In the words of Peaky Fucking Blinders, we have got a curse. Call it The Emery Curse, or the Emi’s, but we have one.
Last season, in the first game against Villa, we lost 1-0 after they scored in 07th minute and we never recovered. They were coming off of a win at City and they beat us. We did create some chances later on but never converted it. In the home game, we lost 0-2 when we conceded both goals in last 10 minutes. We were just 2 points behind Man City with 6 games to go, and a loss to Villa confirmed our title challenge was over. We needed a win so much at that point and they denied us. I hate them more than Spurs these days. The two losses costed us the title at the end.
Anyways, it’s a new season and a new fight. We take on Aston Villa at Villa Park today in a 5.30 evening kick off.
In the team news, there would be some surprises. Fabio Vieira is most likely going back to Porto on a loan so won’t feature today. Tomiyasu and Tierney remains unavailable due to injuries. We are most likely going ahead with the same team that featured against Wolves. A back 4 of White, Gabriel, Saliba and Zinchenko; a midfield of Partey, Rice, and Odegaard; a front 3 of Saka, Havertz and Martinelli. I would love to see Timber in place of Zinchenko starting today though, he is one for the future and improves our left side by a margin. Martinelli hardly gets any support from Zinchenko and that’s the difference between the outputs of him and Saka.
Gabriel Jesus is also not available as the rumours goes.
Mikel Arteta had to say this in the pre-match conference yesterday,
on how big of a test Villa away is so early in the season:
It’s one of the toughest places to go for sure. We know that, we’ve prepared really well to understand what we have to do to go there and win the game.
on the importance of getting a result against Unai Emery personally:
Personally? I don’t do things personally, I just have the will to win and prepare the team in the best possible way, regardless of who we are playing against.
source: Arsenal.com
It’s tough because we lost both games against Villa in the best season of Mikel Arteta. For the Unai Emery question, Mikel is fooling everyone including himself. He would have sleepless nights thinking how Emery got the better of him and I am hoping he has an answer to that today.
There are some things happening in the transfer window. Forest looks really interested in Eddie Nketiah and we have rejected a £25m and Forest will agree for £30m me thinks.
Fabio Vieira is going on a loan to Porto (from where we got him 2 years back). This one is a strange move, because we have sold ESR already and we would be left with only Odegaard as an attacking mid with no back up or competition. There are talks that the management is very impressed with Ethan Nwaneri and he would deputize Odegaard.
Merino deal is almost confirmed, he will be joining us from Real Sociedad for a £28m free. I have not seen much of him, but we know Rice is more of a #6 and we needed a #8 after Mikel decided to shift Kai up top.
We have also rejected a Wolves move for Aaron Ramsdale on loan + option to buy. We are in a favor of a permanent move for Aaron, and we have already decided a replacement in Joan Garcia from Espanyol.
Hardly a week left, there would be some chaos at the end, lets see how it pans out for us.
Right, that’s all for today. See you during the game.
wanting to return
The crazy thing in all this is Toney for £40 million looks like a bargain when you’re used to Arteta.
Nketiah’s gone to Palace so our Striking options are Havertz (not a striker), Jesus (would actually need Jesus to keep him fit) and Trossard plus any kids we have.
Someone tell me with a straight face this is a frontline selection that’s going to win the PL, OK tell me its going to compete for the PL?
Villa, Liverpool, City, ManU, Chelsea and Newcastle all have frontlines who will score far more goals than what we have.
Saka gets a bad injury and we’ll be in a relegation battle.
Marc—this might be a contrarian opinion, but I see very little difference between how we operate now and how we operated under Wenger, during his second term in office…now Arteta’s had the advantage of being able to keep our brightest young talents, albeit he ghosted ESR, tried to oust Saliba and looks like he might be trying to edge Marts out…not to mention, he likewise has had the good fortune of managing at a time when former powerhouses like Chelsea and United have had a significant dropoff…otherwise, we still prescribe to a cult of personality management model, we still ignore our most pressing needs, we still cock up windows on a fairly regular basis, we still have an arrogant skipper who cares more about personal accolades than team success, we still go shopping for Chelsea’s castoffs when something much more significant is required and, most importantly, we still can’t win anything of real consequence…WTF!!!
agree with your Saka fears…in a similar vein, imagine what it will look like if Raya gets injured
Morning all, not a good one I hasten to add.
I feel this sums up the Sterling loan:
Enzo Maresca publicly told Sterling he was not going to get one minute playing time this season because he is not good enough for Enzo and Madueke proved Enzo right against Wolves.
El B who no decent 9 wants to play for, wants his diminutive over-the-hill, Chavs cast off, but first and only City player to fawn over El B, who is homeless with no other club wanting him.
El B bring this prodigal son home who will get the Willian treatment game time wise. In Thailand they call Sterling the Tushy Ped. Meaning ladyboy duck in Thai. They’ve called him that even since his move to the Chavs, so they are pissing themselves now at our front unbalanced line up.
My end of season prediction is now 5th or lower. El B has fooled himself that we were scoring for fun last season, so Sterling is just going to add to last season’s numbers and cover himself and El B in glory.
The selection for our early game is going to be interesting without Merino.
Maya
White – Willie S – Big Gabs – Calafiori/Timber
Ode – Partey – Rice
Saka – Havertz – Marts
Anyone see the line up differently?
We brought in Merino, Calafiori and Sterling and a young keeper so Maya cannot get injured this season but the new keeper can play 9 his pre keeper position, so there is that when not if Jesus gets injured.
Whatever way you look at out summer TW it’s just another Groundhog Day with El B and his sidekick Edu. We basement shop at City and the Chavs for their rejects who have been told to find new clubs but no one wants except El B: the seer of all things football but is a loser manager making the same mistakes over, and over, and over and gain with Sterling, as he did with Havertz last season.
Hopefully, this is Edu’s and El B’s last season with us………….. I feel for Garlick and Lewes and hope Lewes has enough footballing nous to report back to Stan and son the reality of out wasted TW as it was completely wasted……….
We got maybe a decent LCB/LB/6 and a burnt out forward only Rio Ferdinand believes in, so that means absolutely nothing as nepotism Rio backs uncle Raheem.
Ambarish, I feel sorry for you. The last 2 seasons I wanted the trophy as much for it being your first as I’ve witnessed many, but there is no way we can win the league shooting blanks up top.
Sterling was surplus to requirements and El B snapped him up even though Enzo was right to kick Sterling out. Havertz needs at least 3 clear cut chances to score as does Jesus, Marts has no one to interact with and Saka get triple teamed.
Where are the goals going to come from this season? We are going to be so easy to play against by the top 8 and some minnows, too.
That said, on paper we should get 3 home points today, but I’m not holding my breath as we have been less than convincing this season.
Marc
Hope you enjoy the game and will be interesting to gauge the temperature of the home fans at the Emirates and their thoughts on our TW & Sterling………
KP
What’s your game movement s this weekend?
now I’m not suggesting that Sterling won’t get his chances here or possibly even experience a purple patch or two, but if he trips over his dick when it matters most, this should be viewed as another short-sighted recruitment maneuver by the Prince of chequebook managing…in this regards, if some initial reports are to be believed, it does appear as if Chelsea are going to foot half the bill, but I’ll believe that when I see it…in writing that is…the only way I could see this happening is if this loan deal was the only stumbling block when it came to their Sancho pursuit…that said, one should never say never when it comes to Uncle Todd’s spendthrift shit show…in the end, if we are only obliged to pay half, have no future obligations within the fine print and we haven’t given him the same assurances as Willian and Havertz, having him instead of Nelson, who MA didn’t trust whatsoever, isn’t the worst case scenario…that said, it certainly isn’t the best either
I’m not sure what to expect in today’s match, although I think we’ll find a way to take all 3, especially at the Emirates…BHA have performed a bit better than us in their first two matches, including winning in the final moments against United, but they likewise played on Tuesday…although they didn’t start a ton of 1st teamers, if anything, it should favour our more rested side…it would be difficult to imagine MA not starting the same lineup as last time out, albeit I certainly wouldn’t be shocked if Tross started against his old side over Marts…unfortunately it’s on too early for this bakehead, so I’ll be watching it on the down-low in tape delay mode…looking forward to reading some interesting posts by the LIG crew once I’m done watching in my no spoiler isolation chamber…Cheers
LIR crew…WTF
The game against BHA is not a given one. Their manager Fabian Hurzeler at 31, is the youngest ever full-time boss of a Premier League team. Hurzeler, guided St Pauli to the Bundesliga 2 title last season by winning 20 of their 34 matches and won promotion to the Bundesliga. You don’t get there with the resources that St. Pauli (Hamburg, Germany) has unless you are good at your job. It will be interesting to see what happens when El-B meets someone that is perhaps generational, in the manner of Alonso.
My fucking anger towards Mr Plucked Cunty-Balls (apologies for the lack of creative endeavour on this latest soubriquet – god I loathe Arteta).
Sterling is a terrible deal (past his best, a petulant and unenergetic Reiss Nelson, a classic Chelsea reject a la Cech/Willian and to a lesser extent Jorginho – costly and seldom a difference maker, we’d have been better off betting the house on Nelson, Nwaneri and Lewis Skelly. He’s on 325,000 a week. Let that sink in and wonder what it’ll do for team morale.
Ramsdale – Wildly undersold. Still,no bad thing to get that Harry Potter cosplaying muthafucka and his psychotic dad out of the club.
Vieira – Loaning a player back for very little to a club that ripped you off in the first place just seems like masochism
Merino – already injured…the die is cast.
Arteta – qué te vayas a la puta que te pario. A fucking idiot for the ages, along with the other unreconstructed cunts who are spunking the fan’s money.
Hi Tony
In other news….County are top of the table after beating Newtown 3-0 last night . I was there in my luminous jacket controlling the hordes, about 300 avid fans to be exact. Gutsy and skillful against a strong but over-physical team who had an elbowing midfielder sent off when they were 1 goal down. Really impressive start to the season. And guess what – no ex Chelsea/ex City/ex-Liverpool has beens mincing up and down the wings!
As you can possibly tell, the run on Sterling, has caused some panic and instability.
Gonna see if I can persuade junior (who’s not playing himself today strangely) and my car-mad daughter who’s a truly brilliant learner driver to join me on a random footy watching jaunt today. I’ll leave the hip flask but might indulge in a club house beer somewhere or other. Also allows me the hope that I’ll miss Arteta’s touchline bullshit against Brighton…
https://www.youtube.com/live/aVbx_pTlURI?si=gH309kFtOZRZd9IJ
Feast your eyes.
Check out goal numero tres at about 1h.22m of the game. The through ball from Walters is something Rice, Partey or Ode would be proud of. Rather pleasing sunset in this part of Wales last night too.
I was right – what does Sterling bring – not a lot in football terms as he is a busted flush. However he could be bearing a hammer and nails to be used in El B’s coffin.
KP – a beautifully weighted pass – reminded me of Cesc.
TRVL
I just took delivery from some very cool organic, gardeners here just as I was going to reply to your post.
Obviously, Sterling has a case to prove Enzo wrong like the spurned woman who does the “look at this and see what you’re missing” like it’s never been seen before duh! Sterling will run his awkward gait with arse in the air like a duck as the Thais have observed and hopefully score the goals he’s paid to score. If he does, his praises will be sung lifting the rafters until he stops scoring and assisting, then the fans will let him and El B know because, let’s not forget this is supposed to be OUR PL WINNING season.
Enzo doesn’t fuck around with his non negotiables. Sterling was told not one minute playing time this season. That’s some statement to make, so what caused such an outburst that put every other club off the aging player? A clash of ego’s perhaps?
The I’m on 345K a week, so I’m important to the team, perhaps? Could be any number of prima donna outbursts fading stars tend to repeatedly hiss in fits, but not see where they can improve, as well as being an important cog in the dressing room, such as Milner: the ultimate pro.
Half Sterlings wages is still close to 200k a week, and then individual and team bonuses. I just hope there is no obligation to buy tucked away somewhere in the fine print.
Maybe in the January window Mickey Mudflaps will be El B’s next Chav’s cast off acquisition, believing He can do what 3 other managers can’t. He was yanked off at half time against Wolves at 2:2 and the Chavs walked it in the 2nd half.
El B was desperate once again at the 11th hour, couldn’t even sign Toney for 40m, which would have been infinitely better than Sterling.
Injury wise Sterling has a decent record of games missed only 2 this year and 6 the previous, so 8 for last season, but his thighs are his achilles heel, which he needs for his speed and trickery.
Underwhelming and dangerous is how I’d sum up Sterling’s loan.
El B saw and sees Sterling as a miracle lifeline when he found he was not favored by who we should have bought: all turned down El B’s advances if the reports are to be believed. Not in so many words, but none answered when Edu went calling or we’d be rocking up with Osimhen, Victor G et al.
I actually think the Merino thing is El B’s karma for ESR and Ramsdale and those before them. How often does such a thing happen? El B is 2 from 3 season? Merino has been caught up in El B’s fate? Not a stretch to think that way in S E Asia.
Killroy
I said that last week after BHA dispatched Manure by matching them, and then taking their chances better. I only realised then that Fabian was so young, and like you quickly made the comparisons from watching the game, and felt night and day to El B’s early tenure and probably better than this season, too.
I have nothing but respect for Tony Bloom, so I didn’t give Fabian’s age a 2nd thought knowing he was Bloom’s hire.
Brighton looked more settled in their play than us, and better drilled with decent fitness levels having more time in preseason than our squad. The fact Brighton rested its stars suggests Fabian thinks we can be had at the Emirates – where on our last 2 outings we could have easily shipped goals particularly from our left and soft centre on fast counters where Willie has to be at Usain Bolt levels to nullify such attacks.
If we were playing them and the Amex I’d say we’d be lucky to get away with a draw, but it’s fortress Emirates, so maybe we can get out mojo back and contain and counter Brighton down our trusty right side hoping Fabian, being so young hasn’t seen that glaring deficiency in our unbalanced play.
Take out Ode, prevent his space and double team him, and we’ll fall apart. We have no other AMF.
We have a 7 and two 6s in midfield. One 6 is really a CB, and both 6s lack the driving pace Vieira had. We’ve got 5 LBs that can shoe horn someone into MF in an inverted way perhaps.
Our RB plays LB where our starting RB is really a CB who also inverts and contrives to be an AMF in their final third like a baby giraffe rather than naturally silky quick 2 feet needed.
We have 3 wingers and a 2 wannabe 9s, one of which is always on the injury table: both need multiple chances to score. One winger is oft stifled out the game and the other winger overplayed needing to be a genius finding the merest of space to score when cutting in.
If Maya gets injured, we got a rookie ex 9 as out back up keeper.
That’s what Fabian will be considering along with 17 other premier managers.
Let’s hope our band of positional misfits can make the 3 points ours when the fat lady sings.
KP
Thanks for the link it’s good to see where you travel to and I haven’t been to Wales for maybe 30 years since I was last in Cardiff on business.
Was surprised at the picture quality for a small back yard club but I guess tech has really moved on since I used my FS7 here. The countryside looks a nice setting surrounding the game. I was thinking I bet they’ve got a good fish and chip shop as I miss a large middle of skate for its unique taste.
The football quality wasn’t bad either just slower and easier on the eye.
Worthy of their 3:0 win HFW were.
Hi NORG
Agreed. Probably more Cesc-like than the current crop.I know he wasn’t exactly under pressure but the pass is perfectly weighted and a genuine thing of beauty. I tend to erase Cesc from my mind when I can because of the whole Barcelona thing.
The passer in question – Greg Walters – is a local lad who in his spare time has set up a really successful mental health charity called Give the Boys a Lift. An all round hero. And it’s a homecoming of sorts – he played for County 8-10 years ago when I first started going. He’s played for Wales at junior levels. I think we have one of the best midfields in Welsh football which is brilliant to see.
Nice one Tony
It was a really pleasant evening. You’re right – the football is different but just as meaningful. It’s a very pleasant antidote to Sterling, Arteta and the money grubbing CL draw
This’ll make you laugh. One of my fellow stewards at County also works at….the Tottenham Stadium. Sublime to the ridiculous or what?
He often passes on programmes to me. Last year’s one for the Arsenal game was pure comedy. It did a double page spread of historic wins against us and had to go back to the 50s and 60s for material which I thought was fucking hilarious.
Anyhoo, I’m now a proud owner of their latest programme from the Everton game. Autographed by???????
No less to than proper spud royalty. Yes, Sir Ossie of Ardiles and the man with no neck Lord Gary Of Mabbutt.
I’m happy to pay 10 grand to any LiR reader who’ll take the miserable fucking thing off my hands! 😄😁😆
I take it that 10k was in Lire, KP?
Do your hands feel dirty after handling one? Must be a paradoxical feeling pissing oneself laughing while wants to wash your hands so badly…..
Good to have you back. Keep the travelling stories going with link pics will be good to see where you go.
Just over 3 hours to go, do you have a prediction, KP? I say we should get 3 points but not holding my breath. I won’t be laughing if Fabian hands El B his arse on a plate, well not much anyway.
Wetting myself more like with anger in the laughter at the irony at what a real generational manager looks like.
That and pissed off because we will all know why we dropped points, if it happens.
KP
Good to see Bellamy at half time talking sense no doubt. Nice to see him involved in roots football.
Looking forward to your take on the TW and tonight’s game, Ambarish.
Hoopah
Are you still in Sterling denial?
Do you need LIR help? Some multi lingual rant from KP to shake you to the undeniable fact that Sterling is in the building and we are the laughing stock of the TW.
Almuniaisnomore
I hope you and yours are doing well and you’re keeping healthy these days.
I imagine your satirical head must be dreaming up all kinds of hilarious moments, which would be most welcome should you feel the urge to join your friends again in LIR, as a sketch or just in banter, your presence is missed certainly by me, but all here I’m sure would agree.
No surprises with our line up except Trossard instead of Marts as TRVL suggested.
Jesus is injured groin apparently no known return date so I guess that added to our Sterling need.
No confident about today’s game.
Off we go then with hope rather than expectation….
Brighton have come to play
We look most likely to score with Saka dominating play
As per usual our game slows after 30 minutes where Brighton has had 53% possession.
Brighton managing to keep the game to their preferred pace.
Havertz seized on a rare mistake by Dunk.
1:0 to us prior to the goal Havertz had had 4 passes with 3 completions
Rice off misses the Spuds away derby next game after the international break
1:1 straight through the middle of a gaping hole
El B needs to shore up at the back as its attack against defence
El B needs to shore up at the back as its attack against defense
Rice was not known for theatricals since quite a capable player and does not the drama. Who taught him that shit ?
Being a novice could not execute the dramatic fall very realistically and got caught.
Now with 10 men and a defensive lynchpin at midfield off , there will be mayhem at the back considering how Brighton play
Welbeck continues being consistently shit with occasional performance at crucial stages…maybe what make him relevant
Our lumbering giraffe missed a sitter.
You’ll will guess who
Ooops – two points dropped – never mind RS will make up the difference.
Oof draw
Fortunately Brighton have gone a way down their usual offensive capabilities
Tied with Arsenal at the top ,at this stage
2 points dropped way too early. Expect City to dispatch the Hammers but the Pool Manure game either way we can’t take advantage of the outcome.
Maya kept us in the game but our first hiccup at home against a decent stubborn Brighton side who in the 2nd half came out with more belief but Rice let the side down badly with the sending off and missing the north London derby in the Spuds back yard.