Clrnc wrote:
Ricky1985 wrote:

Chamberlain, when kept on a very short leash and made to know his place on a football field: hugging the touchline, getting up and down and getting crosses in, I'm down for that, but my word he's one of the thickest footballers we've ever had play for us. I won't miss that one little bit.

Must be tough for you to see him go since you are one of the few who rated him and had high hopes for him, especially as a fullback.

Seems like not long ago he just made his debut for us and tore Blackburn apart.

He just said he won't miss him.

Chamberlain had some absolutely outstanding games for us at wingback. Honestly, if we're sticking with 3 at the back, it wont take much more of Bellerin in that right wingback role before even those most dismissive of Chamberlain in that role realise that we've really lost something there. But, with that said, Chamberlain is lucky if he's had 10 good games playing as a centre midfielder or out wide in the 7 years he was here and no matter what position he is playing he's as thick as a brick and always will be.

Watching him and Kyle Walker play the right side together last night was like dumb and dumber. Add Gary Cahill, Phil Jones and Eric Dier in close proximity and you've got something really special going on.

More than selling Chamberlain, it disappoints me that we had the chance to do something good with the 3-4-3. I feel it suits our players and the way we play football very well. But we didn't go out and sign the players to make the formation our own and maximise the effectiveness with which he executed it. So I'm done with it and now hope we slink back to our more familiar 4-2-3-1 or whatever. And Chamberlain had been pretty irrelevant to my thinking for years when we setup like that because he just couldn't produce in either of the two positions available to him in that formation.

est wrote:

Slowly but surely working his way up in the 'biggest pieces of shit in football' category.

He's like an English El Hadji Diouf, but more petulant and divey.

Ryan Giggs making excuses for him is pretty gross too.

He was diabolical last night as well. As was Kane. Two of the best attckers in the Premier Legaue no less! I'm not sure if Pochetinno is some sort of magician or if the League is just a big pile of steaming crap. Bit of both probably.

Kane was a good laugh that match.

Ricky1985 wrote:

He was diabolical last night as well. As was Kane. Two of the best attckers in the Premier Legaue no less! I'm not sure if Pochetinno is some sort of magician or if the League is just a big pile of steaming crap. Bit of both probably.

Or just the England teams always a total mess that makes its best players look like shit.

What was the rationale behind the appointment of Southgate as national team manager? What are his credentials?

He's English.

Qwiss! wrote:
Ricky1985 wrote:

He was diabolical last night as well. As was Kane. Two of the best attckers in the Premier Legaue no less! I'm not sure if Pochetinno is some sort of magician or if the League is just a big pile of steaming crap. Bit of both probably.

Or just the England teams always a total mess that makes its best players look like shit.

They had 20 chances between them to do something decisive last night, but they failed every single time. It was nothing to do with the shirt they were wearing, that they're not all that good was the problem.

Chamberlain still looked like his Arsenal self, Jones, Cahill, Walker, Bertrand, Dier, Henderson, Rashford, Sterling too - all the same strengths and weaknesses you see for their clubs.

Alli and Kane were outright shocking though. It was their lack of technical ability that startled me more than anything. I think there must be something in the way Spurs flood the central areas with the two 'wide' players that helps Alli and Kane to have more space and find constant situations where they have the opposition overloaded. Kind of similar to what Arsenal used to do when we actually played with a functioning central midfield, I guess.

Shane Long is terrible. He's like an Irish Welbeck.

Asian World Cup qualifying now all wrapped up. Iran and South Korea made it through from one group, and Japan and Saudi Arabia from the other. The Aussies will play Syria in a play-off, with the winner then facing the 4th placed Concacaf team - could be USA at this rate.

Us Aussies only lost one game but drew away with Iraq, Saudi and Thailand. A win in any of those games would have seen us through. The simple truth is that we're simply not good enough at the moment. I really like our coach but he's extremely principled - he insists on playing attractive football all the time and is rarely pragmatic. Plus our players have difficulty controlling the ball and making passes to our own team. And we fall asleep in defence. Oh well, we're still alive for now.

Can't imagine Syria will be a pleasant place to visit.

Oceania done too with NZ through to the playoff against the 5th placed South American team which is currently Argentina, but could also end up being Chile. Will probably go to the home leg in Wellington which living here will be a unique opportunity to see some pretty big names in the flesh.

invisibleman18 wrote:

Can't imagine Syria will be a pleasant place to visit.

Oceania done too with NZ through to the playoff against the 5th placed South American team which is currently Argentina, but could also end up being Chile. Will probably go to the home leg in Wellington which living here will be a unique opportunity to see some pretty big names in the flesh.

They won't be visiting Syria though, Syria play their home matches in Malaysia. Incredible achievement to go through to the play-offs for Syria and they won't be easy opponents given how much trouble they gave to Korea and Iran. Can't believe Uzbek missed out on WC yet again due to Korea. 4 WC in a row now, utter bad luck.

Australia only have themselves to blame for failing to take their chances against the Thais, they really cocked up badly after a great start. But then again Saudis did get free 6 points from the start purely due to some inept referees.

Jed wrote:

Ramsey having a stormer for Wales.

Seems like the Welsh fans thought he had a terrible game against Moldova. Seen plenty of bashing on social media. Good to know he's not only in this form for Arsenal.

Brazil with Neymar and the current generation is great to watch. Bringing Joga Bonito back.

Not convinced as Paulinho is their best midfielder.
Spain would beat them like Juve/RM beat Barca.

At least they've qualified with ease but what is going on with Argentina?

And Chile. Maybe they both fancy a trip to New Zealand? Spreading the love of the game to the furthest corners of the globe eh Invisibleman?? Heh.