- Arsenal v Southampton, More Ethan?
- Arsenal v Southampton: shocking revelations about referees, tackles and cards
- Arsenal v Southampton: where the two teams have been of late
By Bulldog Drummond
Sympathy for ManC? Well, yes in regard to their appeal for a delay to the PL start in 2025 with their players (and come to that Arsenal players) having to appear in yet another unwanted and fundamentally dopey “world cup” – this time for clubs. It takes place in the USA next summer and clubs are ordered to take their strongest teams.
Of course the PL clubs involved could get together and agree not to participate and then not to pay the fines that would then be levied and challenge Fifa to do something about that, which would probably mean Fifa ordering the Premier League to banish the clubs, but ManC don’t seem to want to get into a real fight over the issue.
So as things stand next season, the top players won’t get a break. The only things the club can do is transfer all their top players to another team, and then “buy” them back. Or maybe refuse to participate in the CWC (pronounced “quack”).
As far as I know, however, Arsenal are not involved, so that’s all right. Not our problem.
The fact is that as things stand each month that goes by the clubs lose more and more control (unless there is a court case in which as this week they normally gain some control – so maybe we need a few more court cases).
Part of the problem that the clubs involved have, is that the media will lap up another competition even if they kowtow to ManC and say it is too much for the players to do. For the media like more games because it means they get some “news” without having to make more things up.
So there’s a thought. Maybe if we got rid of all the football journalists, then football might regain a bit of sanity. Yes, having written that, that feels about right.
Meanwhile TalkSport gives us a team for today
Raya
Calafiori Gabriel Saliba Timber
Rice Partey
Martinelli Trossard Saka
Havertz
There is generally an agreement that White has repaired himself enough to be “in contention” as the Metro says, but they have a slightly different take on things with
Raya
Calafiori Saliba Gabriel Kiwior
Rice Partey
Martinelli Trossard Saka
Havertz
Sports Mole are rather bold and go for a 4-0 Arsenal win but they have the regular trio rather than a duo in midfield, allowing the players to move as the game dictates…
Raya;
Calafiori, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior;
Havertz, Partey, Rice;
Saka, Trossard, Martinelli
That of course does emphasise the fact that the players do tend to move around quite a lot. But it still would not be a surprise with that line up to hear “60 million down the drain” being sung once again. (That means Havertz scores in case you are not au fait with the Arsenal songs of the moment).
The Standard goes for the same team as Sports Mole and once we start hitting duplications in the predictions that normally means it is time to stop, and take the long and tedious journey to north London.
More anon, although anon may well mean tomorrow, depending on the time we all get back.
It would be nice to see Merino given his full debut today.
This business of giving control over time to the officials is such rubbish. Two minutes added time? Really? When their number nine went down he was on the pitch for at least three minutes.
Another imperious display from Saka. What an absolute superstar we have on our hands. But still not World Class of course.
Before Saka is actually allowed to be rated as World Class I’m waiting for the debate to shift to, ‘are Arsenal a one man team’, or at least to ‘are Arsenal becoming too reliant on Saka’?
Mark my words, it will happen.
I’m absolutely loving the spirit in this team.
We couldn’t really open them up in the first half but also a lot of shots that were blocked by defenders before it could trouble Ramsdale who had an excellent match for Southampton. Saka making things happen, Kai showing that supporters better be careful with throwing Chelsea rejects immediately under the bus at the start of their Arsenal career. Martinelli back to the from we know he can play. 7 matches undefeated without Captain Odegaard and with many difficult away matches in it (Tots, $ity…)
Let us hope we can get all our players back after the international break an who know even Odegaard…
Only 1 point behind Liverpool who only played away to United and for the rest only played against teams against whom you would expect them to win. We had already 3 fixtures (awau) against top 6 teams. Come to think of it… even United aren’t really a top 6 team anymore….
Saka will not be given the world class tag until he leaves Arsenal. The pressure on him to do so will increase unless we start winning titles .
Rival managers know his worth but it sticks in the media’s throat to admit it .
porter
Exactly. How it’s even a debate is madness.
Saka is rated the 6th most valuable player on the planet at e140M. The top 6 as valued by transfermarket are:
1-Haaland e200M
2-Bellingham e180M
3-Junior e180M
4-Mbappe e180M
5-Foden e140M
6-Saka e140M
In the Premier League only Foden is valued at more.
Don’t forget Saka is only playing for a midtable side according to the latest ‘Super Computer’ predictions. As someone said elsewhere, even the ‘Super Computer’ has an anti Arsenal agenda.
Sorry, Haaland as well of course.
The third most valuable player in ‘The Best League In the World’ isn’t World Class. Of course he isn’t.
No article about the City suit…and the coverage in the scary press?
What a surprise…
Yes I ccan well imagine that you are surprised Andrew as from your correspondence it is clear you have no idea how a blog (or quite probably everyday life for normal working people) actually works. But of course having you popping in all the time to see if we have published something you can complain about helps keep our numbers up.