Guest Post: The Sweeper On Alexis Sanchez
Jul 11th, 2014 by 'holic
Big thanks to our very own Clive, the sweeper, for his initial thoughts on the excellent signing of Alexis Sanchez. Thanks for stepping into the breach, my friend.
When I retired early last night, worn out by five grandchildren who had not only appropriated my laptop all afternoon, but had also emptied my fridge and pantry of anything vaguely resembling food. The Arsenal still had not made an official signing of any new players.
So imagine the smile that spread across my dial when I fired up the laptop first thing this morning and was greeted with the cheeky smiling face of Alexis Sanchez in an Arsenal shirt. What a wonderful addition to team Arsenal.
Another high class technician to complement our other HCT in Mesut Ozil. Will Alexis Sanchez improve our team? Absolutely. Can we win the league title now he is ours? Again, absolutely, but not without some other top quality additions in positions that we have discussed ad nauseam in the Bar.
Has Arsene Wenger learnt his lesson? Buying early to integrate rather than leaving to the last minute, and hoping to pick up players at a reduced price, as he has in the past. None of us are privy to the inner workings behind the scenes at the club, and the past few seasons have certainly been a trial for everyone who loves AFC, with some top talent and not so top talent leaving, and the boss operating in the market with one hand tied behind his back.
Some cynics were of the mind last season that Ozil was a purchase forced on him by the board who demanded Arsene invest in a serious talent to appease the baying of the hounds among the press and impatient supporters.
I prefer to think that we had to be patient, until Ancelotti (who took over at a very late stage at Madrid after a protracted move from his previous club,which was haggling over the compensation package) could finalise the Bale purchase and decide which players he deemed were not guaranteed regular first team football. Fortunately for us Mesut was one of those and we had a massive boost to the club and it’s supporters.
Now here we are,not even mid July and a wonderfully talented player has arrived at the Arsenal seduced by the silver tongue of the silver fox who convinced him that the peak years of his career should be spent not at Liverpool or Juventus or any other European powerhouse, but with us.
It will be a privilege to watch him showcase his enormous talents at Arsenal Football Club.
302 Responses to “Guest Post: The Sweeper On Alexis Sanchez”
first!
We need to finish higher than this! And we Shall!
Sancccccccccchhhhezz!
As an AKB’er who was tempted by the dark forces of the BBB near the tail-end of this season, I hold up my hand and acknowledge the wrongness of such doubts.
Mr. Wenger loves this club and has put himself and his family through significant, though stoically undisclosed, traumas in his support thereof. He guided us through the Valley of the Shadow of Death and now we can lie down beside the still waters.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow Mr. Wenger (regardless of results on the pitch) for his remaining days. No matter how his tactical decisions may irritate me in the future, I know he KNOWS best. And I will support him come hell or high water.
Piers Morgan can just go do one.
I am so very excited that my children have the chance to come of age during the next “Pax navalium societate.” Long may it continue.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28264701
Alexis Sanchez says Arsenal’s style of play under Arsene Wenger was a key factor in his £35m move from Barcelona.
“Arsenal plays very well, which fits my style. That is why I moved here,” he said.
“Arsene Wenger’s style of play is the sort of style the Chilean national team has, so therefore I am used to it.”
He added: “I know this club has a manager that looks after his players and takes care of them as well. He wants to achieve great things in football and that helped me make the decision to sign for Arsenal.”
———————-
Wenger! Only one Arsene Wenger!
😀
Nice one Clive.
this place is singing today! n7, thank you. you put into words my thoughts, and then some. beautifully done. wall of fame stuff, could be a guest post if the temporarily one-handed needed a hand. and here we have a great one from the sweeper…
speaking of which, get well soon, holic.
WE GOT SÁNCHEZ!!!
My only quibble with the learned Mr. Clive is his characterization of Liverpool as a “European powerhouse.”
Surely not. Not for a very long time at least.
Did the grandchildren slip something into your drink, boss? A mickey, perhaps? 😛
that was n7 on wenger in the last drinks, of course.
Great stuff Clive.
Look after yourself ‘Holic, best wishes.
Cheers scruz, and tabs from the previous drinks.
Do hope all is well in this bar! Good feelings and vibes all around..!
We got Sanchez but more importantly we are finally gearing up for a genuine fight on all fronts! Am so looking forward to the start of the season.
What a time to be alive 🙂
Speedy recovery ‘holic!
Tip of the hat to the author, nicely summed up.
Makers Mark on me. A double for BIG Ivan.
UTA
http://www.espnfc.com/story/1944814/hristo-stoichkov-laments-barcelonas-sale-of-alexis-sanchez-to-arsenal
Ex-Barcelona star Hristo Stoichkov says Barcelona’s directors have proved they “know nothing about football” by selling Alexis Sanchez to Arsenal.
——————
It get’s better! Wow!
🙂 😀
Grand post Mr Sweeper, a fine read indeed.
I still can’t quite believe the deal is done. But I’m bloody delighted it is!
And from the previous drinks, what a terrific post from N7. And honourable mentions for the other wise and rational heads who contributed too.
I think a fair few of us wavered at times, as we went through the rollercoaster rides of the past few seasons, but here’s to all those who didn’t lose hope.
Nice one Clive.
Get well soon Holic.
Is it pre-season yet?
COYG
Nice one Clive.
So what happened to “dithering’?
PS – get well soon Holic.
Great read Clive !
Alexis Sanchez ! I was really hoping we would sign him and delighted we have, the man has everything !
What a way to kick off our transfer dealings, AW has sent out a title warning with his first buy of the transfer window. BRILLIANT !!!!!!
COYG !!!!!
I bet Cesc Would have to be here giving thru balls to Sanchez. DNA my a#s. We got freaking SANCHEZ
Loved. My bad it’s the excitement
What of other potential deals? Any news on Debuchy or Khedira or Manquillo?
Where’s El Puno when you need him?! 😀
Fine post Clive.
What a great signing….and more to come by all accounts to take us back to where we belong.
Get well soon Holic – dram on the bar, but left hand only! 🙂
And yes, Trev, I know you know and N7 knows I know you know and Arsene knows N7 knows I know you know. 😀
Just making sure we’ve all seen this, linked from Arseblog News:
http://www.totalbarca.com/2013/offside/offside-alexis-rabbit-alfonso/
And the excellent comment by “Ed”:
“Haha, fantastic story. I know most people don’t care what footballers are like as people, but I think it’ll be much easier to root for a guy who protects cuddly animals than for, just to take an example at random, bitey racist fuckers…”
Nice to see you getting your Ya Yas out, Clive and I think I detect a distinct flavour of red paint rather than black.
hehe göönsterham,
saw that one too but thats actually even more tragic about Suarez. According to all reports he is actually pretty sweet guy off the field and the story of him and his now wife is like from Hollywood movie.
I am sure lot of people here know it but for those who dont I will make it short.
Raised only by mum, child of the street basically, dropped out from elementary school, by the age of 15 falls in love with 13 years old girl who motivates him to get back to school, she moves with her parents to Spain, Suarez works his balls off to be able to play in Europe, succeeds and 4 years later marries her.
This whole background might be also root of his behaviour on the field in the stressful situations, not defending him in any way, it just makes whole biting stuff even more stupid than it is.
Been a while since I wandered here
Fantastic fantastic signing! I cannot wait to see him in an Arsenal shirt
Nice post too Clive 🙂
I hope all the docs here are keeping the drugs in the cabinet. Because the bar would go crazy otherwise with this piece of news 🙂
Heh at the OAP @ 22 😀
Bloody brilliant to say the least. An absolute coup and only the great man could have pulled this off. Yet again reiterates what an Asset we have in Wenger.
Sanchez for me can be as good as Suarez, i mean it for i have seen the work rate and talent of Alexis and he is magnificent. I just hope people give him time for even in his first season at barca, he was a hit and miss.
Next up Debuchy and Khedira if you go by the rumours and for once i believe in these rumours. A GK and we are good to go,wow august 10th cant wait.
LIVERPOOL legend Phil Thompson thinks that Arsenal new boy Alexis Sanchez has made a big mistake by rejecting the Reds.
Speaking to Sky Sports News Thompson said: “Sanchez doesn’t know what he’s missing by not joining Liverpool.
“The passion, power and worldwide recognition of Liverpool is strong.”
Sanchez’s move to the Emirates has embarrassed the former Liverpool defender and left him with egg with on his face.
Thompson, 60, claimed two weeks ago that Liverpool had agreed a deal to sign Sanchez and that he would join the Reds after the World Cup.
—————————–
Ohhh.. Someone jumped the gun didn’t they? Sour Grapes?! 😀
Great post Clive 🙂
Hope the recovery’s going well ‘holic.
There was some good stuff in the last bar, you gems know who you are.
One Arsene Wenger, there’s only one Arsene Wenger… 😀
two hour walk home
knackered
but
indian runners
make me smile
every time
not just
yer av-er-age duck
they are
a high-rise duck
in duck terms
indeed
*long tall quacky*
.
howdy ‘hol
and
howdy all
.
🙂
Clive knows.
Sanchez is a wonderful signing. I hope that when Ivan says that this is only the start that he really means it this time. Sami K next please. He really could be the missing piece of the jigsaw.
Phil Thompson is just a bitter old twat. He has seen his side manage to scrape into the top four and knows they are heading for mid table again.
Can someone even start to tell me why we are wasting time even mentioning Suarez???????
Clive, make sure you get to a couple of games next season. The first drink is on me.
Éandy, you’re right. I’ve heard that story before and it’s amazing. And while we’ve all had a laugh before at his antics on the field, I trust we can all appreciate, in our more serious moments, that for all his foibles he is a person, no more and no less, and as deserving as anyone else of our grace and understanding. He’s certainly had a much different set of circumstances to cope with than most of the rest of us.
That’s not to excuse his behavior on the field for a second. But the fact that’s he a super successful footballer doesn’t make him free game for our ridicule. And I’m the first to hold up my hands as “guilty” in that regard.
In the absence of El Puno.. I shall, with apologies, put in the latest rumours:
In addition to Khedira and Debuchy and Manquillo we now look to be in for Ospina.
He’s a top goalie in my book.
On another note, hope Di Maria don’t go to the Mancs!!!
Thnks for the kind words all,
and kudos for some top posts in previous drinks,particularly N7’s epic.
I can think of no finer accolade to the arrival of Sanchez,than the excitement he created over in the spiritual home of our resident vertical writing Irish poet,who was so overcome at the news,that he was posting in horizontal writing. !!
May the Saints preserve us.
Absolutely thrilled that Sanchez signed for Arsenal! What a way to go!! He will be great for us!
N7: (from the previous drinks) wonderful post, as always, Sir, a voice of reason and positivity
Let Boss play on the beach some more, because he needs it and still does what he has to!
Nice one, Clive.
What was the nearest thing you had to Sanchez at the Ramblers ?
After the signing was confirmed, I couldn`t get it out of my mind. Every few minutes I`d remember and would say Sanchez! to myself. As to why we have started doing our deals relatively early; I tend to believe Arsene has realised that for this coming season, the arithmetic doesn`t add up. Five top teams, if you include Manure, goung for 4 spots, and we could very easily be the ones left in the cold. With Liverpool now supping at the top table, it probably means that the days of it being between us and the Spuds are gone. Also perhaps Arsene, like most of us, would like for once to have a stress free final day, and be able lo follow with amusement the fevered comings and goings of other clubs.
There`s no doubt that the Ozil signing was key to the progress we are making now. By convincing the top european clubs that we were prepared to spend big instead of always trying for value, means that we are now taken seriously. How many signings have we missed out on because the selling club hasn`t taken us seriously, as we always lowball.
I regularly peruse one of the most popular spurs blogs; and yesterday they were getting mightily enthused about Hugo Loris commiting to a new contract. There have been no signings, and the new stadium is being held up by a legal challenge to a CPO.
All this makes our signing of top players even sweeter.
Trev
We never did.!!
That’s why we kept finishing 4th.!!
A brief word to say cracking and intelligible insight as ever Clive.!
Hope all goes well Holic.
Thing is that even though we’re spending more, it’s not really “big” considering the market and the player. We got Sanchez for 30m and Liverpool got Andy Carroll for 35m…and Chelsea got Torres for 50.
Bugger it! Spuds stadium has just got the go ahead.
Nice one Clive. We have an Arsenal legend in the making (I was thinking Sanchez, but you also qualify 😉 ).
Apparently Cesc advised Sanchez to pick Arsenal in preference to Poo or Juve. So maybe the Arsenal DNA is still in him. Shame in a way that Cesc DNA wasn’t so rooted in Arsenal when we chose not to have him back! 🙂
Öskar
Good luck to the spuds I say, Biscuitbum, their new stadium will keep them out of the transfer market for years. By the time it’s finished they could be in League 1!
Öskar
Not sure what to make of the Khedira rumors. I could be wrong but it doesn’t seem like a typical Arsene signing. Maybe the transfer fee would be reasonable, or even below market value, but his wages would be a good deal more than a Schneiderlin or a Bender. And frankly I haven’t been blown away by Khedira’s quality in what I’ve seen of him. Jurgi Low actually dropped him from the Germany team, preferring Lahm in that position until their other right backs were hurt and he had no choice but to put Lahm at RB and bring Khedira into the midfield.
To be fair though, I haven’t followed Khedira’s career very closely. Perhaps others could enlighten me? Personally I feel that either Schneiderlin or Bender would be the better signing, and seem more typical of Arsene as well. Not that I’d complain too much. 🙂
Clive – oooh ya wee fecker i never hori
z
o
n
t
a
l
e
d
.
top post big man
and
piss well taken
in yer afterburner
🙂
Clive, Enjoyed your intro re the grandkids. Got some visuals and it made me smile. And to think you put us before restocking your frig xx
Your version of how things went down makes perfect sense to me 🙂
N7, Just read your earlier post. Want you to picture the sun shining with a beautiful rainbow … your piece was lovey.
‘lovely’ oops!
Morning BB, keep on truckin brother.
Ospina does sound pretty cool. My theory, based upon nothing but the particles bashing around in the old coconut, is that we will look to bring in some more South Americans. AW has previously tried to create communities at the club, helping players to settle in our cosmopolitan squad. Think of Gilberto/Denilson/Eduardo who were there for Wellington. (Yeah, I know.) Or the Germans now who can ease Gnabry and Eisfeld into the rigours of first team football.
I’m not surprised at the Ospina rumours, but how about this one: Khedira is a bluff. We are really in Madrid sealing ADM. I’d be dead chuffed by Khedira, he showed “super quality” all World Cup, but he isn’t a holding player. He’s a lanky Ramsey imitation. A poor man’s Ramsey is no insult, I’d say the same about Iniesta, but maybe not what we want? Power and physicality yes. Clean passing and defensive discipline with the legs Arteta doesn’t have anymore? I’m not so sure. Kroos will replace Khedira, but who does Hames knock out… Imagine if someone had said Ozil in early July last year…
Sanchez, The Panther, (Possibly Wellington.) I could see a bit of Ospina and ADM in there for sure. Or it may just be paper talk. Who knows? Got to keep your ear to the ground though and an open mind. No one saw us rejecting Cesc and getting El Nino Maravilla, did they?
BIG Ivan driving this train.
Forward
40 – that is the oddest thing I’ve ever read…
Swap the word “big” for “like a bunch of mugs” perhaps, as in, “we are not spending like a bunch of mugs” then laugh at the scousers some more perhaps? 🙂
UTA
If The White Cafu rumours are true I’d be happy. A season of regular first team football in the top flight is just what Jenks needs imho.
Let’s get Sonogo a bit of that as well.
Forward.
My exact thoughts @ goonsterham lincoln @ 44.
Cheers Clive! All the best Holic.
thnks CBA aka Constantly Bloody Amusing.!!
Thnks Oscar,
Talking of Legends,
I saw a programme on the Box the other day called Premier League Legends.
Apparently it’s a 30 minute profile of some of the top players since the PL started.
I hadn’t heard of it,but quite by chance the one i came across was on Ian Wright.
He was effusive in his praise of the difference Arsene Wenger made to his life,and how he owed everything to him,even down to the self confidence to sit and talk in front of the camera’s.
How Arsene had transformed him from an illiterate vagabond into a well respected commentator on all things Football,as well as instilling in him the belief that he could be a top class striker at the Club he loved.
It was quite emotional at the end,when Wrighty described the meeting he was called to with Arsene and David Dein,just the 3 of them in an office at Highbury,when Arsene broke the news that he was going to let him go.
He said they were all near to blubbing,such was the emotional bond between them.
Just another side of Arsene that makes the man what he is.
Thnks ABB,
I have managed to do some shopping,but unfortunately the marauding hordes are back tomorrow,so i don’t think the provisions i have bought are going to last very long.
Cheers Esso,
Hope you and the young fella are well.
Not looking for a fight but
well respected commentator on all things football.
Really?
Great player for us, but a buffoon as a pundit.
Like most players of that generation, in actual fact.
55 – Yep… I’d give Wrighty a pass though because he still says “us” when discussing the Arsenal. Sign of a quality man 🙂
So, excluding ze Germans, is this how we will start the season?
Schez, Debuchy(?), Kosc, TV, Gibbs — Arteta, Ramsey — Jack, Cazorla, Sanchez — Giroud
With a bench of Martinez, Monreal, Super Tom, Flamini, AOC, Diaby, The Panther.
Left Theo out because of the injury. Jenks, Sonogo, Gnabry al waiting in the wings/for a loan…
Forward
No Per? No Mesut? No Poldi?
Getting an extended vacation after winning the world cup?
Zico you old grouch,
You obviously haven’t had your bowl of porridge yet,
I have have never heard or seen him on the box,those were comments from other players of his era,so i guess your description of them all could well be correct.
I wouldn’t know.
I just enjoyed the show.
57 no Mert? And I still think Jack needs to be eased into the season this time around. He could be great as an impact sub until Christmas then he’d be relatively fresh for a half season of starting berths.
I, for one would welcome Khedira, mainly because while there may be a younger player or two who is a better fit, methinks Arsene is going for it this year!! Especially if he gets Debuchy, experience does count for a lot!
To mount a sustainable challenge on multiple fronts, you need depth and experience and as many have pointed out, we are now firmly able to do that financially. All started with Ozil and the reason methinks it takes so long is for the players we want to become available!!
Let’s see if these indeed go through,….and SANCHEZ…. just WOW!
Spoke to agent. Arsenal in advanced talks with Sami Khedira. Fuck me, they’re getting serious.
— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) July 11, 2014
————–
But lest anyone rejoice… also rumoured that that dour one is in for Khedira to spoil the party!
We shall see!
How can Arsenal be in advanced talks with SK? He’s got a WC Final to play on Sunday and I doubt he has any other focus than that.
Maybe with his agent, but not with the man himself.
And Stan Collywobbles – GMAB.
Firstly Clive , a lovely piece which captures the feel- good atmosphere among Arsenal fans following this purchase. This is very similar to signing Bergkamp which was a watershed in Arsenal history . I was at Harvard at the time with limited access to papers but saw the DB10 signing in USA Today. Could I believe it from such a source? Eventually my Dad confirmed it was true . Like Dennis this boy should be sensational. He is a real world- class player and has an awesome work rate. Last season the alternative to Giroud was the pathetic and unprofessional Bendtner. This year it is Sancjez although I believe he and HFB will start many games.
Incidentally au understand that his very attractive lady is a high powered art director and is very excited about living in London.
DK – virtually all negotiations are done with agents. The player delegates authority and might just meet the manager for a quick chat. It seems odd to be quite so remote from events but that’s the modern world.
PR@60 Ne Germans team innit 🙂
BB – Lovely Jubbly 🙂
What a great time to be a Gooner. I just knew BIG Ivan would do it this year. What a hero.
Forward
Joey
Dee Dee
Johnny
and now
Tommy
.
3 chords
4 leather jackets
.
R.I.P. Tommy Ramone
.
now
take it Dee Dee
1-2-3-4!!!!!!!
Arsene Wenger [on French TV]: “Why didn’t I sign Cesc Fabregas? Well all I can tell you is remember the name Gedion Zelalem”
Interesting comment from Le Boss in the last few days
Nicely turned piece, Clive. I share your joy in the Sanchez signing. I also agree that AW is patiently putting in place the pieces of a title winning team, and that they aren’t all there yet.
El Puno @ 65, it’s always a great time to be a Gooner 😉
El Puno, unless an experienced keeper is signed, I would pencil in Matt Macey, not Damien Martinez to be Woj’s back-up at the start of the season.
TTG – i truly hope arsene is planning on playing zelalem this season.
He is a latent for one so young
Gedion Zelalem is a highly regarded prospect, ttg. Club site is quite gushing about him. http://www.arsenal.com/first-team/players/gedion-zelalem
Dkg – maybe his agent is talking to per, poldi and ozil 11.
They might be finishing the deal for aw.
Is anything to made of Sanchez taking Nacho Monreal’s shirt no, 17?
Apparently Zelalem has had his squad number lowered, which may suggest he’s closer to first team action… He only weighs about 6 stone, need a decent holding player behind him 😉
NBN – Interesting. I saw that interview with him on the club site, but otherwise he’s new to me. Shame about Martinez, was so highly touted a couple of years ago.
Wind – That is true… Relatively speaking then 🙂
BIG Ivan KNOWS Casey Jones.
Forward
Thnks for the kind words TTG/NBN
I have been somewhat distracted this morning watching the most incredible last wicket partnership for England in the First cricket test against India.
Joe Root and Jimmy Anderson have added a world record 180 odd runs together.
Anderson with 81 not out,has now scored the most runs in test history by an England Number eleven.
It is also the first time in test match history that there have been 2 century partnerships by the last wicket pair in the same match.
Anderson is also only 19 runs away from being the first number eleven in test history from any country to make a century.
Going to be an interesting afternoon’s cricket.
Ideal stocking filler while we wait for the football to start.
NBN @68 –
“Arsene is patiently putting in place the pieces of a title winning team”
That appears to be true and that patience may well extend a lot further than we know, or even imagine.
When I had my tour of the training and medical centre at Shenley – amazingly to me about 10 years ago now – I remember a conversation with one of the staff which revealed Arsene Wenger’s famously “encyclopaedic” knowledge of players all over the world.
I was marvelling at the “wall” of video tapes in the coaches offices which featured teams and players from around the globe, many or most of whom I’d never heard of.
AW had apparently had the name of one up and coming player mentioned to him shortly before my visit. I hadn’t heard of the name then, and I can’t remember it now. Arsene Wenger had though.
“Yes”, he had replied, “he’s just turned 17, been playing in the U18 tournament in ABC Country (i can’t remember now), he’s currently playing in Germany with Cologne (i do seem to remember) and his contract has 1 year to run”.
That is the extent of the man’s knowledge of players !
So, maybe the inaction of the last couple of summers has not been entirely due to inertia or incompetence.
Don’t put it past AW to have known which players would be gettable at a time when the club would have the serious money required to actually get them.
He doesn’t now seem to be a man who is “scared” to spend money or sign “big” players, does he ?
Alternatively, you could put all of that down to wishful thinking and get the Black Bin Bags out …….. 😉
Some insight from Arsene : http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup-2014/arsene-wenger-qa-arsenal-boss-3846900
So, soon, we will finally be in the close-season.
Football-free for a few short weeks.
Call me a grouch, (Clive already did) but I’ve been singularly unimpressed with Fifa’s latest jamboree – not an outstanding team in sight, although undoubtedly the best of a bad bunch look like they will go on and win it, (unless the real Lionel Messi stands up). I will remember the competition more for good and also rank-rotten goalkeeping, than for any outstanding outfield play, and amidst it, perhaps one shining light – referees who consistently ignored the list of “clever” players unable to stay on their feet for more than a micro-second.
I can’t quite remember exactly when it was during the tournament that I realised I was watching this world cup through an entirely different prism to the ones that had captivated me when I was young(er). Then, world cups (and the European Championship as well, but to a lesser extent) were built up in the media of the day, which mainly meant print, so that when it all started there was a sense of “new and different”. Players, formations, styles were hardly considered, never mind dissected and discussed ad-nauseum, everywhere you turned. There was also a good chance that you would get a view of some exotic talent for the first time, known only to people on another continent (or behind the Iron Curtain).
Nowadays, everyone knows everything about everyone. YouTube and saturation digital coverage from every continent makes it impossible for a talent to emerge “out of nowhere” the way Cruyff, Lato, Netzer, Kempes, (to name but a few), did in the 70s and Eusebio and Pele and the great Brazilians from the generation before. I am old enough to remember the 1970 World Cup but more for my Shell coin collection than the tournament itself and yet, the goals from the Final that year seem to me to as vivid as the one young Ramsey scored in the final in May. How many people watching their first World Cup final tomorrow will be able to say the same, 40 years hence?
Another trying aspect of watching a tournament is the difficulty in dis-associating the players from the club they normally serve. Everyone I know of a certain age fell in love with a Brazilian team of one vintage or another (check out my name!) but setting aside the fact that this time they only really had one player that looked remotely Brazilian, how many of us look at the current Brazil team and see Abramovich at every turn? I struggled to show them even an ounce of goodwill and was made up when they were dismembered by a rampant Germany. The Dutch? Well, where do you start?
I do realise that all of the above has more than a whiff of the Victor Meldrew about it. I know loads of people have been enthralled and entertained by this competition. The world cup, in and of itself, is not really my issue. Yes, I find it difficult to get worked about a tournament that, from where I have been sitting, was mainly low in quality and technique, but the truth is, I am indifferent to the outcome of international football, full stop. To me it’s like an Arsenal contraceptive, enforced a couple of times a season and then in full, every two years as our players go off on the hunt for “glory” but with a much greater likelihood of coming back broken.
I guess though, there must be a place, and an important one at that, for the World Cup, if Arsene Wenger chooses to holiday wherever it’s on. What a genius piece of “work” in coming home from his vacation with a present the size of Alexis Sanchez. Like everyone else, I am doing triple-piked cartwheels at the thought of him and Ozil linking up next season. What a great signing and what a gigantic thumb in the eye for those who continually prattled on about Wenger’s stinginess. Clearly, we’re back in black and that hasn’t arrived by chance.
And shopping this far from Christmas? Who knows what other fantastic stocking-fillers (see what I did there) we will have by 1st September – no mad trolley dashes this year eh, Arsene? The squad we are building is starting to look very exciting indeed.
So, for a few short weeks, relax, and catch your breath, cause next season is going to be great.
Better than that competition FIFA put on, for a start. 😉
Oh another chunk of yesterday gone, RIP Tommy Ramone.
I want to be sedated. 😎
We crossed, zico, but you speak for me entirely.
Not completely sure what the Arsenal ‘contraceptive’ meant, or were you talking about international ‘caps’ ? 😉
Well spoken, both Clive and Zico Meldrew.
Looking at the squad on the AFC site, it is obvious that there are some big holes which need filling, especially in the goalkeeping and defence areas. One thing we really have to cut out next season is results like those at Anfield, the Etihad and SB.
Assuming the Debussy/Debauchery 🙂 signing is just round the corner, we’re still short at CB and Nacho doesn’t have a squad number for some reason.
Djourou and Coquelin are listed, without squad numbers, but I can’t imagine them playing any part.
Joel Campbell is also listed without a squad number. Although I’m one of those who remains unconvinced, I still think it would be interesting to have him around, at least until January. In situations like this, it’s always a delight to be proven wrong.
But it will be interesting to see what our 25-man squad for the CL will finally look like.
Clive,
Cricket was wonderful wasn’t it ? Sadly I remember the previous highest score by an English No.11 – John Snow at the Oval in 1966 batting with Ken Higgs. Pity Jimmy ( a Gooner) couldn’t go on to get his century.
Zico
I totally agree with you about this World Cup. There have been very few classic games and very little in the way of unforgettable moments or players that have taken our breath away. Two of the finest have been Sanchez and Ospina and it will be excellent news if both pitch up at the Emirates for the start of the season.
I predicted Argentina v Brazil before the tournament and changed to Germany when I had seen Brazil. All the Group winners went through to the last eight and there has been little startling about the games. Don’t know leaving the semi- final featuring the Germans out if the rate of goals per game in the knockout stages is the lowest ever but it must be very close.
Two remarkable games- Holland/ Spain and Germany/ Brazil , Costa Rica were the surprise packet but generally a flat and increasingly tedious tournament with very tired players. And that is with an emphasis on attack which has been the attitude of most teams. Many of my friends disagree but I’m not for turning!
Monreal gave his jersey number to Sanchez and took no 18.
Talking about sqaud numbers, it seems we no longer have any regular first team jersey number left to give any outfield superstar we sign in this transfer window. What an awesome problem to have!
Thats a killer post zico.
My hope for this WC was simple – the usa didnt humiliate themselves.
The stars and stripes made a good accounting of themselves id say.
Some real talent brewing in the likes of yedlin and green and a few others. A ways to go yet but at least now it seems like they know what direction to go. Beyond that – im with you on the WC. And Secretly hoped germany and england and france would go out early so arsenal key players come home early and in one piece.
Got my Arsenal v NY red bulls ticket lined up. Very excited for that.
Arsenal. Henry. New York. Summer time. Fantastic!!
Oh – and its Always a pleasure to hear from The Sweeper!
Cheers all.
Just how brilliant was Arsene to get Sanchez, watch the interview :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI75X3pI_Jc
😀
Zico, my take on this WC is that there are some very good teams but all with an Achilles Heel. Germany, having theirs at the front, so to speak, it being a shortage of strikers, are the most likely winners as a result. But most have their fallibilities at the back — save for England which managed to have them both at the back and in midfield. So any game in the tournament can be competitive, which is different from being of high quality.
Clive, I remember that Snow/Higgs partnership well. Snow went on to bowl England to an unlikely victory. I hope Anderson can do the same.
Trev: Nice anecdote. Fits perfectly with what is said about AW’s knowledge of the game. But not only does he know which youngsters are playing where, he has an eye for which of them have the potential to become top players.
The other point is that he has always believed that the best team wins, not the best eleven players, and thus he is perpetually putting together the pieces of a team. We had seven or eight years when, for whatever reason, we were always a couple of pieces short. Here’s hoping that this coming season we end up with the full set.
Hi Peeps 🙂 This joint is bursting with euphoria 😉
Clive, you’re welcome. Your brood will keep you forever young (and terribly busy!) 🙂
Hi there Zico! Again found myself nodding my head in agreement. Since I harken from ancient times, know just what you’re talking about.
Before the internet, etc. we got the scoop in black and whte (both newspaper and the tele). Remember Pele too.
As for FIFA and WC, would dearly like to see them help the locals more (spread their wealth) and enact stringent safety standards for the worker. Decent pay too!
Very interested to see if Brazil can rouse themselves to try and salvage some pride at home. Not often the penultimate game contains any sporting intrigue.
Interesting stats on Sanchez here:
http://news.arseblog.com/2014/07/arsenal-sign-sanchez-by-the-numbers/
Make him seem much more of a centre-forward with some versatility, rather than a goal-scoring creator… Is there still room for another left-winger?
#FreeADM
Forward
El Puno: I also though Martinez looked a great prospect but he seems to have spun his wheels recently. His loan to Sheffield Wednesday last season saw him used as the Cup team keeper. He got only 11 starts in the league, compared to 24 appearances on the bench. Difficult for a 21-year old keeper to kick on when he isn’t playing regularly. Contrast that to when Woj went on loan to Brentford. Stated every league game week-in week-out except for two when he was injured. Came back to Arsenal much the better for having some 30 games under his belt.
abb, Nostalgia just isn’t what it used to be, either.
You are spot on about FIFA and its money grubbing ways. Its officials have waxed fat on the growth of the WC.
What’s happening with Debuchy?! Have a peculiar feeling that we may not have been in for him after all..!
Hi NBN, it’s a shame, isn’t it. Should be about building a sense of community, both locally and the world over.
BB
Its a done deal and he was pictured in an arsenal.com spread which is ready to be released.
I think the delay is due to Newcastle wanting to sign a replacement before it is formally announced. One of the options is taking Jenkinson on loan. There is no doubt the deal will go through
Oh boy.. Brazil imploding again…!
TTG
Many thanks for the news. Hope Jenkinson goes there on loan, that boy needs to play games! Am absolutely certain he’s one for the future, just give him some pitch time is all.
Hope we get Khedira then and we’re set to challenge on all fronts, barring that at least Bender or someone of equal calibre.
£50m for David Luiz, you got to be kidding.. Unless they play him as a midfielder.
BOOM!
Well in Lars! 😀
Smashes in
Damn it
Nice goal, Lars. And no warm up, either 😉
BB
The latest is:
Debuchy done and Manquillo on loan will join as Jenks may go to Newcastle on loan.
Real Madrid want to offer Khedira a new contract but if he refuses they will sell. Chelsea want him too.
Goonertown
Manquillo on loan done too?! Good news indeed although must confess don’t know much about him..! More personnel… Moarrrrr!
😀
Oscar been the man for Brazil thus far. Can you imagine Cesc and him together, could cause us some concern.
ABB,
Cesc with Oscar and Hazard.. means they’ll score 3 but we’ll score 4!
Them’s not known to track back.. 😀
Yes, BB a very TIMELY point you make 😉
When Robben dives it’s a penalty.. when Oscar gets fouled ..it’s simulation! ho hum.
Perhaps its just that ive been watching at the wrong times but oscar seems unimpressive.
He cant even dive like a proper brazillian. He couldnt shine cescs boots properly.
And i do think oscar was fouled. But the drama and sorry to say it – simation – probably annoyed the ref.
BB has been described as a ‘clever’ signing. Don’t know much about him either.
Rumours are Sami will refuse Madrid extension. This one could get drawn out.
Hope not! Everything is in motion.
Methinks the Brazilian psyche may be damaged beyond repair…. maybe it’s time to change the colour of their shirts again!!
Oscar and Neymar are the only Brazilian players with any footballing intelligence. Look at Thiago’s foul on Robben – even if it was outside the area, he should know better.
It may well have been a foul on Oscar but he was definitely on his way down before any contact was made. That’s the first yellow I’ve seen for simulation in the whole tournament (mind you, I haven’t watched much 🙂 )
I’m reliably informed that PSG are conducting an enquiry into WhoTF thought David Luiz was worth £50 million (although I suspect that figure is red-top hyperbole, but even at half that, they’ve been ripped off).
Strikers in Ligue 1 must be chomping at the bit to play PSG this season – just think: a defence containing Thiago Silva, David Luiz and Maxwell.
I was impressed with De Vrij performance this World Cup. In absolutely every game Nederlands played he was outstanding.
Never heard of him before, to be honest, and having just checked on wiki, he is 22 old and plays for Feyenord. Would not mind having him at Arsenal. In fact there are several Dutch defenders that had very good tournament, including him, Blind, Jaanmat and the goalkeeper Chillesen.
Very young and quality defenders with bright future.
Champagne all round barman. Here’s to Alexis. Venceremos hermanos!
Can’t believe Luke Shaw cost more than Alexis!
You jinxed him, Clive (#76), he didn’t score another run after! You forgot the rules … you have to sit still in your seat, not moving or speaking or doing anything to change anything in such situations, until the landmark is reached. Not even breathing, if possible. 🙂
Öskar
If we lose TV% I reckon we could do a lot worse than Ron Vlaar as back-up. He may be 29 but he’s had a damn fine WC, imo, and couldn’t possibly cost much.
Öskar
*should be TV5.
Öskar
With almost everyone expecting Germany to win it.. it’ll probably go to Argentina 😀
Oskar @ 121: Ron Vlaar had two great games in a 3-man central defense for Netherlands in the WC, and we should forget about his rather ordinary showing with Villa over the years? Slow pace, poor reading, random fouls.
Van Gaal evidently done a terrific job of raising his game for the WC, but if TV5 is indeed leaving we need a defender who is much more comfortable on the ball than Vlaar is.
But of course, you could be right and he may be our 3rd choice (shudder!) CB come next season. I would expect a bit of Sylvestre-magic in key matches then (shiver!). 🙂
I haven’t seen a lot of Vlaar with Villa, Dr F, but he was one of the most effective players in Brazil, imo. I’ll take your word for it that his WC form wasn’t typical. We wouldn’t want another player who only gives his best in internationals, aye.
Öskar
Oskar @ 125: The formation definitely helped him, the 3-5-2 or 5-3-2 however you want to call it. In our 4-2-3-1 or even the occasional 4-4-2 the CD pair really needs to be able to play out of the defense and choose the right pass to the flanks or to the DM. And he would need to cover a lot of space on his wrong side either through reading (Per) or pace (Kos).
Anyway, if we are thinking of that experienced 30-ish defenders, may be we can lure Chiellini to Emirates? How much better is Turin in winter compared to London? 🙂 But I agree with your previous posts, Hummels would be the best option if TV5 leaves. More so given the nascent Germanization in progress… 🙂
ManU would definitely be a force with Van Gaal at the helm. They key would be whether they are back in CLM football in next season or not. If they are out of it for two consecutive seasons then things turn to get more difficult.
@126: ‘The’ key — and not ‘they’ — and ‘CL’ football, not ‘CLM’ (whatever that is) … given the evident propensity of my fingers to add in extra letters at the end of words, I decide to give them a rest and call this a night.
I have a feeling a great game waits for the final…
Oskar — continuing our conversation from a couple of days back, the Mighty Magyars lost only ONE international game between 1950 and 1956, which had happened to be the 1954 final!!
So many of the modern technical and tactical aspects of the game were invented by them.
Arsene in 25s on why he signed Sanchez (apart from heeding all in this bar 😉 ) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2nkoC0SxJU
All quiet on the western front.
Please, not Ron Vlaar. I refuse to believe that was him playing in Brazil – maybe he has a twin brother called Reg?
Like Lurky, I was most impressed with De Vrij but it looks like he’s on his way to Lazio – God only knows why.
Oskar, Dr Faustus,
Ron Vlaar was no more than a rather desparate attempt by Aston Villa to induce a bit of ‘alphabet magic’ into their failing team.
So strapped for cash are they though, that they had to settle for a second tier ‘match-up’ even by those criteria.
And so we have Arsenal – Arsene; Man City – ManCini; Villa – Vlaar;
Had he been named Ron Jones he would never have got anywhere near Villa Park. 😉
Nice one Clive.
Have to backdrink another time, because as you can see on my slight name change, I find myself on foriegn shores.
England wasn’t going to bring home the trophy, Holland slipped up at the (semi) final hurdle, so, here I am in the heart of the Rijnland.
It was mad here last night and the anticipation is building, tonight should be insane.
Duetshland uber alles.
Dr F @127 –
And don’t forget their passion – they were Hungary for success. 😉
H2H,
I have to inform you, old chap, that to (many of) us you are always on foreign shores.
But the ‘Rijnland’ ?
The Rheinland, please !
As you say – Deutschland über Alles. 😉
One little point of no interest at all –
while channel hopping on the goggle box last evening, I happened upon the most pointless game of football in the history of, er, football –
“The Third Place Play Off” – Sky viewing figure “1”
In the thirty seconds I saw, Arjen Robben did something truly remarkable. He tussled – oh yes, tussled – for a ball against TWO Brazilian defenders and, despite being grabbed, pushed, pulled and shoved, stayed on his feet !!
How did he do this ?
He was on the half-way line. Strange really. 😉
I trust everyone has noted that ‘The Third Place Play OFF’ contains all the letters required to make ‘PPFFTT’. 😉
Trev @ 132 : Ha. And despite the limitations of ‘meagre’ resources …
Reginald the manager hates Khedira, or summit:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup-2014/could-sami-khedira-arrive-arsenal-3849963?
(Author obviously a tit for referencing that dirty mug Keane. Where me Vieira?)
Brazil are the overwhelming favourites… so how come i think that Argentina will win it?!!?!
Hmmm.
Germany are the overwhelming favourites… so how come i think that Argentina will win it?!!?!
Hmmm.
Hahaha.. look at the country change! Amazing.. it is a sign i tells ya!
DrF@136. I warn you against getting into a pun-off with Trev; it’s a Magyar undertaking.
Cavani noises today.
One of the most overrated strikers out there along with Benzema, imo. Can’t dribble, average speed, powerful but not accurate shooting, poor technique.
But, it seems that Arsene likes him, and I can see where he is coming from. Cavani has insane workrate, excellent header abilities, impressive pressing contribution, can play on the wings and is a great athlete.
I can see him integrating in Arsenal squad, but I am not sure about his price. He will cost us maybe even 45m+.
Surely Arsene knows best, but if he really intends to spend all that money like it seems he is, I would try for pacey Lukaku for 25m who is still raw but has so much potential, and buy a decent defensive oriented midfielder like Schneiderlin and a proper defender or two.
De Vrij, Costarican Gonzales or Manolas from Greece, impressed me with their reading of the game, fighting spirits, combativeness and most of all calmness and intelligence. Niether of them would cost that much and would be perfect for a backup defender role.
Pun-off with Trev? Of course not. This is a one-off.
If Louis Van Gaal had an accident on the bench, would it be blamed on his Gaalbladder?
was randomly browsing for arsenal videos on youtube and stumbled upon this gem
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6isKveOgLRI
part from 17:40 till the end is absolutely beautiful and gave me shivers down my spine.
oh wrong time, meant from 15:00
Gary Mowbray on BBC finding the black cloud to silver lining that is the Sanchez signing, criticising it for holding back the development of English talent. #tosser.
Don’t know about Cavani, but we have apparently been running the rule over Red Bull Salzburg’s Kevin Kampl. Pacy winger. 23 years old. Slovenia international. Barely a household name even in his own household. Sounds an archetypal Wenger signing.
Cheers for the corrections, Trev old bean.
Scary thought though…..
Considering the diversity of the clientele, maybe it’s you who are on “foriegn shores”.
The minority have become the majority. 😉
Tipple of choice as always on the bar sir.
I got to get back to the serious business of steim guzlling and cheering on Johny foriegners and the Arsenal lads to victory.
Gonna be epic.:)
Kheidra could be one of thise Arsenal lads too, according to the grapevine here.
Di Maria if fit so they say… should be a good match then.
😀
Arsene Wenger appears to be blocking Thomas Vermaelen’s move to Manchester United from going through according to the Independent.
YES.. if true then this is good, we can’t afford to lose anyone else this season if we are to challenge… onwards!! 😀
Argghhh! Di Maria on sub bench!!
H2H – shouldn’t dat be Doishland?
Khedira out… Mick Jagger wearing a german cap.. more signs…?! 😀
Co-commentator on Danish TV is TGSTEL. OK so far.
I know we have Ozil and Per but so diffiuclt to support a team with Muller and Schurlle.. Scumbags.
Im playing neutral tonight.
Sajit,
You forgot poldi.. we have Podolski too.. sweet left foot!!
Muller is dirty alright… tried to get free kicks and opponents carded.
Had a feeling about the Argies today, we’ll just have to see.
Ned @146 –
Yep, that Wenger really holds back English talent.
Except Wilshere, of course…
and Gibbs …
and Oxlade-Chambelain …
not forgetting Walcott …
oh, and Ramsey (ok, he’s Welsh) …
and then there’s Jenkinson …
and who is that commentator anyway ?
Fascinating game.
Tevez in for Palacios would have given the Argies a better chance.
Both teams solid defensively. Looks like the germans will just edge this, they look fitter! Probably due to less match time played and a day’s more rest.
War of attrition now…
And there you have it.. not even Messi can lift his team now!
Brilliant Mert on! Give him some game time 😀
Going to be a huge boost for our german contingent!
Best team beat Best Player!
So since Arsenal have both in the EPL.. we win the coming season. 😀
Hard not to feel sorry for Messi. Being asked to take that last minute freekick was just too painful. Of course ,everyone cannot be a David Beckham.
Feel sorry for him.
I love it, BB 🙂
I just saw them, seconds ago, walking arms on shoulders next to each other.
Ze Germans!!!!!!!
Well my hunch that the Argies would win was wrong, rightly so, they longer the game went on the dirtier they got. They were doing fine defensively till extra time. But the germans, complete team… with depth too!
The only chap in that team that deserves his reputation is Messi, by far, carried the whole team despite looking tired. Aguero looks injured still, Palacio is Fred in disguise. Pity Di Maria wasn’t on or we would have got a game.
IF we ever want future WCups to be a spectacle, the year it’s being played, leagues will have to finish earlier and players given adequate rest. Too many players harboring injuries coming into the tournament.
Well done our three Germans!
The final was typical of the tournament. 0-0 off to extra time and eventually a resolution. So little individual flair that stood out but the best team overall won in a non vintage World Cup
We should buy Masherano if he becomes available regardless of his age.
Any sight of John Terry in a German kit?
Great to see Per being brought on.
Shows you the respect they have for him.
Noone more deserving then Lahm. Worlds best defender for many years, so underrated and now he has almost won it all as a captain of both club and country.
So happy for Mertesacker, Podolski and Özil. The latter having a really good game, this will do wonders for his confidence.
Does anyone still want Gustavo or Higuain?
I don’t think we’re in for any more strikers, Campbell is back and with Sanogo, that makes 4.
Beef up the defensive side! We need more depth there before we can really challenge!
Nothing wrong with Gustavo. You can hardly blame him for the complete lack of discipline behind him.
Higuain, on the other hand …… No thankyou.
Trev: :). It is Guy not Gary, apparently, but that doesn’t change the hashtag.
Best team of the WC beat the second best team, which is as much as you can ask for.
Sanogo is nowhere near even being a good reserve striker.
Personally I think Campbell looks worth a try, but AW has only said he will be there for pre-season. Looks like it’s up to the young man to impress on a consistent basis.
Wasn’t just being pedantic, Ned.
But Mowbray and, I presume, Townsend are why I opted for the BBC.
A typical snipe from some nomark commentator with an agenda.
Well we have 100% more good strikers already with the arrival of sanchez, unless, arsene wants to play him on the wing. Much prefer we get more defensive minded players. Arteta and Flamini can’t be expected to last the season.
BUt I won’t argue if we get another striker 😀
NB was also enthusiastic about Mesut’s performance. I thought he really got hold of the game when switched into the centre – wasted on the left. Almost everything was going through him – he kept the ball moving.
Great for Per, Mesut and Lucas – but they’ll need a bit of time to get their feet on the ground again. Playing in the PL is going to be a bit dull for them after this, “after the Lord Mayor’s Show”, so there could be a downside for AFC for a spell. Not to mention the physical exhaustion (which I just have, of course).
But we have the squad to cover them.
Now we can really get those transfers sorted out.
Haven’t back drank yet. (Back drunk?) Great World Cup, a thoroughly enjoyable distraction from the summer drudgery. Happy for ze Germans, though Goetze scoring the winner was a bit of a buzzkill, the noxious little shit. In a tournament without a real juggernaut team, I think the best team did win in the end. So. Happy for the Arsenal Germans, two trophies in just under two months for them.
Ultimately it’s all just methadone though. Come on the Arsenal!
We have the most players in the team that won the WC in the EPL if i am not mistaken. Expectations are high now ! 😀
Congrats to my Arsenal Germans. You guys deserve it, now come back and give me the PL title. COYG!!!!!!!!!!
We have three world cup winners while Chelsea and Man City have losers.
Let’s put the WC in context. The best team won and there were some dramatic moments but I felt it anti- climactic and lacking in the sort if flair that has won the competition in the past. Delighted for our three Germans but if you thought the competition was wonderful you are either German or your experience of football is limited
Ozil covered 14.5 km today [atleast thats what I remember seeing on TV]
So much for him being lazy and not interested.
I too would like to put this WC in context, as a lardy middle aged nobody who just kinda watches football, and likes football best when either England or Arsenal are doing well, or when I have no affiliation at all and it’s just mental fun to watch.
And in that context, I’d like to say that I have fucking loved this one almost as much as Italia 90.
The group stage was bloody amazing. Every group had something fun going on. Coming home from work (early mostly) to watch HOURS of fun football every night was ace. And yes I was one of those who got World Cup jet lag/sleep deprivation, as way too many of the late games just couldn’t be turned off.
The only fly in the ointment was FIFA, for all sorts of other things. But for me it was a bloody wonderful tournament. I’m really sad it’s over.
And in the end, most definitely the best team won, which is not always the case.
World Cup 2014, you were great and I shall miss you.
That is why I always try to find commentary in a language I don’t understand, Trev….
Messi with the golden ball?
Absurd. Hes been Exposed as good but not great.
Pathetic.
Fifa. Corrupt tip to toe. Its disgusting.
joseos@174: Absolutely echo Trev’s sentiments about Gustavo, would be exactly the kind of DM we want. It was not his fault that a crazy haired dude forgets for the majority of a game that he is a CD. 🙂
Higuain, as myself and many others had observed before in this bar, had majorly stalled in the last few years of his career where he had failed to really kick on based on his early promise. He still would score many goals but his career has not evolved forward as it should have. Inconsistency plagues his game. His performance against Belgium was quite excellent, but today he made a couple of horrible mistakes — for the offside goal no striker should really be in offside as he is looking right at the backline — and link-up play was poor.
Congratulations to Germany and especially to our German gooners! Ozil my MotM for the final. Some great passing and close control, created a few superb opportunities a couple of which Kroos would have scored from any other day.
Argentina played very well given the relative gaps between the teams. The gameplan was obvious but very well executed and if Higuain had taken his chance earlier it would have been a less cagier and more interesting contest. We would have probably seen the best of Germany then and Messi too enjoying more time on the ball.
Homer@191: Based purely on the performance in this WC, accurate assessment. But what about the last 6-7 years of superlative performances week-in week-out? Season after season? 🙂
@193: I meant w.r.t. your comments about “…good but not great.” Agree that the “best player” was probably not the most deserved. They might have not moved beyond QF, but James Rodriguez demonstrated a quality, flair and courage that was better than any other individual display.
@187: Ttg, that’s a big shout there considered you said that you hardly watched any of the earlier matches. This tournament was incredible!
@187: Ttg, that’s a big shout there considering you said that you hardly watched any of the earlier matches. This tournament was incredible!
Whoops double post! 😀
Anyway, I hope a great time was had by all wherever you were.
I really enjoyed this tournament and the final, but as usual, I now have to enjoy the aftermath at my desk 🙁
See you lads and laddettes when we finalize more signings
Felt sorry for Messi.. i think the award was well deserved. He carried an otherwise average Argentina team single handedly.
*sends in a wicked cross from the right wing*
Sajit@198: Not a sentiment I would entirely disagree with, but to understate Mascheranho’s contribution in the knock-out round is to really do injustice. He was Argentina’s MoTM against both Belgium and Netherlands IMHO. Messi did carry the team in the group stages and even in the knock-out stages was highly effective — less on in Semi and Final — but in terms of stand-out individual display James Rodriguez really shined. Creativity, efficiency, infectious joy and flair, and just looked such an accomplished player.
Nonchalant, a la Mesut. 🙂
@Dr F fair enough. just feel that with a fit Di Maria and Aguero it would have been a more even match up.
Btw..
is Rihanna the biggest atttention whore in the world? I’ve seen her in like 32 team jerseys so far this WC? Which team does she really support? Not that I give a fuck.. but really never understood how people could have more than 1 team..
As if Arsenal doesn’t take enough of my time and energy.. 🙂 Cant imagine spending time on any other team /sport
Sajit @ 201: “…just feel that with a fit Di Maria and Aguero it would have been a more even match up…”. Absolutely! However in that case I don’t think we would have seen the highly effective Maschernaho-Biglia double pivote. Argentina had started with all of the fabulous four in the starting line-up and they had looked unbalanced. But I agree a fit Aguero to start in place of Higuain or ADM for Lavezzi would have made this a more head-to-head and definitely more dynamic a contest.
I never argue with the good doctor – you know that!!!
Still. Golden ball. Isnt it for ths toruney? And if was not the best aher in ths tourney, thrn its all down to subjectivity, favortitism, and politics. And we know fofa would never – ever – stoop to such things.
I love messi. Wonderful player. But it buggs me the way hes held up as “football incarnate.” Hes surely not. Thats all.
And … After drinking all day – please pardob my sloppiness and typis.
Yes. “Typos”.
And with a fit Marco Reus and Sami Khedira Germany would won more easily, Sajit.
Öskar
Homer @ 204, please see my post at 194. We agree. 🙂
Oskar @ 207: Yes, Reus was a big miss for Germany. They missed his directness, invention and the goal scoring threat. I think we would have seen a more expansive football from the Germans if Reus were around. It took Germany a while to find the best formation in his absence, the Ozil-Gotze-Mueller frontline was a bit too single-paced and flat. Their game improved with Lahm moving back and playing two nominal DMs. If Reus were fit we probably would have seen the starting formation with Reus in place of Gotze — who, as he proved today, would be a super super-sub — but presenting much more variation and pace in the attack.
Özil MOTM, Dr F?? Ahead of Schweinsteiger , Lahm or Mascherano? I sometimes think the rose-coloured specs are donned too often when watching favourite players. I was actually expecting a much improved performance from him at the WC, but I didn’t see it in this game or any other. Useful performances but overall disappointing.
Okay, perhaps he had a better game in the final but he was never especially influential.
I can’t find stats for the final, but his overall stats … http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/statistics/players/passes.html … had him only sixth equal in the German side with 5 others (including Per) having higher passing success rates. He also had the worst successful crosses ratio (14%).
Öskar
In fact, delving into the lower reaches of the stats table in my previous, only three Germans in the entire squad had worse passing success rates. His are NOT the stats of a football messiah.
Öskar
Oskar @ 210: 🙂 As Arsene would often say, the actual passing success rate is not at indicative of a player’s influence on the attacking front. Last season Per and Kos, along with MA8, topped the passing success rate for us.
My logic is this: in a match primarily controlled through tactical formations and hence two teams of contrasting styles essentially canceling each other out the single person to have created most scoring opportunities is my MoTM. If the game had gone to the shoot-out and Argies own, it would have been Mascheranho.
I do not believe in ‘messiah’s, neither do I have rose-tinted glasses. We all approach the analysis of the games differently, and I find what Ozil actually did today was to continue to offer outlets , passing channels and create opportunities against a DM pair and a defensive set-up which were excellent in anticipating and snuffing out the dangers otherwise posed by the movements of the German front line. Mueller was being tracked all around the pitch, Kroos had his worst game (two misses that were created for him by Ozil), Schweinsteiger looked busy in the field but was not penetrative, Mueller had no shot on the goal.
Your opinion is noted, Dr F.
Funny thing is, every time I have criticised Özil in the past I have been inundated with stats supposedly proving me wrong. Yet when I quote his poor stats at the WC you tell me he continues to offer outlets? How is that if he fails to pass accurately more often than others?
Do you have a links to player stats in the final? Because it seemed to me that he either passed the ball backwards or mis-passed it forward. I don’t recall any clear-cut chances he provided, although the definition of ‘clear-cut’ is debatable. Clear-cut was the Kroos pass to Higuain!
As for his two (?) attempts on goal, the least said the better!
I hold no brief for Mueller, by the way. He is one of the three I mentioned with worse stats than Mesut!
Öskar
I felt very sorry for Messi. The Golden Ball wasn’t deserved, as I’m sure he knew (I’d have given it to Robben). It was a consolation prize at best and he was rightly embarrassed by what was a humiliating episode.
Öskar
Oskar – some things in life are not as definable or measurable as some fold feel more comfortable with.
I am glad that arsene doesn’t just see ozil as a stat, because how can ou measure unique unmatched skills.
If muellers stats are worse than ozils, the coaches and scouts should throw out the stats book, because mueller is one of the best in the business in the world.
Like all great forwards, he makes things happen and just like ozil, others do not often see what they see in front of them.
Ozil does small things that create chances and opportunities for others, not necessarily the word passes made or assists.
They are both world class invaluable players
I thought Ozil had his best game in the world cup last night and looked every inch a £43m player constantly making himself available, quickly recycling the ball, making probing passes, opportunities and also tracking back to stop breakaways on at least two occasions. I am sure that he will step up again next season.
However he wasn’t man of the match. For me that was Schweinsteiger who was everywhere on the pitch, breaking up Argentina’s attacks and pushing his team forward. Colossal performance. Exactly the type of player we need. Emmanuel Petit Mk II.
On to much more important fare, I see that Sky have claimed our first home game of the season.
Cheers for that, you bastards. 🙁
Ozil the best player on the pitch last night. By a distance. A couple of 0 yard sprints to cover the Argentinian counter-attack were the highlight for me.
Author of this is a complete walloping mellon, but it is middy interesting in a tattle sort of way:
http://www.arsenalnewsreview.co.uk/index.php/news/4234/30/Sanchez-deal-may-have-been-clinched-by-Ivan-s-special-fund?
Like any good fabrication, it can be neither prove or disproved, but why the hey, it is only a game after all.
Khedira link looks pretty exciting. Decent price at twenty odd million. Interesting to see how he fits. Could hold behind Ramsey, or fill the box to box role alongside Flamini or Arteta. (Oh for the days when Jack and Rambo have enough tactical nous to do it all themselves:)
Manager has been pretty keen to talk up tactical versatility, and SK is another in that mould. Also physically impressive with pace, power, stamina. What’s not to like and just what we need 🙂
BIG Ivan doing it dirty.
Forward
Thoroughly enjoyed the WC!
What now of Khedira?!
Oskar @210 – absolutely no surprise his completion % is low. It always is for attacking, creative player who try harder passes. That is some really, really dodgy stats use mate.
Have a look at key passes completed as a raw figure, you won’t find may defenders ahead of him there. Or many anyone I would wager.
I would love to know how many chances Ozil created during the tournament.
221 – Morning GT. Articles before the semi said he was leading the tournament in passes completed in the final third and chances created if I recall correctly.
Khedira?
Hope Ozil gets some rest. He’s been the less appreciated work horse of the team.
Good news is at least we will have theo, ox and jack back and fully rested!
Now what of Debuchy too? When is his unveiling? And that Manquillo chap. Need 3 more players and we’re set to fire on all fronts.
Rumour:
Sami Khedira has rejected a contract renewal at RM and wants to move to the ems:
‘If Arsenal sign Khedira, they win it’ – Stan Collymore
Thanks guys. And this is supposed to be a lazy player. I’m confused. Is he lazy or do the pundits have it wrong because they had only seen highlights of him prior to moving to the ems?
Mmmm?
Spanish news paper ‘sport’ claims Khedira prefers a move to the Ems rather than Stamford Bridge. Sound familiar?
Rumour:
Arsenal ask Remi to lower his wage demands
Likelihood rating 9/10
Sorry remy
Zico
Compliments on an excellent short story, sorry,!! post re WC @ 79.
RumourTown
Behave yourself.
Oooh, reports now that we have a 4 year deal for Khedira agreed with Chavski withdrawing interest. Pleasing scenes.
GT – Remy chatter is persistent… I wonder if we are drawing it out, just in case something better comes along?
Forward
EL Puno,
If we get Khedira, we are in a great position to challenge. Not too sure about Remy though. If he comes, he won’t be first choice and most likely be on the bench.. unless we play 4-4-2.
Glad to see we are reinforcing the defensive side… come on Khedira, Debuchy and Manquillo?!?!
😀
Morning BB – all pretty exciting stuff isn’t it. Great to watch the work of 10 years come to fruition in front of us. Deserves our attention.
Khedira, Sanchez, Debuchy would tick all the pressing needs in front of the keeper. I do wonder about Remy. Obviously not in the “super quality” bracket. A cheap serviceable squad player, but he fills a space and wages for another 2/3 years.
BIG Ivan has been quite insistent that we will only add players who really improve the squad, the kids get a crack at the rest. I still can’t help thinking that if we won’t a striker (or another attacker and play Sanchez up-front more) they will really go for it and invest in the best. We can still afford and they haven’t cut corners so far… 🙂
Forward
Excited about Khedira but a man unlucky enough to miss a WC final by getting injured in the warm- up sounds perfect for us! Still Shad Forsythe will know him.
If we do get him it will be a very key piece in the jigsaw . Debuchy is due to be unveiled today I think and Ospina seems close. Interesting to see if Remy’s greed is overcome by his ambition.
El Puno,
Exciting times indeed! When was the last time we had 4 WC Winners in our squad, assuming of course Khedira is confirmed!
We are close to being a complete team again. If we have Ramsey and Sanchez firing on all cylinders and Giroud getting his 20 odd goals, methinks we will bag the league and/or a couple of cups too, not too far fetched is it?! 😀
Actually I hope we get The CL, that one is sorely missed!
BB – we can certainly attack all 4 trophies this season. No more having to choose between a league and European campaign in February, or having to ditch the cups.
Be interesting to see how AW juggle the squad now. Been so over-reliant on running a few key players into the ground in the past, I hope he can keep everyone fresh this season. I thought one of the bets aspects of Germany’s win was the way the manager seemed to be able to truly have 23 players who could contribute and kept everyone hungry and part of the team. Low changed half the team from the first to the last game.
Forward
Has anyone seen the sour grapes from other fans about the Sanchez transfer? Just take a look at this morning’s Mailbox on F365:
http://www.football365.com/mailbox/9379301/Alexis-Sanchez-Really-Not-THAT-Good
I said it last week and this only confirms it: a whole lot of football fans behave like the spiteful little snide you can see in pretty much any playground across the nation. You know, the kid who doesn’t get enough attention from his parents so he reacts in the only way he’s learnt to deal with anything. Tantrums.
I’m embarrassed for them.
EL Puno,
Low is a real smart manager, gave Mert a rest when he thought some speedier teams may give him trouble, and like you said great rotation of players.
Methinks that’s what we have always needed but lacked – Depth. It’s not that Arsene is tactically naive by almost always playing a lone striker, it’s because we lacked the players to do otherwise!
This is all set to change.
Also with Theo back… it’s like another signing! 😉
Porco Rosso,
When someone says your signing is not-so-good and rather-have-another.. it’s a good sign! 😀
I mean Messi is an OK player for Barca and all but he’s really not-so-good playing for Argentina despite winning 4 man of the match awards, and we would struggle to fit him in our system, so I’m glad we didn’t go all in for him and besides he doesn’t really want to come here nor speak the language…..
😀
We should all celebrate goals like Henry:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxWGwGXyCEM
Too cool. No emotion. It’s only a game.
Va Va Voom 🙂
Ps: can we get him instead of Remy???
239 – Yep, shows they are gutted to have lost out 🙂
oh poldi 😀 https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/t1.0-9/10013509_937123386298978_7183299692602236212_n.jpg
Clive @ 230
You know me well 🙂
El @ 231
Great minds think alike. 😉
El Puno – agree that it is unfair and unreasonable to compare an attacking playmaker like ozils passing stats versus a denilson or even a koscielny type who can pass sideways under no pressure to others also under no pressure and be awarded a completed pass stat.
The fact we are even questioning ozil is now bordering on completely and utterly ridiculous.
That is aimed at non one specifically, but for gods sake canons out wards lads.
Ozil is a fantastic arsenal player and does not need justification of his worth via meaningless bullshit stats. He just played on a dominating team that beat the best in the world and is one of the first on the team sheet.
BB – love the example! Just shows you can convince yourself of practically anything if you say it over and over.
Seriously worried about Jack Wilshere. With the latest pictures of him smoking and partying – again. Time on his side but he better start getting mature. Arsenal will move on – and passion will only get you so much.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/jan/15/michael-johnson-released-manchester-city
Sad reminders of careers of what could have been. Jack better wake up and smell the coffee lest he miss the train. Life gives you only so many opportunities. Grab them.
Nice mixed metaphor Sajit. 😀
What will happen if he misses the train? Will he get caught with his pants down and egg on his face? Or maybe egg in his pants…
Jack has so much raw talent. Its undeniable. Just look at how he orchestrated that goal vs Norwich. Hope he doesn’t get caught in his own hype.
Fans (including me) will always be extra lenient on Jack , as opposed to some of the imports , but I feel he is abusing the love.
And this is more surprising considered he is a father. Thought guys get more mature after kids 😀
http://www.sport.es/es/noticias/real-madrid/real-madrid-vendera-khedira-arsenal-3377204
True?!
Oskar @ 213: There are stats and then there are stats. The stats used to show Ozil’s influence are generally the number of assists or goal-scoaring opportunities he creates, which is still one of the highest on the tournament. Before the semis he was leading the chart on creating goal-scoring opportunities, tied with James I think. I had posted that link from arseblog here.
In the final he created two fantastic chances for Kroos. Kroos on any other day would have buried them. If you didn’t notice those two chances (or the umpteen times his close control and intelligence helped Germany wiggle out of congested midfield and spring a forward movement) while watching the game caught in the excitement of the occasion I request you watch the recording.
As El Puno said, the pass completion rate cannot be a yardstick for the creative players as they always play the riskiest passes.
I think by now it has become clear that Ozil is the kind of player who for various reasons would continue to divide opinions. The guy was instrumental in Madrid’s La Liga title (along with CR7), moved to Emirates and helped us win FA Cup and sustain a PL challenge for so long, was a key player in a talent-filled German team that just won the World Cup…yet somehow he is not good enough.
I tend to agree with his erstwhile and current club team mates: world’s best #10.
That is a Catalan based outlet, BB. They’d write anything that might sound undermining towards Real Madrid.
I’d pass on it for the moment.
Grav Lens,
Ah.. thanks.. knew it was too good to be true… for now.
It’s true, stats often don’t tell the whole story. Some of my key players frequently have inferior passing completion percentages compared to their opposition counterparts in FIFA, and I frequently win.
Afternoon all,
completely agree with Bath about Özil.
It is not going to be possible against a highly organised, mobile defence in a World Cup final to repeatedly spray around potential assists. Despite that Özil was Germany’s most creative player.
Schweinsteiger deserves a special award just. For being in one piece at the end of it.
Özil, Sanchez and Khedira is, at this stage, just too much to think about.p if you don’t mind.
I had become accustomed to working myself up for Denilson, Bendtner and Park ………. This might just be too much to cope with.
And while gloryiing in the new arrivals, let’s not forget some of the ‘old’ hands like Ramsey, Koscielny and that amazing performance for England by The Ox in the last friendly. He looked as good as anyone that day.
It’s definitely time to load the hovercraft up with eels, and prepare for the nipples to explode with delight. 😉
The Quackery, 14th July, 2014.
I would just like to reassure anyone who might be concerned about the fact that Sami Khedira is currently injured, that it remains impossible to actually fail a medical at AFC.
Take it for granted that if he walks through The Quackery doors, he is ours.
Dr T, Professor of Rigged Assessment Technologies (P.R.A.T)
I feel a little sorry for Oskar.
As far as I recall, he posted a reasonable comment some months back saying that he thought Ozil hadn’t justified his £43M transfer fee. It’s a debatable point; I disagree, but it’s not crazy to think otherwise.
Oskar was jumped on by all and sundry, who remorselessly backed him into a corner where he now feels compelled to jump on any statistic that might possibly justify his original opinion.
I suspect that if the pro-Ozil faction were to keep quiet about it, Oskar might feel able to make the ocasional favourable remork about MO11.
Just my 2p worth, mind you.
COYG
Dr.T
I sink a clean bill of health might be ze only vey to fail a medical in Ze Colney Infirmary, jah?
Prof. Edwin Storey, Teutonic-appreciator.
Man United agree £750m adidas 10 year contract in contrast to our £150m 5 year deal?
Are they really worth that much? It boggles my mind! I guess that’s how much they need to make up for loss CL revenue…
We need to get better negotiators!
BB
Lots of talk around the commercials of their deal inc. ownership of retail outlets and profits on sales, etc.. I think it’s structured quite differently to our deal with Puma so the number might be somehwat inflated in real terms w.r.t. our agreement. Still, it’s a sh*t load of money….
Can’t believe we are having a pop at Özil again?? The bloke is part of a trio of Gooners who now have a World Cup winners medal to add to their FA cup medal. Personally I think it’s time to congratulate all three and hope they are on World Cup winning form for us next season.
I guess I read the same stuff as everyone else re Sami K? I must say that if we were to pull that off it would excite me more than the Sanchez deal. For me we have lacked balance and shape in the midfield for some years now. The major progress made by Ramsey and the signing of a player of Khedira’s quality I think would make a massive difference.
True Storey,
I would hope so! And they better have a clause that says, if no CL action then minus X amount per year!
Otherwise they’re winning the WC + 10m every year for 10 years! (Germany only got 35m for the win).
CL play off info for those interested.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20140523/who-could-we-face-in-champions-league-
Ozil was better than Messi yesterday, fact!!!!. His first half performance was magical like only he can. Yet people fail to understand that he will never be the player to score bucket loads of goals or go past 5 players and score a cracker. He is a player who makes the game simpler, very few can do it, only geniuses can.
Khedira looks a grand deal but his injuries and more so his over enthusiasm to attack may not help us against counter attacks. he is not the tough tackling DM we need, yet he can be that amazing box to box player who can score us plenty of goals from midfield. I still would have a Bender or a Schneiderlin than him, no offence to him.
Pool in for Reus/Turan, that will be some signing if they get either of the 2, they are absolute quality.
What to do till August 10th?????
Find it hard to believe the Khedira rumors. Cannot see Arsenal having 3 players on 150k per week on their rolls.
Can see Wenger going for the younger (and cheaper) options like Morgan or Lars Bender.
Pangloss @ 257: I would not consider a friendly disagreement of opinions as “remorselessly backing him into a corner”. It is a debate after all, and different personalities would express their opinions differently. Oskar can hold his own. 🙂
I chose Ozil as my MotM, Oskar took exceptions to it, claimed it was a ‘confirmation bias’ for a player I already admire, and I disagreed with it and explained my rationale. That is all.
It is actually very interesting that not only among Arsenal supporters, even among German supporters Ozil divides opinion. Same with “pundits”, but football punditry is such a vaudeville act anyway that for the most part it doesn’t count. It is his colleagues and his managers who tend to find him essential to their success.
The question is why does he divide opinion so much? He is just a footballer, not an avant garde novelist experimenting with and thereby deconstructing the metafictional parlor games of contemporary writers. Why the significant difference in opinions among the followers of the teams he plays for?
Maybe he is an avant garde footballer. 🙂
Sajit @ 265: My question would be why can you not believe that Arsenal are willing to pay that wage for three players if they can pay for two? 🙂
Here is to not only having convictions, but courage to question those convictions.
The world as you know it is always changing. 🙂
I don’t see a problem with the wages. You get what you pay for. If you think of the garbage that we have taken off the wage bill in the last 12 months 150k a week (sadly the going rate for genuine quality ) is more than affordable. £150k a week is a Bendtner and an Arshavin.
Maybe Arsene wants to get some homogenous pay structure going.. Probably a ruse cause we were broke then! We’ll spend like a drunken sailor now.. hic*
On another note, I actually liked Arshavin …. 😀
Hmm only hope is probably to get Diaby off the wage bill.. How the hell is he still on a contract?
Same here BB. Loved the fellow.. Some moments of absolute world class quality.. None more than that winner against Farca..
Or that 40 yard screamer vs ManYoo…
Just dipping in here quickly, but I wanted to say the following:
(i) one of the most exciting and enjoyable World Cups in living memory…
(ii) …..but not the highest quality. Last night’s game was about as good as it got, and there were very few great team performances, particularly in the knock out stages. Even Germany’s tremendous semi final win was as much down to the utterly suicidal shitness of the Brazilians as anything else;
(iii) if you seriously watched Mesut Ozil last night, doing his thing in the WC final, and didn’t rate him then you must have seen an entirely different game to me. He was superb and I thank Wenger he’s ours; and
(iv) I think the pundits were incredibly harsh on Messi, who failed to score, but danced round world class defenders like they weren’t there and did half a dozen things that had me out of my seat. He will never emerge from Maradona’s shadow where this tournament is concerned, even if he wins it, but that demonstrates that Maradona’s performance will quite simply never be repeated. A player may light up the group stage a la Rodriguez, but no one will ever dominate the business end of the World Cup the way Maradona did.
Messi remains comfortably the greatest of his generation, and right up there in the pantheon – the notion, peddled by the BBC pundits last night, that you need to have won a WC to be considered great is pure poppycock, and would exclude the likes of Cruyff, Di Stefano, Eusebio, and Platini.
Feel slightly bereft without the football. Roll on the new season, and eyes firmly back on my beloved Arsenal.
COYG
Diaby.. it’s now or never for him! Stuck with him for so long, might as well see it out! 🙂
Still can’t believe we’re in it for Khedira.. would be a great deal if we can clinch that one!
Snowy @189 – A tip of the hat Top man. Hurrah, at last someone speaks for me on this World Cup. It’s been brilliant.
I have to say that the relentless denigration of the tournament from some quarters here at first lead to a raised eyebrow. When it was coupled in the next breath with ‘but I’m not watching it’, that raised eyebrow was augmented with a slightly curled lip. Each to their own and all that, but quite why that line has been so vigourously pursued almost on a daily basis, despite all evidence to the contrary, is something of mystery to me.
Of course there are things that have grated. The emetic commercialism of FIFA is appalling to witness, but it was ever thus. More particular to this tournament, the decision to stage games in the humidity of Minaous (spelling?) and to play many games in the heat of a Brazilian midday deserve sanction. David Luiz should of course be shot. For his defending. For his hair. For his ridiculously overblown hyperventilation whilst singing the anthem. For his solipsistic end of game prayers.
But these are mere quibbles. Taken in the round, what a spectacle it all was.
Of course there was nothing in this World Cup that matched my wide-eyed wonder at the great Dutch side of ’74. Partially because of familiarity with ‘the stars’ of today that simply wasn’t possible in 1974, but mainly because I’m no longer 9 years old. Things always look much more technicolour and startling through the prism of childhood. Ain’t nothing so good as the first time.
Once one accepts that the World Cup is no longer at the pinnacle of the World Football standard – the pre-eminence of the Champions League and the migration of World stars to a handful of top European Clubs has done for that notion- but retains it’s position at the top of footballing achievement , then it can be enjoyed for what it truly is – the greatest Football Carnival in the World today.
In that respect Brazil 2014 delivered in spades. Open Football, played generally in a spirit of generosity, before packed out Stadia in a Country where Football is a way of life. What’s not to like?
No decent games? Come off it, you can’t have been watching properly. The group games delivered a wealth of excitement, tension and surprise. Just off the top of my head – the wonder of the World Champions being utterly dismantled in Holland/Spain, the end to end roustabouts of Germany/Ghana, Portugal/USA, the brilliance of Messi that lit up his Country’s early games against Bosnia and Iran, the sense of occasion whenever Brazil took to the field, the exuberance of the Columbians, the cloying tension (for an Englishman) of England’s games against Italy and Uruguay, the team ethic of Chile that was never more apparent than in their game against the hapless Spanish, the surprise of the Costa Ricans, the chomping of Suarez that provoked such sanctimonious drivel and ludicrous defence in such equally hilarious measure etc etc etc. I could go on.
Things got tighter in the knockout, understandably so, but there was still plenty to enjoy. USA/Belgium, the brilliance of James Rodriguez, the pace, commitment and nerve-shredding finale of Brazil/Chile, the utter dismantling of Brazil by the Germans that was so complete that it will surely take them a generation to recover, and a great final that could have gone either way almost to the end.
No stand-out team is another criticism levelled. Even if that were true, so what? The tournament was all the better for it. No-one is getting gubbed anymore, no-one is there simply for the Samba and the cocktails. To watch Australia go toe to toe with first Chile (one of the better sides of the tournament), and then, for 65 compelling minutes with the Dutch, was fantastic. It was all a very far cry from watching their butchers, bakers and candlestick makers of the seventies getting absolutely tonked and showed just how far World Football has come. To watch the USA, a team without any real stand out talent but led by the exceptional Klinsmann, go at each of their games with an attacking intent that risked catastrophic defeat was to witness another sign that the old order of World football is slowly being overturned.
The hankering for a ‘stand-out side’ is in any event, and in my opinion, nothing more than a desire to look at the past through glasses that are not so much rose-tinted as crimson-emblazed. How many stand out sides has the World Cup ever produced? Not many. I’ll give you Brazil ’70 but they were before my time. The Dutch of ’74? Almost certainly, though they didn’t win it. Brazil of ’82? Nope, only good at half the game. W.Germany of 90? Maybe, but England should have beaten them. Spain are the only World Cup winner since 1990 that can lay claim to greatness, and are, in my view, very much the exception that proves the rule. As footballers from all around the World flock to the money-pit of the European leagues, and to the top training and competitive football that that brings, the ability of the ‘smaller’ nations to compete with the big boys will continue apace. It will be a while before there is a Nation as dominant again as Spain once were. Notwithstanding that premise, the thoroughly deserving winners of yesterday, Germany, would give any of those ‘stand out’ sides mentioned above a game.
A worthy winner to a terrific tournament. Colourful, vibrant and for those of us sensible enough to put a few pennies on Germany beating Argentina in the final brfore the whole caboodle began, lucrative.
Goodbye Brazil 2014. I too shall miss you.
PS – I shall draw a discrete veil over the daily bulletins both in the media and in thevusual place here as to how ordinary and what a waste of money Ozil is. No I won’t. It is dull. It is lazy. It is uninformed. In short, it is laughable bollocks. Well played Mesut. You were, as usual, magnificent. And a massive tip of the hat to Per and Poldi too.
@tabs
Well said – spot on.
One minor correct though, if I may… you say “no-one is getting gubbed anymore, no-one is there simply for the Samba and the cocktails”.
I think you’re overlooking Spain. 😉
I do, perhaps, feel that other World Cups have boasted better sides (several of which have failed to win the tournament). For me, Germany were not a great deal better than Argentina last night – though you know my bias in that regard – until fatigue set in, somewhere around the ninety minute mark. They also gave up a hell of a lot of chances, as they’ve tended to do throughout the tournament.
I really enjoyed this World Cup, but if I’ve one misgiving (beyond all the corruption and FIFAbollocks, and the continued existence of David Luiz) it’s that it was shy of those great “clash of the titans” style classics that occasionally punctuated the tournaments of yesteryear. But then, perhaps that’s just nostalgia.
86 is a bench mark for me, and I look back at that year and see that great Brazil side (who admittedly could not defend, but who attacked like a force of nature), the French side of Platini and Giresse, a West German outfit who would reach three WC finals in a row, and the eventual winners, headed up by the greatest player of all time. I’m not sure we had such an abundance of quality sides this time out – I wasn’t all that impressed by the Dutch, and Argentina were more functional and well organised than anything else.
I also think it says a lot that a team as unrepentantly shite as Brazil made the semis and were seen as potential winners until very late on in proceedings.
None of that, however, has taken away from my enjoyment of these last few weeks. It’s been an absolute corker, full of memorable moments. Plus, Ronaldo did fuck all, which was both predictable and hugely gratifying.
I suspect we will all need to make the most of these memories, because FIFA’s ludicrous award of the next two tournaments means we are unlikely to see anything like this again until 2026 at the earliest.
Tabs,
What a wonderful read… worthy of a topic itself on the WC! Top post!
Am indeed glad for the WC.. been incredibly entertaining for meself, am glad some found it enjoyable too. Eye opener on some players, especially the goalies!
Now let’s get Khedira! Can’t wait for the league to start! 😀
On the possibility of having three players on over 130K/week: firstly, a lot of people seem to have forgotten that Ramsey got a renewed contract sometime last season which placed him on somewhere between 130k-135K per week, the moment they gave him that contract I knew our wage bill was changing drastically. I think instead of the old promised land of 100K a week, we will now pay our most consistent and important players up to 150K per week. I also believe the motivation for our young and developing players, the likes of Chambo, Wilshere, Szczesny and Gibbs, is simple: take your performances up a notch a’la Ramsey and get your 1st over 100K contract!
Cent,
Methinks we will pay what we can afford for top talent. We could not afford much then and did not, now we can and we shall!
I cannot for one moment believe that we would not pay Messi 300K a week if he were to come. No more of this wage structure ruse/farce. We finally have some cash freed up.
Long may it continue!
tabs @ 274: Thank you for that excellent post!! That is all I would say.
I have realized by now in my long span of thirty five odd years on earth that some opinions carry too much of the weight of the nostalgia, and I empathize with those, realizing that at certain point of time in future my own opinions might start to betray my love for my own golden age.
I enjoyed this world cup immensely. The first world cup I really remember is 1986 and this has been the most memorable of the lot. Maybe the 1998 had a few better games, and the 1986 had some extraordinary Maradona moments on display, but everything considered this was the most memorable to me. Even games which by the look of it should have been nothing but pedestrian — Argentina-Iran, Germany-Algeria, Netherlands-Costa Rica, Netherlands-Australia — were elevated to grand theater with gripping drama.
As for quality: James was quality through-and-through, Messi had quite a few effervescent moments of magic, Chile played with technical and tactical sparkle that would stay with us for a long time (Alexis Sanchez, yeah!!), Robben (despise his antics) was unplayable at times, the splendidly spellbinding synchronized movements and interchanges of Ozil-Muller-Kroos-Gotze reminded you of ballet, Mascheranho played with a control, intelligence, tenacity and tactical nous in the knock-out stage that stood him out as the DM for the world cup.
And then the underdogs: the surprisingly effective offside trap and high defensive line by Costa Rica, and their run to the QF; the enterprising courage of Algeria who gave the Germans the hardest time along with Ghana, the scintillating fightback by USA against Belgium.
I will savor and cherish the memories of this world cup.
@279: I meant the most memorable of the lot AFTER 1986. That was my favorite, the France team were exceptional as were the Germans, and then there were superb displays by Belgium and USSR.
Also meant “maybe the 1998 had a few better games, and the 1990 had some extraordinary Maradona moments on display” …
Oh and TaBS knows. Great post!
I liked Jens Lehman on Talkshite saying that one of the biggest problems for English players is that they see a big contract as a trophy. Once they get it they think they have won the World Cup, which is one of the reasons they never win a World Cup.
Cheers N7, and point taken on Spain 🙂
That’s all fair mate. I think you’re right on your Clash of the Titans though I’m not sure that any one tournament offers up more than one or two of those that live up to the hype. I agree with you that save for the final, those big head to heads largely disappointed, mainly because Ger/Brazil and Holland/Spain were too one sided and France failed to turn up for their game with Germany.
On ’86, I take your point – it was a great tournament – but was the standard that much higher? I’m not that convinced. Brazil and France were still good (esp France), but were not as good as they had been in ’82. Argentina of course showcased the extraordinary talents of a remarkable player, and the Germans did as the Germans do, but wonderful teams? Not convinced here. On the flipside a fairly ordinary Belgian side reached the last 4 then, as the Dutch did this time round. I take nothing away from ’86, it was great, but a lot better than this one? I still think that that notion might have more to do with understandable nostalgia and excited unfamiliarity with the World’s best, rather than the actual football on offer.
Heh at the Ronaldo jibe, and share your dismay at where the carnival goes next.
Good World Cup, bad World Cup, I am swayed to thinking it was a good World Cup.
Only because Hansen has been kicked into retirement. 😉
SO we have got Ospina then?!?!
@ tabs
All true.
Very hard to compare eras, isn’t it? And of course these “classic sides” grow larger and greater in the memory.
I think the really pertinent part of your argument here is the “not being 9 years old any more” bit. There’s that window between the ages of about 7 and 12 where you “discover” the World Cup. Any half decent WC game seen in that time period will take on the characteristics of an unbeatable blockbuster for the ages. Partly because you’ve been allowed to stay up late to watch it, and know you’ll be mimicking it all on the playground/rec the next day.
Lots of great posts. I still disagree that this was an epic World Cup and I think N7 summed it up well. Entertaining but lacking in quality. Tabs also makes a good point about how standards have risen in countries who a few years ago were lightweights. Costa Rica were a good example as were Australia and of course USA. I was disappointed that very few individuals shone brightly. Maradoña won the 1986 World Cup on his own with a combination of outright cheating and sheer genius.
I still feel in my curmudgeonly way that the rather repetitive nature of the knockout games many of which wended their way into extra time was because of the superiority of defence over attack. There was also some remarkable goalkeeping with at least six very feasible candidates to compete with Ches and very few bloomers. The sensible ball helped unlike South Africa in 2010 where it was rather like playing with a large balloon rapidly losing air the way the ball moved around.
We are bound to have an Ozil debate on here because he is our most expensive player and yet I have never seen a player at his level who is so self- effacing. He plays totally for the team and some of his assists and chance- creating passes are the stuff of genius. He appears acutely shy even on the pitch and as I know from my German friends the debate rages about him there. Many are not convinced by his understated brilliance they prefer a more extrovert chance creator. If you care about England success ( and I don’t particularly) it would be interesting to note why Germany churn out skilful and versatile players in a conveyor belt and we, in an apparently more football mad country do not. We churn out Gerrard and hail him as a genius. They churn out Ozil and aren’t sure if he is any good! Well I think we are and I like the look of our potential squad next season.
Whereas we have been critical of Wenger, Gazidis and co in the past the feeling is that they have learnt from past cock- ups and armed with funds they have generated from superb financial management and perhaps a tad of overcharging we are now able to build a squad that can compete for the title and might have a decent chance at the CL. This should be acknowledged because Wenger receives dogs abuse from a large part of our so- called support- those who perhaps don’t realise that t here is more to Arsenal than just winning football matches by hook or by crook.
Let’s hope we have an interesting week of squad enhancement and can then forget the transfer merry go- round and look at the practicalities of a title challenge- like having three of our first four games altered for TV next season.
I see we start off with two Saturday 5.30 kick offs this season – argh!
Faustus – Thanks, and couldn’t agree more with every line of your drink @279
BB, Cent – Cheers Fellas.
N7 – Aye, couldn’t agree more. Nothing will come close to replicating the sense of wonder that i had when seeing the Cruyff turn for the first time. For others it will be the sight of Maradona slaloming through packed defences intent on breaking his legs. No doubt there are 9 year olds about now still mimicking the Rodriguez chest and volley. All wonderful stuff.
DrZ – Haha, every cloud … 🙂
Ttg – Couldn’t agree more on Ozil, and the respective differences between them (and almost everybody else) and us. It’s why we build teams around Bryan Robson rather than Glen Hoddle. It’s why I almost certainly won’t see an England team triumph in my lifetime.
Tabs,
Well done…by far, the best summation I’ve read anywhere.
I particularly liked your mention of Klinnsman, who not only transformed the US team but in the process has quite possibly done wonders for the development of the game in the States. I think it was Mertesacker who also mentioned how his influence still burns so brightly in the current German set up. Some thought it insincere of him to sing the American National anthem. Not many appreciate his wife is American and so too are his children. When people eventually proffer candidates to succeed our own Maestro, we might do well to consider Klinnsman who unlike Klopp for example, has a genuine international dimension to both his playing and coaching career.
So Zico, ecluding Hansen, can we infer you are in the ‘bad cup’ minority ‘;)
For me, the last 4 games were a bust 🙁 The final was especially disheartening because me and Nick were the only ones not CARDED, at the sports bar 😉 Bunch of 20 somethings there, we felt out of place!
My best memories was USA’s last performance. Tim Howard was heroic. And Gigi Buffon’s back to back saves whilst on his knees, way off his line. Courage 🙂
When we had a world cup starting with so much alarms and ending on such a high, believe it is a success.
The best team won and quite deservingly as well.
Transfer rumours time and i for one am hoping it is Schneiderlin or bender than Khedira coming in. We need a defensive mid fielder than a box to box.
BTW what is jack doing? Ok to party but again setting the wrong precedent, we need him to be a bit better than this.
Today’s attention deficit award goes to Nurse Abb @ 291.
I can’t be arsed re-writing drink 79, but that was my take on it.
I am happy that others were entertained and can find it in their hearts to cheer people like Robben.
I used to love the World Cup. But Wengerball has spoiled me.
Or as tabs alludes to, I got old. 😛
266
“football punditry is such a vaudeville act anyway
that for the most part it doesn’t count”
.
surely a 😉 was left out
considering
‘holic is armpit deep
in oracles
who regularly
bring their
high- wire juggling acts here
.
*passes round the pancake make-up*
Nurse Abb – I missed a ;-), at the end of my first sentence, above.
Just in case you think I’m a grouch. 😀
Cheers Joe, yep I was v impressed with Klinsmann, as I was when he managed the Germans in 06.
I would be cautious about talking about him though as a Club Manager. Two very different jobs imo. Wouldn’t be averse to it, but I think he might be more suited to short bursts of intensity and pressure than the weekly grind of the Premiership, and all the hassle that goes with dealing with player agents etc. I have nothing to base that on, just a feeling.
Plus, even if could be tempted back from America (unlikely? ), and back into Club management, I very much doubt that Arsenal would be his first port of call, with his Totts background.
Anyway, three more years (hopefully more) of the maestro to look forward to! 😉
tabs @ 274 – awesome. Ozil-esque.
N7 @ 275 – good footnote.
Speechless here. Nothing to add.
Pummels Tottenham into submission with a cannon shot into the top corner. Will do it again.
Too early for Tottenham pummeling? Such a beast does not exist.
BANG
🙂
Some fabulous drinks there from the usual suspects, thank you. Sorry for the late publish of this next piece, but not easy one-handed. Honest guv 🙁
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