Day one of the season is about to start. This year it’s exciting. The major worry on my mind is that despite having a very good window, we had a very late one. The majority of our BIG signings aren’t match fit and all of them will need more time to integrate.
Additionally, it’s going to be a bumpy few months as the team gels and a new style emerges*
(*prays there’s a new style emerging).
Unfortunately, we don’t really have time on our hands. We have a beastly opening 6 weeks, Liverpool and Spurs are the two really tough games, but we also have to deal with Burnley and Watford away. There’s a huge Manchester United game at the end of September, that one really will be a tone-setter for the top 4 race this season.
Tierney is going to reintegrate into training in 4-6 weeks, so our left side is going to be a bit of an issue. Hopefully, David Luiz can start a little sooner having had a full preseason with Chelsea.
Looking at the squad, the only new player we’re likely to see start tomorrow is Dani Ceballos, and even then I’m not totally sure of it. If we’re rolling with the same players from last season, there’s a risk it could be a bit of a grim start as others work on their fitness.
What I am FASCINATED about is which young kids are the chosen ones. You could argue that Iwobi was a useful player that we didn’t really plan to lose, so, therefore, don’t have a backup for. We are certainly looking light for experienced players upfront.
So who takes his back-up role? Will we see ESR this season? Will Saka land some minutes? There must be an anointed successor because Pepe can’t play all the games.
I also really hope that Willock is a regular fixture this season. He looks ready, he had a great preseason, and I think his mobility and attacking threat could be very useful.
It’s also a big year for Mesut Ozil. He has a great squad of players to work with now and he appears to have put his EMERY OUT banner back in his Fortnite rucksack (did you see the kid that won the world cup of Fortnite earned $3m?). We know he can be the best in the business when he wants it. What will we see in November? Fannying out of challenges? Or racking up assists to feed his militant army of believers?
The exciting thing about this squad is we have an entirely new dynamic built around pace and an attacking threat… even our new centre back drops big game chances. It’s a tantalising thought that a defender like that will reduce our reliance on Xhaka.
A lingering problem that Emery is refusing to address is the captains’ armband. The group captaincy approach really is an odd way to think about leadership, especially after it worked so badly against us in the last campaign. The current group sits at three, Emery assuring us he’s going to wait and see who exits the building in the next 20 odd days before he decides.
“At the moment we have three captains: Xhaka, Mesut and Nacho, and I want to take two more because my opinion is the same as it was in the pre-season with five.
“I want to be with my squad clearly to have two more. At the moment we have three captains and I think they have the capacity to give us possibilities as captain.”
Even the most ardent Emery fan must be scratching their head at that list. You have one of the most error-prone players in the team on the list, someone who can’t go to big away games, and a left-back that is a true warrior, but also getting on a bit and quite injury prone.
David Luiz looking like the most standout figure when it comes to the armband, even if he is green to the club. #5 should probably be Hector Bellerin. He’s everything you want from a leader and I think there would likely be universal approval for a move like that.
Broader point… a leadership shared is a leadership that is NOT respected. Hierarchies in sport and business are important, this hippy commune approach to a badly damaged institution at Arsenal seems more about not making a decision than anything else.
At the time of writing this, the season has started and it appears Liverpool and City will be good this season. Some great goals in both games, the real concern early on is the way the Premier League is implementing VAR.
‘YOU WANTED ACCURATE FUCK WE’LL GIVE YOU ACCURATE’ is maybe a touch too extreme when it comes to the enforcement of the rules.
In the City game, every goal was checked, the keepers footwork on the penalty and the fouls inside the box. All the decisions were correct, but the time lag was inappropriate. Calling an offside for millimeters felt petty, but again, correct.
A few thoughts on this.
If we’re going to get militant about decisions, we have to bring the fans along. That waiting screen is the equivalent of internet buffering when you’re trying to watch your AV videos on Youtube… just show me the fucking Dreamliner stupid internet. Show the fans what the refs are looking at, give a little transparency, otherwise the in-ground experience is going to drive people away.
I also think cross-checking every single goal is a bit extreme. I don’t know how you get around that. There’s no middle ground when it comes to fact. I wonder if they work a Hawkeye sort of system where managers get two calls a game? I also wonder why they’re still allowing humans to manage the process. Shouldn’t IBM have Watson looking at these decisions? Why do we need a layer of officiating over the game? If we’re going black and white, let AI work it out.
I will say that the penalty save from Fabianski was rightly called back. For me, it’s baffling that refs and linesmen almost NEVER call the encroachment out of the box. But again, why did we need to wait so long to call it, the player left the line, you don’t even need a video ref to call that out.
All in all, we need VAR. Too many big decisions have been incorrect over the years. They just need to be flexible in ironing out the kinks. They also need to address them rapidly, let’s not wait a year to deal with the elephant in the room. If it’s laborious or boring to get to ‘right’, then the argument will be that maybe we should just accept injustice.
I truly believe they will find a middle ground. Well, I hope they do, otherwise the game is in trouble.
Right, I’m off to watch the MIGHTY VILLA spank Spurs this afternoon.
See you in the comments x
He offers nothing on here. People should learn to ignore him. He is simply trying to ruin the experience for everyone.
Likewise Vic same to you
I can’t wait till we are in full flow and our strongest team is out there, it will be interesting to see how we fare. We got to praise the good work of the club, before the summer we were clearly 6th best in squad quality. Now we’re probably at least 4th. Hopefully the only way is up.
I want to win the league
I dont want to win an ugly 1-0 against hopeless Newcastle.
Enjoy the Loosers Cup with The Clown
Thursday 1800 GMT
CG I think it is best for everyone if you leave this blog and escape with a strapping young lad with great teeth and big bulging calves.
Supporting Arsenal clearly provides you with no joy as you can see the good in every other club outside your own. You’ll be blessed and better off that way.
Yes, off you pop Crazy Git.
Goodbye CG.
Spurs are streets ahead of us To say they are not – is total delusion’Yeah CG, considering they tore us to pieces in the two league games against them last season.And kudos to the dude hyping Mustafi over Luiz, how I envy your knowledge of football.Then shit show today from Arsenal, no speed of passing, no ability to open up Newcastle at the back, no superiority in possession. You would have been forgiven if you had thought we had no pre season.Mikki seems like something needs to be screwed properly in his brains. One moment he is brilliant, the next… Read more »
A bit worried about Manure’s eventual rise this season, I must admit…
Let CG be, we will need the comic relief when things turn hot inside the season.
ES is even annoyed.
I won’t worry about ManU yet. They won but didn’t convince just like last season.
It’s like people don’t listen or want to see on here. Today the Arsenal CBs were not busy. They were tidy. The Newcastle striker Joelinton was isolated throughout the match and didn’t get in the game. Newcastle were hardly an offensive threat until that Maxim winger came on. The problem with Chambers and has always been the case is he can struggle with direct physical challenges. Today in between sweeping up tidily at the back he had two real direct physical challenges in the match and he lost out on both. First he lost out in a headed duel with… Read more »
”Sarri was absolutely going to be sacked by Chelsea. It was everywhere. If he didn’t receive the letter then it’s because he left before they gave it to him.”
And gave up a few million pounds that he would receive if he was sacked? Very noble of him.
After OGS was assigned he was in a 12 game streak of 10 wins and 2 draws. ALOT of these games were won by luck. Then we ended their streak by beating their asses and OGS signed a contract. Including the loss vs us, they went on to lose 5 games, draw 2 and win 2 in their final 9 games of the season. 5 losses in 9 games. That’s a form of a bottom 3 team. What I’m saying is that their team isn’t better than last year, and OGS isn’t a top manager. They are a form team… Read more »
Graham 62
How can anyone be annoyed with CG when we read CGs pearls of wisdom analysis of Chelsea in his post at 17.27 today.
This was of course posted before Chelsea lost the game 4-0 to a very average
Man Utd.
My garden shed just collapsed (Graham).
Well tell CG to stop playing on it with his space hopper.
Unaai
You’ve got a cheek to claim I’ve a hard on for David Luiz simply because I recognise his competence having played for Chelsea, PSG, and Brazil at the highest level.
Here you are trying to rewrite Calum Chambers who’s greatest career achievement to date is POTY at Fulham…..as a central midfielder.
He’s played 100 PL games and you’re still going to bat for him being ‘untested’ and ‘given no chance’? Lol what are you on about mate haha.
”Sarri was absolutely going to be sacked by Chelsea. It was everywhere. If he didn’t receive the letter then it’s because he left before they gave it to him.”
Err and where did he end up?
Ishola 70
The one concern I have about Guendouzi is that needs to be subbed around
70th minute. His performance levels tends to decline in last 20 minutes as
was case today.
Guen’s minutes need to managed this season
He is a gung ho type player and burn out is always a concern
cant wait for Luiz and Guen to play together. Most will be quite confused
Im not sure how to describe CG except that CG lives in his own universe
Lives by CG rules
Has only CG hopes and dreams
CG is the king of his created castle
on bringing his new signings off the bench rather than starting them… “I explained yesterday that the circumstances are different. David Luiz did pre-season with another team and he is okay to play physically but he only trained completely with us yesterday. On Friday he did 30 minutes with us. I was thinking to give them confidence to work together because they were working well together, Sokratis and Chambers. Nicolas Pepe came one week ago and physically he needs to get his best fitness to be ready to play 100 per cent for 90 minutes. I think that today 20… Read more »
ES Guendouzi got through a lot of work today. He was the busiest Arsenal player on the pitch so him tiring somewhat could be seen as understandable. He showed promise today in that his off the ball play was pretty good compared to a lot of last season but he still looks like he has mistakes in him but there is hope that he can be a midfielder that is actually going to be adept at effective pressing which the Arsenal midfield has lacked for a good while. Considering he’s only 20 years old there is hope of an effective… Read more »
Ishola 70
I was not a fan of Guendouzi last season, but I agree that he had a decent game today.
However, his performance level does decline in last 20 minutes of games and for that reason he should be subbed when that happens.
UnaaiYou’ve got a cheek to claim I’ve a hard on for David Luiz simply because I recognise his competence having played for Chelsea, PSG, and Brazil at the highest level. Cc Na you clearly admire him. Good for you. I’m not trying to change your mind. And you won’t change mine. I don’t even think he’s that awful. See how it goes I think it would be unfair to drop either centre half just yet though unless their performance level merit it. If either slips up or Luiz clearly plays better than either when deployed then drop one but if… Read more »
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1164403/Arsenal-news-Dani-Ceballos-Jose-Mourinho-Sky-Sports/amp
Jose not a big admirer of ceballos
Un na nai
Yes he did.
For me anyone praising that slimebag that is Rhys is should ashamed of himself.
I remember reading that post that he put up before he got banned.. It was direct slander vs Pedro. He was an AKB through and through and Pedro did the right thing of banning him as he started to encroach on his real life and pestered Pedders.
So spare any praise for Ryhs.
Rhys, my oh my, he’d send actual hate mail to me.
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/football/blog/2019/aug/11/nicolas-pepe-arsenal-newcastle-united
AMN receiving high praise
His epic rant about Pedro all those years ago.. incredible. Dude was so upset.
Pedro
I am not even surprised that he has done that. I still remember that long never ending post of his before you binned him for good. It was shocking to the core to see such a hate filled man. The reason for which we are totally vindicated of (the TW at least, Raul pulled a blinder; Unai still meh for me until he proves otherwise).
Fuck bullies.
Just to return to Arsenal’s performance and team selection, this afternoon.
I felt the lineup was a little bit meh but it held together against a very quite limited Newcastle.
At full strength you’d also imagine that Willock and Nelson drop out, though I was rather impressed with Willock tenacity on a few occasion; and when he lost possession but won it back from Shelby
“Jose not a big admirer of ceballos”
He will always be an Arsenal hater, period.
Glad to start the season with an away win and a clean sheet away from home.
Not too fussed about the level of the performance or analyzing tactics in that side because frankly I think out of all of them by the time everyone is available only Leno, Sokratis, Xhaka and Aubameyang will likely be starting from that side today.
Really looking forward to seeing this team when Bellerin, Luiz, Tierney, Torreira, Dani Ceballos, Pepe, Lacazette etc are all fully fit.
CA
Perhaps in a few weeks we will see what the style and personality of this team will be… right now too early
I do hope Mustafi leaves… with Holding on the mend- Luiz,…. the writing is on the wall.
We are stuck with Nozil unless he gets pressure from his wife perhaps to move somewhere else….
Important win.
Manure, the spuds, city and pool all won, but a) they were all playing at home, b) their squads are already fit.
Sorry, City was playing away.
The gap level between City and the other teams is already frightening….
Good article
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2019/aug/11/nicolas-pepe-arsenal-newcastle-united
Sorry didn’t read the thread, already posted.
Un ai
“”””Jose not a big admirer of ceballos””””
It is no surprise – he is of that opinion.
Cebollas looks like an extra in that film Dallas Buyers Club.Or something that the cat has brought in.
Why do we persist in recruiting such flimsy and feeble looking players?
We have learnt this summer- that Raul loves the limelight. ( just a tad- hahahahahaha)
will he turn to Jose – when Emery is sacked?
If he can sell you Luiz
he can sell you Jose!
David Luiz was not fit. It was explained before the game that not only did he miss 10 days of Chelsea training, he had been ostracised by Lampard and trained with the kids.
Added the fact that he had only one proper training session with the team, it was logical not to start with him today.
Who starts in two weeks time will give us a better view of who Emery considers as his first pairing. Chambers may also play well enough or badly enough to force Emery’s choice.
Guns of SF
Some weird stuff going on with Ozil and Kolasinac, I think there’s more to this than it seems.
The stories now are that they are caught up in gang rivalry or something.
I would imagine Arsenal will investigate and if either have associated themselves with less than savoury characters I would imagine they will be far from impressed.
That’s Emery’s first choice LB until Tierney is fit and our highest paid player unavailable because of ‘gang complications’.
“I want to win the league” Really?!?………..lol!!!!!! All I want is a club I have a connection with and are making an effort to progress. At this stage, that’s all I ask for. In A.D. 2018, we were left in an absolute shithole by a regime that had fcuked us all big time, bled the club dry and taken us all for fools. No, it didn’t all happen after 2015 as some want us to think. The foundations were laid in A.D. 2006. Here we are just over one year later winning a game at mighty Newcastle with a new… Read more »
My fear is that Chelsea could concede over 50 goals this season
Made a clanger keeping Zumba ..
We won’t win league for sure.
But to fin in top 3 will be a gigantic leap .and show much for next season.
Dismal.
You’ve been warned..
Tuck it in a bit,
8-2.
A.D. 2011.
How was everyone feeling after that pretty display?
CG?
Any constructive input from your side?
Graham
“””””All I want is a club I have a connection with and are making an effort to progress. At this stage, that’s all I ask for.”””””
x 3 league titles
x 7 Fa Cups
x 7 Charity Shields
Connect with That!
you will be dead ( and so will I ) before we add to that tally
You Old Goat!
Stroller
Duplicate posts.. you been on the fruity Ribena celebrating our win…
Good on yer.
Got to say
Chambers plated well today.
Dismal
You’ve crossed the line sir..
Your being blocked lad.
Graham
Bitnlike the old arsenal
Emery on Chambers and the defence: “They played him as centre-back in a three, in a two and they played him as a midfielder. From pre-season, he deserved to play today in the first XI and he was very focused and with Sokratis was also very serious. “I want to have very competitive players in each position. With David Luiz, with Holding when he is coming back to help us, with training regularly and playing with the under-23s because he will play again tomorrow. “And with Hector Bellerin, one month more. Today we also had Sead out and the injury… Read more »
Agreed Freddie, Mustafi is getting further and further away from the starting 11. If we never see him again in an Arsenal shirt, that would be for the best.. Mhiki and Xhaka next…..a new dawn!
G62
making an effort to progress
I was speaking to a couple of Gooners at the Gunners pub before kick off, and, when i mentioned this, they both agreed. Our consensus was that what Raul pulled off in the TW was definitively the right step in the right direction.
Now it’s all in Emery’s hands. He better not fuck it up lije5 he did (and the players) at the end of last season.
I can see that it’ll take at least two more games for Ceballos and Pepe to establish more chemistry with their teammates. Willock didn’t disappoint. He has a good engine. Reiss should play like a winger. Instead, he kept moving inside and played as an inside forward. He could play himself out of the starting 11. Guen is a good runner. He had a lot of the ball. But defensively, he was weak. I feel much more secure with Torr or Willock playing his position. Our game moved faster once Ceballos was introduced. It is expected that a few of… Read more »
Let’s not kid ourselves. We were OK throughout the game but Newcastle were very weak overall.
But is a solid base to build on.
Onwards and Upwards.
CG You NEVER EVER have an answer! Hiding behind the chair again are we? I asked you a very simple question. How did you feel after that 8-2 debacle? Come on, let’s be honest. How did you perceive things back in 2011 after that result? Were you a happy bunny? What direction did you think the club was going? Oh yeh and by the way, you forgot to include the Emirates Cup wins in your listing. You only seem to get agitated when you’re cornered. Why is that? In denial? Refusing to accept how bad things really were? Starting to… Read more »
Honestly the club would sell for 15m if they get it for mustafi
CGAugust 11, 2019 16:46:31
Lampard Jnr. has Chelsea more fluent in 2 months ( and with a transfer ban) than our Clown in 2 seasons.Striking.
I’ve only been back to Legrove for 5 mins and I can see CG is still in top form
Throughout the transfer window the dick heads couldn’t stop posting through the night, such was their excitement
We play
We win away
Keep a clean sheet
Fucking dead
Conclusion
Transfer windows are more important Sri certain posters than the football itself
I get it, I get it, I get it!! You accepted the 8-2 because we were bound to progress under Mr Wenger. Is that right? You had faith in the master. Am I correct in this assumption? You accepted the fact that we were becoming a laughing stock because you genuinely believed and trusted in the regime to sort it all out. You tolerated abject misery for a few community shields( glorified friendlies) and , for the most part, some devalued domestic cup wins. The league wins were pre-A.D.2006, so don’t count Super-duper! Bravo! Give yourself a wee pat on… Read more »
Rspc Yeah, it’s back to the old sellable assets thing that CC and Don likes to bring up just because Everton did a madness and overpaid for Iwobi it doesn’t prove anything. He was a player we would have preferred to keep but the offer was just too good. I’m sure we could have sold Auba, Laca and Torreira too if we wanted to but we don’t. The problem is the players we want to ship out, they’re the unsellable ones, unless we sell on the cheap and even then some of them looks unlikely to leave because they’re on… Read more »
Remember folks my shed collapsed so I’m slightly peeved.
Cesc
My understanding is that Ozil and Kolasinac have been targeted as wealthy Eastern- European connected individuals by gangs who operate out of tha5 area. There is no suggestion they are involved in the gang warfare themselves.
I believe Ozil’s wife is pregnant so he will be very conscious of wanting to ensure she is properly protected. Kolasinac’s wife has already left the country .
Both players might be deemed surplus to requirements and might be allowed to leave, in the circumstances
Graham,
And CC’s MacBook got stolen. To be honest it’s always like this in life. Arsenal had a top transfer window and just won their first game but life’s gonna find something else to keep you away of full happiness. Then your personal life is gonna be fine and Arsenal will lose/draw. It’s how it works sadly…
Just had the most retarded idea in the world.
Imagine if Don Raul came up with a plan how to get rid of/sell/give away Ozil and Kolasinac. Taking the ruthlessness to a whole new level.
12 year old
“Welcome back utASS..Been a while hope you doing good mate”
We gonna be friends this season mate ?!
Up the Arse.
Before this summer, Kolasinac’s previous club Schalke was looking to take him back for £25m. If it is true that his wife has gone back to Germany due to safety fear… it will be very difficult to keep him. I expect one of the Bundesliga teams to make an opportunistic move before September. Remember before he joined us he was the left back of the year over there… Shame, he would have been a decent player to fill in until Tierney was fit… Joel Lopez, the former Barcelona trainee is very young… I guess it will have to be Monreal… Read more »
Freddie Just so you’re aware mate, the fact Arsenal sold players and recouped good money is the literal proof of the claims we…..could get money for the players on the books and “wages” was a pony excuse in all but a couple of cases. Window still open for us to trim further, ergo we have sellable assets. It’s like us finishing 1 point behind 3rd place last season, finishing level on points with 4th, and some folk talking absolute rubbish about us not having a squad to compete for top 4. You can’t argue reality, but here we are and… Read more »
‘It’s like us finishing 1 point behind 3rd place last season, finishing level on points with 4th, and some folk talking absolute rubbish about us not having a squad to compete for top 4. You can’t argue reality, but here we are and some still try to.’
Bravo.
CC, what you thinking about this season? Can Emery unlock the special sauce?
CC Can’t remember anyone claim that Iwobis wages was a problem, he was one of the few players left on reasonable wages by the old regime. I’m sure there was plenty of other players we would have sold before Iwobi, he actually contributed to the team last season and is still young, homegrown and has the potential to improve. The unsellables doesn’t. Everton going mad proves nothing. We hardly got any massive fees for anyone else did we? Bielik the only other high fee and he’s also a young player with potential on low wages. Is the proof that our… Read more »
Pedro I’m encouraged by the summers activity, we’re firmly 3/4th best squad in the league now – a whole level above Chelsea and United for me. Spotlight is firmly on Emery, I’d like to think he’s capable and we’re going to go from strength to strength but I don’t see it. We’ll be better, but i’d be very surprised if the season ends with us believing in consensus that Unai is the one to take us up a level. Maybe he himself can rise to the challenge and earn another season? if he does then he’ll deserve it and I’ll… Read more »
The funny thing with that new ManUtd team is that it would be a perfect Mourinho team. Set to defend deep and counter-attack at pace and in numbers.
They even got Maguire that he so desperately wanted last summer. To add insult to injury, they pay more for him than they were willing to pay last summer.
admittedly from the Sun but still: “Things have got so bad for Ozil that his wife fled to Germany saying she would never come back. They also state that two men were arrested outside Ozil’s house at the weekend as they threatened to rob him of everything. Things seem to have escalated between rival gangs as a rival gang of Eastern Europeans have branded the duo as being off limits and any further attacks on the players will not be tolerated.” Say what you will about Ozil but this must be terrible for him, Kola and their families. Can see… Read more »
Freddie Yea, see you can hide behind gash like “Everton going mad proves nothing”, but again, when the question is whether the squad has talent to turnover for money to bring new talent in…..its a really daft counter to dismiss a literal example of said talent bringing in said money. Elneny can still be sold, Mustafi can still be sold, Xhaka could’ve been sold to Inter if we wanted to entertain it, Kolasinac can still be sold. The whole bluster about us having players who can’t be sold because of their wages is literally about Ozil and Mkhi. And folk… Read more »
Lampard really disappointed me today. I understand that he was dealing with lots of injury, but his setup really played into ManUtd hands. Teams that has enjoyed success against ManUtd have been team that have man mark Pogba out of the game. No more easy floating long balls for an onrushing Martial or Rashford. Going to Old Trafford and think that you can outplay ManUtd is hubris and or stupidity. Chelsea are not ManCity or Liverpool. Especially without Hazard to create magic out of nothing. Defend deep and use Abraham pace and strength to create opportunities. Tammy Abraham will have… Read more »
CC,
I love the new squad. I think we’ve made some very sharp signings. Really excited to see how the team develops, and really… whether Emery can move things along.
I’m not sure he has it in him, but United and Chelsea look so bad, top 4 should be a given.
Question is, if we make top 4 with drab football, will they keep him on?
Valentin, what you saying about Arsenal?
CC You don’t seem to get it, it’s the players we actually wants sold that are difficult/impossible to sell. Selling Iwobi for good money doesn’t prove anything. The wasters are still here. yes there is a possibility that Elneny, Mustafi and Mikhi will leave, it won’t be for decent money though. Because they’re overpaid and a bit shit… It’s also possible that Kola and Ozil will move on now with the troubles they’ve had, without that they would have stayed. I don’t actually want us to sell Kola since we’re light in LBs until Tierney is back and has adapted… Read more »
Freddie, you think they’re going to run away?
Have my doubts. They earn fortunes, they’ll just pay for protection.
Pedro
They apparently have 24 hour protection now but their wives has still left, that’s no way to live even if you’re making good money. It’s not like they’ll be penniless if they move somewhere else where they won’t get harassed in their daily lives and puts their family in danger.
We’ll see, before this latest news I wasn’t expecting either of them to move this window, now I’m not so sure.
Freddie, yeah, I suppose. What a nightmare. Ozil fucking with the wrong people on Fortnite.
Pedro I’ve thought about that outcome, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Emery get his third year activated, because perhaps the new setup will feel it delivers some continuity, and some competence (albeit limited), and they’d be able to further fatten the squad to elite levels without any unsettling. Then maybe we’ll see season three be the summer of new direction for the club with them prioritising a new manager after putting a squad together that can feasibly challenge for a title or thereabouts. All I know is that on the face of this summer we are trending in… Read more »
All these incidences about rival gangs and biker gangs will definitely give London a black eye. They better clean this up ASAP.
I thought AMN and guendouzi both had fabulous games yesterday
That’s the first time I’ve seen AMN play like he’s hungry and he was next level. In the first 20 minute she misplaced a few passes and I thought here we go again, but after that he was brilliant and his contribution for the goal typified it. More of that please!
And guendouzi completely controlled the game, especially in the second half when he started carrying the ball more and Link defense and midfield
Great stuff
“It’s also possible that Kola and Ozil will move on now with the troubles they’ve had, without that they would have stayed“ Nice and convenient that. You’ll have to remind me how many clubs sell their dross for mad money. We got 35 mil for Iwobi, yet here you are talking like we’ve had to sacrifice a limb to earn a bit of coin. Iwobi was a squad player, he won’t be missed. Again, who are the players we’re unable to sell because of their wages outside Ozil and Mkhi? You’re skewing the argument by going on about us getting… Read more »
Pedro, I must admit that I really thought that we were going to end up with just Pepe at an inflated price. The transfer window has been decent. I like Pepe even if people are likely to be slightly disappointed because he is really a counter-attacking machine and against compact defense he will have to change his game. I like David Luiz, because his distribution is great. His long ball to the wingers is majestic and is an improvement on Mustafi misplaced 5 yards paases. Ceballos will improve us on Elneny, but I cannot see him being here next season.… Read more »
CC “Nice and convenient that” I doubt the players and their families agree with you on that. Kola is on 120k , Mustafi on a 100k, do you think we will get good money for them that will allow us to replace them? Also Ozil and Mikhi and their wages are the 2 biggest obstacles for us to progress, imagine if we had a top quality Cam and winger instead of those 2, do you think any money we could get for them gets us decent replacements? convenient to leave those 2 out of your argument. Elneny isn’t on massive… Read more »
Valentin, yeah, the super agent thing is nice when it’s players like Pepe, but I worry about what’s going on there.
A great window, remains to be seen if Emery can activate the players before we’re 15 points behind the league leaders
“convenient to leave those 2 out of your argument“ I’ve left nobody out, I’ve said the argument about our players being overpaid and unsellable is bogus predicated on Ozil and Mkhi. Nobody else fits in that remit at all, and it is a lazy stick used to beat the old regime with. Not to mention it was a further appeal at pity for the new lot. Mustafi is on 90k, nowhere have I seen it noted as 100k so kindly provide the source on that, and if you’ve seen this argument rehashed previously you’ll be aware that Mamadou Sakho was… Read more »
To say this is a lively blog is understating it in truth. There’s nothing wrong with having different points of view and defending them when we think we are right (and we always think we are right) but there seems to be genuine hatred here between some posters, maybe it should be reserved for spuds and un**ed supporters. But I guess personality clashes are inevitable when two or more homo sapiens gather. Anyway back to football matters. As already stated here last night’s victory was not pretty to watch but I don’t think anyone expected 5-0 with the team we… Read more »
Ok, so it looks like it’s 90k, only 60k too much then for someone of his qualities. Good for Liverpool that they managed to get good money for one of their players, could you kindly provide me with a link to us refusing 26m for Mustafi? The only link for an exit for him is a very flaky report that Monaco were interested. Emery has even had to state publicly that we want him to leave now after telling him twice before, still no clubs putting in a bid for him. It’s no an appeal at pity it’s an appeal… Read more »
“Good for Liverpool that they managed to get good money for one of their players, could you kindly provide me with a link to us refusing 26m for Mustafi?“
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.skysports.com/amp/football/news/11670/11011997/inter-milan-make-new-offer-for-arsenals-shkodran-mustafi
Oh, so close, that article was from 2017, guess what genius was in charge of transfers then? Do you have one from this season because that’s when we want to sell him, the new non deluded manager has even been forced to state it publicly because he refuses to move. You think the squad left behind by Wenger was good enough (for what I’m not sure) for me only 4 players of that 25 man squad are good enough going forward, Bellerin, Holding, Laca and Auba. That’s a lot of turnover needed, some will be done internally but the rest… Read more »
What do we do with AMN?
IMO, he was Arsenal’s MOTM. While attacking, and when he is concentrating, he is 50% more creative than FashionMonkey Bellerin. Defensively, he is 50% more stronger than FM Bellerin. He tackles as well, or as poorly, as Bellerin does. Yet, RB is not his natural position.
What do we do with AMN?
Freddie There’s you moving goalposts again. The argument was whether Mustafi was impossible to sell on his massive wages, Inter Milan wanted him two years ago on the same wages for 27 mil. This window he looks to be negotiating a move away, so it would appear the idea about him being unsellable is pure nonsense. Who would have thought. “You think the squad left behind by Wenger was good enough (for what I’m not sure) for me only 4 players of that 25 man squad are good enough going forward, Bellerin, Holding, Laca and Auba” Uhh, good one? The… Read more »
Moving goalposts? Sure, we just need a time machine to accept Inters bid then. Again, it’s now we want to sell him, not when Wenger deemed him good enough to start for us. I have seen nothing about him negotiating a move away, but if he is all the better because he is clearly not wanted at the club, rightly so. Still have my doubts we’ll get a decent fee for him. Isn’t the goal to compete for the league again? How are we supposed to do that if we are either forced to keep overpaid players or not getting… Read more »
That was a pretty turgid game yesterday. But the weather and the fact it was the first game of the season helped deliver that up. Much of our first XI was missing, so it was always going to be about getting the result away from home, which we did. What have we learnt? Not much about our own side yet, but we’ve seen that Liverpool and City are carrying on where they left off. Spuds, Man U, us and Chelsea for the CL places again – if Emery embeds the new players in and we keep key players fit (eg… Read more »