I like a relatively difficult pre-season. Only if there is limited play for the ones who are expected to play 40 or more total games a season. I'd like to see the bench players heavily involved in these games as they'll will need to jump into the deep end in case of injury to a starter or subbed in and needed to perform magic right away.

Ooof high praise indeed.
Myself I often fluctuate between Bergkamp and Henry for favourite ever player depending what mood I’m in. I think Henry was the more ‘unplayable’ and for a time he was the best in the world but there are other (more emotional) reasons to choose Bergkamp. That he joined us in the first place at the time, his elite skill level was something else at the time, the elegance, the silkyness- he oozed class. If I was a professional football player I’d want to be Bergkamp

Last preseason we were flying, a lot of people say preseason is just about fitness and don’t worry about results but if you pay attention to pre season you really can see the teams who are going to fly out of the traps at the start of the season. Get your business done early, gel the team and start quick. 90+ points to win the title you can’t afford a slow start.
I still shudder at those years we were scrambling around doing late business and putting out half naked teams in the first 2-3 games and always playing catch up

Real Madrid are transitioning from the Casemiro, Kroos, Modric midfield (which won 3-4 champions leagues) to a Camavinga, Tchoumeni, Bellingham midfield. Absolute elite levels of squad planning and management

I do think Ødegaard will turn out to be the best attacking midfield player/No10 type we’ve had since Bergkamp

15 goals a 7 assists last year with no penalties. That’s outstanding for a player in his position. I think 1 year cesc got 19 goals and 19 assists or something which is nuts but that would have included pens.

I look at Ødegaard and I think he’s the player we all hoped Özil would be. Shoulders responsibility, grafts and wins matches. Incredible to think we were paying Özil 350k a week.

Bergkamp though ? Wash your mouth out bloke could control a runaway steam train with his first touch. I’ve never seen anything like it. A football player who seemed to know what was going to happen on the pitch 2 minutes before it did.

If the transfer window doesn't officially open till June the 14th then how have Liverpool been able to officially announce Macallister on their website as a new signing???
Or am I missing something??

With regards to the CS, if we are going to lose I only want it to be on PKs and not open play. We need to play them to a stand still in regular time to instill confidence for the regular season.

Miguel Delaney on Rice


“There has been progress with Arsenal, although they are still some way apart from West Ham United as regards how the purchase is made. A fee is almost agreed, but West Ham want the payment to only be over two instalments.”




Strikes me as the type of thing that gets ironed out

Kai Havertz. Yeah silly season is here

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/20 ... ing-price/

Boris resigns in disgrace. Literally the worst prime minister of all time. Literally turned everything and I mean everything to *%^@. Dorries his weird blow up fan girl doll too.

These *%^@ have done more damage to our kids future than anyone can comprehend. Piss stains on our reputation

Denver Nuggets on its way to a 3-1 lead in the NBA Final. Best they win it, so Stan gets an addicted rush to winning championships.

https://www.si.com/nfl/rams/news/los-an ... ke-success

Boris is a clown, a joke, a buffoon and a complete idiot!

Worse than that girl that was in for 10 minutes ?

Yes. She was a disaster but he’s responsible for deliberately architecting the decline of the country to further himself at all costs. He’s caused generational damage that will take decades to fix. She pressed the fast forward button that accelerated and exacerbated problems he introduced. Whole thing is a disaster.

Worthless piece of sub human *%^@. Doesn’t give a toss about integrity or the truth and not only a disaster capitalist but a national traitor. Destroyed the global reputation of Britain as a bunch of lemmings following a public schoolboy oaf who’s literally screwing them.

Will now *%^@ off and make a fortune telling stories about his achievements which amount to a grand total of *%^@ all whilst people will struggle as the result of his decisions for years

Would be a lot of money for a 29 year old . Not sure where this would leave benny blanco who is a favourite of mine I have to admit.


https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/tr ... positively

Lots of positive noise over Saliba’s contract. Supposedly he’s going to take the No.2 shirt next year

According to The Athletic and Ornstein, an agreement with Arsenal to keep Saliba on till 2027 hss been reached. A 4 yr contract. Now moving on to the paperwork stage.

Saliba is a Massive coup for us if he’s staying. Really interesting as he’s going to be one of the best centre backs in world football. Feels as big as a new signing that one. Just need to keep him fit.

Also a slap in the face for the weirdos moaning at Arteta for loaning him out previously

'Road To Istanbul: Manchester City’s odyssey from Dickov to brink of immortality.'

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... mmortality

Thanks, Guardian. Yes, Poirot himself would struggle to untangle the mysteries of the Manchester City timeline over the decades: nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, injection of billions, passage of a few years, Champions League trophy. It's a beautiful and mesmerising tale.

I find the lack of build up to the game interesting really. No one really cares. I hadnt even realised it was today. Just apathy really. I think all of Europe will be cheering for inter tonight

Maybe I'm wrong but I assume most gooners and EPL fans are cheering for Inter as most hate City and their dominance and their money.
I'm actually hoping they'll win. Only because I hate Man Utd so much but wouldn't mind if they get it all stripped later on after the fact.

If we had won the title Kroenke and assuming his NBA team the Denver Nuggets will win the title, he would have been the first person to win an EPL title, NBA title, Super Bowl, NHL ice hockey title.

Inter had a very good strategy of Italian style stifling defense especially crowding the playmaker and Mourinho esque cynical defending, niggly fouls, faking injuries, etc till City finally got an opening.

The game really picked up after City scored. Both sides should have scored at least a couple goals. Not sure how Inter missed both their gilded chances.

Inter made a great account of themselves.

Ffs

No not me, I’m glad they’ve done it, and hope they repeat it next year and the year after. Maybe then the powers that be will finally wake up to how destructive this is to the game as a whole.

That type of appeasement policy didn’t work in the 1930s/40s though. The time to kick them out is now.

Cancelo is a weird one, like Zinchenko he is brilliant technically but he can't defend. Pep realised as much and they are stronger without him.

I’m hoping for a Colombian cartel to take Scunthorpe all the way to a CL win to highlight how skewed the game is.

Inter were really good tonight and gace City a right game but they had no cutting edge.

That guy Martinez looks bang average, Dzeko is past it and Lukaku is, well, Lukaku.

Not Scunthorpe. Anyone but Scunthorpe.

I get what you’re saying, but history tells me different. The Premier League don’t have the guts to do the right thing. We got 2 points taken off, United 1. And we were the less guilty. That’s evidence enough for me.

Make it a crescendo of noises .............. loud, loud, louder, louder, very loud, very very loud ....................... done!

there you go, slapping people again? come on, let's move on

What has always pissed me off is how the media avoids mentioning that City and Chelsea's titles were directly tied to having sugar daddies. It's not even part of the conversation.

If the Saudis buy Man Utd its game over.

Inter could have pulled it off. I was surprised at how many gilded edged chances they had at equalizing. In fact, I can't see how they didn't score. City (Foden I think) had a clear 1 on 1 with their keeper and should have scored but you expected that from City with the season they had.

Inter were tactically very astute. Fair play to them.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/20 ... year-deal/

Done and dusted.

Absolutely vital that we got this done. Tremendous news.

Absolutely vital we got Saliba signed up. Keeping the core of this team together is crucial if we want to build on the progress we've made this season. Plus it makes us a much more attractive proposition when we try and convince new players to join. Given Edu and Arteta's record of signing players who've clearly improved us, I'm so intrugued to see who they go for next.