Morning all, and Happy World Cup Eve. If anyone is actually happy about it.
I am certainly not, and have firmly been in the “it should have been boycotted” camp ever since it was announced.
The latest news of booze bans in Qatar sums up the sham of a World Cup.
Now I get Qatar is a Muslim country and we should respect the rules of the country we are in.
I would have had no issue with an alcohol ban had that been the case since day one. That way travelling fans would have the full facts before deciding to spend thousands of pounds to go out there.
To announce the change just a few days before the World Cup shows no respect to the fans that are going.
Saying that, the ban is only for stadiums (as they are the only place the existing alcohol laws had been lifted). You will still be able to get alcohol in your hotels.
That area of the world really is a weird place.
Strict rules when it comes to alcohol, women, homosexuality, etc. But you just know the rich and the Royal Family are probably on the booze all the time before closed door, and bending their slaves over the kitchen counter regardless of sex and age.
Big Arsenal news yesterday as it was announced Edu was being promoted to the role of Sporting Director.
Alongside Mikel Arteta, he has been a key part to the stablisation of our club on and off the field.
It goes beyond his work in the transfer market. Arsenal is a much better ran place now in comparison to 24 months ago.
It is a position both Raul Sanllehi and Sven Mislintat had their eye but never got near to getting.
We now had a fairly solid senior management structure.
Josh Kroenke seems to be taking more of an interest in us. Then we have Edu as Sporting Director.
Vinai Venkatesham has been CEO since 2022 and Per Mertesacker has been managing the academy for for over 4 years.
Even if Mikel Arteta left tomorrow, it now feels like we have a good structure above and around him which would allow us to keep moving forward.
The fact no one mentioned Edu’s promotion prior to the Arsenal announcement shows how he has also plugged the leaks. The days of players selling stories to John Cross, or to Turkish journalists have long gone.
We move forward together as one, and I can not wait for football to return after the World Cup.
Enjoy your Saturday.
Keenos
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Over the summer, Mikel Arteta's All or Nothing design became a best seller
The rules state that players are “prohibited from betting, either directly or indirectly, on any football match or competition that takes place anywhere in the world“.
Any player found guilty of breaking the FA’s strict betting rules can face “financial penalties, suspensions and, in some instances, lifetime bans”.
The worldwide ban on betting on football was introduced for all those involved in the game at Premier League, English Football League, National League and The FA Women’s Super League and The FA Women’s Championship levels, as well as those at clubs in the Northern, Southern and Isthmian leagues and all other Participants who do not fall into the category below.
Now whilst semi-professional in the Isthmian league (tier 7-8 on the English football pyramid) might be able claim ignorance to the law, someone like Ivan Toney would have been educated on the rules during his decade long professional career.
Toney has been charged with 232 breaches of FA betting rules between 25 February 2017 and 23 January 2021.
The FA allege he has either directly or indirectly bet 232 time on any football match or competition that takes place anywhere in the world. This can also include non-90 minutes related bets such as the transfer of players, employment of managers or team selection.
Whilst some might gasp at 232 bets, and try and paint Toney as some sort of gambling addict, it really is not that much over a near 4 year period.
232 bets across 1,428 days is a little under 1 a week.
It is basically a weekend acca, with a mid-week one thrown in when the Champions League is on. Fairly common for many of you reading.
So what sort of punishment is Toney facing, if found guilty.
In 2019, Leeds United’s then 19-year-old midfielder Jordan Stevens was given a six-week ban after he admitted placing 59 bets on games, including five Leeds matches.
Stevens would have been able to present his age and lack of game time as mitigating circumstances having admitted his charge.
He was just a teenager, had played 16 games (15 for Forest Green Rovers, 1 for Leeds United), and only made his professional debut the season prior to being charged.
Ivan Toney, meanwhile, is 26-years-old, has played nearly 400 games from Premier League to League Two over 10 seasons as a professional, and has played for 8 different clubs.
He does not have the naivety of youth as a defence.
In 2019, Kieran Trippier was banned from football activity for 10 weeks and handed a £70,000 fine for telling a friend to “lump on” the prospect of him joining Atletico Madrid before his switch from Tottenham.
Joey Barton was given an 18-month ban in 2017 after placing 1,260 bets on football between 2006 and 2016. The punishment brought about his retirement from playing football, although the term was later reduced by five months on appeal.
Barton’s appeal outlined the guidelines the FA use when dishing out a punishment for betting.
Toney’s punishment will depend on what sort of bet he placed:
Bet placed on own team to win: 0 – 6 months ban Bet placed on own team to lose: 6 months – life Spot Bet placed on event not involving the player who bet: 0 – 12 months Spot Bet placed on event involving the player who bet: 6 months – life All bets placed not involving his Club (including spot bet): Suspension n/a
When deciding how long the ban is for within the guidlines, the FA consider:
Overall perception of impact of bet(s) on fixture/game integrity
Player played or did not play
Number of
Bets Size of
Bets
Fact and circumstances surrounding pattern of betting
Actual stake and amount possible to win
Personal Circumstances
Previous record – (any previous breach of betting Rules will be considered as a
highly aggravating factor)
Experience of the participant
Assistance to the process and acceptance of the charge
If Toney has only bet on sides he has no connection with, he will not receive a ban.
However, due to his experience, and the volume of bets, I would expect the full 6-month ban if he has bet on any club he has a connection with.
The FA do not define what “having a connection” with means. I would suspect at its minimum it will be any club the player has played for throughout their career.
A ban will almost vertainly rule out Arsenal signing Toney.
I also think a suspension would also kill any potential deal.
There has always been question marks over Toney’s attitude – this year has had 2 videos go viral mocking Brentford.
The first was when he was on holiday, trying to impress some ladies. He was recorded saying “f*** Brentford”.
The second was in a video posted to Twitter. He labelled Brentford as “nowhere exciting” when asked where he played.
Before the season began, our main target was a simple one. Top 4.
Most of us would not have dreamed the start we have had – 14 games in, top of the league and guaranteed to be top at Christmas.
What is now key is that brilliant start does not artificially inflate our expectations. We do not move the goal posts on what would have been deemed a successful season prior to the campaign kicking off.
We are in the title race, but I do not expect us to win it. Manchester City are still the clear favourites.
My concern is that people will begin dreaming of that title, expecting us to win the league. And then if we fall away to 2nd or even 3rd, they will deem 2022/23 a failure and heap pressure on Mikel Arteta.
What Arteta, the players, coaching staff, and other senior management have done over the last 12 months has been exceptional.
We have got rid of those problematic players and are building a young, hungry team that is capable of challenging. But we were not expected to challenge this season.
This side is at the beginning of a cycle (whereas the Liverpool side is coming to the end). This is year one of the next 5 years.
If we keep the current crop together, they continue to work hard and improve, and we invest further in the squad, we will continue to challenge for – and win – trophies.
It is just important that we as fans temper our expectations so that we do not become overly criticial of our side currently overachieving.
14 games in and you would have to say top 4 is all but secured. Our main target of the season, remember.
We are already 8 points ahead of Tottenham – with a game in hand.
Frustrating that gap could have been even wider had Bournemouth and Leeds United not bottled it! We could have been 14 clear of that lot.
We are 11 clear of Man U, who also got a luck win last weekend with a last gasp winner against Fulham.
It is not impossible that they will not catch us, but you would be very surprised if they would close that gap enough considering the form they have been in.
Liverpool and Chelsea are 15 and 16 points behind us respectively.
In simple terms, for them to catch us, they we would need to win 5 more games than Arsenal in the last 24 games. They have both only won 6 games in the first 14.
It is too early to celebrate top 4, and Newcastle’s good start to the season has made the race even more competitive.
We just need to keep concentrating on ourselves. One game at a time. Beat the team in front of us.
Keep doing that and 4th will then be guaranteed. And come the last 10 games, if we are still in the title race, I might start believing.
Keenos
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