Sunny and TJ's Football Thread Part 21.

[Vicky]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/35124990

Not bad...but it could have been better.

Rather like Aston Villa's yogurt sponsored kit of the mid-nineties.

4/10

Oh and don't ask me if my mouse slipped, because i didn't know who scored England's hat-trick in the 1966 World Cup Final.

I've never watched that game and have no desire too.

[Vicky]

Jurgen Klopp reckons a lack of a break is hurting England's chances in major tournaments.

No it isn't, it's because England are hopeless.

They sailed through their qaulifiers, for France 2016, because they played a load of wee diddy teams.

The first time they played a decent team in a friendly, they got beat.

Engerland have not reached the Semi-Final of the last eight major tournaments and they had their worst performance in seventy years, at last years World Cup.

(We didn't stop laughing for weeks)

I'm afraid no amount of breaks will help England Jurgen, you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

[Vicky]

Arsenal are off to Southampton tonight!!

On Christmas Day 2014, Southampton were in 5th in the table and two point better off than Arsenal.

This time round, Arsenal are fifteen points ahead of them, BUT Arsenal haven't won at St Mary's since 2004.

It's obviously a ground they have trouble at!!

However if they want to win the League, they better do something about that.

[Vicky]

Anyway...

It's a boring day for me today.

Rangers and Celtic aren't playing

(I support two teams you see..Rangers and whoevers playing Celtic)

[Vicky]

Of course!!

When it comes to international football!!

[Trapper John]

Arsenal are off to Southampton tonight!!

On Christmas Day 2014, Southampton were in 5th in the table and two point better off than Arsenal.

This time round, Arsenal are fifteen points ahead of them, BUT Arsenal haven't won at St Mary's since 2004.

It's obviously a ground they have trouble at!!

However if they want to win the League, they better do something about that.

Not really ....... Southampton were relegated to the Championship at the end of the 2004/5 season and only returned in 2012/13 ..... so, there's the reason.

Last season, our game at St Mary's was one of the defining points of our season.

Two shocking howlers by our Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny saw us lose to Southampton 2-0 on New Years day. Those incidents, followed by Szczesny being caught smoking in the showers after the game, led to his exclusion from the first team, he hasn't played for Arsenal since that day.

Arsenal then went on to win 11 of following 12 league matches, losing only twice more after that game at St Mary's.

[Trapper John]

Arsene Wenger is renewing his interest in Sevilla's 25 year old, Polish defensive midfielder, Grzegorz Krychowiak.

Arsenal had tracked the player's progress for over a year, before sending a delegation to watch him play for Sevilla against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup (our community shield) before the season start. Wenger decided not to make a move for the player who had a £22 million release clause, believing he had enough competition in that area.

However, injuries to Francis Coquelin, Santi Cazorla and Jack Wilshire, coupled with an ageing back-up trio of Flamini, Arteta and Rosicky - of whom only Flamini is fit to start - will force a re-think in the January window.

Of course, Sevilla will be upping Krychowiak's value if they are to sell him in January and are expected to ask for around £30million. This will not put off Wenger who knows he needs this player or someone very similar now, if Arsenal are to continue to challenge for the title.

[Trapper John]

The problem's Wenger is now facing in that holding midfielder area, have been further extended by news that Matthieu Flamini suffered a slight groin strain in the game against Man City on Monday.

Although he can still play, it's unlikely he will be able to manage tonight's game and another on Monday so Calum Chambers is expected to be asked to fill in for one of the matches.

What also makes the signing of Grzegorz Krychowiak even more important and more probable now is that Wenger has decided to let Matthieu Flamini, Mikel Arteta and Thomas Rosicky leave on 'Frees' at the end of the season and although Santi Cazorla is still an excellent midfield magician, he's over 30 years old now - and of course there is the perennial injury worries of Jack Wilshere.

On the three players leaving, Rosicky is expected to seek more football but at a lesser level, Flamini will concentrate on his new business venture to produce cheap energy and club captain Mikel Arteta is expected to be offered a coaching role at Arsenal, as he seems keen to remain involved at the club.

[Vicky]

Once again Lionel Messi has been voted the best footballer in the world!!

It was expected and the guy oozes class.

I don't think there's any records left for him to break.

[Vicky]

He does have some dodgy tattoos right enough, i don''t know why people do that to themselves.

[Vicky]

The most idiotic tattoos are those of someone's name, some twats get on their arm!!

Before the inks usually had a chance to dry, they hate each others guts.

[Vicky]

This thread will be needing split soon (I surprised bawheid, hasn't started a new one already)

He started a new one last year, when I was in mid-post.

I wasn't amused!!

[Trapper John]

This thread will be needing split soon (I surprised bawheid, hasn't started a new one already)

He started a new one last year, when I was in mid-post.

I wasn't amused!!

No, i'll leave it to you - I know how precious you get about it.

[Vicky]

Oh and thanks for mentioning Rangers and their big game!!

That must have taken you ages to type!!

[Trapper John]

Oh and thanks for mentioning Rangers and their big game!!

That must have taken you ages to type!!

What happened then?