Happy Friday to you ALL.
David Luiz is out at Arsenal.
A good leader at times.
An inspiration to a generation of Arsenal kids who saw him as a mentor and a legend.
The absolute correct decision for Arsenal FC as we head into a big summer rebuild.
I don’t want to bag on the player, but the reality is for all his big game skill, he was mistake-prone, unfocused, and problematic if he wasn’t getting exactly what he wanted.
Moving him on is a big move for Edu and Arteta. It’s the first break on the grip that Kia has had on the two of them. It opens up a space for someone like Saliba. It allows us to start addressing the ‘unforced error’ table he’s had a massive had in over the past two years.
This move was also correct from an injury perspective. Arsenal lost Luiz at the most important part of the season, we got him back, then lost him right after. Big players need to be fit. Luiz is on the back 9 of his career, he’s not getting fitter or faster.
I am very, very happy. This sets the tone for the summer providing we don’t walk right back into another hellish deal for some other older player looking for a retirement deal.
There are lots of rumours bubbling around. I think we’ll move on Bertrand as cover for Tierney, we’ll sign a right-back, we’ll look at a good central midfielder or two, and I suspect we’ll find competition for ESR for that #10 spot.
We need to move on the players that have baggage with Arsenal.
We need to age down the squad.
We need to find players with big personalities that want to grow with one of the most exciting young crops of players in Europe.
This summer could be exciting, we just have to trust our novice leadership team actually learned the lessons of the last 18 months.
Big, big if… but this is a great start.
In other news, how awesome is the new Arsenal kit? Literally the best part of the season is the new shirt.
Right, a quick one today, see you in the comments.
Dissenter ”””””Another option is to just go,to,the academy and grab the most advanced LB they have and coach the bejesus into him. That’s the option Wenger would have taken. He would have sought an internal solution as back up to Tierney.””””””’ That is off course what they should be doing , but off course they won’t. We now have a technical director and he has to be seen to be busy. Buying, selling, loaning, scheming , tinkering and basically making a complete horlicks of the whole thing. Oh the irony. Arsenal employ their first ever technical director and have never… Read more »
Saint Maximam isn’t a bad shout either. Electrifying on his day and possible swap with Willock. Although swap deals are tough to do. Much more of a dynamic dribbler than technical passer.
For me signing Bertrand would be a huge lack of imagination on the clubs part.
As others have explained above, as highly motivated as he is Tierney still needs strong competition for his place. That’s what drives a high performance culture. Bertrand, and certainly not Kolasinac are not solutions to this.
Hopefully the hiring of new scouts will result in a different approach to our transfer dealings.
CG
The ‘technical director’ positions is an important part in the modern game.
We just need a better one than we have.
I like Saint Maximam a lot. He is a fighter.
“That’s the option Wenger would have taken.”
I doubt it. More likely he would have signed a CM with dwarfism and played him there out of position for a couple of seasons.
Saint Maximan is one of the best dribblers in the world.
But in the final third he is another Iwobi. No end product whatsoever.
Chris
””””The ‘technical director’ positions is an important part in the modern game. We just need a better one than we have.””””’
Its a passing fad, I am sure.
Just see what’s happened at Bayern Munich this season. Their manager has quit because of interference.
Little clubs in Spain have them. They churn players to sell. So there is a logic there.
Big clubs need big managers without interference to operate at their optimum. Always have done, always will.
Zaha is still playing great.
Watched several clips of the Leicester FA cup celebrations … It’s well known Leicester was brought by one of Thailand’s wealthiest families who owns the King Power group etc, and the owner tragically died in a helicopter crash at the stadium carpark after watching a Leicester home game. The owner and his son (who is the current Chairman) have had excellent relationships with not only the club and its people but also contribute a lot to the city. They love football and get behind the club 100% , on all fronts, with $cash and not empty promises from Josh. While… Read more »
Useroz It’s a bleak picture you paint but I’m in agreement. Making money and trying to win things aren’t mutually exclusive. Sadly our owners have no interest in the club bar money. The mistake they are making is that they think the fans won’t put 2 and 2 together. If the team don’t tear it up next season and trust me they won’t, they are in for some serous grief from the fans and media. At that point sponsor’s may become unhappy and the pressure will really be on them. Despite Arteta’s up beat transfer talk realistically which top players… Read more »
If Tierney is injured so often, get a competitive replacement on the basis that they will play a lot of games. That Mitchell player for instance is a good shout; young, PL ready, hungry and with transfer value down the line. It makes no sense to have Tierney as firmly first choice but injury prone if the replacement we have is mediocre. I used to think football was easy but alas!
Fight for 3rd/4th positions is heating up now. Liverpool – next matches against West Brom, Burnley, Crystal Palace – I expect them to win all three and end the season with 69 points. Chelsea plays Leicester and Aston Villa – 64 points currently. Leicester plays Tottenham and Chelsea – 66 points currently. If Chelsea wins both the games, they qualify straight away with 70 points and Leicester has to grab a win against Tottenham. 4th position will be then decided on goal difference Leicester 20, Liverpool 19 as of now. Exciting last 2 weeks for the football. Not for us… Read more »
Wenger Eagle
Have I worked this out right? Given that Napoli won and presuming they win at home next to Hellas Verona ,then a Milan win today over Cagliari puts Juve out of Cl contention as even if Juve level with them Milan have the better head to head.
Willian Leaving has to be the best news we have heard all year. In fact we should cancel his contract by mutual Agreement and let him move to wherever he wants. I would then sell Lacazette and buy a really good goalscoring Leftwinger. Our forward line then could look balanced. Auba, Martinelli and Balogun as CFs LW New winger, Martinelli, Nelson RW Saka, Pepe That is what we should do. And no more 30 somethings on their last pay day. We might get out of jail with Willian but we are lucky there isn’t another Ozil situation right now. Nelson… Read more »
USEROZ 13.47
Nice piece.
So if we are trying to bin Willian how bad will Arteta persisting with him for 2000 odd minutes look like when Martinelli managed a bleak 800 minutes including a period when he was healthy but registered 66 minutes in 16 games.
Of course playing Willian brought exactly zero value.
Banter manager.
Alumunia
Yea Milan basically have to win today to secure 4th, knowing us we’ll find a way to draw today ad lose to Atlanta next week lol
There’s no run around with the Bertrand signing, it would be the most dumb thing we’ve done since Willian last summer.
“Newcastle’s Joe Willock became the youngest player to score in five consecutive Premier League appearances (21y 267d) since Jose Antonio Reyes in September 2004 (21y 10d) and the second youngest English player ever, after Michael Owen in 2001 (21y 247d).” When you take into consideration that Willock is a midfield player it makes it all the more remarkable, not to mention that he has only started 2 Premier league games for Arsenal this season after scoring /assist in the europa Cup at a rate of one every 58 mins. Willock in total has a goal/assist every 112 minutes this season… Read more »
Weagle
Good shout with Robinson of Fulham, young and fast too and hardly injured
Pedro Neto, Moussa diaby, Saint Maximan, Manor Solomon, Matheus Cunha all players we can target too. Pedro neto being the pick of the bunch considering his age and his performances this season.
Batistuta.
Thanks. I hope you make it,was never a fan of the way Juve operated, would be incredible for them to miss out. Was a fan of Pirlo though,as a footballer, know nothing about the man. Have his biography gathering dust here, ‘I think therefore I play’ or something like that.
Is arteta out yet? I expect arteta’s fanboys to celebrate 7th position next season as improvement. The first person that should be walking out of arsenal is Mikel Arteta
Lol Pierre with his daily Martinelli criticism
2018-19 season (Emery). Total goals scored – 73. Auba – 22, Laca – 13, Mkhi – 6, Ozil – 5, Ramsay – 4. 2019-20 season (Emery + Arteta). Total goals scored – 56. Auba – 22, Laca – 10, Pepe – 5, Martinelli – 3, Luiz – 2. 2020-21 so far (Arteta). Total goals scored – 50. Laca – 13, Auba – 10, Pepe – 6, Saka – 5, Gabriel – 2. With 2 matches left, I don’t see us touching last year’s number. We need players who can score! We need goals from midfields, with Auba’s poor form it’s… Read more »
Habesha
I think one Pedro is more than enough!
Alumunia
Yea thanks man. Considering how long we led the league for, would be horrible if we now didn’t even make the champions league, can’t stand watching Thursday night football any longer
CG
“”””””’A backup LB is a priority this summer”””””’
We have a back up. Kolasnic.”
Exactly ..
Also if as AMN has seemingly made clear he doesn’t want to play FB then there’s no need keeping him
We have a backup left back on £100k per week and are still running a CL wage bill when we’re looking at no European football.
Getting a back up LB is a requirement because we need to get the wage bill down, I’d prefer a young player with Soares being another option but the idea of bringing Kolas back is bonkers.
Weagle
“I already said, I like Robinson on Fulham who have just been relegated. Type of situation we ought to be taking advantage of, like Liverpool picking up Robertson from relegated Hull on the cheap.”
Will just point out that just because they have similar names and have a similar type of situation , it doesn’t mean they have similar qualities..
signing Bertrand is stupid. Omar Richars, Lee Buchanna, Rico Henry all leftbacks we could get that have return on investment while also being English. why are we signing players that are in their 30s looking for a last pay day. I would get it if Bertrand was coming of a good season and was 28. but he is in his 30s and is coming off an average season. Pierre I blame Arteta for playing Ceballos and Elneny ahead of willock because they complete more of their passes than try anything creative. willock was played at N 10 which he isn’t.… Read more »
A generational coach will replicate Willock’s performance for us next season. He can fill the void left by Ramsay – a goal scoring midfielder.
if spurs lose this one and the game against leicester, we can over take them. mathematically we can still finish 6th but its very unlikely. We just need to win the remaining games and we will finish strong.
Need a massive rebuild in the summer. start with a better CEO, DOF and manager. then get to the team.
Ship Ceballos to Madrid.
Marc
you can never have too many Pedros. They have special sauce.
Bati
I wonder if we’ll manage to get as much for AMN as we were offered last summer? If not that’s just another thing to add to the long list of reasons Arteta must go.
Marc
Talking of bonkers.
We have been playing Xhaka at left back whilst Kolasinac is still on our books ….that’s bonkers, as is playing Odegaard, who is a poor man’s ozil , while still paying 250 grand towards Ozil’s wages …now that’s bonkers.
Habesha
Mate I’d watch what Pedro’s trying to sell you if I were you! You can label anything as special the proof is in the eating so to speak.
Something all le Grove can agree on – Dele Alli really is cunt and Kane should be arrested for his snide aggressive challenges.
Pierre
If we went through everything that’s bonkers at Arsenal at the moment we’d miss kick off for next season and you’d get no golf in over the summer!
I’m waiting for Xhaka’s new contract announcement and certain posters on here telling us all why it’s the smart move.
When players like St Maximan are mentioned on Le Grove, you know we’ve fully settled into our status as a kid table club.
Pierre, I also think Joe Willock should be kept. At the start of the season, I said you can play him, Partey and someone in a 4-3-3.
Crimson
Dele Alli is one of those few people that if you saw 6 skinheads beating the shit out of him you’d by them a drink.
I wonder how much of Kolasinac’s wages are we are still paying.
Pierre
I’d guess between £40 and £60 k per week.
Marc
Maybe Le grove should have an ” Arteta’s bonkers list”..
Marc
“I’d guess between £40 and £60 k per week.”
Bonkers
Only on Le grove can a Joe Willock PL stat can turn into a Martinelli bashing session.
Pierre
Not sure Pedro would appreciate the idea of “Arteta’s bonkers list” but it would be funny if we could have a vote on what the most bonkers thing he’s done.
St.Maximin will become St.Maxipad six months with Arteta’s coaching
I can’t stand Harry Kane.
His celebrations are so cringe
Wolves have been shite this afternoon.
Pierre
We don’t need him to replicate Robertson, just to be solid back up/competition to Tierney.
Almuniasaynomore
Yeah, in a nutshell that’s the situation for Milan. They just need to beat Cagliari and they are home and dry.
Napoli match Juve’s result on the final day and Ronaldo is playing Europa League Football next season barring a move away.
Tierney
“Only on Le grove can a Joe Willock PL stat can turn into a Martinelli bashing session”
Where have I been bashing Martinelli…obviously you must think that Martinelli’s stats over his last 40 games are poor to regard me quoting those stats as a form of bashing.
If you want to see bashing, look at the constant criticism of Eddie and willock…one is already proving Le grooaners wrong, just waiting for Eddie get the game time that has neen afforded to Martinelli in the last few weeks.
Martinelli doesn’t have one year of his contract remaining.
“So if we are trying to bin Willian how bad will Arteta persisting with him for 2000 odd minutes look like when Martinelli managed a bleak 800 minutes including a period when he was healthy but registered 66 minutes in 16 games.Of course playing Willian brought exactly zero value.Banter manager.“ Do you even fact check what you say? ESR and Martinelli came back from injury on Boxing Day where they made their first PL start. Since Boxing Day there’s been 22 league games. Willian has 4 starts (3 goal contributions) in that time, Martinelli has 7 (2 goal contributions). Willian… Read more »
Marc
“Not sure Pedro would appreciate the idea of “Arteta’s bonkers list” but it would be funny if we could have a vote on what the most bonkers thing he’s done.”
Top 3 for me
1)Selling Martinez
2)Omitting ozil from the squad when our creativity was at an all time low
The 3rd is more difficult, but I will go for
3) not including Saliba in any squad and not being able to loan him out…making him redundant…bonkers.
Wouldn’t touch Saint Maximin with a barge pole, he’s always injured! Just to put it into context, Tierney has played more than him this season!! Last thing we need is a Diaby MkII…..
Emi Buendia is the attacking player we should go for…..39 games, 15 goals and 16 assists. Player of the year in the championship.
This latest french dude we are linked with ed cav.. ain’t gonna happen
I hope rumours of our clearout as big as an elephants turd true.
Roll on August
Oh and saliba gaberial Mari back three next season pls
Tee
Man’s to old
Mb ””””A generational coach will replicate Willock’s performance for us next season. He can fill the void left by Ramsay – a goal scoring midfielder.”””” its the most bizarre thing about Arteta. All the younger players with talent AMN, Saliba, Willock, Martinelli, Nelson, Balogun and Azeez he seems allergic too. I would have thought any coach worth his salt could not wait to get his hands on that array of talent and mould a side thats at the very least watchable. But he prefers his Mari, Cedric, Elneny, Willian, Holding types. Thats in his Everton blood. Thats why the appalling… Read more »
Where the man Peter / Pedro stand on arteta now…
He flip flops like a sandal on a Rio beach.. can’t keep up.
MB
I think Liverpool win their last three games to get 70 points.
Chelsea plays Leicester and Aston Villa – 64 points currently. Leicester plays Tottenham and Chelsea – 66 points currently.
I think Chelsea draw against Leicester and beat villains to get 68 points.
I think Leicester draw next two games so end up on 68 points.
So I think it comes down to gd between Chelsea and lecister. With Chelsea winning it
CG
Can’t argue with that…
Thank the lord no Europe next season .. hoping he will rely on youth…
As PE say Tho.. can’t truss him.
Anyone recommending Saint Maximam for Arsenal should be banned from assessing a footballer.
As for back up LB, we have a quality footballer in AMN but our manager sadly doesn’t have a good eye for a footballer. It would be typical Arteta to bin AMN and sign Bertrand.
useroz
Great post contrasting Leicester’s ownership and
management with Arsenal….reminds me of the kind of posts Pedro used to write back in the day before he was kidnapped by aliens, brainwashed and instructed to love Arteta
The whole team should be built around youth .. we will reap the rewards in a few years..
Follow Aussie cricket in86… Lost to the poms total rebuild… Unbeatable in a few years.
Pierre
The stats aren’t that great but of the 40 appearances most have been 5 min sub appearances and without continuity.
Also there was no reason to fit Martinelli into that Joe Willock post.
As for Pedri’s bonke s list
Still supporting bald fraud Gazidis has to be at the very top.
New post please Pedro / Peter stating where you stand on arteta man.
Evening, You want to improve our midfield next season bring back guendouzi, torriera and willock. Its possible a season away and now being a father has straightened guendouzi out. Torriera will look miles better playing in a midfield that doesn’t have xhaka in it. And willock has shown with a run of games he could have a future at arsenal. All of them are better than xhaka and elneney. Won’t cost us a transfer fee, which I’m guessing money will be tight isn’t a bad thing. It means money can be used for a top draw right back and replacement… Read more »
Another year behind tottenham. Their worst side in years and years and still better then this crowd we have. Kills me
RSPC
He’s putting together a cover version of the Carpenters “Close to you”.
Probably gives you what you need to know.
Fabrizioooo! “After David Luiz, also Willian is expected to leave Arsenal this summer. ⚪️🔴 #AFC
There’s interest from European clubs and from MLS – Inter Miami wanted him last summer. Arsenal are waiting for official bids”
Tears in my eyes (joyous ones)
Could you imagine we actually received a transfer fee for him?
SWG
Let’s not get greedy getting him off the wage bill would be a huge bonus.
Set WIllian’s transfer fee at £99.99 and let him go.
Willock has 5 goals for Newcastle, while our 45m signing whos best position is CM according to a certain superfan is yet to score.
Let that sink in!
I wouldn’t give Arteta a penny to spend this summer. He’ll only buy shit players or make good players shit.
I think he was given a 3.5 year contract so sacking him now will be quite expensive. Thus, we’re lumbered with him for at least one more season it seems.
He should only be allowed to sell to then buy and from there improve performances. He has managed to perform worse given more power and money.
Radio gets it
What has been is available on a free this summer just in case willian goes?
We need to have our token leech on the squad. Or will that just automatically go to Auba now?
TR7 . You have clearly not seen Saint-M play. He is class. Can play in all 3 positions behind a striker. I only mentioned him cause of the possibility of a swap with willock. Probably my 5th choice behind Grealish. Buendia, Pereira and fekir. All slightly different players. Some play deeper… also not hearing much about aouar?
Saint max is crap
Arsenal bought Saliba and said he wasn’t ready and not good for the U-23, Leicester bought his less capable partner in Fofana, played him and he is today linked to Man Utd for 80M, as if that was not enough some people here think Saliba needs another loan stint elsewhere as according to them he is not good enough even when he has proven to be one of the best defenders in France since January.
zaco
Don’t worry we’ll sell Saliba to ManU for £4.95 and then buy a 36 year Chelsea player for £40 million.
After selling him, he will win a trophy wherever he goes
You heard it here 1st!
Pedro can you put up a poll on who to ban. Top of the list is the lettuce two comments above. Attention seeking, inferoir right wing goose. It hurts my brain even looking at his comments.
Oops 1 comment above.
Charlie: “Do you even fact check what you say? ESR and Martinelli came back from injury on Boxing Day where they made their first PL start.”
You think the stat of 66 minutes played in 16 games is during his injury? No, it’s not. It’s from February to the mid of March you plonker. Includes 11 games where he was an unused sub or not even on the bench. Ask your boy Arteta why.
Do you even fact check what you say?
Crimson
It’d be easier to just name who you don’t like.
The Pools scored in the 94 mins by the GK!!!
Holy shit Alisson.
Emi would’ve had a hat-trick.
Haha. True marc but I think you know who I talk about. I don’t wanna even mention his name. He is just negative personified and is a awful arsenal fan.
Love debate and all that. But wow…
Mavropanos is injured and season over
I turned over because I thought the match was done!
That’ll teach me to play to the whistle.
No one from West Brom even attempted to mark Allison. Free run and free header.
RR “I think he was given a 3.5 year contract so sacking him now will be quite expensive. Thus, we’re lumbered with him for at least one more season it seems.” Arteta’s wages are a drop in the ocean when you think we paid Ozil about 15 mil to sit and twiddle his thumbs for nearly a year whilst the team couldn’t put more than 2 passes together……I won’t mention the chronic lack of creativity throughout the team. Not that I’m advocating him being sacked atm , but a few million quid here or there to pay him off will… Read more »
Jamie
By half time
Crazy from Allison there