HELLO my good football people… wow, another mad weekend of action! I like a little flutter every now and then, but these days it’s so hard to predict.
I mean let’s look at Nottingham Forest, they got thumped 5-0 by Bournemouth last week and we were all asking if the bubble had burst?
Then they hit Brighton for seven on Saturday and it’s not like the Seagulls aren’t a decent side!
As for Bournemouth, off the back of such a huge result, they then allowed Liverpool to coast to a relatively easy victory at the Vitality.
I was glad to see Everton win three games in a row under new management and playing great football under David Moyes, he really has made a difference.
It’ll be a huge relief to the backers and I’m sure ahead of next season in their shiny new stadium, Moyes will be given money to do a bit of player shopping.
Before moving onto Sunday, we weren’t expecting much movement in the January transfer window however, looking through the list club by club, there has been a lot going on, ins and outs, and lots of loan deals.
But predominantly reserve-team players. Of course the biggest news was Marcus Rashford to Aston Villa! He joined them on a loan deal and I reckon we are going to see him start playing again.
I thought that might signal the release of Ollie Watkins. It will be interesting to see how Rashford fits in. Jhon Duran to Al-Nassr was the other standout piece of business, more for the debate it caused than anything else.
The 21-year-old striker has penned a five-and-a-half-year contract with the Saudi Pro League side, who also have Cristiano Ronaldo, Aymeric Laporte and Sadio Mane on their books.
But it’s the money that everyone is talking about. Firstly the almost £70million (R1.5 billion) Villa got for a player who you can hardly call accomplished.
But then there is his wages! According to reports, he’ll earn £16.7m (R380m) a year… around £46 000 a day. Basically a R1m a day!
That’s around double the amount the biggest bank chief executives in South Africa earn. He was on a “mere” £75 000 (R1.7m) a week at Villa Park.
So one side is saying: “He’s got no ambition playing in the Saudi Pro League, he’ll never win anything of value”.
But the counter is... “He is a player out of abject poverty in Columbia. He made it into the top flight of professional football, but supports an extended family. What is his ambition?”
Could it be to earn enough money to put family members through education, in great living conditions and secure their futures? Why should he be judged because he’ll never win an FA Cup or Premier League medal?
He’ll live a life of luxury, while looking after what’s most important to him! I totally get it.
Anyway, Arsenal didn’t get a striker like the fans have been crying for, but who the f**k needs an out-and-out No 9 when you can stick five past Manchester City from all over the pitch?
You know what… Kai Havertz is less than average in front of goal, but when they play at their best, under the guidance of Mikel Arteta, that is what Arsenal are capable of.
To be honest, I thought the Gunners were pretty dull in the first half, City mistakes creating the only real goal-scoring opportunities, but once they dropped a gear after Erling Haarland equalised, they looked superb.
It’s strange, because apart from being without Bakayo Saka, Martin Odergaard was shockingly bad. Yes, he scored and pressed with energy, but just couldn’t make a pass.
Ordinarily, as a brilliant link player directing from the middle of the park, he was invaluable to how the team performed overall, but since he came back injury, he just hasn’t looked the same.
That goes to show the progress Arteta has made. It’s a really good team. I still don’t think they’ll win the Premier League title and that will satisfy a large part of the fan base who conduct these ridiculous #ArtetaOut
campaigns. For goodness sake, the “Gooners” are unbeaten in the league since early December.
I really don’t like Arsenal, I wish them no success,
London isn’t red, they haven’t even won a Champions League, but, even I get annoyed with the likes of @AFTV & Lee Gunner (@leegx82) on X.
As they push this mindless agenda, I’d love them to get rid of Arteta.
He has been responsible for putting them back on the map and in contention for major silverware.
Meanwhile, have to say I predicted it (but it didn’t take a football genius to do so), Manchester United were sh!te again.
You have to feel it a bit for coach Ruben Amorim (or do you?). His whole demeanour is rapidly turning from genius to jerk, his physical stature has changed, he’s visibly shrunk, he looks like a bullied kid in a playground keeping himself to himself as he walks awkwardly to and from the changing room to the dugout.
What the f**k was he thinking when he said “this is possibly the worst ever United team”?
It’s true and you have to give him a gold star for being honest, but more importantly can you imagine what the players think of him?
Why would they give 110 percent to a leader who destroys them in public? The treatment of Marcus Rashford has also been severe to say the least?
But of course, as with Sir Alex Ferguson, he has arrived at Old Trafford with the philosophy that no player is bigger than the coach. Yoh. It’s a MASSIVE job, way too big for this prawn in back puffer jacket. Poor guy...
Back to the action and we return to the Premier League next Wednesday night for the Merseyside derby! Before then two League Cup semis, with Liverpool and Arsenal hoping to turn around first leg losses (Wednesday and Thursday), before another FA Cup weekend, including that huge one at Elland Road, as Millwall travel to Leeds!
Chat next week, bye bye.