You know, I do worry about society sometimes. Everyone is offended by everything these days.
‘Why did you look at my soy milk that way’
‘You did a face like you were going to say something offensive’
‘You broke into my house and stole my car’
People are constantly on the hunt for new ways to engineer offence. It’s worrying.
Then I go to the Le Grove comments sections and you’re all brutally cutting each other down… and no one bats an eyelid.
You give me hope.
You know what else gives me hope? The young kids at Arsenal.
I don’t know where they’re going to end up this season, but for me, my disdain for the football style is hugely outweighed this season by the overall likability of the squad.
I know that sounds like a really bland thing to say. The sort of thing that comes from a purists mouth, someone that fondly remembers the 80s when you could have a pint and share a hooker with George Best after a game. But be honest with yourself, when was the last time you really liked an Arsenal squad?
2006? 2008? There haven’t been many. Even when we went close in 2016, the squad was very questionable. That would have been the least interesting league winning side we’ve ever put out (in my living memory at least).
Matteo G has great hair, lots of personality, and he’s growing with every game. I think he needs a bit more aggression and I think he still needs to find his flavour, but he’s a talent and the world really is his lobster
Joe Willock, what a find. He looks like he belongs. He was giving as good as he got against Burnley. He never shies away. He has a high ceiling and the fans already love him. Struggling to think of a young player in that role since Jack to cause such excitement?
AMN, he earns some bad reviews, but the guy gives his all. He’s playing at right-back when he’s a midfielder and he’s not complaining. Put that work rate and power into its correct position and we have a very handy player.
Reiss Nelson has come in for some stick. He hasn’t scored 5 goals in the opening two games. But he’s young, he’s learning a craft, and not everyone can be Jadon. He scored a great disallowed goal and I’m hoping that when this meteoric rise he’s dealing with hits home, he’ll calm down and take a more aggressive approach to his game. He has the tools, let’s see if he can activate them. I think it’s a confidence thing.
Then we have the pretenders. ESR, Saka, Martinelli, and Medley could all sniff out places this season.
It’s an exciting time to be an Arsenal fan. Move on Mustafi and I can live with all the players we have in the squad. Raul has shifted us on a long way in a few weeks, if Emery can execute his ideas effectively, it could be a really good season.
There will be bad games, no doubt. I will bitch and moan for absolute certain, but one thing I won’t complain about is the state of the squad or the kids.
This isn’t a transition year… it’s a top 3 attempt.
Let’s see where we land!
Podcast lands later! x
P.S. ORNSTEIN WITH THE BIG GOSS this morning… can’t believe I’m sleeping through it!
I would never have taken Arteta on for one simple reason.
He had been infested!
Infested?
What are your on Graham? Infested- crabs, nits? How do you know?
Incested?
We needed someone to come in and see what things were really like, not someone who had been a part of the the system and consequently knew the players and structure inside out.
Arteta absorbed too much in his 6 years at the club and would not have been the short term solution to years of regression.
Just an opinion.
I think Emery copped more than enough blame for the late season collapse and rightly so, again he’s probably not the man to take us forward and my main anger is the constant chopping and changing but he’s got just this season left and with much better players, you’d expect better this season especially with that our away form
It was 5 years. Graham I honestly think you’re obsessed with you know who
The quality of players at a manager’s disposal will mostly( not always)determine the quality of football that is played . However, if a manager doesn’t use those players correctly then the football can suffer. With regard to Emery this season, I think it is fair to say that with the excellent players at his disposal we should expect an improvement in the overall quality in our play. I have been admiring the quality footbal that Norwich play ( under Daniel Farke) for a couple of seasons . His team is made up of nobody’s and he has spent £1 million… Read more »
BobN16
It’s what we all felt Bob although some of us failed to accept(admit) it.
Negativity and Predictabilty.
No progression.
Surely you remember?
We all got infected.
I mean, technically you could say that our beautiful football died around the time Arteta came to the club. It wouldn’t be fair but temporally it wouldn’t be inaccurate.
Marko
5 years?!?
So for you it all started in 2012.
That’s your POV.
For me, it started in 2009 although after 2006 the wheels were already starting to wobble.
———————————–
Pierre
I agree, now it’s up to Emery.
Let’s see what happens.
Marko
Sorry, my mistake, 2013!
Marko “I seem to remember the away game at Everton where we fielded about as decent a side as we could get and the performance was absolutely shocking even in the run in our better performers like Auba and Lacazette were very up and down.” I was in the Top Balcony with Everton fans for that match (free ticket from a friend). They were laughing at Arsenal players, with special attention to AMN and Guendozi. I ended up in an argument with the guy next to me who kept shouting “you’re fucking pansies” to Arsenal players. Luckily it ended up… Read more »
I appreciate that mass hysteria does exist but not everybody feels like you Graham. ‘We all got infected’…you’re surely tripping!
I am expecting City, Spurs and Liverpool to occupy the top 3 places. Chelsea are unlikely to be in contention for top 4 places. It leaves us and United fighting for 1 position. If we pip United to the 4th position, then I reckon Emery will get another contract. I don’t think he will bother one jot about style and philosophy this season, pragmatic football to accumulate as many points as possible is likely to be his mantra.
For me it started in 1999 losing in the FA Cup Semi-Final against 10 men.
I will put my neck on the line and say that Norwich’s football will be of a higher quality despite them having vastly inferior players to Arsenal.
I’ll put my neck on the line and say dispite the recent victory and the supposed good football Norwich play that they’ll be in a relegation battle and likely to go down
Bill I feel for you I went to the 8-2 United farce. No fighting just a great big pity party
Getting spanked 4-1 against Liverpool is not good football.
Graham Arteta was here 5 years. I think those wheels you’re alluding to is about Wenger again
If I was an owner of a major company that had systematically regressed over the years, I would not hire someone who had been a part of that regressive process.
Fresh face/ fresh start/ new ideas/ new methods will ultimately lead to greater changes from within.
Stan may have been silent but he’s not stupid.
RT
Brilliant!!
As always.
Why would someone need to be hired if they’re already part of the organisation Graham? You’ve been on the wacky baccy, admit it Graham.
Interested about the Chelsea philosophy I always thought they looked almost robotic when they used to play obviously they had very good powerful players.
This Chelsea team will still beat loads of teams this season.
Isn’t this what Roman wanted some slick football?
Graham you been smoking them Wenger cigars?? 😭
Emery has no philosophy? We play out from the back religiously for the starters. There’s no pattern of play? Really? Remember all those cutback fc jibe? Yes, we do have an attacking pattern. Tuck the winger in to take their FB inside to open up space for our own FB to exploit. Then cutback for a tap in. Clear pattern play that may look boring but it is still a plan,erm philosophy. We used to hoof it up to OG & then let the likes of Ozil, Sanchez & co figure it out. It was based on individual brilliance. Sanchez… Read more »
I don’t think that Norwich will be relegated either. But not because of pattern of play or philosophy, but because they have a goal scorer. Most teams that come up lack a player who can score on a regular basis for them. Norwich have one and if he can stay injury free, that should help them be better than three teams: Aston Villa, Newcastle and Sheffield United. Aston Villa and Newcastle looks like they will really struggle to score this season and as they don’t look tight at the back either I think that they will be relegated. For all… Read more »
Pedro “you broke into my house and stole my car”. I spat out my coffee
Most teams that come up lack a player who can score on a regular basis for them. Norwich have one and if he can stay injury free, that should help them be better than three teams: Aston Villa, Newcastle and Sheffield United.
Joelinton and Wesley should be looking at scoring more than Pukki
Is playing Sweet Caroline at the end of the game a new thing?
Also Pukki as well as he looks now really hasn’t been that great until last season. This is the biggest level he’s ever played at and he could still end up struggling.
Joelinton looks like the kind of busy players that do not end up as good as they should. Hard worker, but who who misses a lot of chances.
From last season and this season, Pukki looks like the kind of player not elegant but calm in front of goal, efficient with good technique, who does not snatch at chances.
Also I don’t think that Newcastle will provide him with as much chances that Norwich will. Newcastle have lost Perez and Rondon who contributed a lot to Newcastle last season.
From last season and this season, Pukki looks like the kind of player not elegant but calm in front of goal, efficient with good technique, who does not snatch at chances.
Yeah but prior to last season he was pretty much the definition of average and it’s only two games in. I’d go easy on the praise just yet or the predictions that he’ll keep them up
Is playing Sweet Caroline at the end of the game a new thing?
I really hope not.
I think Norwich should stay up.
Newcastle rock bottom, will leave it too late to sack Bruce. What a poor decision that was, yet again, by Ashley.
Joelinton will be a massive failure here. Not as bad as Guivarc’h though!
Folks, can dubliners suggest a gunners pub to watch the game against Liverpool this weekend?
Thanks in advance
The philosophy of BIG Calfs….
Kay the merchentile on Dame street is where the Arsenal Dublin supporters group meets for games. Plenty of big screens in there too. Probably your best bet but get there super early otherwise it’ll be black in there and you won’t be able to throw a cat around. None of that really makes sense I know
How’s it working out for Sanchez? the Arsenal carrier??
Goodness, we used to go all out and either lose large or whoop teams like Everton 6 nil…..talk about we didn’t play sexy…. at the moment, Emery has no excuse, we have to either play sexy or win playing drab…the football is not sexy and we’re still getting punched in the gut by City and Pool….even the chavs had a nice day in the final.
Mind you, Xhaka has been retained by Emery…so not sure if we are still blaming the old regime.
Cesc
When we win we should play ,, unbelievable …by emf.
When we lose … there ain’t no pleasing you by Chad n Dave
Where is Marc with a c these days ?
Excellent points Dale
Dal
He did that to all players helps sells players
Xhara gone in summer.
Fact
I hope so……I feel Xhaka is a major issue in the team….needs to be shipped out.
Drawing the Brighton game still has me fuming….all because that clogger couldn’t keep up and decided to foul their player in the box…what a dunce.
As much as we love Auba here, he is also at fault, missing a penalty against the spuds was a big deal in context of making CL
Bob
Arteta worked for Arsenal.
He then left Arsenal.
If he came back as manager, we would be hiring a new employee but an employee who had previously worked for us.
Got it?
Who’s on the “wacky baccy?”
Lets not talk about Mustafi…..I’m glad he’s trying to get rid of him and keeping him away from the starting line up….is he injured or they’re just telling him to sod off?
Bob
You always come across as one of those “middle of the road” sort of guys.
Never really make a commitment to anything. Are you left…….no! Are you right………no! What side of the fence are you on? Confusing isn’t it.
Come on, be brave!
You must be a great poker play.
As long as Emery doesn’t play Mustafi this season, we will definitely improve.
Sanchez is a hero!
I’d go up and shake his hand if I saw him in the street
Sanchez played a significant part in our new process.
Cheers Alexis!
Was.
His fall from grace was astounding.
80 goals and 45 assists for us in 140 + games
To whatever it is at Manure 4 or 6 goals in 2 seasons.
Bloody shocking.
I wonder if Alexis fall is permanent or temporary.
I also wonder if the source is physical or psychological or maybe a combination of both.
Hopefully he will rediscover his mojo in Italy away from ManUtd. From an Arsenal fan perspective Even better if ManUtd is paying for it.
Does Inter have a sweet tune that Alexis can play on the piano during his unveiling? Utd can provide the piano and put it towards the 200k a week they’ll still be shoveling to Alexis while he’s in Italy. Banter.
People really have time answering emery’s foot soldiers. We still have matches to play to justify whether or not he has a philosophy. We have played 2 matches already with 3 goals in the bag, however the ways and manners the goals came is already an indication as to our game. Miles intercepted a pass, ceballos intercepted a pass and laca’s goal just came somehow undefined. I guess that’s emery’s philosophy playing out.. Too early to start checking time
The sun claims to have Ceballos view on the tactic of Burnley’s manager the ginger Mourinho.
“This team don’t like to play football, they just boom boom boom over the top.”
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/9743303/dani-ceballos-henrikh-mkhitaryan-laughing-arsenal-burnley-video/
Welcome to English football, Dani.
For once I agree with Graham 62
We should play our second string players in the Europa League ( The likes of Ozil, Mikhi,Elneny and the youth)
Who actually gives a toss about the Europa League other than our incumbent manager
Keep our powder dry for an assault on the Prem
Alexis represents to me, what $$ can do to a once motivated hard working footballer.
He is fat, dropped considerably since his big pay day, and does not know how to adapt to a new style or team. He had it great at Arsenal, but towards the end, I had my suspicions about him as well… seemed like his attitude was cancerous and now look….
its he who is given a lifeline by Inter. he will be mediocre there. Trust me. They will buy him for about 8-10m thats it, if that.
Lacazettes effort against Burnley.
Early contender for goal of the season.
Graham
Pure Laca.. holding off the defender and trying to get his shot off.
Guy is amazing… fights for that ounce of space to fire every time
To be honest, don’t give a toss how Sanchez performed at MU.
What I do know is that, up to a point, he gave it his all for AFC. Once though he realised nothing was ever going to change, he psychologically switched himself off.
Still think he’ll switch himself back on again though.
Guns of HackneyAugust 20, 2019 11:48:07 Wenger won 17 trophies. Emery has none. I am not Wenger’s biggest fan (since he went crazy) but he’s still better than Emery in every aspect. Emery is bland. Wenger was always brilliant copy. >>>> Lol! Emery has none. He won 3 EL trophies on the bounce and has won more European trophies than Wenger and Arsenal put together. He won the French cup double in his first season at PSG and won the domestic treble the next. At the time of joining Arsenal Emery had won way more trophies than Wenger had won.… Read more »
Guns
Agreed.
No other striker in world football could have scored that goal.
Defenders are scared shitless of him.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49401513
@Marko
Thanks a mil…. Looking forward to the game. Will go there early as you said. Really appreciate man. Thank you.
FYI Dame street and the merchentile is just off Trinity college so it should be easy enough to find
I thought Wenger won ten trophies.
Oh, of course, I almost forgot, I didn’t take into account all those Community Shields.
Graham, don’t forget that this a football blog, not real life.
‘You never really make a commitment to anything.’ How can you honestly say that about someone who you don’t know. Quite a big statement to make. I have very clear views.
‘Middle of the road sort of guys’ – your appear to want to pigeon hole me. I don’t see things in black and white…if that makes me middle of the road, I’ll take that.
‘Confusing isn’t it.’ No Graham , I don’t feel confused at all.
Your having quite a day Graham, what’s going on?
Laca’s goal against Burnley, early contender for goal of the season.
Don’t think it’ll make the goal of the month short list. Sorry to pick on you Graham but wtf.
Sure Marko. Cheers bud.
Google maps to the rescue 😊
Just hoping we win on the day so that I can end the day happily at the Porterhouse with my mates.
I am with Bob on Lacazette’s goal against Burnley:
A for Persistence
B for Physical effort
F for Beauty and any Artistic impression
His goal was just sheer persistence and will to score, but it won’t win any beauty contest for sure.
Pepe on Emery
“It’s been really good because he speaks French and it has been much easier for us to communicate,” he told Arsenal Player.
“I am new, the strategy and tactics are new and it really helps that I can get the coach’s assistance. Now I need to learn English and this is something he is helping me with also.”
Maybe he should invest some of that money we’re paying him in an english teacher instead, going to be some painful interviews coming up otherwise.
Emery is helping him with his English????
Pépé wins MOTM against Liverpool. Post match interview starts.
Good ebening
LOOOOOOL
Rvp claims arsenal didn’t even offer him a new deal and that he was pushed from arsenal
I assume he wanted a bumper salary, tho considering he was better than most of our squad combined and we were rich I don’t see why we didn’t give it
Probably arsene wasn’t enjoying having someone with opinions in the squad…
Dale those 6-0s were not that common for an awfully long time The biggest single difference that makes emery’s Arsenal more bland isbthe 100 passes between FB and CB per game. In terms of the rest of the game, we haven’t regularly played ‘pure’ wengerball for absolutely ages and it was usually much of a muchness In the last 5 years did you really feel impressed or excited by our football on a week to week basis? It’s was largely a big dose of meh punctuated by well taken goals from Sanchez and pretty flicks from giroud if we were… Read more »
The days of arsenal tearing through teams with one touch passes, turning teams inside out and running them ragged ended probably around the same time cesc left
After he went it was just individual moments or individual matches that were good and the remaining large majority was bland
Even emery who had bland football last year had a few of those results and some wonder goals along the way. Still bland tho
And the slow starts. Damn those eternal slow starts.
Arsenal loved nothing more in the last 10 years than to take it easy for the first 20 minutes
We always had the fans on their back by half way through the first half because nothing was happening
China I think our slow buildup is more down to how bad our defenders are on the ball rather than any instructions to keep passing it back and forth in the backline and back to Leno. Luiz should help with that, Holding, Bellerin and Tierney when they’re back are also better on the ball than their counterparts. Having Xhaka as our deepest lying midfielder for the last couple of years sure hasn’t helped either, slow, ponderous and terrible under pressure. Torreira and Guen better in those respects but I still think our main issue now should be to replace Xhaka… Read more »
Being in the Spotlight sometimes decides if fans see you as good or bad. I am sure it wasn’t picked up by anyone or the media but rewatch the conceded goal against Burnley and see how unaware Luiz was of his marker. He lost his marker without even trying. If that was Mustafi he would have been absolutely pilloried on here and the wider media.
Still maintain Mustafi is equal or better than Luiz in defending. Arsenal fans will catch up to it very soon. His passing won’t cover it for long.
Mustafi is not as good or better then anyone at defending. Check yourself.
DM reporting we are negotiating with Guendouzi’s people to tie him up for 5 years on around £70K a week.
DM says his value has risen to £30million.
Personally I think he’s worth £50K a week with a review set for the end of each season with the view to set an increase due to performance and games played to a maximum of £70K a week.
The last 4-5 years of Wenger was slow, predictable football. Was excruciating to watch at times. Last year wasn’t a great improvement either but we had Wenger’s squad virtually, so I wasn’t expecting too much of a change. I expect an improvement this season though. If you think Mustafi a better CB than Luiz you’d make a great TV pundit. Sure, Luiz was off his man but nobody can defend a deflection. Mustafi creates problems for himself and the team. Name a defender that hasn’t made a mistake or two. Then name a defender who has made more mistakes than… Read more »
Off topic for a moment, but if this is true, then I feel for British people who like me have to take several medications to stay alive. I have to take 7 different tablets a day for my coronary artery disease I’ve had since my mid 30s and includes one medication for my colon disease keeping it in remission. I pay around £150 a month for my meds here in Thailand, but in the UK if above happens, it would cost £1000s per month. As health insurance companies are quick to add recurring illnesses to the ‘Not Covered’ as being… Read more »
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/price-differences-between-uk-shows-18973739
Tony
Maybe a visit to HCMC once every 6 months could save you money. I take 6 pills a day for my coronary artery disease, cost me approx 25 pound per month. Maybe my pills are different to yours though.
but rewatch the conceded goal against Burnley and see how unaware Luiz was of his marker. He lost his marker without even trying. If that was Mustafi he would have been absolutely pilloried on here and the wider media. ________ Say What? I think it’s you who need to rewatch the goal Mystic. … the entry pass ricocheted of Papa and deflected luckily right to Barnes. Had the ball continued on it’s path Luiz was in position to clear it.. As I said the other day it was a fluky goal with not real player at fault, it was a… Read more »
Bojangles Thanks for the heads up I’ll look into it. Depends whether you are taking generic or the main brand for meds. I mostly stick to the name brands as per my cardiologist’s recommendations. Have you had any stents yet? In Thailand for the top quality stent of normal size it’s around £5k if you need extra sized stents etc then it’s much higher. My last stent(s) a couple of months ago cost £11k because they used 3 balloons and extra long stents because an artery branch had to have a stents continuous from outside part of the branch then… Read more »
“Rvp claims arsenal didn’t even offer him a new deal and that he was pushed from arsenal”
Who believes that BS after RVP’s public letter.
Whatever deal Arsenal can come up with will not mean anything compared to the monster package he got from United.
He left for trophies and cash, there shouldn’t be anything worth regretting, isn’t it?
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/price-differences-between-uk-shows-18973739
Seriously, US off counter meds are THAT expensive?!
Typically health care costs balloon in countries with a high take-up of insurance. Abuse of insurance leads to high health care costs by inflating demand.
Mustafi better than David Luiz
We do have some weird opinions here
Luiz has always been a warrior for Chelsea, a cult hero for a club that won trophies , big ones, Mustafi has been a punchline for a few seasons now.
Mustafi should do better for a Milan or Roma. Slower pace, Serie A teams emphasize structure. His best game game for us was at home in the North London derby exactly two yrs ago. We played a back three. He dominated both boxes. He is a decent defender but limited. Not worse than Holding or Sokratis. Been in terrible form for a while and short on confidence.
The fact we don’t have the capacity to control matches from midfield has exposed him even more
Tony
I have had stents but that was number of years ago. I haven’t needed to visit a specialist for 10 years now but still take meds.
3 meds are brand and 3 are generic.
Dream what about the errors? What forces the errors? He makes errors that leaves you scratching your head,
Receding
Yep you’re spot on. That’s something you can’t account for. It’s baffling.
Sanchez is past it, its obvious his real age is much more than the one on his passport, Wanyama is another who is 35 or more