Shad, waits in the wings
There it is… Darren Burgess has left the building after 18 months in charge (well, since he actually joined up in London).
This is dramatic, make no mistake about it. A head of performance can’t really be judged on his body of work after such a short space of time, especially when there’s been a monumental managerial shift.
So whatever has gone on behind the scenes, it can’t have been pretty.
Still, that gives Arsenal a fresh opportunity to hire in someone elite or source from within. There are lots of incredible fitness people in the world of sport at the moment. Many clubs keeping players fit in high octane environments. Maybe Huss could shout up his boys at Sky for some reccos? JUST A JOKE OK.
I wasn’t sure about the hire in the first place, it seemed an odd addition considering the progress we’d made with injuries and general fitness… and it was dictated by Wenger in his dying days.
‘Burgess, who was handpicked by Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger, will commence his new role in July.’
3 weeks ago, Wenger hadn’t let anyone at the club know his decision to stay on. 3 weeks later, he’s signed a Performance Director. How did that happen? How many people did he interview? Who spoke to him? Where did Wenger get his time to do his due diligence? How are we sure this guy is the best candidate in the world?
The biggest question I have here is – what issue is Wenger solving with this hire?
To give perspective, we’ll have 6 fitness people at the club. Arsenal signed a guy called Shad Forsythe – after years of Wenger being in denial there was a problem with injuries – in 2014. Since then, our players are suffering less soft tissue injuries in spite of a manager who still loves to overplay his team and ignore the realities of the modern game.
The American has been an unsung sensation. Not just that, he’s worked at Bayern Munich and won things. He also oversaw one of the most impressive World Cup wins ever, taking the German national team to a final in some of the most aggressive weather conditions a European team could face (Amy Lawrence gives a rundown here).
As far as I can see, Mr Burgess has a less accomplished resume. His previous experience in the Premier League was working under Hodgson, Rodgers and Dalglish.
In my opinion, one that is far from expert, Shad Forsythe had come into the club and obliterated our soft tissue injuries like Wellington Silva would take down pizzas. The exGermany man helped his then team navigate one of the hottest and most humid World Cups of all time in destructive fashion. That really was some achievement, European teams traditionally doing very badly in South America.
The fact Burgess was brought in on a similar job title had disaster written all over it. A typically weak move by Ivan Gazidis… bring people in and let them work it out for themselves, he repeated the feat when he had Sven and Raul in on equal footing.
Burgess also made some odd decisions, firing Colin Lewin looked like a powerplay and felt very unArsenal. Moving on good people that have been at the club through the good times and the bad can be very damaging to the culture, it can also belie managerial insecurity. Can’t imagine that went down well.
Then Ivan hired in Unai Emery, and let the Spaniard bring in his own S&C coach (weak move again)… pretty sure that wasn’t approved by Burgess, because why would he allow a manager to bring in that level of expertise for a subject he’s probably not a world leader in… especially if you already have an S&C person employed.
His first full season in charge didn’t look great… which can’t all be on him per my last paragraph, but clearly something was up, especially around Christmas/New Year when injuries racked up and we looked dead on the field.
I would imagine Shad F is having a serious rethink about that Milan move now… club would be mad not to consider him for the vacant position, but we’ll see. Living in Milan has to be pretty damn elite.
Anyway, the Burgess Arsenal chapter is shut… though I highly doubt that’s the story over. No one leaves Arsenal without a job to go to… Arsenal is just too fucking good to ditch after such a short space of time, so we’ll see what comes of it over the next few weeks.
… but, before we go, this is Darren’s farewell totes inspo quote.
GOD DAMN IT THAT FIRED ME UP… BIG BAD WORLD I’M COMING FOR YOU.
Compare the team wenger inherited to the team he left. Sorry Champagne but everything we are seeing now is All on wenger, gazidis and kroenke. What other top class manager spouts shit like, ‘I didn’t want to buy him because he would of stunted growth of so and so’. Utter fucking horseshit. If I’m a winger and I see they are buying some shit hot winger, that would motivate me not kill me. Motivate me to try harder and retain my place. If it ‘kills’ me, then I’m not the player for the club. That’s why we are so weak… Read more »
@Dark hei
Mate he could of scored 10 goals. It was obvious to everyone that so no goals was a Sunday league player at best.
Or the other superstar he signed, Santos. So shit that the club he signed for, their own fans beat him up. Lol. Shocking manager he really was. Got lucky.
Tyag I don’t need to compare this team to the one Wenger inherited (which was gash btw), that’s not what’s being challenged. I’m challenging your idea we’re screwed for the next 10 years because of Wenger and Gazidis. It’s total rubbish and the realities of that are all too clear when you glance at Liverpool recently. They were 8th cluttered with pony players, and within 4 years they’ve been in a EL final, two CL finals, and challenged for the league against arguably the best PL side ever seen. Why on earth would we be so hard up for it… Read more »
No use in ranting about people in Arsenal hierarchy getting anything right. The moment Kroenke purchased the Club, we in Highbury new that the best days of the Club were over. Time has proved this. Kroenke is not going to sack Emery, as Raul is a Spaniard and will not allow that to happen. As for Vinay Venkktesha, he will move any way. No top player or manager is interested in this Club, and Kroenke does not want wins, but want to Club ticking in the mid-table. That is the reality and hence, rants will not help. Highbury days of… Read more »
: David Seaman, Lee Dixon, Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Martin Keown, Nigel Winterburn, Paul Merson, David Platt, Patrick Vieira, John Hartson, Ian Wright.
Take viera out this was the team wenger inherited.
Cech, kos, mustafi, bellerin, Montreal, iwobi, Ramsey, ozil, mikhi, laca, auba
That’s the team emery inherited. Not one of the defenders would of replaced the defenders wenger inherited.
The team wenger inherited would smash wengers last team 5 or 8 nil.
Almost forgot the kante of Arsenal that wenger bought, el neny
Tyag
Again, the team Wenger inherited vs the one he left is of no relevance to what’s being discussed.
What you said was Wenger and Gazidis are to blame for us being in the shit for the next 10 years. Which is rubbish.
Still waiting on the list of top managers you think have the ability to eventually make us title challengers? Are you going to offer up some names?
The only player in wengers last game that would of made his first squad he picked in his first game would be Ramsey. I’d rather have John Hartson and Wrighty up front,than laca and auba.
Also mustnt forget Dennis Bergkamp who wenger inherited as well. Yep your right Champagne Charlie, the team wenger inherited were really really gash. But the one he left, all stars.
Wenger and gazidis are to blame for the state we are in. And I think if we were to have a vote on here as to who we think is responsible for the state we’re in, I reckon at least 80percent would agree with me.
“Yep your right Champagne Charlie, the team wenger inherited were really really gash. But the one he left, all stars.“ This is where I lose any patience and respect for you. You’ve no ability to debate what’s being discussed so you’re inventing another argument altogether, but also inventing my apparent stance on that. I never once said this side are all stars, I actually stated the following just 20 mins ago: “What Wenger and Gazidis did was leave us challenging for top 4 with an imbalanced squad VS challenging for the league with a well balanced squad. You’re getting creative… Read more »
Tyag
Yea and if I went on an alt-right page and asked if whites were the best race I reckon the numbers would be overwhelmingly in favour too.
Doesn’t make it correct.
@Champagne Charlie
There is no wc manager out their who could make us champions. Not with the current set up at arsenal or with the lack of funds. Harry Potter is probably the only one who could turn this Arsenal around
Oh shite,some posters on here are just so naive. As usual CC you look at things in far too much detail. Liverpool had a proactive ownership in place well before Klopp arrived. Their philosophies and mindset under Rodgers and even Hodgson, was to move the club forward. All they needed was the catalyst(Klopp) to fulfill their goals. We never had those beliefs and the intensity to move forward. We all know that Kroenke needs a frigging kick up the backside but Wenger and Gazidis were not prepared to rock the boat. Too consumed with their own selfish needs and pathetic… Read more »
@Graham62
Excellently put sir. In any other job, wenger and gazidis would of been fired years ago
Graham Unless you’ve missed the memo, the entire structure of the club has been augmented to a modern standard. The face behind the scenes are in large, different. The key players, different. I’m not unaware that Liverpool had their leadership in place pre-Klopp. I’m stating the quite clear reality that when Klopp arrived the squad was shit, and the funds were low. What’s it like are Arsenal?…….oh that’s right. Meanwhile in 4 years they’ve had a EL final, two Cl finals, and challenged arguably the best PL side ever. But apparently I’ve to yield to the idea we won’t see… Read more »
YES Wenger took the Club out of top4 in his last years. But then, Emery has been there for a season and all he had to do was to get one more home or away win. That was not a tall order. He is not going anywhere, neither is Raul. Kroneke seems to be satisfied as the club is in the PL. I cannot see the club in top4 at least for a few years and not before Spuds win the PL. That is the truth.
After all the despondency with losing commercial partners last week Arsenal have added VBet already and apparently Gatorade will be coming back. Also, a long serving massage therapist has been sacked apparently. Along with Burgess being sacked looks as if fitness and conditioning is getting an overhaul this summer. With regards to transfers I think people need to be patient, the market hasn’t kicked off yet, you cannot compare us to Madrid who have bundles of cash and also assets to sell to recoup. Arsenal have to make every penny count and by the sounds of things we have at… Read more »
So the leaked fixture list a few posted yesterday where we were playing Palace away on day 1 was gash then. Strange. Newsnow is always bang on the money. You know, with all the credible articles floating around detailing why this member of staff or that player was pushed out or hired.
thank you and goodnight.June 13, 2019 10:57:01
“@Graham62Excellently put sir. In any other job, wenger and gazidis would of been fired years ago”
Surely you are now confirming that it is kronke’s fault for our present situation as he is the one person who could have changed things.
@pierre
I’ve e always said that wanker kroenke is the Real problem at the club. Everyone could see that wenger was finished 10 plus years ago, kroenke allowed him to remain in his job. Wenger is so shit that 15 months on from getting the tin tack at Arsenal, only Fulham were interested in him.
That still doesn’t excuse fact wenger and gazidis played a huge part in our downfall as well. Losing out on big money for sanchez and Ramsey, over paying average players, scouting network that couldn’t scout etc etc etc. Yes kroenke should of fired them years ago, plus him being the owner the buck stops with him. But wenger and gazidis were both complicit in the downfall as well
Arsenal are apparently signing Schubert, a 21 year old GK from Dynamo Dresden on a free to then loan out straight away.
Smart, free, potential successor/challenger to Leno in a couple of season or we sell on for profit. Well thought of GK.
Interesting scouting happening.
With our present mentality frail as it is, I’m afraid to ask where we’re going to be after the first 10 games…
Very very tough start.
Say the same thing all day every day doesn’t and won’t take away the fact that Arsenal football club even in 2019 are on the worst run clubs in World football but sure let’s keep hoping there’s a special manager out there who’d do wonders with a 40 million quid budget
Dark Hei
June 13, 2019 10:18:41
TYNG
In his first game, Sanogo scored 4 goals
——————————————
Wrong
Dark HeiJune 13, 2019 10:18:41
TYNGIn his first game, Sanogo scored 4 goals.
__
Erm no he didn’t.
“Very very tough start.”
Well, let’s be honest : in our situation, the sooner we will be in the bottom of the table, the better. Total rebuild needed.
According to rumours, That Schubert GK is another one from the Sven’s left behind list. With Carrasco also from Sven’s list, I wonder who is identifying players now that he has left. Outside of Martinelli who got the eye of Edu, it seems that we mostly follow Sven’s left behind list. What was the point of sidelining him and barring him from a job he had been promised by Gazidis if it is to implement his players recruitment plan? Difficult to then argue he was incompetent. Sound more and more like clash of personality and Raul was strengthening his powerbase… Read more »
Even clubs in much better situations are already getting their business done but we’re fricking haggling with a dew quid with fucking Sampdoria….I swear this football club does my head in
During the Emirates Cup, Sanogo scored four goals .
He was cheap, he was useful. He helped us win a FA Cup. Less money was spend on him than on Podolski who inexplicably is still loved by some when he was absolutely diabolical in most games.
he was useful
———–
He was shocking
I know it was mentioned on here that theAST had posted estimates of the clubs trading year just ending and indeed looking forward a further 12 months. We could debate all day long re their accuracy indeed, I, suspect that the amortisation sum is understated but at the same time I suspect that the monies received for players is likewise understated but what struck me was two things Firstly this comment “Estimate works on the baseline of no player sales to show the position as of now. It may be that Arsenal can secure some player sales which would strengthen… Read more »
Jeez.
Re-imagining Sanogo.
This is where the sweaty stench of agenda starts to float.
CA
Does it only float the one way? I’d say claiming a decade worth of future ills qualifies as such.
45-1 William Hill – Arsenal to win the Title……Slip Slip Sliding away,
2000-1 – Arsenal to be Relegated
then was it Baldrick type plan or genius?
Sanogo was useful? What in the actual fuck.
During the 2014 FA Cup final against Hull, Sanogo did more than Podolski. At least in that game he did contribute to the victory. Podolski was shocking during that game.
Review how players rated for that game, and you’ll see that for most newspaper he go 7, while Podolski got mostly 4 and 5.
Signed anyone yet? If not, arsenal fc out
Sanogo was useful for delivering the mail.
Andre Santos was useful because he outperformed Podolski in one game once.
Jamie The re-imagining of Wenger, was called for years that this would happen. There’s a lot of people whose reactions to criticisms of Wenger betray an agenda that makes there critique of Emery, Sanllehi etc hard to swallow. To be honest, there’s some poster like WE, Carts, Sal etc who have problems with Emery that are perfectly legitimate, understandable and credible because they have always been critical voices. As much as I might disagree with some of what they say, I agree with other bits and understand their points. But there are some on here who are shameless now opening… Read more »
André Santos was fat, unfit, slow, uninterested, could not defend if his life depended on it. I don’t think he had one good game in Arsenal colour.
It is strange that people who attended game at the time have fond memories of a kid who was not good enough but tried and was useful. Causing mayhem in the opposition penalty box with his height and physical presence. While most keyboard warriors who never attended games slates him with insults and jibes.
https://www.goal.com/en/news/he-just-binned-me-off-cohen-bramall-reveals-emery-snub-after/1m7u1v0djd11z17crnubxkz9xd
Vickingz,
People on here will crucify Emery when they find out (I’m ITK, believe me it’s gonna happen) that Cohen Bramall is off the Barcelona on a free.
Shocking mismanagement of a rare talent.
CA –
You’ve absolutely nailed it.
I’d go through your post point by point just to agree with each one, but you get it.
Some shameless AKBs here emboldened by Pedro’s disdain for Emery (who absolutely deserves a fair whack of criticism).
The game is lost when you start talking up Sanogo like a cunt.
Cesc, Everybody has opinion. That does not make it an agenda. Trying to take the moral high ground, while you were one who was continuously raging personal attack on specific players or defending players even when they had bad games. People may disagree with Wenger and wanted him gone that does not mean that they agree with people insulting him. It is called respect. Trying to equate people judging Emery not good enough as wanting Wenger back is another strawman. Same thing stating that the club is badly managed TODAY does not mean that Wenger was perfect. It means that… Read more »
Can’t take you serious if you’re in any way, manner and form justifying Yaya Sanogo putting on an Arsenal shirt
Valentin,
To some extent, fair points.
However the contrast between some people’s limitless patience for Wenger/Gazidis and radical impatience with Emery/Raoul is telling.
In the end, in my view, the problem stems from Stan.
Oh, and sorry, but agenda or no agenda, Sanogo was shit.
Bati
That’s harsh. No issue with us landing young players who have ripped up the under’s scene for FREE.
But not realising he was never going to make it after a season is embarrassing, doubling down on it because you didn’t want to be wrong? No words.
Jamie I completely agree with you. Some of the absolute specimens that get indulged on here when others are banned is baffling. They just have no credibility in my eyes, they lack any form of objectivity and drip with agenda. If you defended to the hilt the last regime, if you defended 99% of what Wenger did, if you try to say Wenger and Gazidis are now irrelevant topics to the current state of affairs, if you rallied against the fans pressing for change for the last 6 or 7 years…what on earth gives you the right to suddenly decide… Read more »
Batistuta, I did not Sango was good, I said that he was useful. He was pacy when the only strikers we had was Giroud and Podolski who would lose any foot race with dwarves. He was gangly, awkward and with his flailing arms he was annoying to defend against. There were games where his mere presence unsettled defenders. The FA Cup final in 2014 being one example. I remember as well a champion’s league game where the opposition defenders did not know what to do with him. He was never the long term solution, but I don’t think he deserved… Read more »
Interesting that BvB are apparently looking at Kozz, Arsenal willing to let him go.
Honestly no idea what he would go for.
Amen, Cesc.
Hopefully the battle lines will be drawn in a year or two when we hire a saucy Head Coach which splits Pedro from some of the clowns.
If he’s foreign and can’t speak English fluently, CG is already out. If he bins Ozil (who will no doubt still be stinking out the place), Pierre’s done too. Baby steps.
Cesc,
I agree.
But the trouble is, whether or not someone was critical of Wenger and his responsibility for the club’s present situation, it is much much easier to simplistically and prematurely blame Emery for all the club’s present ills and simply assert that once he’s gone everything will be hunky dory.
A prime example is Pedro, who often sounds as if he’s a true believer in MAWMAGA (Mikel Arteta Will Make Arsenal Great Again)
“if you try to say Wenger and Gazidis are now irrelevant topics to the current state of affairs”
I was the only one who mentioned anything resembling this, and it wasn’t in relation to the “current state of affairs”, it was relative to taking us from this point forward – with Liverpool as a modern reference.
Seems agenda can in fact work both ways, imagine that.
Cesc, According to your rule if Emery is sacked or not renewed, only the people who have wanted Emery to be sacked or not renewed should have a say in the running of the club. I look forward to see how you are going to justify your comment next season, because I am pretty sure that Emery will not be in charge at the beginning of the season 2020-2021. The management team may not be responsible for the situation they are in. But they are responsible for the decision they take now. It’s like at a poker table, you may… Read more »
In poker, what do you do when you keep being dealt a busted flush for the best part of a decade? Keep playing it, obviously. That’s how you win at poker.
Jamie I think that’s how it goes anyway. The critique of Emery because he’s not ‘sauce’ or ‘vision’ to get us to the top is preposterous because that’s not what he’s here for. Not in my opinion anyway. Emery is here to be a manager for some sort of stability on field while massive changes occur off it and with the squad. The next manager, whether that’s a Nagelsmann or a Vieira will be the one the club looks at to push it to the next level with a vision installed from the DoF and TD, the squad balanced and… Read more »
“You now suddenly want to turn from perpetually defending the indefensible to criticizing everything? From defending 99% of things to critiquing 99% with he pivot coming from the change of manager?”
Spot on
Some even ask you to forget the decade long madness that led to this situation. One even called last season a car crash…guess he just started following Arsenal properly last season.
Jamie That reference makes little sense to what was actually left behind. Emery had an ill-balanced squad capable of scrapping for top 4. If you were to listen to some suggestions it’s like he walked into a club on the verge of collapse, and potential relegation looming. The previous faces are responsible for where we’ve been left off, but from here the onus is on the new guard to deliver. This continual harping back to the previous lot is plain bogus. For how ‘shit’ a state we were left in we should’ve made top 4 this past season, and didn’t… Read more »
Charlie
Yea i mean, after a couple of games even the most bat shit crazy person could see Sanogo was just wrong but he ended up starting a champions league game for us against Bayern. There’s a part of me that doesn’t really miss the emotional round of 16 scars of the Wenger years.
Valentin
There was no pace at all about Sanogo. He was just wrong yea he was a free signing e.t.c but jeez whoever scouted him and then approved a salary for him should have been sacked immediately
Valentin
You offer some context regarding Sanogo but the truth is he should never been anywhere near the Arsenal starting 11, certainly not in a Champions League Knock out tie against Bayern Munich.
Trying to big him up is never going to work with most Arsenal fans.
And you haven’t said this exactly but everyone knows who the better player was out of him and Podolski.
Bati That’s what I’m saying, I think “indulgence” is a word I’d use to describe a lot of what occurred on the playing side the past decade. Lots of players dealt with in far too comfortable and human a manner, instead of the real serious/harsh streak that comes with successful elite sports clubs. There’s a lot I admire about Arsenal and their values, but there’s also a disconnect with that and the top 1%. You can’t be super nice at everything all the time. Hard decisions don’t need deferred, they need made, and made early, and made with a commitment… Read more »
Tough start to the season also.
As someone else said I think it is needed though. We have had a bad run to the end of last season, and going up against big teams to begin and getting good results will hopefully inspire confidence going into the autumn/winter.
It could easily go the other way too though. Even if the start to the season is bad, it would have to be exceptionally terrible for Emery not see Christmas in the job.
CC –
Not much in there to disagree with, frankly.
I’m not an Emery apologist, and I don’t harp on about the previous regime because I’d rather look forward than backwards. He fucked the run in, and we were embarrassed in the EL final. He’ll be gone in a year and we’ll start over, I guess.
Sanogo was trash. That’s what this discussion was about. Citing a single Emirates Cup performance or his ‘desire to wear the shirt’ is toe-curling revisionism.
No links for Mustafi away yet is worrying, Chambers, Kozz, Kolasinac, Elneny all at least have had some rumours of a bit of substance about them. Mustafi not really anything of substance.
Jamie
Sanogo wasn’t muck, but the idea (nabbing a precocious talent) was right.
Just seems with Arsenal we’re forever making the wrong micro-decisions that matter most. We get Sanogo and Eisfeld instead of, well basically anyone else who’d have likely been better. Our last genuine poach was Fabregas ffs.
**Sanogo WAS muck
Lol hearing Eisfield’s name again.
‘Our Mario Gotze’ as Untold bellowed from the rooftops.
Nearly as pointless as Amaury Bischoff.
Weagle
That’s the other whopper I was trying to remember! 😂
“Nearly as pointless as Amaury Bischoff.”
Now there was a pointless signing.
Bielik “I will definitely not go back to the Arsenal U23 team. At this stage it wouldn’t make sense. If I do not receive the possibility to join the first team permanently, I’ll have to look for other solutions”
I think young Bielik is a worth look. Put him in the rotation of CBs. If Saliba is signed, it is likely that he goes back to St. Etienne on loan. Not a fan of Joachim Andersen’s profile.
Far too much truth cesc
1) people who excused wenger for ages have no right to an opinion on emery. They relinquished that a very long time ago
2) those who do have a right to an opinion on emery tho (Pedro for example) unfortunately tend to lean towards throwing everything but the kitchen sink at the guy when there’s actually plenty of legit reasons to criticize him without also blaming him for everything including the rainy weather
Saliba is apparently close, still potential for us not to get him but going well, would be very excited for that one.
Elite young prospect.
BvB interested in Kos ?? Yeah, right…
CC –
“but the idea (nabbing a precocious talent) was right.”
Definitely. I’m all over the intent.
It’s the assessment of his output after the fact because he was rated higher than Podolski in a friendly and loved the club that lacks any impartiality. Frimpong loved putting on the shirt too.
..that one time.
Charlie
Haha Old Weng signed some doozies in his time, did the lad even turn out 90 mins in an Arsenal shirt?
Park Chu Young was another bizarre signing.
Jamie That’s it in a nutshell. The assessment done at the club is really, really concerning. I had this convo just the other day about Gnabry. How the fuck is the youth structure so bad at Arsenal that we can’t plot a path to the first team for him? He ended up at West Brom under Pulis ffs. Seems we don’t know how to recognise talent within, and certainly haven’t a clue how to tailor a programme per the individual to make them the best version of themselves. Either way we don’t get many guys make it, and we make… Read more »
And who could forget Ryo ‘Rolls Royce’ Miyaichi?
Fucked shit up for 12 matches in the Eredivisie, came back here and broke a sprint record vs Wigan in the Cup only to seemingly disappear from the face of the earth since.
China1 Completely agree. It actually detracts from legitimate criticism. Some people are very measured and I agree with them. The end of season collapse was so spectacular Emery has to be seriously looked at. Yeah the squad is shit, 6th in the top 6, yeah you can say Xhaka cost us against Brighton, Mustafi against Palace etc but at the end of the day we should have finished 4th. The defence hasn’t improved, again, shit player but Emery should have done something better. I was all for moving Torreira in to a CM position but it became clear that he… Read more »
Wenger Eagle
Park Chu Young was decent for South Korea. He was alright for Monaco. But, he wasn’t built to be a #9 supported by three or four #10s like we had back then.
What are you thoughts on the Uruguayan #9 Maxi Gomez? We’ve been linked to him previously. Seems to be an effective player, not exciting enough for me, lacks mobility.. The type that might arrive if Lacazette is sold. West Ham, Everton and Serie A sides interested apparently
Weagle I don’t think he did tbh, I just remember he had a hairline to scare the kids at 21. We didn’t half land a few absolute specials. Would love to know what really goes on behind the scenes, you fancy back then there was a lot of “selling” a player with a talk. Only for some to turn up and be complete turnip haha Never bought the obvious transfers I felt a lot of the time. Hugo Lloris so should’ve been an Arsenal player 47 years ago, yet we marched on with some dogs dinners. Arsenal fc forever landing… Read more »
According to the latest CIES study of transfer values, only 4 Arsenal players are ranked in the top 100:
47 Auba 77.6 m
49 Torr 76 m
54 Laca 74.9 m
94 Xhaka 62.4 m
http://www.football-observatory.com/IMG/sites/b5wp/2018/265/en/
Charlie
Its weird how you envisage certain players to being suited to Arsenal, I always felt that Lloris, Vertonghen, Benzema and Martial at some point would be lining up in an Arsenal shirt.
Now only a remote chance on one of those happening.
Dream
Marko loves the kid, I’m like you I’m not quite as sold yet. He’s a unit but as you say he lacks mobility and hasn’t got super quick feet for a big man ala Ibrahimovic or Adriano.
I prefer Joelinton who looks more the whole package to me, his finishing needs more work but the potential is clear to see at 22.
CC – It’s extremely worrying. All I know is how little I know about what’s required to implement a vision for a super-club. If it was me, I’d make sure the training facilities were the best money can buy, then I’d go after all the best coaches from around the world. Specialists in every area, and pay them whatever it takes. Implement a 10-year vision on how you want the game to be played, and deliver that remit to the youth teams and up. Players and the head coach can be replaced/recruited to fit the strategy, rather than compromising on… Read more »
Wenger Eagle Seen Joelinton a couple of times. A tall rangy striker who can play down the sides. An upgraded Welbeck if you like. That type is very valuable. He would help us in aggressive away games like Liverpool, City. Haller is my pick to replace Lacazette if he goes to Spain. He is tall, knows how to use his frame (unlike Joachim Andersen) and has end product. I really like Jean Kevin Augustin of Leipzig. He is less technical than Lacazette, but much quicker. If he gets a run in Germany or the PL, he has it in him… Read more »
Jamie – just focus on basics is way to go but it is hard to implement. Hiring best people on high wages makes them over think things to justify their reputation/salary. I keep saying Arsenal need to focus on athleticism and players who give 100% every match no matter what but any top manager would sound naive if he took that attitude.
Jamie – I hit post before I done. I think Ajax do what you suggesting and I am sure there are other clubs trying to implement same philosophy, but it’s hard to do as you say.
“Reflecting on his short time with Arsenal, the Blaugrana misfit pinpoints a knock suffered in his second game for the club during a Europa League clash against BATE Borisov as a decisive moment. Suarez told Cadena Ser: “At the end of the game I thought that I had torn my groin and they did a scan and saw that I had an oedema [a build-up of fluid] on the bone in my pelvis. “I thought I had torn something; I was in a lot of pain. And from then on I carried on training with medication and putting up with… Read more »
Yeah cesc I ended the season emery out
I don’t think the end of season collapse was ok considering we also lost in the EL
But he did inherit a wank ass squad even if we should’ve nicked a CL qualification. He also had injuries to key players at key times
When it was announced that Emery was conducting an internal reviewt, I said that it would conclude that his staff were in no way responsible for the end of season collapse, but that Arsenal legacy staff would. Seems that we now have the confirmation. https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/9281681/arsenal-darren-burgess-unai-emery/ I can understand blaming the conditioning team for the second half performance of the Europa League final. As Martin Keown said, they looked tired because of over training. However the end of season collapse was mostly due to tactical and personnel mistakes made by Emery and his team. I said before, it is bad management… Read more »
Pierre Digested your 11:16 post to @ Tyag. Amazingly, you still don’t get the point. Actually what am I saying? Of course you and your buddies never will. A top flight manager would have been kicking Kroenke’s door down to push for change and a more proactive action to the direction the club was going. In my opinion, Wenger failed miserably because he wasn’t prepared to “rock the boat’. He would rather sit back, do his thing(which was generally scheisse anyway) and let things regress, rather than put the club first. He valued his own self importance above the clubs… Read more »
They just have no credibility in my eyes, they lack any form of objectivity and drip with agenda. If you defended to the hilt the last regime, if you defended 99% of what Wenger did, if you try to say Wenger and Gazidis are now irrelevant topics to the current state of affairs, if you rallied against the fans pressing for change for the last 6 or 7 years…what on earth gives you the right to suddenly decide to be a critical fan pushing for more and pushing for change? Nothing is going to stop them commenting, of course. But… Read more »
Ian Tuckey, of the respected broadsheet The Sun, says Emery fired Burgess.
No quotes, no citations. Just a link to a Daily Mail article (no mention of Emery heading up the firing squad in that piece though..):
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7133149/Arsenal-head-performance-Darren-Burgess-set-depart-summer.html
Really diligent investigative work at play here. Please, send more.
Weagle
Yea you do attach to some players in that respect. Benzema I had pegged, Mahrez, Moussa Sissoko, Lloris, Vertongen, Sebastien Frey as a throwback.
Just weird how it seems the dead obvious ones never materialise. I wanted Kily Gonzalez back in the day so bad. How about that for a name hahaha
“And who could forget Ryo ‘Rolls Royce’ Miyaichi?”
Me.
I had completely forget him.