Leandro Trossard has one Liverpool fan thinking wistfully of Diogo Jota, while there is plenty of chatter about the latest episode of Emiliano Martinez.<\/p>\n
Send your thoughts to theeditor@football365.com.<\/p>\n
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Sorry\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n But that is why Aston Villa are not in the title conversation\u2026<\/strong><\/a> \u00a0<\/p>\n So this is what it feels like to lose.<\/p>\n Take it on the chin and move on. \u00a0<\/p>\n Flowers for Trossard<\/strong><\/p>\n I don\u2019t know if Arsenal will now storm to the title or choke within reach of it, but what I do know is that Leandro Trossard is a gem of a squad player.\u00a0 I\u2019ve always thought so, I\u2019ve always rated him\u00a0amongst the top, top character\u00a0guys in the league, and I remember noticing at Brighton thinking he was special.\u00a0 Once upon a time we had such perfect profile of player in our squad too in the form of the late Diogo Jota.\u00a0 Yeah, sigh.\u00a0 The death of our marksman.\u00a0 It\u2019ll never properly heal.<\/p>\n But hats off to the footballers who are signed with little fanfare or fuss and aren\u2019t nailed on to start, but can do.\u00a0 And those who consistently come on late with nary a whinge to deliver match-winning contributions.\u00a0 Keep their heads down, let their play do all the talking.\u00a0 These are the true professionals and I\u2019ve been sad all year we\u2019ve lost one of ours, one of the best we\u2019ve ever had.\u00a0 Players like Trossard remind me of our Portuguese legend. READ MORE<\/strong>:\u00a0Mikel Arteta reveals one \u2018forbidden\u2019 transfer at Arsenal as PL leaders have \u2018offer rejected\u2019 for teenager<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Boo-urns<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019m writing this live during the Arsenal-Villa match in the 44th minute, I am taking my eyes away from this match (I only have two and unfortunately it\u2019s hard to move them in separate directions to perceive images). If you read the mailbox and you\u2019re an Arsenal season ticket holder at the Emirates right now \u2013 this message is for you.<\/p>\n I understand booing players. We\u2019re all sports fanatics. Especially when someone has left your team \/ club. But in instances such as Emi Martinez \u2013 he stayed at the club from a teenager to an adult because Wenger always told him that one day he would be the 1st choice keeper\u2026while buying players to block his pathway.<\/p>\n But when he got his chance \u2013 he was immense and is directly responsible for (rival fans will love this) our only trophy in the Arteta era. He spent every single day of his life revolving around waiting for that chance and when it came \u2013 he took it to the point that he is now a World Cup winner and now considered one of the best keepers in the world.<\/p>\n He left because Arteta told him he was reinstating Leno as our our first choice keeper. If he didn\u2019t leave \u2013 he never becomes a World Cup winner. Yeah, people have their own lives that exist outside of the infinitesimal allegiance of your club. P.S. \u2013 oh, we did score apparently. Wasn\u2019t watching. Set piece FC for the win<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Emi award<\/strong><\/p>\n Decided to watch Arsenal and Villa since my little daughter only sleeps on top of other humans meaning I had to lie still in silence for 2-4 hours anyway.<\/p>\n In my mind goalkeepers get judged on three things; shot stopping, distribution and \u201cpresence\u201d. That last one is a bit weird because you can be tall and lack presence (De Gea) or shorter but have bags of it. For me Emi Martinez has a lot of all three. He seems to love being a shit house which annoys me a bit when Liverpool play him but I think he\u2019s the kind of scoundrel you\u2019d love to have on your side.<\/p>\n As a counter point Richarlison strikes me as a player who you might be glad when he scores for your team but you\u2019d still acknowledge he\u2019s basically a prick.<\/p>\n There was one moment where Martinez delivered a delicious goal kick that turned defence into a corner and another where he very strongly claimed a scary ball into the box. He\u2019s been the only busy keeper this half but has looked great. I think he\u2019s often very hyped up to go to the big stadiums but sometimes that hype boils over into something less positive<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n In the first half I saw Arsenal doing their niggly fouls very high up the pitch but interestingly I think Villa have played into it and I think on purpose. They\u2019re going down regularly, easily and often and I wonder if Emery senses he can frustrate the crowd here (from his own tenure frustrating the crowd regularly, no doubt). Maybe he\u2019s thinking the crowd gets anxious given Arsenal\u2019s record against the top 4 this season. Maybe he\u2019s thinking the players get anxious. Maybe he\u2019s thinking they get annoyed but a heavy stop start game. Maybe it\u2019s just a clever way to minimise the time the ball is in play which maximises his chances of a result.<\/p>\n Best chance of the half was basically Sancho receiving the ball offside at 45mins. So no really telling moments for either side so far.<\/p>\n Merino\u2019s challenge on Onana that got him a yellow is not far off what people have seen red for this season; a late step on the ankle after the ball was played. Maybe lucky to still be on the pitch.<\/p>\n It\u2019s well set up for the second half. I could see McGinn making a difference off the bench for Villa. Trossard has been very lively on the wing for Arsenal. Surely Havertz gets 15 minutes at least if he\u2019s fit.<\/p>\n Sending this now (half time) in case the 6kg monster awakens and I don\u2019t get to watch the second half! Hope it doesn\u2019t make me look stupid in 45 plus a few. \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2026or Villa will collapse in 8 minutes.<\/p>\n What a stinker they\u2019ve had here. \u00a0<\/p>\n Emery and Arteta<\/strong><\/p>\n Seen a lot of content generation and\u00a0 \u201cbantz\u201d online and on SpeakRubbish radio in last week about Emery being a better manager than Arteta. Referencing trophies etc.<\/p>\n it misses the point.\u00a0 (Of course it does).<\/p>\n Anyone seen that movie \u201crush \u201c about James Hunt versus Niki Lauda for the F1 title in 1976 ?\u00a0 (Superb film btw). Well, Hunt is without a ride after his team has folded. Lauda has changed Ferrari and F1 by being a robot and a brilliant technician- not a death-wish playboy. He is miles ahead of everyone in every way. Totally unbeatable.<\/p>\n Maclaren are looking at drivers. They have options.Jacky\u00a0 Iycx and others. Safe. Reliable. Known.\u00a0 But Hunt (never considered a top driver \u2013 but a talented maniacal man that was desperate to prove he could Win) was available. Should they ? Fearing his reckless reputation, Maclaren call Hunts ex colleagues. Their summary ?<\/p>\n \u201c you\u2019ll never win the championship with Iycx. You just might with Hunt\u201d.<\/p>\n And that\u2019s why Arsenal sacked Emery and hired Arteta. Unai is a perfectly decent manager. Highly successful at \u201csecond level clubs.\u201d\u00a0 I think he will win the Europa League again this season and good luck to him and Villa.\u00a0 It would be a great story.\u00a0 But quite rightly Arsenal \u2013 and particularly stan Kroenke to give him his\u00a0 flowers (he had just bought the club Completely-\u00a0 not coincidentally ) wanted more than that. They wanted to win. To beat the unbeatable Lauda \u2013 ie Pep and Klopp.<\/p>\n
Andy<\/strong><\/p>\n
UTV,\u00a0<\/strong>Paul<\/strong><\/p>\n
Eric, Los Angeles \u00a0CA<\/strong><\/p>\n
MAW, LA Gooner<\/strong><\/p>\n
Minty, LFC<\/strong><\/p>\n
Minty, LFC<\/strong><\/p>\n