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Arsenal came out on top by the odd goal in five in what proved to be a thoroughly entertaining match against Watford, albeit one which finished closer than it needed to.

If there is a lesson to be drawn, it is the value of shooting on target. We scored from our first three shots on goal, yet we also played some of our best football all season today, without testing Ben Foster at the end of many promising attacks. We must be more clinical, as better sides than Watford will punish us if we aren’t.

Before kick-off, both teams stood around the centre circle and there was a minute’s clapping to support Ukraine. At some point chants of ‘Arsenal, Arsenal’ rang out – I’m not sure why, perhaps someone might know something and share in the drinks?

Our unusual looking kit (red shorts instead of white ones) looked to be cursed, as we appeared to get off to a calamitous start, Dennis taking 17 seconds to put the ball past Ramsdale and into the goal. Fortunately, he was offside when receiving the pass.

We started moving the ball slickly and took only five minutes to score an absolute beauty. Out on the wing, the imperious Bukayo Saka played the ball infield to Ødegaard, who looks more like DB10 every week. As it went across his body, the Norwegian knew exactly where it was going in relation to his right foot and allowed himself to pivot into a backheel that God would have smiled approvingly at. Not done with that sublime touch, he raced away from the covering defender, and when Saka played him the perfect return ball, he controlled it and finished it with a calm assurance that Gooners everywhere will want to see time and again when he gets into position to shoot.

Since we appointed our Spanish gaffer, the last few weeks have been the first time I have seen us produce anything that I would consider calling ‘Artetaball’. For me, ‘Wengerball’ was so clearly unlike what had gone before it was like watching a new game. That was the genius of the appellation. Personally, I thoroughly dislike the lazy use of ‘Artetaball’ to describe anything an Arteta team does; with that said, it gives me great pleasure to see this young side taking shape and starting to produce patterns, tempo, passes, runs and even goals that look recognisably consistent and deliberate. This team is starting to do the things its architect wants. And those things are good.

Gabriel continued his dodgy start to matches with some poor positioning, but, generally, we were much the better side.

Then, Watford scored. KT could have won the ball but didn’t; Emmanuel Dennis flicked it wide; Xhaka and Gabigol, who provided the Scot with patchy cover (at best) all afternoon, got bunched up so neither of them covered the overlapping run. When the cross came in, our defence let Cucho Hernandez find space in the middle as they watched the ball without attacking it. To be fair, it was an excellent scissor kick finish from a player who did nothing to win the respect of the away fans in a display in which pissy vied with bitchy to win the Adjective of Choice award. 

The game was open and entertaining. Partey shot narrowly wide with his left foot when a shot on target would have been a goal; Foster was planted.

Ramsdale made a good save from Dennis as our defensive display failed to match the standard of some of our enterprising attacking moves. Watford aimed diagonals over Tierney’s head, but he fended them off well, with the occasional luxury of some help from the quiet Gabi and the just about adequate Xhaka.

On 30 minutes, we scored the game’s third cracking goal. Saka won the ball determinedly, ten feet outside the Watford box and played a ball into Laca. The Frenchman jinked it one way, completely wrong-footing the defender, before rolling it backwards to the onrushing England international who sent the keeper the wrong way with a finish that went into the top corner at pace. It was very, very good.

The game continued to be played at a good tempo, with both teams showing plenty of commitment and endeavour, and, although it was the team in red who looked to have more quality, Watford gave our slightly ponderous defence some uncomfortable moments.

Half-time came around and it looked like we would still have a way to go to secure the three points. Indeed we did.

At the start of the second half pissy and bitchy slipped back in the pecking order as divey cheaty fakey scummy disgraceful raced ahead as the description of choice for the, err, divey cheaty fakey scummy disgraceful Hernandez, who got touched somewhere above his torso by White as he won the ball fairly; this he saw as a reason to go down clutching his face, forcing the game to be stopped for a potential head injury (there should be retrospective disciplinary action for any player who abuses this potentially life-saving protocol to stop a match when they are clearly uninjured) and trying his best to get a fellow professional sent off. Watford players crowded round Craig Pawson, who was not remotely interested; neither was VAR; nor, I suspect, would have been the Watford players if they saw a replay of what had happened to their integrity-deficient teammate.

It is always tremendously gratifying to see this sort of behaviour fail to boost its perpetrator, but it is even better when a minute later his team concedes a goal. Gabigol served up some just desserts with the sweetest of finishes at the end of yet another sublime move.

Arteta rolled back the years, starting a move with a swift recycling of the ball as it went for a throw in. Saka took it quickly to Cédric, who had bombed into the open space left by a napping Watford midfield. He played a nice ball to Ødegaard, who played a delicious flick to Laca. The first-time layoff from our captain was perfect (literally, perfect) and Gabigol stroked it into the top corner like an archer firing an arrow straight in the red: controlled, measured and with thundering pace.

We continued to create chances and make little of them. Some of our passing was excellent, but at times it was a little behind the man and broke down unnecessarily as this took its toll.

Dennis missed a sitter at the back post (phew!) and Ramsdale played a few iffy passes that he will want to cut out.

Thomas Partey has taken a lot of stick that I haven’t agreed with. Sure, he had a poor start in our colours, but he always looked to me like a classy player who would come good, not like an overpriced waster who was not the type of player we expected, or whatever else he was labelled. Today was another in a string of much improved performances. The bloke was just excellent today. The way he turns out of danger into clear space is so good to watch, and it is an incredibly useful tool to have in the modern game. Can he add some goal threat to become a complete Premier League midfielder? If so, then £50m is great business.

Lacazette might have had a goal if he had been awarded a penalty when Cathcart clearly clipped his heel. I don’t know why VAR did not award it; the replay could not have been clearer. If the on-field ref had awarded it, then VAR would have confirmed it.

However (and I assure you, at this point, before you read my next few sentences, that you are, in fact, awake), I have every sympathy with Craig Pawson in his original decision, as it would have been very hard for him to be sure enough to give it. He also gets the benefit of the doubt because, for the first time in my memory, I thought he was excellent today. It was the best performance from a referee I have seen all season. I will grant that there were no big, contentious calls to make, but I thought he got almost everything right today. You all know I don’t mind calling out a poor refereeing performance; I am also more than happy to praise an unexpectedly good one (indeed, I would love to have more call to do so!). Well played today, Craig.

As the game entered its final phase, Pépé came on and looked lively. Eddie came on for Laca (KT3 taking the captain’s armband) and hit the post with a decent effort.

Xhaka then decided he had had enough of this dull fare. Why do something the easy way when you could do it the Xhaka way? He played a woeful cross-field ball to Watford, then let Sissoko run off him so the ex-spud could collect a ball over the top, bobble it past White and squeeze it under Ramsdale to leave Roy’s men in with a sniff of an unlikely point.

As it turned out, there was little excitement left in the game. Eddie got a deserved yellow for a taking a man down – good to see him take no chances of a counter. Then Cédric, another player who is coming good after a prolonged spell of looking far below the quality we hoped we had bought, went down with cramp, adding to Ramsdale’s efforts to waste time without taking the piss; both judged it well.

Hernandez had time to get a yellow for chucking a ball at KT3. Twat.

Then, the best man in black since Johnny Cash blew his whistle. Game over.

Overall, we just needed 3 points today. We are in fourth as I write this, and still have games in hand. 

The fact that Saka and Ødegaard were unplayable at times today was a bonus. Partey was monstrous, in the best way possible. Gabi was quiet (but he is never going to build up play like some of our other young attackers), until he had a sniff, when he turned deadly. We are not the finished article, but we are headed in a great direction.

Long term: we need to get rid of Xhaka and get in a top player as replacement. And find a version of Lacazette who also scores goals.

Short term: keep picking up points.

It is that simple.

Leicester next.

Until then, have a good one, ‘holics.

117 Drinks to “Three Is The Magic Number”

  1. 1
    Gooner_KS says:

    First 😁

  2. 2
    Gooner_KS says:

    Thanks GSD for the write up, also re your last comment on previous post 😁

  3. 3
    Pangloss says:

    “Excellent” C Montgomery Burns. Congratulations GSD, another fine piece.

    COYG

  4. 4
    ClockEndRider says:

    Excellent report, GSD. Loved the Adjective of Choice award comment!

  5. 5
    TTG says:

    GSD,
    I did not watch this game live but caught it on replay .
    I think you have described it brilliantly and your point about Pawson ( who at Wolves last season was Poorson) was well made. He seemed to get the main decisions right except for the foul on Laca . You are also spot on about where improvements might be made but overall this was an important win against a tricky Watford side that Woy seems to have improved.
    I absolutely agree about Partey who is improving rapidly, Saka is a generational talent and Odegaard is both talented and hard-working but I thought Ramsdale was sloppy. He needs to dial down the macho stuff and thank goodness Dennis was offside. Did you see the weak slap he made at the shot?
    ManUre losing has put us in a great position and I’m an Everton fan tomorrow night. If they could win- and I think they might – it would be terrific . Huge win and beautifully described

  6. 6
    TTG says:

    Blogs’ description of Xhaka today
    ‘ It’s interesting that his pass competition stats since he’s been asked to play further forward are nowhere near as high as they were – the easy passes that bump that stat aren’t there. Also, Sissoko ran off him too easily for their second goal.‘

    Absolutely right . We could do so much better.He’s just so flawed

  7. 7
    Bathgooner says:

    Great report GSD. Encapsulates the game perfectly.

    We were glorious going forward and unlucky not to score more goals. But oh dear, our left flank was too vulnerable and KT3 was regularly facing overloads due to shoddy tracking back. I thought Xhaka was at fault for both their goals which made the game much less comfortable than it ought to have been. Disappointingly the defence was somewhat less secure looking than it has been lately but every game against Watford seems to be a bit of a scrap.

    Importantly we took another three points and another step towards a top four finish. But there are no certainties and there will certainly be bumps in the road. There are four massive challenges still to overcome and a bunch of banana skins so we just have to focus on one game at a time.

    I think top six looks a real possibility but top four will take a Herculean effort and a large slice of luck. Although we are currently in a great position we can take nothing for granted. There’s lots of work still to be done but if we can keep up the dynamism of the midfield and attack and stiffen that defence again, we have a real chance.

    COYG

  8. 8
    bt8 says:

    Great stuff, GSD. I might be a little more reserved in my praise of Pawson just because of the company he keeps but all in all you have done what the Danish strongman did (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngg8A4rqpsc).

  9. 9
    North Bank Ned says:

    Top match report, again, GSD. We saw the same game and share the same analysis.

    Laca is apparently stuck at 199 senior goals over this career. It is a monkey he needs to get off his back. He was otherwise excellent. Only five players have got more PL assists this season.

    To TTG’s point about Ramsdale, I was going to highlight in the previous drinks that I thought he was sloppy today. I didn’t because, on reflection, there were a couple of poor passes and he perhaps could have done better on both the goals, especially the second one (the first one was an exceptional finish). But that was just about it. It is a mark of the high standard he has maintained all season, that even a couple of blemishes stand out so glaringly.

  10. 10
    OsakaMatt says:

    Entertaining stuff, thanks GSD.
    Shitteh doing us a favour too was
    handy. It’s great to see us consistently
    taking the points when we should this
    season, a real improvement over the
    past two seasons.

  11. 11
    bt8 says:

    Re: OM, Indeed it is great to see us winning the games we should be expected to win.
    We have not beaten any of the three clubs above us in the table but with the exceptions of Crystal Palace, Brighton and Everton we have beaten all the clubs below us, and defeated three of those clubs (Watford, Wolves, Norwich) both home and away. Our 15 wins came against:

    Watford home/away
    Wolves home/away
    Norwich home/away
    Brentford home
    Leicester away
    Aston Villa home
    Tottenham home
    Burnley away
    Newcastle home
    Southampton home
    West Ham home
    Leeds away

  12. 12
    Countryman100 says:

    A fine report GSD. I followed the game in a hotel room via BBC Sounds. The travelling Arsenal faithful were loud, strong and consistent. I’ve since seen the goals on the internet – glorious! Now another week off before three games in eight days. Let’s keep it going!

  13. 13
    bt8 says:

    Re: “We have not beaten any of the three clubs above us in the table” in #11 above, that means the current table but we have beaten at least Sp👅👅s, and probably a few other clubs that were above us at the time the games were played. Especially near the start knowing we lost our first three games.

  14. 14
    Uplympian says:

    An excellent extensive report GSD with a bonus of some fine musings. We are on a roll of getting results results through good play and / or sheer effort. If we can maintain this consistency with the one game at a time approach then 4th place can be ours. Staying injury & red car free will enhance that prospect even further.

  15. 15
    OsakaMatt says:

    bt8,
    Thanks, even Norwich might have been above us when we beat them😂
    The wins over Wham, Sp**s and the double over Wolves have been great.
    The games against Wham, Sp**s and Manure are the remaining 6 pointers
    but now we have eked out a small advantage we will be happier with draws
    in those games than them.

  16. 16
    Las says:

    Very fine report, thanks GSD.
    I pretty much agree on everything you wrote and I’m especially happy for La’casette for the two perfect assists. I don’t know that the defensive lapses are things to worry about or we just get used to the perfection of our back four.
    COYG

  17. 17
    Trev says:

    Great stuff, GSD,

    and I agree about Pawson – very fair yesterday, did a good job.

    He must have read my preview 😉

  18. 18
    Ollie says:

    Great report, GSD, we saw the same match.
    Heh Trev@17. You’re on for match preview every week now. 🙂
    I’m getting increasingly confident we can get top 4. We are on pole for this now ahead of United and with three games in hand but…..when you see the three games in hand are Chelsea, Spurs and Liverpool, it brings you back down to earth.
    Still, it was a very positive weekend, and we couldn’t ask for much more.

  19. 19
    Trev says:

    Ollie, I’ve had this argument before about the games in hand.

    Everyone has difficult games to play – no games are easy anyway if your playing a team fighting for survival at the bottom of the league. The fact is we have three more games to get the points we need than most of the teams around us. We can call any games we want to “the games in hand”. Fourth place would be a terrific achievement this season. We have that in our own hands. What better place to be ? 😉

  20. 20
    Countryman100 says:

    Ah Merse, bless him.

  21. 21
    Doctor Faustus says:

    Excellent report GSD!

    Three truly magnificent goals. Actually four, the Watford first goal deserves plaudits too.

    First Klopp and Pep, and now Mikel are all trying to retire the traditional central striker role. 🙂 Laca’s assists counts since Auba’s exit have been impressive, unlike his finishing. Firmino-esque stuff… 🙂

    How good is Ødegaard? And Saka? Before the season ends we might get to see Ødegaard-Saka-ESR-Martinelli with Gabi down the middle. It just feels that Gabi has all the qualities to become a terrific, and terrifying, central striker.

    His fellow Brazilian in the defense is having a bit iffy times, hopefully just a minor blip. Yesterday the defensive organization, as noted by everyone, was uncharacteristically absent.

  22. 22
    Ollie says:

    Good logical point about the ‘game in hand’ concept Trev, we are currently fourth, with more matches to play, doesn’t matter which particular games are technically ‘in hand’ or not indeed. Cheers!

  23. 23
    North Bank Ned says:

    bt8@13: We’ve played nine games against sides higher in the table than us at the time of the game.

    The neighbours (A), Chelsea (A) and Liverpool (H) were the postponed games, so have the first claim on being called the games in hand. Otherwise, perm three from Leicester (H), Villa (A), Palace (A), Brighton (H), Southampton (A), Man U (H), West Ham (A), Leeds (H), Newcastle (A) and Everton (H).

  24. 24
    ecg says:

    Rather than be concerned about the postponed matches against Poo, Chelsea, and the Spuds being our “games in hand”, we should be looking at who the opposition have to play:

    Manure: Spuds, Poo, Chelsea, and us
    Spuds: Manure, Wham, Poo, and us
    Wham: Spuds, Chelsea, City, and us
    Us: Spuds, Poo, Chelsea, Manure, and Wham

    We have one extra match versus the opposition, so we can look at two of our games in hand as being against teams lower in the table.

  25. 25
    Countryman100 says:

  26. 26
  27. 27
    Gunnersaurus Stunt Double says:

    Cheers all.

    I have a question for the bar…

    If you had to form a 3 man midfield out of current Prem managers, who would you go with?

    The choices to me look like Paddy, Mikel, Fat Frank, Stevie G, Pep and A Cunte. Frankly, that is some roll call.

    Unless, of course you fancy a testicle-headed pair of 8s in Dyche and Moyes in front of Hodgson as a surprisingly effective 6, as no one wants to take the ball of him, partly because you could hurt him and partly because it would just be damn poor form to tackle a legend like him.

    Anyway, what’s the best lineup, ‘holics?

  28. 28
    Gunnersaurus Stunt Double says:

    Also, Everton are shit.

    Just shit.

  29. 29
    North Bank Ned says:

    Devilish question, GSD. As every skoolboy know, you can’t play Fat Frank and Stevie G in the same team, so why play either of them? Then there were four. Has to be Mikel on the bench. Paddy, Pep and that bloke who doesn’t know why he is up the wrong end of the Seven Sisters Road, only that there isn’t much he can do about it, would make a fearsome three.

  30. 30
    OsakaMatt says:

    Paddy and Pep would be as solid a base as you could want, but I suppose you’d want someone to score a few from midfield as well, so I’d probably go with Fat Frank ahead of the man stuck in the marsh. Though Mikel was a good attacking midfielder earlier in his career.

  31. 31
    Countryman100 says:

  32. 32
    TTG says:

    GSD
    I like these sort of challenges ! Paddy is one of the greatest midfielders I’ve ever seen and I’d make him part of a double pivot with Conte . I’m someone who thought Stevie G was wildly overrated. He never functioned effectively at international level so I’d choose Fat Frank who provided 15 plus goals a season from midfield .Mikel was a decent player and we signed him at a low ebb and he revived our fortunes but he wasn’t top quality . He will be sad as a coach though

  33. 33
  34. 34
    North Bank Ned says:

    C100@33: Thanks for the link. Arteta pays attention to detail and it seems to make a difference.

  35. 35
    North Bank Ned says:

    This Sly interview contains the nugget that only six of the 18 players involved in Arteta’s first game in charge remain at the club.

    https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11670/12557127/mikel-arteta-exclusive-interview-arsenal-boss-on-emirates-stadium-connection-pierre-emerick-aubameyang-exit-and-why-this-summer-is-so-important

    Sky’s incisive questioning elicits the revelation from Arteta that we are looking for a striker who can put the ball in the net.

  36. 36
    OsakaMatt says:

    Thanks C100 / Ned for the links.

    Of those 6 that remain (Leno,Laca,Xhaka,ESR,Saka and Pepe), probably at least two more will be gone this summer. Though Aaron was on the pitch that day for Bournemouth.

  37. 37
    TTG says:

    OM
    Four of that group might leave . Leno will definitely as we have signed Turner, Laca is out of contract , Pepe is someone I hope we keep I think he provides a game-changing element as we saw against Wolves . As for Xhaka my offer to drive him to the airport for the flight to Rome is still open . That would mean only two players left. That’s a high turnover by anyone’s standards

  38. 38
    Bathgooner says:

    Two excellent reads here:

    https://shewore.com

    https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal-mikel-arteta-transformed-culture-champions-league-push-b986712.html

    Basically, for those who can’t get behind Arteta and his project, why pretend to support Arsenal?

  39. 39
    North Bank Ned says:

    What Arteta is trying to do, and how he has gone about it, stands in sharp relief to what is happening at OT. Man U shows how hard it is to build, or for top teams, to rebuild a team just by throwing money at expensive players — and how long it takes.

    Arteta has followed Klopp at Liverpool, deciding what sort of team is right for the club, then acquiring or home-growing the players to fit, and then upgrading the quality. Pep has done the same at Man City although with the benefit of oil wealth to get to the quality uplift phase sooner.

    Where Liverpool and City are far ahead in having a first XI of 15 players who rotate. Phasing out the older ones and phasing in the new then becomes a rolling process and less disruptive than having to fit in a new player. When Salah, Mane and Firmino move on, Jota and Diaz and Elliott will be oven-ready to replace them. It makes a decision to sell them just after they have peaked so much easier, too. No 30-somethings weighing down the wage bill at £350,000 a week.

  40. 40
    TTG says:

    Bath,
    I read the Standard on a train home from London- like old times ! The She Wore article makes the interesting point that many so-called Arsenal fans aren’t interested in the club being successful but love to moan when things go wrong. Fortunately this is not the ethos on this site but in the old days the blog would attract a lot of posters who only visited when we lost . You see the same thing on sites like Le Grove after a defeat.
    It’s a phenomenon that has grown as social media has become more pervasive and aggressive . It’s easy to be an angry keyboard warrior . I used to hear a bloke who sat near me on 606 when I was driving home when we lost but never when we won or played well. That’s why I welcome the refresh at the ground with a much more positive and supportive fanbase . I think some fans are still bruised from the time when Emery blew CL qualification when it looked assured and don’t want to count their chickens yet.

  41. 41
    OsakaMatt says:

    TTG,
    The line up against Bournemouth was
    Leno
    AMN Papa Luiz Saka
    Torreira Xhaka
    Nelson Ozil Auba
    Laca

    All the changes have improved us in each position I think, though obviously ESR / Gabi in Auba’s position is not as planned. A credit to a consistent recruitment plan and operation.
    I hope we get the rewards we all want!

  42. 42
    OsakaMatt says:

    A quick look at the GHF posts after the drubbing at Shitteh in August and the poor performance at Everton in December shows we aren’t averse to letting off a bit of steam either😃
    I thought She Wore was a bit harsh to be honest, though there’s no doubt we do have some weirdly negative fans and thanks for the link Bath

  43. 43
    North Bank Ned says:

    OM@41: A tale of two full-backs in that side against Bournemouth. Neither played in their preferred position. One now sitting on the bench at Roma, the other tearing it up on the right wing in N5.

  44. 44
    bathgooner says:

    Thanks for the Sky and Standard links, Ned and C100. Both very encouraging reads.

  45. 45
    Bathgooner says:

    Merse has a very good point:

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60667575

  46. 46
    bt8 says:

    Not a log of news in the world of Arsenal today if Blogs chose to write about red shorts and nothing but.

  47. 47
    North Bank Ned says:

    Bath@45: It is dispiriting how gaming has become part of the fabric of the game.

    It was surprising to read in the BBC article that problem gambling had fallen significantly, especially given the increase in online gaming during the pandemic. I was also surprised to see the figure was as low as 0.3% (although the survey data comes with the caveat ‘due to the small base sizes the data presented should be treated with caution’). That is a quarter of the comparable US rate, where restrictions on casino gambling and sportsbooks remain, albeit rapidly lifting. ESPN is reportedly asking for $1 billion to licence its name to a betting company for a Sky Bet-type deal.

  48. 48
    North Bank Ned says:

    bt8@46: That was an impressive exercise by Blogs today in making bricks without straw.

  49. 49
    Bathgooner says:

    Blogs has always been inventive. Actually it’s the only way he could possibly have posted every single day for over 20 years. It’s a hell of an achievement.

  50. 50
    scruzgooner says:

    no doubt. congratulations to blogs, for that. even weekly updates can be difficult, if the muse isn’t upon you. thank god we have arsenal, never a dull moment 🙂

  51. 51
    scruzgooner says:

    and gsd, love your emphases and your post. you’re a funny, funny guy. 🙂

    so glad we won that, and with three delicious goals. could have done without the last five-seven minutes, though.

  52. 52
    Ollie says:

    Well in for the half ton, scruz. Yep, blogs managing to somehow post something every single day (even organising the occasional sub) is indeed impressive.
    Sometimes just using a dream or something, always well written and engaging.

  53. 53
    Tapera Doma says:

    My 2 cents on the “games in hand” thingee. Folks when u look @ this, please keep in mind that these so-called games in hand are not played 1 after the other & in sequence i.e Spurs, Chelsea & Poo. My advice is let’s take it game @ a time.

  54. 54
    bt8 says:

    One game at a time is sage advice but overall the key from our point of view will be turning games in hand into games in Arse(nal’s points column).

  55. 55
    Tapera Doma says:

    Something else I wanted to share my 2 cents on is the new setup – @ least how the team has played in the 3 games or so, on the left when we have the ball.
    I think we will be more effective/efficient if instead of having GX (Xhaka) playing as a 8/9 (as I noticed in the Watford game) – have Nelli/ESR in that position, have Tierney play as a quasi LW & then have GX cover behind Tierney.

  56. 56
    bt8 says:

    A reminder to Arsenal to take advantage of being in only one competition:

    As reported by Charlie Eccleshare in The Athletic, in Conte’s six Premier League matches at Tottenham’s record with a gap of five or more days since their last game is 5 wins (including Manchester City and Leicester City away) and one draw (against Liverpool), at a rate of 2.7 points per game, but when the gap is shorter, as it has been in Conte’s 10 other Premier League games for Spurs, their points-per-game tally goes down to 1.4.

  57. 57
    bt8 says:

    That should have been
    … in Conte’s six Premier League matches at Tottenham played with a gap of five or more days since their last game their record is 5 wins …

  58. 58
    Ollie says:

    Sooooo…are we signing Mbappé or Benzema after tonight?

  59. 59
    North Bank Ned says:

    Benzema is 34, but wears his age lightly. I assume tonight cost PSG any hope of holding onto M’Bappe.

  60. 60
    OsakaMatt says:

    And ensured Poch to Manure this
    summer?

  61. 61
    Cynic says:

    Chelsea have today been banned from selling match tickets and must close their club shop after Roman Abramovich was added to the UK’s sanctions list. The Russian tycoon will not be allowed to sell the west London club, while unprecedented extra measures have been taken to ensure he cannot profit from its activities. A new licence allows the club to continue playing all its fixtures due to its status as a ‘significant cultural asset’, but only season ticket holders will be allowed to attend games. Staff and players can still be paid.

    Oh dear.
    How sad.
    Never mind.

  62. 62
    Countryman100 says:

    The London Fire Brigade is currently dealing with flash floods caused by tears in the vicinity of the Fulham Road.

  63. 63
    Sancho Panza says:

    They also have to stick to a travel budget. Travelling to Norwich on the 1700 in standard class.

  64. 64
    Countryman100 says:

    Carrow Road is a convenient ten minute walk from Norwich station.

  65. 65
    OsakaMatt says:

    Whoever thinks Chelsea are a significant cultural asset didn’t grow up in South London

  66. 66
    North Bank Ned says:

    Schadenfreude is usually best avoided, but one can make an exception.

    It might have been better for football if the UK government had seized Chelsea rather than frozen it. At least then it could have continued as a going concern, albeit one that would have to go financial cold turkey until the government sold it to another billionaire prepared to financially dope it. A freeze is just a mess full of contradictions. Chelsea can still sell you a beer but not a shirt. If the aim is to punish Abramovich, then taking the club away from him outright makes more sense than freezing it into bankruptcy. I guess Boris must reckon he doesn’t have many votes to lose in west London in May anyway.

  67. 67
    North Bank Ned says:

    OM@65: 🙂

  68. 68
    scruzgooner says:

    i wonder what that does for away fan attendance?

  69. 69
    Countryman100 says:

    From the editor of the Gooner. I commend this statement to the house.

  70. 70
    scruzgooner says:

    ned@66, schaudenfreude is unavoidable. as is “i told you so” emanating from the dein and wenger residences.

  71. 71
    Countryman100 says:

    Most clubs are low in cash at this point of the season. But season ticket sales start in April and rebuild the coffers. Chelsea can’t do that, so may be into a cash crunch shortly unless a sale is made.

  72. 72
    scruzgooner says:

    i, for one, would love to see kdb move to the red part of north london. should be available for a few bags of chips and a tattered scarf, no?

  73. 73
    bt8 says:

    Not particularly subtle the way Antonio Conte is angling for his old job back at Chelsea, as reported by Sky today: “I hope the best for this club because I worked in this club, I enjoyed the two seasons. For sure, I love the team, the club, that I worked in, in the past. Not every team that worked in the past I love, but I hope for the best for them.”
    “I hope the best for this club because I worked in this club, I enjoyed the two seasons. For sure, I love the team, the club, that I worked in, in the past. Not every team that worked in the past I love, but I hope for the best for them.”

  74. 74
    bt8 says:

    Actually, he only said that once but it was enough for me to draw some conclusions. 🙂

  75. 75
    Countryman100 says:

  76. 76
    TTG says:

    https://twitter.com/TheGoonersPod/status/1501928732717629441/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1501928732717629441%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goonerholicsforever.com%2F%3Fp%3D4963
    Matt Lawton in the Times has just tweeted that Chelsea are seeking an urgent meeting with the government because of the potential financial damage this may do to them . They really have got incredible problems and it is highly possible they may face administration looking at their endebtedness. Wenger called them a ‘ financially doped ‘ club and the reality is that they have overspent by £1.5 billion which has been secured by loans from Abramovich . So they are not geared to operate within normal financial constraints . It may well be that they are banned from the CL too given the UEFA decision on Russia

  77. 77
    Sancho Panza says:

    Financially doped indeed. Bring back Ken Bates and his electric fence.

  78. 78
    scruzgooner says:

    i wonder how nervous man city and newcastle are at the moment. different brush, same sort of paint.

  79. 79
  80. 80
    bt8 says:

    Sky sports report: “Mobile network Three have asked Chelsea to temporarily suspend their sponsorship and remove its brand from the club’s shirt and stadium.
    A Three spokesperson said: “In light of the government’s recently announced sanctions, we have requested Chelsea Football Club temporarily suspend our sponsorship of the club, including the removal of our brand from shirts and around the stadium until further notice.”

    But apparently the Three shirts will remain for the Norwich match. It looks like Three are getting a bit more than they bargained for.

  81. 81
    Gunnersaurus Stunt Double says:

    bt8 @80.

    I refer you to my headline…

  82. 82
    ecg says:

    I was having a crappy week but now things are looking up!

  83. 83
    North Bank Ned says:

    Chelsea is now an impaired asset that some vulture investor or autocratic state will pick up for a song and do very well out of.

    It would be interesting to know the footballing affiliations of the special task force that the UK formed to hunt down the assets of oligarchs. None from the Bus Stop, I would assume.

  84. 84
    North Bank Ned says:

    GSD@81: 🙂

  85. 85
    North Bank Ned says:

    Robert Shrimsley has a moderately amusing piece in the FT on why Chelsea should be nationalised.

    https://www.ft.com/content/499013d3-4dfc-43b4-bff5-205209053f2b

  86. 86
    North Bank Ned says:

    If the UK government can force a freeze of Chelsea’s broadcast revenue and money from competing in the PL and CL, I don’t see why it cannot do the same with ticket sales or transfer and loan fees. It is hard to escape the conclusion that there is a lot of political virtue signalling going on to mask a reluctance to look at what other Russian money is slopping around the UK, including in political circles, and getting the register of beneficial ownership of UK properties up and running effectively.

  87. 87
    Gunnersaurus Stunt Double says:

    Cucho Hernandez has scored an own goal tonight.

    I wonder what Adjective of Choice he is going for this time?

  88. 88
    Gunnersaurus Stunt Double says:

    Mark Viduka has just popped up on the screen watching the Leeds match. He ain’t starving.

  89. 89
    TTG says:

    I’ve also heard stories that Everton are in deep doo doo with FFP irregularities and may face a points deduction ( which given that they haven’t got many points will be a severe problem for them) . I’m not sure quite how involved Usmanov is with the club but that could also be a major headache for them if he has lent them any money .
    We may have dodged a bullet there

  90. 90
    North Bank Ned says:

    TTG@89: I doubt that Everton would get sanctioned this season for falling foul of FFP. A points deduction to start next season at a minus number (like Derby Co.) seems more probable.

    And a points sanction of Everton this season that kept Burnley up? You are deep in the moral maze there.

  91. 91
    Cynic says:

    Well, we certainly dodged a bullet with Usmanov. Selling your soul to the least bad man in the room works out sometimes.

  92. 92
    Countryman100 says:

    Excellent pieces on Chelsea in today’s Times from Matthew Syed (who has long warned of what RA’s money is doing to our game), Henry Winter and Matt Dickinson. It’s paywalled so I won’t link but you might want to invest a couple of quid in the paper today. The Chelsea fans come front and centre, praising RA at Norwich last night and unrepentant for what has happened. It’s given them 20 years of glory. Winter’s piece also has some funny examples of the stick Norwich fans were giving them last night (Chelsea go bankrupt, everywhere they go ….). All a good and interesting read.

  93. 93
    Countryman100 says:

    Arseblog is also predictably excellent this morning

    Sanctions

  94. 94
    TTG says:

    I read Matthew Syed online yesterday. He has consistently stressed the amorality of football in accepting Abramovich as a club owner . Blogs is excellent today in what he says and as he points out in the great scheme of thing the Chelsea situation is a matter of minor concern . I’m still dubious that the football authorities will turn their back on the huge amounts of money which owners pour into the game . A lot of football fans are stupid and have tunnel vision . Just look at the despicable chants for Abramovich at Burnley and Norwich . Crass and obscene .
    But I admit when Usmanov appeared I considered him as a potential owner simply because I put my desire for Arsenal’s success ahead of broader and much more important considerations . I was not alone. If his money could have guaranteed a Champions League a lot of Arsenal fans would have swallowed their distaste . As Blogs points out to compete with a distasteful tyrant you have to find your own distasteful tyrant and preferably one who has an extra billion in his coffers .
    That will ( rightly ) change now but I doubt that shame will be retrospective and Saudi Arabian PR for example will find lots of cosmetic ways to improve their image . Sportwashing might take a backseat for a while but the lure of high-level sport is so seductive how long will that last ? The genie is out of the bottle and while the British Government have belatedly taken steps to put one genie back the job of really sanitising the game is one that football authorities worldwide have little appetite for as we move to a World Cup in Qatar . How unappetising a prospect does that appear now ?

  95. 95
    bt8 says:

    One faintly positive sign is the entry into the vernacular sportswashing, which gives us a way to refer to these oligarchs and sheiks hide their criminally unethical activities.

  96. 96
    Gunnersaurus Stunt Double says:

    @bt8

    Vic Akers has been doing it for decades. He knows all there is to know.

    What?

    Eh?

    Oh, that’s shortswashing.

  97. 97
    North Bank Ned says:

    I wouldn’t hold your breath, TTG. Abramovich is being sanctioned because of his Putin connection not for sports washing, and the PL isn’t sanctioning anyone. The people who run football have no incentive to see less money coming into the game. For a while, it might come a bit more from US hedge fund billionaires and a bit less from sheikhs and oligarchs, but it will come. And fans will not say boo.

  98. 98
    North Bank Ned says:

    When David Dein sold his Arsenal shares to Usmanov’s Red and White Holdings in 2007, the Guv’nor, presciently wrote:

    For long enough we have criticised the Abramovich regime at Chelsea. Now it will be interesting to see for how many fans it is deemed more acceptable closer to home.

    Dein Shows His Hand

    As subsequent posts show, Dave found Usmanov distasteful in the extreme.

  99. 99
    Countryman100 says:

    Gabi called up to the senior Brazil squad for the first time 👏👏 https://twitter.com/afcstuff/status/1502295727061585923?s=21

  100. 100
    scruzgooner says:

    dink

  101. 101
    bt8 says:

    KSE = Kroenke Sportswashing Enterprises?

  102. 102
    bt8 says:

    Well dinked Scruz

  103. 103
  104. 104
    Countryman100 says:

    Well in Scruz

  105. 105
    scruzgooner says:

    cheers, all. rare for me to get the half and the ton!

    looking forward to the game sunday; looks like we’re going to have emile, but no tomi. nothing said about what is wrong with him, or has there been and i’ve missed it?

    ned, great find with that. usmanov vs. kroenke was a no-brainer…dave knew.

  106. 106
    Countryman100 says:

    Calf injuries Scruz. First one then the other.

  107. 107
    scruzgooner says:

    thanks, c100. they want him back, but healthy. i’ve done my calf playing basketball, and it’s a most debilitating injury. six weeks for me on the sidelines before i could run up and down comfortably, let alone jump.

  108. 108
    Cynic says:

    I do like Ray Parlour but his idea for us to sign Marcus Rashford is bonkers. A player in search of his career is not what we need.

  109. 109
    Ollie says:

    Well in centurion scruz!
    Cynic, Ray Parlour is bonkers. Mind you, recently, I have noticed more and more ‘ex-player from such and such club (not just us) says club should sign x’ pronouncements and have stopped paying attention…as they are not managers, just pundits or sometimes not even that. Having been a great player and still loving the club does not give transfer-credibility.
    I’m happy to hear their opinions, but most of them are just fantasists on that score.

  110. 110
    Ollie says:

    (And I do like Ray Parlour too. 😃)

  111. 111
    bt8 says:

    If this article about the Corsica derby appears a bit parochial, I enjoyed it for just that reason, as well as a cameo appearance by Thierry Henry in a caption, and an interesting quote by a professor who specializes in Corsican football of all things.

    https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/60602011

  112. 112
    bt8 says:

    Not to overlook another cameo appearance in a caption by none other than “Bastia defender Sebastien Squillaci’s late goal in a 2-1 win confirmed Ajaccio’s relegation from Ligue 1 in 2014”

  113. 113
    bt8 says:

    ((Expected) end of Corsican football blog.)

  114. 114
    bt8 says:

    Re: Rashford, here’s what his manager said about him today: “Marcus has to play on the same level he trains. This is all.”

  115. 115
    bt8 says:

    Re: Today’s headline “Chelsea’s club credit cards have been temporarily suspended by Barclays”

    I have to say that’s a good one, but why just temporarily?

  116. 116
    Countryman100 says:

    Chelsea whip round to tip the coach driver

  117. 117
    Bathgooner says:

    >>>>>>>