by Bulldog Drummond
And the stories keep on emerging about Arsenal’s line up tomorrow, along of course with all the transfers that will take place in January – after all the window opens in in a mere 109 days so it is good to get the rumours in early.
I’ll leave the transfers for Sir Hardly, but we are being told that according to “reports” Arsenal will leave out at least seven key first-team players in the match against Cologne.
Some we already knew about: Cech will be replaced of course by Ooooospina, and Koscielny can’t play because of a card. But also rested, the “reports” suggest will be
- Danny Welbeck,
- Mesut Ozil, (who according to the bloggettas has just told Mr Wenger he wants to leave)
- Aaron Ramsey and
- Granit Xhaka
Now that number is supposed to add up to seven, but well, that’s newspaper journalists for you. And to prove it should be seven here is the headline from the Indy which gives us those six:
Seven key Arsenal players to be rested for Europa League tie with Koln
See? Told you so.
Anyway, trawling around the rest of the press who all reported each other as the source for the information the other missing player is Lacazette, and all this presumably means we will have Alexis on the wing and Giroud in the centre presumably with Theo on the other wing.
And so this is now a no-win situation for Mr Wenger because Cologne are being written up as the most likely team to go through to the next stage along with Arsenal, so if we don’t do well, Mr Wenger took a ludicrous risk against the second favourites. If we win, well, why didn’t he play a complete reserve side? Youngsters we will be told are ready to leave along with all those players who were going to leave in the summer, but somehow, amazingly, didn’t.
However if it really is the case that Cologne are the second team in the group, and with this many changes we can beat them readily, then I suspect that we really can give the youngsters a run in some of the other games in the group stages.
It also turns out there is an Arsenal fan in the Cologne side: their goalkeeper Timo Horn. Here’s what he told the non-accountable Independent…
“I’ve always thought of Arsene Wenger as a fantastic manager. “I like the football culture in England and Arsenal just had something in my view that the other teams didn’t have. I’ve always enjoyed the style of football they try to employ even if they haven’t won that many titles.
“People forget quite quickly the times gone by and the years where he made a real impact on the club to get them where they are today, which is why I don’t quite understand the protests.”
He also noted Olivier Giroud as “a player I admire in terms of his style of play.”
Timo was voted best goalkeeper in the German League behind Manuel Neuer last season. His coach said, “Timo has only been to blame for two or three goals since I came to Cologne.” Of course two or three mistakes over four years is enough to have the crowd on your back at Arsenal, but it is different in Germany.
Of his coach, in the interview Timo Horn said, “When he joined the club he told us straight away that he doesn’t want to be one of those coaches that when he comes in the dressing room we all feel like we have to stop talking. Instead he wanted to get involved in our conversations and have a very relaxed approach to exerting his authority.”
And we all know the flack that Mr Wenger gets for that approach – for not thumping the table and shouting, and instead listening to the players comments first before setting out his view. It’s a very un-English approach – to listen to the other guy.
The strange fantasy world inhabited by some who comment on Arsenal
Arsenal v Cologne
- The reason Cologne are in the Europa and yet bottom of the German League tells us all about German football.
- Shock lineup for Cologne game, Arsenal’s next manager confirmed, injured duo on road to recovery.
Am I the only one who has noticed that 1.FC Köln (for the proper spelling of their name, use “ALT + 148”) have a GOAT on their crest and their goalkeeper is named HORN?
There is a proverb in ex-Yugoslavia that says:
“If the goat lies, the horn doesn’t.” To translate the meaning to untoldarsenalish: “If Mike Riley lies, the referee reviews don’t.”
“If Mike Riley lies, the referee reviews don’t.”
Love it.
God said “Adam, I want you to do something for Me”
Adam said, “Gladly, Lord, what do You want me to do ?”
God said, “Go down into that valley”
Adam said, “What’s a valley ?”
God explained it to him. Then God said “Cross the River.”
Adam said, “What’s a river ?”
God explained that to him, and then said, ” Go over to the hill …”
Adam said, “What is a hill ?”
So, God explained to Adam what a hill was.
He told Adam, “On the other side of the hill you will find a cave”
Adam said, ‘What’s a cave ?’
After God explained, He said, “In the cave you will find a woman”
Adam said, “What’s a woman ?’ So God explained that to him, too
Then, God said, ‘I want you to reproduce”
Adam said, “How do I do that ?”
God first said (under His breath), “Geez …”
And then, just like everything else,
God explained that to Adam, as well.
So, Adam goes down into the valley, across the river, and over the hill, into the cave, and finds the woman .
In about five minutes, he was back
God, His patience wearing thin, said angrily, “What is it now ?”
And Adam said….
(YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE THIS !)
“What’s a Headache ?”
Talking about the reported rotation of 7 reserve team Gunners Le Prof is reported intending to play in the FC Koln EL match at the Ems tomorrow night’s for six of his senior Gunners first team starters he’ll rest for the match, I’ll say that’s in order and is welcomed. But is it that necessary Le Prof should start Sanchez and Mustafi for this EL match? To me, since Elneny has been trained by Le Prof to play in a back three and the experiment has come off successfully. I suggest he plays him in the right side of the back three defence with Holding at the other side while BFG is at the centre. I mean: Holding BFG Elneny. Le Prof can then have Mustafi and Monreal on the bench for should in case. And Sanchez who doesn’t look bad when he was brought on in the Bournemouth match should have his energy fresh in reserve for our very important Chelsea PL match on Sunday. And therefore he should not be started in the Cologne match to avoid burning some of his good energy he should keep in reserve to unleash on Chelsea. But Le Prof can have him also on the bench and gives him a 20 minutes runout in the Cologne match to enhance his match fitness for Chelsea.
Sorry, I mean to say Elneny should be played at the left side of the back three and not the right side of it which is Holding’s position.
I understand the sentiment of “It’s a very un-English approach – to listen to the other guy.” but judging by the stuff the likes of Shearer, Murphy, Sutton and the Nevilles come out with, would you bother listening to them ??? 😉
All still excellent players on the ball,unlike that shower last night (spuds)who despite their lucky win still had to descend to Stoke like tactics..
Jimbo
Was it that bad ? Got to the point I could stand no more.
If I have to listen to grown men having a wank fest I’d much rather it was over Lusty Linda than 11 men in Tottenham shirts.
Truth to be told, I don’t think Spuds were that Stoke-ish last night. They were playing on the counter-attacks and exploited suicidal high back-line deployed by Peter Bosz. Son and Kane could have easily scored two or three more goals. I’ve been watching football for almost three decades and I can’t recall when someone opened half of the pitch for the counter-attacks as Borussia did last night.
Even with that sort of back-line, Borussia deserved a better result. They scored a perfectly good goal for 2:2 (Auba was never offside) that was chalked off a few minutes before Kane put the game in bed.
Speaking of Kane, he is a rare Spud I admire as a player. It’s a shame he will never win anything given the laws of Universe (he plays for Tottenham AND England) but life is cruel.
Vertonghen got a red card which makes two red cards for Spuds in the last two Wembley European games. On the other hand, not a single journalist in England has scratched his head over the fact Spuds have had 84 games in the league without a red card.
LOL
is it 84 without a single red and they foul so much!
I missed it and the highlights I will check out ITV hub tonight, I saw PEA was chalked off for offside and I was like, him offside, unusual and their other young mercurial talent Pulusic, good player. They are going to miss Vertongen, but it means that he’s a shoe in for the fixture before their next CL adventure. Kan should have stuck with the Goons! But TBH I love him as a striker, but it’s a bit of a Rooney, minus the Grannies, it’s like he swallowed the book of what to say in commentary. I would love to see Real come in for him, he could be there next Owen.
He can’t exacly go anywhere else but City, since Liverpool are crap and 3 of the top 6 bought their man for the next 8-10!
Lovin’ it Josif, I will remember this Yodlers proverb! 😉