Good Morning Positive Arsenal fans,
A bit grey and blustery up on the Norfolk coast this morning, the Autumn beckons.
Our two stiff opening games are complete and I am satisfied with the performances. I had no complaints about the City defeat but I am a little disappointed that yesterday, after investing so much in the match, we did not collect the point we deserved.
Of the game itself it was the classic three halfer, or possibly more. The first phase saw Chels tear us smoothly into strips and what opportunities we created we squandered. At 2-0 it looked as through a dreadful afternoon was on the cards. Then phase two and finally we hit the target and broke our PL scoring duck, which caused the home side to wobble and we tore into them. The home crowd were silenced for the only time in the afternoon. Finally a second half where we wee pushed back and pushed back, to CFC’s credit s they were pretty good. We resisted stoutly, but the addition of Hazard gave them just that little extra spark as we were tiring. At 3-2 we had another, final chance of redemption, but Laca could just not pick up the rebound as Kepa spilled Ramsey’s shot – fine margins, fine margins.
Of our good performances I was massively impressed yet again with Matteo. He has earned his starting place and his energy and willingness to be involved in everything is exactly what we need. I thought Nacho had a good game too considering it is ages since he kicked a ball, Torreira too and Cech pulled off a string of important saves. Hector ran and ran and ran. I offer the young Spaniard an encouraging arm around the shoulder.
Of mild controversy during the game on social media, I thought Emry’s substitutions were spot on. To have gone to 10 men would have been terminal, and the baying Stamford Bridge mob were all over Xhaka. I cannot recall Ozil being withdrawn for tactical reasons but we needed more physical presence so Aaron’s arrival was right and referring back to my “fine margins” chance at the end the Welshman could, on another day, have been decisive.
What is gone is gone however and the important work this week will be toward sharpening out goal scoring weapons for the arrival of the ‘Ammers on Saturday. If our opening two games have been fixtures we anticipated might yield few if any points (well I did anyway) Pelligrini’s misfiring rabble must be the Premier League meat we feed on and build our strength.
There is always work to do. Enjoy Sunday.
Positively Arsenal 
I don’t follow what you are on about Fins – what/who is “Ivan’s team” and what is a “hit” or presumably a “miss” !?
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Andrew,
Remembering your own recent comments on transfers, that what I wrote above reads not so different to your own comments, then you must have understood the above perfectly well. Thanks.
Is that virus messing with your browser again,
as well as hiding your access to the old volume control tab?
Windows Essentials if you are on a PC, you can download it from the company website!
Most companies operating vaguely in the public eye tend to have a website, you know how that works too!
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“Now, I feel like a dinosaur! (LOL) as I loved sportsmanship. An old fashioned hat that lies in the corner, with rattles, rosettes, the allegory of love, and plus fours.”
Dave, that is the problem the WOB had with the old gaffer – his old fashioned values about sportsmanship and fair play were at odds with the modern, win at any costs mentality. We will not see his like again.
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passenal- too true! Yet the Wobsters dont realise that without some form of sportsmanship, the whole thing would fall apart,( a metaphorical masturbation) hence the authorities often forcing it after or before games( although it often seems so shallow).
When Arsenal started really motoring under AW, it was interesting how ManUre (win at all costs)crapped their shorts, and even said ” Arsenal can actually play football”.
I think a lot of people are addicted now to the “win at all costs” mentality, the false notion of “customer” rather than spectator in sports is another ill?
Does winning really define our lives, at the moment when we stop living? Or is it part of a journey, sometimes up sometimes down, but these ideas of up and down area kind of delusion.
But I do confess that Im a problem, in that I dont have to react to these people, but my word they are a bore. We should allow the whole squad to go around to their work place and screaming and shout expletives at them, and then get on social media/the media and humiliate them further…(LOL).
Football outside of the physicality’s of the game sure has become perplexing.
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I have no idea what you are on about Fins. Windows Essentials? Volume tab ???
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If Ivan does leave who is likely to take over at such short notice? Could it be Junior? I mean, unlike Gazidis he never was Wenger’s bitch, but it would require the commitment of actually living here permanently, and not just in season.
I think he must be the only other reasonably younger person at the club in an administrative role.
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As with the departure of AW almost certainly the club have a list of potential candidates whose availability and suitability will be explored. Every big business has a contingency plan in place that covers the exit of senior executives those in key positions and I doubt AFC are unprepared. Josh is a possibility but not what I’d expect SR.
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Andy,
I have confidence in you and I’m sure that you know what Volume Control is and that you can comprehend how a broadcaster can use such radical technology to manage any untoward swearing etc. on the sporting field (as in the cricket and rugby).
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Etc.
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Ah – I see – I thought it was something to do with “Ivan’s team”.
If we are back to swearing then you may be right, no one gives a toss.
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I don’t think anyone else was ever ‘on’ swearing till that useless red herring was mentioned by someone.
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pedantic George @arseblagger
I at no time claimed Arteta would be weak
I said then what I say now
He has no history of facing adversity
There is no record of how he would react under pressure
Being at a giant club like Arsenal is no place for a rookie no matter what Pep Guardiola says
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Steve McLaren has huge experience of facing adversity WWWB.
He’s folded every time.
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I’d say it is a bigger risk to appoint someone with little or no experience to manage a big club but sometimes it works out, e.g. Zidane took over at RM on the back of a year in charge of their reserve team and did superbly well.
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Coincidentally, first player I’ve seen us linked to after discussion about Mislintat being on look out for tall young centre back is a tall young centre back.
Only prob is he’s an 18 year old Russian and so a work permit would be impossible. Hard to have any enthusiasm for those buy then loan until work permit hopefully possible deals as,so far, most successful one has been Joel Campbell, who we had to wait about 4/5 years and 50 odd caps for. Though Vela might have been bit quicker.
Anyway, Igor’s the name, and the thought of that Nexus character trying to hunt down his agent in deepest UFA territory and use his language skills (google translate) to get to the heart of matters, cracks me up.
Certainly looks interesting. Very strong in air, unusually two-footed for a centre back but, ach, that work permit thing.
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Wwwb
I don’t know why you felt to bring this up again, but your argument is simply self contained with no scope for external inputs to the logic that lack of experience means he would not know how to handle adversity at a big club like Arsenal.
Never mind that he knows the club, the league, and English better than Emery. Never mind that he came in at a very challenging time for the club (More challenging than when Vieira was here btw) and quickly established himself as a leader. And that he obviously had the respect of the players (some of whom, but only some, who are still here) and of Wenger. That his coaching ability was recognised by his teammates, Arsene Wenger, and Pep Guardiola. None of these seem in any way relevant to you because you’re happy with the neat logic you base your views on.
The fact remains that none of us know, no one knows, how Arteta would have done. (For that matter, no one knows how Emery will do either) I simply can’t accept your militantly held view that he absolutely would not be a good manager for Arsenal at this stage, and outright reject that he wouldn’t have the gumption for it.
What’s bizarre is that you think to bring this up at a time that Emery’s lost his first two games to say Arteta would have been worse? How? Why? Meaningless, unknowable guesswork presented as fact, and to what purpose?
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Rich
The rules for the FA special work permit changed a couple of years ago. As far as I’m aware if a player costs 10m GBP he gets an automatic work permit. Of course this was before the whole Brexit and Russia bashing stuff so who knows what the rules are now.
If the rules haven’t changed, do you think this player is worth 10m? Do Arsenal?
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Couldnt Raul do the CEO if Ivan departs job SR? Perhaps assisted by others?
As mentioned, could be a bit full time for Josh , as he has quite a few other sporting interests on the go?
Always Peter Ridsdale I guess, I would assume he is currently not gainfully employed
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Sadly Ridsdale is disqualified from employment as a company director Mandy otherwise we could snap him up.
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Rich
Given that Sven as now been at the club a few seasons (or into his second?) and that the BFG was ready to retire a two years ago I think everyone would hope that he and the club have been looking for such for a while now.
As always I don’t demand we know the details of any early bids for the likes of Van Dijk that might have been rejected. I just hope that they find a similar bargain to the one Grimandi and the old Lorient contacts help snag in Midfield! And that they did (in midfield) gives us encouragement going forwards.
We are on safe ground if we discuss the opinion that the current starting CBs are of the lowest level/quality that many can recall or remember. Not in my time and that goes back to the early nineties. Which is why Clarkie was helpfully pointing out the GA stats, no need to make personal or individual critiques (as above he is a fine inspiring gentleman).
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Shard
No. Only just on cusp of playing for first team for one of smaller Russian clubs. Yet to debut but on bench first game of season.
Looked at rules the other day. Bit more complicated with a points system in place but made enough sense as I was reading them.
Fairly sure you’re right about a certain amount guaranteeing a permit but it may even be over 10 mill. I had 15 mill in mind for some reason (something to do with when we got Gabriel for that amount)
Supposedly it was a wp issue that stopped us buying Moroccan left back Hamza Mendyl late in window.
7 million, 13 caps since debut in 2016, with a French club. If it was a no go with him seems no way on earth a young Russian could get one.
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http://arsedevils.com/arsenal-xhaka-premier-league-analysis/6380/
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well wwwb you need to go back and read what was said, cos your understanding of it is very fucked up, or maybe you need to get that giant chip off your shoulder,
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anicoll5
August 22, 2018 at 2:28 pm
That is my point Zidane had some sort of experience even if it was in Liga C he was expected to get wins in style because it was a big club
Mclaren on the other hand had some sucess with Middlesborough and Twente.
An experienced manager can fail and a rookie could succeed but the ‘odds’ are often stacked against a Arsenal manager , which has been made abundently clear on this site.
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Why did I have the temerity to bring this up now?
Easy it needed to be said and I am not scared to say it.
I have never lied on anyone on this site
but people on here seemed very comfortable to side against me with a blatant lie ,becausse I had a different opinion.
I have recieved no apology
I have seen no contrition
But I have seen a growing realisation that I was right , Arsenal Football Club is no job for Mclaren or a Rookie
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eduardo792
I called you a liar then and I call you a liar again
Liar
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So easy to draw out the guilty
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well wwwb you can go suck my big fat one,
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eduardo792
I would call you a liar to your face anytime you feel like coming on the north bank
Weak ass liar
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ah the hardman keyboard warrior, when ever I next get to a game I will look forward to meeting you.
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Gentlemen – please desist – take a breath
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The “odds’ may, as you say be stacked against the rookie and the risk is greater. that is why emery was chosen as a safer pair of hands.
On the subject of rookies though my first ever managerial change at Highbury saw Billy Wright leave, sacked in all but name, and his replacement was the club physio Bertie Mee.
How off the wall was that ?? In fact Mee probably knew he was not a club manager in spite of the board’s confidence but recruited a really good team of coaches around him, and he was a bright, thinking man. Experienced or not he understood football. The rest is history – rather good history.
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Think about it really
Arteta would be coming into Arsenal without a team of tried and trusted lieutenants
Absolute madness
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anicoll5
August 22, 2018 at 5:38 pm
I understand that but Bertie had tried and trusted lieutenants
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eduardo792
August 22, 2018 at 5:32 pm
I am no hardman
but I will not have you lie on me
Then try to be strong
I will keep my ears on
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Bertie was a known entity in the club but Don Howe and Dave Sexton were his recruits on the coaching staff Im pretty sure. I think at the time both sides saw it as real ‘experiment’. AFC were in the shit at the time so even if the appointment had gone wrong the club would not have been much worse off.
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anicoll5
August 22, 2018 at 5:46 pm
I believe Dave Sexton left for Chelsea
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You know I love a petition!
https://www.change.org/p/uk-parliament-tottenham-hotspur-f-c-should-get-points-deduction-for-stadium-delay
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So Spurs do look on for the old three home grounds in one year. Still unclear if that violates any rules.
The 2017-18 edition of the FA’s rules aren’t exactly easy or light reading. Here’s a little selection. Date of 31st March keeps cropping up for inspection of grounds ready for the next year.
Anyway, whether there are any rules they’ve infringed it seems pretty clear it’ll be allowed.
‘A Club will not be permitted to ground share to gain promotion or to avoid relegation. Ground sharing may not be permitted when one of the sharers retains the use of another ground unless that club can show by means of a refused planning permission or similar that it cannot meet the requirements of the Criteria Document at that ground. Any Club wishing to share a Ground or intending to move to a new Ground must obtain the written consent of the Board. Any Ground sharing for a period exceeding thirteen (13) weeks must be in writing and a written agreement must first be approved by the Board before being entered into and (except in an emergency) must be completed by 31 March in any year to be effective for the following Playing Season. A copy of the completed signed and dated agreement must be received by the Competition within fourteen days of the approval being sent to the Club.’
‘The Competition and the FA shall determine a time scale whereby all Clubs in membership must attain the grade provided for in the Criteria Document. The grade applicable for each Club for the commencement of a Playing Season shall be that existing at the previous 31st March, such grading to be ascertained by an inspection carried out on or before 31st March or as soon as practicable thereafter. Any Club not maintaining the grade set for the Competition may be relegated at the end of the Playing Season to a step determined by The FA.’
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I feel pretty sure if it was us the media would be digging a little and issuing a lot of scare stories- ‘could Arsenal be RELEGATED?!’ etc.
They’re being ever so gentle with Spurs over it all.
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“Easy it needed to be said and I am not scared to say it.”
I can see you’re not scared Wwwb, but why exactly did it need to be said? And why in the manner you did? You brought up an argument that ended then, and especially ended with the appointment of Emery, only to restart it, mis-characterize the arguments against your contention, and throw insults around.
I hope you realise that you’re not doing yourself any favours with this. Nor strengthening your non-existent argument.
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Rich
If we really are in for this guy, I suppose it’s not for the team then. Maybe a couple of years on loan will be the way forward (concerns over Campbell notwithstanding)
Completely agree on the issue of the Spurs stadium and the media. The general narrative is that it’s so disappointing for Spurs, but the stadium will be fantastic once it’s there. No real criticism, let alone the sort of fear mongering and hyperbole that would have happened with Arsenal.
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Not for the first* team
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The loan situation is always a gamble, as at city and chelski where vast amounts of players are brought and then stuck at on loan without every seeing what their home ground looks like.
Like alot of things in football this should be stopped but because of money it won’t be.
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Shard
August 23, 2018 at 6:00 am
I said it because I did not like the gang mentality where many where prepared and participated in a personal attack on me because I held a contrary view .
The lies spread about me and the false acusations were not appreciated further more the inability to debate Arsenal opinions with some on this site named Positively Arsenal is sad.
Now if I was looking to do my self a favour I would go to the section of my life where I store that sack of King Edwards that I have for my shoulder now that I am being ‘triggerd’ with certain statements.
I am free to bring up any subject I like regarding Arsenal on Positively Arsenal
You are free to debate or not
I will speak on Arsenal, if it is not convinent to you I suggest you sort out your diary.
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‘I am free to bring up any subject I like regarding Arsenal’
You do like your straw men, don’t you Wwwb?
And have a spectacular ability to mistake an olive branch for a beating stick.
‘You are free to debate or not’
True, except you wouldn’t know a debate from a shouting match. Complaining about how others debate while ignoring what they say calling them ‘some fucking 8 year olds’.
Yeah, master debater you are. Though there’s an extra syllable in there somewhere.
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ian FIFA and UEFA are looking to ban loan transfers, it seems the players unions are in favor of the ban too, but that may need more work done before the unions make a final stand on it.
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Shard
Situation is supposedly that scouts liked him a lot at a prestigious international youth tournament and club have subsequently invited him for a trial. No answer yet from his club.
So I suppose it’s early (but I do have a slight obsession with us eventually getting an aerially dominant centre half or two!)
I hear trials are fairly common, and I know we’ve had a Chilean and a Uruguayan (v good apparently and went to Real Madrid in end) in recent times, plus the Colombian Perez (I liked him; started getting Colombian caps and went to big Argentinian club but think he must have picked up a big injury as didn’t play for a year or so) a few years back.
I feel like our appetite for signing players with no hope of wp is probably down at moment, with Asano and Nwakali both two years in and in one case a maybe and the other very unlikely for next year either.
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This recent acrimony on here folks.
Not said anything previously as don’t remember everything about original arguments.
Looks like something that could run and run though, no one backing down and nothing good coming from it.
If possible, best to leave it then. Stick to football opinions and make an effort not to get personal etc.
Course, none of that will happen because people are people, self included.
If me and Anicoll can get along alright, I think, on here despite size of disagreement- quite substantial!- over pgmol, it can be done.
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