courtesy @allthatchas
Sorry for the late post, I had a client dinner last night then spent the night listening to a girlfriend coughing on the hour, every hour, for the whole night. In sickness and in health has its limits… she may have thought being sent home at 335am was harsh, but the reality is, I need to write for my internet friends and that’s what’s important.
The good news is I get to write about a positive result.
Was it a ‘performance’? Not really. But it was certainly a drastic improvement on last week’s abysmal first leg.
The manager made a wise decision allowing his players to jet off to wherever the fuck they wanted to over the weekend. The mental and physical recharge paid dividends. The players turned up. The intensity was where it should have been from the off. The team pressed, hustled and harried BATE from the off. The early goal came from Auba cutting the ball into the box, forcing an own goal.
The second two goals came from set pieces, the first from a powerful header from Mustafi, the second landed from Sokratis who played a second-half cameo and bullied his way to the third goal.
My main gripe is the same as always, we’re extremely dull moving the ball forward, we’re all about the cutbacks into the box, and we’re not particularly good at it. The movement in the box is poor, the crossing is drab and it just feels like we’re seeking to perfect a very boring approach to football. There’s not a lot of combination play, we’re averse to playing through the middle and we’re quite one-dimensional.
However, the run out was easy, there were lots of positives.
Matteo G was excellent again. He keeps the midfield ticking, always looking to make positive moves, driving the team on and operating as a sort of metronome for out player.
Mesut Ozil dropped an Ozil-ish performance. He had the most touches in the attacking third, he created a chance, and he looked mostly interested. Say what you want about him, but we are a more dangerous unit with him in the side. His movement, deft touches and the fear he sparks all helped us look a little more fluid in attack.
Will he make the starting 11 at the weekend? Who knows. But Southampton feels like a good rehabilitation game. They likely won’t cause as many issues at The Emirates, but they will be organised at the back. That said, it might be a game for Ramsey because of his energy. Either way, it’s clear that we’re a more interesting side when one of those two start. Iwobes had this to say on the subject.
“We know what Mesut is like because we see him in training every day. He’s world class. We scored three goals as a result of him playing. I know if I make a run he has the vision to find me. Hopefully, he can keep on playing.”
Say what you will about the Nigerian, this sort of comment is exactly how players think. They don’t care about salary, they don’t care about body language, they care about going to war with the best soldiers on the frontline. Maybe a war analogy isn’t helpful, but he’s certainly the type of in-game secret weapon that can make things happen. We know what Ozil can be, it’s down to the manager to make it work… even if it means swallowing a bit of pride.
Also, if the alternative is ‘put it all through Kola’, the battle equivalent of a bow and arrow versus an ICBM, then I’ll take Mesut or Ramsey and worry about upgrading in the close season. I guess maybe that’s half of the problem, if there’s a one-dimensional system of chance creation, it greatly reduces the impact you can have with a player who is there to offer up unpredictability with his movement and vision.
Additional pieces of positive news: We kept a clean sheet. Unreal scenes.
Sokratis is back in the mixer, so hopefully we won’t have to rely on Mustafi too often (though I fear he’s preferred to Kos).
We drew Rennes in the next round. No joke people, I’ve followed them fairly extensively this season. They’re a really fun side, they are bold moving forward, they boast a lot of powerful fast players who can cause problems and they have Hatem Ben Arfa, a talent who can do some serious damage when he’s focused. The counter-attacking French team will come with a plan and they’ll want to show off Ligue 1 as a real player. Ultimately, we’ll have too much quality for them, but at least it’ll be a fun game and we’ll get to see Sarr in the flesh.
Finally, pass the fucking sick bucket on the Alex Hleb love-in. A great player, helped us get to the Champions League final, but he ditched us at the first chance and took his services to Barca. I’m not bothered about it, but I think Arsenal fans are getting a bit embarrassing when we’re slobbering over a player who binned us off in his prime.
Right, that’s me done. See you in the comments. x
Pedro
The youth thing is always a big question. I haven’t seen OGS play any youngsters who hadn’t already racked up a few matches.
It’s unfair to pin that one on Emery just to muddy the waters.
Marc, I’m not painting him into a corner. Just stating that he’s hardly rolling out Saka on the wing to see what might happen.
ESR, Eddie, and Reiss all out on loan.
Pedro
Saka, ESR, Medley, Pleguezuelo, Gilmour and Willock have all played this season.
Marc any other time a transfer ban wouldn’t hurt them too much because like Real and Atletico they’d just spend a couple hundred million and make signings to last the ban but this ban could in fact hurt Chelsea massively purely because it coincides with a likely new manager coming in
Pedro
As I said the youth thing is always difficult – put a player in too soon and you’ve chucked him in unfairly and cost us points.
I don’t have an issue with putting players who are close to the first team out on loan, although I’m not sure who you mean by Eddie?
@Marko,
You said Emery played those players. I am saying that he did not introduce them to the first team. In fact most had been brought by the DoF after extensive research after at least 1 year of first team somewhere else.
For example, you keep mentioning Deulofeu, but Deulofeu had already spent 1 year playing first team football at Everton.
Marc, don’t disagree.
Would liked to have seen a bit more of Saka considering the width issue… and surely there’s a better right back solution than a centre mid?
It’s actually one of the easiest things to refute this whole Emery against youngsters thing. iwobi and AMN are on course to play more under him than Wenger and he gave debuts to Emile Smith Rowe, Saka and Medley. The only thing that you can argue with is maybe giving Nketiah more minutes or using Mavropanos more since his return from injury and that’s it. Everything else the loans (not really down to him) and the use of players like Saka (he’s not ready) there can be no criticism there for me
Marko
I reckon it could be Monday morning but my point was more along the lines of is Abramovich interested anymore? He won’t want to see the value of an asset drop off a cliff but there’s a world of difference between subsidising something with hundreds of millions and letting it just operate in a position of collecting a £100 million in TV money every year.
he’s hardly rolling out Saka on the wing to see what might happen.
We are fighting for top 4 and the Europa League… where do you give him mins now? This late in the season and with people crying out for Ramsey, Suarez and Ozil to be playing more
Forgot about that Gilmour lad. Scottish right?
Pedro
I have no idea of who we have coming through the ranks at RB? One of the best things about an easy home run in the FA Cup is it gives a few of these kids a chance.
Wonder if McGuane is going to do anything at Barca?
Yes introducing young players is difficult, but let’s be honest Arsenal is skint. Our only chance is to use youngsters and sprinkle a few big money move. Otherwise we will end up with exactly our team. Expensive average mercenaries. Is Lichsteiner really worth the cost of his salary? Why not try Jordan Osei-tutu the U21 right back? Instead of Denis Suarez, why not give 20 minutes to Saka or Nkethia? Some will swim, some will just show that they are not ready or not good enough. At least we will have some kind of coherent squad. Same thing with Elneny,… Read more »
You said Emery played those players. I am saying that he did not introduce them to the first team. In fact most had been brought by the DoF after extensive research after at least 1 year of first team somewhere else. If they played for the Sevilla senior team then he did in fact introduce them to the senior team. Again I can only quote what it is that you said originally “let’s not rewrite history that Emery played a lot of youngsters.” that is what you said and you were wrong to say it. You continue to perpetuate a… Read more »
“Is Lichsteiner really worth the cost of his salary?
Why not try Jordan Osei-tutu the U21 right back?”
AMN has always played there when fit. Are you saying Emery should ditch AMN?
We are literally fighting with Man United and Chelsea for the final champions league spot in the league and people want us to give more minutes to kids coming into March? He can do no right the way I see it. Absolutely not our season is too precarious to be taking chances on Osei Tutu or Saka at this stage
Valentin
It’s too easy to say why didn’t the manager have X or Y on the bench to give half an hour to once we were 4 nil up when if we only had kids available when the game wasn’t going to plan – 1-1 with 10 minutes left you’d be the first to go mental on why wasn’t there someone who’s got experience or maybe played at the World Cup alongside Salah there to bring on.
OK I’m confused now – is the accusation that Emery won’t play young players who are purchased or young players who have been brought through the youth system?
Marc,
People are trying to take down Valentin’s point about young players by giving Emery credit for playing experienced youngsters or giving games to exceptional ones that have been purchased for a lot of money
Pedro
Doesn’t sound daft though does it?
Marko, probably could have given some kids a run out against BATE away from home if he wanted to focus his first-teamers on the top 4 race? Players might have been more motivated.
Pedro “Auba is one of the deadliest finishers in the league from inside the box. Not sure he needs lessons on movement” I don’t think I have expressed myself clearly. There are two ways of creating a scoring chance. Auba relies on the supply of a pass that he can run pass the defender and shoot. Of course, Auba is also an expert picking up a loose ball inside the box. For that, you are perfectly correct. What I want to say is that there is another way of creating a scoring chance. MC is expert in doing that. They… Read more »
@azed,
AMN was injured, instead of Lichsteiner why not try the U21 right back.
I am not advocating to have only youngsters on the bench, but one who we purposely use for the last 20 minutes of game.
Currently Nkethia is the designed token youngster whom everybody know will not step foot on the grass.
Valentin
I’d love to see a youth player given a chance ie in place of Lich when AMN was ill but can you imagine the response on here and in the media if the kid had made a mistake that cost us the match?
Bringing youth players through is not easy. If anyone wants to compare managerial or club records just look at Mourinho or Chelsea.
Pedro we were 1 down from the first leg and were soundly criticized for it why take a chance. And besides you’re talking about 10 minutes here and there. Not a big deal. As for the Valentin stuff he claimed something was wrong about it and can’t seem to move on from it
Marc “””” When have I ever argued against that?””””” With regards to old players doing The Mike Phelan role.. And Thats good on you – and good to hear! So -Are you not alarmed then, last night not one Brit featured last night…?? Surely when the Emery experiment inevitably goes up the spout- will that be the Time- we get some of out mighty Invincibles back at the club and leading us forward. How ( and Wenger deserves huge Criticism in this aspect too)… People like Adams , Bergkmap, Campbell, Lehmnan, Vieira, Henry, are not involved and Emery and his… Read more »
On a serious note I’d like to ask Pedro why we haven’t seen the picture of the girls from the beer fest recently?
I wouldn’t get too excited about any advantage that Arsenal might gain from Chelsea’s two window transfer ban .
First off they will almost certainly get the ban suspended be that by way of the appeal to FIFA or failing that to CAS. A ban may well happen but I personally doubt it will happen before summer 2020.
Next the strong rumour is that four other PL clubs are subject to the exact same issues and from chatter one of those clubs is Arsenal the others being Man City Man Utd and Liverpool.
Marc, that is the best question of the year… I’m going to have to unearth that bad boy. I think it’s the image on one of my whatsapp group names.
Yeah what the fuck. That was a keeper
Kwik fit pic I believe
Every time The Guru posts we are witnessing Blogging Art.
His knowledge is unrivalled
His ego is non existent
His passion for Arsenal and it’s future- is sincere and profound.
He and PedRo are beacons in these dark days of Arsenal under Emery Raul!
They know intuitively- for Arsenal to get better- these 2 have to GO!
CG So many points in your last post so I may miss out on some of them but: Couldn’t give a shit about lack of Brit’s – the usual argument is lack of English players – they are for the major part shit and all overrated. Everyone seems to have forgotten that during England’s amazing run to the World Cup semi’s we lost to Belgium and didn’t look even vaguely good in any match. Getting old players back to coach = if they’re good coaches great, Adam’s is a legend as a player but has coached / managed all over… Read more »
What I call a youngster is somebody who is young without the experience. Most of the players you mention were young but were already experienced. They all had at least 1 year of first team football. In the case you mentioned, he did not have a choice, he was told by the DoF, you don’t have a choice, there is nobody else. For example Sergio Rico was literally the last man standing. He was 3rd goalkeeper and the two senior goalkeepers were injured. I am complaining about the fact that there has been no planning to slowly integrate youngsters to… Read more »
Pedro
One of those girls was gorgeous, none was bad but I used to log on just to have a look at the pretty girls some days.
Marc
“””:Couldn’t give a shit about lack of Brit’s – the usual argument is lack of English players – they are for the major part shit and all overrated. “”””
What an absurd ,lazy ,statement…..
CG
“What an absurd ,lazy ,statement…..”
Not wrong though!
Where are you from?
Kane, Alli, Rooney, walker, rose, Maguire,
Holding,
All overrated Marc.
Just like you..
@Marc, That is exactly my point. There has been no planning to the integration of the youth team. Look at Saka, one minute praised to the tilt, the next back with the U18 and no hope of playing for the senior team this season. I blame both Emery and the team behind the scene for that. Why wait the last minute of the transfer window to loan players who then missed the German post winter break pre-season training? Why keep Nkethia as back up but not give him playing time, meaning that he might not be ready when we need… Read more »
” if Aubameyang gets injured, we will have to rely on Nkethia a 19 years old who would have not played before with that team. Not a very appealing prospect.”
Eddie has made 6 appearances in the first team this season. Two of them came in the Europa league.
There’s are two very good strikers before him in the team and one average one in Danny Welbeck.
Saka, Gilmour, Medley all got their debuts under Emery.
You might as well tell Emery to sell the first team and play kids..
CG
Kane – diving mong never won anything
Alli – diving scum never won anything
Walker – scum and not all that.
Rose – vile cheating scum nothing special 28 years old with 23 caps
Maguire – meh why’s he still at Leicester
Rooney – scum sucking diving scouse cunt who should hang – I’d pay to watch – so would his wife.
Holding – We’ll see but never done anything so be labelled as scum as of yet.
The guru just keeps on going. Youngsters classed as inexperienced and not eh young. Even if that was the case still Emery brought through youngsters. He both brought through youngsters and played youngsters that were signed. He did that at Sevilla and PSG and he’s doing that now at Arsenal. To deny it is to lie
@terraloon,
The rumour that I have heard is that Arsenal were investigated and given a pass and that the three teams most at risk were ManCity, Liverpool and Watford.
Watford because the owners had hidden transfer between their clubs.
The G
“”Why put Denis Suarez on the Europa League at the expense of Mavrapanos, when it is clear that Koscielny cannot handle 2 games per week?Leaving the squad with only two fit CBs: Sokratis and Mustafi”””
Because Emery is protecting and entrenching his position and not working in the long term best interests of Arsenal FC.
By choosing Suarez or Lich over The Young Greek lad – is a clear dereliction of his duty.
It is an undeniable fact…
There has been no planning to the integration of the youth team.
Simply not true. Loaning Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe to Hoffenheim and Leipzig is a plan. Introducing Saka, Medley and Gilmour this season is a plan.
I was told a great story about how we tapped up Jenko and Ivan got bent over a barrel by Charlton about it.
@Marko, According to your criteria (and somebody did use that as an argument!) Playing a 160 millions Euro MBappe is giving youth a chance at PSG. Same thing with Ousmane Dembele at Barcelona. Those may be young, but they are experienced. 2 or 3 years of first team football. You can’t compare them with playing Nkethia with 0 minutes of EPL. Players can still be young, but be experienced. At 19, Fabregas was already a veteran. Kondogbia had already captained the Lens team and has two years of Ligue 1 when he joined Sevilla. There was no risk in playing… Read more »
Again for the umpteenth time I can only quote what you said originally again and I quote “let’s not rewrite history that Emery played a lot of youngsters.”. He did in fact…play alot of youngsters. You trying to redefine how one would class as a youngster or young doesn’t change the fact that YOU were WRONG to say it in the first place
Did I miss something or does legrove seem to have the former sporting director of Psg who knows all about emery’s tenure there.Either that or this character’s daughter/son is Emery’s PA since his almeria days and leaks all the Emery secrets to him eg his massive hatred for young players and his massive insistence that banega/nzonsi come to arsenal
Valentin is I imagine around 21 and has been living on cloud cuckoo land since he was referenced in a Pedro post. For some reason credence was given to his ridiculous OPINIONS. And this is where we’re at he’s going mental now on a daily basis
@Marko, Nelson was supposed to stay, but refused after seeing the impact on his best friend Jandon Sancho career. His loan was clearly not planned. Both loan ESR and Nkethia were done at the last minute. Nkethia was nearly on the plane, when he was recalled because Arsenal suddenly wanted to keep him as backup. All of that betray an absence of long term strategic planning. Both loans should have been in place before the end of the transfer window. Maybe it is something that is new to the management team. At least it is new to Per the academy… Read more »
Nelson was supposed to stay, but refused after seeing the impact on his best friend Jandon Sancho career. His loan was clearly not planned. He was? And refused did he? Amazing bit of info I’m sure you’ve got something to back it up with? Otherwise it’s just more bullshit that you’re spewing. You’re basically given credit to Reiss Nelson for the Hoffenheim loan move and not the club. The club loaned him to a good club on the back of signing a new contract that is clearly a plan. All of that betray an absence of long term strategic planning.… Read more »
seeing the impact on his best friend Jandon Sancho career.
That’s only happened really this season. Is Reiss clairvoyant now
Im cranking little red corvette and sipping lager.
Loose and fast, I say.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-offer-monchi-technical-director-14038741
Monchi could be onchi… I’ll see myself out
I bet Monchi’s listening to When Doves Cry and taking down a double Campari Soda
@Marko,
At the beginning of the season, Reiss contract had only 12 months left. He had refused to sign a new contract for months unless he had guarantee on his playing time.
Despite impressing during pre-season, Emery could not and did not want to give playing time guarantee, the impasse was resolved by agreeing to send him on a one year long loan to gain experience under the condition he signed a new long term contract.
There was numerous articles on that subject when the loan was announced.
Strategic planning is not just keeping a player in case somebody is injured. It is also make sure that he is ready to play if needed.
It is like team who never rotates have an injury and surprised that the replacement player is not in tune with the rest of the team.
Rotation is done not only to preserve some players, but also to involve the replacements so they are ready when needed.
It has been demonstrated that teams that rely on a small core of players are a lot more susceptible to disruption.
Please stop you’re giving me a headache
ESR was not injured after the beginning of the German transfer window. So he could have gone before his injury if the loan had been setup beforehand. Planning instead of executing at the last moment. Cancelling Nkethia loan because we could not get another loan is the textbook definition of tactical re-arranging things, not strategic planning. Reacting to external events instead of driving the situation. If the strategic planning is to improve Nkethia, then his development path should have been mapped. Good strategic planning means that both manager and players have objectives with clear metrics: game time, level, … and… Read more »
https://arseblog.news/2019/02/marca-monchi-to-leave-rome-in-june-to-join-arsenal/
It has begun…
ESR was not injured after the beginning of the German transfer window. So he could have gone before getting injured if the loan had been setup beforehand. Planning instead of executing at the last moment. Cancelling Nkethia loan because we could not get another loan is the textbook definition of tactical re-arranging things, not strategic planning. Reacting to external events instead of driving the situation. If the strategic planning is to improve Nkethia, then his development path should have been mapped. Good strategic planning means that both manager and players have objectives with clear metrics: game time, level, … and… Read more »
ESR was not injured after the beginning of the German transfer window. So he could have gone before his injury if the loan had been setup beforehand. Planning instead of executing at the last moment.
What are you actually shiteing about now. Both transfer windows opened the same and he got injured in December. Has he even returned from injury yet. You’re trying so hard to come across as uninformed
Cancelling Nkethia loan because we could not get another loan is the textbook definition of tactical re-arranging things, not strategic planning.
You’re arguing with yourself at this point
Monchi joining 30th June.
Good news?
So what does Raul do and what will Monchi do?
Benny he’s highly rated and if we didn’t get him there was a chance that United or possibly Chelsea would have. Raul will have Ivan’s job he’ll have Raul’s old job and I assume they’ll internally appoint the head scout role. Assuming that they’re all on the same page and allow Monchi to do his job it could work out very well for us
Marko,
I see. Cheers.
Charlie George is probably crying into his John Smith’s as we speak.
https://youtu.be/1N6OOWtCYQA
ESR picked up a groin injury mid December but that lasted only two weeks. He was due back for Christmas.
I thought that the injury that kept him from playing was a second injury that he picked up at the beginning of January during training after he had recovered.
Obviously I may be mistaken on that one.
Marco is our first match in the EL home or away
Benny that John Smith’s comment made me laugh probably more than it should’ve done
Pedro will be very disappointed
So will Charlie George and Valentin
If Monchi comes to Arsenal head of Chelsea and United then it will be because of Emery.
Emery is already attracting world class talent to Arsenal.
I’ll eat my humble pie if he comes to Arsenal.
Marko,
Classic! 🤣
China,
Lol! 😂
I can already predict the state of the comments on the next post talking about the potential Monchi appointment. He hasn’t actually accepted it yet, nothing concrete.
China,
I used to work in a proper spit and sawdust right wing pub in Southmead and all the old timers drank John Smith’s! 🤣
So interesting news coming from Marca regarding Monchi. Did shit just get real? 🙂 Not sure, I never feel like Marca has any good mail when it comes to Arsenal, but maybe they are well linked in with a Spaniard in Italy. So he joins Roma around 2 years ago. In 2017/18 he signs Ceniz Under and Pellegrini, who have both done well. He signed Kluivert this year who hasn’t really kicked on yet, but its early. But spent a fair bit of money on him. None of the other players he signed have kicked on, but its only been… Read more »
qna Depends on his orders from the club right? Roma is a CL club, doubt they can afford to only sign young promising players and keep their place, sometimes you need experience. I don’t really watch much Serie A so I’m not familiar with their squad, so can’t comment further on it. It was the same with us last summer, we signed Sokratis because we had 3 young CBs, (Holding, Mavro, Chambers) and 2 experienced ones that can’t be trusted for different reasons ( Kos because he’s too old and injury prone, Mustafi because he’s shite). We signed Leno because… Read more »
If it’s true that Monchi is coming to Arsenal, this is good news. Why? What the Monchi appointment gives us, in one sense, is accountability. As qna has rightly said it sets the tone and direction for the club and places the entire club in Raul’s shadow. I’m not a hypocrite, I advocated for Monchi from the off, and I’m glad he’s coming. He has a great track record with Emery and this was when he was operating against Sanhelli whilst he was at Barcelona. It will be utterly fascinating what he’ll be able to do with Raul at Arsenal.… Read more »
Freddie: Depends on his orders from the club right? Roma is a CL club, doubt they can afford to only sign young promising players and keep their place, sometimes you need experience. I don’t really watch much Serie A so I’m not familiar with their squad, so can’t comment further on it. That is my worry. We would be even more likely than Roma to demand/require experience. The last thing we need is a guy who is going to go out and buy players like Nzonzi (30) and Pastore (29), both of whom were expensive. In my opinion, we need… Read more »
qna
I agree, as I said we need to but young players across the board this summer. We have also been linked with some really promising prospects like Konate, Kamara, Havertz, Rabiot (fired his mom as an agent finally), Grimaldo, Dominik, Troussard, Lozano, Under, Sarr etc all in the 18-23 bracket. We have enough experienced players in the squad already.
The older players like Banega and Nzzonzi are most likely lazy journalism but that’s the only ones that gets talked about here by the usual suspects.
Freddie. Yeah, the names we get linked with always excite me. But then we sign an Elneny 🙂 I hope you’re right. I’m just pointing out that the great Monchi doesn’t seem to have many superstars that he has pulled from nowhere in recent years. Monchi was tearing it up at his role when Wenger was tearing it up as a manager 🙂 Interesting news on Rabiot. I feel we will lose out. Didnt he have some issues with Emery. I thought they didn’t get along for a time. I really want Pepe. Hopefully, he can be a present with… Read more »
We don’t have the great ditherer in charge of transfers anymore so that is much less likely now. Much prefer Lozano to Under, not convinced by him either at that price. Feel we have 0 chance at Aouar with Barca and City in the mix. Fekir is still my dream signing and he wants to play with Lacazette again, if he doesn’t sign a new deal he will have 1 year left in the summer, I hope we go for it. The Rabiot – Emery fallout is a myth perpetuated here, all I can find is Rabiot saying positive things… Read more »
Freddie. I can handle missing out on those names. But I want us to have a strategy in place to find the next versions of those super talented players. Before clubs like Barca come in for them. Rabiot would be the one for me. He is free. If he does have a good relationship with Emery then we shouldn’t write ourselves off. I think we need to spend some good money on a LW and a RW. We need to have a 4-3-3 formation in our locker. I’d sell Auba or Laca to make that happen too. But if we… Read more »
Getting Rabiot on a free (maybe 15m signing on fee) and selling Xhaka and Elneny for 35-40m would be fantastic business and allows us to strengthen another position as well.
Fekir is just as good as a wide forward and has played that position many times for Lyon. Would take him over any of the linked players in that role bar maybe Pepe.
We still need to get rid of Ozil and Mikhi though if we want to be competing as early as next season.
Has anyone considered the possibility that after March 29th, we will no longer be able to purchase players from around Europe and vice versa?
Now wouldn’t that be hilarious?
Push the home grown players through the system.
Now wouldn’t that be nice?
@Graham,
Good point.
With a No deal Brexit, After 29 March, all European transfer will then fall in the same regulations than currently rest of the world. That would mean that all transfer costing above 10 millions are waved in but lower will require approval. That could negatively impact our ability to buy hidden gem.
For example Guendouzi cost only 7 millions. Under that system, somebody at the Home Office may have decided that he was not good enough and that we should give a chance to a British player.
The nice thing about Le-grove is that there are so many diverse subjects discussed, even non-Football related.
However, I do find the “who are we/who are we not going to buy discussions somewhat tedious.
All to his own I suppose.
Graham/Valentin. Good point. That is going to suck. No more Guen’s wow that will hurt.
@Freddie,
Fekir is likely to go for at least 70 millions. We would have to get rid of Xhaka, Elneny and Mhikitarian. Not necessarily a bad move, but he is not coming cheap.
Also I am not sure that Fekir would like to switch back to being a provider for Lacazette when he is now firmly established as. Striker for Lyon and France.
Valentin
Yeh, I know. Just imagine a few years from now an Arsenal team with a defence of Smith/ Jones/ Andrews and Baxter.
Now that’s worth thinking about.
Valentin
He was going for 53m last summer with 2 years left of his contract what makes you think he would cost even more with only 1 year left?
He said in an interview recently that Lacazette is the one player he most wants to play with again in the future.
Also as a wide forward he can do both the providing and score plenty of goals himself.
I’m not saying it’s likely but we should be in there
Freddie. Why did Fekir fail his medical at Liverpool? I would prefer we went for a younger wide attacker/striker without that ACL history. We have 550k/wk tied up in two No 10s and 400k/wk tied up in two strikers that aren’t suited to playing wide. I’d rather we aggressively targeted young up and coming players. That 950k/wk could pay the wages of 10 extremely good young talents. I know that most people wont like that idea. It puts us away from top 4 trophies. But I think that is the way we should go. I know that costs a lot… Read more »
It is funny how Rabiot’s change of agent has been spin by the different papers. For some he had a fight with his mom and sacked her. For others as Barcelona is now refusing to negotiate with her, she in association with her son made the decision to hire a more professional agent. At least everybody agrees that she is a nightmare to negotiate with. I like Rabiot he has quality, but to be frank I am not sure that he has the personality to be part of a team. With the complete absence of leadership in the current Arsenal… Read more »
qna
I don’t even know if he failed the medical or if there was another issue, it has never been completely confirmed right?
Either way he’s had no problems since.
I want young players too but we need to sprinkle it with stardust to avoid falling down the table and repeating project youth. If we go only long term and forget about the near term it will hurt us, we’re not a small team and after the last decade we’ve had we can’t afford to build slowly from the ground up and disregard the money and prestige the CL brings.
New post btw
@Freddie, Why would I think that he will for more? because of the transfer inflation and the Lyon’s president. Aulas is a tough negotiator. Our chance could be that we may be the only European party to be interested at a price of 50 millions. Liverpool issue with his knees will still be there. ManCity have not made any noise that they are interested. ManUtd will try to offload Alexis and Lukaku before they buy a replacement. Chelsea may bite but with Higuain they may not need to. He won’t go to Spurs to play second fiddle to Kane. Barcelona… Read more »
Sure, Aulas is a nutter, but he agreed on a price of 53m last summer, since then he has tried to sign Fekir up on a new contract but has failed so far, they can’t take the hit of letting him run down his contract so if he doesn’t sign a new one before summer they will have to sell, and for nowhere near 70m. Reckon 40-45m will be enough.
Now if he signs the new contract on the table we’re screwed, no way we can afford him then.
Graham
I’m with you. Transfer talk is often boring to me, it’s like listing all the famous women you’d like to sleep with. The other thing is the football manger style lists saying what we could get for each player. Pointless.
Did I read the other day you live in Shoreham? I am in Ferring, lovely sunny day today!