If you read the scoreline, 3-1 against Manchester United sounds pretty impressive, even at home. If you have watched the game, you would notice we are still in the chaos mode; but positives first.
We beat ’em. We got the three points against a top 4 team and the game was as exciting as it can get. For some reason, coming from behind after Rashford scored the first feels like a much needed confidence booster after Fulham’s result. Havertz missed an easy one in the 14th minute when the ball landed on his feet somehow, and he mis-shot it. It was him again when he played a sloppy pass to Eriksen in the 27th minute, who passed it brilliantly to Rashford. Rashford never fails to score against Arsenal, does he? We reacted this time. It took only a couple of minutes for us to level the score. Eddie picked up the ball, passed it to Martinelli and the Brazillian found Odegaard on the edge of the box. Two link ups between Eddie and Martinelli, and the other one should have been a goal too. I see a chemistry building up finally at the left side, but it requires Eddie to move from his goal scoring positions. I think Havertz has been tasked to finish it but we would need better precision and output from him.
In the second half, there were few exciting moments. Ramsdale and Gabriel denied Martial a goal, we got a penalty that was overturned. We made some changes – Jesus in place of Eddie, Tomiyasu for Zinchenko and Vieira for Havertz. Saka missed one, which should have been a goal again, Garnacho scored in 88th which was ruled offside and Nelson comes in place of Martinelli before extra added minutes.
The last 10 minutes were a mix of joy and chaos for us Gooners. Rice, in the United penalty box, takes a corner ball on his chest, and does a volley. It takes a slight touch from one of the United players and lands into the net. It was a crazy scene, first goal for our future midfielder, 2-1 against United with only 2 minutes left on the clock. The celebration spoke of madness. It wasn’t the end though, a Vieira pass led to Jesus run and that slide from Dalot wasn’t enough to hold him. Game ended with 3-1. Brilliant result, some good performances from Rice, Odegaard, Martinelli. Chemistry between Martinelli and Eddie has improved, and our captain scored one again. That goal at the end will provide Jesus some confidence and Vieira was on the assist sheet again.
Concerns?
Our finishing. You can’t miss two easy goals (Havertz and Saka) against a top 4 team and expect to win. We did win, but the game could have ended with a completely different score. Most of the time, we are responsible for our losses. This could have been another one such game.
Havertz will take time. He hasn’t been convincing in his first 4 games for us, but Vieira has. Even with the performances from the bench. Concerning thing is that, Mikel is going to stick to Kai and not use Vieira who looks much more confident this season. I will Kai doesn’t take 3 seasons like he did at Chelsea, to get into his pre-Chelsea form.
We are in much better control with a proper back 4 and Saliba + Gabriel partnership. I hope Mikel doesn’t go back to Partey at RB once he is back. We got Rice to rotate with him in the middle, so that he is fully fit for the games that matters most, and there will be plenty this season. We didn’t bring Rice so that we can move Partey to RB.
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Not trying to be a spoil sports, but there is a lot of improvement needed, and unlike last season’s winning run when you could hardly find a thing we did wrong, we have been very much chaotic and nervous in our first four games. We will only improve from here.
Cheers.
Hi Hoopah
Interesting. I did not know that. I love the way he’s been described as a national son in law.
If the relationship goes any further, India is more than welcome to him. In any case, he’s going to be looking for a new job soon. 🤞
How do you cope in India during international breaks? Is your national team playing as well?
Another unremarkable game by the Springboks standards. It’s late so won’t bother with the 2nd half.
Tony
The south Africans look like androgynous holiday camp workers in those kits. Hermaphrodite springboks. Not a good look. Scotland just lacking a cutting edge.
Joke Sunday
Yet another, I coulda woulda shoulda stories involving Monsieur Chihuahua Head and a major world star.
From the BBC
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger rejected the chance to sign Uruguay midfielder Federico Valverde, who is now valued at around £100m, in 2016 before the now 25-year-old joined Real Madrid from Penarol
I’d have thought by now that these stories would have run out. What a team we could have had. Instead we got Sanogo, Chamakh, Andre Silva, Squillaci, Denilson, Ozil, Mustafi, Almunia and Kallstrom….
If only….. We’d have kicked the old bastard out in about 2007.
Watching Wales v Fiji and getting strange football World Cup 1966 vibes with the kits. Where are Nobby Stiles and Franz Beckenbauer?
KP
“Scotland just lacking a cutting edge.”
Scotland played like a farmer’s league team and couldn’t get the basics right, like how to secure your own line out or how to catch a high ball being kicked at you. It was an infuriating 2nd half after a RSA 6 : 3 SCO half time score with the hope that there would at least a bonus point being had. It was not to be.
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Total Sunday redemption from the Wales v Fiji games which was the best so far and possibly one of the best in this WC. Unstructured, fast moving and with emotions sky high. Wales didn’t just experience a banana skin slip, no they were slipping and sliding up the mountain. What an entertaining match to watch.
KP/Killroy
So happy junior and I went to bed at half time as I agree with all your thinking. That Springbos new kit looks like it was made for ladyboy united. Hermaphrodite sounds more elite I guess and at times SA were mincing about rather than big hits with frequent stretcher breaks to get the wounded off the battlefield.
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Ok, I might be over dramatizing the stretcher breaks, but the Springboks might just as well as wear tutus as that feminine looking, woke kit.
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The Scots always make schoolboy mistakes at crucial moments, you can bet on them making such rudimentary errors.
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If only the Wales v Fiji game had been the late evening match for us. That sounded like a corker.
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Only football news I’ve taken notice of is our LCB Gabs was subbed and had ice strapped to his thigh. Hopefully, it’s just precautionary. But if he is injured watch Arteta say he was crucial to he plans.
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I would imagine our king of the rants, AF, would have some strong words about that if it happens. Keep them coming AF they’re becoming an unique feature here. 🙂
Junior found this for us re the change in kit colour. Junior said genuinely that’s really kind of the Springboks wanting to be seen clearly. In my mind the SA have devalued the SA kit where their dark green suited their ferocity.
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“South Africa have been in discussions with World Rugby, after the Governing body announced that opposing Test match teams will have to wear ‘light or dark’ kits from 2025. The decision was made in a move to benefit rugby fans who suffer from colour-blindness, and make the distinctive kits easier to tell apart.”
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Colour-blind my arse.
Hi Tony
I think that’s a ruse to get teams to display their second kit more frequently in order to sell it.
What did you make of those disciplinary decisions in the Eng-Arg game Tony? It’s genuinely perplexing to me how Curry saw red and the Argie full back only yellow. I think Dallaglio and Woodward were similarly unclear about what happened. The decisions will be reviewed in the week – I understand there’s a chance that Curry’s red will be overturned.
KP
I have only seen the replays buts for the Scots head clash and the Eng v Arg Curry one. Whilst I’m all in favour of taking head blows and clashes very seriously (anyone in doubt should watch the movie Concussion), but I think in rugby 2 thing in this respect need changing.
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First, head gear should be mandatory in the same ways crash helmets are. I’m not advocating disruptive NFL helmets but an absorption material that takes the initial heavy blunt force trauma to the head and brain. The NFL helmets offer very little in terms of long term damage however the tackling/blocking is far more dangerous than in rugby.
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Second, the law needs to be changed to take into consideration the compulsory headgear where there needs to be more obvious intention by the players to use their heads first in illegal challenges to be given a red.
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I felt for the card in question that the red decision was very poor.
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We see this in every world cup the officials start hard with decisions and generally settle into their refereeing rhythms of quick focus and decision making.
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I reffed a few games in my younger years and really enjoyed the whole process, as did my always fast spinning brain where I saw things in real time more than others if that makes sense. I never got any complaints from managers and players, so I assumed it was ok.
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Hope your week is going well 🙂
Cheers Tony. Good stuff. I think you’re right about headgear. In the NFL those helmets are used by players as part of their tackling technique and are rigid. Made of some form of aluminium I think. But rugby players – backs and forwards – should all be made to wear them if it’ll help reduce serious injuries. Maybe Upstate has a view on this with his NFL knowledge. (Hi Upstate – I’m going to tell you something you’re either going to laugh at or be distinctly unimpressed about – I’m a Raiders fan, there I’ve said it!) Be kind please – I seldom admit it publicly! They just squeaked past the broncos at the weekend which is better than expected.
I think lots of people are waiting to see what happens to Curry. They’ve already decided not to cite the SA player. The joy is slowly ebbing away from watching rugby because of all this.
I can imagine you officiating rugby Tony. It’s never too late to pick up a whistle again! And I’ve got some old boots somewhere you can borrow… Is there any played where you are?
New post!