I?d like to apologise to Viktor Gyokeres.

[Rich]

The last few games I?ve noticed definite changes in his hold up play. Today was an extension of that.

I don?t think he?ll ever be right for us (maybe that?s the point) but today I thought he was magnificent. Well done, Vik.

UTA

[Peter]

The last few games I?ve noticed definite changes in his hold up play. Today was an extension of that.

I don?t think he?ll ever be right for us (maybe that?s the point) but today I thought he was magnificent. Well done, Vik.

UTA

Well done, Rich

The response of a gentleman

[WES]

The last few games I?ve noticed definite changes in his hold up play. Today was an extension of that.

I don?t think he?ll ever be right for us (maybe that?s the point) but today I thought he was magnificent. Well done, Vik.

UTA

well done Rich

[Peter]

well done Rich

Also worth mentioning Vik's role in the third goal. That tiny little flick round the corner for Eze. Simple, but perfect

[IUFG]

Also worth mentioning Vik's role in the third goal. That tiny little flick round the corner for Eze. Simple, but perfect

Lovely. He's warming up...

[WES]

Lovely. He's warming up...

The abuse of Gyokeres on here has always defied belief. It's rare a player doesn't need time to adjust to the PL, see also Thierry Henry and Bobby Pires. And this was always going to be exacerbated by the position he plays and how he plays it.

And the idea that a player who scored 54 in 52 in the Portuguese league isn't a good player is absurd.

Some people, and not just Herb, ought to have a word with themselves.

[Herbert Augustus Chapman]

Shut up you soppy tosser. He did OK against relegation fodder who were utter gash by even their own poor standards. Chelsea next week will be an entirely different proposition. The real MoM was Raya - without that save we'd have imploded again.

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

The last few games I?ve noticed definite changes in his hold up play. Today was an extension of that.

I don?t think he?ll ever be right for us (maybe that?s the point) but today I thought he was magnificent. Well done, Vik.

UTA

Fair play, sir. Respect.

To combine my brother's post-match msg and Herbs, the glass half empty is that Sperz are so bad that even a one-eyed, three-legged donkey can score against them.

But my glass half full, other than player of the month last month, and looking so much better knowing he has Jeez {and had/will have again Kai} to share the {online hate mob/meeja} burden and the fact that he now has as many as Etitike, far more than Sesko, Isak etc is what I wrote yesterday:

Striker with a cannon on his tit and an no.14 on his back cuts in from the left and uses his right to stroke it into the far corner.

Like when Auba single-handedly won us the cup, Vik is now tuning in to Titi's magic.

Every club has a number 9. We have a 9 and a 14. Cos we're better than them.

And for the first time, after a great start to 2026, Vik scored a classic AFC no.14 goal. At WHL or whatever it's called. To rub their noses in it.

Unity on Awimb. Who'da thunk it? We must just have battered the Spuds or sommet.

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

Shut up you soppy tosser. He did OK against relegation fodder who were utter gash by even their own poor standards. Chelsea next week will be an entirely different proposition. The real MoM was Raya - without that save we'd have imploded again.

In all seriousness, Raya might be my choice for player of the season if I had to choose now or so far or whatever.

Dec made two errors yesterday, one which cost us, one which nearly did, which is so, so unusual of him. He's quite hard to look past cos he does it every match and there have been games when we could have played you, me or Almunia and it would have made no difference.

What more does he need to do to get the recognition?

He's not England's number one so the press aren't gonna praise him cos we may need him to perform in a tournament with the whole country behind him. {Bit like why B and Dec get less grief than the rest of our players.}

He's not an utterly insane Kraut.

And he's not a big Paddy we got off them lot who can catch a ball one handed.

Does this mean he'll never get the appreciation he deserves? Are they distracted by his pretty-boy beard?

Daveeed is up there with the very best 'keepers we've had and is playing at the peak of his powers. He plays the ball like an old skool Italian intl sweeper, he's got the reactions of Spunky and the calming presence of Jennings. He's bailed us out again and again, like yesterday, and the only error was last week and that was just as much the CH. We don't know who called or didn't.

[PSRB]

How Dragusin didn't get pinged everytime he was in a duel with Viktor I'll never know. Literally wrestled him off the ball and not once did the ref give him a foul.
Saka booted all over the pitch and no yellow for Spence, Timber, one foul and straight into the book.

[Pat Vegas]

Nice to see Viktor have a smile on his face.
for him to find some form now would be very good timing.

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

Nice to see Viktor have a smile on his face.
for him to find some form now would be very good timing.

In 2026 - coincidentally, given my theory, when he's had Jeez and partially Kai to share the burden - he's scored more goals in all comps than any other PL striker.

If he can keep that up, Jeez can keep playing well as he has and Kai comes back and plays to his best, verily, we'll be blessed.

But given we started 2026 at the top of the table, if Vik keeps this up and scores more goals between Jan 1st and the end of the season than any other striker then we can't blame him if we don't win.

[Herbert Augustus Chapman]

In all seriousness, Raya might be my choice for player of the season if I had to choose now or so far or whatever.

Dec made two errors yesterday, one which cost us, one which nearly did, which is so, so unusual of him. He's quite hard to look past cos he does it every match and there have been games when we could have played you, me or Almunia and it would have made no difference.

What more does he need to do to get the recognition?

He's not England's number one so the press aren't gonna praise him cos we may need him to perform in a tournament with the whole country behind him. {Bit like why B and Dec get less grief than the rest of our players.}

He's not an utterly insane Kraut.

And he's not a big Paddy we got off them lot who can catch a ball one handed.

Does this mean he'll never get the appreciation he deserves? Are they distracted by his pretty-boy beard?

Daveeed is up there with the very best 'keepers we've had and is playing at the peak of his powers. He plays the ball like an old skool Italian intl sweeper, he's got the reactions of Spunky and the calming presence of Jennings. He's bailed us out again and again, like yesterday, and the only error was last week and that was just as much the CH. We don't know who called or didn't.

Let us never forget either Ganps, that big Pat would frequently play without gloves!

It seems to me that most fans will forgive a player anything if he just scores a goal. Everyone here now placing Gronkey into the same constellation as TH14 because of two unremarkable strikes yesterday (though the second one was pleasing because he at least held off a challenge to score it.) Loads of players score loads of goals every week. Players who rarely score get them them even though they are in the team to basically defend. Gronkey simply isn't yet of a calibre that spreads fear into the heart of a defence and at ?10 million a year he feckin' well should be and I don't believe he has the pace for the job we're asking him to do. May it please one of your deities that next week when Chelsea visit Gronk will force me into a grovelling apology at my total inability to see how good he's been all along

[WES]

Let us never forget either Ganps, that big Pat would frequently play without gloves!

It seems to me that most fans will forgive a player anything if he just scores a goal. Everyone here now placing Gronkey into the same constellation as TH14 because of two unremarkable strikes yesterday (though the second one was pleasing because he at least held off a challenge to score it.) Loads of players score loads of goals every week. Players who rarely score get them them even though they are in the team to basically defend. Gronkey simply isn't yet of a calibre that spreads fear into the heart of a defence and at ?10 million a year he feckin' well should be and I don't believe he has the pace for the job we're asking him to do. May it please one of your deities that next week when Chelsea visit Gronk will force me into a grovelling apology at my total inability to see how good he's been all along

That's a nice, not so subtle, change of direction there, Herb.

You and Rich and a few others didn't suggest he might not be the type that spreads fear, you said he was a donkey, useless, had three legs, was the worst player ever seen at Arsenal etc etc

And he's now our leading scorer who has been steadily improving. Gyok is a good player and a useful squad addition. Hard to tell how good he will end up being but we have seen more than enough from him to give him our support and be positive about him.

And as I keep telling this place, he was bought to replace Jesus, not Havertz.

[Rich]

That's a nice, not so subtle, change of direction there, Herb.

You and Rich and a few others didn't suggest he might not be the type that spreads fear, you said he was a donkey, useless, had three legs, was the worst player ever seen at Arsenal etc etc

And he's now our leading scorer who has been steadily improving. Gyok is a good player and a useful squad addition. Hard to tell how good he will end up being but we have seen more than enough from him to give him our support and be positive about him.

And as I keep telling this place, he was bought to replace Jesus, not Havertz.

Alvarez, Havertz & Gyokeres would be nice options up front - all different. Plus a left winger who will presumably replace Trossard or Martinelli - Can't see them both being here next season.

Will also need a White replacement as I understand he'll be off in summer.