So overall, you’d have to say the preseason is going rather nicely.
- A specific style is emerging
- No one is injured.
- We have breakthrough kids looking VERY good
- The morale looks excellent (noteworthy when you hear Mourinho squeal like a spoilt brat)
- There’s still a chance we might sign another name
There are still a couple of worries, the main one being that Aaron Ramsey still hasn’t signed a new deal. The 27-year-old is coming off the back of an excellent season, he’s finally fit, and he knows he’s likely hitting the peak of his dealmaking powers. He straight up wants Ozil money, his agent knows the fans and the new backroom team love his player, but once again, Wenger has left us in a situation where all the leverage is with a superstar player. Like an abusive parent who leaves the estate to a cactus.
The way I’d be looking at the Rambo situations if I were his agent is:
- £350k a week from Arsenal
- A deadline day move to a team with title-winning capabilities (CFC lingering)
- Roll into the final year of your deal and gamble on a FAT fee so you buy a nice flat in Cardiff town centre when you retire.
He doesn’t need to do anything else. He wins in almost every situation. Well, unless he breaks down with injury this season, but even then, people will take a chance on him. Maybe not on the £350k a week deal he thinks he deserves, because let’s be fair here, no club in Europe was prepared to give Ozil that until Ivan shit the bed. Aaron is a £200k week player in this market at the absolute tops, and he’d get that at Chelsea. Arsenal have the pay the premium to keep him, can we afford that after we went all in on Ozil?
I thought it was telling that Emery dropped Ozil the captaincy. Usually, I’d do a little vom into my mouth upon hearing a player with questionable commitment to the cause could be afforded such an honour, but if Ramsey says no to a deal, it wouldn’t be the dimmest move to focus Mesut with the captain’s armband. If we have ANY hope next season, it has to be with Ozil playing like he did vs Chelsea in the League Cup semi-final on the regular. It’s still a huge risk because you’re giving the armband to a player who gets tough away games off, you’re also giving it to a player who has questionable fitness in the backend of most seasons, but, a firing Ozil is unstoppable.
I’d be giving it to Guendouzi myself…
The second concern we have going into the new season is our center backs. Jury is still out with these guys in a new system, but I do have reservations about the desperate lack of pace across the board. Laurent K is not going to come back the same player, Sokratis looks very slow, Chambers is slow, Mustafi is fast but always a worry due to brain farts, Holding and Mavrapanos are the only two anywhere near where we need to be. A high line is going to be suicidal this season.
It looks like Emery is pushing for a 4-1-4-1 this season. We look to finally have two DMs in Torreira and Guendouzi. We have an abundance of bodies and names in Ramsey, Ozil, AMN, Xhaka, Elneney, and Smith Rowe through the middle. If we’re going to play a high-press, I’m not sure how Xhaka fits because of his lack of pace, but we’ll see. I really wouldn’t be surprised to see a breakthrough player as a mainstay by the end of this season.
We’re struggling with wide players, unless Auba is seriously being considered there, which feels like a huge waste of a world-class finisher. Mikki, Iwobi, Welbeck, Nelson and maybe Ozil feels a touch thin on the ground. We really do need to invest in an exciting wide player or at least a loan before the season is out. We still haven’t replaced Alexis, with a strong move there, we really will be looking formidable moving forward.
Striking options of Auba, Lacazette, Welbz and Eddie feels very comfortable. It’ll be interesting to see if the manager adopts a 4-4-2 at any stage this season, he certainly has an interest in trying it out.
“The 4-4-2 is designed more and more for zonal positioning. It’s less aggressive but is harder to get past. I am not ruling out the possibility of a 4-4-2.”
Hector Bellerin seems to be enjoying himself.
“As I said the other day, it’s all about learning the new system, about getting used to each other again and used to the new players,”
“It felt like things were clicking more today. Slowly we are coming more together – training every day with the new concepts we have is working better.”
Football is just like your day-to-day. If you have a manager who challenges you and keeps you thinking, the work becomes more interesting. Our players have been sleepwalking in a very comfortable environment, they’re now being pushed to their limits physically and they’re being stretched mentally. Emery is having to upgrade the way the players see the game, which is basically 10 years of neglect from the manager. I think that’s why he’s been so keen to bring in old heads, because they can help carry the message in the dressing room (and calm it when it goes wrong).
In other news, City lost Laporte, Mahrez and Foden to injury in Miami yesterday. I also watched Chelsea vs Inter yesterday, they had a great half in a very nice canary yellow kit, but looked quite average in the second half. Really hoping they start the season with Cabellero in goal. Two very winnable opening games… for once, being utterly shite could pay dividends.
Anyway, all very exciting. Let’s just hope we don’t lose Aaron to Chelsea. I’ll leave you on Arsenal playing out the back like heroes.
pic.twitter.com/S9qwl5DrRA— PM (@ThatGooner) July 28, 2018
Akpom based on his u21/u23 form probably should’ve been given a bit more opportunity under Wenger. But instead we gave him 3 year pro terms and he was never to be seen again. Typical Wenger bollocks.
Writing off his Range while intoxicated pretty much sealed his fate, I think.
Bob he’d never agree to that. I feel selling him is the best option.
Read Champagne Charlie above say this
“Ramsey and Ozil in the middle of the pitch is a recipe for getting sliced open. Have said all along if he wants a mega deal then goodbye from me.”
Ditto
34yo Lichtsteiner or 38yo Robert Green? lol only one winner
“Yeah United are paying out the ass for Maguire, nobody will care if he goes on to be a rock at the back for them though.”
Will he be a rock though?? Is he 65m pounds good??
I mean he does play the ball out the back well for a big lad but is he really an exceptional defender Better than all they presently have??
Many United fans over here were crazy about Bailey, called him the best Mourinho signing ever, that seems to have gone south very quickly
Nelson should go out on loan.
Scoring wonder goals for the reserves or in training, doesn’t do it for me.
What a load o absolute shit written by Victorious. Literally no-one in football is talking about Ainsley Maitland-Niles, except for a bunch of fan boys on the internet, who probably hype up every young Arsenal player……then go very quiet when they are sold off to a Championship club. Maitland-Niles is 21 in a month, and he has played 3 times in midfield for the club. He is 21 in a month and never even been considered for the England team. He is 21 in a month, and has never scored or assisted for the club. There is absolutely nothing other… Read more »
Carts
Couldn’t believe he slagged off a player for attending the birth of his child. Even if that wasn’t aimed at you it wouldn’t do a great deal for team spirit.
Anyone on here watch any MLS?
Watched a bit of it recently cause pre-season footy is so boring and fuck me was I pleasantly surprised.
The quality of footy is actually much better than I expected, LA Galaxy in particular are a great watch with Zlatan up front and Gio Dos Santos-Alessandrini behind pulling strings.
Interestingly all teams look to keep it on the floor at times to their detriment, and do not give a single fuck about defensive stability either which is fun for neutrals but must be painful as a supporter.
RH
Personally I don’t know, didn’t pay so much attention to him last season so I’m not in a position to say. Looked good in the World Cup but as we’ve seen before that can go either way at club level.
Most likely they’re way overpaying for him.
Looks like the beginning of the end for old Jose doesn’t it? A sloppy start might be enough to stick the final nails in the casket.
He seems pretty fucked off by their lack of transfer business, especially considering how well Liverpool have done in improving their first team and how far ahead of the chasing pack Citeh are.
Ramsey is holding out for more money. Why else would this be taking so long? Perhaps the duration of the contract as well but its all about $ at the end of the day. I agree with some posters that we have already seen Ramsey max out his potential on the field. I dont see him all of a sudden being a different player in the mold of KDB etc. As someone said, his value is based on the other shit we have in the team, which makes him seem like a God. Nonsense. I would like to see him… Read more »
Wenger Eagle
I did see the FC LA and Galaxy game on TV on vacation in Mexico and was impressed at the level of skill in that game. Was not what I was expecting!
Not much midfield pressure defensively. Whoever had the ball had a goal scoring chance almost every time it seemed!
“Maitland-Niles is 21 in a month, and he has played 3 times in midfield for the club.”
Exactly. Wilshere and Ramsey showed so much more before they even hit 20 and still largely failed to fulfill their potential.
AMN is a joke by comparison. 21 years old and still shows no outstanding qualities in any position he plays.
WE
I tell you who are a good outfit Atlanta Utd. I’ve been watch MLS since it was Channel 5. At times, the games were just fucking dreadful. It still has it’s moments.
I was watching Orlando City v New York City, and Orlando were fucking pony. Could string a pass together.
The LA derby was ok. Came to life near the end of the game.
Toronto are quite solid and last nights game was tasty.
Marc
Martial has nothing left for Utd. I think his head has fully gone.
Mourinho is a winner, no doubt, but he’s equally a piece of shit
Guns of SF Yeah haha they play with literally no caution to the wind, Orlando FC last night scored three goals and could have scored five vs Galaxy and they are footing the division ffs. Galaxy themselves literally could have scored ten, managed four with a Zlatan hat-rick. He’s embarrassingly above his peers even at 36 in the MLS, guy looks unstoppable over there. Vela as well for LA FC. Which points to the gulf in quality obviously but the sequence of passing moves and attacking invention is impressive, very few misplaced passes in the final third and no long… Read more »
The Championship and the lower leagues kick off this weekend. Any tipster on here who consistently makes money off their games. The odds there are usually quite tasty
Exactly. Wilshere and Ramsey showed so much more before they even hit 20 and still largely failed to fulfill their potential.
That is very true and no one’s saying that they’re world class. But you know at the time there was a victorious somewhere talking about how world class they were.
“The 27-year-old is coming off the back of an excellent season.”
Really Pedro?
I watched every Arsenal match last season and I did not see any excellence or even good in ‘Mr Hollywood Passes’ at all.
Maybe I need to change the channel when Arsenal play. Or just perhaps a certain Mr Ramsey was playing for Man City and I was not aware of it.
RR
Exactly, hes nowhere near the 21 year old Ramsey was, and Im not even a huge Ramsey fan.
AMN could be a great squad player for 10 years, and will save us £20m in the transfer market, also allowing us to sell Elneny.
He isnt going to be a superstar, barring an unbelievable level of improvement, which usually doesnt happen.
I see a lot of people saying how great he will be, but no-one that can articulate what his specific qualities are. Its just all vague “he is brilliant” bollocks.
Carts
Atlanta are a very good side alright, our old buddy Tata Martino has the gaffer gig out there haha. Their CF Josef Martinez is like a human goal scoring cheat code.
Which shows you how poor a league it is still because he was absolutely hopeless in his stint in Serie A. A geriatric David Villa still is daddy-dicking teams too.
Enjoyable league to watch regardless if you want to see attacking football and goals/come-backs galore.
Carts
You betting on it btw? I’ve been making bank recently betting on LA Galaxy. Lumped on them again last night at HT when they were losing.
“AMN could be a great squad player for 10 years, and will save us £20m in the transfer market, also allowing us to sell Elneny.”
I think this is pretty much what anyone who rates him is saying, no one to my mind has called him a superstar. He is also versatile and having someone like that is always handy. I just pointed out that saying he is only good enough to play in the championship was unfair
RH
Supertips and Whoscored are your best bets for finding quality tips on Championship and more obscure leagues.
WE it’s somewhat enjoyable and attacking because they’ve non-existent defenses over there and honestly the goalkeepers suck ass
I think this is pretty much what anyone who rates him is saying, no one to my mind has called him a superstar.
You haven’t read Vic’s assessment of him then. Better than Meyer better than Ndombele. With that in mind we have one of the brightest 22 year olds in Europe. Only we don’t
AMN being better than N’Dombele was one of the funnier things I have ever read on here.
Its not exactly hard to see what’ll happen with AMN.
He’ll continue to stick it at Arsenal until 23-24, barely featuring. Then he’ll start to seriously contemplate his career and move to some midtable club. Ofcourse he’ll flop there because he’s barely developed due to siting his ass on the reserve bench at Arsenal for years.
Eagle
Didn’t know Whoscored offered betting tips. Supertips has let me down a few times but mostly due to my greed anyway
Apkom, once a hyped up , free scoring striker at reserve/ youth level sadly ended up sold for under 1 fucking million! Seriously only 890k? Being English in this inflated market? +Jeff, and a bunch of others…. Our young guns take note. Ramsey is ordinary and not what the club really needs at the moment which is cash. Grab 40m or whatever, or used in a deal like the reported Dembele perhaps? A revived Arsenal must not let Ramsey stay beyond the TW without a contract extension. Draw a line together with the Wenger era of stupidity (eg Ozil’s wage).… Read more »
RH
Not tips per se, just result predictions for matches and reasoning behind them.
Find them to generally be a little more on the money than Supertips, both are good though. Trick is to bet on outcomes that they agree on.
Emile-Smith-Rowe at 17 and Guendouzi at 19 show more specific qualities that mark them out as great CMs in the making.
Betting on football is a mugs game. No way do you have an edge on the bookies.
I still do it every week, but I dont expect to win long term.
Lol gambon true that.
Vices and all that, plus makes games more interesting to watch outside of Arsenal.
The Jeff was the great white hope for some around here wasn’t he? Even the other lad from Lens Fortune got no chance whatsoever. But yeah unless Maitland Niles figures out a way to become a full back I don’t see it happening here. He’s never going to be given the chances to impress in midfield or the games to develop in midfield and he’s not good enough for midfield now. It’s tough I mean now we’ve got Guendouzi who’ll get opportunities to impress even Smith Rowe but not AMN at 22 he’d have to have shown glimpses already and… Read more »
Anyone brave enough to post their top six PL predictions yet?
WE
City
Liverpool
Spurs
Arsenal
UTD
Chelsea
We’re back…..
“Vices and all that, plus makes games more interesting to watch outside of Arsenal.”
Nah i prefer to watch games i did not bet on. Which is why i prefer the lower leagues and other obscure leagues.
“Betting on football is a mugs game. No way do you have an edge on the bookies.”
i have seen some big wins but i chuck them down to more luck than judgement . It’s fun though as long as u loose what u can afford to loose.
BvB looking at signing Witsel for around £17 Million.
Not a bad signing at all.
Eagle
City
Liverpool
Arsenal
Chelsea
Spurs
Wolves
Better signing than Thomas Delaney for twenty million that’s for sure.
Sticking my neck out and saying that Liverpool’s new blood will carry them over the line edging out Citeh.
Liverpool
City
Spurs
Arsenal
Man United
Chelsea
Wolves ahead of United is bold haha.
BvB looking at signing Witsel for around £17 Million.
Heard PSG want Weigl.
But yeah my top 6 is the same as gambon’s except I have have us third above Spurs if we sign a marquee winger. Top 4 is on anyway
City
Liverpool
Arsenal
Spurs
Chelsea
United
Really do think that Chelsea will flop hard under Sarri.
Think they lose Hazard to RM too.
The window closes next Thursday right? If we can get that elusive winger then we’re really on!!!!
There are as usual posters who find fault with virtually every member in the squad. The reality is that we need to register up to 25 players. There are 11 players who are likely to be first choice in EPL and perhaps 8-9 who you would expect to sit on the bench and rotate on a regular basis. This leaves 5 places for fringe players like a third string goalkeeper and some younger players who are likely to play in midweek cup games. Football is a team game and there is inevitably a pecking order when you recruit and build… Read more »
Gambon, you accuse someone else for having views above their ability and then essentially do exactly the same thing…stating an opinion as though it can’t be questioned. As someone, for what it’s worth, who has had a season ticket ever since we went all seater(before then you could just turn up at the turnstiles) I have watched numerous youth players come through to the first team( I was at O’Leary’s, Adams and Merson’s first home games for example). AMN is definitely a fantastic prospect, great technique, outstanding pace and almost most significantly, a composure that makes you feel that he… Read more »
Witsel for me is a player we could have signed a few years ago(5 was it?) when we were being linked with him.
Witsel is decent but his level is current Dortmund.
“Really do think that Chelsea will flop hard under Sarri.”
I used to think that but now i think they will do okay, just a gut feeling.
Personally i am expecting Spurs to have a harder season than many anticipate
Bob16
Where did I write him off?
So unless I say he’s going to be the worlds best CM, im criticising him?
I’ll say again, there is nothing objective (not my opinion) to suggest he’s going to be a special player. Nothing.
As for your story about his Ipswich loan, well i dont really believe you but you carry on.
gentlemen from this day onwards you will all refer to me as betty… yas…
Pool
Arsenal
City
United
Chelsea
Spurms
Wengereagle
I think you could well be right about losing Hazard but what could really hurt them is the usual games you get whenever Barca or Madrid are after someone. You could easily see him leave after our window closes stopping Chelsea from signing a replacement.
Liverpool to go one of two ways. win the title or bomb badly but then again that can be said of 5 of the teams in the PL. city still favourites though, Liverpool a close second. We have to see where we are by December to have a better picture…
GSF
You think we’ll finish above City?
WC fatigue could be a blessing for emery. Not every day you face a city team, not ready for the start of the season…
gonsterous
I reckon City to win it fairly comfortably but I don’t think they’ll hit 100 points, Liverpool 2nd. After that it’s hard to call
– Utd Mourinho meltdown and players unhappy
– Chelsea new manager who hasn’t been given long to settle with a very different style to what they’ve been used to
– Spud’s new stadium and not much if anything in the way of additions, I also think that Kane looked fucked during the World Cup think they could suffer from some burnout
– Arsenal feel positive and think we’ll get top 4 but who really knows.
City
Liverpool
Arsenal
Chelsea
Spurs
Everton
UTD
Sorry meant Betty!
Gambon, I’ve looked him up and he wasn’t player of the season, he did get player of the month award but believe whatever you wish. ‘Objective’ – Arsenal, England U21… not doing too badly. Does your ‘objective’ mean goals and assists, if so completely ridiculous. What does that even mean? I know you’re not a fool but you are implying that I’m expecting you to say he’ll become a world class CM – categorically not true. Myself and others have seen enough to believe that he has an excellent chance to become an Arsenal first team player – it might… Read more »
azed
I think that would be a great result for Emery’s first season and just fucking hilarious on the Spud’s and Utd.
Man City
Liverpool
Tottenham
Man Utd
Arsenal
Chelsea
City
Liverpool
Arsenal
United
Chelsea
Spurs.
To me top 2 should be that. With the disarray at united we would finish above them. Spurs can’t keep up with their overachieving and revert to type while Chelsea will slowly finish 5th.
Mystic what happened you disappeared for a bit there. Say nothing mate I get it
Lol. can’t be here 247. Cheers man
Marc
I believe Mourinho is finished as a top manager and would only win when he goes to a one horse race league the moment he gets fired from UTD.
As for Spurs, they’ve sort of overachieved in the last few years and I think they’ve peaked. They might win a few cups here and there but league wise, 3rd is the best they can hope for.
WC fatigue could be a blessing for emery. Not every day you face a city team, not ready for the start of the season…
I hope our players are not thinking like that because they still have players that can damage you regardless man like Sane!!!!!!!!
the spuds still playing at Wembley ?
Arsenal are at an advantage this year. We’ve probably had the longest of any of the top teams with most of our best players, we’re not suffering World Cup issues and also we can rest our first team with them only playing once a week right up until April. That is a huge advantage that will likely be an actual advantage because this season we have an actual manager. The players will have all week to rest and Emery and his coaches will have all week to plan for a specific EPL opponent while the second team take care of… Read more »
I doubt Barca would be intrested in Rambo. Bu, ifbthey are then offerbhim plus 30m an first refusal on bel.
Realistically rambos off to Chelsea
Same song
Couple of weeks back done a Arsenal Newcastle win double first game of season…
Gonsterous
They have f****d up their stadium move, apparently the game against Fulham will be at Wembley and it could be Liverpool that is the first game at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, never going to get tired of that, what a shame it would be if they took an absolute hammering in their first game.
Same song Couple of weeks back done a Arsenal Newcastle win double first game of season
confident man I think we will either draw or lose to City.
Alfie Mawson to Fulham for £20m. If Mawson is worth £20m, then we really should be getting more than £30m for Ramsey, even with only a year left. Just saw that Schurrle signed on loan to Fulham last week! Liverpool sold some keeper called Danny Ward (who has only really played on loan in the Championship and SPL) to Leicester for £12.5m. How did we get less for Szczesny and Ospina be rated at only £3m? We really need to get a pipeline of randoms with little top flight experience / flops selling for £10m+ going (Ake 21m, Wimmer £18m,… Read more »
Jokes apart the rumored Ospina fee is a disgrace considering he was number one for Columbia in the just concluded World Cup.
Well, Szczesny was on 100k a week, which eventually ruled him out of every club bar top 6 and may be Everton back then. 100k a week three years ago was huge. Teams in other leagues don’t and can’t pay the premium transfer fee for such a middling talent.
Socialist wage policy has and will get us screwed for the foreseeable future with Ozil as our poster boy.
What’s the Ospina fee?
Didn’t we sign him four years ago after a better WC showing for just three million though?
Eagle
The fees right now and four years ago aren’t really comparable. The rumored fee is 2m pounds, that’s a disgrace anyway you look at it.
RH
We have about five goalkeepers and Ospina is third down the list, of course teams are going to low-ball us for him.
It’s more about getting him off the books then it is about recouping a fair fee for him.
I wonder if Maitland Niles might find himself at LB again?
Kolasinac was really poor against Atletico and PSG, Monreal is not back yet and from the rumours about Arsenal being willing to sell I’m not sure how keen Emery is on him.
It would be a way into the first team for Maitland Niles because the way Guendouzi was playing in those games in terms of young prospect getting time in the middle he jump to the top of the list.
I think Liverpool will win the league. United missing out on top 4 and Mourinho getting sacked will be amazing.
Cesc,
Monreal was linked with Sociedad and they have signed a LB from Real, I think. So, he should stay but it is bit strange as why he’s not back yet.
You do have a point re AMN though. When he came on against PSG, he did play at LB.
How the fuck a club like Fulham are signing multiple 20m+ players. Their front three has Sigurdsson, Mitrovic and Schurle.
And they have Seri in midfield. Ridiculous.
As for AMN , I do think he has some ability. He does look comfortable with ball at his feet – a quality that only good players have. He is very mobile and athletic but too casual at times. He can be a good player if he applies himself.
How the fuck a club like Fulham are signing multiple 20m+ players. Their front three has Sigurdsson, Mitrovic and Schurle.
Their owner has ridiculous money.
Is Jekinson still here? Somehow he always manages to stay under the radar.
Schurrle is just a name at this stage of the game, Dortmund are just happy to get him off the books. Been crap for years now. They overpaid for Mitrovic who is pretty damn average, smart time cashing in when he raised his stock a bit at the World Cup. Seri has come off the back of a so-so season at Nice, he sulked most of the season after not being granted his wish to join Barca and one year on they’re no longer interested, along with any other decent side so Fulham seized the opportunity. Could work out, time… Read more »
Is any sane person seriously suggesting the Chelsea reject is better than Ospina.
Schurlle on a two year loan.
Ramsey-£10m
Welbeck-£8m
Ozil-£15m
Mustafi-£3m
Holding-Free
Ospina-£60m
Cech-Fuck off
Leno-£17m
Torreire-£45m
Sokratis-£2m
Xhaka-A pudding player
Chambers-Free
Why are we still debating about this cunny, Ramsay?
What exactly does anyone see in this pleb?
If Chelsea offer £30m we need to bite their hands off.
Ah Red you must be doing somersaults with the news clubs are only willing to spend two million on Ospina. Travesty
Wow, Red actually rates Torreira…
Sugar Ray Leonard, what am I missing with Nelson? So what if he’s 2.5 years younger than AMN. Age is irrelevant. Jesus, Ian Wright wasn’t spotted by CPalace until he was 21 and signed professional forms just before his 22nd birthday. He did ok!!! I’m sorry, but AMN is a quality player, who was fudged around by Wenger. Give this guy his wings and he’ll fly. @gambon @ Rambo Slightly disappointed(shocked) with your perceptions. Can’t put my finger on it, but Reiss Nelson lacks a certain something. He may be younger but, at 18, if he was as special as… Read more »
So not all is lost for Red if Ospina leaves.
Elneny-Free
Mkhitarian-£6m
Lacazette-£18m
Aubameyang-£21m
Monreal-£8m
Lichsteiner-lol
Kolasinac-WTF
Bellerin-£4m
AMN has all the attributes needed to play at the top table.
Wenger held him back.
Nelson, under Emery, may develop. Lets hope so.
At present though, he falls a long way short of AMN.