Well, Arsenal transfer rumours took a rocket ship to the moon with stories emerging about a potential summer blockbuster of JAMES MADDISON TO THE GOONERS.
It’s a weird one, right?
It tells you a few things.
Firstly, there’s clearly a big pot of money on offer if we’re considering an English creator as part of the business this summer.
Secondly, if there’s a pattern emerging, it appears to be that we’re fixing the spine of the squad with Premier League ready players.
I’m at the point with Arsenal that I wonder about the viability of some of this ambition, even if we do have the money on offer. Arsenal is clearly massive, but Maddison just feels a little bit beyond where we are as a club right now?
Would it be a good signing? Clearly. The player scores, creates, and his injuries cost Leicester big time last season (we love signing players with injury records).
It just seems expensive. Like, all the bankruptcy in Europe and the extent of our scouting curiosity is James Maddison and Ben White? I don’t think you can argue the quality, you might argue if you could do more with that money. It feels like Arsenal are attempting the Liverpool Allisson/VVD before we’re in good enough shape to move there.
Again, I sound like a brat. OF COURSE I would take those two players. They instantly move Arsenal up a level. It just feels odd that 18 months ago Arsenal leadership was sending emails to turn off the computers at the mains, now we’re about to spend £100m on two players?
Some apology tour from Josh K.
Whatever we do will be a hybrid model. We’ve bid £15m for Sambi Lokonga. Ornstein confirming it. This is an Arsenal of old move. A transfer that would reflect the moment. A player that Arsene would have signed. He’ll be for the squad-depth like Saliba, but the exact sort of player you want to be able to call on when the inevitable injuries come. A season or twos worth of experience, correct technical and athletic profile, and a look-a-like for a more senior player. He would represent the sort of value we need to be sourcing.
The Arsenal fixture list dropped.
- Brentford (a)
- Chelsea (h)
- Man City (a)
- Norwich (h)
- Burnley (a)
- Spurs (h)
3 tough games and 3 games we should be taking maximum points from. City is the one I worry about most if I’m honest. We caved to them last season and showed too much respect. The others are all winnable.
The bigger point of interest is that most of our big games in the first half of the season are away games. Only Chelsea and Spurs are going to be home games. That works for the pattern our season will likely take > Lots of change = choppy start.
The key to the first three months is to not shit the bed like we did last season. If we can get off to a confident start and stay firmly in the pack, we’ll be better from January onwards, without doubt. If we soil ourselves like last year, it’s Nuno time in January.
The other big watch-out for Edu is those first 10 games need to be good. He can’t be pissing around with deadline day specials like he did last season. We need to have settled squad as close to the start of preseason as possible. We’re at June 16th and there’s next to nothing rock solid brewing in the market that we know of… chop, chop Edu.
Aston Villa, according to The Athletic, have been hounding Arsenal for Emile Smith Rowe. They dropped £25m in the old fax machine and we said no. Great that other clubs covet our young players, a bit of a worry that Villa is bullying us. This is a balls-out move from them, they are trying to tell the world they are on the up and want to be recognized as a top club, they are showing Grealish they want to compete, and they are giving their fans (and some of my pals) banter ammo. Breathtaking cheek, but the audacity has to be saluted.
Right, that’s me done. I recorded a second podcast yesterday with Johnny, we talked about Neves, Saliba, and Lokonga. It was a good listen. If you want a cracking read, check out Adam’s debut piece where he deep dives into some data to uncover some very interesting insights.
raptoraJune 16, 2021 17:23:49
Ramsey again… WTF
——–
Where the heck is Rambo Ramsey from India?
“But would you honestly as a footballer sacrifice the chance of winning a World Cup or a Euro Championship Cup, over taking a moral stand over a fizzy drink?”
Fair point, but perhaps it takes a big name like a Ronaldo to take that stand and send a message. Pogba on the other hand is more likely just a smartass idiot than a real vessel for change.
Marc –
I agree with Ron in principle – soft drinks are so, so bad for you.
His stance would play better if he hadn’t taken endorsement dollars from them in the past though.
$4bill fluctuation small potatoes for Coca-Cola.
Villa want ESR? Tell them we want Martinez and Grealish, in return they will soon get the message. What a bunch of posers, they manage to overpay for Buendia and suddenly they think they are a bigger than us?
Ernest
How you doing mate?
As I’ve already said anyone expecting lots of biz to be done in the Euro’s is mad. It’s tough during a tournament at the best of times with the COVID restrictions it just makes it even more difficult.
*bigger club
Sponsors of international tournament do not pay players.
They pay the organiser and the organiser distribute some of the money back to the national FAs.
That does not mean that players have to willingly accept any sponsors message.
Demba Ba refused to have a gambling site sponsor on his shirt. He was fined for it and in the end came to an agreement where part of his salary paid by the sponsor would in fact given to a charity of his choice.
This Ramsdale is overpriced garbage as well.
two successive relegations with Bournemouth and Sheffield Utd and Edu and Co now bidding £20 000 000 for his services.
(They cant surely believe he is worth the same as Martinez.)?
Why wouldn’t Villa pull a cheeky bid for ESR after the Martinez debacle.
Doing good Marc my good man – how are you and the family doing?
Oh lord, same fkin combination Bale to Ramsey 3rd time lucky. Finally!
3rd times a charm for Bale-Ramsay connection.
Phenomenal passes all day long.
Rambo is one of the best making these runs.
Ernest
Yeah I’m OK.
Come on Turkey fuck sake.
Ramsey finally on the scoresheet
Batistuta Our sponsorship + manufacturing deals are up in 2024 We need to be in a strong position in 18 months time to begin renegotiate increases on those deals, and that won’t happen if we don’t look at improving the product we put on the pitch KSE allowing the value of their asset and it’s brand, to continue diminishing, isn’t very smart, I just don’t see that happening, it’s not a viable plan, particularly as they describe themselves as long term owners They spent around £1,050,000,000 buying Arsenal, they’ve just reportedly turned down a bid around twice that When you… Read more »
“Why wouldn’t Villa pull a cheeky bid for ESR after the Martinez debacle.”
It is funny though when you consider they likely overpaid big time for Buendia, who really has proven nothing at the EPL level.
I would agree that when you find a dopey player who gives away good talent for peanuts, why not go to the same well to drink from again.
That bloke Ramsey gets into some good positions.
Ramsey could have scored a hat trick in one half lol
40 million bid for White simply confirms Saliba isn’t wanted. Arteta is indeed the small-minded man a lot of us think he is.
And Edu is a dunce for not putting his foot on the ground and stopping the bullshit going on.
Mugs all of them.
Rambo is the player with top distance covered in this half. Still in his prime.
Great finish by Ramsey.
I’m reduced to getting excited when ex arsenal players score in this competition due to the dearth of current arsenal players actaully featuring.
raptora
Yep Ramsey times his runs so well, always was his strength.
MarcJune 16, 2021 17:37:57 I wouldn’t need to listen to the average man in the street – like anything an occasional coke for a kid is no problem letting them drink 3 litres of the stuff a day is bad. As per the clip put up by Jamie earlier shows Ronaldo was more than happy to take the money before. ——– Come on Marc.He was young.People do evolve and grow. He’s now an established athlete and a mature man with kids,So,he knows,what’s good and what’s bad.He’s in that position to influence people or kids that look up to him,or want… Read more »
Find a player like Ramsey but without the injuries and I’d take that over a another ball recycler.
I’d be okay with Ramsey and ESR to switch in that 3rd midfield position. If Juve sell him on the cheap, we could save some massive money. And ESR will have a fantastic player to learn from.
PHD
Sorry but Capitalism is the only truth!
To be honest,I do have a soft spot for Wales.Like to see them go through.Also have a soft spot for Ireland,who are not in this tournament.
As for Scotland-no comment.
Newspapers in France are reported that Arsenal is definitely trying to sell Saliba to raise funds.
Marseilles and other clubs are only interested in a loan with an option to buy when Arsenal wants a straight sale.
The other impediment is the fact Saliba is said to only consider going to Nice or maybe StEtienne.
I understand him, Marseilles is a little bit of a basket case.
The performance of the tournament so far from Ramsey….Great off the ball runs, nice touches on the ball, good discipline and a quality finish
Valentin I don’t believe that for one minute about Saliba
MarcJune 16, 2021 17:51:11
PHD
Sorry but Capitalism is the only truth!
——-
I get your point.
I just liked the message he conveyed to the youngsters out there.
Water is healthy-screw fizzy drinks.
But anyhow,let’s enjoy the Wales match.I’d like to see them qualify.
Big words from you Pierre. Really nice to hear it!
Andy
“Find a player like Ramsey but without the injuries and I’d take that over a another ball recycler”
We already have that player …he scored 7 in 7 games for relegation bound Newcastle .
PHD
I was kidding – just a believer in don’t bite the hand that feeds you.
Andy
Yep. I would like to see us play with two number 8′ types, attacking mids making that third man run. Ramsey used to do it so too Freddie, it was all about their movement.
If the club is looking to sell Saliba then Arteta and Edu have to be sacked in the spot.
The worst part of it is we’d make a massive loss on the deal only to see him move in a year or two to fucking Leicester whilst all the Arteta boys will be saying “why can’t we do business like that”.
PierreJune 16, 2021 17:53:37
The performance of the tournament so far from Ramsey….Great off the ball runs, nice touches on the ball, good discipline and a quality finish
—-
Did you see the spirit of Ozil in Gareth Bale for the assist that conjured up Ramsey’s goal?
Memories or flashbacks of Ozil came flooding back-non?
Bale(Is Ozil) as we speak…. 🙂
If Xhaka was the type of long pass master a lot of people think he is, in the way Bale has showed today, then he’d be so useful. Sadly, he aint.
Come on boyo…
AFCF – Yup, and Freddie doesn’t always get the credit he deserves when we talk about those great teams of back when.
Pierre, Willock could perform in the Ramsey role but I don’t think he’s there just yet. Depends on if MA would give him the time to develop.
Fingers crossed for Wales in the second half.
The Americans are putting really big money on the table, a bit like Kroenke Sr snapping out his moustache with his bare fingers…painful but necessary…a one time injurious procedure.
The fear then is that our guys in charge might blow the powder, shopping at Harrods, buying a £20 tie for £200.
Big money on the table, but Ek or no Ek, this is a ‘look Mr Supporter, i have done what you want, stop bothering my life!’ move.
We better spend the money correctly or Kroenke would be made right and we still wouldn’t have a good team.
Almost another goal for Ramsey. He needs to score or they’ll regret it.
Rich I said a similar thing yesterday. KSE is sitting on an asset that has been diminishing in value and that’s not good. Unlike most other clubs, Arsenal has an exceptionally high ceiling because of its historical standing in the Football world and that means investment provides a massive opportunity. KSE got lucky with Wenger, he continually managed the top 4 without breaking the bank, often making money. That was not normal. The pandemic has created an opportunity and they aren’t short of a few Bob so it would be crazy not to take the opportunity to invest and grow… Read more »
Pen?
I really,really don’t get Turkey.
They have technical ability,always have.But ever since I can remember Euros 2004-Alpay(Villa defender),they just surrender in the tournaments.
It’s almost like they arrive at the tournaments to make up the numbers.
What a waste of talent(s).Just absolutely weird from them in general over a twenty year period at the very least.
Mentality is just weird.
Looks like an easy decision watching the replay.
Knew that Ramsey had to take it. Bale too fragile…
Bale bought that one, dragged a leg.
Wales’ defender had his nuts amputated.
I don’t think Bale takes PK for Real.
Some PK that.
Idiot.
I blame that stupid top knot.
Andy
“Yup, and Freddie doesn’t always get the credit he deserves when we talk about those great teams of back when”.
He doesn’t. Really important player in that team. In the 50th game at OT, when a corrupt Riley fixed the match, his brilliant run should have resulted in a red card for Ferdinand. Fantastic run.
Bale was hyper-ventilating before taking the penalty.
He defecated the bed…
Had the weight of the nation on his shoulders.
Difference between him and CR7.
A big match moment to put the match to bed.
raptoraJune 16, 2021 18:19:38
Wales’ defender had his nuts amputated.
——
What?
Stop being silly..
CR7 impenetrable in that moment, Bale not so much.
TBF to Bale though he’s having a VERY good game to that moment.
Two poor teams really.
I never know how players with that quality can take such poor pens.
Isn’t that Wales assistant also works for Arteta?
Bale soiled his pants..
Anyway,come on boyo..
“Isn’t that Wales assistant also works for Arteta?”
Stuivenberg yes.
GentlebrisJune 16, 2021 18:06:41
The Americans are putting really big money on the table, a bit like Kroenke Sr snapping out his moustache with his bare fingers…painful but necessary…a one time injurious procedure.
The fear then is that our guys in charge might blow the powder, shopping at Harrods, buying a £20 tie for £200.
——
Yep,the old addage.
Penny w.i.s.e,Pound f.o.o.l.i.s.h. springs to mind.
Nelson,
Yes. In addition to Albert Stuivenberg – assistant coach of both Arsenal and Wales, also Tony Strudwick, who we signed less than a month ago, is part of both teams – head of performance for Wales and academy head of sports science and medicine for Arsenal.
The Wales Coach,seems out of his depth.Needs to make some tactical changes.
Valentin, not sure anyone looks to raise funds in France.
Unless it’s PSG
You can’t freaking defend for 15 minutes,when you need the 3 points-Wales.
Pedro
You can say that for most if not all of Spain this summer and I’m not sure Italy’s any better.
Ramsey is everywhere LOL
AFC Forever Unless KSE plan on selling and cashing out now, which they might Then the only alternative left is to invest, and improve the product we put on the pitch, which is the lifeblood of the business We’re haemorrhaging money, and the equity they’ve built up is diminishing, it makes no sense for them to turn down a tidy profit, then wi on their hands and do nothing I’ve wondered about Ekk, he might be an Arsenal fan, but he’s clearly not stupid Maybe he’s planning on changing the way we broadcast the football content, in the same he… Read more »
Nice play from Ramsey to Bale.
Great tackle by Ramsey.
PS
By the way,dislike Robbie Savage.Nauseating player, nauseating commentator.
Daniel James is such a nothing player at the moment.
Ramsey has a lot of love from me shame he is injury prone
Indeed Rambo glowing bright in the shop window, based on this why not.
Channeling Kante in more advanced positions.
Taking Ramsey off is way too risky. He’s a leader. You take him out, you take away some of the character of your team when it’s needed the most.
That Rambo goal was absolute class
I would have. Him back why not at least he cares
Would the Ramsey substitution-cost Wales?
This is what Ramsey does
1, Get injured
2. Take a few games to get up to speeed
3. Start dominating games
4.get injured
5. Repeat
It’s a never ending cycle that we’re already overly familiar with
Ramsey looks good but is the past.
None of that….injury prone and the past
There are players everywhere….NO!!!
Weird sub for me Rambo been everywhere as stated above.
I hope the Ramsey. substitution does not cost them…
Pedro
What do you make of the theory that we’re looking to sign White as a right back/defensive midfield hybrid
Rather than a right sided centre back
Rich
That’s the one thing about Ek we don’t know – we all worry about a highly leveraged buyout but he might just have something clever in mind.
Dan James haha
Pedro
Can you explain what you meant by Ben White “mentoring” Saliba?
I mean, White had one excellent season at Leeds, the seasons Leeds won’ the championship. He’s been anything but classy this sea at Brighton.
Maybe the two undeserved England caps are biasing your opinion of White or you think so lowly of Saliba.
He looked pretty winded after that defensive tackle in the box
Turkey to get a 93rd minute equaliser.
*this season at Beighty
Rich, I think he’s a bit too pricey for that.
One thing I know for sure, the club desperately want to find someone that can play between the lines and move with the ball in central defence. They think out game hinged on Luiz. I think he’d be an RPL for him.
Also not sure he’s fast enough for RB.
Rich,
I agree. When he’s healthy he’s really up there. Not top class per se, but up there.
Can’t believe Turkey have been so poor.
They can win with handbrakes
RichJune 16, 2021 18:43:19
This is what Ramsey does
1, Get injured
2. Take a few games to get up to speeed
3. Start dominating games
4.get injured
5. RepeatIt’s a never ending cycle that we’re already overly familiar with
———
I wholeheartedly agree with your above comment.100%
*Came in with handbrakes
Marc
If Ekk doesn’t do it, then somebody will
There’s no chance that they do away with the domestic game, or the meritocratic nature of football
That won’t happen
But the way the game is broadcasted across the globe, will 100% change
Why use a middleman, when you can bypass the middleman, and distribute your content directly to the consumer
Fight fight fight
DissenterJune 16, 2021 18:47:31
Can’t believe Turkey have been so poor.
They can win with handbrakes
——-
Go back to Euro 2004…No real surprises.
They flatter to deceive.
Getting a RB should be pretty uncomplicated. All the ‘real’ ambitious (Villa/Leicester) teams ahead of us that aren’t changing managers have bought players. I suspect Arsenal is trying to sell first so that they don’t get lowballed with everyone knowing they have to sell players..if that’s the case…longest summer ever….trolley dash