Well said

I don't usually go on about refs because their job is the hardest one in football, and back then it was even harder for them - no VAR to assist. However, as you say, the officiating in that match was so one-sided it leaves the stench of corruption. Anyone will accept the ref being up against it at Old Trafford, what with the crowd, Ferguson and huge media bias in favour of United, but that day was plain wrong. Inevitablty The Invincibles would have to lose, and United were always a team likely to do it, but Riley was their key asset.

I suspect you’re right john1. To me, ‘corruption’ often implies some kind of backhander. Routinely financial, of course, but there are plenty of things other than money that can given. More than Manchester United paying funds into Riley’s bank account, giving him a new car, a free holiday or whatever, myself I wonder if it might have been linked to Riley being unduly influenced by Ferguson.

I’m not even suggesting that Ferguson directly contacted Riley to tell him to favour Manchester United during the game. I reckon it might have been down to Riley feeling intimidated by Ferguson. Even a bit frightened by him, making him eager to avoid giving decisions that Ferguson wouldn’t approve of. Basically, Riley wanting to keep in Ferguson’s good books.

I'd love to have seen the legend that is Pépé in his day.

Are we still supposed to finish 11th or worse?

Elneny is a great example of why Arteta stands above Solskjaer and Lampard (as similar 'new' Prem managers). Arteta has not only improved individual players who were seemingly surplus to requirements he's built a clear system and has taken a group of players who were deemed 'uncoachable' by many in the media (and fans - include myself in that) and made them in to an organised group off the ball. Oh, and he's also won 2 trophies.

Lampard and Ole deserve credit for the sporadic performances they have got but compare the resources each has had and the starting point or squad each inherited and Arteta has simply out coached both

https://twitter.com/i/status/1323022003109023750

Absolutely brilliant

This is going to sound crazy and I'm prepared to be criticised for it, but I'd take Pogba if he was willing to come and accept Arsenal level wages.

I think there is a good player in there. Mourinho broke his spirit. OGS hasn't gotten the best out of him. I think Arteta could get more out of him that Man Utd has.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/54774068

I didn't think losing to Leicester City was as bad as it seems or this win means we have turned a corner. It's all part of the process. We are going to have bumps on the road to being a consistently good team again.

It doesn't sound crazy, it is crazy. Everything Pogba is goes against everything Arteta is and is putting in place.
Talent alone is not enough

Pogba is a lighter version of Özil. Your mad.

Totally understand how it sounds. I think otherwise though.

That's as good to watch as a 30 yard screamer or a brilliant bit of passing.

It is early days of course Gabriel/Party/El nene might turn out to be a flash in the pan ... gelatinous rather than Teleostomi yes yes yes.

But it just feels right somehow. I think we may well look back to the Leicester game as a Eureka moment for Areteta's thinking about our midfield, as someone has pointed out.

Did anyone see Roy Keane make a complete tit of himself on sky sports again yesterday ? Claiming the players didn’t respect Arteta because they called him by his first name. Utter 1980s jumbo gumbo garbage, I honestly have no idea why they have that guy on he embarrasses himself every week.

No progressive pundits on Sky May as well get saints and greavsie on

Respect for manager? Hilarious coming from him.

“You’re a *%^@*** wanker. I didn’t rate you as a player, I don’t rate you as a manager and I don’t rate you as a person. You’re a *%^@*** wanker and you can stick your World Cup up your arse. I’ve got no respect for you. The only reason I have any dealings with you is that somehow you are the manager of my country! You can stick it up your bollocks.”

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer ... -1.3480613

Absolutely ! Him of all people, it was totally ridiculous, Tim Cahill too embarrassed to speak. Blokes a fruitcake not in a hard way just makes a *%^@ of himself

Got to give credit to Leicester and Rodgers, they’ve got a lot of injuries particularly in defence and lose a key player every season but they are still a very good side. 2-0 up away to Leeds already

I’m more pleased about Fulham beating West Brom. Have relatives who support them and they’ve always been my second favourite London club.

EDIT: Leeds have pulled a goal back early in the second half. Hope you didn’t praise Leicester too early.

Keane is box office. That is why Sky have him on. He doesn't care about calling Man Utd players rubbish, including English players...which no other pundit does. Whether he is correct or not doesn't matter.

BTW, he is hard. No two ways about that.

West Brom could hardly expect to win if they turn up looking like Partick Thistle.

Good point. Actually, those colours always make me think of Lens, and that navy blue shirt we wore against them at Wembley in 1998.

He really isn’t. Total myth. He’s about as intimidating as a packet of extra value Tesco economy burgers

Every time he goes off on one the other pundits give each other a look that screams “nans had one to many sherry’s again” and then follow 2 distinct choices, either be quiet and let grandma have his rant or in Ian Wright and Micha Richards case burst out laughing because it’s so ridiculous

Keane is certainly intimidating even if people don't consider him 'hard'. Too many presenters and pundits are intimidated by his views. Two of the few who laugh him off are the two you mentioned Wright and Richards. I think Keane secretly likes Ian Wright but won't ever admit it but Wrighty is one of the very few people Ive ever seen get a hint of a smirk out of Keane.

Plenty of pundits have been employed over the years because they speak their mind and have strong polarising opinions. It is a pre-requisite for being on talksport. It doesn't mean he's a great pundit because the act wears thin - which is actually why I thought it was interesting that Keane chose to praise Partey at the weekend describing him as an all round central midfielder. Keane has a complete distaste for central midfielders being labelled as only defensive mids or only attacking mids because in his day you played 4-4-2 and central midfielders had to do everything - which is why if you asked Keane to name the best central midfielders in the prem he'd instantly pick players from his era, Vieira, Scholes, Petit

Arteta on Elneny
“Obviously I played with him so I know his qualities and who he is as a person, and what he brings to the squad. I like players that have zero ego, who play for the team, who want to contribute regardless of what it is, whether that’s one minute or 96 minutes or just by being there and giving positive feedback all the time.”

I’d probably dismissed Lens from my memory. I can remember the excitement of going to all those Wembley European nights but it never worked out did it. We had a hell of a team and yet we managed to keep stuffing it up. Lens was a huge disappointment.

Yep, it was a disaster - one of many in Europe. I saw the team photo for the 2000 UEFA Cup final recently. How did this XI not beat Galatasaray: Seaman; Dixon, Adams, Keown, Sylvinho; Parlour, Petit, Vieira, Overmars; Henry, Bergkamp.

Barca bound Petit and Overmars not giving a toss on the night and Keown missing an open goal didn't help!

Sharing some special personal news - Annie born on the weekend both her teams won, to my son and daughter-in-law living in Canada. Our first grandchild.

What a little stunner, congratulations Old Man, being a Grandparent is a very special feeling.... enjoy.

That's a coincidence Old Man. On Sunday I was with my first grandchild - also named Annie. She's in her first term at Cambridge University and we had to bring forward our lunch appointment by a week because of lockdown. It meant I missed the Man U game but priorities change. Like you, I won't get to see Annie for a while now.

Sounds like you were a late starter, Hoy. I was married with children by the age of 11.

Compared to the fish in that 5-1 defeat at White Hart Lane in the League Cup semi, Petit and Overmars worked their socks off that day.

Congratulations on the grandchild.

Well not a great deal happening in the football at the moment.

Hey AG, anything interesting happening over your way in the US ?

Did you listen to the last Tuesday club with Wenger on it ?

He told Alan Davies the referee forced both teams to take the penalties at the Galatasaray end despite it being a war zone for safety reasons. (Ie they thought there would be a riot from their fans)

They subsequently changed the rules after so this couldn’t be done anymore. More than a significant advantage

No missed that, but I was at the match. The Gala fans were incredibly loud - made Liverpool and Dortmund seem mute in comparison. We did our best but it was no contest really. My memory is of the authorities making life difficult for Arsenal fans - over-marshalled, made to walk around and also wait in the rain before being allowed to enter the ground. They also made us take the sticks out of our small flags. Once inside the Gala fans were already set and had not had their flag sticks confiscated. So added to their monster flag were scores of others, flourishing very impressively. We were waving ours like handkerchiefs!

As for the match I stand by my view that certain Arsenal players, most noticeably Petit and to a lessed extent Overmars, were pretty disinterested. It wasn't a good game but when Hagi was sent off we should have made the most of it. And with the names on our team sheet you would have expected it never to go to penalties. Just a few years on and down to ten men in the ECL final we showed far more resolve.

Is your real name Jerry Lee Lewis?

Thank you Parker - thanks to Whats App we can watch her doing very little and still find it riveting. In footballing terms, so long as she doesn't come to look like any of them, my hopes for her are that she grows up with the character of Bob Wilson; the self-confidence of Ian Wright; the strength of Tony Adams; the humour of Jimmy Greaves; the poise of Dennis Bergkamp and the wisdom of Tony Burman. Not a lot to ask.