What a glorious weekend of Barclays Premier League football.
Newcastle lost, and their fans got into a verbal with Kieran Trippier. Peak Geordie.
Spurs were 1-0 up at 90 minutes, then exited the game on 97 minutes with ZERO points. WE GOT OUR SPURSY BAAACK!
Chelsea vs Manchester City was a 4-4 thriller of a game, closed out with a late Chelsea penalty scored by Cole Palmer.
So that leaves Arsenal 2 points off City heading into the final international break.
A pretty good run.
Arsenal also has the joint best defence in the league – and the best expected goals against. Not bad when you consider we changed out a keeper very early on in the season and some people were crying that Arteta was destroying the club.
What I like about stats like that is they point to a clear objective and a clear output. Arsenal were too loose towards the end of last season defensively, so we’ve added players into the mixer that have transformed us into the sort of team that can limit Erling Haaland to zero xG.
Declan Rice, for me, has been the best addition. He gives us height, power, speed, and that 6th sense for sniffing out danger. He’s the everywhere man. An elite specimen of top tier midfielder we’ve been begging for since Vieira left the building. He’s settled at lightspeed and he already looks like he could compete with Rodri for #6 of the season.
Our keeping situation is settled when it comes to personnel, though I’m not quite sure we’re where we need to be output-wise. That said, David Raya has come in, largely stabilized the position from jitters, and his command of distribution is delivering on the pitch. We have the joint best defensive record in the league and the fans are split on the keeper. That’s progress baby!
I also think we have to look at Kai Havertz and the steel he’s given to our midfield. Attacking-wise, it’s John Jensen-levels of pony, but his defensive output – the output we were concerned about most – seems to be top-level. I know we don’t like to talk about the foundational parts of midfielders – but work-rate, off-the-ball movement, and ‘GET STUCK IN’ has been really good. For all the people writing him off – it’s hard to avoid the fact we’re doing pretty damn well with him in the starting 11.
We also need to be clear about where some of those goals have come from: individual errors. Those are the easiest to fix if you have great players. The system is top, top, top level… when the players in it really do click, it’s scary to think how robust we could become defensively.
At the start of the season, Arteta made it very clear he was going to put a lot of effort into bringing new dimensions to the side, so they could benefit us later on. Fans hated the chopping and changing in the first three games, but then those chops were forced on him because we started collecting injuries. The result of this has been ‘it doesn’t feel quite right’ and that’s because it isn’t quite right. We’re building our library of tactics and stratagems – and we’re doing it while winning. The clunky performances you’re seeing now will hopefully feel a lot more natural when we need them for the run-in.
Just remember: We were all asking what was up with City last Christmas. What was up? They were laying their own foundations so they could bang in the back half of the season.
… and bang they did.
Arsenal has been far better than I imagined. I thought there’d be more pain, especially when the injuries started piling up. But now we’re getting into a space where Ben White misses a game and you don’t really notice (maybe we noticed last game, poor Tomi). The squad is really strong, we’re only two or three players away from it being absolute perfection. Not bad when you consider how hopeless Arsenal seemed post-Emery.
We’re about to enter Phase 4 of the season.
The Run To New Year.
This phase is 10 games.
The month is going to be wild.
Thank the lord we don’t have to play Liverpool twice (league cup)
The killer games are going to be Brentford away – because that’s the first game back after the break.
Then we have Aston Villa away – wedged between two away games. The saving grace there is that our midweek game is Luton. An easier game and a lovely drive back for most of the players who will be in bed nice and early. Don Unai has to host Manchester City, that will be unpleasant for them, so good news for us.
Our two games just before Christmas are Brighton, who don’t seem to be doing too well after everyone said De Zerbi was the new best manager in the world. Then we play Liverpool on the 23rd away from home. They are not our favorite away day and say it quietly, the Jurgen Klopp-engineered rebuild seems to be delivering some sexy stuff. The German ain’t done yet – so it should be a banger of a game.
We close out the month with West Ham and Fulham.
There are 24 Premier League points to play for – 21 points would be electric. 18+ has us in great shape moving into January. The thing to note is Christmas is where you see injuries really hurt teams – and legs start to test players. There are going to be dropped points during that phase. So don’t get panicked if we’re dropping them. It’ll happen to everyone.
Right, short one today. Get your eyeballs on our podcast right away.
This goalkeeping “fiasco” has Arsenal with the best goalkeeping competition in the PL.
Top of our CL group… With an opportunity to qualify and win the group at home on Match-Day 5.
3rd on goal difference in the PL, just 1 point off top.
As long as we don’t turn a loss of Ramsdale, I don’t see what the issue is?……. Comings and goings are just apart of football… There’s a fine line between stability + cohesion and stagnation + malaise.
Reminding the rest of the squad that nobody is safe once in a while, will hopefully keep everyone on their toes,
.
Matt
Arteta was certainly Brentish about the goalkeeping situation
There is no way Aaron wasn’t the designated starting goalie at the end of last season because why else would Arsenal have doubled his wages and threw confetti around his contract extension signing event?
But once Raya became available and transfer- attainable, it was over for Ramsdale because Raya is everything he was supposed to be or cannot ever become. Raya is the quintessence of what Arteta wants in a goalie.
A bit like the curious story of a certain Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles…Diana Frances Spencer didn’t stand a chance.
Arteta could have been more honest about it but hey, Aaron got his wages doubled too.
Yeah Matt.Spot on.Instead of trying to fix the problem & hold your hands up & admit the errors.Lets excuse them instead & look for every trick in the book to justify it.
Had high hopes for Webbo but his after dinner shannigans at Old toilet( the PGMOL) corporate jolly left a sour taste that nothing has changed or will it.Unless the Prem get tough.
Rich
“There’s a fine line between stability + cohesion and stagnation + malaise.”
You don’t think that fine line is already crossed yet?
The fact that Arteta had to make a public comment about it recently suggest that private talks weren’t productive
The manager may have to protect Raya and the squad from the needless public quibblings.
Dissenter and many others think Ramsdale did well last season. In my view he was really really mediocre Ramsdale.
Posting the link of a YT video (ignore the headline), decide for yourselves whether he really is a good GK. Leno, Scezesney, Emi were all miles better and we sold them.
https://youtu.be/tml_AfyXcO8?si=vXK6663rTYIT9zqE
No opposition player pressing him yet such a blunder
https://youtu.be/F5hCpTkhrhE?si=Sw8RMNia1VN2Tmw9
Football squads should be a bit like the early seasons of Game Of Thrones, where you never know which of your favourite characters is going to be ruthlessly culled next…
Lemme ask a question.
Do you guys think we would have won the league if Emi was our goalie last season instead of Ramsdale ?
Just curious
One more which is not in the above videos
https://youtube.com/shorts/bcUKyMbN3JQ?si=gd4OcnRuaKUOVXse
TR7
He already lost his place. His replacement hasnt been flawless. But at the moment he is second choice.
what I find annoying is the fact that anything he said was taken out of proportion. He said the same thing and now it matters. It really doesnt for me. I dont agree with the fact that his dad came out to say what he thought. but people are making up things to make him look bad. There is a video circulating on twitter showing how he conceded a goal against southampton last season where he is watching his post to see where he is. but there was a bird there and people are making it out like he was watching the bird. That is what I dont like.
GD4
No… We conceded 25 in 27, then we conceded 18 in 11 after Saliba + Tomi both injured at home to Sporting.
We also lost Zinchenko + Partey for periods as well, and our ability to control the game from the back became diminished.
The opposition tend not to press if they know you can play through them, and that them leaves them vulnerable… But they do tend to press if they believe there’s a good chance that pressure will pay dividends.
It’s the combination of the athletic + technical quality of our outfield players behind the ball, and also the distribution of our goalkeeper…
That doesn’t just dictate the level of risk that we can take, and where we can take that risk… It also dictates the level of risk the opposition can take, and where they can take that risk.
Whether we want to apply + sustain pressure high up the pitch, or invite and evade pressure deep in our own half… We have to be both physically + technically secure enough to take that level of risk.
Saw the links to Neves and honestly he makes sense for the 8 position. Excellent technically with enough defensive capabilities and a very good long range shot. Could be a very good pickup
Ramsdale can’t concentrate for 90 minutes and he has to sing along with the fans… color me surprised
I wanted Ruben to be signed permanently in the summer. So yes if he becomes available for signing then we should go for him.
Ramsdale’s inability to concentrate for 90 minutes didn’t start when he joined Arsenal, he made it known even before he joined us. So, why make it a problem now? Who’s the idiot that didn’t see no big deal in it then but now seeing it as a big deal? You’re likely to see Rams biting his nails when on the bench than just sitting still, he’s hot blooded, this may be due to his catecholamine secretion and quite honestly, most keepers can’t be that focused for 90 minutes. It’s easier for the players running around than for the keeper being not engaging. Why do we have some stupid and silly goals that should never have scored?
Galaxy brain stays focused for 90 minutes yet keeps making late subs and head scratching decisions. It’s all in everyone.
“There is a video circulating on twitter showing how he conceded a goal against southampton last season where he is watching his post to see where he is. but there was a bird there and people are making it out like he was watching the bird. That is what I dont like.”
Goal posts only move on Legrove.
Elite keepers, very much like strikers, don’t have to check their positioning in the box by looking at goal posts, there are other points of reference
TR7″Dissenter and many others think Ramsdale did well last season. In my view he was really really mediocre Ramsdale.”
It’s not dissenter and others that think Ramsdale did reasonably well
It’s borne out by the facts of history as well. I don’t get all this need to revise the past, just classical recency bias. Ramsdale is out favour now…. so he was shit?
He was selected by his peers to be on the team of the season ffs
He was starting goalie for all our league games in our best season since 2004. He literally won big points for us in games that we ought to have lost.
Arteta has moved onto another keeper, as manager he has that right but no need to start rubbing slime on the other guy now.
The club needs to lance this abscess as soon as they get a chance in the next possible transfer window
It’s distracting the fans and giving idle reporters material to use to clobber the club
Give Raya a clean slate, move him out so that he can attain whatever goals he had in mind when he was relegated with Sheffield
@GD4, you won’t get answers to that cos it’d paint a certain ‘generational’ black. You look at how messy our goalkeeping situation has been since Emi left because one Lord of all couldn’t make a right decision for the club, he’d rather waste resources than be seen as to have given in to a player’s worthy demand. Time to look for another goalkeeper
It is how forgetful people can be, like ramsdale didn’t ever win us some matches. Are there no mistakes in Raya? Like he’s not taken a wrong step since he joined us, Raya? Let’s beat Ramsdale with every available stick and cover Raya with carrots for now and once he becomes unbearable, we’ll look for how to paint him bad and ship him out, isn’t this the way? This pattern started from Emi
Get help Pierre, for your affliction.
Your mentally unbalanced when it comes to any discussion involving Odegaard.. maybe take some time off from disparaging him daily until some other midfielder on our team scores 15 goals or more in a season. Good luck with that.
“Saw the links to Neves and honestly he makes sense for the 8 position. Excellent technically with enough defensive capabilities and a very good long range shot. Could be a very good pickup“
Satire?
Neves is slow, weak, fairly short, and can’t dribble. Newcastle is his level, but he’s not doing anything for us given our needs. Only redeeming factor is the idea of it being a loan, but that’s scraping the barrel.
It will be funny when TR7 gets to have a go at the club if they let Ramsdale leave on the cheap, since he’s said is “mediocre”
Never? Imagine complain that your monkey enjoys squatting that you then opted to buy a dog
Neves
Midwest
I honestly think Pierre is consciously yanking y’ll’s chains when he writes about Odegaard
He’s playing all of you imo.
He drops a post and just puts his feet up, enjoying the chaos he’s sowed.
Mikel
“Neves is slow, weak, fairly short, and can’t dribble. Newcastle is his level, but he’s not doing anything for us given our needs. Only redeeming factor is the idea of it being a loan, but that’s scraping the barrel.”
Never understood the hype about Neves
Add to the fact he wont be premier league fit after playing ion a nonsense league.
***This is the smoking gun definitive proof that you’re not Charlie Champagne. That poster was besotted with Neves.
Ya maybe Diss. but that still doesn’t make you a very mentally stable person…getting off on trolling your own agenda driven narrative. Unless your a stable genius like Trump, of course.
Anyhow, Too bad we can’t put Raya’s brain in Ramsdale’s body.. then we would have the perfect Keeper.
Dissenter
Might be a bit harsh on him but to me he flattered to deceive at a poor Wolves team, and then went to Saudi at 26. Does that really sound like a player ready to impact our ambitions this season?
It would be very underwhelming to have the possible additions from the summer like MacAllister, Gravenberch, Szoboz etc and to land on a loan 5 months later for a guy working part time in the desert because the perennial sick note (Partey) proved his lack of fitness for the 47th time.
Rich:
“This goalkeeping “fiasco” has Arsenal with the best goalkeeping competition in the PL.”
Most clubs would love to have our fiasco. The only thing Ramsdale needs to get back to his best is game time somewhere.
I’m wary about where he goes, because I’ve seen him have games for his other teams where nobody can get a ball past him. Thats why he was player of the season for his clubs twice. If he’s motivated against us, he’ll cause us problems as an opponent.
Pedro,
Maybe someone else has pointed this out, I’m not going to read through three pages of comments to find out, but Arsenal are only one point behind City., not two.
Dissenter/Sid – just reading hockey twitter and they’re saying Brit who killed opposing player the other week has been arrested for manslaughter. Doesn’t surprise me, that ‘accident’ looked suspicious and the player is his team’s designated thug.
China,
I put this to you about Havertz because you are being perfectly reasonable.
My problem with some like Freddie is hypocrisy.
He and most here are judging our CM and hammering him on goal stats.
I pointed out his pressures, tackles, distance stats and defending as signs he’s not been nearly as terrible as they’re saying. .
But then they rave about a CM at another team, and they want to EXCLUDE the same exact goal stats, using his midfield work instead to judge him. The exact opposite criteria.
They only want to complain because they never wanted Havertz and they didn’t like the price. Their minds were made up a long time ago.
I’m still hoping Kai can be coached to be more aggressive around the goal.. that added to solid midfield play would make him a great player for us.
Nigel
I can see that you’re rightly conflicted about Ramsdale, you’re not one of the recency bias artistes who now think he’s mediocre
I disagree with you though about other clubs wanting the drama around our goal keepers
You won’t find any former premier league or big league goalie agree with you that this situation is ideal or healthy. Real competition doesn’t spill over into the tabloid side of the news.
You have a starter keeper and a second keeper who accepts the bench role but is ready/good enough to come in at moments notice.
If you don’t agree with that time tested standard approach, then you’re probably buying the Arteta revolutionary futuristic model of tactically substituting goalies.
jwl
They will have a high bar to prove to a jury beyond reasonable doubt that he meant to do that.
Anyone can be charged with anything, it’s proving it that is hard to do.
That blade slashing of the neck tragedy has happened twice in the NHL so there’s precedent
The Howard Webb dogshite PGMOL vindication show with the dour bootlicking Michael Owen comes up today.
They are expected to play the audio of the newcastle goal incident – expect fireworks.
I expect that there will be hundreds of angry posts here tomorrow
Our venerable AFC forever will make the rare appearance here. Always look forward to reading hs well researched posts, even i don’t agree with him mostly..
“Lemme ask a question.
Do you guys think we would have won the league if Emi was our goalie last season instead of Ramsdale ?
Just curious”..
Hahahaha
Not even the slightest understanding of how we play football. JDP, Playing out from the back, inviting pressure, possession, maintaining control of matches, brilliant distribution short and long, with carefully chosen ball playing defenders all around for our game.
This genius watches us play, watches Alisson and Liverpool , sees Ederson and Mancity win everything with a similar style. Watch these keepers and teams dominate the league for years….
Then says we should get an old fashioned shot stopper who can’t kick, and invite teams to attack our strong goalie.
Let’s sign up this guy as director of football.
Fucking hell Nigel you’re so stupid it’s unreal.
You’re the one judging them on different criterias.
You’re not judging Havertz on his attacking contributions at all (because he does nothing) but you’re judging Szobo on only his goals and assists without even watching him play.
Maybe stop throwing the hypocrite clown labels around when you have it tattooed on your forehead.
Find anyone with half a brain cell that think Havertz has been even half the player Szobo has so far and get back to me.
JWL-
That trial will be similar to the Tony Stewart one where he ran over that dude with his race car after he put him into the wall and the guy came out of his car to yell at him the next lap and he clipped him with his back wheel and killed him. (Google it) Stewart’s car did make a move towards him but it happened at high speed.
He was found innocent. It will be hard to prove intent when things happen at a high speed with a built in dangerous weapon. Like a car or a sharp blade in a sporting event where both parties know the potential danger.
Okay first of all, even if it sounds bad I love Aaron for being honest about his attention span. He’s just someone who is really aware of himself, I would bet money that if I tasked anybody here with focusing on anything for 45 minutes without a break, everyone would fail in some capacity yet there would be a handful who insisted they were focused for the whole time without even realizing the moments that their attention slipped. Some people’s brains just don’t work like that, they just don’t, so good on Aaron for recognizing what works for him.
THAT SAID.
Shut the fuck up about it, lad. Don’t say anything about yourself that can be turned against you, even if you yourself would never view it that way. The world is cruel and ready with knives at all times, don’t make it harder on yourself.
Dissenter why are you so obsessed with fairness for Aaron? Do you really think this is playing out in our dressing room the way that it does in your head and in the tabloids?
You make it sound like everyone was praising him to high heavens for two seasons running, and all of a sudden the fans changed course because of Arteta. I mean, there are always impressionable folk whose opinions will be easily manipulated. But there have been plenty who have been clamouring for better from Aaron since even toward the end of the 2021-22 season.
This is a nothing story that the media has latched onto because they are obsessed with drama and it really seems they like being critical of Arsenal and Arteta. Dont be a chump and buy into it. Players get replaced sometimes, there is competition sometimes. The scrutiny behind it is mostly media driven but people like you can’t get enough of it for some reason.
Ramsdale in his first 6 months or so at Arsenal was a trooper. I wonder was he interacting with fans in his previous clubs or is that a trend that began at Arsenal ?
Luteo
Nothing to do with me, it’s about what’s playing out in the media constantly.
We wouldn’t be talking about Ramsdale today if not that we are reacting to what’s come up in the tabloids.
The manager has made up his mind about the starting goalie – that conversation is dead. It’s about handling the aftermath. Raya was what he wanted from the beginning, Ramsdale came up because Raya wasn’t available and he has not measured up to what Artea wants ..so he’s gone back to the keeper who’s the quintessence.
I just want the club to nix it ASAP, no different from how they dealt with the Aubameyang.
Let’s be honest with Ramsdale here he should never have been signed in the first place but he was because he was English and there was some recommendation about him as a young keeper despite being relegated twice with two different teams in successive seasons. Mike Maignan should have been signed imo.
By the way, I know who kicked Captain Odegaard in the face………………….Its Declan Rice.
“The manager has made up his mind about the starting goalie – that conversation is dead. It’s about handling the aftermath. ”
What aftermath, besides people like you reacting to the media? What would you have the club do with Aaron in the middle of November that’s different than what’s happened so far?
Arsenal fans that I talk to are simply happy we have two good keepers to choose from. They certainly don’t see any drama in the situation.
Typical media stirring up a shitstorm.
Too much drama being put on the “Arsenal keeper situation” which is in a much better place than the Chelsea or United keepers situation.
Only problem with ours is that its proven too ambitious and the 2nd choice will be looking for another club which is understandable as both can start at many premier league clubs.
I’ve no issue with upgrading where we can regardless of how harsh it may play in the media.
Dissenter/Middy – it will be there interesting to watch court case, I don’t know English law but I don’t think you need to prove intent with manslaughter charge. The bloke is going to have to explain why he had his leg so far up in air like figure skater, that what make me suspicious because there absolutely no reason to have leg so high.
Oh now you have done it Sal… you used the word “upgrading”.
As you attorney .. I would advise you to use the words.. “more suited to our system”.
The U21 play a final cup game today and both Nelson and Vieira will start. It is very weird for me. Should not the U21 players should play in the first team cup games instead?
Jwl … ya to be fair … I don’t know the legal system across the pond.. either.
I just now initially I watched that Tony Stewart video and thought he looked pretty guilty as well.. seems to me like the car swerved towards the guy similar to the hockey case.. whether he made an uncontrolled or intentional move? not sure…… . But.. I guess there was enough reasonable doubt there.
now = *know
To me، Ramsdale is the type of keeper that thrives on being busy and the fact is that these days playing for Arsenal is more about keeping concentration and focus as for large parts of the game our keeper is no more than a spectator.
There is a reason why Ramsdale was player of the year for 2 clubs that were relegated، their defence was crap so consequently he never had a chance to let his mind wander.
Raya is a more suitable keeper for Arsenal at this present time as he is calmness personified even when he has made an error، plus of course the media witch hunt led by the likes of Gary Neville is something he has had to contend with and is gradually turning around.
Zomber
U21 teams used to be able to field 3 overage outfield players plus a goalkeeper.
I think I read somewhere that this had been increased to 5 outfield players from this season.
Dissenter setting his hair on fire over Arsenal doing something he doesn’t approve of is nothing new.
Like Arsenal being unfair to Ramsdale in his pursuit of England caps if not sold in January……. while also paying him too much in the process.
Not mention all the heads that should’ve rolled post the Havertz transfer which, btw, hasn’t yet been properly investigated.
Dissenter,
Credit to you..You’re right and you have been right from the beginning on keepers. You saw the inevitable reaction in the media and fanbase. The worst is to be expected from them.
I complimented you on a day where you warned that getting Raya was going to create a lot of noise and distraction and I mentioned it again later as things were at their loudest..
My instinct was also that we don’t need controversy.
My problem is that now I like the differences I notice with Raya, so I prefer him, as a former Ramsdalian.
I wish we didn’t have the noise, but I’m happier with the new keeper. Now it looks like we’ll once again need to find a decent back up. Turner was never a good idea for our style.
Watching Burnley’s goal against us last weekend and also watching the award of city’s penalty v chelsea on sunday it is somewhat surprising that both decisions were in the favour of the attacking side as normally on any other given day the benefit of the doubt would go in the defenders favour..
The answer may lie in the fact that one went in the favour of City and one went in the favour of The Arsenal’s opposition.
The reason I say that is that 99% of the time if the defender is barely touched ، they go down and the free kick is awarded in their favour
What we had at the weekend was Haaland clearly pulling the chelsea defender back before he himself was fouled which had me wondering why var didnt offer the ref the chance to review his decision and he obviously missed the tug by Haaland..
Of course Tomiyasu being pushed for at least 3 seconds whilst shielding the ball was totally ignored by ALL the officials as was the tug by Haaland was ignored by ALL the officials….
Pierre going full troll and villain in his posts about Odegaard is a welcome upgrade for me.
Let’s keep talking about how much he’s always hated Ramsdale too and this recent post where he’s being covertly condescending of Aaron will turn into full blown kicks to the face in no time.
Not to worry, the PGMOL Mic’d up episode today will dominate the news cycle for the next 24 hrs at least
We are about to hear the shilly-shally conversations as to why Gabriel wasn’t pushed hard enough from the back with two outstretched hands
I expect to hear that Joelington has a “soft touch” or tickled Gabriel
If Ramsdale goes and sadly I suspect he will. We should make a grab for the Ipswich keeper – tough to get him
As it could derail their promotion hunt but he’s at an age where he might be content to be number 2 at a big club on serious upgrade in salary. Raya can concentrate on cementing number one whilst the number two is known for incredible distribution and shot stopping. Win win
Dissenter – this “PGMOL Mic’d up episode” show is propaganda, we only hearing what ref union wants us to hear. We dont hear refs/var people in real time, only hear ten days after the fact and the union has time to decide what their narrative will be.
And why just this one incident, there are all sorts of fans/players/managers wondering every week why the refs made the decisions they did but union only focus on this dodgy call.
Watching Webb on the mic’d up show, and the VAR process is still a complete circus. It’s striking that there are still several people talking over each other, no clear rules around the respective roles etc. Also striking to me is the fact that even before any checks had happened, some of the VAR people had already commented about how the ball hadn’t gone out of play and how there’s ‘normal contact’ on Gabriel. It’s clear someone’s mind was made up even before the checks.
Finally, if as they say the ball came off Joelington’s hip, it could only be his left hip as his right hip was tucked behind Gabriel. Gordon was clearly ahead of Joelington’s left hip.
Howard Webb trying very hard to become a celebrity. It’s absurd
The decision in the Wolves game is even worse. The VAR decides that there’s minimal to no contact, yet decides that Hwang swings a foot and therefore it’s a penalty. Didn’t even ask the ref to go check the pitch side monitor
The whole thing is a joke. Looking at and listening to Webb, I can’t help but ask myself whether I would employ him to manage my company (if I owned one) and I simply can’t see why I would. No wonder there’s no improvement
jwl
Problem with that show is having dour Michael Owen host it
A professional journalist that can ask proper questions needs to host the show
To follow up, Howard Webb should have been asked why the Willock line clal was any different from the Rashford line call, one was given but the other was overturned.
Ben D
The decision in the Wolves game is even worse. The VAR decides that there’s minimal to no contact, yet decides that Hwang swings a foot and therefore it’s a penalty. Didn’t even ask the ref to go check the pitch side monitor
Therein is a major flaw with VAR . As the ref gave the penalty on field what would have been the clear and obvious grounds for Taylor to be sent to the screen.? I have seen the incident and I still have no idea if there was contact.
Perhaps all penalties should be reviewed but IFAB don’t list that type of situation in the ones to reviewed .
I don’t like 80% of English refs and I don’t understand VAR in England, said De Zerbi.
I wonder if the Brighton chairman wished De Zerbi had spoken through the club assigned translator just then lol.
How times have changed though, can you imagine the reaction if Wenger had said something like that at times like when he was being sent to the stands for the capital offense of kicking an opponent……… I mean a water bottle.
“Therein is a major flaw with VAR . As the ref gave the penalty on field what would have been the clear and obvious grounds for Taylor to be sent to the screen.”
It’s too obvious a solution for the people in charge to catch on.
Honestly, there’s no sophistication of interpretation with the VAR approach VAR is using, unlike what you see in Rugby or the NFL
It just feels like a couple of blokes watching a game after drawing more than a few pints
To begin with don’t address the officials by their nicknames. It’s meant to be a formal process not two mates chatting. The standard of communications is part of the problem- that whats encourages them to not want to trouble their mates.
Honestly, there’s no sophistication of interpretation with the VAR approach PGMOL is using
Freddie,
Read this ….. don’t yell at me- yet..
breathe……read…..
I said you’re not being honest because everyone attacking Havertz here is doing it based on lack of goals.. not just you.
Then I say- people (and you) focus on midfield statistics for another teams player because his goal stats are poor too… but you don’t cite good midfield play for our player, Havertz.
Now,,
I was just scrolling reddit and saw some good detailed midfield stats for the whole leagues CMs … and Szoboslai numbers are quite good — (much more useful stats than the ones you provided).
So it’s not just your bias Lol
Side note- it also shows unsurprisingly that Kai is better defensively….
I think Arteta wanted size and pace built into a midfielder with prem experience…
I believe the attacking qualities can still be coached into him.. because Arteta is known for making attackers better… including a veteran Xhaka and lots of forwards here and at Man City.
So to sum up, I randomly came across stats that make your argument stronger and I’m not hiding it. I am as honest as it gets here.
Now try backing our guy a little, who joined our team, and needs some confidence.
You know the people that didn’t want him are being overly harsh because of bias. They even quote bogus salary numbers to make the situation appear worse.
I just don’t get why people do things like that to our own players. 1 of our 11 on the pitch trying to win games for us.
The guy battled hard for us against the Newcastle orcs, and we deserved at least a point from that.
If he scores a couple to get some confidence, along with his good midfield play, his early Arsenal goal drought can be forgotten and we’ll have a very good player on our hands.
On the goal keeper issue, Arteta invited this on Arsenal and himself with that stupid statement about changing goalkeeper midgame etc which was a nonesence and few other things including Ramsdale himself and his dad adding to the frenzy and this will not change until Ramsdale has moved on. The Raya guy also has a lot of shakiness to his game and was already at fault for several goals this will feed the media frenzy for a while.
The posts here showed that we agreed on what our priorities were, a world class striker and backup for Partey and everything else would have been a bonus. What we did not need was the GK distraction and mellow drama which was an own goal by Arteta. Here is to working on GK number 8 since December 2019.
Don’t know whether it was posted or not, just read.
Martin Odegaard injury plan set out by Norway boss as Arsenal star prepares to join national team via @Onefootball. Read it here:
https://onefootball.com/editorial/38563335?language=en
Understandable, if Poland were to play crucial games for qualification, and Barca did the same with Lewy, I wouldn’t be too happy. Imagine same feelings if it was England and Real did it with Bellingham for example. Curious on Ode’s answer, as if his injury is serious he should be barking at Norway coach now. If it isn’t serious, then he’s not serious, considering that both Martinelli and Jesus went to their team. However you look at national football, I believe it’s big privilege for any athletes to represent their country.
Here comes question for boring international break:
What, in your opinion, motivates young footballers more these days?
Playing for national team, leading to big tournaments?
Or playing in the champions league?
Or, the latest option, playing for arabs?
newcastle audio for goal has been released and i wonder what you guys think
i think this tape is even more of a scandal regarding the foul. the VAR said he does see two hands on the back but he doesnt see any specific foul that ‚warrants gabriel going down like this‘.
translation for me: you can foul but if i think you don‘t fall accurately i have the power to say no foul
i thought mikel calling them a disgrace publicly was a bit too much but after this i guess he should have been harsher
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-12525985/Rasmus-Hojlund-denied-Manchester-United-goal-VAR.html
Michael Owen should have asked the question how has
VAR disallowed this united goal after it had been awarded as the ball was deemed over the line، and yet never overturned the Newcastle goal against Arsenal…
No talk of ” conclusive” or ball ” overhanging ” when coming to the decision……strange that.
How long will this forum have to deal with Tufnel?
All I did was ask a question on keepers and the scum launches into attack. When I respond all of a sudden the narrative will get changed and I’ll be labeled the aggressor. Oh well so be it
“Martin Odegaard injury plan set out by Norway boss as Arsenal star prepares to join national team”
Nice little holiday back home for Odegaard then، surely our Captain should be at London colney preparing for our next league game after being out for a few weeks.
““Martin Odegaard injury plan set out by Norway boss as Arsenal star prepares to join national team”
No different from Jesus for the Brazil call-up
He shows up for the Brazilian doctors to assess him. and then he hangs out with the team…unless Arsenal want him to return back to continue treatment
Are we actually this unlikeable as a fanbase, that under the tweets of the VAR audio, fans from all clubs are happy with the decision and say we should stop crying about it? Sure, we are an opponent team, but they are literally overjoyed we got fucked and are relishing our misery.
They don’t think about PGMOL being a massive disgrace and how they might screw their team over next time.
Or how the beneficiaries from this were none other than the oilers Newcastle and Man City.
In some cases fans unite against a common villain – the PGMOL, but not this time. Turns out we, Arsenal fans, are universally hated.
Tom, you would be right except that PGMOL have subsequently admitted that it was an error and apologized. It was a clear and obvious error
i see a two footed challenge on the right knee of one of our players, hurting his left knee while going down and the VAR concludes that he didn‘t see anything that warrants an injury on the left foot so no foul … what an unbelievable corrupt biased incompetent organization. you wouldn‘t be able to make this up for a soap opera
Mg42-gd4 great vocabulary. Very literate.
“Mellow Drama” lol
Is that how it’s spelled on London is Red?
Try blaming that on the auto correct or keyboard.
Pierre, what did Odegaard do to you personally ? yes we have some criticism of him, which was raised in detail many times, to obsess and read so much into anything and everything about him is a sign of insanity. He is a man of incredible personality at Captain of his own country and ours at a very young age !! your unreasonable obsession is making me now a to become a super fan of him, which I am not.
“How long will this forum have to deal with Tufnel?
All I did was ask a question on keepers and the scum launches into attack. When I respond all of a sudden the narrative will get changed and I’ll be labeled the aggressor. Oh well so be it”
“Won’t someone rid me of this meddlesome priest!”
-Henry II
First off… there was no attack on you..
Secondly,, try to avoid calling people scum when you want sympathy LOL.
Its not polite, as your parents should’ve taught you, instead of random bloggers having to educate you.
It’s hard enough trying to explain football to you. 😉
@Pedro
https://le-grove.co.uk/2023/11/12/arsenal-bully-burnley-with-high-balls-and-setpieces-wot/comment-page-4/#comment-3055424
“Guys, gonna start implementing time outs for people trolling, name calling, or starting fights for no reason.”
Pedro your words, it is about time you remind Nigel again to ease on the agitation with posters here. You have done it in the past, he showed a minuted improvement as he stopped calling people haters. Please remind him to stick to the football and not to the insults, agitation and looking for fights.
Unless of course Nigel is an alter login for someone else here on the blog. Try what you promised to preserve the peace on the blog as otherwise le-grove is becoming a place to be loathed.
Fab Romano –
Former Arsenal and Barça midfielder Alex Song has officially retired from professional football.
“ Its not polite, as your parents should’ve taught you, instead of random bloggers having to educate you”
You act as if your parents were siblings so it explains a lot about you …
“ Mg42-gd4 great vocabulary. Very literate.”
Yeah here the thing goes on again listening to the voices in his sick head and seeing things that don’t exist.
You’re a perfect example of why birth control should be taught at an early age. What a weasel …
@Kofi:
i thought mikel calling them a disgrace publicly was a bit too much but after this i guess he should have been harsher
I wonder why you were quick to feel that way. Mikel Arteta’s comments appeared so out of left field because it was and is so damned obvious to anyone with a brain that there was a minimum of three reasons that phantom goal should never have been legitimized. Arteta does not make a habit of complaining about VAR or referees – that he did on that blasted day should have been a sign to everyone that something was truly fucking wrong!
What is the point of of PGMOL or Var or what the fuck they are called to have a TV shaw. Every sane foot ball person wants the referee not to become the shawm now not only during the game a shaw 2 weeks later same topic big time shaw !! Jus saw images some people I believe from Corinthians in Brazil unhappy about VAR decision trying to get to their offices to attack them , this crazy VAR is rapidly disintegrating and bering more shame to already damaged images of football. What is happening to our beautiful game when we need it most to escape this awful reality of this current world in turmoil.
Ramsdale is a dumpster fire.
I never disliked the player. I was never a big fan either. Once you looked beyond the hype and the propaganda, he was always a pretty average footballer with some great moments here and there.
But seeing what’s happening now is just embarrassing. How dumb do you have to be to say that you can’t concentrate for 90 minutes? He’s not only ensuring that Arteta will never play him again but giving clubs that might be looking at him a reason to doubt. And then on top of that, his dad is giving interviews about how unfairly his boy is being treated? Mental.
The 1 man tag team quoting rules. Too funny.
On Ramsdale:
Love him, but…
To me, he owes us the rest of the season AT LEAST… as a good soldier, our backup.
We plucked him from nowhere, gave him a giant raise, got him into the England squad.
Immediately extended him further with another sizeable raise.
He’s very young, so crying about missing 1 Euros is not reasonable. He wouldn’t even have had a chance in the NT without us. It’s not the best situation for him personally, but his future career is much brighter than before because of Arteta and Arsenal.
Also, not likely,, but if any injury to Raya, Aaron can be the hero to take us through a title challenge and Champions league knockouts.
It’s not as bad an experience as some people make it seem.
Call me odd but why are keepers are a protected species from competition
The mission is to make the club as strong as possible. In every other position the target is to have very good players on the bench.
At GK this is apparently sacrilege.
No sympathy from my side. If you thought a football club aiming to win titles should never have competition with you then you’re naive.
That simple.
As for ramsdale not smiling anymore. I think he should have a good chat with Eddie who will tell him straight
Eddie knows exactly what’s up fighting for places.
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