Ten Hag sack? Wiegman to Man Utd mooted as Arsenal surprise Havertz is praised
The Mailbox includes plenty of responses to Stewie Griffin after Arsenal’s comfortable win at Brighton. Also: are Manchester United targeting the wrong England manager?
Send your thoughts in to theeditor@football365.com…
Smells like team spirit
Once again Arsenal visit a difficult venue and get the job done without much hassle. A ground where the hosts hadn’t lost for quite a while. One might add that to the clean sheet and arguably more domineering performance at the Etihad together with ending humble but awkward Luton’s goal scoring record albeit at home.
I was worried about Zinchenko’s defensive capabilities but he was fine. The defence look solid and Raya showed his quality with that fine save (certain fans don’t notice a keepers qualities until such saves are made). He’s a reliable keeper.
The main thing to take note of this squad is that they have recovered from that blip last year and they keep battling on. Celebrating a block in injury time at 3:0 up is scintillating.
Whether Arsenal win the league or not this season it doesn’t seem too far off. A Liverpool fan I know says Arteta is a fraud…really? I don’t think so!
Chris, Croydon
OPINION: Gabriel Jesus no more than a supporting character for Arsenal as title race happens around him
A Reminder for Stewie “sourpuss” Griffin
Dear Stewie Griffin,
After reading your long ramble (or, grumble) a few mailboxes ago, I just wanted to remind you that the “£65m milestone” you’ve so regularly slated scored at the Amex yesterday evening as the Gunners swatted the Seagulls aside in 3-0 professional performance.
Related video: Brighton 0-3 Arsenal: Mikel Arteta post-match reaction (Metro)
Yeah, I was really happy, really proud of the boys.
The “Arteta transfer c*ck-up” also scooped the MotM award after he scored 1, assisted 1, created 4 chances, made 13 sprints and… oh well! It’s just Brighton. Bayern should be in town by Tuesday.
No matter the result of that match, or what happens at the end of the season, I know you’d still have something to gripe about this brilliant team.
And it’s a shame really because even as a neutral, there’s a lot to enjoy about this team, even if they “ludicrously finish second to Liverpool.”
I didn’t intend this mail to be this long. Continue stewing, Stewie.
Sincerely,
Anonymous Gunner – (No statue has ever been erected in favor of a critic)
Stewie on Kai Havertz
Did I get that right? Stewie argues that Arsenal won’t win the league… he attributes this above all to the signing of Havertz, because he does not perform against the top 7 and therefore Arsenal lack a cutting edge. And yet, in the very same email, he already acknowledged that Arsenal are “way more competitive in big matches now”. In fact, we are top of the big six mini league. So I’m not sure I get the point?
Incidentally, I write this shortly after Havertz’s goal against Brighton. 60 million down the drain, eh Stewie?
Shaun Russell, Berlin
Finchy!
The denouement of The Office (UK) isn’t when Tim finally gets together with Dawn. It’s when David Brent, after awkwardly smiling through years of shit banter, turns to Finchy and simply says: ‘Chris – why don’t you f*ck off?’
I offer similar advice to Stewie Griffin. Arsenal are top of the table (as I write, at least), on a fantastic run of form since the turn of the New Year, scoring goals for fun, stopping Man City’s scoring record at the Etihad, conceding only due to a Ramsdale brainfart and excelling on just about every metric you can muster. And whilst we dream, most fans think Liverpool or City are better bets for the title – and that’s fine. We’re having a great season.
Stewie – you do realise that all teams draw and lose games they, on paper, should have won, don’t you? It’s why we watch football rather than just get the lads at Opta to crunch the statistics and declare the winners and losers.
You can point out Arsenal losses and draws to Villa, Fulham and all – but City (Villa away too, Crystal Palace) and Liverpool (Luton away) have their own and neither were able to beat each other at home. It’s mental to criticise Arsenal for not having a Salah-style player to score goals at the Etihad, when Liverpool have a Salah-style player in Mohamed Salah and still had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Anfield.
This cherry-picking, one-eyed, smooth-brained analysis is so weird in the context of a team having a great season up against two of their Premier league managerial greats. Just stop it.
I even heard Arteta once threw a kettle over a pub.
Jonny
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Wiegman to Man Utd?
Just a quick one (said the tart to the bishop), but for all the talk of an England manager taking over from Ten Hag, surely it’s about the wrong one?
Wiegman is the best England manager since ’66, give her the job.
Dave PVFC
READ MORE: Five reasons Sir Jim Ratcliffe shouldn’t sack Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag
To Andy D
Just reading the email now I think you totally misunderstood what I was saying, or I didn’t articulate it well enough So here’s my second attempt.
How will allowing owners to put equity into the club make things more fair? It makes it fair for the clubs who have wealthy owners and for everyone else it does nothing.
Awesome that you’re allowing Luton owner to put 300m equity into the club, shame it doesn’t have a rich owner but by total accident that change doesn’t allow city to keep spending while simultaneously helping nobody else who doesn’t also have rich owners.
I find the whole “fairness” argument disingenuous to start with because if you really wanted it to he fair then you would set spending limits at the poorest clubs level. Not the richest. The argument of city fans (to be fair I don’t see many Newcastle or Chelsea fans complaining) is this “we have money, we want to spend. It’s not fair we can’t spend what we want” and if you didn’t have rich owners you wouldn’t make the argument that everyone should just be allowed to pump equity in ad infinitum. You know why Luton, Sheffield etc fans don’t make that argument? They don’t have rich owners.
So let’s stop with the whole ‘financial fairness’ thing because you’re not arguing for that. And before you say “well the poor clubs could just get wealthy owners” wealthy people won’t invest in those clubs because there’s very small room for growth in small clubs from smaller less renowned towns with small stadiums surrounded by terraced housing. It’s not an accident the only clubs that got wealthy investors are all major city clubs. If you want to talk fairness I’m up for that, but we don’t have that conversation from the perspective of top 6 we have it through the lens of a struggling bottom six club with no ability to raise funds.
It’s all good and well saying just allow owners to pump equity in but that has the side effect of increasing all the costs at the club which is fine when you’re rich owners are still there to pay for everything but what happens if they’re not? If you’ve allowed increased wages because the owner pumps 200m equity in every year but then your owner is forced out for legal reasons (like Lazio and chelsea) and suddenly you can’t cover those costs because you’re not receiving that equity.
Finally it did make me laugh you called my email arguing from multiple perspectives reductive while simultaneously reducing the entire discussion to “ffp is cartel protection rules” you’ll also notice that my suggestion was to allow everyone to spend how they liked. I’m happy to reiterate it, let everyone spend how they please, even if it means Liverpool never win another trophy again, I’d rather have the trophies we fought for and won based on the abilities of the manager and squad to play and the clubs ability to be smart in business rather than a yearly treble where we just take infinite oil money and buy success every year. That to me is as hollow as pumping yourself full of steroids and winning gold medals because nobody else had steroids… But that’s just me.
Lee
VARsity level Referees
The refereeing in the PL has been absolute pits this year (just ask Kompany). VAR is just nitpicking over the smallest (and incorrect) things and the referees are not strong enough to overrule.
The Wolves “equalizer” was one example, there was no complaint from the West Ham players only for VAR to step in with that blunder. You would think the 3 referees on the field had a clear view that the Wolves player was offside but didn’t deem him to be interfering, yet once VAR said so they changed their mind.
VAR as a technology is not the problem, it has its value to the game. It’s the people applying it who are screwing things up, there needs to be tighter guidelines in terms of when an interference should happen and also for referees to take more ownership and reject the VAR interference if it’s incorrect.
Jason (Hope the title race does not get decided by a VAR blunder, that would spoil the season)
In aw[e] of Ødegaard and Haaland
I’m a British Arsenal fan who moved to Norway a couple of years ago. Needless to say I hear a lot about Haaland and Ødegaard, whose names are pronounced Hawland and Erdagawd, approximately. The aa in Norwegian is an aw-type sound.
Us British fans, presumably via the commentators, manage to approximate names such as Desailly, Jesus, De Bruyne and Lewandowski without simply reading the English pronunciations. Can we not do the same for the Norwegians?
P.S. for the perfectionists, the final D in both their names is almost silent.
Hannah (pronounced as you’d think)
Correction
Just a small bone of contention with Mr Nicholson’s goalkeeper article: Oliver Kahn must have been a better keeper than I remember having won Euro 96 “by being too good”, especially as he was on the bench.
Andreas Kopke was the starting keeper at 96 (and the following World Cup) as everyone who watched Southgate’s tragic penalty remembers.
Kahn was mint though.
Ash Metcalfe
READ NEXT: Kobbie Mainoo would start for Liverpool: Man Utd-Reds combined XI features four Ten Hag players
9 of the current longest trophy droughts in Europe: Spurs & Newcastle lead the way…
Some sizeable European clubs haven’t lifted silverware for decades – & we’ve done some digging to chart their tale of woe.
Athletic Club were one of those unfortunate teams until winning the 2024 Copa Del Rey final after a nail-biting victory over Mallorca on penalties, sparking wild scenes in Bilbao.
The weight may have been lifted for the Basque club, but some clubs are still living under a cloud of trophylessness. We’ve been taking a look at the clubs with the dustiest trophy cabinets in Europe.
Tottenham
Spurs’ trophy drought isn’t actually that long compared to most of the teams on this list. The North Londoners won a League Cup in 2008, but you have to go back to 1991 for their last FA Cup, and 1961 to find their last top division title.
You’d expect better from a team that has consistently had some pretty excellent players. The good news is that Ange Postecoglou has ‘cup win’ written all over him. Time will tell.
Newcastle United
The last trophy the Magpies won was the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969 and, to be honest, that doesn’t really count. No FA Cups since 1955 and no top division titles since 1927…
The Toon came tantalisingly close a couple of times with the Entertainers of the mid-1990s, but Alex Ferguson got inside King Kevin Keegan’s head and messed his brains up.
A cup feels close for Newcastle and, if and when it does happen, we reckon there are going to be an awful lot of Geordie babies born nine months later.
Bologna
The Rossoblu’s cup drought stretches back to 1974, but we’re tipping them to rectify that soon. Thiago Motta has got Bologna playing some wonderful football right now and, if nothing changes between now and the end of the season, they’ll qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Watch this space — we might have to update this section next season.
QUIZ: Can you name every UEFA Cup and Europa League finalist since 1990?
FC Koln
The Billy Goats are on a 41-year trophyless streak. Last time they won the DFB-Pokal, Pierre Littbarski scored the winning goal. Side fact about Littbarski: He was an unlockable player on PES 2008, and he was absolutely mustard.
Sunderland
The Mackems have won absolutely nowt of note since the 1973 FA Cup, and that doesn’t look like changing anytime soon. They do have Jude Bellingham’s little brother up front at the minute, though. If Jobe can channel his inner Jude, there might be a glimmer at the end of the tunnel.
READ NEXT: Ranked: The 10 best players of the modern era to never win a league title
TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every club to win the English league title?
Udinese
Le Zebrette have won a grand total of zero major trophies. Ever. In their entire history. 128 years of hurt.
We still fondly think about their cult team at the start of the 2010s, with Alexis Sanchez and David Di Natale leading the line. We’re rooting for you, little zebras.
Celta Vigo
In terms of major trophies, Los Celestes have won absolutely nada. Gutted.
They must have been green with envy watching Deportivo La Coruna win the league in 2000 and the Copa Del Rey two years later. Even if Depor are now firmly third-tier in Spain.
TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every club in La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga & Ligue 1 in 2023-24?
Genoa
Italy’s oldest club have won nothing, assolutamente niente, since before World War II, their most recent Coppa Italia coming in 1937.
It’s been exactly 100 years since the Genovese won the top league in Italy and, at this point, they might be wondering if they should’ve just stuck to cricket.
Sheffield United
The Blades haven’t won the English top division for 126 years, they haven’t won the FA Cup in 99 years, and they’ve never won the League Cup. Maybe they’ll mark the 100th anniversary of their FA Cup win by adding another one to the cabinet… Maybe. Probably not.
Neuer the trailblazer and Grobbelaar the maniac in Johnny Nic’s top 10* goalkeepers
John Nicholson loves an eccentric goalkeeper so much that his top 10 is actually a top 11. Only one current player features…
Dino Zoff
Kept the longest period of unbroken international clean sheets (1,142 minutes) from September 1972 to June 1974, ended by a goal for Haiti. Won the Euros in 1968 and was voted goalkeeper of the tournament on his international debut and again in 1980. Was famously undemonstrative, favouring a safety-first approach despite having a last name that sounded like a superhero.
Lev Yashin
The Cold War stopper played for Dynamo Moscow between 1950 and 1970, made 812 appearances and got 74 caps, back when the Soviet Union was good. Sometimes played in a roll neck sweater as was typical of the time. Saved more penalties than anyone else: 151. There are several statues of him and he even got his own stamp and commemorative coin. Often named as the best ever goalkeeper. Apparently was the first to shout at defenders to organise them. Died at just 61.Portrait of an Icon: Lev Yashin
Neville Southall
Played for Everton between 1981 and 1998, making 751 appearances. Also turned out 92 times for Wales. Notoriously, Sir Alex thought about signing him before Peter Schmeichel but found him too aggressive. Once had a sit-down protest when two down at half-time against Leeds. Frequently, his brilliance saved Everton, especially in the ’90s. Fell out with some managers. On retirement he bloated up and became politically active.
Sepp Maier
Over 700 appearances for Bayern Munich and 92 caps between 1966 and 1979 for West Germany. Seemed to be in goal forever. Famously wore massive gloves, some say gauntlets. Also had massive over-sized shorts. Somehow embodied West Germany’s relentless, cold-hearted, nerveless spirit. Won three consecutive European Cups and three consecutive league titles and a Euros and a World Cup. Famously tried to catch a duck during a quiet game. As you do. Had an unsuitable perm in the late ’70s which made him look like a porn star in a blue movie. All-time record appearances for Bayern. The only keeper to win the Ballon d’Or.
Peter Bonetti
The Cat. Didn’t have a prehensile tail. Played over 600 times for Chelsea when they were glamorous and not a laughing stock. Seven caps for England, always behind Gordon Banks. Was super agile and pulled off many spectacular saves but was useless in the 1970 World Cup quarter-final defeat against West Germany. Won the Cup Winners’ Cup, League and FA Cup with Chelsea and many felt he was better than Banks, for a long time. Still not a cat.
Gordon Banks
Widely seen as the best in the world in his pomp. Only won the League Cup for Leicester but was FIFA Goalkeeper of the Year between 1966 and 1971 and FWA Player of the Year in 1972. Got an OBE in 1970. Was a former sack filler at a coalyard and then a hod carrier, so was super strong. Some felt he was the establishment favourite well beyond his best years. Spent the second half of his career at Stoke and won the League Cup. Poor fella lost an eye in a car crash and had to retire. His nephew drums for Pulp, dontcha know.
Manuel Neuer
Has a good claim to be a trailblazer for the typical modern ‘sweeper keeper’. Played over 200 times for Schalke and over 500 for Bayern. Shocked traditionalists by coming out of his box and passing the ball like a midfielder. Looks very German somehow, and is a big 6′ 4″ stormtrooper. Has 117 caps since 2009 and is widely acknowledged as one of the world’s best. Has won 29 titles including a World Cup in 2014.
Peter Schmeichel
Superstar keeper who consistently performed at a high standard for Manchester United. Played over 100 times for Brondby and nearly 300 for United, who bought him for half a million. Invented the star jump while advancing on a player like a big mad bastard. Saved loads of points for the club. Left United for Sporting Lisbon and won the Primeira Liga and Supertaca Candido de Oliveira. Came back to the UK and won the Intertoto with Villa. Finished his career without winning anything with Manchester City. Won the 1992 Euros and got 129 caps. Middle name is Bolesław which would have been funnier if it was Coleslaw.READ MORE: Man Utd goalkeepers ranked: De Gea in top three behind Champions League winners…
Oliver Kahn
Looked like everyone’s dad’s idea of a German. Played a couple of hundred times for Karlsruher SC II and the first team before inevitably moving to Bayern Munich, who he was later CEO of for a couple of years. Played 632 games for Bayern and won 23 titles. Was nicknamed King Kahn because he was so dominant. Super tough and commanding, made the weedier boys cry by shouting at them. Won the 1996 Euros in England by being too good. For a while he seemed impossible to beat. Played 86 times for his country.
Bruce Grobbelaar
Popularised the term ‘spaghetti legs’ and traded off it for years. An important member of an all-conquering Liverpool team, made 628 appearances for them between 1980 and 1993. Attained legendary status because of some brilliant performances despite proclivity to throw one in from time to time. Now largely forgotten that he played 32 games post-Liverpool for Southampton and 36 for Plymouth. Appeared in Brookside, and is unforgiven for his baseball cap on backwards part of The Anfield Rap. Accused but cleared of match-fixing. Sued The Sun and won £85,000 slashed to £1 on appeal and made to pay £500,000 costs. The judge said he had ‘acted in a way in which no decent or honest footballer would act and in a way which could, if not exposed and stamped on, undermine the integrity of a game’. Oops.
Petr Cech
A crucial part of Jose Mourinho’s first stretch at Chelsea, signed in 2004 for £7million. Played 494 times in 11 years for them. Won four league titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, a Champions League and Europa League title. Wore an ungainly head nappy thing due to Stephen Hunt and having a weak skull as one of triplets. Widely thought to be one of the Premier League’s best ever keepers. Played four seasons for Arsenal, now plays ice hockey most recently on loan at Belfast Giants. Has 124 caps for Czech Republic, speaks six languages alongside his native Czech which made him too clever for Chelsea.
