I heard a great bit of advice once.
‘Treat each transfer window like it was your last’
Ok, I never heard that, but it feels that’s the mindset Mikel and Edu are taking to this window.
Arsenal coaching staff LOVED David Luiz, so to see him go was shocking to me.
Today, we’re hearing rumours on three players.
Fabrizio Romano, transfer god to millions, was absolutely emphatic that Willian is going to exit the club this summer. I do NOT know how this is going to happen. He’s on a mega-deal, his powers have declined, and he has 2 years left on his deal. But maybe we’re just so used to players like Ozil not giving a shit about being disliked? Willian might want to put use to his final years. He might want to actually play. This might also be some dark arts from Edu and Kia. Edu knows he’s under massive pressure, the Brazilian posse gotta look out for their own, Willian taking a free transfer elsewhere protects the system.
Whatever it is, it has a big fat approval from Le Grove.
There are also stories linking Xhaka with a move out of Arsenal. Roma, under the guidance of Jose Mourinho, are apparently looking at him. The player has been excellent this season, he’s limited, no doubt, but behind the scenes he’s been a leader, and on the pitch his output has been to the level where you could honestly say you were regretful if he wasn’t in the lineup. A move away from Arsenal at 28 is smart. He’ll go to a league where he’ll thrive and he’ll live in a City that is simply one of the best. £30m for him would be excellent business and his exit would give us a chance to move on a player with a better athletic profile.
The last exit is Hector Bellerin. He’s apparently attracting interest from Real Betis. The right-back fell massively out of favour this season. He lost his pace post-injury, he’s not moved his delivery forward, and he’s just fallen right into the middle of the road. I still love him though, what a guy, what an example, what a fashion inspiration.
These are the moves that shift a club forward. We’ve been nibbling around the edges shifting on periphery players, when the hard facts dictate you have to address the fatal flaws in some of the first-teamers. Xhaka, Willian, Luiz, and Hector are all starting 11 players… but their ceiling is low and stinks of average.
Changing culture properly often needs big shocks. When you start in a new business, there’s often a section of people that are incapable of changing because they’re so wounded by the ways of the past. To truly move on, you need to scrub the decks. When the biggest leaders behind the scenes are average performers, you can’t claim to have a high-performance culture. That’s where we are. The leaders aren’t good enough on the pitch, so though the professionalism might be to a level behind the scenes, you’re never going to hit the elite letting average performers carry the message.
You thought I was going to ignore it, didn’t you?
UNAI EMERY WHAT A GUY.
Honestly, has there been a better final this year?
Don Unai put on a defensive masterclass. He leant into the complacency of United. He took the pace out of the game, he riled his players up to believe they were underdog heroes, he took the game to penalties and made those Villareal superstars feel the winds of winnertivity were with them.
Spectacular. The penalties were so unbelievable. United, a side that wins more penalties than anyone in the Premier League, lost when David De Gea fucked his kick. Stunning.
That’s Unai Emery in his element. Playing with an underdog side, instructing in his native tongue, terrorising the visuals with brutal spoiling tactics.
It’s amusing to see his fan club back in business. Someone said ‘he’d never play a midfielder as a false #9’ negating the Torreira as #10 experiment. People were celebrating his cup final win as a black mark on Arteta, forgetting we won the FA Cup beating better teams. People were celebrating the humiliation of Arteta, missing that Emery took down OGS in his third season at United after spending £290m on players. Losing to the winner has a lesser sting.
The gutting thing is that we’d have beaten United in the final as well. The most sackable offence of the season was the galaxy braining of the semi-final. We should have gone with Saka at leftback, we should have played a balanced midfield. We should have taken a simpler approach. We didn’t, Arteta will learn, we move on with life and hope next season is sharper.
Talking of managers. Galtier, Zizou and Conte all exited their jobs. Spurs are trying to bring Poch back. Allegri is rejoining Juve. We’re about to see quite the shake-up in management. Very interesting.
Ok, shorter one today. See you in the comments.
Even emery won a league with PSG despite openly being unable to control the dressing room. If I was Poch I’d be pretty determined to rinse out a few trophies next year at least before looking elsewhere. Spurs is every bit a backwards move for his career at this moment
Any one else pissed that we have underperformed in the U23 as well? We can’t scout any good young players any More. The club slipping into mediocrity on every level. We loaned out the good players and apparently according to the news, we bought in sub par players just to fill the numbers. That is serious gross negligence if you ask me. No wonder it’s happening in the top part of the club too, getting in the likes of runnarson. The Standard is dropping quicker than an avalanche at this club and I am absolutely gutted that the people inside… Read more »
He wont go back, he is not that dumb
Fk that Danish fellow too. Stick to spotify. Stan should just let the fans buy out the club. At least then there will be some heart involved in the club.
the issue is if PSG make a run at Messi – they have the money. ALbeit shady as hell team… does PSG want Poch coaching Messi? Maybe- both are Arg.
EK seems to already be more in tune with the team and fans.
EK is a fan…. enough said
Gonsterous what happened to those 2 or 3 guys we got for free from league 1 or something on deadline day last summer?
Did they do poorly or ok? Always wondered about those two
Guns
Ek form of being a fan is equivalent to every player saying it was their childhood dream to play for arsenal when they get signed.
China
I don’t know mate. Don’t really follow the U23s, as they don’t televise it here, but I’m appalled at the mis management on that level.
Ek is our only hope TBH all things considered with how things are.
On the subject of Technical midfielders, We do need a lot of them now. That I will admit. But if we are being really really realistic then we aren’t signing Two CMs, One CAM, RB, Backup LB, and Backup GK. That is six players to recruit. And apparently we want a CB too. My hope is we will get one CM that is technical very good. That can help in defense too. It would be good if he could play defense splitting passes. I want willock to stay because he can play vertical football. He isn’t a great passer. But… Read more »
Diet pep does not excel in any particular area/style,
Not possesion football, Not counter attacking, Not pressing.
Thats how you tell theres isnt a method involved.
We should move on from the Aouar hype, its very last season.
At the top soccer finances are a mess. Winning a title for Lille and Inter is a curse not a blessing. Cost of keeping the squad and buying better is impossible if you are not Man City or PSG. In this situation top managers are disillusioned and quit. Some of their players will be on the market cheaply. Arsenal have a great chance to get top players on the cheap. Current squad will not demand pay rises with their abysmal performance. Arsenal can easily put up a project that can attract the best players. Arsenal will be one of the… Read more »
China1
The Europa League final is proof that Emery isn’t a guy for the big team.
If you are looking at the plucky under dog narrative, he is the guy for you.
But if you as a big club, go to the bottom half of the table, and play defensive football while looking to draw or nick a goal and be perfectly contented to play park the bus with the opponents who are also parking the bus……look it is nonsense even if you happen to win.
Gonsterous
I heard that one of the reasons was that they loaned out almost entirely the U23 squad.
Steve Bould got the sack for the poor results.
Matty cash will do at RB, theres No need to go fancy.
“ But if you as a big club, go to the bottom half of the table, and play defensive football while looking to draw or nick a goal and be perfectly contented to play park the bus with the opponents who are also parking the bus……look it is nonsense even if you happen to win.”
That’s sounds a lot like Arteta ball
Sid
Cash is brilliant , totally underrated RB in this league.
It has been widely recognised by those following Arsenal U23 and 18 Academies that the coaching at those levels have been poor. The U23s in particular were close to relegation with similar results sequence to what was experienced by first team before Christmas. The talent levels in defence as Jeorge Bird has pointed out is poor and highlighted by the number of goalkeepers on books. Arsenal does have some talent at U18 level, but having seen how Liverpool beat us in FA Youth Cup there have to be questions there as well. What seems to be happening at the moment… Read more »
The problem with arsenal at the moment is, they have one or two targets and the rest of the position, they prefer having just numbers which results in having too many mediocre players that they have to get rid of. Ryan bertrand being a prime example. Instead of doing their homework and researching and scouting players that can make an impact in the long term, they look for players who we have replace again in a season or two. This is in part down to the manager and DOF not caring about the future but only what happens during their… Read more »
Dark hei
Yes and replaced with average players hence why we were almost relegated.
Mertersacker made a mess of it and apparently he’s happy because he’s going to get a few million quid for the youngsters this window.
Dark hei Arteta has shown himself to be an inferior coach to emery
Emery wasn’t good enough for arsenal, arteta isn’t even as good as him
ES, What is happening with the recruitment at U18 and U23 level is exactly what I described to you last summer. We are not recruiting a small number of very talented players at U18 and U23 level, we are recruiting filler players who have no chance of making the grade. The talented players are players coming through the rank: Azeez, Balogun, … Arsenal have realised that the step between U23 level and first team at Arsenal is too steep. So any player showing talent is sent on loan at lower League club to get experience. The U23 is then left… Read more »
Tbh I don’t mind us tanking the u23s if our best u23s are all on loan or getting minutes with the first team.
It’s more important that the u23 players are developing than the u23 itself being successful
Be careful what you wish for. We might let Xhaka go for 20M then waste the money on a worse player.
Kenyan gunner,
Roma has offered €15 millions or less than £13 millions with €5 millions add-ons. Arsenal may negotiate up to €20 millions plus add-ons, but we are unlikely to get the £30 millions that Pedro touted.
All the rumours points that Arteta wants a ready made CM with premiership experience. That will set us up twice what Roma or any other Italian club will offer us for Xhaka.
Valentin
I don’t see much evidence that the more talented U23 players are being sent out on loan.
If you look at Jeorge Bird’s reports earlier in week most of these players are either injury prone or likely to be offloaded.
What seems to be planned is that the U18s are being fast tracked.
Xhaka 20 million is to cheap.
Van de been 35.1M.
And he has proved to be pants.??
BEEK 😂
If Granit is sold buy Bissuma..
Buy Topsopa as cb backup.
Buy Dzyuba as striker if Laca goes he is a beast in Haalands mould..
Yo
So we have Betis only willing to take Bellerin on loan but with more likely an option to buy rather than obligation to buy.
You then have Roma. Their record fee was €19 million. They are far from a rich club so I doubt they will get close to breaking their record spend
The values some on here have been placing on players is way too high
Dzyuba ?
The 33yo Dzyuba who has never played outside of Russia?
Or the re-gen version?
I’m all for selling Xhaka, but isn’t £20m too low? I’d have thought we could at least recoup our money, he is an international, experienced and has been a mainstay in a big clubs starting 11.
Are Edu and/or Arteta accountable for youth teams particularly u23 and u18?
Roma are factoring Xhaka’s wage into their enquiry bid of 14M euros.
Useroz
When Raul was still at AFC Edu was working with Per and reporting to Josh. He had no involvement with the signings at the time.
Why would anyone pay 30 mil for Xhaka when the likes of Aouar are valued 20 mil and Soumare has gone for 18 mil?
Xhaka and Willian rumours seem to really have legs.
What a summer this could be.
Danny
Potential tears in my eyes with those outgoings, along with Luiz who is confirmed out of the door.
Habesha
Point heard and taken, I agree.
Sure it’s arsenal. We might sell xhaka and blow 50m on someone worse. I’d put nothing past us.
But until we do, I could only relish the moment when we no longer are accommodating average in the most influential position on football in our starting 11. It’s been 5 odd years. It just has to end.
Please???
If we do get rid of Willian it would be great and it would be nothing short of magic if we even got a transfer fee for him. But I suspect any deal is more likely to be free transfer. It’s arsenal after all!!!
It’s funny how arsenal in the 80s were famed on the defense. That continued through the 90s then by 2000s onwards it was our midfield and attack. Then 2008 onwards it was midfield. Then by 2017 or so it was basically nothing. Now our defense is *KINDA* getting there with a bit of work. Can we please have a midfield again? Would be so nice. Thanx
Question for Emirates Stroll ( and others)
What season will Arsenal get back in the CL and what method will they have achieved it?
(With the proper big clubs in England, either in European Cup finals this weekend or looking in ‘Harrords’ to buy serious talent like Kane and Grealish and Arsenal looking in Poundland for players like Bertam and Buendia and the like- I cant ever see Arsenal getting back in there whilst KSE remain owners.
Are we now just Londons Everton- churning ins/outs on average overated players and posting huge annual losses ?
The fact that Bayern signed that English FB from reading on a 5 year contract is very interesting. The length of his contract would imply they take him seriously. Considering the low cost outlay I’d have expected more like a 3-4 year deal. 5 says they are serious
Is he that good?
Tbf Buebdia is a very good player and he isn’t that cheap either
35m+ Ain’t chump change right now
Can you imagine that reading kid getting called into the managers office at reading to be told the club have accepted a bid from Bayern for him and he frees to discuss with them on salary
He must’ve been confused as hell. Unless he’s a lord bentdner sort who always expected he’d be the best in the world
How are Chelsea getting EUR 28m for Tomori in this market? Apparently had a good 6 month loan at Milan, but his previous experiences are loans at Hull and Derby, and a handful of PL starts for Chelsea.
Elmo Chelsea are absolute monsters at selling their kids high. They put us to shame at it
CG No-one can state categorically when or if Arsenal will get back into CL. Manchester City are currently miles ahead of every other club in EPL although they still lost 5 games this season. Having watched Man United play Villereal on Wednesday and also their games against us I saw nothing to suggest that they are significantly better than us. Chelsea will continue to spend mega bucks in transfer market and will probably be in future the main competition to Man City. I don’t think that the likes of Liverpool, Leicester and Spurs are going to get stronger. So I… Read more »
China
We’re going to sell Xhaka and Willock for 40m euros combined and Chelsea will get close to 30m euros for a player that was surplus to first team squad lol
Tomori is a youngster we should be looking to sign next summer. He is a homegrown player with more ability than the likes of Holding and probably Gabriel as well.
Emiratesstroller
Liverpool will sell Salah if they have to , thats a 100mn asset right there. Leicester have players that can fetch them good prices . Spurs will not leave Kane cheaply . All of that transfer money will be properly reinvested as they have done so for few years now. What is Arsenal’s strategy ?
Dream no CBs for me thanks. Unless next season all our weak areas are already fixed I don’t want us spending money on improving positions where we already have some good players
Liverpool pay up for Konaté. Fantastic signing
Rumors of Man City willing to pay 100m for Grealish and 150m for Kane. Two quality players, although that is a steep price for Grealish
Thanks ES.
But you don’ t want a guesstimate the season when we are actually back in the CL and the method. ie. Top4 / Europa?
As you know the longer you are out of it- its almost impossible to get back in it
Even a very well run club like Leicester cant even get in it and still fall short.
If Newcastle United get the green light for their Saudi take over- Its curtains for AFC & CL.
“The fact that Bayern signed that English FB from reading on a 5 year contract is very interesting. The length of his contract would imply they take him seriously. Considering the low cost outlay I’d have expected more like a 3-4 year deal. 5 says they are serious” Ze German teams are smart enough to know that the biggest money lies in the English leagues. If they can get young English talent and give them a platform they know that if the player performs then a PL team will come knocking within 2 years. And when they do you then… Read more »
Our scouting is crap.
We get regularly average joes and put them on high salaries.
We fail to transit the young players into the team, Arteta only wants instant fixes because he knows his job is not secure as he’s failed.
Edu is clueless and hiding away from the fans.
The owner is busy riding horses on his ranch, Josh is in the jacuzzi with some broads.
This is Arsenal now
Man City won the PL, PL2 and under 18 leagues. We’re not getting rid of them for a few years
China1
Agreed about Arteta.
Though I will have to say he and Emery have a very similar style of football. All talk of “protagonist” evaporates the minute they are under pressure.
“What season will Arsenal get back in the CL and what method will they have achieved it?”
I got a cunning plan.
1. Re-organize the ESL.
2. Get all the usual suspects on board.
3. Get them to commit and organize the whole shit.
4. Disembark at the 11.59999 hour.
I think we should stand a bit of a chance against the likes of West Ham and Everton in terms of qualifying for the CL.
Stroller, Chelsea will continue to spend mega-bucks? You do realise that we have a higher net spend than Chelsea over the last five years?
Wht you really mean is that Chelsea will continue to spend more wisely than Arsenal. That’s what’s holding us back, not a lack of funds. That and the fact that we don’t have an identity or a defined style of play.
CG Arsenal improved most definitely after Christmas. The recruitment of Odegaard and promotion of Smith-Rowe made a significant difference to the team. Despite some of the criticism about our goalscoring performance this season we were scoring almost 2 goals per game in EPL from Boxing Day onwards. The major changes made to the team were Bellerin, Ceballos and Willian were no longer guaranteed a place in team and there was also less reliance on Luiz who was out with injury. Moving forward it is clear that we need upgrades in RB, RCB, DMF and AMF positions. Recruiting at least 3… Read more »
“Wht you really mean is that Chelsea will continue to spend more wisely than Arsenal. That’s what’s holding us back, not a lack of funds. That and the fact that we don’t have an identity or a defined style of play.”
Andy nails it.
I can’t imagine Pep G bringing Grealish into his clockwork squad, not for £100m, not for twenty mill, not even on a free.
Every cloud has a silver lining.
Alphonse Davies and Rudiger emerged from the ashes of the Sierra Leone bloody civil war.
ES, Okonkwo, Azeez and Balogun had refused to sign extension at the begining of the season, otherwise they would have been sent on loan. BTW it looks like we are going to lose two of those, who happen to be two of our better prospects. John Jules, Ballard and a few others have been sent on loan. Some of those have not been successful,but at least they have been experience first team. In a real professional with result at stake environment rather than the cushy, less physically and mentally demanding of the U23 settings. Some of the U18 are fast… Read more »
This transfer regarding Xhaka is now all about how badly he wants to leave Arsenal and go to Rome.
There is a 15m price difference between the two clubs.
And apparently Xhaka does badly want to leave.
ES ”””’My view is that Arsenal need next season without playing in Europe a leaner and meaner team/squad.”””””’ Imagine a supporter of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester United , Bayern stating this. How low and sad the demise of Arsenal. By this reckoning a relegation or 2 would really clear the cobwebs. Everyone knows the Europa Cup is a farce – but winning that is how you qualify for the CL if you are garbage and your manager can’t hack it over 38 league games. Eg, Villarreal ps. I will not talk about Christmas Tree Tables to anyone. Or… Read more »
CG,
Christmas Tree table. lol.
Hope that you are doing OK in South Africa.
”””’Hope that you are doing OK in South Africa.”””””””””’
Dodging the variants and surviving, Valentin.
As always, many thanks.
Anybody think that in this depressed market Leno Vs Oblak plus 10 millions would be an acceptable swap for Athletic Madrid?
We could also offer Lacazette v Oblak swap.
Untold Arsenal have banned me for life, they are crackers and they won’t let anyone question their Arsenal, their post today is hilarious.
@andy, agreed. We’ve spent a lot of money – the Kroenke’s have invested and we’re running at a loss. It’s just that we haven’t spent well.
Valentin The only Arsenal `U23 Player who was loaned out last season who received a positive report from Jeorge Bird was Ballard. However, he suggested that this player should be loaned out again to a Championship Level Club. That is hardly a recommendation that he is good enough to play in first team. John- Jules was rated as a good prospect two seasons ago alongside Nketiah and Balogun. However, he has been injury prone all season and his prospects were not considered to be first team level at Arsenal. The only players in the U23 Squad who were rated by… Read more »
If Xhaka leaves as seems increasingly probable I think that Arsenal will try and recruit Bissouma with a part-exchange deal. As I posted earlier in week Nketiah might appeal to Brighton.
CG
I have stated consistently over last 2 seasons that Arsenal needed one season out of Europe
and use the time to focus on rebuilding properly our first eleven.
The problem with playing in Europa Cup is that you need a large squad of players to fulfil
the requirements of playing on Thursday and Sunday.
Leicester and Spurs both struggled in the Europa League and it probably cost the former a
place in top 4 in EPL.
For the record I have received this week notification of planned season ticket renewal. The
planned prices will be significantly reduced.
If we had won the Europa, Roma would have offered more for Xhaka. We will not have a good window as some seem to think. Now the only players we can reasonably sign are the tier Cs and pensioners like Bertrand. Forget about any young player with a good dose of quality, mentality and ambition. There is no X-factor to pull the
Sid
Diet pep does not excel in any particular area/style,
————————————————————————–
He is excel in talking although it now sounds more and more hollow. I want to see his non-negotiable and how ruthless he can be.
HI
heard lampard is signing C.P
any truth in this?
ES
”””””’For the record I have received this week notification of planned season ticket renewal. The
planned prices will be significantly reduced.”””””””””””””””’
I hope you have stated that you only want to purchase one from Christmas.
That might even make Stan choke on his morning biscuits.
lampard as head coach of crystal palace. didn’t see that coming
Valentin
It might take Lacazette and Leno to equate to Oblak’s price. We’re not a CL club, so there’s no way that happens. I think Man Utd will sell Henderson and offer De Gea plus cash for Oblak. They are a CL club and a rich one at that
Kristoman
Yep there has been noise of Lampard to palace for a couple of weeks. He wanted a London based job
CG too much truth
ET how does having less money and less matches help you build a stronger first 11?
ET it’s a complete myth that you need to have a large squad to play in the EL. You only need to rotate Half the matches are against pub teams. We played such esteemed opposition as Dundalk, young boys or whoever. The teams you play in the knockout stages are largely the cannon fodder of the actual CL. There are normally no more than 4 teams which are worth paying attention to in the whole competition If that is beyond us then let me tell you if we did magically qualify for the CL by the league placing next season… Read more »
China
””””ET it’s a complete myth that you need to have a large squad to play in the EL. You only need to rotate””””
Correct.
You don’ t need more players. You simply need a strategy and some brain cells.
Something that is clearly beyond Arteta and Edu.
These 2 jokers didn’t think Saliba could cut it against the might of Dundalk,
!!!!!!!!Dundalk!!!!!!!
A Le Grove 11 could give these Irish farmers a game.
WE
‘we very nearly won the league that season and really should have.’
Quite right. Also, it’s worth noting that that team was assembled on the cheap, especially compared to Man U, chelsea- also, others that finished below us such as liverpool.
Contrary to the growing wenger out movement’s protestations, he did a pretty remarkable job until he actually had some money to spend.
Regarding Crystal Palace
Don’t they have 17 senior team players out of contract this summer?
It’s going to be a very chaotic window.
Repeat after me, if playing 2 games a week against pub teams and CL cannon fodder teams is too much for us, we will not be able to miraculously become a great CL team next year. We will be playing twice a week but against GOOD teams.
Do the math lol
Just remembered something from years ago………
We were runners up in the league in 1972-73 season but we didn’t get into Europe because the FA had a one team per city rule and Spurs qualified instead because they’d won the League cup!
Any good ones dissenter? I don’t watch them often
Danny I think you are 99% in your comment it wasn’t the FA that created that rule it was the FL. UEFA had dispensed with that rule when the Inter Cities fairs cup was rebranded a year or so earlier
Pool to sign konate not sure he is a starter all the time but a great acquisition all the same he may be a monster in 3 seasons
“Roma has offered £13m for Xhaka…”
Of course, and why wouldn’t they ?
We practically bagged them to take Mkhi off our hands on a free and he turned out to be a 20 g/a a season attacking midfielder for them and we still thought we got a great deal.
Maybe we should remind Roma Xhaka is also a world class LB and if they’re clever enough they can base their entire winning strategy on him playing there.
Dissenter
CP have 12 players out of contract.
Tom Miki is good if he has space the Italian league is slow perfect for him he was. Not suited to the premier league
If we get 20m for xhaka I would take it fed up watching the twat amble about
Will be absolutely amazing to get rid of Xhaka, Willian and Leno in the same transfer window.