Just realised the post scheduled for today is actually launching tomorrow. So a bit of a late blog from me today!
I’m sitting in me garden, few Efes in, watching the watered down Soccer Saturday. The show is certainly a shadow of what it was in the early 00s.
So yesterday Theo Walcott announced his retirement from football at the age of 34. I honestly think he is one of the most underrated players of the “Emirates Era”.
108 goals is not to be sniffed at. It puts him 15th on our all time top scorer list. Ahead of Paul Merson. Ahead of Robert Pires, Alexis Sanchez, Freddie Ljungberg and Geordie Armstrong.
He signing came with a lot of hype. Labelled the English Messi. He might never have hit the top, top level but that does not mean he was a bad player.
I wish him well in retirement. He always came across as a top lad. A nice guy. Someone who understood who he played for and what he represents.
Other Arsenal news includes Nuno Tavares being on the verge of a move to Nottingham Forest and Folarin Balogun being linked to Inter Milan. I expect to see some big departures next week.
A little side note, interesting to see Charlie Patino get loaned out again rather than sold. Maybe he has looked at Chelsea are realised the grass is not always greener.
Tomorrow we should be back to our normal blogging scheduled. I’m going to enjoy the sun and drink more. Have a good one.
“Guendouzi endures torrid night as Marseille exit the Champions League” was the article headline dropped into the She Wore WhatsApp group yesterday morning. And it made me chuckle.
Marseille were heading through to the Champions League qualifiers, leading Panathinkos 2-0 (and 2-1 on aggregate) following a brace from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Matteo Guendouzi started the game on the bench, as he has done for all 3 of Marseille’s game this season. He was bought on in the 68th minute to help shore up the midfield and see the game out.
Deep into second-half stoppage time, Guendouzi was then penalised for handling the ball inside the box, gifting Panathinaikos the chance to take the game to extra time. A chance which the Greek side took, scoring from the penalty spot in the 99th minute.
After extra time finished goaless, the match went to penalties.
Matteo stepped up to take Marseille’s first penalty. His shot was well-saved by goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli. The remaining players from both sides all converted their spot-kicks ensuring that Marseille crashed out 5-3 on pens in front of their home fans.
It is almost 5-years to the day since Matteo Guendouzi made his Arsenal debut. Most fans came away from the 2-0 defeat at home to Manchester City realising we had a bright young talent on our hands.
He would go on to become a regular for Unai Emery’s Arsenal, leading many (including myself) to say he could potentially become Arsenal captain in the future.
In the summer of 2019, he was arguably the best young midfielder in world football, and was being talked up alongside the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Jack Wilshere as the best teenage midfielders seen at Arsenal. Guendouzi was being linked to big money moves to Bayern Munich and PSG.
The only young midfielder in English football who looked close to Guendouzi was some fella at West Ham.
Declan Rice was just 3 months older than Guendouzi, and had also established himself as a Premier League first team regular over the previous 12 months.
Guendouzi and Rice shared a lot of similar attributes – both had a good mixture of physical and technical attributes, and the ability to drive forward with the ball.
During 2019, both Guendouzi and Rice would receive their first call=ups for their countries.
A tough second season at Arsenal was marred by childish behaviour and fallings out with different managers and coaching staff. Whilst he is was physically a man, he was clearly mentally immature.
There were reports of him mocking Emery’s accent and a falling out with Freddie Ljungberg during the Arsenal legends tenure as caretaker manager.
As football prepared for a return after Covid, Arteta took his squad to Dubai to prepare.
In Dubai, Guendouzi firstly got into a scrap with Sokratis. Arteta came down harder on Guendouzi than Sokratis which the young Frenchman took exception to. Things then boiled over and the pair got into a shouting match.
Despite pleas from the the likes of David Luiz for Guendouzi to act professional, Guendouzi reprimanded on second occasion during Arsenal’s training camp – for taking his shirt off at music event. This led to given him receiving a dressing down by technical director Edu.
When football finally back, Guendouzi became emboriled in a a post-match altercation with Brighton player Neal Maupay. This led to Guendouzi being excluded from Arsenal training and left out of the club’s match-day squads due to a history of issues with his “attitude and general conduct.”
Guendouzi would not play for Arsenal again, and in the summer of 2020, Arsenal looked to move him on. But other clubs had done their research on him and no top club seemed to be willing to take the risk. In the end he joined Hertha Berlin on loan.
He returned from Germany without enhancing his reputation on the pitch, and Arsenal looked once again to sell. And once again there were no buyers.
Whilst Guendouzi had missed out on France’s Euro 2020 (held in 2021) squad, Rice was becoming one of the first names on the England teamsheet. By the time Guendouzi made his debut for France at the end of 2021, Rice already had 27 caps to his name.
Another loan deal beckoned for Guendouzi and this time he returned to his native France for Marseille.
A good first season saw him make France’s World Cup 2022 squad and gain 6 caps for his country. It also led to to Marseille signing him permanently.
Maybe it is second season syndrome, but like at Arsenal, his performances dropped off after his first campaign with Marseille. This led him to be in and out of the team and starting 10 less games in Ligue 1.
Whilst Guendouzi was struggling for his place in the Marsielle team, Rice had been named captain of West Ham and led them to their first trophy in over 40 years. That secured him a big money move to Arsenal.
This season, Guendouzi has started all 3 Marseille games on the bench, and his coslty errors saw his team fail to qualify for the Champions League.
It is incredible to think that there is very little in age between Rice and Guendouzi.
In December 2019, both players were valued at £50m by Transfrmarkt. Since then, Rice’s star has continued to rise whilst Guendouzi’s has plummeted.
Transfrmarkt now rate Rice as the best player in the world born in 1999. Guendouzi is just 30th. They also rate Rice as the 6th best midfielder in world football (Jude Bellingham, Jamal Musiala, Pedri, Federico Valverde and Gavi are the top 5). Guendouzi is 41st.
Rice has gone on to make 43 appearances for his country, whilst Guendouzi has just 7 French caps.
Had Guendouzi developed how we would have expected back in December 2019, we may not have had to spend £105m on Declan Rice.
Now 24, and struggling for starts in the French league, Guendouzi could become one of the biggest waste of talents of the modern era.
Keenos
🔴⚪️🔴LAUNCHING TODAY🔴⚪️🔴
Our first set of #Arsenal inspired shin pads is now available!
We only currently have 50 of these.
3 sizes available so great for children and adults.
It is now confirmed that Jurrien Timber has suffered a major ACL injury.
Whilst this might rule him out for the 2023/24 season, an ACL injury is no longer career ending. Many a player has returned from the injury to reach the pinnacle of the game.
Robert Pires
In 2002, Robert Pires won the Football Writers Player of the Year award, despite his season being curtailed in March due to an ACL injury.
Considered one of the most inform form players in World Football at the time of his injury, he sidelined for more than six months and missed out on the chance to play fir his country at the 2002 World Cup
Despite missing a third of the 2002/03 season with the injury, Pires would bag himself 14 league goals – the most in his career at that point.
In 2003/04, Pires would be a key component of Arsenal’s invincible winning team, scoring 19 goals in all competitions, a career high. The year after he would grab himself another 17 goals.
In the 4-years after his injury, Pires would average a goal every 2.7 games. In the 4-seasons before his injury, he was averaging a goal every 5.1 games.
Xavi
The best example of overcoming a major ACL injury and continuing to excel is arguably Xavi.
Xavi suffered an ACL injury in December 2005, necessitating surgery, and faced being left out of Spain’s World Cup squad the following year.
He returned quickly after only five months out and played his part to help Barcelona win La Liga. He was also selected forn the Spain squad for the 2006 World Cup.
After his injury, Xavi would go on to win six more La Liga titles, four Champions League medals, two European Championships, and one World Cup. He also holds the record for most appearances for Barcelona.
Zlatan Ibrahmovic
Recovering from an ACL is not just a young mans game.
At the age of 35 Zlatan Ibrahimovic, damaged his cruciate knee ligament in the penultimate minute of extra time in Manchester United’s second leg of the Europa League quarterfinal against Anderlecht in April 2017.
It was anticipated that he would be absent for a full year, but Zlatan being Zlatan only stayed away from the game for seven months before making a comeback.
“Lions don’t recover like humans” was the on-brand Zlatan remark.
In 2022, a few months shy of his 41st birthday, Zlatan would lead AC Milan to their first league title. That would be Rossoneri’s first league title in 11 years. Leading the line for them in 2011 was, you guessed it, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer tore his right anterior cruciate ligament in 1992, during his first season with Blackburn Rovers.
The following year, Shearer made a comeback and scored 31 goals. He outperformed that the next year, scoring 34 goals to help Blackburn win the Premier League.
He remains the all-time leading scorer in Premier League history with 260 goals.
Ruud van Nistelrooy
In 2000, Ruud van Nistelrooy saw a record breaking transfer to Manchester United collapse after failing his medical.
Shortly after, he tore his ACL in training for PSV.
A year later, having recovered from the injury, the deal would resurrect itself and the Dutchman would join Manchester United for £19 million.
In 219 games for Manchester United, Van Nistelrooy scored 150 goals, helping the club win the Premier League, League Cup, and FA Cup. He also helped Real Madrid win La Liga twice.
In total, he would score 236 goals in 391 games post injury for Manchester United, Real Madrid, Hamburg and Malaga before retiring at 36.
Roy Keane
One of the most infamous moments in Premier League history had its origins 4 years earlier.
During a niggly game against Leeds United, Manchester United captain Roy Keane clashed with Alf-Inge Haaland throughout.
Out of frustration, Keane would attempt to trip his rival towards the end of the game. His studs would get caught in the turf and he ended up tearing his cruciate ligament. Keane would miss the rest of the 1997/98 season. His absence sorley missed as Arsenal would overhaul Manchester United to win the title.
Keane would return for the 1998/99 season and lead Manchester United to the treble (although he missed the Champions League final due to suspension).
After his injury, Keane would captain the side to 4 league titles and two FA Cups.
Four years after injuring himself, Keane would look to seek his misguided revenge and end Haaland’s career with a horror tackle during a Manchester derby.
In Keane’s autobiography, he admitted he went out to deliberately hurt Haaland: “I’d waited long enough. I hit him hard.”
Keenos
🔴⚪️🔴LAUNCHING TODAY🔴⚪️🔴
Our first set of #Arsenal inspired shin pads is now available!
We only currently have 50 of these.
3 sizes available so great for children and adults.
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 