When I, and I believe so do many others in the world of global Arsenal fanbase who had started following and supporting the team from different corners of the earth in the early days of Arsène’s singular regime, think back about why specifically we fell in love with this great football club, a gritted teeth rearguard defensive display doesn’t appear anywhere in the list. However, as times went by, and the great Arsenal teams that so dominated the English football in the late 1990s and early 2000s started to lose their steeliness to morph into a still entertaining, often breathtakingly so, but no longer invincible team – for a myriad of complex and much debated reasons that will always pain our memories, even if we acknowledge nothing lasts forever – the more seasoned Arsenal supporters who have been through the thick and thin of Highbury terraces would ruefully reminisce about other Arsenal vintages where the no-nonsense defensive display was the minimum standard expected and almost always delivered by the team, even in seasons where the creativity and goals will make only rare appearances.
We too, along with those wise and experienced guides to the world of Arsenal, started feeling nostalgic about a past that we ourselves never experienced. After the umpteenth time some expensively collected hoofball team had played two lines of defense against our technical wizards for much of the match to snatch a slender win gifted by our increasingly wayward defenders, we would feel that maybe now and then it will be okay to play this way. When you support a team, you support a team, and even though you support them for the quality of football they are capable of playing, you just want them to win.
That technical wizardry too ran its due course, leaving behind some delightful memories and a few domestic cups. Increasingly erratic performances in the league as we slipped further and further down the rung of elite teams in Europe put the spotlight more on a defense which was now capable of delivering the absurdly comic on a predictable basis. Funny, not funny.
As this strangest of season winds down and we learn to accept a final league position in the lower strata of the top half of the table, we also realize that climbing back up will require time, patience, and no small amount of inventiveness and dedication. But whatever be those pathways back to excellence are, we simply can no longer afford to defend the way we have been doing in recent past.
Coming off yet another defensive horror-show in NLD which to be fair was a relapse of the old habits after a run of relatively robust displays since the season resumed, the expectations were grim against the already declared champions: a high-pressing high energy team with a mobile and efficient front three that have been scoring freely in England and Europe for couple of seasons now. The visitors were also chasing a record point tally in Premier League and at least the much coveted 100-points mark. The claim of their invincibility had of course earlier been proven to be unfounded.
The starting line-up included some fresh legs and (hopefully) fresh minds. The increasingly impressive Martinez in goal who one imagines, after the calamitous defending of the last weekend, was hoping to be better protected by a back three of Tierney, Luiz and Rob Holding who replaced Kolasinac. Soares came in for Bellerin in the right wingback role. Saka similarly supporting Tierney on the left side. In the center of the midfield it was great to see the always efficient Lucas Torreira starting his first game after his injury, partnering Xhaka. Ceballos was on the bench. Up front the collective of Pepe, Lacazette and Reiss Nelson making its first starting appearance together, with Pepe atypically on the left side and Reiss on the right. Our captain and the most reliable goalscorer was being given a break. He has been playing non-stop since the restart and there is a cup semifinal in the weekend. His good friend and strike partner Lacazette wore the captain’s armband.
The match started exactly as Arsenal supporters must have had feared. Liverpool pressing high, playing quick interchanges around the box, moving ball swiftly from one side to another while we were having genuine trouble to put two passes together or get out of our own half. When we did send the ball long to the left Saka-Laca combination earned us a corner around 4th minute that didn’t result to much. Torreira was busy as ever, covering a lot of space and trying to recycle after winning possessions but none of the front three were strong or calm enough to retain possession and drive forward. Liverpool had their first corner around 9th minute which was well defended.
Around 11th minute we almost gifted a goal when Martinez – who has been confident, crisp and accurate in his passing in all the matches in the recent past – waited just a second longer to release as Firmino pressed him and his clearance hit the Brazillian and then ricocheted off the post.
Lacazette by now was dropping so deep he was playing more as a central midfielder. There were a few times he did hold up the ball well enough but our midfield had neither the nous nor the well-drilled collective understanding demonstrated by our opposition to benefit from Laca’s hold-up play and spring an attack.
Our shape had shifted to 5-3-2 now with Pepe and Reiss the most advanced, waiting hopefully for some release ball to come to them. When Soares tried to win the ball high up on the pitch with most likely such an attacking intent in mind Firmino won possession and before anyone in a red-and-white shirt could cover for the stranded Soares on the right Robertson raced through and placed a ball perfectly on the path of Mane who was too sharp for any of our defenders to stop him from scoring.
Arsenal 0 – Liverpool 1 (Mane 20’)
At this stage a demoralizing rout seemed to be very much of a possibility. However, it was apparent that if there was a chance to return the pressing favor to the Liverpool defense we are willing to take it. Our attacking avenue, probably more by resignation than plan, seemed to be to bypass the midfield and send long diagonals towards our front three and when Liverpool defenders regain possession to press them in pack.
It paid off. And surprisingly by a forced mistake from Liverpool’s talismanic captain who has been mostly flawless this season. Pressed by Reiss, Van Dijk mistimed his backpass for Lacazette to gleefully accept the gift, round their keeper and slot home for the equalizer.
Arsenal 1 (Lacazette 32’) – Liverpool 1 (Mane 20’)
The goal seemed to have generated a greater intent to move into their half as Soares served a cross that found no one. Then Saka drove through the midfield but was crowded out. On the other end the ex-Arsenal man Oxlade-Chamberlain saw his attempt at goal blocked by Cedric.
Our willingness to press Liverpool defense paid off, again. Around 44th minute Alisson, receiving a throw-in from Robertson and being closed down rapidly by Nelson, tried to pass the ball back to Robertson, Lacazette read and intercepted the pass cleverly, ran forward and set up Nelson who kept his cool while surrounded by two defenders and scored his first ever Premier League goal with a composed finish.
Arsenal 2 (Lacazette 32’, Nelson 44’) – Liverpool 1 (Mane 20’)
With that Nelson became our fifth player under the age of 20 to score Premier League goals this season, after Martinelli, Saka, Willock and Nketiah.
It was pleasing to see that our willingness to press high even when we were on the back foot was rewarded so handsomely. Since the restart we have earned a few goals through our collective pressing.
Liverpool was shocked. Camera focused on Klopp’s face on the sideline. He had the look of a man who has lost not only all hopes for humanity, but also the love of his dog.
Just a minute or so before this second goal Mane, who is used to bullying defenders, met his match in Rob Holding. They came together for a collision, Rob stood his ground to send Mane falling backwards on the ground. Mane kicked out at Rob, as clear a red card infraction as there could be. There was of course, no card. And no minute video analysis from every angle to finalize the decision. Eddie Nketiah, watching the match from his home, can be forgiven for finding it all a bit unfair. He would have one more opportunity to ponder about the asymmetry of referring caprices.
Second half started with Torreira receiving a yellow card for a tackle. A couple of minutes later Trent Alexander-Arnold assaulted Saka with a high boot to his thighs. A challenge that looked decidedly less innocuous than the one that had earned Eddie a three match ban. In this case a mere yellow seemed to suffice. To his great credit, Saka didn’t try to make too much of the situation.
Liverpool was dominating possession, pinning us back in our half. However the defenders stayed organized and disciplined, tracking runs, doubling up on players, cutting off passing lanes, clearing headers. Despite their dominance and fast passing and movement around the penalty area there were no clear-cut chances for them. When Salah made such a chance for himself Martinez expertly tipped his close range shot over the bar.
Arteta chose to make his substitutes little early, around 56th minute. Ceballos replaced Torreira, who once again did his job exactly as it was required of him. Willock replaced Lacazette who had a goal and an assist to his name. Following this up from a couple of very well taken goals recently, this return to form was most welcome. Aubameyang replaced Nelson. Interestingly Auba didn’t move to Laca’s #9 role, but played on the wings whereas Willock took on more of a “false 9” position which was mostly false and rarely nine as we continued to put as many defenders as possible behind the ball.
Auba started on the right, leaving Pepe on the left side before switching sides after a while. Pepe was having an entirely forgettable match. But once he moved to the right he had a bit more involvement in the game and a few moments where more physical resilience may have seen him able to keep the ball and drive forward and not lose possession immediately after the first few dribbles. To do justice to his considerable talents in the full throttle world of premier league football he needs to learn to improve this area of his game significantly.
Soares was replaced by Ainsley Maintland-Niles around 75th minute to help out the right side of the defense as Mane continued to be the prominent threat down that side. AMN stuck to Mane, and around 85th minute when Mane ran through to the goal he put enough pressure on him to force a miss.
We hung on to our lead tenaciously, the defenders starting to believe in their collective ability to see off all attacks, especially with Martinez offering a safe pair of hands whenever called for. This was not aesthetically pleasing for any Arsenal supporter, and the realization of the gap in the respective qualities of these two teams was equally unpleasant to us, but it was definitely heartening to notice the application and discipline, the willingness to fight for every ball and every inch of space, and a quiet optimism that this can be done.
A tiring Saka was replaced by Kolasinac around 85th minute to help see the match out.
As often happens in these types of situations, we got a golden chance to increase the lead from a counter-attack when Auba expertly controlled the ball on the left wing and put in an inviting cross in the penalty box. Willock attacked the penalty box arriving late, but his volley flew wide. A little more composure and we would have been 3-1 up. Nevertheless, it was nice to see an Arsenal midfielder actually making those runs in the opposition box. Yes, it has been that poor a season.
There were five extra minutes of added time. It seemed a little generous towards the visitors. And there was a moment of scare when Alexander-Arnold’s shot after a deflection headed towards our goal, only to be expertly saved by Martinez’s fingertips.
As the game ended with our first PL win against Liverpool since April 2015, against a team that most definitely was just that tiny little bit less focused than they have otherwise been this campaign, the realization of the obvious gulf in quality was partially offset by the promise that has just started to show in these very early days of Mikel’s leadership. We were free-falling, shapeless and rudderless in matches, unwatchable. He has arrested that slide, has created at least a semblance of a discipline and organization, helped instill a work-ethic and has started to demonstrate the ability to be able to set up his team tactically against different types of opposition. His communications to the press and fans have been transparent, precise, and unafraid of recognizing the challenges ahead and yet confident about surmounting those challenges.
He knows what needs to be done, and he seems to be more than capable of doing so if ably supported. It seems most fans realize that too, as does most players who are happy to be part of his journey.
It is a moment of opportunity for the club’s owners and executive board. Let us hope they realize that too.
First class summary of a gritty performance against a far better side. Still, we know what it feels like to be the latter and lose to the former so few tears shed for them.
Dr. Faustus,
That is an excellent account of the match and I particularly liked your beginning. This was on brand for those of a certain era but even against Parma a game I have referenced recently we weren’t outplayed as we were last night in most areas of the pitch. But the defensive grit and organisation was good and Emi made two fine second- half saves .
Well done on an accurate account that captures the essence of the game perfectly .
And welcome back CER – lovely to see you here again , you are most welcome .
Many thanks, TTG. Nice to have refound a corner of the internet free from hyperbole and nonsense. I was beginning to think they didn’t exist.
An excellent account of a match with an excellent result. Worthy of Benjamin Disraeli. Congratulations Dr F.
COYG
Well in for first drink, clockendrider. Help yourself to a second on me.
A fine report Dr F and pretty
much as I saw things.
We were more clinical up front
this time than against spuds or
and Leicester. Like those games
this one turned on the little things.
As I said in the last drinks Mane’s
“little kick out” was no different to
Soyuncu’s for Leicester. The double
standards are very annoying.
I guess it’s the first time for that
back 3 as well as for the front
3, fine performances in the
circumstances.
@2 TTG,
It was 25 years ago but my memory is we
were outplayed very similarly in the Parma
game! The only difference for me is in my
feeling as I watched – I had far more
confidence we wouldn’t concede that
night than I did yesterday.
I was driving through the wilds of Norfolk last night and missed much of the game. I’m comfortable that I’ve ‘seen’ it now in its entirety having read your report, Dr F. An excellent summary.
I did see MA8’s post-match which I thought nailed Arsenal’s current state perfectly. What a lucid, accurate, insightful instructor of pretty much everything football he is. The club is lucky to have him. If he isn’t supported financially, his talents will be sought quickly by clubs prepared to fund the kind of squad he and we crave.
And I also saw old Klippety Klopp spluttering away at the end. ‘Arsenal only had two chances’ quoth he. He must have been in too much of a funk to see Joe’s miss. 3-1 would have been delightful. And while they may never walk alone, they will now never be Invincible, nor Centurions, nor reach 102 points.
I think bt8 will agree it was good to win this sty.
‘No nonsense’, CER? Then I’m failing in my mission 🙁 Welcome back.
Did you know the actor Yul Brynner was a lifelong Liverpool fan, and never wore aftershave?
Yul never wore cologne.
It was nice to see Klippity
spluttering BtM as you say 🙂
Also his gaping gob as we nicked a
second was balm to the malicious
angels of my bitter self.
The Holic-esque speed of this report caught me as wrong footed as a Kolasinac pass-back! An excellent account of the match and a most enjoyable read Dr F, brilliantly contextualised in the opening paragraph which contains probably the longest sentence ever penned in an Arsenal blog, sir. Channeling your inner Faulkner, perhaps? Superb stuff!
This kind of victory does produce a particular pleasure especially after the decades of progressively increasing defensive frailty that your introduction outlines. I hadn’t seen TTG’s earlier allusion to the Parma win but after the match I too had sudden memories of the emotions induced by George Graham teams’ ability to withstand a barrage from more technical sides, including that very match. While I have wallowed with delight in the beautiful and triumphant football we produced in Arsene’s early years, there were barely any occasions when the particular pleasure evoked by such a win was evoked – perhaps the cup final win against Manure being the only memorable exception.
Scrapping out this kind of victory is a skillset that will be well worth retaining now that we have recaptured it. Not only does it require committed and focused defensive work from everyone in the team but the ability to make and take the one or two chances that come our way. For the latter, on this occasion, Lacazette, a player much chastised in several quarters, must be given huge credit.
Good to see you ClockEndRider.
Celebratory drinks on the bar.
That result washed away some of the bitter taste of Sunday, Matt. A bright spot to add to the halogen beam that is Arteta’s appointment. We’d be competing for relegation places if Unai was still in the seat.
I had written in my preview “a win would be a very pleasant surprise but a draw…” then changed that to “ a win would be very welcome” in respect of the bar’s generally glass half full mindset. The result was a VERY welcome surprise for me. I’m hoping to be surprised again at the weekend.
Arteta the acorn, no better man than he to grow a mighty oak right in the middle of Emirates Stadium.
Excellent and speedy report Doc. Klopp looking like he had lost the love of his dog made me chuckle.
I thought Arteta did very well with his subs last night. He made them early enough for them to be decisive. We needed extra energy and he got fresh legs on before we started to see the loss of focus and mistakes that tired players make. He is improving this area of his management.
He also did a good job of rotating. Auba will be fresher than expected for the City game. The back three looked much better than the one at Spurs and, with Martinez behind them, must be more confident about facing another top attacking performance on Saturday.
Torreira may well have a big role to play, either from the start or as a sub. The same is true of Nelson.
I thought Xhaka went missing for their goal. He saw Mane and just let him go. Where was his lunge to stop the cross? He did not even try. Having said that, I thought he was good in the last half hour. He won some important headers and took up good defensive positions (not always his strong suit).
Everyone put in a shift and it was easy to agree with MA8 that the levels of desire, concentration and hard work were finally equal to a team with far more quality but who exemplify these qualities.
A huge well done to the boss and the players. Now we need the executive team to pull their fingers out too.
BtM,
Though I predicted a win before
the game I must admit it was a
welcome surprise to me too
especially after I’d seen the teams
– their best available XI and us resting
Auba, Hector, Dani and I dare, ludicrously,
to suggest Mus.
MA took a risk there and with the
three subs on the hour but got three
points. A sign of greatness I hope.
It’s been said that MA doesn’t
really rate Rob or AMN but he
used both before Papa last night
and it doesn’t need any Sokratic
wisdom to think he’s leaving soon.
GSD,
I agree Xhaka was caught out for
the goal but I think we were always
in trouble from the moment Soares
committed for a header he was never
going to win. I can see what he was
trying to do but it wasn’t the right
decision on a ball he had so little
chance of winning.
An excellent in depth review Dr F. Up to the first drinks break it was a really difficult game to watch – we were being both outclassed and out fought by a team at the top of their game who scored a very straightforward well taken goal that was far too good for us to defend. Somehow the first drinks break bought a respite, and maybe some good words & advice from MA8.
For the rest of the match the scousers still dominated the proceedings but we appeared to have gained a cup full of fortitude and held out against their non stop pressure. When called into action, Emi was on top form and comfortably dealt with anything on target coming his way. In turn the pressurising of their rearguard by our attackers forced them into crucial errors which resulted in 2 well taken gifts.
Along with EMI I thought both Rob & Kieran had very good games and indeed the whole team contributed, although Pepe on the left side did not work out – he improved when eventually switching to the right in the latter stages.
It was a special delight to see Klippity’s gob smacked look at our goals & MA8’s smile after the match ended. The post match interview was top class from Mikel and only enhances my total delight he is our head coach. He was asked if him taking on the role was the same as when Arsene arrived – he batted that away with aplomb. When raised again in the studio, Souness quite rightly said when Arsene arrived, we already had the best back 5 defence in Europe – quite the opposite that Mikel is having to contend with.
Football never fails to surprise at times – let’s just win the next 4 games.
Cheers Dr F,
If only I’d left more than the arse end of a lunch break to read it and take in both the core meaning and the context of what Bathgooner has already rightly claimed to be probably the longest and certainly one of the longest sentences ever penned in the history of this blog or indeed it’s successor Goonerholic as far as anyone can remember oh shit I give up ………
Anyhow, it was indeed a gritty defensive display that some of us grew to know and love in pre-Wenger eras and wondered if we would ever see the like again for god’s sake what have you done to my writing style that I can’t stop this …….. sorry.
A few observations on our goalkeeper situation to come, but after that first sentence I now have to return to work. Boooooo !
And Hahahahahaha Scousers – we finally nicked something off you 😂
Sorry – second sentence !
I thought we nicked something off the scousers as long ago as 1989 Trev!
Cheers, Dr. Faustus. Thanks for the report, and your excellent summation of our current situation in the last three paragraphs.
Arrrh…..it appears that they know a thing or two up here in Norfolk. I met an old lad today who advised me to put some viagra in my tea.
Said it wouldn’t change the taste, but it would stop my biscuits going soft.
I’m going to give it a try. Sounds like a good thing.
Mavro loaned again to Stuttgart
and signs a new contract which
seems to be common these days.
Best of luck to him.
BtM, who knew tea could be a stiff drink ? 😳
Countryman, we didn’t nick that. George told them exactly when and how we were going to take it and we walked right in there and took it before their disbelieving eyes.
I’m not sure he predicted we’d do it in injury time though!
BtM @ 21 🤣🤣
BtM I spent three years in Norwich in the 70s doing my first degree and played club rugby and cricket around Norfolk. A fine City and a fine County.
Re 1989 although we cut it fine we were the better side and they started to lose it when Smudger scored . Their protestations were panic- stricken . George was a very pragmatic manager and genuinely believed that they would fold late on .
Last night it was a bit like the game against Sheffield United in reverse a few seasons ago when Warnock was in charge although we had to come from behind last night which makes it all the more amazing . We had a massive percentage of the play but didn’t create much . Last night they forced Emi to two very good saves but that was all. We were well below their level but they are runaway champions.
Btm ( or Stiffbiscuit) as he is known in Norwich summed it up this morning. Emery left the club in tatters. Remember Southampton, Eintracht and Brighton ( although Freddie was then in charge) . Arteta has stiffened them up just as Btm has stiffened his PG Tips. That was a redoubtable defensive performance and not one I thought we were capable of giving against a team as good as them .
I’m hearing we are refusing to progress deals until we know our budget . Sensible in one way but it does indicate Stan is not getting his hand in his pocket anytime soon
Looked like Van Dyck and Allison must’ve forgotten to take their Viagra last evening come to think on it.
btm, what c1000 said. that’ll be a new referent, the norfolk biscuit.
Mrs TTG and I came very close to buying Bruce Rioch’s house in Ludham five or six years ago. He had sold it to the chap I was dealing with ( who was a Gooner himself) when he left Norwich. I met him in the village once and found him a courteous and decent man . He also had a beautiful Jag.
I still regret not buying it every day but I was commuting to London several times a week. It had a river at the bottom of the garden and a holiday let in the grounds . I couldn’t afford it but who worries about that? Stan Kroenke that’s who!
Cheers Doc!
A Norfolk biscuit must be a sort of hard tack, Scruz.
Very well observed match report, Dr F.
Never was so much expressed between so few periods, or full stops as they say in the old country.
Pains me though it does to say it, the Scousers missed Henderson.
TTG@9: Even Trev would have avoided that one…
well, one that hardens up with the little blue pill, anyway, ned.
saddens me to see we won’t have gabi again this calendar year, if i understand this report from arsenal’s medical staff: https://www.arsenal.com/news/latest-pablo-mari-and-gabriel-martinelli?fbclid=IwAR18Mfb2H1kNqSWOgh4KWY8vS58PbJAoOj1cgCG-rXqnC_ZQZIOs96ru9H8
Gabriel Martinelli is out until the end of 2020 . A late start to the season would help in thisvrespect
Good work Dr F.
Not much more to add really. We were totally outplayed and some of the best defenders in the game made big errors. As others have said, we will have much better games than that and lose. Commitments meant that I only saw the second half but after about 20 minutes, bizarrely I just could not see them scoring. We have had these games but it was not going to be their night.
Quite frankly, I thought it was hilarious. I laughed, and laughed, and just laughed some more. It stopped all of the YNWA bollocks that gets plastered all over social media. Funny but all of those so vocal scousers over recent months have now gone incredibly sheepish? It just about sums them up really.
Said news about Gabi. I hope he makes a full recovery as soon as possible. Mavropanos signs a new deal? Why? What on Earth is that about? He will be close to 24 when he returns on loan surely by now we should have worked out if he was good enough or not? He’s only made just over 30 senior appearances in his entire career? Hardly impressive stats. I know he’s had his injury problems but he’s either made of plasticine or is not good enough? You would have thought that we would have learnt our lesson by now???
Gabi out for the year? Bad news indeed.
I still can’t believe we let Theo go. Apparently he scored his second league goal of the season tonight. Everton are a lucky club.
If Ned wants to join in taking the piss then he can tell us how may Iwobi has scored!
No one mention the Ox though.
Any time I feel down I think how badly Everton are run.
When did they last have a decent side? Under Moyes?
Imagine paying £55 million and getting Iwobi and Walcott !
We spent more on Xhaka and Mustafi.
Goalkeepers?
Leno or Martinez?
What do we think?
Leno has been so good all season. So I am surprised that if he were fit tomorrow I’d still choose Emi. His shot stopping has been at least as good as Leno, hasn’t it? The last minute save yesterday being a particular highlight. His distribution has been excellent. He is calm, confident, vocal. Unlike the German he catches a lot more than he punches or parries.
And he is a marked improvement on Leno when it comes to dealing with crosses. He is also bigger and stronger.
Don’t get me wrong, he has not played many games and I would certainly keep both and get them to fight for the top spot. And Leno is a top keeper who has had a great season until he got an injury. He has done nothing wrong. I’ve been a fan of Emi for years and I’m wondering how others rate his chances of becoming our number 1?
If we get a big offer for Leno I’d sell him. It would be harsh and I really like him as a player and a man. But we need cash and our current number two is some player.
If we get offers for Martinez I doubt they would be so big. That’s a tough call. Would we sell him and reinvest, when realistically he would likely be first choice for his new club and for Argentina within about 6 months and his value would be increasing all the time?
Or keep him but reinstate Leno as number one?
Can we play them both?
At the moment it’s Emi’s job
Dino. Both have been great but
possession is 9/10ths and all that.
We’ve taken the best part of a
100m out of Merseyside. Ox is
now in the same position as with
us before – on the fringes of the best XI
– but with a league winners medal.
Good player and good luck to him
but I wouldn’t want him back.
i’ve got to say i like emi. he has hardly put a foot wrong, except for that blocked kick yesterday and a couple of non-catches he might have made. but then, leno has made some spectacular saves, and great punches. both are about equal in their playing from the back…why not keep both, and do the cup/league thing with them?
Thanks a lot CER, TTG, Matt, Trev, Countryman, GSD, Pangloss, Uply, bath, Esso, bt8, Ned, scruz for all the kind words.
Sad to hear about Gabi. We seem to get at least one of these serious training ground injuries each season.
@45
I’d like to keep both too scruz.
Emi has been a good surprise for
me so far. I’m sure we’ll do the
cup/league thing next season but
I’d guess the one not playing in
the league will move at the end of
next season as he’ll want more regular
football.
Shame about Gabi.
Pleased for Nelson vs Liverpoo
though, Saka, Pepe and Gabi
have been contributing goals
and assists and Nelson was a
bit behind there on end product.
Three team competition for 3rd and 4th spots is heating up at the moment. Chavs have a one point advantage on Lesta and the Red Mancs, who face each other on the last day, in 10 days time. I expect a reawakened Liverpool to rip the Chavs a new one on Wednesday while Yannited do their utmost to help relegate the Spammers, but Lesta can do themselves and us a favor by peeling and slicing the Spuds this Sunday.
Then there’s the added factor of the Yannited-Chavski FA Cup semifinal on Sunday. Winner advances to face Arsenal in the final of course.
And lose.
Yes, I was going to say the other
semi is a dead rubber but there’s
been enough of that kind of talk
already what with TTG’s tits and
BtMs Norfolk biscuit.
Well in for the 50 bt8.
The problem with selling your second keeper, GSD becomes apparent when your first ‘does’ some part of his anatomy. We haven’t had two really top class keepers since David Seaman and his reflection in the mirror. I’d vote to keep EMI and Leno.
There are other parts of the squad where I’d rather see double covers disappear.
We don’t have many players in this squad who will generate big bucks by letting them go and two top keepers while desirable is a luxury that this impecunious outfit cannot afford to keep while we have a dysfunctional midfield incapable of adequately servicing our forward line. I won’t mention the scandalous waste of 2-3 salaries on a once-talented, no doubt now despised, prima donna but I hope whoever negotiated that contract for the club is now counting snow flakes in Antartica.
If it is true that Bayern were casting their eyes upon Leno then I would sell him to fund the acquisition of as high quality a creative midfielder as I could find and as high quality a defensive midfielder as I could persuade to join the project (I understand Partey has gone off the boil on Arsenal). Funding a proper and balanced midfield is more vital than keeping two top keepers (and having one frustrated and restless).
Remember we have another keeper, the incredibly tall Matt Mackey, who on the few occasions I have seen him, has looked as though he may train on. I always like a keeper with a large wing span. So yes, I would sell Lacey. Martinez remember is also homegrown.
Why would autocorrect change Macey to Mackey? And of course it is clearly Leno I would sell.
My friend who told me about the putative Sarr signing last week ( which is still a possibility but requires action from Arsenal who are currently waiting to see what money they have ) gave me some, what I considered to be worrying insights into the transfer market this morning.
Firstly a lot of the activity is agent- driven particularly Joorabchian who is almost seemingly at the board table . He is pushing the claims of Willian and especially Coutinho. Willian is a ‘ free’ if such a thing exists in modern football but he is 32, has no sell-on value and wants a kings ransom to play for the club. Coutinho would be a loan and he might be a possibility as the cost might be manageable .
‘ Assets ‘ are not to realise – Mkhitaryan effectively had to be released from his contract. Ozil is a most unwelcome millstone around the club’s neck and no one will take him off our hands without us paying a large part of his salary.
Assets might be 🙁 valuations in the current market )
Leno -25
Bellerin-20
Maitland-Niles -15
Kolasinac-10
Sokratis -5
Mustafi-7.5
Elneny-5
Nelson-15
Guendouzi -30
Xhaka ( please) -15
Lacazette ( or Auba) -20(25)
Pepe -35
I wouldn’t sell them all and some seem fireproof . I’ve not included gems like Tierney, Martinelli or Saka .
We have no Martinelli for months so the cupboard is pretty bare . Arsenal will want to co-ordinate signings with season ticket renewals .
My mate says we are likely to sign Coutinho and Willian and we are interested in Rico of Espanyol in midfield , Sarr and might return to Ryan Fraser . Midfield is where we desperately need reinforcements but if Xhaka is on the pitch every week there is only so much the others can do . I’d expect us to resign Ceballos on loan
One other issue . KSE might raise a loan which could buy players but increase our indebtedness as a club. If they do put money in a new share issue would appear preferable . We don’t want to be saddled with debt on top of all the other challenges we face . That would be when the reality of having the Kroenkes running the ship would hit home . Presumably you can’t infringe FFP any more!
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