Sunday round-up: Kai Havertz scores again …

Hello.

A very quick Sunday blog for you. As expected, Declan Rice played all the minutes for England as they lost 1-0 to Brazil. I didn’t watch any of it. A brief glimpse at social media this morning suggests general discontent with Gareth Southgate. And the world turns.

Hopefully there’s no need for Rice to play the entire game against Belgium on Tuesday, but I think we all know that’s probably what will happen. Speaking of Belgians, I saw literally tens of them in Dublin yesterday ahead of a 0-0 draw with Ireland. Leandro Trossard played a half, Evan Ferguson continues his campaign to lower his price-tag by missing a penalty, and I don’t know any more than that.

Meanwhile, Kai Havertz was on the scoresheet as Germany beat France 2-0. He got the second goal of the game, a nice finish too as he timed his run into the box perfectly. By thw way, is it just me or does it seem quite surreal – verging on, you know, stupid – that it was just a few short months ago he was being played as a left-back for his national side and some people were like ‘Oooh, maybe this is a thing?!’. Also worth noting that Kai wouldn’t have scored if William Saliba was playing because he can defend, but Didier is gonna Deschamps, as the saying I just made up goes.

Germany’s opening goal was quite something too, scored after just 6 seconds by Florian Wirtz, the exciting Bayer Leverkusen winger. Here’s an idea, if Pedro Neto’s hamstrings are a hamstring to his summer move, why not buy a guy direct from Leverkusen, and spare him the torture and pain of a few seasons at Chelsea first? That’s assuming Chelsea still exists, of course – which naturally everyone reading this hopes isn’t the case as they get financially regulated to hell and back.

Wirtz has 11 goals and 17 assists in all competitions this season, he’s still only 20 so right in the perfect age bracket, and while being part of a team that might go on to win the Bundesliga will likely push his price-tag up, maybe Mikel can barter a Basque discount from his mate Xabi Alonso.

Today, Jorginho could be in action for Italy as they play Ecuador in New Jersey (of course), and I think that’s just about it for Arsenal action.

Banister update: It remains unpainted. I got sidetracked.

I should also point out that those of you who are imagining a banister with rails etc, it’s not even that. It’s literally just the handrail on the wall without the bits that a child can stick its head through and then get stuck and then experience that horrible moment of panic before somehow twisting their way out again at the cost of a slightly sore ear.

Maybe I’ll do it today. Maybe I’ll make smash burgers on the flattop outside though. Decisions, decisions.

Right, have a nice Sunday whatever you’re up to. I’ll be back tomorrow, and you can join myself and James for an Arsecast Extra too.

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