Quite interesting to continue reading people furious about the Matteo stories that are doing the rounds.
The biggest critique of Arsenal over the past 10 years has been the lack of a winning culture. We let players do as they please, we haven’t held them to a standard, and we’ve suffered as a result.
Matteo is a problem. Has been for all his managers, whether it’s Freddie or Emery, or the crew over at Lorient. There is a discernable pattern there and you can’t argue it. He is now under new leadership and the same pattern has continued. We saw the blow-up in Dubai, we now have the bad behaviour with Edu and Arteta after the Brighton game, we also know that Luiz couldn’t talk him around, and I’ve been told from multiple places that the way he conducts himself around the club is not impressive (which obviously adds meat to the reason the club is going hard at him).
What else is there left to do? You drop him. You hold him to the same standard you hold everyone else. When he comes round to the idea that he’s not special, he’ll be forgiven.
That is standards people.
Things to remember:
He was brought in from the cold after Dubai
Pepe was dropped then brought back in when he started to deliver
Ceballos was benched after he begged to go him, now he’s pushing for a move
AMN was dropped for turning up late, last time he was seen, he had Traore in his pocket
Forgiveness is part of the culture, you just have to play the game.
You think other clubs have different ways of looking at it? Spurs biggest signing of last summer was NDombele. He’s a £60m midfielder, a total powerhouse in France last year, he was the future of Spurs midfield. How has Jose dealt with it? He’s savaged his fitness, he’s questioned his commitment, and the club has leaked hard against him in the press. Oh, he’s also not played a lot of games.
It was hardly any different when Poch was dealing with the player. The leaks were there, the player didn’t get games, and the manager said it was hard to assess him.
That’s a £60m player we’re talking about. Not a 20-year old that’s achieved nothing in the game so far. Is Jose bad at dealing with ‘characters’? Do we think he’s naive? Are the leaks a disgrace?
Arsene Wenger didn’t hold players to standards towards the end. Emery flip-flopped and lost respect in the squad because of it. Arteta said he’s going to hold players to account and he has. I do not get the fuss unless you think rules should be unequally distributed based on perceived talent.
As for the debate about the press around him, well, he’s not exactly a popular character. You have over 100 people that are at the training ground. You have the agents of the players who talk. You have a club that wants to get ahead of the story so they’re not hammered in the media for inexplicably dropping a ‘kid that just wants to win really bad.’
Annnnyway, some of the football sites in France are reporting that Lille (remember what I wrote about them) have agreed in principle to let Oshimen go to Napoli for 80m Euros.
Errrr…?
A player with 2 seasons of production in Belgium and France? Going for a fee bigger than United are willing to pay for Jadon Sancho? To a club as small-time as Napoli? DURING A PANDEMIC?
If I speak, I am in trouble.
Emile Smith-Rowe Vs Readingpic.twitter.com/sWG5HoEy8u
— BNS Comps (@BnsComps) July 8, 2020
Look at that sexy comp of ESR at Huddersfield. A lower division, but still fast and absolutely brutal for a young Arsenal player. Great to watch him boss games. He’s technical, he’s creative and he is explosive over 5 metres.
Injury permitting, he’ll be one to watch next season. Also interesting to read that Miguel Azeez has been asked to get educated on playing the 6 role. The player models his game on Busquets, clearly another product with a lot of potential, hopefully he lands a loan move next year to get some game time in him.
Right, that’s all I have time for today. ENJOY YOUR DAY BIG LOVE SEE YOU SOON. xx
I thought that the club has set up an injury insurance for every player. Maybe that’s why Ozil is always injured. His salary could be paid by AIA or AXA, what so ever.
Un/stroller
I’m really not bothered if Ozil plays again, the team are doing well without him, but I prefer to go with the facts.
18 months ago and 8 months ago we had exactly the same claptrap written about Ozil and each time he was brought back into the team.
Will it happen again , who knows, I have my doubts .
Anyways, later I will be watching Ozil’s heir apparent Smith Rowe play for Huddersfield , let’s hope he has a great game.
Un, I loved Sanchez when he was at the club , but I said at the time that he had lost half a yard of pace and he would never be the same player, he left at the right time.
I suspect Guendouzi, Lacazette, Big Sok are definitely gone this summer. Ozil too if we can get his long heels out of our deep turf (which i doubt). Maybe come to a financial package to get him off the books because it’s obvious he has lost his mojo and professional pride.
If Mari didn’t pick up a serious injury then i would have expected Holding to leave but i now think he’ll stay as cover unless we buy another CB.
Torreira is another maybe as i don’t think he can settle to life in the UK.
I see the premier league have stated that all 3 penalty decisions were called wrong by VAR.
Strangely, no mention of the deliberate vardy assault on Mustafi .
Yesterday
Pierre
As I posted Arsenal will honour their contract with Ozil.
However, I think that there is growing evidence that the player is no longer wanted or needed and he will be encouraged to leave this summer. I think
that the player and agent are well aware that is the case.
The issue is whether there is a club which suits Ozil who are able or willing to
pay his wages?
I doubt that Arsenal expect a transfer fee and may well have to cough up part
of his salary next season, but I cannot see Ozil in the plans of the club next season.
“I’m really not bothered if Ozil plays again”
Joke Friday.
I thought that the club has set up an injury insurance for every player. Maybe that’s why Ozil is always injured. His salary could be paid by AIA or AXA, what so ever.
………….
SAGA?
If we do sell Guendouzi then i’d replace him with Domink Szololbolozki, if his transfer to Milan isn’t already a done deal. Lovely player.
I think Party is coming in regardless of who is sold (Our marquee buy).
if Torriera leaves i’d replace him with AMN and spend the proceeds on an CAM or
Dayot Umpacano
In regards to replacing Lacazette, we could either sign a CF or a winger.
If we go for the CF route then i’d be eyeing up Edouard of Celtic, Dembele of Lyon or for a taller option Weghorst of Wolfsberg.
If we go wide then i’d look at Depay of Lyon or Grealish (dependant on his price) and push Auba central
How has ESR done this season? Anyone been watching?
Pierre re ozil
Who knows what it is this time. What we do know is that trouble follows ozil around like an awful, relentless stench. Forget his salary, he’s found himself getting criticized every other week by arsenal fans for years and years now spanning multiple managers.
It’s time to accept that our mercurial AM is a bit of a hopeless bellend lol. Any thoughts of him having a resurgence at this stage are pie in the sky. He’s been completely finished as a serious player since he signed that contract. The fact that he’s so expensive is just the icing on the cake.
Every time there has been an issue with Ozil his back problem seems to recur.
There was a similar excuse when he was benched by Emery.
Ozil had no back problems when he was being picked by Arteta in the first three
months of this year.
Frankly I suspect that this is an “injury of convenience”.
Never watched Szboszlai play. Just a few highlights. He’s seems to be more Serie A playmaker to me. Someone who is slow off the ball in the offensive zone. Like a less talented Javier Pastore. Don’t think we’re a good enough possession side to accommodate that of player.
Pierre
I really admire your persistent support of Mesut Ozil🤭. I have to say it’s bordering on the “obsessive”though.
Whatever way you look at things, he is a massive drain on the club and not just financially.
You are the only individual I know of who still feels he has important part to play in our future.
News flash!
He doesn’t and that’s the problem.
I don’t think that it’s simply a case of injuries, didn’t MA cite tactical reasons for Ozil’s omission at one stage since the restart?
To be accurate MO had been missing numerous games due to varies ‘issues’ including having ‘a cold’ since the latter stages of AW’s tenure. Even if all of these alleged injuries were true then that simply means that he’s not robust enough for the PL.
I agree that it would be better to take a financial hit and clear the decks rather than let this situation linger.
Ozil hasn’t been right since that World Cup. Those still supporting him now are simply supporting what he brought rather than what he brings or will bring.
Once a great player, now a mere shadow of his shadow.
Going back to the debt restructuring it’s certainly an interesting move that could have extensive repercussions for years if not decades.
As per the AST’s analysis short term it will help us navigate the COVID crisis although our losses would far exceed any savings we made thanks to any payment holiday that the Kroenkes may grant the club.
It’s the longer term that worries me. Now that KSE owns all the club’s debt including the £505m that Stan borrowed to buy out Usmanov you have to ask the question of how that debt might be serviced in the future. Potentially Stan could ‘do a Glazer’ and service that debt directly from the club. That’s £700m of debt plus interest – a huge sum.
If that happens we’d be like United with half the revenue stream.
And just to add something that wasn’t mentioned in the Arseblog summary how this debt is serviced will not become clear until at least early 2022 when the 2020/21 accounts have to be published. If we do have a payment holiday it could even take a year longer to understand what the Kroenke’s plans are.
Joke Friday (Mitch Hedberg) –
I got an ant farm; them fellas didn’t grow shit. I said “C’mon, what about some celery? You fuckers don’t farm.”
I’m against picketing, but I don’t know how to show it.
My belt holds my pants up, but the belt loops hold my belt up. I don’t really know what’s happening down there. Who is the real hero?
Rice is great if you’re really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something.
I am not addicted to gambling although I am addicted to sitting in a semi-circle.
I used to do drugs. I still do, but I used to, too.
Is a hippopotamus really a hippopotomus or just a really cool opotamus?
You know, I’m sick of following my dreams, man. I’m just going to ask where they’re going and hook up with ’em later
JWL
Cribbing Mitch Hedberg.
Vintage
Not the world cup. But you could say he tailed off after Cazorla got injured.
Graham
“You are the only individual I know of who still feels he has important part to play in our future.”
More claptrap..
You won’t find a single comment that says anything remotely similar to that.
All I say is treat him as anyone else…
If he has been left out of the side through tactical reasons….big deal , he’s not the first and won’t be the last.
If he is out due to a back injury…big deal , he’s not the first player to be injured and won’t be the last .
If he has been left out for personal reasons, as arteta said ” he has had a tough few weeks ” back in june …. big deal , who knows it could be to do with the car jacking or he has been threatened and he doesn’t want to broadcast it all round the world.
Instead we have the know nothings on here thinking that he just wants to sit around doing nothing…fools.
His football before the lockdown was influential in our attacking play as this link shows, so obviously Arteta hasn’t been happy with something that happened during lockdown or something happened to Ozil during lockdown…if anyone think this this link shows that Ozil is not interested in the game then they need to take up watching another sport.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DQ-Ni8y7ih-k&ved=2ahUKEwjx8vigw8LqAhWaRBUIHQaFDjUQwqsBMAB6BAgDEAM&usg=AOvVaw0r_L76LwOIuhMa2DR7jlQO
@Wasi
i feel when all that stuff happened just before and after the World Cup he lost his hunger, drive and passion for the sport. I think he felt the same German hierarchy that was calling him a German King in 2014 were calling him Turkish goat Sh*gger in 2018.
Plus a few of his international teammates had a pop at him (Kross, Muller) coupled with that fact Arsenal were in decline and unbalanced. i feel he just kinda gave up and is just happy to be paid.
Whatever the reason it’s blatantly clear he’s done out here.
“Penalties given to Manchester United this season – 18
Penalties given to Arsenal in the last 6 years – 17“
Saw this on Twitter, those figures have to be fake?
Also, Pl goals scored in the last 6 years:
Arsenal 413
Man United 365
“His football before the lockdown was influential in our attacking play as this link shows, so obviously Arteta hasn’t been happy with something that happened during lockdown or something happened to Ozil during lockdown“
Pierre
From an Ozil non-hater , his football hasn’t been influential for a long time.
The best I can do for you is to say Ozil still has the best touch ,vision, passing, and decision making amongst Arsenal players but that’s not enough to influence games.
As to why the sudden cold shoulder from Arteta ………….probably refusing the pay cut.
However you feel about players giving up a portion of their wages for the benefit of a billionaire , Arteta was calling for it and Ozil said fuck you, I ain’t doing it.
Vintage
I dont think the drive and hunger is completely gone.
It may have been affected but nobody can say for sure if the drive is still there like it was before , completely absent or only some part of it is left.
If you think that his drive or hunger is present/absent based on his body language then you cant be farther from the truth.
His body language was , is and will probably always be a bit languid.
But if you look at his assist numbers, chances created , key passes they have declined since Cazorla got injured. And then they took another hit when Emery arrived. A big hit at that.
Under Arteta, it looked like we might see the peak Ozil again (we still might) but some things happened during the break and Ozil is currently not in the squad.
Anyways, Cazorla was a very very important member of that squad , probably the most important. Since that injury to Cazorla ,Ozil hasnt had that supply in the final 3rd and thats the major reason why his numbers went down imo.
This season alone we’ve lost a lot of points due to farcical decisions by the on pitch ref and VAR.
Some obvious clear ones being
Sokratis disallowed goal
Vardy Mortal Kombat kick
Cresswell trying to kill Pete
2,3 clear penalties won by Pete that were not given.
Jorginho second yellow in the Chelsea game which proved vital.
The list goes on.
Pierre is still defending Ozil through think and thin.
What a pleasant surprise
Stroller,
To claim losing Ramsey and Wellbeck as proof of better planning is stretching things a little bit.
Releasing Mhkitaryan on a free is freeing up some wage, but it was done so that his agent could pocket some money. So obviously we could have negotiated a better deal with Roma. to be fair to Arsenal, it is likely that they thought better getting it done quickly rather than getting into a war of attrition with Mino Raiola.
Contract are not renewed early: Aubameyang, Lacazette, …
Regarding the debt restructuring, as far as I can see the only benefit is the removal of the covenant of keeping cash in reserve. However even that was not necessarily a bad thing, because it helped us ride out the initial issue of no stadium revenue. Look at Liverpool and Spurs situation to see the extreme case.
The extortionate penalty fee of £40 millions for early redemption that has been added to the debt may be compensated by lower interest rate. However the difference in rate would have to be massive.
PSG has the best CL draw. Barca has to go through Bayern. MC will probably meet Juve.
Un
That’s some stat though, 18 in one season vs 17 in 6 years? jeez
Atalanta vs PSG should be a corker especially if they are one off games?
Anything could happen if so, would be brilliant to see a team like Atalanta win it, they have been a lot of fun to watch for while now.
If Guendouzzi could be allowed so much time, so many games to start at Arsenal, Smith Rowe should be in the team right away.
Guen got more chances than Torreira. Can you beat that? Torreira is a world cupper who have played well in many WC matches. There is no better snatcher in Arsenal than Torreira. Yes, he is short. Boy…doesn’t he make up for his height with his energy and fearless charges?
Both Torreira and Ceballos must be retained to lend the MF some spine and character. Sell Jackass backpasser Xhaka FFS.
That Man Utd penalty stat reminds me of how they went years with the opposition at Old Trafford getting a penalty, and when one finally did (Middlesbrough I think) the referee was surrounded by Keane and friends, in a manner of HOW DARE you give anyone else a penalty at Old Trafford!
January 1st, 2020 by Pedro & filed under News Review.
Wenger didn’t have a machine that worked for him towards the end, Emery couldn’t see past running him into the ground in a shit system… it seems like Arteta has a more thoughtful approach to extracting creativity from him, whilst pushing him to support the system. It’ll be very interesting to see what the physical output looks like today, because he has done a lot of work in a short space of time. Some will say we’ve seen this film before, but maybe with a more elevated thinker in the dugout, it could be a different ending this time.
Maybe we need to teach our players to embellish contact, same way Arteta used to teach city players fo commit tactical fouls to break up play.
Our naïveté is as much to blame as officiating bias. ‘Arsenal values’ may be hurting us. You can see that our academy products aren’t taught the subtle arts of getting calls, compared to the likes of Guendouzi and Ceballos.
Keeping the same players who have been here for the last four years will give us the same results we have had bell, mustafinovs, xhakalson, ozil laca will exempt Auba for now
Im telling you for free!
“If you think that his drive or hunger is present/absent based on his body language then you cant be farther from the truth.
His body language was , is and will probably always be a bit languid.”
Wasi it’s not based on his body language it’s jst based on the fact that i FEEL he’s lacked drive and hunger for a few years now.
Under Wenger he’d barley play away games because of his back (Lack of spine perhaps).
Emery accused him of not working hard enough and lack of focus on multiple times
LJungberg dropped him during his brief stint.
And now Arteta has excluded him despite him being our only natural No 10.
I’m not telling anyone what to think about him as a player for our club.
I just think he’s FINISHED as a top level pro and has been for a good while.
I believe the correct amount of penalties this season 2019-20 for Manure is 13 so far lol) a premiership record.They got 12 last season .Next season prob even more. A complete and utter f*** no joke.worse than peak Ferguson.Its no coincidence that the head of the PGMOL is none other than Mike” I 💕 Manure” Riley.A known Arsenal hater.But that’s another story.Yet the media will never cover this anomalie.perhaps an independent ref review instigated by UEFA or FIFA One day might happen But I won’t hold my breath…..
So song breaks a guys ankle, yet his red card is rescinded. But Nketiah’s red card still stands, where their was no malice intended. Hmmm. I’ve always refrained from saying refs are against us etc etc but this really doesn’t help the authorities case does it.
Watching sky sports you have everyone saying that only vardy knows if it was intentional so shouldn’t off been a red. But surely the same applies to Nketiah. Pretty sure his wasn’t intentional either.
Also Burnley defenders tackle the other day was a million times worse, yet var wasn’t called for.
I wrote a post about an year ago that Stan Kroenke could give unsecured loan at zero interest rate to Arsneal PLC which the club could in turn use to pay off its debt. Such a move would have not only freed up the amount of money the club needed to park in its debt servicing reserve fund for transfer spending but would also have saved interest cost incurred on the stadium debt.
Now, Stan has not quite done what I think would have been a breathtaking move and gesture but through his proposed redeeming of bond he has at least insured that the club would not have to maintain any reserve for debt servicing. However the club would continue to incur interest cost on the loan it will get through bond. One would assume that the interest cost under the new scheme should be lower than the interest on original stadium debt. All in all a good move optically but it remains to be seen the debt reserve fund freed up is allowed to be spent on transfers. It could all be an eye wash in the end but for now it is a small glimmer of hope for us nonetheless.
Pierre
Funny how when you’re constantly picked out on here, you counter with your “claptrap” bumph.
I’ve lost count of how many times Ozil has cut his own throat over the past few seasons. We’ve all seen it and to keep excusing him for his own failings, is a cop out as far as I’m concerned.
To be honest, it’s rather embarrassing that you keep defending someone that is detrimental to the clubs progress.
What am I saying, I forgot, it’s in your blood.
I’m sure kroenke’s half Scottish and half Jewish 😁 tight wanker
Vintage
If you FEEL that way then nobody can change that.
I wonder how you and many others would feel if he were on a 150k a week contract or so.
I’m Turkish Cypriot,( not a Muslim, an atheist), so I’ve always kept on eye on Turkish players. It breaks my heart to see someone with so much talent and potential, be such a lazy bastard. He could of been ,to the modern Arsenal fan, the same kind of hero/god that DB10 was to us old farts. Fucking angers me.
To be though it’s hilarious that people bang on about how much Ozil is paid. He doesn’t sign his own cheques you know. Not his fault that the chuckle brothers, gazidi’s and Wenger, gave him such a huge contract. By all means cash him for showing no desire, but you can’t bash HIM for what they chose to pay him.
*bash not cash 😁
“I’ve lost count of how many times Ozil has cut his own throat over the past few seasons. We’ve all seen it and to keep excusing him for his own failings, is a cop out as far as I’m concerned.”
Pretty much bang on, Graham.
Fool me once shame on me. Fool me twice shame on you.
Its a pointless debate in trying to defend someone who is so habitually and chronically lazy.
I dont begrudge Ozil for the contract, if Gazidis and Wenger were so blatantly stupid as to hand it out, for whatever ridiculous reason, then the only thing you can nail Ozil with is not actually having the decency or integrity in fulfilling its terms.
Bottom line, worst contract in Arsenal history – second to absolutely none!
Buy him out already and be done with him and take the lesson learned.
“I wonder how you and many others would feel if he were on a 150k a week contract or so.”
He doesn’t contribute even to the standards of a youth player just wetting his feet in senior football anymore so 150k would still have been about 140k too much.
“Fool me once shame on me. Fool me twice shame on you.”
Actually its Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me.
Dyslexia is a hell of a drug!
Seriously no matter how good ESR is he should be on another loan next season. Chelsea are seriously sniffing around Havert, Manu have Bruno Fernandez, City have DeBruyne, and ESR is nowhere near that level, which is the level we should be looking to compete at.
I’ll seriously look at Coutinho on a loan with an option to buy when Mr Stinkers contract would have elapsed.
This pickford guy isn’t very good is he?