By Bulldog Drummond
Of course some news comes in at most inconvenient moments. Here am I about to prattle on concerning the line ups for tonight when we get the announcement that Newcastle Utd and West Ham United were raided this morning by HMRC concerning suspected criminal tax fraud in professional football. That is what us scribblers call “pretty big news” at least for a publication like Untold which has been poking around such matters for the last nine years.
Newcastle’s managing director Lee Charnley is reported to have been arrested along with a number of other men. Mobile phones have been seized and the officials have been removing documents relating to transfers going back at least seven years.
It is suggested 50 HMRC officers (which believe me is a BIG number for an investigation like this) also raided the London Stadium and seized documents. WHU say they are co-operating. One report says over 100 went to Newcastle.
The key issue that we know of within these investigations is the level of tax paid on transfers and image rights payments. In France arrests and searches have also been made relating to deals between French and English clubs.
A second key point is that this is not an investigation into the under payment of tax which could be seen as the result of mistaken accounting, which then results in the payment of due tax and a fine. This is a criminal investigation and where the Revenue are involved, they usually call for imprisonment of the guilty.
Other clubs are also said to have been investigated. More from us on this when we get it.
So back to the footie.
As we were reporting Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could still feature today despite leaving Wembley after Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final on crutches. And we must remember the game on Sunday was 120 minutes so some players might like a break.
On the Leicester front Wes Morgan (hamstring) and Nampalys Mendy (ankle) are certainly out along with Islam Slimani (groin).
Leicester haven’t won any of the last 20 league games against Arsenal although they did get the better of us after two goalless cup draws in 2000. Since then the results have run…
| Date | Game | Result | Score |
| 26 Dec 2000 | Arsenal v Leicester City | Won | 6-1 |
| 20 Jan 2001 | Leicester City v Arsenal | Drew | 0-0 |
| 25 Aug 2001 | Arsenal v Leicester City | Won | 4-0 |
| 23 Jan 2002 | Leicester City v Arsenal | Won | 1-3 |
| 06 Dec 2003 | Leicester City v Arsenal | Drew | 1-1 |
| 15 May 2004 | Arsenal v Leicester City | Won | 2-1 |
| 31 Aug 2014 | Leicester City v Arsenal | Drew | 1-1 |
| 10 Feb 2015 | Arsenal v Leicester City | Won | 2-1 |
| 26 Sep 2015 | Leicester City v Arsenal | Won | 2-5 |
| 14 Feb 2016 | Arsenal v Leicester City | Won | 2-1 |
| 20 Aug 2016 | Leicester City v Arsenal | Drew | 0-0 |
Mr Shakespeare at Leicester made an interesting comment prior to this game regarding Wembley at the weekend: “Seeing the Arsenal match, it didn’t look like turmoil to me. There were players fighting and they thoroughly deserved the win in the end, even though it was a close game.”
So what do we know?
- Arsenal are unbeaten in 20 league games against Leicester.
- We have won nine of the 10 games against Leicester at home in the Premier League.
- They did however get a 1-1 draw at Highbury in 1995.
For a long time the media were counting up the number of away defeats we got in a row. They can’t do that sort of thing any more and they could look at Leicester’s away form, but instead they have now come up with the fact that we have lost three of their last six Premier League matches and haven’t won back-to-back league games since January.
But the comparison table that we ran with our position last season is now being thought about.
As for this game, there is a little talk about Leicester still needing points to avoid going down, but I think that is pushing it a bit. I can’t see them being relegated given that the clubs below them are making such a good job of it.
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Last six | |
| 15 | Leicester City | 32 | 10 | 7 | 15 | 41 | 53 | -12 | 37 | WWWWLD | |
| 16 | Burnley | 34 | 10 | 6 | 18 | 33 | 49 | -16 | 36 | DLWDLL | |
| 17 | Hull City | 34 | 9 | 6 | 19 | 36 | 67 | -31 | 33 | LWWLLW | |
| 18 | Swansea City | 34 | 9 | 4 | 21 | 39 | 68 | -29 | 31 | LDLLLW | |
| 19 | Middlesbrough | 33 | 4 | 12 | 17 | 23 | 43 | -20 | 24 | LDLDLL | |
| 20 | Sunderland | 32 | 5 | 6 | 21 | 26 | 58 | -32 | 21 | LDLLLD |
Of all the clubs in the bottom six Leicester is the only one that has been winning (most recent results on the right in the final column) and they are already six above Swansea with two in hand and two teams below them more likely to be overtaken by Swansea, if any team is.
As for the teams…
Theo has scored in three of his four Premier League appearances against Leicester, including in both home games and I suspect he’ll get a game…. except I don’t see how to fit him into the new line up.
And one more goal for Alexis will make him the fifth Arsenal player to score 20+ goals in a Premier League campaign. The others have been Thierry Henry, Ian Wright, Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor.
To counter the positives for us, we can note that Leicester have won five of their last seven league matches. But that is because they have been catching up on home games. As the last article showed, they have been terrible away from home this season.
So who might we put out…
Cech
Gabriel Koscielny Holding
Bellerin Coquelin Xhaka Gibbs
Alexis Ozil
Giroud
Which would put on the beach…
Theo, Monreal, Welbeck, The Ox, Ramsey, Elneny, Martinez.
As I say, I’d like to put Theo in the team, and also Iwobi on the beach, but can’t see how to do it. Right, I am getting ready for the trip to London, avoiding the road works which have left Northamptonshire isolated from much of the rest of the kingdom.
Walter may be along later with some, all or maybe none of his match report. We’ll watch with interest.
Arsenal v Leicester, the story so far…
- Arsenal v Leicester Wed 26 April 2017 – The Match Officials. 80% of wrong decisions will be against Arsenal.
- Arsenal v Leicester: a shocking home and away comparison, and excellent injury news
- Arsenal v Leicester: how exactly do the teams compare with our position last season
COYG! The tide is starting to turn.
Off topic….
On TV the FA cup game….There was equal spread of blue and red in the crowd. Provided Mancity dint use up their quota…. There should’ve been more reds in.the crowd….Am I missing something here…..
Re the HMRC actions concerning WHU:
Perhaps the State-Aid experience over their “most successful stadium move ever” may have led them to believe that they are exempt from all tax liabilities.
I think the source of the tax investigation is in France and mostly involves Marseille and English clubs they have done business with
Arsenal 13
Maybe City did use all their ticket allocation, maybe many Arsenal supporters wore the alternative yellow shirts, maybe you miscounted, maybe those two big gingers in the City support got in the way, maybe……
Somehow, the press feels criminal tax fraud isn’t connected with corruption. There are 0 hits on this issue searching for “football corruption” at Google News.
OT: Bye, Bye, Barton
Apparently Joey has been banned for 18 months for betting offences. Supposedly this means he will be retiring. No doubt, he will end up muppetting. For Talk Shite?
Bulldog
Don’t forget to sniff around the story regarding one of the broadcasters favourite plundits: Joey “one of the lads” Barton.
Just an innocent misunderstanding. I’m sure.
Looking at the betting company sponsorships around the league(s) one consideration stands out: Did you know that betting companies pay no VAT?
😉
Mr Drummond, I agree with your starts but Permit me to make some changes to your starting lineup for our Leicester game today as per my below starts and bench, and I’ll tell you why I did so.
My starts.
Cech
Paulista Koscielny Holding
Bellerin Le Coq Xhaka Welbeck
Ozil Sanchez
Walcott.
Bench:
MartinezMaitlandMonrealGibbsRamseyElnenyIwobi.
Okay, I’ve dropped Ramsey to the bench because of his being suspectable to picking injury if he’s consecutively started. But he should be in contention for a starting role at the Lane on Sunday against Spurs.
After a hard FA Cup match against Man City at Wembley last Sunday, I believe the paceless Monreal is fatigued after playing for 120 minutes at Wembley. And this game fatigued by him and Ramsey has informed me to start Welbeck in vertically line with the young Holding at the left side of Arsenal field. And Paulista and Bellerin will also start like same for Arsenal at the right side of the field. To counter Leicester pacey play, both Bellerin and Welbeck have pace to recover lost ground to provide defensive cover for Paulista and Holding as they bomb forward in search of goals for Arsenal. I preferred to start Welbeck ahead of Gibbs as right wing back because of the goalscoring edge he has over Gibbs. While Welbeck can score or provide assist or cause a confusion in the opponent box that can lead to a goal for Arsenal, Gibbs can only defend as a LB and bomb forward but often no cigar.
In the absent of Giroud to injury, Walcott a proven prolific Arsenal goalscorer should lead the line for us. If he gets correct service, he might score a brace in this match.
Arseblog is reporting that Anthony Taylor is reffing the Cup Final. Our worst fears……….
@Gord
What I find shocking is that Joey Barton had placed a bet (or a few of them) against his own team in matches he was playing. He should have been banned for life.
Josif
Absolutely right. Nobody (even supporters) should stoop so low.
Alex Iwobi voting for N’golo Kante instead of him to vote for his Arsenal colleague – Alexis Sanchez in the recently concluded voting for the PL player of the year award by the Professional Footballers Association in England speaks a big disloyalty volume for my dislike.
This unprecedented act of subversion by Iwobi against Arsenal interest – Sanchez, whose name is o the list for the award has shown how untogetherness the Gunners are in their rank and file whom Le Prof has often referred to as being together in togetherness. But alas! What Iwobi has done has showed a contrary take to what was thought is obtainable amongst the Gunners. Or is this Iwobi’s praise worship of N’golo Kante at the expense of his own team mate Alexis Sanchez, is an isolated case?
@Leon,
I said in my comment to Walter’s post game report on Sunday that I thought Anthony Taylor was the favourite to be appointed to the cup final. I’m sorry to have been proved right again.
TAYLOR 🙂 🙂
We need to organise an “unusual betting run” on City in the week leading up to the final!
Andrew
No more predictions….unless they’re positive ones.
Samuel, that’s dumb.
I will probably miss the game.
COYG!
Leon
Mind you he could be like Mike Dean was last time we had him when he was as good as gold! It’s not that they don’t know the rules it’s the interpretation that causes the problem. He could also get injured between now and then and have to be replaced..
There again we always have to play both the opposition and the officials, despite City’s protests, so we’ll just have to get on with it. If we play as we did when we beat them 3-0 earlier in the season then we should emerge with the cup. If we don’t then we will probably end up with the losers medals.
Andrew
I think Taylor is the one referee who does have issues with Arsenal, and Wenger in particular. He is so consistently bad for us, it just can’t be a coincidence.
Samuel
No subversion for quite simply players aren’t allowed to vote for players from the same team.
Let’s hope he gets injured then as I do rather agree with you
Come ooooooonnnnn uuuuuuuuuu ggggguuuunnnnneeeeerrrrrrssss
Bloody hell! Where’s the crowd?is there a transport strike in London?Never seen so few for a PL game at the Ems
Theo Theo Theo Theo Theo Theo Theo Theo Theo Theo Theo
Not enough movement , especially the front 3 who should be interchanging more.
Ooooooo Alexis
Why does huth get away with elbow checks!!
Xhaka bomb… Ooooooo
Ccooommmee ooooooonnnnn uuuuuuuuuu ggggguuuunnnnneeeeerrrrrrssss
Good game by Gibbs…. Every time.hez got to play… Strong performance
Noooooooooooooooooo Xhaka noooooooo…
Don’t listen to the crowd..
Red card.red card….
Yellow!!!!
Can’t believe that was not a red for a deliberate foot in Giroud back
Yyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhh
Hahhahahaha hahahahahahahahahaha
Hahhahhahhahhahhaaaahaha
Hahhahhahhahhahhaaaahaha
Ccooommmee ooooooonnnnn
Nacho again
Ironic that it went in off Huth
Ccooommmee ooooooonnnnn uuuuuuuuuu ggggguuuunnnnneeeeerrrrrrssss
Ccooommmee ooooooonnnnn uuuuuuuuuu ggggguuuunnnnneeeeerrrrrrssss
Ccooommmee ooooooonnnnn uuuuuuuuuu ggggguuuunnnnneeeeerrrrrrssss
1 nil?
Look at the time….
Yeah 1 nil to the ARSENAL
How many mins remained
yes
Well played, could have been a little dicey at times but we know the spuds are in 4 days.
Defense was good i thought.
A deserved win, but WTF was going on with Sanchez in those last minutes?
Leon
To me it looked like the player fouled Danny and Alexis fouled him.
Some good rotation by Wenger, and not the side I expected to see start.
V won?
I gave no problem about Sanchez getting a yellow for his simulation. But how on earth is that not a red card for Fuchs there (not a second yellow, a straight red). He clearly intentionally throw the ball into Sanchez with full strength, that is as much a aggression as the studs on Giroud back.
And I’d love to hear how can Jones justify giving a free kick to Leicester there…
match report is on line
Vince the free kick is correct. the yellow against Alexis also. That has been changed in the laws a while ago. You have to keep 2 meter distance from a throw in. But throwing an object (including the ball) deliberately against an opponent is a yellow or a red card offence (depending on if excessive force was used). So the ref was right and wrong at the same time.
Was there one for koscielnys foot in aguero’s back?
Opponents may not be closer than 2 meters from the
point at which the throw-in is taken.
to deal with these situations, the referees should warn
any player within this distance before the throw-in is
taken and caution the player if he fails to retreat to
the correct distance. Play shall be restarted with a
throw-in
As per law, yellow to Alexis is correct. The same law says the ref should warn the offending player. Which he didnt do. Also the same law says throwing the ball or anything on a player deliberately with force or may be without too is a possible red card offense. Which the referee failed to do.
Even Huths challenge on Alexis is yellow card offense. Which referee dint consider.
We will deal with this incident in the ref review of course but it was total mismanagement from the ref in this situation. Come to think of it… not just in this situation….
Note the play was started with a free kick…… Which was incorrect.
Sorry restarted..
My comment @ 9.05 was copied directly from fifa website
That throw in incident was completely bizarre. There could have been up to four cards issued: two yellows & red for Alexis and a straight red (or yellow) to the unfortunately named Fuchs. Can’t wait for the team’s take on it.