Quick lil update for ya’ll.
Eddie Nketiah, nursing a bad ankle, had time to climb the stairs to present Kimmy K with an Arsenal shirt.
Are you mad, son?
You think we don’t know what you were up there doing?
That is a mother of 2!
What would Kanye say?
Then I see Bukayo on the Facetime having a crack at cementing himself in the next TV series?
BOYS!
Get some focus.
Honestly, not good enough.
Tomi is out for the season. The poor guy has had surgery. It caps an awful year personally for him. Here’s to wishing him a speedy recovery!
It feels like we’ve been waiting on Saliba news for about 987 days. No news is usually not good news. If it was a back spasm, we’d have been told the back was ok by now.
Am I catastrophizing?
Do I fear for his career?
IS THIS THE WORST THING TO HAPPEN TO ARSENAL IN 100 YEARS?
Who knows. But if Arsenal don’t fill the silence, the silence will be filled by others. So here we are. Filling silence with panic speculation.
There’s a funny story doing the rounds that Arsenal have sent someone from their Performance team to watch over Thomas Partey when he’s away with Ghana. Is that to protect his beautiful bones? Or is it to make sure he’s not out with the boys Parteying after hours? Who knows… I’m just filling the void.
Mesut Ozil has exited football for good. The playmaker has retired after a pretty rank 5 years in football. I don’t really feel anything. The player gave me joy in a grim era. He was supposed to be a catalyst for a better Arsenal, he kind of was, but his flaws were also Wenger flaws.
Beauty without guile.
Raw talent without tactical refinement.
The impression of greatness without ever delivering it.
Comfort in a big salary.
Mesut Ozil’s short career at Arsenal reflected Wenger’s in a way. A giant of sport aged out by the progress of the game. He arrived a devastating playmaker and left a shadow of who he once was. The shame of it is he was part responsible for downing Wenger, he was very much in the mixer for taking down Unai Emery who he hated, and he totally failed to take down Arteta with his ‘trust the process’ tweets and pathetic commentary on where we were. He is one of the most disruptive players to ever wear an Arsenal shirt, namely, because he didn’t care.
Well, who had the last laugh? Don Mikel.
Arsenal is heading to DC for the MLS All Star game this July.
Did I make it happen?
Yes.
It was me.
Ok, it wasn’t.
But it’s serendipitous that St. Louis City sc went live this season, we’re top of the league after breaking a record for the strongest start for an expansion team EVER, playing some great football… and someone from our team might play against Arsenal in an All Star game. Right? Very right.
I’ll be heading down there with Matt Kandela for SURE.
More USA propaganda?
Folarin Balogun is in Orlando, near the USMNT training camp for an undisclosed reason!
Is it because I’ve been campaigning for him to sign for TEAM USA? Absolutely not. But come on, why wouldn’t he pledge allegiance to the star-spangled banner?
- He’d be the best striker in America
- He’d definitely go to a World Cup. Not guaranteed with England or Nigeria
- America would LOVE him
- He’d make loads of money as the face of 2026
The most commercially righteous decision a young man with 17 Ligue 1 goals could make.
ENGLAND VS ITALY TODAY. Pray that Saka stays fit. Also, can we have a word about all these clubs faking injuries of their players this week to avoid England duty?
Back later.
xx
Nice one Tony2. My abiding memories of Alan Ball were his constant running and his very distinctive voice shouting fairly constantly to his teammates. Lovely to hear that he was kind to youngsters! O’Leary blotted his copybook for many by some of his ill judged comments when he was Leeds manager but I agree, absolute quality and most appearances for Arsenal – legend! Just looked at some of my old programmes, saw him playing v QPR on 27th Dec 1975. Ball was also playing! We were fifth from bottom , QPR were top! Since it’s nostalgia time for some, just… Read more »
Tony2 ” and i was also at villa Park when his header sealed a cup win vs LFC” Slight correction,we did play a few semis at villa park but the match in question was at Highfield road but a great night all the same, I was sitting behind the goal as Talbot thundered his header into the back of the net.. The Talbot’s , john jenson’s and Peter nicholas were never really my cup of tea as i prefer the more technically gifted players than the work horses, though i wouldn’t put Ray Parlour in the work horse category, a… Read more »
“”His campaign for the plight of Muslims in China became too toxic, at a time Arsenal had huge Chinese investment”””I “I can’t be the only one then , who thinks that shines a better light on Ozil than Arsenal?Forget the Uighurs genocide -lets worry about making more money from wicked ChinaAnd that is at the crux of why Ozil was ostracised.He was potentially upsetting the Chinese and the gravy train. Ps. welcome back.” Ha ha, you might not be the only one but there can’t be more than two, especially on legrove where you suspend all critical thinking when the… Read more »
How many games can anyone remember that Ozil dominated? Big players put in big performances and win games I remember he and Alexis killed chelsea when we beat them 3-0 I remember his first assist at Sunderland with a beautiful first touch I remember that goal he scored against ludogrest when he lobbed it over the defender and the keeper Other than that I struggle to remember Ozil stepping up with big performances. He was shit in the champions league for us, especially when we faced a decent team I can name loads of moments from bergkamp pires Henry rvp… Read more »
I respect Ozil for speaking out on a subject that he felt strongly about. Not that I know much about the situation but from what I do I understand people should be speaking out about it and the fact is it would have been a lot easier for him if he hadn’t spoken out. Should footballers avoid discussing anything but football? I suppose that is the question we could be asking. Tom ‘Ha ha, you might not be the only one but there can’t be more than two, especially on legrove where you suspend all critical thinking when the Arsenal… Read more »
Stand corrected Pierre. Continuing the memory lane theme. In 1979 I got my first job working in TSB bank Wood green. 1st weekly pay 37 quid gave my dear old mum 10 quid for housekeeping (poignant, but when she passed in 2012, going thru her things I found the tenner encased in a photo frame with date written on it) anyway I digress. One day in bank a new worker arrived. His name was Keith Flight. We forged a great friendship and 1 one day over a couple he told me his story. He was a trainee at AFC and… Read more »
Dissenter, the photograph of Erdogan with Ozil and Gundogan was taken around election time, if I remember corectly, and looked like a hostage pic more than an endorsement.
Pretty sure Erdogan- the best man at Ozil’s wedding- was a brain child of a political campaign manager and not Ozil’.
Imagine saying no to that if you and your extended family resides in turkey.
It’s like saying no to Putin if you live in Russia.
Bob, wouldn’t miss it bud.
Where else a football novice like myself could learn the intricacies of the game from the real pros ……..things like a goalie conceding from 50 yards out not being at fault.
Tom a very dull troll 🥱
Tom, you still don’t understand the pay off between benefit and risk when a GK positions himself to ensure that there is not a vulnerable space between himself and the defensive line Ask yourself how often a keeper gets lobbed from 45m + when he is in a position to sweep up the long ball? The rarity means it doesn’t outweigh the benefits of a high line that allows a team to press and squeeze the opposition in their own half. If you maintain any keeper who gets beaten from that sort of distance has to be at fault, then… Read more »
Anyone else watching the wnld? Nice finish by blaksteni 1 0 afc onwards and upwards ladies
Tom
Erdogan is an elected leader of a country and there’s nothing wrong with Ozil associating with him, more so when he’s a German-Turk/Turkish-German. Erdogan represents different things to different people.
The funny part is that German politicians were drumming up anti-Turkish sentiments same time they were in bed with Putin.
Bob, 1 nil in a knockout competition that gets you through invalidates everything else you said on the subject.
None of us can know for certain but I’d hazard a guess that Arteta already knew that Ozil wasn’t what he was looking for regarding the future development and direction of the team when the ‘pay-cut’ scenario arose, but that I suspect gave him the leverage with the ownership to ease Mesut out the door.
Bob
Exactly…. It was a moment of genius.
If the ball had been played over the top or down the sides and Ramsdale wasn’t sweeping up, then he’d have rightly been criticised for holding a poor starting position.
Fair play to that Sporting lad, but he could try that another 100 + times and he wouldn’t have caught it as sweet.
This Ozil discussion is so boring to read.. Must admit that most days I like reading the comments but Ozil managed to ruin the chat here over the Interlull… He had his good moments but was lazy and acted like a c*nt for the best part of his last contact… That period will always influence how most think about his time at Arsenal which is all on him and a shame because he was good uptil then. Arguing about him makes no sense to me, either people are only focusing on the positives or only his latter years and you… Read more »
Tom, sorry don’t understand what you’re saying.
‘ 1 nil in a knockout competition that gets you through invalidates……’
Are you saying in a knockout competition our tactics should change , don’t play a sweeper keeper as they could be lobbed by a 1 in a 200+ shot? If the strategy is a good one then it’s irrevelant whether it’s a knock out game or a PL game.
Diss
You’re gonna sit and throw stones at Germany for
Trying to get cheaper oil from Russia when America invaded several Middle Eastern nations to control the region and take the oil by force. Now they are at it again in Europe, pushing borders and blowing up pipe lines. We know who it was.
Really, Americans going around pointing fingers when their globalist stooges commit war crimes is a little rich
Gommit, with no Arsenal games and Ozil announcing his retirement I understand why we’re discussing his career. I don’t think everybody sees the discussion as a binary one, I certainly don’t but I recognise his marmite quality.
Ronaldinho, Maradona, Messi …..these are players capable of moments of genius. Hoofing the ball 50 yards up field can be accomplished by most pros and even amateurs and the only requirement for scoring there is a bit of luck and the goalie out of position. If he doesn’t score another one like that in his career, it won’t be because he can’t hit that exact shot ever again. As I said before, I like Ramsdale, and I didn’t care about Europa, but to absolve him of responsibility for this is crazy talk. If this was the last game of the… Read more »
2 0 ladles.. foord very nice finish. Man I’ve got too much time on my hands today
Un, regrettably this will upset AFC forever but care to elaborate how America are pushing birders?
borders
Just watched the Conte post-match rant on YouTube and it was absolutely bloody hilarious, only Tottenham could find themselves sitting comfortably in 4th spot, with a CL place for the taking and manage to turn it into a crisis, what a circus of a club…
Tom If it was that easy to do?….. Then watch the positioning of Ederson, Alisson + Ramsdale every week. Why doesn’t it happen more often? players occasionally go for it, but how often does it actually happen?…. Beckham, Rooney, Figueroa, Alonso…… Sarr hit one for Watford in the Championship earlier in the season. I don’t hold Ramsdale responsible for that goal, the mistake happened up the pitch with Xhaka going back short in a 1-2 with Jorginho. If the ball had gone down the sides and Ramsdale’s starting position was that he couldn’t sweep up in behind, then I’d have… Read more »
“””Tom, you still don’t understand the pay off between benefit and risk when a GK positions himself to ensure that there””” I don’t think you do either Bob Arsenal were going through at the time of the Lisbon goal. If Arsenal were trailing and exiting the tournament- you can argue the risk is worth taking. . Ramsdale should not be chipped from circa halfway line- when the oppo need a goal in a cup tie. Bloody basics. Arteta has managed the EPL exceptionally but his record in the domestic and Europe is truly abysmal. Saints, Forest, Lisbon, Villarreal , Olmpiakos… Read more »
“Ramsdale should not be chipped from circa halfway line- when the oppo need a goal in a cup tie.
Bloody basics.”
It actually doesn’t get more basic than that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbXAfyMddpk
Is this the keepers fault?….. For me he gets too much time, and West Brom aren’t aggressive enough in getting close to him.
Tom
If Russia were in Canada or Mexico setting up military bases, chemical labs and blowing up your pipe lines would that not be considered an act of war?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttcRjRj9oc0
Tom, you’re coming across as a poster boy for the phrase ‘a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing’ ‘Hoofing the ball up can be accomplished by most pros…’ So you’re implying that it was a straightforward shot to hit it a foot under the crossbar from 45 yards and that the only reason that a goal was conceded was down to Ramsdale’s positioning. If your view held any substance we would be seeing shots from distance, attempted regularly, as most GKs stand outside their penalty area when the ball is in the opposition’s half. Have you ever been… Read more »
FFP really is a mysterious piece of football legislation, I mean Chelsea cook-the-books for years, probably robbed other properly run clubs of titles and trophies, accumulated a litany of discredited honours and walk away scott free whilst the full weight of the FA is coming down on Everton, a club whose not won anything since 1985 (?) I think and hasn’t swindled any club out of anything a la The Pensioners…
Rich, for a guy who usually preaches nuance you are pretty rigid on this.
We’re gonna have to agree to disagree.
I was pleased to see Aaron Ramsey get the Wales captaincy, to manage to come back from a career ending tackle and still have a successful career is a testament to his character and determination.
Interesting note on his predecessor in the Wales job was how many honours he won on leaving Tottenham, almost every year he won a trophy or two, well except for the one year he returned to the Lane on loan.
The idea that because we were one nil up in a cup tie means that Ramsdale and Arsenal should change his positioning on the off chance that one of their players might shoot from virtually the half way line is hindsight thinking at it’s very best.
Do you honestly believe that there is ever a discussion about being beaten by long range shots which are almost never attempted let alone are so rarely successful? Wow, some villages are missing their ‘colourful characters’.
Bob, I’ve seen Arsenal play at both Highbury and the Ems, Arsenal at the Bridge, Arsenal at OT,
Arsenal at Anfield, Barca at Nou Camp, Real at Bernabeu, and the Milan derby…..does that qualify?
Listen to yourself Bob lol.
Imagine that…….changing in game tactics respective to scoreline, especially in cup play.
Your home village is calling.
Summit
Your post about boring discussions about Ozil was….a discussion about Ozil – though not boring.
Un
Whatever the US was doing or not doing, was done in lockstep with the United Kingdom, since you lot are too busy trying to prove you’re in a special relationship. Talking about glasshouses eh?
I’ve never been a supporter of US foreign policy. You’ll never see me defend any silly excursions.
Un has been dragging us some right wing dark net nonsense about ‘blown pipelines’
What are you in about Un/Don
There’s no football this weekend so do entertain us.
Conflating Tom, I never suggested that changing tactics during a game doesn’t or shouldn’t happen, that would be ridiculous. What is ridiculous is the idea that a coach would suggest a GK should stop covering the space behind his defence and stay in his penalty area to avoid being lobbed from the half way line. It’s happened twice in my memory in 50 years, freakish.
I’m surprised at your naivety given your attendance of live matches.
The argument comes down to how are you best defending?… And that will come down to the specific skillset and style of play of a team. Some teams will be more comfortable ceding possession, defending their own penalty box, and looking to provide a counter attack threat…. This happens in most games depending on game state. Arsenal don’t play that way….. The best way for Arsenal to defend is by having the ball as far away for their own goal as possible… And to offer a consistent threat of our own. It’s the responsibility of big clubs to take the… Read more »
Diss
It’s not dark web
It’s pretty mainstream. Victoria Nulan and Biden both warned they would do it on feb 7th this year
There is video footage of both
You think Russia blew up its own pipeline when it has the ability to just switch it off? Just so they could spend millions repairing an online that they will not be allowed to use? Who’s the playground bully here? And yeah uk leaders are just as disgusting. Blair and Johnson should be in cells. Corrupt liars the lot of them.
“If Russia were in Canada or Mexico setting up military bases, chemical labs and blowing up your pipe lines would that not be considered an act of war?” Un, I’m not aware of US military bases in countries bordering Russia. The US foreign policy fuck ups and the body bag count aside, the idea Russia was threatened by the US army base in any proximity to a Russian border is just Putin’s propaganda aimed at Russians to solidify his public support, but congratulations for buying into it. The idea Nato and the US might even consider attacking a country with… Read more »
@Rich, i like playing the game in aggressive positioning, most of my touches are deep in the opponents half.
I’ve seen Arsenal play at both Highbury and the Ems, Arsenal at the Bridge, Arsenal at OT, Arsenal at Anfield, Barca at Nou Camp, Real at Bernabeu, and the Milan derby…..does that qualify? – And yet Tom, something just seems to be missing. That spark of love , joie de vivre . Instead a love of neutrality even a rush to push the PR of other clubs. A suspicion that your lack of understanding of the Tottenham rivalry due to some geographical issue ( not shared by our world wide support ) I’ll put money on their being something not… Read more »
Incorrigible Sid!
Sid
I suppose playing deep in the oppositions half comes with the territory when you’re carrying a serious weapon
#LongStuff
Tom Incorrect pal Victoria Nulan herself said (on camera) that there are US military owned and funded chem labs in the Ukraine and that they are worried they might fall into Russian hands. Not weapons grade though. Oh no no no no. These labs are for the purpose justice. To help humanity. Good America. The same people who said there were WMD’s so they could gear up in the Middle East and you’re still believing their lies Open your eyes pal The old days of America being the good guys has been revealed to have been a lie all along.… Read more »
The US foreign policy fuck ups and the body bag count aside, the idea Russia was threatened by the US army base in any proximity to a Russian border is just Putin’s propaganda aimed at Russians to solidify his public support, but congratulations for buying into
Tom
Oh really. Did the events of the cold Cold War and Cuban middle sites never reach you? JFK had his finger on the red button for exactly what America are doing now to the Russians on their own border
Un is permanently tuned into Russia Today his daily news, good for him.
The US policy on Ukraine us actually less stringent that the UK approach.
Diss
You’re unbelievably foolish if you subscribe to the notion that the the US government, military and media do not hide and lie about what they are really up to. All throughout history you’ve been caught lying and commuting war crimes but now they are the good guys and now they are telling the truth, until the real truth is revealed yet again.
Un
You keep yammering about US this , US that, fleeting that your precious UK is happy to go along with it all, in the name of special relationships.
How bout you redirect that scope on yourself for a minute?
Diss
Yeah ours are as bad
Not denying it
Doesn’t change anything.
You don’t want to argue geopolitics with me man, I’ll lose you in the gray and nuances of it. There are no rights/wrongs, good/bad or lies/truth.
All you have are countries with interests that change all time.
You’re too concrete to get all that, so keep believing all the conspiracy BS from your favorite sites.
Un in full paranoia mode.
Un
Erdogan is one of them more clever leaders out there, from what I see he’s quietly elevating Türkiye.
To think the German public turned on Ozil because he embraced the leader of his second country when they were in cahoots with Putin at the time..
That’s all I said before you started ranting about US foreign policy
🍿
Ukraine untapped natural resources and rare minerals present and future tech runs and depends on are almost unrivaled in the world but the country that invaded it, which exists as a superpower due only to its own export of similar resources, did so because of some secret labs threatening its existence, and not the future riches of said resources……………..according to Un.
Smith-Rowe scores v France u21 with a nice header. 1/0
Tom …… I love watching you embarrass yourself like with the Ramsdale chip. Keep it up. When guys like Rich, Bob, and AFCforever explain in simple detail why your argument makes no sense, I get a good laugh as you keep trying to win a ridiculous point against all logic and intelligent posters. It just gets funnier. I wonder, why do you even try it? …and then I remember that you’d probably defend other keepers on the same play.. If it were Kepa, Degea, Lloris, … I doubt you’d criticise them … even though it’s been explained to you the… Read more »
Arsenal women have just trounced Spurs 1-5 away lol
Karim what channel you watching England under 21 on?
Diss
You made a comment about Germany being in bed with Putin
I simply pointed out that the United States government fabricated wmd’s so they could invade the Middle East and steal oil
Not ranting at all
Tom
Ok so two questions
1) if Russian leaders aren’t really worried about their borders then why did jfk threaten war when the Russian were putting nukes in Cuba?
2) I’ve no doubt that Russians would want access to the lithium but then why do you think the us is in Ukraine and spending billions there? Why the Bidens have been doing deals there for a decade? Because they are really nice people right? Don’t see the US stepping up for Yemen eh? Wonder why
Un
You misread it
I was talking about how some elements of the German public turned on Ozil because he embraced Erdogan same time they were happy to do business with a proper autocrat like Putin.
I wasn’t taking a dig at Germany, frankly no country worth their salt would rely on the US right now, like Ukraine may find out in due course.
Rich
Sorry for the late answer, it’s on French tv
Diss
Fair enough mate
Agree
Let’s leave it there now
Madueke makes it 2/0
3/0 I’ve had enough lol !
Rich
Under 21’s is on BBC.
Jones has just made it 3-0.
3rd day and most of the talk here is still about Ozil…next topic please
4-0 now, 1st loss in 15 games for France.
4-0 full time.
Dissenter and Un… Reading the political comments I think maybe you don’t disagree completely. Maybe the usual football disagreements make it feel worse than it is. The only person who’s trying trying to get in the argument with no good information is Tom again. It’s been public knowledge for years that Ukraine and NATO were flirting and floating the idea of membership, with U.S. literally influencing Ukrainian elections to get in their own bought officials to power there. Zelensky the Ukrainian comedian now personal wealth worth 800 mil- 1.5 billion mysteriously. I’d say Tom should stick to football except his… Read more »
Un, 1. Can’t compare anything happening now to peak Cold War paranoia when schools practiced duck and cover drills in the event of impending doom of nuclear attack. Not a lot of that going on in the UK school system these days I take it is there. That’s because no one outside of a religious nut would contemplate using nukes now no matter the Kremlin rhetoric. 2. So influence peddling on state level is now the same as invading a sovereign nation under false pretenses aka illegal war, which you so astutely managed to call correctly in the case of… Read more »
Ukraine’s success rate of joining NATO regardless the amount of flirting going on is about as high as Nigel’s success rate of getting laid when flirting…..zero.
I’d direct Nigel to read NATO charter to see what I’m talking about but who would he ask to explain the words to him I’m not sure.
ESR scored. Hope that’s evidence of a return to full fitness. Having him back on full revs will act as a rocket booster.. The lad is soooo energy efficient. And with Gab J ‘s return, Arsenal will be firing on all cylinders.
Ode is down….phew he looks ok.
Rodri doing his best to injure Ødegaard
Bastard rodri tried to nobble MO and no pen..filthy cnut
Is Odegaard moving okay? He could still be injured and out for a few games if the scans/tests etc. after the game come back positive. Hate these internationals man. I hope Saka does not start on Monday.
Rodri is an absolute thug, a filthy piece of excrement.
Halland groin injury. Bollocks
Or close to..
Stat from arsenal twitter –
“Arsenal’s men’s and women’s sides have won all four of their league games against Tottenham this season by a combined score of 14-2.”
Nigel If a leader’s personal net worth invalidated their cause, then Putin is at the top of the tree. Secondly, it’s not about Zelenskiiy, it’s about the fact that hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have died at the hands of a murderous bastard with no justification for the attack. And I believe Tom is right to point out the resources in Ukraine as a likely motive for Putin’s aggression, along side his Post Soviet fever dream. Russia’s demographics and natural resource profiles are fucked, and the Russian Federation will likely fragment or collapse if they don’t find a way to… Read more »
“””China is sort of doing the same in Africa and Latin America, but in. A much more subtle way””” The UK has been ordered to hand back the Chagos Islands to Mauritius “as rapidly as possible” after the United Nations’ highest court…. Queen Elizabeth II is one of the worlds richest women, worth £17 billion. Her investments in the arms trade includes firms that produce the uranium used in depleted uranium (DU) shells. The deployment of these shells by the US military in its attack on the Iraqi city of Fallujah…. A colonial-era land grab in Kenya saw Britain evict… Read more »
The results of this review are staggering.
As many as 101 companies listed on the
LSE have mineral operations in sub-Saharan
Africa, covering 37 countries. The 101 LSE-
listed companies are mainly British with
59 incorporated in the UK and a further
12 incorporated in the British tax havens of
Guernsey and Jersey. Many of the remaining
companies are actually based in London, despite
their country of incorporation. Of the 101
companies, 25 are incorporated in tax havens.
These 101 companies now control an
identified $1.05 trillion worth of resources
in Africa in just five commodities
‘Queen Elizabeth is one of the world’s richest women’ I thought she was dead! I think the monarchy is an anachronism and should end but that figure of £17 billion is not the monarch’s personal fortune.
Capitalism is always going to be tainted by human avarice. Benevolent capitalism is almost an oxymoron.