Oh my word, Mikel Arteta spoke highly of a youngster. This on Joe ‘I like to score goals’ Willock.
“I am really happy that things have gone so well because of the potential that he has. I think it was great for him to go away and have a different experience.
“He has grabbed that opportunity in a really positive and remarkable way and he will come back to us, we will have a conversation with him and plan the next years for him.
“And he got the responsibility and the test of going to Newcastle to help them get where they want to. I spoke with the coaching staff there and they are extremely happy because he was a key part of contributing to get the objectives that they had. That’s a real positive for him.”
Getting the Willian treatment out here!
The praise for Joe is nice to read. His goal record has been exceptional, watching him open up a sprint is something else (and reminds us all of Freddie), and it’s no easy feat scoring goals off crumbs in that Newcastle side. Additionally, the fact that the coaching staff has told Arsenal his attitude and leadership has been immense adds to the validation.
From what I understand, focus was a big issue for him and a few others in the Hale-End collective. Maybe a little too big for their boots, thinking they’re all Jadon Sancho before cashing the reciepts. Sometimes a humbling at another club is what’s needed to convince that you’ve got it pretty good at Arsenal.
Sam Allardyce had solid advice for Maitland-Niles.
“If I were him, I’d play wherever the manager picked me – and I’d never turn it down because if you are able to play in a number of positions, then you are going to get more games than if you had one position and one position only.
“Perhaps you don’t want to be tagged as a ‘utility player’ but sometimes those people are played more often than those who are stubborn and say: ‘I want to play in that position and nowhere else.’”
You have to earn your right to play at Arsenal. There shouldn’t be the expectation that we’ll give a season of concentration lapses to kids trying to make it. Fussing over your role at a big club is a bit odd.
I’m not sure what the future holds for either of them, but a loan spell down the table will certainly have focused the minds of both.
The key takeaway from the preBrighton press conference were:
- Our position in the league table is unacceptable
- There was a lot of bad shit going on between Sept / Jan that impacted that run of games
- Those problems have left the club and we’ve generally been better for it
The obvious problems were the players we didn’t eject in the summer. We know Ozil was a nuisance, we saw what Kola and Mustafi did at Schalke (Mustafi binned today), we know Sokratis was a big personality and probably not the best to be around after being ditched.
My one worry is that William Saliba might have been in that mixer. The whining in the press when he landed the move was very aggressive, something you didn’t see from any of the other loanees with arguably a much stronger case for first team selection from than him. We’ll see though. Saliba is a ball playing right sided centre back, his numbers have been pretty decent, hopefully he’ll make up one of the slots that can compete for the first team next season. Still think we’re going to need an experienced name there. Gabriel, who is older, struggled this season, to expect Saliba who has clear weaknesses to come in and pick up the David Luiz slack might be a touch naive.
We’ve been heavily linked with Buendia. This is the Premier League strategy I suspected we were chasing down. The Argentine is apparently hot on the list. I can see why, he has the same energy levels as ESR, but with more end product because he’s older. He’s done it in the Premier League, he did it after going down (shows great focus), my only issue is that £40m is a lot of money for a player that is untested at the highest level. We’re leveling out a lot of money in the most expensive market in the world when there are likely similar deals to be had for elite players in broke leagues.
Still, the other side of the coin is that we really can’t afford a slow start next season. Buendia knows the pace. He knows the requirements. He’ll have a chip on his shoulder to prove he is one of the best. Liverpool built the core of their side on players that had done it in the Premier League, it makes sense that if we’re going with teenagers, we need to have some people that are going to come in right away and offer NOW product. I’d still like to see us loan in someone like Odegaard if that were to happen. We’re not one creative player from beating the fine margins game.
The mission this summer. Improve edge in final third by 20%. Reduce mistakes the other end by 50%. Everything needs to be threaded through that lense. Buendia would certainly help in the final third.
Ok, that is me done, I’ll see you in the comments.
First
Wtf I actually won
1st
Guys this is too easy
Tr4phy
Take that groove I got first second AND tr4phy
Ah well done China
I’ve been coming here since about 2008 and this has never happened before…
Thanks groove I’d like to take this moment to thank, my wife, son and parents for supporting me, Cesc for playing exceptionally good through balls and Ross kemp for making all this possible
“From what I understand, focus was a big issue for him and a few others in the Hale-End collective. Maybe a little too big for their boots, thinking they’re all Jadon Sancho before cashing the reciepts. Sometimes a humbling at another club is what’s needed to convince that you’ve got it pretty good at Arsenal.” I always had this vibe with a few of the youngsters like AMN and Willock that it was all a bit too easy for them. AMN seemed to give off a bit of an attitude of “fucking hell life’s is great I get paid a… Read more »
China
And you criticised my joke on the previous post? Pot and Kettle springs to mind!
So we need a veteran RCB, starting RB, backup LB, starting CM, starting CAM?, starting LW?, backup CF? Oh, and a backup GK
Not much to do this summer is there?
2 thoughts. Maybe Saliba got the heave-ho after he suggested that the lads got together after training to shoot an adult movie? Too early?
On Buendia, looking good running at the Swansea, Rotherham or Wycombe back four is a little different to VVD, rude bwoy Rudiger or Harry ‘do you know who I am’ Maguire. Anyone remember what he was like when Norwich were in the prem? I think that’s the yardstick by which the guy needs to be judged.
Now where’s that tripod I borrowed from Willy Saliba?
15th
Where we will be heading to next season.
Racially abusing footballers online is grim and cowardly and people doing it need to be dealt with
But I had a wry smile at a story in the Guardian about online abuse of a Spurs player by 8 Man U fans who have been arrested. Turns out 1 – yes only 1 – is from Manchester. Fucking morons.
Marc – i remember reading articles a decade saying our young players were arrogant twats and they were pissing people off, it was colney creche?
China1
That is why you are called China1 mate….!!
“Years ago, a hedge funder trader at the bank I worked made millions and immediately retired. He was a keen golfer, scratch handicap. Decided to become professional golfer. 18 months later came back to the bank.“
It’s called wildly overestimating your ability as a sportsman, then getting a severe reality check when you realise just how many levels there are between amateur and top pro.
Kroenkephoebe
When the fans start singing “The referees a w++kr” I wonder if Saliba will pretend to pull out a phone and take a picture?
jwl
JET was so so talented but didn’t have the drive and had an attitude problem with the coaches – his career and what it should have been are light years apart.
It’s as much about bringing through maturity as just pure football talent.
AFC
Well let’s face it you won’t have to wait long to find out.
I’d imagine that one reason that Saliba might think that he had a better claim for a squad place than the other loanees was the small fact that we paid £30m for him. Does tend to suggest that he’s a decent player or do we cough up that sort of money willy nilly for just anyone?
Those figures for Buendia when the canaries were last flying high. Played 36, scored 1, assists 7. A little sobering.
Grealish is only behind Neymar and Messi in shot creating actions p90 and only behind Messi in Key passes per game+ dribbles per game, both in Europe’s top 5.
If we can do a deal for 60-70 mil we should get it done at once, Buendia should be 2nd choice. Villa apparently want 80 mil, I’m sure we can negotiate that down to 65+ add ons.
Still waiting to hear why Wenger, Tuchel and Emery were competely wrong to accomodate Auba’s little foibles (and see him perform) while Mikel was right to criticise him and watch him struggle.
Shame that all those ‘know betters’ (a Pierreism for you there) aren’t managing top sides themselves.
Terraloon what’s your tipple?
At the moment I’ve got 3 very nice bottles! A talisker 10, a balveny double wood and a rare cutty sark one I was gifted
But whilst I’m gonna say something that might get me shot in Scotland, which is whilst my opinion might evolve as I work through this talisker 10 in the coming 6 weeks or so… I actually prefer the rough around the edges Talisker storm so far
Come CT, Grealish isn’t all that as EB commented the other day. And anyone can play as a FB. These little pearls of wisdom at least add a little bit of laughter into a wet and windy Friday.
Wasi
Why would Villa sell Grealish for £70 million when they don’t need the money?
Why would Grealish join Arsenal when if he were to leave they’d be clubs who could offer things like European football and the real version of it?
Grealish and Buendia if signed can again make us a force to reckon with. Think we have a lot of players surplus to requirements and sellable enough to fetch us enough money to buy the duo.
At the moment I’ve got 3 very nice bottles! A talisker 10,
I’m partial to a glass or two of Talisker Storm amongst others.
CT
I’d love Grealish, think most would, can’t seeing us breaking Pepe’s fee to bring him in though unless we’ve got sea change happenings from ownership.
Kroenke’s don’t really seem to do sea change in terms of business model.
Marc
“’Got a final interview on Thursday for a new role”
Good luck mate, hope you get the job.
Has there been a recent signing that has exceeded the hype, expectation, and price tag behind their name? Leno? Pepe? Saliba? Partey? Willian? Gabriel? Go back even further. Auba? Laca? Xhaka? Mustafi? I’d say the last player to fit the profile is Santi Cazorla. Arsenal need better judgment. We say it every year. We say it throughout every season. And still here we are, hundreds of millions of pounds worth of players bought that never come good, never play as well as they did before, or take 2 years to come close to sniffing the potential that made them intriguing… Read more »
Was Monreal more recent than Santi? If so, him.
Best LB by a mile since Cole left.
I’m not sure if Alexis exceeded expectations but he certainly gave us great production here.
Other than that, yeah the signings as a whole have been very substandard/underwhelming.
The mission this summer, Arteta writes a memo to himself and repeats it every morning.
“ No more galaxy brain next season “
AFC
Thanks – much appreciated.
“ It’s called wildly overestimating your ability as a sportsman, then getting a severe reality check when you realise just how many levels there are between amateur and top pro.”
Couldn’t help but think the same, ‘scratch golf’ for a professional is laughable. Probably not fun taking home something like 700€ for placing T62 in a no-name tourney while playing your best ever golf. At least not as fun as making millions.
Karsa when I first tried talisker storm I didn’t really like it. It was quite disappointing But Over the following weeks it won me over big time Now I think it’s exceptionally good value and even tho I’ve seen many a review from scots explaining why talisker 10 is a far more refined and better drink, I personally think Storm is a more enjoyable drink. That rough around the edges style isn’t a quality not a shortcoming for me Apparently when it was first launched it was about twice as pricey as now. But even imported to China it’s now… Read more »
What exactly is your issue on saliba? Consistently backing arteta on this It’s senseless , from an economic poi to of view you could have parked that 30m in a interest account and it would be worth more to you then waiting 2 years for saliba. We had holding ahead of him who was getting routed to Newcastle which is probably his level. Shunted out no explanation , it’s such odd behaviour this from arteta, you can see already with martinelli that he is only playing this talent as he knows he will cop flak for not playing him, hence… Read more »
Grealish on the one hand looks pie in the sky but when you factor in that:
-City have Foden, Mahrez, Bernardo Silva and De Bruyne that all play/can play in his favoured position.
– United have Bruno Fernandes, also Pogba. And Van de Beek who has hardly got a kick because of Bruno. Also much more smoke around Sancho being their marquee signing and he is more what they need than Grealish.
– Chelsea have Mason Mount, Pulisic, Havertz.
Leaves us, Liverpool and maybe Spurs with the Kane money.
Not as ridiculous as it may seem.
Is a quality not a shortcoming*
Weagle
I forgot about Monreal. Also signed from Malaga like Santi I think? Loved his demeanor as a player. Worked hard, never complained, knew his limits, professional as they come. Need more like him.
China.
I’m not sure why I like the Storm but I keep getting drawn back to it. Maybe because I drank a great deal of it at my eldest lads wedding.
But it just has that certain something that sets it apart for me.
It certainly has that ‘intense’ factor.
Luteo
Yep, just a shame that we didn’t go for the hat-rick and bag Isco too!
Luteo
Exactly that. Smacks of someone successful in one venture and fully drunk on themselves to believe it’ll translate to something as competitive as professional golf.
I’d stick to the millions in banking too after that humbling.
Isco was THE miss that summer, Ahern on here all day long calling for him at Malaga with many saying WTF is an Isco.
Yeah karsa it’s a great balance imo
The tag line for tali’s jet is made by the sea but my current feeling for 10 is it’s made by a lake. It’s a really nice drink but it lacks that edge that storm has. It’s too calm
Rare to pull off being great at two different sports/crafts. MJ the Basketball GOAT was pretty at Baseball.
Bo Jackson the exception.
Even looking internally at a sport like football, so many amazing players make shit managers and vice versa.
pretty shit*
Wenger Eagle Alexis was very good for me. Would not say he exceeded my expectations. Top player. Same with Ozil and Aubameyang. Since 2010, I would say Koscielny is the player for me who exceeded expectations the most. Great career for someone who was a 2nd division player at 23. Emi Martinez is second (short spell as #1GK). Coquelin is 3rd. Really good spell in the first team for a couple of seasons and part of best CM unit at the Emirates with Cazorla. Monreal was steady. Good character but did not overachieve. He was not Bacary Sagna levels. Exceeded… Read more »
Charlie why not give pro golf a crack if you have enough money in the bank to not be stressed?
Also traders in banking, depending on their area, don’t necessarily need to retire just because they quit their day job. He may have been making a fortune on the side
I say fair play to him whether it worked out or not. Life is short. Give it a try
In 2019/20 Buendia (83)was only behind De Bruyne (136), Grealish(91), and Alexandre Arnold (87) for chance creation in the PL Not bad in a team that finished dead last Both Buendia + Aarons look like really good players, a lot of Norwich fans are saying Buendia is their best player in recent history, always a good sign when opposing fans are unanimous in their praise for a player we’re looking at Sid seems to think Buendia reminds him of Cazorla, which just makes me like him even more My preference would be Odegaard though Paying the PL premium might be… Read more »
China
Now I’ll have to go get a bottle over the weekend.
Been nursing a bottle of Highland Park I received as a gift but it’s not the same.
Let’s talk current Arsenal.
Rate this transfer window
RB Max Aarons
CM Yves Bissouma
CM Sander Berge
AM Emiliano Buendia
Eagle
Could add Deion Sanders to that list with Bo as well, purest athlete and absolutely mental to cap it off. Played both Baseball and Football being the special teams highlander. Think he’s now head coach of a division one college team.
CG sources tell me Jack Grealish is a notoriously poor time keeper.
Always late for training in Brum.
Does not take training too seriously either.
Always smiling, playing jokes.
Mikel would probably have in the Under 23 before October and out on loan to Birmingham City within 12 months.
Luteo
You could argue Tierney, injury permitting he could prove invaluable to us for years to come. But your point still stands.
Sander Berge is a name I keep seeing pop up lately.
Not convinced by him personally in the few games I have watched. Doesn’t scream Arsenal quality.
Mike could not handle a Grealish. He would play him as a RB and all over the place. Simple stuff he would fuck up. Buendia OTOH, is the player we need in a more central role who can play from deep. Kinda like a poor mans Aouar. However, I can see him fitting in fairly seamlessly… That center attack is lacking woefully. he is Argentine, so brings a lot of spirit and fight with him and toughness. Get in Bissouma too. CM is fairly set then. Out lay about 60 M I would say. Player sales can help offset and… Read more »
Berge is like the Titanic… no thank you – why add another slow CM who just happens to be 6’4
He aint no Vieira… so why?
We need power and pace and creativity
Karsa not tried it, is highland park peaty?
Lately I have a very strong preference for the following routine on a Friday night
1) start with a nice beer
2) move to a peaty whisky – talisker storm was my preferred choice until I finished it
3) move to a heavier, interesting whisky that’s neither peaty nor smooth (my cutty sark is ok for that but I’ve had various others which also fit the mould
4) finish on a really smooth sweet whisky
That just seems to be the right path based on my experience!!
China If I just fancy a dram whilst on my own at home it’s Glenfiddich . But like you something a little special for me is Talisker 10 year old that’s a real decent drop of stuff. When I was first starting off Grants Standfast and even a Bells but nowadays can’t abide by either I keep meaning to buy a bottle of Tamdhu but as yet not given it a go. On our honeymoon in Scotland we stayed in a castle that had a whiskey bar and I was determined to have a shot of their most expensive. Can’t… Read more »
Sal
Good shout.
Federer as well was supposed to be a brilliant footballer, easily could have went pro. Chose Tennis in the end and can’t really fault the guy can you haha 20 majors and a few hundred million later.
Dream
All good except Ice-berge
“Not convinced by Berge personally in the few games I have watched. Doesn’t scream Arsenal quality.”
The exact tier of player Arteta will sign. Underwhelming signing.
China
No issue with giving anything ‘a crack’, but it’s deluded to think you could simply turn your hand to any professional sport and make a living out of it because it’s a hobby/passion – and quitting your job implies a career change.
Guns of SF
That is a 6/10 window for me. Will take Buendia and Bissouma. Need two more in the same position, but better quality
I don’t give a shit how many Joker wins the Goat will always be Fed or Nadal.
Whisky bar wasn’t in Ireland
Karsa might be worth giving Auchentoshan a try if you’ve not already
Had that once in a bar and remember it as being a lovely peaty whisky but don’t remember it will enough to compare with the taliskers. Also not sure how the price compares
Almunia
I must have forgotten left backs exist. Tierney absolutely, he needs to stay on the pitch though.
Dream
Great shout on Koscielny. Definition of a late-bloomer.
I remember him being very ropey his first season here up until we played Barcelona in the CL. He did a great job at man-marking Messi, as good as a defender could hope to manage in Messi’s prime and limited him to just an assist and the 2-3 clear goalscoring opportunities he carved out for himself lol.
Seemed to gain a lot more belief in himself after that and never really looked back.
Well… besides Oba Martins and Birmingham…
“I don’t give a shit how many Joker wins the Goat will always be Fed or Nadal.“
Amen. Winningest is always best.
Nicklaus has more majors than Tiger, but there’s no comparison in ability.
*isn’t always best
Charlie I think trading is different because traders in banks can quit their jobs but it doesn’t mean they quit trading outright Whether you are doing it 9-5 for a big organization or just doing it for 30 mins a day, if you’re good enough and the stars align you can still make a fortune. It’s not like other jobs in that sense I have a colleague who was a self employed stock trader in Singapore before he came to work for standard chartered. He used to work for 30 mins in the morning and 30 mins before the markets… Read more »
Sal
Djoker will pass Fed’s records but he’ll never come close to surpassing his popularity and for good reason.
Prime Fed was like watching Picasso with a paintbrush. I never was bothered with Tennis before watching Fed and Nadal’s early battles.
Wimbledon 2019 would have been the cherry on the cake, age 38.
Luteo
Yes,fingers crossed on that one.
I love Grealish, but he seems like the antithesis of an Arteta style player Regarding timekeeping, I think Arteta is right to demand standards, these are highly skilled professionals earning tens of thousands per week If you allow Aubameyang to show up when he wants, you can’t then discipline others for doing the same, and then squad discipline breaks down completely You can only create an elite performance culture, with elite behaviour Lots of young players will look up to Aubameyang, and expecting him to lead by example isn’t unreasonable, it should be the minimum that’s expected of our captain… Read more »
There was a good case on the news not long ago where literally it mentioned some guy paid x number of Bitcoin for a pizza a handful of years ago and it was calculated if he’d held on to that and sold now it was 400m sterling in value
That pizza better have been seriously fucking good
If you aren’t pleased with the product Emery put on the pitch,, key takeaways surely have to include…
*unacceptable product (U style football) being put on display, regardless of the outcome ie a win or not
*exceedingly high number of club records of the worse kind have been broken under Arteta and Edu’s leadership
China
Similar stories in some designated tourist areas in Europe that pioneered the use of bitcoins where mainly hotels, dining places and pubs installed machines to accept bitcoins…. oh my!!
Peak Fed backhand was the sexiest thing going in sport, poetry.
Let it slip in 2019, don’t think we see him find that level again sadly.
Agree Joker will end up with highest total but as CC stated Tiger far more in his locker that Nicklaus and Fed for me the GOAT but they should rename clay courts Nadals.
China
The Highland Park does have peaty undertones but it has a sweetness to it too. It’s a bit of everything and is a decent everyday sort of tipple.
I’ve tried the Auchentoshan and it’s ok too.
If you want peaty you can’t go wrong with Laphroaig
True karsa that is a classic
Useroz you can just imagine how smug those customers felt paying for their hotel rooms with Bitcoin
Not knowing what a terrible mistake that was
Leno
Aarons – Saliba – Gabriel – Tierney
Bissouma – Partey
Saka – Buendia – Martinelli
Auba
Subs: Ryan, Chambers, Holding, Mari, Bertrand, Berge, Elneny, ESR, Pepe, Balogun
That’d be my team for next season!!!
Can’t go wrong with the Islay’s boys:
Lagavulin
Laphroig
Bunnahabhain
All within touching distance of one another, peat central.
Sal haven’t tried your first and third in the list
Will have to get round to them eventually
The following excerpt from 7amkickoff would be agreed by many… “On Wednesday I found myself joylessly watching Arsenal and wondering why. It was the 80th minute, the score was 1-1, and Arsenal had taken just three shots, total, in 80 minutes. Two of those shots were from outside the 18 yard box, both blocked. My expected goals model doesn’t even count blocked shots outside the 18 yard box because they have such a small chance of going in. Worse than the fact that Arsenal had only taken one real shot up to that point was the fact that Arsenal weren’t… Read more »
Kamal your starting line up is good. Not sure about the bench
I don’t think Martinelli is a starting 11 material as yet. Never been convinced by Pepe either. We will need two attacking third players, another CM and a new right back.
What I find amusing is that Arteta is fully supporting the Kroenke’s because he knows if EK came in, he would be out on his ass.
So we have the worst manager in Arsenal PL history in with the worst owners.And some of our most celebrated legends trying to push EK.
Then you read some Le Grovers comments and really it says it all.
China
Lagavulin the peak for me in that price.
Not on the nose peat like Laphroig but all there, i’d say more Iniesta than Xavi.
Laphroig: essence of peat.
Seeing these Hall of Fame inductees, what would be everyone’s PL XI?
Tough one but I settled on:
Van der Sar
Ivanovic Terry Ferdinand Cole
Gerrard Vieira
De Bruyne
Ronaldo Hazard
Henry
Near misses: David Silva, Bergkamp, Scholes, Lampard, Fabregas, Salah, Yaya Toure, Cech, Vidic, Pires, Walker, Evra, Kane, Shearer.
Never forget that the same Mustafi who Schalke released after 6 months is the same Mustafi who rejected a contract extension THAT ARTETA tried to give him last season.
And if you want a lovely and smooth whiskey (Irish), Jameson’s Black Barrel is really good, complex, and pretty cheap for the quality.
Ivanovic and Terry not good enough to be in an all time list, Scholes, Giggs, Bergkamp got to be in the 11.
WOAB
Jameson is pretty much my go-to. Some of my friends hate me for chosing a Irish over Scotch when you can get a Glenfiddich 12 years by paying 5 more bucks, but what’s good is good for me.
Sorry Eagle but DB10 is a pre requisite.
_________Henry__________
_____DB10_____CR7_____
________Scholes_________
_____Vieira___Gerrard___
Cole_______________Dixon
______Ro___Vidic______
_________VDS_______
First sub in: Romford fucking Pele