The Bearded One strikes again! Napoli 2, Liverpool 0: Mertens (pen) 82', Llorente 92' (yes, that Llorente). Good for you Fernando!
Liverpoo bailed out with a stoppage time penalty. Not that what happens at the top of the table has any relevance for Spurs...
It allows you to watch Liverpoo vs Man Shitty without worrying about what result would be best for Spurs.
I have to admit I have not watched as much football as usual because of Spurs pathetic play, but last weekend I forced myself to watch the other games. Well it didn't help my mood, it only served to emphasize how disinterested and abject our players have been this season compared to the rest of the league. Yes, the shite Arsenal lost, but at least their players, as clueless as they are, tried to compete. We were a total no-show vs. Sheffield Utd.
Kane with a first half hat-trick for England - amazing - when he plays for us, he looks like he can barely move. At least Southgate had the sense to take him off after 57 minutes with the game won, unlike Poch, who left him on for no good reason at Red Star when we had the game won after 60 minutes. England qualified, so hopefully he won't be played in the meaningless final group game.
I believe that goal saw him tie the calendar year goal-scoring record for England. It would not surprise me at all if Kane asked to be left in to see if he couldn’t take sole possession of that record.
I wish Southgate and Poch would grow a pair of you-know-whats and rest him when there is no need for him to play. But that is wishful thinking. But hey, what an accomplishment it is to break records against powerhouse teams like Montenegro and Kosovo...that is so much more important.
Props to Spurs Ladies who lost the NLD 2-0 in front of a Womens Super Leaugue record crowd of 38,000 at Nouveau WHL. It is the girls first season in the top flight and by all accounts they gave a creditable performance against a seasoned Arsenal side. It would be nice if the lads would show up for a game every now and then, wouldn't it?
I rather like being reminded that Kane is still hungry and brilliant and clinical … that the problem is us, collectively, and not him. Not that I wouldn't be howling if he did his ankle, or something, but, y'know … silver lining, like.
Pook, you could have scored 3 or 4 against Montenegro and Kosovo, they are that bad (and Kosovo could still qualify through the playoffs)! I don't know what it is, but from the qualifiers I have watched, he certainly puts himself about, yet he looked like he could barely move against Sheffield United. But the England group was so poor that qualifying was effectively an 8-game training exercise. Watched the Ireland-Denmark game yesterday hoping that Mick McCarthy would grow a couple and throw in our Troy Parrott, but he was an unused substitute and the Irish predictably struggled to generate anything going forward. At least Eriksen is consistent - he is just as poor for the national team as he is for us - his pathetic effort to close down the cross on the Irish goal was typical of his season so far. I wish Poch would just leave him out of the squad altogether, his total indifference disgusts me. If I were a big European club, I would think twice before forking over 250-300K a week for him.
Arsenal gave up a second half lead at home v Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League tonight, losing 1-2. Apparently there were huge swaths of empty seats at the Emirates, as well. Admittedly, an EL group stage match - particularly when you're all but through - isn't the most enticing ticket, but it wasn't long ago that Arsenal tickets going to general sale was virtually unheard of. The wheels appear to be well and truly off, and Emery doesn't appear to have much time left. Hopefully, we'll be above them in the League this time Sunday. They're proper shit, and long may it continue.
Woolwich have sacked Emery and named Freddie Ljungberg caretaker coach. Remember all the Arse fans clamouring for Wenger's dismissal and how anyone else would be an improvement? I saw the empty seats as well and it is so typical of the Arse support, they are the most fair weather, spoiled set of supporters in England.
Poch already being linked to the Arsenal job. We could have the very surreal experience of watching the NLD at Nouveau WHL in April with Mauricio Pochettino in the away dugout and Jose Mourinho in the home dugout. If you had told me that in August I would have said you are a raving lunatic. I don't know if I could handle seeing Poch wearing an Arsenal jacket. I am still in denial over Sol Campbell.