Not much to report on today, the managerial drama went hyper-specific with Ornstein calling it Mikael or Patrick, but it looks very much like that was a mistake because now he’s back peddling with ‘IT COULD BE ANYONE ANYTIME COULD EVEN BE A FEMALE OR A GOAT’ and some of the other journos are keen to play up the long and winding process.
Carlo was fired by Napoli. He’s the dark horse this time. Like Emery, freshly fired because he’s a bit average these days, he’ll lurk in the background like a sexy temptation ready with a pen and a contract in the hope Raul will cave to his BIG NAME allure.
Anything is possible. Remember, this process the club are keen to drive home is running the same way it did last time, then the club blew it up and hired someone that couldn’t speak English.
Hopefully the, ‘he’s not in our profile’, is true. Rapha Honigstein said that Carlo failed to implement a style at Bayern Munich and the players complained that the training lacked intensity (post-Pep). His work at Napoli was widely panned. I think the reality is, Carlo is a galactico manager. He operates best in environments where the key role is to make people care about the work they are doing.
I think it’s highly unlikely he’s an Arsenal remedy, there’s not enough money for him. Add to that he’d be hugely expensive and he’d come with a massive entourage… I would suspect he’s very much the sort of manager Everton would end up going for. Inexperienced owners shoot for managers that have a nostalgic sexiness to them, makes them look good at dinner parties.
I think the curveball for Arsenal is Pochettino. He’s available, he lives in North London and he has a body of work that aligns very nicely with our pros and cons. The man is pure sauce, on paper, there’s no better manager in the world of football to take us on at the minute. The main roadblock is going to be that 1) We are Arsenal 2) We are skint 3) PSG job looks like it’ll open up in the summer.
Still, I’ve no doubt we’ll be talking to him this week, so you never know. I simply don’t buy the new line of ‘Freddie could do it until the end of the season’, mad departure from ‘Senior players say Freddie must go’ 7 days ago. If our execs are basing this new position on one win against West Ham, we’re in deeper trouble than I thought.
For me, it’s simple. The next 5 months is bonus time. There are no expectations. The fans can barely be bothered to go to the games, the players are at a very low ebb, no one is talking about top 4. We should be investing in a coach that is actually a coach with future proof ideas. Give them this season to make assessments of the squad, no point in waiting until the summer, half the team will be away at the Euros. We need to hit the ground running, we have to ship out at least 5 senior players that are no good, and we need to sign a DM and a center-back, and replace some weak areas. We can’t just have Edu making decisions on the squad, he needs to know who the manager is so they can work in tandem, so we don’t end up with a person that needs an Nzonzi but rolls with a Xhaka.
Also, if we are hiring in someone that has an intricate vision of how the game should be played, they will need time. Let’s have the training wheels at least partially off by the start of next season by getting the painful work done now.
Huge Liege game this evening, we need to win to progress into the next phase of the Europa League as table-toppers. Freddie has some interesting challenges to deal with, namely, who he doesn’t play.
Gabriel is a superstar talent for now, he should be on the pitch against City at the weekend. United did a brilliant job at the weekend confusing the City backline by playing 3 fast players in wide positions to stretch and disorientate. That’s a good blueprint for Freddie, so he’ll need his kids fresh, because we’re going to struggle if our front 3 is Lacazette, Auba and Ozil.
That said, there’s still plenty he can do tonight. Hopefully, everyone is feeling more confident after the win against West Ham and we can go back to enjoying Thursday night football. All we have to do tonight is avoid a 5-0 tanking, which should be doable.
Did you get a bruised banana shirt?
Will you be my yellow?
It’s back. Only in selected adidas and Arsenal stores and online. Tomorrow at 9am@adidasfootball @adidasoriginals #HereToCreate pic.twitter.com/339DsrNiyM
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 10, 2019
No, nor me… but how good is that video? Most of the joy I’ve had from Arsenal this year has come from Adidas. No messing around from them, high-performance design culture over there.
Before I go, I heard the sad news that fellow blogger, Dave, of Goonerholic, is having a rough time of it in hospital. I grew up reading his musings way back when he was part of the original set of Arsenal fans that took to the internet to entertains us on the regular. I was lucky enough to spend some time with him, we walked around Arsenal’s medical facilities a few years back. What a top bloke. Kind, knowledgeable, and great fun. When he’d tell me off on Twitter, I’d listen, the guy commanded respect, he had the sort of sauce our next manager will need to put our car crash of season back on track. Fingers crossed he pulls through, in the meantime, we’re sending big love from everyone from Le Grove. xx
I’ll
How long before Red copies and pastes something?
3rd
Trofee
Red,
In case you didn’t see from the previous post…
Jeez Red,
Left testicle is a ‘moniker’. It doesn’t mean I have one left testicle. Just like you’re not red, nor do you tell the truth. Do you see? I have two large testicles. Thanks for taking an interest.
First!!!
He’s Googling as I type.
‘Ok Google, what’s a moniker?’
“Ex-Australia coach Ange Postecoglou wins Japan’s J-League championship as manager”.
Here is a name out of left field and we do have a bit of a history with ex-J League managers!
“we have to ship out at least 5 senior players that are no good”
mmm Xhaka, Mustafi, Ozil er oh I know Ozil’s so bad you counted him three times!
Surely if you only have one testicle it would hang centrally?
I personally wouldn’t know but I’ve got to say the conversations on here are getting stranger by the day.
Freddie will see out the season
No manager with good reasoning is joining Arsenal now.
You heard it here 1st.
Pedro
On a serious note I think you’ve a really tough job at the moment keeping us entertained. I think the club are keeping their cards really close to their chests and the journalists really don’t know what’s going on hence all the bullshit.
Didn’t it used to be Bouldy’s Left Testicle ?
If so, strictly speaking, it’s not even his own testicle !
You heard it here 1st.
——————
I expect Arteta to be announced after the Man C game.
Think you’re being a bit unfair on Ancelotti. He would be a safe pair of hands, and likely get us back to where our talent deserves to be. Not fighting for the title but in a battle for 4th-6th. The question is, can we get a manager that can get us outperforming our squad capability? Pochettino certainly could, as he did with Spurs for many years. People like Arteta are unknowns, could be great, could be terrible. Actually, there is someone thats going to be out of work within the next day or so. He is terrible with finances, massively… Read more »
It could be a left testicle if the right testicle was removed and the left is left, right?
“If so, strictly speaking, it’s not even his own testicle !”
I’m confused is it an implant?
The journo’s don’t know because the BOD’s can’t make their mind up, with an average age of about 80 bar one, it’s not surprising, most of them probably have dementia.
Bergkamp
You’re halfway there – they did actually make a decision – they’ve just forgotten what it was!
My moniker used to be ‘Park Chu-young’s left testicle’, then I went through a spell where I had to keep typing the full name on my mobile to post, so I dropped the ‘Park Chu-young’s.’ Hence ‘Left testicle’.
Pedro is right, we do need to shift at least 5 out but those bloated contracts are not going to make it easy for a couple of years.
Pedro
I’d be shocked although delighted if we got Poch.
But surely he’s ready for a next level challenge.
We are back to the drawing board, root and branch, long term future plan and for fuck sake don’t ask for any money level.
It’s not even a real testicle
It’s a Cadbury’s cream egg in a bin liner
Gambon,
I’m hoping that, after Corbyn receives a battering, he’ll stay on as leader of the Labour Party. Much like opposition fans wanted Wenger to stay at Arsenal.
Big love for goonerholic
Testicle
You’ve got the same initials as Lucas Torreira 😝
Yeah, the conservatives best weapon against defeat it Corbyn,
“Jeremy Corbyn, we wan’t you to stay”
That’s where the similarity ends. I didn’t blub when Xhaka got booed off.
Who was Bouldy’s left Testicle then ?
Can’t believe we have 2 Left Testicles on the same blog !
Un
Nah I reckon it’s one of those mini eggs.
I may have been ‘Bouldy’s left Testicle’ pre ‘Park Chu-young’s left testicle’ but that would have been years ago, I honestly can’t remember. Has ‘Bouldy’s left Testicle’ been posting recently?
It’s a bloody massive easter egg!
So much bollocks being talked today…..
That reminds me, I need to get some tea bags on the way home.
Anyway, on to things non scrotum,
It had crossed my mind that even if Arteta was ready to go, it wouldn’t happen until after Sunday’s game, it would be too disrespectful to PEP & Co.
I think as clinical physiologist looking at the comment section would come to the conclusion that the Arsenal fan base en mass has been driven round the bend.
That’s why nobody is attending games,
They are all at the shrink’s !
“I have two large testicles.”
Red is going to need proof of that.
Team to face Standard Liege: Martinez, Sokratis, Mavropanos, Luiz, Maitland-Niles, Willock, Saka, Nelson, Lacazette, Smith Rowe.
Have no idea what that team is
Be thankful you all do not have Donald John Trump. This fella will be out next year. Impeached in the house of reps. Anyway, Carlo, has a an awesome CV…. will command respect of players and fans. However, I am also not so sure of his playing style of identity. He always coaches very good teams so hard to say… Our problems also lie with players not up to par. Xhaka, Mustafi, Ozil etc. I think we will play well this weekend. We will have defensive hiccups but I can see the game going 2-0 Arsenal, then City gets back… Read more »
Arsenal XI confirmed: Martinez; Luiz, Mavropanos, Sokratis; Maitland-Niles, Willock, Guendouzi, Saka; Smith Rowe, Lacazette, Nelson
Substitutes: Leno, Aubameyang, Chambers, Martinelli, John-Jules, Medley, Olayinka
Have no idea what that team is
——————-
When we lose 5 nil and go out of the competition then you’ll have an idea!
Sorry and Guendouzi. Sky dropping the ball
Mavro appears
Mavro sighting!
Glad Auba is not starting. I DO NOT want to see him play at all.
Nor Gaby
Hey Marble
We’ve a match in a few minutes, give it a rest.
Redtruth
what does all that mean?
Conservatives cutting social services?
I got Orchitus in my Bollocks once when I was young after getting the mumps.
I had a tent over the bed in Coppets wood isolation Hospital my bollocks where that big I could have been in
Billy Smarts circus.
Keep your bollocks safe left or right.
And Red don’t talk so much Bollocks.😂
Carlo, has a an awesome CV…. will command respect of players and fans.
Carlo sanctioned Ozil Arsenal transfer when he took over at RM and if reports were accurate , picked Angel Di Maria as the preferred option to keep between the two players , so not sure if Ozil got over that one.
Pierre probably hasn’t lol.
thought it was Mourinho that jettisoned Ozil
Who plays leftback/wingback whats the formation.
Good to see ESR back has potential but hes a crock.
Is that Emery’s influence on Freddie? Now he is fielding three CB’s. Could it be AMN and Nelson as wing backs???
We should try to win the group to avoid grouping with Inter and Ajex in the knock out phase.
Redtruth 69. Severe erection, throbbing left testicle needs to release. Still in a basement. Sad times thanks to the Tory government.
Looks like we wil play with wingbacks vs man c which is good considering our RB & LB are out.
Saka probably the LWB. Keen to see how Nelson and Mavropanos get on tonight.
Carlo isnt what we need, great man though he is.
If its not Allegri, which now looks doubtful at least till the summer. It’s gotta be Freddie, Arteta or Vieira, with Poch as the long shot.
thought it was Mourinho that jettisoned Ozil
No, Jose was at Chelsea then and when found out about Ozil Arsenal transfer he was reportedly upset.
That’s when he made his famous there isn’t even a bad Ozil copy out there comment
3 at the back is a finished formation. No successful teams use it anymore.
Ozil just needs to be finished. The amount of time we talk about this loser is out of control.
Will never ever get back to his peak ever….
done
finished.
£2bn to fix potholes clinches it for me.
I’m voting Tory.
Pity Nketiah is still on loan…
Yeo Freddie.
And spend the money on these inflated in and out (compensation packages)
on players instead of dated managers (Allegri).?
‘Do you see? I have two large testicles. Thanks for taking an interest.’
The things that happen on le grove these days…..grown men making affidavits of the number and size of their testicles.
Embarrassing stuffs.
Guns of sf
“Ozil just needs to be finished. The amount of time we talk about this loser is out of control.”
Can’t help.yourself can you , it’s only on Le Grove that a player with the amount of medals and awards that Ozil has accumulated , can he be be considered “a loser”..
“3 at the back is a finished formation. No successful teams use it anymore.”
Danny s talking tactics……now there’s a first.
Gentlebris,
The muppet known as Redtruth couldn’t comprehend that, although my moniker is Left testicle, it doesn’t mean that, in real life, I have one testicle. I still don’t think he understands. He also thinks a four day week is good for the country.
Pierre
So many of us want to know why you have this overinflated opinion of this player?
Is it to be the antagonist for the sake of it?
Or something else?
Can you even admit any ozil fault?
And he’s on 350 grand a week ….what a loser?
Ozil was a good footballer, now retired. You can’t take anything away from the man but you also can’t say he’s still an active soccer player.
Having clarified that, no one we have in midfield is as creative or as worthy of a place in that midfield as the retired veteran. We should concentrate on the poverty of our middle and indict Ozil the less.
P,
That’s down to our senile, former manager.
‘The muppet known as Redtruth couldn’t comprehend that, although my moniker is Left testicle, it doesn’t mean that, in real life, I have one testicle. I still don’t think he understands. He also thinks a four day week is good for the country.’
L.T,
I know that guy can be a sorry case, but you can’t really blame him if he thought you had one testicle. If you talk to Receding Hairline, he will confirm that he indeed suffered some hair loss.
Hello Ladies… how’s things? Looks like Freddie playing the leftovers today.. understandable if you ask me.. Our squad is not very deep. Chance for some of these to gain some sort of form also a chance to be compete shit… lol Guess we will see.
Why no red card there?
Matty G faking an injury… kind of embarrassing.. Thought it was David Luiz at first… hahaha they look too much alike and that’s the sort of thing he does.
We’re probably going to be here 3 years down the line after a defeat and someone is going to bring up how because we sold a certain German, that’s why we failed to create anything in that entire game
Looks like a grass optional pitch.
Let me guess… Pierre was going on about Ozil today… and how everything that is wrong with the club happened in the last 18 months… dude has completely lost it.
Anyone remember when Wenger played Ozil on the left for a while because he was being lazy and shit.
Pierre?
Our CB suchs. Firstly Luiz, then Mav. They gave the ball away cheaply.
Luiz fucks up and then 10 seconds later so does Mavropanos, can’t make this shit up.
Safe to say Mavropanos is not going to save us from having to go to the transfer market
Oh man trying to play out of the back… is ridiculous with that pitch.. Just clear the ball… FFS.
Why SMR didn’t pass to Nelson?
Luiz is a liability. he should never start a league game again. What a pointless, gutless panic buy.
Oh wow… should have scored… dud everything right except the finish. Good run though.
Scrappy old game this.
Freddie telling Lacazette whats up on the sidelines… Good to see him doing some in game coaching.. See if anything comes of it.
Freddie still insisting on playing out from the back, awful.
Nelson, if he’d passed your namesake would have been offside.
Scrappy old game this.
——————
The pitch doesn’t help, not up to standard.
@Danny
True.
Mav is not good enough
mavro what??
Saka almost scores.
Nelson… he looks pretty rusty… not sure if you can judge him just on this.. But so far he has been pretty bad.
Good move there by Saka forced a save.
too much back passing
Mauropanos looks really horrible. Never like the player before his injury. Maitland niles looks shocking at moments and Luiz and Sokratis still shaky.. How can our defenders be so bad?? Worst defence line we ve had in decades definitely.
What I don’t understand is that playing out from the back was Emery’s strategy but we didn’t have the players to do it. We didn’t sign any players that can, Emery got sacked but we continue to do it!
can assume the lineup against city.
Ozil will feature. shit
Referee with a good defensive play… sign him up.