And so, at last, 11 months into the season the North London derby rolls around. It will be our first league meeting with the Tiny Totts in the unfootballerly month of July, and hopefully our last. After the dropped points from the last game and the loss of Eddie for the next 3 matches Mikel has the task of channeling the team’s frustration into a positive response and a fast start to this game. Back in September that was something we palpably failed to do, giving away an early goal and a lamentable penalty courtesy of the recently redeemed Xhaka. We can only hope Xhaka understands that real redemption down North London way comes not from fine words and emotional support but from sticking the ball in the Tottnumb net. Get it done son. We roared back that day and were much the better side, denied a winner from Papa only by poor refereeing.
Talking of referees the last NLD I managed to attend in the flesh was back in 2013, when to my amazement my Red Club membership, kept up for annual trips home to the UK, secured me two tickets in The West Stand. My son, at his first NLD, and I watched an enjoyable early season game as the spuds turned up with several expensive but useless new signings and were undone by a Giroud near-post goal in a one-nil to the Arsenal victory. Flamini, our only signing to date that summer, came on in the first half (for the luckless Jack from memory) shouted, pointed and got stuck in to the pleasure of the faithful. A fine afternoon was rounded off by serenading morose marshmen as they slunk out early and a new chant for the occasion “We’ve spent f%+k all, 1-0”. Just how a NLD should be, I celebrated well if not wisely and the next day we signed Mesut Ozil. I doubt we will see any sign of him tomorrow or indeed any of the Arsenal squad from that day but we will see Michael Oliver (see there was a point to talking of referees, it just took me a long time to get there) who is again in charge. A good omen I hope.
The Team
All hands appear to be present and correct barring long-term injuries (Mari, Calum, Leno, Gabriel), miscarriages of justice (Eddie), and iffy backs (Mesut), although there was some good news with Bernd Leno now expected back before the end of the season. Error-free Emi, as he should now be known, will be in goal tomorrow however as he continues on his quest to give Mikel selection headaches and I see no compelling reason to change the three centre-backs, Mustafi, Luiz & Kolasinac. Gulps. I see no reason to change Mus, Luiz & Kola – Holy Dennis what times we live in! In fact I expect the whole starting line-up to be unchanged. There is an argument for Torreira to come in for Dani as he may be more suited to the occasion but Dani has played well the last couple of games and I think deserves to retain his place. The same with Hector on the right getting the nod in front of the goal machine that is Cedric. Despite his goal Saka was not at his splendid best last time and it wouldn’t be a major surprise if Pepe comes back. Laca and Auba seem certain to play but whoever plays up front should be good enough to give Loris’s creaky back a workout as he picks the ball out the back of the net.
I believe Mikel will plump for the XI below to drain the swamp:
Martinez
Mus – Luiz – Kola
Hector – Xhaka – Dani – Kieran
Saka – Laca – Auba
I imagine as they huddle round their peaty campfires tonight even the spuds will know in their tiny little hearts that it’s an XI good enough to see off the likes of them.
The Opposition
And what of them? Well, they have turned into budding magicians it seems with three neat tricks this year. First, they turned their team from CL challengers into useless boring plodders, next they vanished before our eyes from all the cup competitions, but now for a grand finale they’ve topped even that with the magical transformation of a toilet bowl into a white elephant. Currently playing 2 shows a week to an empty house they are, with the best will in the world, simply sh*t. Their manager, the has been’s has been, and the team, neverwozzers, are a good fit and long may they continue together. They come to the end of the season out of all the cups, destined for mid table mediocrity and desperately short of cash. Don’t go to the Levy, Maureen, the levy is dry. A harsh assessment you may feel (or not) but it is good to be honest with your neighbours – you’re fucked lads. As they slip futile – a quick glance to your right at the much-missed Guvnor’s clock says it all – and despondent into the swampy depths of Middlesex you’d have to have a heart of stone not to laugh – Maureen as Little Nell. Anyway, this time their tactics, if that’s the right word, will be to somehow get the ball to Kane and hope for the best. Son was rested midweek, dizzy spells perhaps, and we must as ever be aware of their ability to fall over in the area. Or cheat to put it another way.
The Holic Pound
My only minor concern at the moment is with the burden on Auba for the next 3 games against some big clubs and spu*s. He will be first choice on the left and Plan B as CF. However, I’m confident Laca will find his regular scoring boots and that others will come to the fore as they have a couple of times recently. NLDs can be tight scrappy affairs but we will be too good and too confident for them this time and I will go with a 3-0 win to The Arsenal. It’s not Christmas but still it’s time to toast the Tottnumb turkeys. The odds on 3-0 are a numerically amusing 30-1 and if you like redemptive stories then Xhaka is 11-1 to score at any time.
To finish, a brief word on the confirmation of Eddie’s 3 game ban despite the various mitigating factors. Nonsense. Enjoy the game wherever you are my fellow Gooners. North London will always be red.
Matt, 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Nuff said !
Cheers Matt!
all of it too true, OM, and cheekily written. the marsh-dwellers are all going to be smeared with woad, and looking to upgrade their pelts…but they’ll shrink back to their mud puddles, tails between their legs.
little nell?
i’m hoping rob comes in for kola, but otherwise i like your lineup and your holics’ pound. i think saka is nailed on to start…run pepe at them the last half hour. i just hope we don’t end up being as profligate as we were first half against the foxes.
Harsh but deserved words for the marsh creatures, who seem to be growing ever more comfortable under the leadership of Mourinho, the head marsh creature. Have they built him a statue yet? Great preview, Matt. 🙂
A fine preview Matt.
I’ve seen suggestions elsewhere that visiting Tiny-fans might be unhappy with it, but surely unless they are completely delusional they will find nothing to disagree with? Oh, hang on…
COYG
Brilliant preview Matt. “Don’t go to the levy Maureen, the levy is dry”. Outstanding. Just thank Dennis the odious Maureen didn’t end up at our club. That would have tested all of our loyalty.
An excellent preview Matt. A stirring Agincourt address if ever we had one. 3-0 feels a bit of a stretch for this side but I will be over the moon if you’re right.
Go win, Arsenal!
COYG
and when the levy breaks (and he will), they’ll have no place to go…but down.
Top preview, OM.
Can it really be that we have only won once at their place in the league since 2007?
Like Bath, I think 3-0 will be a stretch, but it might be a 4-2.
Thanks for the link, scruz. An excellent tune to listen to on a high perch on a sunny dry day.
Someone say Sheff Utd were hard to beat at home?
Come on you Blades.
I don’t care that it makes it harder for us to get sixth/fifth, it’s good to see Chelsea stuffed.
Actually I’m most worried that I care about a Chel$ki result.
COYG FOYS
What an upbeat and amusing preview . The dolt Lawrenson who had Leicester to win on Tuesday has Tottnumb to win tomorrow because ‘ they are more solid’- ie just like his head! I was telling doubters early in the year that Arteta would lay low ‘ the dinosaur’ in their new abode. I’ve already seen Arsenal beat Tottenham at the new WHL . I hope we repeat the success of our ladies tomorrow.
I think you are pretty close with the starting team . I think 3-0 is a stretch but a two goal triumph for us would be great fun .Surreal times but let’s restore the old order
100% with you there Pangloss @11.
TTG@12: Lawrenson must have a strong anti-Arsenal streak. I can’t remember the last time he couldn’t find some fault with the team in his match predictions.
Ned @14,
That’s hardly an unusual trait for ex Liverpool players – none of them has had a good word to say about us since Friday 26th May, 1989. They never got over it.
I’ve managed to hack the Tottenham club website and found this menu. It was due to be served in their hospitality suite tomorrow before COVID-19 restrictions were introduced.
Starter Manager’s Hash
Main Roasted Cockerel
Mashed spuds
Season’s vegetables
Dessert Sour Grapes
Large choice of whines
Tea and coffee will be served in mugs as no-one has been able to find a cup in Tottenham for years.
😂😂👏👏
Excellent preview Matt – you’ve set the tone perfectly. It seems the right time to put one over the marsh men at their new home. A win against the special needs one would be the icing on the cake. I’m expecting them to punt balls over the top of our defence for Artful ‘Arry & Slippery Son to chase into the box and suffer sudden tumble syndrome. I going for a 2-1 to the good guys – ‘Arry getting their goal from the penalty spot.
Trev @ 16 masterful – if our boys perform at the same level victory is assured.
Trev@16: no lasagne?
Thank you everyone, it really
was a pleasure to write 🙂
@3 Little Nell is a steal from
Oscar Wilde on The Old Curiosity
Shop scruz. She dies
accompanied by some deeply
purple Dickensian prose and
Wilde said “one must have a heart
of stone to read of the death of
Little Nell without laughing”
It summed up my own feelings
on the tiny totts travails with Maureen
at the helm quite neatly.
thanks, OM@20. great ref. let’s hope we have one that works as well for us tomorrow!
Potsticker – not in the brand spanking new White Elephant Stadium ! 😂
That’s a top preview Matt. It’s amazing that the main threat from them seems to be that of a Kane or Son dive! Have to agree with Uply@18 about the possibility of them punting it long over the midfield – that’s the kind of thing Mourinho would do and call it masterful tactics. Although his stock has fallen considerably since his spell at United, there’s still quite a few TV pundits who would hail him for such a rudimentary thing. We have to be aware and alert to these kind of tactics. I wish Michael Oliver was not refereeing this game because Mourinho has already softened him up with his comments after their previous game where I beleive he was the VAR. I just hope that the game is decided by footballing merit and not a dubious refereeing call(including VAR).
Your predicted line up seems spot on, on the evidence of the last two games. After his comments on predictability yesterday, I am tempted to think Arteta might change it with Tierney moving as the left sided defender in the back three and Saka shifting to left wingback in order to accommodate Pepe on the right wing. That would be a more balanced attack and Pepe’s dribbling could cause trouble for the slow Spurs backline. I just hope we play without the handbrake and take the attack to them cause they are there for the taking.
Desi’ – agree with all that – esp the last paragraph on team selection. Makes perfect sense.
Matt@20 – I missed that one. Extra props.
COYG
Nicely set up, Matt.
Yep, a fast start and a fast restart after half-time will be important but the critical success factor will be taking the chances that come our way and putting our collective ‘foot’ on the plucked cockerel’s neck in the manner described by MA8 after the Foxes fiasco.
I like your team selection, although it doesn’t reflect much in the way of squad rotation and we may be surprised (as in very surprised) to see Sokratis for Mustafi, Holding for Kolasinac and Willock or Torreira for Ceballos to keep some out of the red zone. Unlikely, I know.
I like desi’s switch of KT for Kola with Saka to left wing back with Pepe on the right.
@16 – a menu to inspire a round of singing “Tottenham Hotspur, I can’t laugh without you”, Trev
Excellent, i.e. generally negative article about The Odious Portuguee on the Grauniad site – https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2020/jul/11/why-tottenham-are-stagnating-under-jose-mourinho-who-has-yet-to-evolve
That is an absolutely brilliant preview Matt. Masterfully written. The lines about Levy and Mourinho (has been’s has been! Ha!) were just two picks from a glittering array of quality lines, all woven into a fantastic whole. Well played sir, the finest Japanese whisky is on the bar for you.
You’ve set a very high bar for my report. Gulp.
I’ve got one minute to finish this post and then I’m off for another bloody Zoom call. However we do it, just win.
Arsenal: Martinez, Mustafi, Luiz, Kolasinac, Bellerin, Ceballos, Xhaka, Tierney, Pepe, Lacazette, Aubameyang.
Subs: Macey, Sokratis, Holding, Cedric, Torreira, Maitland-Niles, Willock, Saka, Nelson
1
so much for squad rotation, excepting saka.
Just do it, Arsenal.
Go win!
COYG!! pocket those lug nuts today so the wheels of their bus truly fall off…
I hate this game. The tension is off the scale.
clearly the form table is out the window in an NLD. they are starting better than us. damn it all.
Come on Arsenal
Pepe touch was bad there we got away with it there
great position, emi. pepe, what the hell are you playing at?
so was his defense, artur.
Great anticipation from Martinez tgough
Wakey Wakey!
Well played Bellerin that is a missed sitter from Auba
well done hecate…too bad auba scuffed. that was good work down the right.
lacaaaaaaaa
what a lash!!!
Laca!!!!
Siolololololooooo get the f…. In from Laca Boom
Came out of the blue.
Fuck me what a hit Laca!
Fuck Kolasinac
then we give that up. what the fuck?
Kola. Fucking hell
Awful Kolasinac!
kola not at the races. what a waste.
Shit! Luiz at it again. What an idiot. Martinez should have stayed on his line?
What a dumb pass from Kolasinac ffs
Ksn that was not Luiz
ksn that was all kola.
We have a bunch of error prone defenders, Kola, Luiz, Mustafi. Overload.
We score a fine goal then give away like a bunch of amateurs not good enough
truly a NLD.
Scruzgooner, stand corrected but same difference. Luiz’s lack of speed was a contributory factor.
i just don’t have toe words to articulate how much i hate kane. and scum. what do you think of tottenham?
Luiz is not the best of defenders but this one is on Kolasinac, passed to the middle what a flipping numpty
Kola has always struggled making simple ten yard passes with his weaker foot and has chosen the worst game for a howler. Top technique from Laca for that wonder strike – very little backlift yet immense power. He should strike from outside the box more often…
ksn kola played him a complete wanker of a pass, son played the gift well.
laca has to be pissed off right now.
Great save Martinez
what.a.save.
Good try Pepe come on Arsenal 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
close, pepe. lloris would have had that, i think.
come on you lads, focus and push. they really aren’t that good.
i guess no one else has an opinion re mine@63. 😉
COYG!!
Cynical from Aurier. Good reffing. Free kick wasted.
Hate spurs Kane even more Scruz 😂
glad he’s on a yellow. i can see him doing something equally yellow-worthy later in the game…though hopefully sooner, rather.
My main issue with Kola is I couldn’t glow in the glory of that Laca crackerjack for more than a few seconds.
atg, no doubt. i think the answer there is “shit”!
dani working hard leading us forward.
Pepe getting in the game a lot here.
Close!
so close, auba! idve thought pepe on that.
intricate, had laca there too. pepe didn’t connect.
Pepe fouled and nothing
This game is too damn open
Frank McClintock would have shaken Kola warmly by the throat at half time.
Stupidly good goal from Laca,
stupidly bad goal to give away.
I feel we’re showing them too
much respect. Straight for the
throat 2nd half
we got on top after a slow start, laca pegged that beauty, then kola blew it all to hell. i’d say we were the better team overall, but they have lost their listlessness and have shown flashes of danger. i hope we continue on the up starting the second half and make this a 2-1 or 3-1 win for the arsenal.
Tony Adams would have helped him
little nell would have, too.
CM100 @86 & 89: 👌🏼
Shocking!
Should be horsewhipped at half time.
Oh and thanks GSD @28.
Though my prediction on the
score is already wrong.
Let’s stick it to these fuckers
2nd half
Oscar Wilde would have given him a look!
Gotta start fast second half. Pepe playing well, as Dani.
bath@93 hed’ve written “one must have a heart of stone to watch that pass from Little Kola without laughing”
hecate and emi too, c100
Heh @95
I can’t be the only one who is more than slightly worried every time I see Kolasinac, Luiz and Mustafi as our back three?
Xhaka Laca Boom Boom and then Le brain fart plus grand.
Need to sharpen up second half. Give Pepe another 10 and then changes if he doesn’t start producing.
police in england have arrested a 12 yo boy for sending wilfreid zaha racist messages. wow!
you’re not, steve. i’d feel better with holding for kola, or even little nell.
Steve
I’m terrified by them. No pace and defensively suspect .
no halftime changes. COYG!!
You just know there’s a Spurs penalty incoming.
remind me the point of that kind of pass, xhaka?
c100@103, or a red to us. or both.
well played mustafi.
Good defending by Mustafi.
This is not a drill.
Good defending by Mustafi.
ATG and Scroozgunner, take the points you have made.
COYG.
Smudger’s right. Compared to a normal NLD this game is half pace.
would be a second yellow on winks?
How is that not a yellow card for Winks?
stop playing backwards, damn it!
A penalty or red card are very scary and real possibility/ies.
Don’t think Winks has a yellow?
thought he did. he should now.
mus with the fancy!
I like Pepe but he is so one footed.
Shut your mouth Kane, you window licking gooner.
Time for subs?
Auba unlucky.
Auba should have scored there.
yeah, keown adams, and o’leary for our defense.
so close, auba!
Pepe time.
Well we messed that up
Our players are not street smart. If Ceballos had gone down when Winks pulled him back, winks would have got a second yellow. Spuds would have done it.
Can’t stand Kane.
No movement from Xhaka there
meh. just meh. we are playing to their level.
ken – is he really Spanish?
Pepe has to be careful. Time to get him off.
Pepe tiring. Time for Saka before Pepe gets sent off.
Winks fouls again
It’s not Auba’s day is it
saka coming on. nice to have him in reserve.
Tierney is a proper Arsenal player.
arteta looking pissed at water break.
Pepe off. Saka on.
saka laca boom time!
Agree C100. Love his attitude
Normality resumed. Mustafi shocking. Great save by Martinez
Another great save by Martinez.
kane is such a cheat.
Fucking diver Kane
We keep giving them chances to get in behind. We’re going to pay for that in a minute.
that should have been off for winks.
I thought Winks was on a yellow. Obviously not. I must be watching another game.
he should have gotten one for the earlier pullback in the same spot.
we are playing narrow and poorly.
great save, damn him.
We never score from corners
emi keeping us in the game.
Fucking hell.
Another save by Martinez.MoM.
We have conceded off a corner.
Bollocks to that
they do. FUUUUUUUUCK!
We doing the usual Arsenal thing now
subs ten minutes too late, mikel.
another great save. how do we lose the ball in midfield like that? we are so static.
Again we are running out of time and the passive passing is driving me up the wall
Mugged off again. We are sadly playing three or four players who are not Arsenal quality
good on cedric, kanes a cheat
I am now going to drink whisky and cry. Night all.
Artetaball needs to be way more dynamic than that . Passing too slow and risk free and we can’t defend . So avoidable
Unfortunately OM, your headline didn’t play out. Mou, the reptile, had another good day against us. Hopefully, this will wake up our management/owners to fund a good transfer window.
Masters of our own destiny.
Ceballos and Tierney positives for me. Martinez again did himself justice. Kolasinac and Mustafi Just scare the life out of me. If they are keeping Holding and Sokratis out of the side then they might as well pack their bags now.
Just wanted to thank everybody who contributed to a great in game session here in the drinks. Well played everyone.
bitterly disappointing
we let ourselves get dragged
down.
yes, ksn @162
we well and truly fucked
that up
That reminded me of those old Chelsea v Arsenal from Arsene’s experiment youth time matches where they just played on the counter knowing our defence was shaky. They had so little of the ball in the second half and the only way they could have scored was another howler from us or a set piece and we duly obliged. If Arteta wants to play the silky stuff – he would know that it starts right at the back and he needs better defenders pronto. The quicker we get rid of Kolasinac the better and he can take his mate Ozil along with him. Mustafi again went to ground a couple of times and Martinez had a cracker to prevent Mustafi from embarassment. We should have tried the subs on early and changed things because we had become predictable. Of course everything would have been different if we hadn’t gifted them the equaliser or if Auba had scored one of those two cracking attempts from him. Despite all his efforts till now, Arteta will know that he still has massive work ahead of him and it might be a while before we dominate games consistently.
Disappointingly poor all around, excepting Martinez and a very few others. NLD without fans in the stands also nowhere near up to par. 🙁
Why do we not put anyone on the posts at corners?????
Asking for a friend?????
Very disappointing but in truth not really a surprise. This lot have looked like a midtable side all season until Arteta gave a modicum of organisation to the defence and the midfield. However frogs don’t become princes even with a kiss from a handsome Basque.
Pass marks to Martinez, Tierney, Ceballos and Lacazette. Bare fails to Bellerin, Luiz and Aubameyang. Clear fails to Mustafi, Xhaka and Pepe. No marks to Kolasinac. Demerit to Arteta for failing to bring on fresh legs when it was clear that the Scum had moved up a gear after the second water break – his subs were too late.
Positives? Only that any delusions the execs and the owner have about some players in this squad and the potential of this side have been shattered.
Agree with both Desi and Steve but I wouldn’t call our play silky but pretty sterile . We got ‘ rope a doped ‘ but with a better more dynamic game we could have created more . My sense is that Arteta is very conservative ( much more so than Guardiola or Wenger) and yet he has lost to a very average S***s side . With Liverpool to play they will probably finish above us . I’ve given Xhaka pelters on What’s App as I always do because apart from winning one tackle forty yards from goal he has done f*** all again in a two man midfield but has passed backwards about thirty times.
Agree that Ceballos, Tierney , Bellerin and Martinez were good today . We have to improve on Xhaka, Luiz, Mustafi and Kolasinac . Luiz is clearly staying and Mustafi has done ok recently but the other two should be shipped out ASAP .
I am an obsessional nerd and looked at Xhaka’s record on Fantasy League . Funnily enough he is almost identical on points per match with Ceballos but his record of 70 points is interesting. He has only exceeded 3 points ( you get 2 for turning up for an hour ) three times. Ironically one of those games was the Palace debacle. He got 10 for the Norwich game and 5 today for his ‘assist ‘- winning a tackle against Aurier forty yards from goal . Sadly for him Fantasy League doesn’t measure five yard passes backwards and sideways because he must dominate that category
Chose the golf course over North London’s new latrine. Just watched the game on record with quick flourishes forward. You don’t win when you score a GREAT goal and then concede within two minutes because you have a lump of dead wood, who plays like a lump of dead wood every time he plays, gift the opposition a goal. Hopefully this is the Faltering Fullback’s last season at Arsenal.
Kolasinac’s only pass is backwards at an angle of 45 degrees. He plays it multiple times in every game. He plays it so often that he should be able to give masterclasses on that move. He should be known as the Grand Master of backward 45 degree passes. He should be known as the Tiger Woods of that pass and ‘eagle’ it every time.
He couldn’t even mae that pass properly today and set Son up perfectly for their equaliser.
I was disappointed that we got rid of Nacho Monreal when we did. He would have been a real asset either to cover for Tierney when he was injured or to play the left-footed centre back in a three. A very underrated player and sadly missed .
ttg, another emery casualty.
The only time that Kolasinac has looked a player is when he has been played as a wing back. He was okay going forward and there were always players behind him who could mop up his defensive fuck ups. Mustafi is just a calamity. Every now and again he gets it right. But then again, a broken clock is right twice a day. Xhaka, at his very best, is bordering on being average. Pepe cost £72 million and his right leg is for balancing on and pure emergencies. How can a player with that price tag be so one footed.
I actually think a year out of Europe would be a disaster. I hate the Europa but for a club of our stature to miss out to the likes of Wolves and Sheff Utd is just embarrassing beyond belief.
I think it will take the best part of 2 years to sort this mess out. There needs to be some ruthless changes about this squad. We are sat here looking at finishing 9th or 10th and wondering why Aubameyang might not sign a new contract????
TTG
Nacho was no spring chicken and from memory wanted to finish his career in Spain? Thst might be the reason.
Steve, I agree on Kolasinac and Xhaka. They are just not good enough for a team with aspirations to challenge for the PL.
I am inclined to give Mustafi more slack. His recent improvement shows how effective he can be in an organised defence and I think today’s ricks were a result of exhaustion. He has been playing every minute since the restart. I think he is better than Papa and Luis and may be retained as a squad player for next season.
I expect to see Holding at LCB from now on. Kolasinac should be benched and sold in the summer along with Papa and the other Greek fella. I would be inclined to try to keep Ceballos, on loan if necessary as I don’t think Willock is ready to take that place in the team. I hope the smoke about Partey yields fire but we need someone to replace Xhaka’s holding role in MF as, as TTG observes, he slows us down terribly.
I’m not embarrassed that Wolves and Sheffield are above this Arsenal side. They deserve it. The Europa League is a double edged sword. OK it’s more money but I don’t think it’s that attractive to potential signings and it’s a huge time suck for a coach who needs time on the training pitch to build a new team. It’s an opportunity to give kids experience but so is the League Cup and frankly I don’t think I’m going to lament our failure to qualify for the EL. It might even be therapeutic for the owner and his executive team.
Well it’s the morning after and
I’m looking for positives.
There are precious few, even
the thrice damned orcs won
and probably won’t get relegated.
We’ve bounced back once already
since the restart so we can do it
again for the semi finals and last
3 league games
It may seem trifling at the moment Matt but we lived to fight another day and with MA8’s leadership there may still be something good to look forward to this season. How’s that for positive?
It’s not too bad bt8 🙂
Win the next five games and all is forgiven
🙏
Time for a list of reasons to be
cheerful
1) MA is learning a lot about
the team since the restart
2) MA will put his learning into
practice as he is a very bright
fellow
3) Emi did well yesterday
4) Laca seems to have found
his scoring boots
5) Shitty have clearly peaked
too early
6) And they will be disheartened
when CAS rules against them shortly
7) Not getting in the Ropey League
will help us in the PL next season.
Getting in will bring cash and an
opportunity to develop for some of
our youngsters. It’s win-win.
8) We are in the FA Cup semi finals
9) With a bit of luck we could send
Watford and Deeney down in the
last match of the season
10) Tottnumb are still shit
I feel a real sense of disappointment as you always do when you lose to the Scum. It is exacerbated by the fact that they are a very average team managed by a hasbeen as pointed out by Matt in the preview .
It would be nice to have easier games coming up but we now face the two best sides in the country and I am fearful of the likely morale among supporters after those two matches. At the very least we have to be competitive and show progress. I would like us to enter the Europa. If our owners are going to bite the bullet financially I’m not so concerned about needing to play and the Thursday/ Sunday grind will likely be even more tiresome in a post Covid environment with all of the security etc.
Souness in the Sunday Times and James McNicholas in the Athletic both took the line that result aside , Arsenal under Arteta have a better future than them under Mourinho. I firmly believe that but Mikel is not a miracle worker and there is a lot of mediocrity in this squad.Keep the faith and let us hope this week works out better than I expect it to.
Big surprise from CAS: Manchester Oilers to be allowed to play in Big Cup after all. Owner to check back of sofa for 14% of Pepe by way of fine.
Surprised? Not.
COYG
Well there went No.6 on my list
of reasons to be cheerful 😡
TTG@184: Mourinho inherited a squad with a lot fewer holes in it than Arteta, too. There is plenty of reason to keep the faith for next season, and that faith will surely be tested in the near term. But we should remember that it took Klopp a couple of season to rebuild and remould the Scousers.
The full CAS adjudication will bear careful reading once it is published. The initial announcement comes down to UEFA couldn’t prove its case or the charges had hit a statute of limitations rather than there was no case there in the first place. FFP is left somewhere between limbo and purgatory. Escaping a two-year CL ban is worth £150 million-250 million to Citeh. The rich get richer.
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