The Em’ Curse!

Goober? I think you probably know what I mean. 😉

KP

8 from 10 – the lottery from yesteryear. The pools companies (Liverpool based) were doomed as soon as Major gave the thumbs up to the National Lottery.
Interestingly pub games I remember from my early drinking days are now making a comeback – mainly in rural community pubs.

KP – I wonder what happened to Whitcher? His match reports were often very good.

NORG
Agreed. I had a great deal of respect for Kevin Whicher. He ran the site expertly producing some fantastic material along with the likes of Robert Exley (Simon Rose not so much for me).He trod a careful line between AKBs and AMGs and his stuff was always very readable. I think he was thoroughly in the AMG camp by the end but I think the diplomacy and umpiring of opinion understandably wore him down. He passed it over to someone called Laith Yousef iirc and it quickly morphed into an even duller version of the club programme.

Hi Ambarish – there might be a potential subject there for an article if you can track him down, ie a q and a with Kevin. Really knowledgeable bloke.

Shove ‘apenny, bar billiards, cheese skittles. I’ve loved like a drunken tosser trying all of those.

Remember Fred Truman and Indoor League? Great TV from arguably better times.

Aal sithee!

Loved = looked. Too many pale ales this afternoon while arm wrestling Ms Kroenkephobe in’t pub…

Shove ‘apenny and bar billiards were everywherein our town when I started on the beer. In NE Kent they used to have a bat and ball league. I havent come across the game anywhere else in the country.

Apparently Merino is reported to be out for 2 months with his broken shoulder. Then a month to get back to match fitness if he’s not thrown into the mix through desperation to balance our tactics.

I know TRVL was expecting longer as was I. If he’s back for the Xmas period, I would imagine we’d be needing any fresh extra man by then.

In other news Wrighty is saying loaning Sterling was a masterstroke. Not a word I’d associate with the piece of Chav’s right off purchase, but time will be the eventual Sterling acid test.

Another hope against hope for me. That’s a lot of fcuking hope for only 3 games in.

From today’s Guardian.

Last week, Chelsea asked one of their biggest rivals to take one of their best players for no fee, with no obligation to buy and with Chelsea still paying most of his wages.

For all this, there are plenty of people out there who will tell you that Chelsea’s decision to play Raheem Sterling in all six of their pre-season fixtures, then decide to sell him, then fail to sell him, then pay him £200,000 a week to play

If true, this makes the Sterling deal slightly more palatable I suppose (although my hunch is he’ll add less value that Cech and Willian).

This period of Chelsea ownership will go down in history. Boehly is a fucking loon. I bet old Marina Granovskaya is relieved she dodged that bullet, although providing BJs for Roman Abramovich on some creaky old gin palace in the Black Sea can’t be fun either.

Tony & KP—all the euphoria surrounding the Sterling hire appears to be predicated on the notion that Chelsea didn’t require a fee and they’re supposedly paying at least half of his astronomical wages; so much so that one online media hack had the gall to suggest we were only paying a “tiny” chunk of his weekly salary…obviously the less we pay for this out of form winger the better, but typically when a managerial “masterstroke” occurs the focus is on what the player brings to the footballing equation, not the financials…in that regards, I’m not sure how this reach will pan out, but I’m certainly not of the belief that he’s here simply to be a Saka cover piece…in fact, I would suspect that he’s going to be taking Marts spot, as Sterling makes little sense on the right anymore…this will leave Tross as his cover and Marts as Saka’s…this is why this could be a messy situation

the only other possibility I can envision, considering MA’s propensity to shoehorn, is that Sterling ends up in the 8 spot, on occasion, if MA can convince Rice to temper his golden boot dreams…tbh Sterling just don’t fit our MO, as we don’t counter with pace, he’s not a viable assist man and he’s prone to giving up the ball cheaply, which can’t be good in our more possession-based system…so unless MA changes his tactics, this doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but maybe such tweaks were all part of the negotiations, as we all know our manager loves himself some assurances, except when it comes to arguably the best Keeper in the world

as for Merino, I suspect he has a long road ahead of him, especially now that the reports regarding his recovery period have greatly lengthened…this tells me that the injury is much more structural in nature, which means that it’s not just a case of him healing up then getting right back out there…for someone who wants to bring a more physical style of play, as was the oversold company line immediately upon his arrival, he will need to be 100% both physically and mentally before being wrongly deployed as an 8

Hi Vieira
The Merino thing is infuriating. You’d think the club would tell/oblige new signings to go easy at the start and integrate themselves gradually into the system, ie take it fucking easy for the first few sessions.

One would imagine/hope Los Kroenkes will be deeply unimpressed with Amazing³.

from someone who works at SW3 – 40% of Sterlings wages are being paid by Chelsea. He miss’s Marina.

TRVL
I was thinking along similar lines. Merino is a 6 more than 8, same as Rice, but more naturally footed than Rice. The injury may well be reoccurring with the force and combativeness of the PL. Time will tell with this. Shoulders tend to hit the ground first when tumbling so we’ll see how Merinos injury holds up.

KP
I just can’t use the word amazing in the same sentence as El B. The only fit would be amazing cnut, but that could be positive as well, so doesn’t fit. The papers are lauding our first 3 games as a good start, but we have looked less than convincing in all 3 games where results could have easily gone against us with more dropped points.

We have had an average start sitting in 4th with Brighton above us. Early days, of course, but this should be our winning season after coming 2nd twice. I said we’d Finnish 4th or below where the early signs look that it’s a meaningful prediction unless El B turns Sterling into our golden goose goal machine……

What are the chances of that happening?

Sterling was a panic buy when we sold Eddie with injury prone Jesus as back up, and new German vice captain Havertz at 9. El B HAD to buy Sterling or we were very light up top for a 60-game season.

I think Sterling will get the new bounce scoring touch, and be heralded by the fanboys as a genius loan, but the Sterling wheels will fall off as his form did with the Chavs and City in the end. I think Enzo Maresca played Sterling in 5 preseason games to see if he was the quality he needed and clearly wasn’t so was binned and told to find another club.

El B thought there is a god and snapped his first and only protege up.

Sterling looks fat to me, not some highly tuned, elite PL winger/striker and scorer of at least 10 goals and similar assists numbers a season………

Enzo saw nothing in Sterling at £350 a week and got rid of pronto. Like we obliged with, Willian and later Havertz, we have now done with Sterling……..

Can Sterling perform? Not as an 8 that’s for sure and losing possession at 8 will cost us dearly down our left side. Timber is not looking safe at LB with his inverting.

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/teams/profile/enzo-maresca

How does El B’s managerial career compare?

Who would you believe about Sterlings current abilities, Enzo or El B?

El B had no choice where Sterling was a still expensive loan we’re led to believe, and chubby basement bargain who I believe will cost us rather than help us win the PL trophy.

Can you imagine the Jan TW BS that’s going to unfold?

Still 4th or lower for me………..

Marc
You ok, unusual not tom get your match reports? Hope you’re well ……..

Hi Tony,

I’m fine mate (well depressed about the state of Arsenal but what’s new there!). After the weekends typical performance I just didn’t have the energy to rant about it.

One small point is in the upper stand where I sit no one was really sure why Rice was shown the second yellow – I thought he’d kicked the ball away, several weren’t sure and a few thought it was for Rice actually fouling the guy.

Is it really that difficult for ref’s etc to make it clear why / what decision they’ve made?

Tony—good points, as per….just one clarification, Merino is far more of an 8 than a 6, as his CV would strongly attest…MA’s real first choice, Zubimendi, played the 6 for RS, not Merino, who played further up the pitch…the whole “duels won” narrative, which ultimately led to Merino’s injury in his first practice, was created by Arteta’s PR minions in the hopes of selling yet another shoehorning move by our egomaniacal manager…it’s only a matter of time before Raya’s deployed as a false 9, likely with his gloves still on

Marc—it’s certainly understandable why some Artetites would be looking for their tin foil hats after that red, but I personally believe that Rice made matters worse for himself by flopping around after the BHA player makes contact…maybe he felt that he was already in deep shit and tried to use this as a means to deflect attention away from himself, but that was a grave mistake, as it forced the ref into acting, even if he wasn’t going to in the first place

Marc
Good to see it’s only temporary depression; join the club. We are all feeling it.

KP
Thanks for the heads up I’d read we were going to deploy him as a 6 somewhere and assumed Rice was still earmarked for 8. Maybe got my wires crossed; won’t be the first time.

I didn’t bother to investigate, but there was an online heading that the shirt number Serling is getting suggests he’s going to be a false 9. I assume when Havertz goes off on this defensive duties, Sterling will step up – going to be interesting to see how Sterling is going to be deployed. With Jesus so injury prone Sterling will be the 2nd striker to Havertz.

I still can’t believe after only 3 games we have the internationals.

Tony—that was me not KP…you likely did read that Merino could be in the 6 and Rice in the 8, as I think that’s what MA’s intended to do…problem is that Rice is a natural 6 and Merino more of an 8…welcome to Mr. Arteta’s wild shoehorning ride

what MA originally intended

Thanks TRVL I’ve been baking testing recently to very good results. Thoroughly recommend hybrids: Biscotti, White Truffle, Pave and Green Lantern if all are organically grown with the right soil mix.

An oncologist friend grows certain strains for his patients who can’t afford cancer meds, for free. One of the really good guys in medicine here. Too many here won’t treat who can’t pay because money is their only interest in life.

Let’s hope Merino is a decent attacking 8, and not more defensively minded as something else I seem to remember reading a while ago.

I’m hoping Rice will have proved he’s not an 8 by the time Merino is fit again, but this will also have cost us points, so I’m not saying it lightly; just expectantly.

In 2 months El B will be desperate to balance our midfield is my thinking, so Merino will be an AM and will need to hit the ground running.

What we can expect from El B is the MF and attacking 3, soft shoe shuffle, which is El B’s way of working out which is the best combination for the final shoehorning, on the fly, because we mostly fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants tactics from the past 3 seasons.

Honestly, what has changed tactically in 3 seasons?

Nothing really is the answer. We can’t blame injuries because our TWs have been meh bar Rice and a few others. Timber is looking suspect now at LB, poor lad, after looking good in RB cameos.

We bought much absolute crap, so let’s not mince our words here, and now we are trying to polish turds into diamonds.

Havertz – Could have bought much better for £60+M and on non salable wages….

Needs 3+ clear chances to score and not a natural finisher, but can finish when gifted goals and under no defensive pressure or he crumbles legs & arms flailing, akimbo.

Ben White – a player we didn’t need instead of an AM8……..

His shoehorning has been to his and our teams disadvantage. He is a decent CB, not Saliba’s level, but ok as Willie’s back up. He is not a RB or an AM of any description. Recently, he’s been found out, and is better tracked by opponents making White largely ineffective with Saka & Ode.

White simply doesn’t have the needed dexterity in his feet to play that far forward all the time. The occasional foray is something that could be useful, but not with almost every attack.

Because we play this tactic continuously we have become very proficient with the law of averages rule for goals, but as shown in our first 3 games, our right centric attack is being contained because it’s expected; therefore, it’s not enough to win the league with.

Gabriel Jesus – should never have been bought let alone on his high wages. Like Havertz needs 3+ chances tom score and way too often injured

Zinchenko – Ditto Jesus re being bought on silly wages

Another El B yes man he needs in the dressing room and a complete liability in defense. Bought to invert where he gets in the way, and slows our play down so eventually the ball gets recycled to our right where there are waiting defenders with Saka.

Fabian Vieira – simple question is why did we buy him?

An obvious lightweight for the PL and waste of money when players are supposed to be investments.

Raya, Ramsdale, Leno, & Emi – no words needed here and hope Raya can maintain his form with he PL’s best defense in front of him.

Jakub Kiwior – for me another WHY? when we needed an AM8 so badly.

We had back up for big Gabs with Tomi. So we bought a rookie who now is surplus to requirements with Calafiori on board. Transfer market says Kiwior’s current worth is £30m which would represent a £10m profit should we sell the player whose main positions are: Centre-Back, Left-Back & Defensive Midfield.

Sambi Lakonga – Terrible buy and now sold at a loss

Jorginho – Another Chav’s reject and well past his sell by date where we should have bought better.

Slow and ponderous, but if given space and time can deliver a slide ruler pass. We needed better it’s that simple, not another pet yes man.

Pablo Mari – Another waste of money now in Italy.

Mat Turner – a decent back up keeper so why sell?

Marquinhos – another why?

El B doesn’t play kids and lets our best academy players leave so why buy this 19 year old who is back in Brazil on another loan.

Runner Alex Runarsson – A comedy central buy

Auston Trusty – we made around a £4m profit on a player who was only ever loaned out. Now in Celtic after being sold by Sheffield United.

Cedric Soares – Unwanted by all, but El B saw fit to give a player a 4-year contract when his club was pleading with us to take him on a near free loan? Only just left us to be a sommelier perhaps, has the right look. El B and Edu our dream team working their magic once again. Garlick and Lewes head scratching no doubt like we were.

Willian – Another why and Chav’s reject. Willian was told we’d win the CL in 3 years, but then El B has always been a poor comedian. Still waiting for the PL trophy after 5 years – tells the real story.

His contract cancellation has various interpretations and an unnecessary & disastrous buy for us. El B really embarrassed himself with Willian with his non stop game time.

We have Neto a rookie as our back up keeper and Sterling as El B’s latest acquisitions.

The outcome of those 2 along with Merino and Calafiori is still yet to be determined by game time and how they are utilized best.

To add balance these are El B’s decent a good buys:

Declan Rice – If played to his strengths could be a legend for us….

Marten Odegaard – was a fan when he was 16 and he hasn’t disappointed a colossal buy

Jurrien Timber – a decent buy but now possibly broken by El B is dropping form currently

Thomas Partey – when fit decent

Tomi – When fit decent

Trossard – A good but and fit for us who can potentially can change games from the bench

Gabriel Magalhaes – the perfect foil for Saliba at RCB but who El B tried to sell last season – El B wants a better ball playing LCB because big Gabs is not that kind of player; more a solid if sometimes rash LCB.

So a total of seven players in 10 TWs, spanning 5 years – who we can say we’re worth buying and are strong starters or main squad for us.

Next up the January window and more 180 pages dodders on crap players no doubt….

In other news I’m finding it hilarious the amount of press Havertz is getting about him being Vice Captain for Germany. I mean does this mean Havertz is going to be twice the player now?

Can’t wait……….

I had a female friend who once told me a very funny story.

She was in the throes of sexual congress with some or other geezer who suddenly stuck his head between her bristols and said, “mummy, mummy, mummy!”.

Almost – but not quite – as big a passion-killer as any game between any two countries in the international break 💔💔💔

KP there must be a lot of pub team games this weekend that are far better than the dire rubbish that is generally served up by international teams. Did your friend end up changing the geezers nappy.

Can’t have been that bad if Manure are snapping him up, can he?

“Manchester United have signed young goalkeeper Hubert Graczyk following his release from Arsenal earlier this summer.

The 21-year-old, who has represented both Poland and England at youth level, was among a number of players who were let go by the Gunners at the end of the 2023/24 campaign and has been searching for a new club.”

KP
I envy your local football following. Great countryside to do it in as well unless you’re tractor bound……

Enjoy …….

https://www.google.com/search?q=NZ+rugby+internationals&client=safari&sca_esv=5e23bca3cb06adc9&sca_upv=1&rls=en&ei=qBnZZvmnMqaa4-EPvfiE8AY&ved=0ahUKEwj5m6H-4qqIAxUmzTgGHT08AW4Q4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=NZ+rugby+internationals&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiF05aIHJ1Z2J5IGludGVybmF0aW9uYWxzMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBBAAGB4yCxAAGIAEGIYDGIoFMggQABiiBBiJBTIIEAAYgAQYogQyCBAAGKIEGIkFMggQABiABBiiBDIIEAAYgAQYogRIvx9Q_A9YvxxwAngBkAEAmAF4oAGpBKoBAzQuMrgBA8gBAPgBAZgCCKACzwTCAgoQABiwAxjWBBhHwgIGEAAYBxgewgIIEAAYCBgKGB7CAgcQABiABBgNmAMAiAYBkAYHkgcDNS4zoAe0Ig&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#sie=t;/m/0148q6;8;/m/06brs;mt;fp;1;;;

https://www.autumn-internationals.co.uk/2024/england-fixtures.html

I forgot the southern hemisphere rugby until Kilroy reminded us all.

Some great games in November and one this weekend.

In a recent interview Petit spoke candidly about our late-window acquisition and how MA’s misplaced transfer priorities could negatively impact our domestic and European aspirations:

“Petit called the move “a panic buy”, suggesting that Arsenal scrambled to make a last-minute deal as the transfer window approached its deadline. It’s a bold claim, but one that raises important questions about Arsenal’s strategy and whether Sterling will be the player to elevate Mikel Arteta’s side…Petit doesn’t dismiss Sterling’s talent but rather frames the acquisition as one rooted in haste rather than a considered approach. “I think Raheem Sterling was a panic buy from Arsenal,” Petit explained. “They just wanted to get someone in before the transfer window closed. They were looking at so many different players for months and didn’t get any of them, including a number nine…Everyone knows the quality that Sterling can produce and everyone knows what to expect from him, in both a good and bad way on the pitch,” said Petit. “He doesn’t behave badly off the pitch and he always tries to give 100%… He has played under and learned from Pep Guardiola. Mikel Arteta plays exactly the same style, so Sterling knows exactly what Arteta will be expecting from him on the pitch”

“I have been very happy with Kai Havertz’s performances, but he’s not a natural striker,” Petit explained. “When Arsenal aren’t playing well, they become predictable… They need a plan B, a typical striker up front who can create more options for the midfielders and attackers around him. They needed something different, and they didn’t get it…Petit also draws comparisons with Guardiola’s earlier attempts to play without a recognised striker at Manchester City. For several seasons, City tried to navigate both domestic and European competitions using a false nine system. While successful to an extent, the lack of a physical presence up front was often cited as a reason why City struggled to break down elite European sides…Petit’s point is clear: having a striker like Haaland doesn’t just offer goals, but also shifts the way opposition teams defend. It forces them to adapt, creating more space for other attackers to exploit. Petit suggests that Arsenal, without a similar profile of player, may face similar limitations in their quest for silverware”

I, for one, applaud Petit for his level-headed and insightful commentary…it certainly wasn’t some sort of scathing diatribe without merit, in fact, quite the contrary…he gave flowers when he felt they were deserved and then simply stated what we all know to be true, that MA’s plan appears to have been flawed all along; even after his managerial overlord acknowledged his similar Striker miscues, then recitifed the situation and finally won his first CL title with City…as for all the chatter about a meticulously crafted transfer plan, that was clearly a load of shit

I loved Petit as a player. He and PV were imperious in our midfield and when they played for Les Blues. The all round midfielder in my view: passing, tackling, energy and a desire to get forward. I’m thought he left us far too early and I don’t recall him setting the nou camp alright when he went there.

He’s also a bright geezer with a good football brain who is not afraid to voice his opinions.

Un bon oeuf je crois. 🇲🇫

To the tune of quartermaster’s store…

He’s blond, he’s quick
His name’s a porno flick
Emmanuel, Emmanuel…

Hi Tony

County at home (ie in Carmarthen) tomorrow against TNS (aka the New Saints or Total Network Solutions). Take your pick – they’re both crappy names.

I have a bit of a dislike for this team (who knew?). First off, they’re English. They play in a town called Oswestry on the wrong side of the Cymru – Lloegr border. Second, they’re much wealthier than other teams despite being one of the worst supported. Third, they usually go through the season unbeaten and have won the title something like 9 times in the last decade. Fourth (phew my enmity is reaching Spud levels here), they’ve reached the group stages of this year’s Europa conference with a game in Italy coming up against Fiorentina – jealous?moi? 🤢

No major expectations but County are hitting new heights this year and have only conceded once. I’ll party like it’s 1999 if we can even scrape a draw.

KP—couldn’t agree more…even though I was an enormous fan of the more obvious choices, like Henry, Vieira and Bergkamp, my favourites to watch were Petit, Pires and Rosicky, especially when they were healthy and cooking on the pitch

Roy Keane being loved up about Petit and Vieira.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_To4hBx-Ys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLNb6IUet0s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gBHnNicOyo

Thwere’s no football for us, so some memories from happier times.

TRVL
Excellent Petit interview. He always speaks well with wisdom and forethought.

KP
Thanks fo the link and I hope County becomes the victorious under dog I will imagine the jubilation post game. Me, I’d find a hotel and get the lads merry in any way possible. In Thailand that has a variety of options……….

In other news it’s a good job we have 7 LBs with Calafiori picking up an ankle injury with Italy.

Remind me again why we have International breaks? Now we have a manager who doesn’t want to sing the national anthem. How the FA must love that…….

Shame we haven’t got a 9 who can score like Petit and Vieira could. Let that sink in……

The Ireland v England fixture in Dublin brings a lot of bad memories from the time those English neo-nazis disgraced themselves. Those cunts still exist of course and were busy destroying already fucked northern towns and cities whipped up by racists and the media a few weeks ago. Right wing, anti-migrant groups are also a much bigger problem in Ireland now as well. That game was a terrible occasion which harmed relations between the two countries and highlighted the very worst about supporting England.

Another reason, were one needed, to reject international football and its jingoism and bigotry.

Carsley was born in Birmingham but played 40 times for Ireland presumably because of family connections so it’s reasonable to assume his personal loyalties may lie with the team in green. He’s made clear he’ll sing neither anthem. It’s his call, but it won’t do him any favours I suppose with the wankers in the FA. In any case, I reckon Carsley must be cursing his luck over the way the fixtures have come out

It all underlines why international football is out of step with the rest of the game. Kane, Grealish and our very own Declan all have strong connections to Ireland too. Relegate the entire fucking business and let Marc’s captains of capitalism fully run football!

KP
Haverford County West losing 0:1 after what you said sounded like a close game. Was it hearts in the mouths stuff? Was hoping to see you’d got the win or draw.