Well happy Friday to you ALL.
Not a lot in the news today. A couple of journos saying Arsenal are interested in Thomas Partey, but the club doesn’t have the cash at the minute. SHOCKER. It’s exactly the same issue standing between me and Mercedes-Benz SL ‘Pagoda’ and a house in Saint Tropez.
Think that’ll be the theme around Europe this summer. Which is why I find it weird we’re also being linked with Tagliafico for £20m. I think even those numbers are excessive for the moment.
That we’re being linked with a left-back is odd just in general, unless the club is sure that Tierney is going to be a problem in the long term. He’s quite young to be written off as a crock, but we have been here before with plenty of players. Still don’t understand why we’d look for an expensive left-back if we have Saka. Martinelli makes the most sense on the left of midfield next year and if Saka is a top 3 left-back in the Premier League, it’d be odd to remove him. Do what you’re good at, not what you’d like to be good at (AMN rings a bell here).
Training appears to have started at most clubs, Kante is the latest to refuse to train, with Deeney as yesterday’s big name to say NO. I wonder what the deal is at Arsenal? Any dropouts? Mesut, Xhaka and a couple of the others have young kids and seem to spend a lot of time with family. Be interesting to see how this shapes over the next few weeks.
I’m also very excited to see how we come back. Arteta took over a burning heap of shit, now he’s had two months of ZOOM lessons with the players, now he’ll basically have 4 weeks of intensive preseason like Emery did when he first joined. Can he get an improved response?
*prays to god*
He’ll have all the component parts he lacked at the start. All his defenders will be back in the mixer, which will give him the power and pace he needs from wide positions and also the recovery pace we’ve lacked at times. He’ll technically have ‘first half of the season’ Mesut Ozil, which usually does a lot better. We’ll also have drilled youngsters. They’ll all be a little bit smarter, more confident, and hopefully, fitter.
We’re moving from a ‘plug the holes’ strategy to a more attack minded approach. Well, I hope we are. Being hard to beat is wonderful. Keeping clean sheets is a delight. However, I think the team is better than that. I’d like to see a bit more boldness to our game. We need to move the ball faster, our combination play needs to be less clunky, we need more goals. There needs to be a bit more imagination out on the pitch.
These final 10 games are important, but I don’t think we need to grind them out. We have a fully fit squad to choose from, I hope we can be more aggressive about how we approach the final games.
It’ll still be very tough to make the top 4, but not impossible. Everyone has had time with their players, all the names are returning, and some of the teams that were struggling will have long forgotten their stuttering form.
Arsenal needs to hit the ground running. Win 7 out of 10 games and we’ll be in a good position to make something happen with Europe.
What would YOU like to see for the run-in?
1st
2nd
I can finally do this.
Yes I did it.
trophy
Too late @ Guns of SF, today was my day
Europa Conference League for me….
Kaleja
Fast fingers
congrats
” We’re moving from a ‘plug the holes’ strategy to a more attack minded approach. Well, I hope we are. Being hard to beat is wonderful. Keeping clean sheets is a delight. However, I think the team is better than that. I’d like to see a bit more boldness to our game. We need to move the ball faster, our combination play needs to be less clunky, we need more goals. There needs to be a bit more imagination out on the pitch.” Could not agree more… Our attack is painful to watch… one dimensional and slow. Our midfield is… Read more »
I want to see some new ideas in our attack, better transition offense, scoring and a stronger start to all games. I want to see us close out games when we take the lead and no late ties… I do not want to see any more draws… ! That has been our undoing so far. The inability to get the winning goal or conceding and then time runs out. The Arsenal of old would put teams to the sword right away… we need to get back to that. I hope Arteta has some plans with his mids and forwards to… Read more »
Pedro I can’t see the LB link as being anything other than paper talk. Tierney joined with an injury connected to a hernia operation and then dislocated his shoulder but when he has played everyone has been impressed with what he’s done – as you say seems crazy to write him off. Also any money we do have must surely be spent on CM, the one area of the pitch where we are lacking real quality. With regards to Saka I’d like to see him move to LW providing he signs a new contract, I really think we’re going to… Read more »
would love to see 7 plus wins… shit just win man !
CM and CAM-
SF
If the Summer Santa brought us 2 CM’s and a CAM I think we’d all do a naked jig!
Our defence looks reasonable, forward line has good options, GK solid enough, CM argh!
Ideally I’d like to see a complete Liverpool collapse whereby they blame coronavirus,the government,FA,Everton ,the Media,dog in the street & anyone else they Can lay their theiving hands on oh & an Arsenal midfield that doesn’t look as though it’s wading through treacle.Get rid of Hacker & that will go along way to being achieved……..
PedRo “””What would YOU like to see for the run-in?”””” 1. Players keeping possession of the ball and not running around like headless chickens chasing it in the July heat. 2.I like to see MA wear a nice Arsenal blazer and not pretend he is Pep lite. 3. And to see AMN play in his proper position. Which anyone with a footballing brain will tell you is center midfield. I ll even muster that if he is given half a chance he is more gifted than this Partey that his agents desperately want to flog to us. And that type… Read more »
A win over Pool and City would be nice… great confidence builder.
I am guessing a draw with Pool and a loss to City
” July Heat” in the UK
hmmm
What’s this thing with Bellerin photos is he gay.?
How about photos of other players?
Weird or what.
I think Tierney is fragile when he did his shoulder he was out longer than other players with similar injuries.
Bellerin is a dope
CG
Arteta is the first scruffy manager at Arsenal, our club was known for class and was always held as a quality club.
He does let us down trying to be Pep and not his own man, sad really.
I hope to see Pepe using his Right Foot
“”””CG Arteta is the first scruffy manager at Arsenal, our club was known for class and was always held as a quality club.
He does let us down trying to be Pep and not his own man, sad really.””””
I agree Dave.
We used to be such unique and exceptional club.
Not now.
Putting half a dozen passes together going forward and scoring.?
Instead of the malignant style we seemed to have developed by
not having a functional midfield.
No one gives fuck about his looks. Wins goals and great footbal is all we want.
We had one elite looking charlatan. How this ended?
I’d prefer Arteta to wear a suit but I do think it’s a bit of a generational thing. Ultimately if he does the quadruple next season whilst wearing a dress no one would give a toss what he was wearing.
There also seems to be a bit of a theme on here this afternoon – our midfield is shit. The good news is if we can all see it surely Arteta etc can as well?
What would YOU like to see for the run-in?
Liverpool completely capitulate and lose the title or the season start then have to be stopped again then gets cancelled so they don’t get to win anything the fifthly scouse cunts
“”””””I’d prefer Arteta to wear a suit but….”””””
He was always immaculate when he was a player under our Wenger..
2 years with Pep and his standards have dropped.
Thank heavens he has not put a yellow ribbon on his lapel yet!
Mob
How about it gets cancelled after 2 matches when they’ve got a win and then a draw after a 98th minute offside equaliser scored by a player who should have been sent off at least twice after they’ve had 3 goals wrongly disallowed?
Marc, fucking perfect!!
Mob
It gets better – it’s against Everton and at the final whistle Duncan’Disorderly head butts Klopp after Klopp starts whinging.
Ohhh ye baby, does he smash Klopp’s glasses embedding them into his fucking skull then does he rush out to celebrate in the center circle then claim afterward to not really know what all the fuss is about? Tell me! TELL ME!!!
Mob
It’s even better – The head-butt causes a fractured skull and severe brain damage, after a 3 month coma Klopp wakes up thinking he’s from Surrey and supports ManU.
I’d like to see Liverpool rewarded for the entertaining football they’ve played the past couple of years.
“The good news is if we can all see it surely Arteta etc can as well?”
Marc – I am curious to find out what Arteta sees as well because Xhaka been in news again this week thanking Arteta for playing him so much and how he was convinced that he still part of team.
This summer, I would love it f we brought in two players to replace Ozil and Xhaka, that would be best summer in over a decade.
jwl
If Xhaka is lining up as a starter next season Arteta will lose the crowd very quickly and his job 6-7 months later.
I’d rather start with 10 men than include Xhaka in the team.
alex
I’d like to see Pedro ban all the trolls on here.
Glad to see the level of analysis on Arteta is down to what he wears to training.
Pedro
He’s just so last season!
The power of Xhaka!
Arsenal people are fearing the end of football lockdown.
Arteta copy pasting Pep not only in dressing but onfield tactics thats how Wengers downfall began, trying tiki taka like Pep
Symptoms of a lack of ze mental strength
You heard it here 1st!
FFS – Arteta must wear a blazer – WTF are you on CG and SpanishDave – who gives a shit what he wears?
Sure it might be nice if those of use who work in London still wear bowler hats and ties but actually we all found out we can do our jobs just as well without
I want a DM signed above all as i don’t really see anyone on the payroll being at he level required. At CAM I have a belief that ESR can emerge. At DM I don’t see Torreira being imposing enough and his sale should help to fund someone who can impose – probably Partey based on current betting.
forget tiki taka
We need to go all Guns blazing in every game. Banzai style
Power and pace aren’t mutually exclusive to good technical play and passing.
The best team will do both.
Can Saliba play for us when we come back?
Sell Auba to buy Partey.
Sell torreira to buy kokcu.
Exchange laca for Lemar.
Lineup would be something along the lines of:
Leno
Bellerin. Mari. Saliba. Tierney
Partey. Xhaka
Lemar. Kokcu/Ozil. Saka
Eddie/Gabi
That’s not bad. Top flight striker wouldn’t hurt. Saka and gabi could be interchangeable on the left wing. Saka can drop back for tierney if he gets injured.
Anyways…
Arteta is a smart guy whether he wears a suit, a polo shirt or a tracksuit.
JHC, who gives a fudge what he wears as long as he gets Arsenal to perform better.
Pedro, What do you think if ManUtd suing Football Manager makers for the use of their name without their proper logo so they don’t have to pay a license fee for the copyrighted logo? To me it is just another signed of the desperation that is now engulfing the glaziers. Those leeches have been leaving on the back of their cash cow and it looks like they have bled it dry. If they start suing everybody, they may suddenly lose a lot of good will (I don’t think they care about that) and generate a lot of negative publicity. Deliberately… Read more »
Cali
Last season Auba and Laca scored 35 PL goals between them and we finished 5th. Do you really think Martinelli and Nketiah would manage half of that between them?
Valentin
I’m just surprised they haven’t done it before – the whole reason we changed our Crest / Badge is copy right reasons.
Valentin
Thinking about it further surely Football Manager has to have some sort of deal with either the clubs or the Premier League as a whole?
Where did you her this?
Arteta could wear a tutu for all I care as long as Ozil, Mustafi and Xhaka are no where near the first team and he gets Abu and Saka to sign new contracts!
Don’t get the hype with ESR. Got age on his side, but I don’t see him lighting up the championship with a strong huddlesfield side, and I don’t think he’ll make the step up to be playing for a top PL team.
In my opinion, he’s just another Iwobi.
Looks saucy because he’s young but not enough end product. Sell him off to Southampton in about a year or so.
I also dont get the ESR hype, he has to prove his fitness then we will be able to judge his ability.
And WTF is Korkcu?
“. .. Keeping clean sheets is a delight. However, I think the team is better than that. I’d like to see a bit more boldness to our game. We need to move the ball faster, our combination play needs to be less clunky, we need more goals. There needs to be a bit more imagination out on the pitch.” Our mid field is unable to deliver this sort of football unfortunately however good Arteta may be. In an ideal world almost the entire mid field can go but despite making 300m in the last 4 months the bastard owner is… Read more »
“I hope to see Pepe using his Right Foot“
That’s saying … I hope to see Stan Shit using his money.
Fat chance.
Just an advice folks, not to be a downer but let’s keep the expectations to a minimum. It’s the same story every year, before football starts, arsenal fans start getting way too optimistic and hoping too much from the players only to be let down on opening day. When was the last time we won a game at the start of a season. It’s not the start of the season but it is a restart of sorts. I’m not holding out for much, for the rest of the season. We won’t get top 4, we won’t get better ( mainly… Read more »
I think we all know that Stan will not dip into his pockets. As far as he is concerned Arsenal is the perfect set up – won’t cost him a penny in investments and won’t waste any of his valuable time. Just sit back and watch the assest grow. It also gives his son a hobby!
Even with Thomas Partey mid field would still not be good enough. What we have won’t get better like from an ok to great PL player all of a sudden. Would you expect Xhara having a breakout season for 2020/21?! Torreira is good but without PL physique. I half expected a serious injury any minute when watching him play. He over exert himself to compensate for his physical limitations. Great attitude but not fair to him tbh. What else would you honestly keep? Ozil? Haha. Xhara? For what? Ceballos can go back. Thank you. Who’s the kid again? Not good… Read more »
Marc,
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/may/22/manchester-united-sues-football-manager-makers-over-use-of-name
Regarding ESR, I have been saying that ultimately I don’t see having a great career at Arsenal. Like Wilshere he can’t stay fit for a whole season, so he will only ever be a bit part player for us. Also for all his prowess going forward, he really lacks defensive awareness which is crucial for a central midfield player. Realistically, He can only play 10, and Arsenal does not play with a 10 anymore. Even Özil plays more like a 8 in Arteta setup. Physically he is not quick enough to play on the wing, he is not defensive enough… Read more »
I just knew it would have to be an Arsenal player’s WAG! It is the only way Kola is going to stun the opposition!
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8349457/Arsenal-star-Sead-Kolasinacs-wife-27-caught-trying-bring-stun-gun-UK.html
Valentin
For crying out loud ESR isn’t even 20 yet and you’re writing him off already. Steven Gerrard had injury problems in his early career would you have written him off as well?
Un
Well mate it’s your round so get them in!
Un
On a serious note the extremes we get on here – you’ve got some writing off young players far too early and then some saying sell Laca and Auba because Nketiah and Martinelli can step up and replace them.
Martinelli already has more goals than lacazzete this season, Aubas goals can be got from contributions from Saka, proper AM like Buendia, CM upgrage, and Pepe
Im telling you for free!
ITV 5pm tonight
Michael Thomas last gasp winner at Anfield for 1989 title winner
Liverpool became a better team after selling Coutinho who was the star player 2016/17,
Klopp had ze mental strength to let him go, will Arteta do the same with Ozil, ,Xhakalson even Auba is replaceable?
Im telling you for free!
Sid Well I’m glad that’s free because it’s bollocks. Martinelli has scored 3 in the PL and Laca has 7. Auba is on to get 20 plus again, last season Auba and Laca got 35 between them and we finished 5th if you think we can challenge for a CL place next season with a striker replacing a big chunk of those goals you’re mad. Goals from Pepe etc are what’ll push us from 5th to 3rd or 4th. I’ve no issue with selling Laca but if Auba goes we will need to bring in a replacement – Martinelli and… Read more »
Sid
“Liverpool became a better team after selling Coutinho who was the star player 2016/17,”
13 goals and 7 assists that season. last season Laca got 13 goals and 10 assists.
You do talk bollocks.
HillWood
“It’s up for grabs now!”
Thanks for that.
Will be sitting down to watch.
One of the greatest moments ever as far as I’m concerned.
Un
I don’t have a problem with the idea of selling him if we can get good money – I have an issue with people thinking we don’t need to replace his goals if we do sell him.
Liverpool became a better team once they secured the services of the best defender in world football.
Simple.
It doesn’t take much for some posters here to consign players to the garbage heap. Wonder how many bad games Martinelli needs before he becomes the next player not good enough for Arsenal.
Un
That’s fine because you’re talking about replacing him – do you think we’d have a hope i hell of getting top 4 if we sold both players and didn’t add another striker?
pre 2006 in first paragraph
If you can’t defend properly, you’ll never win things of any significance.
Marc 100% with you on the Auba replacement thing. Nketiah is miles away from being PL starter ready. He was recalled from the Leeds loan . He scored one in around 5 games at Leeds .In the PL he has scored One every 6.5 league games . Martinelli is without doubt a top prospect. Of his 10 Arsenal goals 7 have been in the Carabo Cup or EL. He scores a goal in every 4.6 league games is nowhere near enough to trust in him as a starter . Both may well turn out to be top talents but no… Read more »
Terraloon That’s the issue we’re looking at right now – how do we move on well paid but poor players? The worst offenders are Mustafi and Xhaka on 90 and 100k per week (It’s not even worth discussing Ozil), Sok is looking like he’ll be surplus to requirements for next season and is on 90k and only has a year left on his contract. I’d be happy to sell Laca or use him in a swap deal, I do think that Martinelli could more or less cover what he’s done this season. What I can’t figure out is what will… Read more »
Valentin
“You are the ones who keep banging about a youth team player because of youtube highlight”
Who and when? If you read through the comments this morning you’ll see I’m saying they need to be given time.
Seems like Arteta’s coaching ability has already been written off.
I really have no idea what some people have against Aubameyang. Without his goals I shudder to think where we would be. His record since he joined us is absolutely phenomenal. Yet some just want to highlight how he gives away the ball, like pretty much any other player does. I find it hard to believe he can’t fit into any style of play Arteta wants to pursue. He can play wide or centre. And he is a bloody goal machine. One not easily replaced, certainly not completely by anyone already at the club. I hope he signs on for… Read more »
Valentin
Smith-Rowe needs an extended run of games in the first team before he can be judged properly.
He has looked promising on loan at Huddersfield so hopefully a confidence booster there can see him return strongly for us.
Valentin
I’m not saying don’t sell Auba – I’m saying we can’t sell him and not bring in another player.
Thinking his goals will be shared round the current team is just plain daft.
Thinking his goals will be shared round the current team is just plain daft.
Marc it is amazing how some think this will just magically happen after selling your top goal scorer.
Auba in a team that really supplies him could really be phenomenal. But not with our midfield. And he is in to his last year of his contract. I want to fix this Auba and Laca dilemma for once this summer. We shouldnt have signed both in my opinion. I don’t mind selling them both and bringing in a CF and a LW. Edouard doesn’t look bad and is affordable. My choice would be though selling Laca and Keeping Auba on a reasonable contract. In a few seasons Martinelli would be ready to take over. I still think he can… Read more »
Eddie Nketiah needs to be a bit ‘Ian Wright’ nasty if he’s going to progress.
Chris
It’s bonkers
Valentin
“When Ferguson sold Ruud Van Nistelroy every ManUtd wondered where the goals were going to come from. Following seasons the goals were shared across the team.”
They already had Rooney and bought Tevez 07/08, Berbatov 08/09, Owen 09/10.
I think one of PEA and Laca need to be sold in order to give Saka, Martinelli and Nketiah more game time. If it wasn’t for PEA’s contract situation it would be a no brainer to sell Lacazette.
Agree about the obvious importance to invest in CM. It would be a gamble but two starters in CM for PEA and Lac could be the start of a great team, with patience needed from the support!
If we sell Guendouzi, AMN and a couple of others, we might not need to sell both experienced strikers to pay for quality in CM.
Bob
We have to get back in to the CL – selling Auba and Laca and not bringing in 1 player to replace some of their goals and we’ll be bottom half of the table. Nketiah and Martinelli are not going to manage 30 PL goals between them next season.
Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results, Auba and Laca have not taken us to the next level try something new better AM and
Nketiah, Martinelli, new striker any of Edourd/jovic/Guirassy,
And Marc, Martinelli has more goals than Laca if he had more minutes in the EPL than Laca he would have more EPL goals too
Im telling you for free!
I agree it’s a gamble Marc but we’re overly dependent on PEA to score at the moment. There is an obvious argument for keeping him but do we just right off any transfer fee for keeping him for one more year? If new CMs can contribute with some goals that would obviously help. I do think quoting Martinelli’s strike rate this season is not exactly like for like if we given a consistent run at CF. With Saka and Tiernay whipping balls in from the left and with luck a fit enough Bellerin to support Pepe and overlap on the… Read more »
Teemu pukki, Dominic calvert lewin, chris wood, neil Murphy, Callum wilson offer more than Laca
Im telling you for free!
In the 5 seasons previous to this one the 4th placed team has scored:
18/19 – 67
17/18 – 84
16/17 – 78
15/16 – 71
14/15 – 62
So if we say on average you’re going to need to score 70 odd PL goals to get 4th can someone tell me how many Martinelli, Nketiah, Pepe, Saka, Nelson, Ozil and this new CM are going to get each?
The reason I ask is because Auba and Laca contribute about 30 between them.
Un
We sold Anelka and Wright – yeah we bought Henry, We should Overmars and bought Pires.
If we sell Auba we have to sign a new striker.
If our AM could score 10 that would help! Ozil barely ever shoots….
Un
I think they will in time – not next season. Top 4 has to happen next season.