Ian Tanner
“You’ll never beat Des Walker”, used to be sung with gusto by Nottingham Forest fans in homage to their defender hero. It may not be too long before we are all singing, “You’ll never beat Hector Bellerin”. Hector’s House record (geddit?) shaved 0.03 seconds off Theo’s 40 metres sprint time from a standing start. Perhaps, one day, and with the benefit of hindsight, we will look back more fondly on the game in which Hector made his Premier League debut than we can in the immediate aftermath. As soon as an attacker has a sniff (geddit?) of the ball, Hector’s hectoring them, invariably winning the duel. But it’s not just his defending that is a joy. I used to enjoy watching him steaming down the wing at Underhill, the then home of the current Conference Premier League leaders, for our various reserve teams, though didn’t realise he was quite that fast, just as Arsene didn’t realise that Danny Welbeck was quite as “electric” as he is. (Hmmmm. I’m not sure that fills me with confidence, Revered Leader.) Mathieu Debuchy may have his work cut out regaining the position that Bellerin must want to make home.
You probably won’t thank me for stating this, but Arsene is building a team full of young, highly-skilled speedsters for tomorrow. Bellerin and Gibbs the full-backs, The Ox, Gnabry, Theo, Alexis and Welbeck filling various attacking positions. Oh, and Calum Chambers is no slouch. Yes, folks, Arsene is building for the future. For a net outlay of £1m – if the respective reports are accurate – he’s replaced one versatile central defender with a better one who is nine years younger. Selling a centre-back, in his late-20s, who was no longer a first-team regular, and had just one year remaining on his contract, for £15m was a fantastic bit of business. Arsene has previous. Five years ago he sold Kolo Toure to Manchester City.
Back to Theo and Gnabry. Those of you who know your Ormonde-Ottewills from your Maitland-Niles’ may have been at Meadow Park last Friday week for the visit of Blackburn Rovers U21s. Both returnees were substituted, as was captain-for-the-game Abou Diaby, who lasted until the 67th minute, one minute longer than against Southampton in September. Progress from Abou’s latest injury would appear to be frustratingly slow.
When will all the touchy-feely nonsense before kick-off be either scraped or done properly? Before the game(smanship) begins, players are supposed to show ‘respect’ for each other, and the officials, by what passes for handshakes. If ‘respect’ is so important, why, under the present rules, aren’t substitutes made to do same? How can a sub be allowed to enter the fray before shaking at least fifteen hands? And please don’t say that, with seven named substitutes per side, this would take too long and / or look ridiculous. Some teams – not Arsenal, of course – have multiple mascots whose tiny mitts must also be shaken (a money-spinning, cynical move in which we (mercifully) have yet to indulge, though that may change if Stan’s love of Pounds Sterling – no relation to Raheem – outweighs his supposed ‘respect’ for our club’s “traditions” and “values”).
To end, an open letter to Wembley Stadium following England’s 5-0 thrashing of footballing giants San Marino on 9th October.
Dear Sir
Belated congratulations on finally listening to my advice – and others’ – to show the team line-ups during games, as you did for the recent visit of San Marino. I do hope this will be kept up and is not an aberration.
I did laugh when, at 3-0, The Ox was attributed with a goal, and the scoreboard showed 4-0 for quite some time, even though it was obvious that the referee had disallowed the “goal”. The mirth continued as England’s fifth was attributed to Rooney, despite the most blatant of deflections on a shot that was going nowhere near the target. After these two displays of incompetence, I hope I can be forgiven for not giving the authorities the benefit of the doubt when the Man of the Match award was about to be announced, only to be followed by … nothing. P***-ups and breweries, I thought. Only later did I discover that England fans had voted for Joe Hart, who hadn’t had a save to make. I’m guessing that Wembley realised that they could not announce such and so pulled it. Just how stupid are the English public?!
Regards
Ian Tanner
