Sunday musings on Arsenal: Players, politics, milk

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You know when people change their food diet and they literally can’t wait to tell you how you’re a disgraceful person and that you’ll probably die if you keep using hospital IVs to mainline beef into your body? Well, I’m about to slip into that…

… I’ve been… using… oat milk.

NO NO NO… stay. Hear me out. It was a total accident. But, it’s pretty good. If you are buying milk, it lasts about a week, this stuff last three months. You don’t even notice the difference… and get this, it works in tea and coffee.

You also feel smug at parties.

‘Oh my gaaawd, I just won’t go without steamed oat milk in my soy-based latte’

** STANDING OVATION **

Instant rise in social standing. It’s even good for cows. Well, not my cow. Moira serves no use for me these days, carted her off to the butchers. But, you get my point.

So what do we have in the mixer for you today?

Unai Emery is in New York talking about coaching at one of those speaking circuit gigs.

… Unai is a circuit guy. Cannot imagine the LinkedIn posts he’s dropping.

‘GOOD EBENING. A small bootless boy walked up to me 5 years ago. He asked me: ‘What must I take to succeed in this game.’ I say to him, boots little boy, boots. It is health and safety. But also, they make it easier to kick. The boy went out and bought boots. Today, he is Uber driver, but let me be honest, he wears the correct shoes for the job. Pragmatism is the essence of a good career.’

** DIGITAL STANDING OVATION FROM THE OLEG VISHNEPOLSKY CROWD**

The tickets are $299. He’s basically the headliner, David Villa is there as well. I am weighing up dropping in just to see what goes on at these things… though $299 is an expensive way to test my curiosity.

There’s a story that the manager had to move away from some Spurs fans that were heckling him on a flight. Pretty cheeky considering their season has once again finished with a grand total of zero trophies. Here’s my questions, £6m a year and you’re not in first class? Come on Unai, upgrade my man… get yourself a Net Jets account, stop slumming it with the proles. When you make that sort of money, don’t do a Corbyn and sit in coach, no one gives a fuck, roll like a big man. Neck champagne and guard that first class curtain like a madman.

‘MISS, THAT PERSON MAY NOT PASS TO BREASTFEED THEIR BABY IN OUR FIRST CLASS TOILET’

I thought some of the nonchalant reaction to Mesut yesterday perfectly summed up the internet. Firstly, I was bantering that the dictator was best man, to be honest, in the whole story, accurate R&Rs at the wedding were pretty low down my list of to-do’s. The main concern for me was that a horrible human rights abuser was front and centre at the wedding of Arsenal’s best player.

‘Should Arsenal fans really be focusing on the negatives on the man’s wedding day?’

This sort of chatter is beyond the pale. No one takes the time out to have a read up these days, just straight into, ‘well, aren’t all politicians the same’… no mate, no they’re not. Stop being so ignorant.

Anyway, point being, it’s a disgrace, the club really, really needs to exit him this summer. He’s shameful on the pitch, on the bench, even at his own wedding.

… but those Fortnite numbers.

I was having a Café au lait yesterday and Peter Dinklage stood next to me and ordered coffee. I didn’t look. I just played it cool as I sweated beads of ‘YOU WERE WELL GOOD IN GOT SIGN MY ARM PLEASE SIR.’

Apparently, Roma and Inter have pulled out of the Carrasco deal because of the financial package. I really, really, really hope we don’t offer him an outrageous deal to come to Arsenal this summer. It doesn’t seem to matter who comes in at the top of Arsenal, our execs lose their fucking minds with salaries. Carrasco is coming back from China, he should not be coming back on the money he went out on. He’s a broken player, let’s pay him in line with what he’s worth and if that’s an issue, ramp up his package with heavy bonuses.

News has shifted on Xhaka replacement front, now we’re in for Jordan Veretout. Note the age… he’s 26 years old, he plays for Fiorentina (can you smell that? Sevilla ideas burning in the toaster). We’re certainly not shooting for youth again. He certainly looks more physically able than Praet, but once again, it is hard to tell with Serie A players. Still, his game looks more action oriented than that of Xhaka’s and the fact Napoli is chasing him is usually a good sign.

Rumours continue to persist that Kola is attracting heavy interest from Barcelona.

This does double down in the reality that so many are fighting… Arsenal had a squad good enough for top 4. It is maddening that people are still debating this point despite all the evidence on offer this season. But hey, Inter Milan are chasing Xhaka and Barca want Kola. They must see something… not that I would stand in their way, please, take them…

Which takes me to the BIG concern I have. If we hired a coach that can’t improve players, then what are aiming for next season? There’s going to be a huge turnover of talent. The manager will tell us he’s going to play the youth, like he did last season, then we’ll be in the same situation as we were last season… but with a group of players who don’t know the league. You can see the excuses at the end of the season, let me give you a clue, they’ll read like, ‘TRANSITION.’ The permanent state at Arsenal.

But let’s remain positive. Let’s keep drinking vegan milk and maybe everything might just turn out A-Ok?

P.S. Can I just recommend a book out here? Ok, The Rise and the Fall of Dinosaurs is an electrifying read if you were into Dinosaurs as a kid. The writing is so vivid, and man have I learnt a lot. Get this people, T.Rex was not that fast… he couldn’t outrun a car, so basically, SPIELBERG LIED IN THE FILM. Anyway, read that section on the Allosaurus. Terrifying.

I’m also on a couple of football books that I’ll report back on… very hipster, some of you are probably going to have to find a new blog when I start writing like a German football technician.

RIGHT, see you in the comments. x

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Dissenter

CC
I gave you props for the Obi Mikel comment even though I didn’t agree he was what we needed.
I also thanked Valentin for the Barca example but he’s such an insufferable p**ck that he missed it.

I wasn’t talking about an absence of transfers because I mentioned one example that I could think of – the Tielesman-Silva swop in the same breath. You all interpreted it as such and went over the cliff.
It was always about the rarity of good transfers.

Champagne charlie

Gambon Yea I’m warming more and more to Carrasco, I was hell-bent against him when the rumours emerged in Jan because I wanted someone I thought could come in and deliver right then. Big LOL on that one. Alas, the more I consider it the more I’m optimistic that we could get a guy wanting to shut a few people up and I’m game for that. Azed Not sure your point, any player can have a serious injury. Suarez didn’t do his ACL in his first game with us, he got a few nibbles and was dire, then never seen… Read more »

Valentin

Azed, Again distorting statement just to score a point. I did not mention Emery in any of my comment on the subject. I even said that I disagreed with the decisions made by Raul, but that he may have valid reasons to stick to his guns cheap loan for midfielder. I stand by my statement that we did not needed Suarez during the winter TW, we needed defensive reinforcement: CB, RB or LB. Irrespective of the quality of the player, adding another attacking midfielder when we already had a surplus was pointless. If at least that attacking midfielder had been… Read more »

Dissenter

Carasco will have to spend quality time in the gym in preseason.
He’s 5’11 and he’s big enough but I recall that he gets nudged off the ball rather too easily

Champagne charlie

Dissenter

I never interpreted it as anything other than alternatives to what we chose. You don’t need to tell anyone that shopping in Jan is less fruitful than the summer, you also don’t need to tell anyone we didn’t have the means to buy anything so our options were even more restricted.

I offered you better than what we bought, and although we’re talking in hindsight I think you’ll find nobody was overawed with the Suarez signing and he came under the ‘better than nothing cloud’, which he arguably wasn’t.

Dissenter

I just wonder if we could have been more creative with the Saliba situation.

Surely we could have taken out of our 2020-2021 transfer budget to pay his transfer and loan him back. That will be one problem solved for the future.

There’s little future planning going on but I guess that’s what you get when there’s not technical director.

Valentin

When I look at the other players we are looking at, Carrasco seems more and more like the least worst/risky option.
If his head is on, he could be a good option.
He needs to be mentally prepared for the physical battle that he will encounter in the EPL. If he does not fancy that, he could quickly become another silky but sulky player.

Champagne charlie

Emery can teach Carrasco some English, anyone seen his interview about the possible transfer? lol

A for effort lad.

gambon

“Yannick, how pleased are you to have signed for Arsenal”

…..”Good Ebening”

MGooner

Went through all the trf rumours.

Fair to say Emery is trying to build a side according to his philosophy. We cannot judge him before he is given the chance to try. The guy has won trophies, so he must know a thing or two.

The temptation to appoint an invincible is there but that option is also a risk.

I;d say give the bloke a chance. He’s only had a year

azed

“Not all Barcelona players are world class player, but we are talking about replacing Mustafi and Lichsteiner. The bar is quite low.”

You really think Arsenal have the money to pay Lichstenier, Mustafi and their replacement without selling either?

Like I said earlier, you will say anything to paint Emery bad.

Champagne charlie

Where does Carrasco rank among current PL wingers?

Assuming all is equal and he adapts (and signs..) to say his Atletico levels.

Dissenter

CC
The Suarez deal was a mistake in hindsight.
A mistake that was brought on by perceived familiarity on the part of the manager and Sanlehi. I think it was a case if doing something for the sake of doing something.
The only silver lining is that it was a limited mistake because we insisted on Barca removing the clause to make his loan permanent.

Nw9 gooner

Agreed that we did not have any defenders to go for in Jan but couldn’t we bought Carasco in jan from our summer budget? Or was it that if we had qualified for CL we would have gone for better

TOLI83

I’m hoping Carrasco falls into the Pires/Ginola flair player with a point to prove mould.

Pedro how much do you value Saliba at? 19 & unproven? How far do you stretch?

What are people’s take on Ryan Fraser, as Gambon said we are going for top 4 not the league. Decent stats in an average team.

Is he what we need? He’s prem ready which is a bonus and only has a year left on contract.

Dissenter

Yannick Carrasco vs Ryan Fraser

Hmmm.
I might get abuse for this but wouldn’t Ryan Fraser have been a better singing?
That 25 million would definitely have signed him if we played hardball. He has one year left on his contract.
One is proven premier league player the other is a guy who bailed out to China in his mid-twenties.

Dissenter

*signing

Valentin

Azed,

If you had bother to read my previous comments instead of rushing and judging like a bull in a China shop, you would have seen that I did not mention Emery anywhere in my comments.

But you are so entrenched at defending Emery what may come that you see attack even he is not even mentioned.

Regarding the cost of Mustafi and Lichsteiner, I explicitly gave the names of 3 CBs whose cost would have been less than Suarez. Two were loans, one a cheap purchase that we could have resold at a profit six months later.

TOLI83

Dissenter we could get both for £20m each I think. Would be pretty good business.

gambon

I just dont see how Ryan Fraser is in any way suitable for a top club.

Cant dribble, doesnt take many shots, he basically just crosses and takes set pieces. Far too limited for a big team.

Would say Carrasco has a far higher ceiling.

Arsenal have specific problems within the team, I dont think Fraser solves any of them.

This is why a Technical Director is important, to make sure we are bringing the right types of player, and the right attributes in to the club, not just buying half decent players when we see them.

Dissenter

gambon
Don’t you think there were creative accounting ways of signing Saliba from a fund dedicated to next summer’s transfer budget, since there’s a recurring baseline of about 40 million?
We could have solved one problem for the future since we have many aging defenders at the moment.

Valentin

Ryan Fraser would imply that we change our style of play and our strikers. He is principally a crosser and we have no striker good with their head.

We may do so as some of the strikers we have been linked with Chalov, .. seems to have some height.

What worry me if that most of the attacking players we are linked with are on the smallish side of things. We were bullied by Watford, Leicester, Everton, Wolves I am not convinced that going only after players who lacked physicality is a good move.

gambon

Dissenter

I said this the other day, and you said something like “we cant afford to blow money on someone that wont play”

Worst case scenario we couldve borrowed the money at 5% interest, then paid back next summer. Assuming 40% of a transfer fee is paid up front, we wouldve only had to borrow £10m, and pay back say £10.5m next summer.

Dissenter

Toli
There’a part of me that sees the Ozil – trait in Carrasco.
That has to be discussed; why does a player in the prime of his career go to China .

People typically leave for China in their very late twenties or thirties not so Carrasco who left at 24!

gambon

However…..why do people think we’ve missed out on Saliba?

Because his agent was in Manchester?

I went to Gunwharf Quay today, im not fucking signing for Pompey.

TOLI83

7 goals and 14 assists for Fraser which isn’t bad.

I think we need two attacking players this window.

Carrasco would be great, Ziyech would be ideal.

Fraser will move to big(ger) club this summer be interesting to see how he does.

Dissenter

gambon
Thanks for that answer. I don’t quite recall the instance you’e referring to.
We just seem so robotic in our approach to management

We could have spent 15 million of the 40 million recurring starting baseline transfer budget to fix a problem that will become more acute by next summer – replace aging defenders.
Instead it’s short-termism.

MGooner

I do not mind at all if a player we sign can dribble, pass and cross but cannot speak a word of english. Carrasco could be a good buy

Bale does not speak spanish but that does not stop him from playing well sometimes foe RM.

TOLI83

People need to get this 40m out their head as well.

We’ve previously spent more than that on one player – Aubameyang.

It’s bollocks, we do have the money, last year we spent roughly £70m. I imagine 70/80m is what we have to play with. Plus money we make on sales.

gambon

The problem with Saliba is the fee being discussed is £25m,

Thats crazy for an 18 year old, only just turned 18 as well.

He will probably need 2 seasons on loan to get the needed experience.

You could probably get one of Konate or Upamecano for £40m, who would come straight in.

Dissenter

Toli
OI think the baseline is always going to be starting at that 40-45 million range.
It doesn’t mean we end up spending 40 million because we have to sell.

TOLI83

If we look at players that need to go, it’s such a state…

Chambers
Mustafi
Jenko
Iwobi
AMN
Mkhit
Ozil
Ospina
Kos
Kolasinac
Monreal
Xhaka

Yes that’s 12 players that are either past it now or simply not up to the standard. A major part of our summer isn’t who we bring in but who we off load and how much we get for them. Over to you Raul and Vinai.

Valentin

Some may find £25 millions for Saliba too high, but what should be the price for an CB/RB in the French league Ith a long term contract who is seen by many as the next Varane. Raphaël Varane joined Real Madrid Atletico 18 years old for a fee of €10 millions in 2011 which in today value would be £35 millions. It is fanciful to think that because some have never heard of him, we should be able get him for £10 millions. Daniel James the Swansea winger who has never played higher than Championship level is joining ManUtd on… Read more »

Batistuta

William Carvalho would do a job for us in midfield, same with Danilo Perriera…..We need more grafters in there

vickingz

Carrasco and ziyech are players with no legs for premier league football. I pity whoever is calling for these players to be signed

Batistuta

We could sell off Xhaka to fund the Carvalho deal….He’s currently at Betis so shouldn’t cost a lot

Batistuta

vickingz

There’s nothing special about the premier league asides dodgy refereeing decisions and the team who spends the most winning it

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Var

Will kill football

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Saliba

Deal has sailed

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Xhara is a good italian footballer

40m

MidwestGun

The Rise and the Fall of Dinosaur
________
Yet another book about Arsene Wenger….. great.

Also.. Oat milk? wtf is that? Isn’t that the code name for Propofol? The stuff that killed Michel Jackson…. Who the hell are you hanging out with Pedro? I’m worried about you… Might have to send Sal around to check on you.

We have been linked with about 20 different players maybe more and so far nada.. It’s getting annoying. Signings please. Can’t tell whether it’s indecision or just all media bullshit.

Valentin

Azed, As a 18 years old, Jeffrey Bruma was unable to dislodge John Terry. That does not mean that he is a bad player. He is clearly not a world class player, but he was available. When you compare the number of times Mustafi and Bruma made a mistake that directly lead to a goal conceded, there is only one winner. Mustafi is head and shoulder above Bruma. On my book that make him a liability. When the head coach is publicly acknowledging that Mustafi a CB by trade cannot play as a CB in a back four, that does… Read more »

MidwestGun

Rspc- I agree with you in regards to VAR… I hate it in almost every sport it’s used in… other then to call lines like in Tennis or goal line or photo finishes in racing. They are trying to make subjective calls objective and it rarely works.. also depends on camera angles … etc… If its used to call offside ok… but to determine diving not so much. Plus stopping action in almost any sport kills the flow and momentum. I don’t think it will kill the sport but it will just be different controversies and won’t necessarily make it… Read more »

Henry Root

TOLI 83
Long list . I would add Elneny .
We’ve also lost Ramsey, Cech and Welbeck !
That’s a lot of upheaval.
Gazidis and Wenger did a good job didn’t they !

Valentin

The definitive image that I have of William Carvalho is his awful tracking during the Switzerland Vs Portugal game in 2016.

I remember two Arsenal supporters colleague getting into an argument about whether it was worse than Denilson barely there tracking effort.

https://www.givemesport.com/865417-william-carvalhos-awful-tracking-back-for-admir-mehmedis-goal-v-portugal

Hopefully he has now more dynanysm that at the time.

englandsbest

Pedro

A tip: try rice milk, it tastes better, I’ve been pouring the stuff on my rice krispies for years.

A word of advice: stop believing the sports pages. ,99% of the names mentioned will never arrive, and you’ll look plain foolish.

Now about William Carvalho, he might do… Or a late bid for Messi, maybe?

Champagne Charlie

Carvalho should be relegated to that pile of perennially linked, a couple down from Sebastien Frey and one up from Yann M’vila.

Dissenter

Pedro
From a PR marketing perspective, do you think Neymar has handled this alleged rape issue properly?
I expect a guy with so much money to be able to hire the best but it seems he’s said too much already.
His pathetic reaction, I think has gotten him in trouble.

Valentin

First lawyer of Neymar accuser dropped her because she changed her story. Talked initially of physical violence, then mentioned rape later during TV interview and second police interview.

Second lawyer is now threatening to drop her as well, if she does not allow him to have access to the entire video of her second encounter with Neymar. She filmed it on a tablet and has released snippet on Instagram.

Looks like her credibility is taking a beating.

Marc

Spudnik sound’s like CG in disguise.

This place is getting more than a little weird.

Dissenter

Valentin
I think Neymar should have just let his lawyers do the talking. They would have teased her story apart and leaked stories to disprove her claims.
Instead, Neyam leaked the videos himself which may put him in trouble

Regardless, he has to pay her off in some way or form. That’s what is going to happen. His sponsors won’t want this tory out there for long or they may grow cold feet.

Valentin

More than a good lawyer, he needs a good PR machine behind him. Somebody who can manage crisis like that.
Make a video of an interview where he act surprised and in pain at being accused of such horrible thing.

His team should have released the information in a more controlled and professional manner.
Never wrestle with a pig in the mud. First the pig will like that. Two you will get muddied.

azed

“When you compare the number of times Mustafi and Bruma made a mistake that directly lead to a goal conceded, there is only one winner. Mustafi is head and shoulder above Bruma. On my book that make him a liability. ”

Kolasinac and Xhaka both made teams of the year in Germany.
If you think Jeffrey Bruma would have made it at Arsenal on loan, then I have nothing to say.

Valentin

Azed,

What does that Kolasinac and Xhaka have to do with Mustafi and Jeffrey Bruma ability?
What is the point you are trying to make?

salparadisenyc

Yann Mvilla.. fuck me.
So many links, so little love for that position.

Xabi Alonso the one that broke me, fucked that up proper.

China1

Lol you know times are tough when I think almostvthe whole first team should be replaced

LB, CB, RB, LW, RW, CM, AM

Good luck arsenal…

Dark Hei

William Carvalho is a throwback name on the good-old-days of what Arsenal want from a DM.

And then we got Xhaka.

And then we realized that “DM” isn’t just finding some big guy who can pass.

WC unfortunately smacks of Xhaka, Big but not very mobile.

And also that old “but the big clubs ain’t after him” thing.

If we want to keep faith in Emery’s coaching clinic, give him Guendozi and let him be molded into a proper DM.

TOLI83

Does anyone fancy Doucoure, him in our CM (instead of Xhaka) would be exactly what we need.

Class player, buyable and prem ready.

If we can’t prize him him away from Watford then we need to have a look at ourselves.

Moray

Fucking William Carvalho. I can’t believe that guy’s name’s come up again.

Who next, Solomon Kalou?

Moray

Xhaka is a horrible player. Came with a tough guy reputation, but actually it’s all bluff. He one of these guys who has a bit of a shot on him which comes off occasionally and masks his litany if mistakes and shortcomings.

Why anyone still buys Swiss players I have no idea.

Chris

TOLi

When you say Doucoure is buyable, what fee are you thinking?

I like him too, but does he come with a Premier League premium.

Don’t think Watford would want to lose him for less than £25/30 million, buy low and sell high is pretty much their whole strategy.