It’s a TWO post kind of day.
Arsenal managed to convince the Premier League to have the Spurs game postponed.
This is a monstrous piece of work from Arsenal leadership, truly, a very powerful move.
One of the elements that I think confuses everyone is that we’re all looking at the one or two COVID cases and wondering how you can have a game canceled based on such low numbers.
Well, the Arsenal case wouldn’t go down like that.
I thought we looked naive calling out injuries and AFCON in the presser, but that was absolutely part of the mixer.
The Premier League has to look at actual cases. They have to consider players coming back from COVID being unfit (remember Gabriel last season?). Then they will look at the amount of games played by players that haven’t had much time off. Arsenal will then no doubt be flagging the names we have on the verge of injury.
Arsenal had one midfielder by the end of the Liverpool game. We’re on our 4th choice right back. Granit Xhaka is out for 3 games. Our squad is threadbare right now, you can’t deny it.
Then look at the players who have taken the load. Tomiyasu has a niggly injury, that could turn into a serious one if he’d played tomorrow. ESR is also carrying a knock, that could turn into a 3-month problem. Lose those two players, there’s no Liverpool and Burnley games. That impacts the Premier League because the calendar has to shift again.
In times like these, you have to look at people like Richard Garlick and wonder how big his role was in this. He was part of the team that pulled together the Premier League protocols for returning the training after a COVID outbreak. That’s a lawyer type on the frontline of the rules, if anyone was going to get this game canceled, it was him.
So onto the selfish bits: This is huge for Arsenal.
It means we can have a rattle at Liverpool this Thursday. We’ll have most of our players back in contention for the Burnley game at home next Sunday. Then we have 17 days off to prepare for our Phase 6 assault on the league.
By then, we should have signed a couple of players, everyone will have rested, there will be no Europe, and we’ll have a fully fit side to play Spurs in a game that could decide the Top 4 race. Is it annoying that Son will be back? Yes. But I really don’t think going away to Spurs with no midfield was a recipe for a high probability win.
So all in all, this is a good day for Arsenal. Given the context of our season, it’s a fair one. We dropped 9 points at the start of the season because no one understood how badly COVID rocks preparation. We had 9 players out for Brentford. I think moving one game is acceptable considering the massive advantages afforded to everyone else.
It’s also very amusing that the full force of the media + the Sky Sports Punditry mafia couldn’t shape a decision you knew they had an interest in shaping. You can pretend the media isn’t a bias affair, but everyone has eyes, and we can all see how different clubs get different treatment. Look at how Klopp evaded any real criticism for the fale/positives. Look at the way Sky talks to Rangnick because they smell blood. Look at how uninterested G Nev in COVID postponements when it works for his team.
Anyway, a superb result for Arsenal. Well done to everyone involved.
… we might even do a podcast a bit later to talk about it.
Nice… Come on Villa. Secret agent Coutinho helping us out.
Charlie always wanted Coutinho
He’s be bouncing wherever he is now
Rangnick didn’t get any new manager bounce from this United side.
Coutinho! Yes lad!
Pierre was right*
It would be so sweet to see Villa getting the 3rd goal
You got there before me Habesha.
Loved that Player Ramsey. He’s a lot better than Grealish. English football has serious talent up front.
Foden
Saka
Greenwood
ESR
Mount
Ramsey
All around 20/21
Ramsey is class.. I am so happy we don’t have Buendia
It’s like these United players met in the parking lot for the first time.
Taking off Elanga for the useless Sancho was the mistake.
Almuniasaynomore
Yeah. He is a talent. As good as any CM performances I have seen this season.
Habesha
Lots of Villa watch her actually think Carney Chukwuemeka may be better that Ramsey.
England have a glut of excellent young talent coming through.
Ramsey is class and I am so happy that we didn’t get Buendia
Win our 2 games in hand and we are 2 points behind the chavs
Please god let us overtake them
Wreck it Ralph wrecking it for United. He shouldn’t have been in the discussion as a Coach. They should have just put him in a football director role. They have been atrocious since he has come in. Good for us though.
Dissenter
Chukumeka is good too. But he hasn’t been as decisive as Ramsey so far.
Buendia has been good too. He has been knitting everything together.
Coutinho on loan and fraction his Barca wages the biggest no brainer
Watching Buendia and Fernandes roll all over the place after every challenge is cringe worthy
If Matic challenged had been by Xhaka would’ve been second yellow and off.
Ronaldo is the type of person who must have celebrated the coutinho goal at home knowing well there won’t be eyebrows raised when gets into that starting 11…that’s why he will never even be the top 5 players in the world let alone the best
Villa have two Ramsey brothers and two Chukwuemeka brothers coming through.
That’s why I was a bit surprised when they came for ESR last summer.
I thought Buendia had a good game but it’s obvious to me that he needs a little more time to bulk up and bed in. Not sure Arsenal would have been a good choice for him last summer, we needed someone to hit the ground running. But definitely has the qualities to be a top player.
Anyone seen Sancho recently?
Good result…. Glad I stayed around to watch the end.
2 points dropped from united. Good weekend so far!
God bless we didn’t appoint Rafa Benitez as a manager after Wenger and after Emery – Everton are sitting 15th, and possibly their best player (along with Richarlison) Digne left because he didn’t get along with Rafa. He is probably a goner after some shocking games – 1 win in the last 13 EPL games.
Sorry everyone, there’s been something odd going on in the spam filter.
I’ve basically cleared it all out now. New year and all that.
If there’s anything shitty going on, e-mail me and I’ll sort it.
Be nice. x
Is it true that Spurs issued an official statement to express their discontent about the NLD postponement.
What a classless loser club
Have we forgotten Conte crying to the media to have their games canceled?
Dissenter
Sancho isn’t a player for the premier league. He isn’t robust enough to handle the premier league. He is getting brushed of the ball easily. And he always seems to think he has more time on the ball than he has. He used to have that in the Bundesliga. But the premier league is looking like a different beast for him. I feel like he will be as much a waste of money as Nico Pepe for United.
Thats harsh Habesha. Good players often look shit for united
Guendozi better than lokonga
Lol
He’s finished at Arsenal
Tottenham are a tin pot club. Every thing that pisses them off is funny. They wanted to have an advantage and play us when were down to our bare bones. When we go there though, we might go in with a superstar striker, Partey back and all our big players present. I would be scared too 😂😂😂.
The revisionism and mental gymnastics being performed to paint Guendouzi as a great midfielder is quite something to behold.
Habesha
Pepe was our second top G/A since he signed. Can’t be that awful
It’s classless for Spurs to issue that official statement
It’s one thing to be unhappy behind the scenes but to memorialize your angst in that manner is just petty.
Venga
I guess that looks like harsh. But I don’t see him turning it around. Especially at United. And I feel he would be amazing again in the Bundesliga or Laliga. He is too lightweight and he thinks he has a lot of time in the ball. What he has going for him is his superb technical ability. And that’s not enough in the premier league.
And that’s not enough in the premier league.
Habesha
Tell that to David silva
Gendozy was a headless chicken at Arsenal – a lot of hither and thither, with no tangible result. I guess some of us were impressed by his energy, a contrast to others who showed none. He may have improved since then – but if so, how come no Club has taken him off Arsenal’s hands? Is it the old story that his salary is too high – or he’s a troublemaker – or that he’s not so hot? What puzzles me is that nobody pines for Torreira. The little guy has the hear of a lion, just what was needed… Read more »
Unoni Pepe is still a waste of money despite all the stats. We will sell him at a big loss if we can find a buyer. And David Silva was robust enough to handle the premier league. Not only that, he was a central player so he could use a lot of his intelligence by finding spaces. He was also one of the best passers in the league when it came to passing between the lines. Sancho is a winger that is expected to beat his man, score from out wide, play one twos and the like. He won’t have… Read more »
Habesha
I’d take Pepe over Guendouzi all day every day, despite the costs
‘heart’ not ‘hear’. If Arteta brings anyone back this window, it should be him.
Habesha
Yeah I was being facetious on the David silva comment. I don’t doubt for a second though that Sancho has more bulk than silva ever had. He’s quicker with an excellent technique. He lacks heart and vision though
Guendouzi is ranked number 2 in Ligue 1 for most progressive passes and most passes into the final 1/3, only behind Bruno Guimaraes – the player who gets mentioned here as someone we should be going for.
Revisionism and mental gymnastics to dismiss Guen’s ability, regardless of alleged attitude issues.
Pre-emptive “yEaH, bUT StATs aREn’T evErYThiNg!”
England is best
I’m a big fan of torriera too. He was excellent in his first few months before emery threw a tantrum because he wanted nzonzi and deliberately missed him.
Shame
He will do well back in Italy though
Good luck to the little fella
Jamie
Yeah?
Joey Barton had a few decent seasons too!
Habesha says :
“Tottenham are a tin pot club. Every thing that pisses them off is funny. They wanted to have an advantage and play us when were down to our bare bones. When we go there though, we might go in with a superstar striker, Partey back and all our big players present. I would be scared too 😂😂😂.”
Take note haters.
This is how an Arsenal fan talks and thinks.
We don’t have to be 100% correct or prophetic, we just need to want it to be that way.
Emery came one point short of top four playing a mid of Guenduzi- the headless chicken, and Torreira- the sobbing midget.
What a coach!
Nigel What annoyed me was Gary Neville and Carragher talking about fairness. Both United and Liverppol had manipulated the rules before to their advantage. And all of a sudden Gary Neville says he should have talked about this before when he should have and to no let arsenal postpone this game when his old club used the same rule to take advantage of it. If we play a shit Tottenham team with bare bones we might get a draw. But full strength we will smash them. And we will be out of reach for United. So Neville is saying this… Read more »
Almunia your comment about how a only a couple United superstars need to get hot for them to take 4th…
Football doesn’t work that way. Sorry to tell you. Maybe if you’re PSG or Bayern.
Not in this league. Hard work, teamwork, defending as a unit.
It’s not EA sports ball.
If I’m wrong and they come together somehow and start playing as a proper team, feel free to remind me. I doubt it though.
Bigper – “Game should have been played. Arteta got us in this mess by loaning out our best cb, centre mid to marseille then amn to roma”
Bullcrap mate. Getting a suspension and three injuries at the bin dippers pushed us over the line, not loanees.
TomJanuary 15, 2022 20:03:26
Emery came one point short of top four playing a mid of Guenduzi- the headless chicken, and Torreira- the sobbing midget.
What a coach!
Tom
Ramsey came in and made that midfield his own for that late run
He was carried by Wenger’s squad. Had he used Ramsey ozil Santi and Jack for the season he’d have achieved top 4
Love Ian Wright standing up for Arsenal. Cunts like Gary Neville should shut up.
This is how an Arsenal fan talks and thinks.
We don’t have to be 100% correct or prophetic, we just need to want it to be that way.
👏
I’m not analyzing the table or even games in hand now. We’re just halfway through the season.
We have a lot more good performances to come than United or the Spuds.
They will end up fighting to stay ahead of Wolves.
I’m telling you this for fun!
“He was carried by Wenger’s squad”
Wenger’s squad who finished 6th with Wenger still in charge 😂
I wouldn’t worry about Son returning as long as Tomi is playing.
Hilarious seeing people looking at Guendouzi through their footballing beer goggles. He had a few good performances. Most of his matches saw him running at single speed all around the midfield, leaving gaps and creating space for the opposition. He was indecisive and often caught in possession. Too often he gave hospital passes to teammates around him, who got smashed as a result. He was petulant and got needless bookings. There was plenty of talk about him being disruptive behind the scenes. French football is not the same as the Prem. Pepe looked a world beater there, came to us… Read more »
The covid game postponement bingo has taken over from ref watch as the no one sideshow in the PL
Tuchel, Klopp, and Pep all trying hard to paint themselves the most unlucky club in this department………..fans joining in for good measure too.
Tottenham issuing an official statement surely takes the cake……
Jamie
pepe was the highest or second highest goal and assist guy in france too. Guen played for us and he wasn’t progressing anything maybe his hair. Guen also got a call up when with us and didn’t make it off the bench like he has recently.
Jamie
Wengers squad who only had the benefit of Lacazette for 3 Months then Aubameyang for 4 months.
Emery had them both for a full season after they’d had time to settle into the league
Major difference.
“Tom
Ramsey came in and made that midfield his own for that late run
He was carried by Wenger’s squad. Had he used Ramsey ozil Santi and Jack for the season he’d have achieved top 4”
Hmm…….wasn’t Ramsey injured for the last five games or so that season?
It would’ve been hard to make the midfield his own in the run in from the inside of the physio’s room
Tom
He was injured in Napoli I think but had his best season for arsenal as an actual midfielder. (His 20 goal season wasn’t really as a midfielder)
Wijnaldum has been starting almost every game for PSG lately. No way he comes to Arsenal sadly…
“This is how an Arsenal fan talks and thinks. We don’t have to be 100% correct or prophetic, we just need to want it to be that way.” It certainly seems the way Pedro runs things these days and many following suite. Exhibit A: Klopp is tanking the league he should be winning or at least challenging for with a league’s 4th biggest wage bill and 12th biggest net spend over the last five years. Meanwhile Arteta’s Arsenal on the 5th biggest wage bill and 3rd biggest net spend over five years should challenge for Europe and anything more is… Read more »
“Meanwhile Arteta’s Arsenal on the 5th biggest wage bill and 3rd biggest net spend over five years should challenge for Europe and anything more is just a bonus.”
Yeah, Arteta’s Arsenal over five years
Here’s the most entertaining story of the day. https://www-90min-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.90min.com/posts/arsenal-enquire-about-diego-costa-free-transfer-01fseq0f3ayw/amp?amp_js_v=a6&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D#aoh=16422804142182&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.90min.com%2Fposts%2Farsenal-enquire-about-diego-costa-free-transfer
Brownie,
That can’t even go down as lazy journalism because whoever created that story has a very active imagination.
Tom, There’s a growing intolerance everywhere,as far as I can see,to healthy debate. People seem to take opposing views as personal affront, a challenge to crush all those who think differently to them. The anonymity of the Internet is enabling this anger to be expressed nastily at times. I love talking to people with different views,perspectives and experiences and there are many on this blog who I think enjoy this also. But there are also many who seem to think that being an Arsenal fan means you have to reflect a very limited set of views and values that they… Read more »
I do wish we could have got him in his prime. One of those guys you hate to play against but would gladly have him on your team. Shit disturbed to the nth degree but strong, talented #9
Brownie
Imagine Costa in his prime with ozil sanchez and Santi. 😍
I agree Almuniasaynomore. I think social media and the internet in general has a lot to do with lack of tolerance and also a lack of critical thinking. People are bombarded with information which support their views and this promotes confirmation bias. There’s a declining appetite for sensible, honest debate or to make the effort to explore a contrary viewpoint. No desire to find common ground or compromise, just the need to be right. The US political rift between Dems and Repubs is good example of this.
Tom I am not Arteta’s biggest fan. I am just warming up to him this season. He is getting better. And we as a team are getting better too. And this whole outrage against Arsenal asking for posteponment with in the rules and a set precedent is aimed at getting us to play kids in a crucial match. They want to get good results while we are weak. And even if we have an issue with Arteta, that should concern us as arsenal fans. Tin pot Tottenham, Shambles Man United fans and Liverpool fans who want a Carabao cup final… Read more »
Tom, It’s a game. It’s not life and death. If you can’t enjoy some good times and be hopeful, why bother with it? …. when things are good you have to find the negative, like the wage bill, net spend, (you act like it’s your money) a bad performance from 1 player from years ago. A mistake Arteta made 2 months back,, etc…What a way to go through life. Some of us want to enjoy what may be a really entertaining and exciting period for our club. Reasons: Saka, Martinelli, ,Ødegaard, Tomiyasu, Tierney, White, Gabriel, Ramsdale… maybe some new signings… Read more »
Tom, it is really weird to see the lengths you’ll go to when defending other clubs.
I run this as an Arsenal fan blog. We have 150k+ comments a year. The conversation is obviously quite diverse and let’s be honest, my type of opinion has been the minority view on here most of the last 2 years.
Brownie,
Yeah,I don’t want to get too Orwellian here but your point on critical thinking is key. An independent population,not easily swayed by mass media would be anathema to modern governments. Easier to create a culture where divide and conquer is the only play.
Life is far more complex. Don’t know if you have seen the new Di Caprio film ” Don’t look up” but it’s worryingly accurate in it’s satire. And not just of America but the western world as I know it. Appearance hasn’t beaten reality, it’s murdered it.
Br0wnie, Two things on that. 1) Sports commentary always favors strong opinion. No one wants to come to a blog or a newspaper article that plays it balanced. That’s very dull. 2) Social media algo’s rewards extremes. You can be extremely wrong, but still get the follows. That said, I actually think the tide is shifting. People might be moving on from the extremist phase. The best accounts I follow on Twitter have great opinion that doesn’t live in the ridiculous. I think the kids coming through on football seem a lot kind than when I started on it. I… Read more »
When you want to halt a pack of zombies/vampires, you use Garlick. Garlick is the sworn enemy of the blood sucker. The Arse know their herbal medicines 🙂
Liverpool are at the end of a cycle, they’re still a good team who’ll be dangerous in the cups, but Klopp needs to build again, they’re a long way off the standards of 2-3 seasons back, it’s no big deal, providing he’s backed, Fergie did this multiple times, and Klopp is a top coach… Liverpool are right to be reluctant to give Salah a new mega contract, he’s 30 in the summer, and when players who are all about dynamism + athleticism dip physically, they usually fall straight off the edge of a cliff Look at Ozil + Alexis from… Read more »
Here you go, just consulted the herbal medicine dictionary, copyright 1962:
“When you need to halt a Lilywhite Vampire, you should use Garlick, preferably the Richard variety”.
“Tom, it is really weird to see the lengths you’ll go to when defending other clubs.” Pedro, I don’t think that’s what I’m doing here. Not even close. I’m merely inserting some realty into this hyper tribal environment you’ve been cultivating here of late. I sure as shit would not be wasting time discussing the amount of charisma the likes of Klopp or Guardiola may or may not have, but pointing out Liverpool probably shouldn’t even be in the title conversation when wages and transfer spend is taken under consideration is hardly defending Klopp or Liverpool. Don’t get me wrong……..,… Read more »
Rich, Liverpool are coming to a crux alright. I’m not so sure that Klopp will hang around for another cycle,but maybe that’s wishful thinking. They’ve been very good( lucky?) at selling players. Torres, talk about falling off a cliff. Coutihno also. City got good value for Rahem Steeling but Liverpool weren’t exactly screwed. I think they should sell Salah if a big bid comes in,though obviously only to a club outside the prem( unless they are privy to some torres- like, falling off a cliff stats, in which case they should flog him to Chelsea for the laugh!) The big… Read more »
Almuniasaynomore don’t get me started on DiCaprio and global warming. Celebrities with zero scientific background have an alarming influence on public and media opinion. I’ll.post a link to a documentary entitled Global Warning a friend of mine shot over a three-year period recently. It’s not meant to deny global warming but to moderate the extreme view that we are primarily responsible for it. You may agree or disagree with the film but watching it does make you ask questions..Here is the link http://globalwarningfilm.com/
Rich, Liverpool are more short on real quality than at an end of a cycle.
You take Salah and Mane out of their line up and they are a mid table club scrapping for Europa league places.
Ox, Minamino, Henderson mid …..any takers for that trio of midfielders they rolled with in the league cup at Anfield ?
Probably not.
Pedro my diatribe was directed more towards the general public, biased opinions and failure to think critically.. I have college aged kids and I can see how the algorithms are constantly bombarding them with propaganda and sensationalism. They are both smart kids and we’ve taught them to never take anything at face value but it’s a battle for them to obtain unbiased information in order to form an educated opinion. Sorry to hijack the blog with off topic jibber jabber.
Tom, sorry mate, but reality in football isn’t
‘Oh Mr Klopp, 4th is ok because of the wage bill’
That’s just you trying to find a metric to minimise the totally different job Arteta is undertaking.
Reality is Arsenal and Liverpool are nothing alike. If you want to be the voice of reason, you’ll have to do better than that.
Br0wnie, no problem at all. Glad your kids can see it. So many can’t.
The truth is that I actually respect how Liverpool built the current team. Astute, inexpensive signings for Brenda, then kicked him out the door when Klopp became available. I was wishing Wenger would step aside for him. Pool made a couple great sales, and when they needed the push over the edge, they dropped 2 loads on a keeper and Virgil. The reason they have guys like Ox, Milner still filling out the squad, is because they did it all in a reasonable spending budget. Chelsea, City, just throw money around to have 2 great players at each position. That’s… Read more »
“But there are also many who seem to think that being an Arsenal fan means you have to reflect a very limited set of views and values that they themselves define”
Almuniasaynomore you mean Nigel?
I gotta say our next 6 games or so look tasty. But f we can hit form, we could put some real distance behind us and Spuds. Their next 5 games could easily see them lose 3 and draw one.
Nigel,
Not sure Liverpool have a model to speak of. They have an amazing manager and they’ve brought in a group of world class players. However, they’ve avoided making the hard decisions and seem committed to squeezing every drop of juice out of the current squad instead of phasing new players in. That rebuild job is going to be nasty for whoever is managing them in 3 years.
Brownie, That’s all we can do, teach our kids to think for themselves and to challenge what is presented to them as fact, well done to you if you’ve managed to do it. I’m trying but it’s not easy. Di Caprio and global warming is typical of the celebrity culture that’s so dominant now. Even in football,you see former players being hailed as having insight because of their onfield successes but their physical talents rarely guarantee intellectual prowess in retirement. Their influence is great but the quality of their perspectives is often lacking. Arsenal fans have had to suffer this… Read more »
Pedro, first off…….apples to apples ….. show me where I said Arteta needs to make top four let alone challenge for the league.
I didn’t.
Second, transfer spend and wages are just about the only two things that over a period of 3-5 years can illustrate accurately how the club performs in relation to its league position. Everything else is just someone’s opinion.
Klopp has been over performing massively against three bigger spenders whether you like it or not, and when he leaves in 2024 there will be a line of clubs vying for his services a mile long.
Almunia I think we’re building towards a title tilt in 2023/24, it looks like the business plan from the outside in…. As much as I’d love us to go for a Frenkie De Jong, Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, they would be expensive both in terms of fees + wages, exciting, but expensive, and would potentially blow up our wage structure… Both Tielemans + Douglas Luiz are down to their last 12 months this summer They’ll be 24 + 25, both settled into the PL, both know the language, both about to enter into their prime, these would be astute moves,… Read more »
Tom,
He who shall not be named……..
“Tom, sorry mate, but reality in football isn’t‘ Oh Mr Klopp, 4th is ok because of the wage bill’”
Pedro, that’s probably why Klopp never said fourth is like a trophy and when hired he gave himself 4 seasons to actually win the league and not just to challenge for it.
That doesn’t diminish the fact he’s been outspent by Pep 2:1 , and his wage bill is closer to ours than City’s.
Rich the Mavrapanos situation is a mess alright. It looks like Arsenal have given up their rights to him and will receive in the neighbourhood of $2 from him if Stuttgart sell him at his market value of $18 mil. One that got away. The guy has had to 2 great seasons in Germany and deserved to fight for a position at CB. I’ve watched both he and Saliba this season and Mavrapanos is physically more intimidating, has speed and handles the ball well. I’d take him in an alley brawl over Saliba any day 🙂
Tom, hasn’t helped our cause, has it? Has our net spend over 10 years won us excessive trophies? No.
Klopp has had investment, he took Liverpool to the top, now he’s underperforming. He dropped 30 points last year and everyone made excuses. This season, he’s faking COVID tests to win the league cup because he’s tanked the league again.
Not good enough, doesn’t matter who is queuing for his signature, not many bigger than Liverpool right now.
Arthur started for Juve today
Rich, Agree with most of that,but with both midfielders will need to be experienced and preferably the striker also,so there’s no avoiding those big fees and wages really, if a title challenge in two years is a realistic target that is. These players will cause trouble for the wage structure no doubt but they are needed if the club are realistically trying to take on the city ‘s and chavs. Are the Kroenkes really going to see it through or will a return to champs lge be enough for them? Can Arteta handle the type of ego that the older… Read more »
Tom: You could post the exact same comments you post here on any number of blogs focused on Leicester or Liverpool and no one would ever guess you’re an Arsenal fan.