Lucas Vázquez over Wilfried Zaha?

by .

Arsenal kicked off preseason with an U23 draw against Boreham Wood. Top geezer, banter king and all round top boy John Jules saved the day with two goals. Lovely. Nice to see the kids can’t defend either.

Today we have to get into the bed with the cold hard reality that Lucas Vasquez might be a thing. Madrid want rid of a wide player who was a big part of the team in one of their worst years in the last decade.

His statistics look about as sexy as those of the pretty boy from Barcelona. Last season, the 28-year-old Spaniard dropped a whopping 5 goals and 4 assists in 47 appearances. His minutes clock up to 29.5 games. That’s a seriously pony return for someone playing for Madrid. The numbers are a little better if you go back a few seasons, he was making a contribution every 121 minutes the two season before, which is better than Iwobi, but still not exciting.

My concern with this rumour is two fold.

Firstly, it’s us giving up on Zaha. Which could be seen as a whatever moment. Zaha’s numbers aren’t that exciting, his average minutes per contribution are worse than that of Vasquez, sitting at 169 minutes per contribution over the past three years. Even his best year was 154 minutes. However, he’s playing for Crystal Palace, so that has to be considered. Anyway, Zaha is only one year younger, but he plays more minutes and knows the league.

Secondly, if we go down this route, it basically means we’ve given up on proper scouting and we’re well and truly burying our snouts in the bargain bins of Europe. The player picks up a fairly small wage for Madrid standards, but you’d imagine we’ll be giving him a massive bump, some places reporting £180k a week.

Still, if you’re Emery and you’re being allowed to sign these types of players, who would you blow your money on, £30m on Vasquez, who has 183 starts for Madrid… or a £80m Zaha?

It feels bland to me, but hey, anyone is better than the no one we have lined up at the moment.

If we’re looking to the more positive options we have on the table, you could think that Arsenal are going to invest in youth this season.

Reiss Nelson had a team contribution every 78 minutes. Sure, it’s in a weaker league, but that’s exciting to read. Worth noting he scored that off a very low amount of shots. He scored 5 from his first 6 shots during his loan, which means he’s either the most elite finisher to grace the game, or he found a lucky streak.

A player I think could be a big talent for us at some point is Bukayo Saka. He’s fast, has a fantastic left foot and looks like a very exciting prospect. Are we not due a breakout teenager at some point? Would Emery consider blooding either of the two above? It’d certainly be more popular than Iwobi clogging up the right week after week.

The we also have salt of the earth diamond gem, John Jules. 29 goals in 54 appearances last season, he’s very young, but hey, PSG and Juve are interested. At the very least he deserves to be on tour, at the very most, maybe he’s the greatest player to grace an Arsenal shirt since the MIGHTY Jack Jebb?

Whoever we sign wide right and left this summer, at least we know there are two kids coming through that could potentially impose themselves on the first team. I just hope they find the courage to make it happen, I love Eddie, he has it all, but he’s been desperately unlucky so far. We need him to find his feet next season for sure.

ESR is also back from a pretty bland loan move at Leipzig, I believe the German club wanted to sign him but we refused. Can he make an impact on Emery this year? His long rangy legs and bursting runs forward could be valuable, but there is so little time at the highest level to make an impact and stay there.

This is a big year for the kids. Emery is going to have to be more strategic with cups that don’t matter this season if we’re going to attempt to win the Europa league and qualify for the top 4 this year. The exec leadership talk a really big game when they big up the youth, so let’s see if they have the guts to follow it through. The league cup should be about youth, so should early stages FA Cup. If they aren’t good enough, let’s be faster about moving them out. If they make an impact, excellent, we have more depth than we did last season.

It appears Chelsea are trying to play the same game in bringing Frank Lampard back into the fold. They want to see more kids coming through and his close relationship with them looks very similar to the one Freddie has with the current batch.

… but we did hear this last season and the return wasn’t great with the homegrown crowd. AMN and Matteo landed lots of game time, but others weren’t so lucky. That has to change this season.

The biggest block is the anxiety Unai Emery will feel about his job. He has to succeed. That doesn’t bode well with giving kids a look in. So we’ll see.

Right, that’s me done, see you on the other side. x

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Marc

Cesc Wenger was a dream for Kroenke. Made CL football every year on a budget, suddenly threw in a few Cup’s. Started to spend a bit of money but that was good – it got the fans going. Wenger always made the right noises about why X or Y didn’t happen but it was always going to turn in the right direction. Give Kroenke his due as soon as it became clear that we were going to miss out on CL football for a second season and Wenger was gone. If only he’d paid a little more attention a little… Read more »

Dissenter

There are many plausible explanations for why we appear to be taking out time in competing transfers.
One of the most cogent ones has to be that we are expecting Edu to start after the Copa America final. How soon can he start, I don’t know?
It may also be that we have a bunch of nincompoops now running the club. This seems most unlikely to me.

Marc

Dissenter

Before I start I should state that I have no idea there are just to many possibilities but!

Sanllehi’s got the Tierney and Saliba situation under control and is just playing hardball.

We’re completely fucked.

The whole market is waiting for something to start the game of musical chairs off.

What I don’t believe is that we’re waiting for Edu to join – it just doesn’t make sense. He could be amazing for us in the long run but I don’t think anyone’s going to walk in and in a couple of weeks wave a magic wand.

Gentlebris

Kay,

It is what it is, bro.

I mean, no incomings and outcomings to analyze, what else to talk about?

And we have an owner we can talk about from now till Spuds win their next trophy.

Truth being told, the Kroenke talks bore me really much. Not because I don’t understand finance because I do, but because talking about Arsenal’s finance under Kroenke is like discussing a can of maggots.
At the very least, it makes one wanna puke.

But that’s where brothers go today, we’ve got to bear with them.

Cesc Appeal

Marc

The problem is though that is the equivalent of knowing your kids are playing with matches at night and not stepping in until the carpet is on fire.

Kroenke waited too long.

If he’d done his research and shifted Wenger on after the FA Cup win against Hull and put all that he has in place (maybe got Klopp as well) while we were still in the UCL I’m not saying we’d be winning league titles but we’d be far, far better off than we are now.

Marc

Cesc

Er I think the expression is “fuck me oh yes”

Champagne Charlie

Mitrovic signs a new Fulham contract, will be harder for a top 6 club to get hold of him now 😆

Marko

Charlie who’s that directed at? Dissenter? Full of wisdom that lad

TR7

‘Charlie who’s that directed at? Dissenter? Full of wisdom that lad’

Yeah, got a pearl of wisdom from him – One can’t comment on a billionaire such as Stan unless he is a billionaire himself. I can’t comment on Stan anymore, not any time soon.

Alex Cutter

“If he’d done his research and shifted Wenger on after the FA Cup win against Hull…”

It’s cute that you think Kroenke has any sense of historical context for the club. Or that he would act on it.

Nelson

Who is the Everton from Brazil? They pick him instead of William.

Dissenter

CC
Yea, I won that one and I deserve all the rubbing about the Mitrovic recommendation.

Dissenter

TR7
You think you should be glibly suggesting that you know ways of making a guy with $9 billion wealthier?

Dissenter

These Peruvians are like ticks. They make themselves very difficult to beat.

Marko

Willian is injured but yes Everton Soares is having a good tourney

Nelson

Everton scores.

Dissenter

This Everton lad is made for Everton FC. That’s where he will end up.

Dissenter

I still don’t know why Messi was sent off yesterday. The officiating at Copa America has been really poor.

Nelson

Brazil plays with two strikers, Jesus and Firmino and a left wingers, Everton. The two strikers take turn to play out on the right wing. Something Emery can take notice.

Marko

This Everton lad is made for Everton FC. That’s where he will end up.

A dissenter prediction. And you know what that means…exactly

Gentlebris

Villa dropping £25m on Tyrone Mings, West Ham dropping £45m on Gomez.
Can you imagine what Everton, Leicester and the rest can begin to drop on quality ballers?

Last season with 8 games to go,we couldn’t go through these so called midtable teams to reach CL.

Honestly guys, if we don’t get it right in the next couple of years, we will struggle to get 10th in the league as these teams and us will be at exactly the same level. It would be 50:50 anytime we take anyone of them on and that’s is not some exaggeration.

Nelson

I don’t know how much Everton costs? He is extremely fast.

Nelson

Penalty for Peru…

Nelson

No argument. Hand ball by Silver

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

But cesc
Back in 2010 stories were about claiming we could have signed him n him… etc.

Wenger spunked 200 m on unsaleable good.

Decision should have been taken out of his hands years ago..

Dissenter

I was just making a play on the similitude of the players name and the club that bears the same name.
Marko taking me very literal it seems
Concrete Marko, keep it up.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Diss

It’s not poor

It’s corrupt.

TR7

Dissenter

I guess we will never see you question or comment on any footballer, referee, physio, manager, politician or football club owner for each of them is a specialist in his own profession and you are just an observer ?

Marko

Dissenter I’d give the predictions a miss for a while. Joke or no joke just stick your head in the sand for a bit

Nelson

Jesus scores

Carts

“Arsenal FC still carries too much visceral fat and has too much cash in the bank to be asking for a bailout from the owner.
Bailouts certainly didn’t help AC Milan, they still have to do it the proper way.“

Basically, this!

We need to flog thendeadwood way before we even dare think about pleading for any kind of injection.

There’s at least 6 players on the book who could raise a substantial amount of money.

Cesc Appeal

‘There’s at least 6 players on the book who could raise a substantial amount of money’

Who and how much do you think we could get for them?

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Maybe the way forward is rolling contracts for players
Only wY club can get upper hand ,

Club has first option to renew or cease contract.

Player n agents need to be culled of power

Dissenter

TR7
The comment I made to Graham62 was specifically because he stated that;
“Based on his inept leadership and financial negligence over the past few years at AFC,.. .He [Kroenke] may find he could have been worth a few billion more.”

I replied that “How many billions have you made to qualify you to give financial advice to a billionaire who has doubled his money invested in Arsenal without spending a penny.?”

My riposte was very specific to Graham suggesting he knows how to make a billionaire richer.
Stop the silliness. It’s unbecoming of you.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Yeah ther3 will be losses bu5 plenty of gains.

TR7

Really nothing wrong with Graham’s assertion. Correct me If I am wrong but you were strictly against letting Sanchez and Ozil run down their contracts. Had Stan intervened in their matter and made right decisions, AFC and in turn Stan would have been better off. Ramsey and Welbeck could have been sold for good money too. Not saying Stan has the understanding of merit of each case but as the owner of the club he can very well lay down a rule to not let any player run down his contract.

Dissenter

TR7
“Really nothing wrong with Graham’s assertion. Correct me If I am wrong but you were strictly against letting Sanchez and Ozil run down their contracts. ”

That’s a 100% lie
You were the one them to not be sold. I remember arguing with you and being called names.
I was one of the few people here that wanted the club to sell them.
I recall Cesc Appeal and Carts being in that minority of posters who wanted us to sell both players.

That opening comment is a lie, no need to mince words about it.

Dissenter

I’ve also written over and over again that Stan Kroeke has been negligent.

His negligence however is not from not spending his own money.
It’s from not providing proper oversight of his hired hands. He wasn’t questioning enough. He should have intervened when Wenger sabotaged Alexis exit to city in 2017. He should have made sure we sold off Welbeck and Ramsey last summer.
I wrote all these a few hours ago.

Bob N16

Just to butt in, the point I believe Dissenter was making was that as someone who is an incredibly successful businessman, Kroenke by doubling the value of his investment in Arsenal, would probably consider he’s done well. Anybody who questions his ownership could be countered by this fact. This is of course is the problem with Kroenke’s ownership that we are simply part of his portfolio so success for him, is very different from a supporter’s take.

TR7

Dissenter

I think you need to read my post first before responding to it. I am saying exactly the same thing that you are claiming you said , so what part of my post is a lie ? I was wrong about my take on Alexis issue but I wasn’t talking about my stand in my last post.

Guns of Brixton

Peru have scored late late on couple times in this Copa America.

Brazil need another goal to put it beyond all doubt.

Marko

Bob he’s also argued against Stan helping out financially and that if any of the management went looking for help from him that they should be sacked straight away.

Nelson

Jesus double yellow = red!

Guns of Brixton

Red card Jesus.

Numpty

Thomas

Arsenal signed anyone good yet? No? The utter shock.

Guns of Brixton

Jesus crying his eyes out.

You re gonna have th toughest 15 mins of yur life son.

KAY Boss

You guys still on the Kroenke debate? Long may it continue. The man ain’t giving “shishi” for the club.
I perfectl under stand dissenter to a point, that why to stock money in a reserve when u need money to rebuild for a better future immediately. For this finance I’m in. But not to bring my ignorance to bare I’ll be silent an hope the debate comes to a close so we can talk about Mustafi’s transfer to Real Madrid 😂😃😊

KAY Boss

Nelson, what the score line of the brazil-peru game?

Nelson

Arthur Melo is the kind of mobile midfielder that we need to play alone side of Torr.

Guns of Brixton

Penalty brazil!!!

Nelson

2 – 1 for Brazil. They just faults Everton and the Ref. points to the spot. probably the game will finish 3 – 1

Guns of Brixton

3 1

Game Over

Dissenter

Welcome Edu
Hard to miss him in the victory celebrations

Leedsgunner

Hopefully we can announce Edu tomorrow and we can deliver some of these deals over the line. Conflicting reports about Monreal and whether he/we extended his contract. At. Bilbao sniffing around looking for a veteran… anyone know how much we’re looking for from potential buyers? Surely no more than £10m at most? I’m assuming we’re trying to ask for similar money that we’re asking for Koscielny… and that figure has been mentioned in more than one source. Although it would be an absolute peach to receive £20m plus for two veteran players I cannot see that happening. Even if received… Read more »

Leedsgunner

City are planning to swoop in for Ake at Bournemouth for about £40m? I reckon we could respond in various ways.

1. Offer Chambers to City for £35m as an alternative to Ake
2. Offer Chambers to Bournemouth as a replacement for Ake for £35m.
3. Offer Chambers to Bournemouth for a swap for Ryan Fraser, plus £5m to us.
4. Offer Mustafi to Bournemouth as a replacement for Ake for £25m
5. Offer Mustafi to Bournemouth for a swap for Ryan Fraser… we gain a winger and rid ourselves of Mustafi.

Leedsgunner

*£40m…

Alex Cutter

“Nelson, what the score line of the brazil-peru game?”

You’re on the fucking internet.

Marko

Leeds are you on something? Chambers for 35 million? And offered to City?

Words on a Blog

Leeds/Marco,

Yeah, definitely feel that Chambers is the final missing ingredient that will make City really sparkle….

WengerEagle

Since when was Chambers worth anything near 35m? He’s barely a PL player quality wise, probably more at home in the Championship.

WengerEagle

‘You’re on the fucking internet.’

Hidden gem here, I chuckled.

WengerEagle

Pierre was shiting on about us signing Mings and N’Zonzi the other day there Pedro.

Non-ironically.

Gonsterous

Don’t understand the hate iwobi gets but people rave over AMN, who was very poor when called upon. He had a decent spell when he played as a winger but when deployed at RWB, he was lazy and had an attitude that was almost on par with ozils.

Youths arent going to help this shite squad. The youths are all elneny level so most need to be loaned out. Ffs, they couldn’t even win boreham wood yesterday.

Dissenter

Youths arent going to help this shite squad. The youths are all elneny level so most need to be loaned out. Ffs, they couldn’t even win boreham wood yesterday.

In fairness, nine of the promising youth played yesterday.

Leedsgunner

Pedro/WE

I know I know the figures were optimistic but City spends money like it’s going out of fashion anyway.

You don’t ask…. you don’t get! 😉

Leedsgunner

The point is Aston Villa bought Mings for £26.5m… surely we should be looking to sell Chambers and Mustafi for similar amounts? After all isn’t Raul supposed to be some negotiating wizard?

Well go on then Raul show us!!!

Gentlebris

Good morning from the Emirates,Mr Zaha. Hope you slept well.

Mysticleaves

One has also shown incredible potential compared to the other who’s shown…eh…

Eh.,..could it be because they played one in the pl?

Moray

This is seriously a post on a blog called “just-Arsenal” or something… Agu EmenAgu Emen July 8, 2019 at 2:01 am I am happy with top 6 model for the next 2-3 seasons. Only one team wins the PL. 19 don’t. Liverpool played amazing but did not win the league. Spurs played great but won nothing. Even winning does not guarantee anything. Mourinho Conte Ranieri Sari won titles but got sacked almost immediately. If Guadiola fails to win the CL and Pochetino fails to win the PL this season they will both be sacked. Arsenal Kroenke and Wenger realised all… Read more »

Mysticleaves

“I replied that “How many billions have you made to qualify you to give financial advice to a billionaire who has doubled his money invested in Arsenal without spending a penny.?” Did he double his investment though? He didn’t. He hasn’t even done anything for Arsenal talk more of doubling it. The investment doubled itself so this shouldn’t be used to praise Stan. he’s a leech and the earlier he goes, or atleast starts putting interest in the club, the better for us all. Nothing good can come out from absentee ownership. The executives can’t self motivate themselves, someone needs… Read more »

Mysticleaves

“I replied that “How many billions have you made to qualify you to give financial advice to a billionaire who has doubled his money invested in Arsenal without spending a penny.?” Did he double his investment though? He didn’t. He hasn’t even done anything for Arsenal talk more of doubling it. The investment doubled itself so this shouldn’t be used to praise Stan. he’s a leech and the earlier he goes, or atleast starts putting interest in the club, the better for us all. Nothing good can come out from absentee ownership. The executives can’t self motivate themselves, someone needs… Read more »

Mysticleaves

Sorry for double post.

Moray that fan has been battered and beaten into submission of what the current arsenal has become. Lad has given up and why blame him much?

Moray

Mysticleaves, a good point made twice! Kroenke bought into the Premiership because of the lax foreign ownership rules, the quick profits to be made from the tv money, increasing y-o-y, the guaranteed profits from licensing, sponsorship, season tickets and the loyal support of millions. He has already made the big profit from his “investment” and if he hasn’t cashed out with the Usmanov offer it’s because the stable business model of AFC means more to him in using the club as surety against loans to be used for even bigger deals and profits; there are no more great gold-mine profits… Read more »

Bob N16

‘The investment doubled itself’…Mystic. I think this sums up the issue, for most investments the person investing sees an opportunity to increase the worth of their stake. Admittedly more often an investor simply watches the value of their investment without actively doing very much. Kroenke has been too passive but he’s still sitting on a considerable ‘paper profit’. My concern has always been that he doesn’t have the passion in Arsenal, without it we’re simply an investment and has been said, can be used to invest elsewhere. My only hope is that Kroenke Jr wants to prove to his Dad… Read more »

David Smith

I can at least get, if not approve of many aspects of Kroenkes ownership, but what i really don’t get is why he leaves it to proven buffoons to run his club.
Yes, he has made a paper profit, but he could have done better.
Surely he had advisors telling him the numbers under Wenger/Gazidis ?

Mysticleaves

Moray, Bob Well said guys. Which makes it crazy that well informed people like Pedro and a couple of posters here think Stan does not limit or affect our (lack of) progress in anyway. Everyone agrees this is a new era for the club and it would take time to get it back to where we belong. The execs and even kroenke family have talked the talk but, talk is cheap they always say. We need to see their plans. Am even beginning to see that hiring Emery was the first indication of not fully grasping what needed to be… Read more »

Bob N16

Mystic, I get what you’re saying about Emery. I guess they felt he was a safe, ‘transitional’ coach. Transitional, in the sense that he could steady things before a more inspirational, visionary coach comes in. Under the circumstances, financial, nature of squad, Emery was not an unreasonable choice.

As it stands now, it’s obvious we need a ‘project’manager who is good with young, up-and-coming players. That is the key appointment that needs some forward planning.

Mysticleaves

“As it stands now, it’s obvious we need a ‘project’manager who is good with young, up-and-coming players. That is the key appointment that needs some forward planning.”

Really echoes my feelings too. Well, let’s see if Emery will be that guy this season. I wish him the best really.

David Smith

Emery is almost just incidental in the bigger picture of the running of this club. He has certainly made mistakes, but set against that, I get the firm impression that though he cannot say too much, he has been genuinely shocked at what he has inherited. Isuspect we know only the tip of the iceberg the mess Wenger and Gazidis were allowed to create. It is rumoured a few top coaches refused to go near this job, we know why, emery gave it a go, and the best of luck to him for doing so. I suspect emery will go… Read more »

Graham62

Dissenter

Reference to my comments yesterday, have you ever heard of “tongue in cheek?”

I still think I could show him a thing or two about balancing the books.

Graham62

David Smith You are probably correct. Don’t be so defeatist though in your assumption that Kroenke won’t be going anywhere. The focus of attention is now firmly on him. Arsenal fans will have the ultimate say in all of this. This “fear” amongst supporters of Kroenke being a permanent fixture really bugs me. From what I know, the guy has a head, two arms, two legs and, oh yeh, owns Arsenal football club. Supporters of other clubs wouldn’t be so negative. They would be proactive and determined to put the club first. Arsenal’s situation is a unique case. Wenger and… Read more »

Bob N16

‘Why are fans so scared’…..are they Graham?

Are you instigating a ‘Kroenke out’ or a ‘Kroenke invest’ campaign?

Bob N16

Why is Arsenal’s situation ‘unique’ Graham? Obviously we’re the Arsenal and nobody else is but having an owner that isn’t overseeing a club how the supporters would want…..Glazers and Ashley come to mind.

Can you elaborate?

Graham62

Remember, two years ago, Kroenke sat and said nothing at the clubs AGM. Did he have to say something? Well, no, not really. However, based on the circumstances and predicament of the club at that time,he should have done. The protective bubble that surrounds the club, also surrounds Kroenke. I find it rather pathetic that a man in his position keeps so silent. It’s not as though he’s Abramovich. English is his first language, so let’s here it. Wheras Abramovic shows his allegiance to his club, Kroenke doesn’t. That in itself is embarrassing. We need decisiveness. Actually, I would go… Read more »

Bob N16

All very gung ho Graham. Kroenke was known as Silent Stan well before he got to AFC.

Bearing in mind that Kroenke rarely sets foot in USA, I presume this ‘kick up the backside’ is metaphorical. Are we talking chanting ‘Kroenke out’, signs, fly pasts, non attendance, non purchasing of kit….? If so, how many of these things will you personally do, because you’re very quick to blame Arsenal supporters for not being proactive enough. Not sure if writing on Legrove alone is going to affect change.

Bob N16

‘Sets foot in UK’

Graham62

BobN16 Of course our situation is unique! How many teams of our size and status in England have upped and moved sticks over the past twenty years. Not Chelski, not MU, not Liverpool( don’t include MC ). Spuds don’t count. On top of this how many clubs have allowed a single person to oversee everything at their club? Sir Alex had a progressive team built around him. Wenger didn’t. As for our previous CEO, what can I say? Note, I haven’t even included our ownership/ BoD in all of this. If you can’t see the uniqueness in any of this,… Read more »

Bob N16

Graham, by your reasoning every club has a unique set of circumstances, so it’s a meaningless statement.

New post.

Graham62

BobN16

Keep sitting in your armchair Bob.

You’ve just highlighted the lack of passion that I’ve been on about.

You know nothing about me, my background and what I have or have not done off my own back to protest and initiate change.

Ever worked/played in a competitive environment Bob?

It certainly doesn’t come across as such.

Bob N16

You do come out with some lines Graham…. I’ve asked you to clarify some of your statements and your response is to accuse me of a lack of passion! I never said I knew your background I simply questioned what you do as a supporter compared to the supporters you accuse of being part of the problem. I don’t know what you’ve done, that is why I asked the question! You then ask if I’ve ever been in a competitive environment as if that somehow helps explain your statements. Not sure whether I’m sitting in an armchair or not has… Read more »