Fulham is not doing great in the league so far. They are sitting at 14th with only 2 wins out of 7. They won’t threaten us but we often shoot ourselves in the foot. We have non other than ourselves to blame for losing the title thrice in a row. Injuries and other factors contributed to it, but prior to that, we had lost points against bottom half teams which ultimately came to haunt us.
We should keep that in mind today, go out with a positive mindset, score some goals and win.
Not even 1/4th of the season is over, so we are not in a panic/depressed mode as of now and there’s still a lot to play but seeing ourselves at the top of the table will only boost confidence of the players and catching up doesn’t help when you are competing against the likes of Man City and Liverpool.
Team News
Martin Odegaard will not be returning to the ground any time sooner and gets added to the list of Madueke, Havertz and Jesus. We might see Hincapie today, he is back in training and fit to play. Since our Captain is unavailable, it brings back the long running debate. Who are we going to see in that midfield? If it’s going to be 3 defensive players – Rice, Zubimendi and Merino then what’s the point of the getting Eze and renewing Nwaneri when you can’t trust either of them against a Fulham side.
If it’s me, I would pick any one of Rice or Zubimendi and put Eze and Nwaneri on either side. Saka, Gyokeres and Martinelli can keep their places. If you are wondering if it will make us weak defensively, you have got the best CBs in the world, you have got a solid GK in Raya and you would see Nwaneri and Martinelli playing in defence for half the game.
Not losing a game is important, but it shouldn’t come for the cost of not trying to win and waiting for a set piece adventure. You can go and play some good, attacking football and you can still beat the likes of Fulham and Forest. Wenger used to do with a defence of Mustafi, Bellerin and Kolasinac.
Managers have gone bonkers
Arteta, in his recent press conference, had some things to say about Victor Gyokeres.
I told him before the first meeting, the nine that I want is a nine that when he doesn’t score for six or eight games, he can handle that. If not, you have to go somewhere else because the pressure is gone, the expectation is going to be there. So if you put a number nine shirt for Arsenal, you have to be able to say, OK, six games, don’t score. I’m a different player, I start to act in a different way. I want much more of the same of what he’s doing.
source : Arsenal.com
That’s a very strange take and it pissed me off to be frank. You are okay with your striker to not score in 6 games? Ok, you demand other things from him – pressing, defensive duty, link up work, pulling player(s) out of their position for others to thrive but at the end, we spent 65m for a Centre Forward to score some fucking goals. Coming from a manager, it’s giving me future-cover-up vibes where you won’t adjust the style of play to shift scoring opportunities from set pieces and from wingers to a striker and when that happens, us fans will want answers from the player and the manager.
Arne Slot, the Liverpool Manager, had to say something about the set pieces
If you’d tell me that we’ve conceded 40% of our goals from set pieces & the number one in the league has scored 60% of their goals from set pieces and we’re still one point behind that team, I would probably think, ‘it’s not even that bad!
source : I don’t care
Now, that’s some more shite but from a different manager. I will write about it someday in November, hopefully I will decode what he is trying to say.
Wrapping Up
Right, that was 2 boring weeks we managed. If I have to guess, we are winning 3-0 with Gyokeres scoring a double and Martinelli scoring the third. Let’s go out and burn the cottage.
It hit the bar and the post and still didn’t get IN. Even the fate wants Ange gone.
The Oedipus clarification was typically sensible Vieira, and helped prevent the ingress of some disturbing imagery into my addled old napper.
Ever seen that old Mel Brooks flick ‘History of the World Part 1’? Oedipus is panhandling on the streets of ancient Rome of all places (all greek to me) saying ‘give to Oedipus, give to Oedipus’ with his hand out. Only for one of the characters to slap it in a high 5 style and say, ‘hey Motherfucker!’ I’ll try and yt it for your delectation.
https://youtu.be/n0quUM-Nr2c?si=Jn2f7Q_M5CCRW6HD
Here’s the clip. Lipps Inc.
Hi Ambarish
I think Eze will start and we could see Rice on the bench. Against Fulham it’s simple: match their energy and we will. Going to their ground is a very soft touch. 2 nil and the smile wiped off that cunt of a Portuguese manager’s face.
Dyche is sitting at home in his mud hut with a big gingery boner waiting for the greek bearing gifts. We’re having a classical afternoon at this rate. Almunia always loved talking about ancient Greece. 🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷
Newcastle losing…I think Howe might be next on the chopping block (literally given the blood thirsty Saudi owners’ enjoyment of capital punishment).
Merino making way…well I never. Dec Zubi and Exe in midfield.
Words I’d never thought I’d hear myself say…
That Palace v Bournemouth game looks mildly interesting…I may try and catch the highlights later.
Man City climbing back to the top, you can never write off Pep.
Our midfield will eat their’s today.
Mick Jagger is a Fulham fan ?
Alpha Tross!
Hi Hoopah
No, apparently the old cunt is a Gooner.
the set piece coach must have been thinking ‘what is up with you lot today’ then Trossard saves the day.
KP the midfield have left their false teeth in the glass by the side of their beds.
No pen surely
NORG
Yes but Rice IS having a decent game in my opinion.
Saka is a superstar but Kevin got the ball quite early . Let’s see
Gyokeres should have put that IN. Marts on for Trossard.
Ah well I am cooking vegeterian fried rice. Of course he is doing more than OK today.
Craven Cottage is like Pluto…no fucking atmosphere. They don’t seem to bother about losing.
ESR will get sold to a lower division. Become a total wimp literally passing the buck .