I’m out in Oregon at the moment, without doubt, one of the most spectacular places in America. Highly recommended if you like being outdoors.
When I was out and about today, I had a realisation… I really have no tension point to riff off at the the moment when it comes to Arsenal. I’ve had ten years of being able to smash out content about how I’ve felt wronged by Arsenal, within 6 months, we’ve gone from 1800 word thought pieces on the demise of Arsenal, to having literally nothing to complain about at all bar an unsigned Rambo contract.
Not that this isn’t a good thing, it just feels really odd to come to the internet every morning and feel excited about something new that we’ve not seen before. The club is no doubt in full propaganda mode, but it’s the good kind of propaganda. This must be how the base feel when they throw on a bit of Sean Hannity… or how my dad felt when David Beckham got caught with his pants down.
Carcedo screaming at a player for playing a Mesut Ozil pass when he’s not Mesut Ozil. Absolute classic banter from someone who has spent 2 months on the language.
Watching the coach teach one vs one defending, then showing the players how that works tactically.
Seeing Petr Cech moving the ball short as the defence and midfield practice moving the ball out the back.
Just being able to see the training sessions feels so interesting. Apparently, Emery was the same when he was at PSG. He seems to be a very open manager. I can’t wait to hear him talk about his plans for the team when he’s a few months into the job.
I like that he’s been pretty blunt about Jack Wilshere not fitting into his plans.
‘It was a tactical, technical decision,”
“The conversation with Wilshere was a very good conversation. I explained to him my opinion and how I will want to create the team and not sure [I could] say to him he’s going to play in the XI.’
“I know this player is very important for the supporters, he grew up here with Arsenal. But I don’t give for him one post in the starting XI. It’s for that he chose to leave here and I respect this.”
I think Arsenal fans have lost their head over his departure and his omission from the England squad. The semi-final didn’t need him. This is a guy who has offered up nothing but average over the last 5 years for us and Bournemouth. Emery is right, he’s seeing the move through cold eyes and he’s made the right decision.
You kind of feel some sections of the press have a draft article titled…
‘What Arsenal miss is the FIGHT of Jack Wilshere’
… ready to roll when we get buried twice in the opening two games of the season. Seems weird that anyone is still asking questions about a bit part player from last season. If he were good enough for us, he’d have moved somewhere more interesting than West Ham.
Some things never change though, regardless of who the manager is. This is Emery on the next captain.
“My first idea is to have five captains in the team,”
“But at the moment, I don’t know the names. I need to know more and also, firstly, Koscielny is the first captain now and for me, I have respect for that.
“Then, we are looking at, looking for, who are the players whose personality is the best in the dressing room. We want to keep the respect for these players and to find the captain and choose very well the best player for that.”
Sooooo, the captain is a guy who won’t start the season. Been here before, amirite? Remember Wenger in 2008?
‘I don’t believe too much in leadership,’
‘I believe more in good passing than a guy who jumps around with the hands in the air and plays the leader.’
I can’t see past Ramsey myself. He’d also suit the mixer, always injured, a contract rebel, you know the deal!
Final piece goes to Mesut, who the manager has a plan for.
“We are here to help every player,” Emery said. “For us Mesut is a very important player. We want to help to be well, fine with us.
“Last year was a difficult year for all the team, not only for Mesut,”
“They finished sixth in the Premier League – not the position we want.
“Now it’s a new way. With all the players I want to give them confidence, to give them a chance every day in their work. With quality work it is very easy to arrive at the performance, individual and collective. Mesut is on holiday and I want him to be tranquil and calm.
“We want the international players to come back quickly and start practising hard with us. But it is also important for them to have holidays because the season is very, very hard and very, very long. They need holidays to come full of energy for the start and to give us this quality and this energy in the team.”
Hopefully, this time around, we’ll land all our international players back for the first game of the season, something Chelsea and City won’t be able to do.
Arsenal have also tried to quell my chat about language issues.
“For me and for my staff also, it’s very important, the communication with all of the club,”
“With Ivan, with Raul, with Sven, with the people who are working here and then with the players. The message is very quickly [to learn] and make ourselves very clear to help the relationship together and to communicate individually.
“Am I getting better? I think so, yes!”
I’m fascinated to see if all these double sessions the team are doing will impact the team. We absolutely need to do them, because our players have a tactical IQ of a degenirate cave child and they need a lot of help to embrace the new ideas. The question is whether that impacts the injuries of the players. How will their bodies take the load? How good is the new fitness coach Darren Burgess reports into? Can those two work out a method that gives the coach what he wants without inflicting a 2010 like December collapse in energy?
We shall see… plenty to look forward to.
See you in the comment x
Want to look at it again but looked like contact on Greizman in the slow replay here
Great game though for us neutrals
Penalty
Def pen. But what about Pogba offside for the first. Ridiculous
France gonna win this on such flukes
That hand position wasn’t natural, except for volley ball.
Ball to hand, no penalty
Nah not a pen don’t think that was deliberate.
I want Croatia not the French cry babies to win.
Fucking ridiculous
Pen given
This is outrageous
no fcking way
This idiot referee ruins the game yet again.
Was a pen and I hate the French
How can anyone even argue that’s not e penalty in the age of VAR
It doesn’t mean France will score though.
his hands are in a natural jumping position….he doesn’t even see the ball
It didn’t look deliberate and he wasn’t gaining any great advantage but this is what happens when fans scream for penalties every couple of minutes
Disgraceful, two flukes for the French
Well if that’s something a pen should be given for we’re going to see 3 – 4 pens per match next season.
That was a pen though
Should’ve never been a penalty. Two France goals that shouldn’t have stood. Pathetic.
I absolutely hate the Greizman goal celebration. I wish someone threw a flare at it when he does it [just joking ]
Stupid big headed ref
His hand was in the most unatural Position silly mistake from perisic
Hand does move towards the ball even if unintentionally so can only really give a penalty
Terrible decision to give a penalty. Its the final for fucks sake.
Was handball. Griezmann scores
Giroud does his outstanding celebration.
With all the technology if horrendous mistakes are made in a game as big as world cup final then it’s shameful. Croats should have been up 1-0 instead they are behind.
VAR is a farce if it’s in the hands of idiots. First France goal should have been disallowed by VAR if it was used for their second. Don’t hate the technology, but don’t want it if this is the way they are going to use it. Didn’t have the balls to upset the French and deny the first goal. Bullshit.
Need to see that again but a booking?
Ball dropping hand also descending after th jump. Harsh.
One of Lovren or Vida are in danger of getting a red. Match becoming a standard Barclays PL end to end contest.
Ishola
Of course Perisic gained an advantage
The ball was being headed goal wards and his hand deflected it.
TonyD
“Hand does move towards the ball even if unintentionally so can only really give a penalty”
You do realise that your statement doesn’t make sense under the laws of football.
Game is far from over yet at 2-1.
Croatia have been on it since the first whistle.
I’d be furious and want to break some French legs, that’s why I’m not a pro :0/
100% pen. perisic knew what he was doing. how Did he think, he would get away with that ? sometimes footballers don’t use their brain..
Shocking yellow on Lucas Hernandez.
He’s another candidate for a red card vs Rebic/Perisic down his side
Not a pen, Ref’s a joke!! how did he get to officiate this match?
Like I said, the ref is struggling.
He let the Croats do too much drama in the box before Greizman took the penalty .
There should have been a yellow card there.
That touched Giroud’s arm in no more natural a position than persic’s. but they don’t look At it
Dissenter
Agree once the pen was given the ref did not control the players. Still don’t think it was a pen though.
vic
wait till half time and you’ll hear all the pundits say it was a pen. if not ask your mate Pierre to ask the boreham manager cause he’s a football person…
It seems the distinction between intentional and non-intentional handball has disappeared from football.
VAR is there to scrutinise handballs fullstop.
More than enough non-intentional handballs will be given.
Lap it up.
France need a different way from Giroud in this game.
Long ball from Loris to Mbappe is all that France have been doing.
Was a pen perisic had no business having his hand there.
Fuck the frogs though Croatia saying much better football
Wasn’t a pen imo..
You take some you loose some..
Allez Les bleus!
that perisic goal was very very good though.. im enjoying the final, as a neutral it’s been fun…
gonsterous
Will be interesting to see if there’s difference of opinion between BBC and ITV pundits.
Stop attacking technology and the referees.
The blame lies solely with the governing bodies, FIFA and UEFA. The rules they have drafted are lacking in clarity and precision. Whenever you leave room for multiple interpretations, inconsistencies creep in.
That was a terrible terrible decision.
What a joke.
@ gonsterous
What game are you watching?
Great credit to Croatia so far.
They have been good straight from the first whistle.
Making a right go of this.
gonsterous
So far the BBC pundits are no pen.
I don’t understand the anti-France opinions here, besides cheering forth underdog.
Greizmasn dived, same as any bother player will do to win an advantage.
Manzukic does it all the time. He embellishes every contact.
Other than Josip [Croat] and Karim [French], everyone else isn neutral [as fas as I know].
Rambo
Spot on the law currently says it has to be deliberate, doesn’t matter if there’s technology or not once it comes down to interpretation your all over the place.
The referee is not only shite, so are the VAR team.
How was Drogba offside for the first goal?
Someone please educate me
gonsterous
seems to me your are the clueless one here.. all the pundits Fromm BBC to ITV agreed it’s not a pen
Winning this World Cup with an own goal and a soft penalty would ruin everything fun and excitement this tournament has delivered.
‘Greizmasn dived, same as any bother player will do to win an advantage.’
I see you often make this point. I hope you realize it’s cheating. Bigger issue though is fool referees falling for it.
Drogba?
London gunner
“Was a pen perisic had no business having his hand there.”
Again are players meant to have their arms stuck to their side?
He was putting his arm down and the ball was travelling at high speed at him. Others have been criticised for raising their arms.
The question that should be asked in this instance is was the player purposely intent on handling/arming that football rifled at him? If you cannot answer 100% that his sole intention was to handle/arm that football then the benefit of the doubt should always be given to the player accused.
Intentional vs unintentional?
No one can judge the motive of the act so it’s always been subjective.
The VAR team didn’t make the call fee the penalty, the referee went to review it for himself.
Lineker’s just read out the laws – if that went to a court of law no way would a pen be given. Ref was indecisive and then convinced himself.
Sickener if France go on to win this 2-1.
Croatia by far the better team.
Amazing how some say it was clearly a penalty.
Absolutely amazing.
Dissenter
French people are arrogant and snobby (even my French mate admits this)
Historically English and French have a shared hatred.
Also its good to route for the underdog who are playing far more impressive entertaining football this match and throughout the tournament.
Plus its more interesting to see a new world Cup holder
Handball
Shearer and co talking absolute nonsense
TR7
So you think Perisic or Rebic wont have done the same thing in a World Cup final; winner-takes-all game?
Stop being so sanctimonious and emotional.
WE
Best thing that could happen now is a repeat at the other end.
He didn’t deliberate handball
The ball was headed onto his hand/arm from close range…no way he could avoid it
His arms was in a natural position
Still he calls a pen?
Dissenter
“The VAR team didn’t make the call fee the penalty, the referee went to review it for himself.”
The game was only stopped and the handball reviewed because of the presence of VAR.
The ref was going to get on with the match and not make a call on it until the French players protested to him.
No VAR presence no penalty would have been given.
The Ref’s a joke!!!.. you don’t give a pen for so tight a decision in a FINAL of the world cup
he shouldn’t be officiating this match
let’s just hope Croatia have it in them to peg the French back
wouldn’t be surprised if this incompetent ref overruled VAR
Honestly Croatia don’t deserve to be behind
Football blog?
Sorry guys, read up on the rules and then look at the incident again.
Howard Webb against VAR being used for handball.
Ishola
“No VAR presence no penalty would have been given.”
Should blame the tech for human error.
Wenger eagle
“Croatia by far the better team”
Yes
But the better team doesn’t alway win football games If not we should return the 2005 FA cup final to United.
I have been a big votary of VAR but it’s killing football. Goals from open play has dried up, penalties and set pieces the go to route.
Never a pen, and people not against France just the cheating, especially when it’s a smug cunt like Greizmann
He deliberately put his hand in a position he knew or thought the ball might hit him.
France still lacking the mental fortitude to see this through.
They’ve played the whole tournament with one man down. I don’t know if the coach is trying to fit in as many whites as he possibly can. Pavard shouldn’t be starting, Audible should.
I almost hope France get another controversial goal. Just to piss off all the whinging cvnts on here.
I have been a big votary of VAR but it’s killing football. Goals from open play has dried up, penalties and set pieces the go to route.
Well summated mate
Novak won.
Cheated again when Anderson had two set points in the 3rd.
Umpire also bottled it.
VAR is saving football.
Is it always accurate?
NO.
It reduces errors and is still in it’s infancy.
It’s only idealistic perfectionists that think VAR was created to be 100% accurate.
Premier league is going to look so dated next season without VAR when every other major league would have it already.
Dissenter
There’s a huge difference between being the better team and losing to a mistake or piece of brilliance and being cheated of the victory because of useless fucking refs.
Surely any 50/50 decision in the second half will go Croatia’s way?
They should appeal for everything
I still think Croatia win the game though.
They have been the better team by a mile.
I almost hope France get another controversial goal. Just to piss off all the whinging cvnts on here.
Why do you always find joy in anything controversial? mind boggling
I don’t why people are being deliberately obtuse. He moved his hand in the direction of the flight of the ball. Penalty!
Rambo
Why so obnoxious?
It’s called banter.
I almost hope France get another controversial goal. Just to piss off all the whinging cvnts on here.
lmao.. internet tough guys.. don’t mess with them…
Sidibe should
Hugo Lloris is prone to an exceptional gaffe. I’m surprised if hes been very good this tournament. Courtois as well
Croatia much the better team
People have been calling for the game to break modernized since the beginning of time.
‘Now that the process of modernization is picking pace, “VAR is killing football”?
Rambo Ramsey
“I almost hope France get another controversial goal. Just to piss off all the whinging cvnts on here.”
Don’t think it was a pen but you know some posters on here would be screaming for pen if it happened at the other end such is their bias today.
Another good start to the half from the Croats just like the first half.
Dissenter
That wasn’t VAR’s fault the ref looked walked away and then went back to look again.
Pure human error no idea how you remove it from the game only thing you can do is minimise the opportunity for it.
‘It’s only idealistic perfectionists that think VAR was created to be 100% accurate.’
Yeah football fans are being very demanding in asking for the world cup winner be decided on merit. It’s not a random mid table league game.
Death for someone this evening