It is GAME DAY and the big man Freddie Ljungberg is having a suit tailored for his first home game. Maybe not tailored. Probably pulled off the rack. Hope it’s a nice one.
Big story here: The elite journalists with good questions won out, I cannot thank them enough for their important intervention, and vital contribution to the world of football. One day, maybe, I’ll be as good at questions as them.
Before we land on the game tonight, it appears that by group consensus, the Arsenal family do NOT want to see Marcelino in the dugout. A real get in the bin appointment. Journeyman manager with about as much sauce as Unai Emery. No thanks. We’re not doing Heinz this time, we’re going elevated. Scoville levels off the chart.
There’s a lot of movement in Europe at the minute, a lot of managers that could be bucketed under the category of WINNER are close to the chop.
The one name that’s going to have a lot of fans desperately vommitting their opinion on people is none other than the man in black… Diego Simeone. There are very strong rumours the Argentine is about to get the chop at Atleti, a club where he’s done incredible things on a relatively modest budget over the past however many years.
I love Diego. If you could bottle his special sauce and sell it on the black market, no one would be talking about fentanyl. The guy is literally on a different planet when it comes to energy, touchline passion, and general all-round madness. He’s scary. Football’s real gangster. Pristine swept-back hair, elite enough to wear a black suit and a black shirt. Still as trim as one of his players.
The big challenge with him is two-fold. You are firstly hiring someone that speaks next to no English. Not that he couldn’t learn, but coming into a mess like Arsenal at this stage of our development, with a manager that can’t communicate the awful things he’d have to say about the players probably isn’t smart. My general rule of thumb is if you are going to be a bitch, do it in the native tongue.
Beyond that, you’d have to be able to get by on the cynical football. Not an impossibility by any stretch. Fans, first and foremost, like winning. Secondly, they like to see players die for the shirt. That’s what Diego brings you.
I know there’s a lot of Arsenal fans that just want a coach to come in and make us defensive beasts. Cut out all the fannying around. Get back to basics. Make the club George Graham when he was at its best. A great team, built from solid foundations. Emery tried, and failed. They feel that we need a real shock to the system. Someone who can come in and take a Stalin like approach to purging mediocrity from the club.
It’s a tempting thought, it really is. Diego is fucking unreal, even if I hate the football.
The other challenge for Arsenal is the expense. France Football had him pocketing €41m last year. He’s the highest-paid manager in the world. €788,461 a week. A quite incredible pay packet, but worth it for what he does over there. I think he’s likely out of our league. Not to mention he’s been very keen to move to Italy.
Carlo is also being touted. I have to say, I couldn’t be any less excited about the thought. He made a Sarri team worse, was outsmarted by Emery in the Europa League last year and generally would feel like a very flaccid attempt at progression.
Frontrunners from the shortlist I’m guessing at so far have to be Mikael Arteta and Brendan Rodgers. Most of the other names either seem out of our league, unsuited to the job at hand, or just far too expensive for what we can afford.
Onto the game tonight.
I was PLEASED to see Arsenal.com sharing videos of Freddie implementing some rapid fire one-touch football in training. No messing around. Combinations are coming back. Freddie is trying to impose his vision of football on a team that’s been in the football equivalent of a forced labour camp for 18 months.
Tonight is interesting because the action in the second half against Norwich was shite. He’s seen what the senior players can do, does he double down and go with the same players again, or does he start to introduce more of his thinking with players more to his liking?
For me, I struggle to see how a man with Freddie’s tasted for high-intensity pressing can opt with a frontline of players that don’t like to press. I said it on the podcast, could Martinelli be Freddie’s Nik Anelka? No one presses like him at Arsenal. If you had Auba flanked by him and Saka, you’d be a different beast.
Hector Bellerin will no doubt be back in contention. Huge questions mark over Tierney if he’s left out again. I’m assuming he was a precaution at the weekend because for me, he’s the future of that position. He’s a more capable defender than Kola and he looks where his deliveries are going from wide positions. It’ll be telling if he doesn’t start.
Let’s see what he does with midfield. The biggest problem we’ve had for a while is that we have to play Xhaka. I’d love to see LT given a chance in his real position, my concern with him is that he’s finished with Arsenal, and it shows in his performances. Either way, if Freddie doesn’t find a solve here, his tenure is going nowhere.
Brighton are a good side with a very interesting manager. Potter was a huge risk for them after Hughton, but you can see where their game is going, and it certainly looks like he’s making progress.
Right, that is me done, give Freddie the reception he deserves tonight, should be a fun atmosphere for once!
Set piece FC back in the game. Let’s go
Torreira looks like a player short on confidence.
JAC
Are you the product of incest?
Was it Daddy and his sister or your mum and her Father?
Based on your eloquent musings, I’m going to go with option 2.
Oh, I absolutely also know I have way more money than you. Like, lots more.
Can anyone else here that little brat at the emirates shrieking?? Shut him the fuck up
haha that was typical deviant of Bellerina a trick and tackle eh?
hahahh
yeah GoH so SHUT UP and count your shekels
So much energy now
Oh,,, Pepe looks motivated at least. Splinters in his ass from the bench most likely.
oh shit bellerin
We are very poor never seen us playing so bad so often.
JAC
You can’t spell son.
Aubameyang missing chances after chances yet again…people give him a pass cause he scores the goals, but his misses are very bad
Martinelli on for Ozil, 4-4-2 and this game will light up.
Auba is missing chances after chances.
Looks like a few tea cups were thrown around at half time!
About time, come on Arsenal!
Aubameyang
Still shit
He did his balls on that tackle, the wee Lucas, ouch
Jac
Must be a labour voter
wtf how blatant the refs can be?
ooh to be a manlet in EPL no wonder he wants to go out
Dale
Aubameyang is a gapped tooth tosser and massively overrated
“Are you the product of incest?Was it Daddy and his sister or your mum and her Father?Based on your eloquent musings, I’m going to go with option 2.”
Chortle …
Different team.
It’s almost like FL has told them to be shit in the first half and go for it in the second to make himself look like a managerial genius
Torreira will be broken in half
We’re still absolutely wide open in midfield. The tempo and attitude has improved but not yet the defending and we are still vulnerable if it carries on.
Dirty foul there, hand ball cunt
Aubameyang is fucking toilet man
Drop that Cunt seriously
Sell him.
The CB’s just stood there and watched.
Why was Kolasinac inwards when the winger was so open to make tea and cross the ball?
Is that Graham sitting up the Brighton end corner flag with his bobble hat on ….
Pepe does not want to defend.
2 – 1?
yeah funny how we can all make fun of fourth world with no education thus they don’t know about the danger of incest or things like that right?
but don’t you dare go against the oppressed chosen tribe the top 1%
they really did your guys head in fucking cattles
Absolutely wide open. Empty midfield and fullbacks incapable of stopping the cross will do that
Wwasn’t that how Soton scored against us you prick ref!? GOAL Bitch
Offside
offside
Yeeeeah
He looked off to me
Hahahahaha
Get in freddie L
Lol Luiz.
Offside. really need to get a goal though so that this spell of better energy pays off.
Toreira should stop bundling over and fall off his short ass! Refs now know his silly game!
Fuck off var!
offsides
Ah. VAR. It was indeed well offside.
Come on The Arsenal!!!
how convenient typical PL ref exploiting VAR to their whims
Nearly an assist in the league for Ozil.
If we don’t win tonight we are seriously in trouble.
Thanks Stan you have screwed this club.
Walk out of the stadium
brick for brains Kolasinac, passes back and puts Luiz under pressure
Well in Torreira
Quality Pepe
Aubameyang scuffs that
put Tierney on already I just want to see our strongest setup
That’s better
Told you
Pepe is ready to take off
Why did emery drop him after his brace in the EL?
haha finally Tierney on
Good technique from Ozil
Come on Ozil. Tierney sighting,
Lol Ozil
Fucking Tierney! To win a game!
Who has martinelli got to suck to get on the pitch.
Why not before the last 20 minutes, Fredie ??
Why are we wasting subs?? Should have started Tierney then
Martinelli will go in a club which really considers him, next summer.
another sub left right?
confirmed Marinelli la
Freddie happy with a draw at home vs the mighty BHA.
In Freddie I trust!!
When was the last time we beat a team in the league 4/5/6 goals?
I do like the way Kola drives the ball forward. Nasty foul on him there
Our best player sitting on the bench, you pricks
We suck
Just watch how often Aubameyang is ball watching
Stops running
Stands still
And watches
Gapped toothed wanker
Freddie suck seems more appropriate to me.
Highbury
Behave
We really need to be very careful with our next hire.
I don’t think City IP works with this team. Don’t even know what their strengths are
Why Laca and not fuckin’ Ozil?
Auba must be tired now too casual half hearted tracking back
so him to slot in the middle with Marti on the left
Look at Lacazette
Straight up there
Lacazette is a fraud. Can only score at home.
I find Auba is worse than Laca today.
9 without a win all time record?
7 goals in 12 games you’d think that’d be enough to get more game time in a club that’s struggling but apparently not. What’s the manager of Ituano up to these days
He should never be taking Lacazette off right now
Martinelli condemned to play only 10 minutes by game ??
Freddie sees one thing we all see though, that is Guendouzi needs some time on the bench
there Auba prefer to press on the goalie not on the flank this should be the starting lineup tbh lads
ThomasDecember 5, 2019 21:49:10
Lacazette is a fraud. Can only score at home.
Fuck off chav
Shouldn’t you be bullying black people on trains?
8 games without a win FFS
Rome is burning and Stan is playing with himself
What a fuckin’ joke we are
“Freddie sees one thing”
He don’t see anything. He sucks.
ahahaha wow that is really bullshit
FREDDIE OUT when?
Oh no. Relegation again now …
Emery needs to leave now, oh wait!
LOL….wow
Martinelli sub is little to late I am afraid.
Fuckkkkkk!
The Seagulls score. Pfffff.
Emery Out
Luiz is beyond shit …
How the fuck is ozil still on the pitch
Him and Aubameyang have been useless
RE-LE-GA-TION.
Well well we’ll.
Wake the fuck up we are finished
Fuck off
Game over.. I’m afraid,
No way!!!
Ah fuck this man
They have has ten shots on target to our three. TEN.
They deserve to be in front.
Emery PTSD right?
The goal of this season is avoiding relegation
I’m afraid we will get drawn into that quick setting cement and our players will melt.
Was that Leno or Luiz or Bellerin????? I mean wtf is going on with this team??