Chelsea v Arsenal – London Derby Day

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/07/world-cup-bound-referee-shows-10-red-cards-in-fiery-argentine-cup-final

Sorry lads, just one more from me and then I’ll shut up. Dontcha just love South American football? I lived in Argentina for four years and was thoroughly into the footie there which I’d say is the most exciting and passionate in the world by miles. I followed the team in this story, Racing Club de Avellaneda, home and away and got into many scrapes doing so. 7 red cards and a win against nearby Boca Juniors (Los Bosteros or manure shovelers as they’re known) – perfect. All Gooners around the world who love the game should get into Argentine football. There’s nowhere better. Check it on YT if you don’t believe me.

Aguante Racing Carajo!

Xhaka is getting such reviews I would imagine the statue is being commissioned as I write. White is the same being one of Arteta’s pets. White has a peculiar running style like Sterling does. The Thais calling Sterling the ladyboy duck because his arse looks elevated when he runs.

To be fair White and the excellent Saliba (motm for me) have a very good understanding that Gabs is benefitting from. It’s just when White goes on an overlap canter, he’s a bit Bambi on ice to watch yet strangely effective when he gets it right.

Looks like Arteta’s gamble of getting to the WC without loss of limb or complete first 11 exhaustion has paid off where Wolves shouldn’t present a summit toppling result type of problem.

We played well and at times the football was sublime to watch. Jesus is our essential flippers machine type player being bounced around by the CBs like a ball in the machine bouncing off the scoring mushrooms. Would be handy if he could score as well but they will come. Jesus should be nicknamed Rambo because he is fearless and unlike his sick note predecessor now playing in Div 1 Mongolia, he seems indestructible.

Jesus is falling into the Laca role of dropping too deep, that should be Xhaka’s job or as TRVL said ESR who we badly miss.

We controlled the game with good fitness levels until that last 15 but still strong enough to keep a tired and idealess Chelsea.

It is beginning to have a Leicester winning season feel about it, but this one has a WC hurdle to overcome with player fitness and injuries. Boxing Day we’ll have a better view of things.

KP hope you enjoyed Turkey with the clan. When you said where you were going I’d not long read a headline about some 100+ people suing a big resort because of food poisoning at the same town. Then I wondered if Mrs KP had booked it and packed lots of Imodium for you and the kids for a little poetic justice. 🙂

It’s cool to be a happy Gooner for a change.

I read recently Qatar are looking to pay fans to go to the WC all in with spending money to reflect positive Qatar vibes to the other fans. I would think the’d get a lot of conscription age Russians to take them up on their offer.

Lol Tony
There’s a ring (geddit?) of truth to that scenario you so eloquently describe. Last time we went to TR we stayed in a resort near a place called Olu Deniz. Quite a posh place but we and all the other guests got the galloping abdabs really quickly after arriving. Not to want to be too scatogical it was spurting out of both ends! Turns out they’d had a major airborne issue, thought they’d take a chance and not tell anyone. I rather enjoyed the weight loss (!) but was ecstatic when we got a full refund.

I enjoyed your analysis of the game not least because I didn’t see it live. I’m getting no hopes up but I’m enjoying things as they are. I saw the Forest game and the second half was terrific. I hope you enjoyed that piece about Keys and his dislike of Arteta. Hope you’re all well.

HI Kilroy
I see your old mates Barcelona have landed a plum draw in the EL playoffs. They only have to play some mediocre second fiddle wankers from Manchester called United.

Liverpool Football Club have been put up for sale with Fenway Sports Group looking for new owners to purchase the Premier League club and take them forwards.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/breaking-liverpool-for-sale-fsg-28428805

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This is shocking… considering they had rejected an offer in the range of 3 billion pounds last year. Why a sudden sell off? No idea.

Tony joining me on the ‘top of the table’ campaign. If, and that’s a big if, we remain injury free, and do not have a dip in form after world cup, you never know.

Confidence plays a big part in top level sports, which we have un abundance.

I know there is a very small chance but if we win, with Xhaka.. I would put up a SORRY!! on the front page for a day.

Ambarish

I’m only speculating but it’s possible some the American owners jumped in because of the lure of a European Super League (something I believe will happen at some point) and they have info telling them it’s a way off and don’t fancy having to borrow money to finance a club in a world of increasing interest rates.

Even with all the money in the PL how many clubs make a profit or even break even?

Morning all

Marc
It’s being reported that KSE was in it for the Super League. I posted about 5 years ago the same beliefs you have, Marc.

The question of clubs seeing a POR is a good one in the short term where I’d say world economics, pandemic & fragile peace will make it too difficult to make profit. It’s an investing market for players and managers whose increasing values will likely be our profit making area to eventually put the club in profit. However, there is a lot leveraged so it’s going to take time and good results year after year.

Ambarish, I was alone at first in supporting the team not the manager: Pedro had no answer to that and last season I banged the ‘we-have-the-squad-for-top-4-last-season-drum’ and should be challenging for the title next (this) season. Of course I was attacked vociferously by the Arteta apologists who were building up excuses from day one with Pedro-Pete being the trolling leader against his own readers. Perhaps, Pedro-Pete never fully got through puberty with his 13 year old trolling attacks last season as proof. Pedro-Pete’s father said in the DM at over 60 he genuinely feels like he’s in his 20s.

No balance or maturity and multiple monikers used in his onslaughts even against posters who were highly respected and supported LG for over a decade. I’m sure Pedro-Pete will be a nice guy when he grows up.

I’m no football sage but have learnt a lot in my 60 years following The Arsenal. Last season the only people holding us back was indeed Arteta and Edu gambling on no injuries from our perma crocs.

It will be the same this year if mistakes are repeated.

In Other news, Ferdinand who I have no particular respect for is diminishing our win over the Chavs stating that the Chelsea were a patched up team. It’s got to be sour grapes because his face always looks like he’s eating them. Ferdinand is probably too embarrassed to talk about Manure; therefore stupidly is targeting the top of the league five places above United.

Stupid is as stupid does!!!!

Looks like Jesus and Gabs Martinelli are in the Brazil WC squad and Tommi should make it for Japan: let’s hope they get good experience and no injuries from their involvement.

K’Phobe, I finally found the Line Source speakers that are very good, at affordable prices, for most professionals. The links were tucked away in my 2-year deep dive into speakers doing my DD.

https://www.alconsaudio.com/cinema-sound/
https://www.alconsaudio.com/brochure/Alcons-Audio-Cinema_whitepaper_ENG.pdf?x82376

On your travels have at look at both and you’ll see both are excellent, but Wisdom is noble and majestic in its sound signature we buy speakers for.

As an analogy Alconsaudio is an E class, but Wisdom is the Maybach fully loaded or Bently.

Argentina must have been a blast, KP. My one regret was not getting further south than Mexico. At Stiff records, Robbo (owner) wanted to hire a 747 and take all the Stiff acts on a world tour, which Robbo had designated me tour manager and sound engineer. South America had many dates penned and I was an ecstatic 24 yo.

Sadly, the costs didn’t add up and the tour, like many, was binned. I was managing a top ten band and sound engineer in those days and touring in N America & Europe.

Life is good here, thanks KP, hope likewise with the KP family.

three quick things…(1) everytime I watch WIllock I can’t fathom why we let him go for just under 25, then tried to replace him with the very raw and offensively-stunted Lokonga for roughly 7M less….incredibly underwhelming trade-off…(2) when things are ultimately revealed, Super League-wise, I’m convinced that we will find out that Kroenke was at ground zero in the developmental process, due to his intimate links to the original financial backers of this little adventure…(3) as for Pedro/Positive Pete, there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s used his lame-ass pseudonym on other Arsenal-based sites in order to drum-up new “readers” under the guise that LG is rife with anti-Arteta commentaries….what a pretentious and conniving twat….Cheers to one and all

TRVL
Good stuff mate. On Lokonga, I’m a little more sanguine. He suffers not only from comparison with Partey but also because he’s unlikely to hold down a regular place. I like the vast majority of his work, he tidies up a lot of loose balls in the middle and his positioning is generally sound. Plus he has an eye for the killer pass. If anything, I think he often makes football seem too easy which sone of his detractors mistake for lack of energy and passion.

However, he’s far from being a key component of the team and could do more to improve his onfield image by showing a bit more of his character. Eddie (who I rate less highly than Lokonga) also suffers by comparison with Jesus. I’d give our Belgian midfielder a bit more slack, although pressure will be on him and Elneny if, as I hope,we add Danilo in January. I’d like to think the success and high profiles of our current Brazilian cohort will really attract players like Danilo.

Hi Tony
Thanks for the speaker advice mate. Ms Kroenkephobe doesn’t know it yet but once our house is set out the way we want it, the next thing up the driveway will be a massive van carrying some seriously new hi-fi equipment. 🎵

K-Phobe, my critique of Sambi wasn’t meant to be overly disparaging towards the young Belgian, as I think he could become a viable midfield “option” in the foreseeable future, it’s that this team lacks the requisite amount of directness in the middle of the park and there’s little doubting that JW is miles ahed of Lokonga in this regards…the only tactical changes this year from last, when Laca played far too often with his back to goal in and around the center stripe, is that our novice manager has simply placed Xhaka in more advanced positions…imagine if we had another box-to-box option in midfield, of which Xhaka is clearly not, so that we could opt for a more direct approach at times…this would allow for some more logical tactical deviations in attack, which would make it exceedingly more difficult for opposing defences to constantly doubleteam our wide-side players

ahead

Lokonga desperately needs a loan – he needs regular football to develop getting a handful of minutes here of there will do him serious damage.

So not only doesn’t Arteta not start a single youth prospect outfield tonight we don’t even have one on the bench.

Useless fucker sack him now.

Marc, at least MA publically acknowledged the need for some reinforcements,come the winter window, albeit his comments likewise included his usual “out-clause” caveat…with this in mind, we all know what happened last season, after a whole host of pre-window gibberish about having an aggressive recruitment plan in place…all I hope is that all of our players who will participating in this ridiculous mid-season World Cup come back to North London healthy and raring to go

Morning all
Just watched the lowlights of our predictable loss considering the line up where I endorse Marc’s views.

Ok, it’s the lowest hanging fruit for trophies on offer, but going out so early reduces our youth prospects minutes this season. Mikel won’t give up the FA cup so easily.

Arteta says “we’re very, very short” – no shit Sherlock when did that finally dawn on you? When you needed a ready excuse for last night’s debacle? It will be of no surprise if Arteta looks to buy more to add to his pets’ list being starters, and thus relegating any hope for youth prospects for the next 2 or so years. Unless, If Arteta surprises me and buys 26/27/28 year olds for the missing experience of well err Xhaka we’ll lose bringing a better, and quicker, two-footed replacement, then I’ll concede that there may be a plan for youth after all. May being the operative word.

We need a Cantana type experienced player without the flying two-legged lunges into the crowd ala Crystal Palace.

Not watching other leagues, I have no idea who that could be perhaps those here would know the ideal player. A midfield general who can attack and pivot to 6 when needed and be dynamic goal scorer as an 8.

This kind of player combined with Partey would seal the midfield and allow Patino and Azzez and others great role models to learn from. Getting game time, though, will be another big challenge with Arteta. Look at Willock doing far better for Newcastle than Xhaka does for us is a prime example of Arteta’s pet playing incompetence, ignoring sound youth prospects.

When Newcastle secures a CL spot you can bet Willock will be playing and a key part for the Magpies.

Youth isn’t Arteta’s remit with us being top of the table, staying top is. With any luck ESR will rid us of Xhaka being a regular starter, which will immediately improve us.

As for the TW with Arteta and Edu? We’ll have to wait to see. Right now there is a matter of dispatching Wolves at the weekend before going to Dubai.

I would question whether high altitude training would be a better advantage for our fitness Boxing day onwards. Denver for example? Dubai’s oppressive heat would be more body sapping than high altitude adding to lung and muscle stamina.

Arteta says we’re very very short? You’ve spent £300 million how much more do you fucking need to spend so we’re only a little short?

Completely full of shit.

Marc, the biggest dilemma with our recruitment practices are that, more often than not, we’ve paid above the number for those who hadn’t proven themselves and who likewise have considerably lower ceilings, instead of pursuing those the likes of a Nkunku or Diaby, or even Mudryk, who have shown vastly more, have exceedingly higher ceilings and whose market values were undoubtedly going to rise exponentially this season, thereby likely putting them out of our reach…as I’ve always said, especially in regards to this particular “rebuild”, I would have much rather that we splashed the cash on 2 or 3 potentially seminal players, than paid above the number for a handful or so of coin toss propositions…by doing this, it forces a manager into properly developing in-house prospects, which is much easier when you have centerpiece figures roaming the pitch and making everyone look substantially better…not to mention, it’s imperative that you take advantage of those years when you have overachieving, younger and cheaper prospects coming through the ranks, like Saka, Marts, Saliba and ESR, as the advantageous financial realities of that situation was always going to be relatively short-lived

TRVL

I think you need to start preparing yourself for the fact that Arteta will be looking to sell ESR soon.

frankly, I was surprised that he actually reupped him instead of selling him off to Villa….so long as Xhaka and Ode are seen as essential requirements for MA, there’s simply no room for ESR to flourish, especially considering his tactical rigidity…it’s too bad, as I think he would really provide us with some much-needed directness in attack

Morning all

I don’t know about anyone else, but I see similarities between Southgate and Arteta other than age. Granted GS is more cautious with play than MA in the main part; however, both repeat mistakes repeatedly because of misplaced nepotism based on misguided loyalty.

Both have in-bedded selection limitations although GS is a little more astute with in-game management. Certainly Maguire is going to be the elephant in Southgate’s room another bleating Bambi-on-ice player lacking any sense of football nous and best suited to the Championship league.

As tacticians? Similar handbrake approach, lacking plan B options and overworking pet players.

I said to my son that the W/C being in Qatar and the inhumanity of the Qatar country’s laws is something that weigh heavily on the very negative side of my moral compass. 14 yo junior replied he feels the same way, but we should watch the important games actually for those that died or they died for nothing.

Hard to argue with his logic. This ventured forth into hard nosed negotiation where I conceded at watching from the quarter finals onwards. While Junior was fist punching the air, I said be happy now for the win, but sometimes losing a battle helps you win a war. An hour later after interesting debate on the subject discussing various wars he got the point and another lesson in life was learnt and a fun couple of hours.

I’m not a big England fan since losing faith in the FA after El Tel. We always flatter to deceive and the last final we lost was the easiest route for any team and Kane was top scorer with just a few goals.

Of course the press and SM will send our boys into Qatar with strict instructions now to talk about Gay or Queer except on the pitch when it will be ok to complain before KO that you heard Neymar ands Bruno G were an item both being gay and queer! Wouldn’t work in every match, but worth using that card at some point. I’ve always felt a kinship with Niccolo Machiavelli in situations like these where one has to think outside the box.

There will be fanfares full of hope and glory splashed across the front pages only for the press to do a complete 180 as soon as performances and poor results happen as they happen. World Cup Groundhog Day once again. England and GS being thrown under the bus by the previously adoring media masses.

Thai friends say to me how can you feel that way you’re English where I remind them that I’m half Scottish, which usually confuses the shit out of them to be all talking to each other in fast Thai where one will translate to English their next question. I wait until they think they’ve got the finer nuances of me being half English and half Scottish when they think they’ve nailed me on the half English side until I introduce that my mother was Jewish born in England.

With them thoroughly confused as I can be with some of the deep Thai culture even after after 24 years here, so I change to more simpler question of who they think will win the World Cup, which will lead to one shouting Man City! Ever the comedian!

There is only one team in football I care deeply about: The Arsenal. I was lucky enough to watch the 1966 Wold cup in full glorious black and flickering white on a screen no bigger than an iPad. I was 11 and I has walked 12 miles from my grandparents house to my home. Greatest day in football for me at that age.

The only other game that compares was the 1989 0:2 Anfield night.

After 1966 hope sprung eternal until it fizzled out during 1990.

For those of you patriotic types and neutrals enjoy the WC and pray for Saka, White and Ramsdale to come back fit and injury free.

and Martinelli & Jesus of course*

Big game at Wolves. If we can win that we head off to the world cup top of the league. I must admit I didn’t expect that.

Terry
Hi mate. I think we’re all astonished by where we are in the table. Personally I thought top 3 was achievable by the end of September but to have progressed through the latest tough run of games has been phenomenal. And the team hasn’t been playing as well recently. I predict 3 hard fought points tonight – start like a train and hit them before they can get their passing gsme going. They also struggle to score and will look to hit sone long range efforts from midfield. Would be nice to see Jesus replicate his full blooded displays of late and also add a goal or two.

Too many times in the past ten years we’ve had setbacks when we were expected to win relatively straight forward games. Arteta needs to get them up to do the job. We have way more talent and energy than Wolves.

PS Welcome to LiR.

Tony
Are you taping it or getting up in the middle of the night for it? It’ll be our last Arsenal fix for weeks while the Qatar shitshow goes on… And on… And on. Same to you lads in India.

I’m getting an AFC fix during the WC. I’m taking the twins and their mates to Villa Park in December for the WSL fixture.

I think everyone’s surprised by our position but even with that in mind if you look at the fixtures there’s only one result that stands out as better than what we should expect and that’s Chelsea away last week.

Palace (away) usually a difficult place to go but they’d had a really screwed up pre season so we played them at a good time, Liverpool (home) the wheels have really come off, the Spud’s (home) we should always be beating them at home. The rest of the fixtures are a mix of promoted, recently promoted or mid table teams.

Take the emotion and surprise out of it and actually we dropped points against Southampton who sacked their manager a couple of weeks after because of poor performances and ManU who’d been awful (just been spanked by Emery in the league) and beat us.

Hi Marc
It’s a bit of a circular argument but being top and looking down on everyone it’s natural to assume we ought to be beating everyone (except City).

Thinking about tonight it’s a long cry from I think 2 seasons ago when we were doubled by Wolves.

I know Liverpool are in disarray by their recent standards but that was a good victory. The saints defeat was a return to the bad old days but coming back and winning was not.

They need to finish phase 1 of the season tonight with a comfortable win. I think we’ll get a 0-2 victory. Jesus and Partey.