Well Arsenal fans, I think we’re at that stage of the transfer window where we’re starting to see slight patterns emerge. 4 days. Yep, I have patterns to share.
- We’re going to be in a scrum for players this summer
- We’re going to sell a lot
- We’re going to buy a lot
Arsenal has money to spend, no doubt about it. The KSE apology tour comes with Benjamins.
Arteta seems willing to move on players we thought were his favorites, Granit Xhaka proving out there’s a ruthless streak we didn’t know existed, especially after last summer when it felt like he hoarded.
If things go well, we’re likely to see a very different 25-man squad next season. Wenger said you shouldn’t add more than 3 players, well, we’ll need at least 5 to stand still.
This is a hugely consequential moment however you cut it.
The thing that’s exciting me the most is the profile of player we’re looking at. I’ve been writing for years that we need to shift to a Dortmund+ model if we want to get back to the top. That means you adopt a model where you create a good coaching environment for the best young players in Europe and you snatch at them before it they the top level. Monaco, Leipzig, Atleti, Lille, Dortmund, and Ajax are superb at this.
The better you get at it, the more you make in player sales, the bigger the pot you have to play with each season. Arsenal needs to get good at selling if we want to get back to the top. That’s why it’s essential this summer is clever.
Ivan G convinced himself we could get back to the top by signing ‘experienced’ players in their prime. It did not work. Sven Mislintat barely got going before he left after seeing what the Barca guy was up to. Don Raul, the least creative of our football hires, thought you could beat the market using ‘contacts’ scouting, it did not work. Now Edu has the chance to show the world he can do something more interesting than what has gone before.
Edu has done some VERY weird stuff, but if we’re going to be kind, maybe we can lay the blame at the door at over-controlling scuzzy execs that are now out the door. This summer will be his last if he fails. Career death has a funny way of sharpening the mind. It is not a surprise that the Brazilian player cartel has told Willian to move on this summer. I expect best behaviour and signings closer to Martinelli and Partey vs Willian and Cedric Soares.
So far, things are looking sexier. The average age of the players we’ve been linked to is lower. The names are coming from less obvious sources. There have been very few names linked to mega-agents. Everything on paper ‘feels’ smarter.
Emi Buendia is the sort of player Arsenal SHOULD be looking at. Young, great technically, perfect athletic profile, ready to bang… without doubt we moved for him, there are just too many big journos on it to think otherwise. Something clearly put Arsenal off, because we are a bigger pull and no way he’s says no if we’re at offer stage. However, the ‘why’ it failed doesn’t fuss me. Who cares? Didn’t like the slag anyway. What seems clear is:
- Martin Odegaard might be harder to sign than we hoped. No way we’re signing two creators in that #10 role this summer
- If the Norwegian is off the agenda, we are might be looking for someone who can bring energy and numbers to the operation
If you can’t make Buendia work, fund someone that has lookalike statistics. Rodrigo De Paul? Sure, maybe last season when the Le Grove comments section was repping him, but probably too late now, once Mino is involved, you’re dead. But what does he have that we need as well? Bang-bang energy, chance creation, power, pace, ability to transition the ball PLUS sexy versatility.
Who else could we find? Well, we’re being linked with Lazio’s Joaquin Correa, for £17m. He plays as a second striker, but can very much occupy that hole in behind like a #10. He has pace, strength, great technical skills and he can move through tight spaces. Do I know if we’re in for him? No. But do I like the idea we’re looking where other clubs aren’t? Absolutely.
We didn’t nab Buendia, but two players that could do something similar are linked right after. Again, I have no idea if I’m the conspiracy theorist piecing together the relationship between Elon Musk and the Bill Gates tracker bots he put in the covid vaccine… but the rumours feel smarter than they did last summer.
Our transfer window cannot be about chasing the coattails of clubs already in the Champions League. There is a HUGE opportunity to take advantage of a burning European transfer market and build a squad that can bang. Give a stupid Tech Director £100m and they blow it on a player that will return fuck all. Give it to a smart one, they’ll turn that into £250m.
Do we have the Edu who took £36m and turned it into Willian over 3 years? Or the guy that pulled Martinelli out of Brazil and made him a £50m youth sensation that Klopp called a GOD? Who knows. Who knows.
But the rumours are sexier…
Lokongo, yes please. Huge potential from a country that has players banging all over the world.
Caqueret? Absolutely. The French league is full of diamonds and their clubs are BROKE.
Onana? What a good bit of business that would be.
Locatelli? He’s a big boy, but what a player.
Barella? OH MY LORD YES PLEASE.
Smart money can still be sexy.
There are obviously going to be positions we have to stock with Premier-League-ready players. I understand that. If you ship Xhaka, you can’t give his role to someone that’ll take 5 months to settle in England because that position is so important and the fans will oust Arteta if that doesn’t work.
Same for the RCB position. I honestly find the rage surrounding Saliba baffling, because it generally comes from the people most critical of Arteta’s inexperience. No club in the world takes a chance on a 20-year-old center-back for the first team with no Premier League or Championship experience. That. Would. Be. Absurd.
… but, if you bring in Ben White or someone of his profile, then Saliba has a good mentor and we can develop an amazing talent over the season in conjunction with a player that can give us stability (To just regulate how crazy starting Saliba in our defence at 20 is, remember, Brighton sent Ben White to Leeds at 21). I honestly believe Saliba is the safest of our centre-backs because he’s the only one that can play football the way Arteta needs him to play.
People also need to move away from the idea that you sign players in order of need.
No one slags their mum on Twitter for not loading the weekly food shop in order of physiological priority.
‘MUM I NEED TO SEE LEGUMES IN THE TROLLEY FIRST, WHY WOULD YOU PRIORITISE PICKLED ONION MONSTER MUNCH YOU LUNATIC?’
A transfer window is a jigsaw puzzle. There are 5 or 6 pieces that need to drop in. It doesn’t matter which order as long as each piece is filled come the end of July.
So there’s the view of the summer patterns.
Hopefully, we can ship players out in a ruthless fashion.
Hopefully, we can buy with intelligence and do it with speed.
Hopefully, 80% of the deals we do can impact the starting 11 before December.
This is the true start of a new era. Let’s see what the club has. If it’s shit, we’re absolutely finished.
____________________________________________________
The Christian Eriksen collapse was the worst thing I’ve seen in live sport.
This is not a moment for finger-wagging about things we do not understand.
We should celebrate the rapid reaction of everyone involved, especially the talented medics that kept him with us. We should celebrate the leadership of the players on the pitch. We should pray to whoever we pray to and celebrate that Christian is alive.
Life is really precious, there’s nothing more important, let’s hope he gets back to his best as soon as possible. xxx
England will only win trophies if they do what France and Germany did to win the WC,
treat naturalised citizens as equals
Spain and Italy have some Moor genes in them
Konrad Laimer back in action. He was excellent when Leipzig knocked out Spurs in 19/20 CL.
I remember us being linked to death to this Bardhi chap haha.
Thank fuck we thought better on that one at least.
Almunia
Looking forward to the Dutch match, out of that trio De Jong for sure is the best right now but Gravenberch has a scary high ceiling.
Ukraine have a very nice player in Malinovskiy the Atalanta lad.
Pandev scored, did a knee slide and then a little jiggle
Dream10June 13, 2021 17:15:53
Phd2020
Yep Alaba will be a Real player. They offered him a salary Bayern weren’t willing to match.
————-
Happy for him.Always liked Alaba, a dependable,solid and consistent performer,that can also play in a variety of positions when called upon.
I remember championing him(Alaba) and Jordi Alba circa 2012/13 I think, for the left back position at Arsenal.
Wesley Sneijder giving unsolicited advice to Onana on live TV:
“I expect him to leave.
“I think he is a great goalkeeper. European top? Yes, certainly.
“I’d rather not see him at Arsenal. It’s a fantastic club, but it has slipped in recent years.”
There’s a price to pay for staying conservative and letting your manager keep his job after two consecutive 8th place finishes.
How do you convince a top player to join Arsenal these days, besides overplaying them?
For Onana, maybe for seeking his transfer, even wile he’s banned.
*overpaying them
Wenger eagle
Even if VVD and Van der Beek were available they still seem very light up front. I remember when we beat the Dutch at lansdowne to qualify for WC ’02, at one stage they had Overmars,Kluivert, Van Nistelrooy, Hasselbaink and Van Hooijdonk all on the pitch together. Am I missing something/someone? Where do their goals come from?
Diss because we are a big club form is temporary how did we manage to get Bergkamp when we were out of Europe in the 90s
Mr. Serge
Broken clock theory; is bound to be right sometimes
Sometime the stars align perfectly and the most unlikely of signings can be done.
Like Cazorla when the owners of Malaga had to do a fire sale.
We have made too many bog errors recently to still keep deluding ourselves that we won’t need to convince some payers about our ambition.
What comment Pedro? I made an innocuous comment unless theres another left (and i have yet to be binned!)
Almunia
Yeah mate that is their achilles heel, they have no top class striker. Shame really because they have always had amazing ones in Van Basten, Bergkamp, Kluivert, Hasselbaink, Van Nistelrooy and Van Persie.
Weghorst is their best available but he’s a lump, as immobile as Giroud. Good player but very limited with the ball at his feet outside the box.
Depay is their go to man and plays through the middle.
Left
You didn’t mention Oatmilk did you?
So a 23 old with about 20 more first team games than a 20 year old is going to be the 20 year olds mentor. Not likely. In addition your obsession that “no club in the world takes a chance on a 20-year-old center-back for the first team with no Premier League or Championship experience”, is demonstrably ridiculous. St. Etienne started two teenagers in Saliba and Fofana, two seasons ago, so I assume you meant any big club or maybe any Premier League Club given the reference to the Championship. But obviously Fofana has started for Leicester City, Upamecano became… Read more »
No Marc, he made a childish comment about women in football.
Ohh Marc/Pedro its not me, might be Left Testicles or whoever else is a left imposter 😄
Djokovic about to win the French Open Final after being 2 sets down.
I only made the comment about Sterlings goal, less sauce Pedro its only just gone 1pm where you are!
haha, sorry Left… not you!
NWM
Both Adams and Keown made their league debts for Arsenal before they were 20. Keown made his league debut on loan to Brighton at 18 and Arsenal at 19.
Pedro
So what you’re saying is all these recent bans and none of it was actually me?
Wenger eagle
Yeah,thanks for that man. The only thing I suppose is that having a class striker i
Marc, your love of oatmilk keep is like a #ArtetaIn to me
Wenger eagle
Sorry I was saying that having a class striker isn’t necessarily a prerequisite for winning a major tournament, Italy won the WC in ’06 with a striker called lucky Tony, so who knows?
Pedro
Er? Mate I don’t drink tea or coffee in fact he only time I ever buy milk is if I’m making Yorkshire Puddings or white sauce.
Ah man I used to drink coffee periodically but for the last few years its everyday or most days now.
Almunia
Yeah but “lucky Tony” was the son of the head of the Calabrese family and all the keeper’s new that making a save would lead you to sleeping with the fishes.
England painfully ordinary earlier but at least got the result but jeez that was the most boring match I’ve seen so far.
North Macedonia giving at a fair crack here, good for them.
Bati
I can never figure whether England are so boring because the expectation level is so high or it’s just that they’re really that boring.
Austria manager clueless having Alaba at CB
Marc
I know it was the first game and all but goodness me the double pivot in midfield and no Sancho and Grealish too. Playing with so mush fear doesn’t win you tournaments well unless they’re not really there to win it. The idea is always to play your best and in form players at these things
Not a fan but big respect for the Joker in that match. Tsips really let that slip then got bulldozed.
Djoker eding closer to being the undisputed GOAT and I say that as a Rafa fan.
19 slams, 20 imo would be enough and 21+ and it is no longer even a debate to be had.
Lovely goal, Alaba assist.
Nice assist from Alaba.
To be fair N. Macedonia were given Austria a torrid time,especially in the second half.
Marc/Bati
Actually Bati you might know if this is true but I’m pretty sure that Luca Toni holds the record(never to be broken) of being the top scorer for a world cup winning team with 2 goals in the tournament. Only that Italian team could have done that,Pirlo was superb,Buffon magnificent,but there isn’t a word for the display that Cannavaro gave in defending throughout the entire tournament.
Almunia
Yeah Spain in 2012 only other team can remember winning without a top starting CF option but they had the best midfield ever quite possibly.
Southgate has to be one of the most dullest managers ever.
With the current crop of players I think it’s actually harder to make them not score than to get them scoring so credit to him there.
Of course there will be changes in he squad come summer, but I’m not at all sure they will be big scale or include numerous newcomers. Most will be as anticipated: the return of AMN and Willock, the integration of Saliba, the departure of the old and past-it, notably Xhaka, Bellerin, Willian. The sale of Leno is on the cards: if so, a new GK will arrive. Maybe Auba will leave – but his fee will pay for a replacement,, and we have readymade strikers anyway.. No Dani, maybe no Odegaard, and even no Laca. So for sure a top… Read more »
Alumunia
Yea true, very fond memories of 2006. The midfield options we had was insane to be honest but the backline won that world cup for us alongside Pirlo of course. Incredible feat really
To be fair to North Macedonia they’ve given this a right crack, more positive than even Denmark yesterday all circumstances included.
Looking toward to De Jong and co later tonight. Ukraine are a very good team on their day
Aldi Ibrahimovic sticks the knife in to make it.3.
Very harsh on Macedonia indeed Bati.
Bati My memory was of a team overcoming ridiculous obstacles. Nesta ruled out, materazzi then getting sent off and suspended, winning against Australia when playing with 10,a very good aussie team,did Buffon save a pen that day? Having to play the hosts in the semi and then trailing that incredible French team in the final. They seemed to be calling on guys who should have been retired, del piero, totti(he prob played for another decade after that!). And in the middle of it all was Luca Toni,one of the worst players I have ever seen play up front for the… Read more »
Never thought I would say this but Djoker is on course to become the undisputed GOAT.
Is bale a slap head and he hides his bald patch with that stupid 10 year old haircut ?
Live with it if so and cut it all off
Bati
Are you Italian born and bred? Or English with Italian roots?
Not watched tennis properly since the samprass agassi era I just watch Wimbledon sometimes I find it meh as a sport I really do
If you beat Fed at Wimbledon to win the slam and Rafa at Roland Garros to lift the title, you have achieved everything as a tennis player. Djoker will not only have the highest number of GS but also a better one vs one record against both Rafa and Fed.
Mr Serge
Yeah I am a casual Tennis fan myself. Big Rafa fan and will always watch Djokovic and Federer matches too but the interest isn’t really there past that.
I imagine I will stop watching once Nadal and Djokovic hang up the racket as I could care less about the mental midget next generation.
TR7
Yep, hurts me as a Rafa fan too.
Djokovic also has 5 World Tour Finals titles to Rafa’s 0 and has nearly twice as many weeks as World Number 1.
He has also won every Masters 1000 title twice, no other player has even won them all once.
If Djokovic finishes with 20+ slams which he will, he is the GOAT.
Is the COPA America still taking place?
You mean the tournament of death? Yes as far as I know.. Brazil plays Venezuela at 4 pm cdt. and Colombia plays Equador later.. but about half the Venezuela side is replacement players
Its on Fox in the USA not sure about other countries.
Thanks Midwest
Alumunia
As a Milan fan, thought without Nesta available we’d not go very far as he was our best defender prior m, memory of the Aussie game was the Totti pen really.
Half expected us to get knocked out by Germany and a huge part of me wants France to win the finals because they had Henry but man the celebrations and subsequent hangover was well worth it
Eagle
Mum’s Italian and Dad’s English but pretty much grew up over here with occasional visits to England.
Memphis is a fantastic player.
Big game tonight, Nets v Bucks
Nets win
Mental that Manure didn’t want to keep Memphis, Lukaku and can’t make Martial realize his insane potential.
Reminds me of Arteta’s handling of Saliba.
Good save by the Keeper… Depay had a head of steam up.
Depay showing the gears there, oof.
Good start to this game. Ukraine have some handful players
Damn if the game continues at this pace they should both be burned out by 30 mins in.
Holland playing some sweet stuff
Forgot Di Maria was in Manure too.
Denzel Dumfries – first time I’m watching this fella and I needed 10 minutes to like him. I hope we’ve looked at the player. We could use a quality Right Back. 25 yo and playing in PSV. Sounds gettable.
Raptora
He looks quality doesn’t he. Doesn’t just whip in crosses for the sake of it too
Bati,
Shit part is showing interest to a player after a big tournament. Adds 5-10m to the price lol.
Guy is a 188 cm giant too. Size is always important in set pieces and in crosses to the far post..
Midwest, yep it’s really has been high tempo stuff. Evening game so temperature is not like the earlier game. That England game was so boring; all that attacking talent stifled by his conservatism
How do Netherlands manage to always have a Van Nistelrooy/ Huntelaar CF copy?
Lol Raptora speaking of which Van is part of the current coaching set up too
Wijnaldum is so scary in the role he’s playing in his national team. Plays like attacking midfield.
Dumfries. LOL
Raporta man u handling of those players remind you of MA handling of Saliba really ??? Lol that’s funny
That was a fantastic save from Wijnaldum As for Dumfries header, the least said the better. Really entertaining game.
How is that the same bud ?
Wijnaldum has been one of the top three midfielders in the premier League the last three years in my view. Criminally underappreciated by many. Liverpool are a lesser side without him.
Serge,
They decided to sell all these top players leaving inferior players in the team.
Same as Arteta playing Holding, Mari and Mustafi when he had Saliba. Even versus Dundalk, Molde and Rapid Wien. If we sell him, we’ll make a big mistake.
Pedro Lokongo? if you meant that, very smart indeed. I do like a good joke, subtle yet very heavy, something Dave is a master of. Enjoyed the England game, I saw it as a showcase of sterling. The premier league has shaped European football, at one point I realised, Phillips, some guy that plays for Leeds. Has been coached by Bielsa! England I thought controlled that game nicely given the circumstances. The talent, coaching and athleticism was very apparent. The bench was literally nuts! I’ll be very disappointed if we don’t make the final. I agree, huge turnover this summer,… Read more »
Radio Raheem
Yes I would agree, he is top quality.
Raporta Lukaku played lots of times for man u they deemed him not good enough which is crazy same as di Maria so that’s not the same
I would agree it’s similar to depay not sure they ever really have him a chance,if we do that with Saliba you then have a point
Saliba seems to be a cult hero for the Arteta Out crowd, no idea why? Not as if he’s actually achieved or done anything, other than film someone having a w*nk. Must be a bunch of pervs on here…???!!!!
AFC forever lol so true he is the poster boy for the MA out brigade
AFC F
I call it the ‘generation now algorithm’, not knocking it, is what it is. The furor around Saliba is fascinating though, finally, we get a potential beast in defence, our very own Varane or VVD, fingers crossed.
We should lone him to Leeds, they seem to know what they’re doing over there and he’ll have to play Raphinha everyday.
Curse, the GNA sounds interesting!
Dutch playing possession football but with pace and power just like Arsenal 98 – 05. Not snailball like we’ve seen at the Emirates recently.
This Dutch side move the ball quickly. Wijjnaldum oozing class, big loss for Liverpool.
Damn… I had to take a phone call right when the Dutch scored all their goals … I hate when that happens. But yeah the Dutch have been impressive. They could easily be winning 6 or 7 to 0.
AFCF
it’s a lot less interesting than it sounds lol, plenty of other algorithms worth the limited time we have down here.
how could you not like the Dutch, sad to see DVD leave. real sad.
AFC my pool mate recons they will replace wijnaldum and evolve like they did when they sold Coutinho
The arrogance of the pool fans is hillarious
I used to love Rinus Michel’s Total Football philosophy of the 1970’s. A system where every outfield player could play each others role.. The 1974 Dutch team was fantastic to watch, every player a baller. Cruyff, Neeskins Johhny Rep, Krol – best team never to win the World Cup.
Whoaaaa Yarmalenko out of nowhere.
Mr Serge
that’s hilarious. but I can see why they would think that and they have enough credit in the bank to make it happen I think. still funny tho
yarma
what a game. good day for football.
can’t wait for Tuesday and group F-uckery
Pools transfer dealings have been hit and miss I would love them to spend ,40m and get a dud I really dislike the bin dippers
Liverpools best player has always been Anfield…! When they sold Coutinho they received a huge amount of cash. Not so Wijnaldum. What a player to Lose.
So much for Holland doing well