The Round Ball Game

[johncorrigan]

Bournemouth lost 2-0 at home this evening,just 1 win in 9,6 points above the bottom 3

Sorry to hear the Bournemouth news, but you handled the round-up in a very entertaining fashion, Rob. Brought a to my face!

[EdgeleyRob]

Sorry to hear the Bournemouth news, but you handled the round-up in a very entertaining fashion, Rob. Brought a to my face!

Cheers John

Midweek details

Brighton 1 Ipswich Town 1 Came back from a goal down with a penalty equaliser on 29 mins,2nd
Norwich City 2 Newcastle United 2 Took the lead in the 1st min but were 2-1 down by half time,equalised on 81 mins,top
Sheffield Wednesday 2 Blackburn Rovers 1 Scored 1st then went 2-1 up just before the break,4 point cushion in the last play off spot
Wolves 0 Wigan Athletic 1 Conceded the goal on 88 mins,3 straight defeats,18th
Wimbledon 1 Coventry City 1 Forum derby,Sky Blues,bottom,were heading for a 1st win in 15 games until Dons,15th,scored on 93 mins
Bristol Rovers 0 Sheffield United 0 Good point v the leaders,3 consecutive draws,10th
Luton Town 3 Hartlepool United 0 Were 2-0 down after only 13 mins,just 1 point from last 4 games,19th

Champions League

Bayern Munich 5 Arsenal 1 Level 1-1 at half time,then fell apart including conceding 3 in 10 mins

[Lat-Literal]

Cheers John

Midweek details

Brighton 1 Ipswich Town 1 Came back from a goal down with a penalty equaliser on 29 mins,2nd
Norwich City 2 Newcastle United 2 Took the lead in the 1st min but were 2-1 down by half time,equalised on 81 mins,top
Sheffield Wednesday 2 Blackburn Rovers 1 Scored 1st then went 2-1 up just before the break,4 point cushion in the last play off spot
Wolves 0 Wigan Athletic 1 Conceded the goal on 88 mins,3 straight defeats,18th
Wimbledon 1 Coventry City 1 Forum derby,Sky Blues,bottom,were heading for a 1st win in 15 games until Dons,15th,scored on 93 mins
Bristol Rovers 0 Sheffield United 0 Good point v the leaders,3 consecutive draws,10th
Luton Town 3 Hartlepool United 0 Were 2-0 down after only 13 mins,just 1 point from last 4 games,19th

Champions League

Bayern Munich 5 Arsenal 1 Level 1-1 at half time,then fell apart including conceding 3 in 10 mins

And so to it about to be just another team in the modern corporate world. The "disconnect" could have occurred when Highbury was abandoned. As it was, all that fell away was match attendance. The reason it didn't happen then was Wenger who epitomized the historical ethics of the club more than any previous manager. He also provided a continuity in believable management all the way from Bertie Mee, albeit with a couple of blips. I have supported this 20 year tenure and would be happy with it being 25 for what I think I have come to realise is that integrity in leadership matters more to me than winning. That perspective, though, will not be shared by the majority of supporters. Is there anyone who could replace him and still maintain a sense of strong sense of advocacy and adherence? Probably not. All it needs is the appointment of a Pep Lite and the big line will be drawn.

[EdgeleyRob]

And so to it about to be just another team in the modern corporate world. The "disconnect" could have occurred when Highbury was abandoned. As it was, all that fell away was match attendance. The reason it didn't happen then was Wenger who epitomized the historical ethics of the club more than any previous manager. He also provided a continuity in believable management all the way from Bertie Mee, albeit with a couple of blips. I have supported this 20 year tenure and would be happy with it being 25 for what I think I have come to realise is that integrity in leadership matters more to me than winning. That perspective, though, will not be shared by the majority of supporters. Is there anyone who could replace him and still maintain a sense of strong sense of advocacy and adherence? Probably not. All it needs is the appointment of a Pep Lite and the big line will be drawn.

Those anti-Wenger Gooners should be careful what they wish for IMO Lat

[Lat-Literal]

Those anti-Wenger Gooners should be careful what they wish for IMO Lat

Exactly, Rob - but the problem now is that the real pressure will be from the baying media.

More broadly, I was one of the few who didn't believe the hype on Guardiola. I didn't like the manner of his "arrival" before the other fella was out of the door. I had also looked at his history and felt that any genius was in his selection of clubs that would have won with an old pony in charge. Still, this season I have been amazed at just how unattractive his "personality" can seem. All the churlish, sarcastic comment to interviewers accompanied by regular scratching of the ear. And then at the slightest hint of it going awry he talks about throwing in the towel completely. Klopp is better. Fun and yet potentially not fun. I could see him being unpleasant at a certain point but it hasn't come yet. It will do if his team finishes exactly where it has been finishing in recent years. But what I do like is his energetic spirit, the way he tends to be with the fans, his more than a hint of eccentricity.

Conte the tactician seemed to be a quiet clever choice and I think I wrote in my notes that he could surprise and even "do something". However, I can't quite believe what is being achieved there. There is just something about that club which doesn't seem like a Premiership winning outfit to me even when they win the Premiership by miles. Koeman's ok but grey, Dyche is terrific but I sense that is because he is so suited to Burnley he might as well have been planted in the place, Pochettino is very effective but he is too "new school" for me, the jury is currently out on Puel and Mourinho is, of course, Mourinho. At one time, I had identified Martinez for Arsenal in the long-term but he would need a very strong Committee on Defence to take the key decisions there and actually I think he might be a bit too light. So what would keep it right if there has to be a change? Adams or Keown.

[Beef Oven!]

Players, not Wenger. Gooners are dense, let their wishes be granted.

[EdgeleyRob]

Lat mentions Martin Keown,he was on pundit duty this evening.
MK sounded very disappointed on telly after the game,called Wenger his footballing father but seemed to be suggesting his time should be up.

[teamsaint]

Players, not Wenger. Gooners are dense, let their wishes be granted.

great result for your local team last night .

[Lat-Literal]

Players, not Wenger. Gooners are dense, let their wishes be granted.

Lat mentions Martin Keown,he was on pundit duty this evening.
MK sounded very disappointed on telly after the game,called Wenger his footballing father but seemed to be suggesting his time should be up.

Yes - but I think that comes from the right place. He is worried about him. Keown would be an acceptable manager but I want Arsene Wenger to stay. Re players - Ozil is conflicted whenever Germany is in the mix and always has been, Oxlade-Chamberlain has been "the great player of the future" for several decades, Gibbs is a liability, Welbeck is always injured and given the unfair treatment Walcott had from an international manager when he was barely out of nappies I always stuck by him but not any longer. That is just the start. Coquelin is just one other who may well need to be re-assessed. And I am not wholly convinced that any return of Chambers and especially Wilshere would be a part of the answer.

[johncorrigan]

Wenger has been a great servant for Arsenal, but I think the suggestion is that because of the cash generated by the 'Champs' League finishing in the first 4 in England is enough to constitute a successful season. And the argument being made after the last month or so, and fuelled by last night's humiliation, is that Wenger can no longer attract the kinds of players who might win Arsenal a League title. Top players like Lewandowski, for example, are not going to choose to come to Arsenal as Wenger is no longer an attraction in the way he once was. And so those who have backed him in the past are suggesting that last night's humping was just a symptom of Arsenal's problems. Also, another of the arguments being touted last night was that the American owners (at least I think they're American) will only notice Arsenal's situation if they get pushed out the carriage of the gravy train. (i.e. 5th or lower)

Of course then we'll get the usual old chestnut appearing that the manager needs to be English and they need to return to the kinds of players that made Arsenal the great time of the past etc etc etc, but that's another story. In the meantime it looks like Arsene's time is up, I feel rather sad to say.

[Serial_Apologist]

I note that there's currently a lot of media talk about brain damage being occasioned by heading - being described on TV yesterday by at least two health spokespersons as "headering" .

[Lat-Literal]

Wenger has been a great servant for Arsenal, but I think the suggestion is that because of the cash generated by the 'Champs' League finishing in the first 4 in England is enough to constitute a successful season. And the argument being made after the last month or so, and fuelled by last night's humiliation, is that Wenger can no longer attract the kinds of players who might win Arsenal a League title. Top players like Lewandowski, for example, are not going to choose to come to Arsenal as Wenger is no longer an attraction in the way he once was. And so those who have backed him in the past are suggesting that last night's humping was just a symptom of Arsenal's problems. Also, another of the arguments being touted last night was that the American owners (at least I think they're American) will only notice Arsenal's situation if they get pushed out the carriage of the gravy train. (i.e. 5th or lower)

Of course then we'll get the usual old chestnut appearing that the manager needs to be English and they need to return to the kinds of players that made Arsenal the great time of the past etc etc etc, but that's another story. In the meantime it looks like Arsene's time is up, I feel rather sad to say.

Yes - An American, a Russian and others - http://dailycannon.com/2017/01/who-owns-arsenal/. This is all a long way from Samuel, Dennis and Peter Hill-Wood who were at the helm for most of the period 1929-2013 and were a key part of what gave the club its identity. That was the highbrow Old England strand of it - see also Lady Bracewell-Smith who expressed regret at selling her shares. The entire position was eccentric during all the really successful years. I liked that very much, not that I would without the other strands.

There are several other historical strands that run in parallel - key Yorkshire links, "Celtic Connections" - especially in the 1970s/1980s, early trailblazing for black players, "The French Connection" and keeping ex players as part of the family, some as ambassadors. Arsenal is hence historically a philosophy every bit as much as a football club. The later shareholders like Dein who had interests in football and business and especially Fiszman who had interests in business and football led to the current situation. They saw the need to adapt to the increasingly competitive international competitions. While Kroenke, the majority shareholder now, is all sports business I accept he could be of a much worse kind.

But from my point of view the only solution is to turn back the clock to the 1930s along with everything else or to the early 1970s when we also had the military bands there.

I note that there's currently a lot of media talk about brain damage being occasioned by heading - being described on TV yesterday by at least two health spokespersons as "headering" .

This emanates from the "service"-"industries" on which the economy is now based. There was less demand for them in the days when goals were scored with medicine balls.

[johncorrigan]

I note that there's currently a lot of media talk about brain damage being occasioned by heading - being described on TV yesterday by at least two health spokespersons as "headering" .

There is an expression up here for somebody who's a bit of a numpty - Big Heid the Baw - so there was obviously a sense from a long time ago that heading the ball too often might have detrimental effects...or perhaps that you had to be crazy to head a ball in the first place - especially when they had laces in them.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The film "Concussion" gives a revealing account of the effects of head impact in American Football.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

great result for your local team last night .