Your not trying to replicate Barcelona if your signing Michael Carrick really lets be honest.

Song, Bendtner, Baptista, Chamakh and Adebayor were strong guys who might have done a better job for Arsene - especially Ade who ended up with a mixed career, rather than the stellar one his talent promised.

Per what AG posted about Franck Ribery not getting the Ballon d'Or. He's Muslim. Converted from Christianity to Islam in 2002, as his wife is of Algerian descent.
Not that there haven't been any Muslim players in the running for this award, Yaya Toure, Karim Benzema, example. Yet don't recall any actually receiving it. So based on that premise, most receiving this award were of the Christian faith. If any Jewish players were ever nominated or won the Ballon d'Or, not aware of it. Really shouldn't matter what religion a player is. If they're exceptional, they deserve it.

Song was the only midfielder in that lot and he made his debut in 2005. Was Baptista, who arrived in 2006, a midfielder or forward? Difficult to say really. Apart from a League Cup game at Anfield, his most suitable role was arguably the Emirates’ car park attendant.

Diaby 2006 also. Certainly not a Barca tika taka type

Hang on. Zidane is a practicing Muslim and he won it (such a class player) Also George Weah too.

Messi could be a Scientologist and would have won it several times. It’s a stretch at best to suggest there’s religious bias involved.

Exactly why I said it shouldn't matter what religion a player is, if they deserve the award,, they should have it. Only recalled Zidane getting it after I posted. George Weah is now the 25th president of Liberia. No doubt his footballing days are behind him. He and AW go way back.

I think we all look back on the post-invincibles era far too harshly, purely because we didn't win any pots. This video shows just how dynamite we were.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkXZRHG5RxQ&t=198s

Pep would die for his current City to play with this much verve and pace. It's absolutely electrifying, whatever the size of the players... and there are Bendtners and Eboues out there too. Doesn't look like tika-taka to me. Looks like lightning in a bottle.

That season more than other is tragic on so many levels. We were magnificent, we won nothing, and you can see from moments in this video that other teams saw only one way to stop us, and that was to clatter us around. And on top of that, the media also decided to legitimise the "stop Arsenal by any means necessary" approach and we all know how that ended up... with players in hospital beds having their legs pinned back together.

Clear illustration of the lop sided tactics with Tierney’s and Tomiyasu’s touch maps from the Norwich game.

I don’t mind these complex tactics but my biggest concern with them is the effect on the right winger, who either doesn’t get enough help or who has to stay wide because no one else provides the width. It must be a lot more fun being the left winger, Tierney always next to you, you can drift inside and affect the game more.

Yeah race may not be determinative but who you play for bloody is. Henry should have had it as best player in the world at least once.

At Highbury v United I was sat next to a Man U supporter who was gobsmacked by Hleb's skill. "Where did you find him?" This was praise from an unexpected source.

Looking forward to today's game, albeit with a little bit of unease. It should be a real physical test for our new look defence. It will be interesting to see how Ramsdale and Tomiyasu in particular cope with somewhat intimidating tactics and a hostile atmosphere.

If Lokonga plays he will face a robust physical test as well.

It feels very much like the Bolton and Stoke awaydays of years gone by. A proper mental and physical test.

Hi OMOD, Gunny,

Hleb was one of the best dribblers I've ever seen, at Arsenal or anywhere else. Sadly, he could never produce the numbers of goals and assists that his mesmeric dribbling ability deserved. He seemed to get a mental block when faced with a goalscoring opportunity.

Song was the only midfielder in that lot and he made his debut in 2005. Was Baptista, who arrived in 2006, a midfielder or forward? Difficult to say really. Apart from a League Cup game at Anfield, his most suitable role was arguably the Emirates’ car park attendant.

Diaby 2006 also. Certainly not a Barca tika taka type

Looking forward to today's game, albeit with a little bit of unease. It should be a real physical test for our new look defence. It will be interesting to see how Ramsdale and Tomiyasu in particular cope with somewhat intimidating tactics and a hostile atmosphere.

If Lokonga plays he will face a robust physical test as well.

It feels very much like the Bolton and Stoke awaydays of years gone by. A proper mental and physical test, on the edge and sometimes beyond the letter of the law.

...I think it will also be interesting to see how we deal with Burnley’s aerial attacks, assuming that’s what they’ll be doing. My guess is that Gabriel will have the primary responsibility for Burnley’s tall forward, whose name I’ve forgotten.But when they get corners and free kicks with the opportunity to pump the ball at height into the box, I presume there will be others to deal with as well as Gabriel’s man...

Yes, he was the one that bad luck took away - a fine player.

Should be a win for us. They concede a few goals an I would not be shocked if they go down this year.

His particular bad luck was to meet that oaf Dan Smith.

B, it is analysis like this that confirms for me you are a great defensive coach just waiting a chance to shine.

Yes, frightening that all players are just one bad tackle away from a ruined career. Diaby was class, no doubt about that. Smith, where is he now?

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/58604851

Sad.

Wow shocked at the line up.

Back 4, no holding and the 3 man midfield i mentioned last week that includes Emile Smith Rowe and Ødegaard

Yeah race may not be determinative but who you play for bloody is. Henry should have had it as best player in the world at least once.