https://x.com/dijabringerbeer/status/18 ... -j6VVZXEoA

It took just 3 minutes of this weekends football to have a player kick the ball away to stop a quick free kick and not get a yellow card.

City 0-1 Brentford inside the first minute. This feels like it happens more than it should to City, nearly every time they come back and win 3 9r 4-1. I expect the same today

Haaland. Fancy that. You have to be a hardcore City fan not to find this a bit boring and predictable.

https://x.com/moarsenal86/status/183498 ... -j6VVZXEoA

Another example of a player delaying the restart whilst on a yellow and no punishment

Well let’s hope the trial starting on Monday brings some large bloody Pterodactyls home to roost, and in the tumult Pep leaves and the whole stinking thing gets chopped down. It remains an attempt to shut the door after the horse has bolted so I’m preparing myself for the worst tbh.

We look decent and we’ll be fine, but don’t look like we are set up to sustain the bilstering pace needed to match city atm. A win against spurs would be huge and I’ll revise my pessimism after that.

Some online comments from Liverpool fans after their loss to Forest
( )

- Impressive how not a single good decision was made by a Liverpool player today. Salah especially horrific. Deserved win for Forest, unfortunately.

- We’ve held on to some squad players for far too long. Jones, Tsimikas and even Darwin should really count their days considering the performances they’re putting in. I literally expect nothing from Darwin these days.

- Man City wins next two games, Arsenal loses to Spurs and its season over

How have Chelsea started 2 seasons running without a shirt sponsor?

In all prem games in 2024 (21 games) Arsenal have only been behind for 9 minutes of games (0.4%) of the time.

Touch wood!

Team is probably as expected. The safe approach from Arteta.
Raya, white, Saliba, Gabriel, timber, Jorginho, Partey, Havertz, Saka, Martinelli, Trossard.
Bench is full of young players. No Ødegaard or Calafiori as expected but also surprisingly no Zinchenko.

5 young players on the bench including MLS and Nwaneri. Jesus and Sterling both on the bench

Spurs look like they’ve gone very attacking.
Front 5 of Kulesevski, son, Maddison, Solanke and Johnson. Only Bentancur is a defensive minded mid. Udogie and Porto really push in to No.8 positions.

They’ll be planning to suffocate us with a super high press I’m sure. Hope we’re prepared to go longer over their high line.

One thing I don’t like when we play away to a high press is us being caught on the ball early on. Even if is this is just a block that goes out for a throw, it’s one huge way to get the crowd really involved in the game and putting pressure on the officials.

I think we are well set up for that. And Trossard isn't that quick but he is very good at supporting counters. If we can get behind them they'll be in trouble.

I think it will depend on which side is clinical and takes their chances.

I must admit to not knowing anything about Kabia and Kacurri on our bench

Just looked them both up, Kacurri is a tough tackling CB and Kabia is an electric paced right winger

And Ayden Heaven. Not only the first time I've heard of them, but also the first times I have come across the names Ayden, Kacurri, and Kabia despite having been on the planet for more than half a century!

COME ON ARSENAL!!

Arteta needs to be careful. He is getting too close to the action. He's heading for a booking.

Ref is pathetic already

Every bloody 50/50 he’s given to them so far

Stupid from Saliba. Deserved booking.

Spurs stopped a quick free kick, nothing Saliba does it, yellow.

Arsenal sneak 2-3 yards max on a throw immediately clamped down on by the ref

Wasteful from Martinelli.

Oh Martinelli, take it in closer to goal- what a chance

Really good pressing from us. Apart from the opening 7-8 mins where we were pinned back we’ve played well. Offering a real threat in behind

Trossard doing a good job. He's always progressive.

We started to try to quicken the play and got sloppy, it’s giving the momentum back to spurs

Too many sloppy passes we're going to get punished if we're not careful.

You can see how badly we miss Rice and Ødegaard.

I didn’t think that was a yes like for Bentancur, but if you press high and get turned then the fouls look worse as you’re stopping a counter attack. The sort of fouls Pep’s teams have been perfecting for years without yellow cards though

Ooh what’s going happen here? I’m glad VAR are in charge. Trust them.

Vicario starts it. Yellow card. Mmm, ok.

Agreed. It's not great really. The ref is card-happy. Likely to send someone off from either side.

There’s going to be a red card in this game somewhere. Refs lost control

We've actually made the better chances.

Is that even a foul by timber. Puts his studs on the ball and Porro kicks through Timbers boot and ball and Timber he is the yellow

Look to have found our feet now. Can we find a finish? Cannot believe that Martinelli chance.

Timber is a worry.

Very card happy and players have to be careful. Can't really argue about any of the yellows.

I'd argue every one of the yellows with the possible exception of Udogie's. It's all petty harmless stuff.

Betancourt and Saliba both prevented a free kick being taken. Stonewall yellows. Timber's was arguable but file under seen 'em given.