Wooooaaaahhhh… did I wake up FRESH from the news. I could run a marathon. I could climb a mountain. My head is so clear now Mustafi is gone I think I’m going to apply for a job at SpaceX on the rocket science team.
The German World Cup winner held us back in life, now he’s gone. Good riddance. No sentimentality here. He was a terrible, terrible signing and I am here, with you, thanking the footballing gods for lifting him from the club.
I always thought he was just a nightmare center-back, but when the rumblings came my way that he was difficult behind the scenes, it was time to exit.
Thoughts and prayers for Schalke… Christian Gross as their new manager, Kolasinac as their captain, Mustafi as their defensive rock… could you imagine a worse film poster?
So, how did we finish the window? About £600k a week better off. That’s how you do ruthless business in a pandemic.
The absolute key is to NOT put that money into a bunch of bums Kia knows this summer.
This is a semi-fresh start, obviously slightly tainted by the fact we forked out a lot of money on certain players this summer that will not provide long-term value. Those decisions were made, we now have to lie with them on a bed of nails.
We’ve cleared out underperformers on the pitch, we rid the dressing room of players that were less than helpful, and we’ve freed up cash flow so we can move for the players we want this summer.
We also did a pretty decent job of looking after the future.
Joe Willock has gone to Newcastle to help Steve Bruce out with his team’s appalling final ball. I think he’s had a bit of an identity crisis, everyone knows there’s a player there, no one knows what that player is. He couldn’t be going to a club more desperate for a spark, so let’s see what he has.
AMN, as I suspected, took a loan move to West Brom. He had 5 offers apparently. What is pointed is the fact he binned off bigger clubs. His loan move isn’t about his lack of talent, it’s about scratching a very specific itch… he wants to show Edu and Arteta he can be a midfielder at the highest level. The player is coming back to us next season, if he wasn’t, I suspect he might have tried to impress at Southampton or Leicester. What better way to show you are top tier than keeping West Brom in the Premier League? Last player to go to West Brom from Arsenal was Serge G… let’s feed AMN the same water and keep em’ crossed.
We’ve gone over the William Saliba stuff. He’s in the right place. @GrimandiTweetss, a guy who actually watches him, had this to say on where he’s at development wise (referencing his error this weekend that cost Nice the game).
As I’ve been watching him at Nice, it’s apparent his one glaring deficiency is his lack of ability to defend the high cross
His shape is often wrong, that’s why it skimmed off his head and they score
It’s not just a matter of getting games, it’s a matter of releasing the skill of defending crosses. For such a big chap, he doesn’t impose himself defending crosses in open play or at set-pieces
Half a season in France isn’t as ideal as half a season in Championship would have been, but you know what, it’s a helluva lot better than sitting on the bench.
There were some other moves. Matt Smith moved to Charlton for the remainder of the season, Swindon fans were absolutely feeeewming over this, which is great news.
I was a bit disappointed that Reiss Nelson managed to avoid a loan move again, a move to Valencia collapsed. It kind of looks like he’s blown a year on his own terms. He should have taken a loan in the Premier League. Now he’s cratered his value and no one really knows what he’s capable of. Not the sharpest advice he’s taking.
This summer is going to very interesting. Arsenal are going to be making big plans again. They’ll likely be looking to add another creative player, but the most important position they’ll address is central midfield. I think everyone is very aware of the limitations we have in midfield right now and they’ll be looking at top class options to play next to Thomas Partey. It’ll all depend on what we can do in terms of sales. Lucas Torreira and Matteo G will be high on the exit list. I suspect we’ll also be looking to whip up interest in players coming to the end of their deals, or, players that just need to find new clubs because they aren’t quite right for the future.
If we can bring in £80m, expect us to drop another Thomas Partey like move on the market and plug some gaps that are clear. Could be interesting. I just hope Edu isn’t ready with his mega contracts for older players… he needs to move on names that aren’t part of the 5-year plan and continue to trim that wage bill.
The Swiss Ramble ran the numbers that basically showed we’ve dropped £236m of wastage on talent over the last 10 years.
Arsenal have finally moved on Mesut Ozil and Shkodran Mustafi via free transfers, which raises the question of how good the club’s recruitment has been. Looking at this over a longer period, we can see that since 2010 they have lost (in cash terms) a cool £236m #AFC pic.twitter.com/17augNMb2W
— Swiss Ramble (@SwissRamble) February 2, 2021
Our new strategy needs to start refocusing on how we have a consistent flow of transfer cash coming through the door. 26 should be the max-out age of players we sign. Really, 22-23 is the sweet spot. You can mold the players in your vision, you know they’ll only be thinking about football, and they’ll be at wage pricepoint that means you can easily sell them.
The hope is Edu and Arteta have learned the harshest of lessons this season. This window indicates that maybe that’s the truth. Youth is the way forward, there are no shortcuts to the top, if we start acknowledging that now, we’ll move forward as a club… if we don’t, we’re just burning more cash on an idea that has failed for 5 years.
Edu has done a very good job this window, but we do need to be careful that we don’t celebrate table stakes like we’re rocking the world of football innovation. De-bloating the squad, signing young talent on loan, and moving out young players to gain more experience is sharp… but we can’t forget what went before. The truth will arrive in the summer. Contracts, new signings, how we sell… BUT… this is a great start to the first non-Raul window. So praise and credit are due.
Right, Wolves tonight. We need 3 points. Auba, Saka, Mari, and Ceballos are all in contention. We might see Odegaard as well. It’s a huge game, Nuno really hasn’t managed to get his side into gear this season, but… we are always a gift to struggling managers, so who knows what will happen.
Play like we did against United and we’ll be in with a good chance of coming away with the points.
1st
Of
Top 4?
Course
Tr4phy
Got it anyway😁
Come on the Arsenal!
Tough game. Wolves will be hard to break down. Hope Saka plays….
FROM THE LAST POST Karsa. At this point I think our midifle d base needs a partner for Partey, and nobody can convince me Xhaka or Elneny is a better choice for that than Guendozi. Concerning Saliba, nobody is angry he was sent on loan, the anger is more about the previous 6 months. This was a teenager coming from a different league having family issues and a coach makes up his mind on him after the first training session, then goes ahead to totally osyrasize him from the team. That’s absolutely mental from Arteta. He made up his mind… Read more »
A confident Arsenal beat Wolves tonight.
“Thoughts and prayers for Schalke… Christian Gross as their new manager, Kolasinac as their captain, Mustafi as their defensive rock… could you imagine a worse film poster?”
Yeah it could have Arsenal written at the top of it!
Ceballos doesn’t create, doesn’t score. What is is even good at?
Thorough.
At this point I think our midifle d base needs a partner for Partey
I couldn’t agree more. I don’t think Guendouzi is that player though.
Just my opinion.
Just wonder whether Reiss Nelson can be developed to be a full back. He has the speed. If Saka can play LB, Reiss should try the RB position.
‘’Otherwise every player will feel they can just say fuck off to the fans‘’
Yeh sure they’ll all be coming out sticking two fingers up..are u for real
Matteo G isn’t the person, which is the most important point. That’s why he’ll be sold in the summer.
I wonder how many gregs sausage rolls you can buy for £236m
I can’t be arsed to do the math but I can confirm regardless it would have been money vastly better spent. Especially if you mix it up with the odd patisserie cream doughnut
Those doughnuts were THE SHIT when I was at college. Awwwwww yea
Yves Bissouma
Pedro Neto
Matthew Cash
Should be right at the very top of our transfer list
Why would Reiss Nelson refuse to go on loan? Where’s the evidence for this?
Pedro
Guendouzi has got us by the balls this summer
12 months left on his deal, he knows he’s not wanted
He’s in a position to run down the clock
We’re then either left paying a player @2 months to run down his contract, kicking up a stink
Or biting the bullet, and folding
For 12 months *
Only Wolves and Leeds have given under 21 players more League minutes than Arsenal this season. And of those two only Wolves have used more under 21 players.
The team will manage to put in a defensive shift for a draw, when we are back to playing Europa thats when things unravel again
You heard it here 1st!
Man I want a Greg’s SO MUCH every time I go back to the UK I end up going there at least twice when I’m downtown and just ransacking the place. By the end I’m practically shooting up pastry directly into my eye balls You British fuckers who live there don’t know just how good you’ve got it in life until you can’t have a Greg’s anymore. I like to think it’s that knowing that Greg will be there for you whether the weather is rain or … rain that gives brits that willingness to get out of bed in… Read more »
Rich, he wants to play, he won’t run down the clock if he can get a pay bump and a 5-year deal.
Thorough “…nobody can convince me Xhaka or Elneny is a better choice for that than Guendozi” He might have ability but Guendouzi’s attitude sucked. He was a big-headed, big-time Charley and we don’t need that around the club. Very pleased when Arteta bombed him out because it also sent a very clear message to anyone else who wanted to act like that. Nobody is bigger than the club. He needs to grow up and take a leaf out of the way Saka and ESR behave. As for David Luiz. Arteta made it clear why he wanted David Luiz around. He… Read more »
Pedro
“So, how did we finish the window? About £600k a week better off. That’s how you do ruthless business in a pandemic.
The absolute key is to NOT put that money into a bunch of bums Kia knows this summer.”
That’s £31.2 million a season – as we were losing £23 odd million a season prior to COVID let alone under COVID restrictions that isn’t money we have to spend most of that just stop’s the losses by not being in the CL.
Pedro,
great post by the way mate.
Greggs is shite!!!!!!!!
Love me some Gails bakery
Pedro you must miss Greg’s too right? Or are you the London sort that wouldn’t pay less than £12 for a gourmet pastry delight?
Here’s the voice over for Pedro’s film done by that American geezer with a really deep voice. In a world where the boss arrives by metro, Shkod and Kola are left to their own devices to form a bulwark against the evil Polish assassin lewandoski and his cold blooded German sidekick Mueller. Watch as our brave heroes from the German steppes and the killing fields of Bosnia struggle amateurishly to repel wave after wave of clinical attacks. Former friend Gnabry delivers the final coup de grace with a double hatrick. Our heroes lives are in tatters with only fearless Kola… Read more »
Who the fuck is Gail? Gail platt from Corry?
And fuck off with your blasphemy. Greg would beat the crap out of Gail any day of the week
The myth that Wenger wasn’t given any money to spend as the excuse for a decade of scraping top 4 has well and truly debunked by Swiss Ramble.
Shocking recruitment.
China, I miss greasy spoons. Not Greggs.
The alternative is Diet Pep failing to qualify for Europe, getting replaced and Guen resugning
Based on Greg’s low low prices I’m fairly sure Greg is a wife beater who only Drinks Stella and strong bow but I’ll forgive him because he’s the law on pastry goods at prices for the proletariat
“He might have ability but Guendouzi’s attitude sucked. He was a big-headed, big-time Charley and we don’t need that around the club. Very pleased when Arteta bombed him out because it also sent a very clear message to anyone else who wanted to act like that.”
No problem with moving on problem players – I do have an issue with reducing the fee we’ll get from £30 million plus to £15 million.
More money down the drain.
Gail’s do your research a hole
China
You do know that you can buy ready made good quality puff pastry – even ready rolled? Surely it’s available in China?
Pedro I dunno if it’s representative but in China we have a lot of imported American bacon and it’s not even worth the effort of eating compared to good British or danish shit. Tbf tho still 1000 times better than Chinese bacon which is so awful it should be illegal
Have you got good bacon out there or my impression holds up for the stuff you’ve had there too?
China
Pick up a dog turd and cover it in lard. Stick it between two bits of bread and whack it in the microwave for 2 minutes. Hey presto a tastier version of a greggs pasty! No I’m not really Jamie Oliver but he has borrowed a few of my recipes.
Marc I made myself a nice steak and ale pie recently!
Out here I can get all those things but you have to pay so much that it just makes me angry and I usually don’t bother
I once paid £12 for a box of Maltesers (a large one worth a few quid in the UK). Felt like the absolute twat I was but once in a while the cravings are unbearable
“Play like we did against United and we’ll be in with a good chance of coming away with the points.”
Ummm… we could’ve easily lost that game if Cavani put one of those sitters away. Rashford too had a decent chance. So all in all, it wasn’t a great performance by any means. We have to be playing more like we did against Soton, preferably without conceding (first) though.
You guys shitting on greggs are trolling
It’s trendy to hate on my boy Greg but when push comes to shove, I bet the lot of you can be found there at 10am on a Thursday morning with your multipack of vegan sausage rolls
Masterpieces!
AFC Forever.
But you’re okay with Xhaka doing the same thing or worse and having Arteta fondle him right?
China
I’ve just finished up a Gammon and Chicken pie I made over the weekend. Got a bit carried away and made too much, got a spare one in the freezer and having been eating the other for 3 days!
Rick Stein recipe – really nice but after 3 days I’m looking forward to a curry tonight.
Marc
Nah, his poisonous behaviour would have cost us more than we could ever lose on the transfer value, whatever that is. He highlights the problem you can get with some young players if they don’t have their feet planted firmly on the ground.
you can be found there at 10am on a Thursday morning with your multipack of vegan sausage rolls
Have to agree with this one sentence. Apart from that Gail’s is the one! Down the portabello market flat white with an almond croissant.
China
The only food I will eat that is vegan is Gazpacho (in the summer) and Roast Long Pork.
If it ain’t got meat in it it ain’t a fucking sausage roll, burger etc.
I think I read yesterday that Valencia & Villarreal were in for Nelson over the weekend. Don’t think they wanted to pay all his wages or somehing.
Pedro, Mustafi was an epitome of Arsene Wenger’s chronic indiscretion which left Arsenal with a huge financial loss and the mess we’re trying to clean up. You’re like me; I am so relieved!
Pedro.
Dozi will be sold because Arteta is consumed by the meaningless non-negotiable which even he doesn’t understand. If he sticks by his bs for too long we’ll be losing talents for peanuts going forward. What if Partey does the same and refuses to apologize?
AFC
You can loan out a player without pissing them off or reducing their value.
Well at least you can if you’re not Arteta.
Ah that sounds quality Marc
Foreigners here literally have to scan the entire city to know where to get each of the best ingredients at the right prices
I used to have to pay about £5.50 for a small block of extremely poor quality American cheddar when the co-ops own brand back home would be twice as much as twice as good. Thank god they now have wyke farm extra mature cheddar at my local supermarket here and it’s ‘only’ about 40% more expensive than back home. But I will gladly pay for that shit
RIP Sir Tom Moore.
A true hero.
If you havent tasted beef tongue you dont know what you are missing
Graham
Seconded.
The worst thing here is when I’m out drinking and get those old bristolian pangs for cider in the summer
And on the menu they might have a small bottle of strong bow and it will be like £4.50.
I’ve actually paid for that piss. Twice. I hang my head in shame as a bristolian because that’s literally worthy of shame for my people back home
Pedro
hypothetically, would you be pissed if we signed diego costa on a 2 yr deal?
Yes sid beef tongue is awesome
China1
For my case, I miss from my home town some foods which I was very crazy about when I was young. After 20 years, I visited the place and found the same food nothing special.
Ah RIP sir Tom Moore. A true, true hero 🙁
China
I use an online butcher who does some really top notch stuff. Surely there are producers back here who supply online and will ship overseas? Obviously meat etc wouldn’t travel but there’s plenty of stuff that will.
China
Just go all the way down and go Magner’s a mans best move until the following morning.
“And on the menu they might have a small bottle of strong bow and it will be like £4.50.”
Still cheaper than it’d be in a pub in London!
upstate
“we could’ve easily lost that game if Cavani put one of those sitters away.”
we could’ve easily won if pepe had buried one of his sitters. you are insufferable and deluded
Where you from Nelson?
I can’t imagine ever moving on from cheddar cheese and the like
Yeah but Marc no one in London drinks cider!
I have so many mates from outside the West Country who don’t get cider or it’s culture
If you haven’t already you need to get down to some dirty corner of Bristol and go on a cider binge. Those are always the best nights
China
You’re right. In lockdown though I’ve switched from Greggs to Lidl’s pasties. They look like a carnivore’s vomit in roulade form and the pastry is like underlay ripped up after 30 years in a student house toilet. Small margins though – it does taste slightly better heated up.
China
I can’t stand Cider – it’s awful – terrible stuff.
I’ll leave it to you thanks!
Team.for today
Leno
Bellend hoLdo luiz suarez (pun intended)
No xhaka no Partey
Saka Odegaard Esr/gabi/auba
Laca/Auba
Hahaha that’s brilliant
And yeah man cider is for real. I think people from outside the west just don’t understand
Cider doesn’t even need to taste nice to be good. Until you are on a cider boat (yes that’s a real thing in Bristol) or a cider pub drinking the pink cloudy shit that’s 14% until you’re half blind I don’t think anyone can truly get it
Last time I was in london there was no Westons cider anywhere to be found
SAD!
Bally
I don’t think Arteta’s good enough. It’s not personal strictly business!
Emery fucked up and was moved on – why don’t the same things apply to Arteta?
The pro Arteta crowd will never lay out just what would be an unreasonable finish for the season – go on go out on a limb and put your balls on the line?
China1,
Hate to say it, but Greggs is the Mo Elneny of bakeries….does the job, but nothing more.
But I know, absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that….
Hey hey! Bally’s come back out from under his stone with that nasty bullshit term he was using earlier today. Tell everyone what “mg” means Bally. Go on be brave…
Warning: do not read if you think lazy racist cack doesn’t belong on here
Hey look I’m not saying Greg is the guy you’d go to for the best chicken and mushroom slice in England but he’s the boy who’s got your back rain or shine for pennies on the dollar
He’ll never let you down will your boy Greg!
Zacharse understands
You been on the orchard pig train much? Go to a cider pub that stocks the whole selection of orchard pig and that’s a rabbit hole you’ll go down that will end on vomit but you won’t regret it
China1
I was born in HongKong and lived in Canada for over 30 years.
Guen should play with partey. He’s talented and spirited. Those attitude issues can be ironed out in young players. Dunno why so many wanna see him gone. If we let him leave he will be a top player at another club and those same guys will ask why did we sell him.
Ah HK is awesome. One of my favourite places
For me the best food in the world has to be Japanese tho. Good Japanese restaurants are just the best things ever
Never had orchard pig sadly but i’d lay my life down for westons. Actually attempted to import it to the us but no cigar w that. They dont wven supply outside the west country now. SAD
Marc re: arteta
Easy enough to answer why emery and arteta have been given different treatment, the issue is whether or not you’d honestly consider those reasons. If you were able to, you wouldnt have the opinion you do
China1
You like raw fish. They offer many different kinds in a Japanese restaurants. They put them in plates with different shapes and sizes.
The list of players on that transfer spreadsheet almost brings tears to the eyes. Very depressing and testament to the idiocy of letting wenger purchase players with no scrutiny. You could make a full and convincing worst ever AFC XI out of that lot.
Think Guendouzi is gone, let it go its Bissouma or Anguissa for me.
Go premier league experienced.
Looks to be absolutely pissing in Wolverhampton.
Sup Ladies? Big 3 pts on the line today… Really expecting us to get it.. given form of both teams.
Anyhow… I see AVB got shit canned from another team.. I swear that dude just gets hired for they way he looks. Need a hipster coach… he’s your man..
Anguissa is this seasons Dacoure
Sid,
That comment lacks…. everything.
Zach, think we’ve moved well beyond caring what the Emeryista think about managerial quality.
Everything is shaping up nicely. Still going to be a tough season, but at least you can see a vision on the pitch now, and we’re slowly by surely seeing the sort of squad we’ll move forward with.
Second best defence in the league in February, pretty staggering when you consider our last 10 years.
Mid
He quit. Ultras burned down nearly the entire training ground. The owner of marseille isnfrank mccourt, a billionaire who made his money on boston ‘parking lots’ (read mafioso). He nearly ruined the LA dodgers w his multi billion divorce (hisnwife was sleeping w half the team throughout the 90s) that piece of shit deserves everything coming to him. Avb though by no stretch one of my favs acted honorably throughout and is smart to
Get the f out asap
Pedro
Ya guess i just enjoy a good shit talk on LG🤣
But… you didnt answer my earlier question:
How would u feel if wed signed diego costa on a 2 yr deal? 👍 👎 or 🖕
Starting XI: Leno, Bellerin, Holding, Luiz, Cedric, Partey, Xhaka, Pepe, Smith Rowe, Saka, Lacazette.
Subs: Runarsson, Gabriel, Ceballos, Odegaard, Willian, Aubameyang, Chambers, Elneny, Martinelli.
Berg10kamp
Mate, sometimes kids like Guendouzi grow up but sometimes they don’t. Decent prospect and if he grows up and is no longer a disruptive influence, then fine. The last thing anybody wants is for a shit load of unrest and aggravation in and around the club. Attitude loses points.
Zacharse-
Ahh well I figured he was asked to get the F out.. anyhow.. He gets around .. what is that 6 or 7 teams now?
Good to see Saka back.. and Laca fit to start.
Strong bench.
Zach, I’d be upset. I hope that doesn’t happen
Bally
Don’t be a coward. You’ve turned that racist epithet from this morning into an a shitty acronym that is easily seen through.
You’ve shown in essence that you know it’s wrong, but if you think racial slurs ARE OK on here then have the courage of your convictions and tell everyone what MG means when applied to Ozil and Mustafi. I’m sure any non-British and Islamic readers will be less than thrilled and enchanted by your attitudes.
Alternatively, man up and apologise to everyone you offended.
This has truly been a good transfer window.