Even without Saka, if we come out like we did against Sperz, we can win this game. But I dare not even ask that of them, for fear of being greatly disappointed.

Luiz was okish and the best of the Chelsea pensioners we signed but my goodness I’d rather have Ben White who is something of an unsung hero in the side I feel. Very solid rarely gets praise thats currently lavished on ramsdale but always turns up.

Our transfer business this summer was exceptional. It’s 150 million which is a lot but my goodness did we stretch that budget far.

Get the impression it would be something Arteta would despise through gritted teeth then smile and say he thinks it’s a great idea.

I’d be really shocked if he supported it despite saying the polar opposite

Rangnick if not mistaken, had played a part in Carrick's team set up for the Chelsea game, as Ronaldo was benched. Curious as to how MU team selection will be Thursday.

He won't be. He's waiting for his visa. They haven't beat us since 2018 so they are due a win. I think Carrick will have then set up to counter as he did against Chelsea.

Thanks Gunfire. News came in Rangnick will possibly miss the Crystal Palace match as well. Also he has to have Covid clearance.

RIP Ray Kennedy

Yes, such a fine young striker for us and later a top midfielder at Liverpool. Life gave him a lot early on but took a lot back later on.

Ah man.....that really saddens me. What a player and what a man.....him...a 19 year old.... and Big Raddy upfront for us in our 70/71 double year Scoring at WHL to win us the title and then being an integral part of one of Liverpool's best ever midfields.....travel well Ray.....one of the greatest Gunners ever.

I'm a bit vague on this story but while at Liverpool Ray was getting stick from some quarters and Charlie George called him and said "show em your medals, Ray"

If anyone can tell it better than me please do so.

That’s so sad. I didn’t know he’d passed away until reading your post just now. I always felt Radford was the more important of the two strikers but Kennedy was still a fine player.

It came as no surprise to me that he probably showed his best form in midfield for Liverpool. He played for Arsenal in a five a side tournament that they used to hold at Wembley. He was brilliant with a great touch and passing ability. I felt he had ‘I am a midfielder’ written all over him.

John Sillett has died. No links to Arsenal, but was Coventry’s manager when they won the FA Cup in 1986, beating Tottenham in the final.

Twelve players who I’ve seen play for the club in a competitive first team fixture have now passed away. They are:

George Armstrong (56), Alan Ball (61), Geoff Barnett (74), Tommy Caton (30), Ray Kennedy (70), Paul Mariner (68), Alan Miller (51), Jose Antonio Reyes (35), John Roberts (69), David Rocastle (33), Kevin Stead (57), Paul Vaessen (39).

I’ve put the ages they were when they died after their names.

RIP Ray Kennedy

Lol that's hilarious. Don't need a translator to hear the commentators saying "Idiot".

He also scored our goal in the away 1970 Fairs Cup (now called the Europa League) first leg final at Anderlecht. We lost the game 3-1 so that made the 3-0 home win enough to win it.

And he did that having come on as a very late sub when we were 3-0 down and seemingly doomed.

Shades of Kolasinac (and Özil) here. https://www.news18.com/news/football/wa ... 05912.html

Could have ended really badly. Happened in August so he seems fine after the event.

Yes, I loved watching him and Big John terrorise defenders with their strength, ball-holding ability and great heading skills. One of our greatest forward combinations.

A while ago I wrote this of Ray Kennedy, which may be of interest:

"In his touching book Ray of Hope: The Ray Kennedy Story, Andrew Lees recounts how the strapping forward was born with his umbilical cord knotted around his neck. It seems that right from the start he was used to extricating himself from awkward situations, though as I write fate the mighty has him in the unremitting clasp of Parkinson’s Disease. As a striker at Arsenal he became renowned for his ability to escape close marking and his phlegmatic bearing of the marks of his violators. McLintock called him ‘Concrete Legs’ and coach Steve Burtenshaw recalled ‘defenders behind him could not even see the ball half the time, he was so powerful.’ Ray came from a working-class mining background in Northumberland and was drawn into football through the influence of his father Martin and his mother Veronica. There is the lovely anecdote how when Ray scored a goal he would say, ‘That’s one for me Mam.’ The one he scored in Belgium in April 1970 was shared with delight by millions of Arsenal fans, as was the fearsome header he netted a year later at White Hart Lane to secure the League title for The Gunners. That goal ensured that even when Ray moved on to experience many great days at Liverpool, his reputation remained unblemished at Arsenal."

Interesting how he was loved by both clubs. Being a big part of a double will do that I suppose.

Nicely said, OMOH. There was a 1991 video Ray of Hope as well. He seems like such a lovely, easy-going bloke here, trying to take his affliction in his stride:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ_uZ5dVHdw

This video contains bonus and rare footage of Jim Leighton in an Arsenal shirt.

Thanks for putting that up - I will have a butchers later today.

African cup of nations is an absolute disaster waiting to happen for us in January right ?

It takes partey and Aubameyang out of our first 11 and Pépé and elneny off the bench. League games including one against Spurs plus a league cup semi and a fa cup tie all with a midfield 2 of lokonga and AMN. If you get any injuries on top of that we could be really short.

Presumably Xhaka will be back and available by then. Plus whoever we buy in the transfer window.

*%^@*** hell. I hadn’t thought about that. It’s even worse than I thought

Perhaps the sensible reliable Xhaka will turn up.

Sky reporting that Nketiah has turned down a contract offer.

To be fair in his situation I’d do the same.

Sadly there were reports he was a wife beater.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wiki.n ... 761672/amp

lovely.

Brighton get a draw. A win tomorrow and we are 4th.

I’m less confident about tomorrow than I would have been if OGS was still in post. It’ll be interesting to see what side Arteta puts out and how they perform. It’ll also be interesting to see if Ronaldo starts.

Could be, but if his reputation is to be smeared I'd rather see something more convincing than that website!

Put your money on a United win - Ronaldo often had our number when we were a really good team, so expect more from him tomorrow. I want to be wrong, but know that I'm right...

I agree, although it wasn’t the only such report.

https://celebsaga.com/former-liverpool- ... net-worth/

MU in 10th place. Don't ever think they won't be up for it. Carrick might put Ronaldo in early just to get a couple of goals in to warm things up.
Our response will be fascinating, even from first start.Need to turn up.

You may well be right but age inevitably catches up with all players sooner or later. Ronaldo is 36 now and is approaching his 37th birthday in a couple of months (5th February).

So I’m hoping you’re not right.

I think it’s only a disaster if we get injuries.
Start Lacazette, Xhaka will be back or start AMN, Martinelli takes Pépé’s place. It leaves us a bit thin though. Hopefully we can delay the players leaving until the last minute.

Arteta has said he expects a quiet window but would be ready to move quickly if an opportunity arose

Good set of results for us tonight. The top 3 are mikes better than anyone else so as much as it’s nice to see the top 3 get beaten we should be wanting them to win every game, those 3 sail off in to the distance whilst making sure they take points off any rival of ours.

West Ham drew, Wolves drew, Leicester drew. We’ve got a little cushion at the moment but could really hammer it home tomorrow if we can get the win