Honestly, if there are any therapists out there, drop your number in the comments section, I have about 50 potential clients that have serious Emery detachment issues.
Therapist: ‘Would anyone like to open?’
Patient 1: ‘Listen, I don’t want to say he was like a father to me, more of a fleeting uncle, but whatever, THE FANS SLANDERED HIM and that’s wrong. The world is a terrible place.’
Therapist: Circle of trust people, who else has something to say?
Patient 2: ‘I haven’t had a hit of Unai for, ummm, about 6 weeks now’
< applause from the group >
‘But god damn it I miss him. I loved the way he said ‘evening’, it was like brutalist linguistics. I miss Kola on the overlap. The 4 captains. Leaving games after 62 minutes.’
Geeeeeez guys, let’s take our foot off the Emery nostalgia gas. It’s getting boring. What are you even defending? The football was so miserable people started picking up season tickets to the ruggers. Time to move on. Far too much Stockholm Syndrome out there and it’s depressing.
Let’s get back to the signings. David Ornstein said that Southampton were shocked that we picked up a Kia player from them that they deemed so average, they thought he’d take the free and go to a lower level team. Quite the statement. Kike Marin, LEGEND of Twitter, thinks both singings are NOT Arsenal level and wonders what prompted us to do the deals.
I mean… all I can do is shrug. If these players don’t deliver, we are back to asking serious questions again, because the worry is the mighty Edu will be proven to have black nails under that white knight costume. The only hope I have is that, firstly, Mari brings some of that sexy Brazil form to the starting 11, and secondly, Kia has a very, very, very tasty player heading our way in exchange for the particularly weird signing fans hope will be good because he had nice things to say in his prezzer.
Still not great is it? The subtext is not good. If we’re skint, I’d rather keep the agent fees so we can buy bigger players this summer.
Maybe Kia is helping us sell players? That’d be a nice exchange. Right?
Who knows. I just don’t like it, but what can I do? Nothing. Maybe I need some therapy? I apparently can through my insurance… but substandard. What does that mean? That they make your problems worse? Or give you bad solutions? How do you know if a therapist is shit?
My dad might… I’ll be accusing him of fake crimes in no time, then I’ll have my answer.
Or were they fake?
Gabriel has nationality issues.
“I have Italian citizenship from my father. So I have the option of playing for Brazil or Italy,”
“But that’s just the future; I have to keep working here at Arsenal, and only then we will see what lies ahead.
I think I would take the Italian job, great food, lots of culture, and easier to get to on a boat (we hear you, Greta). I also think players that pick a country allegiance just because it’s a bit more convenient are pretty cool. Senna took Spain. Vieri was an Aussie and he took Italy. Giggs was English. Elite stuff.
Mesut Ozil has more attackers (like, violent criminals) in court. This time, two Turkish guys who threatened to kill him. No news on why. Can’t imagine that’ll go down well with Erdogan, those poor guys don’t know who they fucked with. Bigger thing here… what the hell is wrong with people? This feels quite new. United fans with Woodward embarrassing themselves as well. Pathetic and cowardly.
I think that’s it? I don’t have much more to say today. More tomorrow. A podcast for sure. See you in the comments my darlings, but let’s mostly keep it to forward-facing conversations and can we please, please, please, stop asking inane questions like: Why are you not judging Arteta the same way you judged Emery after his 18 months, 2 full preseasons, and £200m in expenditure. I shan’t be answering today, I’m having therapy.
x
James
Fine how much for and how much will a replacement cost?
Marc
Perhaps you would like to comment on that one.
So we are skint and it’s down to Wenger and Gazidis.. So paying higher wages has made Arsenal skint.. Lol
Surely 20 years of champions league made us a bit
We”re not skint we just don’t want to spend
At this point, the only thing Arteta and Klopp have in common is that they both manage in the English Premier League. Other than that, they’re in entirely different leagues. Liverpool knew exactly who and what they were getting when they hired Klopp. As a manager, he had won a league and cup double in Germany and reached the finals of the CL with a distinct style of playing the game to boot. The man Klopp is a complete nutter and obsessive who pays very little attention to his appearance (at least compared to most other managers). He doesn’t even… Read more »
James
What ever we got for Auba would probably be needed plus some extra funds so this idea of selling him to fund a re build is daft.
Grealish. First he was Irish then he was English then he was Irish again before he decided he really was English. Schizo. If we ever sign him well be getting two players.
Marc
Daft is in the arsenal dna at this point. Ramsey, cesc, rvp. I have a feeling he’s going to barca and hopefully we get min 40m for a guy w one year left
Zach
Yeah how far do you think £40 million will go in buying a new 20 + PL goal a season striker?
Klopp has a unique and distinctive look.
Unshaven, glasses, big smile( yes, he got his teeth done through Firminho’s dentist), slightly dishevelled look.
Watch him on YouTube playing bowls with the locals in a Cheshire village. Didn’t follow the dress code there.
Marc, how much did Martinelli cost again?
As for Grealish, I can say that it’s been a long time since I saw a player dictate play for Arsenal like he does for Villa.
He may not be as good as Cesc or Carzola but he can dribble, pass and shoot. He’s got goals too.
He would definitely walk into our first eleven right now. All the better if he can bring his buddy Mings along.
Marc
With our negotiators and contacts…
I have no idea hahah
Can’t even think of a suitable replacement. Good thing it isnt my job…
Grealish would improve Arsenal immeasurably.
If he had been in the team since Arteta arrived, we’d have won the majority of all those drawn games.
Guaranteed.
Come the summer w still have mikhi and elneny to sell. Theres gotta be 20m there, one of our CBs will surely move on, sok or mustafi. Hopefully a few more kids will join the first team as squad options… ozil may move to DC, thats 350k/week we get back… if the loan signings work out we sell kola… Hopefully we’re looking at some decent free signings/last year of contract signings. I think out options are looking up to be honest. Arteta alone should be able to attract some talent depending on where we finish in the table, hopefully he’s… Read more »
Bob
Do you mean how much did a guy we had to wait to turn 18 before we could sign him, who whilst being an amazing prospect can’t be expected to come in and score over 20 PL goals in a season.
Do you mean how much did that guy cost?
Marc,
My point is that if you’re scouting is top class you can pick up relative bargains, players who are on the up. We can’t afford to buy Aubemayang types but we can look for unpolished diamonds. I know all clubs are trying to do that but if you can’t sign a 20 goal a season striker you buy one who will develop into one, like Martinelli.
A patient build up is what’s needed and realistically our only, self- sustainable, option.
Looks like Giroud will be available lol
Bob
Good luck with that.
Great interview.
https://www.arsenal.com/news/he-loves-work-enthusiasm-contagious
How much a week do we think cavani is going to ask for?
Pedro
The last pod from The Athletic had info on this as well
Haven’t listened to it Zach! What did it say?
‘Dream,then believe you can do it. Study. Understand there will be some good and difficult moments’
‘We have a way to go. This way is hard, yes. It’s going to be difficult to activate, yes. But it’s possible, yes.’
I would be stoked if we got Grealish.
Definitely would have to duke it out with Man U and probs another team.
Marc17.04
No one said anything about adding more money to Auba’s
sale value.
As I said he is 31 next season he’s goal scoring will start to wane.
Economics rule get as much as possible for him come summer.
Why the negativity Marc?
Martinelli type signings are the way we are going to develop. Some might cost more e.g. Saliba but progression will happen if we can buy and sell well. Buy young and full of potential, that coupled with players coming through , this model will enable our net spend to be enhanced with selling at a beneficial time and price. Obviously we want to keep top players but the occasional Coutinho type sale will see us well.
What’s with ‘the good luck with that’?
Bob
Because they’re dozens of clubs all looking for rough diamonds, it also takes a season or two for them to show they’re the real deal.
What are you going to do when Martinelli want’s out summer 2021 because we finished 7th?
James
No you misunderstood me. I’m saying we’ll need the £40 million we get for Auba plus money from our limited budget leaving us in a worse position.
Marc
Out of contract 2020.
We will see what transpires.?
James
Who is?
Marc Auba keep up.🍌
James
Are you a compete retard? If Auba’s contract is up in the summer of 2020 he’s leaving on a free transfer this summer? We won’t be getting a penny for him and can’t influence where he goes.
And you tell me to keep up – fuck me.
Marc that would be 2021.💋
Marc -And you don’t want to sell him ASAP..💋
James
Ah so I’m supposed to keep up with your typo’s?
Yes his contract is up in 2021 but would it be worth keeping him and losing him on a free if he can get us into the CL for 21/22? We might lose £40 million on a transfer but we’d earn a lot more in CL cash and it’d be easier to sign other players. Could we get him to sign a year extension without going Ozil crazy on the money?
Can I point out that Auba is joint 3rd highest scorer in the PL this season at the moment even though he’s playing in a team that’s been worse than useless.
Marc, sell him for shitloads and reinvest. That’s where the patience needs to be shown!
Marc. Champions League if he stays I will hold you to that.
Auba needs to go if he won’t sign a new contract we need 5 really good players to replace
Ozil.
Mustafi
Laca
Xhaka
Sokratis
Let’s say we have one in already in saliba we still need four selling the above for 75m and put in 50 M from the club gets you those players
Hold on, educate me a bit here…
We’ve spent 200 mil the last two seasons and folk suddenly think come the summer we’ll have a 20 pound note and a few coins?
Auba and Ozil are I to their last year, they’re extending or being sold. What’s the likelihood?
Personally I see both leaving the place, which means we’re talking 50 mil IN plus 550k wages per week off the books.
That’s the start of things.
I would prefer we signed and kept auba he is not the issue
Bob
I don’t think we’ll get shitloads – we’ll get £40 million ish, a replacement will cost more. It’ll be 3 steps back for maybe 1 forward in a couple of seasons.
The solution to getting our finances back on track is to get back into the CL.
Exactly Charlie we won’t be spending buttons that’s for sure
CC
You think we’ll get a fee for Ozil?
Marc I think we would get a small fee for ozil like 10m
CC
I don’t think we’ll have much to spend at all – yes sell Xhaka, Mustafi, Elneny, Miki, Laca, Kolas etc to increase funds nbut I don’t think selling Auba is necessarily the quick fix everyone thinks it is.
Serge
I’d be impressed by whoever pulls off that deal – I suppose someone in the Middle East might throw some money about but I think his wages will be a major stumbling block.
“Exactly Charlie we won’t be spending buttons that’s for sure”
We can’t afford Buttons – we can’t even afford the Ugly Stepsisters.
Pedro
Re: the athletic pod, just was saying how nobody in the organization had a bad word to say a out arteta and that david luiz had stepped up to become a real
Force behind the scenes
If Ozil goes on a free, that’s £17m off the wage bill. Counts for something!
Marc Auba is 31 end of the season and we either extend his 200k per week contract (with an inevitable bump) or we sell. I don’t think we’re at a point to be holding onto anyone at that stage – especially with noises being made about him wanting to go. You’re talking 40 mil for him, 55 if we do well. More likely we’ll try and use him in a deal with a potential suitor, Coutinho a good shout, and get more for the money that way. Ozil is likely a nominal fee, but his wages off the books is… Read more »
Spurs can consider themselves lucky to be level at the break. Shame Ward-Prowse got injured, hope it doesn’t ruin Southampton’s attacking fluency that they have shown so far.
Would like to see Spurs’ xG from the last 2 games, Mourinho is doing his best Emery impression for Spurs from what I have seen of them so far!
I hope we can extend Aubameyang’s contract. I don’t think he even gets the credit he deserves from some Arsenal fans.
CC
you’re forgetting a CB moving on, Sok/Mustafi as well as Kola if Soares works out, Soares by the way can be signed on a free in the summer if i’m not mistaken
Chris you might be right but we’re not talking about who deserves credit at the moment.
Zacharse Aubameyang has been a goal machine since he joined us. He is still in great shape and has years left in him. Sometimes the impression I get on Le Grove is that he could be easily dispensed with and we would be no worse for it.
Maybe thats your inpression but the reality is he’s on 200k a week and has a year left. One more contract round to make bank before his career is over. So for us to put him on ozil wages makes a bit less sense seeing as we’re on a major rebuild and need that money for a midfield that will see us into the future, not a striker who’s got a year or two, maybe less w a nasty injury which isnt uncommon in the epl, left in him and whose wages will be prohibitively high
what a goal.
It’s not an impression. It is fact. He has scored 46 goals in 72 appearances for us. That is a sensational ratio. We do not have to extend him for 5 years. Who says he would be on Ozil sized wages? I am sure the club would be keen to avoid a repeat of that scenario.
I would personally rather see the sale of Lacazette to help fund a rebuild and retain the services of our most prolific striker since van Persie, I just hope he wants to stay with us.
Spurs going out out out! hopefully.
Saints at last in front. Fully deserved. Spurs lacklustre. Happy days!
Chris Aubameyang has been a goal machine since he joined us. He is still in great shape and has years left in him. Sometimes the impression I get on Le Grove is that he could be easily dispensed with and we would be no worse for it. — I agree with you. I’d rather we extand Aubameyang than sell for 40 million. We funny that more people clamour for us to sell Aubameyang than Lacazette. Selling someone who scores almost half of our goals for 40 million is bad business. We’d probably need 80 million or more to buy a… Read more »
Bloody hell.
David Luiz is a bigger Mikel fanboy than me. “What Mikel is trying to build is something big and I really believe in his philosophy, I really believe we can do something big this year and in the future, so I’m really, really happy because we have our way to go. This way, is it going to be a hard way? Yes. Is it going to be difficult to achieve? Yes, but it’s possible. Yes, it’s possible. “The first thing is to believe. If you don’t dream, and you don’t believe, then your dream is impossible. To do something, I… Read more »
Another cracking fa cup tie tonight..
Football with meaning and competing for a trophy.
Pedro the arteta groupie.
Do you agree he was wrong to sell ozil even without a replacement.?
Or do you think he was right and ozil is important to the team.?
Olumide this is how I see it. Don’t get me wrong I like Lacazette a hell of a lot but I think we would miss him far less. He would likely also fetch a decent fee, enough to invest in other areas of the team. Like you say Aubameyang has rarely if ever been injured, he is very durable and I can’t see any reason why he can’t keep up his form for us for the next few years should he stay.
Chris
I agree. I’d rather see laca go. As for whether or not Auba would be on ozil wages, neither of us really knows but i’d bet thats whats he’s looking for…after playing w ozil
Chris
I believe Ramsey was looking for Ozils wages.
So on that basis and if the club are looking to
restructure the salary’s then Auba has no chance
of getting £350.000 a week.
Agreed Pierre just a shame about the final score!
Zacharse – James Yes no doubt he will be looking for a rise, hopefully it will not be quite to the extent of what Ozil is allegedly on. The club will obviously have a decision to make if he does want that much but hopefully it won’t come to that.
Aubameyang is 30 guys. 31 in June. If we can get 50-60M for him in the Summer we should cash in.
With our squad being so unbalanced we need all the investment we can get.
Gabriel Jesus will surely be looking to move in the summer?
I think the prob w laca is who’s gonna buy him. Atleti was interested, looks like the cavani deal blew up, who knows if they are still after laca on this run… i imagine his wages arent low either. Maybe inter or everton take a chance on him, maybe even psg if they need a back up w cavani leaving…
But either way i can’t imagine arteta doesnt have his eye on someone who can be more physical and press more effectively than auba or laca
It’s nothing to do with a lack of credit being given to Auba, it’s the fact he has a year left on his deal past this summer, so we sell or sign him. Is Arsenal in any position to be tying 31 year olds down to 250k contracts? No, not imo.
Should be less fear surrounding his replacement (and that’s the key word) than there is, Liverpool sold Suarez, sold Coutinho, I think it’s a bit defeatist to suggest we flounder without Auba.
This from Abidal re Barca’s transfer plans:
“There is a list with players like [Olivier] Giroud, [Fernando] Llorente or Aubameyang, but for one thing or another we decided not to sign [someone in January].”
Oh dear, it looks like Abu has already been relegated to the ‘hasbeen’ category!
I recall being duped when Papsok were talking up Unai Emery
Papsok on Emery: ““He’s the best coach I had in my career,” he says. “That’s because I have improved a lot under him. I play faster than one, two or three years ago. I think more and I make better decisions and his coaches do a lot of individual work with us. ”
———He’s been coached by Klopp before
Pedro,
Give it up man. You’re coming more and more of an Arteta-fan boy at this point. Arteta doesn’t take himself as seriously as you take.
Pedro
No disrespect but you’re now quoting David Luiz.
Are you on meds?
Dominic Calvin Lewis
22 years old.
About 20million transfer value.?
Scored 10 goals this season .
Mobile and Leads the line well
I have said it before and it’s free.👌
Champagne Charlie I feel that in our current position the last thing we should be doing is letting go out of our main source of goals. So I don’t agree with you this time (I normally do). I don’t think age is the biggest concern with Aubameyang. He is a robust athlete who can carry on for years. Another 3-4 years at 250k per week with his current output? Sign me up. No guarantees he continues his ratio obviously but I feel he would. I don’t think it should be underestimated how it won’t be so easy to replace his… Read more »
Re: Saliba’s return from yet another injury:
He echoed the sentiments of Debuchy, also highlighting team-mate Wesley Fofana as a player to watch from the club. Cabaye added: “He’s like a big man – he’s only 18 but he’s like a big man. The way he plays, him and Wesley Fofana are both fantastic. “The future look bright for them and I hope they continue in the same way.”He’s strong and hopefully he will adapt himself really quickly. In a club like Arsenal with French players I think he can do really well.”
Anyone know anything about Fofana?
So why don’t we sign this wsesley fella as well.
Chris I personally side with the ‘sell by a certain time and go younger’ idea. I’m not dismissing the fact he’s a major goal getter for us, but I think the team over the last 18 months has morphed into one that looks for Auba because it was the only thing working under a poor managers confused attacking approach. I believe we’ll be much better served come next season with Arteta weaving the attacking patterns, so when faced with a situation like Auba’s contract I think we ought to sell and reboot. We’ll reach a point again where it’s beneficial… Read more »
Chris
You assume he wants to stay. That is a huge assumption, especially come june
Aussie gooner
“Anyone know anything about Fofana”
Funnily enough, I was watching udinesi v milan last night and I kept seeing this man mountain of a man marauding forward from deep in his own half leaving everyone in his wake …it was Fofana.
I was thinking to myself, why are we not looking at players like him, I would say technically he is not at the highest level but for power and strength, I can’t remember seeing a player like him.
Dare I say Vieira….it was the first time I’ve seen him but he did stand out ,that’s for sure.
Very confusing..
wrong Fofana
I’m talking about seko Fontana
There are 2 Wesley fofana’s , one is a rugby player I do believe and the other plays for st etienne…
Too many Fofana’s around if you ask me.
Aubameyang is not going to extend his contract with Arsenal unless he gets Özil’s level salary offer. Which in my view would be a mistake. We can’t try to lower the wage bill and in the same time double Aubameyang’s wage. We got to break that circle of insanity. Definition of insanity is repeating the same actions and expecting a different result. Wait until the last moment to renew a star player, panick and sell him at a low price or give him inflated wage. As Aubameyang will be in his last year of contract, the decision will be between… Read more »
Grealish would be a dream, but I don’t see raul and co looking to spend big on English players. They don’t rate English players and because they are not English would prefer to look in Spain or Brazil.
They do not have the same connection to the English league like lower teams because they have never been part of the English league.
Even Edu, when he was playing, had only international midfielders and strikers around him, along with one or two English players.
I would actually try to extend aubas contract. You won’t get many 25+ goals a season striker costing peanuts.
Sell laca and ozil and use those funds to get upgrades. Keep and extend aubas stay so we can find a replacement later, but we need his goals.
Aguero is 33 but keeps finding the net, that’s what elite strikers do, and auba is one of them.
I haven’t read this post of its posts, so apologies if this is has been discussed.
“Mikel Arteta plans to rebuild Arsenal squad BEFORE Euro 2020 by signing two midfielders and a central defender as Barcelona eye move for striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Mikel Arteta wants to get Arsenal’s summer business done before Euro 2020
Arsenal moved in January to bring in defender Pablo Mari and Cedric Soares
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could leave Arsenal with Barcelona interested”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7971123/Mikel-Arteta-plans-rebuild-Arsenal-squad-Euro-2020.html
or its posts*
This is the Mirror’s take on the situation:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/mikel-arteta-plots-major-arsenal-21440345
The only thing that matters to me is what is going to happen this season and next season; the Wenger vs Emery vs Arteta arguments are boring at best, but keeps Pedro’s post traffic up and the infamous bin occupied.
Dissenter, I’ve got to listen to you advising me on sports science, but you won’t listen to a player that captained Brazil, won leagues in 3 countries, 2 Europa Leagues and a Champions League?
Your hatred of Areta shames you.
Honestly… I just can’t.
Tony, do you think I write to keep the traffic down? Do you know any writer in the world who goes out of their way to create content people won’t talk about?
Pedrp
The point being not to take these players too seriously when they blow smoke up the manager’s arse.
If Arteta is as good as we all think, then he wont let all that nonsensical praise get into his head.
Players talk up the manager to ingratiate themselves into the manager’s favor. You ought to know better than to run with it.
Dissenter,
David Luiz, of all players, does not need to blow smoke up a new managers arse. He’s done with his career. That meant something. Factor in the Dave Ornstein rumblings… well, you have a bit of a middle finger to the drama crowd.
Pedro I’m not knocking you, but the blog is not what it was when I first participated. The current managerial past and present war you’re conducting with certain posters is just boring and you’re better than that imo. The fact that a lot of good & knowledgeable posters are keeping away speaks volumes. It’s got to the point where I skim past more than I read and rarely post these days other than to post something from the press as above or during the games. I appreciate it’s not easy when there is a 2-week break from games, but I… Read more »
Tony, we’re 7 games into the Arteta era… it’s not an obsession, it’s backing the horse I put money on and countering critique from ‘knowledgable’ people with an axe to grind.
David Luiz is reflecting what I’ve been writing, so has David Ornstein. So I’m pretty sure I’m on track here.
Always happy to take feedback, but the blog is what it has always been, an honest reflection of what I believe, regardless of where the weight of opinion is.
Pedro We may be only 7 games in, but you have been Arteta’s staunch supporter since Wenger was fired. I have no problem with that and hope Arteta does well to the level you feel he’s capable, but I’m more concerned that Arteta doesn’t get the support he needs from the suits and owners. My backing of Emery slowly declined from about mid season onwards and like you I was abhorred by the total collapse in the final run in. I’m fully behind Arteta as he is the incumbent head coach. However, I’m not happy with team selections and in-game… Read more »
Tony, there’s nothing wrong with being a staunch supporter of a new manager you believe in.
Let’s see if those intelligent posters who have run away will be back if Arteta succeeds – because I know for a fact they will be if he fails.