We have got 3 games left and City have 4. We play against Bournemouth tomorrow, Man United Away and Everton on the last day of the season. City have Wolves, Fulham, Tottenham and West Ham to play. There is only one outcome of this… unless the gods decide to do us a favor.
The only way we can win the title this season is that City drop points (a loss, even a draw would do), and we win all of ours. We don’t need god for the latter.
Everyone’s fit, even Jurrien Timber. But if you are thinking that Mikel will start him in last 3 games of the season when there’s still some hope left for winning the title, and when he has played only a U-21 game in almost a year, then you are wrong. He can turn out to be a better player than Zinchenko and Kiwior combined in that LB position but now is not the time to test it. Lets stick to what’s working.
Chelsea schooled Tottenham last night and Spurs have to play Liverpool next. And I’m sure by the time they play City, they will be out of top 4 fight and hopeless. That’s not a good thing for us, because we needed them to put up a fight against City. However, looking at the sad state and misery they are in, makes me happy. There’s only 1 big club in London and the boys there wear red and white.
2 more weeks left for the season to end, and we are already hearing transfer rumours. It seems like we are open to selling Gabriel Jesus, and Zinchenko. Thomas Partey could leave too. There will a bunch of clearance to fund the CF and a Saka’s back up. Nketiah, Nelson, ESR, Vieira, Ramsdale might be in that list.
Going till the end for two consecutive seasons and falling short by a game, highlights how difficult Pep has made everyone’s life. Frankly, after last season’s collapse towards the end, I thought we would sulk and the players that gave everything would lose the motivation to try again (similar to Leicester’s winning season) but I was wrong. All of them stood up, and played even better. We lost few games that we should have won and those points could have been very crucial now, but that’s not the talk today. Two seasons, neck to neck against the 115 charges and Pep and we are still in the fight is an improvement to our last 10-15 years of football.
If we don’t make this season, we will do in the next. I don’t have any agenda as such for today, I will be back with the match day blog tomorrow.
Note : londonisred.com remains free and we will never go behind a paywall. Adblockers have killed the Ads revenue and we are running on the coffee you guys buy. Every help motivates me to keep it fun here.
“while Kane has shone, this flawed Bayern side have fallen short and will end the season without a major trophy for the first time since 2011-12.”
as I suggested before our quarters matchup, this was clearly our best chance to make amends for our previous one-sided losses versus Bayern…that 10-2 dismantling at the hands of Bayern in 2016-17 was a real inflection point when it came to those of us who had been pining for Wenger’s exit since even before our 8-2 thrashing by United 5 years earlier…in fact, that Munich loss was so embarassing that a significant number of former fence-sitters joined the ranks of the Wenger Out brigade in the aftermath, which ultimately led to his long-overdue ousting
so this matchup wasn’t just about advancing to the semis, it was a managerial measuring stick of sorts…would MA shrivel once again when it mattered most or would he finally change that troubling narrative by opting for a more positive tactical plan…surely he didn’t think that we could win it all by playing scared football for a couple more rounds, as that barely worked against a bang average Porto side…as such, one can logically surmise that he was more focused on us not getting boat raced by this flawed Bayern side, with a lame duck manager, than actually setting us up to win…just further proof that he doesn’t appear to have the mettle and/or the tactical nous required to take us to the next level
KP
So happy Kane is trophy less and only confirms my belief in karma where Kane is obviously karma-less.
Aitcho
Do you have fat fingers (I is next to O)or is it with your losing traction in trying to alpha up your LG image?
I’m beginning to wonder what your alcohol or recreational intake is here because you seem to be excellent at losing all rationale when faced with incontrovertible facts. I mean Bruno took the piss out of Arteta in the press after signing for Villa. I’m sure Bruno and Emi get on famously talking in shithead language for a position of being class ballers. Bruno would have solved our 8, been an improvement on Willock, but the word was on the grapevine was he didn’t want to play for El B because of El B’s Guendouzi treatment and treatment of others. This you conveniently overlook in El B’s very flawed likely NPD behavior.
https://mind.help/topic/narcissism/ Judge for yourselves.
Would you mind if I asked so ever so politely to fact check you arguments and support with links/facts that would educate us further. Your de facto Walter Mitty interpretations of Arsenal reality seem to be affected by something……. but not truthful facts. That’s where you let yourself down…….
Try researching your points first. I find that always helpful in procuring interesting and often provoking conversation in many forms when points can be discussed intelligently and granted often sardonically.
You remind me of Bob N15 from LG. Nice enough guy – just a bit of a dick who junior could out argue, but the junior is studying mathematical sciences at Bangkok’s top university run school. Nuances and grey areas Bob championed until he lost himself in rabbit holes.
I wonder who he is annoying now LG is dead?
Anyway, Aitcho, you bring the Bob N15 to LIR where I’m sure I can speak for several here to thank you for the humour you add with your comments – which at least I find funny.
You’re clearly intelligent and have good insights when you’re not trying to piss on every lamp post trying to mark your territory. It’s not necessary to do so. We are happy to be stood corrected – me especially as I age.
On LIR knowledge is what we like to share with opinions. We deal in facts, as much as the Internet and personal experience will let us. We have a lot of fun and greatly respect all posters here equally. You included when you’re playing the game properly here. Sadly, you seem to want to ruffle feathers with your all too often push backs that are mostly fact less.
For me, I’d like to read your posts when you offer either an interesting view, opposing or otherwise, or where you can educate us on past present and future knowledge and beliefs.
Can be Gooner chat or from life as we all share from time to time when things are quiet football wise. I’m sure the others here would concur with me on this.
Up to you, Aitcho. We have a wonderful collection of global minds here pretty much all A+ demographics where I add experienced educators/trainers to A+ in my world.
A loved child has many names I was told once is why I didn’t pick you up even after the 2nd time. Just thought 2 times is not coincidental, so if little things please little minds, I’ll indulge you to keep you sated.
It’s a real shame we can’t add a MP4 video here because I have a seal video a friend passed onto to me.
It’s a really cute seal with AI but really well put together MP4.
The seal sings the following words:
You are a cnut
You are a cnut
Nobody likes you
because you are a cnut.
When Junior was about 11 and really upped the teen angst ante of pissing off parents, I sent him the seal. He loved it and said sorry.
From then on when Junior was on one, I’d tell him he’s heading into seal territory, he would laugh and ask how many seals was his behavior potentially worth, and I would give the appropriate number and he’d often try to negotiate. We’d discuss the point in question after seal negotiations.
Junior and I would judge life by seals after that where junior would say he’s seal worthy or she’s seals worthy.
The seal became junior’s moral compass of sorts.
So, Aitcho, consider yourself being sent a seal. If I refer to your future comments as seal worthy, you know what I mean.
It worked really well with junior and still does……….. Then junior is smart to understand to always keep his mind open to different views.
LG was his training ground and English language school full of seal worthy idiots. He still reads from BKK now in his condo.
Norg
Back line roadie, eh? Bet you really enjoyed it, as there is a certain type of magic on a stage either with expectations of what’s to come or the rooms’ adrenaline of post gigs. It’s a unique feeling.
A mate was Blackmore’s guitar roady with Richie Blackmore’s Rainbow with Ian Gillian who I thought did his best work solo. Play this with ear buds or Norg in your room: Superbly produced and use of pans. Walking baseline is just sweet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwkJo9_c3fM
My only time at Finsbury’s Rainbow theatre was to see the Gilllan Rainbow gig. I was with a fellow live sound engineer where we made the bad decision of eating a too big a chunk of oozing red Leb before going in. My fiend had an escort at the time, and we sat in the car after the gig for over an hour waiting for limbs and brains to work, which in the end we got a cab to the dolls house to crash.
Have a good one LIR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB6OlJqV1rQ
Works perfectly with Child in time: The bluest blue alvin Lee from 10 years after a very cool 70s band
Aitcho
Your first seal.
Congrats I’m proud of you. Junior found it for me after reading the post.
Apparently, my 15 year old son thought it was appropriate for your trolling.
https://youtube.com/shorts/Fb0ontaDuBE?si=24olUIX3AD9fZFuz
Marc
Another player surplus to requirements – Eddie. There is a striker in there somewhere but El B cannot find it.
A few weeks ago I was at a Freight train loco naming ceremony on Ipswich Station – the loco was named Ipswich Town. The reception after was at the ground just down the road from the station. I managed to have a chat with George Burley who was enjoying himself and Kieran McKenna who clearly wasn’t. At the time Ipswich were riding high and McKenna was hoping for back to back promotions (now succeeded). I mentioned I supported Arsenal and was looking forward to attending the game against Arsenal at Ipswich – I know 3 people / companies that have a box at Ipswich. His spend for the current season is a mere £4million. He asked what I thought about Eddie – ‘a difficult question’ I said – he hardly ever gets to play – I am not sure our manager knows how to use him. The last comment from Mckenna -‘he could be going cheap then?’.
Tony – The Rainbow was a large auditorium – a bit tired and not in the right place to attract big names. A few did perform there. I saw Bob Marley, Aretha Franklin & Zappa there. Zappa was attacked by a member of the audience near to the end of their gig.
Alvin Lee – I saw TYA at Klooks Kleek in Hounslow? Fast and furious guitar playing.
Norg
The security head I hired for the Nutty Boys also worked with Bob Marley wee had many interesting chats.
I was a tour manager and sound engineer on the 2Tone tour. The Selector rastas were really cool guys. Specials? Not so much. It was Madness’s first tour after Robbo signed them to Stiff. Kids in a candy jar tour with Ska bluebell Kingston Town vibes. It was a cool tour where we got the overnight sleeper to London from Inverness and straight on a plane for their first US tour I managed for them as well as engineering. Crazy 20 hour days for months.
I really liked the Rainbow theater. Sound was good unlike the Hammersmith Odeon where we had to really work at it to get the right balance especially when flying a rig for the upper circle. The desk was either under the circle canopy or up top. I preferred under the circle and my trusty sound meter and always put my stage sound (foldback)engineer up on the circle for sound checks to use talkback where I used his ears to balance the upper levels to the back walls.
Hammersmith Palais was good and easy to get to sound, though as was the Electric ballroom in Camden.
Alvin Lee and TYA were amazing I never saw live. I envy you with that, Zappa, too and of course Marley. They will have been exceptional experiences to have in your memory locker. I put a play list together of 600+ tracks entitled “I remember when” as they evoke exactly what I just referred to.
Were you an Outlaws fan? The rockier version of TYA and where Skynyrd got many influences:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qd4xRdhVps
This was the more famous of their offerings. Amazing live another big miss for me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMtYkCwqAhU
Now you know why I’d have loved to see them. West Coast Rock at its best. I’m sure if there’s a DVD the sound was remastered.
As for Eddie you can see why he hasn’t had many minutes. Spends too many times sulking or tut tutting eyes raised when no one spots his run. His problem is he isn’t clam under pressure and has a nasty edge to his nature from my thinking.
He’d fit in a Palace as a back up getting regular minutes. It’s his level and Eze and Elise will probably have played their last season for Palace. Right age and time to move up. Ayew would be a good back up buy and for me would have been a better utility player than Havertz: good in MF and across the top.
With El B liking utility players I’d buy Ayew with Elneny you said was out of contract. With Ode’s service Ayew would prosper where Eddie and Reis haven’t. No idea about Ayew’s injury numbers, though but as a back up, shouldn’t be an issue.
When I was State side I’d try to go to local redneck rock and country bars where you would see seriously great musicians no one knows.
On that thread is Dave Meniketti equally as good as the greats. Nice people, too, as his manager wife gave me permission to use his On The Blue Side tracks in one of the MC club ride videos.
Check out his version of ‘It’s a Man’s World’ as good as James the man himself for me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aafz1esvQOY
Tony
Check your facts. Bruno didn’t sign for Villa
And then you support that by speculating it was Guendouzi’s treatment that made him sign for Villa.
You may well be A+ and I applaud you. But generally, if you have to tell people you’re A+ or Alpha or whatever, maybe you ain’t. I doubt Bill Gates goes on blogs telling people he’s A+ to bolster weak viewpoints.
Stick to the football. Stick to facts and data not fantasy and we’ll have more productive discussions. That’s why we come here after all.
Tony
I haven’t played the Outlaws for years – you can see where they influenced LS when you listen to Green Grass & High Tides. Zappa is one of my all time favourites. I first saw him at the Albert Hall when I was 16. First impressions they were goofing around but then I realised the bunch of musicians were very accomplished and they were being conducted by the maestro. The closing number was King Kong – absolutely brilliant. I saw them several times – the last being in the seventies with a totally different line up.
Tony,
Eddie has a nasty edge? Really?
You see what I mean?
Not a shred of evidence to support that. Lots to tell us he isn’t very good. But like your Guendozi point, all based in half baked conjecture and unsupported character analysis.
Stick to football.
Marc
Now you want to speculate that Ode was bought off City’s Intel.
Speculating again.
But even if true that would support Pedro’s intial Arteta drum banging on the basis he brought ‘Pep/City IP’. I thought that was a cobblers argument. You seem to disagree.
Tony
Reading your posts , you lucky buzzard to have been around the music greats , which in my wild year been following, including writting lyrics for a band Brood of Vipers been going around with. That was the time every nuance in sound and words mattered.
Reading the rest of your your top valedictory post ( might have been water wasted down a duck’s back trying to clean ), it appears that over the years have attained a distinct and mature ageing.
By the way, there is a chance Schezny might be a Gunner again. That might work only if he starts . Don’t expect El B falsehood assurances would not cut. So guess might not happen.
Ramsdale is definitely moving
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/arsenal-transfer-news-bukayo-saka-32763605
Don’t feel Arsenal could hold him. If Arsenal had intent , would have played him in some games this year. Unfortunately El B does not have the confidence to play and manage a gameplan for the youg unns.
Duberry is supposed to be very good with the ball to his foot and do unpredictable things like Saka , to whom he is compared to .
Aitcho
I never once said I was A+ only intimated at those here from knowing their professions and life stories. I’ve only talked about a company we own and some historical events from my life, such as I’ve lived and worked successfully in 6 countries including Thailand for 25 years and counting.
I started out in orphanages and am comfortable now as one should be at 68. Like, Norg, who is a little older, I’ll continue doing business because it’s fun and helps others. Norg invents products that saves 1000s of lives in 3rd world countries.
My next project is a retirement home for the wealthy including a mental health unit and medical wellness spa. The mental health unit will also look after the poor in the north, as well as our retirement clients.
Also, a Thai Dr friend will be running a clinic for the poor to do outreach work to the remote villages by truck I’m arranging sponsorship for for one of the bigger hospitals. I’ve got land in different provinces where covid debts forced people into fire sales, so just wrap up the sale our company and onto the next.
Not sure what that makes me other than someone who enjoys helping people because I know what it’s like to fight for food to live up to enjoying life’s luxuries. I stared at Z- whereas you probably had a good family childhood with siblings et al. I’m not complaining, far from it, the experience was made more toxic with me having rampant undiagnosed ADHD ++, but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger where the wise ones learn from it.
Yes, silly me Bruno was Newcastle, I was thinking of Beundia of Villa who didn’t like El b either.
It matters not. I’ve fired my broadside, and I’m bored now. I’m not tenacious enough to joust with you, I’ll leave that to others. I’ve too many other things to pursue now in a country that offers freedom to those who live and give back to the country. Whatever you do is seen by Thai people and talked about. Thais love to gossip.
Nearly 70m people here where village poverty is still as it was 30 years ago in terms of little chance to get out of village life and death from many things including untreated Dengue fever. Working in bars in the easiest way to keep a family fed.
When I say freedom I mean being able to drive your car at safe speeds and only pay £10 for the privilege of breaking the laws. Roads in the mountains and out of the few cities here are generally quiet.
Freedom when the police smoke herbs outside a weed shop or offer you a hit in a Thai rock bar. Freedom from migrants because living here is not cheap unless way up in the north living the Thai way. The Thais are very hot on immigration and rightly so.
As I said before if your content is interesting, I enjoy it. I’m really not into the alpha male thing. I prefer the company of intelligent business women especially, and well travelled men who have experienced life away from Blighty for lengths of time. A good mate is the ex CEO of Pfizer who recounted he’d worked in 60 countries. KP has put time in many embassies globally in his career. Talk to a Dr and then one from Doctors without boarders and you’ll see a huge difference.
I find people who have only been confined to yearly holidays are too British for me, as it’s why I left in the first place. It wasn’t a good fit for me.
I’m happy pottering around in the north here with my projects and the great people who will be involved, and the pleasure of bringing relief to those who need it most, and making money from the lucrative retirement industry where the retirees will have a real quality of life.
Enjoy your posting here, Aitcho. I have no problem with you at all.
Tony-your scathing critique of our little LIR interloper gets my seal of approval…big ups to Junior for finding this gem of a clip
as for our club’s transfer plans, there’s a couple interesting developments, as Edu was speaking about our summertime pursuits following the underwhelming Jorginho re-up, which undoubtedly included a raise…now I get the whole “role model” narrative, but it still feels like a Tross-like half-measure move…this doesn’t mean I don’t rate either player, I just don’t think they move the needle or properly address our most pressing needs
Tross gets his flowers largely because we have a glaring lack of finishers, but he’s not a like-for-like cover piece/replacement for Marts…he can’t realisitcally be deployed anywhere else on the pitch, especially against noteworthy sides, so that limits us on the left when he’s playing ahead of an inverted back…the only person this really helps is our shoehorned “Striker”, Havertz, because when Tross tucks inside, it provides more openings for our German giraffe…now this wouldn’t be a problem if Havertz was a legit focal point target man, with goals aplenty in his boots, but that’s clearly not the case…personally I’m concerned that Marts might be on his way out…he’s been in MA’s doghouse for quite some time now and that can’t bode well for his future prospects here…just ask ESR
as for Jorginho, I like what I’ve seen at times from him, but he has his obvious limitations…unlike with Partey, you can’t have Jorginho sitting on his own in deeper spaces if your intention is to deploy Rice as a CAM, except against bus parking sides who don’t counter with pace and numbers…instead of settling for another potential square peg, round hole re-upping, why not find someone who best fits the intended script; keeping in mind, I’m still not in favour of giving Rice carte blanche when it comes to his final third pursuits
I just think when you pay top dollar for a world-class positional specialist, you don’t deploy him in a position when there are far more capable options out there…if we were a top, top club we would simply purchase a far more clinical CAM, who likewise has the ability to drop deep on occasion so Rice could go hunting…just don’t see us doing that if we have Jorginho and maybe Partey still in the fold…even if Partey is sold on, we’ll likely pursue a younger “project” replacement, like we’ve done in the past, as it will enable MA to live up to whatever assurances he gave Jorginho to stay, instead of opting for a real deal Holyfield acquisition
Hoopah
Lyricist for the rock Indian band, cool. I’ll check them out tomorrow. Which albums did you write tracks on? I hope you got your publishing royalties including needle time. It’s different today because the tech and studio improvements allow for better products and, so song writing has evolved from writing idea on the inside of fag boxes or serviettes. Just think what can be done using phones today with apps?
With studios being so cheap, now I’m considering putting one in my next house in the north. If you ever come to BKK check out the Saxophone pub at Victory monument. People fly in to see bands there. It’s a Thai version of Ronnie Scotts from Soho. Sunday night are best and you can book tables.
I’ve met a lot of really good Thai musos here, so the studio would be busy plus projects from the west.
Norg
Again you leave me envious in a good way because I love the Outlaws and early LS pre plane crash. The 25 minute Freebird rendition at Knebworth was otherworldly. Sadly, I’ve only seen it on video.
The 70s was such a really good feast of genres. As much as I loved rock, I also liked Spirit, Maze with Frankie Beverly, Motown and much more. I drew the line with punk later, and not too much indie other than some like The Cure.
Hoopah
There seems little intent for El B to blood youngsters. It must be demoralising for some that feel they are ready.
Which part of the world do you post from?
TRVL
The question of our summer transfer business is complicated because trying to figure what Arteta’s trying to do is impossible (someone randomly stumbling round in the dark is apparently a work of genius) its also difficult to know how much we have to spend before any sales.
My personal take is the following.
GK – Raya will be signed permanently but will cost too much for a keeper (include the loan fee in the cost) who we’ll be looking to upgrade on in a couple of summers.
LB – Did we buy Timber to play there? We paid too much for him to be a squad player and the rest of our defence pretty much picks itself. He certainly looked a good player in the limited minutes he got and he’s highly rated but he’s right footed. We have Saka on the right who prefers to cut inside, Ode drifts right and cuts inside but White can provide an overlap (something I’d like to see him told to do more) and give us a right footed delivery. On the left Martinelli prefers to cut inside but a right footed LB won’t give us any overlap option. If we didn’t buy Timber to play their why did we buy him?
CM – If Partey leaves we’ll need a quality replacement although there’s an issue with this I’ll get to later.
ST – We all see we need a better / more clinical option up front.
The issue with a new CM and ST is where does that leave Havertz who is one of Arteta’s undroppables. Switching him between positions constantly won’t do him or the other players any favours so what is / was / will be the plan?
It just never feels like Arteta’s really in control of what’s happening, more like he’s hanging on for dear life and making it up as he goes along. In case anyone needs an example of this – White – he’s been excellent at RB this season but he was bought as a CB and only got shifted because Saliba is too good to drop. A £50 million purchase that worked out but anyone who tells you it was planned or the work of intellectual genius is a fucking moron.
Norg
We all know that any young talent is going to look to move on – Arteta struggles to rotate first team players let alone use kids in the League Cup etc.
Remember the days of Wenger being warned about fielding weak teams in the League Cup and then smashing the opposition with kids?