David Ornstein showered FIRE on the internet when he announced that we’d be targeting Ben White this summer in a £40-50m move.
Let’s start with the player. My uncle is a huge Leeds fan and said the guy is absolute class and he was gutted they couldn’t nab him to stay in the league. That’s all that is needed here, my uncle has the last say.
Outside that, what do we have? A capped England player. Not only a ballplayer, but someone that can dribble like a midfielder. He is fast. He’s 6ft 1, which isn’t the tallest, but next to Gabriel or Mari, you’re in good shape. The most important thing he has? He’s Premier League proven and he’s had a league winning run in the Championship. He’s physical enough to land in a Bielsa team, he’s solid enough to have landed promotion in team that leaves centre backs wide open on the counter. He’s been coached in a positional play system under Potter.
You simply cannot knock the profile of the player and to be honest, I am absolutely shocked the comp merchants propping lesser players are complaining about this sort of move. 23 years old, keeping Brighton in the league, landing England call-ups over other players in the Brighton backline that are English.
Part of the anger is people think this means the end of Saliba. I’m not sure why, because Saliba does the same things as White, except he hasn’t played a single minute in any English competition. If you think Mikel Arteta is going to roll career dice on a player that’s had half a season at Nice, you are totally nuts. That would be a move crazier than dropping ESR as a false 9 in an away leg of the Europa League. You don’t make the 3rd best defence in the league better with Saliba. You can’t complain that Arteta makes too many rookie mistakes, then encourage him to put a 20-year-old centre-back in the starting 11 from the start of the season, despite ZERO top clubs doing that. Also, don’t give me Fofana, Leicester finished 5 points ahead of us and conceded 50 goals last season. Saliba deserves to fight for his place, but he doesn’t deserve to start because Don Raul massively overpaid for him like he did with Pepe.
What you have is someone more proven in White as a tried and true starter, then you have someone coming up behind him with a massively high ceiling. That’s an exciting grouping of centre-backs.
People are also spitting feathers about priorities like transfers are only viable if they are done in order of importance.
Don’t be so fucking ridiculous.
If Arsenal have the funds for a £40m center-back, that gives credence to the story I had about KSE putting up funds this summer. This ‘might’ be the big one we’ve been begging for.
I also wouldn’t write off player exchanges being part of that deal. Brighton might have an interest in a few of our players, I’m thinking about Reiss Nelson, Eddie, and AMN. We could lower the fee by sending young English players who might fancy the top class coaching of Graham Potter.
The story, even if it’s untrue, also gives us power in the market, because it shows we’re not desperate for cash to move on our own ambitions forward. Part of Liverpool and Chelsea’s strength when selling is that they don’t need to sell. Last summer, we needed cash, so clubs lowballed us.
I also think people are extremely scarred by transfer windows of yesteryear. Signing a center-back doesn’t mean we won’t sell any. Arteta has said about 50 times we had too many players in that role. If anything, Ben White is a ruthless indictment on the players we currently have at the club. 3rd best defence in the league but no standout centre-backs? Someone is going to pay the price for that and I wouldn’t really be fussed who it was.
Also note this… signing a new deal isn’t always a celebration of faith. It can be about protecting an asset so we can sell it at some point. A lot of the players, since Huss Fahmy, have optional years Arsenal can add so we can land fees. If Arteta managed anything last season, it was making a lot of our players more appealing than they were before. The fact Xhaka is moving at basically 29 to a fairly big Italian club shows that there’s a market for our talent this summer.
If Arsenal can raise £100m, which we’re almost 30% of the way there now, then there’s a chance our summer could be a £200m one. Arsenal paid back the Government loan and took out another £120m via Barclays. In a world of cheap capital, why not invest in the dip?
Joe Willock – £20m
Hector – £30m
Reiss – £10m
Leno – £25m
Xhaka – £18m
Matteo – £8m
AMN – £20m
Mavropanos – £15m
Cal Chambers – £20m
There are deals to be made this summer and clubs are going to deal with us.
So in short, don’t shit your pants that we’re adding quality to our defence that we need. Our system doesn’t work without a ballplayer center-back and Saliba would be a huge risk to start there. What happened to Liverpool when they lost quality in defence? They dropped 30 points. What happened to City when they added Reuben Dias? He was one of their best players and they smashed the league. Uncomfortable defenders blow our system. A centre-back and right back that can invert move our attack forward.
There will be new midfielders, no doubt. Xhaka needs replacing. Ceballos needs replacing.
Don’t fret about the summer because the order makes no sense. Don’t fret about fees because there’s a complete plan about all the positions. Just worry about quality.
Right, on that note, I’ll see you in the comments. x
That wasn’t a well taken penalty at all
Serge
Have you heard of Benjamin White up until yesterday?
We are Arsenal, dont forget that!
Ernest
You belong to Rich then.
Tom is usually a witty considerate poster. He ought to have just apologized and moved on.
I must admit that up until White’s call up to the England squad, i had honestly not been aware of him. Maybe thats why the discussion surrounding him is the way it is? He’s basically anonymous and 40 million for anonymous is quite a sum.
I see Roberto Martinez and see the future of Mikel Arteta:
______
Dont say that Radio.. Roberto will probably be our next manager. Hiring Henry as an assistant coach he has practically one foot in the door.
Martinez is an encyclopedia of football knowledge and tactics but not sure how good of man manager/ squad builder he is.. international football suits him… can tactics his way through a short tournament.
LOL Diss. I will stick to myself thanks.
Dissenter’s boi Hojberg missing the vital penalty.
Rich, yep I don’t disagree. I have said all along our problem is the playing personnel. We have had to compromise & experiment because of simply not having the right players to implement the balance required to play the way discussed. That is why this window is so important.
Amazed that Zhirkov is still knocking about too.
That Chelsea transfer feels about 15+ years ago but it was actually only in 2009 surprisingly.
Mid
His achievement with Wigan winning the FA Cup his most impressive for me. International football might suit him like you say but still think Belgium have underachieved with the generational talent they’ve had the last 6 years. They had a side to win an international trophy.
Like I said yesterday, it’s either we are not buying an expensive defender or Kroenke has put big money on the table for the summer.
A defender is glaringly not as important for us as a 10 and a good partner for Partey. Then the fact that we went for Aguero shows we are looking for a striker as well.
I think we are in for a big summer courtesy Mr Ek’s pressure.
Bris, there’s money to spend this summer and it’ll be a busy one.
Russia are a bit shit.. Did they have an easy qualifying group or something?
Dissenter Maybe Tom didn’t see it? You’re innocent until proven guilty, not guilty until proven innocent People can try to hide the fact they went after him straight away, but the comments are conclusive, that nobody asked him, they just assumed If you’re happy to condemn someone for something you think the did, without any proof, then that doesn’t surprise me It’s the way mob rule and cancel culture works, you don’t want an apology, you want submission and conformity, while highlighting your own virtues, in order to feed your own vanity Talking about football on a football forum, is… Read more »
Pedro – Lets hope it’s spent on quality and not Chelsea cast-offs.
‘Bris, there’s money to spend this summer and it’ll be a busy one.’
Honestly any other approach from Kroenke would show him as either dumb or cynical, considering the situation with the fans and the legends and Ek.
Lacaqualidie, think we’re going to have a good summer, honestly, I have high hopes. Loads going, some good stuff coming in.
‘Pedro – Lets hope it’s spent on quality and not Chelsea cast-offs.’
I believe we will be more prudent this time.
Only Rich could turn a near tragic incident into a diatribe on political correctness.
Stick to football and climb down off your hobby horse.
Guys, keep it to football.
How many do you see us bringing in Pedro and in what areas?
And same on the outs.
Pedro
Firstly if Emery was buying a 50m CB in this climate, you’d be spitting feathers.
Secondly. Liverpool didn’t just lose VVD. They had massive injuries to a few of their defenders.
Thirdly. City added Dias, they also had Rodrigo and Fernandinho, KDB, sitting in front of him.
A 50m CB is way way down our list of priorities this season.
Andy
I’m standing up for Tom, and giving him the benefit of the doubt
Hardly unreasonable
I posted something about Pedro’s ridiculous £30 million valuation for Bellerin, without knowing what had happened
Only you could turn me making the point that people may have jumped the gun, into portraying me as making a political point that wasn’t political,…..
Maybe it’s you who’s obsessed?…..
WE, I think 5 minimum at RCB, RB, midfield, and maybe attack.
Think they’ll clear as much of the squad as possible.
My hope is the replacements are in the age profile we seemed to be getting linked to. 24 or younger, high ceiling, the exact technical profiled that’ll move us forward.
Think it’ll be a blend of Prem ready and bargains in Europe.
Danny, I can’t be having you taking a fee of £50m at face value and excusing a Premier League winning squad finishing with 30 points less than the season before.
Assume the worst with Arsenal, excuse other clubs for things you wouldn’t accept me saying about Arsenal.
Evening, Glad to see it looks like errikson is ok. Pedro, I hope your right about there being money to spend, although I’m not holding my breath. We’ve been here too many times before, watching arsenal balls up the transfer window, with a last minute trolley dash. How many times have we desperately needed a position fixing to go and watch us buy in another area. Need a goalkeeper, let’s get an attacking midfield instead. Striker required, nothing beats signing a full back. We all know what we need, I’m just hoping we dont put all our eggs in the… Read more »
WE, also think the Buendia move means Odegaard is now unlikely, know that’s a win in your mind.
Pedro
I agree. Just because the journalists or other fake ITK aren’t talking about players doesn’t mean things aren’t happening. The window has only just opened and there are other distractions like the Euros. Our squad has severe weaknesses and everyone knows that so, of course, there will he considerable movement. The reactionary stuff is pointless until contracts have been agreed because speculation is usually just a guess.
AFC, the intention is a busy summer… remains to be seen if we can deliver on it
“If Arsenal can raise £100m, which we’re almost 30% of the way there now,”
Have we shifted anyone else for a fee? Xhaka’s on his way but I can’t think of any other moves yet.
Would like to hear more news about Willian and Bellerin leaving.. to pick up my optimism. .
Marc, Xhaka for £20m nearly done, Matteo for £10m, nearly done.
Danny S
“Firstly if Emery was buying a 50m CB in this climate, you’d be spitting feathers.”
So would I. He proved unable to set us up without the ball, it wasn’t a centre back issue it was tactical.
Midwest, suspect that Willian might move to protect Edu, and Hector is certainly off this summer. PSG bid £35m last year apparently, should get a nice fee for him.
Pedro,
What makes this summer any different from previous summer’s?
We needed to move dead wood for the last five years under three managers and it hasn’t happened.
Ridiculous contracts that were given out meant nobody could afford fees.and we end up giving players away for pittance.
Why is this the summer it changes?
“WE, also think the Buendia move means Odegaard is now unlikely, know that’s a win in your mind.“
What do you mean Pedro?
Pedro
Cheers – been at a family thing all day – niece’s 4th Birthday and I’m bloody knackered! My brothers kids don’t stop someone should plug them into the national grid for 10 minutes they’d power the entire country for the rest of the year.
Emery never bought a single player – they were all bought for him good players or bad.
Thanks Peds… Hope your right. If we move Xhaka, Willian and Bellerin.. That’s a good start to changing things for the better
Marc, feeling your pain… they never stop!
CC, that the Buendia move was related to the likelihood that Odegaard isn’t coming back… not 100 on that, but I think that was why we went there.
Pedro June 12, 2021 20:54:11 Lacaqualidie, think we’re going to have a good summer, honestly, I have high hopes. Loads going, some good stuff coming in. —————————— The last 10 years of transfer windows has turned me into a right old cynic! I wish it weren’t so. A top qualidie signing was always one to get the fans going. I remember when Bergkamp was presented in an Arsenal shirt and it was like a dream come true. A seminal moment. We’ve had so many mixed bags over the last few years so I hope they are going to really get… Read more »
Pedro
excusing a Premier League winning squad finishing with 30 points less than the season before.
Oh dear Pedro.
Liverpool had 3 main first team CB.
VVD 5 apps
Gomez 7 apps
Matip 10 apps
That’s a fucking crisis! Imagine the arsenal invincible team without Campbell and Toure.
But yeah you push that agenda.
Up 4 grabs,
Because this is the first proper summer Edu has had with his new model for scouting.
It will be vastly different.
Pedro, yep actions speak louder than words.
For me it isn’t an option. The squad the manager inherited was over bloated, poorly balanced and not suitable for a more possession based game which has meant too much compromise imo. This could get exciting, I’m looking forward to the summer!
We’ve been linked with almost every player in world football
The ITK’s are really covering their bases this transfer window
Pedro
One just turned 2, one just turned 4 and an 11 year old. I don’t know how my brother copes it’s fucking bedlam.
Pedro
I’d hope not, didn’t make much of an effort for Buendia at all. Saw it in addition to Odegaard personally, provided the price was 30 mil.
Would explain interest in the Correa guy for around 20-25 mil, he’s no Odegaard replacement.
Danny, so you’re saying that, yes, centre backs are worth 30 points… which is my point.
So buying a good RCB is probably a good idea which is why Edu has it as a priority.
Rich
Been that way since at least 1995 or so – that’s as far back as I can remember.
If I had a pound for every bullshit rumour / transfer link in that time we could have an almighty Le Grove piss up.
If it’s no Buendia and no Odegaard just who are we targetting as a CM/AM?
Pedro,
Didn’t we fire all the scouts.
Then a week or so ago try and bring a load of new ones in?
Summer targets should have been identified in January to negotiate with now.
If he’s getting a team together let’s hope the plan isn’t he’s Brazilian sign him.
Rich, I think part of it is covering our bases… we’re not exactly a prime destination, so we’ll need to have options.
Rich
“We’ve been linked with almost every player in world football”
With the outrage to match!!! The moon is made of cheese.
I would love to know what Geoff from Le Grove of yesteryear thinks of Arteta and the whole current Arsenal situation. I’m 99.9% sure it would not be on par with Pedro’s thinking.
Up 4 grabs now, we have analysts doing the job of scouts and they will have been working on the summer for a long time.
Marc
I have a 6 month, 2yo, 7yo, 9yo, 11yo and 13yo.
Once you accept that your life is not going to be peaceful or relaxing for at least 15 years, it gets easier.
Bloody hell Danny, you must be tired all the time.
Blimey Danny you should have had the snip! Lol
Haha nice Danny but why the 5 year layoff between the 2yo and the 7yo? You were slacking.
Pedro
I’m saying that we had the 2nd best defence fir 23 games last season that was your own much highlighted stat.
So to me, CB position is quite far down the list. Especially 40-50m on one.
Liverpool lost 3 first team CB. That’s an exceptional situation that can cost you deerly.
That’s not the difference between adding a slightly better CB to your team.
Danny S
I have a 32 year old, a 29 year old and a 27 year old – all threatening to have kids any time soon!!! I’m enjoying my current peaceful years and the alcohol I choose to consume – as opposed to the alcohol I would be compelled to take!
Danny
Fuck me I’ve only an afternoon of it and I’m thinking about going to bed at half nine on a Saturday – what the fuck happened to me?
Pedro,
When it comes to arsenal and transfers it always the same.
It’s like building a house, we’re worrying about slates for the roof when the foundation hasn’t been layed.
But we’ve bought a nice mail box and a door mat when we have a hole in the ground.
Pedro
It’s exhausting but rewarding. As I say, you just accept that there will be no rest. Makes it easier!
Up4 grabs
Missus keeps on about that. I don’t think I have the balls though. 😬
Midwest
No slacking! Just a change in parter. Transferred the old one out and brought in a younger more exciting prospect.
No slacking! Just a change in partner. Transferred the old one out and brought in a younger more exciting prospect.
____
Oh ok… say no more.. Good squad management .. got you. 😀
‘Once you accept that your life is not going to be peaceful or relaxing for at least 15 years, it gets easier.’
You may not relax much at home but those creatures are agents of peace…or so I find.
Danny, we had the 3rd best defence for the whole season this time around, doesn’t mean we should pretend that our CBs don’t need upgrading.
Ben White can move the ball between the lines with his passing, he can break them with dribbling, and he’s pretty fast. That’s the upgrade we need because the current options on offer are not at the level needed for the system we have.
If we sign him, he’ll not be the only player. But I would not turn down a player like Ben White if we can afford him.
AFC
Grandkids have to be easier. You can give the fuckers back at least!
Cg have I heard of Ben white ? of course I have heard of Ben white, where do you think most good players come from ? They don’t all come from top top teams, where was van dyk before pool ? Where was Gigi wijnaldum ? Dias, Mahrez Kante etc they all come from crappy little clubs Pires Freddie Dixon bould winterburn back in the day, Wright ? Most players come from small provincial clubs so forgive me for not thinking we are Arsenal is the way to go We are screwing the transfers up because we are not picking… Read more »
Up 4 grabs, we have good foundations at Arsenal.
Danny,
I think having the balls is the problem!!!!!
Marc
They drain you! I honestly think they sap your energy to power themselves.
Danny
That’s why I always liked being uncle – I was their sugar dealer get them hopped up and hand them back. Problem now is with 3 of them it’s too much.
Danny
It’s the same effect Xhaka used to have on the talent of his teammates!
Pedro
We’re a massive club, playing in the most competitive league in the world
Some of the very elite players are out of our reach
But we can pay amongst the highest wages, and this is the first time we’ve been outside European competition in 26 years
There’s currently one more attractive destinations, but we’re still a massive draw
Danny S
About the CB subject I feel you may be missing the point. It’s not about him being a centre back, per say, it’s about how he affects the team tactically. If you refer to the previous discussions about possession based football and the fluidity of a system that progresses from 4 to 3 it makes sense. It is actually a real problem we have playing out. If you look at what Man City did adding Ruben Dias it makes sense. It’s the sum of all parts.
U4G
Makes my balls retreat up inside me just thinking about it. Haha
Danny 6 kids wow I have 3 that’s good enough for me you must drive a seven seater and have 3 kids per bedroom lol
I stopped at 3 because I could not deal with giving up a nice car for a van with windows lol
Plus I want to go to the Arsenal and don’t want my wife saying we have 6 kids you ain’t going nowhere
Pedro,
We don’t even have a settled back four,
A non existent midfield and we’re not even sure if auba will be our main striker.
Oh and apparently our goal keeper wants out.
Not my idea of a good foundation.
Rich, certainly, but the sort of talent we are looking at comes with competition.
Marc
It’s the same effect Xhaka used to have on the talent of his teammates!
😂 that’s how he plays 48 games a season. He feeds off them.
Rich
“There’s currently one more attractive destinations, but we’re still a massive draw”
We are the Arsenal. Heritage is so important. It’s like buying a car, people want to he seen in a Porsche, Merc, BMW etc. Just because the style of their cars decline doesn’t necessarily reflect their appeal. Despite what people try to paint, Arsenal is a monster of a brand and playing for us is a privilege. Class is permanent, form is temporary.
Pedro
Have you seen a film called Margin Call? If not worth a watch but the line from Jeremy Irons character is spot on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag14Ao_xO4c
Lukaku lovely goal
AFC
If you have a better CM pairing then you immediately take pressure off the defence.
Same as if we had a better RB than Bellerin.
I really don’t believe our CB situation needs 40-50m worth of rectification.
CG Again
Lukaklu.
Who thinks holding is a first choice top 4 player ? Upgrade him then
Lukaku again.. He is on fire, lately. Anyhow, didn’t learn much in that game other then Russia aren’t very good.
On to England v Croatia tomorrow. big match.
Mr Serge
I used to buy a new car every 3 years! Now I have a fucking VW transporter! Haha
Mr Serge
I used to buy a new car every 3 years! Now I have a fucking VW transporter! Haha
Marc, not sure which line you are talking about?
Danny S
“Grandkids have to be easier. You can give the fuckers back at least!”
I’m still playing football so the idea of my kids having kids makes me feel sick. I’m only late fifties, I’m not ready for annoying pests shattering my peace & enjoyment. while making me feel life has passed me by! Fair play, 6 kids so you’ve probably got 12 plus grandkids to look forward to. I’d emigrate.
Serge
There are very few players in our squad that can’t be upgraded. The argument is with limited resources what are the priorities – if Pedro is right and the Kroenke’s are going to green light a good chunk of change then there’s no problem. What many are wary of is not having money to fix all of the problem areas and spending where we have a good number of options.
Pedro
Be first, be smart or cheat.
When it comes to buying talent be first and get them before everyone else is after them – being smart doesn’t hurt either though!
If we fix the other problems in the team then get a centreback I’m all for it.
But other areas need sorting first.
If we played with wingers we don’t need the full backs to bomb in which protects the back four.
If we do that the midfield doesn’t have to sit so deep and there isn’t a huge gap between midfield and attackers.
Danny is it the sexy be transporter with the full kit on it ?
Or a standard one ?
AFC
Emigrate? No chance.
My missus has a 6 month old baby and she’s already looking forward to grandkids! I’m never going to escape it.
Marc, I think the club will try and be smart this summer… for once.
Serge
It’s a bog standard 4 wheels, steering wheel and 8 seats shed on wheels.
Up 4 Grabs, I am totally sure you don’t stack your shopping basket for the weekly shop based on the foods you will eat first. Same thing. This is real life, there’s no defined order in which we fix the collective.