Hello all, Dino here, and may I welcome you all to another match report from your official Crystal Palace correspondent!
This afternoon I watched from the safety of the sofa as Arsenal beat Crystal Palace for the second time in four days to keep ourselves in third place. The four-goal margin of victory has done no harm to our goal difference, and we will hope this week can be used to build some momentum as the games come thick and fast over the festive period and into the New Year.
The team sheet dropped and Myles Lewis-Skelly was at left back, with Jesús up top and Havertz in midfield. Fair enough, it looked alright on paper and not bad on the pitch either; it only took six minutes for the resurgent Gabriel Jesús to open the scoring. Ødegaard opted to take a free kick on the left short instead of putting it in the mixer. We worked it out to Saka on the right who crossed it in. Martinelli made a great decoy run and big Gabi had stayed up and challenged for the ball which fell loose for the third of our Gabis to slot home. Nice.
Raya was generally good today, but he had a couple of dodgy moments, the first when he gave Partey a hospital pass in the box which a Palace player got to – fortunately it squirted wide.
It did seem to give them a boost though and a minute later they were level. They played through midfield too easily, Partey unable to get back to cover the space Rice would normally smother, before they found Sarr outside the box. Saliba backed off in an unimpressive piece of defending for a player of his quality, but the finish from the dangerous Sarr was wonderful, curling around Rayya into the side netting.
We took a mere three minutes to regain the lead, Partey controlling the ball after we swung in a corner before laying it off to Jesus to hit another unerring finish off the post despite having very little to aim at. He nailed that one and looks to have found some form just when we needed him to. He works so hard and has such a great attitude, it’s a pleasure to see him get the rewards.
Saka pulled up shortly after with what looked worryingly like a hamstring injury, so we brought on Trossard and switched Gabigol to the right. Timber got a yellow for taking too long over a long throw. He has to stop doing that. It gives us no advantage, it gets the crowd on our backs, and with the weak and incompetent referees we have in the PGMOL it gives them a reason to make decisions against us. MLS got a yellow for the same thing later in the game that I just don’t think he would have gotten if Hooper hadn’t reacted to the Palace fans who knew they could put the pressure on us from throw ins. Stop it, Timber!
Havertz scored to put us two goals up on 38 mins. Jesús had just failed to get his hat trick when a mistake put him free to run at the keeper but a touch onto his right foot instead of across the defender onto his left allowed the Palace man to nick it away. This time Martinelli played a great cross and Jesús made an excellent header which was unlucky to hit the post. Havertz was following in with a textbook bit of striker’s movement and he put the rebound away.
We lacked a bit of structure in midfield without Rice, as Havertz and Ødegaard left Partey alone at times, but we gained an extra man up top as Havertz made some devastating runs and added presence in the box from midfield. Something for Arteta to ponder, as there will be games and situations in games where this setup may be just what we need, sacrificing some defensive solidity for more firepower.
The second half started with a couple of good saves from Raya and the game settled into a rhythm. Palace are quite good, Sarr and Mateta have quality, I really like the unfussy Will Hughes who is just an accomplished PL player, and Guehi, Mitchell and Lerma are indicative of a solid team, even when Eze is injured and without the departed Olise. However, they found it tough to threaten us and we cruised through the half, making subs and getting a couple more goals as well as more control from the moment Rice and Calafiori came on for Havertz and MLS just shy of the hour mark.
Gabriel played a great ball over the top (do that more please!) to Trossard on the left. He cut back for Jesús, who had a great afternoon but should have scored his second hat-trick against Palace this week. Instead, he shot into the legs of Henderson from an unmarked position on the edge of the six-yard box. Happily, the ball came out to Rice, whose shot was going wide until Martinelli stabbed it in.
Eddie came on for Palace but did not manage to score this time. Calafiori had his ankle stamped on by Clyne and I thought he was going straight off (Calafiori, not Clyne, who got a yellow card, which equates his action as equally worthy of punishment as when Rice flicks a ball two yards) but he managed to play on. There was time for Rice to get his first PL goal of the season. Jesús worked hard to recycle possession, Calafiori played the ball into Rice just inside the area and he took a beautifully aware first touch to spin the ball into the space and finish really well into the far corner, despite a brush of the fingertips from Henderson in goal. That ended the scoring and we saw the game out without fuss.
So, it was another excellent result against Palace. We’ve scored 5 goals away 6 times this calendar year, the first time that has been done in the modern era, which makes it hard to understand how anyone is able to peddle a narrative about us struggling in front of goal. Not for me, Clive.
We will hold our breath on the injury to Saka but everything else was good today. Jesús looks back in form. Him, Rice and Martinelli all need to contribute more goals, so it was good for them to be on the scoresheet. Havertz will also benefit from a goal that keeps him ticking over, and another game where he didn’t have to play the full 90. Ødegaard needs more goals and assists too, but he was quietly excellent today, the oil in our engine à la Bobby Pires.
MLS looked like he was playing at the right level, which is pretty damn good for an 18-year-old midfielder playing left-back in the Premier League. Gabriel hit the bar from yet another corner and he will keep scoring goals – can he show his mate Big Willy Saliba how to channel his inner Hulk and get angry for corners?
The rest are just good players, even the ones, like Gabigol and Trossard, who aren’t in great form. This time of year is attritional, so we just need to keep going, keep picking up results and let the media overhype Liverpool whilst we do our thing.
The Opta ‘supercomputer’ thinks Liverpool have more than an 80% chance of winning the league. That’s the sort of stat I wanna hear more of. Just keep plugging away with that shtick Sky Sports. Oh yeah. Jamies (Redknapp and Carragher) don’t let anyone forget how good Liverpool are…
Come May, we will see who ends up where. Keep the faith.
Until next time, ‘holics.
Genius.
Great work, Dino!
Express report GSD . Very fair and detailed report which recounts the game very well .
I thought we were missing Declan in the first half . Partey doesn’t provide his level of defensive security and went missing for their goal . We were more creative and looser in defence as you point out GSD .
We need to bolster our squad given the number of games ahead but we are in good nick going into Christmas
We’ve scored five away from home three times this season and this calendar year have scored at least five away from home six times . Mostly from open play !
Cheers GSD!
Cheers GSD. Great report full of festive cheer.
How many players score five goals against a single team, the week before they were even born. Well done Jesus.
Have a good Christmas everyone!
I believe in Jesus!
He’s Arsenal’s number 9!
Great job Dino.
Cheers Dino on a great report on a fun game to write about considering we did turn some eagles into turkeys as you have documented so well in your photo. 😀. Also some pertinent points above by Ollie deserve to be underlined
Thanks for a swift and enjoyable report Dino. Very much the game I saw except that MLS was not carded for delaying a throw though it looked very much like he was going to be. Instead Hooper awarded the throw to Palace for delay and stealing yards. I have never seen any other team sanctioned in this way but the Arsenal despite many, many matches in which time wasting begins in the first five minutes at the Emirates. Likewise, Hooper lectured Raya for delaying a restart very early in the first half, something I have never seen at the Emirates despite the antics of the likes of Pickford, Pope et al, who, if punished at all, generally only get a card flashed at them with five or ten minutes to go.
Nonetheless, it was an all round excellent performance once the midfield was stiffened by the addition of Rice. Before that, the centre backs were uncharacteristically jittery, especially Saliba and but for Raya making excellent saves at 2-1 and 3-1 we might have seen a different outcome. Selhurst Park is a bit of a bear pit when the locals get enthused. Fortunately we strangled their grunts at critical points.
Saka’s injury comes at a bad time given the schedule and we have to hope that he’s a quick healer otherwise this could be a six week lay-off. However Jesus’ resurrection and the manner of Martinelli’s right wing renaissance give me hope while a rested and restored Saka returning in late January will boost our Spring shoots if we can at least hang onto the coattails of the Scousers and Chavs.
Bravo, Dino. A top-notch review, as perceptive as it was quick.
‘Goonerholicsforever’ has been at the Christmas Photoshop. What could possibly go wrong…
CER @ the previous drinks: Here’s one to add to your Christmas songbook:
Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to watch
The Arsenal win away.
Nice one, Ned!
Thanks GSD 👍
Nice win in the end.
Fingers crossed Saka is a quick healer
Kudos, GSD, on your prompt and prodigious post. I agree with your admonition to Timber, but I think Raya and our other fullbacks should also take note. Stop giving PGMOL and rival fans Ross with which to beat our backs. We have to play smarter.
Finally, regarding Saka, I think this might not be as bad a situation as we fear. We need to find more people to step up, and, if there is any player who needs a couple weeks rest, it’s Saka. Hopefully, Martinelli from the right will blossom, and Jesus will continue his miraculous ways. Imagine a fit and rested Saka and Benny Blanco coming back into the team in February. Heckuva cavalry option if you ask me.
Any way, the Festive Season is upon us. Many twists and turns yet to come.
Have a good few days, ‘Holics.
MCMBD
Didn’t see the game, only the goal highlights so thanks for the speedy report.
Looks like there were a few scary moments. You always get these when there is a bit of chopping and changing and personnel in different positions. Superior class showed in the end.
Not sure Saka being out for 2 to 3 months would be good news though. He needs to be available as much as possible. At least we have January to get a temporary back up.
That didn’t really feel like a 5-1 game but, hey, bring them on, I’ll take that kind of outcome every week.
The starting midfield didn’t work for me and I thought that was one of Havertz weaker games. The introduction of Rice turned the game from ‘could still go awry’ into a certain win for the team playing away. While TP5 is enjoying a superb season, he no longer has the engine to hold the centre ground on his own.
Lewis-Skelly looks like a real star of the future and very able, right now, to share the burden of the left back berth with Calafiori. (I expect to be watching Tierney playing in green and white stripes at Dens Park quite soon).
A prolonged Saka absence would damage the prospects of any team in Europe and we have to hope 1) for the best in terms of injury severity and 2) that Martinelli, Jesus, Sterling and Nwaneri, in different styles and moments, can all play a part in covering for Starboy.
And for this afternoon, coyspuds (will their fans be cheering on the reds?) and let’s have an inspired coaching performance from the testicle.
Great stuff, Dino – and super quick too.
I agree with you about Timber and throw ons. He’s learnt his looong deliberations from Benny and while it’s true that no-one else gets booked for it, it is annoying, breaks our rhythm and gives no advantage. Maybe it’s listening to In translation but a long throw is supposed to be about distance rather than time taken to execute it 😉. Anyway, an otherwise excellent player who I maybe shouldn’t be criticising so much.
Saka will clearly be a huge loss however long he is out for. There’s predictably no news yet but a serious hamstring tear would be the worst possible news. Apart from the healing time they are notoriously likely to reoccur and will need extremely careful rehabilitation. If there is any mitigating factor at all – not really – it is that Martinelli looks more effective in the right than the left. It is his more natural side and as someone with great pace but not a locker full of tricks, he can go on the outside and deliver great crosses with his right foot – as indeed he did yesterday. If we can find a consistent answer on the left, Martinelli could be our saviour on the right.
In any case, Saka does need to be rotated occasionally. He had played 24 games this season and 62 in each of the previous two seasons. Those figures and his injury are not unconnected.
Trev @16 – I wrote during the close season of the difference between minutes played over the season between C130y players and Arsenal players, and that we needed to strengthen and rotate as last seasons minutes played were untenable. No C130y players played over 3000 Premuer League minutes. Of the Arsenal players with more than 3000 PL minutes played last season – Saliba, Odegaard, Rice, Gabriel – all bar Saliba have had significant injuries. Of those around the 3000 PL minute mark – White and Saka – both have now suffered what look like lengthy injuries.
Source: fbref.com.
CER – indeed. The curious thing is that C115y have had a raft of injuries too but the point stands. Although they have played fewer minutes than our players in the last couple of seasons they are mostly several years older and have been doing it for longer.
Trev@16: Wasn’t his hamstring the reason Saka missed games in October?
Playing Martinelli on the right seems a better option than Sterling, who is currently off games anyway. We have Trossard and the newly in-form Jesus for the other flank.
On the throw-in question, Timber does take an inordinate amount of time looking for an open teammate. He is now only one yellow away from a five-yellows one-game suspension.
Perhaps refs could signal a ten-second warning rather than getting out the yellow card. The ball gets turned over to the other side if the throw isn’t taken within that time.
Just noticed it’s the battle of the ex Arsenal glove butlers at the Cottage, Leno vs Ramsdale.
So Chelsea drop two points against Everton. Not so easy is it?
Eagles getting roasted might be somewhat original.
Unfortunately for once, that is not so much the case for Spuds.
C100@20: Ramsdale is wearing a three-fingered, one-thumbed glove on his left hand, for those who keep notes on such curiosities.
3-6. First set to Liverpool.
Superbly enjoyable review GSD!
The first time in ages Wilo and big Gabi together was off their standards for the first 20-25 minutes of the game. The clinical finish from Jesus and some great keeping by Raya were key at that time.
Good to see Martinelli scoring. He has hit a bit of a plateau which looks all the more flat as his mate Saka’s career arc just gets steeper every single season. But I believe he will yet fulfil his potential and his overall contribution to the cause is still strong enough. Maybe this change of side for a few matches will push him on.
I think getting in January one more in-form attacking player who can potentially play all across the front three will make a lot of difference. Leo is never very effective starting the match, and Sterling evidently isn’t going to be a difference maker.
Loved the finish from Declan. He should do that more. He has a very good right foot, and he should try more direct free-kicks and spontaneous attempts from the edge of the box.
Excellent and interesting piece about George Eastham. Should bring back memories amongst the more senior members of our community.
The new GHF Predictathon leaderboard has been posted. We have a new leader, and there is so much churn and swirl this week that there is also an updated form guide so you can keep track of the ups and downs. You know where to find it…
C100
Thanks for Jon’s excellent tribute to George Eastham .
I’ve produced something nowhere near as comprehensive for The Gooner based purely on my own memory and some career stats but Jon specialises in vintage Gooners which is how he makes his living . He is strangely , situated in the next town to me .
I’ve suggested that Eastham was of the calibre of Fabregas , Ozil and Paul Davis. I nearly put Ødegaard but I’ve elevated him. He is close to Brady territory . George really was a magnificent player and in a better team ( and with a much better manager ) woukd have become a legend. Holic and I both loved Joe Baker but Eastham was very complementary to Joe and a terrific player . If they’d had substitutes in 1966 he would have seen a lot of World Cup action .
C100@26: Thanks for the link. That is an excellent read. It is sobering to be reminded of how feudal the life of a professional player was within our own memory. I wonder if the multimillionaire teenage stars of today can even imagine what it must have been like to be on a maximum wage of £20 a week and no guaranteed freedom to move clubs at the end of your contract.
TTG@28: Absolutely agree. Baker and Eastham were far better players than those ’60s Arsenal teams deserved.
Thanks for link @26 C100 and thanks for the predictathon update Ned.
I’ve marched to the heady heights of 5th from bottom, it’s a Christmas miracle 😂
Thanks again Dino, super quick review matching the super result.
C100, thanks for linking the tribute to George Eastham. He was my favourite player of that era, even just above Joe Baker. He weaved a magic wand in midfield that often was too advanced to the relative mediocrity around him ( apart from the aforementioned Joe Baker). He was of slight build and did this in spite of the thuggery that was allowed more regularly in those days ( not just Dirty Leeds ). His work in breaking the medieval terms of players contracts was inspiring. RIP the great man.
Yes, thanks for the link, C100.
George Eastham was by all accounts a brave man in more ways than one. A bit before my time at Highbury but I do remember the name as I was already hooked.
OM@31: You’re moving in the opposite direction to me in the Ropey League, too.
Uply@32: You have to wonder what further magic George Eastham might have conjured up if he could have played on today’s carpets rather than the mud and sand of the ’60s.
Cheers all.
As predicted by everyone… Saka will be out for a weeks.
What do people think this will mean in the transfer market?
Personally, I’m not sure it pushes the needle all that much…
If (and this is pure conjecture) the club wanted to buy Sesko and Williams in the summer (which I’d be delighted with) then I can’t see them doing a January deal that would get in the way of that.
Trossard has worked out well enough, but we don’t need another second choice signing.
So I won’t be surprised if we don’t do anything in January. Certainly, I can’t see us doing a deal that we wouldn’t also be happy to do in summer, so it’s a question of whether we can get a long-term target 6 months earlier than planned.
I do think we will need Odegaard to step up in Saka’s absence. Since his return he has been playing very well, but he hasn’t been hammering the assists and goals like he is capable of. He will have to look for a final pass a little less and take responsibility to finish moves off a little more. He’s not scored heavily this season and that will need to change in the next few weeks.
I’m also hoping that Rice, fresh from his first PL goal this season, goes on a little run and gets five or six more in the next couple of months. How valuable would it be if Jesus does the same? And/or Havertz, Trossard and Martinelli. We do have plenty of goalscoring potential, even if there will be a lot of noise from fans about making new signings.
Who thinks we should buy? And if so, who should we be looking at?
Personally, I’d push the boat out for Nico Williams in the summer, but if he’s not interested in a move to us (I’ve got no idea if he’s quite keen or completely against it) then I wouldn’t want to keep our powder dry this January if the player we want isn’t interested in coming to us in the summer.
Hopefully the club know where he stands and can make an informed decision.
We could do with an extra player in attack, but we really don’t need to be lumbered with someone who isn’t a genuine upgrade on Trossard/Martinelli (or Havertz/Jesus if we go for a striker) and there aren’t loads of players who fit that bill, even less who are available.
It’s not an easy one. Certainly not as simple as just buying someone because Saka (and Sterling) face a few weeks on the sidelines. I’m glad I don’t have to make the decisions!
Have the loan rules changed?
Why can we only loan 2 players?
That seems like a very low number. It’s particularly frustrating as we could do with the option of one more loan. It’s not like we need another seven players. But a third player on loan (especially given that one is a goalie and the other is injured) doesn’t strike me as being something that should be prohibited. What is the reason clubs can only make 2 loans?
Are there restrictions on how many players a club can loan out? I didn’t think so.
What is the rationale behind severely limiting loans into clubs but having a free for all on loans out?
Both TTG and myself write regularly in The Gooner and have pieces in the current edition. If you don’t subscribe, do think about it because it only just pays its own way. The editor, Layth Yousif, is a wonderful chap.
I wonder what many weeks means? More than a few, a number and several. Could even be a season ending injury.
@35 GSD, I think it’s very unlikely that we’ll dip into the mid-season transfer market.
If a club has a high calibre player who can leave on a free in the summer. Arsenal making a fabulous offer would put some money in their coffers for relatively near-term investment. Mo Salah anyone? TAA while we’re at it for a double-dip bonus discount?
Or perhaps Mikel is aware of a 115ers youngster who has escaped Pep’s notice ( a great many have) who can pop over to us and make a name for himself.
In case anyone is interested I attach the obituary I produced for the Gooner on George Eastham
https://www.onlinegooner.com/articles/view/george-eastham-obituary
If we are restricted in the number of loans we can do I suspect we will not be very active in January . The spectacular move- high risk and not one I’d sanction would be to take Rashford on loan. If you get the player who was so brilliant two seasons ago he’d be a huge asset. But that player appears to have disappeared. His salary is huge but if United want to unload him from the wage bill maybe a deal could be done . It would be a brave man who’d sign him but if it was on loan it’s ( only !) about £8-9 million . If Olmo can be signed on a free that looks a very nice deal
Is that 8 million for Rashford for the rest of the season? Chavs paid about 20 million for Felix for half a season but theb they play by their own rule book.
GSD@37: There have been restrictions on how many players PL clubs can bring in on loan since pre-Covid but this is the first season since the limit was lowered to two at any one time and four across a season (there is a bit of wiggleroom around emergency goalkeepers).
There are limits on outbound loans (six), but there are a lot of exemptions for homegrown players and those under 21 (ie, plenty of flexibility for top PL clubs to loan out Academy prospects for experience; helpfully, the Football League allows its clubs to have up to five loan players in their matchday squads).
The reason for the loan rules is to preserve the integrity of the (permanent) transfer system as financial fair play rules have made more clubs turn to loans as a cheaper alternative to an outright purchase; and to stop teams that are chasing trophies or trying to avoid relegation from packing their squads with short-term mercenaries.
If Sterling’s injury is ‘long-term’ and thus he is unavailable to play, there is an emergency cover loophole that might let his loan not be counted as one of the two permitted, but it would need the PL’s sign-off (and I think we’d still be on the hook financially for Sterling unless Chelsea agreed to terminate the loan).
TTG@41: That was a gracious tribute to George Eastham. I see that when George Jnr played for Hellenic, George Snr was the club’s manager. Did son follow father to South Africa or vice versa?
Rashford looks like a hard no on the surface but it might work out if he was playing to attract a future suitor knowing that he was simply a short-term option for us. He certainly played way better when it was contract time a couple of seasons ago. Risky though as it more likely he will just sit and rake it in.
OM@47: I really don’t know about Rashford. It has been so long since he has consistently played well that he might now be in damaged goods territory.
Yes, a busted flush seems more likely Ned, it would certainly be a brave or foolhardy gamble depending on where you sit. Anyway, we would have to find a way to get the emergency loan agreed or send Sterling back, both tricky.
I tend to agree with BtM that a January signing is unlikely. Most clubs are struggling with injuries it seems and we will just have to put our fit foot forwards.
Sterling himself was a bit of a punt so we are not risk averse.
Doffs cap
A few days ago, I would have said, “George who?” about Eastham. Now I know that he was a vociferous opponent of apartheid who coached black kids in South Africa. Gotta respect that.
Lovely tributes to George Eastham. I never saw him live but do remember him standing out as a classy creator on TV highlights. RIP
Blogs points out this morning (via Gunnerblog) that we can still get a loan from a non-PL club. So that might be helpful.
Lots of luck to Saka who was apparently gutted by the news of his injury as he’s not had a layoff like that previously.
George Eastham was well before my time but he sounds like a top man, and certainly someone who made an important contribution to the game. RIP
So a hamstring tear reportedly confirmed for Saka. I haven’t seen any news on grade yet but February seems to be being suggested as a return. Beginning or end I have no idea. I’ve also read that the original injury was incurred playing for England and then aggravated against Chelsea and has now become a major tear.
If it’s a grade 3 tear I wonder whether the club might opt for surgery as these tears are difficult, slow to heal and have a habit of reoccurring. If they do go for surgery we are looking at 12 weeks absolute minimum.
Merry Christmas 😡
Top grade analysis from Adam Clery, as ever:
That eagle cum turkey pictured above is beginning to look more and more tasty.
GSD@53: The PL Handbook for this season defines a loan as a temporary transfer between PL clubs and those in English football down to level seven of the pyramid (Northern Premier, Isthmian and Southern Leagues), plus some finagling for a Welsh PL club to loan to and from Welsh FA clubs. The regulations (eg, no more than two inbound loans at a time) apply to those. The relevant section of the handbook says nothing about loans to and from clubs registered to national associations that are not the FA. However, a guidance note, which seems intended to prevent multi-owner clubs from doing loan shuffles, implies the temporary transfer regulations do not apply generally to loans to and from non-FA clubs. Incoming foreign loan players would still need to meet the qualifying requirements for a work permit.
Temporary transfers are covered in Section V of the current Handbook, subsections 5-7.
https://resources.premierleague.pulselive.com/premierleague/document/2024/12/11/e9aa1b9e-a7d5-4788-8afe-6e07b8a5f5fc/TM1603-PL_Handbook-and-Collateral-2024-25_11.12_DIGITAL.pdf
Well in for the half-ton, OM, unless VAR rules it out for a self-assist.
In my @58, ‘multi-owner clubs’ should be ‘multi-club owners’.
@59 Surely not guvnor, an honest afterthought all the way
Merry Xmas to you all🥃🎅
Tomorrow is a very significant day . It represents the birth of Jesus and of great concern to this group the fifth anniversary of the death of the very special Dave Faber whose legacy we have done our best to maintain – a genuinely special and remarkable man and a great Gooner who , one suspects would be very pleased with the current side
Bless you all Holics and let’s raise a glass to Dave’s memory
Merry Christmas! 🧑🎄🤶🎅🍾
Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah and Holidays of all varieties!
Well said, TTG !
Here’s to all of you, and to Dave’s memory ❤️
Congratulations on the writing gig, C100.
Merry Christmas all.
RIP Dave
Merry Christmas, one and all. And here’s to the Guv’nor, for being such a great guy and bringing about such a wonderful, fair-minded community.
A very merry Christmas to all ‘holic’s everywhere, wherever you may be. And in loving memory of the greatest ‘holic of all, Dave Faber, cruelly taken from us five years ago.
Merry Christmas to Holics everywhere. Wishing you health, happiness and peace.
And a toast to the memory of the one and only Dave Faber, an extraordinarily wise and genuinely nice man and, of course, the original Goonerholic. It was truly a privilege to call him a friend. Long may he be remembered. 🥃
Here’s to the memory of Dave Faber, the mannwho brought us all together and inspired us to keep his work alive.
The season’s greetings to all ‘holics near and far. A glass of the finest claret raised to the Guv’nor.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Dave and his friends and family are in my thoughts today, and it’s a pleasure and a privilege to help keep alive a little bit of his online Arsenal legacy. Everyone who knew him in any way knows just how much he made the world a better place and he is sorely missed.
Lots of love to you all.
merry christmas to all the fine folks who contribute to this place. i have to believe dave would be proud of what we have wrought.
slainte!
Scruz @ 73, I do believe he would.
Although I love Boxing Day football, not playing until tomorrow means we could enjoy our radio Al Boxing Day lunch. Cold meat, bubble & squeak, red cabbage and pickles, all washed down with a cold beer. Yum.
Radio Al = traditional. TTG gave me his old keyboard for Christmas.
Fulham just beat Chelsea at the Bus Stop in the last minute of injury time to register their first away win there since 1979. Fulham fans are singing “There’s only one team in Fulham!”
>>>>>>>