Premier League 23/24: Gameweek 34 (April 20-25)

[Riou]

Remember, his debut for us in 2014 was against City and he almost scored at the start of the match by hitting the post.

After his hatty v Gala a few weeks later, I thought he would be a star here...then he just kept getting injured

 

[albakos]

After his hatty v Gala a few weeks later, I thought he would be a star here...then he just kept getting injured

His winner at Old Trafford for the FA Cup and his epic celebration there in front of LVG are well remembered though.

Always found it odd that his departure was announced on the final day of 2018 without any prior notice.

 

[grange]

Looking at Brighton's recent track record, we're going to need a miracle for them to get a point out of this. If they manage to win this game then I'm putting money on the world ending.

 

[Riou]

His winner at Old Trafford for the FA Cup and his epic celebration there in front of LVG are well remembered though.

Always found it odd that his departure was announced on the final day of 2018 without any prior notice.

Danny deserved a little more from the club, was disappointing.

Especially since Cech was given a send off which I hated, I would have banned Helmet Head from even being allowed into the ground if I had my way!

 

[Thrice]

Sp**s is gonna play their skins out again us you can put a bet on that and United will do the same we have some difficult matches coming up.

Tbf, Tottenham will do the same against City because every point counts for them. They will be desperate to get top 4.

We just need Villa to keep winning games (but at the same time Tottenham to stay in the race until the City game).

 

[ArsenesCoatMaker]

Hope this works:

Mikel Arteta: Mauricio Pochettino told me not to go into management

Mauricio Pochettino says Mikel Arteta is among the “best coaches in the world” and insists that he could already see that potential when the Arsenal manager was a teenage team-mate with Paris Saint-Germain.

www.thetimes.co.uk

Mauricio Pochettino says Mikel Arteta is among the “best coaches in the world” and insists that he could already see that potential when the Arsenal manager was a teenage team-mate with Paris Saint-Germain.

Pochettino, the Chelsea head coach, has regarded the Spaniard as “family” since they met at PSG when he was captain and the former midfielder was looking to launch his career on loan from Barcelona.

Arteta described Pochettino as a “big brother” before they face each other for the first time as rival coaches at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with Chelsea nine points behind Arsenal, who are second in the Premier League table.

“It’s going to be really nice because my love for him is there and it’s a family, it’s more than friends,” Pochettino said. “From day one that he arrived in Paris, we arrived together, spend time together, our families also. [During] the first few months in the hotel we lived very close and it was an amazing history.”

Pochettino signed for PSG from Espanyol in 2001, aged 29, while Arteta joined from Barcelona as a 19-year-old midfielder.

“He was giving advice to me and to others — I was the captain,” Pochettino said. “I think he was 17 and [I’d] say wow, the character, the personality, the charisma also, because he is charismatic.
“Already [he had] the football brain. And you either have it or you don’t have it. You cannot go to the supermarket to buy one. And he already was a coach and then he was a midfielder similar to Pep [Guardiola, helping him] to understand the game, what the game needs in different circumstances.

“I was a centre back but you see more in a different way football, but his personality, character, I always used to say ‘Mikel is going to be a coach, but not only is he going to be a coach, he’s going to be a great coach.’ ”

Arteta has won the FA Cup with Arsenal and his team goes into Saturday’s game level on points with Tottenham Hotspur, who are top of the Premier League. Arsenal also beat Guardiola’s Manchester City 1-0 just before the international break.

“It does not surprise me what he is doing because he was a coach already at 17,” Pochettino said. “Trust me, he was very good in his judgment. He is still really young, improving day by day. He can be one of the greatest managers in the world.

“I think what the Arsenal team is showing is because he is one of the best. OK, he is 30 years old, 40 years old, I don’t know [he is 41] — he is young but he has shown me he is one of the best coaches in the world today. It’s not only [important] to be good tactically, [with] football knowledge, it’s about how you manage.”

Arteta acknowledged Pochettino’s mentoring at PSG. “He was critical, has been one of the most influential people in my career,” Arteta said. “Firstly as a player, he took me under the arm and looked after me like a little child, a little brother, and he was a big part of the success I had in Paris. It was because of him [I excelled] because he really looked after me, gave me a lot of confidence and a lot of advice.

“He is an expert at giving you confidence and then keeping you on your toes all the time, being really harsh on me. Every time I was doing something he was controlling me — ‘What did you do last night?’ He really looked after me. He was really inspirational and supportive.”

Arteta said Pochettino advised him against becoming a coach. “He told me, ‘Don’t go into coaching — it’s too hard,’ ” Arteta said, but Pochettino insisted he was joking. “Football cannot miss a guy like him,” Pochettino said.

Pochettino also defended Arteta’s touchline behaviour with the Arsenal manager having come under heavy scrutiny for some of his actions.

“I am 51 and still sometimes I feel that the decisions are no good or unfair,” Pochettino said. “You are competitive. Like with Mikel or myself or other coaches that played football, in our minds we still believe that we can play football. Still we have the animal instinct that make us to arrive here. We cannot be thinkers.”

 

[GDeep™]

City are going to hit 4/5 past Brighton.

 

[HighburyHigh]

City 3-0

 

[ArsenesCoatMaker]

He's literally spent less money on transfers than half the league over the past 5 years or so. Behind us, Bournemouth, Villa etc.

What he's achieved is unreal. Almost got to 100 points with a workhorse midfield playing insanely risky attacking ball in a world where everyone is trying to minimize risk above all else. Really see no reason for anyone to try and tear down his legacy when he's basically the only manager at a top club who's done it without massive financial backing.

Maybe that's partly why he's off. Mane left, Salah is looking in decline, so is VVD, his engine room midfielders have left, his next gen of forwards aren't quite as good. Years of under investment hit the fan eventually. When Wenger finally finished 6th, it was largely because of the Cesc/RVP/Nasri outs, while we bought old cheaper players to fill the hole for a few years. But those players eventually got past it and there weren't any replacements there. When Santi got injured we were pretty much done.

 

[Arsenia]

No Haaland

Brighton 2 City 1

 

[<<reed>>]

No Haaland

advantage Man City

 

[Synical]

The only decent team Brighton has beaten this season is Tottenham.

They did draw to Liverpool at home, though.

They've been battered a few times.

But weren't they unbeaten at home for several months before we played them the other week?

Maybe they can draw

Edit: tell a lie, they beat Newcastle 3-1 in September at home. And they lost at the Etihad only 2-1

 

[Energoto]

Looking at Brighton's recent track record, we're going to need a miracle for them to get a point out of this. If they manage to win this game then I'm putting money on the world ending.

And their starting XI is very very average, we really need a miracle here

 

[boonthegoon]

Brighton LB has played 1 PL game in his career.
Lallana, who should be retired now due to injuries, is starting.

No hopes on this one sadly.

 

[A_G]

 

[Energoto]

City are going to hit 4/5 past Brighton.

Yeah, cant see anything than a City win, probably it more narrow like 2:0

 

[Lady_Gooner]

There’s definitely a limit to the joy/hope arsenal fans are allowed to feel. I just know we have to choose between city dropping points this week or us winning the NLD. Both seem too good to happen to us

 

[2Smokeyy]

If Gilmour, Mitoma and March were available then I would have fancied them to do something.

Comfortable City win here imo.

 

[berric]

City will obliterate this lot. Not sure it's worth watching tbh.

 

[Sanchez11]

Fs they are gonna spank them. We need Brighton to score first and see what happens.