As usual in the middle of an international break, there really is not much news out there. So quiet it is, media outlets are going the extra mile with clickbait headlines to earn that advertising revenue.
Gunners were bled dry by flop who cost £2.4m every yellow card was my favourite one of the season. It was one outlight highlighting Lucas Torreira as our biggest flop of recent times, and used “cost per yellow card” to highlight this. What an odd metric.
Are they suggesting that had Torreira received more yellow cards, they would have written a story about how great a signing he was due to having a low cost per yellow card ratio?
I was absolutely buzzing when we signed Torreira. He looked to give us that bite and energy in midfield that we were missing at the time and would have complimented Granit Xhaka perfectly. But it did not work out for him.
He never settled and clearly suffered from some mental health problems that have carriered on throughout his career. He flopped on loan at Atletico Madrid, was not particularly great back in Italy for Fiorentina and his career has drifted resulting in him now playing in Turkey.
I actually feel for him because something clearly happened during his time at Arsenal that changed him, and he has never regained the confidence that made him one of the most exciting young midfielders in Europe.
In another fun headline, it is reported that Edu is in Brazil to ward off an attempt by Liverpool to hijack our move for a Brazilian wonderkid.
The player in question is highly-rated Fluminense midfielder Andre Trindade. He is 22-years-old.
Now I have not played Football Manager for some years, but surely a wonderkid stops becoming a wonderkid by the time he gets out of this teens? I guess “Edu in Brazil to ward off attempt by Liverpool to hijack move for a Brazilian 22-year-old will not get the hits”.
The new “international football weekend festival” that FIFA, UEFA et al have come up with to spread international games across 7 days has resulted in Ghana playing USA in America in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
That means that Thomas Partey will not be back into London until early evening Wednesday, with just 2 days of rest and recuperation before the Chelsea fixture.
Brazil also play during the early hours of Wednesday so Gabriel’s Magalhaes and Jesus will probably not be back in the UK until the late hours of Wednesday night.
It really does baffle me why the authorities try and put club and country in direct conflict. Would it not have made more sense for Ghana to play Thursday and Sunday rather than Sunday and Wednesday?
Anyway, I have working up a little bitter and grumpy this morning. I blame it on the bitter air. It is blood cold out there!
A week ago I was in Athens. 27°C. Whilst out there it was 24°C in London. This morning it was 27°C. Winter is well and truly here!
Wrap up and stay warm. Do not be afraid to put that central heating on. Or invest in a good fleece blanket!
Tomorrow it warms up!
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 