Takehiro Tomiyasu signs for Arsenal From Bologna

Japan international Takehiro Tomiyasu has joined us from Serie A side Bologna on a long-term contract. The 22-year-old defender started his career in his homeland with Avispa Fukuoka, where he developed through their youth ranks before making 45 first-team appearances between 2015 and 2017.In January 2018 Takehiro moved to Europe, signing for Belgian club Sint-Truiden, where he spent 18 months – during which time he was voted as the club’s player of the season for the 2018/19 campaign. His performances in Belgium earned Takehiro a move to Italy and he completed a move to Bologna in July 2019. During his time in Italy, Takehiro became a regular in Bologna’s defence, making 63 appearances in his two seasons with the Serie A side.

Technical director Edu said: “We’re delighted to have signed Takehiro. We’ve been watching him for a while now and we’re pleased that we have reached an agreement with Bologna. He is an important addition to our squad.” Mikel Arteta added: “Takehiro is a strong defender with good experience in Serie A and at international level. He’s a versatile defender with great defensive qualities, high technical ability and composure on the ball. He will be an important member of our squad. We look forward to Takehiro joining up with us when he returns from international duty.”

Tomiyasu has represented his country at all levels from under-16s through to the senior side. He has made 23 appearances for the Japan national team and was a member of their recent Olympic squad, making three appearances at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Takehiro will wear the number 18 shirt.

I Don’t Want No Sugar In My Coffee

The lyrics to the Big Sugar song goes like this – “I don’t want no sugar in my coffee / makes me mean, makes me mean”. I don’t know about making me mean, I don’t think so but I am not taking any sugar in my coffee anymore. I just cut it out cold turkey. I did not slowly reduce my intake – from over 3 teaspoons in one cup of coffee – 3-4 cups a day – to none.

Just like that! I could not even imagine this before yesterday but this morning as I sit here with my first cup of the day, I am surprised at how quickly I have adjusted. Yesterday I had 4 cups of coffee and I slowly am getting adjusted to the lack of sugar. Slowly. My tongue is expecting the sweetness as is my brain and mouth but then the liquid hits. I will try to get some cream so I can add it to my coffee. Or maybe I will used to sugarless coffee. I have ordered some stevia but I won’t use it for now.

Funny thing is today, half asleep, I actually added coffee and sugar but I didn’t pour the boiling water yet. I was so used to doing these two steps – adding the instant coffee and then sugar – I stopped halfway through adding the sugar and kept that mug aside for my mother. I got another mug and used that without sugar. Old habits, as they say!

Transfer Rumours With 1 Day To Go – Arsenal Struggling To Do Deals

Willian’s contract has been terminated at Arsenal. The out of favour attacking midfielder has terminated his contract with the club by mutual consent. Willian was rumoured to be leaving the club this transfer window. Eyes are now set on a return to Brazil side Corinthians. It had been rumoured previously that a move was likely to occur with Arsenal helping with the high wages, however with the club terminating his contract that opens the door for a new deal to be struck.

Mikel Arteta forced a late move in the transfer window from Everton to Arsenal ten years ago and now Ainsley Maitland-Niles is set to reverse that move. Maitland-Niles has said he wants to leave Arsenal in a social media post earlier today. With a bid from Everton is being considered by the Gunners, he is on track to replicate and reverse what Arteta did a decade later. It is understood the Gunners rejected a loan bid from the Toffees over the weekend.

Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson is reportedly set to join Feyenoord. The Dutch outfit wanted to sign Amad Diallo from Man United but he has suffered an untimely thigh injury in training and will stay put. Reports are out that Feyenoord have now moved for Nelson who is set to join them on a season-long loan. Nelson’s current Gunners contract expires next summer.

Cheese & Mushroom Omelette

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • handful button or chestnut mushrooms, sliced
  • 25g vegetarian cheddar, grated
  • small handful parsley leaves, roughly chopped
  • 2 eggs, beaten

Method

Step 1 : Heat the olive oil in a small non-stick frying pan. Tip in the mushrooms and fry over a high heat, stirring occasionally for 2-3 mins until golden. Lift out of the pan into a bowl and mix with the cheese and parsley.

Step 2 : Place the pan back on the heat and swirl the eggs into it. Cook for 1 min or until set to your liking, swirling with a fork now and again.

Step 3 : Spoon the mushroom mix over one half of the omelette. Using a spatula or palette knife, flip the omelette over to cover the mushrooms. Cook for a few moments more, lift onto a plate and serve with oven chips and salad.

I Am Cutting Out Sugar In My Coffee

I am cutting out sugar from my daily food as part of trying out the Keto diet. I have been wanting to try out Keto for a long while now, ever since I heard of a couple of colleagues at work losing their weight due to it. I read about it and read about it but I was worried about the sugar. How do I drink my coffee without sugar? Well there is sugar free stuff and substitutes and there is also the butter coffee or bulletproof coffee. I tried the bulletproof coffee yesterday evening but didn’t like it. Today morning I just cut out the sugar and I am ok with it. 

Get started cutting down on sugar with these tips:

  • Toss the table sugar (white and brown), syrup, honey and molasses. Cut back on the amount of sugar added to things you eat or drink regularly like cereal, pancakes, coffee or tea. Try cutting the usual amount of sugar you add by half and wean down from there.
  • Swap out the soda. Water is best, but if you want something sweet to drink or are trying to lose weight, diet drinks can be a better choice than sugary drinks.
  • Eat fresh, frozen, dried or canned fruits. Choose fruit canned in water or natural juice. Avoid fruit canned in syrup, especially heavy syrup. Drain and rinse in a colander to remove excess syrup or juice.
  • Compare food labels and choose products with the lowest amounts of added sugars. Dairy and fruit products will contain some natural sugars. Added sugars can be identified in the ingredients list.
  • Add fruit. Instead of adding sugar to cereal or oatmeal, try fresh fruit (bananas, cherries or strawberries) or dried fruit (raisins, cranberries or apricots).
  • Cut the serving back. When baking cookies, brownies or cakes, cut the sugar called for in your recipe by one-third to one-half. Often you won’t notice the difference.
  • Try extracts. Instead of adding sugar in recipes, use extracts like almond, vanilla, orange or lemon.
  • Replace it completely. Enhance foods with spices instead of sugar. Try ginger, allspice, cinnamon or nutmeg.
  • Substitute. Switch out sugar with unsweetened applesauce in recipes (use equal amounts).
  • Limit Non-nutritive Sweeteners. If you are trying to lose weight, a temporary fix to satisfying your sweet tooth may be with non-nutritive sweeteners. But watch out! Make sure that swapping sugary options for non-nutritive sweeteners now doesn’t lead to eating more later.

Tips shared from Heart.Org

The Day After My First Covid-19 Vaccination

The night of Friday I was pretty much ok and didn’t have much of a problem as previous posted. I was feeling tired and a bit sleepy. I had my McDonald’s dinner and then promptly went to bed at 9:30 pm trying to watch a movie. I didn’t manage that but did watch episode 3 of Marvel’s What If…? and an episode of Star Trek Enterprise season 3 before I fell asleep.

I think I had a good solid 8 hour sleep and I woke up feeling ok. I had coffee and my breakfast but by 11am I started to feel the effects of the vaccination. I started getting a slight fever so I took a Paracetamol (I had taken one at lunch and before going to bed as well the previous night) and went to bed and watched both Angels & Demons as well as Alien 3. Evening came around and Arsenal didn’t help things at all by failing to show up in a 5-0 loss at Manchester City.

I still was feverish throughout the evening. I had two cups of coffee and a quick dinner and was in bed by 9:30 pm yet again. I watched The Polar Express for the first time and then went to sleep. I got another 7 hours of solid sleep and today I feel much better.

Manchester City 5 Arsenal 0

Ten-man Arsenal were completely outplayed by Manchester City as they slumped to the bottom of the Premier League. It is the first time since 1954 that the Gunners have lost their three opening games of the league season and this match was effectively over by half-time. City captain Ilkay Gundogan and striker Ferran Torres scored in the first 12 minutes and any hope Arsenal had of an unlikely comeback was ended when midfielder Granit Xhaka was sent off for lunging into a challenge on Joao Cancelo.

A trademark teasing run from ÂŁ100m man Jack Grealish set up Gabriel Jesus for an easy third just before the break, then Rodri guided home a fourth from 20 yards just after it. Such was his side’s total control that City manager Pep Guardiola had used all three substitutes within 16 minutes of the second half starting. It turned into an extended keep-ball session for the hosts, who finished off the rout with Torres’ second six minutes from time. Guardiola’s counterpart and former assistant Mikel Arteta looked shell-shocked in the other technical area as Raheem Sterling – twice – Aymeric Laporte and Riyad Mahrez wasted opportunities to increase the margin of victory still further.

By the end, Arsenal had managed a single shot – off target – and 19% possession. They are still to score in the Premier League this season and immediately after the international break play Norwich, the team they replaced at the foot of the table.The return of skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and new signing Martin Odegaard made no noticeable difference to two previously tepid performances against Brentford and Chelsea. The Gunners’ hapless state was exemplified by Xhaka. An experienced international, needed to guide the youngsters around him, Xhaka’s response to his team going two goals down so early in a key game was to launch himself at Cancelo in a manner that made referee Martin Atkinson’s decision to brandish a red card automatic.

The Old Guard

The Old Guard is a 2020 American superhero film directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and written by Greg Rucka, based on his comic book of the same name. The film stars Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts,  Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Harry Melling, Van Veronica Ngo, and Chiwetel Ejiofor, and follows a team of immortal mercenaries on a revenge mission. The Old Guard was released on July 10, 2020, on Netflix. It received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for the action sequences and Theron’s performance. A sequel is in development with Victoria Mahoney directing the film.

Cookbooks Versus Electronic Recipes Versus Print out Recipes

Cookbooks versus electronic recipes versus printing out recipes from the computer. Which do you prefer? Pros and cons?

I will be honest and say that I don’t really cook but I have used Youtube for a couple of recipes here and there. I prefer the electronic version of recipes instead of reading off from a cookbook or a printout because it takes up so little space when you see it on you tablet or your phone. Also paper tends to fly in the wind, get wet and rip/tear.

The best way is to take your tab or phone and keep it on a stand. Play the video and go along with them. It’s easy to rewind, pause and play back if you didn’t quite catch something and want to get the doubt erased from your mind. Oh also, you can see how it looks like when the chefs or homecooks do it and then when you are done, you can look at your dish and wonder what went wrong!

So I am glad to have a mobile on which I can do this. I don’t have a tab and if I did, I would fully make use of it for cooking using recipes from the internet.

Prompt from AUGUST BLOG PROMPTS {12 MONTHS OF WRITING IDEAS} #BLOGPROMPTS at Fun Food Family

After Getting My First Dose Of Covishield – Coronavirus Vaccination!

So I am now vaccinated with the first dose. I have finally gone to go and get it done. As mentioned before a couple of times that I planned it, it didn’t work out. First time that I planned it something came up in the way of work and I was thinking, if I get ill as a reaction then I won’t be able to do this work. So I waited. Another time I planned everything with my sister and a friend of hers, even got up and showered and shaved and all of a sudden I felt this cold and breathing issue so I stayed back in bed.

Today, no such thing happened though I was very nervous. On Monday I had gone online and booked my slot for 11 am to 1 pm today. As the day got closer I became more nervous. Mostly because I hate getting a bad fever if I get an allergic reaction. The last time I had a bad fever I had the shivers so bad that I was convinced, along with my family, that I had contracted the Coronavirus. It turned out to be a bad case of the flu but that fever is something I can’t forget. The kind where you can’t sit up for more than a couple of hours at a time.

So I went today by 11:30 am after booking an Ola rental. After I got in, I directed him to the HDFC bank in Ravipuram where I wanted to go. I withdrew some cash – this is the first time I have been out in almost 4 months. Then I went to the hospital and paid for the vaccine and went up to 3rd floor. I was able to get my dose done in less than 10 minutes after which they told me to wait for 15 minutes just in case. I then came home had lunch and tried to select a movie to watch but soon fell asleep. I did manage an episode of What If…?

At 5 pm I made coffee and had some popcorn that I had popped from last evening. As I type this up I am feeling a bit tired and might go to bed early. I plan to get some McDonalds with fries and then hit the bed by 9:30 pm. Let’s see how tomorrow goes.

Going To Get Vaccinated Tomorrow

It’s finally my turn. I am finally getting my first Covid vaccination tomorrow by noon. Third time is a charm. I had tried a few times on different on the official government website for my parents and then for myself and it was not showing any dates for the next few months. My parents had already had their first dose and were waiting for the second which is when we started seeing this problem. Then two weekends after that my sister’s neighbour arranged for his friends to get vaccinated through the corporate engagement camp that was being done.

The company I work for also has taken our details and was also trying to do this drive. Anyways, my sister had her first dose and then took our parents to get their second dose done. She then started to check for options for me. We were supposed to go but work issues crept up and on the Thursday I had to call her and abandon the plans. We rescheduled for a Saturday a couple of weeks later and I was supposed to go with my sister and a friend of hers and get the first dose done.I ended up not going as I woke up with a cold & breathing issues so I backed out.

I skipped another drive by my employers to get un-vaccinated people get their first dose. But now I have finally booked my first dose at a hospital nearby and I will be going there tomorrow by noon. I will let you my experience once I get back home and am able to blog about it. I am a little nervous about it as I don’t want to have fever as a side effect.

Lucas Torreira Joins Fiorentina On Loan; Option To Buy Clause For 15 Million Euros

Arsenal midfielder Lucas Torreira has joined Italian outfit Fiorentina on loan, the Serie A club announced on Wednesday. The midfielder arrived for his medical on Tuesday and has agreed an initial loan switch. Torreira, who joined Arsenal from Sampdoria in 2018, had an impressive debut season in north London where he played 50 times in all competitions, but the 25-year-old has since found limited playing time at the Premier League club. He spent last season on loan at Atletico Madrid where he made 19 appearances in its La Liga title-winning campaign.

Fiorentina said that it signed the Uruguay international with an option to buy him for a fee reported by British and Italian media to be about 15 million euros ($17.63 million). The club lost its opening Serie A game at AS Roma over the weekend and hosts Torino on Saturday. The Uruguay international, who was currently not in Mikel Arteta’s plans, decided on a return to Italy having joined Arsenal from Sampdoria in 2018. Eintracht Frankfurt also made an offer for the 25-year-old earlier in the transfer window.

Torreira will wear the No 18 shirt for Fiorentina, who finished 13th in the Italian top-flight last season and began their 2021/22 campaign with a 3-1 defeat to Roma. He has made 89 appearances for the Gunners and scored four goals. The midfielder’s contract at the Emirates Stadium expires in the summer of 2023. The loan switch to Florence follows his successful 2020/21 campaign where Torreira helped Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid to the La Liga title, making 26 appearances during his time in the Spanish capital.

West Bromwich Albion 0 Arsenal FC 6

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s hat-trick helped Arsenal to a welcome first win of the season as they beat a young West Bromwich Albion side to reach the Carabao Cup third round. Aubameyang marked his first start of the season with two first-half tap-ins and a curling finish after the break. He also acrobatically set up Nicolas Pepe for the third, with Bukayo Saka slotting in the Gunners’ fourth. Alexandre Lacazette came off the bench to fire in his side’s sixth.

The win could have been even bigger too, with Martin Odegaard hitting the outside of the post from a tight angle and Pepe striking the bar with a chip West Brom fielded six debutants, five of them teenagers, but showed spirit right to the end on what was a difficult night for them. The Baggies, who have made a superb start to this season under new boss Valerian Ismael, pressed high, got the ball forward quickly and would have taken an early lead had goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, on his Arsenal debut, not pushed Tom Fellows’ whipped shot aside.

Even with the tie clearly decided they continued to carve out chances, with Taylor Gardner-Hickman twice denied by Ramsdale in the second half. Ultimately, though, Arsenal – who now face AFC Wimbledon – were a class above, with the ruthless Aubameyang looking sharp after recovering from coronavirus. He could hardly miss in scoring both of his first two goals, firstly following up Saka’s saved shot to slot in before turning the ball in again after Pepe had hit the post. His third was much harder to execute, but he did so with aplomb, curling in from 18 yards after cutting into the box.

Late Transfer Window Rumours About Arsenal In August 2021

The rumours around the club seem to insist that Arsenal would be open to selling Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang if a good offer arrives, according to the Telegraph. The Gabon international’s situation at The Emirates has been a talking point in recent days amid suggestions that he could be set for a surprise move away from the north London club. A striker who may or may not be leaving Arsenal is Eddie Nketiah, who has attracted the attention of Crystal Palace. Patrick Vieira’s people are said to be preparing a bid of about £10m, which is about half of Arsenal’s valuation for a player they rarely use.

Arsenal  are ready to revive their interest in Kieran Trippier – but need Atletico Madrid to slash their asking price. The Gunners were told last month that Three Lions full-back Trippier, 30, was keen to return to England after two successful seasons in LaLiga. They were shocked when Atletico demanded the full ÂŁ34million release clause within the former Tottenham defender’s contract. But with less than a year still to run on his deal – and with Trippier failing to make Diego Simeone’s starting line-up for their opening two games – Arsenal hope that the Spanish champions will be open to negotiation. However this might be conditional that they can find a proper deal for Hector Bellerin.

Also Willian is closing in on a move to Corinthians as Arsenal look to offload players before the transfer window shuts next week. The Gunners have already spent over ÂŁ120million on new players during the summer so far, with their only significant sale being the departure of Joe Willock to Newcastle for over ÂŁ20m. In what was the worst free transfers in recent history, the Brazilian joined Arsenal from Chelsea last summer, but failed to justify his salary or even half his salary and has slipped down the pecking order at Emirates Stadium.

Speaking of players Arsenal rarely use, Lucas Torreira is close to joining Fiorentina on loan; deal includes option to buy midfielder for ÂŁ12.8m; 25-year-old wanted return to Serie A after joining Arsenal from Sampdoria in 2018. Eintracht Frankfurt made an offer but Torreira’s preference was a return to Italy and if not go back to South America. The Uruguay international joined Arsenal in July 2018 from Sampdoria and has made 63 appearances for the club. However, he spent last season on loan at Atletico Madrid and is not in Mikel Arteta’s plans.

RIP Charlie Watts

Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, who helped them become one of the greatest bands in rock ‘n’ roll, has died at the age of 80. “It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Charlie Watts,” a statement said. It said he was “a cherished husband, father and grandfather” and “one of the greatest drummers of his generation”. Tributes have come from stars including The Beatles’ Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Ringo Starr, and Sir Elton John. The news came weeks after it was announced that Watts would miss the band’s US tour dates to recover from an unspecified medical procedure. Watts was previously treated for throat cancer in 2004. Watts died in a London hospital on 24 August 2021, at the age of 80.

He had been a member of the Stones since January 1963, when he joined Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Brian Jones in their fledgling group. Watts helped them become, with The Beatles, one of the bands who took rock ‘n’ roll to the masses in the 60s with classics like (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Get Off My Cloud and Sympathy for the Devil. Watts, along with Jagger and Richards, are the only band members to have been featured on all of their studio albums. He cited jazz as a major influence on his drumming style. He toured with his own group, the Charlie Watts Quintet, and appeared in London at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club with the Charlie Watts Tentet.

In 2006, Watts was elected into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame; in the same year, Vanity Fair elected him into the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame. In 2016, he was ranked 12th on Rolling Stones “100 Greatest Drummers of All Time” list. n 1989, The Rolling Stones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Watts did not attend the ceremony. In the July 2006 issue of Modern Drummer magazine, Watts was voted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame, joining Ringo Starr, Keith Moon, Steve Gadd, Buddy Rich, and other highly esteemed and influential drummers from the history of rock and jazz.

On 14 October 1964, Watts married Shirley Ann Shepherd (born 11 September 1938), whom he had met before the band became successful. The couple had one daughter, Seraphina, born in March 1968, who in turn gave birth to Watts’s only grandchild, a girl named Charlotte. Watts lived near Dolton, a rural village in west Devon, where he owned an Arabian horse stud farm. In June 2004, Watts was diagnosed with throat cancer, despite having quit smoking in the late 1980s, and underwent a course of radiotherapy. The cancer went into remission. On 5 August 2021, it was reported that Watts had elected to sit out the resumption of the U.S. No Filter Tour due to an unspecified medical procedure, and that Steve Jordan would temporarily replace him on drums.