I don’t know why it’s getting to me, but I keep seeing these rumours of Christian Eriksen being pushed around, and it really isn’t a pleasant vibe.
There are a few reasons this move would feel a bit off. Firstly, he’s having a rough time in a slow league, working for a manager that demands a lot defensively. Secondly, he’d cost a small fortune. Thirdly, he seems like a very Ozil-ish player. I’m not sure defensive rigour was ever something you thought about with him. Fourthly, if that is a word, he’s a bear-trap of a player. He looks like Willian, Cech, Lichtsteiner, Gallas, and Silvestre all over again.
On paper, you’re like, ooohhh, that’s sexy, but it just feels like another one of those deals you’d have fancied 5 years ago, but not right now.
Still, if it happens, you’d have to say that his creativity could probably be additive to 7.5 hours without a goal in open play. I swear our best creative player this season is ‘defensive mistake.’
There are some clear issues Arsenal are dealing with at the moment. Creativity is certainly one of them. Having a midfield that can’t deal with a press is another. Players like Eriksen and Szobozlai would both help with that.
I also think a major issue Arteta needs to solve for is passing speed. We move the ball in such a painfully slow and mechanical way. During the Leeds game, we had players running with the ball and slowing the pace further. It’s a basic, but if you don’t have the players to thread a well-organised block, maybe you focus more energy on moving the ball up the pitch faster. Our wide players pick the ball up so deep, it’s no wonder they aren’t causing problems in the final third.
On paper, our players are much better than those at Leeds. They are blitzing teams with shots. I’m not saying we have to go that far, but we can’t be so far the other way we’re barely registering a shot on target.
We have Molde tomorrow, I’m not sure we’ll see anything too wild, though I would be happy if the manager decided to blood a few of the kids we have no idea about yet. The next-gen, as ever, looks more exciting than the generation struggling to break into the first team right now. Ayeez, ESR, Balo, and Cottrell all look like the sort of players we could use in the first team, but I guess it’s going to take a while to find out of that’s true.
Right, short post today because there’s not a lot of news going on. See you in the comments!
Tr0phy?
2
3
Boom!
Can we ignore Eriksen,I’m still struggling to remember any player that came from another team to us and was great,I know he’s in Inter now but everything I remember about him is the Spurs
Tro4y
Good one
Our past teams used the ball better we found spaces with quick passing sequences .
We’ve scored great goals under this management almost a travesty how we play .
Eriksen would definitely be a backward step, it was great nicking Campbell when Arsenal were a force to be reckoned with, signing him would consign us to being regarded as the SAGA Club, all cruises and elasticated waistbands when what we want is full on Ibiza and threads to match.
“It’s a basic, but if you don’t have the players to thread a well-organised block, maybe you focus more energy on moving the ball up the pitch faster”
Does that mean target man for Auba to play off to get behind the defence?
At least as a Plan B it’s a shame we don’t have any forward in the squad that can offer that.
“Players like Eriksen and Szobozlai would both help with that.” Erikson isn’t good against the press though. It’s an trait too readily attributed to any midfielder known for providing spark in the final third, but only a few (Hleb, Grealish) are actually capable of dealing with a press and using it to their advantage by punishing the opposition for attempting it. Eriksen hasn’t got that agility or burst of pace and goes completely missing if teams are well-drilled in that regard and just passes backwards Xhaka style. He’s superb technically though and would give us some threat when teams drop… Read more »
top ten!
If we are signing Eriksen then we might as well unfreeze Özil and while at it Arteta reward himself with a player-coach-manager deal.
Oh, and sign Pires and Henry while at it too, God knows we need their guile.
ah no…..
Oh man. Getting another washed up has-been on a monster ‘see out his career contract’…yes. Yes, this sounds exactly the sort of bullshit Arsenal are into.
Give him £250,000 pw and watch him go!
Looks like Arteta is doubling down on his flaws and going balls deep. Joker.
Doesn’t matter who you add at the moment. The team is too focused on defensive structure rather than offensive creativity.
Until the handbrake is released, doesn’t matter who we bring in.
RIP to the GOAT..
Maradonaaa!
HL
1914-1918 and 1939-1945 were pretty shit.
Wow Maradona has died. RIP. What a player and character he was.
Really sad news about Maradona.
Never got the pleasure of watching him for real but his clips will live on forever, scorer of the greatest goal in football history.
Maybe Eriksen would be a bad idea, but he’s 28, not 32 like both Ozil and Willian. And if it were a swap deal for Xhaka, that would get him off our books and let’s be honest, he’s still one of our biggest problems. As for the financial side of the deal, he’s believed to be on £125k pre-tax. That’s not much more than Xhaka is on, and to be honest, I bet we could drive that down. If not, I’d still take the guy I think to be the better player for a slight net increase in wages. Over… Read more »
Paulinho
Agree re Eriksen.
Said on the last post though that if it really was for 15m and on a 2 year deal rather than a 4 year one like Ozil had us hostage on, it wouldnt be a bad idea.
He wouldnt be on crazy money and he would make a difference against teams that sit deep at the Emirates and let us endlessly and aimlessly pass it around in front of them.
Can keep those sorts of teams honest with his distance shooting threat, ability to slip through a forward pass and set piece delivery.
RIP Diego. What a player, what a character.
Biggles
There are all sorts of rumours about Eriksen’s salary going up to £230k per week. Some of them are after tax figures as well.
Don’t think we’d be getting someone on the same sort of money as Xhaka’s £100k per week
I amazed Maradona made 60 to be honest.
On the other hand there’s Keith Richards.
Marc
Just goes to show coke is less deadly than obesity
Player of the Century.
RIP.
Apparently KDB is driving the Grealish to City bandwagon
28 is the peak age for a footballer ,
12 million for a player of Eriksen’s quality and end product is a bargain….
If we are prepared to let players sit on their arses doing nothing for half million a week then paying a player who would help solve our creativity issues is not even a discussion.
Eriksen is 4 years younger than Aubameyang, Ozil and Willian so age should not be a comparison.
I don’t think there is any truth to the crazy figures of £260k a week etc that I’ve seen. I think these kind of figures were predicated on Inter signing him on a Bosman as opposed to signing him. As Inter *paid* £17m for Eriksen, the chances of them tripling his salary as well paying are very slim. A 50% raise on top of a transfer fee? Sounds much more reasonable.
No chance that Inter are paying Eriksen even close to that.
Their highest earners would barely be over 6 figures.
Lukaku is their highest earner on 170k a week.
Maradona: Great player, not such a great human being.
RIP Maradona
Wow, he seemed indestructible with all these health issues but alas, he is human.
years of coke, drinking and other debauchery has finally taken its toll.
What he could have been..
Guns
Likely more to do with his obesity than drugs.
Rip Diego.
60 is too young.
Why wouldn’t Inter pay part of Eriksen’s salary as part of a loan-to-sell deal for six months? I certainly wouldn’t mind if MA took a punt on that for the rest of the season. His stats at Spurs were outstanding until Maureen sidelined him. Actually better than KDB. Not a bad option unless we’ve got a better one.
Any better, feasible, ones out there Pedro, except maybe the Hungarian wunderkind whom we probably don’t have the straight up cash to buy at the moment?
I’d bite your hand off for a Xhaka – Eriksen swap.
Willian is a good player, just obvious he is being set up to fail.
A better manager with Willian, Eriksen and Partey in the team turns it into a quality midfield.
Mad how some of you people would rather accept continuing with mediocrity.
RIP Diego.
Surprised he lasted this long.
What a player though.
Kaz
I don’t think anyone’s saying that we shouldn’t get Eriksen because our current options are so good – I think people are saying they’d prefer a better option.
RIP Maradona. What a left foot. What a character. Will never forget his crazy celebration of Messi’s goal at the World Cup in South Africa.
@Marc
Via a swap deal though is worth it. Plus picking up Szoboszlai if we can too.
The new manager will get the midfield sorted.
Real shame about Diego, real shame. Eternal rest and peace be with you.
Apparently Szoboszlai‘s contract release clause allows it to be paid in three instalments. If that is the case we should go in for this player in January. And as other have suggested, Granit / Eriksen swap could possibly at least make a functioning midfield that should see us start to create more in the middle of the park.
Can’t wait for Martinelli’s return. We have missed his quality this season. Power, pace, technique, enthusiasm for the game lifts everybody up. Can’t come too soon….
Erickson can cross the ball so that’s corners sorted.
DS is a feisty youth who can score regularly.
Xhaka out
Sorted
If we actually sign eriksen we will truly be beneath spurs, stealing their scraps now.
I’ll probably get slated here but I loved Gallas! :-]
What I enjoy most about this blog are some of the most ridiculous transfer possibilities that any otherwise sane person would never dare report or speak of.
Case in point, talk of a Xhaka/Erikson exchange? Ask yourself an obvious, why would Arsenal want their has-been scraps and why would Inter want our has been scraps? Neither would because they already have what they don’t want.
Sometimes some of the things that i read on here are so bombastically ridiculous, they actually are quite entertaining.
Somethings dawned on me what Gazidis with proper planning should’ve done when Klopp was available before Liverpool…. he should’ve given him the technical director role and thereby ready and waiting for when it was either best for Wenger to move on or swap roles – perhaps after his last fa cup. Things would then have been far more streamlined and politically au fait. Mane and Van Dyke would then have been first team members as the fans were calling for them at the time instead of keeping Walcott and not replacing Koscielny properly, whilst Klopp has already shown his interest… Read more »
Unless my memory is all fucked it was Eriksen who got fed up with the Spurs and not the other way around.
Levy overplayed his hand floating Eriksen to RM for mega fee ,and Mourinho decided his Spurs fortunes were better served without a player who wasn’t committed to the cause.
Eriksen would be an upgrade on what we have in mid.
Just because he flopped at Inter doesn’t mean he’s washed up.
Conte is notorious for his way or highway.
“ Real shame about Diego, real shame. Eternal rest and peace be with you.”
He was a fat cheating cunt. Great day for me, raising a glass this evening.
Eriksen would be an upgrade on what we have in mid.
Just because he flopped at Inter doesn’t mean he’s washed up.
Conte is notorious for his way or highway.
————
And so it begins…by January Eriksen will be hailed as the Danish Maradona 😂😂
Oh just need someone to post YouTube clips of Erikson’s assists to get the wheels rolling.
Marc
“I don’t think anyone’s saying that we shouldn’t get Eriksen because our current options are so good – I think people are saying they’d prefer a better option.”
Name one better option for that price or a xhaka swap..
Of course we could always do the sensible thing and bring Ozil back and that would cost us nothing in fee and nothing in wages ….imagine that.
Arsenal under Arteta and Edu are operating like a garbage removal service for clubs in London.
Getting Ericksen will fit into that narrative.
Eriksen would be a huge waste of time and money, and yet another opportunistic punt on a player that doesn’t wholly suit what’s needed. Being better than the nothing we have ISN’T a good enough approach to take. Hungry Dom is available, Calhanoglu is 26 and free to sign a pre-contract before the summer, Aouar is still Aouar, Carlos Soler is still at Valencia who love a sale. There’s another dozen more impressive players than a guy being shoved out of a pretty average Inter Milan team. If the best we’ve got up our sleeves is Christian Eriksen then my… Read more »
RR
Eriksen in his last three full Spurs seasons clocked 36 goals and 53 assists , Xhaka in the same three seasons for Arsenal managed 11 goals and 16 assists.
Call me crazy for calling that an upgrade lol
Imagine if Spuds pick up Dominik in January and Arsenal settle for Eriksen
That will be so fitting
One club on the up, the other becoming a geriatric day center
I’d take Erikson over Xhaka and over Auoar.
Szoboszlai should be purchased in addition. (if the player has any wish to come here that is)
Diego was a story of what happens when you let temptation get the best of you….
talent just slowly wasted away…
His life is a warning to others… about excess. It will kill you.
time to wrap Pele in cotton wool. These living legends are slowly dying off…..
Charlie Calhanoglu is playing for a team competing for the title in Serie A. Milan are also a massive club with prestige so not like we have that pull over them. No chance of Aouar, especially in Jan after he just penned a new deal. Soler is another deep sitting midfielder, very similar to Ceballos and not an upgrade. Dom definitely a real possibility and worth exploring. I am not even an Eriksen fan and think that he’s a soft character but if he was available for a bargain fee in Jan you would have to be tempted. Just make… Read more »
To use my post to spout your vile hatred BayingMob? There is so much I could say, but why bother, you’ve got the market cornered on brain dead morons.
RIP Diego Maradona. …..what a life and what a footballer !! As for Erickson, a.firm no. Really never understood the fuss about him. A steady player with decent output when he is at his best and a very ineffectual player if the opposition is of good quality. I honestly don’t remember any big game against a top class opposition in which Erickson stamped his authority. He is already on a decline. All these rival over the hill players that we signed have turned out to be below par for us. We should learn from our past mistakes. Sign Buendia for… Read more »
Weagle
You’re talking like they’re the only options, they’re but some of the numerous options better than Christian Eriksen. Also, nothing deep lying about Soler, he spends half his appearances as a wide man.
Who signs 2 year contracts at 28? If he moves it’ll be on a 4 year deal and we’d have simply replaced Ozil with a shittier version. Nothing penetrating about Eriksen, nothing athletic about Eriksen. The ‘but that price’ rationale is why we’ve still not built a squad since Wenger left.
Loan? Yea sure. But they can keep him long term.
Lately, it’s become a habit for Arsenal to sign players who are past their best. Sometimes it comes off, mostly it doesn’t. I’d have to go back to Pat Jennings to find one who came off long term. There was a time when other clubs took our past-the-best players. Now we take theirs. So, please, no Ericson. Pedro, you hit it on the nail: the missing ingredient is speed. If the players did what they do twice as fast, we’d be rattling the Liverpool cage. Another argument against signing the elderly. And, at thirty, you have to classify Auba as… Read more »
Myself I would love Rodrigo de Paul. Very creative, scores goals, can dribble, hard presser/worker off the ball and leader already at Udinese.
Also like Savanier at Montpellier who has been outstanding for years now.
Mattheus Cunha another player that would be a huge upgrade although Hertha arent strapped for cash and would likely want hefty money. Not that he wouldnt be worth it.
Charlie
Fair enough, dont disagree. If it were for 3+ years, big fat no.
I dont have much faith in us pulling anybody of note in January is the only thing and Eriksen will almost certainly move.
The fact Arsenal’s negotiating team is bonkers and can’t be trusted with money is a separate issue fro Eriksen making this mid semi functional.
Quality players failing to make an impression in Italy, well, that’s never happened before I’m sure.
Three of Arsenal’s best ever didn’t exactly light it up while on spaghetti diet before switching to Highbury’s fish and chips.
Weagle I get the temptation given our needs and the desolate nature of most Jan windows, I’m just massively against pissing on our summer plans because we cave on a bang average impulse buy in Jan. Doesn’t fill me with confidence in the overall strategy if that’s how we’re continuing to operate. As much as I’d prefer an Aouar over Hungry Dom because he’s more established and likely to impact us mid-season, I’m not in favour of us trying to breathe life into a guy on fat wages offering shit performances – not like he’s a personality that just needs… Read more »
Tom
Don’t do it, don’t tell tales of Henry and Vieira to add allure. Arsenal need to move away from speculative stuff and get a smart plan in place.
Pick younger guys doing well, leave the older guys doing poorly alone.
Clearly Arteta is on a learning curve.
Lesson 1:
Never give in to a player’s agent. I make Arteta’s biggest mistake giving Auba a long-term contact on increased wages.
Lesson 2:
If you can’t afford the best, don’t spend big money on second best. I think Arteta is on song here
Lesson 3:
Treat all the players equally. I think Arteta shows too much respect for the elderly.
Lesson 4:
Don’t suffocate gifted players. I think a players like Pepe works better unleashed
Lesson 5:
Focus on the young Old dogs don’t learn new tricks
Pretty incredible that Real Madrid have never beaten AC Milan or Inter Milan at the San Siro in the CL and we have beaten both there between the crazy 5-1 demolition of Inter in 03′ and our 2-0 Last 16 win over Kaka’s Milan in 08′.
Weagle
I think that makes us better than Madrid. Yea, that’s what I’m going with from that lol
No one can convince me we need Eriksen. Instead of the Xhaka swap deal, sell him and invest in Aouar or Szo.
You can’t buy the trophy unless you are City or Chelsea. Willian, Eriksen are just an attempt to get average to qualify for top4. You are not gonna get that too.
Charlie
Yeah there are other solutions out there. Eriksen move would be obvious but it is a lazy one without any imagination.
Also brings a sulky personality and we already have one of them in Ozil.
Genuinely worried that without a move for a creative midfielder in January though we will finish outside of any European spot, forget just top 4.
Charlie
Exactly.
Who were the only team in the CL knockouts to beat Heynckes’ unstoppable Bayern Munich in 2013? Only allowed one guess.
A Gervinho sitter away from changing the course of football history. Just like Bendtner at the Nou Camp two years earlier.
Would be monumentally stupid to sign Eriksen, it’s like the club never learn. He’s failed to adapt here and has been a waste of wages.
Mentioned Chanaloglu on here back in the summer and then there’s Rodrigo de Paul who I’m sure would jump at the opportunity to upgrade from Udinese to Arsenal. Better output, better age profile too or the Hungarian kid Freddie has a boner for but God no Eriksen. I mean Mikhitrayn is having a belter here and he was pants in England
Bati
Why would Calhanoglu leave Milan though? They are competing for the title and playing European football.
Xhaka-Eriksen swap is a no brainer. After all, anything or anyone in this case is better than a huge pile of poo. However, that’s the only way I’d be willing to make this Eriksen deal happen. Even a loan doesn’t make much sense since we’ll be just adding to our wage bill.
Weagle
Ask yourself this, if Eriksen wasn’t being driven to the airport by Conte would he be topping any list for potential incomings? Absolutely not, which says it all.
All for any of the guys you mention instead who are:
a) performing well at their respective clubs
b) younger/keener to prove themselves on a bigger stage
c) much better suited to a futuristic Arsenal football
Can apply that to anyone being flogged in Europe frankly, would rather we identify guys at clubs that we can pressure financially – like Norwich, Valencia, Marseille.
Eagle
He’s be stalling on that new contract for a while now, there’s talk he’s looking for a new challenge elsewhere. Money always motivates really, he’ll pack up and leave if we offer enough money
WTF, is Arsenal now becoming the dumping ground of players not wanted by other clubs? This either is driven by agents, media for the sake of stories, or some idiot execs. If this happens than there is only one reason for it, to cover up the disastrous mistake of not registering Ozil or not wanting to face the media after the TW why did you not register Ozil. You know this will be a talking point as the media loves these kind of stories. Club with PR disaster moves (55 fired, Gunnersaurus) verses player with media savvy PR group and… Read more »
‘“ Real shame about Diego, real shame. Eternal rest and peace be with you.”He was a fat cheating cunt. Great day for me, raising a glass this evening‘
Lol , What was it , the hand of god, that got you so riled up?
Maradona used to get fouled 20 + times a game and half of those were potential leg breakers.
In the 82 World Cup the Italians fouled him 23 times but he was the cheat, Lol.
Today Messi draws 10 fouls and everyone screams rotational fouling.
Pedro “I also think a major issue Arteta needs to solve for is passing speed. We move the ball in such a painfully slow and mechanical way” This has been a problem for a long time. The midfielder who picks up the ball from the goalie or the CBs in a deeper position sets the tone for the whole side. Sets the tempo. Unfortunately for several seasons we have had the slow Xhaka doing this for Arsenal. We have to hope that Partey may be able to do this. Ceballos can give some impetus from deeper but he tends to… Read more »
So that’s sorted then ..
Stick with Xhaka
Ignore the premier league’s top creator , top assist , top goals from free kicks and top goalscorer from outside the box.even though he is available for peanuts.
Makes sense.
Tom is right. When DB10 joined Arsenal in 1994, many considered him as a washed up player who could not make it in Italy. Both Vieira and Henry were considered as not good enough in Italy. Players failing in Italy because of managers refusing to see beyond their own tactical restrictions does not necessarily mean that a player is bad. For Ericksen my main concern is that I am not convinced that he would fit in Arteta current system. Like Özil he is a passer who needs willing runners ahead of him to shine. What Arteta wants is a dribbler… Read more »
Tom I tried ignoring that mean spirited and stupendously stupid post about Maradona. Talk about a lack of class; dissing another human being who’s not even in the ground yet. Maradona is probably the most fouled footballer of all time, maybe Marco Van Basten comes second. When he moved to Barca for a world record fee, his career was almost ended by the butcher of Bilbao in one of the most callous displays on the field. It’s on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaEbB78GLyA&ab_channel=AustinBrock The Bilbao fans built a shrine forAndoni Goikoetxea afterwards. That’s the era that Maradona had to dominate. For me, he’s… Read more »
I remember footage of Maradona in the World Cup against Belgium which stood out and he was bypassing players and riding tackles en masse like he was a surfer mastering the waves with the ball stuck to his foot.
Artistry.
If the guy wanted a big party on and off the field then no-one can hold that against him after originating from the slums with not two pennies to rub together. He enjoyed himself.
I am confused. I was told that Arteta wants players who can do high pressing. That’s why there is no place for Ozil in Arteta’s team. Why suddenly they want Eriken who is just another Ozil.
He sure did live it up!
Nightly 5 course dinners, a different blonde every night, lines of coke whenever, fame, money, status,
Hard to say no to all of those things… especially in the 70s and 80s where debauchery was the norm.
Players/coaches smoking on the sidelines, in the locker room. a different era…machismo was the rule
A gifted dribbler like him was going to be targeted by these so called hard men…
Terrible tackle…. surprised his leg did not snap in half
Valentin
“When DB10 joined Arsenal in 1994, many considered him as a washed up player who could not make it in Italy. Both Vieira and Henry were considered as not good enough in Italy.
Players failing in Italy because of managers refusing to see beyond their own tactical restrictions does not necessarily mean that a player is bad.”
Very well put
Nelson
“I am confused. I was told that Arteta wants players who can do high pressing. That’s why there is no place for Ozil in Arteta’s team. Why suddenly they want Eriken who is just another Ozil.”
What makes you think he wants high pressing when he has just given Aubameyang and Willian 3 year contracts..
Impossible to high press without high energy players who have the hunger and desire to press.
What is it with you and your infatuation with best years behind them players, Pierre?
The Eriksen rumours aren’t going away because it’s click bait heaven. There’s next to no chance Arsenal are going to sign him. You can’t freeze out Ozil and then bring in a player that has similar flaws. I’m sure his pay packet is extremely high too.
Having said that, I dismissed our chances of signing Partey too, so…..
Vidal is such a tool. And so is Conte, tbh, for bringing him to Inter.
Make up your mind Ern…you were critical of me the other day for my praise of Willock and Eddie..
Pierre
That’s not what I think. That’s what I was told by those Ozil haters what this “footballing reason”. is all about.
The only way any foreign player can be signed is if we offload a foreign player as our quota is full ….so with regard to Eriksen it would have to be a swap with xhaka or nothing unless we sell off Lacazette or similar.
Buying mari and cedric has messed us up big time in that regard…..pointless signings.
Nelson
Got it….i thought you had been taken in by the bullshit ….
When are you all going to realise that Arteta wants to buy all the players. He’s never going to let any leave and will keep adding player after player after player.