Another Chelsea Cup Final + What Does Summer Look Like?

by .

via @Arsenal Instagram

I am STILL buzzing on a Monday morning, and yes, I’ll be honest, I went in for round two on the game because that’s how good I felt. It’s a lot easier to watch those ties when you know the result.

A few things stood out the second time, the first being that Kieran Tierney really was fantastic. He slipped in as the left-sided centre back, presumably to give some pace next to Luiz, then he was moved out left when AMN moved inside, and occasionally he bombed forward as an LWB. Magnificent. What a great player we have there.

I also think Granit Xhaka has to be given his dues, he has been mostly excellent under Mikel Arteta. He had another really, really good game. He put his body on the line over and over again, he lead like a warrior, and he gave the team a calm player to look up to when City were coming at us.

I also didn’t give enough credit to Pépé for his showing. I’ve been very critical of him over the last 3 months. I know there’s a player there, but he doesn’t show it enough. He’s a very quiet player and sometimes, that comes across as meek on the pitch. I didn’t feel like that after the game on Saturday. He gave more to the defensive side of things, and going forward, he was quicker and bolder with his decisions, plus, he made decisive contributions for our two goals in a game that wasn’t going to give us much.

I know I might be early on this, but I also feel like that was a game the fans needed to see from Arteta. We’ve been watching him make steady improvements over the last 6 months, but generally, there’s always been something not quite right about our game. Injuries, mistakes, red cards, contract induced brainfarts… factored with the harsh reality that this team hasn’t been coached to an elite level in over a decade.

City felt like the game where we delivered an innovative performance against the odds. The gameplan was bold, it was very unArsenal, and it was executed to near perfection. Our last manager couldn’t get us passing out the back in 18months, our new coach has us using it as a tactic to play around a Man City press. That’s not to say we haven’t seen other really good performances. Chelsea at home, United at home, Sheffield United away and Wolves away spring to mind… but this had something important on it, and no one gave us a prayer. It just felt bigger, particularly after the absolute spanking we took against Liverpool in the week.

The Manchester United vs Chelsea semi-final wasn’t that interesting. Ole G, after receiving all the press plaudits for 3 wins on the bounce against shit teams, didn’t show up for a Wembley semi-final. United lacked drive, a decent plan, and a good goalkeeper. Frank Lampard cooly took the game and at an absolute canter. I fancied our chances against either side, but I think I prefer Chelsea. Lampard is a better manager than OGS, so it’ll be tough, but I think everything that was wrong under Unai Emery came out in the wash in Baku.

  1. Our players weren’t focused before the game. I was told they were complainining about travel arrangements and senior players in the side knew we’d lose just by how much of a farce it was pregame
  2. We played an extremely negative game. No one showed up for the final. It was an embarrassing performance. The worst final I’ve ever seen us play in.
  3. The plan was confusing, watching Iwobi trying to decipher what the fuck Emery was trying to say on the sidelined summed it all up. We gave Sarri his first ever trophy and we shouldn’t have

This final is the chance to right the wrongs of last season and prove that elite coaching can be a driving force in our return to the top. Ironically, it’ll give us the opportunity to get back into the same competition we were trying to escape so desperately last season, but after the mess of this year, it’d be more than welcome. We made £42m last season from the Europa League last season, that sort of cash takes us from a very bland summer to something mildly interesting.

Still a longshot… but the other upside of us making it to the final with Chelsea is that I believe it’ll open up Europa spaces to 7th place. Currently, we sit in 10th. The league chase is not in our hands at all, but there’s always an off chance we could make it. What is gratifying is that we’ll know where we stand before the game. It won’t make a difference to the performance either way, but it adds a little bit of spice to the young managers final.

Talking of summer, it’s going to be very interesting to see what we do.

It’s clear to me that Don Raul isn’t going to be able to do whatever he likes this time around. He’ll be answering to someone this summer and that’s a good thing. Also, have you noticed that he’s being briefed against? John Cross dropping precision bombs his way, The Athletic went very hard at his approach, and we saw similarly aggressive stories from The Guardian. Those are no accidents.

That said, it won’t stop him working with who he wants to and my fear is that we’ll have another crack at trying to drag ourselves into the Champions League with the ‘one more job for the boys’ type signings, versus just accepting the reality… football isn’t won with contacts, and if Arsenal wants to be like Liverpool, they are going to have be smarter about transfers.

One thing is absolutely clear from this week. Arteta and his coaching staff are desperate to get into the Champions League as quickly as possible. Given the choice of a City like injection or taking it slow, he’s going to go for the fast route in. He wants to win the biggest prizes. That’s why I would not be surprised to see him entertain the offerings that’ll come his way.

He’ll take Coutinho if it’s offered because regardless of where he is now in his career, he’s better than what we have. Willian is a very good professional and gives us something we don’t have. I wouldn’t take either of them, because we’ve seen what signing players on the way out does to the squad.

We should be focusing on a 5-year plan. Ship out the players that are problematic to the culture. Find new homes for players that aren’t mentally up to the task. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can save a body part that has started to go green.

We don’t have a lot of money, we have a disgraceful wage bill, and Raul has been doing everything in his power to exacerbate both problems. Arsenal should not be giving anyone £250k a week unless it’s Auba. We should not be signing any players over the age of 30. We should be clearing our wage bill, upgrading our older players with younger ones, and implementing a plan to be competing for the league and Champions League in 5 years time.

Trying to become elite by investing premium money on players that have no sell on value will not kick us on and it’ll delay the inevitable reality: we have to move to a sustainable approach to player recruitment.

  • Scour the world for value. Look where others aren’t. Or go where RB do. Salzburg have players from Mali, Hungary, Bosnia, Ghana, Japan, and Zambia.
  • Pick up players with 1/2 years on their deals from smaller leagues that blood young players earlier
  • Focus on young players with high ceilings
  • Use data to drive your decisions, not super-agents
  • Accept that to get back to the top, you have to be a selling club
  • Build a conveyor belt with that in mind (Pulisic > Sancho)

Matteo G and Lucas Torreira are prime examples of this in action. Both look likely to move this summer, but we’ll get more than what we paid for, and at the very least, we’ll retain value. The current model of chasing the Champions League with battle-hardened pros has left us with what? Sokratis? Mikhi? Lichtsteiner? Soares? They’ll all be worth nothing, so what’s the point?

We also have to be smarter about players values. Nicolas Pépé might blow up, he might, but we spent such a horrendous amount of money on him, the chances of him having a resale value higher than what we paid is unlikely. He’s a £35m player, not £72m. You only spend that sort of money when you need a VVD or an Alisson. We spent world-class money on someone that still needs a lot of coaching. Again, not saying he can’t come good, just that it’s very hard to think that move was money well spent… but that’s the reality, we don’t have a Head of Football that has the future in mind. He’s rolling the dice with his closest pals, he doesn’t really give much of a shit about how this pans out for Arsenal.

We have all the tools to succeed at the club, the big question is whether there’s a smart plan in place to drive Arsenal forward. My big fear is that this summer will look much like the last one. Rushed deals through a small collection of agents that reek of short-termism.

Let’s hope I’m wrong.

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Peter

DM

Peter

tr4phy

Peter

really no one

Peter

let get it now

Kenyangunner

Europa

azed

Top 10.

Coutinho and William will be us moving backwards.

Kenyangunner

We don’t need Partey now.
We have the rejuvenated Xhaka!

CG

Great post. Congratulating Arteta and the team on their performances over the weekend. But then focusing on this ridiculous ‘Don Raul’ impostor. Its because of him and NO ONE else ( well maybe KSE for allowing him to run amok) that despite Arsenal’s recent upturn in results – Arsenal today sit in 10th and below northern juggernauts Burnley and Sheffield United. The sooner he is rolled out of Arsenal and sent packing the better we will be (Edu can go with him too). As Tony Adams rightly stated-Edu is out of his depth and has no experience in building a… Read more »

GillespieRoadNoMore

Funny, I don’t remember us taking spanking from Liverpool recently Pedro. Still buzzing from the result over city?

Looking forward to the FA Cup Final, Arsenal own that competition and winning it would go some way to redressing the horrors of Baku 2019.

Our 2017 win over the Chavs is a reminder of our heritage in the Cup.

COYG!

Left testicle

Please Mikel keep Ozil out of the squad. Send him a clear message.

Up 4 grabs now

Buzzing from Saturdays result still. Arteta has probably won quite a few people over with the performance and how the team was set out. (I had doubts but really coming around after Saturday) We did have a bit of luck with a few city half chances, but we earned the win with the commitment from the players. Credit where it’s due xhaka played well and luiz was immense. Amn, pepe, they actually looked like a team. Everybody turned up for once and there wasn’t any players being carried or disappointing with a below average performance. Glad its Chelsea in the… Read more »

Nelson

Ozil is a distraction. Give him the Guen treatment. I would take away his #10 shirt and give it to ESR.

Gonsterous

Esr would be a good squad player, don’t really see him as a first teamer. Let him learn a season or two and see if he’s good enough.

Marc

” The current model of chasing the Champions League with battle-hardened pros has left us with what? Sokratis? Mikhi? Lichtsteiner? Soares?”

Er weren’t 3 of those signed whilst Mislintat was head of recruitment? Don’t 2 of them have a history with him of Dortmund?

Jay

Arsenal should not be giving anyone £250k a week unless it’s Auba. We should not be signing any players over the age of 30. We should be clearing our wage bill, upgrading our older players with younger ones, and implementing a plan to be competing for the league and Champions League in 5 years time.

This…

Sid

Now that Xhakalson is rejuvenated will we get a good fee for him and get a CM that can make runs and beat his opponent

Freddie Ljungberg

We slashed about 30m from the wage bill last summer and brought in 2 18 year olds, a 23 and 24 year old. Short termism? You’re drinking your own kool aid Pedro and it’s funky af. Who was bad value last summer? You know, going by the actual numbers not the made up ones? Tierney is a snip, Martinelli likewise, Saliba will prove the same I think. Sure we overpaid a bit on Pepe but the only reason we could get him at all was the payment plan favoured our budget last summer. Arteta is doing good so far, you… Read more »

Wasi

Pedro

‘ Raul has been doing everything in his power to exacerbate both problems. ‘

By how? Signing Future superstars in Pepe , Gabi , Saliba and Tierney.

‘The current model of chasing the Champions League with battle-hardened pros has left us with what? Sokratis? Mikhi? Lichtsteiner? Soares? ‘

Wow to discredit Raul , Pedro mentions 3 Sven signings. Pushing your false propaganda 101.
Not to mention Soares (being used to discredit Raul) is probably our best RB.

Marc

Freddie

Pedro’s premise is correct about targeting young players etc the problem is he keeps harping on about Mislintat’s performance which is simply not backed up by the facts. Give me a straight choice on the recruitment of summer 2018 (Mislintat) and summer 2019 (Sanllehi) and I will take last summer every time.

I’m pretty sure that 90% of Gooners would say the same.

Marc

Wasi

What if we signed Soares as a short term cheap RB so we can sell Bellerin to generate much needed funds during a period where we could be £140 million down on income?

Pedro’s having a serious mid life meltdown.

Radio Raheem

Feels so good I’d vote Kanye for president if I was American. Won’t that be amazing if that happened. Kim K with her sextape and all as first lady. Kanye can send her to the Middle East to sort that shit out and I’m sure she will after a gangbang or two. It’ll be the end of jihad just fuckhard. Millions of girls, women led by their first lady will unleash a wave of sluttery. I can hear it, teacher asks child what do you want to be when you grow up? Child: I want to be a fucking slut.… Read more »

Gonsterous

So if we swap guen for coutinho, it’s not a loan, and do we really want coutino for more than a season? On massive wages, with no resale value if he bombs with us. This would be his last chance to get back to the top.

Dissenter

Pedro loves to stoke these culture wars There are streaks of illogicality that run through the post because Pedro has to present Arteta as good-Raul as villain. 1. He asserts that Don Raul won’t have his way easily because he reporting to Arteta 2. He then states Arteta and his team of coaches are desperate to get back in Europe and are seeking tested older players. If that’s the case, then Pedro need to accept that Raul/Edu are giving Arteta was he’s seeking, the super-agent line is rendered redundant. The club is just rolling the dice like it’s always done… Read more »

Freddie Ljungberg

Marc

Yeah, and I agree completely with that premise, difference is I, and many others, can see that outside Luiz who was a last minute panic buy we did exactly that last summer so the Raul campaign is confusing.

Think he’s got the last 2 summers confused because all the criticisms he has fits way more to the one 2 years ago than last.

Also rushed deals? Tierney took all summer to complete, Saliba wasn’t exactly quick either.

Martinelli took a couple of weeks to get done.

Dissenter

Only Pedro will turn a good win against the management team that hired Arteta.
Wenger spoiled Arsenal fans from living through routine change of head coach.

-Gazidis /Raul/Sven chose Emery ahead of Arteta because of the same short termism approach [he was more experience] —- easily explainable position
-Emery didn’t work out and they made a change of manager.

If Arteta is working out, shouldn’t the Raul/Edu team be getting some credit too?

Champagne Charlie

Pedro Good post, agree with almost everything. Disagree about the transfer breakdown to the extent you put it. I don’t believe in the idea that every transfer should fit the resale model and hit a certain age group. For the majority I totally agree, but some deals (Cedric, Luiz….possibly Coutinho) no. The much praised Liverpool included numerous sensible low grade investments in their squad regardless of age or ceiling because they knew a balance was required to percolate a level of competitiveness in the now. The premier league has 6 top sides, the full-on Dortmund model isn’t going to wash… Read more »

Marc

Freddie

I don’t think Pedro is stupid although we all know he is massively agenda driven. The current anti Sanllehi agenda has to have a driving point. The only 2 options I can think of are 1) he’s preparing the ground for if Arteta doesn’t work out ie it’s someone else’s fault or 2) he’s turned into a blogging version of Adrian Durham and is putting bullshit lies out there to drive comment volume.

Matt

Good post Pedro, but I’m a bit confused by your points about Couthino and Willian. You’re saying that Arteta would take them if offered as they are better than what we have, but you go on to say he would be wrong to do so??

Freddie Ljungberg

“Ceballos went on to discuss the main differences between La Liga and the Premier League, while also admitting that he initially struggled to get to grips with the intensity of English football upon his arrival at the Emirates. “Spanish football is much more tactical and technical, whereas English football is a lot more physical,” he added. “Here, the top teams – Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United – are also the most physical. “I found it difficult to adapt to that and get used to the rhythm of the game, which was more or less what I expected because I knew… Read more »

Sid

After the man c win critism of Arteta has been low, problem is Supreme leader needs traffic,
Raul Sanhelli please stand up,

Im telling you for free!

Left testicle

My money is on 2) he’s turned into a blogging version of Adrian Durham and is putting bullshit lies out there to drive comment volume.

Wasi

Marc

Dont know what Pedro’s getting out of it?
Clicks maybe.

Last post he also said Tierney was scouted by Sven. Havent heard a bigger lie than that.

‘What if we signed Soares as a short term cheap RB so we can sell Bellerin to generate much needed funds during a period where we could be £140 million down on income?’

Could be. Or maybe because we get a Challenge/upgrade on RB for a free.

Marc

Wasi

I could be imagining things but I actually think Bellerin’s looked better since the lockdown – maybe having some real competition for the position has focused him?

grooveydaddy

Sobering thought fellas….

If we finish 8th and lose the Cup final, we’d go into that 3rd tier competition – the Europa Conference League.

Marc

People keep talking about us signing Willian – he’s also being linked to the Spud’s and ManU, is quoted in one of todays papers about how he’s playing a waiting game on a new contract at Chelsea. It all stinks of his agent trying to get a better offer from Chelsea. His main position is RW – why would we sign a right winger? We have Pepe and Nelson for that position and if Auba signs on and continues to play LW then Saka’s an option there as well. I’m beginning to wonder if it’s actually Pedro who’s on a… Read more »

Jim Lahey

On Coutinho:

Would be a good signing IF we can convince Mesut to finally leave. Which he won’t.

mb

Another good reason for searching Martinelli instead of Pepe is, the failure won’t cost 72m.

Of course we need a combination of youth + experience. Experience costs money, which we don’t have now.

If we get another 2 Martinelli + Tierney level players this season, I am more than happy.

After all, it’s a 5 year agenda. Even with Messi, we are not going to win next year champions league!

Calypso

I hate to admit but we were in a healthier position last season when we met Chelsea in a Final.

One final.was to qualify for the Champions league while the other final is to qualify for the Europa league.

Champagne charlie

“The fact that we are linked with signing nearly off of Kia’s clients doesn’t look good though does it?“ Kia is seemingly the agent linked closest to us, and I’ve little love for that but if he’s facilitating moves for Arsenal that address Arsenal needs I’ve not much to gripe about. Right now it’s Luiz for Kos, Cedric as RB, Mari as a left-sided CB. If i can hear a list of better suited players for the requirements and money spent (actual, not VATgate) then I’m all for it. I’ll get very sour when we desperately need a CM and… Read more »

Al

Really don’t get the Coutinho objection, he is an absolute quality magical player. He has had a decent season at Bayern after a nightmare at Barca.

The price tag and expectation ($ and replacing Iniesta) destroyed his opportunity at Barca, but he is exactly the type of player we need and used to sign in our hay day (a player struggling, not over the hill and looking to prove himself again)

If he wants to come to the club and play for us, without being forced and he buys into what Arteta is selling/trying to do…then sign him up asap

Marc

” (actual, not VATgate)”

Would be really funny if not for some of the bullshit numbers quoted on here.

Pedro
CG

“””””If we finish 8th and lose the Cup final, we’d go into that 3rd tier competition – the Europa Conference League.””””””

No one deserves that.

Even Arsenal supporters.

raptora

Great numbers. I’m a fan.

Wasi

Marc You’re not imagining things. Bellerin has definitely improved from below average pre lockdown and start of lockdown to average in the most recent matches. The fact is that he doesn’t have the technical ability to play in a possession based team. His body movements when on the ball is very rigid and he also ponders on the ball quite a lot nowadays. His delivery is still very inconsistent. And he has lost his explosiveness. He is also not a top class defender like AWB for us to overlook his deficiencies. Now , technique can be honed and he can… Read more »

Marc

Un

You’ve got one player playing games with Chelsea to get a longer offer and Barca desperate to unload the other.

As I said earlier what on earth do we need a RW for? Coutinho I just can’t see happening – too much money in fees and wages when we could be hypothetically looking at a reduction of £140 million in income.

Freddie Ljungberg

Pedro

Pretty impressive numbers there, great signing by Sven………………………

Freddie Ljungberg

Willian is holding out for a 3 year contract at Chelsea, no way we should be even thinking of giving him that.

Isn’t Coutinho on 250k a week and the rumoured price is 70m? No thanks to that too.
Plenty of younger players with more upside to be had for cheaper, both fees and wages.

Pedro

Matt,

I’m saying that signing short term players with no sell on value is a bad long term strategy for a club like us.

1) we’ve tried it and failed for 3 years
2) now it’s failed, we don’t have many assets to sell

Loading up on retirement players past peak is expensive, risky, and doesn’t put us in good shape when we actually make the CL.

We should be doing what Dortmund or RB do.

Instead, we’ll waste a load of money again and we’ll struggle to break the cycle

Marc

Freddie

I thought Ceballos was an Emery signing!

Champagne charlie

Un I rate Willian, I’m not objecting to that deal necessarily. I’m saying I’d be unimpressed if it came at the expense of a more pertinent transfer. Now I get my view of needs maybe different to Arteta’s, and I’m always willing to let things play out once they’ve happened, but on the face of things I think a premature judgement can be made that points to whether we’ve leaned too heavily on a super agent. Arsenal aren’t buying Coutinho anyway, we’ll either loan or swap to get him in if at all. On those grounds I’d be heavily in… Read more »

Freddie Ljungberg

Marc

No, not now when he’s adapted and is doing better. Do try to keep up.

Marc

Un

Sorry mate you misunderstood me. I’m not saying Coutinho is a bad player (I personally think he’s OK but have never been that enamored by him) my point was us being linked to him is Barca trying to generate interest.

Basically I think Willian and Coutinho being linked to us is agent / paper talk. Therefore really can’t get that excited or pissed off by it.

I remember us being linked to Zidane when he was at Juve once!

Marc

Sorry Freddie.

How about Sven did a great job scouting that player we’re going to sign in 20 years?

azed

Pedro

Ceballos is a talent, the question was whether he would settle here and he looks to have settled.

He’s one of the few I think benefited from the break.

If the reported fee is €23, we should sign him permanently. The fee from Guendozi and Torriera can be used on Dacoure and Soumare.

Imagine a midfield three of Dacoure, Ceballos and Soumare.

Pedro

Azed, always wondered why Dacoure hasn’t attracted big interest. He’s 28 I think

Marc

“Imagine a midfield three of Dacoure, Ceballos and Soumare.”

Imagine there’s no Xhaka
It isn’t hard to do
No one to get wound up by
And no stupid free kicks to

Imagine all the players
doing there job

You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one

Pedro

Freddie, would you keep him for 23m?

Marc

Pedro

There’s a story doing the rounds that Ceballos has asked Perez to extend the loan another season – massive question on how much money there’s going to be this summer.

Pedro

Marc, Xhaka is a superstar. You gotta let it go

Marc

Pedro

I’ll remind you of that comment. He has been better and played very well Saturday night but it’s like the story of the Scorpion and the frog.

Freddie Ljungberg

Pedro If you’d asked me 2 weeks ago I would have said no, now I’m not so sure. I do think he would fit really well as the deep lying playmaker instead of Xhaka with a mobile, pacey b2b next to him. The setup we have now isn’t mobile enough to dominate games in the long run, good in a low block but that’s it, as soon as the game opens up our lack of mobility tells. Soumare/Partey – Ceballos – Szoboszlai would be a really good midfield next season but I doubt we’re getting that much business done. To… Read more »

Left testicle

I think Un and Pedro are one and the same.

Northbanker

Ceballos is just about to turn 24 so he’d just about fit a Dortmund model. We now know he has adapted to the Prem so the risk is that much lower than an unknown who has still to adapt. Resale value should also still be there for quite a long while. I didn’t think this before but having seen some continuous good displays then if we can get a good price he is definitely worth trying to sign. He could be even better next year with a settled status.

raptora

Regarding bringing Santi Cazorla back.

“Santi Cazorla to Al-Sadd: Former Arsenal midfielder leaves Villarreal to join Xavi”

He is as good as it gets but age doesn’t forgive anyone. Still think he was more than good for Villareal. Weird decision if they decided to let him go. Santi going for the money is undestandable but La Liga compared to Qatari football is quite the dive.

Calypso

The result was no fluke just two mistakes made by Liverpool which were not Arsenal’s fault.

Northbanker

How do we know that Mislintat wasn’t involved or discovered Tierney? Was it Marc assuring otherwise?

i keep seeing this posted. I don’t frankly care that much but from a logic point of view, he left in February 2019 and we had Tierney on our radar as soon as the transfer window that summer kicked off. I’d be really surprised if SM had not initiated the search and early discussions.

Northbanker

I bet he also scouted Saliba too

Jamie

My sources tell me Sven scouted Denis Suárez too.

Champagne charlie

Pedro Ceballos for that money is a good deal, he’s done enough to show value at that price. Higher and I’d say no thanks because he’s physically NOT what we should be bringing into the club moving forward as a general rule. However he’s a perfectly suitable replacement for Torreira, who has all of those physical limitations but less than half the technical ability. That said we still need a Partey-type and a Coutinho-type depending on outgoings. If we sold….Guendouzi, Torreira, Ozil And bought….Ceballos, Partey, Coutinho We’d have a vastly improved CM/spine for me, and real foundations to play an… Read more »

azed

CC

Even God wouldn’t buy Ozil from us. We are stuck with him till he decides to leave.
Emery’s biggest mistake was bringing him back to the side.

Northbanker

Jamie – read https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal/denis-suarez-has-gone-from-arsenal-s-wanted-man-to-outcast-a4120301.html and it suggests otherwise!!

Maybe if we’re digging back you’d like to mention he was responsible for getting Aubameyang?

salparadisenyc

Sven had an apartment he held just outside Celtic Park that he procured after spotting a young Tierney playing a pick up game on the Isle of Man. He tracked him to Celtic and visited frequently.

The rest is history.

azed

Pedro
I’m guessing Doucoure hasn’t attracted much interest because he isn’t that good. Jack of all trades but doesn’t really excel at anything.

The Backpass

Sven scouted Arteta also.

Northbanker

Criminal we let Sven go – if we ever get rid of Raul then getting him back should be our top priority

Champagne charlie

Almost certain Tierney said in an interview that Arsenal wanted him last season (same with Cedric) and they kept in touch for the whole season before eventually getting something done this past summer.

The Backpass

Tierney was on Arsenals radar when he was 17/18.

Sid

Doucure is all brawn with no finesse, highly poor passer, poor positional awareness, poor driving play from deep, poor touch

Radio Raheem

Sven scouted Pele, Maradona, Eusebio…

Sid

The flashpoint was when Sven signed Sok over Soyuncu

Im telling you for free!

Valentin

It is getting annoying when the same people keep repeating the same debunked fact that Arsenal wage bill has decreased. Because somebody made a calculation on the back of cigarette paper and came to the conclusion that Raul slashed the wage bill by 30 millions does not make it true. As was shown by Swiss Ramble the wage bill actually increased.
Based on the actual official and legal documents not on mystical fairytales.

Radio Raheem

Oh that was for free.

Marc

” I was told by a source in journalism that the first flashpoint between Raul and Sven was an argument about whether we should sign Auba or Malcolm.”

Er Auba signs Jan 2018 for Arsenal. Sanllehi starts working for us in Feb. Auba was a Gazidis signing and Mislintat was involved – there was a picture of Gazidis and Mislintat in Dortmund together during negotiations.

Pedro – you’re either making more shit up or your sources are fucking retards.

The Backpass

Celtic FC: Arsenal preparing £10 million bid for Hoops teenage sensation Kieran Tierney THE Gunners are weighing up the prospect of taking the plunge on the 18-year-old this summer as English rivals circle around the talented left-back. SHARE Kieran Tierney celebrates scoring the first goal for Celtic Join thousands of fans who have signed up to our Celtic newsletter. ARSENAL are preparing to launch a staggering £10million move for Celtic ’s Kieran Tierney. The Gunners are weighing up the prospect of taking the plunge on the 18-year-old this summer as English rivals circle around the talented left-back. Tierney’s progress this… Read more »

Kenyangunner

Un
“I’d like to see us get a player who can dribble. Someone who can really run at the defence and take out 1,2,3 guys to open up the pitch”

Allan Saint-Maximin!

salpardisenyc

Sir Chips has a strategy in place for erecting the Mislintat statue, its a difficult task due to the absolute girth of it.

Champagne charlie

“CC, as much as I like Coutinho, the idea of us putting another 250k a week on the table seems nuts.“ I think Arsenal are in an advantageous negotiating position on that front, cant see the wages being “that” high, and think he’d be more Mkhi-style salary which I think is market rate for that calibre. Also, never in a month of Sundays are we forking over an outright fee for him, he’s either a loan or a swap, so when you talk about better value idk if its as simple on the face of it. I’m on the fence… Read more »

Pierre

Sid
“Doucure is all brawn with no finesse, highly poor passer, poor positional awareness, poor driving play from deep, poor touch”

But sid?, he’s big, he’s black and he plays in centre midfield , so he has to be the next Patrick Vieira…

The Backpass

“The flashpoint was when Sven signed Sok over Soyuncu”

Yep, Instead we got a past it defender in Sok.

Marc

Pedro

Sanllehi was on the job before he joined but Gazidis was having no influence.

Champagne charlie

Un

Coutinho isn’t a dribbler in the sense Hazard is a dribbler, but he’s certainly someone that can receive the ball centrally, spin a player, and drive through the lines of midfield. He’s not a static midfielder by any stretch.

Klopp loved Coutinho, he doesnt have much time for players that cant move.

Emiratesstroller

First of all there are far too many posters who make “hasty judgments” about first Arteta and also new players arriving at the club. It has taken time for Ceballos, Tierney ,Martinelli and Pepe to adapt not only to a change of environment, but also to the demands and intensity of the EPL. Moreover we had also a number of players joining the first team from Academy i.e. Saka,Nelson, Willock and Nketiah. So we had 8 players arrive with either no or limited experience of playing in EPL this season. In normal circumstances you might expect two or three players… Read more »

Pierre

““CC, as much as I like Coutinho, the idea of us putting another 250k a week on the table seems nuts.“”

Let the money men worry about the wage bill .
The only concern for me as a fan is to get the best possible players into the club.

Jamie

Pete –

Wow if true. I absolutely love Auba. He’s been making a mockery of xG for 2 years (at least) and counting! Without his goals, we’d be completely fucked. His career numbers are top level.

Malcom 4 goals for Zenit.

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