Listen, we have to talk.
You’ve all been ‘ooooh, Mesut has to go’, now he ‘might’ be going you are crying into your keyboard sharing 2016 GOALS AND ASSISTS comps?
Grow up.
If Mesut is leaving, it’s because it suits his back account (at last).
Chris Wheatley said there have been talks between DC United and Fenerbache. It seems like the lean is more towards Turkey.
I suspect if he goes this month, Arsenal will still carry a portion of his wedge until Maybe, but any help is better than nothing.
The rumblings I am hearing are that there are three major priorities at the club right now.
SELL PLAYERS
The squad is badly bloated. That hits the bank account, but it also affects the training camp. Big names, dropped for kids, feeling very embarrassed is not how you create a high performance culture.
Our squad needs a dramatic trimming. Losing Mesut would be a HUGE win, hopefully he’ll take the toxic fanboys with him. The next highest priority on the list has to be Sokratis, who is taking the fancy of Genoa. Then we have to pray someone can pick up Mustafi, who can be difficult.
David Luiz will take care of himself within 5 months and the kids seem to like him, but we still have big issues. Xhaka, Mo and Willian need to be shipped as well, but I think that seems less likely.
BACK UP KEEPER
This is an absolute necessity. The most dangerous miss in our squad. The club knows this. We’re about to move Matt Macey to Hibernian, but we’ll still be lumbered with the wholly unsuitable Runarsson.
Expect a loan deal here. It goes without saying, but the goalkeeping coach should be absolutely nowhere near this decision. Leave it with the analysts to pick the options. We need someone a bit older, that’s played at a top flight club in Europe, and ideally in the Premier League. Experience is absolutely key… no chances on the mates of someone at the club. Data driven, with an eye test as the confirmation.
At a basic level, look at keepers with 6 months on their deals: Fabianski, Sergio Romero, Gigi Buffon, Marko Dmitrovic, Tomáš Vaclík, Rui Silva, Begovic, Donnaruma and John bloody Ruddy. Nearly all of those names have extensive top level experience. None of them would crash us if the worst happened to Leno. They’d all be cut price right now.
CREATIVITY
The final priority is creativity, but this will only happen if there’s a really sexy opportunity. It seems fairly clear now that Arsenal has stumbled on a way forward. The obsession with short term fixes needs to end and we need to move forward. The biggest concern for the next 5 months is ESR and his fitness. Arteta went from ‘CANNOT COACH ATTACK’ to ‘THIS IS INTERESTING’ and most of that was because we added a competent #10. If we lose him to a hamstring, we’ll go back to being painfully bland again.
The rebuild now and in the summer needs to be heavily skewed in favour of fast players with the hunger to press for 90 minutes. The shape of the creative midfielder we find has to match that. There’s no use bringing in Eriksen… I’d even say that praying Isco wants to run of his gut seems a risk. I don’t know if Buendia is the answer, but at the very least, he matches the profile of player we should be taking a chance on.
So… an interesting month ahead. The right move is cull the squad before we grow. If we grow, let’s pray that we do it with a future facing mindset.
Right, I’m off to watch William Saliba run the defence over in Nice, a start right away, you love to see it.
See you in the comments. x
1st
And
The
Boom!
Yo
Tr4phy
Saliba with a yellow card
Damn this ‘posting comments too quickly’bollox
LOL at Tom and Groovey… Gotcha you, suckaz.
Upstate
Ha ha , Actually I wasn’t trying, was more confused having stumbled on the Legrove comments section without any comments , something I’ve never seen before. Lol.
Tom
Well, by accident you almost beat me to my first Tro4hy of the new year
If Saliba today doesn’t have a goal line clearance, and a towering header for the game winner at the other end, then he is a flop and Arteta is proven right for dissing him.
Willian, Mari, Soares, Runnarsson should’ve never been signed. Xhaka should’ve never been convinced to stay. Luiz and Mustafi should’ve never been offered contract extensions. So there’s a reason why the squad is bloated with bang average or below average players… and this reason has a name… Mikel Arteta.
anuary 6, 2021 18:27:55
Every saliba steps in the match awaits different kind of comments.He makes a spectacular block, Arteta is full of shit.He makes mistakes, he is rusty, it’s expected.Let the young man breath and stop analyzing every step of his like demons. Lol
Nice 2 down inside 30… Think Saliba defo needs the game time.
“Willian, Mari, Soares, Runnarsson should’ve never been signed. Xhaka should’ve never been convinced to stay. Luiz and Mustafi should’ve never been offered contract extensions. So there’s a reason why the squad is bloated with bang average or below average players… and this reason has a name… Mikel Arteta.”
You had to include Mari? Lol
I’d keep Mo as backup, wouldn’t imagine he is on big wages and doesn’t seem a disruptive person. Rather invest in a better starter for Xhaka.
Wrong priorities
They should be
New manager
New technical director
New owners
Mari looks a decent buy to me.
Any cam bought this january won’t affect xhaka play time. He could be gone in the summer transfer but not this january
“Wrong priorities
They should be
New manager
New technical director
New owners”
Pedro is talking about January transfer priority you are here stating your usual drivel that won’t see the light of the day in this month.
Pedro is too informed to be wasting his precious time writing about irrelevancies
Pedro _
I believe the autocorrect monster has attacked your post today.
back = bank
Maybe = May.
Not usually pedantic about spelling or grammar but the altered words change the meaning of what you wrote.
Tee/Karsa
I brought up Mari in part because of the Saliba situation. Also, we already had Chambers, Holding, Mustafi, Sokratis, and Luiz on the books, in addition to Gabriel that was also bought in the summer. What was the point in buying another CB, especially one that only played in like 3 games for us and didn’t look anything out of extraordinary?
Graham
We’d all love new owners
Slim just left town tho
Has Ozil left the club?
Pedro ” hopefully he’ll take the toxic fanboys with him” I’m not sure that supporters who want to see good quality creative footballers on the pitch , can be described as toxic . By and large , the fans that created the toxic situation surrounding Wenger’s are the same fans who are being so abusive to an Arsenal player who has helped to bring many trophies to the club with his style of football that thankfully seems to have been passed on to Smith Rowe. They are called the obsessives for a reason, have a read of their comments on… Read more »
Arteta went from ‘CANNOT COACH ATTACK’ to ‘THIS IS INTERESTING’ and most of that was because we added a competent #10.
Pedro lol
Most likely happenstance
Arteta is falling up the stairs
Sincerely hope there’s a generational visionary coach in there
Evidence is contrary
Nobody in the club can say Saliba wasn’t ready to face Dundalk.
Arteta fkd up as regards Saliba.
Mustafi and Luiz are leaving in the summer and there’s no point in playing them. They stole valuable learning time from Saliba.
Tee
Pedro was informed Gazidis was a visionary and Arteta was a generational coach.
He doesn’t even know what days some of the matches are played.
I’m not sure that supporters who want to see good quality creative footballers on the pitch , can be described as toxic .
_________
That’s the issue though isn’t it Pierre.. When was Ozil last good…? We are paying him to be one of the best 10 footballers in the world. Bottom line had Ozil played up to what he had previously been capable of Wenger would still be here.
And your the only one who calls people obsessive. which is beyond ironic.
Totally agree with Pierre that the obsessive Wenger outers created the toxic atmosphere at our club.
“helped to bring many trophies to the club”
Lol!
https://twitter.com/aallensport/status/1346888721778565120?s=21
Upstate
What was the point in buying another CB,
Two players for every position. Mari and Gabriel would be my choices for left sided CB.
“The toxic atmosphere at the club” was created because the obvious wasn’t acted on until it was far too late.
Midwest
If you read what is said( obviously you didnt) …My point is not whether or not Ozil is/was good my point was about being toxic.
There are only one toxic group of Arsenal fans and they are dragging the club down and Arteta willl be their next target.
Totally agree with Pierre that the obsessive Wenger outers created the toxic atmosphere at our club.
_____
Nope… losing created the toxic atmosphere.
“brought up Mari in part because of the Saliba situation. Also, we already had Chambers, Holding, Mustafi, Sokratis, and Luiz on the books, in addition to Gabriel that was also bought in the summer. What was the point in buying another CB, especially one that only played in like 3 games for us and didn’t look anything out of extraordinary?” Since it’s about saliba, my question is would saliba have done better than those names you mentioned? Did you for comment here before we bought Mari that he would only play three matches before getting injured. The answer is NO…….then… Read more »
So Arteta buys a keeper who is not fit for purpose and he still has a job?
How many mistakes do we let him make before he is not fit for purpose?
Is it just me, or are all of us getting optimistic? Pedro put his finger on the priorities – back-up GK. getting rid of Ozil and his ilk, creativity in midfield – and they are all well within reach. The combinations and possibilities of the squad all at once have become truly exciting.
Midwest
Entitled fans created the toxic atmosphere, and believe me , those very same entitled fans will turn toxic on our present manager very quickly.
Saliba nightmare debut for nice he defo needed to go and play maybe he can iron out his deficit before he comes back
As for ozil fener are paying 90k a week towards his wages which is better than nothing
Ozil has largely been a disaster for us. There was a brief moment when he linked superbly with Sanchez to show what we had paid for. But overall the man is work shy and a convenient hypochondriac. He is a disgrace to the badge and the sooner he takes his toxic views elsewhere the better. he should be ashamed of the way he has wasted what was an incredible talent. Ultimately though everything is about attitude with talent playing only a small role in how good a footballer is.
Graham
““helped to bring many trophies to the club”Lol!”
Maybe it was just a coincidence that we went nearly a decade without a trophy but as soon as Ozil arrived, the silverware kept on coming, which all Arsenal fans should be grateful for.
Tee Mari is a 27-year old CB who couldn’t land a single minute of playing time while with Man City. He didn’t look anything special in 3 games that he played last season, just as he doesn’t look anything special now. There was absolutely no reason of bringing him on board, especially since we spent so much on Saliba who was coming back from loan. Saliba/Gabriel was supposed to be our first choice CB partnership. Of course, Arteta F’d it up but it’s a different story. Luiz was offered a contract extension. Chambers and Holding weren’t going anywhere. Again, absolutely… Read more »
Just turn on the Nice game. I guess Nice is in blue and Saliba wears #18, right?
Tee “Why allow him to run down his contract in the first place. If those in charge of renewing contracts are that competent then he should have been tied down to a long contract long ago and loaned out like nkethia.” Arteta wasn’t here when the contract was running down. That’s not an excuse for his actions whilst here. He could have done more IMHO if he wanted to ensure he stays. I wasn’t against giving Arteta a chance,. I was hoping he was the Generational coach Pedro sold him as. I just slowly stopped ignoring the basic things he… Read more »
Northbanker
“Ozil has largely been a disaster for us.”
Not at all , even last season, under Arteta before lockdown , Ozil started every league game and the team were competing for a champions league place and were the only unbeated team domestically in europe in 2020..
Being left out of the side for non footballing reasons has proved to be an embarrassment for Arsenal football club.
Incompetence of the highest level.
@Nelson
Yeah.
There is an argument for fans being entitled
The predominant issue isn’t entitlement
More of enlightenment
The modern fan is very educated on the game
We may not have a day to day purview of the dealings between the coach and player but we can see the outcomes with team selection and player ostracism
Fans are not toxic
They’re just fans
Pierre – you need to go to SpecSave mate
Upstate
“Mari is a 27-year old CB who couldn’t land a single minute of playing time while with Man City. He didn’t look anything special in 3 games that he played last season, just as he doesn’t look anything special now. ”
I’m not sure what you mean by special but i would rather have a centre back who is solid and dependable, and in the last 3 games that is exactly what he has looked…
What has Saliba been doing all this time? The guy is playing horrible. Imagine him playing like that in the premier league. Rookie mistakes all over the place, it seems he is not ready to play gor Nice. The way Arteta handled the matter was atrocious but seems he was right about Saliba and we overspend in a player like needs a lot of work Maybe Saliba looks good because Fofana was his partner and not viceversa as everyone likes to say. And dont start saying “Saliba lost confidence” because the lad has a very big mouth telling all the… Read more »
Well if we’re relying only on ESR to remain fit then maybe if Arteta can take his new found love of youth another stage and recall Matt Smith from Swindon as a backup.
He has also promoted Catalan Cirjan to the first team squad and perhaps he can also be blooded as a sub. Both are capable of playing as a cam.
SAGG
Calm down.
Saliba is 19, he’s not played a competitive game in 10 months.
He’s been at Nice 48 hours, he hasn’t had a chance to build up any on field relationships.
Let the lad breath, build up some minutes and some confidence.
I do however agree with Pierre on Mari. Holding and Mari can be ideal back up options and very useful for rotation. Ideally we will have 4 or preferably 5 CBs in our first team squad to take us through a season.
Thanks Mark.
Sly
They are entitled..
Now those same entitled fans who were toxic towards wenger for all those years would love champions league football and a top 4 finish.
And some decent football.
Be careful what you wish for they said, and it couldn’t be more apt for the entitled Arsenal fans.
Sagg
And he’s still managed to looks more comfortable and accomplished than Mustafi or Kola . What does that say.
Don’t know if I’d agree he’s been as bad as you say.
PS not sure if you saw the long inch perfect pass he pinged out to their forward in 1st half. Never seen Kola or Mustafi do that once in all the time they were at AFC.
Characteristics of a generational coach?
– youth development
– courage to imprint an attacking/progressive pattern of play on a team
-vision on how the game should be played this translates to what the fans see on the pitch
-ability to learn or adapt from failure
– emotional intelligence: lead and sacrifice ones ego for a collective goal
-player development
-maximize impact with available resources
Blaming segments of fans for the team losing and declining into the current level … is Redtruth levels of analysis. Aka trolling. Josh Kroenke asked Wenger to retire because the team wasn’t performing to what they wanted nothing to do with Pedro’s blog. or anyone who was vocal about wanting change. Kroenke’s haven’t listened to fans. ever to my knowledge. Ask St Louis.about that. Again had Ozil performed to his level of ability Wenger would still be here.. If your suggesting the way fans criticize Arsenal on the internet affects the way Ozil plays.. that’s just ridiculous. Again winning erases… Read more »
“Mari is a 27-year old CB who couldn’t land a single minute of playing time while with Man City”
jordan sancho couldn’t land a minute with man city. Does that make him less of a player?
Hazard was mustard at chelsea but now a shadow of his former self.
What’s really your point?
Sly,
Well that ain’t Arteta, that’s for sure.😂
Pierre
I agree Arsenal fans have entitlement issues
Wenger( an actual generational coach) gave that to us and ‘died on that hill” not the xhaka one
Isn’t That a characteristic of a big club though?
I switch to Manchester game. F1 is kind of boring.
Kroenkes ain’t going anywhere…till they do
Pointless grievance imo
Also Pierre… how about how you treated Emery? or is that different. way of supporting? Your agenda is clear… we get it. It’s everyone else’s fault but yours and certainly not Wenger’s.
The whole self righteous fan routine ..is tiresome.
@Sagg
“Rookie mistakes all over the place, it seems he is not ready to play for Nice”
Really!!!
He’s come in 1st game and he is the player bringing the ball out osnd building from the back. He’s carried the ball out and been heavily involved from the off. For a 19yr old he seems to have shouldered and handled a lot of responsibility very quickly. Yet you talk as if he’s had a mare.
Sorry that’s agenda! Let’s see if any pros pundits/players agree with your take on his 1st ever match for a new team.
It’s rather nauseating knowing we have a supporter in our midst who never saw the reality of things.
Tends to happen when you only analyse your own life and actions and not that of others.
Grip/ Stance/ Swing/ Contact point/Follow through.
Saliba vs Brest
1 yellow card
3 tackles
1 interception
2 offsides won
3 clearances
1 successful dribble
85 passes
6 long balls
91.8% success rate
“Saliba nightmare debut for nice he defo needed to go and play maybe he can iron out his deficit before he comes back As for ozil fener are paying 90k a week towards his wages which is better than nothing” Glad he is having this nightmare on loan because if this is the case in an Arsenal jersey, these same moaners will eat him alive and also questioning his contract which could mar his development. “Arteta wasn’t here when the contract was running down. That’s not an excuse for his actions whilst here. He could have done more IMHO if… Read more »
Thanks Rich.
6 long balls 92% pass rate … Doesn’t sound that shabby for a 1st run out with a team you only met YESTERDAY!!
“What has Saliba been doing all this time? The guy is playing horrible. Imagine him playing like that in the premier league.”
That’s what happened when we FROZE his career and stunted his development.
He joined the Nice team about 48 hrs ago, trained with them once or twice and convinced the manager that he’s good enough.
He’s also RUSTY
…and we were talking about an agenda?
Mustafi has been dishing out shit for 4 years and he got offered an extension.
Rich, he can only get better.
Just imagining what the scene would be like in here from them if nice has won and saliba put in a MOTM performance. It would have been Arteta is this and that.
Saliba has a lot of matches to play to get back to fitness. There’s no need for all these scrutiny over one game. We need him to come back as a better player
Tee
“What’s really your point?”
My point is that we didn’t another (average) CB. Not that hard to understand, is it?
but attack Arteta for not benching nkethia for Balogun right? It’s about what you do to resolve or solve a problem. Regardless of whether it arose when he was there or not. You act as if he’s powerless to influence Balogun’s decision. He could have given Balogun much minutes than he has. Not just to appease Balogun, our firm has been SHIT , we hadn’t scored in ages. So are you saying giving Balogun some of the minutes Eddie got, even in the Europa League wasn’t possible?? Funny how you see me pointing out the obvious flaws in Arteta you… Read more »
Tee
We did mess up not getting him a loan, and not registering him for the Europa,
But what’s done is done.
Like you say, we just need him to come back a better and more experienced player,
Hopefully he can pick up 20 games in Ligue 1 and find some form
He was always going to be rusty, and it’ll take him some time to develop on field relationships.
Think the situation has been blown out of proportion
@Tee “Just imagining what the scene would be like in here from them if nice has won and saliba put in a MOTM performance. It would have been Arteta is this and that.” We’ve been told that he wasn’t ready for the Prem. Not even the Euro’s ! So Kola and Mustafi have been given minutes even though we’re trying to get rid. I don’t think anyone expected a MOTM 1st performance, we just wanted to see how bad he was and how unready he was for the Prem. I’ve seen how nervous and scared both Kola and Mustafi regularly… Read more »
*sigh* the be careful what you wish for arguement. Nobody I am aware of was wishing for the Club to sign Ozil to a monster contract after declining rapidly therefore hindering us in signing creative replacements and also allowing Ramsey and Sanchez to leave in the process. The thought process at the time was that the next manager and technical director after Wenger would be part of a new process that spent money and did it more wisely and addressed team needs. What ensued was a vacuum of leadership. because the transition was fucked.. Thanks Ivan G… Nobody wished for… Read more »
Midwestern
Well said👍🏼
Interesting suggestion about Fabianski, he has got better with age in my view, and would be a solid number two for us, whether he would be willing to do that is the question. Are West Ham looking to let him go?
I completely agree about another creative midfielder, ESR is an extremely exciting prospect but he absolutely needs to be handled carefully, and he will have ups and downs like most young players.
I think it was Bacary is God suggested Flappy as a back up keeper last week … That would be an ideal scenario if we could pull that off.. in my opinion.
But yeah for me… having another midfielder who can play the ESR role or even CM for when Partey can’t play is highest priority.. would prefer a transfer rather then a loan in an ideal world.. which it isn’t right now with Covid levels of income.
SAGG
ACCORDING TO THIS POST
‘Saliba vs Brest1 yellow card3 tackles
1 interception
2 offsides won
3 clearances1 successful dribble85 passes
6 long balls
91.8% success rate’
YOU’RE THE ONE HAVING A MARE.
THAT LOOKS LIKE AN AWESOME DEBUT.
Finally, MC scored one without offside. They have scored two offside goals already.
What’s happening in the States.
Can Trump finally succeed in his coup?
MGooner
Lol
Trump would have done this after 4 years
even if he won
Merica
Yeah, John Stones sighting .. forgot he played for City. De Bruyne and company playing very well in transition right now. City looking more likely to score another.
Saliba’s career stunted because he trained with the under 23s for 4 months.. Jesus Christ.
Explains why Martinelli’s career is over – he didn’t kick a ball for 6 months.
“But but but that’s different!”
If 4 months away from 1st team football is enough to wreck the career of a 19 year old centre back, he never would’ve made it at the top level.
This Saliba loan talk is maddening. Let the kid get some minutes ffs.
Mgooner –
No it’s just our President inciting more violence. What’s new? The ending won’t change because of an angry mob with guns.
Sauce did not play that Saliba card well.
We had a top player on our hands.
Always said that Chiesa was a beast, brace tonight vs Milan in a huge game for Juve.
MGooner
“What’s happening in the States.”
Nothing to see here, we just have an idiot president, is all
Diet sauce
Always said that Chiesa was a beast, brace tonight vs Milan in a huge game for Juve.
——-
His dad was a baller too. Still some way for him to go to reach his dad’s level.
Radio
Fiorentina as a team are hopeless, no real surprise that as soon as he joins a proper side that he shines.
One of Pirlo’s go to men, even benching a huge talent like Kulusevski.
Wengereagle
All true. I’m not sure how they managed to batter Juve 3-0 earlier this season.
Could see Juve winning tonight coming a mile away unfortunately, Milan decimated by injuries/Covid.
Radio
Juve played most of that game with 10 men, Cuadrado the idiot got himself sent off.
One of those classics 1-0 down to an early goal and chasing game a man down, close until that killer second towards the end.
Martial with a really stupid dive. How he didn’t get booked there I will never now. Some of the penalitiea they get are ridiculous. Someone needs to say something.