The Gunners fired only blanks - loaded by Arteta.
I wonder how many of you got sent this like me. If you did you’ll already be scratching your head in disbelief. If you didn’t, have a look and absorb it.
Incredible isn’t it? But you can be sure Arsenal aren’t the only club with a raft of ‘experts’ like these. Having read it a couple of times my conclusion is this - what a pity not one of them has got the bollocks to tell Arteta to grow a pair himself and to start using all the tools at his disposal to try and win big games.
They were a joke again yesterday. Awful. And Arteta had the cheek to come out after the game and tell us his team had played better than the day they put five past City last season. Does he think we’re all fools?
No they didn’t. They were scared. Timid. Passive. Ok - they had a lot of possession, but the lions share if it was in their own half. What use is that?
They mustered three shots on target. Donnarumma parried one at his near post in the first half. Blocked one from Eze that was right down his throat in the second and was beaten only added time with the third. A very good third you’d have to say. Martinelli took the chance really well.
Other than that ‘new’ City were comfortable all day. And I mean comfortable.
Hasn’t Arteta been watching them this season? They’re a project right now - beaten twice already and ripe for the taking yesterday, if he’d picked the right team. And been more ambitious.
How could he not start Eze? I was staggered when I saw he’d left him out. Why did he buy him if not to play him in big games. He terrorised City in the Cup Final.
What an exquisite ball it was that set up Martinelli. You have to wonder what he might have done across 90 mins. Putting him on at half-time was a clear admission from Arteta he’d fucked up.
You’ve also got to ask why did Arteta buy Gyokeres if he’s not going to play to his strengths? He doesn’t want to be part of a tippy-tappy fest. He wants crosses. He wants balls over the top like Haaland gets now. He got nothing yesterday. Arteta will kill him unless he adapts.
The change in the game appears to have passed Arteta by. It hasn’t Guardiola. Have you noticed how direct City are now? Donnarumma bangs everything long. They’re quicker through the lines and even take long throws!
I read a stat in The Times this weekend they’re now moving the ball towards goal at an average speed of 1.6 metres per second (it didn’t say what it has been) which is much faster than at any time in Guardiola’s previous seasons.
They’re different. Evolving. So get at them. You were at home Arteta. What another wasted opportunity. I’ve said already this season - if Arsenal don’t win the title it will be directly on his toes. He’s got all the tools now. So use them. There can’t be anymore excuses. Or lies.
As for City - do we think Guardiola has changed, or is it the influence of Klopp’s former lieutenant Pep Lijnders? I suspect it’s a little bit Guardiola - a lot Lijnders.
I still don’t think Guardiola looks wholly committed and I’m even more convinced this will be his last season. Before you scoff - remember who told you. a full year before it happened, that he would get the City job.
His replacement will be Vincent Kompany. He’s just about the only man who could follow Guardiola and get a fair reception from City fans, who still adore him.
It looks like Graham Potter is toast. Is anyone surprised? Regular readers of this blog won’t be. He was never the man for West Ham. He’s not a big club manager.
All that bluster from Karen Brady when they appointed him looks even more stupid now. She should go with him. She’s made one bad decision after another in her role with The Hammers - including delivering an athletics arena for them the play football in. I feel sorry for West Ham fans. Oh for the Moysey days eh?
We mentioned Villa last week so I won’t dwell on them, but clearly all is not well there - and things won’t have been helped by Emery’s assertion that his players were ‘lazy’ at Sunderland. The fuse has been lit.
I guess after giving Ian Holloway a mention last week his Swindon were going to stumble, so I hope it doesn’t happen to Forest Green Rovers. They’re now top of the Conference. Top marks Robbie Savage.
When I had lunch with their DoF in the summer - my mate Mark Bowen - he told me he had a hunch about appointing Savage. You were right Mark.
Oh - and have you noticed who’s second? Mark Hughes’ Carlisle.
Dewsbury-Hall - booked for taking a quick free-kick. Incredible. And just three minutes added time at Anfield, despite six second-half substitutes and no end of stoppages. How? Darren England was the ref - the same England that wrongly ruled out that ‘on-side’ Luis Diaz goal at Spurs when he was on VAR duty. Did he think he owed Liverpool one? Surely not? I can’t believe that.
Happily it was a pretty quiet weekend. The Darren England puzzles aside I noted only one real clanger by VAR - that was a stick-on pen for Newcastle at Bournemouth.
If you didn’t see it - Woltemade clearly had his shirt pulled by Diskite in the box. The ref missed it. VAR shouldn’t have done. Eddie Howe had every right to be furious, but was politely calm of course. 😂
It should’ve been a pen though.
I’m done with talking about United.
Relax. I’m not going talk about United. I’ve been doing that for too long. I haven’t got anything to add and I’m bored of the subject now. What is interesting though is that the Jim Reaper’s lackies are now all repeating what I’ve been saying, which tells me Amorim’s time is nearly done. They wouldn’t dare stray into the areas they have this weekend without knowledge or permission - perhaps both.
I want to talk about Villa today. What on earth is going there? As a Coventry fan I should be revelling in their current plight, but I can’t, because I don’t share the same feelings as every other Coventry die-hard. I’ve never disliked the club.
I was a huge fan of Doug Ellis, both as a man and an administrator. There was always a warm welcome whenever we were at Villa and bumped into him. And I enjoyed his company many times when I met him socially in Mallorca.
He built something special at Villa But whatever he did was never quite enough for Villa fans, who didn’t share my affection for him and I found that sad.
What he handed over was a club with first class facilities and with little or no debt. Why they haven’t competed at the top end more often is a mystery.
It feels as though they’ve spent more time we the wrong end down the years - never as bad as when Steven Gerrard was in charge, but not as good as Emery has had them.
But this? Just two points and still no goals? Fans have got every right to be asking questions.
It doesn’t take a genius to work out why. In a year when PL clubs spent a record £3.29b in the window Villa shelled out just £40m. They haven’t stood still - they’ve gone backwards and every single one of the teams they might see as rivals has streaked away from them.
I don’t buy PSR excuses. They apply to every club, but seem not to affect their ambitions. Chelsea spend as they like. Newcastle weren’t shy in the last window. Nor were Forest (again), nor United (again). So why are Villa so publicly scared?
I have no evidence to support this theory, but my feeling is the owners - Egyptian billionaire Nassef Sawiris and American billionaire Wes Edens - don’t want to spend. They’re hiding behind PSR excuses.
My gut tells me something else is going on, but I’ve no idea what. And I can’t think of a good reason why. But something feels wrong.
Villa were on the cusp of taking the next step. They were enjoying heady CL nights. Going toe-to-toe with the big boys. At one stage it looked as though they were about to join the elite clubs, but it’s all come crashing down.
Just spend. Compete with the rest. If the PL come calling refer them to City’s lawyers. It’s Everton that will get any points deduction anyway. I’m being facetious of course, but I’m not far from the truth!
It’s early days yet and Villa might get going, but after tipping them for a 5th placed finish I fear they’re in for a rough season.
Good-bye Daniel Levy. But why? I don’t get it. I know few Spurs fans will be shedding tears for him, but I think he’ll be missed. Yes - he was tight. Yes - sometimes he got it badly wrong. Sacking Mourinho in the week of a cup final was madness, but on the plus side, Levy was a Spurs fan and cared about the club. Like Doug Ellis he was a top administrator and he’s left the club in fantastic condition. Over time I think he’ll be missed.
Name the agents please. I’m referring of course to the people at the heart of the 74 charges levelled at Chelsea. I’m talking about the people who took ‘off-the-books’ payments during the Abramovic years. Who are they? We want to know. They should be exposed. And then dealt with.
Before we finish with this week’s officiating howlers I want to give Ian Holloway a mention. Take a look at the top of League Two and you’ll see why.
Swindon were a mess when he joined them in October 2024, in 22nd place one point above the relegation places. Now look at them. It’s a rare good news football story. Well done Ollie. Keeping it going.
And welcome back Chris Wilder. At the time of writing his re-appointment at Sheff Utd isn’t confirmed but I can’t see why it won’t be. What damn fools Steven Rosen and Helmy Eltoukhy were sacking Wilder last summer. If Chris is back, as I believe he will be, let’s give the above mentioned a little bit of credit for admitting their error. Wilder will get the Blades going again.
And finally…honest ref watch. Sorry Howard - it wasn’t a good weekend again was it?
What a ridiculous call by Jarred Gillet to rule that Spurs goal out. Error - big error, compounded by the fact he was looking at a nailed-on pen when Fernandes wrestled Van de Ven to the ground, but gave nothing. VAR could only have been asleep again.
Wolves’ lMosquera has got to go for a denial when Harvey Barnes is clean through at Newcastle. It’s as clear a dogso as you’ll ever see.
And Ugochukwu has got to go for that lunge on Mac Allister. That was really nasty. Why didn’t he? Because Michael Oliver was ref and as we know nobody questions Michael. But Oliver got another one wrong.
I’m keeping count of these errors for Howard Webb because our chief ref struggles with his adding up. Three VAR errors last season? That’s really funny.
RIP Ricky. And thank you for all the great nights. You won’t be forgotten. What a warrior. 🩵.
Jan - you’re the man. And the 1-metre rule?
First things first. Top marks to my mate Jan Fjortoft for breaking the news that the Isak to Liverpool was done 48 hours before any of else.
It takes some courage to go out on your own with a story like that, especially when both clubs are briefing against you. But Jan knew it was done and stuck to his story. We spoke to him on beINSPORTS Saturday afternoon and not for a moment did I think he’d got it wrong.
He was spot on about the fee as well. Newcastle accepted £130m. Liverpool had two bids on the table - £110m or £80m now and £60m next season. In the end it was a compromise that got it over the line.
I’m writing before the window shuts and, as I’ve always said, these big deals are complicated. Something might yet go wrong, but after all the wrangling I can’t see that.
I know there are some that think Newcastle should’ve stood firm, but regular readers of this blog know my feelings. They couldn’t. Isak isn’t a slave. He’s got every right to work for whomever he chooses - just as Wissa and Strand-Larsson have - the two forwards Newcastle have been unsettling. What goes around….
And it shouldn’t be forgotten that it’s largely Saudi money that Liverpool have spent - a point I made in my first blog of the season. Liverpool have simply turned round the money they got from Al-Hilal for Nunez and added a bit more. Chelsea spent the Saudi money they earned at the Club World Cup on Delap and Joao Pedro, two forwards Newcastle would’ve loved. Oh the irony.
I told you the problems at City run far deeper than just missing Rodri. He was back Sunday of course, yet City still looked miles off. They’re going to. One player wasn’t going to turn them into title challengers. And him missing last season wasn’t the reason they were so poor.
There’s plenty of time for Guardiola to sort things out, but I’ll say again - I’m not sure he can - or will. I think he looks tired. I think he looks bored. And I think his players might just be bored of him. They perhaps want to hear a new voice around the place.
Look at Jack Grealish. He spent the last two years of his time at City both frustrated and out of love with football. That’s by his own admission. Why? Ask yourself that question. He looks refreshed, vibrant and a lot like his old self at Everton. Good luck to him. It’s great to see him smiling again.
Working with someone else, hearing a different voice and being challenged in a fresh way must have all played a part in his resurgence. I think he’ll help Everton land a European place.
I’m glad Arteta got hammered by everyone after Arsenal’s performance at Anfield. I don’t need to add a lot. He won’t win the title playing as he did. He’s got to be braver.
Do you remember when I said he was scared of winning at City? That day they pissed all over the best Guardiola had to offer, but Arsenal didn’t believe. It cost them that season.
This one was different. They were scared of losing. You could see what he was trying to do - keep it solid for 70 minutes, then make changes and try to nick it. A set-piece goal would’ve been a bonus. Except that’s not good enough if you want to be the best.
He should’ve started Eze. Why pay all that money and sit him on the bench? It’s only a couple of weeks since he terrorised Kerkez at Wembley. The full back would’ve shit himself if he’d been up against him again. Play him ffs.
And I’ve also previously made the point that it’s a waste of time having Gyokeres in your team if you don’t play to his strengths. He’s been heavily criticised for not doing a lot, but what was he to do? He didn’t see the ball. He wasn’t supplied with one cross - nor one ball over the top into space. He won’t thrive in a set-up like Sunday’s.
As for the goal. What a stunner the fk was. Let’s take nothing away from Szoboszlai, but Raya shouldn’t get beaten from that distance. Oh - and I would like to ask what happened to the 1-metre rule that led to Palace’s goal being ruled out at Chelsea? Have we forgotten about that nonsense already?
I know Raya blamed the ball - that pesky Puma ball. I’ve been the only one talking about Arteta’s dislike of it - waiting for the first excuse. Now we’ve heard it. 😂.
But it wasn’t the ball. As Andy Gray said on beINSPORTS, it was Raya’s starting position. Have a look at it again from that angle behind the goal. He’s too far left when the ball is struck. He doesn’t need to be. He should be central and ready to go either way when the ball is that far out. A couple of yards further forward would’ve helped as well. Top keepers don’t let that in. Schmeichel doesn’t. Alisson doesn’t. Nor does Ederson at his best.
As for our refs - the decision to disallow Fulham’s opening goal was a shocker. Howard Webb had to admit that quickly. He took the culprit Michael Salisbury off VAR at Anfield and replaced him with John Brooks.
I’m waiting now to see what punishment ref Rob Jones receives.
Ultimately it was his call. He should've ignored Salisbury. He was too weak and too scared to do that though because VAR now rules. It’s pathetic.
Fulham were robbed the previous week by two bad calls v United - the pen which wasn’t and Yoro’s push on Bassey as he scored, so you can understand why Silva was furious post match at Chelsea.
Not only was the decision to rule King’s goal out wrong, but Salisbury missed three reasons not to give the pen. Yes, it was a pen - but what about the push, the handball and the foul on Iwobi in the build-up? Silva pointed them all out after the game. I’m glad we’d already done so on beINSPORTS.
They weren’t the only mistakes this weekend. I recorded three other howlers - both the Liverpool fk (of course it shouldn’t have been ruled out but Palace’s was 🤷♂️) and a wrestling match in the box at Sunderland that should’ve led to a Brentford pen. Who was in VAR? Darren England, who gave United that pen at Fulham for similar. Honestly, you can’t make this stuff up. Oh - that’s ten serious errors so far Howard. I’m keeping count because I know you can’t.
Our refs are so bad it’s scary
I promised myself I wasn’t going to talk about refs or VAR quite as often this season. But after another calamitous weekend for our officials I’ve cracked already. I’m sorry. They’ve had a terrible start.
I honestly can’t remember a time when we’ve had it so bad. On the opening weekend there were five glaring errors and I mentioned them in passing in my opening blog. This weekend it was nearly as bad. How long is Richard Masters going to allow this to continue?
Howard Webb has got to get a grip. If he can’t - then we’ve got to find someone who can. The greatest league in the world has everything, except competent referees. We’re becoming a laughing stock.
We’ve got top coaches from all over the world. Top players from all corners. Wonderful stadiums. Money is no object it seems, so let’s go out and recruit Europes top refs. Why not? Ours aren’t good enough.
What was going on at Fulham yesterday? Why did Darren England - in VAR - get involved at the corner that led to a pen for United? Ok, Bassey did foul Mount. But right behind that pair, Luke Shaw was holding Muniz. Both were fouls. How could England and then the hapless Chris Kavanagh punish one offence but not the other?
The Matchday centre told us one started before the other. They were right, Shaw grabbed Muniz first and we proved this on BeINSPORTS. But United got a pen. Incredible. I mean it. Absolutely incredible.
As usual Kavanagh saw nothing. He was asked to go to the monitor 1’50” after the corner. If he’d been doing his job properly he’d have stopped the kick being taken and warned everybody about holding.
England should’ve kept quiet. Why go looking for trouble? It was impossible to separate the two offences. Just leave things alone. Nobody would’ve complained.
When England was needed he was sitting on his hands. Yoro fouled Bassey from the corner that led to United’s goal. Yoro pushed Bassey. He got him out of the way by putting two hands on his back. Yoro gets a free header as a result. It’s a foul. A nailed on foul, but England decided there wasn’t ’enough of a push’. Enough of a push? Where does it say that in the laws of the game? Bassey ended up on his arse. No wonder Marco Silva lost it.
And what was Stuart Atwell thinking when he gave Brighton a pen for handball at Everton? The ball was smashed at Dewsbury-Hall from a metre - perhaps two. He was looking away and his arm was in a perfectly normal position for his body shape? Pen? What a joke. Happily, like Fernandes for United, Welbeck failed to score.
The day before I wondered why City’s James Trafford wasn’t sent-off when he handled outside his box. He was the last man. He clearly handled the ball - hand to ball, yet nothing was done. This time we were told the ball came at him from no distance and his arm was in a natural position. You can’t make this stuff up.
Of course Howard Webb will be the final arbiter and tell us ‘nothing to see here. My lads did great’. No they didn’t. They were hopeless and it doesn’t matter how many PGMOL patsies are sent out today (Monday) to offer up all sorts of excuses and stories it doesn’t change that fact. Football people know it’s simply not good enough.
A quick word about United. Does anybody think they’re making progress? And what’s wrong with Fernandes? I thought his body language was poor all day. He just doesn’t look happy to me.
I’m delighted Gyokeres is off the mark. His first was typical of what he can do. He showed power, touch and an unerring eye for goal. He’ll get 20+ this season for sure.
In the end Arsenal were good, but they took a while to get going. I expect them to keep getting better and adding Eze gives them so many more options. I’m glad I tipped them to win it.
What happpened to City? They were as bad this weekend as they were good at Wolves. Mind you - Spurs were fantastic. I’m really pleased for Thomas Frank. I said when he got the job that perhaps Spurs had finally got it right. It looks like they have.
Frank had a game plan and Spurs stuck to it rigidly. Every man did his job and it was the celebrations at the end that struck me. There seemed to be a real unity about Spurs.
As I write Nuno is still in a job, but what was he thinking when he had a go at Forest’s owner? There’s only ever one winner in these circumstances.
I’ve heard whispers that West Ham might be on the lookout for a coach again soon. Nuno? But surely not? Not after what Karen Brady said about Graham Potter when she appointed him. Remember?
After stating that ‘the right foundations are in place for further success’ she went on to say this about Potter ‘I firmly believe we have appointed not only a good man, but the right man for West Ham United to bring future trophies’.
I did question this view at the time. How Brady gets out of this mess is going to interesting. If West Ham lose at Wolves this week Potter could well be out of work again. It’s a quickie because I’m flying. See you next week.
It’s simple. Bayindir was fouled
Weak? Maybe a little bit. Soft? Perhaps. Could’ve done better? Of course. That’s always the case. Few leave a field of play satisfied with what they’ve done. But - Bayindir was fouled.
We all know what Arsenal do at set-pieces. They push boundaries all the time. Sometimes they get away with it - on other occasions they don’t. They did yesterday (Sunday).
Now I’ll explain why Saliba should’ve been penalised. I have no problem with him standing where he did. He’s entitled to do that, but the moment he blocks the keeper by turning his back to him and then backing into him - that’s a foul. Take another look at where Bayindir ends up. He’s in the back of the net with the ball. Saliba sent him there.
I agree United should’ve bought a keeper in the summer. I’m the one that first called Onana out - much to the annoyance of the United faithful back then. When ten Hag signed him I said he would cost United as many points as de Gea used to save them. He did.
United won’t be successful with Bayindir in goal either. He isn’t good enough, but he was fouled on Sunday. Any keeper in the world would’ve expected a free-kick in similar circumstances. It was a foul.
Arsenal got away with another one when Gabriel was all over Cunha in the box. He got nowhere near the ball when he challenged Cunha. He caught his left foot and subsequently dragged him to the ground. I don’t blame Simon Hooper for not seeing that one but VAR should’ve picked it up like we did at beINSPORTS.
I thought United were hard done by. They deserved something from the game, but it’s to Arsenal’s credit that didn’t happen. They won ugly and if they’re going to win the title, they’ll have to do a lot more of that. And before I’m buried with abuse from Arsenal fans, let me repeat The Gunners are my tip to win it this season.
I wasn’t overly impressed with Liverpool. The old phrase ‘if you can’t be good be lucky’ came to mind when I watched them pinch the points off Bournemouth. They were far from convincing, but like Arsenal got the job done.
They’ve got a new system and plenty of new faces and it showed. Bournemouth were terrific in the second-half and Iraola was right when he said his team missed an opportunity. Losing late as they did must’ve really hurt.
City were ‘pure’. Really smooth. Nobody has been talking about them really and maybe that’s helped them. Reijinders was fantastic. Of the three realistic title challengers I thought they looked the most likely by miles, but there’s a long way to go.
I guess we can excuse Chelsea for the same reason. Palace should’ve beaten them. On a point of law I get it that Eze’s free-kick was disallowed, but if it hadn’t been would anyone have cared? Chelsea didn’t claim an offence, but ok. The decision was in line with what seems to be VAR’s primary job of sucking both life and enjoyment out of the game.
James Bell flagged it in VAR. He’s clearly a man with a good eye for minutiae. Or is he? Where was he when Sanchez came for that long throw - completely missed the ball and punched Guehi in the back of the head? Had Bell gone for a cup of tea? That should’ve been a pen. Again - I don’t blame the ref for not seeing it, but Bell should’ve done.
VAR missed another one at Villa as well. Newcastle should’ve had a pen when Kamara caught the back of Barnes’ heel and brought him down in what followed after Bizot had saved from Elanga. So that’s three VAR errors already Howard.
A quick word about Isak. I understand all the criticism. On the face of it he’s painted himself into a corner, but I don’t blame him entirely.
Newcastle have had two really good offers. Liverpool are prepared to pay £110m now. Their back-up bid is £80m now and £60m more next summer. I’m of the view the only thing Newcastle have to decide is which one to take.
Isak is unhappy. He’s unsettled. He’ll be a problem for as long as he’s at St James’ now. He doesn’t want to be there and Geordies don’t want him there. Sell him for goodness sake.
Football has to be the last industry where employees are slaves to the employer. I know that sounds like an emotive and explosive statement, but it’s true. In what other industry is an employee denied a say in his/her basic human right of freedom of choice?
It doesn’t matter how much these guys earn. Football is nothing without players. They earn every penny of what they’re paid. There’s a massive industry churning trillions off the back of what they do.
Change is coming, believe me. And here’s a link to a really good article that was published in The Mail Online in early August that backs up what I’m saying.
Don’t get angry with me because of what I’ve just said. Read the article again and absorb it. I remember very well the Bosman ruling. None of us thought he’d win that case. No, that’s not true - few wanted him to win that case. But he did and change will continue to happen in the game. It’s unstoppable.
All change this season? No chance.
Nothing is certain except death and taxes’. Benjamin Franklin 1789. Not quite true though is it? If Franklin had been alive today he would’ve almost certainly added ‘and relegation for clubs coming up from the Championship’.
As we know, for the past two seasons all three promoted clubs have gone straight back. This is a joyous scenario for American PL owners, who never got the concept of relegation when they bought into our league and now they’ve got what they wanted. No relegation.
I know Burnley are American owned. And Leeds. And if by some minor miracle either could avoid the drop this season they might just re-establish themselves in the big league. But it’s a big ask. The rest can relax. They’re not going down. It’s sad really. The league has become so predictable.
If Scott Parker has learned nothing from his previous spells in the PL, Burnley already know their fate. So do Sunderland. I’m giving Leeds a chance for a number of reasons. The first is Brentford, but I’ll get back to that. On the field, they might just be able to muster enough points at Elland Road to survive. It’s a hostile place to go and should give them a platform to work from. I like that Farke has been buying ‘big’. He’s got giants in his team now, realising set-pieces at both ends are so important.
Having said I like their transfer business, I really don’t get Calvert-Lewin. When he came on the scene at Everton I really thought he could be a player. I still think he should’ve been, but it’s all a bit late now. And is he better than Bamford? Does he stay fitter than Bamford? For me, the answers to those questions are ‘no’ and ‘no’. Odd. All very odd.
Now. Brentford. They could easily go. Too much has happened there during the summer and none of it has been good. The manager has gone. So too the captain. And the front two. All influential characters and they’ll be missed. And I really don’t understand the appointment of Keith Andrews. Why? What on earth has he kept a secret all this time that persuaded Matthew Benham to give him the job? I haven’t seen it. I don’t think anybody has.
So there’s my three to go - Burnley, Sunderland and Leeds/Brentford.
What about the top? I like what Liverpool have done in the summer. And they’re not done yet are they? I’m pretty sure Isak will turn up at Anfield before the window shuts.
The big spend tells me I was correct last season when I described them as ‘average’ champions. I also said they wouldn’t win anything this season with the same players. Of course they deserved to win it, but the rest all went backwards.
It won’t be like that this time. The challengers are all better.
Liverpool should win it. Should, but I’m not sure they will. I’ve for a fancy for Arsenal. If Gyokeres proves to be the missing piece then they will win it.
Everybody knows I like him. He’s got the lot - two good feet, he can head the ball and he’s fantastic when he’s running away from people. But that might be the key. Arsenal are going to have to change to get the best out of him.
They need raiding full-backs, not an inverted Lewis-Skelley. They need to be quicker back to front and they’ve got to be prepared to turn the ball over more quickly as well. We’ll see, but I repeat, this might just be their year.
That would give Liverpool second place. I think it’s either City or Chelsea for third and fourth. And we’ve got a fifth CL place haven’t we? That’s Villa’s.
Manchester United have got to be better. If they aren’t Amorim won’t finish the season. I’ve said so many times now - the PL needs a strong United, so it would be great to see them back in the top 6.
I can’t work out what’s happening at Newcastle. On the face of it, the Saudi’s seem to have lost interest. Why else would they accommodate Liverpool’s needs and buy Nunez for their Pro League thereby funding the champions bid for Isak?
They helped Chelsea nick Delap and Joao Pedro by backing the Club World Cup and softening the impact of PSR regulations at The Bridge. Newcastle would’ve taken either/or player. I can’t work out the strategy.
Anyway, I’m sure the Toon will be good enough to chase a euro place - and so will Spurs. I like Thomas Frank and I liked more the way his team played v Paris the other night. The first goal was right out of the Brentford playbook - the keeper taking a fk on the half-way line, lofting it to the far post - Spurs kept the ball alive and scored. The second was from a set-piece as well, although the new Paris keeper was useless for that one. Spurs know they should’ve won it, but let’s hope Frank is the man they’ve been looking for.
Nibbling away will be Brighton, Bournemouth, Palace, Forest and Fulham. I’d expect more of Wolves and I hope Everton. The new stadium should serve them well and if they’ve signed the real Jack Grealish then they’ve done really good business. If Grealish delivers he’ll be an instant hit. He’s what Evertonians love.
So that leaves West Ham. 🤷♂️.
Ive got a couple of wishes - that refs are better. We’ve got bang ordinary officials and when Howard Webb claimed VAR errors were down from 31 to 18 last season I had to laugh. The PGMOL are still marking their own homework. It’s wrong. Webb needs to be more honest as well - especially with himself.
And after watching Paris, Barca - Spain at the last euros - and to some degree Liverpool and Bayern, I really hope we’re moving away from the deadly dull tippy-tappy era. Those teams play with energy and pace. Paris were breathtaking in the CL final. Please - let’s see more of it.
If you live in my part of the world I’ll see you on beINSPORTS all weekend. Andy and I are about to start our 36th season of PL coverage together. It’s 39 of you include our time at the original BSB. What a run we’ve had. And now we’re the last men standing. That’s a source of huge pride to me.
We’ll be offering the usual mix of grown up chat for adults with the football. Every PL game is live on our channels and we’ll still be showing goals as they’re scored. Enjoy.
Oh dear Thomas. You tanked.
Let’s start with some good news for United fans before we get serious. There’s been very little of that lately so why not? I see ten Hag has got a new job. Everybody at Old Trafford should now pray he comes back and starts buying some of the shit he landed them with - starting with the goalkeeper.
I was wrong about him. I said when they signed him he’d cost them as many points as de Gea used to save. As it turned out it was far more. He was hopeless.
As for Amorim and his promise that good times are around the corner. If they are he’s not the man to deliver them. What was that about in his address to the stadium? ‘I want to say sorry to my players…’. What? No. Never ever go public with a statement like that.
I’m afraid he strikes me as a man full of self doubt, totally out of his depth. His players know it. Perhaps that’s why he apologised to them - hoping to win a few back?
Thomas Bramall’s monstrous error on the pitch at OT summed up the PGMOL’s season for me.
What a horror moment he had, compounded by his mates at Stockley Park.
What was he doing there? Why was he given such an important match? Villa are right to ask those questions.It was far too big a game for him. He’s had a bang average season - yet he was put in charge whilst Michael Oliver sat in the refs bunker. I know Oliver hasn’t been at his best either, but he’s a better ref than Bramall.
I say Bramall’s error was compounded by his mates because as he disallowed the goal VAR was immediately cut to line. Why? Didn’t they know Bramall had whistled before the ball was in the net? The answer is ‘no’ - they didn’t. I guarantee you a tech operator pointed it out.
There they were fiddling about to see if the decision was correct - which it wasn’t - when they realised they couldn’t use VAR. What a mess. Thomas and his friends tanked.
The incident kind of summed up their season - not good enough and riddled with errors.
I’m sad to say Howard Webb has been a huge let down. I backed him hoping he’d make things better at the PGMOL. He hasnt. He’s arguably made things worse, although he’ll have marked his own homework by now and announce another triumph shortly.
Bramall’s clanger has cost Villa something like £150m. I’d consider suing if I was at the club. The mistake wasn’t a matter of opinion. It was a matter of fact. Q
One other thing. Why was Martinez sent off? Hojlund was heading away from goal - just like Haaland in the Cup Final. It should be noted Dean Henderson pushed the ball away to send Haaland wide, but he stayed on. Martinez went - even though Villa had a covering defender getting back into position. Both decisions can’t be correct.
As for Chris Kavanagh’s rick at Wembley the day before - that one cost Sheff Utd more than Villa have lost out on. Why did Kavanagh disallow the Blades second goal? There’s no way the keeper was impeded. The clue here is Patterson actually dived for the ball so space was available. Distraction is not covered or part of law. At 2-0 Sheff U win that match.
It’s not the first time tech has cost Sheffield Utd. Do you remember the ghost goal at Villa? The PGMOL made sure Hawkeye took the hit on that occasion - despite the fact VAR could clearly see Villa’s Orjan Nyland had carried the ball over the line.
We were told then protocol meant VAR couldn’t intervene. I asked then what’s the point of the tech if it can’t correct errors? I ask the same question again. Never mind that Bramall had whistled at OT so they couldn’t use it. So what? Change the protocol.
Bayern Munich were denied a perfectly good goal in last season’s CL semi-final v Madrid (de Ligt) for the same reason. It’s got to stop. Use the tech if a ‘clear and obvious’ error has been seen by everybody. The refs love that phrase. Let’s embrace it for better reasons than they use it. 😂.
Chelsea’s celebrations had me laughing yesterday. £1.4b spent in three windows. Well done lads - you finished fourth. I think I’d be a little more sheepish.
If I’m honest I wish Forest had made it. Nuno and his team have been brilliant at different times. They’ve been a breath of fresh air. It’s Europe for them, which is a fantastic achievement in itself, but they’re not in the competition they were aiming at. Shame.
Newcastle made it by the skin of their teeth. They owe Thomas Bramall a drink, but in general it’s been a brilliant campaign for Eddie Howe. Well done guys.
Here’s a stat I found staggering - not one player in Arsenal’s squad finished with 10 goals. Arteta has said he’s going to lock himself away this summer and work out what went wrong. He doesn’t need to. There it is.
Daniel Levy’s silence is damning. Ange won’t be in charge in August. Nor should he be. I backed him for a long time this season and he did really well delivering a trophy - but those who want him out were right - and they’ll get their way I’m sure. Levy won’t make the same mistake the Jim Reaper and the brains trust did with ten Hag.
I’m hearing whispers all is not well in City’s dressing room. Some more big names will leave the club this summer with KDB - perhaps even the coach. Something isn’t right in Haaland’s world either. Watch this space.
A big thanks to Brighton, Bournemouth, Brentford, Fulham and Palace. They all shook up the natural order and should be proud of their seasons.
What an impact David Moyes had at Goodison (I wanted to say that one last time) Everton had 17 points when he took over. They finished with 48. Brilliant David.
West Ham? A mess. It won’t get much better any time soon either. And Wolves can’t afford another season like this one. Hopefully they start next time as they finished this. I like Strand-Larsen. I’d get him signed up pretty quickly before some other club does.
The bottom three go having contributed nothing. Saints can blame Russell Martin’s ridiculous stubbornness. Leicester have got to start again. And Ipswich need to hold on to Kieran McKenna. You don’t turn down success, but it was all a bit too much too soon for them after bouncing through leagues.
That’s it - unless something spectacular happens now you won’t hear from me until August. Thanks for reading these musings. I look forward to going again.
Goodbye Goodison.
First thing first. A big thank you to everybody in Liverpool who made my trip to Goodison on Saturday so enjoyable. Enjoyable? Perhaps that’s not the right word. I can’t think of one that is though.
It’s a day I’ll never forget that’s for sure. Yea, actually it was enjoyable, but it was also tinged with sadness. It’s not my club, but even I had a lump in my throat as they played Z-cars for the last time That was special.
Top marks to the club and everybody who worked so hard to make it such a good day for everybody lucky enough to be there. It was pitched perfectly.
What a line-up of Goodison greats they had. It was amazing. As I stood putting names to faces I realised that actually everybody was there. Dixie Dean. He was there. And Bally. And Howard Kendall. And the Golden Vision, Alex Young. And too many more to mention. You could feel their presence. What a club. Good luck to you all in your new home.
Big congrats to Palace. I’m delighted for Steve Parish and Brighty, his loyal lieutenant. It’s a long overdue success for another club that I’ve got a huge soft spot for. It was also a great result for football, proving you can still succeed and do things sensibly at the same time.
What was Guardiola doing? We’ve got to stop managers going on the pitch at the end of games. I thought Dean Henderson handled himself really well He should’ve told him to fuck off. How dare he complain? What does he mean ‘It’s not fair play. You should not - it’s not fair’? Of course he was referring to Henderson’s time-wasting. And it is fair. It worked. It disturbed City and their rhythm.
I know it can be infuriating, but it’s all part of the game. What does Guardiola expect - that teams should the way he wants them to? So City can beat the living daylights out of them? Get off. You play the way that you believe will get you a result. That’s exactly what Palace did. That it irritated Guardiola was a bonus.
He should be more concerned about why Haaland didn’t take the pen City were awarded. What’s happened to him? Was he scared or is he bored? Something isn’t right. The Haaland that arrived at City would never have passed up that opportunity.
I think the result also hastens Guardiola’s departure. If they lose to Bournemouth tomorrow the winning coach will be in pole position to replace him.
I read that teams are facing a clampdown on confronting and bullying refs? What again? This makes me laugh. Every season ffs. And nothing ever happens to stop it.
I’ll tell you what should be addressed - along with stopping coaches enter the field of play at the end - the ridiculous way players mark at corners now. All the holding and blocking is a nonsense. And there’s an easy way to stop it - give penalties. I don’t care if they give half a dozen a game - we’ve got to stop players doing it.
I didn’t see the West Ham game. How’s the semi-automated off-side system working? I told you it didn’t work. I understand it took six minutes to reach one decision, after they had to revert protractors and crayons? Well done guys.
And let’s hope there’s a re-think about when a flag goes up after the horrendous injury to Forest’s Awoniyi This was the accident we’ve all been expecting to happen.
It was nice to see Jamie Vardy bow out in style. He’s been a big presence at a Leicester - sometimes too big behind the scenes, but there’s no doubt about what he contributed on the pitch. He deserved his goal and the send off. By the way - what a run by Justin and a lovely ball to make the chance.
I’ll leave you with a little teaser. Stand by for a cross town transfer that would cause a real storm, but at the same time be good for all parties. This week will determine whether it happens
Now he’s said it himself - Amorim is struggling at United.
How long have I been saying Ruben Amorim has been trying to get the sack? You all laughed at me. Well now what? Because this weekend he all but resigned.
It’s hard to interpret his post match comments after the West Ham defeat any other way.
Allowing for the fact English isn’t his mother tongue, this is what he said ‘we need to be really strong in the summer and be brave. If the feeling is still here, then we should give space to different persons’. The ‘feeling’ he was referring to is one he believes means United are no longer a big club. That the bang average assortment of imposters wearing the famous red jersey simply don’t care enough.
But what did he mean when he added ‘we should give space to different persons’? Even those who didn’t want to admit I was right have interpreted that as Amorim saying ‘I might not be the man for the job’.
He went on to question whether it would be a good thing for United to win the Europa League and qualify for the CL. ‘I don’t know what is best. If it is playing in the CL or not’ he said. Again - it’s easy to understand what he alluding to.
He knows he’s got a group that pick and chose when they play. That don’t care if they hang him out to dry. That it doesn’t matter enough to them.
Here’s the bottom line. United are hopeless. Embarrassing. They’re still going backwards. The Jim Reaper has ripped the heart out of the club - inflicting damage and hurt from top to bottom, whilst making one bad decision after another and it’s coming back to bite him and the brains trust.
Amorim realised he’d walked into a mess pretty quickly after arriving at OT. He knows it’s not going to get better any time soon. He’s not working for football people. He’s working for accountants and stats men, who don’t understand what he wants or needs. I’m not convinced some even care.
If I’m right - and Amorim wants out - either now or a couple of months into next season - how can United commit to him? How can they gamble spending money on players he might want? They fucked up last summer letting ten Hag spunk a fortune on more bang average players, instead of sacking him as they should’ve done. Are they going to do the same again? What a shambles the Jim Reaper and Dave Brailsford have created.
It’s as clear as a dodgy Jiffy bag to me that Brailsford should’ve gone a couple of months ago - not Dan Ashworth. Amorim wasn’t Ashworth’s choice, but he’s a football man and had he stayed I’m sure he would’ve worked with him. Ashworth must be pissing himself right now.
A quick word for Enzo Maresca. You’re wrong Enzo. Winning the Conference League will not prove Chelsea are back. Not at all. Far from it.
The Conference League is the equivalent of the Vertu Trophy - you know, the old Leyland Daf competition for League One and Two clubs. It’s full of teams that would struggle to make an impression even in those leagues.
Chelsea have been so superior to any side they’ve played. Remember - they didn’t initially feel the need to register Cole Palmer in their 25-man squad.
They’ve played the reserves in most of their ties. The team they put away last week were no better than a select X1 of the best IKEA salesmen in Sweden.
No Enzo - winning the Conferemce League will tell us nothing about Chelsea.
What does is going to places like St James’ for a huge game that might decide the CL places - and failing. That’s when we judge Chelsea. I’m afraid they’re still too soft. Too easy to roll over. Too ‘Kings Road’.
Having had a little blast at United earlier what can we say about Tottenham? Wow. Have a look at the bottom of the table. Even if he wins the Europa League Ange can’t survive now. I heard from a really good source last week Spurs have spoken with Xavi. That makes a lot of sense. Sadly for Spurs I’m also told he’s not ready to return to coaching yet. Or perhaps he’s even smarter than we thought?
Is PL relegation now a thing of the past?
Who said ‘spending time with Arsene Wenger is both a privilege and an education’? Of course it was David Dein. And he was correct.
Arsene is with us in Qatar for this week’s CL games and dropped into our beINSPORTS studios for a brief chat yesterday (Sunday).
We discussed a lot - much of it what you would expect. But he stopped me in my tracks when he said ‘there’s no such thing as relegation from the top league in England anymore’.
I let him carry on talking whilst I absorbed that statement. Eventually I had to go back to it. ‘I’m sorry,’ I said. ‘You’ll have to explain what you mean’.
He did. It was simple. And his theory is hard to argue with. So now let me explain.
American owners of our clubs have never understood relegation and promotion. They don’t like the thought of a team they’ve spent millions buying dropping out of the PL. They’re scared of the system. How many times have we read if they could form a super league (and they will) there would be no such thing as relegation?
We love it. It’s all we’ve ever known. We believe it’s a fair system and every now and again it allows smaller clubs to get amongst the big teams and realise dreams.
Here’s a few of them - Wimbledon, Swindon, Luton, Oldham, Barnsley, Sheffield Weds (sorry Jonty 😂). There’s a long list.
Bournemouth and Brentford have arrived in recent seasons and established themselves. In total 51 different teams have played PL football.
The 51st were Luton, who voted to set it up, but were relegated before they got to play in it back in ‘92.
But how many more newbie’s (newbee’s if you like) will make it going forward? Not many. Maybe none if Wenger is right. And if there are any they most likely won’t last more than a season.
Wenger argues the established clubs have made it very, very hard for a team to break into the elite. If what’s happened in the last two seasons is anything to go by he’s got a point.
The three teams that came up are going down again. For the first time in that’s happened for a second consecutive season - embarrassingly one of them goes with only 11 points.
The other two have 21 and 22 points - at the moment of course.
West Ham are the worst of the rest. They’re on 35 points. They’re safe by miles, but shouldn’t be. They’ve been hopeless this season. It’s still only three wins from 15 games for Graham Potter. They’re really safe by default.
Neither United nor Spurs have yet got to the magic 40 points. That was always the target at the start of any season. Not anymore. Right now 23 would keep you up. 23 ffs. No matter how bad United, Spurs or the rest are, they’ve got to be capable of reaching that number.
So there’s no jeopardy anymore. No danger anymore. No relegation anymore. If you make it up from the C’ship it’s beginning to look like you'll be going straight back.
So there’s the warning for Leeds, Burnley and whoever makes it from the play-offs. Enjoy it, spend wisely but don’t get too excited. The established clubs are now running a closed shop. It’s come about by stealth, but it’s happened.
Leeds’ chairman Paraag Marathe is quite pleased with himself after publicly backing Daniel Farke ‘I have ended the speculation’ he said. ‘He is my man’.
What he’s not saying is he started the speculation by offering Farke’s job to Jose Mourinho. I know that for a fact. It was Mourinho who actually ended the speculation by turning the offer down.
It was a smart move by Marathe. Mourinho would’ve set Elland Road alight and the PL is always better when he’s working in it.
Sadly Marathe couldn’t convince Mourinho that Leeds won’t be fighting a relegation battle next season. That’s not something the Special One wants. Perhaps he’s right. Perhaps he agrees with Wenger, but it’s a pity.
Without question Farke has done a terrific job getting Leeds up. He’s become to a C’ship promotion bid what Big Sam was to PL surivival, which is why he would’ve walked into another job - at Leicester or Saints perhaps, and done it all over again.
That’s why we shouldn’t feel too sorry for him. He would definitely have been in a job there next January at those clubs. There are no guarantees he will be at Leeds.
Good luck to our teams in Europe this week. I hope they all get what they want - but I’ve got to say this - it’s a joke that two PL teams who’ve been rank this season are going to be playing for a CL place in the Europa League final.
The prize is too big, especially because the competition has been so much easier to have success in this season. How’s that? Because there were no CL clubs dropping in from the group stages of that competition. You can argue that’s been a good thing, but you can’t offer a CL place to the winners of the Europa League when that’s the case. A chance to defend that title? Yes. But no more.
Cole Palmer said ‘shit’ on a sports channel. Outrageous. Quick - apologise. Grow up everyone - please.
And the PGMOL want more money. £39m annuallly isn’t enough for Howard Webb and his mates it seems I’m sorry - PL clubs should turn down his request without even discussing it. No. No - not until standards get better.
As I expected, it turns out the new semi-automated offside system doesn’t work properly. Millions has been spent on this, but according to Sam Wallace in The Telegraph it’s no use if a ball is touched multiple times in the box. They say it can calculate straightforward offsides though. Brilliant. We can all do that.
The bottom line is - it doesn’t work. I’d say you couldn’t make it up - but we know they do.