What is the P and O school of management?

Yes that would be big bucks, and if those figures were the case then I agree an unlikely goer., but stranger things have happened in football. Financially there are no doubt ways the club could structure a deal that didn't kill us. On the pitch he is still a phenomenal player who could inspire a young and ambitious squad. I would love Ronaldo to see out his career in London, with us.

I cant think of much worse than Ronaldo at Arsenal. His work rate without the ball is non existent, you're playing with 10 men and his ego would clash massively with a team that probably all feels quite equal and positive and pushing in the same direction. Lacazette is far more of a leader than Ronaldo. I'm sure he'd be a good finisher which we sometimes lack but considering you'd be paying £20m in wages even for a 1 year deal we'd be far better off sticking to the recruitment plan that has served us well last summer and look at the likes of Nunes, Osimhen, Abraham, David - all young and hungry.

That is a tricky one. 10 seconds worth of 12 men clearly doesn't affect the result, but what if it was undetected for 5 minutes, or 10 minutes? Where do you draw the line in what is punishable and what isn't? Talk of points deductions seems extreme, could it be a fine? Is a fine enough of a punishment? What if you just slipped an extra player on at 1-0 and defending a lead in the last 5 minutes, if you're caught you take the fine. 3 points is worth the fine.

As far as it being the ref's job that is a difficult one as well. If you leave everything to the ref then you're effectively saying that cheating is ok because it is up to the ref to spot it (I know this wasn't cheating by Bayern, it was an honest mistake)

I can't see any other eay this race for 4th isn't going to hinge on the NLD. Spurs have to win it. If we win it I think it's done. If we take a draw then I think the best points total spurs can reach is 70 points - which would be 6 wins, 2 draws (1 v us) and a defeat away to Liverpool - the trickier games for them are villa (a), brentford (a) and Leicester (h). After watching both brentford and Leicester yesterday they will be tough games for them. However, 19 points from 9 games is a run of form Spurs have yet to show at any stage this season.

For us to then get 71 points (and taking the spurs game as a draw) we'd need a further 16 points from 9 games - Brighton/Leeds/Everton at home have to be 3 points. So then it is 7 points from the remaining tough away games plus Man U at home. 3 points tomorrow would be as huge as the 3 points away to Villa. Then you have to be looking at the Southampton away game and hopefully West Ham and Newcastle have nothing left to play for and we can take points there as well.

You can use this website to predict all the remaining results and see how the table ends up. I had us 3 points ahead of Spurs and the NLD being a draw
https://www.worldfootball.net/table_cal ... er-league/

I suspect the only rationale for a points deduction is to make the Bundesliga title chase a bit more interesting. Bayern are 9 points ahead of Dortmund with both clubs only having six games left. I don’t think that would be right.

Regarding the referee being to blame, don’t we rely on them to spot cheating like dives in the penalty area? As you say, it wasn’t even cheating by Bayern. But the example of cheating by bringing on an extra man to protect a one goal lead in the last five minutes, I still think it’s the responsibility of the referee to spot if a club did that. In this case, it was 10 seconds in an away game that Bayern won 1-4.

EDIT: Furthermore it apparently happened because the fourth official put the wrong shirt number up for Coman to go off in the 84th minute. He didn’t put up Coman’s number, but a number inapplicable to the Bayern team on the pitch at that time. Understandably, Coman didn’t realise it was him being substituted so he didn’t go off. For me, that makes it the match officials’ fault to an even bigger extent.

I have spent most of his career disliking Ronaldo, and being honest through envy of the talents he has brought to other teams more than anything else. It is therefore a little wierd putting a case for him at Arsenal. Accepting your intended hyperbole, and your good point about a youth focus, I still would love to see Ronaldo in an Arsenal shirt, albeit for a short time during which he might not cover all blades of grass. He is a one-off - the usual destruction of age hasn't got to him completely. Ego? It has served him, his clubs and country well enough. That is the wrong stick to beat him with - he is a winner. Maldini, Costacurta, Ibrahimovich and Bergkamp were great players who had much to offer in their later years - for me Ronaldo is in the same category.

Big game at Ibrox. Pub team in blue losing 1 - 2 to the pub team in green.

Second half started late because those little scamps supporting the blues had scattered the green’s penalty area with broken glass.

Not watching it as the Arsenal Women are live on BBC2. Winning 0-1 at half time away to Leicester. Bit disappointing as Chelsea beat Leicester 9-0 last weekend to overtake our goal difference. Was expecting a few more against the same team as Chelsea slaughtered by nine goals. We still need Chelsea to drop points as it’s in their hands.

EDIT: Been a better second half. Now 0-4 up after 80 minutes.
ANOTHER EDIT: Finished 0-5.

See Ramsey scored Rangers goal. How did he play?

Pogba could possibly go on a free this summer. Risky move whether or not to re-sign him for the Mancs. He is on a very high wage and will want to keep his high wages. There is no shortage of clubs who would take a chance on him, based largely on how he did at Juve so long ago but also occasionally for the Mancs.

He is out of our price range and most may argue we don't need him even if we could afford him. I wouldn't be one of them but I completely get not wanting him for us which would include his 'attitude'. I don't see him meshing well with Arteta frankly.

All that said, I can see Barca going for him. They seem to be re-building from the financial mess on good players they can get out of contract and not having to pay the transfer fee.

Rich....https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/18147060/xhaka-man-utd-mctominay-card/?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=sunfootballfacebook020422&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1648924844-1

Seriously scrappy game. It was quite exciting on occasions - even pub teams can sometimes entertain.

Ramsey didn’t stand out.

He might score a few and sell some shirts, but he would expect to start and not have to run about much. I wouldn't touch him with a barge pole.

Seems it was a malfunction of the electronic substitution board. The number of the board (29) didn't correspond to that of any player on the pitch. So no-one came off. It would be absurd if there was is a fine, let alone a points deduction, for that.

Surprised Vieira was the other. Roy Keane I totally get.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/mike-dean-premier-league-referee-26608893?fbclid=IwAR2L6tQWqUL6XSqN8KBJiaXKd9gLsBO5k1mVxVrE5Ihcxo1nQCNWCNU5QEo

Mike Dean admits being "nervous" and "scared" of refereeing two Premier League legends

I’m staggered anyone would suggest we go for him. He’s the absolute reason why united arent progressing as they play to him and him alone. It’s a 2 year testimonial at the expense of their progress.

His ego works well with well established senior pro's who would equally have a go at him if he wasn't producing. Ramos, Chiellini et al at Real and Juve. Man U's team is different, there are no real serial winners there and their front line of (at the start of the season) Rashford, Sancho, Greenwood plus Elanga need a confidence boost not someone throwing their arms in the air when they make a mistake or fail to find him with a pass. I don't see our young players as mentally fragile but putting Ronaldo up there I think you'd see a drop in performance from some of our younger players as they are almost forced to feed Ronaldo instead of trusting their own instinct

Watching Iwobi for Everton today, such a frustrating player - we did very well to get the £25m odd we did. Saka is twice the player

Good song - Brings back memories.

These guys still sound awesome.

Willock starting for Newcastle. Let's hope they can do the business!

I'm amazed, a ref willing to give Harry Kane the yellow card he deserved for a cynical trip

Get in Newcastle 1-0. Willock plays his part as he won the foul for the free kick that was thumped in. Big mistake from Lloris.

Newcastle deserve to be in front. Spurs have created nothing and Newcastle have kept them at arms length

Spurs back level just before half time - such a shame

I expect them to go on and win.

Unfortunately, Spuds have got the pace and firepower to score 4 even when not playing well. Newcastle have been diabolical but even so they've been suckerpunched time after time by swift counter-attacks.

Pressures on big time tomorrow night then.

They are going to finish above us aren’t they

Weird season. Satisfying yet disappointing

I was hoping they might drop 2 points today but Newcastle look utter shite.

A bit early to say disappointing?

Spurs are worrying though.

Newcastle has been playing a wee bit better since the New Year now that they have money but it was always a huge ask for them to get something out of this fixture.

I don't think many people saw this as dropped points for the scum.

Grow some balls people. We’re The Arsenal.

Fair enough. I saw it was the fourth official getting the number wrong, but maybe the Freiburg electronic board were following his or her directions? But whoever is to blame, Bayern Munich look the least guilty of the parties involved.

Couldn’t agree more Darren. Equal on points with two games in hand, neither of which are against City or Liverpool. We are still firm favourites.

When I watch spurs I’m torn between the thinking of saying why aren’t their opponents more tight on Kane when he drops deep to playmake and why do they allow themselves to be countered so often. It’s generally spurs only/main weapon…..or thinking often the best players do what their good at regularly and it’s very difficult to stop them. This is the reason Robben used to be able to cut inside and bend a left footed shot in to the far corner, we all know he’s going to do it but stopping it was another thing.

When Newcastle sat deep spurs had nothing. As soon as the game opened up Newcastle we’re stuffed. One thing we absolutely have to get hold off when we play them is getting tight to Kane when he drops deep. Need to make a decision if a CB follows him or the DefMid picks him up

They've gotten a couple of good results lately, but Tottenham are still a very limited team as you say. The blueprint to beating them is our first half against Liverpool - we found a great balance between pressing hard and making it difficult for the opponent (which is very difficult against Liverpool, and pretty easy against Tottenham) while not committing too many players forward and leaving ourselves exposed for counter attacks. If we can do it against Liverpool we can do it against Tottenham.

Being reported that Tottenham away will be Thursday 12th May.

Both teams play on 7th May - Arsenal against Leeds at home, Tottenham against Liverpool away. 12th May would suit us better than them looking at those fixtures.

Hi Rich,

The way I see it is that Saka, Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe have got to bang big time over the last 10 games. Lacazette is unlikely to score more than the odd goal or two in the run-in meaning we are going to be relying on the wide players to win us the games. Its a tough ask and they've been up to the task so far but now its squeaky bum time, the pressure is on and there is little margin for error.

Spuds are not a good side but they have the quality forwards suited to counter-attacking who can win games for them even when playing shite. Their run-in is marginally easier I think.

I think we can do it but can the kids handle the pressure. Let's hope so.

https://twitter.com/scoutingindoors/sta ... P-hAeCaXHA

Brooke Norton-Cuffy is regularly putting in some excellent displays on loan

Morning Soc, I also think that the pressure on the wide players for goals can be eased by the quality in defence keeping the ball out of our net. If we can keep 6-7 clean sheets in the remaining 10 games I think that alone could get us 4th