I can’t wait to actually start writing about real football news, this purgatory nonsense has had me writing in something that feels more boring than preseason for 3 months.
I clicked a link with the headline
‘MANCHESTER CITY INJURY NEW LAID BARE’
Once I landed in the link, the story was 2 lines long and basically said they have no injuries. Marvellous.
Aaron Ramsey is, shock horror, being linked with a move away from Turin after one pretty bland season away.
Who’d have guessed it? The 29-year-old Welshman might find it tough to find a club willing to pay his fat wages, but his energy would certainly be welcome in our midfield right now. You can never say never, but I do think the Welshman had some rough treatment in his last season at Arsenal, so not sure how sexy the relations will be.
In additional shocking news, it turns out that Cedric Soares might not play a single minute for Arsenal. He arrived injured, with a poor rep, and he’s injured again with some face problem, and there might not be a deal ready for him.
Quite a farcical signing in the first place. Especially after we did the same thing last season with Denis Suarez, another player wholly unsuited to the Premier League or our dysfunctional midfield. £10m in fees and whatever on two players that were straight-up shite. Hilarious if Raul signs him just to make the point that it was, you know, a well researched and clever deal.
Can’t wait to see who we line up this summer. Kurzawa? Willian? Coutinho? Anyone from this list?
One deal I would welcome from a Super Agent is the swap of Kluivert for Mikhi. I don’t quite get it, but bringing in a player with a lot of potential with a lower age profile would make sense to me. Still, I don’t understand why they’d do that?
“I got a phonecall from the captain asking for permission to do that. I spoke with the club straight away and we were very clear we wanted to support it.”
Mikel Arteta discusses #AFC‘s reaction to #BlackLivesMatter before returning to his former club #MCFC. #SkyFootballShow pic.twitter.com/214DWldhJb
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) June 11, 2020
Some stuff from Mikel. The Arsenal captains suggested the BLM picture opp with the players and he was pleased with the messaging. Always a bit embarrassing to see the All Lives Matter crew out in force under the imagery. The same people usually have strong theories about the Mccann’s, they are big on Bill Gates and ‘that’ vaccine he’s pursuing, and they will definitely post ‘I’ve not problem with the gays, but’ at least once this month. Social media has a lot to answer for, but at least it helped me get funding for this site from George Soros.
Arteta also says it’s going to be weird to play a game against Pep G. I tell you what would be weird… us NOT getting beat by 3 goals that are scored in the opening 20. Anything else would be welcome.
Before we go, was having some thoughts about how next season starts.
Is there a preseason? Do we have a month off again? How do transfers happen?
If this season is done by August, when are they planning the restart? Covid-19 hasn’t gone anywhere, but is there political capital in another shutdown if things flair up after global protests and rule relaxation?
It’s going to be a very weird couple of years for football.
Let me know what YOU think in the comments.
P.S. Podcasts start up again on Monday. I CAN’T WAIT FOR FOOTBALL TO RETURN xxx
Liverpo
Benny’s satirical take on the alleged ‘Gates implant’ is top stuff!
Pierre
There have been a couple of major problems this season.
1. Lack of stability in defence with too many changes being made e.g. constant
changes to wing backs.
2. Our midfield has been too focussed on defence with only one position supposedly being offensive and creative. So the balance between defence and
attack is 6-4 rather than 5-5. We play also in midfield just three players and
that has also impacted in our team being overrun in too many games.
Un an naai
I’m surprised I haven’t seen any outrage from you on the subject of the other police officers being charged in the George Floyd killing, seeing how it was only the one” bad apple “ cop, while the other three were clearly just innocent bystanders.
You must be livid at this leftist agenda clearly on display.
Tom
“It never gets old watching defenders wondering what the hell just happened while the ball goes through their legs.”
Ah yes, the nutmeg, done correctly is the best way to leave a defender for dead.
The look on Ben Mee’s ( I think it was) face when Pepe done him is classic…
Tom
“I’m surprised I haven’t seen any outrage from you on the subject of the other police officers being charged in the George Floyd killing, seeing how it was only the one” bad apple “ cop, while the other three were clearly just innocent bystanders.
You must be livid at this leftist agenda clearly on display.”
Don’t bite un ..
Pierre
Telling him not to bite – he’s probably gnawed his own arm off!
Gonsterous
“Pierre I think everyone knows that pepe can be one of the best players next season.”
Do they?
There are many on here who were criticising him for his lack of using his right foot and clearly don’t rate him…
Pierre
Pepe and Ozil are two world class talents on this Arsenal team and both are highly controversial because of two factors:
One, because how distinctively average or below average the rest of the squad are( outside of Auba)
Two, the salary( Ozil), and transfer fee( Pepe)
I know it’s not a popular opinion on here but both make Arsenal better.
Jack was average technically but being English his rating becomes above average,
Jack wilshere not fit to lace Cazorlas laces yet it was hard for Santi to get a regular place in the national team.
Jack wilshere nowhere close to Modric, kroos, veratti
He is Hleb at best
Im telling you for free!
Auba is Leaving. We need to sell this summer
https://arseblog.news/2020/06/aubameyang-im-at-a-turning-point-in-my-career/
Tom ozil makes arsenal better when he shows up…
… for one in 7 games 🙂
Sunday Le Grove Summary.
Wiltshire- Overrated
Ramsey-Underrated
Diaby- Vandalised
Pepe- Harlem Globetrotter player. Will have his moments but expensive flop
PEA- will stay until next season- then do a Bosman.
Saka – contract still unsigned.
Soares – still injured
Corana- back in Beijing.
Its unfortnate that descendants of illicit offspring of winchester geese are singing at the feet of statues of tyrants
Im telling you for free!
In most games Ozil’s contribution is reducing to one or two decent passes and in far too many away games to count he goes missing completely. He is at best a luxury player living off a reputation made almost 10 years ago. He was at his best here when he struck a great footballing relationship with Sánchez but since then his contribution has been pathetic.
GOH Ramsey was definitely not “a terrible player”, as you suggest. He was just not as good as many made him out to be. The Ryan Shawcross hatchet job on him in 2010 categorically did have had an affect on his progression at the time but, irrespective of this, there was nothing prior to this to suggest that he was a special player. Yes, he could sometimes score some special goals and yes he was capable of unlocking defences with some sublime flicks and assists but, he was far too inconsistent and a bit too flashy for my liking. Ok,… Read more »
China There was a game Arsenal played ( don’t remember against what team)a few months before the Covid lockdown after which Ozil got lambasted for being ineffective. I watched the game in real time and didn’t think he looked bad at all , so I went ahead and rewatched the entire game with emphasis on all Ozil’s plays and rated them on the scale from one to ten from the point of difficulty and picking the right option at each instance, and I posted it on another forum. For reference, I played professional football in Poland’s first division in the… Read more »
Wilshere would have been a far better player under a stronger manager.
He lacked discipline, like so many others and also, like so many others, went missing far too often. No doubting his talent but again, injuries got the better of him.
Diaby was a special talent but was far too fragile. Before I’m clobbered for this, he was injury prone prior to arriving at the club.
Seems to be an Arsenal trait.
The worst centre midfield I ever saw at Arsenal was the Ramsey-Wilshere combo.
Two weak easily displaced, ill disciplined, injury prone players you could ever find.
Neither was worth the money we wasted on them.
Playing polands 1st division in the 80s is not useless, its beyond useless.
Im telling you for free!
Wilshere would be a better player had he stayed fit enough to to actually progress from playing games
…and please don’t start the “Wenger over-played him” BS.
From Wilsheres physique you can tell he suffered poor nutrition as a child
I remember we played city a few years back and our midfield was so powderpuff (Wilshere and Ramsay etc) city basically just played Toure alone in the CM role against us and he bosses four players.
Unai na]”They should be prosecuted ‘
They always get prosecuted by friendly district attorneys and always walk away Scott free because the system is tiled in a way to suggest that some lives are less weighty than others.
That’s why the all BLM started, … you know the one you love to ridicule.
You really don’t know what you’re saying when you say ‘they should be prosecuted”
Don’t bite though. Just giving you a friendly education about why people have been marching for years.
The miseducation you get playing in Polands 1st division in the 80s does so much damage that a person with no previous knowledge of football is better at analysing the game.
Im telling you for free!
Unai na
Glad you’re trying to see it from the other side.
Anyways, you’re a good man. Always loved reading you rant about Wilshere.
Don’t stop fighting for Jacky boy now.
Sid
What’s all these yammering about the Polish first division about?
You sure you’re on the right blog
The polish first division was criminally underrated in the 80’s. As was the Malaysian, Guatemalan and Kenyan leagues. Don’t you know anything?
Tom I appreciate the attention and thought you’ve applied to analyzing ozil but I’m afraid I can’t be convinced It’s not about the money, it’s absolutely about what he does/doesn’t do. If 18 year old cesc had been on the equivalent of 350k a week in those days I would’ve had nothing critical to say of his performances because he was absolutely dominating games every week, all season, year after year. It shouldn’t take some high level critical eye to notice if a player is actually playing that well – it’s normally very easy to notice. Ozil is one of… Read more »
Let’s put it another way, why is it so easy for everyone to notice and agree how well most elite players are playing? Nobody is arguing is KDB is a beast or not, nobody looks back at DB10 and says anything but mad superlatives, no one thinks young cesc wasn’t a beast, no one thinks Zidane was invisible half the time, no one questions if xavi and iniesta were monsters, no one questions is gerrard or lampard we’re consistently quality for their clubs… we could do this all day Ozil is the only elite AM who absolutely loads of people… Read more »
Elite players don’t just have good decision making – they elevate their entire team by pulling them up beyond what they could otherwise do. They dominate. How often does ozil actually dominate and how many of the games he has dominated were against elite opposition since he joined us? Watch footage of zidane absolutely savaging elite teams from start to finish, then come back and watch ozil and be reminded just how unremarkable his performances really are Ozil just has to not do anything majorly wrong, play a couple of excellent passes, one of which comes off as an assist… Read more »
To put into perspective just how far off the pace ozil is at the elite end of football now, you just have to see how excitedly people credit him for doing things he’s never done before under Arteta… like… running a bit How many games has our mercurial talent actually dominated under either emery or Arteta this season? Has he even managed three? People think it’s a job well done when his major contribution was ‘he ran more than he used to’. No need to dominate, no need to single handedly tear the opposition defense in half akin to a… Read more »
I would actually find ozil less frustrating if he wasn’t the smartest player on the planet (I genuinely think he is outside of Messi)
He is a player who like DB10 has the mental capacity to be playing chess when his opponents are playing naughts and crosses.
But instead he’s so far off the pace he’s getting credit for even showing his face on the pitch occasionally lol
Fijian. That’s racist.
China
How many clubs would pay a peak level Zidane, Messi or KDB £350k per week?
da Grove is slowing getting back to its best I see
Keep it up lads ,😊
Tom
No point in asking Legrovers to judge Ozil fairly and appreciate his good games.
Its like asking trump to make immigration free for Mexicans.
For most here its become like a confirmation bias thing. We lose or draw , they try and find ways to blame Ozil.
For eg. Just take the loss to Brentford. We conceded 3 goals thanks to 3 individual mistakes from 3 different players. m
Guess who was being lambasted here for us conceding those goals?
Yes , Ozil.
Nasri for 350k or Rosisky with his fitness issues would be better than Ozil
China “If 18 year old cesc had been on the equivalent of 350k a week in those days I would’ve had nothing critical to say of his performances because he was absolutely dominating games every week, all season, year after year.” Fabregas;( who I loved as a player) so dominated games every week that we won nothing. Whilst Ozil ,who apparently failed to dominate , helped the club to numerous trophies after a 8 year barren spell at the club. In other words, the trophyless Fabregas left the club and Ozil arrived and we immediately won trophies. How did that… Read more »
Pierre
Do you realise how stupid you make yourself look when you make claims that appear to suggest that Ozil almost single handedly won 3 FA Cup’s?
Marc(the village idiot) trying to lecture me on looking stupid…classic
Pierre
Ozil’s stats for the 3 seasons we won the FA Cup.
2014 – 5 appearances – 4th round 1 assist against Coventry, Qtr final 1 goal and 1 assist against Everton.
2015 – 5 appearances – 4th round goal against Brighton, semi final 2 assists against Reading
2017 – 3 appearances – Qtr finals 1 assist against Lincoln City.
Can’t wait to see how the actual stat’s are irrelevant it’s what none of us are capable of seeing that really counts.
Fucking senile old cunt with a fetish for another grown man.
Oh dear , Marc can give it but can’t take it…
Sid
Hleb was a player on his day. But didn’t have them thighs you see. In my opinion he is better than jack, just below santi and cesc though, he played in a diff position.
Funny how everyday it’s the same debate about ozil.
4 more days now, or is it 3?
Pierre
You started with the insults – I never called you stupid I asked if you realised how stupid you make yourself look by claiming Ozil was responsible for us winning 3 FA Cups.
I’d say it’s you who likes to dish it out but can’t take it back.
Pierre
I liked Ozil as a player but these past few seasons have made me dislike him because he is holding us back. Peak Fabregas was an insane player. He used to win games on his own. He was unbelievable and Ozil hasn’t done half what Fabregas did for Arsenal. At real Madrid he might have but not at Arsenal. don’t be so delusional.
China1 I think there’s not much more can be said about Mesut Ozil. Undoubtedly one of the most frustrating players to ever put on an Arsenal shirt. His talent is undeniable and given the right environment, he is a massive bonus for any team. Problem is his mental state, especially if he’s not given this environment. He’s not a leader and he’s not a natural born winner. If things go against him he generally shuts up shop and switches off, which is visible to all and sundry. Since arriving at the club we haven’t had the right players around him… Read more »
right not fright.
In all three FA cup wins, what exactly did Ozil do?
Ramsey ……YES
Cazorla …..YES
Alexis Sanchez -YES
Oliver Giroud —- …..yes
….even Theo Walcott had more to do with those cup wins than Ozil.
Marc is right, Pierre is being intentionally silly with that Ozil assertion.
Guns.. Another who didn’t rate wilshere.. I’m not going on what xavi said.. Saw him at and thought he was quality.. To say he’s had one good half is pathetic
Saw him at 16..
Marc “You started with the insults – I never called you stupid I asked if you realised how stupid you make yourself look by claiming Ozil was responsible for us winning 3 FA Cups.” Not quite…but I will play your silly game. I said , and I quote “helped the club to numerous trophies ” you said ,and I quote “Do you realise how stupid you make yourself look when you make claims that appear to suggest that Ozil almost single handedly won 3 FA Cup’s?” So how does “helped ” transform into ” single handedly ” …and you say… Read more »
Even when Fabregas has his head turned and was seeking to leave for Barca, he was still better than peak Ozil.
If it’s any consolation, arsenal are undefeated in the league in 2020. Don’t know if that will hold true at the end of the week.
*had his head turned
Pierre
“In other words, the trophyless Fabregas left the club and Ozil arrived and we immediately won trophies.”
Implies that Ozil was the difference – the stat’s do not show that to be true.
What I said regarding Ozil and Fabregas was factually correct ,Fabregas left, Ozil arrived and we started winning trophies even with inferior players, and I never said or implied Ozil was a better player for Arsenal than Fabregas, but that’s how it happened.
SidJune 14, 2020 12:42:08
The miseducation you get playing in Polands 1st division in the 80s does so much damage that a person with no previous knowledge of football is better at analysing the game.Im telling you for free!
Sid
That’s why I’m on here now amongst the biggest experts around trying to undo all the damage.
Especially when such expert opinion is given away free of charge.
“So how does “helped ” transform into ” single handedly ” …and you say I look stupid.”
I actually said “that Ozil almost single handedly”
You are either trolling or really are beyond help.
“Ozil arrived and we started winning trophies even with inferior players”
Who were the inferior players and who were they inferior to?
Give up Marc…you’re on a loser , backtrack as much as you like .
I made a factual comment, and yes Ozil did help us win trophies , and you said I was making myself look stupid .
Anyway ,the normal Ozil obsessives are here now to give their 2 bobs worth .
Pierre
I’m not back tracking – you are. Of course helped us win trophies – every member of the squad who appeared in those Cup runs contributed or helped.
Yo have made yourself look stupid because you’ve locked yourself into a claim that Ozil was the difference.
I’ll ask again who were the inferior players and who were they inferior to?
Marc v Pierre …..Round ?
Odd how Ozil was the difference yet Ramsey who scored the goals that won us two of those cups. But then Pierre thinks that midfielders should stick to their day job creating pretty pointless patterns rather than taking the ‘glory’ by scoring goals. He must have hated Fat Frank and Stevie G. Wasters.
Having checked Ozil’s main contribution was getting subbed in two of the three wins.
Marc
“Who were the inferior players and who were they inferior to?”
Ozil did have Cazorla and Sanchez for a spell.
Fabregas had Henry, Van Persie, Adebuyor, Nasri, Hleb , Song , a fit Wilshere do I need to go on
Pierre
The Delinquents on here are making the same mistake with our Wenger.
That is, they are assuming that when our Ozil leaves – Arsenal’s midfield will improve.
And like with the departure of our legendary manager- I can guarantee they won’t.
After all it’s very hard to replace world class people
As we have seen.
And will continue to do so.
I thought Almunia played well in the 2006 CL final. He did fine but should have probably done better with Belletti’s near post strike.
I know TH14 is a legend but he spurned so many chances that night that could have clinched it.
Bob
Pierre likes Ozil – I’ve no problem with that, we all have players who are our “favourites” or players we don’t rate.
What I get pissed off with is Pierre constantly moving the goal posts – first it was assists, then it was chances created now we’re on “you can’t see what Ozil does”.
In a years time Ozil will be gone and my guess is the only place it’ll be noticed is on out wage bill.
Whatever way you look at things Ozil remains a liability and a burden, both to the team and the accounts department.
The original comment was from China who said , and I quote
“he ( fabregas) was absolutely dominating games every week, all season, year after year.” Whilst at the same time saying Ozil never dominated..
I just happened to point out that we won nothing under Fabregas and only started winning trophies when Ozil arrived, something which the Ozil obsessives have taken exception to..
“Ozil did have Cazorla and Sanchez for a spell.Fabregas had Henry, Van Persie, Adebuyor, Nasri, Hleb , Song , a fit Wilshere do I need to go on”
Well I seem to remember us winning things when Henry was with us, Adebayor was a prick, RVP managed 1 season where he wasn’t a sick note and I’d take Cazorla and Sanchez over “Nasri, Hleb , Song” any day of the week. As for a “fit Wilshere” in what parallel Universe did that happen?
You’ve gone way beyond stupid with that comment.
The jokers who still support Ozil, must either be fans of Stoke, where you get a knighthood for being able to trap the ball! This is bloody Arsenal: the home of Bergkamp, Fabregas, Pires, Hleb, Rosicky, Wiltshire, Cazorla … we know playmakers when we see one! What does Ozil do that we haven’t seen plus more! The man is a bloody parasite! And the single minded obstinate pig headed loyalty to a proven failure is so akin to the Trump-Herd, that it’s quite creepy. How many MIAs and how failed performances will it take to convince you of this fraud!… Read more »
Ah is someone picking on little p?
Marlon
Please be accurate at Stoke you get a Knighthood for “for being able to trap
the ball or seriously injuring / break someone’s leg”
@Tom free things end up being very expensive
Im telling you for free!
I assume when Ozil leaves it will be tumbleweeds on here ? So much traffic on a player that was great and is now no more than a squad player. Sure he earns loads – but don’t they all? Most teams have a used-to-be great player – I doubt they spend this much time debating how great he still is or isn’t. Treat him like all others – watch him. Judge him with your eyes. Look at the odd stat. Decide what you think. And then shut the fuck up. They’ll all be “used to play for Arsenal” footballers long… Read more »
TH14 is more than a legend.
I hold nothing against him for those 2006 CL Final misses.
He was a hero and without him Arsenal would not have been Arsenal.
He motivated a generation of kids to take up the game.
My favourite player of all time by a mile and a furlong , followed by DB10, PV4, Cesc and, of course, the one and only Liam Brady.
Yeah ok Marc ,if it makes you feel better, you keep believing that Ozil hasn’t played with inferior players compared to the Fabregas era of RVP, Nasri, , Ade, Hleb rosicky, Song Cliche, , Sagna, Gallas..
Who is this young kid from PSG we are linked with…
TH14 bought into the club, the culture, the fan base and significantly, he understood what it was to be a true Gooner.
Watching him was like watching a thoroughbred cruising through the field at Epsom.
Jaw dropping stuff.
Pierre, seriously, citing such ‘legends’ as Nasri (a good six months then jumped ship), Adebayor (classless clown), Hleb (good skills but zero goal threat), Song (hilarious), Cliche (only appreciated as he was ‘not Ashley Cole’), Sagna (good player but not a great IMO), and especially Gallas, the spineless waster.
Ozill is a has-been, get over it.
Tanguy kouassi
Apparently we have offered a deal
Anyone know out bout him….
Pierre
You’re getting desperate now – you’re actually including Gallas as one of the “not inferior players”
I can’t bring myself to label him as superior!
Some on here vilify TH14 for those two misses.
Unfriggingbelievable!!
If we are being factual, Fabregas has won a trophy with Arsenal, the 2005 FA Cup in his break out season.
Anyway, both fine players in their pomp (Ozil and Fabregas). But if you could said to me I could have one of them at their peak to improve our current midfield, it would Fabregas.
oh please Pierre, nobody is asking one player to single handledly win you trophies – that much is a team effort. If you’re going to equate team trophies won to individual influence and quality, then you could just as well cite Darren fletcher and John O’Shea as two elite players for being frequent starts in a utd team that won absolutely everything including the CL. O’Shea probably won more trophies than sol Campbell lol. Who was the better and more influential player for their respective teams? And since you’re gonna get into that, Ramsey was far more important in helping… Read more »
You could tell Henry was running nearly on empty in Paris, don’t forget we played with 10 men for most of the game.
It was a true sliding doors moment though, (his one on one for 2-0)
China
That’s because you’re a know nothing who can’t see what Darren Fletcher and John O’Shea used to bring to the team!
John O’shea is better than prime Rio Ferdinand
Andy “Pierre, seriously, citing such ‘legends’ as Nasri (a good six months then jumped ship), Adebayor (classless clown), Hleb (good skills but zero goal threat), Song (hilarious), Cliche (only appreciated as he was ‘not Ashley Cole’), Sagna (good player but not a great IMO), and especially Gallas, the spineless waster.” Strange that, I thought the common consensus on Le Grove was that the cesc, rvp , Ade, Nasri team were a fantastic footballing side despite not managing to win any trophies. I mention Ozil in the same breathe as that team and low and behold thry are now a bunch… Read more »
Make space everyone fanatic in reverse.
Haha you may be right If we’re going to start crediting ozil for Arsenal’s FA cups, do we credit cesc for winning 3 international titles in a row for Spain? Or for winning Chelsea two league titles amongst others? Or for winning Barca the league and cup as well? Or do we only get to assign which individual player gets the credit based on if it sounds like it supports our argument Pierre? For a guy who falls back on ozil’s stats so readily to justify him, you’d think you’d have a little more respect for cesc being the all… Read more »
Pierre
‘ And all because I happened to mention that the trophies arrived when Ozil arrived’
Pierre
Please point to one game winning moment Ozil had in our duck-breaking 2014 FA cup victory run.
Ramsey was our best player in the 2013-2014 season. Carzola controlled the midfield. Ozil just happened to be at the right place at the right time..and we had some favorable draws.
I think Ozil gave the squad a psychological lift, I’m not watering down his contributions.
You see how easy this is Pierre?
Spain didn’t win shit at the international level then cesc came along and during his spell of 110 caps they won 3 back to back trophies
but it’s just a coincidence…right?
At least if you’re going to make pro ozil points at the expense of cesc bother to first consider if cesc has similar or better counterpoints, don’t you think?
China1
Spot on.
Problem is Pierre loves Ozil as much as I love TH14.
He also has the stats to prove it.
🤪😷😂
Seems we are still seeking out a French central defender which suggests that Luiz will be let go at the end of the season.
Of course no one remembers that Eboue dived to earn the freekick that led to Campbell’s goal in the CL final
Henry has been quoted as saying that 11 v 11 we would have won and 10v 11 we were still in it to win it.
He missed 2 easy ones.
Truth… our luck was just not there in those moments…
I hated the ref for the red card… a yellow and a penalty… keep the 11 v 11 in the biggest game of the year.