Matteo training alone is correct + Thoughts on the lawyer

by .

Matteo G has been training on his own. Sad to see so much talent, with so little control. There are folk painting this as ‘caring too much’, but it’s nonsense. He’s badly behaved, he’s unpleasant to the staff, and he refuses to get on board the new direction the club is heading.

He had issues with Freddie before him, so it’s not just a Mikel thing.

So what do you do? Do you truly believe that elite players behave like this? They don’t. If he won’t play by the rules, he has to go. We’re not far enough along in the process to absorb a player like that. This is not Nik Anelka here. The delivery on the pitch doesn’t merit the problems off it.

Barca had something similar when Pep landed. He booted out problematic players way more accomplished than Guen, all in the name of making sure Messi and the kids coming behind him could thrive. Arsene Wenger did it when he landed, moving on senior players he thought were a bad influence.

We’re not quite Barca, or the squad Arsene inherited, but we have a lot of youngsters giving more than Matteo, and preferential treatment would not be helpful. That is Emery-style thinking.

The only shame of the blow-up is it might reduce interest in him, or lower the asking price.

I think it might work out well for us though. He’s a pretty sexy make-weight. Might be perfect for Simeone. He’d look like a smart move and allow them to save face on the Partey deal. Let’s see where it goes, but don’t cry over someone that thinks they make the rules at 20.

In news that I didn’t speak on, Tim Lewis joined the Arsenal board. I’m going to stick my neck out here and say that sort of hire from the Kroenke’s makes for ominous reading if you are Raul.

A few things stuck out for me:

  1. The KSE group don’t exactly have a lot of trusted confidantes in London. I’m pretty sure this guy worked with them on the stadium or takeover move. He’s trusted.
  2. Tim is a lawyer. They ask questions, they probe, they get to the bottom of things. What Arsenal need right now is someone assessing how we landed on deals and why we did them. Having someone with laser focus and the time to assess is going to be very valuable to the family. We don’t have a counter to Raul, a Clifford Chance partner; if activated with a mandate, is a force for good.
  3. He’s a ‘lifelong Arsenal fan.’ I don’t know the guy. I’ve never had a beer with him to assess how much a fan he is (‘DO YOU GO TO AWAY GAMES MATE’). But if he is like you or I and spends over 16 hours of screentime on Newsnow, reads all the blogs, pays for The Athletic, mainlines AFTV, and has a google alert set up to catch transfer stories from Eastern Europe and beyond, my hope is he gives a fuck about Arsenal and wants the club to do right by the fans.
  4. This move has happened as leading bloggers and journos write about the wacky goings-on at Arsenal… combined with very senior people at the club clearly leaking hard. I just do not believe that billionaires don’t pay attention to their most valuable assets. For me, being a total amateur, this looks like a statement addition to the hierachy.

My hope, at the absolute minimum, is this means Raul and Edu have a very long think about how they want to conduct this summer. Do they want to bring in players that have been recommended by Arsenal people? Or do they want to continue suckling the contacts teet of Kia and Canales?

We shall see. We’re rooting for you, Tim.

Arsenal has a huge game later today. Spurs beat Everton in a horrendous game. We need to make some space before Sunday. If we go to 52 points, and beat Spurs, we’ll be 4 points clear of them with 3 games to go. Lose tomorrow, and lose Sunday, we are in biiiiiig trouble.

Let’s see what we’ve got.

I’ll leave you with a solo podcast. It’s a good one. So listen. x

Apple Podcasts | Spotify

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Samesong

2-0 up Leceister have to come at us 2nd half leaving them open for counter attacks.

Emiratesstroller

RT

Do you understand offside rules? As I said Vardy was not offside. The question was whether Perez was offside and made contact with the ball before it reached Vardy.

Your problem is that you have only one thought in your head and that is to put
Arsenal down on all occasions.

Ishola70

ES

I haven’t argued about Vardy. I said his kick to the face was intentional. He got away with his snide challenge.

If VAR was properly on it he would have seen red.

He did it so snidely though he got away with it.

TR7

Refs decisions aside yet another decent performance from Arsenal under Arteta. Funny we had posters here asking for Arteta’s head when we lost to Brighton in what was a game played after a long hiatus and we were just not ready. I am pretty much sure Arteta and Arsenal will get better with time. Fingers crossed for some good business in summer and hopefully we can kick it on from there.

Ishola70

Don

Your a joke on here.

You’ve been slating Ceballos since he has arrived labelling him a Spanish donkey and rating Willock over him.

And then tonight you bum him up.

No shame. No shame you.

Dissenter

Vardy should have been sent off for that challenge on Mustafi.
How do you scare your studs on another player’s face and not even get a yellow card?

Redtruth

The player made no contact so where is the controversy.
Leicester scored a perfectly good goal in the first half which was inexplicably ruled out..

David Smith

When I see Liverpool and Utd players getting the type decisions we got this eve, and are regularly on the end of, I will believe all is well with these officials
But yes, we should have killed them off

Dissenter

The Eddie challenge was a yellow when you factor in that the other player withdrew from the challenge at the last minute and Eddie had only been on the field for less than a minute.

To all those saying it was so obvious; why did it take replay after replay to convince the referee.

TR7

Mikel Arteta on Ceballos: “He was superb again, him & Granit are creating a really good understanding. They are evolving a lot together. Defensively, Dani has made a big step forward with the amount of tackles & interceptions he is making.”

Emiratesstroller

Un na naii Sadly it is what you learn to expect from these people. The only one missing tonight is CG. The reality is we should have won this game comfortably and did not kill it off as Arteta said. However, what is crystal clear is that Arsenal are now far more organised in recent games and play to a system, which makes us difficult to beat despite the limitations of our backline. We are an improving team and providing that we recruit the right players in the summer I am hopeful that we will become a better team and… Read more »

Ishola70

There are concerns with Ceballos in that he can be caught on the ball in dangerous areas in his own half a few too many times

Overall he is still not worth signing considering we have another player in the side with the same weakness in midfield as well.

Redtruth

It only took glance at the monitor to convince the Ref it was a red card.

Pierre

Ishola
“Sure Vardy could have been sent off but this can happen. It’s football shit officiating and all.”

Not really…VAR is there to look at incidents like the deliberate Vardy kick….they didn’t and you have to ask yourself why .

TR7

At best Ceballos loan spell should be extended, no need to shell out good money to sign him on a permanent transfer.

salparadisenyc

Dissenter

Sorry mate the Eddie challenge was a red, once thats slowed down really there is no choice. I like fact he went for it, he gets the touch its off to the races.

Vardy goal similar once slowed down and we see the Perez touch, its off side there. Very harsh to not disallow that goal.

Ishola70

Both were red cards.

Vardy’s was a snidey old pros challenge whereas Eddie’s was a naive kid just starting out challenge.

Unfortuntaely snide got away with it. Naive did not.

Ishola70

No Don

I have made known about Ceballos for a few good months now.

Whereas you have been slating Ceballos all season and have the audacity to rate him in only the last few matches.

I’ve made my feelings known about Ceballos from about halfway through the season.

He was always better than Willock though wasn’t he Don.

TR7

Arteta on Dani Ceballos: “I am really happy with him. I think its something the club has to go a little bit further with Real Madrid on that. At the moment he is playing really well, I am really happy with him & he is a player with a big talent & still a lot of things to improve”

bennydevito

I thought that overall we were unlucky tonight. When all things are even we still have Mustafi and Xhaka starting and their poor defending and positioning is going to cost us time and time again.

In the first half I thought we were excellent and could have been 2 or 3 up. There was enough there tonight for me to see a continuation in the improvement of our performances under Arteta and I for one am still positive and excited.

Ishola70

TR7

What is the point in keep quoting Arteta?

He isn’t going to say anything else is he.

He will probably stay going by those words.

We will see if a Ceballos – Xhaka midfield is good enough over a whole season.

For me that partnership will be suspect defensively too many times.

Dissenter

Sal
I think slow replay makes some challenges appear worse because it only freezes the impact without considering the other variables.
That said, Eddie did catch him too high and the player fell to the ground like he was hit by a magnum 45 bullet.
I’ve seen Vary walk away with a stern waning for kicking defenders like that all the time.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Sal

Through my red eyes could only see wrong…

22.48.50

I totally agree with. Calmly said. Wisely put.

I would have like the ref to have Vardy challenge go to var. just to let him know,.. we knew… ya get me.

TheLegendaryDB10

Ishola False statement?? You are sure? The team was full of confidence until that red card. As much as Leicester were far more attacking, we were still in control. Until these cunts of refs decided after 3-4 mins of fast forward and replay and then the ref walking down to watch tbe replay for 10 seconds tops that it was a red card. He may have had his studs up but this was a yellow all the way. Foul was unintentional and the player didn’t roll around like they normally do. We were still in control of the game until… Read more »

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

So now we are swapping mattie for danni

I agree with that

salparadisenyc

RSPC

Ceballos for me was such a mis-stroke from Raul and Co, i’ve done nothing but slate him up and down Le Grove.

Have to say I may of been wrong, he’s showing signs of life I didn’t think existed or were in his locker. I’m not sold but am definitely getting closer.

Best game in the world man this Footie!

China1

If you can watch a replay for 3 fucking minutes and still haven’t decided it’s because the incident is CONTENTIOUS and the original decision should stand.

If you’re not sure after watching the videos for 20 seconds you won’t become more sure after 1, 2 or 3 minutes. It’s really that simple

Reviewing replays in slow motions is not hard at all. If it’s still not clear just accept it’s contentious and carry on with the original decision ffs. No one is adding insight to the conversation on an incident after 4 fucking minutes. All those officials need sacking

China1

This VAR abuse is such clear example of the law of diminishing returns Watch a replay once – useful. Watch a second replay from another angle – very useful Watch a third replay from another angle – very useful 4th replay – already seen this angle… unlikely to notice many new things 5th replace – as above 6th replay – now we’re just going into trying to interpret something patently inconclusive 7th replay – complete waste of time 8th replay – huge waste of time 9th replay – sack the lot of them 10th replay – throw the officials into… Read more »

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Sal

Some times players takevan agents settle..
Dennis
Pieres don’t think he came alive to March.

If mattie is to go swap him for some one with resale value.

Guns of SF

Lol China

Guns of SF

Why didn’t the var staff decide? They made the ref take a look bc they could not decide.
Maybe bc it was not clear cut
That should say it all?

RockyRoe

You guys are reaching for it, on the vardy card. He was falling down backward, Mustafi was falling down forward, while falling down his boot nicked Mustafi. There was not change in vardys leg position while falling so it was a unintentional nick. Compare it with nketia and in a different match he could broken a leg. The team.played well, not being clinical enough cost us again, which is so very arsenal, but there were a lot of positives in the 1st half. The passing seems so much more positive and ceballos was pinging some sweet ones. On a different… Read more »

salparadisenyc

Rocky

You make your own judgement here:

https://twitter.com/SalibaSZN/status/1280624456289914883?s=20

The Godfather

OMG that is so infuriating … Arsenal will always get screwed by the league

Brooklyn

Maybe I am wrong, We pick up after Arteta gives team talk at each drinks break. Before that opposition always seems to have upper hand, in both halves. What if we didn’t have drinks break after couple of games in post restart?? Also, play Tierney as LCB and Kola as LWB if it is must to play kola….better even Tierney as LCB and Saka as LWB with Pepe/Nelson/Willock as RM. Martinez seems to kick longer than Leno and far more comfortable at plucking high balls in the box. Second aspect is nice to have for once, but don’t really think… Read more »

Gonsterous

Honestly I find arteta press conference so flying weak. He loves to talk about what he’s doing and how the team is going.
If Wenger was here (and I don’t want him to be) he would have lambasted the officials and VAR.
As bad as Wenger was, he knew when to attack the officials and the league. hell all managers fight for decisions against their team
Unlike meek arteta, who accepts what’s happening, and says let’s forget about it and focus on the next game.
But people say he’s learning on the job.

Gonsterous

Remember when maupey injured leno and arteta came out in support of maupey. Fking facepalm moment.
Would any top manager do that? Defend the other team? Fking novice. Back to the drawing board and being pep lite.

Sid

Are the posters here getting to that age group that posters in Untold were 10yrs ago?

Aussie Gooner

Ceballos is class, always said that – sign him up and let him do his stuff. Eddie 50-50 with the red card, I thought the original decision (yellow) was the right one. VAR needs a total re-think – it is just not doing what it says on the box! Vardy kick in the head looks bad on replay although they were both going to ground, the movement of his leg towards Mustafi looks deliberate. Some odd line up/sub decisions yet again, the game was there for the taking! Saka, Abu, Pepe up front all day long. Too many players playing… Read more »

Samesong

That Vardy kick was an assault.

Guns of SF

https://twitter.com/salibaszn/status/1280659579601326080?s=21

Look at mustafi face

Dude might be limited but he is a warrior. Both he and luiz took a lot of punishment today

Proud we got some tough mofo’s in this team

Guns of SF

Vardy is a nasty racist sewer rat….
does not surprise me he pulled this shit

Does not look natural on second look at all…

DivineSherlock

My only gripe with Arteta is that second half thing where we drop our levels. Up until that red card I dont think we even registered a shot in second half. If we had started the half with same intensity as the first one, Leicester were there for the taking. Other than that just fcuk the refs all are fucking bent. You watch that game and tell me that no Leicester player even got a card ! Evans dug his studs into Lacazette in first half , Bennett pushing Tierney off the ground .

CaliGooner

Would be nice to see a Saka Auba and Pepe front three for Sp*rs.

Yes please!!

Guns of SF

Something up with Pepe? His minutes have been really limited lately

I’m also hoping no more saka on the right
Besides the assist he struggled there last 2 games

He does better on the left coming from deep with space ahead of him.. kid needs to show more aggression as defenders know who he is now

Guns of SF

Baby not included… needs to get minutes… saka taking his position

Useroz

Pepe hasn’t done very well as a winger but I think Arteta isn’t happy about his defensive play.

Aussie Gooner

I don’t think that Pepe is a traditional right winger. He is very one footed and prefers to come in from the right to use his left foot. Bielsa had him playing as more of a CF at Lille at times. He has bags of talent and needs to do his thing. Ditto Tierney who will go on to be a captain and legend at Arsenal.

Sid

The best way to avoid cards is to keep possesion, chasing opponents will get you exhausted and error prone

Guns of SF

Vardy should have had a red for that
The leg kick out seems odd and a reaction that mustafi got the ball before him.

Like wtf … take this !

Mustafi did well. Took a lot of hell

Guns of Hackney

Stop complaining about red cards. It happens. The best thing to do…score more than your opponents and make the card, moot. Done.

Also, Leicester doesn’t score if that square headed cunt Kola doesn’t turn his back on the ball! Note: IT WAS A FUCKING GRASS PASS AND HE TURNED AWAY FROM IT!!! Pussy.

To be honest, under late Arsene or Emery, we would have lost that game so improvement all around. Tierney was lovely but can’t cross for shit.

Martinez excellent again. No.1 for sure. Sell Leno, buy Hart.

Chris

Mentioned at half time we needed to get the second goal, unfortunately our level seemed to drop in the second half and Leicester looked like they were getting a foothold even before the sending off, we couldn’t quite impose ourselves as we did in the first half but that isn’t to be unexpected at this point considering multiple factors, I have no doubts that will improve next season. I have mixed feelings about the sending off, at first replay I thought Nketiah was in trouble but VAR showing 20 replays is ridiculous, considering the referee corrected his own decision at… Read more »

Goobergooner

Hahaha red has nailed this.
un na naii you’re embarrassing to read, especially over a long period of time 😂😂😂
Redtruth
July 7, 2020 22:19:40
“In na naai
You are a hypocrite, almost from day one of Emery’s appointment you were critical of Arsenal and waiting for Arsenal to fail so you could stick the boot in.”

shaun

they played well first half and should have finished the game .Did not think our red was a red but that could be just me as a fan.They looked defensively solid and played some nice football in the first half .I think the Vardy kick was a red when seeing the clip posted above gut I did not think that last night when showed the sky replay.Maybe a bit harsh but yes mustafi , xhaka and luiz all need replacing .would have liked to have seen Pepe for Saka as the sub and Laca kept on for a bit as… Read more »

Redtruth

Guns of Hackney

Like we lost to two late goals against Chelsea under Arteta

Redtruth

We would not of lost to Olympiacos under Emery’s management.

Receding Hairline

Don and Pedro are upset some posters are doing what they spent 18 months of the last coach’s tenure doing, worse still they are projecting their own behavior back then on others. If Arsenal really do move up a level or stop being Arsenal everyone will acknowledge that, but for now some of the destructive habits and weakness still rear their ugly head. The false narrative is pretending this set of players have never stepped up a level every now and then even under the last coach, seeing things that aren’t there and denying things that are isn’t helping. By… Read more »

Pierre

Gobbygooner
“Hahaha red has nailed this.
un na naii you’re embarrassing to read, especially over a long period of time 😂😂😂
Redtruth
July 7, 2020 22:19:40
“In na naai
You are a hypocrite, almost from day one of Emery’s appointment you were critical of Arsenal and waiting for Arsenal to fail so you could stick the boot in.”

Slightly dumb thing to say as it would surely make Ruth a hypocrite as well as he is doing exactly what Un is being accused of.

Emiratesstroller

RT

Give it a break with your constant negative critique of Arteta. You are a complete
obsessive.

If you don’t like Arsenal and its coach why don’t you go and find a team which meets your particular requirements.

Pierre

Keeping possession of the football is a requisite for a team to not concede in the closing stages .

We didn’t do it well enough under Emery and we don’t do it well enough under Arteta.

In Arteta’s defence , the 4 red cards haven’t helped but even being down to ten men shouldn’t mean we have to concede possession so easily.

Possession is the only way to keep in control of a football match , in the end the pressure will tell as we saw yesterday.

The Backpass

Are we not suppose to analyze and be critical about anything arsenal again on this blog?, because this level of policing is quite similar to untold.

Redtruth

Pierre

We were useless at keeping possession under Wenger too, especially his last 7 seasons.

The Backpass

“If you don’t like Arsenal and its coach why don’t you go and find a team which meets your particular requirements.”

WTF is this?

The Backpass

IFAB to extend five substitutes rule to cover all of 2020-21 season.

Five sub’s next season….interesting, I think we need a ceballos on loan next season now.

Thomas

@shaun

.Did not think our red was a red but that could be just me as a fan.

___

Well maybe you should actually look at the situation because that was a clear red card.

Redtruth

Emiratesstriller stuck with Wenger for so long he developed the bends and is still recovering from it.

Emiratesstroller

Pierre Personally I have one issue with yesterday’s red card. The referee had a clear view of the incident when Nkietah fouled the Leicester play and deemed it a yellow card. The only justification for reversing that decision should have been if Nkietah’s action could have caused serious injury to the opponent and there was absolutely no evidence that was the case which is in direct contrast to the Vardy incident before half time. On the other matter of keeping control we know that Arsenal’s squad is currently lacking top class defenders and midfielders. That is a problem not just… Read more »

Sid

Possesion stats
Arsenal 38% Leicester62%
Arsenal 52% Norwich48%

Redtruth

Vardy’s unconventional challenge is open to interpretation whereas Nketiah’s is more straightforward.

Redtruth

It would be rather foolish of me to get behind an unproven manager before he proves himself and shows what he’s got.

Samesong

Guns agree with everything you said apart from Tierney can’t cross a ball.

Samesong

Arsenal 38% Leicester62%

Auba gave the ball away loads in the second half. Laca always tends to give away fouls to the opposition also.

Spanishdave

Lacazette is not a natural goal scorer as can be seen from his stats.
He had three good chances and scuffed them all, he seems to panic at the wrong time.
Artetas game management is not good he needs to read the game better.

Aussie Gooner

Latest on yet another Ozil back injury.

Specialists have discovered that he does not have a backbone!

Davey

Mustafi must smell the danger for the goal, vardy gets behind him and what does Mustafi do? Takes a slight step forward, the only danger to that cross is Vardy and Mustafi will never make a decent defender if he can not smell the danger. He has to drop off and mark the space.

Sid

Ozils medical report from Ob/gyno
He is pussy

Leftfootcurler

Nketiah’s was a clear red card offense. In Vardy’s case intent matters. Its not a studs up challenge/lunge, he had his back turned and was losing control of his body. From one angle it looks deliberate,from the other angle it doesn’t. So there is reasonable doubt imo. I think Yellow is the correct decision in his case. Vardy’s goal was offside. As for the goal, I think it was Xhaka who didn’t close down Gray quick enough for the cross. Arteta was clearly disappointed at conceding that, He and Pep pretty much perfected that half space cross at Man City… Read more »

Graham62

Arsenal should have had the game in the bag before HT, we all know that. The Nketiah incident was frustrating because of the VAR interpretation(ongoing replays) and the refs ability to see it as a yellow in real time and then making a quick decision , after seeing it on screen, a red. Everything looks different in slow motion, especially when tackles are flying in. Imo, it was yellow but did not justify a red. As for the Vardy goal, I’m confused. Wasn’t Vardy slightly off as the initial cross came in? Didn’t we all see that? The deflection occurred… Read more »

Sid

Possesion
48%Arsenal vs wolves

Passmasters
1st Luiz attempted 67 successful 63
2nd Mustafinovs attempted 68 successful 58

Pass combinations
Luiz to mustafinovs 25
Mustafinovs to Luiz 21
Kola to luiz 17

Leftfootcurler

Graham
Yes,Vardy was offside.

Redtruth
Nelson

I think VAR should also review Vardy’s action. He did kick towards Mustafi while lying down. It has even resulted in facial injury.
Eddie’s action was also a clear red card. You never challenge an opponent with the studs high up.

Redtruth

Possession

When Emery was in charge this season, the Gunners had an average possession of 56.23%, but that has surprisingly dropped to 54.4% under Ljungberg and 52.57% under Arteta.

Tee

We need a good summer to compliment Arteta’s good work on the team.
Not necessarily expensive players but players that fit the system Arteta wants to play.
We need to go big on a midfielder, and another inexpensive striker should aubameyang stay and lacazette sold.

Graham62

Thanks guys for making everything so much clearer.

🤪😬😩👎

Goobergooner

Un

Pierre already pointed out the irony of my comment. The sentiment of Reds comment still holds true though 😂😂😂

I’m not aligning myself with anyone. I supported Emery as the manager as I support Arteta as the manager of this great club.

China1

Tierney is a great crosser. Might have put in some bad ones yesterday but his crossing is really dangerous normally

Bojangles

Nkiteah’s tackle was reckless, a straight red. When the ref showed him yellow, I thought Nk got away with one but then VAR came into play. Vardy’s goal was not offside.

Un.

It is possible to be an Arsenal supporter and watch the game with both eyes.

Thought we did enough to win the game, was annoyed when they scored. Imo, if Martinez comes off his line quicker he may have saved it. Not blaming Martinez for their goal, it’s just an observation.

Bojangles

Regards Vardy/Mustafi incident, it looked to me like a deliberate kick to the head. We do get our fair share of these decisions going against us. If the ref’s’ are doing nothing to protect our players maybe we need to buy in a “Dirty Harry” to exact retribution.

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