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Tuesday Fulham Stuff (01/01/19)...

Started by WhiteJC, January 01, 2019, 07:51:00 AM

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WhiteJC


Cottage Talk: View Of The Opposition - Arsenal
Take a listen to a podcast that focuses on Fulham Football Club.



This episode is an interview with Larry Guinan, who has been an Arsenal supporter for many years. He was on the show to give the Arsenal perspective on this upcoming match. Larry shares his thoughts on this season so far for Arsenal, and then later on shares his view on the upcoming match. This show is our preview episode for this match.


You can also listen to the show by following this link...
https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2018/12/31/18162690/cottage-talk-view-of-the-opposition-arsenal

WhiteJC

 
Everton face competition from Fulham for January transfer target

Everton are set to face competition for January transfer target Domagoj Vida from another Premier League club, according to FotoMac.

Reports suggest that the Croatian defender is also being chased by Fulham, who are looking to strengthen for their battle against relegation.

Everton reportedly made an approach for the Besiktas centre half during the summer, but were unable to agree a deal to bring him to Goodsion Park.

Instead, Marco Silva brought in Yerry Mina on a permanent basis while Kurt Zouma joined the Toffees on loan from Chelsea.

The Everton boss still has concerns over his defence though, as they have conceded 30 goals during the current campaign and sit 10th in the Premier League table.

Fulham are currently in the bottom three of the table and have expressed an interest in the Croatian international Vida, as they aim to improve a defence that has leaked 43 goals this season.

They have already made positive steps under new head coach Claudio Ranieri, having climbed off the bottom of the table heading into the New Year.

Fulham have already conducted business with Vida's club, Besiktas, this season having signed goalkeeper Fabri during the summer window.

Ranieri will be hoping this potential transfer is more successful though, as the shot-stopper has featured just twice this campaign.

Everton and Fulham could both benefit from the signing of Vida, and it will be interesting to see if the Croatian will playing in the Premier League in 2019 and who will win the race for his signature.



https://ninetyminutesonline.com/everton-face-competition-from-fulham-for-january-transfer-target/

WhiteJC

 
Could Tottenham midfielder Victor Wanyama be a better Fulham target than Mousa Dembele?

Reports in the Daily Mail earlier this week linked Tottenham midfielder Victor Wanyama with a move away from north London.

Mousa Dembele was also listed as a player who would be allowed to leave in January, a claim that excites many Fulham fans.

But could the winter purchase of Wanyama provide a better acquisition than former Fulham star Dembele?

One factor that must be considered is Dembele's age and injury concerns.

The Belgian international is currently recovering from ankle surgery and likely will not be fit in all of January. In addition, the defensive midfielder is 31 and would not be a long term solution for the Whites' issues.

Wanyama, on the other hand, is 27 years of age and can offer a more energetic presence in the centre of the park that could be vital for Fulham's survival. Although Wanyama is also currently sidelined with injury, his age advantage when compared to Dembele will allow him to recover quicker.

In addition, as a former Southampton player, the Kenyan has experience in steering smaller clubs clear of danger and into impressive top-half performances.

With most rumours linking Dembele to Italian or Chinese clubs, perhaps his fellow Tottenham teammate Victor Wanyama would be the more pragmatic and effective January signing for Fulham.



https://tbrfootball.com/could-tottenham-midfielder-victor-wanyama-be-a-better-fulham-target-than-mousa-dembele/


WhiteJC


Three Players to Watch: Matchday 21 vs. Arsenal
Can Fulham start 2019 like they left 2018?

If only we had some time to revel in their last gasp victory over Huddersfield last weekend. Better yet, I hope the players and supporters can revel in what has happened throughout all of 2018. It was truly a special year for Fulham Football Club as they finally returned to the Premier League after four long years of hard work and adversity. Now the lows that have been presented since then have tainted what happened in that special Championship season that resulted in a famous Playoff victory at Wembley. However, no one will ever take away that special day at the home of English football, with a white wall made by 30,000 of Fulham's finest and a team that was so together, that the sky was the limit on their potential.

The sacking of Slavisa Jokanovic really brought an end to a magical era for the club, but it is the cruel and miserable reality of what it takes to survive in the Premier League for the long term. Heroes don't last forever and the past is only told by those who win. Slav stopped winning because he couldn't solve the defense, made horrific substitutions and lineup decisions, and stopped sticking to who he was. Therefore, the Premier League swallowed him up versus what should have been the other way around.

No matter the case, Claudio Ranieri has come in and has done his best to create a cohesive unit again, but with a rock solid backline this time around. He has gotten wins over Southampton and Huddersfield, and draws against Newcastle and Wolves as a result. But much more will be required as the likes of Cardiff and Burnley got crucial wins over the weekend. What has been possible for teams above Fulham to avoid relegation so far is to grab three points against a team that they have no business beating. That team could be Arsenal if things break right for them. Boy, what a way to start 2019 if Fulham were to pull off that result!

Since going unbeaten in 14 Premier League fixtures in a row, the Gunners have now slipped a bit by losing twice in their last four contests. Now Unai Emery has had his squad over-acheive his team's underlying numbers all season, but this past month has finally had them regress to the mean a bit. Starting with their defeat to Southampton, Arsenal have been outscored 7 to 10 in actual goals and 5.80 to 6.74 in expected goals.

All of this includes the 5-1 thrashing they just received from league leaders Liverpool, but that still doesn't dismiss the fact that this club has given up 30 goals this campaign: poor enough to not even be ranked in the top ten in goal prevention. Along with that, their 42 goals scored well exceeds their 30.36 expected goals accumulated. If it wasn't for their Premier League best 8.71 passes allowed per defensive action and taking advantage of teams on the counter as a result, their attack would be much worse.

So Fulham can treat tomorrow's contest at the Emirates as two ways. They can either see this as an opportunity unlike any other to claim another famous victory. Or they can sit back some more, as they have all season against top six sides, and hope their defensive wall can hold down the fort like they did against Huddersfield and unlike they did against Wolves. With that said, here are the three players from Arsenal that will be key to getting their season back into gear.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

It was quite odd to have one of the Premier League's leading scorers not profiled in the home fixture back in October. But take note that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's place in the starting XI wasn't a guarantee at the time. That's quite odd to say in comparison to where his form is now, but with Emery previously implementing a 4-2-3-1 system, there just wasn't room for him and Alexandre Lacazette both playing together unless one of them played out of position.

Of late, Emery has been trying different formations to get them to both play as strikers, but it is quite clear which one is getting the most out of this season. The things to watch out for for the Guinea International is that his shot rate of 2.77 per contest is the lowest it has been since 2010/11 and his 25.0% goal conversion rate is the highest it has been in his professional career. So bad luck could be upon him in the coming future and it would be nice if that all starts this fixture.

Granit Xhaka

Next up is a midfielder that divides opinion depending on which side of the argument you are on. Some see Granit Xhaka as someone that can start Arsenal's attacks well from central midfield. Others see the Switzerland International as a walking red card or penalty waiting to happen. Fortunately for Gunners fans, his foul rate has decreased dramatically since arriving to North London from 2.49 to 1.48 per contest. However, his interception rate has decreased at roughly the same rate as well from 2.42 to 1.23 per contest. Either way, these numbers don't make him less of the "hard man" he is advertised since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in 2016. Considering how porous and untrustworthy Arsenal's backline has been, there is no denying Xhaka will be among the reasons why they will look strong in defense or not on New Year's Day.

Lucas Torreira
All data from whoscored.com

Lastly, because of so much uncertainty on that Arsenal back line, I will not be highlighting an opposing defender for the first time this season. So instead, let's pay attention to the closest thing Arsenal has had replacing Patrick Vieira. That might be saying a lot, but Lucas Torreira has come on in and done a fine job in his first season since arriving from Udinese. And at 22 years old, there is plenty of time for him to fulfill his potential as a hard-nosed defensive midfielder.

Shkrodan Mustafi and Xhaka can only come close to the 69 total defensive actions the Uruguay International has accumulated, so the foundations are there to build something solid in defense. But another center back to pair with Mustafi, plus another fullback to replace the aging Nacho Monreal is vital to put Arsenal back into Champions League contention. For now, Fulham's effort in midfield will determine whether they can be able to score on an Arsenal side that has shown enough signs to be vulnerable.



https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2019/1/1/18163424/three-players-to-watch-matchday-21-vs-arsenal

WhiteJC

 
Arsenal discuss recalling loan duo to make up for quiet January transfer window

Arsenal chiefs have reportedly had conversations about potentially recalling Reiss Nelson and Calum Chambers from their respective loans at Hoffenheim and Fulham this January.

The Gunners look set for a quiet transfer window due to a lack of funds, so could look to make up for that by bringing these two back from their loan spells early, according to BBC Sport.

However, the report stresses that there could be complications in doing so, with Arsenal having to pay a fee to Fulham to bring Chambers back in the middle of the season, while the club are also described as being reluctant to interrupt Nelson's fine rise in his time in the Bundesliga.

Overall this is not the most promising situation for Arsenal at present, with loan signings also the most likely thing for them this winter.

The report links the north London giants with a possible move for Barcelona outcast Denis Suarez, but most fans will surely want to see their club aim higher as they face the summer departure of Aaron Ramsey.



https://www.caughtoffside.com/2019/01/01/arsenal-nelson-and-chambers-recall-in-january-transfer-window/

WhiteJC

 
Revealed: 72% of Leeds fans would support a move to sign Tom Cairney in January

The majority of the Leeds fans that answered our recent poll said that they would support an ambitious move to sign out-of-favour Fulham captain Tom Cairney in January.

According to a recent report from The Sun, new Fulham boss Claudio Ranieri is on the lookout for a defensive midfielder, and he is willing to swap Cairney for Newcastle's Jonjo Shelvey.

The Italian boss was tasked with stopping the flood of goals that Fulham were conceding on their return to the Premier League and, although he started in the weekend's win over Huddersfield, Cairney has been a casualty of the Cottagers' new defensive formation.

The 27-year-old then could look to move away in the winter window, and there is no better place for him than back to where it all began at Leeds. Cairney came through the ranks at the Leeds academy but was released at 16 years of age.

Now though the Whites are at the top of the Championship and the Fulham captain's experience would help them get back to the Premier League. Check out the full results of our poll below, where 72 per cent of Leeds fans said they would back a move.



https://www.footballfancast.com/championship/leeds/revealed-72-of-leeds-fans-would-support-a-move-to-sign-tom-cairney-in-january


WhiteJC

 
A very serious and tactical preview of the Fulham game

First thing I should do is wish all of you a very happy new year. It's now 2019, we still don't have proper hover-boards or flying vehicles so essentially the future is a bag of crap but let's not start on a downer. I don't want that Elon Musk fella chancing across this blog and trying to convince me after he takes 4 Es and a pile of shrooms that the plug-in cars  he shoots into space are evidence that technology is great or anything, I'm far too hungover for that this morning.

We play Fulham later. After the defeat to Liverpool – did I mention I spent yesterday evening with a Mugsmasher who was far too gracious a host to talk about the game the other night? – Unai Emery must be thinking about changes for today. As he can't load Mustafi into a cannon and shoot him into space like Voyager 2 he's somewhat restricted. That said, imagine the NASA control room when the Mustafi probe shot past Pluto and instead of sending back pictures of the farthest reaches of our universe it was a selfie of him singing along to Live Is Life by top pop combo Opus, the zany p****.

My point here is that I'm ok with any team once it doesn't have Mustafi in it. Something like:

Cech, a chair, Hector Bellerin's fashion pants, three small boys in a long coat pretending to an adult so they can get into an over 18s film, Steve, a massive squirrel on drugs, Inanimate Carbon Rod, a booze globe, my slippers, next door's wheelie bin, Lacazette.

Just get out there and win and stop being such twats. If it were me my teamtalk would be encouraging, looking to get the best out of the chaps I picked, but I'd also make it very clear that unless they played well I'd kill them. Not 'have them killed', because I believe a manager should take responsibility. You could hand this stuff over to an assistant but I wouldn't trust a single one of them. What do Steve Bould and Spanish Steve Bould do anyway? Beats me. E-Steve Boold-eh. I think I'd kill them too.

Look the point I'm making in a very subtle way is that we need a response today after such a dismal defeat in our last game. And when I said I wish all of you a happy new year, I meant that, but on the off chance that anyone from KSE is reading this, it does not apply to you. I wish you pestilence and bum itches for the duration of 2019 and beyond or until you go away or put some money into this club. Especially Stan, but especially Josh.

Yesterday, we were told that January funds were limited so loan deals were our most likely option when the transfer window opens. In the meantime, the club's highest scoring central midfielder of all time and the man who got the winner in two FA Cup finals, will have talks with PSG, Bayern Munich, Juventus and others. I realise his availability of a free has opened doors in this regard, but look at the calibre of clubs that are after him. It tells you plenty, and it's further evidence that some people are in need of real super-wedgie, whether they're still at the club or not. I tell you, if I saw Ivan Gazidis right now I'd capture him and paint his stupid head with road tar, the winker.

Anyway, I can't even explain to you what a chore this has been to type so I'm going to leave it here and go back to lie down for a while. We will have a live blog and all the other stuff we do on the site, so I'll see you later on for the game.

In the meantime, I'll reiterate my best for 2019 once more unless you're Stan, Josh, Ivan, Phil Collins, John Terry, a Premier League referee, Nigel Farage and his ilk, a person who doesn't cover their mouth when they cough, anyone who treats dogs badly, the man up the road from me who discards the scratch cards he never wins on the street rather than in a bin, or someone who films themselves during football games. I hope you all get SARS.



https://arseblog.com/2019/01/a-very-serious-and-tactical-preview-of-the-fulham-game/

WhiteJC

 
Out-of-contract Premier League players - who could leave for free this summer?

FULHAM

    Stefan Johansen
    Floyd Ayite
    Neeskens Kebano
    Denis Odoi
    Cauley Woodrow



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11670/11595964/out-of-contract-premier-league-players-who-could-leave-for-free-this-summer

WhiteJC

 
Fulham Preview: 2019 Needs To Start With A Bang

Or Thus Spake Ornstein. There was some evidence that eternal recurrence isn't as far-fetched a notion as its' critics would have you believe. Take the case of Ornstein. Another transfer window, another message that we've got no money. I'm certain we've heard that one before. It's lunacy to expect the club to announce that we're loaded; that just begs for the sharks to circle that much more aggressively.

However, it's not much of a motif for a club which claims to be pushing for a return to the Champions League. The squad needs more than rejuvenating and we don't have the Champions League income to invest. The longer we are absent from the top table, the harder it will be to return. If Enos doesn't want to see the value of his investment fall, he needs to rethink his philosophy.

That's to admit defeat before we've begun. The defeat at Anfield was a chastening experience, more so than in previous years. To see experienced defenders play so amateurishly – and that's harsh on amateurs – shook an optimism about a top four finish from before our eyes. It's one match against probably the best team in the country so should we be overly concerned?

This afternoon gives us some answers. It's trite to say the players 'owe us a performance' but they need one for themselves, for their own self-belief. It's been a month – nine matches – since we put in a good, strong performance: Tottenham. Across a range of competitions, we've stumbled until falling flat on our faces – or arses, whichever you prefer – at Anfield. If we're going to progress in any of the competitions, we need to improve dramatically our performance levels and on a consistent basis.

Make no mistake, it's a tall order for Unai Emery with this squad.

Welcome to the Bus Depot
Fulham are a different proposition to Liverpool. They won't overwhelm or swarm around the ball; it's very much a home match where we'll see a lot of the ball and need to be inventive in our possession. It's a game which is made for Mesut Ozil and I'm sure his knee will hold up to the rigours of it.

He is just one of a few changes I'd expect. Monreal, Bellerin and probably Koscielny into the starting line-up with Ramsey into midfield? Arsenal are not minded to sell him this winter, preferring to keep the player on the books. No reconciliation, however; he is leaving and Juventus reportedly offered him a deal worth £150k per week. Ivan's was more generous by all accounts and those numbers certainly support the notion it was unrealistic.

The decision on financial grounds makes sense but less so in a footballing sense. As we transition from Wengerball to Emeryball, we're crying out for a box-to-box midfielder. Ozil is unreliable and certainly from the outside looking in, being eased out of the club if we can. He, it's claimed, isn't leaving in January; next summer is a different story.

I've steered the conversation away from the defence quite deliberately because every time you come back to it, you see a back three formation which doesn't work, principally because Mustafi is in it. His was a calamitous signing and if Anne Robinson were in charge, we'd have no argument declaring "You are the weakest link! Goodbye!"

The uncertainty he transmits is as big a problem as the rash penalty-area tackle. What triggers these panic stations in his mind? I wouldn't mind if his response was to put the ball in row Z every time. That's safety first, no-nonsense and not conceding goals kind of defending.

He Flies Through The Air With...
It's 'fight or flight' with Mustafi. Sadly, we get the flight element, usually into an unnecessary challenge in the area. Or onto his arse.

There's only so many times you can look at a player and think he isn't good enough for this level. Sadly, we've done than that on 94 occasions. Which is 95 too many.

Which begs the question of whether we continue with a back three. If you don't trust Mustafi, the answer is not with Lichtsteiner. Monreal adapts comfortably to the wide central defender role but the Swiss hates it more than biting too hard into Toblerone and getting the top of the triangle stuck in the roof of your mouth.

The photo of he and Mustafi berating each other at Anfield sums up their relationship on the pitch: one disaster followed by another.

So, Laurent Koscielny and Sokratis, it seems you are the answer. Hopefully the pair of you can calm Mustafi's lunatic tendency and make a back three work. I say that because I don't think we're strong enough for a back four which leaves the line-up:

Leno; Mustafi, Sokratis, Koscielny; Bellerin, Torreira, Xhaka, Monreal; Ozil, Aubameyang, Lacazette

The reality is we need three points. United solved their crisis for the most part when they sacked Mourinho. Now, we can't rely on them cocking it up to stay in fifth.

I hope Anfield was the wake-up call and that there's been no marking it down as a 'one-off'. It wasn't; it had been coming. Now is the chance to make sure the message has been "it won't happen again".

Finally, thanks to you all for dropping in during 2018. I hope 2019 is as good a year as we want it to be.

Enjoy the match wherever you are watching it.

'til Tomorrow.



https://www.aclfarsenal.co.uk/2019/01/01/fulham-preview-2019-needs-to-start-with-a-bang/


WhiteJC

 
Mesut Ozil and Hector Bellerin could feature against Fulham after returning to training

Arsenal boss Unai Emery hopes to be able to call on Hector Bellerin and Mesut Ozil for the Gunners' clash against Fulham at the Emirates today.

Bellerin limped out of Arsenal's 3-2 defeat to Southampton a fortnight ago with a calf strain and had been expected to be out until the New Year.

However, the Spaniard confirmed on his Instagram page that he had returned to full training and he may take a place on the bench against the Cottagers.

'No matter what, so happy to be back out on the grass,' said Bellerin.

Ozil was hooked at half-time in Arsenal's Boxing Day draw away at Brighton and was ruled out of their 5-1 drubbing against Liverpool three days later with a 'knee injury'.

The club say they will assess the German's injury before today's game but he's likely to be fit to feature at some point after returning to training.

Arsenal are believed to be open to selling Ozil this month but the club will have to cover some of his £300,000-a-week wages if they ship him out on loan.



Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/01/mesut-ozil-hector-bellerin-feature-fulham-returning-training-8298536/?ito=cbshare

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MetroUK | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroUK/

WhiteJC

 
Fulham Face Opposition When it Comes To Signing International Defender

As of midnight, the transfer window was finally declared open.

In the next month, decisions have to be made that could help safeguard a clubs' position in the division they now play in.

It's a statement that fully applies to our own club, Fulham.

With relegation a real possibility, Claudio Ranieri will have to move quickly to bring in the players he believes can contribute to preserving Fulham's top-flight status.

At the weekend, one piece of transfer speculation, presented by the tabloid source, the Mirror, implied that Fulham were among a trio of Premier League clubs interested in Nathaniel Clyne.

Clyne, 27-years-of-age and an England international, has fallen down the pecking order at title-chasing Liverpool and could be ripe to the suggestion of moving on to seek a new challenge.

At the weekend, one piece of transfer speculation, presented by the tabloid source, the Mirror, implied that Fulham were among a trio of Premier League clubs interested in Nathaniel Clyne.

Clyne, 27-years-of-age and an England international, has fallen down the pecking order at title-chasing Liverpool and could be ripe to the suggestion of moving on to seek a new challenge.



https://fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/fulham-face-opposition-when-it-comes-to-signing-international-defender/

WhiteJC

 
Good news for Emery over key Arsenal star ahead of Fulham

Unai Emery has been boosted by the news that one of his key defenders – who has recently been on the sidelines – is set to be assessed ahead of the clash with Fulham in the Premier League.

Arsenal were in action against Liverpool on Saturday, only a couple of days after a 1-1 draw away to Brighton.

Despite taking an early lead, the Gunners ended up being thrashed 5-1 at Anfield in arguably their worst performance of the season so far.

Hector Bellerin is one of the key players who were not able to feature in the defeat to Liverpool due to injury.

The Spanish defender was sorely missed as his deputy Stephan Lichtsteiner was exposed by Jurgen Klopp's side.

However, there is some good news for Emery ahead of the clash with Fulham on Tuesday.

The club's medical staff has revealed an update, stating that Bellerin is actually in contention for a return and he will be assessed ahead of the match.

"Left calf. Being assessed ahead of Fulham (h) on Tuesday, January 1." an official update from the club said



http://www.redlondon.net/good-news-for-emery-over-key-arsenal-star-ahead-of-fulham/


WhiteJC

 
How Franz Ferdinand Can Inspire Arsenal in 2019 |Line-Up v Fulham

I was 'at the world's biggest New Year's Eve street party', so they told us, at the foot of the wonderful Edinburgh Castle – one of the world's most beautiful city-settings, I am sure you'll agree. Tickets at £75 a head, taxis double the price, buses triple the price and two cans of beer, a red wine and bottle of water an eye-watering £22... but it was totally worth it.

The Hogmanay party had two highlights: the fireworks which were simply godly and Franz Ferdinand's 1.5 hour fabulous performance on stage. I didn't expect too much from FF, but boy did they give a show on the night: true entertainers who live for the music, and, all together, performed 'in the moment'! Going since 2002, so 16 years and counting, and they still love to be on stage; and that happiness gave us all a buzz on the night. Alex Kapranos, Lead Singer, kept asking us 'Are you with me, Edinburgh?', and yes we 'were with him' all the way.

It made me think again that what's is so important in anything that is being done by humans, whether it is serving food in a restaurant, driving people from A to B, managing an organisational change process, operating on a patient, selling fish from a market stall, performing on stage, or indeed, manage a sports team, is threefold: focus, energy/joy, and team work. Talent/know-how help too, but most things can be learned through hard work, education/training and tenacity; and relying on talent alone will not get you far. Without focus, energy/joy and team work there will not be real success, it will not be enjoyable and you will not be adding much if anything to the job at hand.

And that is what I would like to see at Arsenal – on all levels – in 2019: focus, passionate commitment and VCC.

Yes I like some new good players too, but let's not believe too much in shopping-therapy. Just look at Manure and you know we cannot just buy ourselves out of a crisis.

Despite some personal irritations about Unai's team selection and handling of players, I have no doubt that Unai offers Arsenal all three aspects in abundance. He is focussed: knows his targets, knows how he wants to play and knows what needs doing to make progress. He has tons of energy and really, really enjoys managing our club: his energy is infectious and he lives for football. And he is also a real team player even though certain players do not seem to fit into his team for the future, which is natural when a manager takes over.

Fact is it is going to take time, but let's not forget Unai beat the Spuds already, we drew at OT and got close to winning there, gave Pool a real game at the home of football and could have won that one too, and we had a 23-game unbeaten run and are just a handful of points behind the fourth-placed Chavs. These are all signs that Emery has what it takes to make our club great again... eventually.

As JW1 keeps reminding us, perspective is required, and we as considered supporters need to trust the club and Emery and be patient. I have been critical about some of Unai's player choices and decision making until now but am also aware that he is leading the troops from the front, and I am not. It takes time to reach a true crescendo of fireworks, and let's see where Emery will take us in (just) 12 months from now. Victory Through Harmony is our club's motto after all...

Line-up for today's game?

Hard to predict but this is of course a must-win so I expect the strongest possible team out (with the exception of Ramsey who has his head turned by five 'big' clubs who have a space on the bench for him to keep warm apparently – the sooner he sods off the better).

My line-up would look like this:


Let's get the job done in the first half/60 minutes. Play with the strongest team and aim to score three before half time. High tempo, crisp passing, good movement, Ozil as the conductor (aligned with composer Emery), Auba with focus, Laca to get the service he deserves, Iwobi to do the penetration, Xhaka-Torreira to boss the midfield again, and Nacho to bring back balance on the left side and in defence.

We got a kicking at Anfield and nobody likes to experience this. But real winners don't doubt themselves too long and definitely don't become all self-deprecating. No they get up again, lick their wounds and go and win the next game.

Hope 2019 will bring you health, happiness and joy/success at whatever you do.



https://bergkampesque.com/2019/01/01/how-franz-ferdinand-can-inspire-arsenal-in-2019-line-up-v-fulham/