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11 Dec 2016 22:56:34
Fingers crossed for tomorrow's draw :
Benfica, Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Real Madrid, Porto or Sevilla.
Benfica please 👍.
12 Dec 2016 00:37:01
Was hoping to get Tottenham. Oh wait.
11 Dec 2016 18:39:52
Hi guys, its Slovakgooner cruising around my hometown in my Skoda wondering how Raver mate is feeling now? Mighty Spurs sitting safely 7points behind poor Arsenal and greatest Harry Kane went missing yet again. no Raver? :-)
11 Dec 2016 20:50:46
I'm feeling great as I had 350 quid on a utd win Slovak, so that pays for the ravers Christmas drinks. I knew we would get nothing at old Trafford we never do, you were lucky to get a draw there 2 weeks ago Slovak and was played off the park. You got a hard run of games on the way Slovak so let's see how many points you'll be picking up. I did laugh when you said you was cruising in the skoda, I walk faster than that car.
11 Dec 2016 21:12:58
All good then, I'm always laughing at your deluded posts here :-) looks like we both have a fun here.
11 Dec 2016 21:44:54
When you say cruising around your hometown do you live in bedrock, I can just imagine you pushing the skoda shouting yabba dabba doo.
11 Dec 2016 21:57:46
Raver,
You keep mentioning our hard games, but we keep cruising through them like The Raver in his Subaru on a Saturday night.
{Ed025's Note - if its like its its owner dags it wont go very fast because its full of crap mate.. :)
11 Dec 2016 22:12:14
Haha, true Ed025.
I loved your comment the other day, about Raver's Subaru being stuck in Wembley car park 😏.
{Ed025's Note - cheers mate..
11 Dec 2016 22:26:36
Raver I've got the image of you jump starting the corsa shouting Europa Europa Nooooo :-)
{Ed025's Note - i see him in wembley car park giving it a damned good thrashing with a branch G62 ala john cleese..and shouting "why the bloody hell did you bring me here if you knew we would make an embarrassment of ourselves".. :)
12 Dec 2016 07:13:18
I know that your imagination has no limits, you are showing that since your first post on this side Raver :-) :-) :-)
11 Dec 2016 11:42:31
I forgot to Add :
Xhaka may not be a defensive colossus, but he does mop up well and breaks up the opposition's attacks with his tackling and interceptions.
He is playing the Cazorla role right now and doing very well. Kante could not do that for us because he is by miles the inferior passer, he cannot not pull off the types of long and complex passes Xhaka can nor is he creative enough. That's not a knock on Kante because they play different roles so we cannot compare the two.
Lol and lasting memory I'll have of Kante is Ozil making him look like a mug as we walloped them 3-0
By The way I'd argue that Mustafi is the bargain of season, when the see the kind of Money City spent on stones.
11 Dec 2016 12:17:26
Cmp could not disagree more, xhaka does no mopping up as you put it, that's one thing he doesn't do and you analysis of kante is, well biased. Its not a coincidence that he was at Leicester and they won the league and miss him all round and chelski have moved about 8 places up the league and he's basically the only new player. he's far better than you credit him for.
11 Dec 2016 12:33:40
Steve - Chelsea have a new manager and formation. May be they missed a box to box midfielder
Question - is Kante a Coq or Santi replacement?
Question 2 - who cares about Kante as we didn't sign him.
11 Dec 2016 12:49:15
Sy don't blame me I didn't bring him in the debate.
11 Dec 2016 12:55:52
Question 1 kante could have played with coq or santi. But he's at chelski and i'm sure they are happy with him all round.
11 Dec 2016 13:32:10
I bet they are happy and I would have signed him over Elneny but not Granit but that's the issue with timing but the beautiful thing about opinions! Have a great Sunday.
11 Dec 2016 13:57:43
So Steve you mean to tell me that Xhaka does no defensive work and the stats about his interceptions, tackles and ball recoveries per game are a myth? You say my am biased against Kante but you completely deny Xhaka's defensive contribution, even yesterday he made his mark.
Then you attribute Chelsea's improvement down to only Kante, Am sure it has nothing to with a resurgent Diego Costa and Eden Hazard, a completely reborn Victor Moses or the influence of Antonio Conte.
11 Dec 2016 15:31:51
Cmp his defensive work is wreckless and not calculated. Your the one saying kante is not that good, i'm saying if xhaka has the same effect on us as kante has on the teams he's played for in this league we will be happy. He has come close yet.
11 Dec 2016 15:38:59
Cmp you put words into peoples mouths, I never said any of the thing you put. I used the word coincidence, that's all.
11 Dec 2016 18:33:20
Lads I will say this, Xhaka and Kante were both available this summer for roughly 30 million each so a comparison between who got the better player for the money invested is a fair one, like wise Stones and Mustafi.
From what I've seen from all 4 players so far this season we missed a trick on Kante but got it right on Mustafi, of course by next May this may all change and Xhaka and Stones might be seen as the best buys but for now imo no glasses are needed at all to see that Mustafi looks the best we could get in terms of value for money CB but only through the most rose tinted of glasses could anyone think Xhaka equals a better buy than Kante.
11 Dec 2016 19:29:01
Xhaka is an arsenal player and is far supirior to any Chelsea player! Steve where is your loyalty your a gooner ain't you. Don't over think it support our boys.
11 Dec 2016 20:01:46
62 - Kante and Granit are two different types of players. Kante at present looks better value - yes. But I don't think we needed Kante but rather a ball player who converts defence to attack quickly - that's seems to be more Granit than Kante from my perspective. No rose tinted glasses as I never wanted Kante given the needs of the team. Once we signed Elneny as back up for Coq - we were done as far I I wS concerned. If we had not signed Elneny then I would have opted for Kante and Granit ( Granit type of player ) .
Granit needs time and then we can judge him - first season and not had a great run of games yet.
I stupid red - a red that viera would have picked up - and a few stupid mistakes. Will he learn - bloody hope so!
That's me with my rose tinted glasses if you call that biased.
All I am saying to Steve is that Coq was no different a year ago. Stupid costly red against Spuds and should have seen red against Palace. He has leArned the hard aT but Steve over looks that. You must have the memory of a goldfish to not remember how stupid Coq was even when on a yellow.
11 Dec 2016 21:54:13
You are right about Le Coq being reckless at times last season SY mate but I don't think he wss ever dirty just over enthusiastic and a little naive at times, personally I think Le Coq and Kante would have made a great partnership because although Kante breaks moves up for fun he is much more than a DM, he carry's the ball forward very quickly and effectively turning defence into attack time after time, there's a reason the opposition manager and the three match officials are continusly counting the Chelsea players in the field as they did with Leicester last a season, and that reason is Kante.
{Ed025's Note - hes excellent G62..
11 Dec 2016 22:44:07
Never said he was and never argued about Kante's quality
I like Coq and Santi as a pair in midfield and would not want Kante breaking that up. I hope Granit can grow into Santi's role over the season. Think that role is key to us and don't think that Kante can play that role.
Coq and Kante would be a strong defensive unit may be it would work - who knows and I don't really care as he plays for Chelsea. I really just care about our players and couldn't care if someone was more or less expensive or bargain of the season. Think Bellerin qualifies for that last year while Iwobi isn't doing himself any hall either on that front.
11 Dec 2016 23:01:55
No idea why Kante keeps coming into these debates to be honest, he doesn't play for us and as ed02 has pointed out, he specifically wanted to go to Chelsea and nowhere else so there was never ever any chance of him coming here.
Mourinho tried everything to pursuade him to go to United and failed.
Coquelin and Cazorla all day long for me.
12 Dec 2016 08:33:28
Chelsea have improved mainly because of replacing ivanovic with Marcos Alonso in the team, not just because of kante. Not sure if they can maintain this form with cahill n luiz as CBs.
12 Dec 2016 09:26:04
Sy get over yourself, I explained fully about coqs cards and why and how he does or does not get them.
12 Dec 2016 12:43:33
Get over yourself?
What are you talking about
My point is - Coq has learned his lesson and you love him. Why can't Granit and why is Kante relevant
If you note - I state Kante is good but that everything good at Chelsea is not down to him. You implied coincidence.
I state Granit needs to remove his stupid behaviour but also that the behaviour is not that different to Viera or other hard players we have had.
Tell me where I have rose tinted glasses and get off your high horse when someone challenges you. You seem very happy to challenge everyone else but seem hell bent on going on about Kante while dissing Granit before he even gets a chance.
12 Dec 2016 16:20:57
Sy I didn't bring kante into this thread, coq is a footballer who can tackle, who mistimes very rarely cosidering the amount he tackles, he isn't wreckless, if you know anything about football you will notice xhakas position for tackling is poor that's why his record of reds is what it is historically. I like coq because he can tackle and I don't like xhakas tackling because it is poor. that's an opinion based on what I see not because I like coq more. I want xhaka to be a better player obviously, I don't want an utter nutter who puts us in danger. Anyway give it a rest now, bezt for all.
11 Dec 2016 11:21:21
The stick Granit Xhaka is getting is overblown, He was trying to shield the ball, Unfortunately Allen is much smaller than him so he ended getting hit in face.
Banbury i don't think anyone is giving you grief for criticising Xhaka, but there's constructive Criticism and calling him a liability is the opposite of that.
I'd Have Xhaka over Kante every day of the week, not because he is necessarily better but because he suites our style perfectly. He is a deep lying playmaker, he specialty is passing rather than tackling.
11 Dec 2016 11:35:35
👍 spot on.
11 Dec 2016 12:31:35
Hes not getting stick at all, he just needs to learn to tackle and sort his petulance out before it costs us, or then he will get stick.
11 Dec 2016 10:37:44
Mustafi injury is disappointing but these things happen to every team over a season to some degree somewhere, to me it highlights just how important it is to have squad strength for every position.
Two seasons ago if either Mertesacker or Kos were injured we had to use Monreal as a CB because we were woefully short of cover but now we have Gabriel to come in and Holding on the bench which is a fantastic improvement on season gone by when we were always an injury away from falling apart.
11 Dec 2016 11:29:12
From a squad point of view - you see this across the squad this year. Wingers, Centrebacks, Stikers, Keeper, midfield etc. Best squad for ages. Still haven't seen Wellbeck yet or Rambo really!
11 Dec 2016 13:02:28
The whole of the prem, with the exception of spuds ( sorry raver ) because of the money have stronger benches and so they should.
12 Dec 2016 13:36:43
Steve, i'd argue we have better depth in defence than City and better attacking options than United.
11 Dec 2016 10:28:59
How does Adam get away with a deliberate stamp on Sanchez in the build up to the 3rd goal?
Refs need to step up and protect talent to protect the quality of the EPL
Adam is a moron and it's not his first attack on Sanchez or an Arsenal player.
Oh - hats off to the brilliant Stoke fans who showed their quality by signing about Aaron.
Between them and Adam - quality act.
11 Dec 2016 11:00:44
Was just going to mention the same, is it not something the FA can look at if it's highlighted to them and no action was taken at the time.
He is a proper fat moaning knacker!
11 Dec 2016 08:12:50
I've watched the Xhaka penalty a few times and at first glance it looks like he intentionally raises his elbow into Allen's face. However, the referee is very close and he doesn't even book him for the offence, which if it is a deliberate elbow, surely he would have been sent off. Perhaps it looked far worse than it was as Allen is a short player and in effect Xhaka is merely using his arm to shield himself, as many players do. If it was against a taller player then his arm/ elbow simply forms part of a shield to stop the opposing player getting the ball. Hence, the ref who in my opinion is one of the poorest in the PL, got it right. Yes it was a foul, but there was no intent to hit Allen in the face with his elbow.
11 Dec 2016 08:53:12
Only xhaka knows if he meant it and he will never tell us. He does need to concentrate on his weaknesses to be a great player or he will fail badly. Van persie was like him and grew into a great player. I know they are different players but they both had/ have petulant natures. Xhaka is one of the worst tacklers I have ever seen and if he can improve that he has a chance to make it big.
11 Dec 2016 09:28:12
The more I see of Xhaka the bigger bargain Kante looks at the same price, that might change over time but right now Xhaka looks over priced and Kante the bargain of the season.
11 Dec 2016 11:04:18
Careful 62 you will get strung up for saying that about Xhaka
My point yesterday was that Xhaka needs to sort that side of his game out.
Funny that the boys on MOTD thought the same.
The boy is Talented but 8 reds in 30 months is a bit much IMO.
11 Dec 2016 11:13:08
Normally agree with you 62 but I almost agree.
Kante was a bargain - full stop. No need to bring Granit into the valuation of Kante.
BUT I don't believe that Kante was the player we were after as we were after a Santi back up not a Coq back up.
Granit is a talented young player in a position that there are limited option so he won't be a bargain
He is young and aggressive in a very quick league - it will take him time to adapt. Raw ingredients look like they are there, his passing and vision is exactly what we need. Let's get behind him just like we did Cole, RVP, Kos etc who needed time and a run in the team. Even DB10 and TH14 needed time
Remember PV4 missing lots of games and getting 2 reds in 2 games.
I trust Wenger and based on what I have seen he looks pretty good.
11 Dec 2016 11:22:18
BG. We agree he needs to improve but he has not had a lot of games and he is young and the league is fast. Give him time. I issue is that you are judging him and want to be right rather than actually be wrong for the benefit of the club. I am happily wrong as I didn't think Sanchez could be our striker.
Give the guy a chance and judge him after a decent run of games. Pretty sure Coq picks up lots of silly bookings and will miss games.
Pretty sure you like Cole when he was a Gooner, as with RVP and Kos who all did stupid things when they started.
That was my issue - I agree he needs to watch his nasty side.
I guess you would have sold DB10 or TH14 after 10 games also? Or judge them as failures? Let's give the young man a chance because as supporters we seem awful at judging our players too quick and giving them stick - didn't we boo Coq off the pitch when he ended up being subbed as a sub? Look what we are doing to Jenkinson.
11 Dec 2016 11:26:24
For the record I am not saying it wasn't a stupid challenge and those things can cost us games - I am not blind to our players wrong doings.
Webb said it wasn't a penalty - place value in his opinion.
Either way - stupid to even put us in that position but I am not sure it makes in a liability just yet. Sure he has plenty positive impacts in all games he has played. Wenger now needs to educate the young man which he has successfully done with many Arsenal players.
11 Dec 2016 12:29:15
Anyone with eyes can see xhakas faults and strengths, if he doesn't sort his faults he's an accident waiting to happen. So far that's his career in a nutshell. The question is when is he going to realise and sort it because if and when he does we have a player, i'm not just on about yesterday, i'm talking about his reputation, which so far he's living up too. The difference between him and vierrra, vierra was a warhorse and 95% of the time was a brilliant tackler.
11 Dec 2016 12:37:18
Sy if you know anything about football, look at coq when he tackles, he is a brilliant tackler, that doesn't mean he won't pick up the odd yellow and red like vierra. Picking a red up for constant fouling and bad positioning is totally wreckless, there is a massive difference.
11 Dec 2016 15:18:49
And Steve, if you look back at Coq over the last season you will know he got a stupid red against Spurs which cost us and was lucky to stay on against Palace. Get the blinkers off when you discuss your favourite players and ones you use to prove points as you are consistently inconsistent with your facts.
11 Dec 2016 15:49:00
Sy you are the one with the oversized blinkers on. If you can't see someone who can tackle and someone who can't then I give in.
11 Dec 2016 16:02:26
Steve,
Pretty sure you will see that I say Granit needs to adapt and improve. where are my blinkers on this debate
You seem to avoid my comments on your opinion of Coq, Granit, Kante.
11 Dec 2016 04:01:45
Where was Ramsey yesterday?
11 Dec 2016 10:46:54
As the players weren't getting paid for yesterday he decided to go shopping instead and beat the rush :-)
This is a joke, I'm sure Aaron supports the charity day every bit as much as everyone else at the club.
11 Dec 2016 03:39:28
I commented that we needed to be careful with the squad during this intensive period of matches and mentioned rotating the squad, to which some fellow gooners disagreed. However, I believe that Mustafi's injury has been a result of our heavy schedule and we have to take care and rest players or face the consequences.
11 Dec 2016 08:41:43
I agree but it is about keeping the momentum going forward, I can see the fa cup being the place wenger rests them.
11 Dec 2016 09:09:49
Pep is rotatng city nicely towards the Spursday night league places while Conte has chosen the stability route at Chelsea, it didn't rocket science boys, how many consecutive games did Frank lampard play? 134 or something wasn't it yet Mustafi caht handle a dozen or so? Com'on boys :-)
11 Dec 2016 09:34:35
Mustafi was rested on tuesday CL games RG mate, stoke city is very physical team and you need some one like mustafi to start your game. So with all do respect your point here not valid mate.
11 Dec 2016 12:40:44
Couldn't agree more gunner, the most successful teams have a solid 11 or 12 outfield players who play week in week out in the biggest games. For me only one or two tactical changes in most games is enough. Stability is the key.
12 Dec 2016 03:56:51
The difference between most teams and Arsenal is Arsenals requirement that players are made of glass before signing them 😜😂.
11 Dec 2016 00:59:53
Great to have Bellerin back his assist showed what we missed in terms of pace and attacking threat going forward. Its a shame about Mustafi but Gabriel has been looking half decent at RB and should be able to slot in atleast he isn't coming into the next two tough away games cold.
Everton and City both look so poor in defence i really think we're lucky and playing them at the right time and should aim for 6 massive points. Sanchez and Ozil are in superb form and even Ox and Iwobi are looking sharp too. if we can win the midfield battles in these next two games and stay solid at the back really think we can smash it.
Xhaka still looking reckless but he will learn and improve. Very impressed with his range of passing, battling and positional awareness.
On another note, anyone else starting to think Pep Guardiola is a fraud. Playing Sagna and Kolarov as CBs in a back 3, Zabaleta in midfield, taking off his only striker when 3-0 down. Somethings not right he's been tactically outdone in numerous games this season, seems odd for a manager some would say is the best in the world.
11 Dec 2016 03:37:11
Yes I know its early but xhaka looks clumsy and can't tackle to save his life, hope santi gets back soon and xhaka can learn this season. Bellerin looks like the rest did him good. Good win and a lot of plusses.
11 Dec 2016 03:51:54
On pep, obviously not a fraud but he won't get away with things in the prem he did before. I must say some of his buys and decision making has not come off. Its funny, a lot of teams are adopting his philosophy and he's drifting away from it.
11 Dec 2016 03:54:33
Excellent post. I think Guardiola is finding it tough in the PL. However, he needs time to create his own squad at City, The team has aged and players are at the end of their careers and in Kompany's case he is perpetually injured. Hopefully, we can take advantage and get a win at City. With Chelsea on form, hanging no European football and having a decent run of fixtures ahead, we can't afford to drop points. A win at Everton is a must. The good thing is that both Everton and City suffered morale sapping defeats yesterday.
11 Dec 2016 08:52:36
Pep has been given squads at Barcelona and byarn .
Now he has to build one.
I see kooman struggling, maybe keeping out great manager was a good decision.
Conte has impressed me, after our thumping, I think he thought it my way or the highway and it has come off for him. Also know one is mentioning that eye gouger at man utd, Well only him anyway
How can he say he hasn't seen a better team then his. Is he linning up a spec savers advert.
And Mopo needs a mention, keeping a very average team in the top 6.
11 Dec 2016 09:15:38
Welsh when pep went to Barcelona they were in disarray, within 2 years they won everything going, quote facts mate.
11 Dec 2016 09:15:38
Welsh when pep went to Barcelona they were in disarray, within 2 years they won everything going, quote facts mate.
11 Dec 2016 13:58:07
Welcome to the premier league pep.
1. This isn't a one horse town mate
2. The players you have can't play your system
3. bravo is crap
4. Kolarov is past it
5. Fernando, Fernandinho and otamendhi ain't up to scratch
6. welcome to the best league in the world pal. Wenger would have dominated as well in the piss poor leagues you have traded your wares
7. Your only redemption in augero is a naughty boy
8. Silva is not his normal self (have you fingered him)
But in your defence at least you ain't mourinho and say that 'it's not fair I'm taking the ball home'
Better ask for shiek mon more cash for 200 million cause you are miles away and if you have no ability just buy your way out of trouble.