Wow, wow, wow… Raul S has pulled off the shock signing of the summer, with Dave Ornstein announcing the Spaniard has reeled in one of the best talents in Ligue 1 with Nicolas Pépé.
I am SHOOK.
Pepe to Arsenal. Hahahahah
— Le Grove (@LeGrove) July 13, 2019
The above tweet is obviously a massive L on my part, but there are layers to my unprophetic words. Firstly, the fact we’ve managed to scrabble together €80m for a player is quite incredible. If there were a saying from this summer it’d be…
‘It’s all about the instalment plan, fam’
Secondly, I am HUGELY surprised that we were the only major club outside Napoli in for his talents. I know I have repeatedly defended what Arsenal is to players and managers around the world, but I didn’t think we were in that league of intrigue for names that had clubs like Paris and Liverpool sniffing. Just goes to show you, London is a huge pull, the full stadium is unique, the training ground is special, the chance to play must also be important, and the new guys must be able to sell a dream.
What a moment, I can’t remember Arsenal dropping a signing this major since we brought in Thierry Henry. He’s the right-winger of our dreams. The most exciting Ivorian since Yaya Toure stepped foot in Boreham Wood (Jokes Kolo, jokes). He scored 23 goals last season and gave 12 assists. He’s been making a contribution to Lille every 101 minutes, which is far more impressive than what Zaha has been doing at Palace over the past season. The best he’s mustered is a contribution every 152 in his best ever year last season.
The player himself is a joy to watch, for some reason I spent a lot of time watching Ligue 1 last year and he’s been one of the stand out guys. He’s powerfully built, standing at 6ft. I think he’s slightly lighter in frame than Zaha, but he’s electric on the ball. He has deft feet, he moves at pace, he’ll come deep, he’ll stretch teams and in front of goal last season he blew up.
We’ve struggled for years to add players with athleticism to our frontline, it’s great to see we’re finally moving in on players that are a huge issue for teams on the counter. When you have a shite defence like we do, the last thing we need is to be pressed into our own half because the only person chasing a long ball is Auba (who can be crowded out physically in big games).
Outside that, this has been a fucking great signing for the fans. This is a premium signing. I really think Zaha would have been good for us, but that could have gone the way of Welbeck, or it could have just been a move that was ok.
Pepe has a higher ceiling than Zaha, I think he’s better technically, and he’s 2 years younger. Our guy has resale value as well, which is super important when you look how we’re going to have to work the ins and outs moving forward.
It’ll also be good for the squad morale. No one wants to go back to preseason and have no new faces to look at. This will add the squad vibes and it’ll be just as fun for the players as it has been for the fans.
I know that a few of journos are saying the move favoured us because we were willing to give his agency team the commissions they wanted. It seems like the cost of football these days, but it’s dodgy all the same. We’ve lost out on lots of big names in the past because we’ve ignored the dark arts of the game, and now it looks like that’s where we’re playing them… but like most things in sport, you cease to care if you have a shiny new player rolling out in a redshirt.
I did think it was quite amusing that Raul and the exec leadership team spent an afternoon getting pounded at the fan Q&A for basically no reason… they could have just said we’d be signing Pepe this week and everyone would have shut the fuck up. It’s a bit like chewing out your partner for not doing anything for your birthday, then packing up your bags and leaving them, only find out their last-ditch attempt to meet you was a surprise birthday party with the Rolling Stones.
What I find particularly handsome about this summer is that the roof of the house has blown off and we’re out the front painting with a really nice Farrow and Ball shade of gray. Where are the defenders?!
Are we Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle? It’s looking that way… but hey, at least the players are exciting.
See you in the comments!
Also all this talk of how Zaha is gonna switch everything up with his running but at the end of his runs is he going to be getting that many goals or assists which is the whole point of attacking? History says not that many. And when he does beat his man and does play a quality cross, it will be falling to a striker who is less likely to score than Auba Thats another reason why it’s a great oversimplification to imagine Zaha running with the breeze on his hair as defenders collapse around him before delivering time and… Read more »
Valentin Pepe isn’t married to the right nor is Aubameyang…both can interchange just fine during games. We are not selling Auba so get over it.
And you are making a controversial point, selling Auba to anybody in the prem is a controversial point.
Guns
We could buy VVD, De ligt and messi with those proceeds
To be fair to Emery
His first choice has always been Zaha.
And for once – he was 100% right.
He knows Zaha would have made a huge difference to the team
Pepe will only make a slight difference to the team.
Everton if they get Zaha will have a better pool of players than we currently have.
Usmanov 1 Stan Kroenke 0
Receding
It’s not a controversial point it’s a self destructive and stupid point.
What happens when Laca get’s injured? What happens if he only scores another 5 goals compared to last season. That doesn’t matter with ManU having Auba banging in goals for fun.
I would also point out we took 4 points off ManU last season – take Auba out of out team and put him in theirs and we don’t get those points.
Exactly China, arguing for the sale of the better goal scorer to bring in a dribbler. I like Zaha a lot and had he been cheaper we would have bought him, no resale value and all, but we didn’t. If Everton do good luck to them.
Receding Gambon held his hands up long ago about Emery and said he misjudged him. Utopia how you’d use Gambons view when it mirrored that of your own but you spent the better part of last season dismissing his view that Emery was having no significant positive effect. “You don’t like or rate him but stop going overboard to discredit him or his achievements” There’s no overboard in discrediting anything. He didn’t get within 20 points of the two hug sides in Spain with two different clubs there, meanwhile Simeone managed to – thus debunking the idea that expecting that… Read more »
Marc the argument two players cannot make runs without getting in each others way is also controversial. They have brains, they will train together.
Still waiting for that manager that will fire Sevilla to a league title. End of.
Nelson,
Mane and Salah do not make the same run. They make opposite run. One runs from the left to the right. The other one from the right to the left.
Aubameyang and Pepe do both run from the right to the left. That’s not a critic of either, it is just a fact. If you both of them in the team, One has to make different run not natural to him.
Isn’t Pepe a left footer Valentin??
“Still waiting for that manager that will fire Sevilla to a league title. End of.“
Standard straw man argument from you then. You do surprise.
If Zaha was half as good as is being claimed on here he would not be playing for a small club like Palace when he’s 27.
Everton are supposedly a big club who are in the process of being overtaken by Wolves, Leicester, Watford and West Ham.
Valentin
I saw Auba cut in from the left a score a goal with his right foot last season – please explain how this was possible when he cannot move fro left to right?
Valentin
It is up to the manager to tell them how they should attack. Auba can play a bit on the left too. Or he can run through the middle and Laca as a quasi #10. There are many possibilities.
Charles I feel compelled to shout down criticism of Emery while you feel compelled to shout down any praise or merits he gets. Stick to yours let me stick to mine. Funny you don’t consider your own attitude “militant”… Lol.
Run along before we fill this place with meaningless chatter
At the end of the day Zaha is a very good player but as well as not being *that* good, he’ll also be a depreciating asset from day 1 in all likelihood Pepe is 3 years younger, has a better footballing record, has a higher ceiling and could have a massive resale value if he works out. He’s also a similar price. He trumps Zaha in almost every single regard apart from not being premier league proven – but again Zaha isn’t hazard. He’s not proven to be *that* good and his palace valuation is literally double what it should… Read more »
Receding
Except I don’t shout down anything positive about Emery, that’s a bs fabrication much like a lot of your more recent commentary.
I praised Emery early on last season, but when Arsenal finish as we did I don’t have much praise for anyone. There’s criticism and assessment, or there should be.
And do me a favour, this place has been absolutely fine until you stuck your oar into a convo I was having with Mystic and started down your usual path. So heed your own advice maybe and don’t sour what was going just fine.
Yeah Marc major players at 27 years old don’t usually go to Everton
But look don’t get me wrong. If he’d have been 40m and we’d signed him I’d have been plenty happy. But this debate comparing him with Pepe and selling Auba is so lopsided it’s not even funny
Run along chap….
I’m still trying to understand how two footballers can only run in one direction all their careers yet be both so highly rated
China
Last season PL goals by Liverpool front 3
Salah – 22
Mane – 22
Firmo – 13
Arsenal’s
Auba – 22
Laca – 13
Now I think Pepe will add more assists in his first season than goals but I’d be happy to be proven wrong but to say you want to sell Auba to bring in a guy who scored 10 last season in his best ever season is idiotic.
China
There was an argument being made a few weeks ago about selling a player to fund a move for a wide player which was worth a conversation. We’re about to sign that player without the need to sell and yet Valentin still wants to sell our most productive player to a direct rival.
It borders on trolling.
Receding
Back to your swamp Shrek, and stick to your vernacular. It’s a touch embarrassing seeing Brit lingo used on here from foreign folk.
Most of the people jumping on Pepe bandwagon have never seen him play a full game never mind live. His goals can be divided into the following categories. 1) counter-attack goal 2) tape-in from a cross from the left by Jonathan Bamba or whoever played left winger on the day 3) run from the right with a curler a la inverse of TH14 4) penalties My point is that against packed defense, he is not as effective as most seems to think he is. At the AFCON, where he faced packed defense he was disappointing. He needs space and/or somebody… Read more »
It seems Sanllehi has used Jorge Mendes to get the Pepe deal done.
That was an agent we’d previously try and stay away from.
He is at the game today with Sanllehi as well.
Cesc
It’s not what you know!
Is that a banning offense now?
Sky sources understand Everton have made a £55m bid to Crystal Palace for Wilfried Zaha.
There are no Everton players involved in the offer.
Didn’t we offered more than that?
Marc
Think how many deals we locked ourselves out from because we wouldn’t deal with certain agents or pay certain fees etc.
Champagne Charlie talking about managers ? Must be comedy hour.
Charlie you’ve been debunked multiple times in previous argument threads,yet you keep returning hoping no one will remember your previous gaffes.
Give it a rest.
Nelson
Interested to see how it’s structured and how much they pay Palace this summer.
Really would like Palace to end up accepting a worse offer.
Shrek so original, a fictional good natured character from children’s books and tales is the go to insult for a supposed adult. Nice chap…yea I can use chap same way your British newspapers insist on using Fahrenheit for their weather reports. Imagine going all proprietary on me, stick to my lingo indeed.
Now seriously stop addressing me, you are an odious chap with an Emery obsession.
Valentinnosebest…
Me Old China “” He trumps Zaha in almost every single regard apart from not being premier league proven – “”” And that is the only thing we should be concerned of. PROVEN PLAYERS IN THE PREM PROVEN COACH IN THE PREM PROVEN TECK DECK PROVEN DOF. not make it up as you Go Go Merchants….Like we have now. You pay The Big Bucks for PROVEN Performers You pay The Little Bucks for POTENTIAL Has Pepe ever played a CL game.? Not signing Wilf was not only a poor footballing decision it is a chronic Strategic Decision Everton getting the… Read more »
And this ‘Valentin’ guy so obviously has an agenda.
Anyone that makes arguments like ‘Auba and Pepe are going to run into each other because they both run fast’ shouldn’t be honoured with a response.
Receding
Again, I was talking with Mystic and in you elbowed spewing your usual. So save me the ‘dont talk to me’ patter.
Prvhc
Don’t think you know what the word debunked means.
“Shrek so original, a fictional good natured character from children’s books and tales is the go to insult for a supposed adult.”
Actually if you kept up at all you’d know I call you Shrek because he too was an ignorant ogre who never ventured out his woods.
Runs quite well alongside you from your swamp you’ve never set foot outside.
I have a feeling Zaha would have been a risk.
Could have turned into a Sanchez to MU type
move and a complete loss of form especially
after a tough African nations.?
Tried at MU and Cardiff and they did not work out.?
I’m sure their would have been interest from one of
the European Elite clubs be for now if he was the said item.?
Will be interesting to see his form wherever he winds up..
Prvhc,
What is the agenda in stating that we have two players who like to play on the shoulder of the last defender and make run from the right to the left but that we have nobody who can offer semblance of threat on the left?
Big old English man calling Nigeria a swamp. Nice one. Tell me how you went about picking our England as your birth place.
FYI I don’t need to leave my country to be a citizen of the world. It’s a global village son
..keep up.
No conversational on here is private by the way, anyone is allowed an opinion on anything.
Lots of silly typos…I hate typing on mobile.
I really want Palace to approach us now to buy or loan a player.
I wouldn’t not do it but fuck me they’d pay through the nose.
Valentin so now Pepe is a striker not a winger??? News to me that.
Receding
Where did I say Nigeria is a swamp?
I said “your swamp”, after making a direct comparison to Shrek you moron.
“No conversational on here is private by the way, anyone is allowed an opinion on anything.”
Again, did I say otherwise? No I didn’t. I just pointed out that you elbowed in and started talking, so don’t expect me to suddenly not respond at the click of your fingers.
You really don’t keep up with much, no wonder you’re never part of any actual conversation. Just various squabbles left and right.
Wet race in Germany. Will make things interesting
Receding,
Have you ever seen Nicolas Pepe play?
He likes to play on the shoulder of the opposing left back, however when Lille striker drops deep emptying the space he make a diagonal run from right to left either splitting the CBs or between the CB and the left back.
Sounds like Zaha was Emery’s first choice with Palace not budging on price Raul and co shifted to Pepe whose potential transfer fee is not known at this stage. According to some less than being reported though. Valentine has a point, Pepe scored a shed load of penalties think it was 9 of his 22 goal tally, which is no detraction in my mind as we need a spot man. Whats impressive for me is his 11 assists with 1.9 key passes per 90 minutes playing in a front three with Laca and PEA that could be deadly. Although preferring… Read more »
We’ve run the lights.. news of Pepe brewing early has alerted others…
We could be gazumped
Is the match today being televised?
Doubt he’d be at the Emirates if a deal wasn’t close/already completed.
Agreed, fact that we’ve moved none of the mould on is frustrating and we haven’t improved the spine and look unlikely to.
Pepe is a significant capture though, props for that.
Leno; Maitland-Niles, Chambers, Sokratis, Monreal; Guendouzi, Xhaka; Mkhitaryan, Willock, Aubameyang; Lacazette.
Weagle
Must be streaming on Arsenal.com at least no?
Charlie
Just checked. They’re showing it over here on Eir Sport, not sure UK get that.
Disappointing Ceballos isn’t in from start.
Premier 1 HD in the UK.
What an absolutely awful team.
Ceballas, Pepe needed pronto.
Interesting line up.
Will it be Xhaka deep with Guendouzi and Willock either side of him?
Might be a sign that Chambers is going to be used at CB this season until Holding is back and ready
Looks like Kola and Ozil need time to recover from the attack.
What TV channel is the game on today?
First Game of Last Season
AMN at Left Back
C.Chambers on loan at Fulham ( playing in Central midfield)
Roll on 12 months
AMN at Right Back
C.Chambers now pivotal Central Half.
The glaring weakness at the back are still there.
Monreal is even older.
Emery is Out of His Depth.
AMN is a centre midfielder….tell The Clown
Buy Lyon Goals
One big concern is the lack of leaders and characters in the squad. There are no partnerships out there at all or players that others can look up to. Team chemistry, or lack of it, could prove to a huge issue, which will be exacerbated by lack of quality.
Think we might keep Chambers around because him and Holding seem to have a rapport off the pitch. Need as much as that as we can. Hopefully Tierney brings some character as well if we get him.
Zaha to Everton signing of the summer and finishing above us eh?
You are a funny one CG
Mid
Time to get up. Live blog starts in 30 minutes.
Does the EC not usually have 4 teams in it?
It just Lyon?
Wenger Eagle
Premier Sports 1 & ESPN3
No stream yet
Thought Valentine made a legit point regarding Pepe and PEA run. But looks like there are a few posters who feel compelled to argue against everything he says.
“Does the EC not usually have 4 teams in it?”
Remember the old days when Sky would dedicate the whole of Sat and Sunday to it.
Now it’s just one game and the women’s one to show how progressive we are.
I read earlier that the fans going to the Emirates Cup are not the type to boo or abuse the directors.
The worst atmosphere I can remember the ground was the loss to New York Red Bulls in the Emirates Cup four of five years ago.
Sylvinho’s Lyon with a decent midfield and striking line, without Aouar or Cornet though.
Defence a little more suspect with Mapou and without Marcelo and their new signing Andersen we were once linked with earlier this year..
Curious to see how Lyon will manage without Fékir and N’dombele.
Karim
Believe Juninho is the one who recommended Jean Lucas. Added Thiago Mendes from Lille. Rarely watched him, but he had good stats.
Hi Nelson…. I’m awake…. barely thanks.. hahaha
What’s up the rest of you negative bastards?
Come on The Arsenal!!
Can we win the only trophy that matters, the Emirates Cup? 😉
I can’t believe that AC/DC’s Thunderstruck is being played before the game!
Xhaka is the captain
New kits look great.. glad they ditched the weird yellow numbers.
This ‘Fly Better’ thing on the shirts better just be for this game.
Midwest
Pacing up and down as we speak. Getting ready to write off the season the moment Lyon score. First x on the Arsenal scorecard so I can pile on Emery lol
Nice touch with applause for Reyes.
Ozil and Kola are not on the sub bench. Ceballos is there. We may see him in the 2nd half.
Dream
I’m happy about Juninho and Sylvinho and I tend to believe in them but those players will still be hard to replace.
No Dembele either today.
Hope we have a good game
Xhaka wearing the Captain’s armband. Reckon he’ll be the regular skipper. The only exception being when Nacho makes one of his limited starts this season
Lol Dream… I’m just trying to work up a reason to have a drink at 9am..
Only half of the axis of evil starting Xhaka and Miki.
Micki wants to use a Lyon player to complete his pass.
Midwest
Xhaka will lead the team in PL starts and minutes. Aubameyang will be dropped for Lacazette at times. Even Martinez might get a few starts at the expense of Leno. You better get used to your permanent new skipper!
Dream I know,… Xhaka isn’t going anywhere…. it is what it is at this point.
I hope Auba doesn’t use up all his energies in pre_season games.
Good passing move there by Laca… but messed up the shot… rushed it.
Live sports tv on the iPad good stream from the App Store Apple.
Looks like we are playing Willock just behind Laca. Micki and Auba are playing on the two wings.
Wtf
Lacazette picked up a knock in that first attack.
I thought Aubameayng was doing well again at RW.
Time to see if Nelson can actually show something.
Is Lacazette injured? quickest sub ever.
Willock looking bright.
Some recovery that from Nelson.
Willock looking lively at least… waiting for Lyon to figure out our fullbacks cant defend the wings.
Good run Nelson. Keep it up!
Can someone please post a stream link? Cheers.
nice… forward pressing… we have looked much sharper then Lyon so far.