To be quite honest I had absolutely no idea which country PFC Ludogorets Razgrad came from until I started writing this. Bulgaria is the answer and I sincerely hope my appalling ignorance and downright lack of awareness is not matched by the manager and team of Arsenal Football Club.
Looking at Ludogorets’ record in the Champions League, their biggest home win was 1-0 v Basel in 2014 and their biggest away defeats were both 4-0 to Basel (again) and Real Madrid (both in 2014). At present their biggest away win is …… non-existent. A continuation of that record for another few days would be great. (n.b. they’ve only been in the group stage once before) .
Razgrad itself is in north-east of the country and a couple of Bulgaria’s famous landmarks have parallels with landmarks in England.
First there is the Bulgarian Icarus statue.
According to legend, the man known as the “Bulgarian Icarus” was also a builder. Apparently a Turkish Sultan survived a terrible disaster, so he decided to build a mosque in Edirne in gratitude to God. At that time, Bulgaria was part of the Ottoman Empire. So, the Sultan summoned the most famous builder and this was Bulgarian, Manol. He worked for seven years and constructed a miraculous temple. After it was completed, the Sultan asked him: “Can you build a more beautiful mosque than this one?” and Master Manol replied: “One always has more to learn. Maybe I made some mistakes here that I will avoid in the future and I will be able to build an even more majestic temple.” Hearing this, the ruler ordered that Manol be shut in one of the mosque minarets until his last breath. The inventive craftsman, however, managed to create another miracle – he designed himself wings made of wood. And one day, the people in Edirne saw a huge flying creature soaring in the sky and heading home to Thrace. In this way, Master Manol managed to save his life and turned into a favourite hero in Bulgarian folk tales and songs.
This tale reminded me of the Angel of the North statue when some Geordies launched an enormous Alan Shearer shirt over its shoulders.
Whilst the statues have similarities, Master Manol and Mr Shearer are almost polar opposites, one an educated and erudite craftsman builder and the other a football pundit.
The second parallel is between the beautiful Razgrad clock tower and our own clock tower at Highbury Barn.
Team News
It would appear Rambo and Ollie G. are continuing to train alone. I’d imagine Granit will start due to a soon-to-be enforced absence from the Prem and EFL Cup (cheers, J. Moss).
It appears we emerged unscathed from the Swansea game so perhaps the team isn’t likely to be changed to any significant degree. Perhaps Kieran Gibbs could get a game after Nacho’s run around on Saturday. Oh, and Oooooooooooo-spiiiiiiiii-naaaaa may get the goalkeeper jersey.
‘Complacency’ seems to be the watchword for everyone with regards to this game. Theo and Shkodran have both issued warnings to their teammates to be on their guard against assuming it will be an easy and straightforward 3 points. Each and every player has to be thinking the same, especially after escaping by the skin of our teeth against Swansea.
Note…. Big Raddy is currently on manoeuvres in Ireland and without pre-match writing facilities. Thankfully this hiatus from normality will only be fleeting.
P.S. we need a nickname or shortened version of Shkodran. Any suggestions?
Written by chas
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
It just struck me that maybe my attention was drawn to Icarus because the tale could be used as a metaphor for our CL campaign history.
Perhaps this season the wax won’t melt. 🙂
Call him Sh
Bloody hell, Chas, this is brilliant. Too early, but brilliant. Love the builder stuff. Superb.
Massive thank you, as I was bracing myself given no-one else can be arsed
Agree gloves for Ospina and other than that, I can’t see Arsene making any changes to his First XI
Personally, I’d rest Santi today, and ensure Lucas gets 20 mins so that he can start to give Sanchez the odd breather starting on saturday
My very favourite part of your post is the second parallel “between the beautiful Razgrad clock tower and our own clock tower at Highbury Barn”
They ARE towers and they DO HAVE clocks 🙂 🙂
However, I really like your idea of drawing parallels between two things where really none exist 🙂
ps Chas
Brilliant work on Stanford Bridge
m
Copied from wiki
“Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe, centered on the modern borders of Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey. In antiquity, it was also referred to as Europe, prior to the extension of the term to describe the whole continent.”
Ohh..alright perhaps it’s not a kebab
very, very good post, thank you chas. Did you write it or was it a copy and paste little job?
you are so right about being complacent, we got some kicking for this sin in the past. But today with all the good will from the lazy and the not caring, we cannot lose, not possible. They are shite.
shkodran – Kod? 🙂
I love the story about Bulgarian Ikarus. My horrible uncle is an artist and a carpenter by trade. My brother had to produce a model of Ikarus for his history summer homework (otherwise the teacher would fail him and he would have to repeat the whole year). My uncle stepped in and made a beautiful working model of Ikarus. The bloody teacher never gave it back to my brother, took it home, the cow.
ant – you are up early today, trying to catch an early worm?
Great photos. @8:18 – the Ems are not so flat, are they?
I am up early to cut the grass for the last time before Winter and have a great day watching the Arsenal again.
I am no photographer but I think the flattening of the Ems pic is called artistic licence Eddie.
I give the grass the last cut yesterday 🙂 But according to Peaches I have the wrong lawn – fast growing variety which will give me nothing but trouble 😦
are you not heading south today?
artistic licence – anything can past as art – Emin’s filthy bed and now Hamilton’s arse. I am glad me is not artistic
Thanks for that Chas.
It’s odd playing a team you haven’t got a clue about.
You are artistic Eddie, everyone of your comments is a work of art 🙂
Excellent towering and educational PM – thanks chas.
We are united in our ignorance re Bulgaria 🙂
GD could be a decider as to who tops the group so I hope we don’t go 2 up in the first half and take a rest in the second.
We could call the 2 CBs Lauren and Stafi?
LB
You’re good at team selection stuff, what, if any, changes do you expect from AW
2nd, what changes would you make?
I thought I’d titillate you with some google research into the local Bulgarian cuisine.
If an army marches on its stomach, and there is also a grain of truth in contemporary dietary sports analysis, then we’re going to thrash Ludogorets very badly indeed.
While we turn up on a diet of delicately steamed fish and gently infused truffled leaves, apparently them lot are coming over filled with ‘monastery style’ bean soup. Hearty is a word that kept cropping up, and to me that screams cheap fat cuts and below ground vegetables.
Believe it or not, after that lot it, it gets worse. A national dish involves the mud dwelling carp!
LB – I think I know what you mean. All the lights are on, but there is nobody at home.
Normally I would never advocate playing rookies, but tonight is probably the best opportunity to see what they are made of
carp and bean soup yum yum yum 🙂 Jellied pigs’ trotters and some tripe desert, and any eastern European is in heaven
ha ha ha Eddie
Mind you, maybe you’ve spotted something. Perhaps the northern and eastern European diet makes tougher people, as opposed to the rather wet lot from around the Mediterranean
I want some team predictions
Fanchastique! A match preview in the BR style that delights and informs. Cheers Chas. ⚽️⚽️
I can start the team selection for you
Ospina
Gibbs xx Jenkinson Monreal
Ox Elnany Xhaka Jeff
Perez Chuba
Bench – all the stars in case they are needed
Don’t jump to my throat if some of the above are injured or on loan, I am no shard
Thank you Eddie
I’d go First XI until we’re 7-0 up, then make changes after 20 minutes 🙂
Maybe Elneny instead of Santi
Coquelin was with AW in the pre-match press conference. He will start in midfield.
Ospina is AW’s goto GK for CL, so he naturally starts when fit.
Koscielny, Mustafi, Bellerin and Monreal should similarly continue in defence.
There is a case for Xhaka to start alongside Coquelin, since he will be missing for next 3 domestic matches (Middlesbrough, Reading and Sunderland). Otherwise, Coquelin-Cazorla partnership resumes.
The attacking quartet could be any of the available players from Ozil, Alexis, Walcott, Iwobi, The Ox, Lucas, The Jeff.
I searched Google to find something interesting or insightful on pfc ludogorets or Bulgaria to contribute but could only find the one about that horse who was a bad magician? He gave up for a while but now he’s back in the saddle.
Thanks all, for kind comments.
Eddie
Copy and paste little job? How very dare you.
I thought you knew I’ve always been an expert in Bulgarian folk tales and songs. 🙂
And towers with big watches on them
Thanks JM
It would be very interesting to see Lucas start
Train or car Chas?
Morning all I just glanced at your post Raddy – I will read it in a few minutes but I like the idea of shortening Shkodran – the most obvious to me is “Shark” – our shark – the shark ………..
Car.
Trains after the game are rubbish in midweek.
I like Eddie’s Kod!
That 10.52 team is amazing.. Maybe 2 correct?
And Mickey replies with a replacement for someone not in Eddie’s original team.
Ant
I cunningly preceded ‘Maybe Elneny instead of Santi’ with I’d go First XI
You’d make an excellent BBC Foreign affairs news editor 🙂
You concentrate on the drinking and leave technical bollocks to us 🙂
Micky
I have only just seen your question.
But I, like everyone else, don’t have a clue about Ludogrets so I have no idea how difficult this game is going to be and without that I can’t be my usual opinionated self.
LB – nonsense! of course you can be opinionated, where is fun in being always well informed?
hello shard 🙂
antie – where was that photo taken, in London so early?
In an effort to increase our knowledge of Razgrad here are the most
notable people born there.
Ivan Ivanov Bagryanov (born 1891), Bulgarian politician who briefly served as Prime Minister
Petar Gabrovski (born 1898), Bulgarian politician who briefly served as Prime Minister
Dimitar Nenov (born 1901), Bulgarian classical pianist, composer, music pedagogue and architect
Stoycho Stoev (born 1962), Bulgarian former footballer and manager
Diyan Angelov (born 1964), Bulgarian former football player
Nikolay Antonov (born 1968), Bulgarian former athlete
Boncho Novakov (born 1935), Bulgarian former cyclist
Emanuil Dyulgerov (born 1955), Bulgarian former athlete
Mecnur Çolak (born 1967), Turkish former footballer
Sofu Mehmed Pasha (governor) (died 1626), Ottoman administrator
Neriman Özsoy (born 1988), Turkish female volleyball player
It reads like a – who’s who? of WHO!!
Also notable is that there’s nobody deemed notable after 1988.
Now I can only hope that that don’t get a notable victory over the Gunners……………
GN5 – Tom Whittacker’s grandson has just put a comment on your post titled Arsenals Greatest Manager pt 2
I’m in the pub, I’ll see if I can get the comment on the blog
No Xhaka apparently
Gibbs, Ox and Coq start
Osp, Bell, Kos, Must, Gibb, Coq, Santi, Theo, Ox, Mesut and Sanchez
Ha Ha, this is from official AFC website
•Arsenal substitutes: Cech, Gabriel, Monreal, Elneny, Xhaka, Iwobi, Alexis
•
Arsenal XI: Ospina, Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Gibbs, Coquelin, Cazorla, Walcott, Ozil, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alexis
We have two Alexis’ 🙂
How many subs should there be?
OK, according to Sky, Lucas is on the bench
Nobody’s here are they? 🙂
Peaches, here is the post, thank you for pointing it out..
It’s very satisfying, to me, that our posts get such widespread readership.
Bruce Whittaker says:
October 19, 2016 at 5:40 pm
My paternal Grandad! Tom Whittaker!! A real gent and a warm and kind human being who was totally dedicated to the club!!
Errr, YOUR post GN5
Well done Sir
Come on you Gunnners
my team selection 🙂 🙂 8 wrong 🙂 🙂
Didit,
No OUR posts – I’m sure that many of our post headlines catch the attention of many varous readers.
On many occasions when I’m researching for my posts – up pops a post written by an AA poster.
Think positively Eddie – you got 3 correct.
Off out on a school run to pick up the grand children. Game being recorded for later.
wooooooww!! lovely goal
chas and and, and peaches and rasp, and LB – telly pundits were just discussing if Sanchez is a true centre forward 🙂 and he scored, here is the answer for you, you ****
GN5 – I am positive, it should have been 3:0 by now and I am not even crying
Eddie on the sofa. Nice
Agree, superb goal. I’m not 100% certain Iwobi could have done an awful lot better 🙂
Barca 1-0 City
If you like that sort of thing
Theeeooo
ha ha ha 🙂 ox 🙂
didit – I am going to whisper this, because I am scared of the backlash – sshhhhh…I don’t like Iwobi 😦 After I had seen his video being a total tool I sort of lost any sympathy. He ain’t Phillipe Sanderos and I have a thing about thickos
Gabriel and Perez on the bench, I think we will see both of them 2night
Won’t tell a soul Eddie 🙂
Luckily I didn’t see the vid of him being toolish
I’m quitting if I get one more connection breakdown. Been awful
Damn
I’m off
Really wanted to see Lucas but he’ll probably bring on Elneny and Monreal
Anyway, g’nite Eddie
Ooooo saw that
Mesut 🙂
Who made the pass for Ok goal
good night Brexiter
Good night remoaner 🙂
Just checked in. Mesut three! Look forward to some goal clips in the morning
Very goodnight from him. Goodnight.
I have written something it is in drafts, it needs a title and some pics and a proof read because I am tired. Night, night what a great night.
Thanks LB, I’m so tired but I’m not sure I can sleep, need to see those goals again.
See everyone in the morning
wow, what a brilliant PM, Chas! 🙂
travelling, again, but managed to catch most of the game. what great fun! 🙂
a bit sorry for the oilers, their plight brought back dark memories.
The problem with Mesut Ozil is he makes it all look far too easy. So easy that us sitting in the stands think it is easy……its not.
That flick. Ooo purr
I missed all of Lucas and two more Mesut goals. Can you help?
Ant pointed out last night that if we finish level on points with PSG (yeah, I know, still a long way to go before that happens), it’s the two games between us and them that really count.
Goals against Ludogorets only count if it gets down to criteria ‘f’ below. 🙂
Article 17 Equality of points – group stage
17.01
If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the group matches,
the following criteria are applied in the order given to determine their rankings:
a. higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the
teams in question;
b. superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams in
question;
c. higher number of goals scored in the group matches played among the teams
in question;
d. higher number of goals scored away from home in the group matches played
among the teams in question;
e. if, after having applied criteria a) to d), teams still have an equal ranking,
criteria a) to d) are reapplied exclusively to the matches between the teams in
question to determine their final rankings. If this procedure does not lead to a
decision, criteria f) to l) apply;
f. superior goal difference in all group matches;
g. higher number of goals scored in all group matches;
h. higher number of away goals scored in all group matches;
i. higher number of wins in all group matches;
j. higher number of away wins in all group matches;
k. lower disciplinary points total based only on yellow and red cards received in
all group matches (red card = 3 points, yellow card = 1 point, expulsion for
two yellow cards in one match = 3 points);
l. higher club coefficient (see Annex D).
http://arsenalist.com/f/2016-17/arsenal-vs-ludogorets/goaaaaal-mesut-ozil-5-0-lucas-perez-assist.html
http://arsenalist.com/f/2016-17/arsenal-vs-ludogorets/goaaaall-mesut-ozil-6-0.html
When the stadium announcer said Mustafi’s name, he pronounced the first name ‘Skod-ran’.
I quite like ‘Skod’ as a nickname, sounds a bit like ‘god’ with an ‘s’ sound before it.
That’s what I’m going to call him anyway.
Here’s the Arsenalist page for last night’s game. Loads to look at again.
http://arsenalist.com/2016/10/18/arsenal-vs-ludogorets-razgrad-highlights/
Love this photo for some reason.
The caption is
London Underground under Construction in 1860s – Notting Hill Gate Station.
Thanks for Arsenalist link. Great catch up site.
Perez is not that slow is he, or a terrible passer come to think about it. That is very exciting to see
Wow great tube pic. I have stood on that platform many many times
I read the pre-Match Post and thought how great it is to have the Raddish write it so well and get us in the mood.
Then I found at the end it was Chasser who had written it. We are spoilt with two very good authors, so thank you, Chas.
A tremendous game last night, [sorry, Mickish, to talk football at such an unearthly hour] but anyway, that is the sort of game I love, and for Mesut to score a hat-trick was the icing on the cake.
Is the other accomplished author, LB, writing the post match — if so, I think he is going to wax lyrical on many levels. 🙂
and 4:0 to Barca, they wiped their arses with City, wow. Not sure how to feel about it
How was Perez? Micky sent me to bed early so I missed him
mesmerizing photo of the tube station – perfect proportions 1/3 ground 1/3 above ground, 1/3 the arch. Central point disaapearing into the middle, Great shadows and light combo. Very skilful snap. I am not good at this kind of staff but my mate at work was so he taught me some tricks.
…I am waiting for LB’s match report…
…still waiting…
…how was Perez?…
…I thought Coquelin was brilliant, probably his best game
Shall I put it up now?
yes please
ok here goes ………………………….
New Post everyone ……………