Well I thought the ref got the France pen decision correct the first time. Bloody VAR defeating the Aussies.
What’s in store today? Looks dull to me, so it should be blinding.
Costa Rica v Serbia 1pm
Germany v Mexico 4pm
Brazil v Switzerland 7pm
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What we learnt from France vs Australia –
France will not win the World Cup with this team.
A good coach like Bert can make a bad team like Australia competitive. Imagine if he was the coach of England, you’d get into to the final. If he was coach of Croatia, they would win the WC
Oezil !!! They bloody misspelled Mesut’s name on the team shit, stupid ruski
lovely goal
am i on my own here?
yes! lovely, i can swear 🙂
Mesut looks like a spud in the white and black kit with some bird in the crest, simply awful sight
Krauts looking slow in midfield and defence
yes raddy and the Aztecs very quick on counter
yipeeeeeee
Die Mannschaft got shafted
Mein Gott, how very ungerman
you win, mannschft is far better 🙂
From everything we’ve seen so far, no-one comes close to Spain or Portugal
I think Denmark have been easily the best team we have seen.
Looking forward to see Brazill get a hammering
Two of our boys in the red and white
Not going according to plan
Lucky strike from Coutinho 😀
Neymar behaving like a spoiled child and playing poorly – what a waste of money.
Not a good half. Caught about 10 mins.
How’s the new Arsenal fella getting on?
Looks solid and very fit for a 34 y.o.
Oooo, hello
What is the point of VAR when that was a clear push before the Swiss goal?
Agree Erik
The english burk commenting on it was going on about touching each other up at corners. Idiot. The question should be, did the shove give the shover a clear advantage over the shovee, and yes it did
Really liked the performance of our new boy and Xhaka was very good.
Enjoying this WC.
Agree again, although I definately want teams like Brasil to progress as they have too many exciting footballers. Sure they will.
Morning All,
Any Gooners playing today?
Welbz riding the pine?
I didn’t think the fingers on the back were worthy of disallowing the Swiss goal.
The Brazilian defender thought his colleague in front of him was going to head the ball so wasn’t jumping anyway. 🙂
The VAR solution is simple. Give the goal every time, ditto the dubious penalty shout. The whole point ought to be to facilitate goals and if that causes an on-field fight, then great, even better
I must say I am enjoying this WC more than ever, it is excellent. Fair play to Putin, he did well. I have heard no complaints about anything which is unusual for world cup; there is always pitch or referees, or home crowds misbehaving, or …. always something. This time – nothing, sheer bliss.
Eddie
The best thing is that even the English yobs appear to be scared to misbehave
hahaha, yes, the russian cops don’t feck about, not safe taking them on
i only watched 2 full games – spain and mexico, both excellent games. I am already feeling better
20 sniffer dogs deployed at Ascot, I’d say they will be busy
What are Ascot Sniffers deployed to locate, drugs? bombs? oiks? 🙂
probably all. Drugs primarily, bombs in an unlikely event and oinks if they have too much time on their paws
😀
What ?
Dont play 3 at the back please…Go for 4 and smash the opponent tonight.
Play 4-2-1-3 with
Trippier, Jones or Cahill, Maguire, Young – Henderson, Dier – Alli – Sterling, Kane, Vardy
Tunisia needs to be shaken otherwise they are happy to absorb the attacks and quickly go to the counter-attack. They are also ready for a physical battle, that is why you need Vardy. They will frustrate England so that’s why you have to put them under heavy pressure from the start and Vardy can do that. He will be relentless and will create space for Kane, Sterling and especially for Alli.
If you score early, go for the second goal right away. I can see a tight win if you don’t score early OR a total smashing if you score early. In any case- nothing but an England win.
Xhaka is more comfortable as CM – Emery will play him there. We will recruit a DM and play Xhaka as CM. This is for sure. Rumour has it that Jack will leave – I am hoping that he will not.
Right Ho RC, message received, will do, chocks away 🙂
Your team news is very helpful as I haven’t watched England once since the Euros (and not 100% sure I did then)
Looking forward to night’s game, and I think the combination of lower expectations together with less crowd trouble, has made the whole England thing more palatable
Forsberg, one of our targets, looking lively
Apparently u will play 3-5-2, shame.
Kane – Sterling up front
supported by Trippier, Henderson, Dier, Alli, Young
RC – what do you mean ‘u will play’? are you not english?
am French
are you? Gosh the abuse you get from Didit on this site, I can only apologise…
Was really looking forward to watching Belgium but first half dull
What this game and the WC needs is a few red cards. The games are almost free of tackling.
Hang on Eddie, I don’t intentionally insult any individuals on here, although by accident I recently ended up in the soup with my fellow purist, GB, and I certainly have no intention of ending up dans la soupe avec Monsieur RC
My relationship with our continental neighbours is more of the local derby type in nature, despite their ghastly food 🙂
You who eat offal and swine dare to talk about ghastly food?
Interesting England backline.
Fairplay to Southgate for having the courage to play a back 3 but where is the creativity in midfield? Henderson? Dearie me.
here we go
great header, great start
Superb start from England. I
bollocks
good watch, need some better shooting
How was that apenalty? And what about the pull on Kane with no VAR decision. More rubbish refereeing.
England playing better than I have seen them in many a year but they need to put on Vardy in place of Lingard,
If we’re seeing that on telly, surely the VAR people are too
Refereeing has been rubbish throughout the tournament.
England playing well but not getting the ball to Kane. Time to take off Lingard and throw either Welbz or Vardy on. Make that Welbz to add some height, then get some crosses in. They don’t like it up ’em
we miss some driving creative spark from midfield, an Ox or Jack
How many times have we seen this – PTB and our chaps unable to find a way through?
deserved goal 🙂
I was just wondering if Kane was still on the pitch 😀
Pickford is too short. I thought he looked a little petite before Tunisia took their penalty so I googled him. He’s 6′ 1″. Bit small for a keeper. Had he bothered being 6′ 3″ he would have saved the pen 🙄
Not seen much of Maguire, he looks a fine player.
Lazy, and poor work from Pickford’s parents.
Couldn’t agree more 🙂
Still thinks the team lack some midfield thrust. Perhaps Delle Ali was out of shape
Congrats on the win today fellas
Morning All,
Lovely muriel
capyboras 🙂 i have never seen such silly looking animals or heard of them
Harry Kane was great, congrats.
The rest of the team looked somehow nervous, perhaps it was their young age.
Young’s free kick made me laugh, Ronaldo he aint
https://youtube/hsU4g6DYOTk
good girl Jo, you tell them
Harry Kane scores and little else – a valuable commodity but let us remember that the man is Spurs. He can never be a proper footballer until he leaves for a decent club
oh Raddy, surely it is country before the club. England is England, clubs are cosmopolitan to say the least.
Well done England and could have been up 3-0 at half time but Lingard had forgotten that he needs to score…I was well impressed by England, excellent movement going forward. Just a few adjustments needed defensively as there is a often a gap behind Henderson so the CBs are left stranded and that gives options to the opposition to either strike or pass or dribble so that s the one area to improve, your central mids need to better coordinate between each other and with the CBs. Otherwise, what a game!
Ramsey offered a new deal! Good news
By July 1st, these will be the annouced transfers:
Leno (GK) – 20 Mln EUR
Lichtensteiner (RB) – Free
Sokratis (CB) – 20-25 Mln EUR
Lucas Torreira (DM/CM) – 20-25 Mln
There is still some talk around:
– Soyuncu (Defender)
– Nzonzi (DM-CM)
– Banega (DM-CM)
– Gelston Martins (Winger)
– Forsberg (Winger/FW)
Expected line up and back up team based on expected confirmed transfers:
Leno – Bellerin, Sokratis, Kos?, Koli – Xhaka, Lucas Torreira, Miky – Ramsey, Ozil – Auba
Cech – Lichten, Mavropanos, Holding, Monreal – AMN, Chambers, Wilshere – Wellbeck, Lacazette, RN (or Nketiah)
I am hoping that Nzonzi or Banega join and that either Gelson or Forsberg join us.
If Nzonzi or Banega join, our midfield would be ace:
Xhaka, Torreira, Banega OR Xhaka, Nzonzi, Torreira
With all these talks of players coming in, we need to ship some out:
– Martinez?
– Ospina?
– Jenkinson?
– Mustafi?
– Chambers?
– El Neny?
– Iwobi?
– Campbell?
– Lucas?
– Reine-Adelaide?
– Asano?
– Akpom?
– Dragomir?
– Nketiah?
– Reiss-Neilson?
– Willock?
– Zelalem?
– Bielik?
– Fortune?
– Da Silva?
Emery will have a squad of 29 players max, including 4 from the reserve (1 per line) but his core group will be 18 players, the rest are to be considered subs even in Cup games.
Ramsey will sign the new deal. Now the question is around Wilshere. I think he should stay with us OR go abroad to either Juventus or Monaco. He should not stay in England if he does not stay at Arsenal – I would even take him at PSG. He is got quality.
If we want to make money from our sales, let us sell bankable players like Mustafi, El Neny, Iwobi and even Lucas.
If you beat Panama, which you will, you are through. I hope that you score plenty of goals too. This is a game for strikers to build confidence, expect Kane to score at least one goal and if Vardy or Wellbeck come on, they will add to the tally.
By the way – didn’t feel abused so please all, continue your banter related to the French. I am fair play 🙂
RC – how typical, the white flag goes up before the real battle begins 🙂
What is happening with Theo?
Who cares what is happening with Theo?
RC. I can see Ramsey wanting to leave if Emery does not guarantee him a whole season of first team football and given the potential signing of Terreira (who is a straight replacement for JW) I cannot see it.
We have to play the excellent Mhki and Ozil. Elneny has just signed a new contract, so has Xhaka. Iwobi will improve, AMN is pushing for a start etc.
I like your sales comment, it could well make a ppost.
Tunisia in extra time you say, hehe
RC
I knew you were a top bloke and I try and be careful who I take the micky out of. May I also point out, that if at any time you choose to take the piss out of the english, I’d probably join in
Re your sales list, Mustafi still confuses me, and I do wonder how he’d be if we had a defensive coach, because Bould certainly is not one of those.
I’d keep Iwobi as I still think he could improve, but I’d agree with all other names on your sell list
The Ramsey question simply depends on what formation Emery is thinking of, because if it’s the two deeper more defensive type of pairing, then there’s no place for Rambo. Plus, we’d get good money for him
poland are playing Senegal. that’s PV4’s homeland. I hope we thrash them
micky – is the invitation to take the piss out of the english open to all, can I join in?
Morning all,
Bernd Leno: Arsenal agree fee for Bayer Leverkusen and Germany goalkeeper
By David Ornstein
BBC Sport
Bernd Leno has been at Bayer Leverkusen since 2011
Arsenal have agreed a fee – reported to be 22m euros (£19.3m) – for Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
The 26-year-old German, who has been at Leverkusen since 2011, is yet to have a medical with the Premier League club.
Petr Cech and David Ospina are the Gunners’ frontline goalkeepers, and it is unclear who would make way for Leno.
Arsenal are also optimistic about reaching a deal to sign 22-year-old Sampdoria midfielder Lucas Torreira, who is at the World Cup with Uruguay.
New Gunners boss Unai Emery has already signed defender Stephan Lichtsteiner from Italian champions Juventus on a free transfer.
The English are very good as self-deprecating humor already so no need to further compile pressure on them :-p
Let us do a post about which players to sell
Regarding Ramsey – Emery has said he wants him to be at the heart of his project so expect AR to stay. Question marks around JW…
If we get Torreira, I d still want us to get one more DM.
I think we are also short of a player that can give us width. All our players like to come back to the center so we are often left wanting on the wings.
ARSENAL CLOSE IN ON DOUBLE SIGNING
You cannot doubt that Arsenal are going about their transfer business in a more efficient way since their backroom structure was overhauled. They have already signed Stephan Lichtsteiner – for experience more than anything – and a deal has been agreed for Sokratis Papastathopoulos. Two more players will follow them shortly.
The Daily Telegraph, BBC Sport and Daily Mirror all have the story, which indicates that Arsenal’s well-connected journalists have all been leaked information. Arsenal will soon complete the £48m double signings of Sampdoria’s Lucas Torreira and Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
Leno missed out on a place in the German World Cup squad but will immediately become the club’s No. 1. Torreira is a young player and therefore not an immediate guaranteed starter. He can play both as a defensive midfielder or in a box-to-box role.
Is that business done by the end of June?
We will announce signings on July 1 for all players playing in the Bundesliga – it is due to the German fiscal year.
Leno – Lichten, Sokartis – Lucas Torreira
Two more players expected to join: one DM, one Winger/FW
A third one could also join: Defender
Let us trim the squad now
Ospina will be sold (Marseille as a possible destination) and Cech will be our back-up GK and eventually become our GK coach in the medium term so we are keeping him
Szczesny in goal, could be tricky
https://www.arsenal.com/news/first-team-coaching-staff-confirmed
Nice bold staying
Arsenal player hasn’t won a single WC game
yet freddie, the WC has only began
Yep I know put this a bit hurt by it always want our players to do good in these competition
Looks like Elneny is coming home early
Hearing we signed a keeper
Jack and Jens say goodbye, Jens tweet less than cryptic
Jack has made me sad.
Shouldn’t forget transfer window closes on 9 August this year (before season starts). Not long to go.
Good timing I think. Let’s make a fresh start and try to build something new at Arsenal. Wilshere never quite lived up to his potential, mainly due to injuries, and the fact teams like West Ham and Everton are after him says it all about the level he’s currently at. He’s played a lot of football over the last couple of seasons st Bournemouth and Arsenal but he’s never really grabbed the headlines or looked at the level required to be in a good Arsenal team (which is what we are trying to build). No doubt he would’ve been a useful squad player, but he never really fit a specific system under Wenger and it’s still debatable what his best position is. Maybe Emery wants more specialist players rather than the hybrid types that Wenger used to go for.
Also, if Wilshere leaving somehow plays a positive part in Ramsey signing a new deal then I’d take that. Rambo far more important to us and maybe he’ll get, and feel, a bit more love from the fans and the club with Wilshere not around.
The only good news at present for this grumpy old Gooner is that the board (and by that I mean Ivan and his team of football advisors, have no one to hide behind anymore). We have to hope they have employed the right people in these positions because they have to buy players not just for this manager but the next one.
Here’s what the thick butterfly COULD have done: instead of wasting millions of years doing the long slow evolution nonsense to be able to hide itself, it could have just jumped behind the curtains like normal people 🙄
Oh Exile, that is a really gloomy outlook. You’re saying these signings will outlive Emery.
New Right Back Lichtsteiner is already 34 yrs old 🙂
Chas
Shall I send in the 100 comments clean sheet
I’m off to work, sorry.
I was going to put up the fixtures but thought it seemed a bit disrespectful to Jack.
Well, I’ve been disrespectful then, although he got a mention
CLEAN SHEET SENT
Ok, thinking about the Jack situation
As I see it, the posts on this blog are for the benefit of a maximum of about ten people, and when I bother, it’s for the benefit of less than that, so I think we small band of gunners have no need to show to a wider audience how caring and nice we are.
I am sorry he’s going because he’s a Gunner
is he defo going?
I was watching russian game last night. The tv pundits were shearer, lineker, Cesc and jermaine jenas. I never liked lineker, strongly disliked shearer and loved Cesc – all great footballers. But jenas? What is he doing there other than sounding posh. How does he feel sitting among those stars?
I must admit my favourites are Neville and Danny murphy. Murphy sounds like a halfwit, but the content is really good.
Micky that’s my feeling entirely re Jack, and Eddie yes he is…confirmed last night after talks with Emery (which basically means Emery told him he wasn’t in his plans or needed to prove himself).
Now I know that is his perogative as coach and probably a result of a joint discussion between Emery and Board (ie if you want more players then you need to lose players already here).
My question to anyone who thinks it was only natural is the following….
Xhaka or Jack
Elneny or Jack
I’d understand if Xhaka was an all action defensive midfielder (Kante Type) but he isn’t as he doesn’t have the pace, if he was a Gilberto type immaculate reader of the game I’d understand, but he is neither and Jack could do the same job. And f I have choice between Gooner or Traveller, I’ll take Gooner every time.
I will back the boss….but can’t help but feel disappointed in the new broom that is being swept through, I’m still getting over the fact that as a club we feel £10m per year for Visit Rwanda ad on short sleeves is considered a good decision by someone at the club?
Eddie the best pundit so far for me has been Alex Scott when asked to sit amongst starts of the men’s game her analysis is just as good and importantly less sesnsational she talks football more than controversy about VAR etc.
Was sad for her when they reduced her to pitch side presenter for Germany v Mexico when she was basically asking a Phil Neville questions that she couldmlre than capably answer herself.
Gie – don’t start me on the Rwanda sponsorship. Rwanda, Rwanda of all places!! The most evil countries on this planet!! Very strange indeed
Re Jack – I am terribly sorry to see him go, poor Jack must be broken hearted. I think he is better than Xhaka, but his injuries are never ending. He is not good to us sitting in the physio room.
It is a good thing that Emery is tough, the club needs it. Wenger was too soft at times and gave players too much levy. Emery must know he would upset a few Gunners selling Jack yet he did that. Character I say
I am glad you noticed that Gie, you are one of few men that can see more in a woman than tits. yes, she was very good. I only saw her twice I think and thought – who is this girl, she really knows her stuff. And then she was gone, too clever, threat to the male establishment
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