A beautiful challenge.

by .

Get this people, I am in America, BUT, in a place called ESSEX. I grew up in Essex and there is a second one. Mad times. ‘Yoooou fuuucking SLLLLAAAAAYYYYYGGGGGGG’ does not go down as well with the locals as it does back home, but hey, you can’t have everything. Talking of Essex, listen to this with the volume on. Absolute ‘YOU LOOKING AT MY BIRD’ gold.


Finally, the Premier League season is coming to an end. It hasn’t been glorious for Arsenal. In fact, it’s been our worst ever. No Europe via the front door for the first time in a very long time. The best we can hope for is winning the FA Cup Final against a Chelsea side that has some very scary players in their attack.

The coach has called the problems we’re facing a ‘beautiful challenge’, he knows that his career trajectory directly depends on what he brings to the club over the next two seasons, and he will go hell for the leather to up our standards. It’s a scary challenge, but as many folk will tell you… it’s easier to take a team at their lowest ebb, than getting in there after a winning run. The only way is up.

As for the challenge being ‘beautiful’? Well, let’s just say that when I see an ugly baby, I always call it beautiful. The Arsenal challenge is ork levels of cuteness. Someone has to hug it though, I’m glad the person dishing out the faux affection is a man that has such pristine athleisure stylings.

Europe really is massive for us this summer. You can’t make up the gap with free transfers and Whatsapp scouting tips from untrustworthy sources. We need to have a sharp eye to the future this summer and every single player we look to has to have the ability to add something to the club in the longterm.

We’ve been linked with a bid for left winger Joelson of Sporting Lisbon. The young player looks absolutely electric. He’s explosive from a standing position, has all the tricks you’d expect from a Sporting player, annnnnnnnd… he’s with Kia. The story is that we’ve bid for him because he’s under a contract dispute. Some worry Kia is using us for a bigger pay packet at Sporting… but whatever it is, the player looks good and it’d be the first future-facing name to come from his portfolio.

There’s a view that this sort of signing is why you work with super-agents. The crass idea is if you take some dross, you’ll eventually land some gold. It’s a fucking abomination of a ‘process’ that only the amateur mind would look at as smart. You have 24 spaces in a squad, if you want to be elite, you don’t sacrifice any of them in the hope of a future deal. Doing quid pro quo signings is Del Boy Trotter stuff, it’s just not how a club like Arsenal should ever act, so hopefully, that’s not been the case.

I genuinely hate the way people look at dark arts in football like it’s clever. The type of people that purr over this sort of thing are the types that like to tell you who the hard men are at the local shit hole pub. Being smart is the best way to win at football, doing things properly, underpinned by good decisions from talented people. That is what should be revered… and look, don’t take my word for it, look at how many clubs are trying to move away from super agents reccos. Look at the state of Barcelona these days, The Athletic reckon they barely use a scouting department.

‘Among a host of concerns, The Athletic can reveal that scouts feel alienated from the recruitment process. Barcelona, quite remarkably, held just one first-team scouting meeting over the past year. Barcelona, as well as rivals Real Madrid, declined to comment on all points presented to them for this report. There is also frustration that the club’s world-renowned data scientists are not trusted or involved in the recruitment strategy, while several figures around the club stated they felt the club had become overly dependant on certain agents for recommendations.’

Sound familiar? Super-agents are bad news. Still, at least we know that Mikel knows what he’s after this summer… creativity.

“You go back to (Santi) Cazorla, to (Tomas) Rosicky, to (Andrey) Arshavin when he played there, to (Aaron) Ramsey when he played there, to (Henrikh) Mkhitaryan when he came in. Even Jack Wilshere used to play in those pockets all the time.

“That is a lot of players who are now not here. We have to renew that cycle, because if not, those kind of players won’t be there for us anymore.

We need a real infusion this summer. We need a marquee creator, but we also need at least two other players that are on the up that can help us. We can’t have just one Jack Grealish this summer is what I’m saying.

Still, that makes things very exciting. We’ll be addressing the fun positions which. I mean, we need players everywhere. An 8, a 6, a new centre back. The list is vast, but the most important areas are in chance creation because things are dire at the moment.

I’m not sure what Arteta is planning against Watford this weekend, we know he’ll want to win, and he’ll have had some time to think about how bad we were in the final third. Does he practice setting up a deep block again? Does he try something new in the pockets we’re lacking? Or does he see the game as a dead rubber?

Who knows, but the Chelsea game is going to be very difficult and if we play like we did against Villa, we’ll be handsomely beaten.

Right, short post today, see you in the comments.

APPLE MUSIC | SPOTIFY

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Daniel Altos

Said that players*

Marc

“,I’ll agree with Pierre and Cg….laca smoked balloons and auba was having a chat and laughing at a corner where is the outcry?” Some really idiotic comments on here today. None of us know what goes on behind the scenes or are privy to private conversations. Auba could have walked into the dressing room and apologised to everyone after fucking up. Laca could have been fined after the balloon incident. The impression I get on the Guendozi problem is not what he’s done but his refusing to apologise or tow the line on other matters. Quite simply if Arteta was… Read more »

Thorough

Un Nai.
You can say that for the whole team including Arteta. No shot on goal against Aston Villa remember. Are you gonna pin that on Guen.

TR7

Un

Guen is ineffectual and Willock is impressive ?

Marko

My simple point is it would be odd for Arteta who is apparently a disciplinarian to pursue Depay.

He probably feels like he can change him or work around it. Absolutely no doubt that he’s a got attitude or professionalism issues that can’t be denied even if he is a good player or would represent a good signing. I’d take him sure but I’d prefer others

Ishola70

Guendouzi could be more effectual if he wasn’t playing deep most times.

But as we know Arsenal are playing two deeper mids all the time in matches.

Of course there is the obsession with deep midfielders as well with some. Guendouzi described on here as a very promising deep midfielder.

So much easier just to be a runner from midfield into attacking areas isn’t it.

Thorough

Ishola.
Arsenal aren’t playing two deep midfielders.
We are playing a lame duck.
And someone to babysit and clean up after him.

Wasi

Un Thats your opinion on Ozil and I respect it. But I have to say this , When he had Santi providing him with passes in the final 3rd, he was putting up Messi-esque numbers for chances created . But at that time we had Giroud and Walcott/Iwobi in our front 3 continuously wasting opportunities When we finally got 2 Strikers capable of 20 goals a season we failed to replace Santi and we are still seeing the downside of not replacing the heart of the team. For the best part of last 2 years we have had a pivot… Read more »

Ishola70

TR7
“Guen is ineffectual and Willock is impressive ?”

Absolute bollocks isn’t it.

Guendouzi’s performance against Spurs second half when he was virtually playing as a CAM was 10 x better than anything we have seen from Willock.

Ishola70

Thorough
“Arsenal aren’t playing two deep midfielders.
We are playing a lame duck.
And someone to babysit and clean up after him.”

I get your drift Thorough.

Marc

” and Xhaka who is not half as good as Santi.”

The biggest understatement I’ve ever heard in my life.

Good grief.

Thorough

Thanks, Ishola.
I think Arteta’s small mindedness is making a mountain out of a molehill. He should be ready for a tonne of difficult characters to be ostracized going forward. Rich footballers aren’t exactly the most well behaved.
This shit absolutely wouldn’t have been a topic of discussion under Wenger

Marko

Willock is due a loan he’s beyond average at the moment

Dissenter

“The best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour”

Depth was a bit of an unprofessional dick at United, built up a reputation for tardiness and partying.
Depay has repeated the same unprofessional behaviors at Lyon
Why is going to suddenly change at Arsenal?
Why laden a young manager who can’t handle a 21 year old Frenchman with a bigger trouble maker?

It just goes to show how desperate we’ve become as a club. If the supposed standard had been lain with Guendouzi then why reverse course very quickly.?

Wasi

Okay, correction for Marc

Xhaka is not one tenth as good as Santi.
😜

Champagne Charlie

Xhaka doesn’t compare to Cazorla as a footballer, let’s not put them in the same category at all.

Dissenter

Marc loathes Xhaka
Even Ishola can squeeze out a grudging compliment of Xhaka when the blade knife of a knife is pressed to eyeball..
Marc will tell the attacker to go ahead ,”just let me pick an eyepatch”.

London gunner

Dissenter

Are you a slow runner?

You seem to love all players without pace.

Ala giroud and xhaka

Marko

Dissenter is more contrarian than anything else

Dissenter

London gunner I think speed is too misconstrued and over rated on this site. There were many people here that rated Welbeck ahead of Giroud because Welbeck had pace . Most football fans laughed at Liverpool when they signed Jordan Henderson for £20 million. He’s thrived there because they placed in him a system and surrounded him with players that help him thrive . Anyone can thrive provided there’s a template is what expectations are and that the system Hale’s in their strengths. Xhaka wasn’t scouted properly, Wenger famously didn’t have a plan for him and didn’t even know his… Read more »

Dissenter

*that the system harps on their strengths

Tee

Guen has done nothing of note to warrant all these myopic points of view. If it were to be Martinelli or Saka then it would have been a case but guen? If you Check out guendiuzi’s stat then you will found out his passing is more of sideways than penetrative ones. He isn’t even a good ball carrier to say the least. He gets dispossessed too easily for my liking. No problem if he sees himself as a world-class player but it will be a problem if the head coach indulges his callous attitudes. I believe things (transfer activities) will… Read more »

Ishola70

Dissenter “Xhaka wasn’t scouted properly, Wenger famously didn’t have a plan for him and didn’t even know his positional strengths” You got that right. Disgusting really that a player of that transfer fee wasn’t scouted properly. I remember Xhaka in a game in his first season when Wenger was still telling everyone he was a box to box midfielder against West Ham away and Wenger put him in central midfield right bang in the middle of traffic. Xhaka was being bypassed like a traffic cone. What the fuck have we got here I thought. Of course not too later Wenger… Read more »

Ishola70

btw Henderson is much better off the ball than Xhaka.

Tee

Football isn’t all about pace. There are some positions that require pace while some required good positioning and some trickery. Vvd isn’t a runner but he has the ability to read danger and position himself to avert it. If pace is all we are looking for in players to be purchased them the team will be full of headless chickens.
Benardo Silva, Santi, fabregas e.t.c. aren’t runners but have what it takes to deliver the killer blow.

Ishola70

You don’t have to be rapid either to be good off the ball.

Just intelligent in positioning and have a sense of opposition danger and intelligence in when to go in.

Wijnaldum is not rapid but he is another Liverpool midfielder that is good off the ball.

Mics

Anyone know what the song that plays at the beginning of the podcast is?

Nelson

I don’t think Wenger has scouted Xhaka, Mustafi and Lucas Perez himself that year. He didn’t know that Xhaka is not mobile. He also benched Perez after just one game. Obviously, he is worse than Giroud. Who recommended to him all these shit players.

Marko

btw Henderson is much better off the ball than Xhaka.

He’s also not slow he’s quite fast and Athletic

Marko

Be very interesting given his comments on attacking midfielders recently who he likes and who he’ll target.

Marko

Who recommended to him all these shit players.

Fault lies with Wenger given he had total say over transfers then but Steve Rowley was head scout under Wenger

Sid

The question is why are Londoners walking around with only a face mask covering their genitalia

Marko

He’s scored as many goals as the rest of our midfield. Bit harsh no?

He offers next to nothing and our midfield is notoriously shit for goals so no it’s not harsh

Marc

“I don’t think Wenger has scouted Xhaka, Mustafi and Lucas Perez himself that year. He didn’t know that Xhaka is not mobile. ”

Look someone tells you a new restaurant is nice – you give it a go and try it. If a dozen people tell you it’s nice you go there and it’s not great you maybe give it the benefit of the doubt that it was an off night when you went.

Spending £35 million on a player and not watching him once yourself? Criminal.

Pedro

MIC, it’s from The Pacers. North London band.

https://soundcloud.com/the-pacers/2-part-of-that-scene-demo

TR7

Correct me if I am wrong but was it not the StatDNA or some similar software which identified Xhaka, Mustafi, Paulista etc. as good players and then Arsenal went ahead with signing them ? Xhaka never looked like a Wenger buy. Wenger had many faults but not knowing much about his signings was not one of them. That he was not sure whether Xhaka was a B2B or DM indicated Xhaka was not his signing and Wenger kind of green signaled the targets identified by StatDNA.

Pedro

TR7, StatDNA is elite software with great people. Arsenal just didn’t use it properly.

The reason we went for Xhaka over Kante, from what I’m told, is Xhaka was the best passer from deep at that price range in Europe, and Coquelin was the best enforcer, they thought that combo would work.

Marc

Pedro

That still doesn’t explain Wenger thinking he was a B2B player and whilst you don’t need lightening pace to make it in the PL basic mobility is definitely a requirement.

Marko

Xhaka never looked like a Wenger buy. Wenger had many faults but not knowing much about his signings was not one of them. And yet he did sign him. You kinda contradicted yourself in that post. Look that Wenger didn’t run the rule over those signings that summer is no one’s fault but himself and he gets the blame because he was responsible for the signings back then. There’s actually plenty of examples of him making poor signings which always made that whole great eye for talent thing a bit delusional. Look let’s be honest the reason we signed Xhaka… Read more »

Ishola70

How over-rated is passing from deep though.

Sounds like Wenger though but still doesn’t explain why when questioned when Xhaka first arrived Wenger stated that he was a box to box player and he was playing him central in midfield when he first arrived.

Everyone saw that Xhaka was like a stranded whale in central midfield then Wenger relented and put him deeper.

Marc

Marko

Kolas was another odd signing – the guy is a wing back and Wenger was historically always a 4 at the back manager.

There were some very unusual signings in Wenger’s latter seasons.

Chris

Park Chu Young

Andre Santos!

Chris

Perhaps Wenger saw the next Manu Petit in Xhaka ie long range lefty passer.

As they say looks can be deceiving!

Pedro

Marc, I cannot explain Wenger thinking that. Totally mad. But it wouldn’t have been because StatDNA told him he had that profile.

Ishola70

You can’t fault Xhaka’s effort.

I’d say he is the biggest effort player in the team now and this side of his game has grown.

But it shouldn’t be about effort. Should be about suitability.

Guns of SF

The click bait saying we are doing a deal and flying out to get Joelson for the 41M.
Another click bait says we are not, and he is in the team.

I swear the click bait are bunch of fucking liars

I would like this kid for the right price. 13.6M seems a little low… to be honest.

Marc

Pedro

Wasn’t blaming StatDNA – was criticising Wenger for not using the information correctly.

Pedro

Guns, we don’t have big money, especially not for a child contract rebel

Marc

Ishola

I agree on Xhaka being the biggest effort in the team.

I have to expand a huge amount of effort in trying to not lose it every time he appears.

Ishola70

Seems like there was a big disregard about Xhaka off the ball from Wenger when he first arrived.

Not that is very second period Arsene Wenger.

Ishola70

Marc

He’s still the albatross around this teams neck to really progress but to be fair to him he does try.

Pedro

Xhaka has been excellent under Arteta. Plenty I’d move on before him

Ishola70

The midfield will never be truly fixed though until Xhaka toddles off.

Radio Raheem

4th goal ruled out by VAR in Napoli vs Sassuolo, that’s got to be record, no?

Marc

Pedro

Mate you are so wrong on this – Xhaka has been better which is a credit to Arteta but he is still not fit for purpose in the PL.

A good team is more than the sum of it’s parts – Xhaka in the PL lowers this because too many players have to alter their game to compensate for his weaknesses.

I am curious which players you’d look to move on before him? Ozil doesn’t count by the way.

Marc

Ishola

Sky’s being doing a thing today of programs featuring a teams best goals in the PL. I caught a bit of the Arsenal one and when you look back at some of the midfielders that featured it makes you weep that so many just can’t see what Xhaka does to our team at the moment.

Ishola70

Marc

Pedro seems in a bit of a quandary regarding Xhaka.

He calls for athleticism and mobility in midfield which of course rules out Xhaka.

But then will say he has been a good performer.

I think he knows really.

Guns of SF

Xhaka has been fairly mistake free for a little while now.
Lets hope some team has caught this and will offer something for him?

Marc

SF

That is without doubt the most stupid comment I’ve ever seen on here. Have you never heard of “sod’s law” we’ve got a Cup Final in weeks time, Xhaka is overdue an horrendous cock up and you have to close the deal to make sure he does it in a critical match!

Ishola70

Xhaka could be one of the best players again against Chelsea in the cup final if Arteta sits deep and counters.

But going forward this team and midfield can’t keep sitting deep.

Pedro

Not fit for the Premier League? We’ve beaten City, Liverpool, Wolves ams Shef U away. Not sure anyone can seat he’s not PL Standard.

Marc

Ishola

Pedro can’t be critical of anything Arteta does and it for some unknown reason looks like Arteta not only wants to keep him but will make him Captain at the first opportunity.

I don’t think we’ll make CL again while he’s a mainstay in the team.

Pedro

Marc, sods law isn’t how a normal person analyses football performance.

Xhaka has been good. You have to accept it.

Marc

Pedro

We’re also going to miss out on qualifying for Europe through the league, have a pathetic goal difference and our midfield’s being studied by particle physicists to try and understand how something can be there but have zero influence on what goes on around it.

I’m not going to chuck Arteta under the bus – I want him to succeed and he needs time but Xhaka is not suited to the PL. I think he’d thrive in Serie A or an over 75’s walking football league but stop drinking the kool aid on this one.

Marc

Pedro

Sod’s law controls the Universe – do not temp fate.

Guns of SF

You al mean Murphy’s law?

Ishola70

Xhaka has been one of the big reasons for the disconnect from midfield to attack. Not only does he like playing deep he likes/requires another midfielder to play deep with him. The whole team needs to push further up the pitch to truly evolve and really progress. Chelsea had their “regista” Jorginho slap bang in the middle of the pitch against Man United in the semis of the FA Cup the other night and this brings their whole team up and on the front foot. The problem for Arsenal is if they push this current team higher up the pitch… Read more »

Marc

SF

Same thing but much much worse.

Pedro

Marc, let’s see what Arteta does to create balance next season. Not sure Xhaka is his biggest problem

Marc

Pedro

I’m hoping that Edu and Sanllehi (not going to get into a row with you tonight on the usual) can somehow pull off what he needs with the current financial situation and I’d love it for Arteta to smash it next season but it wont’ happen with Xhaka trundling around the pitch.

Marko

There were some very unusual signings in Wenger’s latter seasons.

Throughout his career honestly. Some good ones but some shocking ones as well

Guns of SF

Amaury Bischoff

Guns of SF

Squillaci
Broken back man
Santos

Marc

Marko

All managers make signings that don’t work out. Fergie bought Veron for £25 million on paper looked a great signing – the only thing that stopped it being a complete disaster is that Chelsea then paid £15 million for him.

Wenger’s early “mistakes” were pennies. Xhaka and Mustafi were £70 million – what would that get us right now?

Pedro

Marc, r&E are under a heavy microscope now, so hopefully

Champagne Charlie
Nelson

Arteta explained in one of his news conference that creativity doesn’t have to come only from the midfield. He cited the Pools as an example. When asked whether he plans to move Xhaka and Ceballos further up, he said NO. He needs them to support the defense. I have to admit that Arteta has designed a system to hide the weakness of our players. He is counting on Saka and Bellerin/Soares to link up play from defend to attack. I guess he’ll ask Auba and Pepe to stay closer to Saka and Bellerin when we have to ball. Laca is… Read more »

Valentin

Depay was dressed down last season for his attitude not five years ago. He has been a disruptive player at every club he has been. There is no reason to think that he will behave differently at his next club.
If Arteta can’t handle a petulant teenager in Guendouzi, I sincerely doubt that he would be able to handle an arrogant, cocky, unprofessional, sometime lazy Memphis Depay.

Marc

“As Arsenal move further on from the events that so soured the autumn it seems all the more remarkable how smoothly the bonds have been repaired between Granit Xhaka and his club’s supporters.”

The journalist who wrote that is a complete fucking moron – he’s only had to appear in front of Arsenal fans 6 times in the PL. Not exactly a huge sample.

Ishola70

lol Charlie turns up. Always thinks the club knows best.

He was even enthusiastic about Lichtsteiner.

Why? because the club signed him so he must be worthwhile as a squad player.

Champagne Charlie

Ishola

Optimistic and enthusiastic have different meanings mate, not sure you’ve grasped that.

Back to you sock

Ishola70

Charlie

You need to be just a little bit more critical surely.

The club have been failing really for quite a while but you are on here defending 99% of what the club does in regards transfers, players.

Latest example getting all defensive about Depay.

Champagne Charlie

Ishola

Please spare me the advice, you’re a grown man obsessed with Granit Xhaka….it’s not healthy.

The rest of your post isn’t worth the time of day, you talk that much bollocks I’ll just nod and say OKAY.

Ishola70

Charlie Xhaka is an important subject because he plays in a key area. Really you shouldn’t get so prickly when he is critiqued. We don’t talk about him every day on here. It’s just your imagination because you are so defensive about him. We did talk at length about him tonight though. It was funny though the other day when you put that article up about the midfield and said it was a decent overall view and in that same article it stated that for the midfield to be more expansive if Partey was brought in it should be to… Read more »

Champagne Charlie

Ishola

It’s embarrassing you think I’m prickly about Xhaka, I find that infatuation you have with him laughable is the bottom line.

Only one that gets prickly is you at the mere suggestion he’s not the rabid probables you make out monotonously. Hence why you’re such an easy target to wind up.

Marko

Well I hope old granit is still on the way out. Reports that Mikel in January didn’t want to sell him but would be open to it in the summer at the time was risky but hopefully he still has plans to address that this summer. It can’t be stressed enough that to address the squad and improve it means the likes of him need replacing.

Samir

Everyone obsessed with replacing Xhaka when there are clearly other positions we’re weaker in. He’s our best CM. Won’t be replaced until we have quality options in that area…And we currently have 0.

Nelson

With Xhaka, Arteta’s system is limited. Xhaka is a liability when playing higher up. He’ll be either like a training pole or faulting opponents to get a yellow card. He is OK in a double DM formation. But this system is too defensive against weak team where we need to attack more. That’s why I want to replace him by Guen when playing against weaker teams. Guen is mobile and covers much more space than Xhaka.

Emiratesstroller

Arsenal’s midfield is and has been unbalanced and a mess for two seasons and bluntly there are only two players on our books in that department who you can be sure will be at Arsenal next season. The first is Xhaka who despite all the critics on Le Grove is a starting certainty. The other is Willock who is on current form no better than a squad player. When you analyse the other players currently in our squad you see just how thin are our resources. Arteta would like to hold onto Ceballos, but whether that is possible is in… Read more »

Freddie Ljungberg

http://dailycannon.com/2020/07/nicolas-pepe-a-72m-flop-at-arsenal-dont-let-them-fool-you/

Something for the Pepe doubters and those morons who are still pining for Zaha.

Champagne Charlie

Freddie That’s literally a fan piece comparing Zaha and Pepe which dismisses the fact Zaha plays for Crystal Palace on the grounds ‘Arsenal have been impotent this season‘ – face palm. It’s a wasted argument, it’s not ‘who had a better return on numbers’ this season, the debate was who suited us better. I’ll still gladly say Zaha for his ability to penetrate from deep, receive the ball back to goal, and be efficient in no space. Something no player in the forward line is capable of doing. Prefer Pepe if you like, but don’t try and call this season… Read more »

Freddie Ljungberg

CC We’re 4 positions and 11 points above Palace, don’t act like we are a top team or squad this season. Zaha has been in the PL for years and Pee is only in his first season but still beats him in almost all categories despite playing far fewer minutes so yeah, not a fair comparison. It’s not only the goals and assists either (twice as many for Pepe btw) it’s dribbles, headers won, Zaha is getting dispossessed twice as much as Pepe etc etc. Blame that on the team if you like but Pepe has been working under more… Read more »

Freddie Ljungberg

“Pepe, in his first season in a new league at a new club in a new country that speaks a different language has twice as many goals as Zaha and almost twice as many assists. Yes, yes, I know Zaha plays for Palace, but do you remember who Arsenal’s boss was for most of this season and how little attacking football we played? At the time of writing, Arsenal have had a total of 386 shots in the league this season. Palace? 363.” “Zaha is Palace’s Top Rated player on WhoScored for the season with 7.00 whereas at Arsenal, Pepe… Read more »

Champagne Charlie

“We’re 4 positions and 11 points above Palace, don’t act like we are a top team or squad this season.“ No, you don’t act like we have comparable talent in the side in an attempt to creat parity between Zaha and Pepe. Zaha is literally Crystal Palace’s entire attack, he’s double teamed every game he plays in. Pepe is playing alongside Auba and Laca. Give me a break. Yes there is a logical argument, because you disagree with it doesn’t negate it. That’s not how opinions work mate. Pepe and Zaha are not comparable in skill set or playing style,… Read more »

Freddie Ljungberg

“Zaha is literally Crystal Palace’s entire attack, he’s double teamed every game he plays in. Pepe is playing alongside Auba and Laca. ” So is Pepe, no support from his RB and our attack is unbalanced more often than not. Not to mention our non existent midfield. Like I’ve said before, Peep hasn’t been great this season, but there are valid reasons for that, he’s still been much better than what some make it out to be. That article shows that. You having a crush on Zaha doesn’t change that Pepe has been much better in his first season that… Read more »

Champagne Charlie

Freddie

That post pretty much exemplifies how juvenile you are, and the irony is unreal.

Saying I have a crush on Zaha and that I go to bat for Xhaka quite literally as you ride Pepe into the sunset. Can’t make it up.

I’ve been as diplomatic as I’m going to be on the matter, I said you can prefer Pepe all you want but to me Zaha was a more suitable buy at the time. Fact you’re intolerable of that opposing view is your own issue.

Freddie Ljungberg

“Saying I have a crush on Zaha and that I go to bat for Xhaka quite literally as you ride Pepe into the sunset. Can’t make it up.” Yes Charles, going to bat daily for a player that’s been letting us down for 4 years and has been as dire as they come until the last couple of months where he’s raised his levels to not completely shite is the same as defending a player new to the league getting unfair criticism while still been one of our best players … Like I said, Pepe needs improvement, but there’s every… Read more »

Champagne Charlie

Freddie

28 year old Zaha last year… man is 27 today so fucking A+ on that one.

Zaha is 27, our precious young talent with the huge upside is 25. When you can’t honestly debate matters it becomes a waste of time. Have your different view, but spare me the walk through the forest of bullshit while you defend it.

Freddie Ljungberg

“If only we’d paid that extra £8m to land the almost 28-year-old Zaha instead of the just-turned-25 Pepe, eh?” Guess I read the article too quickly and missed a whole couple of months. Pepe was 24 when bought btw so same same but different. Still almost 3 years between them. Pepe’s upside and reason to believe he’ll improve where Zaha is unlikely to isn’t only age, it’s the fact he’s already putting up these numbers while it’s apparent he’s struggling to adapt and has been in and out of an inconsistent team. You seem upset today CC, maybe time for… Read more »

Emiratesstroller

Making a comparison between Pepe and Zaha is pointless. We have bought Pepe and spent a lot of money on the project. Let’s judge him next season.

Of far greater concern is sorting out contract for Aubameyang AND rebuilding our midfield which as I pointed out earlier is woefully thin on resources and needs serious investment if we are going to be competitive in foreseeable future.

On current evidence we could be struggling next season to finish in top 10 unless we recruit some decent players in that department.