Legendary status can stem from negative actions. Rattin, Maradona, Rijkaard, Schumacher and Keano for example. However, what one might see as a negative, others see as a positive, 'The Hand of God' being a case in point. They were dancing in the streets of Buenos Aires (and Dublin and Glasgow) after that one.

I can't really comment on Rattin because although I've heard of him I don't know what he did that you see as negative. But I suspect all of the other examples you mention would be seen as legends even without the incidents you're clearly referring to.

Hi Soc. When the Ox is on his game, he is fantastic and possesses all the tools of a top class player. However you can't really argue the fact that he has never produced for us on a regular basis and we have waited a long time now for him to step up. He is incredibly inconsistent and seems to get injured as soon as he is presented with a run in the side. Mentally not the strongest either, Wenger has alluded to this and it's been witnessed many times when an error early on seems to completely knock his confidence to the extent that he then has a nothing game fluffing simple passes and crosses before being subbed off early. His goals record is poor too (Theo for all his limits scores goals). I personally would like him to extend his contract and then finally prove his quality but I doubt he will ever be the player we originally hoped. A bit like Wilshere in that respect. Would keep but can understand if either or both were sold.

Özil is saying he wants to stay at Arsenal and will sit down with the club once everyone is back in London.

Very good to hear. When Özil is on his game (as in the 15/16 season) he's as important to us as Sanchez, in my opinion. Makes everyone around him better.

Ibrahimovic? To The Arsenal? Not sure if I believe that one.
http://dailycannon.com/2017/07/arsenal- ... the-chase/

With the player supposedly pushing for the switch, seems we will likely land Lemar. If we lose Sanchez, and with the additions (including Lemar), we are stronger? Weaker? About the same? Too unpredicatable.

Almost as good to hear is Giroud talking in past tense about his time at Arsenal. Sounds a forgone conclusion he's leaving. I won't miss his chicken running but as a decent ish transfer on the basis he was signed as a squaddie.

I wonder if we sell him we will bring in another striker as it would leave us with lacazette and welbz

I think if he goes, it means Giroud will depart with 98 Arsenal goals to his name. I see it as a shame when players leave when they're so close to what Arsenal calls it's 100 Club, but still short of it. Paul Merson left when he had scored 99 goals for Arsenal. If Wenger really wants Giroud out, I'd rather he goes on the last day of the transfer window to give him the Leicester, Stoke and Liverpool games to get two more goals. I'm not sure if the Community Shield game against Chelsea still counts in the official totals of players' appearances and goals, but if it does then that one as well. I know I'm possibly being a bit too sentimental about it, but I'd like to see Giroud get his 100th Arsenal goal before going; and I think he's a decent enough player to mean him playing in the above matches wouldn't necessarily damage the team.

Like you imply, I reckon having only Lacazette and Welbeck as options upfront would be a big risk, especially with the number of games in the Europa League if we progress a long way in it. Perhaps it means Sanchez and/or Walcott will be staying.

Well I was one young Dubliner who was more amazed by what he did a few minutes later. The hand ball became an irrelevance after that. Shilton should never have been beaten to it anyway.

I think there are signs that we are leaving the era of defensive football behind. I think even Mickey Harte recognises now that you can't beat Dublin that way, well this Dublin panel anyway. Getting ahead of myself now but should we meet in the All Ireland semi, which seems likely, I would be genuinely nervous about that game.
I think the biggest problem with both codes is the demise of the middle ranked counties. In football the likes of Meath, Offaly, Kildare and the like who from time to time produced teams who could challenge. What do you think of the super 8s next year?

Lovely man as well. First player I met. Pre season at Crewe in early 1970s. Met him and Bobby Campbell before the game. I was only about 7. But never will forget shaking hands with a double winner

Just seen the interview you must be talking about Top Gun. I can see what you mean. Giroud says leaving Arsenal "is an option" and asked about his going to Australia on the tour replied "for the moment I am here" and "we will see later."

Sounds like he's off to Dort

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football ... ews-Gossip

Wonder if we will re invest the money. If we also sell Perez that could be around 35 to 40 million back in the coffers

Dublin and Kerry are all about attacking but there are far too many games bogged down in blanket defence. I think something radical is needed - 13 aside. That would put a much bigger emphasis on foot passes.

As for the Super 8, I don't see the point. It's just more games to get the four semi-finalists. If that is the route then just switch the league to the summer.

Thanks Ex ........Would have looked great on the dashboard , or as a bumper fixture of the 1947 Ford V8 coupe my son and I were mulling over buying at a swap meet last Sunday ...... $ 22,000 or near offer .

Wasn't too sure I could handle the rattles , wind howling through the floorboards and windows as was par for the course of fifty years ago . A heating system that would raise the temp inside the car to about 4 above zero is a bit offputting.

Fair enough ... I only watched the one game .
Was going to advocate watching last night's State of Origin as a sporting spectacle ...... this used to a be a brutal not to be missed encounter , hard arses galore on both sides but sadly over the last decade NSW have lost the plot completely , no teamwork , brains .

They get the odd win and the Sydney papers forecast a new era but when it comes to the crunch Qld always prevail . Last night they were woeful .

This guy pretty much nails the hardcore Trump supporters. Its a hard, bitter pill America's media dances around. The 'flyover' states (Oklahoma, etc, states between NY and LA) that we call them.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmBMVhu9UVI&t=106s[/youtube]

With regards to Saturday, my guess is we won't see much of Lacazette. The last 5 or 10 minutes and he's brought to help bring in people at the gate. Just my guess.

Any live streams for the game this morning?

SBS Streaming - https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/

Available after the game

Well I watched the whole thing but I'm not sure what his message is.

So, he's not a fan of President Trump ?

It's on the Arsenal player. sign in and watch.

You can register if you're not already a member.

My youngest daughter had the same problem with rigid categories when she was about three. She recognised two categories of motor vehicles: trucks, and cars. If some other vehicle (like a bus or a van) appeared she would experience cognitive dissonance. Eventually she created a third category, 'schoolbuses', into which all miscellanea, including motorbikes, were blithely lumped.

She got over that, though.

I agree it is fun to watch once in a while, in the same way a re-enactment of the battle of Spion Kop would be fun to watch.

Lacazette starts on the bench.

Bielik Mert Kolasinach back three
Nelson Coq Willock Brammal
Walcott Özil
Welbeck

? let you know when they show it again

Bernard, what are you views on beards, and particularly, when is a beard a beard ... and when is facial hair NOT a beard?

This is not just a question of length. For example, are whiskers a beard? At what point on the jaw do sideburns constitute a distinct category? Could a cat be described as 'bearded'...after all it has hair on its chin?

This, for example?
https://media.treehugger.com/assets/ima ... -photo.jpg

This may work

http://www.genti.stream/hd/hd2.php

I've got a friend who has gone to the game.

You might see him if you're there - He's the one wearing the red Arsenal shirt.

Have you tried Arsenal Player it is picture perfect?

Mert 1-0

Never really thought about it. Why? I wouldn't call cats bearded just because they have significant hair growth all over their bodies, as is the case with others species. Myself, I'd suggest the term beard is more relevant to humans. I don't see all facial hair as a beard. Eyebrows for example, even Dennis Healey style ones, or hair on the the scalp are obvious non-beards. Nor moustaches in my view, which I've always counted as hair originating from the the area between the nose and upper lip, without being grown on other areas of the lower face. I'd have to see a man's whiskers before judging. How much of the face is covered? I'd have thought the biggest doubt is with what's called designer stubble. A few days growth I would personally still think of as designer stubble rather than a beard. But if designer stubble is left to grow there will come a point when I'd see it as a beard, so I wouldn't dismiss the relevance of length.

When I first started going out with my wife, I had designer stubble. Can't recall how often I shaved back then. But it wasn't daily as the girlfriend before my now wife liked me with a George Michael type look (even though she considered me much better looking than Mr Michael), yet short of what she considered a beard. But after a short while my now wife told me she preferred me clean shaven, so since then I've shaved every single day of my life even when I've had to go away for work or other things.

Is it me or is Welbeck looking lacksadaisical......

Nelson having a great game.

Six changes including Lacazette.............

Iwobi to Lacazette. Goal 2-0 the first of many hopefully.

How about someone who has a significant growth of hair on their shoulders and back, such as many of my compatriots? Would that disqualify them from being classified 'bearded', even if the chin was fully covered?

No I wouldn't say so. If you're trying to link that point to what I said about cats, I've always thought of humans and cats as different species of mammals. Don't you then? I said there must be a point when designer stubble becomes a beard, although when that point is reached isn't necessarily the same for everyone. Going back to my previous post, my guess would be that my former girlfriend who liked designer stubble may see that point as coming later than my wife, who doesn't like designer stubble. That is a guess though, based just on what I know of their impressions of designer stubble. I can't say I've ever discussed what the point is for either of them.

As you presumably haven't got much on today, perhaps you might like to try and answer these questions yourself and reaching your own judgments.

Are you asserting that only humans can have beards? That is incorrect. Schnauzers and bearded monkeys have beards.

You are also trying to introduce the idea that whether or not someone is bearded is subjective--in the eye of the beholder. We've been down this road before.

But I do take your important point that humans and cats are different species.

When I first started going out with my wife, I had designer stubble. Forty-odd years later she has the stronger beard. Be warned.

I'm not a zoologist and take little interest in the animal kingdom apart from being against animal cruelty and species being hunted into extinction by humans. So I know little of schnauzers and bearded monkeys, but I wasn't aware that I asserted that only humans can have beards. I just checked and what I said was "Myself, I'd suggest the term beard is more relevant to humans." I'm not sure 'more relevant to' is necessarily the same as asserting "only humans can have beards". Do you then? My guess would be you don't, or would you have asked if I was asserting that? My guess is you'd have just declared I was.

At what point do you think designer stubble becomes a beard then? I presume from your post that you think there is such a definite point. What I say is that such a point might be different to different people. As I say, I've never discussed this with my ex-girlfriend or my wife, but from what I know of their opinions on designer stubble I'd be astonished if it wasn't different in their eyes. So again, if there is such a definite point, what is it? After all, you did say "Bernard, what are you views on beards, and particularly, when is a beard a beard ... and when is facial hair NOT a beard?

This is not just a question of length."

If somebody hadn't shaved for a couple of days, I personally wouldn't count them as having a beard. So I'd have thought length does have some role to play in the question, as I assume you probably accept even if it's not solely a question of length in your opinion. So for you, when does designer stubble become a beard?

By the way, I thought it was you who brought this entire subject today. I've just given my honest opinion because you asked for it. I wouldn't have dreamed of mentioning the possible difference in opinions of different people as to the point designer stubble becomes a beard, or introducing any idea relating to it had it not been for you.

What about catwoman?