Gooner fan boys must pipe down
HELLO my good football family, it’s been a while, holidays and all that, but a belated Happy New Year to you.
One of the greatest things about the ‘festive’ season, barring family get-togethers, parties, food, gifts and everything is the barrage of football! It’s been great. We even got a game on Christmas Eve (Wolves v Chelsea).
There’s the latter stages of the League Cup and of course the FA Cup.
Unfortunately, barring Bristol City’s great draw away at West Ham (and Preston’s first-half performance against Chelsea at the Bridge), no third-round fairy-tale stuff.
Giant killings have dissipated over the years as the rich get richer… I’m just hoping Wigan managed to get something out of their tie against United last night. But yeah, on the opposite end of the spectrum what a tasty coming together of title pretenders Arsenal and Liverpool was!
And listen all you big-headed Gooners… don’t say I didn’t tell ya’ to hold it down a bit, keep dem groot bekke quiet for 10 minutes. Yes, you’ve got Declan Rice, but you ain’t won sh!t. In fact, you look nowhere near as good as you did last season.
Liverpool themselves weren’t half the side they normally are without Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah and even played a few youngsters.
Despite the usual Arsenal possession stats, there was very little for Alisson to do, tic-tacking without penetration, frustrating the home crowd with Mikel Arteta looking devoid of ideas.
Arteta attempting to reactivate a player that’s lost form https://t.co/n68BgGcilq
— Nick Feinberg (@thehonestnick) January 4, 2024
I was blown away by the decision to play Kai Havertz as a striker? He was terrrrrible, couldn’t get a shot off if his life depended on it. Surely Eddie Nketiah would have been the correct choice, especially with a makeshift Liverpool defence?
Y’all in denial… £65 million for a proven flop! Look, I know Chelsea have a couple of those, but at least we know it.The second-worst player on the park was Bukayo Saka.
Yooor, that had to be one of his bluntest performances to date! He’s been right off his game recently, so much so that when he was fed on the right Liverpool didn’t even double up on him at times.
I like the kid, like his demeanour and there’s no doubt he’s proper quality, but something just ain’t clicking at the moment.
The club laying a formal complaint about the harsh treatment he receives is laughable and absolutely no excuse for his form.
Could it be to do with Arteta’s more practical approach this season? Tightening up, more rigidity? Or have as some pundits have mentioned (including Ian Wright) the Gunners have been “found out”?
It’s not clear (to a non-expert like myself) why Martin Odegaard has been deployed in a deeper role? For me he was a brilliant link between the midfield and frontline. But we’re missing Arsenal through the middle, dribbling past players and creating killer passes. Rice isn’t that guy. He’s great at what he does, marshalling his area of the pitch (and can find a long pass), but he’s not serving that role despite seeing a lot of the ball.
Either way, dem North London Reds can just pipe down for 10 minutes! Some people just don’t learn lessons. Despite collapsing last season, they’re out there bragging again… Naaah, nothing happening this year I’m afraid.
While we’re there (and I’m glad Liverpool won at the Emirates), it’s a similar situation for the Reds. Yes, they won the Covid Cup (the Premier League title no one except them recognise) a couple of years ago and yes, with all due respect, Jurgen Klopp has rebuilt exceptionally well. But why the arrogance and boasting? Be a little humble, let things materialise…
Why can’t everyone see it? City are gonna be champions again this time around.
Starting to hit form, Kevin de Bruyne back, new year, Pep Guardiola starting to smell silver and morphing into machine mode.It’s all about the next few places. Yep, places Chelsea don’t have a chance making! What the Blues do have a chance of making is a Wembley final!
And the first leg of the League Cup semi is tonight v Boro. Followed tomorrow night by Liverpool v Fulham. Second-tier trophy, but will count as an achievement for Mauricio Pochettino if his band of youngsters can make it!
Good to be back, chat next week, bye byeee…
dailyvoice@inl.co.za