They're biting today!

Indeed. Bang out of order.

Really? Where's the American connection to a debate about a tower block fire in London?

It's a viewpoint, albeit a very silly one for reasons explained many times before, that you've consistently made over the years. I was simply concerned for your well-being in case you do actually believe it. I suspect you might have done once. But if it was a wind-up this time, I'm pleased.

Really?! Brum?! (sarcastically), why Fox News in America is far more dangerous than you think.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mRPj8jEo5A

Just watching the Maori Lions game. Is it only me who thinks this, or does anyone also think the haka is, well, a bit silly. All the sticking out of tongues etc.
Maybe the Lions could perform a little dance themselves in reponse - they could take it in turns. A full hey-nonny-no morris dance from the english, an irish jig, or even better a full on riverdance, a scottish reel, or whatever the Welsh do on the traditional dancing front.

It says it was being released in late May.

I suspect you think even at his age that Roy Keane might be an upgrade on Xhaka though.

Kiwi

How does a blue-eyed, blond lad with a Scottish surname get to play for the Maoris?

Many a true word is spoken in jest

Mbappe was shopped in.

Its all silly. Rugby doesn't bear thinking about. American football. They hadly ever kick the ball? Cricket isn't merely silly, it is prolonged futility. The Haka seems comparatively sensible and brief.

settle down Big Balls .... I used the n word to graphically show Chris how irrational it was to penalise people on accusations alone .

Read my explanation you bed wetting old nanny ..... engage your two remaining brain cells

The American connection is exactly as my friend from Townsville says .... you couldn't get a more graphic example of penalising people without due cause than the way white Americans treated African Americans .

I like the normal run of the mill Ka Mate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujnXeL5zC1M

but on this ocassion both my son and I remarked the same , the Maoris decided to cook up something different ... it went on too long wasn't to co -ordinated and in a word was pretty cr**p .

Unfortunately a bleedin awful analogy.

Hope Pakistan beat India tomorrow. I would normally want India to beat them, but Pakistan have been going through a tough time in cricket recently and I'd like to see them pull off a surprise to regain some of their former status.

No i wont settle down
You could have used the word bloke or man but chose to use the n word.
I suppose its only us who rape women eh

A row of blokes doing a Morris dance or prancing around in kilts might not be quite as intimidating. Welcome to give it a try though.

Metaphor?

Intimidating, no. But it would be funny.

Or perhaps more importantly when do we have to spell out slurs? Make reference to in context perhaps but this forum has members from all over the world, All races, religions, ethnicities. Whether its this or anti semetic references to Tottenham, or whatever, it shouldn't have a place here.

Horrendous use of language

Some interesting rule changes are apparently to be discussed. Not sure everything seems problem free. If the referee's watch or the stadium clock stops at various points when the whistle blows to avoid time wasting, shouldn't there be a whistle blown to start the game again? But then it mentions players taking free kicks being allowed to kick it to themselves, for example meaning they can dribble away when fouled on the break. But when a free kick is taken so quickly, it is surely going to be hard to get the whistle blown to start the timing of the match again. Also time wasting can occur when taking a throw. Does a whistle get blown when the ball is thrown, or have I missed something?

Various fairly minor changes seems a good idea. Like substituted players leaving the pitch near where they are rather than having to walk across the pitch to get off. Also, goal kicks being taken from the side the ball went out. That used to be the case, and the rule change giving keepers the choice of which side to take the goal kick has enabled them to waste taste by moving, often very slowly, the ball to the other side of the six yard box.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40311889

I suggest you read the whole email. It is about peoples reaction to a situation and how people want retribution against a group without realising if there is someone who individually committed an offence, then it is them that must be punished. Would I have expressed it the same way - no, but the comments were a theme I have seen time and again in American issues, particularly the south of the US. This is a typical kkk theme. Hence the US connection. Sorry if you thought I was defending the remark, I was putting it in context.

True I could have used the word bloke or man but it wouldn't have conveyed the same irrationality of punishing someone on accusations alone .

I'm wondering how much of your outrage is fueled by the fact I didn't agree with your take on the "odious bitch " in Post # 480114 .

" Only us who rape women " oh please .

It wasn't my intention to upset anyone so apologies to both you , Dave and Old Man

Amazing American ...... how you've never got the balls to fight your own battles ...... but when someone you don't like is involved you magically appear out of the woodwork to add weight to the opposition .

If you weren't such a spineless half wit I'd be really hurt .

He won't see this Pete, because of course he has you blocked.

Yeah son and I gave it a view .... Fords 1 and 2 made good viewing .

My first car was a 1939 Ford V8 coupe and I've always been a Ford man ever since ...although I have owned and loved five HQ Holdens .

Surprisingly it is Kiwi Shane van Gisbergen the one I most like to see run into tyre wall .

True John

My prediction on the Lions is not running according to plan . Maoris last night ; very disappointing , were never in it , totally outplayed .
I actually wanted them to beat the Highlanders .

There are some big units in your mob the All Blacks might not have it all their own way .

The Lions have always been tour favourites , 1959 and 1971 stand out some magically names from the foggy past , Tony O Reilly , Peter Jackson , Gareth Edwards , Phil Bennet , Barry Johns , Bev Risman .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv6UoAnsVRE Here's one for Brom , I was tempted to go down and take part but in the end opted to chop down a tree .

Sander Berge

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/footba ... ews-gossip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuE00aMM2UA

What is exactly is going on with us and contract negotiations. Before the cup final wenger was singing The Ox's praises saying he wanted him to be a key player for him and sign a new deal.
Few weeks ago newspaper articles that a new deal had been agreed and that he would be snubbing interest from Liverpool. Now these articles are dropping that new deal hasnt been offered and that in fact he wants to leave.
IF true then what the hell are we playing at and what are we waiting for??
Surely he is a player we should be looking to keep and getting it done quickly

This is worth a look, he looks a good player. Actually he's the type of player arsene used to be all over.


https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/ ... a-dembele/

I don't know what's happening with Chamberlain. But all I would say is that I doubt the Metro do either, which was the source of the rumour you're responding to david. With regards to their trustworthiness for transfer rumours, I don't rate the Metro as all that much better than the Sun, Mirror and Star. Having said that, if their story is true I share your concerns. Apart from the cup final when he looked a bit out of place at left wing back or whatever the position is called, he had a strong end to the season. In the semi-final at right wing back he was absolutely outstanding.

I think one of our current problems is that too many players have got down to having only a single year left on their contracts. That's obviously the case with Sanchez and Chamberlain this summer, and I'm not even bothering to include Özil in that list as what he wants to do is even less clear. It basically means either letting them choose where they go for a reduced transfer fee, or letting them go there on a Bosman in twelve months. It seems Sanchez doesn't fancy Munich, and surely Arsenal would bite Bayern's hands off to send him there. That means either selling him to City now, or run the very real risk of losing him to exactly the same club on a free transfer next summer. The same principle may well apply to Chamberlain and Liverpool, although the transfer fee to be gained now from Liverpool would be much less than the transfer fee that City are presumably willing to pay for Sanchez.

Personally, I'd sell Sanchez to City now if they are willing to pay £45-50m rather than let him go there for nothing in a year. With Chamberlain the money to be lost by keeping him next season is less, if it's £25m that Liverpool are willing to pay now. So with him we'll only lose about half of what we'd lose with Sanchez going on a free transfer. But there again, Chamberlain isn't as important a player as Sanchez, so I think I would sell him now as well. Okay, we strengthen two rivals for a top four place, but hopefully Wenger will be able to use another £70-75m (the fees from City and Liverpool combined) to compensate, at least to a significant extent, for the immediate loss of both players. But the whole thing, if the unreliable stories in the Metro and other sources are true, seems a fiasco for Arsenal, if not a total cock up.

Take the money for Sanchez. City will have an even bigger problem than us fitting him into their team thus causing chaos that will benefit us.

Sell Ox as in all the years we've had him he has rarely strung a number of good games together. Possibly not his fault but we have several replacements for his position just as good as he is.

All the transfer rumours are just that until the window closes. No point in getting fussed about anything until it is, as Benitez would say, 'fact'. However, as a general principle, I think Arsenal should always move on guys who have lost their appetite to play for us. If it is only about money, then yes, look to reach a mutuallyy agreed solution, but if it is anything else, hit 'em up and move 'em out. Keep them doggies movin'.

What problem did we have fitting Sanchez into our team? He played on the left and centrally, and did very well in both positions. Also, who are the "several replacements for his position just as good" as Chamberlain? What are you counting as his position anyway? I accept the validity of your view that he hasn't had lengthy spells of good form. However, he has had some fine games at central, left and right midfield, as well as right wing back. One of his strengths is his adaptability and unless I've forgotten somebody then off hand I can't think of anyone already in the squad who could do as well covering those areas of the pitch as him.

Having said that I do agree, as I made obvious above, that we should sell both rather than lose them on Bosmans next summer. But I'm not going to pretend it's impossible their departures might not have serious problems with regards replacing them adequately. Hopefully Wenger can do it, but I've no longer got the faith in him that I used to have.

So who do you rank as good as the Ox currently at the club. I dont for one moment think he is great but I suspect another manáger may well work with improving him substantially. However I do not believe we have players at the club who are currently good enough.

By the way 25 days until our first match.