The King of Europa moves troops onto the #BattleOfBaku

by .

via @Arsenal Instagram

Well, like a breakfast beer, last night certainly took the edge off of a horrible week. Unai Emery is famous for his aptitude in the Europa League and the man once again delivered a sort of masterclass type thing for the fans.

Short report:

  • We scored 4 goals from 5 shots on target
  • Defended badly
  • Won

Do we need to go any deeper?

Maybe. 

Last night was the only response to the awful end of season run. The manager knew that, you could he was feeling the heat, he looked like he’d just been The Guardian had found a lightly homophobic tweet from 2003 they were running with in Sunday’s. Could have just been the sunshine, but he’s Spanish, those guys eat heat for breakfast.

The performance was nervy. I suspect even if that were the invincibles, they’d have been feeling the same pressure. Spurs and Liverpool defied footballing history with two outrageous wins, sure, Valencia are hopeless, but the Champions League certainly gave them a huge shot of belief… the early goal probaly helped that feel a little more real.

We dug out a result. Our strikers, all £120m of them, delivered the goods. They love playing together, they make magic out of nothing and last night they put Valencia to the sword.

I keep coming back to it, but I find the critique of Auba utterly baffling. 29 goals and people still completely misunderstand his game and the blatant value he brings. He doesn’t rely on pace, he’s a team player, he works like a lunatic and he’s the out and out fox-in-the-box Wenger wanted back in 2000. I love him.

‘He misses chances’ is such a moronic whinge. PEAK Thierry would have the most shots on target and the most off. Auba and Lacazette have been lethal this season. Their conversion rate has kept us from sliding into abject mediocrity. So it proved again last night.

Mesut was back to his imperious worst. He’s like the fat kid in PE faking lung cancer to land a pass. At one point he managed to plod back into an accidental defensive situation, the pass was struck and he shirked. He’s really not into the Emery regime, which is a real shame, because he‘s the most gifted player we own. The real kick was Iwobi and Mikhi were benched in favor of the German. Dortmund and Everton calling this summer you would hope.

The defence was shambolic. No structure, communication or understanding of the task at hand. Amazing we are still bemoaning these issues at this stage of the season. Another two goals shipped against a pub team.

I’m just thankful they had no real power. Like Napoli, they were featherweight and lacked true quality. 

We won’t be afforded that luxury against Chelsea. Well, we might. Our London counterparts stumbled to a penalty shootout win over a fun Frankfurt side that punched above their weight.

The Europa final this season is a scene. Two Enlgish teams in utter disarray made the final. The Premier League finally made moves on Europe. A London Derby in Baku and 2nd vs 4th. All it took was an upgrade on our coaching talent to make it happen.

Now it’s a coin toss, who knows. When it comes to Emery in Europa, never write him off… this is his iron throne.

… I know I touched on it again, but I really hope the 4 team English final thing isn’t allowed to devolve into a money thing.

The last decade has absolutely been dominated by the Spanish. 7 of the winners, Spanish. They’ve had 9 finalists. 2 all Spanish finalists. Their teams spend a shit ton of money, break laws, dodge tax have execs in prison because of it. Barca and Madrid have had the best players of the last decade. Now it’s England’s turn. Fuck anyone who tells us things have to change because the big boys can’t hack it because the Premier League organised itself better, more democratically and is now winning hard.

If Europeans find it boring, fuck them, no one cares.

Right, see you in the comments. x

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Un na naai

Gambon

Bollocks

Ashley Cole was a middling forward
On his way out. Got called back because of silvinho being injured and is now the best left back in premier league history

Harry Kane, was getting sold, soldado got injured, now our best player (england)

Ian wright was a nobody until mid 20s
Les Ferdinand too.

salpardisenyc

That what it was he grew decent amount and played much with back suffering and needing to rest.

Essentially same thing happened to Receding with that big swinging cock he flings round here in anyones direction.

Un na naai

Gambon

Wenger fucked them all off
Terrible example

TR7

We are not going to match United, City etc. in spending, at least not in the next 3-4 years. Spurs knew the only way they could progress was to invest their time and energy in young talents and hope a few of them turned out to be top class. We have no other option but to continue giving opportunities to young talents. It’s not romanticism, it’s the only way forward for us.

gambon

Henry broke the record for CL goals in a season at 19 with Monaco.

Guns of SF

“Özil bleeds Arsenal red.”
Bleeds us dry financially more like… bleeds green

Un na naai

Sal

In U.K. we call that an earthworm

Un na naai

Gambon

You have to play him in his position to find out if he can do it
Henry was
Then at juve he wasn’t

salparadisenyc

Un my father called it the rope.

Later in life when he was ever late, was usually cause ‘the rope got hung up.’

Paulinho

There are still some United fans comparing Rashford with Ronaldo, pointing out deficiencies in Ronaldo’s game at the same age, and implying that Rashford is on the same trajectory. Face palm material.

WengerEagle

Seems to be a trend for CF’s to be late bloomers than other positions.

Drogba, Wrighty, Luca Toni, Di Natale, Mandzukic, Diego Costa, Giroud didn’t show much early on.

Un na naai

Sal

Hahaha. Made me chuckle that

Dissenter

I agree with gambon’s comments about the youth from our academy.
Anytime I see Nkettiah get a run-out, he looks like he won’t score even if the referee adds an extra half to the game.

TRR
‘We have no other option but to continue giving opportunities to young talents. It’s not romanticism, it’s the only way forward for us”

I don’t disagree but it has to be exceptionally talented youth, not the likes of Iwobi.

Un na naai

Paulinho

Look how good Sturridge got fir Liverpool after years of “growth@ at city and Chelsea.

Some are late developers

WengerEagle

Paulinho

I’d put money on Rashford being at a side outside of the top 6 in 3 years time.

Guns of SF

Tott will lose on Sunday
We will win on Sunday

We will have the same point total. They will only get 4th with a few more goals this year.

Amazing that both North London teams are in the European cup finals.
surreal

Paulinho

Un – Sturridge was always a very clever technical player at City and Chelsea, but he lacked power to get in behind and threaten defences, but at Bolton he developed that and became a completely different player.

It’s funny, he’s almost gone full circle physically. Due to injuries he can’t run in behind anymore.

MidwestGun

I’m more in the Gambon line of thinking… Youth players in theory sounds good but more then 2 or 3 in squad causes problems because they are inconsistent and do dumb things or just don’t know. And you can tell usually within a few games.. You could tell Gnabry for example was going to be a good player.. until he got injured. AMN may have reached his level. In a way I think that’s why Ajax faltered in semi- final.. had they had more experienced heads I think they would have saw that game out. If we are going to… Read more »

WengerEagle

With respect to AMN and Nketiah, over the years we were producing the likes of Fabregas, Vela, Wilshere, Bellerin, Gnabry, of which only half made the first team.

All much better prospects.

Anyone remember Nacer Barazite? Think that was his name Dutch fella with the glorious locks.

Paulinho

WE – Yep, said the same about two years ago.

One of those players that could completely fall down once they leave a top club. Like Jese and Bojan at Madrid and Barca.

TR7

Struddige had potential to become a world class striker. Real shame injuries ruined his career.

jwl

Yikes, just read about Bellerin ‘s acl injury/operation. No way he coming back as same player, ligaments aren’t elastic, once they are stretched that’s it as I learned as teenage ice hockey player.

MidwestGun

Jwl-
Yeah I saw that too.. it is worrying.. I had same problem with ankle ligaments, pretty much ended my playing days.

But medical technology has improved a ridiculous amount in last 5- 10 years.

DaleDaGooner

I agree with those who say we should look inwards at the youth, let’s not act like we have a board that will sanction wholesale changes to the squad, Spuds and Ajax are good examples and Monaco when they had Mbappe et al…..we need to start shopping for the green players and look in our youth setup. Chances have to be taken on some of them.

salpardisenyc

I kinda of feel opposite regarding Rashford and United, think a move would boost him.

Never fully made sense to me playing for them blighted by Mourinho’s tenure.

He’s yet to make the always anticipated transformation, would be curious to see what he could do outside of United’s shadow.

Dissenter

UEFA are really dumbfuckingly stupid

\Who decided to award the Europa cup final to a country that is not even in Europe.
The sheer logistics are crazy for any fans who want to be at the final.
They never consider fans when they make these decisions.

azed

“Ozil’s agent has given an interview in tomorrow’s Daily Mail saying that Mesut ‘bleeds Arsenal red’ and will see out his contract until 2021.”

This is a good sign. Whenever agents start giving this type of interviews, then you know they’ve been informed of their clients status( which is the bin bag).

MidwestGun

Diss-

Same problem with world cup awarding it to countries that are ill prepared for the realities of todays world with security and ability to accommodate large groups of people safely.. It’s all about kickbacks, payoffs and greed.

WengerEagle

Paulinho

He’s one of those funny ones that tricks people into thinking he’s a real prospect because he puts up good numbers but he hasn’t got much more of a ceiling with his skill-set.

Took people a long time to discover it with Javier Hernandez but the jig was up in Moyes’ season there.

Bounced back with one of those freakish seasons at Leverkusen where everything he hit went in the net but he reverted to type soon after.

Un na naai

Dale

Real talk

DaleDaGooner

Dissenter, sharpen your geography

Azerbaijan is a medium-sized country in the South Caucasus region of Europe

Dissenter

Ozil is playing a dangerous game in my opinion
Fans can tolerate players with bad contracts but everyone hates agents.
His agent won’t stop running his mouth.

We all now he doesn’t bleed the red of Arsenal.

salpardisenyc

Azerbaijan is so fucking far East, Istanbul is a major westward flight.

Dissenter

Dale
Hmm, I thought Azerbaijan was on the Asian side of the Caucasus

WengerEagle

Monaco had to go through over a decade of irrelevance for that to finally come to fruition and they could only enjoy it for a single season. Ajax haven’t even won the Dutch title since 2014, they’ll get picked to the bone this summer too. I’m not against integrating youth at all but it has to be gradual if you want to compete at the same time. We’re one of the richest clubs in the world, we shouldn’t just have to sit on our hands and pray that a once in a generation group of players are bred through the… Read more »

jwl

European football needs better system to develop players between 18-22, it’s nonsense that 17 year olds are considered developed enough to be pro.

The one thing that I think better in American sports only truly exceptional talent like Cesc or Rooney would play while still teenager but vast majority stay amateur into early twenties because they are still developing.

You can have no idea where a 17 year old will be in five years talent wise -underperforming 16 year old can make it to pro level eventually and the star player stops developing because of laziness.

Dissenter

Un na
What if the youth aren’t good enough to start with?

Do you just persevere for the sake of principle?

DaleDaGooner

Monaco had to go through over a decade of irrelevance for that to finally come to fruition and they could only enjoy it for a single season. Ajax haven’t even won the Dutch title since 2014, they’ll get picked to the bone this summer too.I’m not against integrating youth at all but it has to be gradual if you want to compete at the same time.We’re one of the richest clubs in the world, we shouldn’t just have to sit on our hands and pray that a once in a generation group of players are bred through the academy to… Read more »

WengerEagle

Anything under 18 is pretty rare though jwl, it’s not often that you see a 16/17 year old in the 1st team of a PL side.

18-21/22 is the age where most break into 1st team/squad.

DaleDaGooner

DissenterMay 10, 2019 18:44:04
Un na
What if the youth aren’t good enough to start with?Do you just persevere for the sake of principle?

Funny, we aren’t even persevering with any of our youths, we’re persevering with journey men and mediocre players on huge salaries though.

WengerEagle

Dale

Yeah but who is happy with where we are? We all want to get back to competing.

WengerEagle

AMN has a bit of Armand Traore about him.

No real fixed position, slots in at FB where they both show glimpses of real quality going forward but are inconsistent in that respect and are hopeless defenders.

DaleDaGooner

WengerEagleMay 10, 2019 18:49:42
DaleYeah but who is happy with where we are? We all want to get back to competing.

I hear you, but once forced to spend large and throw our weight around, we panicked and thought we were buying quality, we did better bringing on youth players like Cesc, Van Persie, even Diaby was a bright prospect till he got injured…

I still say the way of the Torreiras, Guendouzi…Sprinkling on the W.illocks, Nketiah, AMN, Nelson has to be looked at.

DaleDaGooner

WengerEagleMay 10, 2019 18:51:39
AMN has a bit of Armand Traore about him.

Armand was always an understudy of Clichy, he was always prospected as a LB…AMN was used primarily as a CM or a bit wide right in the youth system

Dissenter

Dale
The point is that most of the youth from our academy are goo d enough for Championship football and some lower tier premier league teams. A good example is Isaac Hayden at Newcastle.

Most aren’t just good enough for a club of Arsenal’s caliber.

DaleDaGooner

I’d say the only youth we persevered with this season is Iwobi and AMN as a result of not having superb replacements…

salpardisenyc

Sadly some seem quite pleased with where we stand, in the Europa league final.

Not seeing the utter banter in the Spursnight finale that any good poster on this sight has ripped to shreds over the years. The secondary trophy to the real hardware on offer a few night later.

Not even on the same dance floor with our neighbors headed to big affair.

Its a tough one to take on aboard.

DaleDaGooner

DissenterMay 10, 2019 18:54:52
Dale
The point is that most of the youth from our academy are goo d enough for Championship football and some lower tier premier league teams. A good example is Isaac Hayden at Newcastle.Most aren’t just good enough for a club of Arsenal’s caliber.

So you think Nelson, W.illock, ESR, Nketiah aren’t worth bringing in?

Ok, so Gnabry wasn’t good too back then?

Dissenter

I think a good youth policy has to include poaching some of the best young talent off other teams.
Like how Liverpool poached Sterling from Palace when they were financially hamstrung.
Spurs did this with Dele Ali

MidwestGun

Dale-
Dude we are not irrelevant.. Only in terms of competing for a CL title or PL title.
And playing a bunch of youth team waiting for a generation of them to come together whilst City, Chelsea, Man U. and Pool and now Spurs by ready made players.. will not work.. Of course you should try to develop 2 or 3 per season for economic reasons.

I wouldn’t say not any either … Seems like Matty G and AMN got started pretty often. Now whether they were the right ones is a different matter.

DaleDaGooner

DissenterMay 10, 2019 18:57:02
I think a good youth policy has to include poaching some of the best young talent off other teams.
Like how Liverpool poached Sterling from Palace when they were financially hamstrung.
Spurs did this with Dele Ali

Rumours had us trying to get Jadon Sancho….

Graham62

Dissenter Dissente The stadium in Baku holds 68000. Each team has been allocated only 6000 tickets. Meaning the clubs have been given just under 18% of tickets. That’s not just “dumbfuckingly stupid” it’s also tantamount to gross neglect of duties by UEFA. Chelsea and Arsenal should both refuse to play the game and hold the governing body to account for this total farce. I know, it’s too late now but you get where I’m coming from on this. It pisses me off when you’re continually being told that Fifa and UEFA are spreading the game globally and things like this… Read more »

jwl

MidwestGun – acl operation sounds a lot like what we used to call Tommy John surgery so they probably have improved technique since 1970s but it still major operation on his knee. Sprained my left knee five times in three seasons, had to quit hockey when I sixteen.

Marko

Just yesterday someone was talking about Osei-Tutu as a RB option for next season. That was Valentin he seems to think at 20 years of age without a debut that Osei Tutu is a viable option for us. Which he clearly isn’t. In fact I only think Saka and ESR have the minerals to truly make it here. AMN is right now proving that he’s not up to it. Willock I think needs a loan. Reiss Nelson is another in need of a loan he’s done well with Hoffenheim but he hasn’t started enough games for me. Medley I’m not… Read more »

Dissenter

Dale It’s all subjective because no one knows which one will make it or wont. A good way is to just send them away on loan to separate the grain from the chaff. The loan at least shows the mentality of the payer because you have another manager provide input, much like an internship in the real world. I think Iwobi has hit his peak with Arsenal Reiss Nelson has done enough to be in the squad Willock has run into some stasis- maybe he needs a loan to actually play ESR should stay in Leipzig for one more season… Read more »

DaleDaGooner

I am not saying we should totally replace our senior, abroad players with youth setup, I am saying more should be done in looking at bringing in some of these players where we absolutley can and need to. Nketiah paired with either Auba/Laca in certain games more than a handful times could be beneficial, we’ve seen the young lad do very well when given chances, no worse than Iwobi done all season.

MidwestGun

Jwl-
Yeah I hear you.. although due to so many acl injuries in various sports these days.. I think it is more and more common for players to recover to near what they were before.

I did my ankle ligaments in playing indoor football on a hockey rink covered with AstroTurf of all things.. when I was about 23.

Redtruth

gambon
“Henry broke the record for CL goals in a season at 19 with Monaco.”

Monaco were not in Champions league when Henry was 19.

Un na naai

Dissenter How the hell do you know what arsenal calibre is right now? We are shite. We’ve let ox, Wilshere and Ramsey slide for fuck all You’d have let holding go for free I’m sure as “dross” a puke worthy term if ever I’ve heard one. The Germans, Italians, French, Dutch and Spaniards all produce every season. Every single season they produce. It’s mugs like you that hold the premier league back with your impatient now now me me attitude. 🤢 🤢 give the young boys a shot. Otherwise give the club to the yanks and all the other cunts… Read more »

jwl

WengerEagle – I think European football needs equivalent of American college sports where all athletes can continue to develop until they are physically ready.

It makes me nuts when all eighteen or nineteen year olds who aren’t ready for first team so all they do is train with squad during week but no game experience. I think many of our youngsters would gain a lot if they went out on loans to guarantee match experience and they come back in couple of years and Arsenal can evaluate.

Un na naai

Oh here comes the Dublin sage

Tell us oh great one. Impart your letter box knowledge

MidwestGun

Un na-
Arsenal are a World Club 😀 The PL isn’t getting held back.. seems to me they are doing pretty well.

Of course it makes good sense to develop local talent as well for economic reasons. Also… seems like England are on the uptick.. so relax.. a little. lol

Un na naai

Jwl

Well look at spurs and Liverpool as an example
This phenomenon begin with the inception of the premier league. To the detriment of our own and the National game. The inept reason city and Chelsea have competed at all is money. They pressed cheat mode on their Nintendo or whatever and the rest had to catch up
Well now they have and it’s glorious to see. As Pedro said
We are about to rule Europe and if they don’t like it fuck them.
#brexit
#getwokegobroke

Marko

Please let the Mustafi to Milan rumours be true

MidwestGun

Liverpool manager is German… their owner is American.. Spurs manager is Argentine They are world clubs too.

Un na naai

Midwest We aren’t a world club We are a londonckib and we’ve lost our link to the fans Loon at the toilet bowl and anfield When do you ever see the emirates kick off like that? We are a business. A pretentious middle class venture here once a working class football club stood That is the difference with us spurs and Liverpool. They appreciate and nurture the support of the local community Maybe you’re right actually We are a world club and therin lies the issue We need to start being a London ckub again Look at Barca. Went back… Read more »

Un na naai

Midwest

Yes they have players that aren’t English and foreign managers but they maintain that local link. Their players and managers know what it means to be part of that ckub
Does emery? Mustafi? We’d rather wear rainbow laces and ban English flags than be what we are. Let the foreign support com but adhere to your principles. We don’t even Know what we are any more
Pink fucking shoelace club

MidwestGun

Un na-
I think you were right at the end.. I can see your reasoning as to why you would want that … and I agree Kroenke is a terrible owner if you want to promote local flavor. Ask St louis.

Marko

give the young boys a shot. Otherwise give the club to the yanks and all the other cunts who have fuck all link to the club Don it has absolutely nothing to do with age where they’re from or any of that nonsense it’s about whether or not they’re good enough. People at the club will know these things which is why you don’t see the likes of Saka or Willock or whoever playing just yet. In fact it’s only through absolute desperation that AMN is playing. Let’s stop pretending we are a world club. We are a London club.… Read more »

Jamie

London is France’s sixth most populous city. Let’s recruit some of that ‘local talent’.

Marko

Don respectfully you are a totally ridiculous and stupid dumb cunt who in the past couple weeks has cheered for both Liverpool and Spurs. Your opinions on the the problems with Arsenal’s fans or the club in general is stupid and nobody cares. You’re not a real Arsenal fan you’re just some dummy who latched on some years back and now feels the need to educate those foreigners on what it means to be English and support Arsenal. It’s hilarious.

MidwestGun

Un Na-
Also I know you don’t want to hear this.. but the loss of identity has a lot to do with Wenger as well.. He was an aloof academic personality type. Not exactly a Klopp getting the crowd pumped up. And I don’t think it was a priority of his to integrate local flavor into the Arsenal experience.

Un na naai

Midwest
I agree
He was instrumental in alienating the fans

Marko

Instead of being offended and trying oh so hard to be offensive. Why don’t you tray and address the point? I know i know. You’re from Dublin. It’s not your fault. But at least try. Just imagine you’re posting a piece of paper through a rectangular shaped hole in someone’s door.

jwl

Un na naai – my gooner pal who introduced me to Arsenal when I first landed in London all those years ago said it all went shit when they banned standing and everyone now had to buy season ticket in late 80s.

He said Highbury had good atmosphere when you could walk up to gate ten minutes before kick off, pay a couple quid and then squeeze into standing area. Apparently Highbury turned into the library pretty quick when only well off could afford season ticket everyone forced to buy.

Marko

You know what’s funny that disconnect with the fans wasn’t caused by any foreigners owners players or otherwise it was caused by those greedy lifeless English cunts on the board who used to run the club like their own personal bank. Those fuckers are to blame for everything honestly. They sold out to Stan they were delighted with the bottom line from Wenger.

Un na naai

Marko

Yeah. I would t disagree with much of that. Incidentally
You ever been to highbury?

Receding Hairline

Francis Cagigao set to be appointed Head of recruitment

Seems we are determined to have both that and a Technical Director. We also already have a Head of football operations.

Too many cooks

Un na naai

Jwl

I’ve stood in terraces
Liverpool and Celtic don’t stand but their support is incredible

They kept the link to their working class fans. They are working class clubs and you can hear it
Old keano had it right. Prawn sandwich brigade. He cut to the issue immediately with that comment
Legend

Un na naai

Marko

So you admit that Stan is the problem??

Nelson

Marko

Report is that Ivan is in town. AC Milan are interested in signing Shkodran Mustafi this summer, after a recommendation from Ivan Gazidis, with a deal expected to cost them around €20m.

Marko

So you admit that Stan is the problem??

He’s a problem. He wasn’t THE problem and he’s not to blame for any sort of perceived disconnect with the fans because that happened years before.

Un na naai

Dude is playing with Jonas brothers. Shit!! What a legend. Who need credence clear water eh?

Un na naai

Marko

He’s contributed. The whole set up has alienated the fans. Everything from the moment we mibed stadium has pushed us further and further from the club. We don’t matter any more.

Marko

Seems we are determined to have both that and a Technical Director. We also already have a Head of football operations. Too many cooks It’s really not. Most clubs have a CEO we have two men looking after the club. Most clubs have a DOF or a technical director we’ll soon have one. And the head of recruitment is just another term for head scout. Used to be Ivan then Raul then Sven now it’s going to be Raul then Edu then Cagigao. He finds the talent based on Edu’s vision for the club Edu signs them and Raul overlooks… Read more »

MidwestGun

Look at you Pedro…. 1 degree of separation from the Jonas brothers. This is why everyone thinks Americans are Hollywood and we all hang out with famous people. 😀

Un na naai

Why do people who aren’t white see non white people and think it’s sooooo coool.

Yeah cos I saw Henry and paddy and though na, fuck that, Cygan is sooooo cool.

He’s just like me. Pasty as hell. Now I get football.

Marko

Pedro just dropping that he knows the Jonas brothers drummer

Un na naai

Football is meant to be transcendent.
I saw Ruud Gullit and he was brown and bla bla bla.

Tosser
I saw ray parlour and he was white and ginger with a sexy perm and that was it

Why mention skin colour?

Un na naai

Sarri playing conte out of position??

salpardisenyc
gambon

As Marko says, I think Saka is a clear prospect to make it. He’s a huge outlier for a 17 year old. A goal or assist every 86 mins at U23 level when you’ve just turned 17 is mental. ESR maybe. Like so many though, he will need to find a position. He’s no wide player, number 10s don’t really exist anymore, so he will need to develop as an attacking CM a la Bernardo or KDB. Outside of that I don’t see a huge number of talents. The very fact that Saka is miles ahead of everyone else suggests… Read more »

englandsbest

If Arsenal win in Baku, Emery has performed a near-miracle. It puts a top 4 place (unless it’s Ist place} in the shade. Certainly the man deserves the second year of his contract. I know that ‘blame the manager’ is the default position here, and that several regulars love to stoke the fires, because they have little else to write about. Reasoned criticism yes, prior judgement no. Is he the right man for the job? That is a different question entirely. The answer depends on what you require the ‘right man’ to achieve. For me it’s straightforward: the return of… Read more »

gambon

I think Bielik is one kid that may get his last chance in pre-season.

I saw some league one stats recently and he was miles ahead of every other midfielder in terms of combined defensive and offensive output.

I think we’ll sell him, but Emery has always likes a strictly defensive MF (Krychowiak)

salpardisenyc

Not to be a downer here but winning in Baku is hardly a miracle.

Said this on here last week but we’ve featured in this competition twice since 2000, once making the final going out to the masters of anti football in Galatasaray and last seasons exit to winners Atletico in semi final.

Its good work don’t get me wrong, but fucking hell its the Europa cup.

Was it a miracle when Mourinho won it a couple years ago or Benitez 2 years before that w/ Chelsea?

Marko

Bielik ain’t going to make it here. No way he goes from league one to Arsenal squad player. We’re probably likely to bring in a couple CM’s in the summer one prominent and one Guendouzi like. I’ve a feeling those types of signings might be a regular thing going forward. Young with decent upside and potential to make it or make some money

MidwestGun

Sal-
Yep… it’s more like a stepping stone… for me then a glorious victory. However, there are only 4 trophies you can win a year. And this is one of them although it’s kind of a default trophy.
If I had to rate them… PL,CL,EL,FA, MooseCup. So it’s hard not to be excited about it.. plus the added benefit of beating Chelsea. Plus if we win.. we get to play either Pool or Spuds for the banter trophy..

gambon

Marko

The point is Bielik is far too good for league one.

Whether he’s a Championship, mid level PL or better….I don’t know.

Radio Raheem

Champions League over Premier League for me. We’ve never won the damn thing!

MidwestGun

Radio-
Sellout!… hahahaha.. I try to block that out of my memory to be honest.

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