I’m really struggling to keep my emotions in check with regards to this summer because all the noises are positive. In fact, even the noises that aren’t positive are positive.
There’s a story doing the rounds that Ryan Bertrand is going to take the Leicester offer over Arsenal. I find it odd that a guy who grew up in Gillingham would head to Leicester (I’ve lived there, it’s nice, but it’s no London), but hey, who knows if our offer was real in the first place. He’d have been a very solid back-up left-back, but I don’t think there will be many tears shed on that one.
Granit Xhaka is top of the list for Jose Mourinho’s rebuild. Shows how rated he is. A managers player, one that baffles the fans, but over and over he gets the nod. I’m a bit surprised about this move, I’m not sure he’d have been an expected exit this summer, but fuck it… good for him. He’s 28 years old, the Italian league will suit him down to the ground, and we have to be honest… Arsenal has to be doing better if we want to go back to the top.
There’s a bit if fear about how we replace him. A lot of detractors don’t understand that Granit Xhaka does a hard job very well. He’s a server, he moves the ball between the lines better than anyone in our side at the moment. Sure, he’s one-paced and slow, but he’s very effective and our midfield without him not as good.
The rumblings that I’ve heard is that this summer will see a focus on Premier League players, so clubs like Wolves and Brighton will be attracting interest. I hope our Premier League hunger is not at the expense of the deals that’ll be available in more financially fucked leagues, but I suspect the logic is pretty simple here: We need a good start next season. If we’re shipping major names in our team, our fans will not tolerate a rough opening.
There’s a bit of fear in the system we’ll be going after Reuben Neves. A player that isn’t exactly a mobile monster in the midfield. I have absolutely no idea who we will go for. I think we’re more likely to move on someone like Bissouma, knowing that Brighton are going to be in the hunt for Eddie Nkeitiah. Remember, we have replace more than one central midfielder. Bissouma is an excellent party crasher that has done really well in Brighton’s midfield, he could do the dirty work next to Partey and give us that athletic bite next season. You still need a midfielder that can be an outlet though, fastballs through the lines with absolute efficiency. We’re looking for a rare breed, but hey, that’s what scouts and analysts are paid to be good at.
Sorry, we have to interrupt this blog to see a SAUCY SHIRT.
Damn. That’s my Klaxons reunion gig outfit set. Neon face paint. Dusted down bright blue skinny jeans. New rave is back baby. Gonna be magic. WHAT A SHIRT THAT IS. Love it. Adidas brings me so much damn joy.
The word on the street is that KSE is absolutely going to try and buy our love this summer. We’re not in a sell before you buy mindset, we’ll be making moves, there is cash to spend and we will spend it. Arsenal lost 22% value according to Deloitte. Honestly, it means fuck all, because no one is bidding for Arsenal based on a pricing, but it’s important because it does show that if KSE don’t get a grip on their prized asset, it’s going to get more and more expensive to fix it longterm. The money injection isn’t just to appease fans, it’s to reduce noise in their lives, and it’s to make sure their star asset is healthy.
That’s not to say we won’t be selling players, we absolutely will. We have plenty of opportunities to make the summer even bigger. Willock, Reiss, Hector, Guendouzi, Cedric, Kola, Torreira, and maybe one of our centre backs will bring in at least £80m. But we’re not in the mess we were last year where we had to run the clock down because everyone was low-balling us.
The market is deflated though. Roma offering £10m for Xhaka is going to be par the course this summer. It’s so amusing to watch fans turn their nose up at getting any fee for an expensive player that will be 29 in September. Move on players that aren’t good enough, find younger models that don’t need galaxy brain systems to protect their weaknesses, do all of the business as fast as you can so we don’t get off to a clunky start next season.
Also, I swear down, if Edu fucks up moving on Willian because he sought out a big fee, I will go to London myself to hand-deliver a stern letter of disapproval. Let him go on a free, don’t top up his salary, move on from this absolute debacle.
There’s a real opportunity to move to the next level this summer, every signing has to be perfect, but if we can manage that, next season could be a major surprise to the league.
I’m excited.
See you in the comments.
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Yep – this is on Pep.
Kante has been a beast.
Mount has been far and beyond Chelsea’s best player this season.
I should say, helped make it a lot, it was a tremendous pass leading to it
My god City have been shit. If we can beat those twats they should be able to
Talk about making the beautiful game so complicated
We know where Arteta got the stupid false #9 ideas from.
Pep needs to bring Aguero and fernandinho on at half time
Rap
His ceiling is outrageous, kid has everything.
Technically good enough to play for anyone.
Havertz with the goal. Werner off the ball runs are so menacing
No traditional holding midfielder for City. De Bruyne on a weekly basis in the PL thrives in acres of space. No space for him just like in the FA Cup. Can’t spam in crosses today.
Chelsea are built for the counter
Now that they have their noses in front, they will nick another goal on the fast break.
Playing a false 9 must be the most arrogant shit you can do as a manager. Werner is in the worst form of his life and Chelsea have still had 3-4 decent chances just by virtue of having a warm body in the middle.
Chelsea have had better control in their play and better control in their forward play. Linking up better than Man City.
I didn’t believe mount was very good at the start. But the dude has been great. Lampard has eased him in just at the right time. He has gone up a level this season too. It is impressive.
Guardiola though can’t help himself. If he had gone for a conventional 433 with a proper DM and a striker, they would be far more dangerous.
Why has pep tinkered the final
Habesha Gooner
Fans are always far too knee jerk around young players, none of us know how young players will develop with playing time
Full Galaxy brain: pair Tets’ 1st leg false nine with 2nd leg missing midfield cover.
Jesus should have started, bit like Werner in that he’s wasteful but he causes havoc with his pace and movement, gives them presence through the middle.
“My god City have been shit. If we can beat those twats they should be able to“
Not everyone can “mastermind “ a win like Arteta against Chelsea.
Pep his own worst enemy.
Shades of the Lyon debacle perhaps.
Pep with a brain fart team formation. Conceding the midfield.
Headless chicken Sterling say no more. Mahrez not putting in the work rate. KDB looks unfit. Rub of green going the Chavs way.
Also if Havertz hasn’t made it around Ederson, would it have been handball outside the area by the keeper? Eerie comparisons with our final. It could work out better for City Chelsea scored the goal and kept 11 men on the pitch.
Chelsea look every happy with the way the game is going, City struggling. City may want to go old school, throw on Aguero and try and blitz and overwhelm like they used to. They already have enough attacking mids on!
Pep’s rubbish, a complete fraud.
What City need is Super Saucy Arteta.
Please take him = go on I’m begging.
“Jesus should have started, bit like Werner in that he’s wasteful but he causes havoc with his pace and movement, gives them presence through the middle.”
His ability to walk on water and heal anyone injured is a bonus as well!
I think the two previous losses to Chelsea messed with pep’s mind
I can’t understand for the life of me how you start game of fine margins without a defensive midfielder and central striker
Tuchel outsmarted Pep in this half no doubt.
Conceded space until city crossed the half way line and then denied it to every City player including both wingers.
Mahrez becomes a passenger if you deny him the ball or don’t let him turn with it.
Marc
Is it fair that Jesus plays for ManCity?
Or do you think it’s discriminatory to exclude him just because who his dad is?
Pep needs to get Fernandihino and Aguero (or Rodhri/ Jesus) on now or game is lost.
Go conventional or go home.
If Chelsea win, that “Pride of London” line takes a new meaning
Playing both Sterling and Folding at the same time is an overkill. I would take one out and put in a striker.
What is the problem Arteta has with Saliba???
Why are we even if true discussing a loan.
Thought he was coming back and being given a chance in pre season.
Edu has to intervene.
This is bloody bollocks.
We have made a significant investment.
Let’s see him play for us.
Chris,
Only reason Fergie won that year is manure got RVP from us and 25+ goals for the win, if AFC would have kept him they would have a another trophy in the cabinet, the goals and point differential would have been enough.
Sterling is quite useless in tough games like this. Couldn’t beat his grandmother in a tussle
Having Kante on is like being one man up
Here’s a premature and uninformed prediction for you.
Pep will become Wenger 2.0. He’ll remain at City for another 15 years. Each year he’ll become more eccentric. He’ll start with permanently removing #9 and CDM from his tactics. He’ll end with a team where every player, from GK to the false nine, is a Zinchenko clone.
David.D
Charles Watts has reported Saliba is being given his chance to impress in pre season, will be part of the first team squad, he isn’t for sale or loan.
Aaron
Even Wenger said to Ferguson on the phone apparently after van Persie signed, “he will win you the title”
But a typically shrewd Ferguson move.
The last 7 teams to make their CL Final debut have lost, pretty interesting that.
Thanks Chris
Hope so.
Was going by that l’equipe story.
Really want to see this boy succeed with us.
Jesus is coming on for Christ sake
De Bruyne taken out.
Looks like KDB has fractured his orbit
He too will need a mask soon
Rich
“”””””’ CG m a huge Arsene Wenger fan, I think his work from 2006-2013 was some of his best, and he massively overachieved keeping us in the top 4 during …”.
We are officially back talking
off you go.
Man City need a miracle, and Jesus has serious form…..
Very good referee,
De Bruyne off. Unfortunate injury. Hope he recovers for Euros. But he does struggle in big games. Like Bruno Fernandes, he can’t set the tempo.
Don’t like that.
Rudiger knew what he was doing and it’s fucked De Bruyne for the night. That’s cheap.
City can still win this. Let’s go Gabriel Jesus. Love him
How did this bunch of jokers win the Prem? Awful performance.
Bernardo is far too inconsistent imo. Quality player but not drifts away in important games and moments.
but drifts away*
Charlie
City are the masters of those niggly fouls to break up play
I think me meant to just stop him, not get him out of the game.
raptora
Yep you’re right about Bernardo. He was immense in the 18-19 season. You know he is one I can see being sold if PSG or Real can stump up the cash.
If you could take just one player from this city team it would have to be Foden. As good as Mount is Foden is considerably better.
Dissenter
Eh, Rudiger fancies himself a bit of a hard man. Doubt he meant to K.O him but he’s very prone to that kind of thuggery
What a fkin huge ass miss. WTF If they lose it in the end. holyyyyyyyyyyy
The American missed an empty net!!!
Deserved a goal.
Good move by Chelsea.
Pulisic has to slot that
Aguero to make a cameo?
How desperate will Pep get.
Raptora
VAR would have given it because of Kantes challenge earlier.
Nelson
You called that “an empty net”?
Pep effed up his tactics to start the game
Proper over-thinking that may very well backfire on him
*wouldn’t
Aguero does love a goal against Chelsea.
LoveSausage,
Maybe ye.
City about to lose to Chelsea three times in the span of about a month, Pep is a fraud. I mean even Arteta beat them once in that period.
Great sub to bring on for Chelsea Kovacic.
He is making his presence felt straight away.
Chelsea have missed something since Werner went off. The chance aside, Pulisic isn’t threatening the last man constantly in the way Werner was, and there’s no chemistry with Havertz.
Imagine having a game like this in the PL with a ref who actually understands the rules of football, does his job and isn’t trying to be the star. We would all collectively lose our minds from the shock.
I am going to be gutted if the chavs win
Feels like Pep effed it up. False 9 and how the hell did Walker start ahead of Cancelo? He was so much better this season.
Chelsea plays 5 2 3. I wonder why they didn’t add another CB and take out an attacker.
We almost signed Kante?
lol Jorginho the twat
City playing like Stoke city
Kante is ridiculous. The bigger the game, the better he plays. He is my man of the match. Completely insane.
Pep an idiot.
Any more good German coaches out there for Arsenal?
2 CL trophies and 2 EL trophies in the past 10 years.
There’a s debate to be had about the biggest team in London
City’s arrogance cost them
Christensen did well coming in for Silva.
i hate Chelsea
Chelsea show that changing a manger all the time is a winning formula
Imagine not turning up for the final. What a waste.
Samesong
Yea success can be easy to hate
I preferred City to win it. Fk the chavs. Can’t stand them.
Only thing missing for Chelsea is a new stadium. We’re fucked.
Yeah, kante motm, chilwell, mount and azpilicueta excellent also. City flat as fuck. Sterling and Mahrez didnt endear themselves to me tonight, but it was only one game I accept.
Dissenter,
You good bruv? Chav in disguise?
Question has to be asked, would have pup won the CL without Messi?
Nope……
You have one of the best strikers in premier league history available
You have Rodri and Fernandinho available
Yet he starts with false nine and no defensive midfielder
City cant have complaints, didnt test Mendy. Aguero should have squared it aswell.
Change managers and see what happens.
Chelsea out thought Pep,
Yea success can be easy to hate
Nope even before they were successful never liked Chelsea anyway. Went to school in that area way back and had to put up with their muggy fans.
Fuck sake. 2 Champions league trophies now all from Russian oil money, what a fucking sham. 2 fake oil clubs with no history killing the game.
Why the fuck did Pep start a Champions league final with Aguero and Jesus on the bench? Talk about a load of over complicated unnecessary bollocks.
Ben Chilwell impressed me. He eliminated both Silva and Mahrez. Kante is also impressive.
Lol so since crossing London Giroud has won the World Cup, the CL, the EL, and an FA Cup in 3 years!
Makes me sick seeing Chelsea win x2 CL before we get one, utterly sick.
Good for Chelsea. Well deserved.
Have to wonder how they would have finished if Werner wasn’t snake bit all season.
Chelsea have The Champions League trophy.
And Arsenal have The Project.
This whole playing with no forward was a game too far
“2 CL trophies and 2 EL trophies in the past 10 years.There’a s debate to be had about the biggest team in London“
Is it an American thing to completely forego any tribalism towards your own team?
If there’s a convo to be had then let some chavvy cunt start it, embarrassing that you’re peacocking for them after they’ve just won a final 🥴