REVVING UP POSITIVE VIBES ABOUT THE FUTURE (ONE LAST TIME)

by .

There are two ways we can behave over the next 6 months.

1.Entrenched in our views on where the football club is going and MISERABLE.

2.Positive about some of the basics that are in place and trust the plan for the summer is more January than last summer.

Too many Arsenal fans are taking direction one and it was embarrassing reading yesterday.

‘We’re gonna get spanked by 6’

If you spent the entire pre-game chat talking about how we were going to get spanked by miracle-man-Tuchel, you have absolutely no right to be bitching post-game about the performance and WIN.

Chelsea is the form team in Europe right now. That is proved out with form, that is proved out by big big results, that is proved out by the fact they are in the FA Cup final and the Champions League final. They even beat Manchester City at the weekend.

For large swathes of this season, we’ve been bad. But one real positive is we’re usually pretty decent at the planning part for games against top teams.

Yesterday, Arteta delivered a tactical masterclass and beat Chelsea the only way this squad is capable of doing so… pure shit-housery.

Was it pretty? No.

Was it effective? Absolutely.

We scored a goal because we pressured Chelsea at the back. It was a fluke, but you can’t deny goals from errors we forced aren’t part of the deal.

Then we clung on for dear life and defended like our lives depended on it despite there being nothing on the game for us that anyone cares about (get fucked with the Europa Conference).

It was a long way from protagonist football, but we have to be honest with ourselves, we are where we are in the table, and that’s because we lack the quality to go away to Chelsea for a game of tika-taka.

Arsenal hasn’t won at Stamford Bridge for a decade. That’s a big result. You take whatever you can get.

What you can’t do is sit there and whine about beating big teams in big games. It’s truly embarrassing stuff to see. Who do these fans think they are?

This season hasn’t been great, but thinking yourself above big wins isn’t on I’m afraid.

Let’s also rev up some red meat for the WE HAVEN’T IMPROVED crew.

That’s the table since Christmas day. Important if you are looking for signs that we can finish higher than 8th next season. 22 games of form indicate that we are tracking in the right direction, even if there have been some grim moments.

Third best defence in the league all season. Defensively, we’re much better. We’d be even better if we cut out the massive dumb errors. That will come as we upgrade players.

Attacking wise, we’ve been absolutely awful all season. What can we bank on here? Well, this summer, there will be upgrades all over the place. We won’t have a central midfield this bad next season. We’ll likely add someone who can deliver NOW numbers in attack. The young players are already chalking up more decisive moments and they will get better and better. Auba won’t give us a 10 goal season next year (hopefully). We’ll bin players that have been badly broken by the Arsenal machine over the last decade, mental baggage is a thing and there’s a group of seniors that need to go.

Also look at where we can make up the 9 points for the top 4 next season, because yes, there are only 9 points in it. Zero points against Wolves. Zero points against Aston Villa. Zero points against Everton. One point against Burnley. One point against Palace. Get a better midfield, start the season with creators, and move the fine margins our way and we start taking deep block teams down.

Our job next season is top 4. Since Christmas, we’ve only been outclassed by Liverpool and City. I’m not sure we’re a million miles away from anyone in the chasing pack.

Arteta needs to pick things up. He’s extremely sensitive in the media at the moment and he’s struggling with the pressure. He needs to step up and address the issues he’s helping to make worse. Did you see the Athletic ran with my keeper coach issues and Bernd Leno looking to leave? Move on that issue. The keepers have been dreadful this season. Everyone at the club knows the reasons and it makes Arteta look like a jobs for the boys manager. There needs to more self-reflection from Arteta. He’s not a rockstar, he can’t do it all by himself, and he really needs to build more know-how around him this summer. Vinai cannot allow Arteta to entrench power, he needs to clip his wings and get him back to basics.

Arsenal also needs to think about what the fuck they are doing with football leadership. Edu’s contacts game looks like it’s getting a seeing to. The scouts are being found via a headhunter service, which is excellent news, and stops him stocking the club with his mates. His disaster physio, Brazilian Bruno Mazziotti, looks like he might see the exit door despite Edu being a protector of him. The Athletic reckons Willian, Xhaka, and Bellerin will be exited. I told you months ago that was why Hector has been benched. This is all good news, the Willian stories are almost too good to be true. Again, a mate of Edu, a super agent deal from hell, one of many that should be sounding a huge fucking siren heading into another summer of big investment.

There’s clearly a deep affection between Arteta and the kids, roll with that. Old players being unhappy is telling and obvious. They don’t want to be part of a long-term rebuild at a late stage of their careers. That isn’t a jab at Arteta, it’s a BIG FAT TRUTH about Arsenal. We need to build back smart. Young kids like being coached with future proof methods. They’re getting big chances at a big club. Build on that. Grow a squad for the Champions League… and make sure that when that top 4 position lands, we have a team of 25-year-olds ready to explode. Don’t keep on accepting your captain trudging off like a brat, it’s not good for anyone.

This is a post that is glass half full, and I honestly do not care what anyone thinks about that because I cannot live in football misery for the next 6 months. If we put together a full season of how we’ve played since Christmas, we’ll be in the mix for top 4 come the end of the season. That’s what the plan is, that’s what the club is working towards, I am confident there cannot possibly be a start to the season as bad as the last.

What do YOU think?

See you in the comments.

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AFC Forever

Rich Totally agree mate. Despite what some people like to say, Arsenal is a legacy club and a brand that holds its own. It’s going through a rough period but it’s a sleeping giant. KSE know this, these are smart guys so they aren’t going to sell the club, they don’t behave like knee-jerk fans do. The climate offers them an opportunity to invest and grow an asset, which ultimately is the name of the game. I agree about player recruitment. We have a problem with goals in the team and in previous seasons we have been spoilt with third-man… Read more »

Valentin

AFC,

ManCity is in transition and in order to be successful they had to wean themselves from the Aguero dependance. It may have been Guardiola plan all along to play without a recognise striker, but I think it is more due to Jesus not hitting the height that they were hoping.

I would not be surprised if next year, Ferran Torres is repositioned as a CF before the rumoured Haaland arrival in 2022 after ManCity trigger his £68 millions release clause.

Marko

WE we could still get 10-15 million for Chambers easily even with a year left on his deal cause potential wages wouldn’t be that high. It’s a smarter bet than another contract. Like I don’t get how someone can look at what we did last summer with AMN or chambers a few years back and think hey let’s do that exact same thing this summer.

Would you sell AMN this summer WE?

Ishola70

Just going back to that list mentioned of deep lying playmakers. It’s so vain even to be mentioning deep lying playmakers in respect of this current Arsenal side. Let’s dominate that ball deep or rely on longer passes from deep when we are being swamped in central midfield. Arsenal are not a good enough overall side to have a deep player with the cigar on spraying passes from deep. If we had a couple of beasts in central midfield then we might get away with such a player but we don’t. We need midfielders that can all engage the centre… Read more »

MD-Gunner

REVVING UP POSITIVE VIBES ABOUT THE FUTURE clashes with REALITY!! Money wise Arsenal has been dismal in player recruitment compared to Leicester who sold five stars for £260m… then re-built a team now worth £430m that plays Chelsea in the FA Cup final. Chelsea’s Abramovich ‘will hand Tuchel £150m to spend this summer’, despite paying £253m for new players just 12 months ago with a new striker top priority. That means top 4 are out of reach unless MC, MU, Chavs or Pool collapse next season and even then look what MC did after collapse early on. Saka is one… Read more »

Ishola70

I see De Paul keeps being mentioned.

I mentioned him on here two or three seasons ago and thought he looked pretty good but haven’t really followed him thereafter.

WengerEagle

‘But look I should know better by now than to argue with Arsenal fans and their hoarding of average players’ You’re embarrassing yourself a bit here, really. If we sell every player on your wish list we’d need to bring in 10-12 new players just to make up the numbers for a squad. Name me one successful side that sold 50%+ of their entire squad and replaced them all in one window? It’s about picking your battles and assessing each player case individually. Willock and Chambers on paper are both squad players. One is young, on a longer contract and… Read more »

Captain Tierney

‘Rumours abound that Xhaka under pressure from his wife wants to go back to Germany or Switzerland.’

Another Valentine special. No report of Xhaka’s wife forcing a move but Val and his inside sources.
Why do you do this?

Luiz is out

Emiratesstroller

AFC Let’s leave aside the point that Arsenal is a “legacy” club. If there is one lesson learned by the Kroenke family it is that “the self sustaining” financial model only works if a] the club is successful and b] the economic climate is generating revenue. No football club on the planet is making money and most are incurring substantial losses. The Kroenke family has a very simple decision to make. If they want to see progress then the club needs to invest in players. Obviously I don’t see them spending out of their own pocket £100 million on players… Read more »

Marko

If we sell every player on your wish list we’d need to bring in 10-12 new players just to make up the numbers for a squad

Jesus Christ we should have been doing this over the last few years. I don’t understand how you can have this stance on someone like Chambers and Holding but at the same time want someone like Elneny and AMN gone.

So I’ll just simply ask would you sell AMN this summer? And why?

WengerEagle

Marko

You’re off your tits if you think anyone is going to be lining up to pay us 10m+ for Chambers. He’s a back-up full back in the final year of his deal.

As for AMN, yes. I wanted us to take Wolves’ offer last year but we blew that.

Has done ok on loan for West Brom, could still fetch 15-20m.

DivineSherlock

David Luiz is out . One less CB to worry about . I hear Ryan Bertrand is available, who is his agent ? About time we linked him up with Cedric , Southampton Reunion .

Marko

Whereas Chambers is 26, has seen his value plummet due to years being a squad player and has only ONE year left on his deal.

You’re just looking for any old excuse now. We could easily get 10 million for him and imo that would be better than god knows how much we’d put in to a new contract. That’s even without getting into the whole squad player and being potentially replaced with better argument

Crimson

….if we do make any signings. Have to be careful with the AFCON in January. Along time in the future but past regimes have regularly not been wise, as we all know.
Partey. Auba, Pepe, Elneny will be gone for at least a month.

AFC Forever

Marko

“But look I should know better by now than to argue with Arsenal fans”

Arsenal fans?

Strange comment, perhaps you should go and argue with Spuds or Chelsea ones and see what happens when you rile them. I’ll hold your coat!

Marko

You’re off your tits if you think anyone is going to be lining up to pay us 10m+ for Chambers. He’s a back-up full back in the final year of his deal.

Yes. He’s English there’s still some good faith left in him since his Fulham spell and apparently he’s coming off a good season with us. Absolutely some English club would pay 10 million for him

TR7

Marko

Who has performed better than Chambers in central defense except Mari ? Luiz was good in many games but also had a few very poor games. Gabriel injured or off form. Saliba didn’t play. Chambers and Holding hit 6/10, 7/10 scores in most of the games they played.

WengerEagle

As Charlie said, Chambers had value in years gone by and we should have sold him then. Same with Elneny.

It’s not worth selling them now because you are not going to find better players for the very low fees you will take in for them. They are settled into the club as squad players now, low value in the market whereas decent value for what they produce on the pitch as back up.

Do us a favour lad, don’t be so quick to throw in your CV for the Edu gig.

Karsa

You can give players a one year extension and still look to move them on. It’s simply a means to protect their value.

Ishola70

At least we don’t have to see Coco around the club anymore.

Crimson

Akinfenwa is available.
Grealish is the dream

WengerEagle

Ishola

Give Sideshow Bob some credit, he had his moments here.

He was important in our FA Cup win. Even you can’t deny that and you labelled him our worst ever signing beforehand and hated him more than anyone barring Xhaka.

Marc

Wasi

” No report of Xhaka’s wife forcing a move but Val and his inside sources.”

They have been reports about Xhaka seeking a move – don’t care about the reasons – it’s bullshit it’s just agent talk for contract negotiations.

TR7

When Luiz is at his best he is truly elite. Sadly he is never far away from big errors but for a free signing he did well.

AFC Forever

Emirates “The Kroenke family has a very simple decision to make. If they want to see progress then the club needs to invest in players.” As Rich and I have been discussing, nobody wants to own a depreciating asset. You either sell or invest. The point about Arsenal being such a huge legacy club is extremely relevant. Pumping mass investment into Burnley won’t produce the same result as it will one of the Worlds most glamorous clubs. In order to realise the potential of a club as big as ours, massive investment is needed but the proposition is an attractive… Read more »

Emiratesstroller

We will be disappointed with most of the offers, which are being made for players which we
wish to sell.

There are very few clubs today who are going to spend £40 million + on a player unless they
are making equivalent sales.That applies not only to clubs in EPL but Europe as a whole.

Upamecano one of the most highly rated Centre Backs has been sold by RB Leipzig to Bayern Munich for just £35 million.

Marko

It’s not worth selling them now because you are not going to find better players for the very low fees you will take in for them Even that argument is he’s value is so low now that we’re better off keeping him? That’s a pathetic argument so we might as well just keep our players who have gone to shit. If that’s the case I don’t want to see anything from you about selling Elneny or even Bellerin cause you know we missed a chance to sell him a few years back for really good money and now he’s worth… Read more »

Ishola70

Weagle Xhaka was important in our cup win. I remember him especially performing heroics defensively on his own goal line for most of the match against Man City alongside Luiz. But let’s put it into overall perspective. They were performing heroics on their own six yard box for 90 minutes in a secondary cup competition both Luiz and Xhaka. You were wrong to big up the David Luiz signing. We all knew what he was about before he joined and he didn’t fail us in that respect. The club wanted primarily to get back into the premier european competition the… Read more »

Dream10

I have always liked Luiz. Wouldn’t have mind keeping him on for another. Wonder if getting rid of him will decelerate Gabriel’s development.

We’re going to have two left footed CBs in the squad next year and there is a case for both of them being squad players. That is bad balance

Emiratesstroller

AFC Forever

Arsenal are of course a “legacy club”.

However, I don’t think that Kroenke will factor that into the financial decision he needs to make. He is not sentimental but a hard headed businessman.

I have pointed out on many occasions that Kroenke controlled but did not own the club until
he bought out Usmanov.

Since then there has been a material change in his investment policy including buying out bond holders and also providing funds last year to buy Partey.

I think that he will provide a similar budget this summer + whatever we are generating in sales.

Dream10

Arteta sees Chambers as a RB. The club plans to sign a RB. Why the fuck did he sign Cedric then?

A loan fee was paid for Cedric. Then a four year deal in increased wages. Pretty sure a multi year deal will be given to Ryan Bertrand as well. A loan fee was paid for Pablo Mari and turned into a permanent summer deal. Then Gabriel, another left footer, was signed four months after.

Can’t keep a manger who is poor in the market and produces indecent results. That is enough evidence to sack him tbh

Captain Tierney

Marc

Yeah I know. I saw those links too. I just don’t know why Valentin does this insider info thing every TW.

Marko

Very okay with Luiz leaving. Need more of that

Rich

Right now the only value that matters to Arsenal is on the pitch Buying players who we’ll expect to see a return on investment from in year 2 or 3, really isn’t going to cut it, we haven’t got 2-3 years to spend battling it out in 6th-10th place We’re already 5 seasons outside the CL, another 2-3 seasons would be catastrophic The only mandate this summer, should be clear out the deadwood Then assemble a team that can win more football games on a consistent basis ASAP, and win in style We need to win the hearts + minds… Read more »

WengerEagle

Ishola I didn’t big it up, I said that for the low fee [8m] that he could be a good signing acting as a mentor to the younger players and bringing a much needed winning mentality to the dressing room. He had his fair share of horror moments and overall wasn’t a very good defender for us but for what we paid for him and the role he played in helping us win a trophy, I would say he turned out to be a decent signing. I mean I don’t treasure the FA Cup like I used to as it… Read more »

Captain Tierney

Fabrizio says Edu was pivotal in Balogun’s renewal.
Other players that have signed and renewed have said the same.

He may not be as bad as some think.

Pedro

Monster new on David Luiz

Ishola70

We may as well have kept the old boy Wenger on if all that is required is to win the odd FA Cup here and there.

Mr Serge

Rice over Grealish for me villa are rich and they will lot sell their best player they will add to what they got last season.
Rice is gettable if Man u go all out for Sancho

Mr Serge

Great news Luiz is going

Emiratesstroller

Rich

That is why we bought Partey last summer and paid top dollar.

The problem is that most players when they move clubs and particularly from European Leagues to EPL take time to adapt.

That is certainly the case with Partey. Personally I like to think that he will be a much better
player than we have seen sofar next season.

Marc

“£250 million investment now, is a drop in the ocean in comparison to some of the potential revenue streams that’ll emerge over the next couple of decades within emerging markets” A £250 million investment now is actually £250 million in debt we need to repay as well as the contracts that go with the purchases – odds are that the combined contracts will add up to a further £200 odd million of 4 or 5 years. That’s almost half a billion pounds but people throw numbers about as if it’s confetti. We’ve spent a lot of money the last few… Read more »

Gonsterous

Apart from ESR, Saka, Tierney, Pepe and Martinelli, I don’t really care if anyone gets sold.

Valentin

CT,

Maybe if you were able to read more than one language…
When I say one language, I am being generous, in view of your regular issue of not understanding basic English.

WengerEagle

Marko I don’t know if you’re taking the piss or if you’re really just struggling to follow here. How is Bellerin comparable to Chambers? Bellerin once upon a time probably could have got us a Hakimi like fee but now he has lost a lot of value, sure. He’ll still fetch us at least 15m, probably closer to 20m. I didn’t say he had gone to shit, I said that he has lost his value. Chambers is still a very adequate back up RB/CB but he is in the last year of his deal. You’re seemingly just operating on the… Read more »

AFC Forever

Marc

“I’d rather not spend a penny this summer.”

Jesus mate, you really do need to cheer the fuck up. There’s negativity and then there’s you. Have a cold beer or take a stroll and find a little bloke to beat up. Better still, visit the local zoo and volunteer to babysit the lions and tigers, you’d save them a fortune on tranquilisers.

Mr Serge

Marc it’s not your money lol

Almuniasaynomore

Rich/ Wenger Eagle One of you lads should do up a list but not of what we sell but what we must keep. Take the rules around homegrown numbers and work on the presumption that all incoming would be ineligible. Cut the squad to 23/24. Include any homegrown likely to be promoted Balogun,azeez. That will help answer q’s like can we consider selling chambers. Most lists of fund raising sales would strip us of many of these players,maybe too many? I know I’m a lazy sod for not doing it myself, it would take me all day with my research… Read more »

Marc

AFC

For how long have we had at best hit and miss recruitment? The club is facing a financial calamity and the more we add to it the longer it will take to correct and start the recovery. I’ve already said we will spend some money but until we get the right people spending it all we’re doing is adding more players we’ll be bitching that we can’t get rid of in a couple of seasons.

I will take your advice on the beer though!

Champagne Charlie

“Maybe if you were able to read more than one language…
When I say one language, I am being generous, in view of your regular issue of not understanding basic English.“

Val you’re the biggest bullshit artist on the blog, you’ve got sources coming out your arse and none of it is verifiable – from Carlos Vela in the street, to verbatim board room talk.

You’ve embarrassed yourself enough continually arguing Pedro’s sources at the club with your own fiction. Your ego is that fragile you feel compelled to be ITK on Le Grove.

AFC Forever

Emirates “The problem is that most players when they move clubs and particularly from European Leagues to EPL take time to adapt’ This is such a good point. The Premier League is a difficult league and many players struggle to keep up with the pace. There are other issues too but primarily it’s the intensity of the league and the fact you have to be 100% up for every game. Some players don’t make it at all, they arrive with big fees but just can’t adapt. There is a lot to be said for recruiting from within the Premier League… Read more »

Marc

Serge

It is when I’m giving the club directly £1450 odd a season for a ST (God knows how much that’s going to be reduced by this summer). The money paid to Sky or BT doesn’t count but anyone spending money directly with the club – buying an ST, buying shirts / merchandising etc or even having a Red Membership and going to the odd game is putting money into the club and has the right to ask how that money is being spent.

Marc

“You’ve embarrassed yourself enough continually arguing Pedro’s sources at the club with your own fiction. ”

We should have our own Rumble in the Grove title fight.

Pedro’s sources (Doris the Tea Lady) vs Valentin’s sources.

It’ll be more entertaining than the football we’re seeing.

Champagne Charlie

Think our senior squad is as follows without any movement….(probably missed one or two)

GK: (2)
Leno, Runarsson

Defence: (10)
Tierney, Kolasinac, Gabriel, Holding, Mari, Chambers, Saliba, Mavropanos, Cedric, Bellerin

Midfield: (5)
Partey, Xhaka, Elneny, AMN, Willock,

Forwards: (9)
Auba, Laca, Pepe, Willian, Saka, ESR, Eddie, Martinelli, Nelson.

Ishola70

Careful Marc.

We don’t want you disappearing again.

Marc

Ishola

I’ve got nothing but respect for Doris – since my Snowflake rebirth I’ve come to appreciate she makes the best Oat milk Latte this side of Watford.

Words on a blog

Marc,

My sources tell me that Pedro’s sources are more reliable than Valentin’s sources…

DigitalBob

No more David Luiz, superb news. Come on Willian you know you want out too, just walk away………….

Sid

Valentines source are like Diet pep, supreme leaders sources are like Bummery

Marc

WOAB

But what if your sources are actually Valentin’s sources as well and are just saying that to keep under the radar and it turns out Valentin’s sources are feeding Pedro’s sources?

I think what’s really important and what people are missing is does anyone know how to make a Bearnaise sauce without tarragon?

Tom

“Jesus mate, you really do need to cheer the fuck up. There’s negativity and then there’s you. Have a cold beer or take a stroll and find a little bloke to beat up. Better still, visit the local zoo and volunteer to babysit the lions and tigers, you’d save them a fortune on tranquilisers.“

That’s actually funny AFC, although Marc seems a pretty resourceful guy, and he’d probably just play them big cats the tape of Arsenal “masterclass “ vs Chelsea to knock them out cold and save the ZOO some money on those tranquilizers.

Jamie

CC –

That is such a bloated squad for essentially a PL run next season. Jesus.

Marc

Tom

I’d fucking feed Xhaka to the Lions but it would be classed as animal cruelty.

Jamie

I had forgotten about Mavro.

Balo missing from your list. And Guen and Torr.

AFC Forever

Marc There is no financial calamity per se. Barcelona is a financial calamity. The club is an asset and one that is currently going through. a lean spell. Any good investor will either sell or invest. Whether people accept it or not Arsenal is a top, top club and is just going through a blip, through years of underinvestment and mismanagement. Football has always been cyclic. I’ve followed the club for over fifty years, I’ve seen more up and downs than a big chested lap dancer in a gentleman’s club. KSE aren’t going to let an asset depreciate, especially when… Read more »

Words on a blog

Make your Bearnaise with oregano instead and call it a Bearnesi (Italian Bearnaise)

Rich

Marc

If inflation gets out of control, and money continues to lose its value

Then the only rich people left will be those with productive assets, this is how wealth is measured when money falls apart

Then those who’ve used debt to finance their acquisitions of such assets, will appear rich

As money depreciates, productive assets appreciate

The old tale of the wheelbarrow full of Venezuelan bolivar, where the thieves steal the wheelbarrow, but leave the Venezuelan bolivar

Marc

Jamie

And CC’s must have missed a few names – Balogun for instance who we need to give some game to.

The scary thing is for all the defenders and attackers our midfield still looks painfully short of quality and even usable numbers.

Marc

Rich

What happens if interest rates rise?

Marc

WOAB

Really does that work? I know it sounds crazy but I love bearnaise but can’t stand tarragon (the smell makes me want to throw up let alone the taste) so can’t make it.

Almuniasaynomore

Sid
So you’re saying Pedro’s sources are better?

Dream10

Champagne Charlie

I’m pretty sure Mavropanos won’t be playing for us. What happens to Saliba when Arteta signs another first choice CB?

Marc

AFC

“There is no financial calamity per se. Barcelona is a financial calamity.The club is an asset and one that is currently going through. a lean spell. ”

A lean spell? Are you fucking serious? How much do you think we’re going to show in losses for the current season?

Almuniasaynomore

Charlie,
Grealish. Out of reach?

AFC Forever

Just seen clips of that David Luiz red card at Wolves, what an absolute joke.

I really do hope they sort out VAR next season and stop the obvious corruption it has enabled. The entire thing has been mishandled by PGMOL and the FA, sometimes I wonder if it was deliberate. It was supposed to stop incorrect decisions not make them.

Rant over, hate it with a bloody passion.

Marc

AFC

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.

You have ref’s who are so fucking useless you have to bring in VAR to stop them fucking up and then put the same ref’s in charge of it only to be surprised to find they fuck that up as well.

Tom

Marc
Leave Xhaka out of this………he’ll be the key to our winning strategy at LB in the third tier of European competition next season.

Unless his wife gets her way of course.

Champagne Charlie

Jamie

You’re right, forgot about those two. Balogun was left off it because in reality there’s nothing senior about him and I think we’d be mad to keep him around the team next season.

But add Guendouzi and Torreira to the mix.

Very tubby little bunch we’ve assembled.

Dream10

Almuniasaynomore

What if Sid is Pedro’s source?

Jamie

CC –

The only silver lining of being out of Europe, and this is really the only value for me, is that there’s no excuse not to perform surgery on the squad.

We simply don’t need 10 CBs 7 CMs and 9 forwards. It’s just fucking crazy.

AFC Forever

Marc “Are you fucking serious? How much do you think we’re going to show in losses for the current season?” No idea. Not my problem. Not yours. You need to stop obsessing on everything and anything to fuel your need for negativity. It’s not going to do you any good. The financial situation at the club is for the owners to manage. Just because you’re worried about finances doesn’t mean we shouldn’t spend money, as you wrongly suggest. Everyone’s in the same boat, except the doped. There has been a pandemic and a loss of income for all football clubs.… Read more »

Champagne Charlie

Almunia

I’d love Grealish, but can’t see us forking the money out for him. Apparently he’s valued at 80 mil.

Between you and me I’d pay that for him if we had an amazing restructure and managed to offload nearly 10 names for decent money. I think he’s the kind of star you pay those figures for, very VVD levels of influence at that end of the pitch. Just very hard to argue we couldn’t spend 80 mil “better” on the collective, but he’s world class.

Man like Mustafi also missing from that list of players.

Champagne Charlie

*updated

GK: (2)
Leno, Runarsson

Defence: (11)
Tierney, Kolasinac, Gabriel, Holding, Mari, Mustafi, Chambers, Saliba, Mavropanos, Cedric, Bellerin

Midfield: (7)
Partey, Xhaka, Elneny, AMN, Willock, Guendouzi, Torreira

Forwards: (9)
Auba, Laca, Pepe, Willian, Saka, ESR, Eddie, Martinelli, Nelson.

TR7

What’s people views on Mavrapanos ? Has anyone tracked his performances on loan ? Looked promising the few rimes he played for us despite getting a red card in I think his second start for us.

Almuniasaynomore

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AFC Forever

Marc “You have ref’s who are so fucking useless you have to bring in VAR to stop them fucking up and then put the same ref’s in charge of it only to be surprised to find they fuck that up as well” 100%. What makes me laugh is the fact that they employ the so-called top 16 referees in the Country, through the FA’s assessment system and then find a bunch of randoms to manage the VAR technology and overturn on-field decisons. Who was that New Zealand referee who stitched us up behind VAR and got sacked? “Mike Riley pleaded… Read more »

Vintage Gun

“‘Rumours abound that Xhaka under pressure from his wife wants to go back to Germany or Switzerland.’”

Switzerland? Really? The feeder league for the feeder teams?

Rapid or Austria Vienna?

Jesus

Champagne Charlie

Those midfield options are so short of technical ability it’s scary, and the drop off in goal contributions past Auba and Laca is a huge concern.

Could purge 7 and not even notice:

Kola, Mustafi, Bellerin, AMN, Guen, Torreira, Eddie

What’s that in pounds? 70-80mil?

Vintage Gun

“Upamecano one of the most highly rated Centre Backs has been sold by RB Leipzig to Bayern Munich for just £35 million.”

The price was agreed when he signed a new contract with RB last summer. He had one year left so they signed him on higher wages with an agreement he can leave this summer for £35m

Tom

Once you’ll understand and come to terms with the fact that pretty much anything can be deemed a penalty and also most can be waived off as incidental contact you’ll be better for it as a fan.

Take the Chelsea/City game for instance. The penalty given was less of pen to me than the one waived off for Zouma challenge on Sterling.
Taylor looked at the Jesus pen again at half time , realizing it was soft as shit( Jesus created contact with Gilmour) and decided he wasn’t gonna give them another unless legs were broken.

Valentin

CC, When even sky Germany reports that he wants to come back, should I assuming that it is bullshit. Here is a link to an English site who also reported it. https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/03/30/report-claims-arsenals-granit-xhaka-is-now-looking-to-leave/ When the Athletic also reports that Xhaka is one of 4 senior players who wants to leave should I also assume that it is bullshit. The problem with people like you is that you are so unsecure that you have to attack people for the sake of it. You believe that you are the sheriff of this blog, when you are just the biggest big mouth bully without… Read more »

Valentin

Vintage Gun,

“Switzerland? Really? The feeder league for the feeder teams?Rapid or Austria Vienna?”

Geography may not be your strong point.
A Hint Vienna is not in Switzerland…

Valentin

TR7,

Mavrapanos has done pretty well in Germany, but he looks like he is made of balsa. He has been regularly injured.
His contract expires in 2023, so it’s time to either sell him or renew and integrate him in the first team.

Unless he really impress in pre season, he will most likely be sold.

AFC Forever

Tom “Once you’ll understand and come to terms with the fact that pretty much anything can be deemed a penalty and also most can be waived off as incidental contact you’ll be better for it as a fan” That’s actually pretty true. Different rules apply inside the box than outside. The other issue is the handball rule. My own view is that it should be the on-field referee that gives the ultimate decision, after reviewing the monitor. A good example would be the blatant Burnley handball when his arm was fully outstretched and Pepe tried to flick it past him.… Read more »

MD-Gunner

Ah, players are wanting to leave? Some need to go others might not fancy Arteta and still others may want to play European football. Well just another hassle to deal with on top of all the other issues.

Jeremy Mark Price

Can’t disagree with any of that! It doesn’t feel like we’re 3rd in the table set since Christmas Day but facts don’t lie. It just goes to show just how poor we were going in to that Chelsea Boxing Day fixture!

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