Ryan Fraser talk hots up – Wenger moves into tech

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Well, whaaadya know… Danny Welbeck is rumoured to be joining Everton this summer.

Good for him. That looks like a good move. The England forward has been a solid servant for Arsenal, but he never really managed to unlock the next level in his game. Namely, he wasn’t that great at scoring goals, 32 in 120 odd appearances. A useful squad player, but really, in the end, he was just an expensive battering ram that picked up far too many injuries.

… but, we’ll always have Old Trafford Danny, what a moment to find your scoring boots. Also, he was part of that nearly moment when he scored that perfect header against Leicester at home when we thought we might win the league in 15/16. I loved that.

He might yet have a part to play in Baku. He’s travelled with the squad, he apparently scored 3 goals in the warm-up game, he’ll probably make the bench.

There are super hot rumours that we’re in for the MIGHTY Ryan Fraser. Some of the numbers being danced around are mental. £30m is what Bournemouth are looking for. The guy has one year on his deal, so that would be insanity. He’s a handy player and dropped numbers that are just as interesting as Zaha this season… however, I do worry about the one season wonder part of it. 15 assists and 8 goals is a decent return for a season, but the numbers before were flaccid at best, we’ve seen plenty of players over the years that do this, move up and tank (Danny Drinkwater). If we can land him as squad filler and not have to pay him SCOTTISH premium, then fine… but I personally think we’d be getting better value from someone like Hakim Zayich. Ryan Fraser feels a little Europa League in ambition, and we’re really don’t need to be there. Also, he’s 5ft4.

I really hope that Unai Emery doesn’t have a reaction to the laziness of Ozil this summer and solve it with a bunch of players that’ll bump up our running stats but struggle to deliver the extra magic we’ve desperately lacked. We can hire in sublime talent with power and pace. We shouldn’t lower our standards… which is why I guess I’d be more excited about Zaha. Firstly, he looks really cool… great branding opps. Secondly, he’s Danny W levels of battering ram, but he’s also very skilful. I’d not want to drop £70m on him, but £45m would reflect decent value in this market.

Arsene Wenger is BACK in the news again. This time, he’s admitting that the BIG job he promised us he all had left in him was likely not going to happen in the dugout…

“I came to a conclusion I want to share what I learned in my life,”

“Because I think life is only useful if at some stage you share what you know. In what way will it be? Will it be just winning football games, or will it be in another way? That’s what I have to decide. That decision will come very quickly.”

I mean, come on people, did you really think he was going to land a job at Madrid? Of course you didn’t. If a blogger can spot declining talents, you can bet your bottom dollar the recruiters at the major clubs can.

Anyway, Wenger, a man who does not believe in the science of the game… is a huge believer in tech. When you’re a millionaire, what better way to pass away your free time than investing in a fancy Israeli tech entrepreneur? Wenger had this to say on Playmaker, a chip that analyses performance FROM THE BOOT.

“I believe it’s the best available solution at the moment to measure performances,”

“I invested in this company. I’m not sponsored, I put my money in it. It’s not so much because I think it will make a huge amount of money, it’s more because I think that it’s something interesting that can help sport and football.”

What I LOVE about this comment is Wenger was very poor with data at Arsenal, now he’s fueling the beast! This is the video from Wenger’s new thing.

It looks like a cheap way of getting basic in-game data from chips in the boot. The stats details lined up here read very basic. So to get something like the above working, you’d have to have the ball chipped and every player on both teams hooked up. So it kind of looks like the best use case for it would be training? Do clubs not already do this? Is Wenger investing in something that already exists? Like the time I gave a months wages to internet sensation CheekBook.com? We’ll see…

I’m still out here trying to get funding for the LapCap. It’s a cap, for your laptop. My genius is still an untapped reservoir of liquid gold, contact deets for investment at the top of the website.

What I love about the big PR spin here, is a little later in the article, Wenger’s true colours come out…

“Today science has taken over. Science wants to predict the next performance when you have to rest players. And I believe sometimes if the managers are not strong enough, the science has too much power inside clubs. Because they have certainties,” he says.

“Above that, you still have the knowledge and experience of the manager. The modern manager must collect interesting data and, after, make decisions with his knowledge. And he has to be strong enough to do what he thinks is right. The knowledge is still important.

“The manager has to make the right decision. Because if you take only the physical data, you never play Messi. But if we are managers tomorrow we all play Messi. That’s where the knowledge comes in.”

Nooooooo! Guy Aharon must have been fuming!

The above commentary is exactly why Wenger can’t work his way back into the dugout. Ralph Rangnick, a 60-year-old, literally said the other day he never thought there’d be a day where he was told what to do by the athletics coaches, Wenger is still living on gut intuition. Which is why he failed to adapt on the back 9 of his career. He’d play his boys through the red zone, he’d not listen to the experts, and he’d take grave offence to anything that looked like a power grab within the club.

A modern manager is a CEO, not a dictator. You will always need that person to make decisions, but if you constantly override good information, with gut feel, you’ll never evolve. That goes for a lot of things in the game now. A manager should want to empower staff to make the right choices. If you take decisions that run against your top people, they either leave, or they stop innovating… you move into communist society mindset where people just tip their hat to the dear leader who will make everything A-ok. People get lazy, nothing moves, then when things go wrong, no one has the energy to pull you out of the hole.

Anyway, good to see Wenger back on the scene. Also amusing to read all the weirdos out there talking about him like he’s their surrogate father. Grow up… Emery is your father now, he’s making the rules, you’re going to follow them or land an arse tanning from his leather slipper.

I didn’t touch on the rumours that Freddie Ljungberg is being touted as the assistant to Emery next season, with Steve Bould being moved on. I don’t really care either way here, I love both players and Bouldy doesn’t look like he’s enjoying himself. However, it’s a bit sloppy for a story like that to leak. Shouldn’t Emery be able to keep that under wraps?

Time to start getting excited as we build towards the Europa Final. The bookies has Chelsea down as the favourites. I have it close to 50/50… maybe 47/53 their way. Mainly because they have league winners in their side, and Eden Hazard is a one-man wrecking machine if he shows up. On the other hand, Unai is the Europa King, Sarri is unsettled and the Chelsea manager has NEVER won a trophy.

A massive coin toss…

Right, see you in the comments.

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Pierre

So ,to clarify Marko .

The opposition have a corner
They put their tallest ,strongest player on Torreira .
They cross the ball to where Torreira is standing .
They score a goal or have a clear header at goal .

Brilliant concept ..

Why don’t we try the same thing g Chelsea next week .

Put Sokratis on Kante of Hazard
Cross the ball to where kante/hazard is standing
Goal …how easy is that.

Marko

If Torreira had in fact been instructed to mark Scott Dann and Glenn Murray at corners against palace and Brighton as it obviously looked like, would you still be defending this dubious tactic. It’s clearly not a case of him (likely the smallest man on the pitch) being asked to mark one of the biggest and best headers of the ball from the opposition. That’s simply too stupid. That’s spin that you’re attributing to. Again I’m not sure what the issue is because we’ve been better at defending set pieces this season. when Emery changed from the successful zonal system… Read more »

Marc

Hate to point out the obvious but if you’re zonal marking then the opposition can pick up who they want.

Marko

The opposition have a corner They put their tallest ,strongest player on Torreira That’s generally what happens or they try to yeah. That’s how they gain an advantage. Another one is putting an opposing player in or around the keeper to put him off/stop him from coming to claim a corner. It’s quite common. It’s actually one of the criticisms of the zonal marking that you have players covering a zone and not following the man. It can be tough sometimes with all that movement and bodies in the way. Thankfully we improved upon it this season slightly. But no… Read more »

CG

Vintage Gun “”””I personally like frazer and he’s a busy productive little player with good pace “””” He is 5ft 4! (He makes Torreia look tall!) He may take a good set piece- but I seriously doubt he has pace. Zaha has good pace.. To favour dross( Fraser)*over the likes of Nelson,ESR – once again show- The New Regime are are on one way mission – to turn Arsenal in a total laughing stock. We have The Ronnie Corbett doppelganger in Raul. We could have 2 more Ronnie Corbett-eque figures playing in our midfield next season.( Torreira and Fraser) Do… Read more »

Elmo

Marc
“Anyone not wanting Liverpool to win the CL (out of the current teams in the final) is not an Arsenal fan.”

There are ‘Arsenal fans’ here who are hoping for both an Arsenal loss and a Spurs win in the European finals this week! Who woulda thunk it?

Valentin

It’s actually one of the criticisms of the zonal marking that you have players covering a zone and not following the man. In a zonal system, players do not follow other players they stay in their zone and defend it. Anything ball coming into their zone and they are supposed to head or kick it away. Thankfully we improved upon it this season slightly. Except that we had the best record at corners and set pieces last season. This season we were on track to also be the best at that exercise until the collapse during the last few weeks.… Read more »

Chris

Just returning to the goalkeeping debate for who starts on Wednesday, I am more than happy to see Cech start the game but wouldn’t be unhappy to see Leno instead.

Leno obviously the better keeper at this stage but for a European final we really would have someone who has seen and won it all in that arena if Cech plays and he will want to finish his playing career by lifting that trophy despite it being against his soon to be employers.

In other words, relax because it’s not going to be the biggest concern of the team selection!

bennydevito

CGMay 25, 2019    16:59:13 PedRo “””Ryan Fraser feels a little Europa League in ambition””” A summer Saturday Sizzler by the Ralf Ragnick loving PedRo. And I off course – I thank him for it. In the week- when The Potatoes will probably win the CL – it’s very dispiriting that we are apparently being linked with this little tub of lard . If we sign Ryan Fraser- there is a good chance we will be go the same way as The House of Fraser. ( Broken and on its knees.) He is garbage. He is small and tubby. He looks… Read more »

Marc

Elmo

It’s a joke and to risk Pedro’s wraith anyone seriously suggesting that should be banned for life.

Chris

German pokal final is a hard watch with both teams in red and white. Thought Bayern had a blue navy kit?

Marc

Signing Zaha would clearly be a disaster. If we need any guide on who we should or shouldn’t sign there’s a simple new rule – do the opposite to whatever CG thinks.

Receding Hairline

De ligt close to United they say

Barca pulled out due to financial demands

So much for champions league and vision, most of these guys follow the money

Marc

Chris

It could be worse you could have John Motson commentating.

Marc

Receding

You’d think with De Gea desperate to get out and the managerial shambles that’s been going on recently ManU would be on a stay away list for any top players at the moment.

Receding Hairline

Marc Raiola is his agent

Enough said

Marc

I’m beginning to think CG is the pride of the special needs class.

bennydevito

Charlie George with his flip flops on moon walking back down the track he just came from championing signing Fraser because he’s British and knows the Premier league.

But Pedro comes out and disses him as a EL level player.

Out comes the flip flop wearing moonwalk from CG.

Fucking joke.

Marc

benny

I particularly love his “hatred” of the Spanish contingent at Arsenal and then champion Arteta as who we should have in charge.

Marko

Whoever gets De Ligt will be a very fortunate club

Receding Hairline

I don’t know Marko

Good footballer yes but I don’t think he is the defender many think he is. We will see how he develops but I don’t buy the hype.

Valentin

Barcelona finances are shot. They have been taken to the cleaners by players (Messi, Neymar, …), Agents and unscrupulous staff members. They can’t afford the salary of most if the top players. Most of the top players who joined them had to take a pay cut in order to do so. They were interested in Lacazette, learned how much he was already on at Arsenal and immediately backed off. Until now they were using their prestige to still attract top young players, but the new European generation of players have agents like Mina Raiola. They tell their clients forget the… Read more »

Marc

Marko

No doubt he’s a good player I just can’t understand why any top player would look at ManU at the moment if Barca etc are showing interest. OGS will be struggling come Christmas, possibly out the door. Until they can show a couple of seasons of stability I’d be weary of joining them.

bennydevito

Marc,

Yes. Hates the invading Spanish spivs building ivory towers but wants Arteta.

Go figure.

Pedro likes him though.

Figured.

Marko

You don’t buy the hype? 19 already has over 100 appearences for Ajax has already captained the side and played in the Europa League final at 17. Also he’s an ever present in the dutch national team keeping De Vrij out of the team. He’s outstanding

Marko

Marc I don’t know why he’d go to United outside of the money. I’d be surprised if he ends up there honestly

englandsbest

Just to set the record straight, DD was a fan, I mean a REAL fan. And like us, what he wanted above all was to keep Arsenal at the top, and winning. As far as he was concerned there was never a need for austerity. His idea of a Rights Issue was rejected by his fellow shareholders. They threw him off the BoD. and from that day on, it was downhill all the way. Sure he sold his shares. So would any of us, under the circumstances. He played a guiding role in all the good things that happened at… Read more »

Marc

Marko

It’s got to be the money but I still don’t get it. We’re not talking about a “normal” person looking at 2 jobs one at £30k and one at £40k. You get to a point of how much money do you need and it’s not as if he wouldn’t earn great money elsewhere. You’d like to hope at some point FIFA would bring in a code of ethics for agents but of course they’d first have to learn what ethics are.

Receding Hairline

Just something about him doesn’t sit right with me Marko…

I am more interested is seeing if anyone goes all out for Wan Bissaka…the kid is going to the top. Hope he doesn’t somehow join spurs

Marko

It’s not even about stats with regards to him and De Jong I could throw stats at you all day but you only have to see them play to see they’re extraordinary players. They both play with such maturity already for someone so young.

Marc

englandsbest

Wow have you some facts about Dein wrong there. Dein didn’t want us to build the Emirates – he thought we’d never be able to afford it and it would cripple us financially. He favoured going to Wembley. The reason he was sacked was because he was caught arranging a take over of the club by other share holders.

No doubt we missed his input and we should have replaced him but you can’t paint him as some kind of hero screwed over by the club. It was Dein who introduced both Kroenke and Usmanov to the club.

Joe

England’s best

Agree 100%

DD was the architect.

It’s not until wenger got control that we went went downhill. Fast.

Marc

Pedro

“Benny, you flip flopped on CG. You rallied to have him banned, then complained you missed him when he went.”

You’ve been in the US to long mate – you’ve forgotten what sarcasm is.

Marko

I really want us to sign Wan Bissaka. Perfect signing for us. An actual fullback who’s good at defending? Pretty please. To be fair there’s some seriously talented RB’s knocking about in France on the cheap

Joe

It was wenger who wanted Kronke over Usmanov.

Board was “ we don’t want his kind”.

Receding Hairline

Marko I’m looking at Spurs desperate to sell Trippier and my gut tells me they will go in hard for him.

Marc

Pedro

This used to be a football blog and you’ve turned it into a fucking dating site?

If so why the fuck haven’t you sorted Ana de Armas out for me?

englandsbest

ivan was a PR man. all talk and no substance, as shallow as a kiddies play-pool. His title, Chief Executive Officer, was a hollow joke, he was hopelessly emasculated by Wenger. Most of his effort was spent staying away from the Club. You’d find him attending any international meeting or conference or symposium that had the vaguest connection with football, provided Wenger wasn’t there. He showed up at the Club twice a year, the AGM and the AST meeting. Only a totally inept guy would have okayed the contract situation, the nutty transfers. He and Wenger made a prize pair.… Read more »

Marc

Gazidis did negotiate one of the biggest kit deals in world football for us. He was by no means perfect but there were plenty of other issues at the club that he did not have control over.

Marc

Pedro

No wonder she’s a miserable cow!

Negation

Really weird how some fans can get stick for sticking up for the manager…then someone will come in with “how come you didn’t support Wenger like that?” Wenger, who was Arsenal for how many years VS Emery’s 1st year. I have no problems with Fraser or anyone else Emery wants to get. I hear Ziyech’s name everyday – great, maybe he’ll be good, but he’s been in the dutch league for a while and noone has picked him up, but now its “Ziyech! Ziyech!” like noone’s heard of Depay. Meanwhile, Iwobi is 23 and it’s apparently curtains for him –… Read more »

Bob N16

Joe,
‘It was Wenger who wanted Kroenke over Usmanov.’ Do you know that for a fact or is that an educated guess?

bennydevito

Pedro,

Fair enough. That tells me.

I hardly complained though, just explained it was more like a weird Stockholm syndrome type thing but it was more in jest than anything.

I was actually thinking more of the blog and the quiet comments section but hey ho.

Receding Hairline

I think Sarri will leave Chelsea for Juve

That semi fraud Tancredi whatever is reporting it as a done deal.

It has always been an uneasy relationship for him there and most of the fans haven’t taken to him or his football

Marko

Watching Leipzig Bayern here pretty good.

Pedro who you setting me up with?

Bob N16

Marc, you give credit to Gazidis for a good kit deal but suggest as Chief Executive he had limited control in plenty of other areas. Are you absolving Gazidis of not taking responsibility and allowing Wenger to go on well past his sell buy date? Sounds like his title should have been commercial director.

Marko

How will Chelsea perform with everything surrounding Sarri

Negation

Pedro

That’s true (re:avoiding the internet) – I don’t run into these folk IRL. Anywho, I didn’t say I have a problem with people questioning what’s going on at Arsenal, I spoke about people who pick on the fans who are completely happy with Emery – there’s a difference.

CG

Bd As someone who has pointed out from day one that Torreira is chronically short of endurance and stamina- and is totally unsuited to Prem soccer-it is hardly likely- I would be advocating another pint-sized midfielder. I have mentioned Brooks- on a few times. You (being the wise owl -you are ) were already aware of his exciting and blossoming talents. I’ll make a deal with my. You find a post- stating I want Fraser- And I’ll make a hefty donation to the EAAA… And I hope all the wonderful people who post on here- donate a little bit more… Read more »

Marc

Bob

I think there was a seriously fucked up situation where Wenger had access to Kroenke and basically did as he pleased. Gazidis had an employee who basically wasn’t fully accountable to him. Doesn’t change the fact that the Ozil deal was enough for gross misconduct.

englandsbest

Pedro No, I have not read the book, neither would I, because it is quite obviously skewed to depict Arsenal as a Modern Super Club, another piece of PR fluff. Not for an instant do I believe that DD was Wenger’s yes-man. Events prove otherwise , indeed that he was nobody’s yes-man. DD made it quite clear that he did not want the Emirates if it meant an austerity programme. That is why he suggested Wembley. That is why he brought Kroenke over, to invest money in the Club. And when he saw that Kroenke wanted to own the club,… Read more »

Dissenter

The vibes around Chelsea are not very good right now.
Hopefully this is the trophy that they don’t want to fight for.

Dissenter

Barca are in tatters right now.

Marc

Am I the only one who finds CG’s tone to other posters a little bit creepy?

“You (being the wise owl -you are ) were already aware of his exciting and blossoming talents.”

I mean if a neighbour spoke like that would you let your kids any where near him?

Receding Hairline

Barca are all about Messi

Genuinely fear for them cos he won’t be around forever

Dissenter

Marc
Just ignore CG
This is a warning from the health department. He will do your head in.
You have to wonder which rock provided the roof of his domicile.

bennydevito

CG,

What is the EAAA?

And how do you expect me to find that specific post with the comment you made about Fraser? That’s virtually impossible.

Marc

Pedro

Who’s then banged up for 20 years for kiddie fiddling.

I have no issue with extroverts or even eccentrics but the more this guy talks the more I wonder.

Dissenter

I like Fraser, players that will burst their gut to explode on the big stage.
With one year lefty on his contract, 10-12 million is exceedingly generous.
Bournemouth can keep him and lose him on the free next season. They must be taking advice from Wenger.

Dissenter

How did we beat Valencia so convinced and then struggle against the dregs if the premier league at home?
Emery has to be asked that question. I really want to hear what he is thinking in private.

Marc

Dissenter

That’s why I’m against buying in the PL and with English players it’s even worse unless there are special circumstances. Clubs price average to decent players at crazy levels. If Fraser is that good have a quite word with his agent, offer Bournemouth £5 million in Jan if we need him or have him on a free next summer.

CG

Dis

“”””I like Fraser, players that will burst their gut to explode””””

Looking at of some fotos of him.

There is a good chance – that could well happen.

Too much Irn Bru this one
Too many Cupcakes methinks.

Steer well clear..

Pace
Power
Penetration is the name of the game….

Zaha is the only show in town for Arsenal this window…

Graham62

Torreira had a very good season, all considering.

Adapting to a new league, a new team and a new manager, was never going to be easy.

Our defensive frailties put added pressure on him as did Emery’s tactical experiments. Despite all these teething difficulties, I still love the guy and feel he will prove to be a major asset for the club over the next few seasons.

I’d give him a solid 7/10 for his first season.

CG

Bd

East Anglia Air Ambulance .
Have you found any incriminating evidence re: Fraser?

I am still waiting….

Marc

Graham

You also have to bear in mind he went to the qtr finals of the world cup and has been used to a winter break.

A summer off and a full pre season should do him the world of good. A good summer from us and a replacement for Xhaka and he’ll look even better.

Marko

Messi still has it

Bob N16

Marc/ Graham….I agree about Torreira. It was completely understandable that he’d have a dip during his first season. With a consistent role and a complimentary midfield partner, he could be inked in for years.

Graham62

The reason we did so well against Napoli and Valencia and struggled in the league is simple.

The players really want to win the EL and lost focus and intensity in the PL. It’s happened before and it’ll happen again.

Wednesday night will prove that it was all worth it.

Marko

Hey look if they were consistent performers we’d actually have a decent squad with decent players. But they’re not and we don’t

mysticleaves

“Messi still has it”

Yea, WE wrote him off about 3 seasons ago and installed Neymar

Marko

He’s the only one who looks like scoring

WengerEagle

Haha ‘wrote him off’, sure I said that mystic.

Not complete and utter bollocks.

WengerEagle

Last 20 bound to be interesting now at least.

WengerEagle

Hard to believe that Barca paid 130-140 million for Coutinho.

Genuinely looks like he’s forgotten how to play football over in Spain. The Dembele move was understandable as he’s unlike any player that they have in their squad and is young with immense re-sale value.

WengerEagle

Pique channeling his inner Christopher Samba here.

Marko

It’s nice seeing Franny Coquelin balling.

Marko

They’re going to have to do some serious serious scouting and planning for when Messi finally goes. It’s not enough to just piss away money and assume that’s enough. They’re basically going to have to do better than Coutinho, Malcom and Dembele. And no 108 million for Griezmann is not smart planning.

Between guedes and Soler’s final ball Valencia should be out of sight here

Marko

Oh my fuck he missed an open goal

WengerEagle

4th place CL spot and a Copa Del Rey win, not a bad old season for Marcelino and Valencia was it?

Marko

Valencia all things considered had a pretty good season

WengerEagle

Marko

Agreed.

I think that they’re kind of fucked tbh, Barca fans should be soaking in every moment of the Messi era because the future looks bleak without him.

He’s the only thing keeping them above Real Madrid these past few seasons and they will come again.

La Masia is dead, they’ve absolutely nobody coming through anymore. Haven’t produced a quality player since Sergi Roberto and he’s not far off 30.

Alena looks bang average and he’s their most ‘promising’ prospect.

WengerEagle

Considering their top scorer in all comps had 14 goals in 50 apps, I’d say that they had a very good season winning a trophy and finishing in a CL spot.

Their top La Liga scorer was Parejo with 9 goals. If they had a goalscorer they’ve had finished above Real Madrid.

Marko

I thought Wague and Jaime were supposed to be hot shit. Yeah they’re on their way to being a bit shit I think

WengerEagle

You have to feel for Messi, he’s put up one of his best ever individual seasons and was three matches away from winning a treble. Such a shit way to finish a season considering they had the league sewn up well over a month ago.

Shows you how cruel the game can be.

Would love to see him win this summer’s Copa America.

WengerEagle

Marko

Sergi Samper plays in Japan now, he was also highly touted IIRC.

Marko

Wenger wanted him.

Receding Hairline

Valverde leaving Barca

WengerEagle

Probably for the best, he’s been unfortunate in that he won La Liga twice and made 2 Spanish Cup Finals, winning one in just 2 seasons but to lose not once but twice in the manner that they did in the CL QF/SF is a sackable offence for a side of Barcelona’s elite stature. Wasn’t too popular with the fans either as he’s very stubborn and rigid in his squad rotation and their style of play under him was pretty laboured which never goes down well given their Cruyff instilled total-ball identity. Bit curious though given Messi gave him strong… Read more »

Receding Hairline

Eagle he is leaving of his own accord.

Joe

Door open for wenger at Barca now innit!

Marko

Xavi perhaps?

Valentin

I wonder who was at Barcelona and doing that absolutely dreadful recruitment!
I hope that they sacked him or letting him go somewhere else.