Well, things are moving at a pace now…
Pépé will be announced in the next 48 hours. The picture from above is a leak from the Arsenal studio. The player was snapped getting his Arsenal merch yesterday. He’s well and truly a done deal. What a moment!
Arsenal is willing to spend £25m on Tierney. The Celtic left-back now looks ever more likely to move. I think the hope that fandom would keep him from moving to the bright lights was always a bit hopeful. I’d imagine the young player has just seen what happened to Zaha, a player that was one moment heading for a rebirth as a star at Arsenal… and is now having to move to Merseyside. Regardless of how rich Everton are, that’s hardly a step up. If Tierney doesn’t make this move now, who is to say a major club will come for him next season? Take the chance when it’s presented to you.
Edu has met with Rennes to thrash out a deal to move on Laurent K. This is smart. Keeping players against their will never smart, again, let’s see how the Zaha thing pans out for Palace if they dig in. I think this situation could have been even more problematic because of the seniority of the player. Also, he’s past it, we’d be holding onto someone that’d be injured all season and far from useful. Let him go.
Mustafi has multiple suitors looking at him, which should be pretty obvious, he’s a World Cup winner. He wants to stay and prove himself, but I’m assuming a double NO from Raul and Edu has the 27-year-old considering his options.
We’ll move for a centre back, no doubt. I’m not quite sure we’re going to get the blockbuster player we’re looking for, but hey, what the fuck do I know, I didn’t think we had a chance in hell of landing Pépé.
Daniele Rugani of Juve has been linked in and out this summer. Lots of people are clambering for Konate or Upamecano. Whomever we choose… it’ll be a huge upgrade on the accident prone sack of potatoes we have at the club at the minute.
ALSO: The hot take ‘analysts’ on the internet trying to paint him as a good defender show you the exact dangers of judging a player by a spreadsheet with limited data. A single data point cannot be used to judge talent, just remember that.
There will still be holes in the squad, no doubt. The fact that Xhaka is anywhere near being our captain is a huge worry. Ozil is still in the mix. Sure, he’s showed up for preseason, but we know exactly what’ll happen to him when the weather starts to fade. There are going to be major question marks over Emery this season. Even with new players, his approach to the game is unlikely to move us up a level.
HOWEVER:
It feels like we’re finally at ground zero. Most of the problems are being solved, and it’s starting to look like there’s a north star emerging for the club. A football club never solves all its problems, but attacking the most important ones is definitely a move in the right direction. In fact, just having a direction is nice.
Having Stan K running your club is always going to be a problem if you think you need the owner to be poring over details. However, it’s difficult to deny that he’s invested in the club. His biggest weakness has always been who he has let run the show. He gave Wenger and Ivan too much trust and they blew it.
Now he’s put the power in the hands of Raul and Edu.
Early signs indicate that’s at the very least a more exciting direction.
Let’s see where the season takes us.
Rambo,
You are as fake as they come.
Why come here if you don’t give a shit about anybody being here?
I think you are the cunt….a stinking one at that…. not we guys saying we want some characters back in the mix.
Gentlebris
Not for me.
I’m fed up before the season starts.
The days of a total break from Football were wonderful.
If you’ve never experienced it, all I can say is you’ve missed out.
Getting my shoot magazine with the little cardboard league tables was the joy of my childhood summers.
If we were top after one game, it was a joyous feeling.
“Edu has met with Rennes to thrash out a deal to move on Laurent K. This is smart. ”
Edu has not met anyone to get rid – even for free – of Mustardi. This is not smart.
Only room for two non-homegrown players as it stands unless we part with some existing players . Tierney would count as non-homegrown
“Arsenal head coach Unai Emery says he is “fighting to convince” captain Laurent Koscielny to stay at the Emirates.”
Seriously ?? Unai really is starting to going down in my estime….
“Former Arsenal full-back Cohen Bramall is in talks to join Colchester on a permanent deal.
He was released by the Gunners this summer and had criticized Unai Emery for not having “a conversation with him once”.”
If you are only good enough for a league 2 side at 23 i wonder what conversation you want Unai Emery to have with you
Reading that juve have rejected our advances for rugani as they want to keep him and see him as important for the future
‘If you’ve never experienced it, all I can say is you’ve missed out.’
Graham,
I missed out alright. My awareness of things started from the middle 80s. The earliest hype I remember was Diego fucking Maradona.
But I can’t say I don’t understand your attachment to the old time. I often find myself believing had I come earlier, I would have preferred then to now. Too much sin these days. Too much idiocy passing for civilization.
But at end of the day, old pal, I love the transfer window hype alright!
Un nai
That’s good news to me. I never rated him as much.
Hopefully we can still get Upamaecano or Diaz. One can dream tho.
Yeah right…
Henry
Why would Tierney count as home grown?
I’ll try that again!
Why would Tierney not count as home grown?
Marc,
An English home grown is a player who has been educated at least 3 years in an academy or club under English FA.
Celtic is not under English jurisdiction, but under Scottish FA.
Cardiff, Swansea for example despite being a Welsh clubs both fall under English jurisdiction, hence players formed at there are viewed as English home grown.
This delay in announcing Pepe is stressing me out.
Graham,
I used to get Shoot & Match, loved it. The team photo posters, star players & new signings etc, brilliant.
Valentin
Cheers but surely a UK passport is also a point? What happens if a player doesn’t come though an academy but is English?
Not saying you’re wrong just seems a bonkers way of doing things!
If you are only good enough for a league 2 side at 23 i wonder what conversation you want Unai Emery to have with you.
And I share same air space with a guy who reasons like this? You seem to be doing your all to absolve emery of his failings and it’s becoming not cool. Anyways, what has changed in our game judging by the matches played so far o?
Yes, the Match Facts in Match magazine. I used to copy the Arsenal Match Facts down in a notebook. Sad, but no more sad than playing Fortnite?!
Between matchs and facts, or facts and matchs, I’m a bit lost…
Memories…
http://thefootballattic.blogspot.com/2014/10/match-facts-football-yearbook-8788.html
Marc,
Passport is irrelevant, only where you have been trained during your formative years.
Clichy, Bellerin, Fabregas, Coquelin are considered as home grown, because they have trained at Arsenal from an early age.
However Owen Hargreaves, an England international born in Canada of English parents is not. He was trained first in Canada, then in Germany.
HL
See previous link. All the papers do it now but at the time it was revolutionary!
Arsenal made an inquiry for Diop about 3 weeks back if rumours are to be believed. Apparently West Ham want a massive amount, understandable in a world where Maguire is worth £80 Million, and looks as if nothing came of it but it does show that Arsenal have been looking at CBs…again if you believe the rumours. Might also explain why they are looking at a loan move for Rugani if they think the CB market is shit or overpriced. There are some players out there but if I was RB Leipzig and I saw this anyone coming in for… Read more »
Valentin
That’s crazy – I know it’s unlikely but what if a player came through with out going to an academy went pro and then ended up in the PL? He’ s English, plays for the national team but doesn’t qualify as home grown.
And people wonder why the national set up doesn’t work.
Cesc
ManU have already fucked themselves with the Sanchez contract – reports are that Dybala wants £350k a week. Any player who is approached by ManU now is going to demand huge money.
Now that is quite amusing to a degree but with what they’ve paid for the Palace FB and the Maguire links they’re just ramping up costs for everyone. It could well end up fucking Palace who could have an unhappy Zaha stuck with them.
It is inflationary Marc but I’d like think that there’s one price for Man U and a cheaper price for every other PL team.
Marc
Exactly it’s ridiculous
Tierney is british. Bellerin is not. Stupid rule
Marc, Quite the contrary, that’s very sensible. Home grown is different from nationality. It means grown in the local FA. If a kid is never registered in any clubs during his formative years but can prove that he lived in England, then he will qualify as England home grown. If you just take into consideration the nationality, you have the problem of people with multiple nationalities. You also have the problem of somebody who has the right nationality but no contact with the country. Owen Hargreaves, the son of English parents, was born in Canada and then trained in Germany.… Read more »
I wonder how many more years out of the CL Man Utd can sustain before their commercial revenues start being impacted.
Are they such a super club that irrespective of CL participation for the next few years, they can still flog millions in red Utd-branded lipstick to the Chinese?
Their wage bill must be no bueno with all the renewals they need to negotiate (with DeGea and co probably wanting parity, or as close to, with Alexis).
I’m sure the Glazers are still milking tens of millions in annual dividends out of the club too.
p.s. Announce Pepe!
Someone needs to get wound in at United. Obscene the money they are wasting every year
The issue is not with the rule, it is with the club who in order to bypass the rule, hoard players at a much younger age.
ManUtd is buying a 16 years French player from Monaco at the price of €10 millions. In 5 years time, Hannibal Mejbri will be considered as English home grown.
Val
It does if Hargreaves held a uk passport
Home grown is different from nationality. You can be an international for a country without having ever set foot in your country of birth.
Born in the Ivory Coast, Zaha grew up in England from the age of four. He is more English than Ivorian. He now represent the country of birth, but he does not even speak French.
“And I share same air space with a guy who reasons like this? You seem to be doing your all to absolve emery of his failings and it’s becoming not cool. Anyways, what has changed in our game judging by the matches played so far o?” Vickingz you seem to be seeking some sort of bank and forth with me which i have no interest in Do you even know Cohen Bramall?? Absolve Emery of what failings?? How many first team appearances did Cohen Bramall make prior to Emery?? If he is good enough why is league 2 Colchester the… Read more »
Valentin is right Hargreaves is not counted as HG
Except one thing it’s 3 years that they are regarded as HG not five and as long as they are registered before their 19th birthday so saliba will be regarded as HG in 3 seasons if we signed him next season he would not be
That Woodward still has a job at United is extra ordinary. The guy makes one horrendous decision after another every transfer window but somehow still manages to keep his job.
Anybody knows where is Elneny ? The dude disappeared….
“Anybody knows where is Elneny ? The dude disappeared….”
Returned to training today. Extended break due to AFCON involvement
Any player registered to play in the English FA league before the age of 18 is HG if you bring in a 16 year old and register him is eligable as HG at 19 you also do not need to register a foreign player in you 25 man squad if he is under 21 before the start of the season so if you have a great bunch of youngsters you bypass the 25 man limit by the amount of players that are under 21 so we can have a 33 man squad easily
Receding,
Everybody wasting their time getting super-excited about Pépé’s imminent arrival when the mighty and prodigiously talented Cohen Bramall has been wasted and discarded by the Evil Emery, who didn’t even want to talk to the misunderstood and under-appreciated genius…..
The HG rule should be amended, imo. If a player is eligible for the national team, regardless of where he trained as a youth, he should automatically be considered home-grown with that FA. It would still be up to the player to decide for which national team he plays if he’s a duel national. After all, the HG rules were established, rightly or wrongly, in order to give local kids game time and experience in the upper leagues with the idea that the national team would be better served as a result. Also, duel-nationals don’t lose their HG status if… Read more »
Tr7 he is friends with the glazers
Dual*
He is the accountant that was at jP Morgan that helped them buy the club then they hired him as soon as they took over
Jamie Eric Dier is also not Home Grown
Mr Serge –
That’s right, seems a little silly to me. Full England international, not considered HG with the FA because he cut his teeth in Portugal or somewhere.
Born in the Ivory Coast, Zaha grew up in England from the age of four. He is more English than Ivorian. He now represent the country of birth, but he does not even speak French.
Valentin
No he isn’t. He’s Ivorian with an English passport
Ask him wether he’s English or Ivorian and see what he says. He chose to play for the Ivory Coast. You can’t just be more English because you lived a few years here but we’re born on mars
You either are or you aren’t.
Watching yesterdays game a few points i noticed Medley is not remotely ready. Not even for a loan this season imo. Willock is ready to be a solid squad option this season Nelson clearly has the talent, just wonder if he has that ‘drive’ in him. Martinelli is clearly a bit special. I’d use him sparingly this season but in the next few years i think he’ll be someone big in the game. Still think Nketiah is a bit undercooked and a loan may benefit him in the longer run. Still looks boyish at times. And hold up play could… Read more »
The objective of the rule is to increase the number of players formed by clubs rather than imported from other countries. A clear consequence should be automatically a greater number of players of that said nationality. A greater number is expected to lead in an increase in the national team quality. The problem is that English clubs are not as good as the rest of Europe into training youngsters. One reason may be the number and quality of coaches. Spain has something like ten times the number of coaches with UEFA licences. So when players reach 16 years old, there… Read more »
Returned to training today. Extended break due to AFCON involvement
Can we extend it permanently? Maybe ask him to have a look at his wiring at his gaff in Egypt.
Isn’t Eric Dier not classified as home grown in England? He didn’t spend 3 years under contract with an English club between ages 16-21. He went to Portugal.
And Mustafi is classed as home grown having been under contract with Everton when younger.
Mr Serge I agree and think you are right about Dier
“Receding, Everybody wasting their time getting super-excited about Pépé’s imminent arrival when the mighty and prodigiously talented Cohen Bramall has been wasted and discarded by the Evil Emery, who didn’t even want to talk to the misunderstood and under-appreciated genius…..”
Lol Words, the dude doesn’t care about Bramall nor can he pick him out of a line up. He is just doing the obligatory “call Receding an Emery militant” thing. His timing leaves a lot to be desired though.
Dier is fuck ugly.
And so Mustardi.
Dier is overrated too
Arsenal. Com announce:
Torreira and El fucking Neny return to training.
Vintage Gun Completely agree with your analysis. Medley to be honest looks like one who will quietly leave in a year or two. Really saw nothing even remotely interesting in him outside of his size which he himself seemed not to be able to deal with. To be honest I’ve never seen anything of him where I think he potentially has something. Really interested to see how Willock gets on this year in that squad role. Clearly has talent and a good attitude as well. Nelson has looked better in the last two games, have to see what kind of… Read more »
Zaha was going to represent England. Only because he was snubbed by “gilet man” was he then convinced by Didier Drogba to represent Ivory Coast. He speak English not French. His friend and life is in London not in Abidjan. Choosing to represent Ivory Coast is a professional choice not necessarily a personal one. It is even worse in Rugby where with the residency rule, you don’t even need to have the nationality to represent the country. Look at half the Algerian, Morrocan and Tunisian national football teams, most were born and raised in France. They even represented France at… Read more »
“The problem is that English clubs are not as good as the rest of Europe into training youngsters. “ Val Yeah. Semi final at the World Cup with a team of youngsters says differently As do moves for Sancho, nelson, ESR, Hudson odoi, trippier “The objective of the rule is to increase the number of players formed by clubs rather than imported from other countries. A clear consequence should be automatically a greater number of players of that said nationality.“ Yeah and what ends up happening is greedy prem clubs just pay millions for the next big thing instead of… Read more »
Val
None of that utter bullshit you just spouted makes zaha English.
Born in the Ivory Coast to two Ivorian parents. I don’t care how many English mates he has. And of course he speaks English. He’s not going to speak Urdu when he’s Living in London is he?
Val slept in a stable, thinks he’s a horse now
Our poor away support, AFC now playing away to Sheffield United on a Monday evening!
Un na nai hope you were complaining when athletes of African decent were competing under the English flag and winning medals for Britain.
For your reading pleasure Un na nai
http://en.espn.co.uk/espn/sport/story/246673.html
https://www.makingofchamps.com/2015/07/07/athletes-of-nigerian-origin-dominate-british-championships/
In the 2012 Olympics, over 10% of the British Olympic Team were born outside the UK.
We’d have to hand back a fair few medals and MBEs.
Receding beat me to it.
Un na naaiAugust 1, 2019 13:14:21
Val slept in a stable, thinks he’s a horse now
Hahahaha hihihooooo
Un,
Zaha came to England when he was 4, went to school in Thornton Heath, has a British passport, played for England at U-19, U-21 levels, and was called up by Woy to the senior squad (didn’t play).
Maybe not English enough for an ethnic purist, but English enough to have represented England.
Let’s be honest, the England team fluke the World Cup. They were well organised, difficult to beat, but they scored mostly from set pieces and could not control games. As soon as they met a team who could play football on the ground and control the midfield they folded: Belgium x2, Croatia. What the academy are now very good at is spotting and using the players with natural talent. Most of the new feted English players are inner city kids. Those youngsters have played on inner city concrete jungle in 5 a side game against bigger players since they were… Read more »
Val slept in a stable, thinks he’s a horse now
———
Well… Pierre played #10 once 40 years ago thinks he is Pep Guardiola now, so to each his own brother.
lool Unai I’m prob not English either
I’m born here to Nigerian parents
“Maybe not English enough for an ethnic purist, but English enough to have represented England.”
Never met a fellow more bothered with Nationalities than Battle Angel. Worse than some Americans.
I mean you can be proud of your country but to make out everyone else is inferior is just wrong.
“lool Unai I’m prob not English eitherI’m born here to Nigerian parents”
You are a muggle Left
If you watch the TV show “Who do you think you are?”, You’ll find that very few white English people are 100% English.
Most people are descendants of immigrants.
For some it is just more visible than others.
God forbid Receding
“God forbid Receding”
Not conversant with Harry Porter??
Anyway it was tongue in cheek
Bear in mind though we will require you to have a Nigerian Visa before you can enter “our” country, in the absence of that a bribe at the airport will suffice
Words
Clearly you haven’t been keeping up
If I were an ethnic purist I’d not claim that welbeck, nelson, willock, Ox Theo and all were english would I? They were born here. They have at least one English parent each.
Zaha was not and has not. He is not English, I do t care how many English buddies he has
I’ve got a lot of Aussie mates and lived there for year. What percentage of Aussie does that make me?
What rubbish
As Homo sapiens we all originate from east Africa but we have evolved differently due to climate, diet and habitat.
Left
How do you identify? I’d consider you English unless you yourself didn’t.
To be honest even though I’m retired I just don’t seem to have the time that others have about the knowledge some have re players world wide. Marko was always fun to read even when he was to loquacious re certain points. Holiday or binned I’ll certainly look forward to seeing him back here, especially if he learns to separate paragraphs. Same as I was to see Cesc A back. Dog fights here can be fun, but solid player and club info addressed here saves a lot of Internet time I just don’t have these days and had even less… Read more »
Valentin
You don’t have to be 100% English to be English
I’m not.
Not even close. But to claim zaha is more English than Ivorian is just tosh. He’s not even a little bit English. Not a slither.
RH
Nah, that was one of the films I strayed from growing up but I knew you was jesting!
I got two passports though, although I haven’t been to Nigeria in ages now. “Our” – lol! yes ours.
I’m Nigerian and British to d worrrld
I have 3 passports, my father had 4. One of my sisters has a nationality which I don’t.
Fortunately, according to each respective Home Office (who make the rules), we are 100% each nationality. Whether one of us feels more this nationality or that nationality is immaterial.
Or are you CG Pedro?
Only when he puts his Lippy and high heels on
Tough day for Valentinnosebest.
For two weeks every year I go to Greece – I must be 4% Greek. Opa!
Un,
According to your criteria, I think that Jando Sancho from Trinidad and Tobago.
Joe Willock is from Mont-Serrat.
Callum Hudson-Odoi is Ghanean.
“I got two passports though, although I haven’t been to Nigeria in ages now. “Our” – lol! yes ours.”
Can’t say i blame you. We have more people getting out than coming in, Frankly i would have fcked off myself but still trying
I mean you can be proud of your country but to make out everyone else is inferior is just wrong.
Rh
What the hell are you blathering about?? Has everyone gone insane or something?
Welbeck, Theo, willock nelson are English
Zaha, bellerin, Hargreaves, Ryan Giggs are not. See how this works?
Raheem Sterling is from Jamaica, maan.
I love to India with my wife
We have 3 more children who are all born and educated in India. They are white and speak English at home.
Are they Indian?
Unai,
I feel both, but I say I’m English when I want to wind up my parents. I’ve never lived in any other country. I grew up in a Nigerian household and around fellow Nigerians so I’m heavily influenced and involved in that. When I sign my documents I have to disclose as British African after all.
Move to India
Highbury legend,
Why tough day?
Because you have to have to customary remark valentinosebest. It is childish the first time and repeating it does not make it funnier.
“I love to India with my wife”
?????????
Left
I get it and I’m playing devils advocate here but why does it wind them up for you to claim you’re English?
Jamie
Was Sterling not born here?
“Move to India”
Oh
Well its makes them both English and Indian. It’s up to them really, especially if you name them any Sanjeev
What are you Don?
You sound a bit of a mongrel or bitsa
Bits of this and bits of that. 🙂
Irish and ?
Un, I’m not keeping up? Like Stirling, who also wasn’t born in England and came to London as a young kid, Zaha played for England at youth level and played. He was also called up at senior level, but (unlike Stirling) never played. He has a British passport, unlike some (probably not all) your Australian friends. That, at least from a football point of view, and for many people, from an overall point of view, makes him English. As a dual national, he is allowed to play for his country of origin. because he was getting passed over for selection,… Read more »