How many times do we read that a match is of “vital importance”? Are they? Is any match vital to the long -term success of the club? We all have our opinions but mine is that the CL is an adventure and good for earning money – but let’s be honest, is there any Gooner who really believes we can win the thing? OK, you over there in the red & white shirt covered in dribble, but anyone else?
Don’t get me wrong – I want us to win tonight and win handsomely but I will not be calling for the heads of the entire management team if we don’t. Man City & Chelsea didn’t even get into the knockout stages last season which gives an idea of how tough this competition is and perhaps, just perhaps, we may be better off out of it. (I did emphasise, perhaps! ). Mr Wenger says asks what is the point of battling to get fourth spot and then losing in the play-offs; he has a point. In the unlikely event that Spurs had been 4th and AFC 5th we would be suffering badly, and yet we do not even bother crowing about it.
Fenerbahce: Don’t know much about them but they have a corruption charge hanging over them which will be resolved after the tie is over – another example of the work of the overpaid lunatics who run the CL. What I do know is that Turkish fans are committed and loud. They will do all they can to make it a torrid night for the Arsenal. Whether their team is good I cannot say, but Turkish football has been improving for many years and in Mereiles they have a decent player.
Arsenal: The fears about our lack of players are somewhat exaggerated; we can raise a decent team though there remains some doubt as to whether Koscielny and Cazorla can play as they got cards last season. Going by the info from other sites it appears that they will start tonight.
My team:
If they play as we all know they can, this team is good enough to win. My fear is that without Arteta we may be porous in defence which could prove costly. An early goal would settle the team and the tie; as such it is important to approach the game in a positive frame of mind and attack from the start.
As always patience and concentration are essentials. I would love to see Wilshere start to boss a game, we know he has the talent and the drive, a touch more fitness and confidence and he will flourish, perhaps tonight is the night.
We have come through hard CL qualifiers before – anyone recall how tough Udinese were? This will be the same with hopefully a similar result.
On a side issue. Had Newcastle agreed to sell Cabaye, would he have been available to play play tonight?
Big Raddy
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Good morning to you all.
BR, your possible starting lineup looks pretty good to me, problem is, as you say, the eligibility of Cazorla and Koscielny. Without them Sagna will move to centre half, Jenkinson to right back, Rosicky to replace Cazorla and Podolski will replace Rosicky.
That still looks a reasonable side but a bit suspect through the middle.
This squad should be experienced enough to cope with a noisy set of home fans, if the all play with commitment and belief they can get a good result to take back to The Emirates.
Morning again.
To answer your question re Cabaye the answer is no as the A and B list had to be submitted last week.
Thanks for the pre match BR. Why did you have to do scare me with talk of Udinese? If Szczesny hadn’t saved the (wrongly awarded) penalty by Di Natale, we would have been out of the CL, and not had players like Mertesacker and Arteta come in, and been worse off financially. We need to the CL this season as well to get the better players to come. I know everyone points to Tottenham and says they have no problem buying, which is true, but it doesn’t change where we are. We need the prestige. All the help w can get basically.
I reckon Podolski will start and Cazorla will be on the bench. And perhaps Jenkinson in place of Sagna if there is any sort of worry about him after his horrendous fall. For the rest, that team looks good, although Wilshere and Ramsey need to work better. We should win today, but then I thought we’d beat Villa, so what do I know.
Prince Paprika
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moneyball
It’s not a long write-up but it explains what Moneyball is about.
Also about Moneyball. Billy Beane, the GM of the Oakland A’s is an admirer of Arsene Wenger. Like Wenger, he has rejected big money offers to go to other clubs and have more money to spend. (Including apparently refusing to join the Liverpool owner’s Boston Red Sox team)
I reckon that’s a pretty strong team, although I share the worries about our levels of concentration in CM.
Just been having a thought about our lack of transfers, and I find it strange how fans, including myself at times, are so desperate to sign absolutely anyone, most of which are players we have never even seen, whilst at the same time demanding that we get rid of all the deadwood from previous shambolic transfer dealings! We just don’t learn lessons at AFC.
Anyway, Moneyball is a great film. I would also recommend a French film called Untouchable. It’s nothing to do with sport, but it’s a brilliant film.
thanks for the pre-match BR. Our midfield duo will need to be more mindful of their defensive duties tonight (more of the Liverpool game when Ramsey played Arteta’s role, not the Villa game).
I’d go with Rosicky down the middle, pod out left, and santi off the bench again.
If Sagna runs out tonight without any issues from that fall then he’s not human.
2-0 to the good guys!!!
Definitely disagree with perhaps being better off without the CL. It’d be disastrous not qualifying for the CL. The prestige, ~30 million dollars incoming, promotes our club, and I don’t want Thursday games with the scum.
Also if we don’t Arsenal supporters will be divided even further
OK I know the likes of Rocky, kelsey et al said no talk of anything other than football, but since yesterday RA put up some articles by Winter and some other seasonal chump about Wenger and agents and negotiations, I would like to reproduce a comment I came across.
“Happened to be listening to TalkShite yesterday evening … but don’t tell anyone! Sky Andrew was being grilled about Wenger and his inability to talk with agents. Sky was unequivocal that Wenger was no different to any other manager at negotiation. He also added that the language used by Pardew was also ‘normal’ transfer speak … it’s just posturing they haven’t kept the interview on their website (suprise surprise!) … the media love to twist every story! This lack of respect started with Holloway over the Zaha transfer … we never bid! Then it’s over to Rodgers and now it’s Pardew. None of whom are due any respect in anycase!”
I don’t know if Talksport had that discussion although I have no reason to doubt it ( It was probably was on the Andy Goldstein show) and I didn’t know who Sky Andrew is, so had a look. He was Sol Campbell’s agent.
I also found an interview with him and I think it makes interesting reading. Especially the part about perception. Which is the issue that I’ve felt would be the cause for conflict between Wenger and the board, if any exists at all.
http://metro.co.uk/2013/07/16/sky-andrew-secrets-behind-the-transfer-window-3885125/
Good Post, Raddish, 🙂
Before commenting can I refer back to a comment made this morning by GIE and others.
The moneyball theory was briefly discussed yesterday as a consequence of the process Arsenal are now alleged to use to calculate the value/cost of a player acquisition.
It first originated in MLB (Baseball) to calculate what player a team needed based on certain co-efficients which will become clear, so if you read the following and imagine its use in football you will get the idea.
When Wenger first managed Arsenal he used the ‘original’ theory of asking scouts to concentrate on 3 issues when evaluating a player, namely Pace, Power and Football Intelligence.
Ashton alluded to the fact that Arsenal now use the ‘moneyball theory’ to decide on who they should buy, and contract a famous American firm to do this for them.
have a read.
Money is a very important aspect in almost every professional sport. In professional baseball, there are large (New York Yankees) and small (Oakland Athletics) market organizations that make important decisions based on their (specific) economic status.
For example, many smaller city market teams, (West Ham?) must spend their money wisely to ensure the best outcome; whereas, a larger city market team (Manure?) has more income that is expendable (Lewis, 2003).
This money spending process originates during the Major League Baseball player draft held each June. The draft process involves fifty rounds of selections by all thirty teams. Each team gathers their general managers, scouts, and professional consultants to decide which players should be drafted.
The higher the draftee the more valuable he is believed to be to the team. Therefore, the procedure to decide which players should be selected earliest is very important (Lewis, 2003).
According to Lewis (2003) there are two main theories that are being used to narrow the selection process.
The first theory is generally considered the “old” scouting theory. Scouts venture out and evaluate players all over the country. They do not pay particular attention to statistics, but rather base decisions on the five tools: speed, quickness, arm strength, hitting ability and mental toughness (Lewis, 2003).
Each scout goes through “scout school” and is given a pamphlet on what should be looked for in certain aspects of baseball, such as arm strength, fielding, running, and the most important hitting. For arm, strength evaluation, scouts are instructed to look for players exhibiting a “fluid arm action and easy release” (Major League Baseball, 2001 p. 10). Furthermore arm strength evaluation is conducted with the assistance of a radar gun.
In the fielding category, “a strong arm and defensive skills can and do carry a player to the major leagues” (MLB, 2001 p. 10). Also, “a live, active lower body, quick feet, agility, instinct, . . . alertness, are some of the qualities that go into the rankings of a major league infielder” (MLB, 2001 p. 10). Running is commonly judged through a timed 60 yard sprint (Baechle & Earle, 2003).
Hitting is the “most difficult of all scouting categories of judgment” (MLB, 2001 p. 11).
When a scout sees a player (with potential) he then gives the player a certain grade. “The evaluated grade of five (5) in any respective category portrays the player as having, or will have, an average skill of major league standards, currently or once he reaches major league competition” (MLB, 2001 p. 14)
The second theory is based on the Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane and is illustrated in a novel by Michael Lewis entitled Moneyball.
The Moneyball theory places no emphasis on the body of the athlete or the physical tools that the athlete possess’ (Lewis, 2003).
This theory illustrates the simplicity of baseball by asking two questions: Does this player get on base? and Can he hit?
According to Lewis (2003), Billy Beane (the inspiration of Moneyball) decided to base his drafting of position players/hitters on certain statistics.
His main two statistics included on-base percentage (OBP) and slugging percentage. These two stats combined to form a new statistic called on-base plus slugging (OPS).
Another differing aspect in Beane’s approach was his lack of emphasis on power (Lewis, 2003). Therefore, Beane believed that power could be developed, but patience at the plate and the ability to get on base could not. Moreover, Beane believed in the notion to select college players who are experienced on a different level than the high school “phenom” who needs to be developed into a player. Beane’s theory was created based on the works of a sabermetrician named Bill James. “Sabermetrics is the mathematical and statistical analysis of baseball records.
So you see, we do not fall fould of Rocky’s discussion criteria today, as ‘moneyball’ is not strictly speaking about money, it is about a form of mathematics developed to help a club choose the best player to meet their needs, and is really a development of the ‘original’ theory, [in football – Pace Power and Football Intelligence]
Now we know! 🙂
BR,
On re-reading your excellent Post, I realize there is nothing more to add. You have covered all aspects, and what we have to do now is hang on, enjoy the ride, and hope for the best.
Game day! European Nights! (European ‘proper’ for those losers in swampland) Arsenal under the bright lights!
Does it get any better? I mean, im so proud to be a gooner and we WILL get through. Failure is just not an option and i have no doubt whatsoever that Arsene will steer this ship home.
Big Raddy,
Cheers to you,sir. Starting a game day without reading your pre-match is just not an option. haha.
In terms of the game and in our general play, i might be alone here (tin hat on) but i just dont see Ramsay and lil Jack playing together. Arsene might field them together and believe they work, but for me i see them two exactly the same as Gerrard and Stevie mee, and to be fair, at times, that combo was painful to watch.
Im going with Dench to start if he is indeed fit. An unlucky injury or two shouldnt have him brandished as poor, ‘reckless’, hopeless, outclassed or any other term ive read on the on the blogs. He could easily take care of Meireles and the ageing dick Kyut. and who better than to PinGpOng Moussa Sow (remember him? won the title with swerve and Azard at Lille)
Anyway, if Frimmers is still wrapped in cotton wool, i guess we have no other choice to start Ramsay and Jack. But then id have to agree with Oz and start Rosa through the middle (limited out wide) with Poldi wide. Rosa was unplayable at times against Villa and reckon he’ll take that form into this game and cause maximum damage and be chief creator. We need finishers on both wings. Poldi edges it over Santi when laid on a plate, where Santi would rather cut in and create.
Whatever the team, i believe they will do us proud.
COYRRG!
@Shard, Thank you. That is certainly going to occupy my mind for a while.
Off to watch the film now…Thanks Ginge .
As an addendum to the moneyball theory explanation above, you might wonder what the big deal is, and why do we pay an expensive American company to work on the statistical analyses.
Well the following formula shows one aspect of the evaluation, and you can imagine that the football version would also be pretty complicated too.
This formula works 90 % of the time and gives a total of the team’s actual scored runs within 5 % (James, 2001).
From this philosophy, Beane developed his own theory.
The only way to score runs is to get on base and since walks are such a vital part of the created runs formula, on-base percentage should be closely monitored. Even though this formula is very accurate, additional steps can be taken to improve the accuracy.
This new formula accounts for the more minute aspects of meaningful baseball statistics. It works off the simple formula:
(A x B)/ C
The A variable adjusts the “on-base” aspect of baseball.
A = hits + walks + hit batsmen – caught stealing – ground into double play (H + W + HBP – CS – GIDP)
The B variable takes into account the advancement of the player.
B = total bases plus .26 times hit batsmen and non-intentional walks, plus .52 times stolen bases, sacrifice hits, and flies (TB + .26(TBB – IBB + HBP) + .52(SB + SH + SF)
The C variable accounts for opportunity.
C = at-bats + total walks + sacrifice hits and flies + hit batsmen (AB + TBB + SF + HBP) (James, 1984 p. 14)
James believed that “figuring the number of runs created is a great tool to evaluate hitters since a hitter’s job is to create runs” (James, 1983 p. 5). Therefore, Beane also placed a major emphasis on what had to be done to create runs and drafted players accordingly.
The difference between these two theories leads to the following questions;
– What are the optimal attributes of the ideal draft pick?
– Are young high school prospects with the ideal 5 physical tools more advantageous to draft than the seasoned college player with high offensive Moneyball statistics?
And that is another story! 🙂
What a relief to get back to match day again with a chance to put the last few days behind us.
With the news Cazorla and kozzer can play, we have a very strong team. I expect nothing less than a draw with an away goal or two, but we should be able to win and silence the hostile home crowd.
Perhaps UEFA would like to look into the orchestrated way their supporters try to unsettle our players in their hotel as well as the match fixing stuff. I understand flares have been let off outside the hotel – funny the police are never around to keep the peace?
You’d have to be a brave fan to go to that away game.
*other
Hi Redders 🙂
YourComment @12.19pm, really interesting. Cheers for that.
This moneyball stuff sounds all well and good for baseball but I don’t see how it can be preferable to the judgement of an experienced individual in football which has so many more variable and parameters……. or am I being naïve?
Rasp,
Uefa will never get involved with the hotel antics. I remember when the Aussies had their final qualifier against Uruguay and they did the same thing. That sort of stuff has been happening for ages.
Maybe you can grab some of your boys from the cricket team and give the Turks a taste of their own medicine when the home leg comes around. 😀
😆 PP So clubs only take responsibility for their fans when in the stadium … outside they can get away with anything? I’m bloody sure that if the same thing had happened in the UK there would be a full scale UEFA investigation.
I’m not denting my lovely bat on a Fenerbahce bonehead … might have to bring a stump along instead 😕
Rasp
You have a point, but if football is harder to quantify in terms of statistics, it’s just because its moneyball moment hasn’t come yet. It will happen, and just like in baseball, the traditionalists will bemoan it.
Redders, do you believe it is the implementation of the moneyball approach that is giving our negotiators little scope to raise our offers above the calculated value generated by the system?
Hi Shard, I’m sorry but I cannot see how they can produce an equation that takes into account other parameters such as the need to compete against other clubs who have strengthened; the likelihood of injuries to other players already in the side, the effect fatigue will have when we don’t even know how long we are to remain in cup competitions and therefore how many games we’ll have to play etc etc
I believe in foresight and I believe in insurance. Using foresight you can legislate for worse case scenarios, but also give yourself the extra that may make the difference if things go well.
We bemoan the use of statistics constantly on here when discussing player performance, well I would treat moneyball with equal suspicion.
Rasp @12.38 pm
Maybe a couple of fire crackers, some loud speakers and borrow some of Chary B’s Slayer records. 😀
Any way, we said we were going to concentrate on the football from now on and not get sidetracked by other issues … so I hope it’s round and bouncy and finds its way into the back of Fenerbahce’s net on multiple occasions this evening 🙂
Rasp,
I agree with you. In baseball most, if not all the players play in one league, in one country. Football is a worldwide sport where players may not be able to settle in certain countries. That’s not to it can’t be a useful guide to filter players ie goals per chances, pass success rates etc
Rasp I believe the Moneyball in football looks at price vs returns. Those returns being statistical and financial.
One wonders whether United have adopted given their bids for Baines and Fellaini which appear light in modern times.
Anyway Matchday, like others the midfield is a concern, if Vermaelen was fit I would seriously consider playing him in the defensive midfield role, so I would also consider Frimpomg.
Considering Monreal is fit and Gibbs used to play Central Midfield in the academy could he be used in the Arteta role this evening?
Rasp
RA obviously understands moneyball (sabremetrics) better than me, and I’m sure he’ll correct me if I’m wrong (or rebuke me for wanting to get a word in if I’m not 🙂 ) but I think the so called moneyball isn’t a system of valuation of talent. Merely of identification.
Good point PP, Chary’s music has a much greater chance of driving them to distraction than a few middle aged blokes in their cricket whites 😀
Thanks GiE and Shard, I shall back away from matters that I don’t understand, except to say that if moneyball is a way of finding the value of a player it must be able to see into the future …. no-one can know.
Rasper, 🙂
I suspect ‘business’ will always be on the look out for a system that will give them an edge.
As I mentioned the term ‘moneyball’ really is a slight misnomer as it stands, and it is used in a similar American (?) phrase ‘he got that right on the money’ simply meaning someone got something spot on.
If, and it is a big ‘if’, Arsenal do use a variation of it, it would be very different to the baseball values, and it would only be part of an overall process. Identify team needs, identify suitable players, identify funding source and return on investment, negotiate and agree a price for said player – or not.
Mind you, it might explain why, when we used ‘Pace Power, and Football Intelligence’ we ended up with a higher proportion of wonderful athletes like Viera, Pirez, Henry and so on, while if we now use moneyball which does not identify those attributes, we end up with small, technically gifted and often slow players, (Arteta?) with more to come (Cabaye, Grumpy and Sneezy?). 🙂
Thanks Redders, I think we were outbid for Grumpy and Sneezy, but apparently Pinocchio has always wanted to play for us 😆
What is this moneyball? The only time i have ever encountered this term is during my school days, when holding my 1978 world cup football some strange man in a mac asked whether i would like some money for my balls.
I got suspicious so asked him who Ally Mcleod was. He replied he didn’t know, but was sure Ally had nice balls to, so I legged it.
Nice write up pre match king. I fully expect us to win tonight. Once again we are been underestimated. We have enough quality and determination to win, and we will.
I like your line up Raddy. Its one that floods the midfield, which essentially plays to our strengths.
2-1 Arsenal
Wenger needs to get his tactics right. We can’t play everybody up. they need to re-adapt the tactics used at the end of the season to get them into this position. Hopefully he’s let bould run the practices.
Wenger has shown he is capable of changing. Let’s hope he sticks to it and not some mis-placed vision.
The problem with the moneyball approach to soccer is that it can’t accurately measure things like heart, leadership, tactical nou or defensive capabilities.
These things are integral to dynamic sports like football, basketball, hockey.
Sabremetrics, as they’re called over here, only tell part of the story. Complete reliance on them is folly.
😆 the cabaye, grumpy, sneezy -pinocchio line is one of the funniest things i have read on this site 😆
It would be folly, wally! 🙂
I am not convinced that we do rely on ‘moneyball’, or even if we use it at all, but it might be used as an additional calculator of how good a player is to try and ensure expensive mistakes are not made.
You never know – maybe as we speak a whole gang of magic dwarfs are whizzing around with tape measures, abacuses (abuci?) etc measuring all aspects of a bunch of new signings.
I wonder if they have given too much priority to certain parts of the anatomy, giving rise to Viera, or ‘Le Grand Saucisse’ as he was called, or Giroud known as ‘La Citrouille? 🙂
…. or Na$ri “la petite quéquette”
No one for Gibbs in central defensive midfield then?
Wally the all up accusation is not really how we played against Villa until we were down to 10 men and 2-1 down chasing the game. We were always going to be exposed.
Where were you lot on this day in 1976? I was at Highbury on Saturday 21st August 1976 to see the opening game of the season against newly promoted Bristol City. We had a new manager – Terry Neill, and a new centre forward, Britain’s most expensive player at the time – SuperMac. We all expected to win at least 6-0 with MacDonald scoring most of them but we lost 1-0!!!
Rasper,
I have had to tell the nurse, on more than one occasion, not to say that to me when she is waving the needle in my general direction.
Danny. I was there – in the North Bank. I was gutted, but enjoyed singing the Supermac song
GIE. I considered it when writing the post. It makes sense to play Gibbs further forward. They must have tried it in training because Gibbs (as you say) is very attack orientated.
I remember there was a big deal about who would partner Supermac. Neill let his old team mate Radford play instead of Stapleton, may have been one of his last games for us.
Neill tried, I mean he signed Lee Chapmam after Stapleton left who was useless, then Charlie Nicholas who was a bit of a Marinello.
The thing is for us older supporters who remember the bleak years of 1974-89, kids who are in their early 20s and younger only know Wenger etc etc
Morning Raddy, It’s good to be reading your pre-match posts as aside from them being great reading it means it’s game day.
Given the events of the Villa game and the uncertainty about Kos and Cazola we will be able to field a strong team.
If your choices end up as AW’s choices then we will have a bench consisting of – Monreal and Jenkinson, Sanogo and Podolski, Fabianski, Frimpong and one other. So all in all not a bad outcome from what looked like a huge problem a few days back.
I’m always fearful of games in Turkey as it is one of the toughest places to play football – but we’ve already experienced the type of “welcome” we will receive and the atmosphere in the grounds so we should be well equipped to handle the pressure.
Win or lose by a small margin an away goal is a critical part of CL play. I sense a determined effort from Arsenal and a 1-0 win.
Danny I was 2 months old in 1976 so a bit young to be seeing that particular game. Remember pics of Chapman in an Arsenal kit but not him playing….he turned out a decent footballer in the end I guess. A reasonably long time in the game.
Charlie was probably my first hero maybe because of that goal and beating the Ian Rush hoodoo…..how wildly we celebrated the League Cup Win.
Danny. I recall Lee Chapman getting pushed and falling very badly onto the gravel/sand in front on the East Stand. He got a badly gashed face and there was crimson everywhere., but the lad played on.
I liked him. Not a very good player but always did his best.
Charlie Nicholas on the pother hand was a huge disappointment to me. Arriving as the best CF ever to play in Scotland, we expected great things of him. Instead he lived up to his nickname of Champagne Charlie (and the charlie was rumoured to be in powder form). He had the talent but wasted it – much like Nik Bendtner.
I agree the Turkish support has a well earned reputation of intimidatory.
I was surprised they haven’t taken their full allocation for the home leg and as such there are a lot of seats available above the Fenerbache fans at the Emirates.
Older supporters who remember 1974? Your’e only callow youths, if you can’t remember the 40s and 50s. 😀
Well at least Big Raddy and I didn’t have to suffer the depressing Arsenal years between 1954 – 1969, well that’s not quite true, we do remember the classic Swindon fiasco……
Reminds me of Bruce Forsyth describing the Rolling Stones as kids at Glastonbury recently!
GIE,
I’d say the all up was what led to the penalty/goal. Cazorla lost it and ablonghar ran half the field against no one. Kos was left 1v1. Where was ramsey, wilshere or sagna? too far up!
Look at that team up there and tell me where would the new spud signings fit in, don’t talk about cover and don’t talk rotation those spuds are good enough to demand regular first team football which they will get in N17. My point is that Wenger is right once again “we have quality at the club”. Lusting after spud signings is wrong on so many levels.
Here’s a link to a player by player analysis of the Fenerbahce team.
http://www.turkish-football.com/news_read.php?id=5047
LB – Approximately 375 million people speak English as their first language. How many of them would have a clue what you meant by “Lusting after spud signings is wrong on so many levels”. Not many is my guess 🙂 🙂
Good prematch Raddy, thank you very much. Do the Turks have ANY good players?
We have agreed not to talk about those matters LB so I can’t respond.
Evonne, follow my link above to decide whether they have any good players.
Rasp – you are brilliant! You’ve answered my question even before I asked it 🙂
😆 just call me psychic evonne
Danny,
1954 – 1969 were indeed bleak years in our history that a lot of today’s supporters could not possibly understand or indeed live with. If they were are fans back then Avenell Road would have been turned into a war zone!
Over that 16 year period 5 different managers managed to “achieve” this record –
Trophies zero.
Played 672.
Won 273.
Drew 163.
Lost 236.
Goals For 1147
Against 1095
Difference 52
Average position 8.9
Highest position 3rd.
Lowest position 14th.
% of Points won 52.75.
Compare that combined 16 year record with AW’s 16 years and it’s easy to see why I am a HUGE supporter.
Dirk Kuyt, now he was a good player in his day. They are much older than our lads with a few extremely young players. High tempo from start to finish should wear them out nicely
ok, psychic Rasp – what result do you predict for tonight?
Well said LB. There signings are a bit QPRish to me.
I have examined there squad and found some of there players to be a bit shit and others ok but close to shit.
They buy without thinking. Were as Arsene spots potential and future greatness.
Rasp , I think you should stick with being called Rasp, Psychic Evonne has all the wrong connotations. 😀
2:1 to the Arsenal evonne…… or possibly a nervy 0:0 to make it more tense in the home leg 🙄
🙂 NG, I’ve been called a lot worse recently
Mind you Rasp, a comma between psychic and Evonne would make all the difference.
Norfolk ?? 🙂 ??
I’d prefer 2:0 to us, but with the Polaks in goal 2:1 wouldn’t be bad. I am nervous as hell, going to wash my car to kill the time
You should here what i call you behind your back Rasp. hahaha
By the way I found yesterday’s comments about how we should conduct ourselves on AA to be extremely respectful and showed a high degree of understanding of the issue’s and a level of civility that I cannot envisage occurring on any other site.
We are all human so I’m sure that from time to time we will fall back into the rhetorical trap but the expressed feelings and opinions make me feel proud to be an AA blogger.
Three cheers for all of the participants.
I guess it would probably be one of the following TMHT:
Dreamboat?
Man of my dreams?
Mr. Perfect?
Stallion?
…. sorry, that was bad timing after GN5’s much more worthy comment 😕
Rasp,
How did you know that my wife regularly uses all those names for me? 😀
Evonne
They know who they are.
NG, she’s not talking about you 😳
Hi this won’t be a easy game the Turks are very imitating and it will be hostile and hot.
Also they don’t have a bad squad,and they like to play rough,
Turkey I’ve been there twice and hated it as the Turks are awfull people and treat the Europeans like dogs,
Come on arsenal.
Much love
Sheep Hagger ™
hahaha, something like that Rasp.
I do shout “Beautiful Terry, magnificent stud” when i stare at a mirror though. Its caused some confusion in public loos, but its hard to control.
2-2 tonight with Theo to score first. 60-1! Fingers crossed.
Danny. You would be amazed how us old – uns looked forward first to Saturday’s and then Tuesdays under the floodlights when we would gather at Highbury to meet our Arsenal mates, who had got to know each other by always standing in the same positions on the terraces every game. What a diverse mob we were, apprentices, students, guys from the city, including Lloyd’s Underwriters and the one we all envied an Empire games athlete who played, with a well known fellow athlete a lady affectionately know as the Randy Mare.
We suffered at the hands of our team who didn’t win much. the Spuds even did the double. but boy when that first trophy came did we enjoy ourselves and Fairs Cup Night that Jonny Sammels goal is engraved on every true Gooners heart.
DD. As is Ray Kennedy rising like a salmon and heading in at the far post. Was it the Park Lane End or the Paxton?
Park Lane……….ooh, now I am doubting, what is the end that Arsenal supporters sit in now? It was that end, anyway.
Not that long to go before the match. So let’s say a little prayer as we remember God.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/an-audience-with-god?
LB. That helps a lot 🙂
Excellent pre-match BR
Can we assume that you have decided not to go for a “theme” with your pre-matches this season? 😦
Nice pre-match, BR.
I think Kennedy scored at the Paxton because the TV camera gantry was just above the shelf and so the Paxton would be to your right and Park Lane to the left.
How about epic beards from history as a theme? 🙂
Evening all – just wish the game would kick off and we could get underway…hate waiting!
Yeah, it was the paxton
ive been every were in there ground. Armed only with a picture of Sir Henry Norris i took the Shelf on my own, thousands on the run.
Unfortuniately one of them tripped me up and the picture of Sir Henry fell on the floor leaving me at there mercy
Luckily for me, i just managed to take out of my pocket a picture of John Pratt. This shook them up as they realised there plight, leaving me just enough time to make a quick exit
Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker (c), Koscielny, Gibbs, Wilshere, Ramsey, Rosicky, Cazorla, Walcott, Giroud
Feel quite calm about the game tonight, although I think that’s because a) I’ve had a few shandies, and b) it can’t be any worse than Saturday! Can it…!?
Apart from Arteta that is our first XI. Where’s the crisis!? Oh, I forgot Arteta is key to us having balance and structure!
In this game it wont matter Ginge. We will crowd the midfield and control enough of the ball to win,
I’d like to see Walcott play just off Giroud instead of out wide … not going to happen though is it?!
I think you may be right TMHT. With Cazorla tucking in we should be able to control possession pretty well. Just hope we perform.
TEAM NEWS: Cazorla returns to team
Arsène Wenger has recalled Santi Cazorla to his side for Wednesday’s Champions League play-off first-leg against Fenerbahce in Istanbul.
The Spanish playmaker replaced the injured Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in midfield, with Wenger naming an otherwise unchanged team.
Elsewhere, Nacho Monreal returns to the squad.
Team in full: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Ramsey, Wilshere, Rosicky, Cazorla, Walcott, Giroud
Substitutes: Fabianski, Jenkinson, Monreal, Frimpong, Gnabry, Podolski, Sanogo
Copyright 2013 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted
Typical one referee protecting another referee – 3 brass monkeys come to mind!
………………………………………………………………………………
Former Referee Dermot Gallagher Insists Anthony Taylor Got Big Decisions Correct During Arsenal Defeat to Aston Villa
Former referee Dermot Gallagher has twisted the knife in Arsenal’s side by claiming that Saturday’s match official Anthony Taylor got the major talking points correct, talkSPORT reports.
Taylor awarded two penalties to Aston Villa during their 3-1 conquest of the Emirates, one of which resulted in a red card for Gunners defender Laurent Koscielny, though he spared goalkeeper Wojcieh Szczesny his marching orders.
Gallagher highlighted that the Polish stopper didn’t warrant a red card for bringing down Villa speed demon Gabriel Agbonlahor by saying; “If you’re going to send somebody off, then it’s got to be absolutely clear and obvious and that wasn’t.”
When asked if Koscielny was unlucky to concede Arsenal’s second spot kick, leading to his first yellow card, Gallagher admitted it was a tough call to make, but added that from Taylor’s view it looked like a penalty and in those instances you have to go with what the referee’s decision.
Taylor has subsequently been dropped for any Premier League action this weekend as his decisions baffled all involved. Arsenal feel as though a red card should have been shown to Villa skipper Ron Vlaar for a second bookable offence, but the Dutchman was spared.
GN5
I think you should know, that, at least until a little while back, (I think 2012? not sure) Dermot Gallagher was an employee of the Premier League’s own in-house TV channel. That might still be the case. So he’s not just a referee protecting another referee. he’s an employee doing his job protecting his employer’s ‘product’.
Also, Anthony Taylor has not been dropped at all. He’s 4th official at the Crystal Palace game (vs Stoke?) 3 other referees from matchday 1 are 4th officials in matchday 2.
Hi I’ve Two Swansea fans in my bungalow watching this game.
Come on Arsenal
Sheepy
Is that a euphemism?
No chas pal this won’t be easy
Merson and Nicholas……sometimes I’m glad I smoke 😀
Are the jacks supporting Fenerbahce?
Knuckles says he does not know what euphemism means lol
Perhaps TA6 and the Merse would make a good replacement management team? Alan Smith as team psychologist?
Ive got two friends round to Sheepy, but there handcuffed in my celler.
If we win i will buy them a chinese takeaway. If we lose, i will go down there with my cloak, cane, and Arsene Wenger mask. hahaha
Knuckles maybe thinks it’s Uefamism. Tell him we all send our love.
Is your bungalow spacious?
Hello to you all from the sunny greek islands. Actually not really as there is an apocolyptic storm coming in off the sea as i write. Anyway nice write up raddy and i will sign off now to cheer on the mighty arsenal accompanied by a carafe of greek red wine.
Yes chas I’ve four bedrooms and a dog
You must have a big one, sheepy.
I thought mers talked well earlier
Kit looks weird. 😦
Red and white shirts and dark shorts looks weird.
Yes I do if I was in London be worth over a million but ha it’s in Swansea
Snaperooni
Blue shorts are we the spuds in drag
I think he talked well, too.
Emre, Kuyt and Meireles….not a bad trio
I went to turkey one a camel tried to shag me
Chelsea one villa 0
Santi is playing well so far, really well.
Lively start, need to find a goal to make pressure count.
Not sure we are that balanced on the left.
Emre loves a dive. We have to be careful
playing all over them. By the looks of it BR a few of them love a dive…we know kuyt does
Knuckles thinks their keeper looks like a fat BORAT
Knuckles
So far so good, Fenerbahce are showing no ability to go forward. We need to take advantage of our possession while the going is good.
Bloody Webo. Kozzer always cops a whack by opposition players
What I would give for us to sign a striker with clever movement in and around the box. Suarez, Huntelaar etc
Giroud gives us a lot, but beating a CB with clever movement over a short distance isn’t one of his attributes.
Seems like his suspension won’t matter anyway 😦
How’s your luck?
Big cut I bet he’s goes off head bleed bleeds
That looks like stitches! An away goal and we should have no problem over 2 legs against these.
@ The artist formerly known as SLIM
Agreed. I think it’d bring the best out of Santi too
FFS another man down
Wenger telling Webo off! Hilarious!
Definitely Oz, although all our midfielders can pick passes. Looking for Theo all the time becomes too predictable.
Fenerbahce are a poor side we need to take advantage before their coach gets at them at half time.
I wish all Giroud’s first touches were as good as when he’s picking goalkeeper kicks out of the air!
Theo is beginning to drive me to distraction.
I don’t understand why a player who so often fails to deliver the perfect final ball, complains do much when he doesn’t receive a perfect pass.
Am liking Ramsey’s performance…..and it reminds us how long we will have to wait for Jack to find his pre injury ability.
@ Slim
true, I do think Rosicky is the best exponent of the outside of the boot pass.
@ GiE
Ramsey has been great. It was always going to work out for him with his dedication and huge engine
Quite like BFG on the left of defence makes me feel more secure knowing Gibbs is on his side with pace to help him. And if you think about it Koz on right would help Bacary more who doesn’t have the speed he used to.
We are carrying Theo at the moment. He has to be braver with the ball and take on his FB.
Santi and Ramsey excellent.
I would take a 0-0 but doubt we can keep a clean sheet, so we need to score to be relaxed in the home tie.
That said this is much better than Saturday
Good first half from us.
I don’t have too much of an issue with Theo. he looks uninterested at times, but I would rather he saved his energy for when he can burn a defender and score/assist. He’s been tracking his man defensively and if he gets the right service and makes the right run he’s always got goals in him. I wouldn’t go as far as to say he’s a luxury player, but he’s definitely someone who will impact the game in short spurts.
Watching earlier I was thinking about whether we could play without Theo or how to get best out of him, and I think it’s on left wing cutting in on his right, so that presents the question who to stick on the right and I wondered given his lack of fitness whether it wouldn’t be a good place for Jack to re acclimatise to the pace of first team football without the worry of the central midfield battle.
That presently leaves Rambo, Rosickyand Santi as midfield three which would be useful.
GIE. Pace is the problem with JW though I understand your reasoning. Plus JW is at his best when mixing it.
The problem is that as FGG says Theo is not a luxury player -he is an essential player to the team. When he plays well the whole team does.I just want him to be braver
And smarter BR. Those are the 2 things he lacks to be different class.
Gibbsy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great play Rambo
Fantastic play from Ramsey
Gibbs yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees nice ball across by Theo as well
Huge away goal.
Ramsey on the other hand is as smart as they come! What a ball.
so close!
Can’t fault the bravery of this team. Copping hits left, right and centre
If Bob Wilson had been kicked in the face he wouldn’t have called for the medics. Good save though from TPIG.
I don’t mind Sagna being 4th choice CB but I don’t think he’s good enough in the air against proper CF’s. against wingers, who are usually smaller, fine, but big CF’s like Lukaku, Carroll etc he would get found out.
Rambo has been our MOTM so far
agreed slim. Sagna found the going tough against Lukaku last season, and that was when he was playing out wide for only a part of the game. Although, his leap is something else and I think our high line would save him from the one on one tussles for the ball
AR…i do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cracking strike son…..get in
100% deserved for Rambo
Sheepskin saved the day go on the welsh man
Fantastic from Ramsey
Off now sheep are running around Swansea see u all soon
He’s making a lot of Arsenal supports who labelled him as deadwood eat some humble pie!!!! love it. He’ll be the first name on the team sheet soon enough
He’s a local lad give him time he be the new cese
I was thinking the same Oz. I am proud to have always been his biggest fan. When he broke his leg I wrote dozens of Get Well Soon cards and asked family and friends to send it him from all different countries, so he would know he is popular and loved. I am glad I did that 🙂
Evening all – I don’t want to bock the result so I’m just going to ask who wants to write a post for tomorrow ………be back after the game 😉
** correction – he didn’t brake his leg, he had it broken by a pig
I’d like to see Pod come on for OG who is looking tired
very well played Evonne! I did too but he knocked back my proposal, think it’s time to retry (unless he reads AA then he can respond to my previous comment @ 9.07).
His come back showed how switched on he is. With that sort of mind set I think he was always going to develop into the player we hoped he would.
Fener are getting closer to scoring – too close.
Seriously:
Well taken
what are you on about GN5 🙂
Lovely penalty from OG.
Ripper wasn’t it Big Daddy. Save that!!!
that’s brill Irish, what a div 🙂
how long before the tweet of a twat is removed?
I’ve it saved for posterity Evonne 🙂
Have Red Tops ever been known to blush?
well done 🙂 stupidity has no borders
So Theo plays well for the second half and we score 3. More of the same please
That’s group stage done and dusted – now le chequebook out please
15 minutes ago I was waiting with eight people for our fish to arrive in a restaurant in Italy.
Then Oscar shouts “Dad, the games on in the bar”
The fish is getting cold
Up the bloody Gunners
Back with you all soon B-)
they didn’t sit on 1 goal difference. We have seen too many times our team scoring an early goal and then slacking until they get behind.
3 goals up and still trying, that’s the right way to do the business.
Le chequebook 🙂 S’il vous plait Arsene xx
A great Arsenal performance. I was worried we would lack balance and structure, but Ramsey and Wilshere were excellent in keeping the midfield tight. Great result, although it has to be said that Fener were shite! Take nothing away though from a commanding performance.
Highlight for me was the midfield 4. Great to see Rosicky and Wilshire put in 90+ solid minutes, and the other two ran the game.
Lovely stuff.
Great win. ‘Le Cheque book’ …I like it!!!
Well done lads, CL here we come!
Ramsey man of the match without question.
Honourable mentions to Szczesny with some good saves, TR7 as he looks to be the leader in the top half of the pitch doesn’t appear to get frustrated and encourages those around him, and a much better second half by Theo.
Torres left out of the squad for Chavs tonight…..movement soon or injured?
Very impressive professional performance in Istanbul.
Well done Jenks, Gibbs and Ramsey. but the whole team deserve a lot of credit. Shame about Koscielny, another body down.
Let’s hope they’re not too drained for the lunchtime game at Fulham on Saturday.
If we can gather some momentum we’ll be in good shape for the NLD.
Apparently Kozzer has a fractured skull??? Hope it’s just a bad rumour
They can’t know that already can they??? An x-ray in under an hour
Yes!! Well done the Arsenal. A good performance. Ramsey. Great pass for the first goal, and knew when to shoot rather than pass for his goal. A little worrying on the defense. Kos, poor fellow always seems to get hit in the head. Hopefully, he’ll be fine. Sagna did well, but Fenerbahce had quite a few chances. We’ll need to be better than that against Fulham (and kickoff has been moved to early Saturday so fatigue will be a factor)
A word also for the referee. Should have been red for the kick to Kos, but apart from that, I liked that he kept excessive physicality in check. Quick to dish out yellow cards when needed and this kept the game flowing.
So, now what? As we were 2-0 up, I was wanting a 3rd goal, because I’m hoping it now strengthens our hand in persuading our targets to join us before the 28th. Le Cheque book as everyone’s saying. A much better mantra, and much more politely put than the other chants 🙂
Very enjoyable nights football (apart from the Chav result where AV denied a penalty – why couldn’t that have happened on Saturday?)
Good night from a happy Gooner
Irish,
Twitter said on Saturday that Chamberlain had to have his leg removed.
https://twitter.com/RoamingLibero/status/370289076349698048
Arsene just said Kozzer in hospital to check for broken bones.
Seemed quite innocuous at the time and just a cut, hopefully just a precaution.
Great performance and a result which should definitely help us finalise transfers. A GK (Guaita £20m+!?), CB (Williams £10m+ for a 29 year old 4th choice!?) DM (Cabaye £20m could be turned into an Arteta type but far too expensive) and a ST (anyone’s guess!) are needed, but hopefully the examples I’ve given are not the ones!
Hopefully we can get back on track against Fulham and strengthen with the desired quality rather than quantity in time for Spurs. Going to be an interesting 2 weeks, especially now we’ve added another £30m to the ever increasing bank balance!
I love a good crisis!!!
Very good performance
When Jack, OX and Jenks reach the level of improvement shown by Theo, Ramsey, and Gibbs we will have a very very good side.
Throw in the odd signing, and we will be chalanging the big boys sooner than some people think
Just the result we needed, well done the Arsenal. Ramsey was very impressive and a good solid performance all round. Turkey is never an easy place to go to. Lets’ use this morale booster and go for the three points at Fulham and kick start our PL season. Wenger is saying all the right things about bringing in players so we will see what happens. I believe achieving the group stages of the CL will put several things into motion. The next 10 days will be very interesting.
Great performance from the boys. We are only 2-3 key signings away from a top challenging squad in my opinion but i am still slightly concerned as to whether we will do the business (in the tw window) or be left as the almost but noy quite team again.
I get the impression that buying a player for Arsenal at the moment is like me buying a brand new car. Wenger knows that the prices are inflated by the likes of PSG, City, Real etc being in the market, add to that this FFP change that Wenger is a believer in, and he knows that whatever he pays for a player right now he will lose 30% as soon as that player is taken off the forecourt! Sometimes though you’ve just got to bite the bullet and get the business done. If the player is good enough then he will get his money’s worth.
FGG I think we need to aim a bit higher than the players you mention otherwise there wasn’t a lot of point waiting around for the CL status.
Good seeing Monreal back tonight gives us options on the left flank.
Very good point by TMHT about the progression of Gibbs, Theo and Rambo. A couple of seasons ago Gibbs would always make first touch and close off his passing options down the channel, nowadays he plays much more open stance.
Well apparently the Telegraph says we’re going for Benzema for 40m (perhaps allowing Suarez to go there for the same?)
I still think there is something CL related to Suarez’s clause. The PFA statement said it doesn’t oblige Villa to sell. Not whether that would remain the case if Arsenal qualify for the CL.
Liverpool!!! Not Villa.. Sheesh.. I wonder where that came from. Evonne, maybe I shouldn’t watch matches twice anymore.
https://twitter.com/thearsenal49ers/status/370291781516025856
Totally agree GiE. Will be interesting to see how many players we get in.
If all players are fit then we have a very good squad. Just needs a couple of star additions and a utility defender and it could be a great squad.
Swindon at Wembley!! My worst ever day in football!!! I was gutted!!!!
Great performance by the boys, yes Fener were pretty poor but we looked several classes above them.
Ramsey comfortably MotM and nice to see Jenks put in a confident performance.
The yellow for Sz was a joke. He made some good saves and was brave coming out.
I have a feeling that the spuds could easily become the next Leeds if they don’t sell Bale. Their wage bill must be fantastic and they only have that little pisspot of a ground.
Goodnight all, it’s speciality sausage time.
Peaches, Rasp
There is a short summary in drafts should you need.
Great stuff LB, thanks
Question…given this match result in Turkey, is it possible that the Fenerbahce appeal would be expedited, and if they lose the appeal, will they even play the second match of the tie? Hope they don’t play — need the rest prior to the NLD.
And what a day for live footie in the US. Arsenal, Chelsea, Schalke, and Zagreb/Wien all on simultaneously, and now have first leg of Spanish Super Cup (Barca/AtMadrid) on live. DO NOT MISS replay of David Villa’s goal for Atletico; fabulous buildup, otherworldly strike!
Interesting statements from Arsene after the game.
Suarez transfer is definitely dead.
Transfer Window starts now as holidays, manager changes etc mean clubs don’t show their hands until now.
Will be a lot of action in next 10 days.
Neamann, no way they would spend £100m without Bale being sold. Will be gone next week. Would be funny if Real pulled out but probably already complete.
Hahaha. Speaking of Spurs’ wage bill.
“Emmanuel Adebayor is refusing to be forced out by Tottenham, who want to continue their summer spending by bring in another new forward.
The 29-year-old striker, who scored only five league goals for the White Hart Lane club last season but has three years left on his on £170,000-a-week contract.”
Sack the manager!
Sack the Board!
I feel sorry for all those poor journo hacks who had their “club in crisis” stories already written in the expectation of a bad result tonight.
Alright, no I don’t 🙂
So Chelsea win with an Ivanovic offside goal. Scored after he should have been sent off for an elbow, for which he was given a yellow, meaning no further action. And then Villa were denied a penalty when John Terry handled on the line, meaning he escaped a red, and a 1 game suspension. So the 3 points gifted to Villa (yes I know they did some work) have already been taken back, while Chelsea reap the benefits.
Sounds like a typical EPL game Shard
Morning.
As the commentator said:
Reasons to be Cheerful one two three.
Though not perfect a really good response from the team regardless of the opposition..
What pleased me most was to see Ramsey have a shot from just outside the box and though the keeper should have saved it,he didn’t and that gave us the cushion and the players became more relaxed.
More shooting by others wouldn’t go amiss.
Jenkinson seemed far more mature being less nervous and Szsney was alert with two fine saves towards the end.
Cazorla is still finding his fitness which is understandable but improved from Saturday. Jack is still nowhere near fit and he has to be used sparingly and that is a concern
.
What a dreadful injry to Kos,to which we still don’t kow the extent and to me that was a straight red card for dangerous play.
The pressure is off for a few days but to me it is still shows we lack at least two quality players to strengthen the squad, one being a striker and the other an enforcer, and at a push a mentor in goal.
Hopefully the players will have had a morale boost from that win and now with the tie practically over I expect a frantic transfer run in by us and Chelsea and United.
Shard I guess that’s what managers mean by things balancing themselves out over the season.
Watching Sky’s coverage of the game last night I was surprised how enthusiastic Charlie Nicholas was about Giroud, Theo and Ramsey. Merse on the other hand was keen to focus on Fener’s poor play. Thing is they were no mugs, had a good few opportunities. We controlled the game for the most part and stamped our authority on it.
There are still things to improve upon. But started to see an understanding build between Santi and Jack which didnt happen last year. Oli puts in a tireless performance prepared to work hard for little personal gain.
And I could pur over Ramseys pass to Theo all day….it was so good to see him take time. Really was starting to remind me of Cesc watching him last night seeming to find time on the ball even when pressured.
And I really liked that in the 85th minute we were hunting in packs to win back possession.
If I was Ian Holloway i’d take a video of the Chelsea Villa match to my hearing and ask them to show him why he is wrong.
Morning GIE, have I upset you as well 🙂
Two really good and very interesting summaries Kelsey and GIE.
Que? I was typing my response before you had posted then went off to watch Chelsea Villa highlights.
Like you I am concerned about Jack, he hasn’t rediscovered that five yard burst that served him so well, lets hope he can as it is the best part if his game for us.
You know how highly sensitive i am GIE 🙂 and thanks LB
Shard
Following on from your 10.42.
I agree, I reckon there is something in Suarez’s contract about CL football, it also makes sense I think to ask, why would he leave if we don’t have it? From an outsiders point of view I doubt they see much difference between the two clubs without it.
This is probably all wishful thinking as he remains, transfer target wise, my number one choice.
Still warm from last night (and today’s lovely weather here in the North)
Did AW say the Suarez deal is dead? I see from the BBC that he did!
Could we really be after two RM players? I know AW is an admirer of Benzema.
Why on earth would we sign Williams to sit on the bench for the remainder of his career? We have two injured CB’s, get them fit and we have enough cover – though the loaning of JD and
Miquel indicates there will be a CB signing.
ooops
Morning All !
Good Morning.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8yL6hNp2yI
Morning 🙂
All this bale talk .
I told you lot ages ago about Ramsey no one listened to me .
He’s going to be a class player my Cardiff mates were gutted when they sold him and a bargin at 6 mill they told me .
He gets stick on here off some of you big time.
Hope his performance last night shuts a few up on here.
#welshwizzard
From the only Welshman that’s a gunner
Sheep hagger™
Off to jail with my head held up high
Have a good day
Sheep
Morning all, a very sunny day even though its raining 😛
Like GiE, I thought the weight of pass from Ramsey to Theo was perfection but also credit to Theo for the timing of his run and his initiation of the move – it just goes to show how players need time to build an understanding. If that telepathy can develop between Santi, Ramsey, Theo and Jack, it bodes very well for us.
Morning all, cheers for the early morning comments Kelsey and GiE.
Still buzzing from the win, still over the moon for Ramsey.
chas, if you’re about, are you going to be supplying me with the assists info this season … please 🙂
To contrast the situation with Dermot Gallagher and his views on Anthony Taylor’s performance (Is he paid-per-view?) , there stands Mark Halsey, who refused to sign a 50k pound severance package that comes with a confidentiality clause on all matters of refereeing. I don’t remember Halsey ever giving me the impression he has an agenda on the field. I remember him (correctly) overturning his decision to award a penalty to Fulham during our 49 game run, and then explaining to the TV cameras why he’d done it. He wants the referees to be able to talk to the media, and for football to employ technology. Most referees want technology. The fact that it is resisted by the ones in charge should lead to some serious questioning.
Apologies to start the day after a victory with talk of referees (by the way, that was a good refereeing performance yesterday) but it is something of a bugbear of mine, and i feel it should be talked about more than it is.
Article on Halsey
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/10241021/I-wish-I-could-have-given-my-explainations-for-that-tackle-says-former-Premier-League-referee-Mark-Halsey.html
Rasp
Do we count the person winning a penalty as providing an assist?
Benzema and Di Maria would be brilliant signings and would make sense in that Madrid could potentially fund both Bale and Suarez transfers. It’s a win win win situation for us!
In reality though, I would be very surprised if we got even 1 of those 2.
As regards Williams, the lad is 29 years old and is way overpriced at £10m. He would love to come to us because it means a bumper contract for his remaining years. Personally I would look at Sakho at PSG who is about 23, has a year on his contract and will be wanting 1st team opportunities to make sure he gets in the WC squad. Can’t say I’ve seen much of him, but if he’s only £10m and Liverpool want him then he can’t be any worse than Williams!
Hi Shard, I believe we do, and I’d certainly credit Theo for Giroud’s goal. I leave it up to chas, I believe he goes to an official site to verify who gets the assists.
I’m not going to put the widgets up just yet as there isn’t enough info in them (and it doesn’t look great 😦 ) but I’ll keep my figure work up to date for the timebeing.
Rasp,
Theo for Gibbs
Theo pen for Giroud
Wilshere for Rambo
Thanks fgg, and who gets the assist for Giroud’s goal against villa?
Don’t like this talk of Podolski leaving. We need strength in numbers, i dont want us to be simply swapping players.
Ox
Morning all
Thank you LB …………. New Post ………………
fgg and Rasp
It’s up to whoever puts up the widget but I don’t like penalties counting as assists, and I don’t think every goal should be defined as being assisted. Wilshere should not get the assist for Ramsey’s goal in my opinion.
But that’s a a small matter. Just my opinion.
Shard, I manage all the widgets and use the official stats where available
Fenerbahce. A win starts our season. |
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