Tag Archives: She Wore

Vardy shows why Arsenal were right to award “ageing” Aubameyang a new deal

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Liverpool tonight.

The game has been bought forward 15 minutes in line with Boris Johnson’s curfew. Although with the way VAR and added time has been this season, it wouldn’t be a surprise for The game to go beyond the 22nd hour of the day.

The Premier League game is the 1st of two trips to Anfield in 4 days for The Arsenal.

We faced Liverpool twice in 4 days back in January 2007.

Arsenal won those games 3-1 and 6-3 as we knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup and League Cup in the process.

Mikel Arteta has already faced Liverpool twice in his short reign as Arsenal manager – winning 2-1 in the league back in July and more recently winning the Charity Shield against them.

Can he make it 3 wins from 3? And then 4 wins from 4? Why not. History does repeat itself.

A hat trick for Jamie Vardy yesterday in Leicester City’s victory over Spurs.

I remember in 2016 when Arsenal were close to signing Jamie Vardy. Many fans criticised the club for targeting him.

The deal fell through and we ended up with Lucas Perez.

77 goals in 144 games since 2016.

Although had we signed him, we might not have also signed Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang.

Vardy is 33-years old and doesn’t look like slowing down as a goal scorer.

He is two and a half years older than Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

He shows that “players decline at 30” is just a myth.

Also in yesterday’s game we saw Newcastle grab a late equaliser from the penalty spot following another VAR awarded hand ball.

The officials got the decision spot on. The opponents were Tottenham.

On yesterday’s Andrew Marr show, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden said that the Government will be looking to the Premier League to financially assist those clubs lower down in the football leave structure.

This is such a naive take.

It is easy to sit there and think that the Premier League is awash with money and could easily prop up the rest of football.

The reality is that well run clubs like Arsenal could lose over £100m this season if fans do not return to football.

They simply do not have the money to prop up clubs lower down the division when they are struggling financially themselves.

The Premier League and players have been as easy target during the pandemic.

Played and clubs have been called out publicly numerous times to “do more” whilst what they have actually done has been widely ignored in the media.

It is “headline grabbing” and deflection by the Government to target the Premier League.

At any point have they called on major supermarket chains to help out smaller, local shops in a community? Tesco has a revenue of £52bn. Sainsbury £29bn. The combined revenue of Premier League clubs in 2017/18 was £5.8bn.

Telling Premier League clubs that they “shouldn’t buy a new striker” and should instead financially support the lower leagues is simply a ludicrous idea.

The only way the Premier League can support those teams lower down the structure is by allowing fans into stadiums.

That will boost the finances of Premier League clubs and give them the money to redistribute down the leagues.

Without fans, the Premier League cannot afford to prop up the rest of football.

And the Premier League is quickly learning that without match day fans, football is nothing.

Keenos

Arsenal look for history to repeat itself

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Morning all.

An early one from me today. For some reason I am wide awake at 6:30am. Must be getting old.

Yesterday I went round a few old haunts in London, The Marylebone, Lamb and Flag, White Horse and the Old Coffeehouse.

The frustration on staffs faces as they had to turn customers away because there was “no room” despite the pubs being half empty was palpable.

If we do not reopen pubs properly soon, we are going to lose them.

Watched the Brighton v Man U game in the Lamb and Flag. Not sure why the awarding of Man U’s penalty was “controversial”.

It was a blatant handball and whilst the referee might have blown the final whistle, the rules have for a long time allowed for assistant referees (and now VAR) to indicate an offence after the whistle. The referee can still take action as long as they have not left the field of play.

Those players, fans and media complaining just highlights how few actually know the rules of football.

Chelsea produced an epic comeback to draw 3-3 with WBA, the nature of which poets of the cracks that they drew at WBA conceding 3.

There is no point them spending all that money on attacking players, and then signing a washed up Thiago Silva to solve their defensive issues.

Like Arsenal, Chelsea conceded too many last season. Thiago Silva has been on the decline for some time in France and is certainly not the player he was.

Just because he is rated 85 on FIFA, does not mean he is still a good player.

His singing reminds me of when Man U signed Laurent Blanc many years ago.

Used to be a great centre back. Clearly past his best. Will cost them games.

And onto Arsenal.

Arsenal face Liverpool twice in a week at Anfield.

It is the first time Liverpool have played the same side twice in a four days at Anfield since January 2007.

Liverpool lost those games 3-1 and 6-3 to, ironically, Arsenal. They were knocked out of the FA Cup and League Cup in the process.

Mikel Arteta has already faced Liverpool twice in his short reign as Arsenal manager – winning 2-1 in the league back in July and more recently winning the Charity Shield against them.

Can he make it 3 wins from 3? And then 4 wins from 4? Why not. History does repeat itself.

We beat Spurs yesterday in the Women’s FA Cup.

A victory over that lot is always enjoyable regardless of whether it is first team, youth team or the ladies. I read that makes it 22-0 to Arsenal in the games we have played against the team formally known as Broxbourne Ladies.

Whilst Arsenal have a long and rich history of supporting the women’s game, Tottenham do not.

Spurs have only recently made the “Tottenham ladies” an official part of the club and only turned professional 2 years ago.

The lack of support of Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United and disappointing. And the lack of cricket even more so.

The fact Man City and Chelsea get criticised more for investing in the women’s game sums up the media agenda.

The teams they love fail to get criticised for turning a back on the women’s game whilst teams that actively invest are heavily criticised .

Not much transfer news about this morning. But that’s because it is still early and the twitter ITKs are still in bed waiting for mummy to wake them up.

Enjoy your Sinday

Keenos

On the March with Mikel Arteta’s Red and White Army

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Is there anyone out there that still does not think Mikel Arteta is the right man to manage The Arsenal?

Arsenal have started this season where they finished off last – in fabulous form.

3 wins from the opening 3 games; 2 clean sheets.

The win over Leicester made it 6 wins in a row (if you count the victory of Liverpool in the Community Shield) and 8 wins in the last 9 games.

In that time we have won the FA Cup and Community Shield.

Arteta has now won 62.5% of all Arsenal games he has manage. For perspective:

When you consider where we were when Arteta took over, the turn around is remarkable.

Arteta’s first game was on 26th December – a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth.

Arsenal went into the game 11th in the table with just 23 points from 18 games (1.27 points per game) – 9 points off top 4.

In the remaining 20 games of the season, Arsenal got 33 points (1.65). Arsenal won the 6th most points in the league – just 1 less than Chelsea who gained 4th most.

We might have only ended up in 8th place, but that was more to do with what went on before Arteta under Unai Emery and Freddie Ljungberg.

Had we continued at 1.27 points per game, we would have finished 12th. Arteta’s 1.65 points per game would have been enough to see us 5th.

When you consider Arteta took over a team low on confidence, in poor fitness and without a game plan, the recovery was never going to be a quick one.

From January 1st, just 2 games after Arteta took over, Arsenal’s points per game shoots in to 1.77. That would have been enough to see us finish 4th.

So in the 18 games before Arteta took over, we were on course for 12th. In the last 18 games of the season, we showed top 4 form.

And it is not like Arteta had it easy during those games.

Under Arteta, Arsenal have face: Chelsea x 3, Manchester United, Manchester City, Leicester City x 2, Tottenham, Wolves and Liverpool x 3.

Of the 32 games he has overseen, 10 have been against teams that finished about us in the league. He certainly has not stay padded.

Arsenal have improved dramatically under Arteta.

You can see on the pitch we are fitter, playing to a plan, and players are engaged with Arteta. Listening to him. Following his instructions.

Compare this to Emery last season when players looked like they didn’t have a clue what they were doing.

We are at the beginning of our journey under Arteta, and in upcoming weeks we trace to Liverpool, Man City and Man U.

But we have started this season in fantastic form. And having beaten Liverpool, Man City and Man U last season under Arteta, we can go into these games looking to get a result – not wondering how much we will lose by.

If anyone is not backing Arteta, then maybe football is not really for them.

Onwards and upwards with Mikel Arteta’s red and white army.

Keenos