It's the hope that hurts.

[Peter]

I'd forgotten about Yossi. Better than Will-I-ain't or Raheem. What happened to the latter, btw? I liked the way he got the Chavs to pay half his wages but took a pay-cut for our half. Pity it didn't work out, other than that one LC match where he looked great playing with Ethan.

Apparently he is playing for Feyenoord. Still getting paid half a million a week by Chelsea

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

Apparently he is playing for Feyenoord. Still getting paid half a million a week by Chelsea

That's good to know. Btw, did you see Yakob won the Portugeezer title? He was a useful player. Didn't look out of place for us in the CL knockouts.

He said that everyone at the club wanted him to stay but that he knew that with Gabby being the best LCH on the planet, even if he came into the team and played perfectly, he'd lose his place when Gabby was fit again.

Would have loved him to have won us something. That winter window in MA's first title push, him, Leo and Jorgy were three good buys.

[Peter]

That's good to know. Btw, did you see Yakob won the Portugeezer title? He was a useful player. Didn't look out of place for us in the CL knockouts.

He said that everyone at the club wanted him to stay but that he knew that with Gabby being the best LCH on the planet, even if he came into the team and played perfectly, he'd lose his place when Gabby was fit again.

Would have loved him to have won us something. That winter window in MA's first title push, him, Leo and Jorgy were three good buys.

Always thought he was a good centre back. His problem with us was he just wasn't suited to left back. And as we only change centre backs for injury or dead rubbers, it doesn't leave a lot of games. Covering one position is a dull life at Arsenal.

That is why Hincapie is such a big upgrade. He's fantastic at left back.

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

Always thought he was a good centre back. His problem with us was he just wasn't suited to left back. And as we only change centre backs for injury or dead rubbers, it doesn't leave a lot of games. Covering one position is a dull life at Arsenal.

That is why Hincapie is such a big upgrade. He's fantastic at left back.

He was woeful when we tried his as an inverted FB. Couldn't do it as he'd never done it before. So as our LB was still out, we got BW to invert on the right and played Yakob as a normal LB and he was fine. I remember a 1-2 assist he played for Gabby, a diagonal cut back from the byline just inside the box without looking. Was perfect.

I get that Hinchappy's an upgrade, and that unlike him, Yakob would never be first choice there, so he was only ever playing to be a 2nd choice cover. But he was good at that in both positions as long as it was a normal LB. Which is what Hinchappie does. MLS and JT both invert when playing there, Ricky C is a misunderstood libero but Piero and Yakob were normal, old skool LBs.

I'm happy for him. He gave us his all and as a third choice LCH in CL knockouts, he didn't let us down.

Let's hope his ex-teammates and him will be congratulating each other on being champions come the end of the month.

[Peter]

He was woeful when we tried his as an inverted FB. Couldn't do it as he'd never done it before. So as our LB was still out, we got BW to invert on the right and played Yakob as a normal LB and he was fine. I remember a 1-2 assist he played for Gabby, a diagonal cut back from the byline just inside the box without looking. Was perfect.

I get that Hinchappy's an upgrade, and that unlike him, Yakob would never be first choice there, so he was only ever playing to be a 2nd choice cover. But he was good at that in both positions as long as it was a normal LB. Which is what Hinchappie does. MLS and JT both invert when playing there, Ricky C is a misunderstood libero but Piero and Yakob were normal, old skool LBs.

I'm happy for him. He gave us his all and as a third choice LCH in CL knockouts, he didn't let us down.

Let's hope his ex-teammates and him will be congratulating each other on being champions come the end of the month.

There was something about him that I couldn't quite explain. Wherever the action was in our box, he always seemed to not be at the heart of it.

Precisely the opposite of Big Per who, despite his limitations, seemed to just magically appear in front of every shot and beneath every cross.

No suggestion that Kiwior was failing in his role. Just that magical x factor of being able to smell where the danger was heading.

[redgunamo]

There was something about him that I couldn't quite explain. Wherever the action was in our box, he always seemed to not be at the heart of it.

Precisely the opposite of Big Per who, despite his limitations, seemed to just magically appear in front of every shot and beneath every cross.

No suggestion that Kiwior was failing in his role. Just that magical x factor of being able to smell where the danger was heading.

I'm told that's because Per was always said to have no pace. And the first rule of having no pace is that it must never be said that you have no pace.

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

There was something about him that I couldn't quite explain. Wherever the action was in our box, he always seemed to not be at the heart of it.

Precisely the opposite of Big Per who, despite his limitations, seemed to just magically appear in front of every shot and beneath every cross.

No suggestion that Kiwior was failing in his role. Just that magical x factor of being able to smell where the danger was heading.

Which was our CH who appeared as if by magic on the goal line in Rome when Totty shot? Was it Cygan or Senderos? Totty shot, the 'keeper was beaten and you saw the ball rifling past him into an empty net when suddenly from off camera to the right, our CH appeared and blocked it on the line.

Good omen, that. Remembering a heroic victory against a team from the major European capital city.

Titi got a hat-trick, didn't he? Pray to God that Vik can get us one tonight. One goal for each of his three legs. Hope Easy's had a pray like he did before the NLD. We're so lucky that he's come home to us.

[Peter]

I'm told that's because Per was always said to have no pace. And the first rule of having no pace is that it must never be said that you have no pace.

Yoy mean he was too slow to get out of the way.

Bobby Robson used to say that when you are in possession you can be out of position but when you are out of possession you have to be in position.

Apparently he used to say it wrong all the time and the players would ask him to repeat it

[Herbert Augustus Chapman]

Pray to God that Vik can get us one tonight. One goal for each of his three legs.

And then a fourth for his one blind eye would be a bonus