I don’t know about you, but does this year’s transfer window feel double weird on a fan level? It’s like quarantine has made people lose their minds. No chill whatsoever. I feel sorry for journalists. I saw someone sending around a petition to sack the Arsenal social guy the other day. It’s fucking nuts. Also, people are so desperate to seek out information, they start to behave like your gran on Facebook.
‘Pete, it’s honestly true. I have a friend that’s close with the army and covid was the lizard people’
A few things to remember with transfers.
If the account is called @TransferSourceNUMERuno with a bio of ‘LEGIT NEWS NO BS’, the chances are 100% this account is a teenager in their bedroom with zero intel on anything.
‘HE GETS THINGS RIGHT’
No. He hedges bets on everything based on real journo news, then deletes tweets that are incorrect.
There are very few people with legitimate sources on the internet that don’t work in the game or have a platform worth talking to. Clubs do not like leaks. If a nobody is tweeting things that are legitimate, clubs often try and track the leak within the club. That is such a fucking rarity though. The bigger problem is people making things up that damage the club or internal relationships.
If you are in a position of power (gatekeeper of elite info), you are generally pretty guarded about what you share and with who (there is a collection of prominent old school Arsenal fans with elite info that don’t put it on their feeds because they don’t want to fuck over their people). If you work as a coach at Arsenal, you cherish that job. If your mate Dave that you share beers with on a Friday starts tweeting out off-the-record goss and builds a following of 50,000 in two weeks, someone will work out what is going on. Leakers generally have nothing to gain by giving their friends internet stardom, which is why these people are generally bullshitters.
So in short, don’t work yourself up over nobodies that are literally getting sexually aroused by sharing fake rumours about the club.
Today we have a HUGE game against West Ham. They are in a very negative position at the moment, literally doing anything they can to buy a defender. The dressing room is a mess, the football is absolutely shite, and they are looking like relegation fodder this year… which means they are more than capable of beating us with a shithoused goal in the 89th.
This is Arteta on West Ham.
‘Well they have many strengths and some weaknesses, like we all have. I know David, the manager, really well and I know what he will be trying to do tomorrow to hurt us as well. It will be a tough game and I am expecting a difficult battle tomorrow.’
This is the sort of game where I think we’ll learn something about the sort of Arsenal we’re dealing with this season. Last year, West Ham might have caused a problem, will they this year? Or will the players turn up with fire in their stomachs and execute the plan at 100%? If we can deal with the teams that’ll sling 8 behind the ball on a downer, then it’ll start to build belief. We cannot have games like we did against Villa and Watford. We need to progress the way we operate in situations where we ‘could’ be complacent.
The press still can’t leave the Auba story alone, they once again probed with ‘Are you happy your best striker signed’ questions. This answer, about outside interest in him, was the one I liked.
‘Yes, but the size of our clubs is as big as those names. That is what I am saying, the most important thing is the club, what we inspire, who we are as a club and what we can achieve in the future as well, and how we can explain what we are trying to do so the players believe in our project.’
Perception is sometimes more important than reality. Mikel has been doing a fantastic job of late reengineering our reputation off the pitch. There’s a conviction in his communications when he talks about the greatness of the badge. He doesn’t budge. We are a big club, with great facilities, and we’re going back to the top. If you keep repeating things over and over, people start to believe them. Too many Arsenal fans spent the last decade bemoaning fans with standards. ‘Spoilt Arsenal fans shouldn’t expect trophies’… how wrong was that? Arteta expects trophies. The players know that. He communicates how they’ll do it. Everything pushes in that direction. Football is solely about winning trophies, if your standards aren’t at that level, what are you doing?
The club is still trying to do business to make BIG trophies more likely. Ignore anyone that tells you we’re finished for the window. That is absolutely incorrect. We will bring in a keeper and we’ll push hard for a 6 and an 8. It doesn’t matter that Aulas thinks we’ll miss out on Aouar, do you think one of the greatest negotiators in the history of football is giving the real story to a random off Twitter? Don’t be soft. Aulas will push and push and push to extract the max fee he can earn.
There were rumours in the air that we’re looking at a swap deal for Zaha and Reiss. Stories are creeping out of Spain that Simeone has told Torreira that he wants him in Madrid. All of it could be nonsense, but these are the sort of surprise moves that can happen in the blink of an eye. We might not be close to any sales yet, but they’ll arrive as clubs start to realise they have to move on their squads.
In short. It doesn’t matter that clubs, agents and virgins are leaking against us. All that matters is where things land on October 6th, and trust me, things will move.
Right, enjoy the game today, steer clear of fake Twitter. x
P.S. The daily newsletter should be up and running again. You can sign up to it below.
Lower expectations is key to a calmer life some say.
If It’s true that Arsenal had a chance to sell Xhaka and they asked him to stay, this Club deserves to stay in the EL. Xhaka is an average player in the wrong league. I can’t see how this Arsenal team challenge for the PL with a midfielder with so much limitations. All AW teams use to be dominant in midfield until he signed Xhaka and it’s the same to date. I watched all the games since the start of the PL and most of the teams have better midfield than Arsenal. How is that even possible?
Tom September 19, 2020 22:48:48 Interesting some can argue for keeping Emi and getting Partey in the same breath. Atletico want, like, real money you know….. and quite a lot of it too. /// I believe that had we told Martinez, you have the no1 shirt, this would have pushed out Leno. I don’t see Leno sitting on his arse and taking his pay cheque and doing fuck all. He would have sought a way out if he wants to play as no 1, regardless of salary demands. This would have been the ballsy move for Arteta to keep Martinez.… Read more »
Marc
I was not discussing the decision to sell Martinez.
What I asked was based on recent performances who is the better goalkeeper. Martinez had far more control under pressure when he played.
Saka showed tonight that he has the midas touch with the 2 goals he created. They were passes out of the Ozil mould, he won’t receive a couple of assists to pad up his stats but both passes and the 2nd in particular were sublime.. Perfectly timed to keep the player onside and perfectly weighted to create indecision from the keeper…take a bow Saka, you have shown tonight that you have the vision to play the creative role. What I would have liked to have seen more , is for our midfielders to feed the ball between the lines into… Read more »
Spot on Pierre
“but both passes and the 2nd in particular were sublime..”
Can’t argue with that it was a gorgeous pass.
Emirates
That’s all well and good but he wanted to leave – it’s like saying your first wife was a better cook than your second – the fact that she hated you and left you for a Tottenham supporter kills the argument.
Martinez was undoubtedly our best and most consistent player during the latter part of the season and Charity Shield. Never put a foot wrong in how many games. The epitome of solidity New season starts and he’s dropped. Do not forget that he was here for ten years and never got a chance. Once he did he proved himself a super last man. But it was as if it had never happened. Put yourself in his boots and what would you have done. Many of you say he should have stayed and fought for his place. He did stay for… Read more »
“New season starts and he’s dropped.”
Er which match was he dropped for?
Marc
I don’t understand question?
Well, Dani stepped it up when we needed it. Hoping he and Willian get some chemistry going this season.
Bellerin, spun around so many times again.
Gabriel, getting a trial by fire. Next week is a 5 alarm fire. He better be ready. Might need to pull out Holding for Luiz in this game against Pool
We need more in the middle. When West Ham set up in a low block about 30 mins went by and nothing at all happened. Nothing. At. All.
Aouar needed or some CAM
“Arsnil”
Are you serious?
Surely the secret of any successful team is that if you are playing well then you stay in the team. Don’t produce it and you’re out. Arsenal seem to have this arse ways at the moment. Martinez had been doing really well but not going to be No. 1. Then you have Holding, Bellerin Xhaka Ceballos etc. etc. How many will again play next game???? Am I missing something?
Anyone who watches PSG knows if Draxler plays as CAM these days? Maybe he can be an alternative to us, on a decent wage of course.
Arsnil
“Am I missing something?”
Yes we sold him.
What really annoys me is that Martinez really deserved it more than Leno.
I don’t give a fuck that Leno is an international and is a great shot stopper.
Leno doesn’t suit our style of play.
We should have given Martinez the number 1 shirt.
And it doesn’t matter whether we sold Leno or not. If we were in the position to keep both players had Martinez decided to still fight for the number 1 shirt, then the whole argument of selling one or the other is moot.
Marc
Yeah great move. Selling our best keeper by a street and a country mile. Good luck to the lad. He owes us nothing.
Arteta on Lacazette’s future: “At the moment, we haven’t started any negotiations [to extend his contract]. We have a lot of things still to do in this market & at the moment we are focusing on those things”
Oooohhhh
“I believe that had we told Martinez, you have the no1 shirt, this would have pushed out Leno. I don’t see Leno sitting on his arse and taking his pay cheque and doing fuck all. He would have sought a way out if he wants to play as no 1, regardless of salary demands.“ TLDB10 Yea, it’s possible but highly unlikely. No player in his prime walks away from a 100kpw salary from a club like Arsenal to take a pay cut at some relegation fodder. His agent could’ve sent out feelers to better clubs but time is short and… Read more »
After the Spuds game when we lost, someone on here said that Kola shouldn’t play for Arsenal ever again. I agree 100% with that statement.
He was totally garbage last night. Trouble is, to shift him out is not going to be easy. His astronomical wages of £100,000k per week sees to that.
Will be hard to find a club that is willing to pay that for someone of his quality.
Having Martinez in goal for that brief period of time just felt better…. When a corner or cross came over, it felt nice to not have to worry about our keeper dropping or flapping at the ball. What I see now is that when the opposition have a corner, I see a goalkeeper who looks nervous and edgy, a goalkeeper who looks indecisive on whether to come for the ball or stay on his line. I didn’t see that when Martinez was in goal. Someone said we won and the goal wasn’t Leno’s fault, and he was correct. But there… Read more »
Kolasinac… what a walking liability he is. Sell him quick!
Well done to Ceballos and Nketiah for putting their differences aside and combining for the win.
In relation to my post above.
Meaning it will be hard for a club to pay those wages (100,000K) to someone of Kolasanic’s quality.
“It is very difficult to defend the decision to sell Martinez, the argument here is that he wanted to leave…..I don’t think so“
Martinez literally stated we offered him a contract to retain him, but that he wanted to leave and was thankful the club acted with class to respect his decision.
Why the fuck are people talking about Martinez? Am I missing something is this going to be a thing going forward we’re going to pine for our old second choice keeper when we struggle with attacking and controlling a game? Weird fanbase
Marko
Luteo already earmarked this inevitability, Martinez has somehow gone down as a club legend. Better than Seaman I hear..
Leno was the reason Rice and Soucet dominated Xhaka and DC in midfield at the Emirates stadium, so let’s resign Martinez. Chelsea and United GKs aren’t better than Leno and the two that might be considered a level above him at City and Pool have their flaws too. Arsenal need a #8, #6, RB, CF and another CB, that’s priority not Leno.
The most infamous of second choice keepers. Imagine all that after 10 years. Pfftt I’ll never get it
Obviously charlie and Marko watched the game with their Leno blinkers on .
I wish he was better in the air and more dominant in his box , but fe isn’t.
Marko /Charlie
In all honesty, Did either of you think that Leno looked secure and decisive when the ball was put in the box, especially in the 2and half.
I have a feeling you won’t answer that with a straight yes or no.
It took longer than I thought, I’m surprised it didn’t happen after the season opener. There were people who wanted Fabianski to come back after Swansea was mid table for a couple years too.
Pierre
Not sure what tangent you’re off on, I just remarked that Martinez himself stated we offered him a contract to stay and it was him that asked to leave. Which goes against your apparent knowledge of matters.
Pierre
No he didn’t, he looked about usual to what I expect of him. Are you saying that the issues dealing with crosses that have been evident in the squad for years would have been solved if Eli were made no.1?
Regardless of the end of last season, I think some people just choose to make their choice based on the bigger 10 year sample over the smaller 10 game sample. But who cares about data, some people just see things with their eyes and know apparently.
CC, Marko Who is saying that Martinez is a club legend? My angle is that by keeping Martinez this would have allowed: – To not put too much pressure on our defence which is having a lot of trouble with dealing with aerial threats/ crosses in the box. Until we do know how to handle this, this is going to cause us a lot of trouble. The core of our defence is still young/ new (Tierney, Gabriel and Saliba) and are learning their trade. – Us to focus on the more pressing demands that is our midfield. If Arteta’s mandate… Read more »
Pierre No, he didn’t look convincing at all. Frankly, every honest observer will acknowledge that Leno has never looked totally convincing on crosses or high balls. He is a good shot-stopper and decent with his feet. That is all. However, the club needs funds in order to improve the midfield and Martinez fetched us 20m in the market. Sometimes you have to give things up in order to get other things. If you think we should have kept Martinez, you either think (i) we should have sold Leno or (ii) that we should have gone without midfield additions. If (i),… Read more »
DB10
How would not selling Martinez allow us “to focus on the more pressing demand that is our midfield”? We need money to improve our midfield and we are using the money from his sale to help fund such signings. What money would you have us use to sign these new midfielders? Are you pitching in your millions?
Pierre
“the argument here is that he wanted to leave…..I don’t think so”
No, he wanted to be somewhere where he was guaranteed the #1 spot. Arteta could only tell him that he and Leno would be competing for it. Thus he told the club he’d prefer a different situation. Do you read articles about Arsenal Football Club? This was covered in interviews with Martinez.
My angle is that by keeping Martinez this would have allowed:– To not put too much pressure on our defence
Right but today the problem was control in midfield and creativity and Emi Martinez contributes fuck all to either issue.
Us to focus on the more pressing demands that is our midfield.
What does Martinez have to do with that issue beyond his being sold helping us sign a midfielder.
I swear this fanbase loves to hoard it’s shite
Bamford
The thing is that these £20 million, as much as they are welcome now, would not have materialised had Martinez agreed to play part-time no 1 keeper alongside Leno, which I assume was what was being offered. Basically, the fighting for the number 1 spot that is being talked about had he decided to stay. Not surprised that Martinez declined as he wanted full time no 1 spot, which should have been given to him.
DB10
OK, so you disagree with Arteta and think he should have been given the #1 spot. Fair enough. For you, Arteta got this one wrong. Question, though: would you have then sold Leno? I mean, we have to raise funds to sign midfielders, and this money has to come from sales. So would you have sold Leno?
Yes, if it was possible and that there was demand for him. We may not have made as much, due to his salary, but it would have still been welcome to have whatever we could have got out of him
Leno may even have pushed (just as Martinez did) to go elsewhere had he been told he was not going to be no1. He knew he was being outplayed by Martinez. Leno is very lucky to still be number 1 to be honest.
Receding. All this Leno talk, he wasn’t the reason we conceded 15 shots at home to a supposedly in crises West Ham. All of you that say this don’t realize something do you? We had Leno and were conceding chances left, right and center even with Arteta in charge. Leno gets injured and we conceded fewer chances. But you think the defence just got decent all of a sudden? Then Leno is back and we’re back to conceding double digit chances. But it’s still not Leno’s fault.it has nothing to do with Martinez dominating his box and not having opposition… Read more »
1. Anyone knows what happens to William Saliba. He is with us before Gabriel. He is not even on the bench. 2. Surprise to see Arteta selects Kola and Holding as starting CB before PapaSok. 3. Saka plays more like a winger than a wing back. 4. Ceballos has a fast reaction to the ball. 5. Laca is a very hard worker. As a striker, he needs to shoot whenever he has a chance. 6. Eddie has a nose for the goal. 7. Without Tierney and Luiz, we lost our long ball attack. Our team will struggle when we have… Read more »
Mikel Arteta was asked about our Tierney after the game. This is what he had to say: on Kieran Tierney… Kieran is fine. He had a little muscular discomfort in the last few days. He tried today and worked in the warm-up but he wasn’t feeling comfortable today. on Kieran Tierney injury… Well, we could not control it. We believed that he was going to be fit but during the warm-up, in the last 10 minutes, he said he wasn’t feeling OK. We had to make a decision. We were prepared just in case and Kola came on and had… Read more »
Nelson
Arteta said that Saliba needs more time to get used to the league and will not be rushed in.
He also played the other day in a friendly match. I think he is getting back to match fitness….
Against Liverpool I would play Luiz. Holding I still am not comfortable with. Hopefully KT is back, we will need him badly.
We need a CAM like yesterday
Diet pep vs his mentor Moyes is a match made in heaven!
Saliba played in the u23’s last night.
Game was too late for me. I’ll take the points
Gabriel missed and misjudged so many headers yesterday. Unusual for a CB.
We still have such a long way to go. Our forward lines best plays come running in behind but we lack the midfield to take control and definitely lack the creativity to play to Auba or Pepe’s best strength. Pepe always has 2 men on him and never receives the ball early enough to have a proper run 1 on 1. I’m sick of seeing our midfield let the opposition stroll through. Holding and kola as CBs is piss poor. Un na wrong again on his faves. Our English babies haven’t produced for us in a while. I’d have changed… Read more »
Jesus ita only on LeGrove where people have an agenda against Leno . Its only his second game back from injury . I think the problem we all know was Tierney missing and Arteta not including Maitland Niles , I think next match Luiz comes in with Gabriel on the left side so no worries there . Saka had that spark we needed to break down West Ham, for Liverpool AMN will start . The only thing bugging me is how Arteta makes his sub . Kolasinac is atrociuous.
Santino,
I also noticed the same thing. His goal against Fulham hit his shoulder actually and today there was about 2 that also missed his head.
Maybe jitters or who knows… but that can lead to a bad error sooner than later.
Why I say we need Luiz for Liverpool. his headwork is quite good .
Man things go from positive to negative so fast on here lol Two days ago the world was our oyster now it’s panic stations and we’re miles off where we need to be (despite winning) We aren’t going to play well and dominate every game this season. It’s far more important that you win such games. Shithousery is an art that every title winning team is required to employ occasionally. Liverpool had their moments last season, literally every team does. We knew before the game that we need at least one quality Cm, probably two. Nothing changed since then except… Read more »
Lol i hope this comment section is read back because apart from a few voices of reason the majority were so over reactionary it is ridiculous.
This game highlighted that we need midfield additions, I think they will come and the team will be better for it.
Yeah midfield has needed upgrading for yonks, looks like we finally have people in trying to make the necessary upgrades. Our backline is a work in progress along with so many injuries.
China my point about midfield is that we never properly control that area. Not even against the West hams of the league.
We have 2 midfielders in charge, and the players they have as top priority should definitely address the problem
We do play better being pressed. That is a fact. Emery would have our team shitting bricks against pressing sides. Now, it seems our Strength is counter attacking. I dare say we will actually have more chances against them than west ham, a team that was doing a good job of denying us space and time on the ball. Kola was a def weak spot. I hope we sell asap. KT keeps picking up these little niggling injuries. I hope its something the physio can help with. Perhaps his body is still growing? Young muscles etc… maybe he needs to… Read more »
More chances against Liverpool……
What they do or don’t do about the midfield will tell us all about the ambition of the club as has been the case for many years. Is it just to try to scratch into the top four and no more or do the club want to better that in future years. It will be a real shame that now the club have a manager that the fans can start to have real belief in this is not backed up by midfield signings and we keep the status quo in that area yet again in what is an obvious problem… Read more »
“This game highlighted that we need midfield additions” That and AMN should have played in place of Kola, as well as Xhaka was very poor not having his minder looking after him thus reducing Xhaka to the rare over the top passes of the WH defence for Saka and Auba to run on to. As much as I’m not an Elneny fan, I believe Xhaka should have been replaced for Elneny early in the 2nd half to break down WH attacks. Lucky 3 points last night, but the bin dippers had many of those type of wins last season on… Read more »
I thought Kola was in talks with Shalke? Hopefully theres a deal to be made.
Keep playing kola and we’ll end up paying someone to take him
everyone we want to sell want to stay as they are getting the nice fat cheddar every week.
” want to fight for my place in the team BS”
ala Ozil.
Serves us right tho, for overpaying shit players… they cannot leave the mother ship
telling that no one wants Guen, either straight up or in a player/ trade swap deal ….
Folks thinking he is a 50M player in the making.
SMH
How about Sokratis?
I think the best news is the Torreira rumors… 25M? Heck, with that and Emi we can grab Aouar and focus on another DM…. soumare? others????
“What they do or don’t do about the midfield will tell us all about the ambition of the club as has been the case for many years.” I wouldn’t lump it in as a collective ambition of the club, Ishola, more the ambition of the owners. Creative accounting (loans Terraloon??) surely could be found for Stan to inject £100million for this window to solve the main midfield issues. If this blew FFP up in our faces, then missing a TW window with a slapped wrist probably wouldn’t harm our CL qualifying ambitions, as we have academy players to fill in… Read more »
Guns
“they cannot leave the mother ship”
George Clinton couldn’t have said it better although I prefer the Funkadelic album from 1975 titled Let’s Take It To The Stage rather than Parliaments Mothership Connection from the same year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mttSBkBpWxk&ab_channel=gebjgbtl571
“Creative accounting (loans Terraloon??) surely could be found for Stan to inject £100million for this window to solve the main midfield issues. ”
Stan does not know what a midfield is. Josh might know a little of what a midfield is… maybe?
Leftside
From what I’ve read Kola wants to stay to fight for his place and protect his contracted income.
If I were Shalke watching Kola’s poor performance yesterday, I would look else where. for their needs.
Blackbird was a good guitar player!
Chocolate CIty!
Also this from cc…
“Bellerin offered nothing going forward, him and Pepe are strangers to one another I swear. Someone should introduce them, tell them they can build some chemistry out there.”
It’s actually strange to watch them avoid the obvious passes to each other haha
Let’s hope we can get One or two more sales over the line this week as one would presume if we can get another 20m we should be able to get in our next MF signing
Tony not sure if you ever got into punk hardcore… but I was about 10 when this was filmed. I mean I love this. Bad brains were great and their guitarist Dr Know was extremely underrated too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPQpbm8j504
Guns
“Chocolate CIty!”
lol you can tell how dated that song is when George tells us “and we are working on Atlanta”
Good vibe to that track though.
I cant even believe this shit…totally incredible
The fat guy in the mohawk is probably the funniest dude to chill with I bet. A pizza night and 6 pack of beer type of fun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGzA8KXW3WI
Danny
I meant are you Emery in disguise 😆
Guns
Punk was a genre I found hard to connect to same as thrash metal and heavy metal such as Disturbed although I did really like their Sound of Silence cover.
I do like Daft Punk, though. Not really punk but cool off beat music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9Dg-g7t2l4
Our midfield gets dominated and somehow it’s linked to Martinez not being in goal to “bark orders at defenders”. Which is he the goal keeper or the manager?
No player should demand a starting place, that nonsense should not be encouraged. What assurances was he looking for exactly? That after a bad few games he should still be number one? What was he scared of if he was so certain he was better than Leno? Who leaves the better club to an inferior one for a player he is better than?
Receding Martinez knew he would be dropped for Leno again whether or not he played well or made blunders. He left because despite doing well deputising for him he knew he would still be no.2 in the pecking order. Just in relation to form he should have been told that he would continue as no.1 until he had some bad matches but this was not possible due to the previous standing and profiles of both the keepers. It is funny though how some get tetchy when it is pointed out that Leno is suspect on crosses and dominating his six… Read more »
Divine
There’s no “agenda against Leno”.
It’s that he’s just not good enough.
Yes, we are in dire need of some quality in midfield but when you have a GK like Leno, who’s only attribute is being “a good shot stopper”, you’ve got big problems.
Martinez has gone and good luck to him. If you’re telling me though that Leno should not be put under any scrutiny because we have other issues, I’m afraid you’re wrong.
If you have a GK that can’t catch the ball, command his area and distribute effectively, you’re basically fcuked.
Arsenal and their fans deserve better.
So Leno is not good enough.
Our 2nd best player since the time he’s arrived. Made a world class save to help us win the game last night. But sure he is not good enough because he is not an elite catcher. After having to go through the likes of Almunia, Fabianski and past it Cech we finally have a top of the line keeper and this is the feedback he gets from the fans.
Toxic.
Again there is no need to get irritated when it is pointed out that Leno has weaknesses.
It is quite evident.
He excels in certain aspects but has weaknesses in others.
If you are unable to admit to his evident weaknesses you are just not being truthful about him.
Does he need shipping out any time soon? Of course not.
But if his evident weaknesses become really harmful to the team further down the road then that can be an area to look to improve upon. But not any time real soon.
Ishola and I take it Martinez is flawless right? No weakness in his game at all? Aston Villa will be selling him for Allison price soon then if so and good on them.
Receding I would say overall that Martinez was a “safer” keeper than Leno. Not as spectacular as Leno in regards shot stopping but overall safer. If people are trying to tell me that Leno is an absolute top, top keeper and absolutely world class I don’t buy it. If on the other hand people say that Leno is very good in certain aspects and these aspects can be important to the side in matches then we can go along with that. For Leno to be seen as absolute top class keeper he has to improve on his dealing with crosses,… Read more »
Captain Tierney
“Toxic”.
What are you on about?
Based on what you saw yesterday and I assume you watched the game, Leno is a liability.
It’s very simple really.
End of.
I really had no issues with Leno ishola and I still don’t. I have an issue with our midfield being dominated by an team that can string two passes together and Kolasinac still considered an option in our defense.
If after yesterday’s game the raging debate is we should have kept Martinez then it’s really not a debate based on what happened on the pitch yesterday.
Receding
Ishola gave a perfectly reasonable assessment of Leno and you reply “martinez is flawless right”.
I think you (and a few others) are missing the point.
Receding
Leno’s weaknesses have been evident for quite a while along with his very good attributes.
If you were oblivious to his flapping at some crosses last night it was because you didn’t want to see them or you missed them.
This notion that Leno is not a top class keeper is baseless. There are very very few if at all any keeper in the world who is top class at every major goalkeeping aspect i.e Shot-stopping, Commanding the area and passing. Oblak, Ter Stegen, Allison and Ederson are few of the names iterated time and time again when talking about world class goalkeepers. Lets have a look at them. Oblak – Top class shot stopper, great command of the box/area, average with the ball at his feet. Ter stegen – Top class shot stopper, elite passer, average in commanding his… Read more »
RH
The debate is based on the fact we need a better keeper.
Forget Martinez.
I agree totally with your perceptions on our midfield limitations though.
We all do.
Graham
Yes he spilled some crosses and he wont ever be as good as Emi in commanding his area.
He also made a world class save from 1 yard. The ball didnt come to him, he made that save thanks to his cat-like reflexes.
I doubt any keeper in the league could make that save.
And if our second best player was a liability then we would be in the Championship right now.
Captain Tierney
“good with the ball at his feet”
Are you serious?🤪
He is rubbish.
Can’t claim balls and looks timid and scared when you need him to dominate.
It’s alright though, he’s a “ top class shot stopper”
Never mind.
There is no denying we need new midfielders but the game against West Ham showed us how important Luiz, Tiernney, AMN and Saka are to the balance and tempo of our game. Arteta needs to make sure these 4 play most of our important fixtures. Kola is finished as a footballer. I still firmly believe Xhaka should be sold. He will command enough fee for ua to land a quality CM. He makes errors and looks out of sorts against any team which play at high intensity. Not convinced by Pepe either. Replace Pepe, Xhaka and Kola and Torrera with… Read more »
I like both Leno and Martinez but if I had to choose only one between the two I would go for Martinez. As a fan I feel more relaxed seeing Martinez in goal. I don’t care who has better stats or pedigree.
Have to say that I was surprised that Arteta took Elneny out of the starting line up after 2 very impressive performances. Ceballos did ok, was a bit erratic early on when he was doing his headless chicken impression, but settled into the game once we got our noses in front. There was a little too much space between our 2 midfielders making it too easy for west ham to penetrate. This was probably more a team thing than just the midfield. We were not compact enough as a team and left too many spaces for west ham to utilise… Read more »
‘Have to say that I was surprised that Arteta took Elneny out of the starting line up after 2 very impressive performances.’
I think in tough away games Elneny will start whereas at home especially against teams other than those in big six, Ceballos will be preferred.
As others have said previously it was funny how Pickford was rated highly or still is by some.
Looked shaky again yesterday against West Brom.
It’s Joe Hart all over again.
Graham
Leno is rubbish with the ball at his feet?
What are you on?
Rubbish is Cech, Ospina, De gea.
And with your assesment even Oblak and Navas can be coined rubbish.
What position did saka player yesterday?
I heard in spite of it not being his best performance he was one of the best and key to both goals
What a talented kid he is