I’ve been in America too long, it’s true. I love nothing more than a rags to riches story. Or, more in the American tradition, I damn well love a riches to riches story. It was Robert Downey Jnr and Bieber a few years ago, now, the Netflix doco I need in my life is Mustafi: Falsch Verstanden, what a hero. He’s playing so well, I think I want him to stay.
Shkodran Mustafi v Everton pic.twitter.com/nBAYhcaUH3
— J (@J41917556) February 24, 2020
Have I gone mad? Maybe, but performances don’t lie, and if he keeps this up, why wouldn’t you hang onto him, then give him a £350k p/w 3 year deal?
I’ve written for years that it’s been tough to judge the true quality of some of the players that have passed through the club. Arsene Wenger’s coaching skills dipped badly after 2010, but his eye for fantastic young players did not. Some flourished, others never hit the heights. You wonder what a smarter approach could have done with some of that raw material. One thing I’m sure of, our biggest sale would have been higher than £40m. Serge Gnabry, Chezzer, Nasri, Malen, and Yaya Sanogo… all deserved better.
Anyway, my rambling point is that after Wenger, we upgraded the thinking to a piece of soggy single-ply cardboard. Literally no one improved. Under the second average coach, as fans, instead of saying, ‘shit, these players have had a bad run of coaches how can we judge?’, we fucking massacred the lot of them. Do I feel bad about that? Absolutely not. We are the rabble, that’s what we do.
How times have changed, we’re now seeing what a great coach can do for confidence, team camaraderie, and performances. David Luiz and Mesut Ozil are back to playing like senior players that have won things. Granit Xhaka, a player I could not stand, looks really good wherever he’s played in the new setup. He seems fairly happy as well. He had this to say to The Standard.
“Of course, I don’t lie. There was a moment [when I thought I wouldn’t play for Arsenal again], because it was not easy for me and my family. I hope people understand this,”
“But I think I showed my character. I am not a guy who runs away. I always say to the club: ‘When I [am] here, I am ready to give everything.’
‘It was like this always. I train very hard and that things turned around is the key. This [has given me] the most happiness.”
We do forget that these players are human, then we remember, so we dehumanise them because they are more wealthy than we will ever be… also, players forget that they are icons. His behaviour against Palace was terrible, his performances were really poor, it was a match made in mid-table hell. But hey, let’s moved onto something more productive, like ways the clubs could fix the issues. This from Xhaka.
“I think this is the biggest difference [between] Germany and England, because [here] we don’t have the [close] connection with the fans. In Germany, for example, you have open training sessions, the fans come and [talk to you], ask you why.
“Here, everything is closed. So, for me, it would be good this time to explain to the people what is not going good or bad. But it doesn’t matter now. Now we have to enjoy, that’s the most important.”
Imagine popping down to London Colney to ask Xhaka what the fuck he was thinking leaving the front post unmarked. Not sure how it would go down, but I’m willing to give it a go.
Regardless of who makes it or not, the truth is this: Arteta is making the deadwood better. If they maintain the form and some stay, great news. If we pump their value and land bigger fees this summer, absolutely incredible. One narrative we can’t let take grip is the ridiculous notion that Arteta might find himself hoodwinked by cunning squad members who are hiding their bad performances with… errr… good performances (yes, this is a real concern). This new stick to beat the regime with is about as insightful as the idea that Arteta was soft because he played under Wenger or that he’d implement boring football because he was a boring player.
Arteta was most impactful coach at the most technical footballing outfit the Premier League has ever seen. City won the league back to back with record points, their football was disgustingly good, their consistency was machine-like. You don’t make it at that level if you can’t assess talent. If he keeps players, it’s because they are good enough.
It’s going to be a big summer regardless. I think we’ll see at least 6 players leave. There will be an influx of talent in a lower age profile, and certainly, with a different athletic make-up. How big we go is very much dependent on the Champions League, which feels like a longshot right now. I also think qualification for the big trophy will determine who stays. Auba might get his £300k a week if we’re playing Barca in the group stages next year. We might hold onto Ozil if we’re with the elite. If we’re not, then the club has to work out where the priorities lie, adding, or keeping… one thing is for sure, we can’t maintain a £200m wage bill if we’re out of the big one another year.
One player that really would thrill me is the excellent Thomas Partey, he has a £43m release clause, but he’s in talks with Atleti to sign a new deal. I love the idea of this signing, he’s the perfect profile for our midfield, but I can’t help but think Arsenal are a great club to be linked to if you’re looking to edge up your offer. If you’re trying to make your girlfriend jealous, you don’t tell her Kerri Russel (Barca) was breaching your personal space at Blue Bottle Coffee, you tell her Loose Sandra (Arsenal) in accounts keeps liking your posts on Instagram… you gotta keep things realistic.
I also think there might be a big super-agent signing in the offing. I mean, there should be. The agent fees we racked up in January must surely be worth something. We’ll see though.
Right, that’s about all I have time for today, please jump into the podcast I recorded with Alex, it’s a great listen, I think it might be the best podcast in the world right now? Or not. You decide by listening right now.
China
– You know in all these years I’m still yet to see one AKB acknowledge that him cheating on his wife was a cuntish thing to do
What has this got to do with anything? Really really sad you actually care what he’s doing in his private life. Unless it’s family or a close friend it’s fuck all to do with you and it just makes you a nosy cunt up in other people’s business.
Apparently Auba’s yellow for his studs rake was a clear and obvious error while Sterling’s wasn’t.
Lo Celso’s stomp on Azpilicueta wasn’t at first but then later was .
Still good to see PL had no problem with Maguire’s studs to Batshuayi’s nut sack kick out.
Do the English players get the preferential treatment or is it a case where Maguire’s explanation of protecting himself from a pair of huge black testicles landing on top of him resonated with the PGMO?
Marc, yeah, it’ll be very interesting to see how aggressively he shapes the defence this summer. Shame of it is it looks like Bellerin might be heading out, guy looks cooked.
More athletic players, young age demo, and I suspect some promotions. ESR is highly rated at Arsenal, they think of him as a Gundogan type. Saliba is getting rave reviews, though 20 seems young to make it in EPL. Maybe a surprise in there with Balogun or someone like that.
Pedro
It is a shame about Bellerin but on the bright side at least he can still have a decent career – you go back not so long and a ACL was a career ender.
“ESR is highly rated at Arsenal, they think of him as a Gundogan type. ”
Just for clarity, is it due to injuries or skillset or both?
Goonies
You are totally right.
The thing is, when you’re constantly being fed “the wonderful values of the club” you have to question it a wee bit, even though it’s got nothing to do with us.
Fuck sake ESR’s a kid and had one period where he was injured.
Not every youngster we produce who misses a chunk of time will have the same issue as Wilshere.
“Just for clarity, is it due to injuries or skillset or both?”
Do you want the free answer or the right answer?
Strange that Bellerin started to struggle more after he went full on vegan in 2017.
From personal experience, going hard on a vegan diet after just three weeks on a plant based diet( as Bellerin did)can have adverse affects on your health and fitness levels. It should be a gradual process.
For optimum benefits, a vegan based diet should be intermixed with your normal diet allowing your body time to adjust.
Just saying.
Graham
Or you can eat meat?
“Where does this chippy wit come from?
“The Shrokdan redemption “
Lol”
Yes. Substituting a word in a famous movie title with the name of an arsenal player is certainly clever.
“For optimum benefits, a vegan based diet should be intermixed with your normal diet allowing your body time to adjust.”
So, are you an MD or an elite athlete? Either of which would be necessary for your opinion to have any value on this topic.
Fuck all y’all. My first mushroom crop is starting to fruit!
https://imgur.com/gallery/EiKsKQa
Graham, I think you’ll find a snapped ACL might have had something to do with Bellerin’s loss of pace.
For those in the states that want to grow their own medicinal mushrooms, can’t recommend this place enough:
http://www.midwestgrowkits.com/Mega-Mushroom-Growing-and-Incubator-Kit
Sid, talent.
Pedro
On a completely different subject – when will the Democrats make their final decision on who’s going up against Trump in November?
Is the vibe in the states that Bernie Sanders is really going to win the nomination?
Ugh when will we ever learn. Players don’t go from crap to world class. They might turn out to be just good. That’s the whole point. I want Mustafi and Xhaka to play well but only to bin them off in the summer. We know these limited players have a history of fucking up in crucial situations so why risk it. You didn’t see VVD making crappy decisions when he was at Celtic or soton did you? It’s born out of years of habit. If they stay and we some how fail to meet expectations because we kept limited players… Read more »
The Shkodran Redemption?
Let’s just hope he and Granit don’t turn back into The Usual Suspects…..
Words
Can’t believe no one else has done a film joke all day!
I can’t help but dream if City is ban from the CL and we get in. Here is a wish list from the City players:
Kevin De Bruyne
Aymeric Laporte
Bernardo Silva
Rodri
İlkay Gündoğan
I’ll take anyone of the above.
alex
What are the mushrooms good for?
I live in Amsterdam think its legal over here anyways, but would be cool growing my own crop.
Words
“Let’s just hope he and Granit don’t turn back into The Usual Suspects…..”
Because if they do the crowd will want to “hang em high”
Just to absolutely kill that line of humour!
Marc,
I know!
I guess you think that Pedro’s dangerously close to Fling Over Cuckoo’s Nest
Flying!
Words
Well he’s certainly climbing up his mate Jacob’s Ladder.
And subjecting us all to Misery!
Habesha
Saw VVD get mugged a good number of times at Celtic actually, he used to be way too cocky with the ball but curbed it hence the improvement.
Not every player should be measured against the very best in each position and declared a failure for not matching up.
So VVD wasn’t a mug at Southampton or Liverpool, but Lovren was….and he’s part of the best team in Europe still.
Lovren’s made 8 PL appearance’s this season and hasn’t played this year.
If the Corona virus is spreading in Italy, all teams from Italy should be banned from the Europa Cup competition for safety reason.
Marc
Lovren plays for the best team in Europe and still has more games than Mustafi does for us.
Point is very simple, not every player needs to be mega to make a formidable side.
Nelson
The Italian government / FA has already said some league matches will be played behind closed doors. I’ve already asked the question on when it could affect us and how the UK will respond.
I’m not sure I would call for a country to be expelled because we could be a couple of weeks behind them.
CC
Never said they do. Juts look at all the players who have PL medals who played for Fergie’s teams – some of them are pretty dire.
Of course none of them were first choice.
Charlie Not every player should be measured against the very best in each position and declared a failure for not matching up. That’s true but The aim should be to have the very best in each position. And lovren is a 4th choice CB. He hardly ever plays now. And Xhaka is a starter for us. Let me list all our competitors CMs and see if he makes the cut against all our top 4 rivals starting CMs. Wjinaldum, Gundogan, Kovacic, Pogba, Ndombele. So out of that list he comes last. We used to have Viera and Fabregas in his… Read more »
Un
The interesting thing is there are some cases outside of China where they can’t find a connection.
My monies on this causing minor havoc globally – fuck knows how the world would cope if it was something with a serious mortality rate.
Didn’t Pepe go past VVD like he wasn’t there?
money’s fuck sake
“Wjinaldum, Gundogan, Kovacic, Pogba, Ndombele. So out of that list he comes last“ Can I go ahead and disagree with that, or are we going to treat what you say as gospel? All of those players would’ve been brutally exposed had they played for Arsenal the last 3 years. “That’s true but The aim should be to have the very best in each position“ That’s always the position I’ve maintained, and I’ve always looked at transfers from the ‘worst’ up all things being equal. So have an issue that Xhaka is a starter all you like but then ask why,… Read more »
Mustafi hasn’t made a costly howler for 5 games.
Luiz for 4, even though he was partly to blame for the opener against Everton.
Mustafi has had periods like this before, 90% of what he does has always been very good, it’s the regularity of his brain farts that’s the problem.
After 5 games without one, he’s overdue, same with Luiz
Rich
You’ve missed the prehistoric giant sized mutant elephant in the room!
Since you like stats whoscored compiles stats of the last two seasons and they matchup with what I see. It’s not gospel but a personal opinion backed up by stats.
https://www.whoscored.com/Players/89401/Show/Granit-Xhaka
Have I gone mad?
——–
Yes, yes you have Peds… but we love you anyhow. Mustafi is a decent 1 v1 defender… but isolated in space he is slower then Moses and just like Moses he isn’t going to get us to the promised land. I do enjoy that he isn’t completely useless now and you have to respect a ridiculous hairdo. That takes guts to be seen in public and rocking it like it’s the latest thing.
Habesha
Xhaka can hit a decent dead ball but I’m not sure I’d call his direct free kicks “Very Strong”.
He’d need to score more for that – 2 free kicks in 120 appearances doesn’t scream “Very Strong”
https://www.whoscored.com/Players/97752/Show/Paul-Pogba
https://www.whoscored.com/Players/93894/Show/Mateo-Kovacic
https://www.whoscored.com/Players/321389/Show/Tanguy-Ndombele
https://www.whoscored.com/Players/33568/Show/Georginio-Wijnaldum
https://www.whoscored.com/Players/77464/Show/Ilkay-Gündogan
Un
“It’s gonna happen. One of these days, one of these viruses are going to mutate and when it does it’s going to take an awful lot of people with it”
Can I offer a list of suggestions!
Un
Well I thought it was human to human contact / airborne.
When I say no links it’s they can’t trace them having been in contact with someone who would have been exposed ie just back from China etc.
Out of all these players Xhaka is the most flawed. That’s what I see and That’s what the stats over the past two seasons tell you. I just want a better CM than Xhaka for arsenal.
Is it lou in dowski… or lemon dowski? These announcers are driving me crazy saying it different ways.
Me too Un… but they keep saying Lemon dowski.
Habesha
What stats are you referencing?
The mandate for each player isn’t necessarily the same for a start and neither is the midfield unit they’re part of.
Which one of those players would’ve bossed it at Arsenal the last few seasons with how shit we’ve been?
Mid
Who wants to rock the latest thing and copying the zombie trends? Better to be an individual.
______
I guess Un.. but sometimes ugly is just ugly and not avante garde.
Not unless you’re Beckham
_________
Or Giroud. Dude could rock just about any look and girls are into it. My gf who knows nothing at all about football. Everytime she seems him is like, who’s that…? I’m like Fukin Geeeroo.
“There’s no reason Granit Xakha cannot be a certain starter for the best team in the world”
Er I can think of one or a thousand reasons.
There’s no reason Granit Xakha cannot be a certain starter for the best team in the world providing he suits it and it suits him. Liverpool are living proof of that. I am going to disagree with that. He has too many flaws. Concentration, Speed, Tackling, Discipline. Not one midfielder in the liverpool midfield has these many flaws. The modern game is about being an all rounder. Xhaka is just a master of passing( although sometimes gets is in trouble because of his concentration) and long passes. These attributes may work in a slower less intense league but not here.… Read more »
Un
I don’t think there’s something spooky going on – it’ll turn out to be a virus that has just had massively limited exposure to humans before. We just turn out to be very mobile / social incubators for it – so far it’s knocking off old people or those with pre existing conditions so doing what flu does most winters.
It’s mortality rate is 2% – Smallpox was 30 odd % and we basically wiped that out.
Cutter Gorgeous crop, please let me know if they are any good! Last time I ate some homegrown mushrooms they didn’t do much. I’ve been looking for good mushrooms locally for years now. Only place psilocybin is legal in the US currently is the cities of Denver and a couple other cities in Northern California, as far as I can tell. Apparently some types grow in the wild but no idea how to identify them and even if I could, not sure if I could bring myself to eat random mushrooms I find on a golf course somewhere. On a… Read more »
Habesha
Oh ffs, what goal posts? I’ve asked what stats you’re hanging your hat on, and made the comment that any of those mentioned would’ve been exposed at Arsenal in the last 3 years.
It’s dead easy to reduce a player to a spreadsheet but they’re not all tasked with the same thing, they’re not all playing in competent setups, and they’re all with varying strengths and weaknesses.
The R0 of Cov-19 was estimated at 2.2 a week ago. R0 of flu is typically around 1.3. SARS got as high as 5 in some reports. Smallpox had an R0 of 3.5-6 when is was eradicated. Pertussis has an R0 of 15-17. This isn’t the big deal the world is making it out to be. It’ll still go on for a good while longer though. The bell curve of transmission and control will likely go through the same trajectory in each country there is an outbreak. But for Christ’s sake, every time the planet is trying to get rid… Read more »
Luteo
I reckon natures just on a warm up – when she goes it’ll be end of days territory!
Well for me I think.. we will absolutely bring in a couple midfielders this summer. Especially since we need to cut the wage bill. I would rather have a better option then Xhaka. or LT for that matter and definitely would prefer a better option then Ozil especially on the road. But I’m resigned to the fact Xhaka may be here another season or more. So at this point its just raging against the machine because we can’t do anything until summer and see where we finish anyhow to see what budget we are working with. and see how attractive… Read more »
Marc
Climate change is a far more worrisome issue for this planet than some posh version of the flu.
Gnarby for Bayern
Wenger you fool.
Gnabry now… yep… Bayern tearing them up at the moment.
Gnarby scores two in a few mins.
Sigh.
Gnarby again……
Seeing Gnabry keeps scoring, it is sad!
Gnabry punishing those who annoy us. I love it. Regrets aside.
I feel like shedding tears when I see Gnabry doing bits like this.
OHHH LORD WHY DID WE SELL HIM??
Un
Haven’t been following mate what are you talking about?
How did Gnabry slip through our fingers while Djourou and Walcott were getting testimonials
Un
Haven’t seen it – not my type of film.
Luteo
It’s all part of the same melting pot. Climate change is caused by there being too many people, which is also driving habitat loss, which combining the two is driving the 6th mass extinction. Exposure to changing environments and changing habitats will bring about new infections.
Home Sapiens were a failed experiment – fortunately I’m Homo Superioris Gooneros
God damn people, do you immediately throw out every shirt with a hole in it? Sometimes you gotta wear that shirt until the next time your favorite store has a sale right?
Our midfielders are basically holey shirts. If that’s all you got, you wear it because most places won’t let you in without a shirt on.
This is basically what the discussion is about on here every day. No one is saying the shirt doesn’t have a hole. We’re saying with the right outfit you can cover that hole with a nice jacket until you get a new shirt.
This Bayern team outclasses Chelsea. The Barca team not so much. I find Messi very lazy.
Un
Not my area, but just needs treating like any flu. New strains have a few quirks but a vaccine will be cooked up in no time and it’s not potent from what I can tell.
Un
Luteo never come across a Geordie in Feb has he?
It’s all part of the same melting pot
Hard to argue with that.
Un
I don’t swim in the ocean much so could care less about all that plastic. But I sweat like a criminal at the slightest variance in temperature so climate change is the bigger nuisance for me 🙃
a vaccine will be cooked up in no time
Word was 4-6 months I think? But this will probably die down organically before then.
Luteo
Nice analogy
Would you want to keep wearing that shirt if you think it looks great even though it has a hole in it and you find some one who would buy that shirt. if you could afford to buy a new one would you keep the old shirt?
CC
Didn’t realise you were in the “medical” profession.
You’re not a Dentist are you?
Un
Lol sorry, I mean it will wipe out precisely 17% of the world after it mutates into a supervirus. Only sacrificing your neighbour will protect you.
Un
What did you want to hear?
“Doomed you’re all fucking doomed”
Marc
No, nail technician at Mrs.Wangs.
CC
In that case I’m glad I’ve only got one neighbour – if I had one either side it could get messy!
Chelsea are Toast. Alphonso Davies has been quite a find. winger turned fullback and has been fantastic.
CC
I assume you mean nail as in finger and not some sort of modern remedy that involves 9″ nails in extreme acupuncture?
Chelski are finished now.
What a player that Davis is.
Guns, Wenger wanted to protect Walcott’s development!!!!
Un
Question is, do they like you enough…?
Yep… Davis is very good. Saka reminds me of him though if we can keep him long term.
“Question is, do they like you enough…?”
I think we all know the answer to that one!
Pedro you’ve just lost a regular.
Un
I hate to break it to you but CC is the UK’s Head of Infectious Disease Control.
Red card? missed it on a beer run to the frig.. haha well game is definitely toast now.
Un
Further you go down the street the less effective it is, classic virology.
Dude. Don’t you know guys named Ahmed aren’t allowed to say bomb?
I have a Holy shirt. it was signed by TH14 I don’t touch it or wash it.. keep it in a box on a shelf.. some day I will get around to framing it and hanging it, maybe.
Videl got a double yellow with one instance.
Stupid Stupid Vidal
Midwest
It’s Le van dovski