Well happy Thanksgiving to all my American brethren.
What do we Arsenal fans have to be thankful of? Absolutely nothing.
I hate life right now.
… but, we do have a tasty away clash against Molde tonight. The Europa League is my escape. It’s where my dreams of progressive one-touch football go to play out at level 11.
The coach did a pretty extensive press interview, clocking in 18 minutes of chit chat. He looks pretty relaxed, which is nice to see, BECAUSE I AM NOT RELAXED.
Most of the press questions were around Nicolas Pepe. I love how critical journalists can be about football, preparation, subs, tone, jacket choice… but they are all totally fucked if someone else asks the one question they had prepared for the interview.
Anyway, it was interesting how adamant the coach was about Pepe’s inclusions (all four times he was asked about it). He aggressively shot down the idea that his career was over with the sort of face a Spaniard gives you when you reach for the ketchup during a fine dining experience.
“Absolutely not, it’s not about that and I don’t like that type of statement,”
“I will give Nico my full support all the time. He knows the things he has to improve but again we all know his qualities.
“He has some responsibility, and I have a lot of responsibility, to get the best out of him. I cannot fault his effort at all. There are certain aspects he can do better because he has the ability … but to say there is a threat to finish his career here, it’s not at all like that.”
The player made a mistake, showed remorse, and he’ll be going right back into the starting 11 to prove himself.
That’s good news. Arteta went to great lengths to say that the responsibility of his career is on his shoulders. I’m very unsure where we’ll land with the player. He cost £72m but he plays like he’s come out of the U18s. He offers no cover on the right, his touch is often fat and heavy, his decision making is slow, he runs with the ball too much. Everything in his game needs to speed up and he needs to find intensity for the full 90. He’s been so awful, you almost have to wonder whether AMN should be put in the side to cover for the lack of help Hector receives.
Back to Nico. What better place to show the world what you can do than the greatest of the European competitions?
There was also a bit of a rewind on Folarin Balogun. The manager admitted the club has reopened contract talks because the player is showing something he wasn’t before. I have no idea what that means specifically, but I’m assuming the attitude slipped last summer when there was a lot of back and forth over whether he should have gone to Sheffield United.
Tonight would be a great moment to see whether he can translate U23 performances into a big boys competition. He certainly looks the business. He’s more of an all-action striker than Eddie. He can run with the ball a pace, he’s strong, he loves a low shot like Nik Anelka. The question is, as ever, can it translate? He ‘looks’ like he could be the Aguero Mikel doesn’t have. COULD. I said COULD.
I suspect tonight was originally going to be full-on kids, but I wonder if we’ll see more senior players on account of some of the dismal football. The club is going through a weird transition midseason as we hopefully begin to move away from 3 at the back. We don’t exactly have an easy set of Premier League fixtures to test and learn, so tonight might be a good place to start.
There’s talk that William Saliba will leave in January. I really hate the idea that he’s going back to St Etienne. Why would you go back to a subpar league that’s comfortable? Go to a club in the Premier League. Leeds, West Brom, Brighton, and Burnley could all do with reinforcements. Why head back to an oven that only half baked you last time?
Some additional unwanted news, it appears our most creative player, Bukayo Saka, is out of contention for this Sunday. I have no idea about Thomas Partey, but you’d imagine Mo Elneny is also out. It’s not looking good.
Finally, Diego Maradona. One of the most joyous footballers ever to grace the game passed yesterday, probably because he just enjoyed the good times a little too hard.
He told the Gallaghers that if they left his party with any of his women, he’d have them both shot.
60 years of living life like Diego, or like you, sitting there, reading a blog with your avocado on whole-grain toast. You big joke.
It’s quite incredible that Arsenal went all in on him. Probably the greatest ‘nearly signed him’ of the last century. Imagine Diego ripping it up in North London in the 80s? It would have been spectacular. I think we also tried for Platini? We’d have lifted the European Cup with those two in the side. Maradona tearing it up at The Wag Club with Spandau Ballet, Martin Kemp reworking the lyrics of GOLD to celebrate a league title win, I would LOVED to have seen it (Kev K emphasis).
I do find the football cultural police a sight to behold on the internet. The people that brought you ‘defensive midfielders are for thugs’ and ‘touchline passion from managers is bad etiquette from a bygone era’ are now trying to push the idea that it’s uniquely English to have a shared hatred for a player in the tribal game of football. I especially love the idea that these total bores, particularly the English variety, think it’s uniquely sophisticated to be able to brush off the Hand of God as a positive.
The same folk will enthusiastically share articles from painfully hip Square Space websites that trace the origins of violence from fans at the Argentinian Superclásico to early years consumption of folk music from the Andean hills.
‘Their violence is just, you know, better’
Jokers.
It’s ok to be bitter about football.
If you’re not still seething about Stephan Henchoz in that 2000-01 cup final, who are you?
Right, short one today. See you savages in the comments section.
Henchoz you fuc*er
2
3
Boom!
tr4phy
Happy Thanksgiving, Pedro
Pierre “Why do you think Arteta has been reluctant to play Aubameyang up top and Saka left wing .“ Don’t know, maybe he feels Auba left has been working well enough and is hesitant to change much because we’ve been so reliant on him – mistake imo. The second Auba penned his extension should’ve been the day Laca was done here so we could move toward a new attacking lineup. Until that happens it’s a huge headache both on the pitch, and in the dressing room, because we’ve got two established starting CF’s that are competing for one position, and… Read more »
First team. The number 8 Arsenal so badly need!
Happy thanksgiving, Pedro, from the boonies of New Jersey!
Arsenal: Runarsson, Cedric, Mustafi, Luiz, Maitland-Niles, Willock, Xhaka, Nelson, Pepe, Nketiah, Lacazette.
Subs: Macey, Hein, Bellerin, Tierney, Ceballos, Holding, Smith Rowe, Balogun, Azeez, Cottrell
Cc,
Two up top in a 352 or 442
Play auba and somebody else.laca,Eddie, hell why not stick Holding up top for some long ball action.
It’s about the only way we’re scoring!!!!
Lacazette and Auba willl never work in a front 3. They had a bit of success there a couple of seasons ago [Europa League campaign under Emery especially] but for the vast majority of the time and for the PL, it has been proven beyond doubt that they do not sync well together. It inhibits the both of their games because one is shunted out wide and the central figure is devoid of a creator to play alongside and neither can create for themselves. We must sell one and seeing as how we’ve hitched our wagon to Aubameyang on a… Read more »
Arteta has handled the saliba situation so badly. He really is a joke of a manager
I’m disappointed that Balogun hasn’t got a start tonight. Would have been good, if only for ongoing contractual reasons, to play him from the outset alongside Eddie.
And I am not clear who is going to make a tackle in midfield from that lot. Expect plenty of goals in this game.
Pedro You really do need to take a step back, a deep breath and look at events beyond “Arteta’s wonderful”. “The player made a mistake, showed remorse, and he’ll be going right back into the starting 11 to prove himself.” “Bukayo Saka, is out of contention for this Sunday.” We basically have 4 wide players in the squad: Pepe – banned for the next 3 PL matches Saka – injured for the weekend Willian – shit Nelson – young and can’t play 3 matches a week. With that in mind we don’t have many options other than playing Pepe tonight… Read more »
Saliba situation is pretty bizarre. Paid 30m for him based on a campaign he had 1.5 years ago in Ligue 1, finally get him after another season developing in the French League and not only do we omit him from the Europa League squad which is the optimal place for youngsters to grow but we opt against sending him out on loan anywhere to develop and now we have a situation unfolding whereby he is rotting in the reserves rather than gaining any meaningful first team experience. Pretty clear by now that Arteta doesn’t at all rate the lad and… Read more »
“Arteta is totally at fault of not making the sum of the parts better presently.”
the start of Charlie’s redemption.
Saliba wants out report the papers
I would rather get rid of arteta
The man is a cunt .
Grabs
That’s a bandaid to the situation for sure, playing both Auba and Laca as a strike partnership. I just think it requires a massive change in tactics and in reality it’s serving a problem that instead needs a remedy through a transfer.
We tied down Auba, Laca is into his final 18 months. We need to make peace with that and move on without him imo, get him gone in Jan and bring in a creative player.
Let’s just get rid of the benidorm waiter and bring in algeri
Arteta is a poor manager whose flukely trophy wins don’t secure him shit get the cunt gone
Just seen team shit
Won’t watch that shit …
Get the cunt gone
Charlie
Who do you see coming in for Lacazette and for what amount?
I reckon given he’s 30 at the turn of the year, has struggled to replicate his best form here in general and the Covid financial impact on clubs that we will be doing well to recoup 30m for him.
I don’t see a French club being able to afford that who would be interested [Monaco and PSG wouldn’t be] besides possibly Lyon and that’s if they sell Depay/Dembele.
RSPC
Keep this up and you’ll make Pedro cry!
WE
Laca’s on £180k per week – we’ve blown the chance to get anything for him.
Marc
Has another club ever overpaid average talent as much as we have these past few years?
Weagle
20-25 mil in the summer I think, taking his 180k into consideration. Why I think we should be bargaining with a club in France as a part-exchange, because his stock will be highest there and arguably so will the value as per any deal.
Could see us offering him as a ‘30 mil player’ to Lyon in an exchange for Aouar for instance. Meanwhile I don’t see 30 mil getting dropped at our doorstep for him.
He 100% needs gone though, ridiculous that we kept him pat the summer after getting Auba penned.
Pierre I do agree that some of Arteta’s decisions has been very poor. The Saliba and Ozil debacle top the list. One is the team’s only creative player and the other is a world class prospect whose defensive partner who was widely considered as an inferior player is shining in the same league Saliba is supposedly not robust enough for.Other baffling decisions include keeping both Amn and Kolasinac.For some extent I do understand offering Mustafi a new contract. This would have meant we don’t lose him for free but the player is smart enough to reject that because he knows… Read more »
RSPC
Don’t hold back what’s your point!!!Lol
WE Don’t – all clubs get things wrong but at least they try to learn from it. Mustafi – £35 million, £90k per week, some clown offered him a new contract and he’s walking on a free Xhaka – £35 million, £100k per week and we’ll never match the bid we had last Jan now seen as not good enough Ozil – Jesus Sanchez – turn down £60 million in August and swap him for Miki who we let go on a free to get off the wage bill 2 years later, Willian – couple hundred grand a week and… Read more »
Charlie Depay is the highest earner at Lyon right now, comfortably better and younger than Lacazette and he only earns 85k a week. That’s a massive wage cut that they would be asking of Laca, I can see him pulling an Ozil and waiting out the rest of his contract here and fully securing the bag before walking for nothing back to France in 2022. Lyon likely would be far happier with that arrangement too than spunking 25m for a year extra of Laca while still having Depay, Dembele and Ekambi on the books. Pretty alarming how we seem to… Read more »
Cc
“20-25 mil in the summer I think, taking his 180k into consideration.”
Mate you are off your fucking head if you think someone’s going to pay £20 – £25 million for a player who has a year left on his contract and is on £180k per week.
I recall that some people here were suggesting that the signing of Willian would condemn Saka to the bench.
WE
The only way Laca goes in the summer is if we knock his remaining years salary off the cost of the deal. Right now he’s worth £15 odd million so we’re looking at a fee of circa £5 million.
Marc
Kolasinac is on 6 figures too a week isn’t he? Lol.
Stunning mismanagement and ineptitude in the market. We will do well to recoup anything close to what we even pad for the vast majority and will take a heavy loss on a couple. All who have contributed fuck all barring Alexis.
Blaming Kroenke for not dusting the cobwebs off his wallet would have been a valid criticism 10 years ago maybe, even at that the evidence shows that whenever Wenger has had ample funds available that he has spent pretty badly.
I wonder what type of noise Arteta will make in the summer for transfers after fucking up the squad so bad.
That’s if he makes it to the summer as manager.
Marc
It just about sums our club up.
Each window we seem to panic buy, we simply can’t seem to get a few unpolished diamonds.
Artetas inexperience is on full show now and it isn’t looking good.
Willock apparently isn’t taking corners!
WE
I got to fed up to keep going through the constant fuck ups – I believe Kolas is on £120k per week with his contract up in the summer of 2022 so expect Arteta to push for a new deal soon.
Diet pep will not be here in the summer
You can take this to the bank!
Dave
I’m finding it very difficult to feel the love at the moment.
How are you getting on at the moment?
I still can’t believe Mustafi was offered an extension.
That terrible decision just captures all the craziness that’s happened to this club.
Imagine Mustafi had accepted that contract extension till 2024.
Weagle Depay walks away for nothing this summer, he signs a precontract with whoever he wants this Jan. Lyon have Dembele only behind that, and he’s huffed and puffed of recent and hasn’t scored this season I don’t think. Laca maybe can be viewed as “experienced” and “guaranteed goals”, which he is of sorts. Laca has much higher stock in France, but the concern for me would be exactly what you say. It was why I felt it needed doing last summer m, and pushed this Jan ahead of the Euro’s. Maybe it appeals to Laca to go home and… Read more »
Lose our next 2 games and drop further down Arteta will be gone for sure. What a shockingly bad manager. I’d rather have Emery and he wasn’t great
Cc
It’s not dramatic it’s you having your head in the clouds with no connection to reality.
Hi Marc
I am half way through my radiotherapy, each day laying on a table with my pants down for the nurses. After they stop laughing the process is ok.
8 more sessions to go so on the home straight now.
Thanks for your support, good man.
I am finding it hard to support what’s going on, the club seem to be in a continuous mess, going from crisis to crisis and we are collecting a crap squad.in the process.
The rookie manager isn’t going to work, we are a big club and need experienced management.
I would prefer a manchester brothel without condoms than the emirates during covid19
Diego’s engine couldn’t progress any further, hard to not fully tip the cap to man who left it all on the field in all aspects of life. What a beautiful beast.
* diet peps emirates
Dave
No need to boast about having a load of nurses all queuing up to give you a soapy rub down!
Sid
The Emirates will probably be the safest place to be – you’d be the only fucker to turn up!
Soap makes your eyes water!
Nice thought though.
Dave
Not sure that’s the soap!
Marc
Yea of course, meanwhile you’re dialled right in as per.
Lacazette will be off for 5 mil and nobody will want to sign for Arsenal according to you. Oracle
Not only is arteta fucking up established players
He’s killing the confidence of youth.
Jobs to big for him
Get rid an get an organised manager whose a player confidence booster not this narcissistic manager .
He’s the Spanish John Gregory.
Wilcox has a crash then 48 hours hours later he’s playing…who is he fucking Eddie Murphy.
RSPCA
the non negotiables obviously don’t include driving your car like a twat…
Arteta does seem to be in panic mode now.
He’s scared of using youth, he is showing favoritism, and is alienating players.
How long will he take trying to find balance.? Will he ever?
Cc “Lacazette will be off for 5 mil and nobody will want to sign for Arsenal according to you. Oracle” No I think Laca will walk on a free in 18 odd months time – you are delusional if you think someones going to play £20 – £25 million for a player on huge wages – he earns £20k per week less than Harry Kane – who will be able to leave on a free in the summer of 2022. As for using him as part of a swap? Good grief whichever club you approach is going to have a… Read more »
RSPC
“He’s the Spanish John Gregory.”
That’s a hard blow – think you’re heading for a life time ban for that one!
Just saw that Laca is the captain
Arteta is brave and creative with his line ups in the Europa league. But seems gripped with fear in the premier league.
Well he is
Started well. But then..
Can’t handle the squad .
Gutless to introduce youth.
Spineless to clear out squad.
He’s like a heat up paella … Disgusting.
Come on The Arsenal!!!!
This should be a game we should win, right?
Arteta not wearing our colors again
AMN shoots a curve ball.
Good to see/hear a crowd again.
What the fuck is Arteta’s obsession with playing Laca in midfield?
The players just play without nerves or fear in this competition. Willock already looks a different player to Sunday.
Gazzap
Pretty sure there’s a major difference in quality of the opposition.
Why doesn’t Arteta wear Arsenal colors, is it a sackable ofference???
Ofference what’s that?Lol
Weagle
Aouar dropped from Lyon squad after refusing to take training apparently. Juninho sending punishment down the channels there.
Not sounding particularly off-limits a month before the Jan window if that’s to be believed. Growing restless perhaps?
Gazzap
That really is more to do with the fact that they know they are playing an inferior team.
This really does show the lack of confidence the team has.
Comes Sunday, I fear we will be back to our timid selves when playing Wolves. (And we really shouldn’t but I feel that is a reflection of Arteta’s own fears/ worries).
AMN and Reiss play like a track team
Nelson’s doing well down the left.
should have scored that
That’s up there for miss of the year!
So lucky, empty goal!
They almost score
Hate Pepe he is shit.. can’t even be bothered to run over to take a corner!!
His attitude & lack of urgency even in first 15 mins is disgraceful would never put on the shirt if I had anything to do with it!!
Shocking player
How on earth did he not score that?
Pepe has some unique tricks.
That miss by the Molde player reminds me of that time Rosicky missed one just like it, against CSKA Moscow I think, 2006?
Pepe looks like he is playing in France.
Pepe showing full commitment
Good to see that Pepe is trying to make amends and is determined to score.
Much more interested in this Pepe than the other guy.
It seems that Arteta wants to train Laca to be an ACM.
I think we have good wingers. But our midfield is our huge problem. pepe looks like he has something to prove.
Thank God you have nothing to do with it then Paolo
Pepe makes shit decisions.
If he’s not running through on goal himself he slows it right down and then pumps a hopeful ball. He’s like a technical Theo, does his best stuff when no thinking is involved.
Not watching the game but mate told we are slower than an old granny riding a Raleigh chopper down the high street
Get the benidorm beach bum gone
Eddie is going to play himself out of the lineup. He is so useless.
I like players who turn up when they have a chip on their shoulder. Always admired Giroud for that.
The penicillium boys look the likeliest.?
If we still had Giroud he would be playing every minute for us. Far better than what we have now.
Some of the comments slagging Arteta and reasons given are pathetic.. You’ll really look like cunts when he gets it right but by then you’ll be coming out with some other bollocks and on it goes
If playing 4-4-1-1 with Laca in the hole how can ozil not be in the squad and do a better job than Laca in the number 10 role??
Yeah because everyone would be so upset to see us playing well, winning and scoring goals.
Scoring goals heh when’s that then!
Could it be today?