It has turned out to be such a strange season, that even after we playing at our best, beating teams for fun, winning at shite hart lane, keeping clean sheets more than any other teams, scoring more than anyone else – we are going to end up second! Man City just can’t lose can they?
Fulham can do us a favor, they can restrict Pep to a draw or win against them. I have zero confidence in Tottenham beating City and West Ham can’t go through them on the last day at Etihad. If something can happen, it’s today. Lets hope the gods favors us and Fulham and we get to see for once the sad face of Pep Guardiola. We have one of ours play for Fulham, Bernd Leno, who has promised that he will give his 100% to stop our competition.
There has been some happenings while I was missing. Jorginho signed the contract for another year, Mikel was full of praise for him and it basically confirms it’s time for Thomas Partey to go. I don’t believe Mikel wants to keep two 35 year olds to fight for one place when Declan Rice is a starter. If I was you Mikel, I would sell Thomas for whatever money we can get, and go into the market for a DM understudy to Rice/Jorginho.
Bayern did us dirty in the quarters. Saka was denied a clear penalty. Harry Kane got away with an elbow on Gabriel which should have been red. They weren’t so furious then about refereeing, but when it happened to them against Madrid when the offside whistle was blown a bit too early, all hell broke loose. Mr Tuchel, Karma is a bitch.
Next year’s kit has been leaked, and I am disappointed to say the least. Last season was best of Adidas, both Red and White, and the black ones were great. This season, the third kit was a standout and home one was fine too. I think I might skip the next season’s if the leaks are true.
A belated Happy Birthday to Dennis Bergkamp, you happened when I was playing cricket as 10 year old but looking back, I would have loved to see you play live. A gentlemen, a magician, red through and through.
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Fabrizio reported that we are monitoring the young 18 year old Ajax centre back Jorrel Hato. He has a deal till 2028 and he will be an investment for the future. We most certainly need a third regular CB to rotate with Saliba and Gabriel without hampering our game play. White/Tomi are CB but we haven’t seen them play there, and we don’t know if they will turn out to be equally good. If it costs us 10 odd million, I would say go for it.
Sacking news have started about Pochettino. He talked about an interview, the content doesn’t really matter but if the manager comes out and talks about it, either he is fearful he will be sacked, or he knows he will. Chelsea has just moved from a billionaire russian who managed to win things to a billionaire american who can’t make things happen. Loving it.
Right, and Ten Hag just can’t stop talking about us can he?
If Panini did Pokemon shit, I’d even take that little bastard Picachu. 🐥🐥🐥
When I find the cunt who decided that fannying about at the back making 6 passes in your own box with 5 opposition players closing you down is a really great tactic I’m going to hurt them.
Looked off to me.
Ortega saved that with the backside of his fucking ball sack
you can tell that Pep doesn’t have the same confidence in this side as one’s in the past…that said, the Spurs don’t look like a side needing 2 goals to keep their CL dreams alive
Holy Fuck, what a missed chance for Son!!!
I think Ederson might have coldcocked Pep if Ortega had been scored on, regardless of the mitigating circumstances
that should just about put an end to this one…maybe we can hope that the Hammers put on a clinic for their outgoing manager this weekend
I’m not surprised that City came out on top, but it certainly wasn’t a given until the penalty late-on
the fat lady has sung yet, as anything can happen, but history suggests that whomever is sitting atop the standings going into the final weekend always wins the title…that said, there’s a first time for everything
hasn’t sung…too many midday hash bots
TRVL
Mate its over City will put 5 past West Ham.
Marc-it was the hash talking
Morning all
Was the outcome really in any doubt bar wishful thinking? Spuds played better against City than they did against us where losing by 2 goals was the right result.
Watching the game this morning I got the chance to watch Foden, and was amazed to see how high his work rate output was particularly pressing and intelligent space marking off the ball. The lad is perpetual motion and rarely injured, and I wondered who is the better player: our Saka or Foden? Rodri is better than our Saliba, but Willie S does have Rodri’s potential.
Any thoughts?
Spurs tried hard, but ultimately the task was too difficult. City will lift their 4th trophy in a row even though they were without KDB for much of their earlier season who they really missed. Even if Edison and KDB are missing for their last home game against the Hammers, no way they drop points at the Etihad. As Marc suggest City will want to turn it on for their fans.
Kilroy
I’d forgotten what you reminded us about re the FFP charges against City. Let’s hope it pans out that way.
LIR
Time for El B to forget the winning vision he sees in his galaxy brain for this season. Blind PMA rarely gets results. Cancel the bust tour unless 2nd is a trophy…….. Reality check says that to some fans, they will see it that way. This poster doesn’t.
Did we play better than last season? At times, yes, as with our run in. El B lacks consistency or the ability to change games in the way Pep does. It’s not the players, it’s EL B’s trust paranoia issues.
El B is a flawed manager. Capable of putting a squad together that should have won the last 2 PL seasons, but not creating a squad who can seamlessly fit together in different combinations; El B keeps to about 14 players. The rest have little chance of game time – only in emergencies, such as when El B has no clue what to do, which is in most games with his general lack of in-game management nous.
As with the clock analogy, El B does get it right occasionally, but clearly not enough to win the PL.
Our nearly-but-not-quite manager will only see success from this season: drawing on the positives and forgetting the negatives where he’ll end up making the same negative mistakes next season, as is his way. Facts are facts if you want to look at the finishing stats and points dropped through repeated mistakes.
Are these thoughts in your minds, too, LIR?
Can El B be consistent throughout a season?
Can El B improve game intelligence with game changing in-game management when needed?
Can El be get past his trust issues and rotate the full squad in the way winning managers do, such as Klopp and Pep in the PL?
Can El B get the summer’s incoming TW buys right?
Can we sell our dead wood on silly money?
Can Havertz score 20+ goals with 8 assists next season?
Just some of the questions we’ll need positive answers for if we are to win the PL next season. I’m sure you’ll all have others?
Come on you irons – give your departing manager a magnificent send off.
Spurs are where they ought to be – Thursday night football for them.
Hi Tony
This might cure your fondness for that racist shit bag Eric von Clapton. Turns out he’s a bin dipper!
https://guitar.com/news/music-news/eric-clapton-booed-for-jurgen-klopp-tribute-at-liverpool-concert/
Hi NORG
Yes, we might as well be optimistic. Moyes with his northern English football connections plus his enjoyment of dogged attritional football might fancy trying to eke out a result in his Hammers swansong.
I wonder too if there might be a Gooner chef in some swanky Manc hotel ready to doctor the City lasagne or sheep’s eyes fricassee (sp?).
Might as well defer the Inevitable for a few more days.
I’ve always hated Son. A snidey two faced fucker who’s conned refs for years. That chance late on was easier to miss than score. I hate him even more now.
Tony
I’m mentally still mired in this campaign (at leat ’til Sunday) but I’ll give your questions some thoughts.
Even if they don’t actually press any buttons, the Kroenkes must surely be asking themselves how much more money they need to give Arteta and whether there’s another manager who could deliver without too many more tweaks to the squad.
Given that he has had Arteta firmly in his pocket since leaving Arsenal, Emery ought to have a good shout to be named manager of the year.
KP sadly my cooking skills are not up to sneaking in the back door of their training ground with a lasagne that has been maturing for 100days in an ambient temperature. The maggots will provide added protein.
Some players avoid protein and carbs for 24hours before a game. In the early nineties I managed three sites and one was in Trafford Park – round the corner from Old Toilet. I spent 2 or 3 days a week there as it was undergoing major re-devolopment. I stayed at the Novotel, Worsley – as did the player United had recently signed from Leeds. Eric didnt mind the Novotel decor which is the same the world over and they had converted adjoining rooms for him. The manager was French and so was the chef – and he enjoyed the special treatment. The night before a game his evening meal was a huge mixing bowl full of green salad – dressed. No tomatoes or onions. I can remember him returning from a mid week game away to Norwich. The team arrived back at Manchester airport and an awaiting taxi whisked him to the hotel – he arrived at 11.30ish – the chef was on standby to cook a steak with all the trimmings – washed down with two pints of the lager he went on to advertise – it is his favourite.
Norg,
Yes, I’m now come on you irons, no caps, no exclamations marks. Accepting reality.
Those Ashburton Army goons letting off fireworks at the ManC hotel would have been better advised sneaking into the kitchen.
I hope Chelsea and Newcs both win good this eve and pip Spuds for even Conference spots. Teach them a bloody lesson.
Norg
Love your stories keep them coming.
KP
If Eric Von stuck to guitar playing only you’d probably admire him. A I’ve said before musicians are wired differently, so we have to make allowances for their behavioral peccadilloes. They may play their instruments with elite aplomb, but that doesn’t qualify them to make sensible decisions we’d make here.
One also has to remember the decades of recreational usage that usually procures piss poor judgment when making decisions like asking Jimi Hendrix to guest at the Marque and them walk off stage throwing a hissy fit.
Our Eric has had his moments. Like me in a rare drunk moment stating to a girl that I loved the lyrics to Sam Par Ti by Santana, which is an instrumental. Bet you’ve done plenty in KP overdrive. I know I have.
I even corrected Dom Mintoff at his summer palace in Malta when he was explaining the tech of HDTV when it was new. The room went silent and the guard in the kitchen was unsure of his next move until Dom Mintoff started laughing as the kitchen followed. It was a long table in a big kitchen where Dom cooked over an open fire in 2 big pots. Food was amazing and lunch turned out to be fun with me talking tech to the table.
I feel sad KP for you by you denying such amazing music. His latest box set is to die for. Rock, Blues and Orchestra BluRays and vinyl. Sound is crazy good production with the best cast of musos imaginable.
Being a Bin Dipper does take some explaining, though, but he did think his sister was his mum for most of his young life. Got a great docu about that in my collection. He thought his mum was his aunty on her rare visits. Took solace in his guitar. That social conditioning is likely to make anyone a bit kooky, KP.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sptQj1MPIwg Thought No regrets and this song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uyb67x1C2Dg Then thought Robbie for a modern take.
What did Eric Von do that fuels the flames when his name is uttered?
Tony,
Every manger has flaws. Pep suffered his overdoses of galaxy brain when he first started his prem and CL career with City.
Tets rotational nous has been noted by others here and elsewhere. Partly because we haven’t had the capacity to rotate with the degree of comfort Pep has, partly because those he had available he didn’t trust. Both are connected.
We’ve done much better this season than last. The numbers are there for us all to see. We’ve been far more consistent. We’ve not lost to Pep in the last three meetings. Only us Villa and Wolves have beaten them this season. Clearly it shows Emery’s and Villa’s progress. It also shows ours.
Attributing this season’s outcomes to nothing more than PMA is simplistic and ignores everything we’ve done well. It also ignores the progress adjustments from last season.
Given the evidence of the last four windows, while never a guarantee, there’s Every chance in the world we’ll do well with inward transfers.
Unlikely we’ll sell for silly money given the outgoings will be dead wood or 2nd tier in the cases of players like Jesus, Zinny or Rambo.
Of course, given the trajectory Arteta is likely to improve. He’s come on leaps and bounds since 2020. We’re actually good now.
Havertz as a nominal 9 for the full season. Would love to see it. Wouldn’t say no to another quality option as well but your 25+ guarantees are few and very pricey. Havertz at 65m may well end up being a bargain if he hits close to that.
Facts are facts. We’ve actually out performed XG. Shows a degree of striking efficiency and the need to improvement will be another marginal gain much like Raya in was.
Tets gets it right more than occasionally and more than a stopped clock. Go back, look at the table, looks at the numbers, saying our manager has no clue is plain dopey.
Go get your seals old fella.
Tony
“El B”
that explains. Like an unknown parentage so the consistent fuckups. What else can one expect.
OK some can be enamored by the type. Some type of Stockholm Syndrome. These as we can hear loud and clear , they too exist.
Out with the old and in with the new.
This season has seen a few new managers introduced to the premiership and on the whole they have done well and mostly on small budgets. Bournemouth were relegation fodder but now sit comfortably in mid table. Even Luton gave most teams a fright and it will be a pity to see them go. The new face at Palace and even Big Ange at Spurs could all provide a hiccup to the big boys next season. We need to get it right in this transfer window – we may not have much room to manouver because of the last big spend.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/unai-emery-aston-villa-ucl-32815471
Ode to Emery good ebening
( Good-bye LG ,RIP )
Hoopah
Unai has done well and I expect him to continue to rise. He failed at Arsenal because he refused to lick Raul’s arse and accept the players thrust upon him. In his early time at the club his successor did lick Raul’s arse – tongue right up to his tonsils. Luckily for him Gasper and Josh persevered with him and removed Raul.
Unai has already done some shopping and has a couple of players to be announced in a couple of weeks.
Norg,
Yes, I’m now come on you irons, no caps, no exclamations marks. Accepting reality.
Those Ashburton Army goons letting off fireworks at the ManC hotel would have been better advised sneaking into the kitchen.
I hope Chelsea and Newcs both win good this eve and pip Spuds for the Conference spots. Teach them a bloody lesson.
Aitcho
Many moons ago 77 / 78 I was in the east stand lower watching Arsenal vs West Ham. Having had a few beers in the Compton before the game I was probably more outgoing than my normal self. In front of me were a few WHU supporters who kept on singing come on you irons. As they were from the east end I made reference to rhyming slang for iron – iron hoof = poof. So I questioned them about their chant and said are you referring your team as poofs (not politically acceptable these days) – it didn’t go down too well but they were ok in the end.
Aitcho
We are different characters. I simply don’t accept loss. 2nd is losing in my world. El B has lost the last 3 seasons and I think we played better football at our best last season. We are predictable and only generally have one good half in us.
But forgetting the flaws or wonderful manager you feel El B is becoming the fact of the matter is we lost the league to City when we should have won. Ditto last season and the fall off the season before that.
I follow sport and The Arsenal to win and El B hasn’t done his job, especially as he told Willian he was going to win the CL in 3 years and now he’s been here almost 5.
It’s Wenger all over again. If you’re happy us throwing the season away again, then I can’t help you.
In sport there is only winning and losing and El B is a proven PL loser over 5 years. Oh well another half a billion should get our squad all tikity boo.
I am taking a wild guess this is a fav of yours, Aitcho: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_-q9xeOgG4
Don’t worry it’s not a seal. You haven’t sunken to the depths again. Mind you with your abilities it could be like the Voice where you get a 4 seal turn for your posts.
Seriously, Aitcho, if you’re happy, then who am I to want to stop your mirth and merriment at being 2nd?
Genuine question, if El B blows the title again next season, would you want to give him another? If so, where do you draw the line?
Emery was always a good manager. Even with us, he worked out we weren’t good enough to achieve what we thought we deserved at the time . A lot of the fan base hadn’t got used to the idea. He had them singing we had our Arsenal ‘back’ three months into the season, we had that unbeaten run that the stats told us was masking the shoddy football.
When the shoddy football was matched by shoddy stats, we flipped on him. The fifth place finish and loss in Baku did for him. But fans weren’t being realistic at the time. We weren’t ready to accept our place in the scheme of things.
Tets got away with far worse in respect of stats, and shoddy football. But he was prepared, possibly given more latitude.to deal with our reality. The FA Cup win bought him that freedom. I’m sure if not we that, he’d have been out by Dec that year. Possibly the fact we had no live games for people to vent their displeasure also insulated him.
Or maybe the Kroenkes just realised the club had structural problems and sacking a third manager in three years wasn’t going to address that. ManU are still to work out the problem is them, the revolving door of managers is a symptom not the cause of how shit they are. It would have been the same for us. We wised up quicker..
A lot was made of Unai simply being wrong place, wrong time, he had to win over Wenger devotees who still believed we could do it his way, people who’d grown up with us being good, Arteta drum bangers who for some reason thought a rookie was the answer for the same silly reason we thought Freddie might be, he played for us. Fans of all clubs can be thick that way. Fat Frank at Chelsea, King Kenny part 2 at Lolerpool etc.
The people who thought we’d got our arsenal back under Emery were being needy. The people who indulged in calling him a bum and the ‘good ebening ‘nonsense were a disgrace.
He was appointed because he had a track record with underdog teams. People weren’t ready to accept that’s what we had become. Who’s to say how it would have panned out if the management had given him the same indulgences and even money. You to respect a guy who comes in with a dossier and promises to make the dross we had better through the magical power of his coaching.
No surprise he’s got Villa fourth spot, still pissed about hiking all the way to Baku to get walloped and look forward to seeing how he’ll fare in big boy competition next season. The fact he’s beaten one semi finalist and one quarter finalist in the league this season bodes well for him.