Lighthouse

International is a bit of a loose term though isn't it. I think by some statistical comparisons, Stern John is the greatest international player of all time. All you're really saying is that he good enough to get into a squad with Kevin Doyle and Simon Cox. Also, what is form for Shane Long? In 5.5 years in the Prem he's only managed on average 7 goals a season. Even in the Championship he only managed double figures once. Rodriguez had been steadily improving right up until his injury and was a far better player than Long has ever been.

For all the talk of goal scorers, Austin's injury and J Rod's fitness issues there is another elephant in the room. Long hasn't scored this season and aside from last year has never been much more than a 5 or 6 goal a year man. People say he's not 'that kind of player', whatever that means but I'm not really sure what he offers. Redmond, Boufal, J Rod and Sims all offer decent movement upfront. What we lack is a physical Lambert, Pelle, Beattie type of forward.

We'd be mental to turn that down and they'd be mental to offer it.

9 for J Rod 17 for Mané

J Rod now has as many league goals by Xmas as Mané did last season.

I've got a 'one goal will open the floodgates' feeling about J Rod. He's getting in the right places, he's 99% there.

Hojbjerg with one of those Wanyama moments.

Oh yes, that'll do!

Futurama on Sky 1 at the mo, just saying.

Well, he does play for us TBF.

I suspect he is being bullied at school and comes on here to vent, don't be too harsh on him.

Yes, that's the whole point

Yoshi has been easily as good as Fonte this season, who already played midweek. The goals will come eventually for J Rod, I'm not sure who you'd rather play instead.

Didn't we sell them Rory Delap?

Before you despair too much, please reread the bit in bold.

Rickie was over the hill 3 years ago and has done bugger all since he left. He is a Championship standard player now and the crowd would be far from excited watching him plod around after the shadows of opposing players.

You're thinking of another south coast team.

Well, you could just live without one mate

I'd much rather get rid of Long than J Rod in January, as the former has always been a distinctly average player. J Rod has shown signs recently of being back on form and has been very close to 3 goals against Prague, Boro and Stoke.

Lucky for you it's not for sale.

Got to take my hat off to a truly master troll. Amazing how he can make an entire forum talk about him, week after week.

I'd like to see someone put together a crack team of those two, Barton, Keane, Pepe, Diouff and Bowyer. I'd pay to watch.

I agree, I can see Stoke winning but shipping 3 goals is most unlike us. If it weren't for a couple of howlers, destined for a Danny Dyer, Christmas stocking blooper DVD, we wouldn't have let in 3 at Palace. I think maybe 2-1 to them. They take a 2-0 after a sluggish first hour from Saints, then we get a late goal back from a corner.

If he is, he has taken trolling to an all new level of pseudo-ironic self mockery. TBH I'm not really sure who I admire the most. alpine and Dalek, who despite being incredulously dull and repetitive still somehow get a rise out of posters who have been here long enough to know better. Or Charlie/Glasgow/Gunnery/Heisenberg/Dusic/Ice2eskimos/9-3/Richmond/Robbie/lastman73 and his/her/their relentless trolling, even to the point of arguing with their own alter-egos.

The most Arsenal thing ever to happen to Arsenal.