The Return Of The Yellow Ribbon
Jan 8th, 2016 by 'holic
“We play against a Premier League team and we have learnt in the last 20 games that any Premier League team is a massive problem to face. The only way to deal with it is to give absolutely everything.”
Just what we want to hear from Arsene Wenger prior to our defence of the FA Cup that has been our personal property for two memorable years. The reality may, however, be two squad teams hopefully giving ‘absolutely everything’, which should still favour us, but…
Sam Allardyce has, not without reason to be fair, bemoaned the proximity of the FA Cup weekend to a round of Premier League fixtures in the following midweek. His priorities clearly lie with preserving his current employers Premier League status. He will rotate.
Arsene too, we can be reasonably sure, will have one eye on a trip to Anfield that could have a significant bearing on our title challenge. Whilst I have no doubt that our current best starting eleven will be in the squad tomorrow it would be no surprise to see three or four left on the bench, ready to be called upon ‘just in case’. Arsene hinted at a lower number.
“At the moment I make two or three changes maximum.”
David Ospina could find himself starting behind a back four of Hector Bellerin, Per Mertesacker, Gabriel, and Kieran Gibbs. Mathieu Debuchy will presumably be keen not to be cup-tied with a move away from the club seemingly imminent. A pairing of Calum Chambers and Mathieu Flamini in front of that back four could free up Aaron Ramsey or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to deputise for Mesut ‘how may I assist you?’ Ozil, surely due a seat on the bench in the predicted thunderstorms.
The front three will be interesting. Does le boss persist with Olivier Giroud, or give Theo a morale boosting run up top with Joel Campbell coming in on the right, and either the Ox or even young Jeff Reine-Adelaide on the left? That there are options available to us despite the injury list is perhaps a surprise.
Allardyce has an opportunity to see just what he can extract out of his squad players, those who he has not had much of a chance to work with in his short time at the Stadium of Light. He has said though that he will only play one young player in the tie, with the BBC tipping goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
“Unfortunately we have restrictions which mean fitting in a Premier League the midweek after, which doesn’t give us the opportunity to play the strongest team at Arsenal. What it does do is give a fantastic opportunity to some of the squad players. Some of those players are the most expensive players we’ve bought so there is room for them to go out and perform at a very high level, and that’s what we will have to do at Arsenal to try and get a result.”
Likely to be promoted from the bench are the likes of Toivonen, Coates, Yedlin, and the experienced poacher of goals, Fletcher.
The ‘holic pound
A difficult prediction at the best of times, the nature of the selections for tomorrow makes this more so. I was persuaded on last night’s (Thursday) A Bergkamp Wonderland podcast to plump for 3-0 to the Gunners, and I am possibly foolishly sticking with that at a market best 17/2.
I will see some of you after the final whistle when hopefully we will not be as soaked to the skin as last Saturday, but the forecast is currently for even worse weather. I will be enjoying the company of the grand’holics before the match on their annual visit to the new home of football, so should have a clearer memory of the proceedings than normal.
As ever, I wish you a great one ‘holics, wherever you may be and whatever you are doing this weekend.
132 Responses to “The Return Of The Yellow Ribbon”
Cheers H! Have a great day tomorrow!
And fuck Fat Sam, the massive walrus faced cunt.
OOOOOOSPINA!
Hope it’s a good one for the Grand-holics
Cheers Holic. 3:0 would be a great result. I have a strange feeling tho, it could be a tight game after all, not only, but also when considering the weather forecasts.
I wish it’ll stay dry tho and wish you, the Grand-holics and all the others going to the game an exciting experience.
Exeter 2-1 at half. Pool has backup keeper Bogdan, Benteke, hopelessly unfit Luis Enrique, and eight nobodies. Second Exeter goal at death goes straight in from a corner; Bogdan awful howler.
You Devon devils…
Message to Grandholics – ENJOY!!! x
Klopp unaware of what a morale-zapper it could be to lose to Exeter in the FA Cup?
Thank you all. Big day/big weekend.
bath, glad *someone* got the the pun in the last drinks, nile though it was.
exeter legs looking heavy. thirteen minutes to a glorious replay at anfield. their side was saved by a replay at old trafford a few years back, let’s see the grecians hold on! (my inlaws live just east of exeter, and it’s the only ground i’ve watched a game in, standing in the terraces with my brother-in-law a number of years back).
as for our game tomorrow, well written, holic. i am thinking, with the deluge, it’s going to be frighteningly like the newcastle game this past week. the only silver lining to that playbook is that the fat one can’t instruct his charges to lump it up through the rain and have it be really effective. i think we’re going to see cech, with the changes being both iwobi and the jeff, and callum, gabriel, and gibbs.
i’ll take that 3-0, even if i think it’s going to be 1-0 to the arsenal.
grecians got a huge lift from the substitution of grant for holmes. corner in the 2nd of 4 extra minutes leads to nothing, but taking time…
exeter draw with pool, outstanding. well done, exeter!
Wish you a lot of fun with the little ones`Holic! Should be easy to sway them away from United these days…. Maybe you could ask them to help you with the match report?
Well, Holic,
that seemed to slot into place very nicely.
Just a thought – if Big Fat Sam does rotate tomorrow he’ll be not-too-many rows away, staring right at you !
Not a pretty sight. It’ll scare the grandholics !
Hope you all have a great day.
I believe the last hat-trick of FA Cup wins was in 1886, the year we were founded. The league remains the priority but hopefully we can give it a good go to try and emulate that hat-trick this year.
I’m sure we all agree that giving it ‘absolutely everything’ is the way to go, but whether the players pay due attention to the notion, or merely lip service, we shall see. No one will want to miss the ‘bigger’ game on Wednesday, I’m thinking.
For mine it comes down to getting on top early and putting away the chances we usually get while ‘lesser’ teams are still adjusting to what for them are slightly awesome surroundings at the Ems. We failed to do that against Newcastle most recently and only just survived despite being the better side by a long chalk (whatever that is).
(actually ‘a long chalk’ refers to the way scores in games like darts were chalked up on a board … the longer the chalk marks the better that player is doing, generally. Not to be confused with ‘a long shot‘ which is miltary in origin, referring to gunnery from a distance)
Another rest for OG might concentrate his mind, but I still prefer to have both he and Theo playing together. I just hope the latter remembers his offensive activities should take precedence over his new-found defensive proclivities.
Oskar
Fine preview H.
Have a great day out with the grandkids. A great privilege to re-enforce the traditions through another generation.
Hopefully I will catch you post match. I’ll bring a snorkel.
Five pints well-invested, ‘Holic. Good read.
I agree with those who think it might be a closer scoreline than 3-0. It seems you can still get 19/2 on 2-1.
Cheers Holic, good to see the Grand – Holics being educated properly. Hoping the weather doesn’t dampen the spirits too much. Should you be seated near the front as usual, hoping Fat Sam doesn’t obstruct the view too much!
Difficult to predict the score until full extent of rotation is known but it appears we won’t change much, partly to be ” in it to win it ” and partly as our options are not to many. Unlike the scunts who played just 1 first teamer at Exeter earlier this evening. Looking forward to a good result of course.
Scruz, I “emigrated” from London down to E.Devon a few years ago – how far east of Exeter do your in laws live? It was a great financial result for the Grecians and for their players getting a chance to play at Anfield. I often pass their training ground at Cat & Fiddle – which is opposite the pub of the same name.
Their training ground is the Cat & Fiddle? My kinda club!
Oskar
Enjoy the outing, ‘holic. 🙂
uply, they live in sidbury, up the river sid from sidmouth. i think it was christmastime 2004 stefano and i went to the game.
when we’re there, we range from lyme regis to exeter, and from exmouth up to axminster on a regular basis, and hit the moors, and down to cornwall when we go further west (we have friends in marazion and goldsithney).
i’ve passed cat & fiddle numerous times on my way into exeter on A3052, but never stopped at the pub. one of these days i’ll try and find the pub cliff bastin ran after his playing days were over.
to get away for some non-family time when there, i tend to spend time at the tool shed in axminster, the old forge and the fountain head pub in branscombe (i love their brannock), and wondering the hills outside sidbury… usually there in the summer, or at least my last three trips have been, so football isn’t on, for the most part.
how far east do *you* live? all the way to lyme regis?
Delighted to report the BBC weather forecast has improved hugely as the day has passed. Problem is I now have layers of clothing set out for the morning, starting with a full thermal layer.
This may not end well…
Scruz, all those places well known to me. Indeed I live 200 yds outside Lyme Regis – just a 20 min walk to the town & sea. Let me know if/when you are next over.
nice, uply! it’s a beautiful area, that’s for sure. thank you for the invite, I will be sure to get in touch before our next sojourn to the homeland 🙂
Holic I am in the second row these days and am kitted out in thermals and waterproofs from top to toe in anticipation of another soaking.
Lets hope the football provides some entertainment and Arsene doesn’t over rotate. We do want to win this game but a sight of the Jeff would be a treat particularly if the lovely Hector is rested.
I expect Big Sam’s “kids” will turn out to be an athletic, strong lot with instructions to give us a hard time. It won’t be pretty but a win and decent draw in the 4th round is all that is required.
COYRs
Sunny in E14. Clouds in the sky though. Decisions, decisions!
Meanwhile,
What did she wear?
Who, Delia ?
Adverse weather conditions for the fans? Then there is Sunday’s NFL game hosted by the Minnesota Vikings where the tempersture will be about 18 degrees centigrade below zero. Apparently the team has a stash of cardboard sheets to hand out to the fans who will be advised to put them under their feet so as to avoid direct contact between shoes and frozen concrete. Sunny skies exected though. 🙂
Expected, that is.
Sorry for incorrect info in the above. It looks like hauling your own cardboard will be required. Not unlike the plight of the homeless, mind.
Family commitments mean my ticket for this one is elsewhere today.
For those attending I take it you will be raising a glass or two to celebrate a comfortable victory and the big mans impending birthday.
Wherever you are watching, enjoy. Here’s to a comfortable and injury free afternoon
Cech Bellerin Gabriel Koscielny Gibbs Chambers Iwobi Oxlade-Chamberlain Campbell Walcott Giroud
Bench: Willock Reine-Adelaide Ramsey Debuchy Macey Arteta
Ospina off shortly, I assume. Not so much Debuchy.
We play Liverpool, whose main players would have 8 days rest, on Wed and Stoke on Sunday. In view of the heavy schedule of matches (3 matches over 8 days) should not have started with Bellerin, Kos and Giroud.
Can’t see Ospina being allowed to leave before the end of the season unless Shezza is on his way back.
COME ONNNNNNNNNNNNN!
come on boys
come on boys, bring us home high and dry!
Stream for them what needs it
http://mamahd.com/watch-arsenal-live-stream-free-online-1.html
nice and direct
lovely, just great. ugh.
Shit. Sunderland 0-1 up.
You are not a footballer, just fucking clear it.
Thats more like it!
Yeah. Get in!!! Campbell!!!
fuck yeah. great pass from theo to Joel. 1-1
and nice touch by Joel, too.
Campbeeeeeeeeeeeeellllllllllllllllll!
As cool as ever…placed it in the corner!
GET IN!!
Iwobi looks good too!
agreed bb, he has a strong look about him, and neat feet.
Shades… of Kanu!
Hoping he gets one …would do wonders for his confidence!
COME ON!!
Watmore is a funny player.
Gangly, awkward but fairly quick and smart. Luckily his technique is rough. P
Iwobi’s the One!
Come on Arsenal. Important chance to learn how to play without Mesut dealing the cards.
Let’s go boys strong second half
AOC could use a confidence lifting goal or assist.
Almost Ox
almost, aoc off the post, theo wide on the rebound!
come on Ox, keep trying
Christ. all at sea, thank god for the crossbar.
Man that was close whew
uuuugh!
yes!
Yes yes yes
Yeeeeees
Ramsey!!! Beautiful goal.
Yes!!!!!
JC looking sharpe!
great work by Joel, hector, and Aaron 🙂
Oh Giroud u beauty
girouuuuuuuuud
Yes.
Olllllllie
great pass by hector, Delia in heaven with his two assists 🙂
Great cross from Bellerin and Giroud gives the finishing touch.
and what a fine measured pass Hector
Bellerin man of the match for me… tireless running!
GET IN GIROUD!!
fuck atkinson.
JC the real deal
Bellerin clinic on display
good game Joel
bmg hell yes. another candidate for motm.
the Jeff!
REF’s a C……………!
Whoa- the Jeff is a big dude!
How good is Bellerin?
Yikes.
the Jeff, aka “the big silk”.
job done. we’ve got some players!
TV showing Bolton at eastleigh…pitch looks like a cow pasture after rain and a stampede.
Ball bounces and stops on a dime hilarious
splat.
SteveT@38: Apparently Ospina has a groin injury and otherwise he would have played today. So his absence doesn’t say what I first thought it did about his future at the club.
SCG@89: Eastleigh pitch better than some of the cow pastures I played on back in the day. We lost a full back once when he went in for a slide tackle and hit a pool of water. It took divers two days to find him. 🙂
Thought Iwobi looked very promising. Moves the ball nice and quickly. Hector had his after burners out today, which would have delighted Delia. Good shift from JC, too. Once we actually got into gear, there was only going to be one winner.
The ‘Holic pound landed, too. So a good day all round.
Echoes of Rocastle in Iwobi’s game and style, or am I just being sentimental? Well played the Arsenal.
lol, Ned. poor bastard probably still coughs up mud. and clive’ll think their pitch was a skating rink compared to some he saw in his ramblers days, i’ll wager…
Outstanding preassist by Campbell on th Ramsey goal. Laid on a plate a la Mesut.
AOC excellent preassist on Giroud’s goal. Bellerin getting in great positions and felivering the goods.
here’s a preassist for ya, bt!
Atlinson dreaming if he thinks that is no penalty on Giroud.
Bbbbm
The Jeff looks like the next reincarnation of Diaby. In a playing sense, I mean. 🙂
SCG@95: The Ramblers buried the dead where they fell. Made for very uneven pitches…
Liked the look of both iwobi and the jeff.
Promising.
Chambers looked pretty decent i thot as well.
Each time Joel started this season he has shown that not only his work rate and attitude are commendable he also has the technical quality to make it at Arsenal. And he is improving all the time. He needs to develop his physical strength a bit more and more comfortable with ball on his right foot, but he is showing he is a very fast learner and very good at making the right decision to complement his technical abilities.
Iwobi in the first half was surprisingly assured and consistent. Thought despite a few mistakes Ox showed signs of recapturing some form. Hopefully he stays fit and regains confidence. On his day a genuine match winner.
Pretty convincing performance in the end, though a lot of that was down to a lukewarm effort by Sunderland.
I thought most of the fringe midfielders (the Ox, Calum, Iwobi) by and large acquitted themselves very well. Campbell was very good – still feel that if he can become even more clinical we might have a real player on our hands – but at the very least he’s negated the long absence of Welbeck pretty well. They’re different types of players, but they’re both fulfil that squad brief of utility wide/front men with good team attributes, hence why this extended lay-off of Welbz hasn’t hit us too bad (though it would be a good filip to have his strength and pace back for the run-in).
Hats off to Hector as well. He was flattered slightly by tiring Sunderland legs, but getting him on his best rampaging attacking form adds such a dimension to our side going forward. Quick word for OG too. He slaves away week after week, sometimes he looks awesome, other times lumbersome. But he’s plugging away all the time, and his goalscoring record really is decent. There really are probably only about 6-8 world strikers who I’d freely swap him with, and when properly complimented by the likes of Walcott, Ozil, Ramsey around him, he’s even more effective.
On to Liverpool and Stoke for 2 massive games. A 4-6 point return would be ace; 3 acceptable; 2 sounds respectable in terms of two draws, but I’d rather win one and lose one; 0-1 points would be a blow. Looking at it a bit more strategically, if we’re still on top or within 2-3 points of top by the end of March when most of our ‘tough’ games will be behind us (Stoke, Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs, Leicester, Everton, Manure) then we’ve got a great, great chance in those last 8 or so games.
Looks as if Benik Afobe, late of this parish, is finally making it to the Premiership, having gone the long way round via Wolves, MK Dons, Sheffield Wednesday, Millwall, Bolton, Reading and Huddersfield. Though he never got a first team game with us, I always thought there was potential in him. Big, strong and an eye for goal, and still only 22 years old. Fair play to the lad. Not bad business for Wolves, either, if the £10 million fee is correct. We sold him to them for less than £2 million.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/35273563
Grrr….ManU lucky !
Manure finally score in the 93rd minute. Unlucky SHU. Manure look terrible and boring nowadays with absolutely no penetration.
Boy was it wet there today! I’ve arrived back with webbed feet but happy with the win. I was very relieved to see us grab a very needed equaliser through my MOTM Joel Campbell. Bellerin did superbly going forward but still occasionally gives me concerns defensively, but he is going to be the best full back in the world in two years time.
I was delighted with Campbell. I thought when I first saw him play that there was a footballer in there but he needed a concerted run in the team for his quality to come out. His confidence is rising and his work ethic is exceptional and one that Thro could emulate. The Theo of Man City and Bayern and Man United wasn’t out there today – the brilliant top- class attacking Theo but we did have the guy who has spent ten years promising more than he delivers. He did set up Joel nicely for the first goal so perhaps I’m being picky but I would love to see Theo deliver consistently. The same applies to Giroud who did little more than tap in the third and get obviously fouled for a penalty that everybody but the useless Atkinson saw.
But it was a positive day. I thought several youngsters showed up well. Hector, Iwobi who had lovely control and could have scored. The Jeff is a Rolls Royce on grass, he purred through the last ten minutes and I thought Chambers was again decent in the holding role. I would also put a kind word in for Ox. Nothing went for him today but he was involved for the ninety , could have scored and did some very skilful things. He was inconsistent but is out of form with low confidence and did not hide , which was important in one of the two central midfield roles. I hope this is a step in the right direction for him.
Ramsey made the essential difference when he came on.He was involved immediately and got the decisive goal and his dynamism helped to decide the game. I liked Gabriel too though he let Fletcher get in the header that hit the bar. But he is tough, disciplined and has a touch of class. He is also much quicker than BFG.
Overall a hurdle overcome without too much trouble
Agree with all of that ttg.
I thot Gabriel did harry fletcher on that header. It was by no means a freebie. But You are right – gabriel needs to be a bit stronger here and there. But he is so good on the ball. And positionslly he is good.
I share your view on Bellerin. Love him to death, but defensively i sometimes hold my breath. And damn, you gotta feel for debuchy. I was so pumped when we got him. But then the injury got him.
NBN @ 106: Agreed about Afobe. If I remember correctly he had a major injury setback just when he was on the cusp of some first-team chances. And then Akpom’s emergence made it harder for him. All the best to him. I am sure he will have a good career at the top level.
Good game overall, and that assist from Bellerin to Giroud… fucking hell!
Martin Atkinson clearly felt sorry for Sunderland considering he gave almost every decision their way.
Lars- too right, he was very poor and fussy when he didn’t need to be and yet he failed to see important fouls especially the penalty. If he sees it on TV tonight he will be rightly embarrassed. Every time I see him officiate he is the same and yet he’s a FIFA ref. Last week we had the prannet Taylor. He is a fast rising official. It’s hard to credit!
Dr F@111: Afobe was on the fringes of the first team squad but missed the first half of the 2011-12 season with a groin strain, and never really re-established himself with the U-21s after that. Then a succession of loans started.
Ttg@109. Agree with all of that — especially the part about Theo — apart from what you say about Giroud who, I think, works hard most of the time and still manages to stick in a few goals. As somebody said at some point in earlier drinks, there are only a few strikers I’d swap him for.
Very fair comment there are some games where Giroud does a terrific job but he is very inconsistent .
As for PL strikers I think would do just as well- and I wouldn’t want them all for other reasons eg Costa – my choices would be
Aguero
Costa
Kane
Sturridge
Vardy
Remy
Lukaku ( the one I’d like us to sign next season)
Ighalo
Deeney
Martial
Pelle
Wilson ( Bournemouth)
Austin ( ok he’s in Championship)
Playing in a team with Ozil behind them that’s a dozen or so players over here let alone foreign strikers so I don’t buy the indispensable bit but he does an honest job and someone who knows much more than me -Wenger -keeps picking him.
What TTG said.
Campbell was excellent.
Is clearly watching and learning from Özil and playing some lovely, subtle little passes in and around the area. Works like a dog, makes very good dribbles and inroads into the opposition defence, finished very clamly today.
We have a player.
Iwobi also looked promising. Everything he did was done quickly and efficiently. Smooth on the ball and passed it well.
Shame he couldn’t connect properly with his shots but we’ll put that down to nerves for now. Otherwise a very decent performance.
Ttg@116: I’d trade Giroud for Aguero and Martial and maybe Kane, but not for any of the rest. Good strikers all, for the most part, but none a clear upgrade.
Not about the strikers though, TTG.
Sorry.
TTG@116: Given that your opinions are generally so insightful, I would put down that list as an output of your signature impish humor. 🙂
The only PL striker who I think would do better for us –collectively speaking from team performance perspective — is Aguero. And probably Lukaku after a few more years of decision making improvements.
In addition to offering multiple different strengths in collective play, his scoring numbers in last three years are bettered in pl only by Aguero.
A comment about Theo: he may not be scoring goals lately but his overall game, awareness, discipline and work rate have been very impressive. Quietly becoming a complete player.
Wowzers, some serious underrating of Giroud going on there TTG! If you’d take Troy Deeney over Olivier Giroud then good luck to you.
Aguero is better than OG – the rest, I’m sorry to say are not. I’m sure if you watched all of those players week in, week out at your own ground as you do with OG, rather than a flattering highlights package on MOTD, that you’d get to know all their little flaws and peccadilloes too. Kane and Lukaku have potential, but they need to keep it going over 3-4 seasons to match what OG has done, the rest aren’t close.
Dr. F – totally agree on theo.
His all around game has improved massively. Once his goal scoring instincts re-sharpen he will be back to his prolific self. Theo is a player.
I have faith he will deliver for us.
In world football, the only #9s who are certifiably better than Giroud are:
Lewandowski
Muller
Ibrahimovic (but he’s 35 so wouldn’t be a viable alternative anyway)
Aguero
Suarez
(Keep in mind these are CFs. Wide-forwards such as Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo, Bale, Alexis etc don’t count, b/c Giroud is only directly up against people that are picked to play that crucial/thankless CF role in a 4-2-3-1)
There are plenty of a similar level to Giroud (Benzema, Mandzukic, Cavani, Aubameyang, Higuain), but they’re all much of a muchness: some better attributes than OG, some not so good.
I guarantee you if we put Giroud up for sale, most of the top clubs in Europe (and certainly all the major clubs in England who, according to TTG’s matrix, have better players such as Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea, Spurs, Liverpool) would snap him up in a second. Only Aguero comes close to his PL record over the last few years…
Campbell will be a wonderful player for us..hope he gets his chance even when some of the other first team-ers get back.
I like his pressing game and attitude ..much like Alexis. He’s taking his chances too.
Is Giroud the best striker.. no.. but he probably is the best fit for our style of play and certainly looks like the best one available at the moment for us.
Can’t wait for the Pool match.
Up The Arse!
😀
I agree, Gregoire, comparing all those players with OG is questionable unless you’re a pro scout who actually does watch lots of players as your job.
I am frequently surprised by the certainty many here have about the ability of players I assume they see only when they play against us, or in the occasional feature match on TV (and we all know how unreliable forming opinions based on TV coverage can be, or so I’ve been regularly told anyway).
But I respect the views of some here who see a lot more football, especially live football, than I can. And as far as OG is concerned I’m with those who believe there are few better CFs in the Prem currently and probably none at all in Europe who are better, available and in our price range. We should (once again) thank AW’s perspicacity in unearthing a player who fits all our criteria as well as he does given all the constraints.
Now if AW can find us a dominant midfielder and solve the recurring injury problem that has held us back for years I reckon we can take on anyone with the squad we have.
Oskar
He has his limits, but Ollie Giroud will go down as one of Arsene’s very best signings; a goal every other game striker, who brings others into play, rarely gets injured and also turns up in the big matches for a shade over £10m.
Aguero, Lukaku and Kane aside, I wouldn’t swap him for any three of those listed above, and I wouldn’t have Diego Costa in an Arsenal shirt for all the tea in China, both on the basis of his utter cuntitude, his general shiteness, and because we’d need to manufacture a whole new shirt big enough to fit the fat bastard.
I do agree about going after Lukaku though. Still some rough edges, but he’s caning in the goals and still only 22.
COYG
The raw goalscoring stats show Giroud and Lukaku to be much of a muchness as Premiership strikers — and both better than Aguero. Giroud has scored 51 in 117 Premiership matches, or 0.436 of a goal every game. Lukaku’s comparative numbers are 57 in 132, or 0.432 of a goal a game. Aguero’s numbers are 74 in 175 or 0.423 of a goal a game. As the consensus in the bar is that we’d take Aguero over either of Ollie G or Lukaku, and as others have noted above, putting the ball in the net is a necessary but not sufficient quality for playing CF in the league.
I’d double check your Aguero stats, NBN. I think he has more than 74 league goals for City. Transfermarkt has him at 118 goals in 180 games for all competitions, and they’re generally pretty good on these things.
Lukaku and Giroud definitely have similar records – the reason I’d go for Lukaku in the summer is purely to do with their respective ages and the dearth of quality strikers in their early 20s currently available.
Oops. You are right, N7. That is his La Liga tally. It should have been 86 in 133 for the Premiership.
@114 NBN my recollection is that the ‘groin strain’ was in fact an ACL collected around the same time as Frimpong’s second? I was sorry to see them both wounded so and depart, delighted that Afobe is making his way back. Very interesting stats @ 128.
@127 classic N7 commentary on Diego the Donkey!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>