.
Ranieri at the Lane minutes after his team have conceded a penalty on a controversial decision by the referee “If the referee gives the penalty then it is a penalty” Excellent. Love it. Why can’t Wenger do the same? Why does he have to gesticulate on the touchline when decisions go against us and engage with the 4th official?
Two possible reasons; the first is that he simply cannot accept the bad decisions. Wenger knows in football you win some and you lose some, but he is myopic and only sees one side. It is a weakness. The second reason – he is trying to bully the referee. He knows the 4th official will say something to the referee. Referees and linesmen are human – and if they have dropped a clanger, then let the official know as there is more chance of getting the next 50/50. I still prefer Ranieri’s approach – maybe not so good for his club, but it sure is a great message for soccer.
.
Did you hear Morgan on 606. He loves to tell you half the story. “Wenger failed for nine years. He should be sacked”. The other half? – what a great achievement to keep us in contention when we are selling players to make ends meet while building a top stadium that guarantees long term financial security. Thanks, Arsene.
Good to see Benik Afobe proving his worth. Down to Wolves and now in the Premier League with Bournemouth. Good for him but maybe bad for us if he plays a blinder when we go to the Cherries for the return fixture. He will have a point to prove and will really challenge our defence.
There is a link with my next item – Gavin Hoyte. He finally scored his first senior goal for Barnet in their home win against Bristol Rovers in League 2. He tried his best at Arsenal but never quite made it. Still good if he can make a future at Barnet. Need them to climb up the table. He has an Olympic connection? Guess who.
An incredible selection of authentic Arsenal shirts at amazing prices!I don’t care for Piers Morgan and Paul Scholes falls into the same category. It is like Alan Shearer. During all his homilies on Match of the Day do you ever hear him say “Actually I was unsuccessful as a manager”. And he was. One attempt at Newcastle and down they went. Why when he is pontificating about this team selection or that substitution does he never say “when I was given my chance I failed”. Scholes is another who knows his comments will get the headlines but he prefers the comforts of the Stand to the onerous responsibilities of actually doing the job – signing the players, settling training, arranging tactical formations, dropping players out of form. Something about the harlot have power without responsibility…
Sunderland, FA Cup 3rd Round – a good win for our team. Needed to be focused 100%. Allardyce made a real challenge of it and his team were even Stephen up to 70 minutes. If Whatmore had hit the target instead of the bar what would have happened? All teams play the passing game and break quickly and can grab a goal. Anyone can beat anyone as Villa will show before the end of the season. But we came through the test. Iwobi showed touches. Adeleyde got his start. The Ox hit the post and then the most sublime pass to Bellerin for the third goal. He stuttered. He got things wrong but full marks he did not hide. He knows he is playing through an uncertain patch. Bear with him. With him will come the fruit.
Best Arsenal/Euro tickets available.
And with the players to return it is an exciting time for us. We are Daring To Think. So are City and don’t overlook THFC. Real solidity at N 17. Feet on the ground. No one is crowing but they know they are on the radar. A lot of us selected Arsenal because a relative took us to our first game and the Love Affair Began. But it could have been THFC. The choice is that tight for most of us. I was stirred by seeing Joe Mercer when I was aged five. Others were stirred by seeing Ron Burgess. Ron Who?
A Chelsea youngster actually scores. This underlines one of the big weaknesses in Mourinho. All those years at the Bridge and no youngsters coming through. He always wanted the big money solution. Don’t get me wrong. He was a top manager but he was never a top man. To be both you have to be special.
I still want to know why Howard Webb gave up refereeing. Remember the 5th Round Cup Match in 2014. He failed to give Liverpool a definite penalty. He then “evened up” by failing to send off Gerrard for a second yellow card. did he lose his nerve and prefer the safety of the commentators box to the danger of the match official. Will he write a book? Will he address the subject?
Roll on Wednesday – the tension build up begins at about midday on 12 January. Wonderful this game of football. Love it.
Arsenal Circular
My name is Graham Perry and I have been a lifelong Arsenal supporter since 1952 when I saw the ten men in red shirts hold out heroically until the 84th minute at Wembley.
The Arsenal thing was confirmed by a meeting with Alex James during Easter 1953. As with most of us it is a family thing with my father always waxing eloquent about the Chapman years.
I am married with four children and five grandchildren. I have been a solicitor in a legal aid practice and have just stepped down after 13 years as an Immigration Judge.
Arsenal is in the blood. The goals and the excitement matter but so does the Community thing and sharing Arsenal with friends and family over so many years.
Want nothing more than to see Wenger hold aloft the Premier League Trophy again.
You r very stupid
Hi Graham, I absolutely agree with you about Ranieri. When he first left Chelsea most neutrals missed him for his gentlemanly behaviour while he was in charge and he was always appreciative of Wenger. He is still a gentleman.
Arsene is also a gentleman and he enjoys a good relationship with the press but he is very combative ( which is no bad thing ) and unfortunately he takes his feelings out on the referee. I`m sure we all condemn the standard of our referees at times, but it is such a common occurrence now to see Arsene haranguing the referee and the officials that he demeans himself and that along with his famous “I did not see it” means that the press and the TV commentators actually bait him to hear his comments. It is a bit of a joke for them.
Incidentally I started to read the comment by Bet and I was disappointed to see that although he made his point clearly, he appeared to very quickly run out of material to justify it.
Victor Thompson
As a former Class 1 amateur referee I am always more understanding of the refs. It is like a completion – until you have done it and held on to the documents until the funds have arrived and had the clients ringing you every five minutes you do not know what it is all about. It is the hardest job but the most rewarding as well. Bet just called me “stupid” was there more?