The only problem I had with Martin Zubimendi’s transfer was for the games like today. Newcastle will try to bully us again with their physicality, they will cheat, kick, slide tackle, punch, elbow you and the referees will look for that blonde girl in the stadium while it happens. We have seen Partey getting kicked, we have seen Jorginho getting elbowed, and we have seen Saka getting pushed. As much as I hate those cunts, they know we are a bit soft and they know the refs will turn a blind eye to that.
Will a midfield of Zubimendi, Merino and Rice match up to their physicality and assault? We will see.
Eddie Nketiah, the ex-arsenal who was wearing #14 later for us helped us last night by scoring a last minute goal against the luck-riding Liverpool. He scored a brilliant one, made sure the bin dippers lose the first 3 points of the season and gave us a chance to close the gap to just 2 points today. Whether we take this opportunity is an entirely different conversation because we have given up on the title 3 seasons now after getting such chances and not converting it. It’s too early for the title but three points are three points.
During my time in London, I visited a friend living in Newcastle near to the St. James’ Park. He offered me a stadium tour, I was hardly interested in visiting a club’s stadium that was mid-table at best so I declined. Since then, they had a ownership change, Eddie Howe have converted them into a serious team who are challenging everyone for European places and could beat any of top premier league teams on their day. Sure, they have lost Isak but that’s just one piece they have lost and we can’t take them lightly today, again.
In the team news, Madueke is unavailable because of his knee injury that has sidelined him for 2 months, but Odegaard could be back today. We have got Eze and Nwaneri that can do far better than Merino in an attacking role but Mikel is adamant that it’s either Ode or Merino – so I guess we would have to pray Ode’s shoulder heals itself completely. With Saka back in the XI, I hope we see a front 3 of him, Gyokeres and Martinelli today. If I was the one in charge, Eze makes it in the team behind Gyokeres while only one of the Zubimendi or Rice starts the game.
Personally, I would also allow the players to earn a yellow card each while handing them a piece of paper before the game that reads – Dee as ya telt. They would have the freedom to earn it as they want. If you are too nice and don’t have the heart to do it, you are getting replaced by Ben White, no matter where you play on the pitch.
In other news, William Saliba signed an improved contract that will keep him in London till 2030. Did you see his interview post signing it? In Paris, my mates were supporting Madrid and Barcelone while I am the real one supporting Arsenal – he said. A proppa one, we have and we have got his next and best 5 years with us. Hopefully he will win a lot of trophies with us and hopefully we break the drought this year with Champions League.
Right, that’s all for today. See you during the game.
Was a pen imo. Gyokeres got a good touch, was fouled and the ball went and bruised the GK.
Ambarish
If the keeper had got the touch but not taken VG out VG would have got to the ball and had a shot on goal.
Both Gyokeres and Timber has brought us the missing physicality. Thank fuck qe don’t get to see Havertz anymore.
Marc
Yep, he would have scored regardless of the GK touch if he wasn’t fouled.
Ambarish
Havertz will be back.
Gyokeres looks lively today – we need to give him supply.
How did Trossard missed that?
Btw, both the on field ref and VAR are liverpool supporters. Make what you wish of it.
That was a good move . As soon as I saw Saka get the ball , felt something is coming
Ambarish & Marc—Not a penalty full-stop and there’s nothing conspiratorial about it…Keeper gets the touch, without a reckless lunge, so VG’s “dive” means nothing…that’s exactly why VAR exists, even thiough it’s being deployed poorly more often than not
Gyokeres was surely gonna take some time to build his confidence in a new, much tougher league. He will shine this season…
…until Havertz is back and Arteta does the expected.
come on Ambarish, that Pool fandom shit is beneath you
What a shot from Eze. We have been missing so many of it I fear now.
TRVL
You watch identical pens be given to Liverpool and City during the season.
nice save by Pope…that’s the kind of efforts from distance this club needs…Eze will score more often than not on those sorts of opportunities
TRVL
I got it that if we go by the textbook definition, it wasn’t a pen because the GK did have a touch.
However, if it would happened in our box, i am pretty sure Newcastle would have been up 1-0 by now.
Eze shot was a beauty. We need more of that.
TRVL
If nothing else it puts the opposition on the back foot and makes them wary.
Marc—I get the optics and if this were before VAR it would have been given, wrongly I might add, but it’s not a penalty
I love Bukayo but he needs to shoot less and feed Gyok more.
Ambarish—you can think that all you want, but if the situation was exactly the same, it wasn’t going to be a penalty for either side