@GoonerReverend puts his head above the parapet

We won’t be taking It to the Max

There is a lot of talk about the succession at Arsenal. Wenger has supposedly signed his last contract and will be departing the Arsenal shores in May 2019. The King is dead long live the King. Arsenal fans as with everything are divided on the subject of Wenger and a possible new manager. On one hand you have the loyalist a supposed band of deluded, out of touch and mentally backwards supporters desperate to see Wenger re-instated no matter what the cost. On the other side of the coin you have the self-titled ‘enlightened ones’ the intellegensia of the Arsenal fan base who have every answer to every question regarding the running of the Arsenal football club no matter what their true station is in life.

This of course makes for fascinating back copy on the ongoing saga that is the Arsenal football club. Like Jason and his Argonauts some believe that by simply vanquishing the old zipper failure and replacing him with either Massimiliano Allegri or Leonardo Jardim it will immediately cure all of Arsenal problems. In turn the ever-present fan dissatisfaction will be swept aside in big Moses style and we will instantly be in the mix to win the Premier League and Champions League titles. Other less devout outers maintain once the current dictator has been removed from power and the Arsenal board do the most un-Arsenal board thing ever and appoint a world class manager with a bottomless pit of check book moolah he will still need time to settle in to the demands of the Premier League and more importantly fix all of the major issues at the club caused by that destroyer of football clubs Arsene Wenger. Loyalists argue that if Wenger is in fact so inept and clueless then any manger should be able to come in and immediately improve Arsenal’s current position winning both the PL & CL at a canter. The truth is somewhat different to what some of the more radical fans on both sides believe. We have all seen the recent comings and goings in the backroom at Arsenal which many of the more astute observers believe is the start of the succession planning for when Arsenal’s greatest ever manager finally hangs up his sleeping bag coat & moves on to National team football. The PL is littered with the wreckage of former managerial flavours of the month who have one good season and then are sacked the next term without as much as a bye your leave only to try and resurrect their careers at a lesser club and in lesser league. The hardest thing to maintain in the PL is consistency, just ask Moyes, Van Gael, Koeman and Laudrup etc:

Remember those halcyon days when Owen Coyle was the saviour of Burnley and then moved up to Bolton and some Arsenal fans were calling for him to take over from Wenger just before he got Bolton relegated and then disappeared from the scene as most favoured son. In fact, our wonderful fans switch from one flavour of the month to the next as easy as you might when choosing between a cappuccino or latte at your local coffee shop. Now I’m not accusing some of our more easily influenced fan base of being fickle but you have to laugh at some of the more recent suggestions regarding the type of new manager we should be looking for. I am of course referring to those 2 beacons of football enlightenment Mauricio Pochettino manager of Power shift Utd and Marco Silva manager of Cajones FC. These two managers are glorious examples of fan fickledom and if they could only live up to the hype then maybe they would be in with a shout but likely as not they might not be in their current positions next season such is the demand for stability in the PL these days. Now I know that we are a club in crisis and that our manager and board could not run a piss up in a brewery. There are far more intelligent and qualified people both in the press and on social media who could easily turn Arsenal’s current squad in to world beaters if only someone would listen to them. Just ask the Daily Mirror’s John Cross, he has all the answers as does that beacon of truth Piers Morgan. ‘Friends, countrymen & Arsenal fans lend me your ears’.

Common sense and the history of decision making by the Arsenal powers that be should tell us all that Arsenal will not be appointing an Allegri, Simeone or Jardim as the next Arsenal manager because that is simply not who we are or what we do. If we were playing managerial poker then I’ll raise you a Dyche or van Bronkhorst over your Allegri or Jardim and id win because we are a bigger chance of appointing a manager like Sean Dyche, Giovanni van Bronkhorst or Eddie Howe than we are some big-name coach from Juventus, Atletico or Monaco. I am certainly not saying that the trio of Dyche, van Bronkhorst and Howe are the only ones in the mix what I am saying is this is the type of manager Arsenal will look at as a replacement for Wenger. The structure at Arsenal throughout our history has been about stability. Ever since our 1^st permanent manager Thomas Mitchel was appointed in 1897 we have only had 21 permanent managers in 120 years with one unknown taking charge for a few months in 1898, Steve Burtenshaw taking charge for a few months in 1986 and Stewart Houston and Pat Rice taking the reins for a couple of months in 1996. If you take out Wenger’s current tenure that’s an average of almost 5 years per manager in just under 100 years of football and not 1 big managerial name amongst them. Based on current statistics the PL manager lasts an average of 2 years and 7 days in the job so based on all of this data what makes Arsenal fans think that AFC PLC is suddenly going to change a 120 years of modus operandi just because a group of fans are screaming for it on their YouTube channel. ‘It isn’t going to happen’. The Arsenal board will select someone like a van Bronkhorst or Eddie Howe because they believe he will embody everything they believe in regarding the running of the football side of the club.

They will want a manager that is level headed and not over emotional or temperamental. In short, they won’t want someone who is hard to deal with like a Conte or Mourinho and who will not cause unnecessary chaos and trouble for the club and they certainly won’t be spending half a billion pounds on new players either. Whether you like or not or even believe it the traditions at Arsenal are set in stone and are the foundation of the running of the club. Even though the ownership and board have changed significantly over the years these founding principles have not and are not likely too either so you can run your social media campaigns and hold up your bits of A4 at the ground or even froth at the mouth in inarticulate rage on YouTube but I think you can take it to the bank that we won’t be taking it to the Max we will in fact be doing what we always do and that is playing it safe.

Good Morning Positives,

A wintry morning up here in Norfolk with a swirl of snow across the grey sky.

I trust that those who did not attend last night’s game have, like me, had a chance to review the highlights of the game since.  Very enjoyable it was with our players finally cracking the Huddersfield defence and goals pouring in after the hour, with the visitors clinging onto the ropes. In truth the game could/should have finished about 8/9-2 but for some last ditch defending and a good goalkeeping performance. Huddersfield managed a couple of good quality strikes on Cech’s goal, so they were a little unlucky not to manage their first goal on the road for five games.

Stand out player in red for me was Aaron, a hand in all four of the opening goals and his back heel to set Lacazette on his way for the first was evidence of a player on top form. Sensible to take him off with a quarter of an hour to go and keep him fresh for Saturday against a team he generally does well against. Well done to Olivier too and he must have relished a full  45 minutes of hard running. The other laurel wreath this morning goes to Sead Kolasinac , for a ‘tank’ he showed some lovely touches.

I rather liked Huddersfield – they have a bit of quality and a good spirit – I hope they don’t go down.

As for those readers with an eye to the ethnic minority of referees I see the man  in black last night Graham Scott was born in Oxfordshire. In most people’s  atlas that is ‘Southern’. I thought it was an easy game to referee and I imagine we shall see more of him as he moves up the PL whistling hierarchy.

Not much else to say, busy Saturday coming up. Mr D.Cannister and I shall be indulging in a small libation before the Manchester United game at the Bank of Friendship so if any are passing drop in.

Enjoy your Thursday.

@LaboGoon on point this Wednesday morning 

Arsenal host Huddersfield tonight for the first time in the Arsène Wenger and also this generation.

This of course is a short turnaround, not only for us but our opponents as well. Burnley took a bit out of our players as we were made to work really hard for what was a well-deserved victory in the end, that saw us slip into top 4 for the first time this campaign. Which I don’t doubt thereabouts is where we want to remain going forward to keep pressure on the pack chasing Mancity, after few ‘unexpected’ results earlier this season.

The Terriers pushed a very determined Mancity to their limits and if I’m being honest, I do suspect them, still coming to terms with life in the Premier League, to be worse for wear going into this fixture.

Hudders also do not exactly inspire much confidence when travelling outside West Yorkshire. In their last five PL away games they picked up just 1 point without finding the back of the net. Whereas Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 13 games at the Emirates and kept 9 clean sheets. That is a record we will look to build on.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not for one moment suggesting our mere presence should entitle us to the 3 points, even if that is the general gist from most, our opponents won’t just simply roll over and we still need to put the work in.

With Manutd just three days away and the Boss expressing that securing 3 points as more important than getting ahead of ourselves, there will be rotation but I don’t expect more than 2 or 3 from the team that did duty last outing. The last thing we want to do is tempt fate.

Özil and Theo are back in training, one of them could play part, and if I’m gonna stick my neck out, we could see Giroud and Jack making the PL matchday 11 for the first time season.

Good luck to all going to the Emirates tonight and thumbs up for doing such a great job carrying this team at home. And good luck all others watching from around the globe and to the team.

Hopefully we’ll find a way taking the points with little fuss. This tight schedule need us pacing ourselves.

And @GoonerReverend has a thing or two to say too 

I’m alright Jack

The Arsenal fan base is a never-ending source of amazement, wonder, amusement and disbelief. We beat Burnley with a 92^nd minute penalty snatched all 3 points and was out the door and on the team bus before you could say Bob’s your uncle yet some fans are still not happy. Apparently, we did not do two things which up set a number of our more precious fan base of which that verminous dishrag the Daily Mail picked up on. Firstly, we did not play with the style required and demanded by The Arsenal elite support and secondly, we failed to keep Lacazette on the pitch for the full 90 minutes which really upset a group of our younger fans to the point of distraction.

Last time I checked the rule book there was no requirement to play the game with swashbuckling verve and style in the manner of Errol Flynn nor was there any mention about having a specific player on the field for the duration of the game just to appease the FIFA17 fan boys and those of whom have him in their fantasy football team. There was a brief mention about putting the ball in the back of the net and the team who has the most goals wins the game but that’s probably not that important so I won’t bang on about it. Not being one of the FIFA17 experts having never ever played the game because its not compatible with my abacus I don’t really have much to offer in that area of tactical football expertise. I must admit I have never ever got involved with the fantasy football either., this is mainly due to the fact that I’m a gym junky workaholic as well as the fact that I am tied up with other things and just can be bothered.

Does it really matter if Lacazette only plays 70 minutes per match as long as we win the game and get the points. From my untrained and inexperienced eye, he usually looks absolutely done around the 70 mark and even though he’s keen to continue because let’s face it no player likes being subbed off he’s about run his course for the game. Yes, I know Wenger is a doddering old fool who can barely zip up the front of his coat on a cold day at Turf Moore let alone work out who he needs to bring on at the right time to impact the game but hey at least he didn’t have to phone a friend and he’s managed to get us back into the top four with his ineptness. Come to think of it I’m as happy as Larry to let the manager run the team and make the decisions while I sit comfortably in the pub sipping on a glass of something and eating posh nosh because I’m just a fan not a football manager & I’m pretty certain Wenger knows more than I do. The other interesting point of note is the continued call for one Jack Wilshire to be give the keys of The Arsenal and ensconced back in to the centre of mid-field. Yep lets just kick whoever is currently in the position he wants out the team and let him have ago because he will make a big difference in winning even though we are winning. I for one think that Jack knows he has to continue to work hard, prove his fitness or moreover prove that his body is not made of eggshell china and wait for his opportunity to present itself.

I know many Arsenal fans want him to get into the England side but hey that’s not really Arsenal’s issue is it. Winning games so we are in position to win trophies is what it’s all about

And if that means that Jack has to play a bit part season playing understudy to Herr Ozil then so be it. To be honest if you look at the side that beat Spurs I don’t see Jack replacing anyone in the starting 11 and nor do the people that matter which is why he’s on the bench and the fan boys ranting on twitter isn’t going to change a thing. One of the interesting things about the Burnley game was the Burnley fans themselves. They are a hardy bunch of soles and all their mocking songs and chants as the clock wound down was relegated to absolute desperation and disbelief when Sanchez slotted the penalty in the bottom left corner to nick the 3 pts. I am not going to get into whether it was a penalty or not because once the ref has blown the whistle all the debate means absolutely nothing but I did allow myself a little chuckle because the young Burnley supporter I was verbally jousting with throughout the game called me a cheating see you next Tuesday which really made my day because I’m alright Jack we won the game.

Good afternoon Positive Arsenal fans,

I sprint down the tunnel from  the Turf Moor pitch to bring you this very early post, breathless from the contest, my muscles aching from the effort over the past 92 minutes, my face bright red, the sweat steaming in the early evening gloom. It is not a pretty sight I admit. And it was not a pretty sight, of that I suspect we agree.

Of the game itself ?I am told by the BBC we had just 64% possession. I must have been watching a different game. It was at least 75%. The visiting team that played all the football and tried to win the game ‘won’. The home team that parked their bus had its tyres slashed and the vehicle ruthlessly vandalised, having taken their eye off it just for that fatal spilt second ‘lost’. Tarkowski must have lost his mind. Our Chilean as cool as an Andean glacier at dawn. Bravo.

For our mighty club  I thought we had a good outing. It could have been ‘tricky’ but it was not. Sead was superb this afternoon, the man goes from strength to strength. After some rough treatment in the first half, Alex Iwobi was our most creative player, and Mustafi our best defender. There was great ‘purpose’ about our football today. Rock solid at the back, very few loose passes, good movement by players to open space amid the massed ranks of claret and blue. No real creative deficit with Mesut rested. I would like to see a little more accurate shooting, but I am nit picking.

Having overlooked a first penalty for the Brady foul on Hector Mr Mason redeemed himself late in the game. Have a look yourself, as cast iron as they come in my book,

Cast iron, as I say , and thoroughly deserved.

Of the home side they are difficult to beat and no wonder they have let in one goal in four PL games. If Burnley’s  attacking players had concentrated more on staying upright rather than trying to win free kicks and penalties then that may have secured the point. Is it me or is Robbie Brady the most irritating footballer in the PL ?  However if Dyche and his merry men carry on like this it may be the Europa League will  return  Continental teams to Turf Moor for the first time in 50 years.

I imagine we shall see more of the same on Wednesday agin Huddersfield. I think Jack will start. Let us hope we do not have to wait quite so late, nor rely on so foolish a foul to win the game.

And thank you to our friends at the Daily Mail for the top picture.

@LaboGoon on the early programme today

Arsenal’s performance last weekend in the North London Derby was a show off of the amazing quality and the potential we possess. The challenge now and indeed the question on everybody’s lips is can we replicate that consistently.

Football doesn’t work that way though, there’s no exact science if you will.

Sometimes, at least twice a year, you play Burnley, who under Sean Dyche are really well organised defensively and them packing their midfield make them a very difficult team to break down. If you allow them going a goal up, they have the ability to shut you out almost completely.

Being level on points with us is not down to luck either, and it would be foolish to even think otherwise.

We did however collect 6 points off of them last season, but they took us really deep both times as we only snatch those in the dying moments. So we can expect them again being focused throughout and very patient. And coming off of 3 successive PL victories… there will be little room for complacently as this could be another butt clenching affair.

Another challenge coming to the fore – we are playing at Turf Moor. While our form at the Emirates can rightly be described as amazing, somehow we struggle on the road. For us to keep pace with the rest of the top 6, we are going to have to start taking some of the Emirates intensity on our travels.

Chelsea, Spurs and Liverpool all dropping points yesterday offer us a real opportunity to capitalize, which I think would add to the pressure – that hopefully won’t get to our boys.

That said, if we play anything close to like we did vs Spurs, there can only be one winner.

On team news: with no new injuries and to give ourselves the best chance to win, I suspect we will start the same match day 11 that did duty vs Spurs.

The schedule over the next 6 weeks will be very demanding dear friends, so we better brace ourselves as teams around us will drop even more points. All we can do is pace ourselves nicely to stay fresh and take it one game at a time. Let the Conte’s, José’s and Klopp’s that have so much to say about so-and-so teams having better festive fixtures get ahead of themselves, while we carpe diem.

Good luck to all watching the game around the globe. Don’t forget to scream and shout for Arsenal, the greatest team the world has ever seen.

@GoonerReverend joins us this morning from the adjoining parish  (I bet you were expecting a match review)

Arsenal have parted ways with chief scout Steve Rowley after 25 years and replaced him with ‘diamond eye’ Sven Mislintat from Borussia Dortmund. If you believe the press and some of the more fanciful Arsenal bloggers who have their own personal axe to grind this was a Coup d’état orchestrated by that fiendishly clever and devious Ivan ‘Brutus’ Gazidis in retaliation against his arch nemesis Arsene ‘Caesar’ Wenger in retribution for going behind him and getting Stan Kroenke to renew his contract for another 2 years without consulting Gazidis.

Like a Roman tale from the ides of March they would have you believe that Gazidis was so slighted by Wenger refusal to bow to his personal wishes of punishment by ‘decimation’ or failing that just leave without question that he decided without Kroenke’s knowledge or approval to completely re-shape Wenger’s back room staff on his own. This of course sounds ridiculous because it is, if we have learnt one thing about silent Stan it is that he may not speak in public but no decision is made without his direct approval.

Gazidis no more did this on his own than did Wenger go behind his back to get a new contract. One of the more hateful anti Wenger bloggers would have you believe that Gazidis was so tormented and traumatised by Wenger’s new contract deception that he considered walking away from the Arsenal football club but then suddenly conceived a fiendish plan and decided to take on the old dictator at is own game.

This makes great fantasy fiction for the believers who lap that sort of stuff up but again its absolute nonsense and purely designed for all of the click bait magnets out there. Gazidis had just been paid a huge bonus and he had absolutely no intention of quitting Arsenal. Further more when they finally sat down to discuss Wenger’s final contract Gazidis would have included succession planning provisions in the agreement to ensure the club was not left in the lurch as Man Utd were in 2013. Succession planning is a standard business function involving the formulation of one or two plans to achieve or maintain optimum balance. Wenger has been at the club for over 20 years and when he leaves a lot of the intellectual knowledge will go out the door with him. By having a succession plan in place and then successfully executing it will help to ensure that there will be minimal disruption when the transfer of managerial power finally occurs.

The 6 steps to succession planning are: 1. Analysis of the future 2. Role analysis 3. People analysis 4. Training, development needs analysis 5. Development Activities 6. Key employee placement.

If you look closely at what is happening at Arsenal with Gazidis moving from his city office to the training ground to be closer to the action the manager and the players along with the new head of recruitment & Mertesacker taking control of the youth academy in 2018 it all points to the fact that Arsenal have definitely implemented their succession planning and Arsene Wenger is very much a key part of the change management process. When people have been in an organisation for an extended period of time they become wedded to the system they have always used because it worked for them in the past. When the organisation decides to go in different direction it’s very difficult for some of these custodians to change their methods of operation and so new blood is bought in to make it easier to make that change happen. This was never more evident than when Sir Alex Ferguson suddenly retired at the end of the 2013 season. Utd clearly were not prepared and the significant issues faced with both Moyes and Van Gael bear testament to that. The notion by some fans that simply moving Wenger on and everything will automatically change is quite frankly naïve and ill informed. Once Arsene Wenger does go the whole infrastructure needs to change and waiting until the last minute or even worst after he is gone to do it is equally naive hence the succession plan that’s currently being implemented.

The next phase of the plan will involve bringing in a director of football like Michael Zorc as well as identifying a new potential manager for the 2019-2020 season and Arsene Wenger will be a key component in this decision-making process because he will be as keen as the Arsenal board to ensure that the transfer of power is as smooth as possible because any failure to do so will reflect as poorly on him as it will on Kroenke, Gazidis and co. Arsenal are a proud club steeped in history, tradition and sound business principles of self-sustainability so for anyone to suggest that what is currently happening behind the scenes is merely a feud between Gazidis & Wenger is either miss informed or is just grinding their own personal anti-Wenger stance to further their agenda. To suggest that the owners have no idea what they are doing is also a fanciful notion. These are very successful men who are extremely calculated in every decision they make and they know exactly what they are doing every day of the week. Just because they don’t personally tell the fans on a daily basis doesn’t mean otherwise. So, forget the click bait merchants who are merely trying to increase their follower count by posting unfounded propaganda and use a modicum of common sense when trying to read into the current events happening at Arsenal.

Good Morning Fans of the Positive,

A slightly fuzzy morning up here in Norfolk as a result of mixing the grain and the grape, so excuse the sluurrrrrring and dribbling below. I’m entitled though, and I know it.

And why am I entitled ? Because after a fortnight of being told about the best team in London, indeed the best team ever to grace the green sward of a football pitch anywhere- ever, about the genius that is Mauricio Pochettino, we hammered the bastards yesterday. Left them flat on their back, gasping, dizzy, their manager whining about referees and injured players. How I laughed.

Let’s just get one thing clear. Spurs were not “bad”, Spurs did not play “rubbish”. They played well in phases, and made chances. They have good players and will certainly be up and around a CL places this season. However, we were better than them over the 94 minutes, by a country mile.

Of the game itself I congratulate the Premier League in their wise appointment of Mr Michael Dean to officiate. The rampant paranoia that the official generated in the days before kick off brought Arsenal fans in the Ems and even at home in to a frenzy of outrage, just right to ensure that he knew we were watching his every move. In consequence Mike, his friends all call him Mike, whistled and pointed with a fury rarely seen outside a busy traffic intersection in central Rome at 3 p.m. on a Friday. In the first ten minutes I thought he may wear his whistle out so vigorous was his enthusiasm for enforcing the rules of the game. He is not my favourite official but not a bad afternoon for the Wirral whistler.

Of our brave lads a team performance to match any we have put together over the past ten years, perhaps longer. There was a quality there, as there almost always is in our passing and movement. Lacca was sharp at the tip, and Sanchez and Mesut constantly cutting the Lilywhites open. The three central defenders were like a wall and missed nothing. Is the Monreal, Mustfi, Kosc defensive combination our best ? I think so. But there was also intense concentration. I did not see any player ‘strolling’ at any point in the game. We were never caught out by a quick ball. Eriksen created zero. Every man in a red shirt had his job and he applied himself. I don’t always see that.

It is an enormously difficult performance in which to pick out Arsenal players who stood out, as they all did. I will however be a devil and go for Granit Xhaka. The Swiss Kosovian was all over the pitch, put the boot in early to the cheating Dele Ali, and then 60 minutes in which he did not put a stud wrong. Having got on to the high wire Granit’s balance was perfect.

So let us enjoy the glow of victory for 24 hours and savour the discomfort of the neighbours, seemingly so near at 12.29 and still so very far away by 2.35. How many seasons is this ?

The result keeps us in the CL pack and with some intriguing domestic games in prospect, starting with Burnley.

Enjoy your Sunday and we shall met again when Cologne have been negotiated.

+ Three happy Gooners

@LaboGoon leads the congregation in this morning’s worship 

“Victory through Harmony” vs “To do is to dare”

The North London Derby. What a fixture to restart the PL after the international break that finalizes places for Russia 2018.

Arsenal and Spurs both go into today’s game having so much to play for; namely pride, bragging rights and to not lose further ground on Man City who have built up a bit of a lead out on top.

That Spurs have come a long way under Pochettino shouldn’t be devalued. They grown into quite a formidable outfit and being runners-up to Chelsea last season is testament of that. So it goes without saying that we need to approach the game with caution, but there’s also no reason to be apprehensive.

Arsenal have got some quality man and it’s just a matter of things having to click and cutting down those little lapses when needing to stay focused.

For that to happen the team will need self-belief and what better place to get it than the Emirates. Being unbeaten in our 9 home games (in all competitions) this season is nothing to scoff at and I think the Emirates faithful deserve much of the credit. And with Spurs bringing Mike Dean along, I doubt more encouragement is needed for the home crowd to turn up and be absolute vociferous in creating a hostile atmosphere for those clogging yobs and prima donna Mike Dean, from the very first minute to the last.

They can’t dare come into our house and expect us rolling out the red carpet. NO NO NO! So whatever side of the fan divide any ardent Arsenal supporter find him or herself in, this is the one fixture we should all stand united in our dislike for Totnum.

This game is more than the Wenger IN/OUT debate. More than anybody’s dislike for Stan, Ivan, Doris or good ol’ Vic Akers.

The media picked a side.
The pundits picked a side.
The English NT management picked a side when they rest Spurs’ English “stars”.
Whomever appointed Mike Dean picked a side.
Ian Wright picked a side.

Let’s make them eat crow. See their 12th man, raise the roof off the Emirates with ours and let it echo through the social-media sphere:

“WE ARE THE ARSENAL!”

That’s right.

On team news: Danny Welbeck and Shkodran Mustafi are back in for selection, while Olivier Giroud will sit this one out after picking up a knock.

Good luck to all Gooners going to the Emirates and those watching from wherever around the globe.

This is the big one, most important game of our season and we need to make ourselves heard to give our boys that 5-10% extra.

Good morning Positives,

So … another international break, another fortnight to ponder the knowns v unknowns of our chosen sport, the carefully laid plans, the freaks of opportunity and of fortune, the strengths and weaknesses of character, and a reluctant acceptance of Fate. After Super Sunday, Meditative Monday.

Of yesterday’s match I felt that we were beaten by a better side on the day. The movement of Citeh’s front four, especially Sane, with their strings pulled by Silva pulled us apart on several occasions and the half time score probably was a little generous to us. We have very good players, the equivalent quality to De Bruyne, Aguero and Sterling, and later Jesus, but yesterday they created more chances, and better chances. Fortunately their finishing was fairly shite.

I make no criticism of our defenders or keeper. I think Francis Coquelin put in a good shift in a role that he had no experience and probably no idea he would be playing in until the aircraft took off. Kosc and Nacho played well and Sead was, in my opinion, probably our best player. His battle with Walker was a great contest.

I do not think that Sanchez playing up front on his own worked. Had Danny been fit it may have been the card to play but the Chilean did not settle to the task, and our shape was ragged.

I think after 56 minutes with the introduction of Lacazette we looked a far more effective operation and for the first time forced Citeh on to the back foot. Suddenly Alexis looked confident and effective, Mesut and Rambo gained half a yard. Suddenly, and by no means against the run of play, we were RIGHT BACK IN IT.

I really fancied that in the final 10-15 minutes of the game that the home side, having had a hard game at Naples in the week, would be there for for the taking as fatigue set in. Fool that I am.

Alas however whatever ‘could’ have been achieved with our team properly balanced we shall never know as a third home goal intervened. After the third went in we did not get the upper hand again in the final 20 minutes. I sympathise with the anger and frustration of the players. A clear error by the linesman that could have been resolved in seconds by the VAR. But we are where we are. We won’t be where we are in two years time, but no doubt there will be other obstacles that crop up in due course. I shall rant at the moon ( again).

The Totties up next- exactly the opponent required.  Let’s make sure the officials know which way to twist the knife.

Not a cloud in the sky this morning nor a breath of wind moving the trees. See above. Enjoy your week.