Arteta close. Don’t f**k it up.

by .

You gotta love Arsenal.

Vinnai: ‘Yoooo, where shall we meet?’

Arteta: ‘Come to mine, but please, be discreet’

For fuck’s sake, Vinny. What are you playing at? You look like you’ve just performed a tactical chunder after Jaeger Bomb number 6 – the concerned look of a man worried he’s just soiled the tyre of a local gangster.

There are conspiracy theories doing the rounds that the above etiquette was so outrageously amateur, it might have been a ploy to flush out Pochettino.

Don’t be ridiculous. This is just a mistake. Top execs never want to be perceived as sloppy.

Also, let’s square this noise with Poch. The man wasted the last two years of his Spurs career so he could be the first manager in the new stadium. Do we really think that this summer, when he can freely move, he’s going to turn down City, Bayern and PSG to pick up our shit show for half his market value? I very much doubt it.

… but, back to the main story. All the winds are blowing in the direction of Arteta. He had Huss and Vinnai over to his house. I hear he laid on homemade sangria to set the tone… left Shakespeare, Orwell, and Amis on the coffee table to denote the sophistication of his British prose, and he had the Gervais series of The Office running in the background as a subtle dig at some of the goings-on of Unai Emery. The man gets it, he truly does, he even rocked a Savile Row 3 piece, the boy knows what the fans want. Taking the meeting in a home location as well, stunning, the man clearly rolling hard on the 3 free articles a month on HBR, Mikel, may I suggest Team of Rivals; Doris Kearns, a leadership classic, it blew my fucking mind. What a man Big Abe was, could he organise a back four on a cold night in Stoke, no doubt, no doubt.

This appears to be the 2nd or 3rd round of interviews according to reports. We are shifting into 5th gear heading into the final straight, Carlo Ancelloti has just swerved off the road into an Everton shaped puddle, this could be the real deal.

Never underestimate a gigantic fuck up, but this time, it looks like we could see Mikel Arteta at The Arsenal.

Rumours have it that City are upset about how Arsenal conducted themselves, so we’ll be paying out a fee to release the Spaniard, but they’re going to play ball. I would guess there might also be some conversations about when the start date needs to be as well. Does he step into the flames considering the next two weeks worth of fixtures? Or do the club start him in the new year? My guess, the sooner they can get him into the club, the better. We’re a complete mess.

I also suspect he’ll fancy his chances at making the top 4 this season.

This move is absolutely huge for Arsenal. It’d be a step in the right direction. We’re at a low ebb as a club, we’re not going to be able to buy our way out this summer, our only chance of a bright future is to rely on a coach that can develop our exciting young players and see out the senior dross in a Game of Thrones blood bath.

If Arteta signs, which I hope he does, he basically has a 7 month preseason (similar to Klopp). He’ll have to survey the wreckage of what he’s inherited, begin to implement a vision, and partner with the powers that be on what the rebuild will look like.

The OUT list:

  • Mustafi
  • Sokratis
  • Luiz
  • Ozil
  • Auba

All the above players are in the final year of their deal this summer and all bar Mustafi will be in their 30s by next summer. That makes them easier to move on, see Koscielny’s shit-fit last summer for confirmation that older men worry they are one injury away from having their future value halved. I would also suspect we’ll see exits for Xhaka (shite) and Lacazette (2 years left on deal). There could be £150m in fees up for grabs and £1m a week in wages.

With all that in mind, it is absolutely essential Edu and Cagigao know exactly what they are recruiting for. It’s also important they know the sort of staff they should be building around the new coach.

Mikel Arteta needs to be the real deal. We’ve had the fall guy post-Wenger in Emery. Freddie doesn’t really count. We’ve pushed all our chips onto someone that we hope embodies everything we want out of the game. Possession based attacking football of the future. This could be incredibly exciting if it works out.

The great news is the fans have been primed for the job Arteta has to do. There are no illusions about how hard things are going to be. It’s going to take some time, we’re going to see some bad results, we’re not going to have a title-winning side by March. I’m ok with that because at least we’ll be safe in the knowledge we’re building towards something exciting. No more bums at Arsenal, no more frauds that don’t love the club, it’s all about building a modern superclub with a young, innovative coach.

I think the Bundesliga is a great place to look when it comes to up and coming coaching trends. Klopp was my hipster favourite before Thomas Tuchel, now he’s blowing shit up at Liverpool. The top two teams in Germany are RB Leipzig, who have a sub-35 Nagelsmann at the wheel, and Gladbach, who hired in my RB Salzburg fave, Marco Rose. Both managers, total unknowns 3 years ago, now toppling the mighty Bayern. RB doing it with a squad with an average age of sub 24.

Hiring in Carlo would have been a disaster, the game has passed him by. You need modern thinkers that can see football from a different viewpoint, not Galactico relics. Arsenal needs a coach that work effectively with technology, scientists and analysts to gain a critical edge over their opponents. People that don’t subscribe to old fashioned notions, like ‘making more tackles wins you games.’ The sort of talent that’s moist at the concept of cognition in football. Someone that really pisses off Paul Merson and Matt Le Tissier.

Arteta loves the club.

He understands the culture. He’ll know all the things that are right and he’ll have an idea on how to fix those that are wrong. One thing you’ll never be able to accuse him of is doing things that work just for him. Emery chasing Europa League instead of top 4? Felt like he was doing that for the record books. I’m hoping we have a manager that has the right amount of Arsenal DNA. Remember, he took a pay cut to join and won trophies with us. He cried because he loves us.

Look at that video again, right now.

You back… all welled-up? Wonderful.

As for the players leaking their concerns to The Mirror (supposedly). Fuck em’ if they are real. Pep G took over at Barcelona and shipped out the problem children in his first major job at 38 years old. He told Eto’o, Deco and Ronaldinho to leave, then he built a team for the ages around Messi, utilising exciting young players to make him great. Who cares what our senior players think, they’ve been awful, we need a refresh.

A few people have mentioned that I’ve put my neck on the line for this coach. No doubt, because I believe in the idea. I’d rather shoot for the moon than settle on something that’ll ‘might’ move us a few percentage points forward if we’re lucky. Fuck that. We’ve spent 14 years playing it safe. Our meek fanbase has celebrated ‘influencers’ that warned us to ‘be careful what you wish for.’ How did that pan out? Settling for Wenger’s ‘top 4 trophy’ didn’t move us forward. We let him sink our club into mediocrity under the guise of class, he wasted disgraceful amounts of money, built a soft boy culture, and allowed elite players to leave for nothing because his ego couldn’t handle that top names would earn more money than him. Falling into Emery’s Europa League safety blanket didn’t make things better, his Europa experience wasn’t a benefit, it was a low benchmark our players happily sank below. Freddie is a dreamboat, but we knew he wasn’t right. So let’s try something bold, let’s push the needle, let’s see what all the fuss is about with the most hyped assistant manager in world football.

Could it be any worse than what we have now? No chance… and the upside could be incredible.

… before any of that can happen, let’s see if Arsenal can seal the deal. I was asked on Love Sport yesterday what Josh K would be looking for in a new coach. My guess? Someone that can deliver on ‘be excited’, hopefully, he feels that vibe from Mikel. Let’s see what happens, a young coach with vision took LA to the Super Bowl.

P.S. I’m back in London this week… get in! Now listen to my damn podcast and rate it 5*.

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Pierre

Unai “Unfortunately I think your spot on Cesc!” I thought you would have learnt by now that cesc appeal is never spot on. He is the archetypal modern whinging fan who thinks he knows it all but in reality knows nothing. Slagging off all our players is not my idea of an Arsenal fan… 3/4 months ago he was crowing from the roof tops about how wonderful our transfer window was and how Emery was going to lead us forward to success. And now he has turned full circle and along with the rest of the know nothing’s decide that… Read more »

CG

Artetas In Tray. If he wants to be a success- Just do this lot. 1) Get Ramsey back on Loan ( make him captain) 2)Ostracize Luiz ( poison & ponderous) 3) Play Ozil in home games only. 4)Get Pepe practicing his right foot every day for 6 hours. 5)Remind Bellerin he is an Arsenal player not a CND/Greenpeace supporter. 6) Extend Lenos contract urgently. 7)Ignore Edu- he is now redundant. Basically he is now a scout. Wind him up-send him out to do the Plymouth Argyle games. 8)Outflank Raul – demand a direct line of channel to Josh. 9) Ban… Read more »

Marko

3-3. 10 games undefeated 6 wins on the spin scoring 3 or more. Leipzig look the real deal

habesha gooner

Upamecano can play but defending was questionable. Hakimi was wonderful. He would put bellerin to shame. Sancho and Brandt is nothing new. We could have got some of that talent.

Marc

Pierre

As a true super fan could you give the rest of us some guidelines on how we can become even basic Arsenal fans. Let’s start with a simple one:

How often should you attend matches / How many matches a season should you go to?

Marc

“Come back to me in 3 months time when the new manager has settled in and these same players are playing in a proper system and playing to their full potential.”

Is Cesc allowed to come back in 3 weeks when Arteta has ostracised Ozil, Xhaka and Mustafi from the first team?

Jamie

Pierre deriding Cesc Appeal is just about the funniest shit you’re likely to see on this blog.

Lose the apostrophe in “know nothing’s,” moron.

Gentlebris

Is it not pretty to argue forth and back about Arteta? Like we are having high school debates with smart fors and againsts? Very pretty, I know. Here is the time we should show our collective ambition as supporters and say no way you hand our club over to a rookie with no credentials to asses, especially when for the first time in over 50 years we are swimming with relegation sharks…..the absolute experts who have seen it all. You see, it’s easy to say the Kroenkes are fucking the club but if we laugh merrily about and say let’s… Read more »

Cesc Appeal

I think it’s hilarious that people think you need to have an immovable opinion on something. All players get a chance, all managers get a chance until they’ve proven they are not up to the job. Emery proved he was not up to the job and opinions change on him. Certain members of the squad got a fresh start and proved they were not up to the job. That really is the difference between Arsenal fans and the pro-Wenger rabble. They take pride in obstinate, dogmatic, immovable fandom as if it’s a badge of honour. Even when something’s shit I… Read more »

Guns of SF

) Get Ramsey back on Loan ( make him captain) 2)Ostracize Luiz ( poison & ponderous) 3) Play Ozil in home games only. 4)Get Pepe practicing his right foot every day for 6 hours. 5)Remind Bellerin he is an Arsenal player not a CND/Greenpeace supporter. 6) Extend Lenos contract urgently. 7)Ignore Edu- he is now redundant. Basically he is now a scout. Wind him up-send him out to do the Plymouth Argyle games. 8)Outflank Raul – demand a direct line of channel to Josh. 9) Ban anyone except the players entering into the locker room. 10)Keep it simple…..(.and dont as… Read more »

Marc

“Get Ramsey back on loan”

Why aren’t the physios earning their money – don’t they have enough players to treat?

Cesc Appeal

Domenec Torrent apparently is a favourite to join Arteta’s coaching staff.

Was with Guardiola at Barcelona, Munich and City as an assistant and then was manager at New York City until November.

Certainly much needed experience.

Marc

Cesc

But could he make Sterling a better player?

Cesc Appeal

‘Sounds like you only sing when we’re winning. Don’t like it when it gets a bit tougher do you soft cock?’

If I shared your IQ which is akin to a sock full of rocks I probably would sing and dribble along when things got tough despite obvious causes for the toughness that could be addressed.

Alas, I was not a product of my mother fucking her brother and therefore am unable to appreciate your way of doing things.

Jamie

bitch slap

Marko

That really is the difference between Arsenal fans and the pro-Wenger rabble. They take pride in obstinate, dogmatic, immovable fandom as if it’s a badge of honour.

And being cunts don’t forget being cunts

Cesc Appeal

‘And being cunts don’t forget being cunts’

I think that is actually in the dictionary definition of ‘pro-Wenger fan’ or variants of the same.

Cesc Appeal

Marc

The big question.

Although he was sent off to New York City which means he’s the heir to Guardiola…or does it anymore?

Wait…was it Vieira or Arteta who was the heir…which one went to New York City…

Confused.

Marc

CG

A serious question – you say bring Ramsey back on loan. Would you:

A) Pay all of his wages?

B) Pay a loan fee to get him? If yes how much?

If the answer to both of those is yes then surely the next question is – Why are Juve so keen to get rid of him so soon after signing him?

Marc

Cesc I’m fucking about. I’m not sure about Arteta – it’s a risk but I will get behind him as manager and hope he does well. I just get fucked off with people on here telling others how they should support their team. It ranges from “support the manager no matter what” and “dissent is not allowed” to “you should throw stuff at the manager”, “protest to get the Kroenke’s” out (still waiting for someone to suggest who’s going to fork out a couple of billion to buy the club off of them), “booing your own players makes you a… Read more »

Marc

“Alas, I was not a product of my mother fucking her brother and therefore am unable to appreciate your way of doing things.”

It’s even worse – it wasn’t even the intelligent good looking brother it was the one who looked like Sloth off of the Goonies and who had the IQ of a scouser.

Cesc Appeal

Marc

Agreed.

I think the sensible position is everyone gets a chance until there are repetitive errors, intransigence etc and it becomes clear you cannot do the job as player/manager/executive.

Then it’s up to the fans. If they want to say nothing, fine, shout, fine, stay away, fine.

Really just sums up this modern age I think. This kind of attitude pervades everything in society now and stems from social media.

Cesc Appeal

‘and who had the IQ of a scouser’

And even those 2 IQ points he stole off someone else

Marko

It’s the same superfans who kept mum on Wenger all those years gave Emery dogs abuse and now perk up at people being sceptical about an assistant taking over Arsenal in 10th place. A consistent reasonable bunch

Marc

Cesc

As you say no one on here would have the balls to stand in the Tolly and mouth off on how others should support the team.

Everyone has their own view players they like, players they don’t etc but some of what gets posted on here – FFS.

Marc

Cesc

See I told you Scouser’s were thieving fuckers!

Cesc Appeal

Marc Agreed. The 80s and 90s etc if you had a problem over some news article or your football team you’d talk about it with a colleague/friend/family member/an actual living person(s) right there in front of you with a physical presence and fist on the end of their arm. That meant there was a certain level of decorum needed, manners, non-bigotry. The veil of anonymity was not there to shroud you. If your boss voted for a different political party to you and you went off on him like they do on Twitter nowadays there’d be serious consequences. Unfortunately, this… Read more »

Marc

MartinellisHead

Could you condense your last comment by your “75%” as I got bored reading it?

Marc

Er either Pedro’s deleting comments or I’m having another (major) meltdown!

Marc

MartinellisHead

I’m not a virgin – I fuck your mother a couple of times per week and she loves it.

Fortunately I always insist on wearing a rubber – she’s a bit of a skank by all accounts god knows what she’s carrying.

Mr Serge

Pep said arteta is coming and very soon on sky sports just now

Cesc Appeal

Mr Serge

Yeah starting to break everywhere now.

Arsenal want him in charge for the Everton game.

You’ve got what you wanted, Pedro.

Marc

You’ve got to think that Pep would take a view that whilst being happy for Arteta to move now it’s become so public that it be a distraction in the camp.

Mr Serge

I am also happy we are getting him it’s a new dawn and hopefully we go the right way

Mr Serge

So who is happy and who is not then ?

Left Testicle

Has Martinellishead been binned and comments removed? It looks as though some comments are replying to him but he hasn’t posted for a while.

Mr Serge

Left Test I would think so I can’t see why everyone is so arsey to each other on here it’s hilarious

Paulinho

Definitely rate Arteta’s footballing acumen but to say he’s got his work cut out would be an understatement. Hopefully these ‘transfer discussions’ include at least two central midfielders and wide left-sided attacking option.

Cesc Appeal

Pedro

You might want to write to him (sure you have his home address) and tell him your fates are now joined.

Marc

Pedro

You’ve been hard for Arteta for some time now!

CG

Walt “””CG….A serious question – you say bring Ramsey back on loan. Would you:”””” You do what is required…. We spend 30 million on players from Scotland for gawd sake….and injury prone ones at that Whatever Rambo costs he will be worth it. We need a handsome talismanic figure to go with our exciting and handsome new manager. Rambo as Skipper Arteta as manager. X 2 Hearthrobs in Arsenal colors. As it should be…… we get our lady fans back on side immediately. And that’s vital. And more importantly we start looking like Arsenal again. When was the last time… Read more »

Cesc Appeal

As well as midfielders he’s likely to ask for a fast, ball playing CB as Guardiola’s teams frequently squeeze play relying on recovery pace and having their CBs play almost like deep distributors at times recycling the play.

Mr Serge

Pedro from a scale of one to ten how excited are you ? I am an 8

Cesc
I hear he is bringing the talent scout with him and also wants 4 players in Jan

Cesc Appeal

‘Pedro from a scale of one to ten how excited are you ?’

Pedro is putting on fresh underwear every 10 minutes, put it that way.

Cesc Appeal

Mr Serge

Where did you hear the 4 players rumour?

It would be a start.

Mr Serge

CG Ramsey has not even played 10 games for juve is he injured as usual ?

Marc

CG First I have a name use it if you want to have polite discourse. Secondly: You didn’t answer my question directly “you pay what it takes” isn’t good enough. Ramsey’s on £400k per week – £20,800,000 per year – chuck a loan fee of what £20 million per season that’s a player who’d cost us £120 million plus over 3 seasons, for a player who spends a third of every season or more injured and that was under Wenger as well as Emery before you re write history. He’s just not worth that amount of money – assuming he’d… Read more »

Cesc Appeal

Guardiola must be slightly pissed.

He’s losing Arteta but Arsenal are apparently taking another City coach for Arteta’s staff in Rodolfo Borrell as well as Domenec Torrent who was his assistant at Barcelona, Munich and City who he might well have turned to after losing two other staff members.

Mr Serge

Cesc just on twitter and news now it’s gonna be a 3 and a half year deal and he is bringing in Burrell as his assistant who was at Barca and Liverpool and their talent scout plus one other
Freddie staying and Gilberto could be part of the back room

Marc

Cesc

Are you saying that Sanllehi as DOF is making groovy moves on the football dance floor?

Mr Serge

172.20.0.1/login?dst=&username=T-E4%3AFD%3AA1%3AB5%3A2B%3AF9

Paulinho

I would say be excited, about what’s on our doorstep.

Marko

Pep saying Arteta should be announced soon. Probably tomorrow morning

Mr Serge

Don’t know what the hell that link was sorry lol

Marko

Hopefully these ‘transfer discussions’ include at least two central midfielders and wide left-sided attacking option.

If a RB isn’t targeted in January I’m pulling my hair out. One RB in the whole squad and he’s been injury plagued the last two seasons and a bit shit the last 4.

Joe

I can’t believe Pedro is putting his whole reputation on the line for Arteta.

Hope it turns out well Pedro.

You’ve been banging on and on and on for almost 2 years about Arteta.

Marc

Marko

There’s limited funds and several positions that we can all argue are critical to be strengthened.

Believe in the Messiah he will save you if you follow him and also send me a cheque for £10,000.

Valentin

Pierre may have an unhealthy obsession with Özil, but there are a group of people who have also an unhealthy obsession with Wenger. For them whatever problem the club suffers, it is always Wenger’s fault. Anybody pointing that some problem were caused by the current management, and straight away the foam at mouth Wengerite and AKB name calling starts. Earlier, there was an idiot who was seriously complaining that Arsenal had been in decline for more than 15 years. According to his absurd need to up on Arsene Wenger’s hatred, Arsenal was in decline when the invincibles won the league.… Read more »

Cesc Appeal

There are budget restrictions, true. But that means the club has to do something it has never been good at and that is make tough choices.

Many people on here were calling for Lacazette to be sold to fund a CB and/or midfield purchase this summer and it is these kinds of choices they have to make this January.

Perhaps Kroenke may even need to put his hand in his pocket because he needs to pull this club out of tailspin right now.

Valentin

The most interesting thing about Arteta coming to Arsenal is the information that he is coming with his own scout.
Either the scout is in fact going to do opposition analysis or it really means that Arteta does not trust Arsenal scouting department.
Hopefully that would be the later and the start of the end of Raul’s scouting by contact approach.

Marc

“but there are a group of people who have also an unhealthy obsession with Wenger. For them” who ever replaces the Lord of all things Arsenal will never be good enough. They will forever accuse others of constantly bringing up Wenger and his failings whilst never accepting that he was finished, washed up and so past it it’s shocking. They will bring up the money spent on new players in the last couple of years but deny the money pissed up the wall by Wenger who insisted on having control on every aspect of the footballing side of the club.… Read more »

Marc

Cesc

Sanllehi pulled the Ramsey contract offer the moment he took control and was widely slagged off on here for it.

I don’t think you should confuse the Gazidis period and Sanllehi.

Marko

There’s limited funds and several positions that we can all argue are critical to be strengthened. Not sure I buy the limited funds stuff (mainly because you don’t try to sign Upamecano for 50 odd million spend 8 on Luiz and become skint all of a sudden) but irrespective there must be strengthening in January there must. If there isn’t he’s dumb as hell for taking the gig and we’ll be sacking him inside 12 months so what’s the point. They need to get their priorities straight. Meager budgets and a declining squad isn’t going to get us back to… Read more »

Cesc Appeal

Marc

I still think they need to be far tougher when it comes to selling players and squad turnover.

We’ve bought, but people tend to linger either in the squad or on loan.

We also need to look at the attitude of players and make sure we have the right kind in the squad.

Right now I imagine the training ground is a nasty place at times with some of the characters.

Marc

Marko

This is one of those where I hope you’re right but I don’t think you are.

We’ll see in 6 odd weeks.

Marc

Cesc

A new manager with the right personality will sort out the “nasty characters”

Marko

I’m not even talking about war chests available instead I’m talking about looking at the squad and finally saying okay he’s not working he’s not working let’s replace let’s address the imbalance and lack of quality. Fucking get rid of some of this lot finally

Paulinho

First words from Arteta, impressive stuff:

“First of all, I’m so happy to be manager of Arsenal. I hope I can transmit, from first minoot, our capacity to impose our game on the opposition. Most of all, be protoganistic in our approach.”

CG

Mr.Serge “””Ramsey has not even played 10 games for juve is he injured as usual ?””” Thats more more games than Tierney then and he cost £30 000 000. Thing about Ramsey- he dont get injured in the big games when you need a goal or two. He scored 2 beauties the other week for Wales. Fact is : Arsenal have not played well for over a decade with him out of the team. We have seen this year alone- how much he is missed. Arteta being an inexperienced manager will need the best captain he can find. The return… Read more »

Marko

Either the scout is in fact going to do opposition analysis or it really means that Arteta does not trust Arsenal scouting department.
Hopefully that would be the later and the start of the end of Raul’s scouting by contact approach.

First off the City scout we’re bringing in used to work here and he’s a youth scout he looks like a Morrow replacement. Secondly Raul’s scouting by contact approach? We’ve an analytics department and Francis Cagigao at the club. It’s a load of bollox the fear mongering about contacts and super agents.

Cesc Appeal

Martinelli, Saliba, Tierney, Pepe, Dani Ceballos, Luiz.

End of story for ‘contacts approach’ argument.

Don’t let facts get in the way of a good agenda though.

Luteo Guenreira

I don’t know the intricacies behind how club finances work, but I just know Arsenal spent a bunch of money over the summer, even paying early to buy for future players like Saliba, basically financing Pepe etc and there had to be several reports explaining the wizardry behind how all that was even possible. Regardless of how much money there actually is, Arsenal don’t want to spend a lot. This will never change, expecting it to suddenly change is pretty optimistic.

MidwestGun

I’m very ok with and slightly excited about the prospect of some City knowledge up in our system. I think as long as the Club gives him the proper backing and weeds out the bad attitude fucks.. we all know who they are then Arteta could prove to be a good move.. Lets face it we tried stable with a good resume..in Emery. And we don’t want to do a quick fix thing Like Mourinho or an Ancelotti .. which usually crashes hard in about 2 seasons. So why not try young and up and comer? Arteta was on hand… Read more »

Marko

Thats more more games than Tierney then and he cost £30 000 000.

Tierney has more games and nearly double the minutes than Ramsey this season actually

Marko

Don’t let facts get in the way of a good agenda though.

It’s a joke. Literally Pepe and Luiz signed by using super agents and people would have you believe that we’ve sold our soul. Don’t worry those pathetic Arsenal values are still intact. Know how I know? We’re still painfully shit at the moment

Valentin

Marc, Again the lies. It is fitting that you felt that my comment was about you. Recognise yourself in my description of unhealthy obsessed about Wenger, unreasonable men. I have criticised Wenger for his failing, but you have never accepted any criticism of the current regime. Any Emery or Raul criticism is viewed via the prism of pro or anti Wenger. Remember when I stated that if Lichsteiner is too old for Serie A, he had no chance in the more aggressive and more relentless EPL. Raul like Emery could do no wrong at the time. Because they were not… Read more »

Valentin

Cesc, I also thought that Martinelli had been spotted by Edu, however I have been told that he had recruited by our own head of scouting. So not by contact. I am not arguing again on Saliba’s purchase but again not by contact as he had been spotted by Sven the previous season. We recruited Pepe not by contact but by offering £12 millions more to his agents. It does not take a special type of genius to buy an one season hit wonder from the French league to overpay for his services and to then bribe his agents to… Read more »

Marc

Valentin Oh dear, I never thought the comment was about me – I thought it was about your denial of the truth. I said I’d judge Emery at the end of last season – he didn’t achieve his KPI’s, was given new players this summer and got worse. You’ve never been able to keep your own story straight let alone pull others up on theirs. “I find it funny that you pretend to objectively judge Arteta ” All I’ve said about Arteta is I think that he’s a risk but I hope he does well – not sure that would… Read more »

Marko

So yes end of discussion with regard to the contact approach. No great success on the pitch and financial mess off the pitch.

You do realize that you just referenced 6 players and said not by contact 3 times. What kind of a point are you trying to make. Still talking shit about Saliba but what’s new there. Oh and why do you think referencing the Toulouse LB for 7 million is smart. He’s ever present in a team bottom of the french league. Sounds dim to me

Marko

In fact earlier this week, Marko was still defending Emery when it is clear for everybody that he was out of his depth. Earlier today Marko was still arguing with CC about the concept of coaching and improving the team by coaching and not just by buying new players.

Eh. Defending Emery? Here liar you’re clearly struggling but that’s okay

Marc

” however I have been told that he had recruited by our own head of scouting. ”

You mean someone else on here said so!

Fuck me name a source or shut the fuck up.

Marc

Marko

You just don’t understand Valentin’s level of knowledge – it’s beyond you.

I mean you could never comprehend “yes I said Tottenham would compete for top 4 but I also saw their downturn coming”

Marko

Marc I never told you but I was on some other blog a while back there and there was this know it all chatting absolute juvenile bollox and he too was called Valentin. I’m telling you he gets his kicks pretending to be knowledgeable on a bunch of different blogs.

Valentin

Marko,

Did he ever occured to you that good untaped players tend to play for lower place teams? That how good players are discovered. They play well for lower league or lower level team. Better team spot them and buy them.
Barcelona bought Jean-Clair Todibo from Toulouse. Does that invalidate his quality?

Basic understanding of scouting seems to escape you.

Marc

Marko

Did he say it was all Sanllehi’s fault?

Valentin

Marko,

Which blogs, because Le-grove is the only blog I regularly post about football.
Sounds to me that usual you smear people in order to make yourself bigger. Sad little village idiot.

Marc

On a completely different note – an episode of True Detective season 1 has just started on Sky. I’d forgotten just how good it is, anyone who hasn’t seen it should really make the effort – seriously top quality TV drama.

bennydevito

I hope we get Arteta over the line, very exciting.

Also doesn’t matter that we apparently have no money because the consensus from the Emery outers was that we easily have a top 4 squad so no new players need bringing in.

Excellent. Can’t wait for attacking blisterin football once more and CL football for next season.

Marko

Did he ever occured to you that good untaped players tend to play for lower place teams? That how good players are discovered. They play well for lower league or lower level team…Barcelona bought Jean-Clair Todibo from Toulouse. Does that invalidate his quality?

Sylla is 25 you dickhead. Todibo was what 18 when he was signed and is being linked with Milan in January. Great point as per usual.

Marko

Did he say it was all Sanllehi’s fault?

Can’t remember. It was some waffle I didn’t pay it any attention but I recognized it as him though

Marko

Basic understanding of scouting seems to escape you.

Sure. Kieran Tierney at 22 has been highly rated and linked with major clubs in Europe for the last 4 years he depending on what site you visit has a current value of 20-30 million. Issiaga Sylla at 25 has made more or less the same amount of appearences as Tierney and has a value of about 3 million? Now which one do you think is an example of smart scouting? I’ll wait…

Valentin

Marc, I blame Gazidis and Raul for this mess. Gazidis because Wenger was out of contract and he gave an new contract which he did not have to. Stupidly he gave him a 2 years contract with the clear intention of replacing him after one year. But when he had to make the big decision he blew it and gave into Raul’s preference. Regarding Raul, I am still at a loss to see what positive he brought to the club. Got a job at Barcelona because he was mate with one of the director. Bought expensive failures for them and… Read more »

China1

Just announce arteta already so we can all move on and get behind the new direction

It shouldn’t need to be this much of a circus to hire a guy who has never managed a football match before, who likes the club and is interested in joining.

Arsenal are absolute masters of making anything and everything look like the hardest thing ever

China1

Lol Valentin

‘Gazidis gave wenger a two years contract despite planning to get rid of him after one year’

???????

Tee

Bennydevito

You sounded bitter up there.

Don’t you think it’s high time you do away with Emery and face the future?

Hope you will support Arteta if finally appointed or you are going to make everything all about your dear Emery?

If Arteta works well so be it and if he doesn’t he gets fired.

It’s only at arsenal that people are scared of firing any underperforming employee.

Marko

China agree. Announce him and let’s hear what he has to say in his first presser. Woo us Mikel. Woo me look into my soul through the tv camera and tell me that you’ll fucking sack off Xhaka and sort out the defence. Make me wet Mikel

China1

Was that the same gazidis who said he looked high and low and there was no better manager in world football than arsene?

Gazidis barely even had a job to do with wenger there and was gone within months of wenger leaving when the responsibility suddenly fell at his feet, but you think he didn’t want wenger to stay?

Strange. What’s the source of this info?

China1

Yeah despite not wanting arteta I am willing to back him but arsenal just get on with it already.

We have always seemed to revel in these boring protracted sagas.

Meanwhile ancellotti comes available and Everton, a club with half our resources, clout, money or prestige can almost have him signed up within a week.

What’s our excuse?