Through gritted teeth ..... NO ... I didn't see house prices would go up , mortgages were cheap ; because I was a f**^^% welder not a financial whizz kid ..... can you not grasp that .........?

if you cant you might be closer to the American halfwit than you think.

Certainly a flawed player (though his final ball is not nearly as bad as you describe, as evidenced by his more than decent number of assists through the years) and I wouldn't argue if you called him one dimensional. But he is (or was) a good goal scorer and overall useful player in the final third.

As for your first sentence, if you replace Pedro with Walcott in the Chelsea squad last year, would you seriously not expect them to still win the league?

House prices in London currently sticking around 2014 levels nobody knows what will happen with Brexit just saying.

If it's any consolation I have a genuine admiration for and envy of welders.

Proper job.

Although my first wife now has about as much regard for me as General Pinochet, her dad was a welder and I always got on really well with him.

Exactly so. Though despite his possible incompetence he manages to score goals..................

wonderful how this f***&^% ponsy tubby arsed knob sometimes shells the verbosity but still takes the piss .

Last year was a productive year. But was it worth waiting 12 barren years for. A review of the goals he scored last year shows there were important ones against Bayern, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City (2 w 2D).

But there were cup goals against Lincoln Sutton Basel Ludogorets and a hatrick against Southampton. You may recall the Southampton team was described by some as a third team. I think Perez got a couple as well. Other EPL goals Stoke Hull Swansea Bournemouth and Westham.

I don't think you should disregard the demand to play centreforward when Wenger caved in and gave him a ton of cash.

If he is such a great player why has his greatest supporter Wenger abandoned him.

I am afraid that no manager like Conte would put up with his disappearing act. I don't think he would be a replacement for Pedro ever. I cannot stand any player who does not try. I accuse Walcott of not trying on occasions. Just not interested and never tried to tune in to the game.

What goes up often comes down, though. If you can hang on through the cycle you'll almost always come up on top (obviously I am not talking about areas going through longer term declines, like old mining towns in SA), but large swathes of the middle class couldn't after the 2008 crisis. The idea that it is always wiser for the middle classes to own rather than rent (courtesy of Thatcher and Franco) is pretty threadbare.

The global economy is burning it up at the moment because of Trump's slash and burn policies. But you'd have to be brave to bet against a major correction sooner rather than later. The underlying issues have never been resolved and US midterm elections are looming.

Nothing like that. It was a cancer that he discovered very late. And I exaggerated a fair bit when I said 'promptly', Nasty business.

Did you know that there is still a Highbury Stadium.

It's in Fleetwood......................

Be great to get drawn against them in the FA Cup.

But if you consider last season productive, he's had three seasons before that were more productive. Between 2010-2013 he averaged 10 goals and 8 assists in the league, which are not bad numbers.

As for Conte not putting up with him, we are still comparing him to Pedro (who started 26 league games for Chelsea last season). Hardly a player who I would say exemplifies intensity, work rate and defensive nous.

The US government, be it local, state or nationally, took over the mob's 'bread and butter' businesses. The mafia had underground casinos for decades. Also, when you hear the term 'the numbers racket' in those old gangster movies, they are essentially talking about lotto.
Every major (and minor) northern city had a numbers racket. It paid better than the government did when it took it over. Plus no taxes. They had an impeachable, publicly known and widely available system for the 3 numbers. In New York one of the methods used was the last 3 digits of the Dow Jones or the last 3 numbers of the daily circulation of the New York Times.
The stock market has been called 'The world's largest casino' at times as well.

Oi AG take your ferkin meds you loon tube.

Us not being in the competition I've not seen one whole match this season in the CL. Anyone else reduce their CL viewing either?
My only interest in the competition is hoping all the English sides do badly..lol. My CL interest has been reduced to highlights when it happens to be on the news.

Now Trump and the NRA are trying to pass a law allowing people to carry conceal weapon across state borders. The insanity continues.
The public display or even concealment in public is completely nuts.
There was a recent shooting at a store when the cops came the suspect as well as others had their guns out and the cops had no idea who were the 'good guys' and who were the 'bad guys'.
But as the adage goes, you get the government you deserve. I'm also reminded about that other adage about when good men do nothing.
Lastly, with Trump looking to start a war where ever he can get it to distract us, will the UK follow him into the abyss?

I want all the sides in the CL to do bad. It's no fun at all.

Really enjoy not being in the CL - it's a rubbish competition run almost solely for TV. Couldn't give a flying *%^@ about it.

How's the Sibelius, Hoy, did she have her wrist warmers on?

Those midterm can't come soon enough. Either that or he'll run out of insanely stupid things to do. Jerusalem? He's reckless to the point of insanity.

AG's favourite invincibles team are losing 2-0 to Shaktar Donetsk.

Maybe that'll shut him up.

Sounds a bit like the Premier League to me.

AG chatting to CasinoBot

Do you know many people who have lost money in property over a 5 year period ?

Wiltord or Freddie ? If you had to pick?

Ok mate I won't respond further as your a good laugh but my point is that you don't need to be a financial whizz to know what's happening with property prices therefore estate agents aren't major value contributors. buy land .. you'll thank me

I am not sure we should make light of the casino business.

Apparently the master plan for end of season is take all the money we get from Alexis, Özil, Walcott and Wilshire and place it on the number 7. If it comes home we get to buy a moderately okay footballer but if it doesn't we will look for a 16yo from some obscure country to replace the 4 of them.

Won't belong before he 'blocks' that too.

Still, at least it's given him someone to talk to.

Do bots lend a sympathetic listening ear?

Tonights match will test my interest in the competition and the side in general tonight. I think I may end up watching it but its not a foregone conclusion.

Looking ahead to the Manchester derby, literally will be holding my nose hoping Man Utd wins for no other reason than my silly fear City goes unbeaten.

Could you not do us a little favour and hold your breath till the game finishes?

The bot will soon be begging for mercy.

13Ospina
2Debuchy
21Chambers
16Holding
30Maitland-Niles
35El Neny
34Coquelin
14Walcott
10Wilshere
23Welbeck
12Giroud
Substitutes
22Reine-Adelaide
32Akpom
54Macey
61Nelson
62Nketiah
65Sheaf
69Willock

Looks like a good second team to me. Let's hope they gel and we get a good result.

Theo having a great game. Scores the second goal. The team is dominating the game.

Jack scores. 3-0 at halftime.

This has to be the worst team we've faced in a very long time.

We have turned the corner.

Good to have a nice big win after the tough loss. Also, build up a little confidence and get some minutes for the likes of Walcott and Wilshere and others.
The pundit I was listening to asked the other if he thinks we are the favorites for the competition and he said not when the bigger clubs for the CL come in. I think we can get to the semis if we take it serious. Not sure how serious Wenger will take it later on. Its a back door into the CL so I would think he'd take it seriously especially if our position in the EPL table is shaky.

Fair point TG ; but sometimes you wonder whether the bubble will burst , house prices in Auckland going off the scale a basic not too flash weather board house selling for over a $1 ,000, 000 .

Good win against very ordinary opposition . Walcott worked hard but I kept flicking over to watch Ronnie O Sullivan get the biggest scare of his life against a really nice young Thai kid .

Agree with Daz hard to get enthused about European football .
Always get the feeling it is all about money , the Champions League should be just that , the Champion of each country .

Wouldn't be too down about that , women are a very complex combo ...... comparison between the genders is like comparing a Model A Ford with an upmarket BMW .