Watching Pickford and Maguire try to play out from the back gives me PTSD from the Čech days

Oh no Kane, that trick is only good with English referees in the EPL.

Mings on for Stones, that'll sort that out

Outclassed I'm afraid Bernard. No complaints.

What a goal by Modric

Crook back from continually backing into players, fouling them and being given permission by English refs.

Their next game (last 16 will be at Wembley). No quarter finals are at Wembley. Both semi finals and the final are at Wembley.

Nice one. Saka is man of the match. Well done that man.

So if England reach the final, the only game they won’t have at Wembley will be the quarter final. One single game off having the home advantage England had in Euro 96 as the home nation? What a joke. Hope they get knocked out.

Every chance they'll be playing your lot next Bernard.

Is there? Multiply the last sentence of my previous post enormously.

It was me

Horrendous England performance lightened up by a young lad with bundles of talent and spirit. Well done B

Told you

Sterling not interested in swapping to Spurs

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... -deal.html

Well that wasn't what you was saying when I was calling for an end to lockdowns? I suppose that makes you sergeant Hindsight!

You're obviously reading the wrong newspaper and watching the wrong news stations or maybe you have your head in the sand?

As a one off try reading the Express for starters

t
Did you get the vaccine? If you did you're a total hypocrite

You’re ridiculous anti lockdown petition showed you up mate

Did I ever say I was anti vax. You lie every time your mouth moves and the *%^@ you make up is beyond belief.

Read this Take that, Brussels! Brexit Britain booms as UK investment surges even DURING a pandemic

https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics ... p_AppShare

I thought Saka's back to goal play was really good last night, his first touch is always sound and then he has the strength to hold off the pressing defender and often rolling or turning him and driving forward 40-50 yards. Easy to see why Southgate picked him as he gives a dimension that was missing from the first two games.

Also, Saka has made 3 starts and got 3 man of the match awards for England

Apparently Villa are coming back with an improved bid of £30m for Smith-Rowe. It seems a strange one that Villa think they can sign him from us. I wouldn't put it beyond clubs to make 'posturing' bids - bids that they know won't happen but show the ambition of the club to the fans. I'm sure we've done it in the past.

It would be tempting to just string Villa along until the end of the window making them think they have a chance.

Might doing your second paragraph make Smith Rowe wonder if Arsenal could be tempted to accept an offer for him? If so, I would be against it. Also, I’ve never had any problem with Villa. A fine old, established and traditional club. Why deliberately try to mess up their transfer window? I think that would make us look petty, if not somewhat pathetic.

This extract from Jonathan Liew's piece on Saka in this morning's Grauniad:

There are a few reasons why Saka feels like he’s slipped under the radar a bit. First of all, his raw numbers are really nothing special. He has just five goals and three assists for Arsenal this season. More often than not, he’s the man who plays the pass before the pass: or in Arsenal’s case the pass before the pass before Nicolas Pépé puts the ball straight out for a goal kick. So often this season Saka has felt like a sparkling player being tethered down by the dunderheads around him.

I think that’s grossly unfair on Pépé. But despite that, the comments do explain why I think people who focus heavily on assists and goals scored as the reliable measure of a player’s effectiveness are hopelessly misguided.

I think the reference to Pépé was more for comic effect, Bern. This is the full (highly complimentary) article, if there's interest:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2021/jun/22/bukayo-saka-euro-2020-england-czech-republic

Tierney knocked out so should be able to get a decent full preseason with us after a bit of a holiday. Xhaka and Saka still involved but I can't think of too many others who are away. I think we have Gabriel and Martinelli in the Brazil Olympics squad.

Massively important pre season, Arteta's first proper pre-season, we need to get our signings done asap and hit the ground running at the start of the season to take advantage. We don't have any long term injuries at the moment either - first time in a while I can think we've gone in to a season without someone on a long term injury.

Yeah I wouldn't advocate actually doing it, we're certainly better than that. I was more a jokey suggestion to annoy Villa.

Even if we did decide to do it I would expect we'd tell Smith Rowe that we have absolutely no intention of selling him first.

It is slightly worrying that they see any point in making a second bid, as it suggests they weren't told he was not for sale under any circumstances. They must feel there's a chance of coming to some agreement.
Given who owns us I wouldn't be surprised if they sold him.

First job well done by England. The reward is a match against a potential trophy winning team, so history suggests we may not go any further in the competition. Southgate may have to release the handbrake to buck the odds, but for me there were some good signs last night. Saka was the obvious highlight and Kane looked more mobile. Grealish faded but has a brilliant first touch and ability to win free kicks. Sterling will always cause trouble when running forward, though he has the annoying habit of slowing build-up play at times. The major bonus is the defence which apart from Stones' scary far forward excursion last night has been almost Italian in its pragmatism.

Morning Bromley
Not even Arsenal are that stupid to countenance selling Emile Smith Rowe ........are they.
There would be a *%^@*** riot if this was to happen.

As for the way we are treating Saliba or namely Arteta is treating him.
Shameful.
Farcical.
From Arteta being quoted as saying he was our player for sure and he would be coming back for pre season to now strong rumours that Saliba will be loaned out again or sold.
If that happens the little bit of respect i had for Arteta will disintegrate.
And for sure if Saliba is loaned out again then that will be his bridges with the club burnt.
Even if he has a blinder on loan next season there is no way he will commit to us by signing another with the 2 years left on his contract after next season.
I just find it extremely frustrating that a player with seemingly so much potential may not even be given a chance to show what he can do.
Considering what we spent on him that is a disgrace.
And all down to Mikel *%^@*** Arteta.

You just can’t beat another Saliba meltdown based on absolutely NOTHING

Darren got it absolutely nailed on when he described our fans as having some kind of fetish about this

Yawwwwnnnnnnn

Seriously write a letter to Vinai Venkatesham or something. If nothing else it might bring some closure on the issue for you

Yawn

Top 7 global problems

Food security.
Inclusive growth.
Future of work/unemployment.
Climate change.
Financial crisis
Future of the internet/Fourth Industrial Revolution.
William Salibas lack of minutes for Arsenal football club

Obviously, instead of Saliba’s lack of minutes as one of the seven main global issues can’t be a Gleiber forum poster’s unwillingness to let anyone else have the last post on an issue, even when the other person has only written ‘yawn’?

Have it on good authority that the manager and some of his back room staff cannot stand him, stems from U21 days when he was seen as a disruptive character. Nothing to do with ability.

You’d hope not David. It just seems odd if Villa weren’t given a clear ‘not for sale, feck off’ message. Anyway, it’s probably just more clickbait.

The only person here with an issue about having the last word on anything is you

I merely can’t resist indulging you

WHY OH WHY ISNT ARTETA PLAYING SALIBA!!!! errr it’s pre season

On smith Rowe I wouldn’t worry too much.

Have a read up on his agent who sounds a
Tottenham supporting prat of the highest order. Just angling for a better contract

Whatever one thinks of Arteta and Edu, they don't strike me as being blind to the current negative mood among Arsenal fans based on the chaos of the last few years. Selling Smith-Rowe would not only be a terrible football decision, but an absolute disaster from a PR perspective that would lead fans to rightfully want to see their heads roll. Just no way they're going to let that happen, unless Smith-Rowe suddenly decided he desperately wants out.