Yes, we need to learn from Aussie how to take defeat in our stride...

Exactly. Okay I didn't say that we were a model to follow. I don't take defeat well at all. But the football comms were scathing and calling for all type of changes.

I have been thinking about the apparent disparity of how Emery approaches cup games and the EPL performances.

I suspect that Emery’s continued employment at Arsenal depends on us getting a CL spot next year. Maybe he has even been told that they want to concentrate on a top 4 finish and not get entry by the Europa which can be a bit more hit and miss.

He is super cautious in the EPL but seems to allow the team to play open football in the cups. I know that we haven’t played very good teams in the cups but Frankfurt were okay. I think that he will continue to be cautious in the EPL and so I suspect we will struggle to actually start putting it all together as a team as he will not allow the players to have their head.

The hope I have is that the players will just start expanding their games even if against his instructions.

Emery has his weaknesses but if he was to go I want him replaced with a manager who will continue the youth project. Too many managers just want to put their faith in experienced players and I suspect if the board had not got rid of Mkhitaryan and a few others he would have always gone back to them in games.

I am torn as while I don’t like some things that Emery does, I want to know if Smith-Rowe, Eddie, Wilcock, Saka, Marinelli and others are good enough and if they make it. Would I give up another year of CL to find out – probably. If the EPL team actually started playing really well and we were promoting young players I would not care if we missed just one more year of CL.

Özil got Arsenal’s player of the year award for 2015/16, his third season with the club.

Kiwi, If you check in now and then - bloody good Bathurst with a good result. If a Kiwi has to win it I prefer Scotty to Van Gis. It was nerve wracking in the last 20 laps.

So that makes this season his seventh with us. Bloody hell. I didn't think it was so long.
Let's hope we can ship him out, on loan at least, in January.

Like a marriage - seven year itch setting in.

So now he saves a penalty !

Čech did save one for us against Watford. I rate Leno very highly and he’s a great shot stopper. But I don’t remember him ever saving a penalty for us. Or have I forgotten one that Leno saved?

Your memory is good.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/bernd-l ... eler/72476

Apparently we've had 4 players booked for time-wasting this season. I do find it utterly infuriating that teams seem to be allowed to waste time from almost the first minute against us - mostly at the Emirates - but when we finally make the break through we're seemingly booked for the first hint of any time-wasting.

Well done England. The result matters less than the way you carried yourselves. And Raheem Sterling, you are becoming a very special player.

Ever Benega will only have 6 months left on his contract in January. Emery is surely going to want to make a push for him

Horrendous scenes in Bulgaria

Fifa and UEFA culpable for indulging in racist behaviour for decades. Requires zero tolerance approach now.

Also England fans need to look at themselves too, no more Xenophobic chants about bombers and wars.

They have been trying hard to combat racism. Very difficult to do.

They have been indulging it, FIFA fined England £16,000 after a young England player used an energy drink which was not that of the official sponsor at last year's Under-20 World Cup.

The sanction was £6,000 less than Russia's fine for the racist abuse of France's black players during a friendly in March.

They have been poor

Yes, they have. Until now the football gravy train has been too important to let racism take it off the tracks. Hopefully a change is coming in that respect.

Good fun. Both with bellys now!

The plot thickens. I didn't see this coming but it makes sense now that I think about it. Poch to Man Utd probably. Far be it for me to advise our enemies but I wouldn't sack Poch unless its with a manager that has experience working with and winning with a limited budget. Mourinho hasn't worked within the confines of a limited budget since Porto....possibly Inter. Any successful big name manager of a major club are working at clubs with big budgets.

https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.c ... er-contact
Report: Tottenham have made contact with Jose Mourinho

“He is a hard worker, a great athlete. He is always smiling. He takes care of the young lads. He is a quiet leader but he really is a leader. He is funny. There is sunshine if he is around."

http://dailycannon.com/2019/10/sven-mis ... rked-with/

I think this statement with reference to Aubameyang as a leader, says a lot. There might be a subtle message about it too.

Thanks, AG, I very nearly missed this scoop and the plot certainly does thicken. Usually I don't pay much attention to seemingly baseless internet rumours, but if it's from Soccer Link via Sport Witness via cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com, surely it's as good as a done deal. Please keep posting this kind of stuff.

So, I wonder why he didn't get the votes for captain?

Apologies for stating the obvious, but I assume it didn’t cross your mind that more players rated Xhaka as a captain.

It would be great fun if Mourinho joins Spurs. The games they play against us, Chelsea and Hammers are toxic enough already, without his preening input.

But do you think he could be successful there?

Oh yes. He wins at least one trophy wherever he goes and with their set up now on and off the field there is every chance he would keep up his record of achievement at Spurs. A cup is well within their scope, if not this season, then next. Under Mourinho a top four would be on, and despite what all the Arsene critics said, that is success these days.

Brexit update

Johnson now willing to put a hard border down the Irish Sea so that he can be prime minister and make thick English people feel better about themselves .... whilst still being very thick.

More to follow

Talking of bosses in London enjoy a bit of the real one.
https://youtu.be/tLeZ7EolBDE

Give it a rest ffs, there is thick people on both side of the debate, what is so great about the EU? - it's not a peace project, it was implemented by bureaucrats to feather their nests, it is tiresome hearing people saying how the world will end if we leave the EU but there is no substance to their argument.

I'm past caring now, get Noel Edmonds in to open a box.....

Well said WG.Can't wait for it all to be over and for a lot of humble pie to be eaten whoever was wrong.

The shame is one can no longer criticise the likes of Spain and Turkey when our own politicians can be so undemocratic.

It’s provides around 6% of our total GDP, the freedom of movement and protects workers and consumers rights enabling a better life for our citizens so we aren’t exploited. (Like we are about to be)

And no there aren’t thick people on both sides of the debate because people who want Brexit are too thick to explain why it’s a good idea and how they see their lives improving after we leave the European Union without bringing everyone else out in fits of laughter.

.. unlike giving 100 grand of tax payers money to somebody to play “Hide the sausage”

The majority over the irish sea are very happy with that.

Or in other words, "How can you have the temerity to not think like me?"

Has Donald trump given his approval. He seems to have an opinion on everything

I can see them winning the league cup domestically but that's it. The only way they will win the FA cup is if the planets aligned and the big boys get knocked off and/or they play a strong side against a top 6 side. The league has gotten much tougher top to bottom.

I can see them winning the Europa Cup though. Frankly, and I know I will get some stick for it, the Europa cup seems easier to win than the FA Cup.

In its original form, it was a peace project. In the devastating aftermath of WWII, it was designed to bind Germany into a political and economic relationship with their neighbours so that their marching tendencies might be controlled and a third European war avoided.

Like so much else that’s flowed from that original and radical initiative, it’s worked perfectly and to everyone’s benefit.

In my opinion Old Man, Brexit has been foisted upon us by a curious alliance of the rich and super-rich (whose interests are served by lack of regulation and who have been waging a vicious anti-EU and anti-Foreigner campaign for a generation through their control of 90% of the print media), the super-poor (who after years of austerity, just voted for a change in their circumstances, which couldn’t get any worse, poor sods), the b****** ‘brains-on-sticks’ Hedge Funds (who’ve all shorted the £ and make large contributions to make sure maximum chaos ensues), the ill-educated (who are blissfully unaware still of the damage being done and probably always will be) and the under- or un-employed crypto- or not so crypto-racists (who live in working class areas where there just aren’t any bleeding jobs, thanks largely - still - to Thatcher, but continue to blame foreigners for taking non-existent jobs).

Oh, and the glue that holds together all these disparate strands of British society, our blessed elderly (who, rich or poor, sharp or otherwise, hark back wistfully with rheumy eyes to a time when the sun never set on the Empire and the globe was red, and who were prepared to sacrifice their grandchildrens’ futures on the altar of nostalgia). Mustn’t forget their pivotal part in this utterly chaotic tragedy that has made us the laughing stock of the world, eh Old Man?

You may not agree; I understand.

Peace and love.

Strange how all the remoaners are calling Brexitters thick when they appear to have no idea how the system is working.

The EU is about to implode and they want to be in the club when it does. Unbelievable.

Thousands of voters are rebelling against the elite because they can see that their only being is to serve their masters, work etheir balls off for no reward. Directors wages and bonuses are exploding while all the workers get are zero hours. The UK rich are the entrepeneurs of yesterday who made their money with hard work. Very few of them believe the EU is helping the situation whilst the Soros's of the world are backing remainers and making billions out of the chaos they are causing.

Top Gun you are a moron of the highest order and at times worse than obnoxious. The EU is not working ask the Greek islanders what their lives are like with all the so called refugees invade their islands while the EU does nothing to help them. Oh and Erdogan has another million and more to send their way.