It’s squeaky bum time again for title contenders Arsenal, while emerging Man United star Kobbie Mainoo bursts onto the international scene. Gary Lemke highlights a few talking points ahead of the weekend’s football.
ARSENAL WILL NOW FEEL THAT PRESSURE
In 2003/04 Sir Alex Ferguson was wrong. He was referring to Arsenal’s (in)ability to handle the pressure in that season’s English Premier League title race when he famously said, “It’s squeaky bum time”. They went on to win the League, staying unbeaten in all 38 games and becoming known as “The Invincibles”. Now, 20 years later it’s squeaky bum time for the Gunners again.
With 10 games to go, they are on top of the log on goal difference from Liverpool, with Man City a point behind that. This will go down to the wire and it is going to be a case of who holds their nerves best. Hollywoodbets still have them at 11/4 to win the League, with City at 12/10 and Liverpool at 2/1. Who’s your money on?
The hard work continues 👊
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 18, 2024
📍 Sobha Realty Training Centre pic.twitter.com/7CN7pWyCxC
VAR DECISIONS NEED URGENT REVIEW
When Konstantinos Mavropanos’ found the net for what looked like a dramatic winner in added time for West Ham against Aston Villa, the bubbles started being blown. It was, surely, 2-1 to the Hammers. Then VAR intervened.
It took a farcical 5min 37sec for VAR to conclude that the ball had struck Thomas Soucek’s arm before going in. Something has to give, but will it. Surely, the most logical short-term solution would be that if a VAR outcome can’t be confirmed within three minutes, as a figure, then the on-field decision stands?
VAR is ruining the game pic.twitter.com/tVqiYKD4R1
— West Ham Football (@westhamfootball) March 17, 2024
CITY FANS, TAKE OUT YOUR WALLETS
Most football clubs wouldn’t exist without the loyalty of their fans. After all, how many fans do you know to switch allegiance every couple of seasons? However, players? Show me the money and they’re off. Manchester City, the richest club in the world, sent out emails this week to announce they were raising ticket prices for next season. Recently, the club announced record revenues of £ 712 million, but they’re now putting another 5% hike on season tickets.
Currently, their most expensive season tickets, which don’t include any hospitality, are £1,080 (R25,000) and their lowest, in the top tiers of the Etihad Stadium, are £425 (R10,000).
Another season ticket price rise announced for Manchester City fans.
— Amos Murphy (@AmosMurphy_) March 20, 2024
It means some season tickets will have risen in cost by £100 during the space of just two years.
It comes at a time when most ordinary people are already feeling the pinch with rising food/bill costs. pic.twitter.com/j8nykYDRVb
FIFA MINNOWS STILL SEARCHING ELUSIVE WIN
There are 210 countries in the official FIFA world rankings, but do you know who is 210th? Yes, it’s San Marino. Their winless streak in internationals was extended to 137 matches when they lost 3-1 to Saint Kitts and Nevis during the week, but the two teams meet again on Sunday and there are realistic hopes that they can buck the trend and win for only the second time in their history.
Their only previous international win was 1-0 against Liechtenstein in 2004. What was more disappointing was that they actually led 1-0 against Saint Kitts and Nevis. While their winless run is now 137 games, the next longest dry spell is 35 games, held by both Liechtenstein and Anguilla.
4 - San Marino are the first European nation to lose four consecutive matches despite scoring in each match since North Macedonia in 2016. Bittersweet. pic.twitter.com/YMz4IvPOfO
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 21, 2024
WORLD CHAMPIONS CONTINUING THEIR RUN
At the other end of the scale are world champions Argentina. They have lost only two of their last 53 internationals and that shouldn’t change despite being without Lionel Messi for their games against El Salvador (on Saturday) and Costa Rica (27th March). Their last defeat actually came at the 2022 World Cup, against Saudi Arabia (2-1). Before then it was 2-0 to Brazil in the 2019 Copa America semi-final.
✋🤚 Último entrenamiento antes de enfrentar a El Salvador.
— 🇦🇷 Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) March 22, 2024
La Selección trabajó esta tarde en el Lincoln Financial Field de Filadelfia, donde mañana a las 21.00 jugará el primer partido de la gira por EEUU.
📰 https://t.co/FvS6H73kTv
🇦🇷 ¡Vamos #Argentina! 🇦🇷 ¡Vamos… pic.twitter.com/HgsmqGT2iT
ENGLAND’S LATEST TEENAGE TALENT ARRIVES
There is no EPL programme this week as it’s another international break, and among the standouts in the friendlies is England’s game against Brazil. Of specific interest is whether or not Kobbie Mainoo will get a run for England. If he does, he joins a distinguished list of players who made their senior England debuts before turning 19. Some of the standouts include Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney, Jude Bellingham, Theo Walcott, Raheem Sterling, Micah Richards, Jason Sancho and Marcos Rashford. Let’s see what Mainoo’s career holds for him.
Just Kobbie Mainoo dominating training drills. As per usual. pic.twitter.com/VyRDa6OKAB
— Robbo (@utdrobbo) March 21, 2024
