In this podcast, yours truly and Blackburn George explain how Mikel Arteta has done a brilliant job improving Arsenal but it is still a work-in-progress. After just edging West Ham over last weekend the question is “how can Arsenal upset Manchester City” in their upcoming Premier League game on Wednesday.
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Positively Arsenal 
I see David Ornstein has had a few things to say about Bellerin and Maitland-Niles
Bellerin, has a problem with his groin that means he has a problem crossing the ball, and is doing extra training both before and after team training sessions, to try and build up the groin to solve the problem.
Maitland-Niles, has tried the patience of Arteta, late for several training sessions, not putting in the effort in training, also not wanting to play right back and made it clear he does not want to play right back, and now some within the club think AMN will be sold in the summer.
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Ed
Stuff about Ainsley seems likely to be v off-putting for potential buyers. Has shown enough to tempt some, surely, but they’ll surely try leverage price down. Maybe bigger issue though is have to suspect those interested would be thinking primarily of right back for him.
Suppose in these matters though if price were right for buyers most would have no qualms talking up midfield chance for him even if they had something else in mind.
But then we’re back to attitude, and if they’d have reservations there. Interesting thing for me is that, given how little he’s played recently, would surely have been very easy to try him in midfield a number of times for u23’s if coaches saw any prospect of him playing there. Pretty short there now with u23’s,too.
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Should add, I’ve no idea if stuff about attitude is true, and it feels iffy mentioning it, with the history, including recently with Derby, of that accusation being unjustly levelled at black footballers.
I really want to see him make it is all, think he has some very good attributes. and feel a sympathy I don’t normally have with players, as it’s known with him there were some family difficulties which must have been tough.
If it’s not to be with us I just hope it works out for him elsewhere and he finds good home, though it’s hard to imagine this isn’t best place for that, as I’ve always believed it’s good environment for players and there are tougher, less forgiving ones out there.
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Match postponed. Players in quarantine due to possible coronavirus infection from Olympiakos owner.
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Game cancelled, must be be Mustafis fault
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So, here’s a good chance for the powers that be to make us play without all the quarantined players.
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So was it impossible to test all the players?
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likely there are quite a few first team players is my guess… Numbers and identity likely disclosed to authorities for them to agree to postpone…
It appears the caution was for them to first be quarantined knowing they had contact with the owner…. then am sure there will be tests going forward…
think the 2 weeks is almost up from the date of contact
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An odd situation feels even odder with Olympiakos game going ahead and, apparently, that chairman being in Forest changing room last week, and their game still on too.
In addition to us playing twice since, and now going into self-isolation but only for one day.
Could just be case of us being insistent that the guidelines are followed, soon as we knew of issue, and other parties not doing same?
Think added complication is that negative test result doesn’t entirely rule out possibility of infection and even the 14 day thing is, I think, slightly arbitrary, or a very good guide instead of an absolute guarantee.
Feels like it’ll end with football being suspended soon.
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2236610-coronavirus-how-do-i-get-tested-and-how-does-the-test-work/
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Latest is all Olympiakos and Forest players tested negative, so unclear why gone differently with us, presuming our lot tested as well and all negative.
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The BBC reporting that surprisingly, unlike Forest, no Arsenal players have been tested
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51834736
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maybe cos he is the owner of forest so he has likely had more interactions with them
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It all smells as fishy as shit house door on a shrimp boat. Nothing about the postponement or timing adds up. Maybe ARSENAL and city didn’t way to play it be side of the late arrangement .
Whatever it was I’m pretty sure it wasn’t because of C19
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Some have accused Arteta of being late with his subs but I think we all just saw a textbook error there from Klopp. It happens to the best I guess. But for me Mikel hasn’t put a hair out of place. I’ll get my coat.
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Some of what I read up is that you only start to develop systems between 5-12 days after coming in contact with someone that has coronavirus. So per guys people should self-quarantine for two-weeks to see if they develop said systems before they can tested.
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** per guidelines
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delighted to see Liverpool get beat last night, made all the more pleasant by the outrage from that hypocrite Graeme Souness, when Atletico beat AFC in the semi final of the EL, Souness blasted AFC for not being able to overcome a defensive set up, and praised Simone for getting his tactics spot on, but last night he was on the verge of tears at how negative tactics had triumphed over LFC. Belittled what Simone has won in his time at Atletico, never mind he is up against the super powers of La Liga, Real Madrid and Barcelona.
I know many AFC fans see Man Utd as the big team to hate on, that comes from the Wenger v Fergie eras, but for older Gooners like myself who lived through the LFC dominance of the 70’s and 80’s, and had to put up with so many of their obnoxious fans, and you only have to see their fans now, to know exactly what I mean, when I say Liverpool is the team I most detest. Fergie’s man utd were bad losers, but Liverpool have always been bad winners.
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on the coved 19 virus, yes if no symptoms after 14 days then you should be ok, and that is why at the moment the Brighton v AFC game is going ahead. Why our players have not been tested is a mystery, Olymicacos tested all their players and that is why their EL game is going ahead.
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Yes, Liverpool can be annoying winners alright, aided and abetted by a fawning media. Some of Fergie excesses , and there were excesses, were in part his character, in part his desire to “ knock Liverpool off their perch” , then, to counter the threat of Wenger when he enlisted the PGMOL and put Riley in place. Liverpool are just , well…..
Just incredibly happy Wenger has done something none of them have done.
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Arteta on Bellerin: “Hector has been having some discomfort for a few months, he has been trying to deal with it all the time, his attitude to try & play & be available has been great & there is nothing new”
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it was laughable to see Souness belittle what Atletico Madrid have won under Simeone
also for a man who when manager of Rangers narrowed the pitch for a european tie to negate his opponents to be critical of Simone’s anti football tactics is the height of hypocritical bullshit
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Story that sums up Souness well for me is that he launched successful action to stop his neighbour knocking down their house and building three new ones, then a few years later sought, and was granted right, to build a large new house, to sell, in section of his own garden.
‘He was very against the 2013 development, putting together a letter listing all sorts of reasons why it was unacceptable.’
‘Now he is doing exactly the same thing he opposed. It is a total overdevelopment of a very tight area. It is a totally ridiculous decision by the planners to allow it.’
He’s prob best understood as a total a’hole, and a giant hypocrite.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5669707/You-hypocrite-Graeme-Souness-plans-2m-home-garden.html
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It’s enjoyable but also aggravating to hear of Souness and co, Owen is another, going down that road of lambasting anti-football, everyone behind ball, etc.
Fantastic proof of how malleable their convictions are, how much their biases control them, etc, but painful to think how they and the rest showed the opposite of support to Wenger for all the years he, consistently, made similar points.
The real pain is how they are allowed to, nothing to stop them, no one holding them to account. On and on it’ll go, with the same pitifully low standards.
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rumors that EPL about to announce that all games for rest of the season will be played behind closed doors. Possible that all games will be screened live, if this does happen I hope the turn off the pitch side microphones as I watched the PSG game last night and it was awful viewing, the sound of players and staff shouts and groans made it awful. Better in silence, just the commentators
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Ireland have just announced that all Schools and Colleges to close from 6pm tonight till at least 29th of March. All indoor gatherings of 100 or more cancelled, and outdoor gatherings of 500 or more cancelled too.
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football in spain has been suspended, think its an initial 2 weeks, this follows Real Madrid going into isolation for next 2 weeks
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Now Tom Hanks has the virus, but at least he is accustomed to isolation, and hopefully he still has Wilson to talk to
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John Travolta was suspected of having the virus but it turned out to be Saturday night fever and he is staying alive.
Personally I doubt we will finish the season.
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If we don’t finish the season, they will at least make sure Liverpool win the title before they do anything drastic, the media would be very upset if they didn’t
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If they don’t finish the season, they will at least make sure Liverpool win the title before they do anything drastic, the media would be very upset if they didn’t
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/11163408/arsenal-arteta-coronavirus-positive/
Arteta has tested positive
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Now on the BBC news as well, best wishes to Arteta and his family, goes without saying but hoping he will be ok
Guessing Brighton game now off, the players will be in isolation
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Maybe not important in the wider scheme, but staying in the football context, will be difficult to recover our season. Guessing two weeks isolation for the whole squad and backroom staff or thereabouts. A period of time to buildup fitness or recovery for anyone else taken ill, you are looking April or beyond, will be hard to pick up the season from there.
They cannot extend the season due to the Euros, assuming they go ahead.
A lot at stake this season for us, including European qualification as the team improve.
Intrigued as to what they do about this. The gods of football fortune certainly do not smile on Arsenal, though I suspect there will be others in the same situation.
Get well soon Mikel
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Mandy, hadn’t seen you’re 10.23 but just wrote same thing on twitter. Can’t remember how many pints they need though.
If it’s as little as six or so can definitely see that impacting decision-making and there being a desperation to get there, most likely behind closed doors.
Does Arteta situation put pay to such a plan? Not sure. Meeting tomorrow apparently, with some arguing for voiding the season.
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Occurred to me that maybe they could avoid voiding it by starting up where we are in a few months, or whenever this is done, finishing season, shortened break, no Euros, then have a reduced season next year, cancel domestic cups and, if feasible, even reduce games in league.
Can’t think how you would achieve latter though. Thought I had a way but, nope, on further reflection, don’t see how you could do it. Not at all feasible to only play each other once. No one would accept relegation in those circs.
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Perhaps Rich, not sure what they do from here, they will have to consult Mike Riley, he seems to be running things.
But ultimately, I am sure they will look after the usual suspects Can well imagine this virus will spread to other teams as well.
They could stop the euros, though that will cost them as the venues will be prepped.
Maybe they will have some sort of massive euro club tournament next year, top ten teams in the big leagues, they are mad enough.
Looks like at least the Brighton game is off, and they won’t force us to field our under 13s for the next few weeks , refereed in a proper English way of course, exclusively by Dean and Atkinson!
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Another problem for our season, should Mike Dean and Atkinson be unfortunate enough to contract this virus, Arsenal won’t have any referees available for its remainder
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@Mandy. LOL.
Well am sure Arsenal will quietly say good riddance to them, but I see your point from Riley’s point of view.
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That’s yer lot then folks. Realistically can’t see it resuming if peak still 10-12 weeks or more away.
We Positively Covid here until then, or going into hibernation?
In all seriousness, strange, disconcerting time, and seems certain to only get stranger for a while. Wish everyone here and their loved ones all the best.
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At this stage, still looking at it frequently through filter of impact on football.
Expect that to change but, for now, such strange territory this is. I’m guessing no precedents, at least not in most countries, since war time.
We’re all used to the summer break, and pesky international windows, but certainly not this. The matches themselves are one, very big thing, but bigger change to habits might be not thinking about game the rest of the time.
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Not sure how people are feeling, but if anyone wants to vent, or post random football thoughts away from social media (which is a hellscape right now), I’ll be reading.
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Scary, uncertain times. With so many mix messages coming from our respective govts all we can do for ourselves is take care and stick to precautionary measures, because this is not something I suspect will just go away anytime soon.
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With the cancellation of the PL until April 3rd that already puts us four games behind with Leicester needing to be moved if we win the next round of the cup. Further outbreaks from other side’s is inevitable so further delays and cancellations. Once again it will be difficult to finish the season and certainly not with fans in the stadiums. They may put more games free to air on the TV perhaps but it looks like this season may just fade away.
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BK
So much has already happened this season there is a lot to reflect upon.
Looking at the most recent set of results:
Since Arteta arrived the GA ratio for for the Gunners has halved, thee current run ending with the three clean sheets in a row. I wouldn’t have bet on the Gunners continuing that run at City midweek but I did enjoy the Spurs performance and the stat that under Mourinho they have let in more goals then any other team in the league bar Villa.
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Off the pitch the actions of the PL on this topic reflect upon their how they act on many other issues such as the officials: gross incompetence and negligence (at best).
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don’t know if this is being reported in the UK, but Northern Ireland first minister Arlene Foster has said that when Schools are closed in NI it will be for “at least 16 weeks”
so many people have the false notion that this is all going to be over in 2 or 3 weeks, the damn thing is only starting, we will be lucky if its over in 6 months
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Just speculating, but would be intrigued to see what the FA/ EPL do now, just cannot see them restarting the season
Can see them just handing the title to Liverpool, giving The universally loved Leicester, and Chelsea an ECL place. Banning city from Europe, then, the thorny issue of the other ECL place.
I can seen them invoking some highly complex duckworth Lewis type coefficient involving past history, rainfall, current position, (games in hand not considered) whether Edwards, Best, Charlton ,Law and Bebe have represented the club, a Norwegian manager may help, and the recently “ retired” Scudamore, and Head of all Football, Mike Riley providing approval, being used to hand a final CL place.
As for Europa league places, we sit outside, but with a game in hand. If deprived, I hope Stan makes overdue use of the very best legal experts at his disposal.
All pure speculation of course, apart from the bit about handing a final ECL place
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Morning all, just checking in. I hope you’re all keeping well.
I’m as intrigued as everyone else as to what is going to happen next with the football season as there’s now talk of the Covid-19 effect going into months rather than weeks. Liverpool must be feeling aggrieved given how their season was going!
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other teams could have far more to be aggrieved about than Liverpool, relegation and promotion places are far bigger issues than who wins the title.
Some smaller clubs will even struggle to survive due to loss of income.
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one major reason why the season is very likely to be abandoned is that if it don’t restart and very soon and get finished without much delay to usual may finish is that a whole batch of players are out of contract at clubs in June, and some will even have signed deals with new clubs to start in the summer. So relegation, promotion, european places could all be decided by clubs losing key players cos they are out of contract or have left, even to a direct rival for one of these things. What is it the call it, the integrity of the competition, now that would be totally shot. And there is no way around contract law and its effects on these things.
I’ve seen it reported that the EPL has a 65 day rule that means if league is stopped for 65 days or more it has to be abandoned with no awards given and no relegation or promotion either. Can anyone really see this all being over within the 65 days, as i said yesterday NI first minister said they are preparing for School closures of at least 14 weeks, and the start of that 14 week period could yet be weeks away.
France and Spain have gone into lock down, rumor has it Ireland is about to follow suit, many businesses (pubs, cafe’s etc) here are going into voluntary lock down as it is.
I really do think its pie in the sky to think the EPL can somehow be finished by end of June
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