Not An Easy Watch For Openers
Aug 11th, 2019 by 'holic
We perhaps surprisingly started with no new signings at Newcastle but they do have to acclimatise to a new club, and in some circumstances a new league. Steve Bruce had no such reservations about giving a debut to new boy Joelinton.
Not surprisingly it was a cagey start but the voices of the travelling faithful lifted the spirits in the opening minutes, and it was the visitors who were looking to advance for most of the time. Having said that the first goalkeeper to be tested on sixteen minutes was Bernd Leno who had to catch the first decent cross, and shortly after that Joelinton headed a half chance wide of the target.
VAR will play a part in this season. I’m all in favour although I understand this is not a universally popular view. The hosts were rightly denied a spot kick as the tide turned and Shelvey’s effort narrowly missed the target too. All of a sudden we were under pressure.
Midway through the half our first good opportunity was blasted high into the crowd by Henrikh Mkhitaryan. He was accompanied in midfield by Joe Willock and Rhys Nelson, the latter of whom picked up the first yellow card of the contest for a rash challenge. Seconds later Leno denied Joelinton as we again surrendered a shooting opportunity in the box.
On the half hour Mkhitaryan sprang Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who saw his volley palmed away for a corner by Dubravka. The Armenian then started and ended a break which resulted in him seeing the second yellow card of the match. We do seem to get more for lesser challenges than we are subjected to. Is that unfair?
A poor half mercifully came to a close. Astonishingly there were no half-time substitutions. Nacho Monreal had to be alert to deny the hosts an early opportunity in the second-half. Six minutes in Monreal released Aubameyang and his effort was deflected for a corner from which Granit Xhaka’s headed flick just evaded Willock.
The lead was secured not long after when Aubameyang did what Aubameyang does from a superb cross by Ainsley Maitland-Niles. A superb finish to light up a poor game.
Newcastle United 0-1 The Arsenal
Dani Ceballos came on after 64 minutes for Willock and was greeted enthusiastically by the away fans, not surprisingly. The arrival of Saint-Maximin for Longstaff excited the home fans. The match remained erratic. Nicolas Pepe came on for Nelson to an enormous roar from the away Gooner’s. “Super Nic” What has £72m bought us?
Xhaka’s 80th minute yellow card will have come as a surprise to nobody. This wasn’t one of the new skipper’s better days. Rumours of his imminent departure are nonetheless unwelcome. Gabriel Martinelli came on for Mkhitaryan shortly afterwards. He is an exciting prospect for sure.
A tough ninety minutes came to an end with the away fans in good voice. Never was any season without games that were not enthralling, but perhaps we would prefer that the first game of the season proffered more than what we saw today.
Never mind, we are 37 wins from the title!
132 Responses to “Not An Easy Watch For Openers”
Arsenal News 24/7
1-0 to The Arsenal!
😀
Quick start to the season Guvnor!
3 points and a good Auba finish.
I thought Calum had a good
game, and the young players
did fine. Leno was secure.
Xhaka and Miki on the other
hand.
Hard-earned 1-0 win that I’ll
gratefully accept.
Now to watch Manure or Chavs
drop points.
Agree with the Guvnor and ksn
on the yellow card thing – the
inconsistency was just annoying.
Speedy Gonzales and Pepe have nothing on the Guvna!
After last seasons ‘comedy’ of errors away from home, I’ll take a 1-0 away win to start the season off very happily thank you. Finesse can come once all of the players are available and have had time to introduce themselves to each other properly.
[…] Original article: https://goonerholic.com/2019/08/not-an-easy-watch-for-openers/ […]
Ah, there you are, Bath. Looking forward to catching up next Saturday. Steve can’t make it so I’ll be giving my wallet some fresh air at the bar.
🙂
Nice match report.
Not the easiest watch but encouraging performances from the defence – no howlers, AMN going forward, Willock until he faded, Gwen throughout, Nelson in flashes and PEA who was awesome. Such movement, such workrate and such a lovely goal (props to AMN for a neat interception and pass too). Leno did what was required, all you can ask. Mkhi had a mare in the first half but his workrate was excellent in the second. Xhaka has had far better games but recycled the ball well and I only remember two brain-farts.
Good call by the Guvna on yellow cards too. Clearly a different scale of sanctions operates for and against Arsenal for Atkinson. Terrible referee.
Great result. Love a 1-0 to the Arsenal.
Great start to the new season and thanks for another fine report, sir.
Newcomers not convincing but it is too early to judge. Our defense was a bit better but we will struggle against better teams. I think Chambers is a more calming influence in defense than someone like Mustafi. It is nice that Auba has continued his fine pre season run in.
The youngsters didn’t look out of place but if they keep playing, Nelson, Willock, Martinelli and AMN will grow into fine players. Will have to see what impact Bellerin’s return will have on AMN’s playing time.
Lot of players still to return so things are looking up.
ksn, when Bellerin returns, AMN will move into mid-field and replace Xhaka.
Cheers H! and hopefully be saying the same in person next Saturday.
Great result from an extraordinarily tedious team selection . I would love rumours of Xhaka’s impending transfer to be true but I haven’t heard any . Mkhitaryan can go with him and our youngsters will replace them comfortably as they both contribute little of value .
On the other hand Auba is a seriously valuable commodity and took his goal expertly as he so often does. Hopefully we will release our new signings next week. But we must be pleased with three points and a clean sheet.
A wet Sunday in Newcastle with a makeshift team probably doesn’t tell a lot about how the season will play out. But three points are three points enthralling or not. As you say ‘Holic, repeat 37 more times and the title is ours.
iBtM @10. AMN should slot into the defensive midfielder’s role quite well and can play with two of Xhaka/Ozil/Ceballos/Torreira/Martinelli.
I think his destination is to be our box to box MF, ksn. Very talented lad as are many of the young players emerging from the academy. This extended spell out of position at RB will have done great things for his development.
Thank you gents. Looking forward to seeing some of you next week. ?
Very dull game but three points and looked ok defensively. Not many positives, but we never lost.
BtM @15 knows. AMN has a great future. The man to play the box to box role left by Rambo.
Hope BtM knows how to find a nice un-rammed pre-match hostelry.
Holic may be the man to ask, but I suspect he’ll be part of the jam at the Tolly.
Maybe we should pay a return to Kolasinac’s place? (aka The Faltering Fullback)?
NOW it’s an FFL* Crisis
*Fat Frank Lampard.
I’m a big Guendouzi fan and anti – Henrikh 100%
..and he was soooo good, fast and elegant in Dortmund. Baffled.
BtM, my thoughts precisely.
“We do seem to get more for lesser challenges than we are subjected to. Is that unfair?”
Witness Nelsons yellow for what was a trip, as compared to Willock being deliberately taken out by a shoulder charge and then later pulled back , both times having broken past his opposite numbers. Just ridiculously poor and biased refereeing.
Well that was a welcome clean sheet and when you have someone as deadly as Aubameyang up top you’ve always got a pretty good chance of taking all 3 points, Was very impressed with young Willock, Always hunting the ball and trying to break forward.
Back 4 were pretty solid and Leno spreads calm rather than panic, So all in all a rather good day for our B team.I was a touch nervy looking at the line ups !
3 points and plenty more to come from the side so all good.
As for Fat Frank and his merry band of c&@“s HAHAHA lets hope this is the death kneel of the Russian too, as I’m not sure his appetite is as was. They will need a serious injection of cash to push back up and not sure he will be that way inclined.
Up the Arse
Ps How nice was it to see 3 x Academy players and London lads to boot in the first 11 – Its great to have wonderful players from all over the world but nothing quite like seeing Local Lads in the first 11.
@25 Chippy, maybe just a pity that Iwobi wasn’t playing and Mkhyi was up at Everton so that we’d have had four academy players and a better performance to boot.
I have to say that Fat Fwank and the boys from the Bus Stop were unlucky today. The better side lost. Too early to write them off unfortunately – had the two shots that nearly splintered the woodwork gone in Manure were dead and buried. And how come Maguire’s rugby tackle on their No. 9 wasn’t a foul just b4 Manure scored their second?
As for their Russian and his ill-gotten gains – may he visit Salisbury and pick up a discarded bottle of Putin’s finest.
And SSY @ 21, I craved a Henrik singing while he was at Dortmund. Like you, my opinion has changed. He won’t start many games this season.
Cheers H. Watched the first third and listened to remainder on the radio.
All in all, a good three points and a welcome start to the season. I mentioned it when the team was announced about how nice it was to see Willock, Chambers and Nelson in the starting line up along with AMN.
The fact that the bench was packed with new signings and the talent from last season I bodes very well. Add to that the likes of Holding and Bellerin and it’s the strongest squad we’ve had in ages. The youthful look of the squad is also something to warm the cockles.
We might spend some time bedding in players but I think we are in the best shape we’ve been in for ages. I do think that with the players we have that the likes of Xhaka and Mkhitaryan may have very long muted time left with the club unless they start to really turn it on.
Bath, please read 7 again and don’t fall for it. It’s a trick, a lie, a falsehood. Deep down, you know it. Just don’t fall for it.
“Very long muted???????”
Should have been, very little…..
Not sure what happened there???
Silly Second@21 and BtM@26: That is what even a short spell at OT will do to you.
Very long muted? Hope Mkhi’s vocal cords will be ok.
Tried to watch the game but a nap got in the way. No goals conceded must be the day’s highlight as well as minutes for youngsters
Well, as the dust settles on
the opening weekend, in
Japan anyway, I’d have to
say hahahahahaha to the
Chavs and Fwankie. They
got nothing. Best mock now
in case they get better
bt8,
You picked a good game to nap
through! The other highlight was
our willingness to fight it out
especially 2nd half.
I hadn’t realised that UE had
said so bluntly that Mustafi
can leave. Hard but fair.
It will be harsh on Calum who
played well yesterday but I
think Papa and Luiz may be
better against Burnley.
You may be right Matt but Calum has turned into a very valuable player to have in the squad. I still do not know where best to play him in the Arsenal team but feel quite comfortable having him in central defence knowing we also have Holding, Luiz and Papa.
Calum should get plenty of opportunities to play himself into the team whether there or in midfield.
So here’s my first away report of the season. It’s dedicated to CBA, who’s always been so encouraging about my meanderings about wandering up and down the motorways following the Gunners. I hope you are recovering mate and are able to read this.
Newcastle away. Newcastle is one of my favourite English cities. Grand architecture, friendly engaging locals, a city centre ground and lots to do. So when this came up, we decided to make a weekend of it. My son and I booked a hotel on the banks of the Tyne in Gateshead and my wife took the opportunity to come with us and visit her relatives in Cumbria. We checked in about 3pm on the Saturday afternoon and rested up until about 5.30 when we headed out to a sports bar on Quayside to watch the Spurs game. Turns out the bar was heaving with Gooners and we thoroughly enjoyed the first 80 minutes of the game supping good beer at reasonable prices watching Spurs f**k it up. Until Eriksen came on and ruined that. Still the singing was good (we’ll be running round Tottenham with our willies hanging out, the wanky Tottenham Hotspur went to Rome to see the Pope and many others from the songbook.). We also chatted to a local who’s given up his season ticket after 30 years because of Ashley. Sad. After a few more beers we went to a rather good restaurant (The Broad Chare) a few steps away where some red wine and an excellent rib eye with blue cheese sauce was consumed. We staggered across the Low bridge back to our hotel. Excellent evening and the predicted rain held off.
Sunday morning. Full English with a view of the river, then a walk through the city up to SJP in the pouring rain. Arrived at the ground in time to see The Arsenal arrive. Then the worst part of the weekend. The only two grounds where away fans are still placed tucked away in the top tier are Old Trafford and SJP. 14 flights of stairs to get up there. I’m 62, 16 stone and with knackered knees thanks to 30 years of keeping wicket. It was hard work. Then another set of stairs to finally reach our seats. It’s so far away from the players that you can barely make them out. Bear in mind that I sit in the lower tier, row 9, at the Emirates.
Still great to be back amongst 3000+ travelling Gooners. A palpable sense of optimism was there, especially compared to those awful away games in April I went to (Leicester, Wolves) where we just kept losing. After a bright start by us, it went a bit quiet when Newcastle started looking good for about ten minutes. Their new centre forward, Joelinton, looks handy. Uncle Fester hit the post. It all went a bit quiet. Was this just April repeated? Joe Willock looked good. Auba was on fire, Mkhi looked poor apart from one great through ball to Auba. Xhaka was Xhaka. Mustafi wasn’t even in the squad (hooray!).
Second half. Subs warming up. Huge applause and a new chant for Laca. Evidently it started in Baku but is the first time I heard it. Seems to have really caught on. Catchy up beat tune.
He’s our Frenchman, our number 9
He plays for Arsenal in red and white
Scoring goals is what he does best
And he goes by the name of Lacazette
Took me a few times to catch it all, but I think you’ll be hearing this one again. Then we went ahead. One of the few advantages of being up in the Gods is that you could really see how AMN bust a gut to intercept the ball on the right wing half way line. Then he strode forward towards us, found Auba in what seemed like acres of space, well controlled, composed finish, one nil to the Arsenal! Cue somersault by Auba and pandemonium three miles up in the stands.
Willock was visibly tiring and a trim figure wearing number 8 came on for him. His first touch was a back heel that went wrong and gave the ball away. What’s this? I thought Ramsey went to Juventus? It was Ceballos of course and actually I liked what I saw. Some good runs, lots of quick give and go passing. Always running straight upfield, like Santi and Tommy Rosicky. Pepe came on and what greeted with a variation on Jack’s chant (super, super Nic, super, super Nic, super, super Nic, super Nicolas Pepe) but he didn’t get the ball much. Gooners now in fine voice. Aubameyang song constantly and, for light relief,
We want you to stay
We want you to stay
Mike Ashley
We want you to stay
I thought good games from Leno, the whole back 4, Willock, Auba and Ceballos. Poor games from Mkhi and Xhaka. Three points and a clean sheet. Isn’t football wonderful?
Back through the city to the hotel through the even heavier rain. Across the High bridge. Had packed dry clothes, so a complete and much needed change. Wife turns up from Cumbria, back down the A1. Supper, of course, haddock and chips at the superb Wetherby Whaler. Home by 9.30.
Burnley at home next week. So glad to be back.
Great read, C100. Glad the team gave you a day to savour, too
Thanks C100,
Glad you’re back too with the away report to flesh out the Guvnor’s report and the highlights I’ve yet to watch. Thanks both.
New season, 1-0 to the Arsenal, what’s not to like.
UTA.
1-0 with the team we lined up on a wet afternoon away at Newcastle?? thank you so much, will take it every single time.
Willock probably the most impressive among the youngsters who started, Leno assured, Chambers and Papa had nothing much to do, Niles i am sorry is not a right-back, a decent winger will run him dry and i mean this with respect to a player who has the ability but too much casualness about him. Mhki had a shocking first half but far better second half, Auba took his goal expertly, Xhaka decent and the rest of the team average but got the job done.
A word on guendouzi against popular opinion, he is good, brave and all that but holds on to the ball too long and then side passes it, if he develops an awareness for the game, he will be a winner.
On to the home game against Burnley and time to see Mesut back assisting pepe for his first goal please.
Hello ‘holic,
It was indeed a first half to forget. Noted a better last 10 minutes as we approached half time though!
Could be early season hopefulness but my mood is buoyed by the idea that this was probably one of the weakest starting line up we can put on the pitch for 2019/20.
Hope to see you on the random, mate.
Thanks C100, enjoyed the
report and a nice shout to
cba.
bt8,
Agree that Calum is a good
squad player for us, I liked
his discipline yesterday at CB.
I thought AMN was a trooper
too.
Personally I think both are better
in midfield and it’s going to be a
real fight for places in there
once Rob and Hector are fit.
OM, Agreed that AMN is also a keeper and in many cases is direct competition with Chambers. May they both maintain their health and push each other on to greater heights, speaking of which, great report c100 and I hope your knees are recovering comfortably.
And good health to you ‘holic
Thank you for the match report and here’s to a great and exciting season that includes many more positives than negatives.
Bt8
AMN is definitely a right back – I’ll get me coat ?
C100
Terrific report. I’ve seen SJP from the outside but not braved those steps. I saw very much the same version of the match as you. An encouraging start. Don’t rule out Khedira joining us as a free agent- if we can unload Xhaka, Mustafi and Mkhitaryan I will start a petition to build a statue for Raul.
Excellent report, thank you Countryman100.
Sorry to hear about cba. I hope he’s on the mend. Sadly, I will be unable to send as many good vibes as I might wish since I’m having to concentrate on a cousin who received a call in the early hours of this morning summoning him for a transplant as they’d found a match for his kidney.
COYG
Magnificent, Countryman. Let me know if you want to do any away reports and I will happily post it instead of my minute by minute nonsense.
Cba, or family, an update would be appreciated. I have lost one good ‘online’ friend in the last fortnight. Followers of ABW will know who. Too many of us are approaching that last wicket stand.
I am deeply honoured ‘holic. I couldn’t get tix for Liverpool (too many credits needed) but I’ll let you know when my next away game is.
Let’s hope for a positive response from cba.
Pangloss
Very good luck to your cousin. That’s exciting news
CBA,
We’d love to hear from you mate. Words I thought I’d never write ?
Balogun got a hat-trick for the U23 tonight a game in which ESR and Rob Holding appeared. Arsenal 2on 3-1 at Blackburn. This will interest Clive. I do hope he is ok?
TTG – thanks for your thoughts.
Exciting isn’t the word. We had a call from his wife around 6.00pm. She’d taken him in to hospital in the morning, and having heard nothing since then, rang to find out what was going on. “Oh, yes, he’s in theatre at the moment. Didn’t he tell you?”.
Sigh.
holic, pretty much what i saw. disappointed in mikhi overall, and granit, but they weren’t *terrible*, which is something. it was a joyous 25 folks in the bar when that lovely pass from amn went to auba, and his chip was as cheeky as it was cheering.
countryman, great away report. thanks for a wonderful read.
pangloss, good luck to your cousin! a good friend is dying right now, waiting on a double-lung transplant. he could get the call at any time, or he might fall to bedridden on oxygen before…we just hope he doesn’t die before he gets the call. glad to know it happens 🙂
and yeah, cba, what’s up with him? i hope he is right as rain. clive as well…
Best wishes to all those in the bar with friends in peril. We are as one here in wishing that all pull through.
Thanks for the report cm100. It sounds like a most enjoyable weekend, wall-to-wall. I can see why you made light of the drenching.
What Ned says @53.
Many thanks to all for their good wishes for my cousin.
I suspect that I sometimes show my irritation at some of the things that I read in this bar, for which I apologise.
It’s only fair and reasonable to acknowledge that everyone here is always quick to show sympathy when appropriate, and I thank them all for it.
Bugger. That’s my not-so-secret identity blown.
Our latest report is that the patient is awake, “bright-eyed but in some pair”. Apparently he was still in theatre at 10:00 last night, so the last item is hardly surprising.
Thanks again, all.
COYG
That sounds like good news
Pangloss, glad to hear it’s going
well !
I could have sworn your secret identity was Oxon Gooner. 😉
Glad to hear your friend has made it through surgery bright-eyed.
Hello Goonerholic it sounds strange calling him CBA but he is hopefully going home at the weekend probably gladly because I think nearly all the Glasgow crowd came over I think just to do his head in. Half I own.The youngsters brought him a bicycle tyre repair kit for Kieran Tierney.
He can talk himself when he’s ready but this knocked the stuffing out of him
bt8 – Oxon Gooner is my not-at-all-secret identity. Try to keep up!
Good news about cba. I feel sure he will appreciate having had his head done in.
cheers, bath, ned. glad to hear your cousin’s out and bright eyed, at the least, pangloss. my friend is patient, yet really wants to be *a* patient, not least so he can be bright-eyed and *breathe* afterwards.
and thanks for the news from cba camp, family-of-cba. tell him we can’t wait to abuse him again. if he doesn’t notice the absence of his treacle stout, don’t point it out.
More good news from the
cba family.
Though he once told me off
for spelling cba with capitals
🙂
Hi Arsenal goonerholic. If he can read, show him my away report at 36. It starts with a tribute to him. He always said he really enjoyed my away reports so it may cheer him up.
Good news about, cba. He’s as tough as a short sentence.
Evening All
I haven’t been in for a while – although I still read sporadically.
cba – I have obviously missed something – Is he ok?
I would like to add my good wishes to him ( although I have no idea what fate has befallen him)
In my view cba is one of Irelands finest – relentlessly funny and very clever, as well as being astonishingly handsome.
Hoping he is ok.
Good luck to you Holic for the season ahead – I doff my cap once again to your talents and dedication.
All the best
Howdy ImpFail, good to hear from you. Not sure cba needs any PR help, handsomely clever as he may be. Eddie Nketiah with the first half goal makes the halftime score Salford 0 Leeds 1
Pangloss
Your not so secret secret is safe with me. Especially as one could work this out from the You Ropey League . Above all the news sounds encouraging. Transplant surgery has advanced in leaps and bounds in recent years.
I’m still reeling from the death of the ten year old friend of my youngest grandson. It’s incredibly difficult to help a little one through bereavement at that age and it does put into context so many of the annoyances I feel.
When you experience what you have and see what this little fellow’s parents have gone through it does make Arsenal’s travails pale into insignificance
Of the two identities, I would have said Pangloss was more likely to be the real name.
Pangloss. From the 1759 novel by Candide (yes I’ve read it).
Pourquoi?
I’ve always taken Panglossian to mean a significant optimist – isn’t it all for the best in the best of all possible worlds? Pangloss has always been one of our more optimistic and upbeat contributors so he has richly lived up to this description.
By Voltaire of course. Called Candide.
C100,
Essentially, it’s a homage to the best of all possible bars.
Ah! I see TTG was there before me.
Truly this is a special place.
Love to meet a few more of you next week.
I’ve always taken Panglossian to mean a significant optimist
Unlikely. It’s the paint we used on our shit house door.
Celtic out of CL.
That is Dennis punishing the
odious Lennon for lying about
Tierney’s injury.
Never mind Lennon I’m sure
the pain will pass in 4-6 weeks.
Nice to see Eddie start with
a goal. And against a team
owned by ex-Manure.
i know it’s the sun, but yikes!
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/9697066/arsenal-mesut-ozil-sead-kolasinac-24-hour-guard-gang-war/
Though it’d be nice to see
some ex Gooners buy a
small club and build it up.
We’ve a few guys not in
management like Dixon.
Winterburn, and Parlour
who might enjoy it.
I don’t see why East European
gangsters would be warning
their fellow crims off. I know
Kola is from Eastern Europe but
even so.
Hopefully it’s the usual sun
nonsense, otherwise it’s a
horrible situation for Ozil, Kola
and their wives.
Nickings all round please
Insp Knacker
It seems that both their wives have left the country ( understandably). I believe Mrs Ozil is pregnant. It’s an awful situation and in Mesut’s case,in particular, may be the reason he leaves the club. Awful situation
I’ve a nagging feeling that selling Iwobi wasn’t the best decision we could have made. I guess it shows he was a hotter property on the market than Mkhi or Ozil. He was an Arsenal lad through and through in any case, and good luck to him at Goodison.
The excellent Swiss Ramble has produced a series of tweets explaining the mechanics of our transfer window. It shows what a carefully considered job was done and should we ship out a couple of the big earners it will improve the situation even more
https://mobile.twitter.com/SwissRamble/status/1161168659861127169
Excellent link, TTG.
Seems we finally got both football and financial joined-up thinking this window past.
Ned,
Immediately after the window closed ( as soon as Iwobi was on his way) I suggested that we had in fact produced a net spend of £45m . There was a lot of comment suggesting it was more and you wisely pointed out that one needed to look in detail at payment terms etc before you could calculate this. This report underlines the variability in these sort of calculations and it is interesting that Celtic have reported to the Stock Exchange today that they received the full £25 m fee for Tierney in one lump last week. We obviously had to ensure that we could finance this deal and that is the reason it was left so late.
One understands we may receive a sell-on fee for The Jeff as well as one or two other pending deals. I like good stewardship and had always assumed this was a strength of Arsenal . The management of the building project for the new stadium and the securitisation of the loans was very effective but after Gazidis took over it all seems to have gone to custard .
I think what we have seen in this window ( as Swiss Ramble suggests ) is that we have been willing to maintain lower financial reserves than used to be the case and to accelerate investment into the team. While a strong critic of KSE in the past I can’t criticise the way this window has been managed and one assumes the triumvirate of Raul, Vinai and Josh have been complicit in this process. Congratulations to them
TTG, This sentence from the Swiss Ramble caught my eye:
Often the selling club will still get (most of) its cash immediately, as they sell the debt to a third party financing company for an agreed fee.
Selling on receivables due and other forms of debt is common enough in other industries so it should be no surprise that it happens in football. As transfer fees have inflated forcing payments to be phased, I can see it would become increasingly attractive to selling clubs. I would, however, be interested to know how widespread the practice has become and what sorts of firms are involved in the business.
Apparently it is companies like this: https://www.23-cap.com
Ned,
Yes it’s interesting that Lille have most of the Pepe fee discounted for the early payment by the factor. They wanted tge fee paid in instalments in order to comply with FFP so they have the best of both worlds !
When the accounting garners more comments than the football does that represent a problem?
That just about sums it up, bt8b.
I’ll get my coat…
Was channel surfing and came across the Liverpool Chelsea super cup match, which I’d completely forgotten about, and was about to switch off when I saw that the referee was a woman, as were the assistants. Stayed watching for a bit, and they were an impressive group; she let the game flow, and the best you can say about any officials is that you don’t notice them, which means they are doing a fine job. The EPL could do with a few lady refs, anything other than Dean, Moss, Taylor et al.
@92
I’ve nothing to add to that
Ned, bt8 is right on the money
with his comment.
Not lost your yen for a witty riposte, OM.
🙂
I’m sure there’s more currency
jokes Ned but I decided to spare
the bar today.
Anyway, time to march to the ton.
Unfortunately the march starts
with bad news – it was confirmed
that Danielle Carter has indeed
ruptured her ACL again.
That is desperately bad luck
for her and I can only wish her
all the best during another long
recovery
Lots of stick heaped on Ivan in
the Swiss Ramble article and
comments. Though, in fact, wasn’t
Vinai the money guy already when
Ivan was here.
I thought Ivan was useless but I
wonder how long the “blame it all
on the guy who’s left” thing can
continue.
Same thing with AW really – some
of the stuff I read (not particularly
on this blog) about him is just malicious,
some ignorant and some just gloating
of the “i was right all along and AKBs
are all bitter wankers” kind.
It’s over a year now, let it go !!
The Ox came back last night
and good luck to him on his
return.
I saw he played on the left
hand side in the 1st half.
If only Klippity had asked I
could have told him Ox is
wasted on the left 🙂
A raise of the bat and a doff
of the cap – along with the
good news that England are
still on level terms after the
first day of the test.
The BBC reported on analysis by Carteret Analytics.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49319480
Makes for interesting reading. Apparently we didn’t get the best vfm for the transfer’s we made. In fact only David Luiz was vfm according to Carteret Analytics.
However, I’m still pleased with our transfer business. And we’ve got 10% for the Jeff Reine-Adelaide’s transfer to Lyon apparently
It would be interesting to get more detail on Carteret Analytics’ valuation methodology. There are rival firms, for example, whose numbers suggest that we got Pepe on the cheap. And, as discussed above, you have to factor in wages. David Luiz is on £150,000 a week, which casts a different light on his £8 million transfer fee.
Seems Ozil and Kola are back in
training and UE is happy he has
a positive selection headache.
I hope to see Laca back but it’s
honestly quite difficult to predict
who UE will pick this weekend.
Laca, Ozil, Pepe, Luiz and
Ceballos will all be pushing for
places but I wouldn’t like us to
drop too many of the team that
won last week.
Ned@102 That’s the nice thing about valuation methodologies – there are so many to choose between. It must be tempting to choose on that gives you the results you want. It almost makes one believe the old theory that auntie Beeb has it in for the Arsenal.
COYG
Evening all. Burnley preview to follow tomorrow night.
I hope you are all well.
thanks everybody back home
can we just leave it there
i really appreciate everything
cheers everybody and thanks c100
Terrific to see you back, cba. And I’ll leave it there.
Good work CBA
OM
Going back to your earlier post. Gazidis was in charge and managed Sanllehi and Vinai. Vinai’s Job is to develop the commercial revenue and ensure the financial structure is sound. Given his head he is proceeding to do that. Gazidis hamstrung us in January with what we could do and oversaw some ridiculous pay awards of which Ozil’s is the worst example He left the club in an awful mess
The man wants no fuss. Old school.
So we’ll leave it there.
Right. Off to Lords tomorrow. The rain has followed me from Newcastle. If I’m lucky I’ll see play until mid afternoon.
Ah, cba, you have been missed my man.
111 drinks.
cba MUST be back.
And he is!
The Blue Nile is sparkling under a Glasgow sun. 🙂
cba back? I seem to have mislaid it. Best leave it there.
COYG
Good on you cba. Top man.
Drink on the bar for cba.
Everything in order for the home opener.
Clive?
welcome back, cba!!! thanks for giving enough of a shit to let us know. now, about that treacle stout…?
TTG,
Don’t disagree with any @108.
It’s just that in my experience
it’s rare that decisions are taken
in isolation, others have input.
Of course it can be useful to shovel
blame for any problems on people
that have gone as it buys time for
the new brooms but after a while
it gets too subjective and obscures
accountability. I think we’re getting
to that stage now. I don’t truly know
but I feel Ivan was a poor leader. On
the other hand he was there when we
brought in Leno, Sokratis, Guen,
Torreira, Laca and Auba – a group of
players that I hope will give us a
strong spine this season and for
several more seasons in some of
those cases. Hopefully, we’ve bought
well this summer and personally I’m
optimistic. Objectively however I
accept some important changes both
good and bad were made by the previous
regime. Mistakes were made, they usually
are, and it’s more than likely some of this
summer’s new players won’t work out
too. That’s normal in business, which
sadly football has become over the last 20
years but the point I was trying to make in
my previous mail was that as fans we often
seize on someone to blame, magnify their
mistakes and ignore their successes.
It’s mostly not realistic at all, why get so
bitter and twisted? To be honest I was
thinking more about the venom still
being directed at AW but it’s true of the
seemingly ineffective Ivan too.
‘holic i did not write 118
can you zap it
Delighted to see that cba is back amongst the faithful.
Please place a pint of Creme De Menthe on the bar for him ‘Holic.
Welcome back Handsome!
I’ll leave it there………
cba, glad to have you back. let’s get this party rolling:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tIQTpNpZBU
OK, ya big numptie, I won’t welcome you back. Normal service is resumed.
I never missed him at all, can’t he fuck off again?
Is that better, you old sod? 🙂
An excellent, balanced contribution from OM@118.
There’s no place for that kind of thing in football today. The Cease and Desist order is on its way.
COYG
Pangloss,
🙂
I’ll stop it at once sir.
Dyche is a dick, Burnley are
cloggers and I hope we stick
it to ‘em good.
5 of the 18 clubs in La Liga are from the Basque Country. You might think they would consider pooling their resources and entering just one club to give them a chance of competing with Barcelona and the Madrids. Just tilting at windmills though I suppose.
i have less organs than i used to
i have another one still there that’s giving me the hard stare
off the swally here for the foreseeable
and since
you cunts are made tolerable only by inebriation
communication might be sparse
but
i really want to thank you fellas
i really do
for cunts you’re good
good cunts
thanks
and thanks again countryman
that was very kind
i know this place will crumble without me
but bye bye for a wee while
just go down look pictures in the barber
that’s me
.
.
.
third over 4th down
manly wistful is what i was striving for
and
MANLY wistful is what they got !
Big boots to fill, cba. Big boots. Good luck with the recovery.
OM getting his entry in early@126.
Auditions will continue, probably until cba’s return.
COYG
So pleased to see you cba. I’ve just lost a mate on ABW, so chuffed you are here. Pop by when you can, and we’ll understand if you can’t. Bless you fella.
I’ve found the picture CBA.
I thought you were better looking than that.
Good luck mate. Glad I’m a good cunt. I’d hate to be a bad one
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>