Good morning Positives,
A fine performance yesterday at OT and while I was disappointed we did not capture the point our effort deserved I was not surprised at the result. As has been acknowledged even by the most rabid of the anti-Wenger nutcases on social and in mainstream media our focus is understandably on the Wanda Metropolitana, not on the long ago decided Premier League.
Of our lads that AMN picked up Sky MoTM was much deserved for a young man who has gone about his business for the past two seasons quietly and, as each few games pass, with increasing assurance. It was no easy task to settle into the untried midfield grouping with Alex Iwobi and Xhaka yesterday but within a few minutes the 20 year old had shown his strength and tackling ability, and managed to find a yard of extra space to pass when others were struggling in heavy traffic.
Mavropanos and Chambers ? Looked like hey had been playing together for ages though I suspect that it is a rare combination. The young Greek looked very agile, and able to get into the, even if in the end we were undone by a header. Could I also say, deeply unsporting though the theme is, it warmed the cockles of my heart to see Lukaku limp off the treatment room after a ‘robust’ challenge from young Dinos. According to Jose this morning it may be the striker’s Cup Final place is in jeopardy. Mr Friend correctly uninterested in the incident as our man had the ball. How often have we been on the end of such challenges ? Aye Dinos there will be other days, worse days, and pickier referees. Enjoy that moment though.
Fingers crossed for Mhki’s knee. You can see what an intelligent player he is in, collecting the ball, retaining it and in his movement.
My only slight disappointment yesterday was not scoring in the first half, when we had plenty of ball and opened up the ManYoo defence, but could not hit the target with any venom. In the second half we did not create anything like as much going forward, in spite of the goal. If we get a sight of goal at Trafford Park, or on Thursday, we must must must hit that target.
That will do me this morning. Enjoy the week.
Positively Arsenal 
Heh heh heh, (banned emoji celebrating first post!!!) This is for the Arseblagger
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“As for management if VAR, most of the models being implemented (Bundesliga and MajorLeague) have an off the field referee and a team of assistants making the call. But England’s finest have been testing a model where the on-field ref runs over to the sideline and makes the call from an on-field TV set up. To use a legal analogy, the trial judge is his own judge on appeal. What a travesty of natural justice, a tradition that English people are so proud.”
To follow up from last night Shotta I have read a) that PGMO are in favour of doing away with pitch side monitors and would simply prefer to be told if they have made a “clear” mistake as they recognise the system of pitch side monitors is potentially more prone to self bias -i.e. that you see what you think you saw. I have also read b) that PGMO are in favour of retaining pitchside monitors as it allows both a review of the incident from a new angles or angles, which the referee nay not have seen but also allows the officials own recollection of the incident to be part of the final decision, rather than relying on a person looking at a 2 dimensional screen 200 miles away.
I have no idea which of those diametrically opposite views is the actual position of the PGMO.
I have also read a significant problem in introducing it next season in the PL was the lack of trained officials in using either the pitch side review systems or in operating in the control room in Stockley Park. Unfortunately there is a shortage of referees as no one wants to do the job. I saw a rumour that Michael Oliver was packing in after he and his wife were threatened after the JuventusvMadrid match. Football fans eh – what are they like.
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Thanks Andy.
So close to a big result for many of those young players. Hopefully next time!
–
In answer to your question, we don’t often lose players to challenges where the opponent has over exuberantly played the ball and left the leg in, but to tackles which hack the man first. We can spot the difference! Because usually the opponent is not out the game for six plus months.
Worst example of a late hack by an AFC player I can recall was Diaby on Snjeider, and that was six months out tops. Any others over the years that bad? Nope not many, as they don’t go for the man.
The young Greek kid played the ball first. Unlike say Gardner on Fabregas, the push on Alexis into the pit, the fouls on Debuchy that ruined his career at AFC, the two broken legs for Sagna
Etc.
Slight difference.
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I think we can see the difference Miki makes to the attack when he’s on the pitch?
The home results in the league when he’s been playing haven’t seen less then three goals for the Arsenal when he’s been playing, or something close to that?
Very very good player.
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Thanks, Andy – and thanks to one and all for your comments about the last two games. So near and yet so far, and if the sporting gods have your measure then not much to be done about it, apart from improving fitness levels so that the last minutes of a game are more easily and less frantically managed I suppose.
I do not think we need to spend hugely to be competitive next season because quietly, quietly good players have been introduced and are coming through. I was so impressed with Maitland-Niles when I saw him last week, as he has that extra time that seems to be the hallmark of the very good. Chambers too is getting there (he was always going to be a longer-term project than most fans have the patience for – and it is encouraging to read about Mavropanos. Mkhitaryan will prove his value if he can get properly fit again over the summer, and it is tempting to think that we have yet to see the best of Lacazette and Auba. It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that the acclimatization of these players which has been going on since January will allow for a much smoother transition than many predict. I feel really rather hopeful about it all, especially if (as seems likely to me) we have a manager who will have more money to spend than many clubs but who will nevertheless be sufficiently constrained to need to keep looking for long-term internal solutions.
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Ainsley Maitland Niles is a Rolls Royce of a footballer.
Here’s hoping he doesn’t suffer from the same lack of protection as JW and AR and others going forwards.
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Good review Andrew.
Pity about the result because the game was a lot closer than most thought it would be and give us credit for, so it would be peevish to fault any of those players. They played with enthusiasm, commitment and passion, doing themselves and Arsène very proud. The new man, AW did say he was watching, should be very impressed.
The young Greek god, big day for him and his parents, marked Lukaku so tightly that he could barely breathe. It’s a good thing that most fans seem to like him, unlike with say Iwobi, as it would help his transition into the first team immensely.
Iwobi played like a man possessed, so I was bit taken aback seeing some of the big twitter accounts saying he was rubbish. Okay not exactly that word but something nearby. They try to and be nice about by saying he has the potential but “with a manager like Wenger” he is “regressing”. Now one would’ve thought they will be excited that a new man is coming in to do whatever it is Wenger fail to do, but noooo, they still think he should be sold as staying with Arsenal won’t do him any good. Really nice of them having his best interest at heart.
With Rob, Chambers and Dinos… Arsenal will be alright at CB for quite a few years. Hope Jack and his agent took notice of the progress Maitland-Niles has done this season, under Wenger of all people. For me he is the pick of the youngsters brought through from the academy.
Sorry for being a bit long winded. Roll on Thursday!
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Thanks Andy for giving more meat on the current VAR situation. Am happy to learn the PGMO now realizes the whole point of VAR is for a 3rd party to make an independent view of on-field incidents and make a judgment whether the ref and his assistants erred or not. As I said in my last, post a trial judge cannot be his own court of appeal. That would in blatant defiance of common law and common sense.
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As for yesterday’s games, kudos to the yutes. They however have to work harder at defending crosses into drilled into the general direction of some tall, powerful bloke who is all head and elbows. That was United’s tactic once they brought on Fellaini with Young and Martial pumping balls in his direction.
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Judges very frequently ask for evidence to repeated, repeated if it a witness giving evidence, re-read if a document, re-shown if a film, if they want the opportunity to consider it again Shotta – in fact it is their duty to do so. Not a matter of acting as their own court of appeal but a matter of doing justice to the best of their ability and in accordance with their oath. (raises wig)
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Straight words, long overdue;
Pallotta said: “These games are great – but they’re not life and death. What’s going on right now with Sean Cox in Liverpool, that’s life and death. I don’t really give a shit about the score of the game. We have a long history at Roma and what’s going on now is a few stupid people destroying our history and attacking our legacy, and I’m tired of it.
“It’s not just an issue for Roma. It’s an issue for Italy and it’s an issue for the authorities and it’s an issue for all of us to band together and to finally wake up so that we don’t have a reputation that’s not deserved. Our fans are the best fans in the world. It’s just a couple of fucking morons that take the rest of us down.”
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/apr/28/roma-president-jim-pallotta-fans-morons
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I could be wrong as I don’t really have any knowledge of such things but no evidence was presented during the recent select commitee hearing in Parliament regarding Team Sky.
And this is why as explained on the Bespoke podcast on the BBC the only response that Wiggins’ lawyers and agents could draft upon his behalf last month in his defence was to refute the “malicious smears”. Poor diddums eh? They couldn’t comment on any evidence shown to any committee. (I am simply paraphrasing the journalist worthy of the name from the BBC podcast! Who highlighted the legal language employed by Wiggins’ advisers in his meagre response/statement (I haven’t a clue myself…please don’t shoot the messanger. I’m scared!).
Perhaps as highlighted by the Select Commitee’s performance the only time we need a judge investigating cheating in sport is when they are prepared to investigate it? As opposed to ordering the burning the evidence?
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https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/apr/30/tottenham-reality-check-stadium-costs-escalate-mauricio-pochettino
Looks like the Tottenham manager (and the media) is finally waking up to the reality of building a new stadium. We can’t all have economics degrees after all. Not as easy as Arsenal and Wenger made it look eh?
Anyone prepared to bet that Pochettino will stay at Spurs for the next 5 years? Reject offers from ManU, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and PSG? Or that Spurs will stay in the top 4 for the next 5 years?
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Still in a Victor mood I fear…just have to get 5 or 6 on Thursday….and of course, the same on Sunday. It was a brave performance and a draw would have been just.
How right you are Andy about amr and dinos. They were very, very impressive. Fingers crossed that they both grow into Arsenal legends.
All best
Victor
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I too liked the display by Mavropanos. Including the tackle on Lukaku. Because it wasn’t a dangerous tackle. Strong but fair, as they say.
Also, Rich, I agree that height can make a crucial difference at times. I also think this is one of Ospina’s weaknesses. But still, I wouldn’t play Macey ahead of him right now. Similarly, there are other attributes to a CB that would take priority. If he is also tall and strong in the air, that is wonderful.
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https://audioboom.com/posts/6834015-g-g-radio-ep-35-ft-blackburn-george-man-utd-atletico-analysis-wen
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good performnce from the young players yeterday. best midfield performance from iwobi in arsenal shirt. i now he is good at creating chances and playing in small spaces in final third but he did really suprised me yesterday.
mavropanos! what a debut. calm strong and inteligent display. miki must start against atleti. we need a player who can shoot from ouside the box as atleti are good at denying spacein the box.
bellerin seem to have got fitter and sharper in recent weeks but has he given up on his heading or isnt anyone telling him that as adefender, he needs to improve? for three seasons, he hasnt improve in that aspect of hi game. is it that difficult?
what has hapened to kolasinac? he was a beast when arrived but hasnt impresed for some months. hope its all about adjusting to a new league.
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I think both in Germany and when he arrived here Kolasinac was praised for his attacking prowess and that he’s a tank. However in the PL you have to have total concentration for 95 minutes every week and don’t think he’s ever had that. He will get better as Nacho did but at the moment he gets caught out far too easily and never knows whether to go close to a player or stay off him, this leads to being caught in nomans land.
I have to say Callum was excellent as Rob has been in the past and with Cos as well, not to mention Bielik we have some good CBs coming g through (Actually you could probably include Da Silva in there as well) I think that means the end for Peggy as good as he is technically I think there are just to many in front of him.
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It woz da yutes
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“Strong but fair”
Play the man not the ball.
Simples.
One or two occasions people accused me of over-exuberant slide tackles but my technique was as clean as Rosicky’s! And I never broke someone’s leg, or sent them to work the next day with a limp.
And it’s fairly simple and easy to spot the difference too, and to be fair the laws on hacking were scribbled down C1850 based upon such reasoning.. One is called football. The other hacking/Rugby/judo/martial arts etc. And even then people don’t follow through when competing in those fighting sports as such acts of cowardice in a sporting context would result in a brawls, which is why they have officials & stuff…
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Of course sometimes it’s not clear. Hard for the on field official to judge.
And that’s why yellow cards were invented!
Can also be given for repetitive fouling. Ashley Young? LOL!
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Ianspace2014,
Who is “Peggy” Ian?
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2018/19
CB: Koscielny, Mustafi, Chambers, Holding, Mavropanos, Bielik, Da Silva.
Might we need one more?
A veteran? – Sokratis, de Vrij
Another yute – de Ligt, Gibson, Mawson
Or just stick with what we have?
Guess it’s up to the new guy.
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Aman you will find that DaSilva is not a CB, he is a CM, and a damn fine one at that too
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I think we definitely need another veteran defender for sure. Koscielny is the only one and he’s increasingly losing his athleticism. Mustafi is error prone and not quit as good at passing as we’d like. Personally, I wouldn’t mind replacing him with another CB. Even someone like Evans who should be available cheap.
The number of defenders also depends on what formation we will play.
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Also, is Bielik back on track after his injury? If not, I fear he might be left behind. As it is Ben Sheaf was supposed to be the next big thing at CB.
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My bad Eduardo…scratch Da Silva
I really like de Ligt though.
But agree we could do with another vet.
That would mean loaning out 2 of our yute.
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Arsenal FC
Verified account @Arsenal
6m6 minutes ago
Our #AFCU18 team to play @ChelseaFC: Virginia, Daley-Campbell, Ballard (c), Olowu, Thompson, Burton, Olayinka, Saka, Smith Rowe, Amaechi, John-Jules
Subs: Barden, Medley, Smith, Coyle, Balogun
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Maitland-Niles on Wenger: “He’s like a father figure. He likes to tell you where to improve on. Gives you confidence. It’s been like that for most of the young players. I thank him very much.”
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Cazorla gave an interview to a spanish media outlet and said that he is back in training this week, and hopes if all goes well that he can still get some game time this season
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Bugger, same ref in youth final as did 1st leg
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the u18’s fall behind, its now 4-1 to CFC on agg
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anicoll5 at 12:20 pm –
You should know better than most how judges hate being over-ruled on appeal. Fully aware there is always an appellate court, most judges are very careful to immunize themselves to the ignominy of being found in error. No wonder many, not all, carefully review all evidence relevant to the matter before them and demand motions and opinions of attorneys from both sides, laden with citations and legalese (I just finished reading one such as part my job and my eyes hurt).
Applying this analogy to football; the fact is the PGMOL, who are the judges of the PL, currently have the luxury of not being subject to appeal. Unlike most judges they don’t have to explain their judgments, hiding behind their self-imposed veil of secrecy. How fucking convenient! Unlike real judges, who must put their rulings in writing with a statement of the facts supported by copious legalese, the PGMOB is mute when it comes to explaining to the public how they arrive at their decisions.
As for giving that lot more time, I am not crazy. Einstein defined as insanity doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results. Since Game 50, 13 long years ago, when old mother Riley allowed United to cheat and kick their way to victory, something the players on that team are now happy to admit, things haven’t gotten better. Arguably they have gotten worse as the PGMO has gotten more skilled at “game management”. Commonsense tells me we need an independent avenue for appeal. Technology via VAR provides us with the real-time “appellate court.” No more screwing over a team with a blatant inaccurate penalty call or allowing clear offside and then apologizing after the game when the results are already in. Fair play and justice demands an independent, verifiable VAR. Only then can we put the game-managers out of business.
We may even get better referees in the long run.
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Their blond midfielder who definitely should have been booked first leg has now brought down Smith-Rowe when running towards goal and lunged in on Amaechi.
Knows full well the ref will be lenient with him.
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Aman, Peggy is Julio Pleguezeulo who a young Spaniard and has captained the U23s but is currently on loan, like I say technically gifted but not the biggest and is now well down the order.
Da Silva has played all along the back four and may well end up a CB as many before him have. ARSENAL tend to play players all over the place before they find their final position. CB is definitely still open to him.
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Shame. Youth games can change a lot but looks no way back here. They are way too dangerous on break to go all out on and very comfortable as it stands.
Could well have been different game if had held on for draw first leg or even kept it to two.
Oh well, hopefully finish with a good half. Not sure what Ampadu can do to try tweak it.
Least blondie got booked, so another five cynical fouls and he’s in trouble.
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ian- let us have a big midfielder instead of a slightly small centre back!
Hayden, Bielek, Sheaf all made move back, Mcguane played couple there as well but hoping Dasilva remains a midfielder.
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Arsène Wenger on his future: “I have genuinely decided to take a short break in order to figure out where I go from here.”
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Cazorla trained today with his former club Oviedo
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Feel for the lads there. That was rough. Tried their hearts out
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five in a row for CFC, and we are still waiting for any of them to become a first team regular, what a waste of talent.
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Arsenal tried to sign Ethan Ampadu from exeter and Billy Gilmour from rangers last summer but Chelsea blew our and all other clubs contract offers out of the water.
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rumor doing the rounds this evening that Andries Jonker, former Academy head and Freddie Ljunberg, U15 coach, are set to rejoin Arsenal. No details as to what positions yet, both left AFC for management/coaching role at Wolfsburg
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Nick Harris
Verified account @sportingintel
54m54 minutes ago
The club that will have had most Premier League games live on TV in the UK this season is sixth-placed Arsenal, with 29 games if shown on the final day, as is likely.
Fewest: seventh-placed Burnley, 7.
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if Jonker comes back could it be on the Board, a real football man on the board,
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I see Schalke have basically suspended Max Meyer for remainder of his contract with them. He was dropped from their team recently when he made it clear he would not sign a new contract. He has been linked with a bosman move to Arsenal this summer
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Despite the result, Kwame Ampadu was rightly proud of his young side after Monday’s FA Youth Cup final.
Our youngsters showed great spirit in reaching the competition decider and although they would ultimately fall short against a powerful Chelsea side, our under-18s boss will still look back on our journey fondly.
Here’s what he said to Arsenal.com after the game.
on the game…
They are a very powerful side, a very strong side. Our boys have done magnificently well to get to this stage and the final. It just wasn’t to be, they were just too strong.
on whether the scoreline flatters Chelsea…
We gave them a couple of soft goals with mistakes that they don’t make. We had a couple of half chances at the start of the first half. We were a little bit better in the second half but it didn’t quite fall for us.
on the team believing they could have turned the tie around…
Definitely. We definitely believed that but there’s just a little bit too much power in there for us.
on what we have learnt from the defeat…
The boys can be proud of how hard they’ve worked this year. They’re definitely improving, they’re definitely getting better and that has to continue. It’s not just about the FA Youth Cup, though, it’s about these boys going on to get themselves careers at Arsenal or somewhere else, to make themselves better all the time. That’s what we’re here for.
on gaining more experience at the next level…
They’ve got to get that experience at the next level and this is part of the experience. It’s not a very nice experience but it’s part of it, and they have to accept it. We have to dust ourselves down and go again.
on our FA Youth Cup run…
We’re definitely proud of the lads, but sometimes those things that you have to work on don’t get picked apart until you play against the very best teams and the very best players. That’s just something that will be part of our learning and hopefully we can be better for next year.
Copyright 2018 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to http://www.arsenal.com as the source.
Read more at https://www.arsenal.com/news/it-just-wasnt-be-they-were-just-too-strong#O2qBUrgosq6ueCo6.99
Read more at https://www.arsenal.com/news/it-just-wasnt-be-they-were-just-too-strong#bQTyWjEtpimfgrE5.99
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I agree with Kwame, ‘powerful’ is the word. Our guys did not play badly, chelsea were just better, bigger, stronger and more clinical (and cynical) than our lads. They may have a stranglehold on the Youth cup, but how many of them are going to get the chance to play in their first team? It would be interesting to see if they do as well when they are up against older and stronger players.
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well passenal that is something like 7 FA Youth Cups in 9 years for CFC, 8 finals in a row, and going on what happened those great teams, we are highly unlikely to see any of them become first team regulars at CFC.
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Sensible words from Ampadu. I like all I can see from his work at the club.
A staggering record for Chelsea. I’ve now finally reached point where I stop thinking their next crop bound to be a bit less strong, as common sense would suggest is very likely to be case at youth level after a good group.
They just keep going, and noticeably are never short of big, powerful and fast players.
The record, at present- 7 wins in 9 years I think!- of first team progression is poor.
Of recent crops, I remember thinking at least a few of Aina, DaSilva, Baker, Ake, Christensen, Solanke, Abrahams and Loftus-Cheek, Sterling have to make it there, or what is the point, and surely at some stage parents and youngsters will realise the path isn’t what it should be.
Christensen has done it, another one or two might do, or at least have good careers elsewhere as Ake is on road to, but it’s still a poor return for such incredible domination, and some have stalled as they inevitably will.
Anyway, that’s them. It was not what we hoped for over the two legs but has been a good year for youth nonetheless.
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