We’ve had two courses of vegan sausage rolls (Champions League), tonight, the meats are coming out.
The MIGHTY Rennes, a rack of well-seasoned BEEF ribs, take on the mighty Arsenal, an aggressively bloody slab of NEW YORK STRIP.
This is why people tune into football. So pull out a bottle of Tesco’s own brand ketchup, forget the cutlery, let’s wade into a messy evening of ELITE football.
The most important thing we need this evening:
A WIN.
Yeah, pretty straight-forward analysis today. Unai Emery needs to bring ultimate destruction to Rennes. He needs to put Ben Arfa back in his place. He needs to restore Arsenal pride after a very embarrassing away loss last week.
The French minnows won their match on Sunday. Great news for them, but the story there is they played 4 days out from an away game with us. No HUGE rest for them this time. No fresh legs. No time to plan. That’s advantage us.
The game is interesting because they are counter-attacking specialists. Arsenal has to go for 3 goals (come on, we’re not keeping a clean sheet). Absolutely possible.
It’s an international break after this. That means Emery can go wild and field anyone he deems fit to play. I’d imagine that he’ll go with something similar to the United game. All guns blazing. Play the role of the protagonists. Mix up our attacking combinations. Take advantage of having better players and two unreal finishers to finish them off early.
Should be exciting. Let’s hope we have a full house and an excited crowd. This is a big one.
Short post today. Just want to say, kudos to the comments yesterday. I pen a post about outrageous views polluting the internet and a slew of people attack Simeone as a bad tactician. You couldn’t make it up. Never change Le Grove, never change. x
Bankz is here for the tr4phy again
2
Hello
BOOM
Nice try Mr T
“Simeone as a bad tactician. ”
lol he didn’t have any clue of what to do to save his team last tuesday…
Today is steak and blowjob day, I wonder if that is why Pedro has beef steaks and ribs on his mind.
I won’t be heartbroken if Arsenal don’t qualify for next round tonight, I think league position is more important and we’re in with chance to finish top four.
But still… Ben Arfa was laughing hard at Emery last week, so let’s destroy them.
@Marko, When Sven became head of recruitment, Steve Rowley left his role, but was still involved in the club as consultant. Since you have accused me of lying, here is a quote and a link directly from the horse mouth. “Meanwhile our long-serving chief scout Steve Rowley, who has been responsible for unearthing many talents over his 25 years of employment with the club, has stood down from his role but will continue to maintain his relationship and support us with ad hoc scouting on a consultancy basis. ” https://www.arsenal.com/news/sven-mislintat-appointed-head-recruitment It does makes sense to call Steve Rowley back for… Read more »
@Valentin
Marko flat earthing again?
It makes sense to call Steve Rowley back for emergency.
For one month? Are you basing it on an article from November 2017?
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/11/16/arsenal-negotiate-departure-chief-scout-steve-rowley-overhaul/amp/
https://www.google.com/amp/s/tribuna.com/amp/arsenal/en/news/1493970/
I like this one. Yeah nothing proves that he’s “back at Arsenal”
Who were the “best CB in Europe” candidates offered up…? Still waiting for someone better than VVD
Big day, big evening, big game for us. COYG
Same line up we fielded against man utd except mustafi playing in sok’s stead
@Pedro, Yes. He does not care about fact. It is funny how he is now trying to twist things instead of admitting he was wrong. He stated that Arsenal would never use Steve as a consultant, I show him a link stating exactly that by Arsenal. But still it is an old link so that does not count. … Like I said I have been told that Steve Rowley is back as a consultant at Arsenal. That makes sense to use him until Monchi arrival if he is available and knows Arsenal. Once Monchi is in the place, his role… Read more »
Emery’s beloved, gendouzi shouldn’t near the field today o
Deschamps has not call Laca in the national team.
Perfect for us, he will be motivated for sending a strong message tonight.
We should try and unsettle rennes same way juve did against AM, same way we started against utd, we need a goal early in this game to open things up
@HL, I don’t think descamps will ever call him again
“Who were the “best CB in Europe” candidates offered up…? Still waiting for someone better than VVD”
Koulibaly is having a very good season too, of course you don’t watch him week in week out
Naming a player “the best in Europe” especially in an area like defending is a big statement. One of the best in Europe will still do him justice
I hate being in this kinda situation we have put ourself, we ain’t only chasing an unreplied goal but twooo. No high line bull shit, no positional indiscipline, no stupid foul, no moment of laxity, no profligacy from our strikers. Can we pull it off?
With Laca back in the line up tonight, I expect a comfortable 4 nil win and pray we don’t get fuckin’ Chelsea in the next round.
Hoping for 5 goals, otherwise it’ll be iffy. A 4-2 win would still be elimination.
Valentin don’t you see an issue with saying someone is definitely back at the club based on a 2017 article?
And you did not answer Marko’s question regarding your background and where you get info from, we know Pedro has contacts considering his history of Arsenal blogging, but expected us to take your info as gospel unchallenged is asking too much
Marko flat earthing again?
That continues to be cute Pedro. But if you’re saying something with no basis of truth or facts behind it wouldn’t that make you and Valentin flat earthers? I heard isn’t a fact or evidence
* but expecting us to take your info as gospel unchallenged is asking too much
The French minnows won their match on Sunday. Great news for them
——————————–
Yes Pedro but they were one nil down and then the opposition got a red card.
“Yes Pedro but they were one nil down and then the opposition got a red card.”
Story of their lives
Mustafi take note
UEFA cup quarter finals are on 11 April and 18 April.
11 April is 4 days after the Everton game. 18 April is between Watford and Crystal Palace. We’ll have to change the schedule for both games to give the team time to recover.
Koulibaly for me is the best defender in Europe at the moment but that’s just me, maybe because i watch him much more every week but at the end of the day just like with those stupid World best player voting shenanigans, it’s all about individual opinions
Yes. He does not care about fact. It is funny how he is now trying to twist things instead of admitting he was wrong. Listen here you little liar you saying that you heard he was back at the club and then showing the article where he was fired doesn’t prove that he is back at the club. In fact it doesn’t even prove that he’s done consultancy at the club since. He stated that Arsenal would never use Steve as a consultant, I show him a link stating exactly that by Arsenal. But still it is an old link… Read more »
Deschamps has not call Laca in the national team.
Continues to disappoint dispite winning a world cup
@Receding, Marko stated that I was lying and that there was no scenario under which Arsenal would use Steve Rowley as a consultant. I then prove to him that was wrong. My background is that I live in London. I have been told that by somebody who in the past had given me reliable information about the club. I know him and he is not a bragger. I am pretty sure that there are others people who will be able to confirm. I don’t claim to have an exclusive because I don’t think that this is a secret. But like… Read more »
“My background is that I live in London.”
lol I hope for you that you have many reductions for the Eurostar, as you seems to go to the Parc Des Princes very often.
“But like the issue about the intensity of training that you objected to, that information will then be revealed to be true.”
This has never been revealed to be true ……intense training early in the season is not a strange occurrence nor is reducing training as season progresses and matches come fast.
This was a non issue you and Pedro used for an agenda
“My background is that I live in London.”
That’s not really a background that fills us with confidence when you say “i have been told”
Valentin, he was telling Sal that Ozil was banned, not ostracized, which was the next level of something.
“I am pretty sure that there are others people who will be able to confirm.
I don’t claim to have an exclusive because I don’t think that this is a secret.”
Yet you are the only one that has said he is back and your proof is a friend who does not lie and living in London.
Maybe it’s not a secret because it never happened
Marko stated that I was lying and that there was no scenario under which Arsenal would use Steve Rowley as a consultant. I then prove to him that was wrong. First things first that article doesn’t prove that he’s actually done any consultancy at the club. And secondly you have not provided evidence that he is in fact back at the club outside of saying “I heard” that doesn’t prove anything. And yes I don’t believe the roughly month between Sven leaving and Monchi being available is a scenario where we’d bring back Steve Rowley to the club. You do… Read more »
Valentin, he was telling Sal that Ozil was banned, not ostracized, which was the next level of something.
Trust you to get something wrong and continue to spread it. But what if I was to tell you Pedro that it was in fact Sal who said originally that Ramsey and Ozil were banned from the team by Emery and I disagreed with the statement. Shocking I know
Mavropanos is twice the player that VvD is.
Gerard Pique has had some quality performances recently.
Gotta be lucky when you’re unlucky – at least this 2nd leg is at home when it was supposed to be away, imagine that, we’d have no chance at all then!
But like the issue about the intensity of training that you objected to, that information will then be revealed to be true.
Just continues to lie and bullshit. No one disputed intensity it was disputed that we were doing double training sessions and had an outdoor gym set up and all that shite. Intensity doesn’t prove double sessions. So when for example you or someone else said that he done double training sessions in November or December and then share an article about tempering the intensity of the training sessions that isn’t proof of double sessions you do realize that.
@Marko, So according to you Steve Rowley has never done any consultancy for us, ever. So Arsenal.com article is lying… You seems to imply that the departure was completely acrimonious. I think that it was bitter but civil. Before Monchi quit his job, there was the possibility that we had nobody in charge of that department for six months. It would be corporate neglect not to have somebody coordinating that department activity. The head of the scouting department also does a lot of administrative and coordination work rather than actual scouting. I don’t think that Raul wants to take that… Read more »
I’ll be called an Emery ultra pretty soon. Already been called a flat earther. All that I ask is if you say something fairly nonsensical that you can be able to prove it. Not a big deal I know but if you let enough people lie around here then pretty soon you’ll have nothing to talk about honestly
No disrespect but it seems some posters on here are totally clueless when it comes to understanding what constitutes a top quality player. VVD is, without question, the best defender in world football at present. Not only that, you could put him in any other position on the pitch and he’d still be class. His laid back, intelligent and calming attitude has often gone against him, as some managers see this as not only being lazy but also as a threat to there own position and role. Kloop needed him big time and was prepared to spend a fortune to… Read more »
VVD is without a shadow of doubt the best CB in the world and yes John Terry comes nowhere close. Terry could never play a high line, Chelsea system masked his weaknesses.
Arsenal will win tonight and it will be great. However, it will paper over some enormous crevasses at the gunners.
You either believe in the now or the future. The ‘now’ will give you fast money, quick fixes and showy comebacks…but that doesn’t last.
I’m pretty sure 99% of posters on here go for the ‘now’. And that says a lot about where this club is.
@Marko, What outdoor gym are you talking about? My point regarding the double session was that Emery had overworked the team and that resulted in them getting tired. I also stated that was due to overruling the conditioning team. You disputed that. I then showed you an article where Emery admitted having to adapt the workload in January so yes after November and December. But no instead of accepting that, you preferred focussing on the wording. This is your tactic, instead of addressing the point made, you will attack people on the wording, details of what said. You are the… Read more »
CC
There’s no one better than VVD.
“Mavropanos is twice the player that VvD is.”
100% agreed ….Mustafi too
tr49hy
Shoot, some others slipped in before my wicked late attempt at the 49th spot.
So according to you Steve Rowley has never done any consultancy for us, ever. So Arsenal.com article is lying… I’ll just post up the pertinent information from that article. Meanwhile our long-serving chief scout Steve Rowley, who has been responsible for unearthing many talents over his 25 years of employment with the club, has stood down from his role but will continue to maintain his relationship and support us with ad hoc scouting on a consultancy basis. Wenger said, “We would like to thank Steve Rowley for all his hard work over many years for the club. He has been… Read more »
My point regarding the double session was that Emery had overworked the team and that resulted in them getting tired
Again never proved there was double sessions
Another day another obliteration of marko and his lack of knowledge or insight.
Just baseless rhetoric and bitchy remarks.
How’s pogba looking for United marko? Still better value than xakha?
How’s that defensive coaching going marko? Still fanciful?
See how tactics and coaching managed to supersede united’s spending?
Do you see how our sub par squad out performed united’s superior squad
What’s that marko? Coaching is fanciful?
Shhhhhhhh
Are you watching
Are you watching
Are you watching marko?
Are you watching maaaaarkoooo??
Graham
VVD is overrated apparently. Personally feel if a club had to pick any one defender to have they’d go for him 9/10. Got the lot.
2019 VVD vs 2006- era John Terry?
I know who I will choose, high line blah blah.
JT proved his bonafides so it’s indisputable that he was a world class defender whether you liked him a person.
VVD, on the other hand still has people wanking with his first ever CL headed goal…at the age of 27 years old.
But no instead of accepting that, you preferred focussing on the wording. You see this is the difference between half truths facts lies falsehoods whatever it’s the actual wording and the argument being put forward. You claim double training sessions and then post an article about tempering the intensity of training sessions that doesn’t prove double training sessions were had. You can have an intense training session without having two training sessions. You trying to claim that you were right but got the wording wrong is a slimy move imo. This is your tactic, instead of addressing the point made,… Read more »
TR7 that’s a bold claim. As you mention JT, you also have to consider previous gen. For me, Franz Beckenbauer has to be considered. VVD is a big unit, but he doesn’t posses the silky skills of FB. But hey, it’s a game of opinions.
Dissenter
Spot on.
How can anyone compare VVD to terry? He’s not even in the same ball park
Terry belongs to a group of elite centre halves. The defining ones of their eras.
Adams
Campbell
Maldini
Cannavaro
Nesta
Jack Wilshere
Desailly
Vidic
Hierro
Etc…
VVD has won nothing. He doesn’t compare.
Dissenter
John Terry’s greatest moment was getting kicked in the mouth by diaby.
And his Mum selling blow…or was that his dad?
Oh no, it was coming on the field in full kit while being suspended.
A total tool but…he was a very good and brave defender. A bit like Adams and people won’t admit that.
VVD is better looking, classier and generally appears like an okay guy. That’s why people would like him over Terry.
Fashion.
Un Battle
Stepanovs wasn’t on your list. You don’t have a list of great CBs and not have the Steppennwolf on it.
Tr7
Man. Terry pisses all over VVD
What has he done? He’s an accomplished centre half no doubt but there are centre halves as good as him around the world now.
And the quality has dropped
The centre halves of generations passed were much better than what we have now.
“VVD is better looking, classier and generally appears like an okay guy. That’s why people would like him over Terry.”
For once Hackney nails it
I think many are getting carried away with the aesthetics, John Terry was an immense defender, a warrior that led his team to win everything yet i am told VVD is twice the defender because he packs his hair all back
So that means ozil is the best midfielder in the world, and his calming attitude is often it’s gone against him as being lazy. 4:1 tonight, come on gunners!!!
@Marko, “Naming an internal temporary boss is fraught with risk. This is genuinely stupid considering that you’re making an argument that Steve Rowley coming back on a temporary basis is less of a risk.” Have you ever worked in a corporate world? Promoting somebody internally for six months is completely different to hiring an external boss for six months. Internal dynamic will change forever. Resentment, jalousie are more likely to fester. With an external boss, you avoid all those problems. Everybody stay in their lane. With a former boss, you get the added advantage that he knows the place and… Read more »
Mind you…John Terry.
Never ever trust anyone with two first names as their full name. That’s a no no.
For me a team wins trophies, not an individual player. So using number of trophies won as a parameter to compare two players is logically faulty. In terms of attributes VVD is superior to Terry. VVD has a better technique and is more mobile. He looks equally comfortable playing a high line or a deep seated role. In all the other aspects – anticipating danger, aerial presence and mental fortitude- Terry was marginally better but VVD’s technique and mobility puts him on a different level for me.
Promoting somebody internally for six months is completely different to hiring an external boss for six months.
It’s also worth noting that it’s not 6 months Sven left February 8th and Monchi is currently available March 14th.
With a former boss, you get the added advantage that he knows the place and the people
So Raul then. It’s actually not a role Steve Rowley has done at Arsenal. Anyway very important to remember that you have not proven that Steve Rowley is in fact back at Arsenal. But you said it anyway and continue to argue about it
Genuine question was that vid of Terry’s mum doing the rounds a few years back legit? You know the one
anticipating danger
I think VVD is amazing in this department. His reading of the game and knowing what position to be in at the point of danger is fantastic
@Marko, You don’t seem to understand what the head of a scouting department do. Most of his work will be administrative, coordination and networking. Only once a scout has sent numerous positive report on a player, will the head of scouting actually go and watch the named player. The manager and/or the DoF will then go with the scout and head scout to see the player. Yes Sven is likely to have left a list. However I am pretty sure that the scouts have not stopped attending game until Monchi arrive. Somebody needs to read their report. Talk to other… Read more »
Tr7
Without JT Chelsea wouldn’t have won the champions league
They wouldn’t have even been in the reckoning
He was their most pivotal player during his career. Not even Lampard and drogba compare. You’re letting your dislike for him get in the way of your usually impeccable judgement.
He was better than Campbell. It takes a lot for me to say that
He’s up there with Adams and bobby Moore, Maldini, Puyol, desailly and nesta for me.
Marko
No. It wasn’t legit. Was funny though.
Marko
It was Virgil’s Van Dick.
Marko and Receding getting their knickers in a twist due to Valentin having a vastly superior knowledge of the game than those 2 miserable know nothings.
@Un Battle, You are mixing playing ability and leadership quality. John Terry was a very good defender but a great leader. He was not a great defender, because he had no pace and could be easily ridiculed in those situation. I remember the game where Chelsea played an ultra high line under Villas Boas and RVP humiliated him. He was a great leader but a shit human being. Sleeping with your teammates’s wife is as low as you can be in a dressing room. However Chelsea Champion’s league victory is really the victory of the triumvirate: Terry, Lampard and Drogba.… Read more »
Kudos Valentin.
Another great poster falling foul of the resident bottom feeders and beating them completeley.
Valentin you continue to not prove that Steve Rowley is back at the club.
Un
Do you think JT would have been equally influential had he played for say Pep’s Barca ?
“Marko and Receding getting their knickers in a twist due to Valentin having a vastly superior knowledge of the game than those 2 miserable know nothings.”
“Another great poster falling foul of the resident bottom feeders and beating them completeley.”
A threesome brews
What’s completeley Battle Angel?? New word?
Takes the draw
Valentin
Yes he lacked pace. Which made it all the more remarkable. Look how he positioned himself. He was rarely beaten. He played at the top as Chelsea captain for the best part of two decades. He dominated the best at their peak
Ronaldo and messi. Barcelona and Manchester United. Bayern Munich and our invincibles post 04. The greats.
He played the best and beat them all. Not just as a leader but his ability to defend. His reading of the game.
You take VVD’s pace away, could he compete with terry? Not a chance.
Rh
It is now baldie-locks
“The former PSG manager is without a doubt one of the best tactical minds in the game, and Spanish football expert Guillem Balague believes he will return to manage a big side in Spain someday. “Emery is very well-respected in Spain for what he did with Valencia and Sevilla,” Balague exclusively told Islington Gazette. “Whether he is at Arsenal for two or three years or longer, I do think that at some point he will take a big job in Spain. “Maybe Atletico Madrid. Don’t forget Real Madrid looked at him. But he is doing his best and working hard… Read more »
Tr7
Yes. Why not. Puyol is probably the most similar cb to him of that era. Not the quickest but dominant in every other area required of an elite level centre half
Terry could have played in any league in the world and dominated.
Terry was also a very underrated football player with the ball at his feet. He scored shearer-esque first time strikes in his hey day and brought the ball out of defence majestically at times.
Our friend, Giroud scores
@Un Battle, We are in kind of agreement. But because he played in an era where pace has more importance, that why I think that John Terry was a very good player, but not a great one. However in John Terry defense, a lot of the past great may not be so great against today’s speed merchants. A lot of the great Italian defenders also played at a time where the cattenaccio was the main play. Some may not have been able to be as good in today’s environment. For example I see the Franz Beckenbauer the Kaiser and I… Read more »
Well Well Pedro..it appears Unai does have sauce after all…Madrid looked at him, aren’t they the ultimate condiment appliers?
Rh they’ve also hired some stinkers
Benitez, Ramos, Camacho, Quieroz????
Lots of sauce there alright.
Madrid did look at even wenger, same madrid employed Benitez, hahaha
Valentin
50/50 with you there
A player is a product of his era and environmental influences.
They are moulded and sculpted by the coaches and cultures they are surrounded by.
Many strikers wouldn’t make it today as they were suited to 442
Where would Beckham play today? Parlour? Owen? Fowler? Del Piero? Totti?
They wouldn’t fit into the modern tactical frame properly and therefore wouldn’t have been as influential.
Terry wasn’t suited to high line. No doubt. Neither was Adams or many Italian legends. But it shouldn’t detract from their status as true giants of the game.
Vickingz and Battle Angel (name still cracks me up for a grown man)
I was taking the piss, Pedro once said because Madrid are looking at Pochettino means he is dripping sauce,,,so i just felt i should have my fun there
On beckenbauer
Had he been brought up in the Henry era I have no doubt he’s have managed. Not many centre halves managed to play Henry and get off lightly either. How many legendary defenders were left trailing in his wake?
RH
Er. I want to be a cyborg who identifies as a teenage female. What’s wrong with that? Don’t make me get the gender fluid police on your arse.
@RH, toor, I was only reacting to the “madrid looked at him” nii. How’s tonight’s match gonna go down?
“How’s tonight’s match gonna go down?”
We will win is not in doubt, will we win by enough to qualify though is another matter entirely.
I hope we smash them
Any team news?
RH, me and Ballague are best friends, he complimented me on my amazing suit at an awards show.
Leeds
Yeah
Arsenal play Rennes tonight.