Right? Can you honestly believe for one minute that Arsenal are about the answer their creativity problem, under financial stress, with a loan move for a precocious 22 years old creative talent from Real Madrid?
Gtfo…
Edu has probably asked Kia if Neto can play as a dynamic #10.
Kike Marin, who I have a lot of respect for, reckons the player is less inclined to leave Spain, preferring a trip back to Real Sociedad.
David Ornstein, who is back on top in the world of ITK, reckons we are very much interested in the Norwegian.
Personally, I’d be happy to see another blonde creative force at Arsenal.
I was WRONG to be tempted by Isco. Martin would make more sense. He’s an elite young talent that needs to prove Zidane wrong (lol Dani boy). Staying in Spain ain’t cutting it for me. His manager doesn’t fancy him, his loan move should be about shop-windowing himself for the summer. Joining Arsenal will give him the games he needs. Doing well with us shows he has it at the highest level.
It seems unlikely, but if this is the sort of player we’re going to start going after, then I am very excited about the future.
Papa Sokratis exited the building yesterday. He left after Arsenal terminated his deal early. Good for him. He always seemed like a true professional. There was no bitchy tweet on the way out. He just packed his bags and took a deal that was good for him.
There was a German-speaking clique at Arsenal that has been problematic for the new project. That’s not simply down to being awful humans, I think it’s partly down to pandemic-style-shit-decision-making, and the realities of humiliating senior players in public.
It’s time to move on now… but here are the lessons.
- If you are going to de-list players from the squad, tell them early in the summer. There were rumblings that Mesut did not know he was going to be binned from the squad. If that’s true, it really isn’t cool. Blindsiding someone into a corner isn’t fair.
- Stop signing short-cut players over the age of 27 years old. Unless they are truly elite, it is simply not sharp from a strategic perspective. We need to be in the selling game if we’re going to get back to the top.
- Sokratis was given £90k a week. No one in Europe would have given a limited player like that a deal that big. It was stupid and it had no upside… and because he failed on that deal, he was never going to leave. Arsenal really, really, really need to get a grip on wages. Double your money offers are stupid and seem to be our special move. It needs to end.
- Age down. We are not challenging for the title on this current strategy. The best and only way forward is to identify the best young players in world football, give them a platform, give them elite coaching, and grow them into a team that could challenge in 4 years time. I want William Saliba. I want Azeez, Balogun, Saka, Martinelli, ESR, and AMN-like players as the future of our DNA. We have our senior spine. Partey, Auba, Holding, Gabriel, and Tierney. Let’s build young muscle around them.
I will budge on the above on one signing: back-up keeper. If we sign a 33-year-old, that is fine. We just need someone decent between the sticks if something bad happens to Bernd.
Ground Zero for Mikel Arteta was Willian. Arsenal can never, ever, make a mistake that fucking embarrassing again.
Vinai needs to get real. Put in the work. Make the hard decisions. Take the long route to glory because here’s the thing… even if you miss your mark by a year or two, you’ll have a crop of young players you can cycle out the club, and you’ll always have money to pivot and tweak your plan. The sooner Arsenal accepts the truth, the faster they can get back on track. Ødegaard would be a good indicator we’ve learned a lesson and we’re moving our thinking forward. Let’s see if we do it.
Right, short post. I’m dying. See you in the comments.
Now don’t get me wrong if Balogun wants to use his American dna to suit up for the first team.. I’m all for it.. Our CF is Jozy Altidore.. ffs.
Liverpool’s high octane style of play coming back to haunt them. Useless style unless it’s high tempo. Very like arsenal pre Smith-Rowe.
If we go on a run… There will be some healing.. I hope. Tired of being disappointed all the time.
Midwest, I know but he did play for your U18’s. Just trying to explain the weird love in, only thing I could think of tbh.
Soul healing
No AFC… He played a training match once with us.. U-18.. But that was just him flirting with us to get a spot on England team… He has said he would play for Nigeria as well.
Anyhow.. I believe the deal is people, like his hold up play and strength around the box… basically all the strengths Eddie lacks. So it pits one against the other. Style wise. Anyhow.. I think he seems like the type who gets his head turned easily by whomever is giving him advice on his career and most likely will be off seeking greener pastures.
Mid
Have to say team USA looking somewhat strong down road with Gio Reyna,
McKennie, Sergino Dest, Pulisic, Tyler Adams all playing high level with host of academy players backing them up.
But Balogun’s future will be Nigeria if he become the player everyone in this space says he will.
Looks to have shed load potential to me, but so have many others that ended up in Ligue 2.
Agreeing with Calypso Red does happen.
Soul healing indeed.
Sal-
Yep on paper … Unfortunately, Meh he co refuses to play us on paper. 😀
From the media: Mikel Arteta admitted his 31-man squad was “unmanageable” and believed reducing the squad size was an urgent priority, He said: “When you have to leave some of the foreign players out, it makes it even more difficult. For a few weeks maybe it’s okay, but to do it for months and maintain the health and ambition and the chemistry around the place it’s really complicated. For me, the important thing is that everybody feels involved and that they have a chance.” In other words he had problems with some of the players causing unrest. Former player Lauren… Read more »
Mid
“…think he seems like the type who gets his head turned easily by whomever is giving him advice on his career”
Good point.
AFC, That offside ruling has nothing to do with VAR. I remember a goal scored against Arsenal by I think Everton a few years under the same circumstances. A ball is launched toward our goal. A player is well offside. The lineman flag it. One Arsenal player under threat by the offside player miscontrols the ball and they score. The referee then go to the linesman, discuss the play and overrules him. After the game, Fabregas made some comment about referee being biaised. Phil Does was incensed about it and broke referee rule by publicly asking for Fabregas to be… Read more »
Paolo Vernazza
Correction Phil Dowd not Phil Does.
It is just referee refusing to accept that sometimes their colleague makes mistakes.
If referees are poor and take the wrong decision when on the pitch because they are incompetent, biaised and ego idiot, putting those same people in charge of VAR will mostly result in the same shambolic decisions.
England referees seems to be the only ones involves in as much controversies with or without VAR.
“…and only way forward is to identify the best young players in world football, give them a platform, give them elite coaching, and grow them into a team that could…”
Who’s able to deliver *elite* coaching??
Afc…you really need to learn to spell.
It’s not just the quality of the younger players – which they have in plenty – it’s the togetherness. How good were the Nevilles at Man U? But they blossomed with Scholes and the other truly talented ones. A common history, a common commitment, a common bond.
Yes, if the Club could afford to go out and buy the best, fine. But that is not an option.
Valentin
You have an excellent memory mate!
However, Mike Riley holds the record for the most biased (bent) performance in PL history. He gave Man Utd the points in that 50th game. Every time I watch the YouTube highlights it looks more biased. Ferdinand’s last man foul on Freddie, Nistelrooy doing Cole with his studs, Rooneys dive, the Neville’s scything down Reyes; that game is something. Riley got promoted after that, he’s now head of all the referees. Strange but true.
Crimson
You really need to learn how to troll.
I said in here more than a year ago, most of our players lack character. If we had a squad full of Martinelli’s and Tierney’s (talking character only) the fan base would be more inclined to get behind the players and our performances on pitch would certainly improve.
Player character needs to be one of the priorities in our scouting. This is why I am against the stats method we are apparently using now, character doesn’t show up in stats.
We are beginning to gather a good core of players at the club which augers well for the future. Gabriel, Tierney, Thomas, Martinelli, Saka, ESR. Still require many more, both first team and squadies..
suspect Balugan is getting the adulation because he was born in New York?
___________
Huh? he has never played for the US national side. Only a training match once.. He is English.
Folarin Balogun. That’s a Nigerian name. A yoruba name to be exact. He’s Nigerian.
Arteta is saying the Bolagun issue is a step by step one with him now training with the first team squad being the first step. If Arteta claims he wants Bolagun to stay so much, then why doesn’t he play the kid? I think Le-Grovers just want to see Bolagun play because the few cameos Bolo has had, he looked like He has more to his game than Eddie. A difference in playing styles if you were. With the cub’s financials being what they are we should be keeping both Eddie and Bolagun. We know what Eddie can do right… Read more »
Tony
I said it before, Mike A does not use the weapons he has.
HE can only to be blamed for that.
How can Eddie N get more time over Balogun when he is clearly the better striker?
Is it bc Eddie is older? Mike has a thing for seniority it seems… his love in with the vets and all
If he leaves its on Mike A… only him
ESR knows our system, our players…. and is doing well.
I would hate Oder guard to usurp that chemistry….
I see him as a Suarez… brought in and does not much, and is injured likely most of the time.
I say no….
We need a back up GK and if we have the cash, spend it on a proper CM- or attacking 8
Guns
Does Arteta have OCD with a dash of Aspergers?
Pretty sure Pepe has ADHD the way his eyes are rarely focussed on something; he has the way off stare and lack of eye contact.
Edu is probably into narcissism
This club is just wtf most of the time.
Arteta came in like the new sherriff in town, and by force implemented his rigid ways and poor man management techniques. I do think he has done some reflection though… you dont see that rigidness as much anymore, although I see him reverting to type ,unless he consciously catches himself.. Some folks have the general in the military personality like he does. Anyhow, Pepe is toast. No amount of games he plays, does he ever change his methods. Its the same Pepe- game 1 or game 3984343 Sell please. If we finally start Martin as our LW and Saka as… Read more »
Hey
Must have had a banned word in my two previous posts.
Don’t understand how you guys can say Balogun is “clearly better” than anybody seeing as you have only seen him for around 60 minutes against very poor opposition.
Aubamyang is a world class finisher and you are saying he should be dropped for a kid?
Martinelli has huge potential and will get his opportunity but he needs to be patient. He will get plenty of minutes in the coming weeks and months.
The point is that Balogun is still an unknown quantity. Nketiah is not – we have all seen his limits at a senior level. Fans are rightly concerned that Balogun has not had any opportunity to do his thing at a senior level. That’s all. Just give him the same chances that Nketiah has had – it is not hard. I can only assume that Balogun has breeched one of the ‘non- negotiables’!!!! Now he will leave as an unknown quantity until he thrives at another club. Most players thrive on motivation and seeing others get ahead of you without… Read more »
Aussie
He needs to sign a contract then we can get him out on loan.
I like the look of Balogun and prefer he signs with us rather than another club but only if he wants to be here.
Aussie
Nketiah has had to go on loan before he’s been given his chances.
I don’t see how odegaard makes any sense. He is a young talented boy – yes. But he is NOT a confirmed performance every week. He is a developmental project. And when you need an immediate boost to your table ranking for which you are shelling out cash for a short term, 6 month stint, you need dependable and proven resource. Not some project. Ode would make sense if it was us buying him. Not for a 6 month load where we might play him some games. There is not value for us here. Bad decision.
Bo
That’s the whole point – Balogun has been between a rock and a hard place for some time. The club have basically fucked him over. In August last year there was talk of selling him for 8m. It didn’t work out and this year he is wanted on loan but that does not look like happening now. He really has been hamstrung by the club and seen others get good loans or first team experience.
“Christian Eriksen’s nightmare 12 months at Inter are almost certainly going to be over in the next few weeks, but there are still plenty of twists and turns as to where he will end up. Arsenal, Atlético Madrid and Tottenham have showed interest in the Denmark international. Once place he won’t be going though, is Leicester. Reports had linked Eriksen with the Foxes but the Telegraph insist that is not the case due to his astronomical wages.” Good – that leaves the way open for us!!!!!!!!!! Those Foxes don’t know what theyr’e missing!!!!! Shame he is not a couple of… Read more »
Aasim
Odegaard would be a huge gamble to purchase outright and be too expensive for our budget, but a 6 month loan deal might benefit all parties and give ESR some time out. It would be a short term fix but might buy us some time to properly address the midfield issues.
CrimsonJanuary 21, 2021 19:32:16
Do not project your thoughts on me.
Aussie
I hear what your saying and I think the club have buggered up by allowing his contract to reach this point but I feel he or maybe his agent are trying to hold the club to ransom ATM. Balogun needs to advise his agent to get the contract signed if he wants to remain at the club. If he doesn’t then he can leave as far as I am concerned.
Bojangles “Nketiah has had to go on loan before he’s been given his chances.” Yeah, 3 starts(1 goal) in the league this season is more than enough chances. And yes i know Eddie was selected in the league when the team were suffering from a chronic lack of creativity but that should make no difference, Eddie should have been banging in the goals in his 3 starts despite zereo creativity. And yes I know our 2 main strikers had a goal drout during the period when we were not creating chances , but that should make no difference. Scoring 5… Read more »
Kike Marin says Odegaard has chosen ARSENAL!
Happy days!
No purchase option in the deal.
Is kike Marin reliable?
Anyway Odegaard would be a fantastic signing. I can’t believe people are turning their noses at him. We have no realistic chance of acquiring him out right. He would have many suitors plus he would be too expensive for us. This is the best we could do in January in my opinion. It also allows us to wait till buendia is available in the summer. Also if we wanted to hammer small teams we could go with ESR, Odegaard and Partey midfield which would be the most exciting midfield we have put out there in ages.
https://www.managingmadrid.com/2020/7/2/21311257/martin-odegaard-diagnosed-with-patellar-tendinopathy-real-sociedad-doctor-javier-barrera
Left testicle
I’m sure the Arsenal medical team are aware of this and would advice against bringing him to the club if it was to affect his ability to play for us ………wouldn’t they ?
Odegaard has a bit of RVP about him when he’s on the ball , let’s hope he’s not as brittle as RVP when it comes to injuries
Pierre,
Two words…
KIM.
KALLSTROM.
Odegaard loan really looks to have legs, couple of legit Sociedad ITKs saying that a 6 month loan to Arsenal is a done deal.
Exciting signing, so much better than Ceballos or Denis Suarez. Will help immensely to take some of the creative burden off of the kids.
“Odegaard has a bit of RVP about him when he’s on the ball , let’s hope he’s not as brittle as RVP when it comes to injuries“
The only similarity between them are both left footed and the shape of the body when striking the ball. The one like RVP is that young boy at ManU Greenwood, just without the toughness of character that RVP had.
I think to win the league you have to have 5 tough characters in the team. At Arsenal, from what I can see, we have KT, Mari , Martinelli and Holding if he would stop that stupid smile.
Young Van Persie was league’s ahead of Greenwood in the technical department. Not even close.
Greenwood is more mobile and the more versatile attacking threat with his pace but I never got the Van Persie comparison other than being a cultured left footer and a brilliant finisher.
To remind yourself of Van Persie’s otherwordly technical ability have a look at his goal vs Aston Villa at Highbury in 2005/06 or against Blackburn in the FA Cup, or against Charlton in the league or against Inter Milan in Pre-season.
He has lowkey struggled this season too Greenwood, only 3 goals in all comps in 22 matched and just 1 in the Premier League.
Brilliant prospect all the same at 19 but definitely going through a lean spell.
The odengaard move is exciting
I hope we have an option to buy at some point
I love the kid
Real quality vision and technique
League above Aouar
RvP was a uniquely skilled forward
True world class
Greenwood and RVP…No comparison in their style of play .
Not sure why anyone would suggest that .
Great news on Odegaard if true, would love an option to buy included in this deal as he really fits the profile of the type of player we need to be looking at. I guess he gets Ozil’s number 10 if/when the deal finalizes?
ManU supporters call him baby RVP for a reason, and RVP at 19 I believe was still at Feyenoord. Didn’t join Arsenal and score those goals until he was 21/22.
Greenwood is a serious talent, just doesn’t have the hunger that RVP had. Talent and physicality wise at the same age, Greenwood well ahead of RVP.
Odegaard is coming. Edu masterclass?
“degaard is coming. Edu masterclass?“
Depends, if he succeeds, it’s Artetas and that German diamond eye porn star look alike were after him while he was at Dortmund and Arteta was arranging Cons at City.
If he fails, definitely Edu.
Kike Marin talks a lot of bull.
Few days ago he practically said Odegaard was done to Sociedad with option to buy. Now that it seems clear to everyone and his dogs that he’s headed for Arsenal, he’s suddenly changing tact.
Greenwood is a serious talent, just doesn’t have the hunger that RVP had. Talent and physicality wise at the same age, Greenwood well ahead of RVP.
Not for me
RvP had better control and Vision
Greenwood is a good player. For me he’s more of a power striker, like Rooney
Pierre “Scoring 5 goals in 11 starts this season is a very poor return , he scores at a goal a game for the England team, surely he should be scoring close to that for Arsenal as a goal every 2 games is just not good enough”. Lol. You make your point excellently Pierre. ACADEMY Those of you who are genuine Gooners who want the club to do well should get behind the youngsters. If Nketiah played for Spuds, the daily idiots would be moaning about Spuds having a youngster scoring at almost a goal a Game and breaking the… Read more »
An unfit player with a chronic knee problem sounds like a classic Arsenal loan. The Suarez loan more or less cost us a top four finish..
MÖ10 TO MØ10.
Foxy – stop complaining. We’re 10th and only have ESR that can play the 10 role. This is a great deal for us.
I’ve not seen Martin Odegaard beyond showreels. Looks great but then I had a thought and looked at a showreel of Ramsey, which basically looked much better. He could do tricky dicky stuff while playing in the prem getting the crap kicked out of him. Spain is comparatively and easy life compared to here
Arteta and Edu have been level headed in their planning of the January transfer window. They have managed to offload a number of unwanted players who are surplus to requirements and get them off the payroll. Ozil was clearly the most difficult, but he has now gone. The club is now looking at modest recruitment securing probably Odegaard on short term loan who will share presumably “workload” in creative midfield department. It would have been unrealistic for the club to rely wholly in second half of season on Smith-Rowe. Arteta has also highlighted that we need a specialist left back.… Read more »
– “I don’t see how odegaard makes any sense. He is a young talented boy – yes. But he is NOT a confirmed performance every week.”
Wow! 🤦♂️
Odegaard has been rated world’s 74th best player based on his last year’s performances. This was based on 241 judges from 71 countries. As comprehensive as these things go.
Do you know how many Arsenal players are in the top 100?
Two – Auba – 36th, and Partey 85th
This kid is not cut from the same mediocre cloth as Ceballos.
Personally, i doubt if Odegaard will come to Arsenal on loan.
Pierre
Why do you assume that? We are discussing a loan for a player who has had hardly any gametime this season.
If he comes to Arsenal I am pretty sure that he will “share” gametime with Smith-Rowe.
The knee problem report was dated July last year!
Ffs
Trolling for bad news heh
Pierre
Even Ornstein has now said the deal is 90% done.
Almost every news outlet in England and Spain are now reporting that the Odegaard loan is
90% done.
The worse scenario is that he leaves at the end of season. What is blindingly obvious to me is
that Arsenal will need to recruit/promote at least 2 midfielders for next season.
Got a notification from Arsenal.com that a loan signing is here.
It was Matt Ryan. Arsenal is trolling. 😂
Arteta reportedly a huge factor in convincing Odegaard to choose us over Sociedad. Ceballos involved ad well according to some.
Matt Ryan on a 6 month loan
https://www.arsenal.com/news/mat-ryan-joins-loan-until-end-season
Goalkeeper sorted then. Next up Odegaard then.
Really hope we get to see a Partey – Odegaard -ESR midfield more often than not. Would be pretty dreamy if he adapts quickly.
Odegaard would be a great move. Better of course with an option to buy, but if it means we don’t have to play that old shower of shit whose heads are already on a Cuban sun lounger then great.
At the moment I’m tumescent about the players leaving. It would be good to be at least semi hard about some players coming in.
Matt Ryan is decent.
Aussie players always have a backbone and are committed.
Good business
La Liga imports tend to do quite well in the PL, don’t have the numbers to back up the theory but I would guess that they have the highest success rate from any of Serie A, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, La Liga.
David Silva, Aguero, Santi Cazorla, Juan Mata, Alexis Sanchez, Ozil all are diminutive/flair types that came over from Spain and thrived here.
Is he like the first Aussie who’s played for us?
Also any midfield signings sound good and all but we all know Arteta would still roll with Xhaka as long as he can
I find it difficult to get over excited about loan deals coming in.
History tells us that they are doomed to fail …let’s hope Odegaard is different as he looks a decent player……if it happens.
Though bringing in a back up keeper i think is a wise move
Not to excited re odegaard knowing it won’t be permanent but hopefully will work out short term
That signing came out of nowhere, Ryan is a decent keeper.
He happy to play second fiddle to Leno? Suppose he knows he will get a starting crack in the Cups and it could lead to a bigger move if he plays well. Good signing.
Jesus another of the it’s been my childhood dream to play for arsenal. When will this predictable PR stunt get dropped?
Hope he impresses us during the next 6 months, so we can sign him permanently and move on from the GK debates.
No more Runarsson, thank god for that! Diabolical signing.
Pierre
Look at the other loans though, Kallstrom and Denis Suarez were both doomed to fail the second they signed as they were has-been/substandard cripples.
Re other loans, Ceballos has been ok. Not that good but serviceable. Benayoun was a very underrated loan a few years back.
Baptista was largely underwhelming but he gave us some great moments like Anfield at least. Also scored a few other crucial goals.
I don’t know if it’s right but on Google, Matt Ryan is shorter than alex gunnarsson. 184cm,
Leno is 190.
Batistu – Is he like the first Aussie who’s played for us?
Nope – John Kosmina played for us briefly in the late 70’s.
Hope the Odegaard news is true. If he’s here for just 6 months so be it.
Don’t get why people can’t be excited for the here and now.
Matt Ryan is short so what?
He’s 100 times more experienced that Runnalad!
Feel a bit bad for Runnarsson but rarely you see a pro so wildly out of his depth. Literally everybody could spot it. Shades of the goalkeeping Ali Dia about it.
Good news for him at least is that he makes the all-time worst Arsenal XI!
Runnarsson, Hoyte, Squillaci, Stepanovs, Santos, Denilson, Xhaka, Gervinho, Bendtner, Chamakh, Sanogo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtModd–3zY
Signing Odegaard on loan seems a non event to me. He is already 22 and hasn’t made the breakthrough which tells you quite a lot about him. I hope I’m wrong but I don’t see him tearing up trees in the prem. Maybe Arteta has him marked down for the cup games.
Signing Odegaard on loan seems a non event to me. He is already 22 and hasn’t made the breakthrough which tells you quite a lot about him. I hope I’m wrong.. Maybe Arteta has him marked down for the cup games.
An Auusie goalkeeper at Arsenal!!
Just watched Ryan’s interview. The guy is an Arsenal fan and it looks as though he’s overjoyed and genuinely talking a bit like a fan…
Good on you, mate!
I’d think Ryan is reliable if not anything else, at least compared with our Runnaboy
Eagle, you’re obviously too young to remember Gus Caesar who made Squillaci look like prime Beckenbauer.
Good signing this Aussie boy. Second keeper sorted. Great job Edu👍👍👍.
Hope that if we do sign Odegaard he doesn’t limit ESR’s development. I’m sure he’ll exect to play most games (if fit) but ESR has done enough to keep his place IMO.