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.
Marc
In fairness, Ben White’s versatility was one of his selling points when he joined us. He was known for playing at primarily centre back but also right back and defensive midfield for Brighton and various teams on loan.
He was signed with that versatility in mind, as many players Tets signs seem to be, it might not be genius as others did the same with him, but a plan at the very least.
Tony,
It’s nice trvl endorses your views but possibly an indication you might be on the wrong track.
In your world, probably Trvl, Buendia knocked us back because he was outraged over how Tets treated Guendouzi. In mine, we bought Odegaard and Buendia would only have been a poor 2nd option if that deal didn’t go through. Given Ode was cheaper, I think, a bit like Emi’s wage bill, we dodged a bullet. Even more so given Buendia’s lack of output.
Even in his best Prem season his numbers were poor. Are we still doing this raking up old non deals and making up reasons why they didn’t happen with the power of mind reading?
Don’t fall into the Vera rabbit hole.
Emi Martinez letting Villa down.
His antics got him suspended for the first leg.
His lack of speed across the line results in a shoddy goal tonight.
I’m glad we’re not paying him £130k a week.
Shame, I would have liked Emery to bag another European trophy.
Aitcho
You wanna bullshit people knock yourself out but don’t bullshit a bullshitter.
White was signed as a CB because Arteta didn’t rate Saliba (check out his treatment of him) he was then forced to use Saliba when White got injured and then shoehorned White into RB.
End of. No debate no argument just what happened.
Marc, we fielded young teams in the Carling/Carabao , invariably smashed weak teams, often came unstuck v better ones and never won the thing.
While I don’t mind a Vela chip, playing youngsters was only fleeting fun most seasons.
At this point I appreciate Wenger’s faith in the youth but it didn’t yield much and I think was also a fig leaf for not trying to achieve more.
Wenger seemed set on doing a Fergie, show how clever he was by winning things ‘with kids’ too. The result was us ignoring players like Alonso waiting for the likes of Denilson to come good. How many players did we indulge until it was all too clear they weren’t going to cut it? A long list of players banging at youth level and peaking v the likes of Sheffield United in the Carling Cup.
What I will say is that Wengers youths and Arsenal youth teams did have a clear identity. But that takes years to develop. Wenger had 20 years. ManC weren’t bringing through classy youngsters until relatively recently.
We all love to see our own come through my kids love Saka all the more because of something as simple as a selfie they got with him at an U23 match years ago. We build connections with young players as we see them grow, going back to players we only read about in the local press or saw at the odd combination game pre youtube. When Kevin Campbell came in, it was on the back of him ripping up youth and reserve games, Jack Wilshere was the same. There was a buzz about both of them. But Paul Dickov’s claim to fame is with City. Youth development isnt easy. Even Madrid drew blanks in their Zidanes y Pavones phase.
As a much younger man, I’d saw players I played with go to pro clubs including Arsenal, as trainees, one even made pro terms at Arsenal. He didn’t make many waves although I’d have given a right little finger or so to have made half the waves. But of the players I knew personally who were at pro clubs as youths I can only think of a handful who had meaningful careers from trainee on to pro. Young players will still see Arsenal as a desirable option because they have to believe they’ll make it. Even if you don’t make it or opportunities are limited, having Arsenal branding makes the options after easier. My kids play at a decent level, not quite academy level but not far off. The players they play with who have been offered contracts at clubs, when I speak to the parents, the pathway to the first team are low on the list of priorities. They all simply want to play at the best level available to them. Of course, at 18 or older regular game time may become more of a priority but on just on my own observations, how many players Tets brings through isn’t going to weigh heavily, every player goes in to trials or academies thinking they’re good enough even if the reality for most is they ultimately ain’t.
It’s hard to judge any manager in the prem on the basis of bringing in youth players. There are some academies that have great brand names but as much as anything players go there looking to get that branding and move on.
Tets rotation has been questionable to date but I’m not sure that translates to an inability to bring through youth. That takes time as most projects do. Perhaps with better rotation options I hope we’ll see see an improvement in that but one doesn’t influence the other.
In the meantime I’m not precious about for the next Wilshere, Saka or ESR to come through if I don’t endure more Jenkinsons, Walcotts, Sanogos, Aliadieres, Gibbs, Senderoses and Eastmonds.
Marc-as you might expect, we’re aligned on several accounts…good to see you go into full-on punditry mode, as that’s a rather rare event…simply-put, you should do that more often
GK-Raya’s already our guy, for all intent and purposes, as the whole loan gig was more ruse than reality…this simply allowed the “transfer”process to be sped up, as it was later in the window, while likewise enabling us to do some creative accounting…he signed a two year extension with Brenford right before the move, so I’m not sure if we had some considerable input in that process, from a wage perspective, or if he’ll be looking for a raise before everything is made official…regardless, still not sold on him, although he did have some decent moments, like during the penalty shootout against Porto…my concern is that his abilities as a sweeper Keeper don’t make up for his average shot-stopping capabilities…if we do find a suitor for Ramsdale, which might be difficult considering our ludicrous valuation, we’ll need to get another backup, so Raya had better hope our Keeper thirsty manager doesn’t fall out of love with him when he’s on the recruitment trail
LB-another recruitment carousel position…right now we have Tierney, who will likely never wear the kit again, the underwhelming Zinchenko and 3 shoehorning candidates, in Tomi, Kiwior and Timber..I’m fairly convinced that Timber has the highest ceiling, if he can remain on the pitch, but his CV suggests that he should be deployed on the other side…regardless, knowing MA as we do, he will be our starting LB come August…I hope he performs well, but, like yourself, I find it difficult to come to terms with MA’s counterintuitive roster construction philosophy…most managers understand the merits of having players with positional flexibility, but they don’t continually deploy those players in their second or third option positions
CM & Striker—bang on—don’t know how you properly redress these positions if Havertz is unbenchable…not to mention, MA clearly gave Rice assurances about his ability to pursue more advanced spaces, so what top-notch CAM or Striker is going to come here to play second or third fiddle to lesser options up top…like I stated earlier, I think we will settle for younger coin toss propositions so that MA won’t need to provide them with similar-type assurances…funny thing is we will still end up paying over the number, which will make them unsellable if they don’t come good
btw Ben White has only played RB twice and DM 7 times in the TOP division…so all this nonsesne about him being well-versed in several other positions has been vastly overstated…he was a RCB at BHA, who used wingbacks at times, so many felt he could make the required adjustment…he’s done an admirable job, but his passing skills need some work, which is somewhat weird because that was supposedly one of his best attributes…regardless, we all know MA’s original intention was to play him at his natural RCB position, as MA didn’t rate Saliba, so thank fucking god he hasn’t been a train wreck out wide
“btw Ben White has only played RB twice and DM 7 times in the TOP division” before coming to Arsenal
Marc, steady on.
I don’t need to bullshit. I don’t need to.
Just look at what was done and what was said I’m 99% certain White’s versatility was one put forward as one of his attributes by Tets at the time we bought him. Not just him, everyone banged on about it, using poncy words like ‘specificity’ . To ignore all that now is just ignoring what was said at the time because it doesn’t suit an agenda. He wouldn’t be the first player Tets signed who plays a range of roles and positions. Wasn’t the last. That’s what he does. So there’s a pattern to this as well as what was said. Go through the transfers right up to Havertz. Even if you don’t like him, I imagine in line with page group think you don’t, versatility was a selling point for him as well.
Given Tets didn’t sell Saliba like he did with others, it’s safe to say he rated him enough Maybe not first 11 at the time but at least potential. Frustrated the hell out of me at the time but in truth I hadn’t seen his games in France and only heard the good reports. We could have cashed in on him after two good seasons at both Nice and Marseille when his stock was high if we didn’t rate him. We didn’t. We didn’t take Tavares back after his swashbuckling season at Marseille. That may indicate a difference in Tets thinking.
Tets never said he didn’t rate Saliba, we’re indulging in mind reading again. Saliba has never said he resented being on loan. It’s all make believe. A bit like Buendia choosing Villa over us because another, at the time, barely capped Argie left us the season before or we sacked off a stroppy young player. Who has a history of stroppy.
I prefer to look at the evidence in front of me rather than pretend to know what’s going on their heads as my starting point.
Vera
Before signing for Arsenal, Ben White had played 36 games in the top division.
10 of those as either RB or DM
He’s a versatile guy. I’m sure you agree with Tets on this.
“I imagine in line with page group think you don’t” ????
maybe the lighting is bad in your well-padded cell Achole
I knew you would take the Ben White bait without doing your due diligence…he was deployed as a DM 13 times since 2016, 6 of which were in a lower division, and 10 times as a right back, before arriviing here, and only 2 were at this level…hardly a sample size worthy of high-end speculation…keep it up clown boy, as you’re making my case for me
You guys can’t resist commenting on A**hole’s BS. keep LIR free of his BS by ignoring him.
Killroy—will do…when it’s like taking candy from a baby, it can be difficult to resist….just my muscle memory kicking in…Cheers
Morning all
Aitcho seems you should be getting a seal on the regular. I’ve stopped reading your posts as I imagine others will to ignore your need for attention seeking.
Marc
I don’t think I’ve ever disagreed with any of your posts for the last 6 or so years on LG and LIR.
Kilroy
I echo your sentiments to leave the troll alone. They soon get fed up of talking to themselves.
TRVL
You can take the dog out of the gutter, but not the gutter out of the dog in Aitcho’s case. Switch off your triggers and let Aictho’s posts be like smoke in the wind. Let the attention seeker be.
I enjoy your fact based posts that we can enjoy debating when we’re not on the same page as all but one seems to be here.
There’s plenty of room for Aitcho’s nonsense, so, if small things please little minds, leave him to his words and pacifier and self importance.
Let’s keep LIR a happy place and debate with intelligence.
Leave Aitcho and his seals to sing together….. One more time…. You are a ….
In other news
I think TRVL brought up yesterday seems to be getting legs from the Standard: Wojciech Tomasz Szczęsny linked with return. Does he still smoke? Apparently, El B wants another home grown keeper whatever that means hasn’t our TS spent more time with Juve than us?
Can anyone see outspoken Szczesny, who will be full of his quality form he’s had at the Old Lady in Italy, and El B getting on? Szczesny won’t be bothered about El B’s non negotiables where he will probably give El B some of his own.
Most PL clubs would be happy to have Szczesny between the sticks.
Unless Szczęsny has qualudes as a dietary daily requirement, I see the Pole pissing off El B in the not too distant future and being benched until the fall out becomes open knowledge as TS is larger than life and doesn’t care and El B.
Who is the better keeper: Emi or Wojciech Szczęsny?
It seems we have started our own version of the ‘Arsenal Pensioners’ with Jorginho being the first old timer in the squad. Does he come with a zimmer frame? Does El B understand the quantum physics of speed and ability regressing with age?
Who would be the better MF/false 9 choice: Jorginho or Ayew from palace?
Ayew for me. I just see it as laughable erupting Jorginho who needs minding on the pitch due to his lack of pace. Another waste of money for me, we could buy better, but it’s pet city in El B’s galaxy brain.
Other than that not much happening as the season draws to a close. This made me laugh, we have already made plans for a winning-the-PL bus tour for the fans.
I call that close the gate after the horses have bolted. The chance of City dropping points at Fulham away, Spuds midweek away, and the Hammers and Manure in the FA cup final are sim to none and I expect City to do another double.
The PL winners bus tour? It will be in Manchester again. El B is always the runner up, never the winner look at his playing and managing career. With City he put the cones out mostly where Pep was happy to let him go to a rival knowing El B wasn’t up to the job.
A covid FA cup, thanks to Emi, is all El B has to show for almost 5 years with 3 April run-in implosions in a row.
A coincidence is 2 times, but 3 times is setting a trend that El B is a serial loser.
Take away City and what has El B really achieved with a £billion+ squad?
The answer is improved but predictable football that always implodes. Let’s face it nearly fives years with a squad one would expect better football and some form of an identity we show at times.
One word is El B’s failing: CONSISTENCY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He’s a consistent loser who doesn’t look like he’ll stop making repetitive mistakes.
Re-upping snail’s pace Jorginho when we could get better is just a simple continuation of his mistake addled term with us………
Szczęsny is just a non negotiable waiting to happen with the likable outspoken Pole.
El B needs ‘yes men’ and undroppable players such as Ode, Saka, Rice et al where it would be committing seppuku if El B fell out with any of the top pets.
Still laughing at the bus tour where City dropping points for us to win is not really winning it’s also ran.
To others I understand winning is winning any way as long as we win. I prefer us winning from the front not from luck of another dropping points.
Have a good one LIR. Anyone got thoughts on Manure Sunday?
Stan & Josh are probably happy with second place finishes. Stan liked his days out at Wembley and Wenger gave him plenty of those. Now we have super star players in our ranks they will demand to finish at the top and not being the continual bridesmaid. El B needs to win the league soon – failure to do so will breed contempt. Shoehorning players is not a solution – Pep would not even consider it and nobody can question his capabilities.
I am still pissed from the Real v Bayern semi. There has to be something about that stadium that causes Refs to have brain farts. 2017 was another classic example. This is the same Ref that made an error by awarding PSG a last minute penalty against Newcastle which made them drop out of the group. WTF is it with the Refs making stupid mistakes, but the one in the semi was a violation against the rules not an interpretation. We are so fucked if they are the best.
Tony
Our trips to Old Toilet on the whole have not been good. Even when they are down they manage to give us a bruising. This time it should be different as they are in a real mess. Have their players downed tools because of the manager? or because they could be playing their last game at home because ETH or the next manager will be doing their best to get rid of them. If they allow Odegaard some room then we should demolish them. I expect the first half could be tense and then the flood gates to open. Maguire to open with an og is in the script.
Norg
I love to hate Maguire the whinger. His antics in Greece only solidified my endorsing him to be as bigger prick as walker, but unfortunately Walker can play, and Maguire will be history when TH’s replacement is found. A beast of burden at best. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlV-ZFyVH3c
I’m hoping Josh and daddy have found their winning ways after some their US franchises have done well in recent years after middling to maker bucks. I think the faithful wouldn’t accept a 4th capitulation next April and when they get vocal daddy at least listens. Chips isn’t around to put down his irritating rhetoric of “know your place.” I don’t think Chips got enough fish. Certainly had no sauce.
We know when the fans in the stadium are united in change Stan will oblige. Gazidis couldn’t get rid of Wenger; he died on the fans’ hill. Just a few years too late to snag Pep or Klopp.
Let’s hope the Emirates faithful are quicker to be vocal if El B just misses out again as the half empty mob will claim. If he buys right, even El B shouldn’t lose.
We will see.
With your genuine love of music did you ever play anything?
With an scientific inventor’s mind I would imagine you look at things differently through different brain wiring.
Musicians of ability are wired differently, which papers have been written on I can’t remember the details of but to have such fluid ambidextrous ability is not born by normal brain wiring. When you talk to such muses it very apparent they think differently to us.
Just curious. I got to play scales on a tenor sax but wanted to play guitar, and nowhere to learn in the 60s. So, I got interested in sound and tech, which in turn led me to musicians shocker I know. Then studios where the desks became my instrument.
Norg
You’re right you never know at Man U.
I think our tails are up and we’re planning the street parties in haste, so that would a real fly in the ointment to the party plans if we shit the bed at Old Trafford and roped points giving the trophy to City early.
I sincerely hope not, but with El B who knows?
dropped*
Tony
I did take up guitar for a while but having the time to practice was a problem. I wish I had taken up piano and may do when I eventually retire. My wife plays piano and violin. My daughter did play flute(but wishes she took up sax) and my son played trumpet. My Nan (Mothers mother) had the gift – she could play piano – no music – just played. When I was seven or eight she introduced me to Garner and Peterson. Kids at school were into Freddie and the Dreamers and I would be listening to Oscar, Jimmy Smith & Co.