Arsenal Thread | 2025/26

[Blueboy73]

Rice wasn’t great but I wouldn’t say he was anonymous. Zubimendi on the other hand - I watched Match of the Day highlights and saw the Arsenal line-up and was genuinely shocked to find out that he had played - I would have bet very good money that he hadn’t!

Compared to the hype he receives RIce was anonymous, I was there and hardly noticed him.
No influence whatsoever, just like the League Cup Final
If we had paid North if £100 million for a player who had yet again performed so poorly in a big game, you would never hear the last of it.

 

[KentBlue]

Compared to the hype he receives RIce was anonymous, I was there and hardly noticed him.

I've said before that somewhere within Rice a decent player is waiting to express himself, but Lego will not take off the shackles and let him play his natural game. This is what Maureen has done at every club he has managed: stifled the creativity out of the players.

 

[TonyBookEnd]

Always felt that Rice is much better without the ball, than with it. He can obviously do the basics and has decent dead ball delivery but he's not a difference maker with the ball

 

[TonyColemansbagofapples]

I have never seen Plodder genuinely influence a match whether for Arse-anal, West Ham or England. Can’t see anything changing at his age.

 

[bennyboy]

I have never seen Plodder genuinely influence a match whether for Arse-anal, West Ham or England. Can’t see anything changing at his age.

Might get slower.

 

[TonyColemansbagofapples]

Maybe someone could post a compilation of Arteta’s ground breaking, cutting edge coaching methods for our amusement. From the lemons, Win the dog to his training ground video.

 

[supercity88]

I've said before that somewhere within Rice a decent player is waiting to express himself, but Lego will not take off the shackles and let him play his natural game. This is what Maureen has done at every club he has managed: stifled the creativity out of the players.

Rice has an absolutely glaring weakness for an elite £100m footballer - he cannot play if he's facing his own goal. He's a box to box midfielder but not particularly effective in the final third. What he has is a great engine, solid reading of the game and a great set piece delivery. What he lacks is the ability to influence a game if he's got his back to goal and is under pressure, which tends to be part and parcel of playing in midfield at the top level. He's not great at finding space to enable himself to be facing the right way either.

 

[super_city_si]

I've said before that somewhere within Rice a decent player is waiting to express himself, but Lego will not take off the shackles and let him play his natural game. This is what Maureen has done at every club he has managed: stifled the creativity out of the players.

Not on Arteta that, Rice just isnt a top tier player. He'll run his heart out and is decent running with the ball with field ahead of him, but will not take the ball with his back to play. Doesnt get in good positions to receive it from defenders.

 

[ninjamonkey]

Don't think Rice was anonymous, he didn't hide away like Zubimendi did, he did try to play his game he was simply thoroughly outclased and put firmly in his place. Just couldn't compete with two genuine world class midfielders.

Rice is essentially an 11 second sprinter, put him up against practically anybody and he can look amazing, stands out easily above mediocrity and looks elite, then you put him in an Olympic 100m final against the worlds actual best and he'll fall way short of offering a genuine threat.

 

[super_city_si]

Don't think Rice was anonymous, he didn't hide away like Zubimendi did, he did try to play his game he was simply thoroughly outclased and put firmly in his place. Just couldn't compete with two genuine world class midfielders.

Rice is essentially an 11 second sprinter, put him up against practically anybody and he can look amazing, stands out easily above mediocrity and looks elite, then you put him in an Olympic 100m final against the worlds actual best and he'll fall way short of offering a genuine threat.

Got schooled by Oreilly too. Rice lost him in the middle many times and couldnt recover. Oreilly is already the better player and thats before we even get to our proper mids.

 

[bridgeno1]

If we lose the league I reckon we should get a cheeky offer for shirt sponsorship from someone like Hims or Cialis - 'we make sure you come 2nd' or something like that.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Slick

 

[JRockBlues]

Even Proton trolling Arsenal now...

 

[BlueFurn]

Proton?

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Proton?

Gave up making cars to hide peoples’ IP addresses.

 

[r.soleofsalford]

Compared to the hype he receives RIce was anonymous, I was there and hardly noticed him.
No influence whatsoever, just like the League Cup Final
If we had paid North if £100 million for a player who had yet again performed so poorly in a big game, you would never hear the last of it.

You won’t be saying that when he wins the balloon door

 

[MCFC1993]

Can't stand the guy interviewing him but Tyler Adams destroying the Emirates atmosphere.

 

[ysmsa]

Same as those two prolific dipper posters that were tollerated on here. Disappear as soon as the going gets tough. If we drop points I'm sure he'll reappear like the shop keeper in Mr Ben.

Mr Benn,

Good point you make.

 

[ysmsa]

Mr. Ben always reminded me of the old Homepride flour graders adverts from the 70's, narrated by John Le Mesurier, I think.

Mr Benn, It wasn't JLM who narrated.

Right about the flour men though.

 

[KentBlue]

I'm going to be a fair-weather fan for a while. Tonight I shall be my usual Bitter Bertie. Still, on Saturday, for some reason, I shall become an avid Geordie, and within a few days I shall switch allegiances to Atletico Madrid.

Fuck knows why.