Yes, from the little we saw there was so much in him to be excited about. His ability to get from box to box at speed was exceptional. Cruelly cut down by injuries, and then just as cruelly became the butt of certain "fans", who would be lucky enough in their whole lives never to suffer the physical pain he did as a young man.

Maybe, but I think Mikel may be looking for economy and experience. Apparently Tot Ali Uzelez is available on a free.

Must admit I never noticed any huge criticism of Diaby by loads of fans. I’m sure there would have been a small number as you can probably find a few fans who criticise anyone. My guess is there’s a Barcelona fan somewhere who moans about Messi. But I don’t remember Diaby being subjected to mass criticism.

Six PL players have tested positive for C19.

Never saw much in him to be honest. People got excited because every black French midfielder at the time was the new Vieira. He was warming the bench at Auxerre. I do remember him being very athletic and strong but never got the impression he'd leave a big imprint on the game.

I remember some games where Diaby looked absolutely brilliant, controlled the game, drove forward, broke up play - I think away to Liverpool when we won 2-0 with Santi and Podolski scoring springs to mind. But equally he had games where we didn't see him much. Any consistency erased by the multiple injuries. But I think it is those few amazing games that leaves supporters crystal ball gazing as to what could have been as opposed to a player who might have been consistently good but never world class even in a single game

That Liverpool game was comfortably Diaby’s best ever match in an Arsenal shirt. Never reached that standard before or after it, in my view anyway. Which gives me some sympathy with Gunfire’s position, to be honest. I wonder if his terrible injury record, for which I had every sympathy with him, made some people too ready to declare him as potentially the second Vieira. Even if he’d never been injured I remain to be convinced he’d have come close to Vieira’s level.

Remember that game very well - Diaby was absolutely brilliant. What a shame his career panned out the way it did.

Anyone on here recognise any of the fans in this photo.

https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/fc-seou ... -in-stands

3 from Watford I think I read.

Interview with Mustafi covered in the Mirror. Good job our friend across the Atlantic won’t read it if he’s blocked me. He wouldn’t enjoy this paragraph.

“Mustafi appeared on the verge of leaving the club before Arteta came in, but he has become a regular starter again in the new year, and now look set to stay for the foreseeable future.”

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football ... newsletter

3 from Watford I think I read.

https://www.givemesport.com/1569391-mor ... id19-tests

American hears Mustafi is staying........................

If I could post smilies, you’d have got a few with that.

Alan Smith wasn't a bad player.

Why don't the smilies work for you ?

Strange. In my last post I tried to post one again and it worked. When I’ve tried in the recent past the whole message wouldn’t get posted. Perhaps things have sorted themselves out. Thanks for asking.

Yes, Kanu was such an intelligent footballer he may well have been able to play anywhere down the spine of the team. His retention of the ball in tight situations was ridiculously good. And he played with a smile on his face.

Kanu must have been a nightmare scenario for GKs one on one. He could make them seem like a little girl in the 6 yard box.



RvP wasn't bad one v one either. I recall him making Čech look silly once. Minute 2:35

Entertaining highlights. Liverpool had their chances. Didn't know Lee Dixon took penalties and he took it with venom.

Cummins eh? Anyone still think the Tories have our interest at heart? This is unquestionably the most corrupt, criminal, dishonest government we’ve ever had. Not sure how anyone in their right mind could vote for them again.

I'll gladly trade governments with you.

That said, its not an endorsement of the Tories. Just illustrating how bad ours is. I don't profess to be an expert on British politics but from afar it appears to have endemic issues.

Is any one happy with either party?

I think it’s too early to judge the new labour leader Keir Starmer but in terms of asking the right questions and holding Johnson to account, he’s started brightly. I know he won’t appeal to the real left of the party in the same way Corbyn didn’t appeal to the centre/ more centre left but I think we really will need a change of ruling party when the next election comes around. This government have failed on everything.

Trump is insane so I wouldn’t trade thanks. He is a vain, sociopathic narcissist whom I genuinely believe is unwell. Rumours persist he may have had a stroke at some point. I truly think he is bonkers.

.Wonderful ...and tell me ........... who would be doing a better job ...Biden , Harris , Clinton , Sanders , Gabbard ....?

Any of the above. Trump is vile and dangerous.

and Clinton , Biden aren't ..... ? try researching a bit more ...what did wiping out Ghadafi on Clinton's watch achieve ..?

Clinton and Biden are awful but Trump is the worst there has ever been. Wiping out Gadaffi did nothing but again, Trump is truly the worst in American history. However bad Biden may be, Clinton could have been etc, Trump is still lower.

Have you seen this? Fair warning, some bad language but great viewing! We need a British version.

LOL...I knew a few guys who sounded exactly like that. Coincidentally their last names ended in vowels. And the Brirish version of that is probably in a council estate in Toxteth in the north or Newham in London waiting to be discovered.

What is going to be interesting is how clubs respond to the lay off on the pitch. Liverpool had all the momentum. Will they maintain it when league play resumes? I think the break will be good for us. It will give Arteta time to train and implement his tactics instead of trying to do it while having games.

They will though. Although whether they are in their right mind is a moot point.

ANYBODY would be doing a better job than Trump, except maybe Bolsanaro, who appears to be an even bigger **(t than Trump which is an amazing feat. Trump is a *%^@*** wrecking ball supported by a bunch of morons who seem to think breaking things is funny because it pisses off liberals.

Are you on a windup or are you actually defending Trump?

Please do watch Trump himself or read his twitter feed rather than relying on secondary sources. Nobody with a brain could listen to or read the self-regarding, toxic, garbage that comes out of him and conclude that he isn't a dangerous lunatic whose only strength is his utter shamelessness.

And its actually funny that you think that Ghadaffi's sticky end is some sort of trump card that nixes every other argument.

Interesting theory. He must have had the stroke when he was about 5, because he's been that way his whole life.

Agree with all of that, Decaf, except for one thing. I don't believe he is a lunatic. He is a sociopath. It is all about him and his business interests. He is a calculating b******.

...and he's more than that Darren. Much more. We have a long list of presidents, some recent who aren't saints but anyone who uses the '....but what about..." whenever Trump is mentioned I have to question their moral center. 'Hitler was evil" "But what about Franco, Stalin and Mussolini?" It has that feel to it. Trump is evil. Leave it that.
All presidents had a line they wouldn't cross no matter how bad they were. They observed certain traditions, protocols, etc, out of respect for the office. Trump would easily eclipse Nixon if he thought he had cover for what he could get away with. There is literally no line that anyone can say with confidence that Trump wouldn't cross. Literally none.

But its more than Trump. 40 percent of the American people give or take support him and that is what other Americans and the rest of the world should fear. Because it means a person like Trump is not a one off. With how the elections are conducted, an even worse person could get in. Trump is just the figurehead for a wider group of people.

His support see anyone who is not in support as an existential threat. They don't see them as fellow citizens with an alternate view of politics they disagree with but at the end of the day those people are their neighbors, co-workers, even family members. No, they see other views as an existential threat to themselves, their progeny and they truly believe those people 'hate America'. With that mindset, you can literally justify anything. A perfect example is his hiring of Stephen Miller for his immigration advisor whose policy is to literally pull children, including very small kids who can't care for themselves, from their parent(s) and put them in cages with absolutely no contact or information from their parents as a deterrent to any other persons south of the border to try to come. These kids are sometimes mistreated, abused with no advocates. Really? what people or nation can call themselves a first world nation that does that? That's just one example. Worse yet, the opposition in my view. Where are the Democrats? Weak willed, spineless who fear the Republicans while bullying those within the party who won't go along with their establishment alliances. I openly admit I supported Sanders, donated, did what little I could purely out of moral obligation. A party that is outraged doesn't choose Biden. And he was chosen by the leadership. I'm not trying to be placed on any pedestal by any means but my God, what have we become?

It's hard to fathom usually for those who don't live in America that people can have the view of his support and that Trump is an extension of them.

AG and anyone else. Has anyone even given this a remote consideration that the timing of C19, is during an election year in the US? Hmmm....
Oh no this never could've happened a year or two ago now could it? Pure speculation...but. From what I'm reading there's an ongoing maneuver from the GOP to maneuver a disadvantaged part of the US population from being allowed to fundamentally democratically, to vote. Under the guise of preventing 'voter fraud'. Says a lot about the current regime and total control. It was it is. Expect this again.

The thought hasn't been lost on me and many others who think he could call off the election, delay it, or some other machination to get re-elected. The polls don't look at good at all for him. He's behind in almost all the swing states (some within a statistical margin of error to be accurate). One of the traditional red states, Arizona, (John McCain, Barry Goldwater who ran against LBJ), a Republican banker, may end up with 2 Democratic senators (they already have 1, the 2nd Democratic senator in 50 years. And Biden is leading. Biden leads in almost all the toss ups except North Carolina, which was always a red state but is now 'purple', meaning it can go either way.

I'd put nothing by Trump. The timing is curious.

I see. So Donald Trump has engineered a global pandemic to improve his chances of reelection.