Angels Links: Arsene Wenger bracing for another experience sitting in the stands

Arsene Wenger to be in amongst the fans again for Carabao Cup clash against Chelsea

Last season Arsene Wenger got the experience of sitting in amongst Chelsea fans, and it was not an enjoyable experience for him. He was banned from the touchline, then as he is now, and he opted to sit with the fans because it was closer to the dressing room than the directors box which is on the opposite side of the Stamford Bridge. He will have to go through this again on Wednesday, when Arsenal and Chelsea square off in the Carabao Cup, and Wenger again suspended from the touchline. “It was not a pleasant experience,” Wenger described sitting among the Chelsea fans during the game. I imagine not, as English fans can be very intense, and there is no love lost between Chelsea and Arsenal. Still, the way things have gone the last couple of years, Wenger might not enjoy much support sitting with the Arsenal fans either.

Perry Kitchen returning to MLS, signs with the LA Galaxy

Perry Kitchen was a young talented midfielder with D.C. United a few years ago, who performed well in MLS and spent some time with the U.S. National team. However Kitchen made the move abroad, and unfortunately it didn’t work out well, sort of getting lost at Hearts in Scotland, and falling off the radar for the USMNT while he was overseas. Now Kitchen is coming back to MLS, signing with the LA Galaxy after they acquired his rights from D.C, United on Tuesday. Kitchen is still only 25 years old, and could still be a valuable contributor on an MLS team, and might also work his way back into the U.S. squad.

Discussing the U.S. roster, and what happened with Jonathan Gonzalez

The U.S. released the roster for its January camp on Monday, and it was loaded with young players, a lot of whom are new on the International stage. This was partly because the U.S. is trying to find its new generation of players, and also partly because this was not an official international break, so teams in the middle of their season don’t have to release players like Christian Pulisic or DeAndre Yedlin. The roster release was overshadowed by the news that young star midfielder Jonathan Gonzalez, who had represented the U.S. at youth levels, decided to make a one-time switch so he can represent Mexico at the International level. This was a disappointment to many USMNT fans, as Gonzalez is an up and coming very talented midfielder currently playing for one of the best teams in Mexico. Matt Doyle of MLSSoccer.com breaks down the roster and what happened with Gonzalez.

Eric Lichaj gets a new puppy, names it Gunner after brace in game against Arsenal

It didn’t seem like Eric Lichaj’s week could get much better. He scored a brace against Arsenal, and it was part of Nottingham Forest’s big FA Cup win vs. the Gunners. It emerged that Lichaj had a bet with his wife that if he scored a hat trick in any game that season, they would get a dog. Lichaj tried to take on the of penalties in Forest’s win, but was told in no uncertain terms he would not be taking a penalty, preventing him from getting the hat trick. Still, Lichaj’s performance combined with overwhelming pro dog comments on social media, convinced his wife to get a dog for the family. Congrats to Gunner, the newest member of the Lichaj family.

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