a lot of sense, that is the suggestion of inviting Bob Wilson onto the Board as it’s a position that carry’s no real power these days but is more ceremonial, greeting the owners of visiting clubs etc.
There’s no way that Raul will allow anyone onto the Board who could undermine his position.
Stan and Josh are there, but as they’re thousands of miles away and have no influence on day to day affairs and aren’t in a position to watch over what Raul gets up to, therefore his blocking of David O’Leary. I also doubt that he’d be happy if Arsenal Wenger was suggested as a member of the Board, but Bob Wilson wouldn’t rock any boats and he has a certain authority about him without being a threat to anyone.
Harris and Friar are also approaching an age when a care home isn’t too far away for either of them, so KSE should really be looking for candidates 20 or at least 10 years younger!
You don’t think it’ll be Josh Kroenke then Kev?
New post up now