I’d given up on Diamond Eyes. Written the man off. Decided he was the next Giles Grimandi, playing Fortnite in the stands instead of focusing on what’s happening on the pitch.
The man couldn’t see past Dortmund I thought. He rode the wave of luck. His diamonds were imperfect.
Then he goes and nicks the best kid out of PSG in a deft move that broke the hearts of Madrid and Bayern Munich.
#PSG youngsterwill join #Arsenal despite receiving lucrative contract offer from the French champions and interest from Real Madrid & Bayern. Talented attacking midfielder, 17, to become Emery’s first signing (L’Equipe)
— Matt Spiro (@mattspiro) May 30, 2018
It’s quite amusing in all the group chats I have going.
‘Wenger’s last stand!’
‘Emery’s pulled one out of the bag’
‘Sven’s gearing up!’
I’m not really sure where the move has come from, but I’d be leaning toward Sven and Emery. The Spaniard because he has a relationship and the German because there’s no doubt if Madrid were looking, he’d have been there months ago.
Regardless of how it went down, if it drops, that’s a very positive move for the club. Picking up elite young talent hasn’t exactly been our strength over the last 5 years.
The club need to start building out our 17-23 year olds. Add some freshness to a squad that’ll no doubt need resetting in 3 years time. This is something Arsenal fans won’t be used to… succession planning.
A proper club, with proper people looking after it will be planning a squad 2-3 years at a time. They’ll know when Koscielny is going to break, so they’ll have someone in place who can step it up. Versus our old strategy of waiting until someone was sold or broken before we’d make a decisive move in the transfer market. Sometimes, we’d just not replace. How long did it take to replace Robin Van Persie? Or Patrick Vieira?
Those shabby days are well and truly behind us…
Talking of those days, Zinedine Zidane quit Madrid like a true champion, ducking out a hero after dropping 3 Champions League wins in a row. Tears were rolling down my cheeks seeing that news. That is total confidence. Absolute self-awareness. A legendary decision.
Things are getting very tasty in the names linked section. Obviously, Allegri is a name that’s been raised. I struggle to see Madridistas going for a manager who plays negative football, it’ll be Mourinho all over again. Poch has been linked, which would be utterly delicious in my opinion. Then there’s Arsene Wenger.
Arsene’s caterpillar coat isn’t even cold yet and Arsenal fans are working on overdrive to re-remember his skills and talents. It’s quite a sight to behold.
A manager who mustered 3 points away from home this year, parachuting into Madrid’s winning machine to take them to a 4 CL victory in a row.
Get me that ticket, I’ll take a front row seat.
I almost want it to happen, just so we can put to bed the notion that Wenger could have done it at the highest level.
Wenger couldn’t manage egos, that’s why he didn’t sign players who had strength of character or opinions in the latter years.
Wenger doesn’t do preparation, which is unacceptable at elite levels.
Wenger can’t make players better, just look at Chamberlain.
He has absolutely none of the characteristics you need to manage an elite operation.
But don’t take my word for it, let’s see if Wenger puts his hat in the ring.
It would be spectacular. The first 3 months would be fine, then the muscle memory would wear thin, then we’d see what he’s made of.
Arsenal are apparently going to offer Aaron Ramsey a new 5-year deal to stay with the club. Emery wants to build a team around the powerhouse midfielder. If your game is about pressing, the energetic Welshman is a must. If he can be tamed, coached and focused, he could be immense for the club.
It sounds like Aaron is up for it as well.
“I haven’t spoken to him [Emery] at all yet, but I think it’s an exciting time for the club and I can’t wait to get back there now,”
I did have suspicions that the club was playing a bit of a PR game. We know his agent is going to want Ozil money, we know he has a year left on his deal, and it seems unusual to announce we want to give the player a deal. The Times said it’d be a tough negotiation because it’s Aaron’s last year and he wants to be paid like a king. Can we afford to give him Ozil money? Does it actually make more sense for the player to see out his final year? How long will we give negotiations?
Arsenal are also presenting themselves to his agent a with skirt fully over the head. We’ve told him the squad is going to be built around his player. If I were negotiating that deal, I’d be asking for 20% more.
Maybe I’m just being cynical. Aaron is our longest serving player, he has a young family who probably like London, he’s about to be made captain, and central to the new Arsenal.
Could be worse, right?
Ok, see you in the comments. Check out the French kid below.
Marc
I didn’t say you thought he would do a good job. I was just stating my opinion on him. But I agree that that would upset things at Spurs, which would be nice to see. Although who knows, maybe they find an even better manager.
Yacine Adli plays like Ramsey style. Needs quick understanding forward /striker alongside. Needs polishing his skills, but as yet is young and at that age the vision he produces is very good
Bamford
“Oh Jesus; now PIERRE is claiming the owner doesn’t allow us to spend what we generate.”
Bamford…. Fabrication
My original comment
“To be honest ,it would make no difference if j.o.e bloggs was the clubs owner as Arsenal only spend the money they generate so don’t expect anything to change too soon unless we get a new owner .”
A grovelling apology will be acceptable.
@ Dissenter If you believe Ozil essentially retired from football at the age of 29 , its your opinion. I for one will wait and see what a new set of coaching staff will get out of him before throwing him to the wolves. When he is on song we play better, he is no one man wrecking ball like Sanchez but an actual team player who makes things easier for his team mates, Ozil has a few more gears he can go up to if he decides to apply himself. If and when i see him being a detriment… Read more »
RR
“I’ve got a mental image of Pierre stealing his grandkids’ dolls, dressing them up in mini Arsenal shirts/shorts, knocking down the Ramsey doll with the Ozil doll while giggling in uncontrollable excitement”
You need to get out more dumbo!!
Pierre
My bad. I was just waking up and I misread that. Good to know you don’t think that. My apologies.
Bamford
“Apparently that story would have been more believable to Pierre if Emery had identified Mkhitaryan and Ozil as the important players.”
More fabrication from Bamford.. You will not find a comment where I implied that.
Pierre
Get a grip, mate. I was poking fun at you there given that you seem to like Ozil and Mkhi.
Your take on those two news stories is embarrassing, btw, so I will not be retracting anything I’ve said against you on that front.
Bernard is linked on a free today, remember when he was close to joining us before he went to Shaktar, still only 25. Anyone seen him play over there?
That adli kid has a bit of Pires about him
Very interesting to see how he fits in
Bamford: Your financial figures for us are way off. Our cash on hand at the moment is probably closer to 80m. You could be right. I just did a quick google search for the Swiss Ramble and saw the 180 figure for early in 2018. And it was as low as 130 in those figures. I didn’t check it thoroughly though as I was short on time. Could easily have made a mistake there. I have been so depressed by Arsenal I’m the last 2 years that I have failed to keep up with these things. In particular I haven’t… Read more »
bamford
maybe not score 42 goals but be a nuisance for other team defence for a whole season..
Receding: It makes all the difference in the world Dissenter
No it makes no difference as transfer fees are paid over time. Ozil signed a 3 1/2 year deal. (Better than the 5 I thought a few days ago). If I take it that he is being overpaid by 10m a year, that’s 35m. If we equate that to a transfer fee for a player that is paid over the same period, then the cash outflow for the club is exactly the same as if we paid a club 35m for him.
What don’t you understand about this?
Still need to see how these teams look in their early matches, but my personal “power rankings” for the World Cup remain:
1. Germany
2. Brazil
3. Spain
4. France
A few questions:
1. Who would be better as France’s CAM: Pogba or Griezmann?
2. Would you start Fekir if you were Deschamps?
3. Would you play with one or two CDMs if you were the Brazil manager (Tite)?
4. Would Willian start for you? If so, where?
5. Would you start Douglas Costa or Firmino?
“I have been so depressed by Arsenal I’m the last 2 years that I have failed to keep up with these things. ”
I think this is the juncture where i stop replying to u.
Depression is nothing to joke around with. it is a game of football played by millionaires who carry on with their lives win, lose or draw.
B10
As already stated, different players, different qualities.
They both have a lot to offer.
If push came to shove…………………….AUBAMAZETTE!
Bernard would upset the anti-midget mafia. Sell Welbeck, sign Bernard. I’m down for that.
But seriously, I am YouTubing him now. 😉
Adli kid looks like a blend of young Fellaini and Yossi Benayoun. Not only in the way that he looks.
My bad: scratch that first question. I was trying to think outside the box re Griezmann, but I’m sure he’ll play as a forward of one kind or another.
My replacement questions are:
1. If you’re Deschamps and you’re playing three forwards, who is your third forward (in addition to Mbappe and Griezmann)?
2. If Pogba is the CAM, do people see him overall as a strength for France or a weakness (relative to Germany, Spain and Brazil)?
The “new broom” emery will be “sweeping clean”. Expect some deadwood leaving and the existing squad players to seriously “up” their game. Players like the very gifted ozil will know clearly they need to add a bit of workrate and spirit into their game. Its all positive, at least for the foreseeable future.
This new 17y old prospect is great news. normally I would get an image of sanogo,diaby etc when we were linked with these”young stars”…….but that was in wenger-time…….this is different, and he was wanted by the BIG CLUBS.
Receding: Depression is nothing to joke around with. it is a game of football played by millionaires who carry on with their lives win, lose or draw.
I didn’t say I have depression. Using the word depressed is still allowed. It can exist in sentences without offending people with mental health issues.
Graham
Hilarious. So you think they’re of simliar overall quality, just as I said you did.
Dissenter
Kike is the only one who called Emery to Arsenal of all the supposed itkr’s none had clue. Marin threw a tweet out 3 days before news broke that Arsenal were down to 2 candidates and Emery was one of them.
He’s been quietly tweeting away with many hints as to what Emery’s/clubs approach could be.
Dissenter. Kike Marin may be on to something. There is only one problem. Nobody wants Ozil. As talented as he can be, he is not worth the headache that comes with. I honestly wish we had let him leave on a Bosman. He is just holding back the project that we have to undergo now.
B10
Always glad to keep you amused.
The definition of depression is prolonged, or extreme sadness..it also has a clinical definition…obviously.
We are becoming an intensely sensitive society…..a nation of nervous insecure androgenous robots…….or have I offended robots???
Like Kike’s take on Dembele, saying its not Emery’s idea but Svens. Goes on to say seem an impossible transfer but reinforces concept of whose bringing players in.
Graham
So why did you get so upset when I said that you seem to think the two are of similar quality? Did you mistake this for my saying that the two have similar QUALITIES? Or do you simply not like someone telling you what you think, even if it is in fact what you think?
it was the decision of Ivan , Sven and Raul to offer Ozil a new contract. Like any other footballer he was within his rights to get what he can during his playing days ( Ozil does not look like a character that will have any role in football once he hangs up his boots) if those three who we now call the new era …an era of change ..bla bla bla ..decided to keep him at what you call outrageous terms maybe you should direct your anger to them. And if Emery cannot get Ozil to play to the… Read more »
Oh Bamford, let it go mate !
If emery is as shrewd as rumoured, he will play ozil till January and assess him then.
keep or sell at the jan window.
Ozil IS a superbly gifted goal-assist merchant. Worth giving him a run in a new shaped team.
B10
Not upset at all.
Are you like this with everything?
If you believe Auba is the superior player, that’s up to you.
Auba still has to prove himself as far as I’m concerned. Infact, now that we have a new manager, they both do
What I find “hilarious” in all of this, is that you want to prove yourself all the time.
Cheers.
Graham
Yeah, it’s definitely not a big deal. And my question to you actually had nothing to do with my own view on the matter, nor was I really trying to prove anything — other than the fact that I was correct about your view regarding the two (despite your denial). I was just trying to figure out what you actually think and why you would’ve reacted the way you did.
As I say, not a big deal. Cheers.
If Poch doesn’t take the Madrid job so he can stay at Spurs then he’s a loser
Anyone think if JR Smith was a football player, he would be a Wenger player?
Hate these click bait stories that hit where it hurts. Sven inquiring with their respective clubs over Dembele and Tolisso. That’s just cruel.
I still haven’t seen is linked with a DM that excites me. Do these click bait journos have no imagination for this position or is there simply no options out there. Emery is on a hiding to nothing if he goes into the season with Xhaka as his DM. May as well not bother to unpack his bags if it’s Elneny.
Being ‘depressed’ by Arsenal’s shittiness is either literally true in his case or just a figure of speech. Either way it’s not offensive or a big deal to say it in either case.
My eldest brother was depressed and committed suicide 5 years ago so if anyone can be triggered by ‘depression’ conversations it’s me – and his comment doesn’t bother me at all. Arsenal were pretty fucking depressing for the past 5 years. I agree.
New post lads
B10
Good.
Can I have a packet of salt and vinegar with my beer please?
Thanks.
Graham
What the fuck is that supposed to mean?
New post.
and they want Seri and Torreira, both about 5’5 or so. WTF!