TRANSFER ROUND-UP: ARSENAL BUYING A FAST START

by .

It feels like I’ve been cranking content all week and what do I have to show for it?

NOTHING.

No one sold.

No one purchased.

I am starting to lose my patience. Thinking of sending Edu a seriously firm Instagram DM about my feelings.

The Granit Xhaka story is dragging like an N’Zogbia transfer rumour of yester-window. The clubs are in the final stages of negotiations, it looks like it’s going to happen, just get it done. After watching the Italy game, I couldn’t be happier. Xhaka is solid, but you’re simply not going anywhere with a good technician with no pace in midfield. If you are going to have no pace, be Locatelli with the low-punch shots. What a talent.

The story we’re all purring over is Sambi Lokonga. We really have no idea why, other than it feels intelligent and like a Wenger singing of old. New Youtube channel Latte Firm dropped this infographic.

Do I know what it all means? No. Am I going to draw sharp conclusions that this guy is taking Arsenal back to the absolute pinnacle of European football? Absolutely.

There is business to be done this summer and I think there’s a fine balance between making sure we’re ready for next season, whilst raiding European clubs on their knees. Sambi looks like a shadow player for Thomas Partey. Both seem to boast similar features. We need squad players with levels and we need to own them. Our Madrid loan options last season gave us the worst of both worlds. Odegaard did well, we wanted him, but Madrid saw enough promise to keep him. Ceballos had an absolute shocker, stunk out our first team for the most part, so we wasted development minutes on someone else’s player.

I am diving two-footed into the Premier League talent we’re trying to sign. James Maddison, without doubt, would be an excellent signing for Arsenal. Ben White, without doubt, would be an excellent signing for what need from a defender. There’s a lot of scoffing from Arsenal fans that spent 10 years demanding we ‘spend some fucking money’, now we’re doing it on players that will settle into the first team and deliver from day one, people are complaining about fees?

Ben White is a ball-playing centre-back that has made his mistakes at other clubs, he will complement our defence and pick up the good bits of David Luiz, whilst adding what he didn’t have… pace, motivation, and focus. You do not survive a season with Bielsa if you don’t put the work in, boast high levels of fitness, and have finesses on the ball with the ability to move the ball forward. While the internet was purring over Bissouma, their fans were purring over Ben White, who was named their player of the season in the fan vote. That’s the difference between actually watching Brighton and watching comps of Brighton.

James Maddison is an unquestionable talent that we lack. He’s 18 months younger than Grealish, 5 years younger than KDB, and since his Premier League debut he’s one bested by KDB for chance creation. How am I reading Arsenal fans scoff at this name? Someone moaned that he dresses like he’s buying from Hypebeast, what sort of criticism is that? If anything, signing him feels unrealistic because he’s the sort of player that ends up going to Chelsea or United.

Moving on two players of that age and profile moves us up a level instantly. You can’t argue the impact that would have on our season. When you ask Arsenal to spend some money, this is where the pennies should be going. If we’re trying to replicate the City model, this is our attempt at KDB and Dias.

I don’t even want to start on the Calvert Lewin rumors, that’d just be far too sexy for all of us to handle right now.

There’s still smart money to be spent elsewhere. Josh Doig, the Hibernian left-back, is being heavily linked. He’s 19-years-old and 6ft2, but he’s attracting a lot of attention. The worry is if Tierney breaks down, which is likely, you’ve an untested quantity filling in, but also, the benefit is then you are building out someone with a resale value and you also have a succession plan for KT (hopefully we don’t need one). The lesson from last season is young players are hungry and tend to take their chance. I’d be excited to have a promising back-up system being built out.

There’s a good keeper out there, somewhere, that we’ll have to pick up. Aaron Ramsdale for £20m does not feel like smart money when you can pick up someone like Onana for a pittance. Arsenal has been shocking with keeper signings over the years, our best #1 was Emi Martinez and we bombed him off. I know it goes without saying, but if you want an example of why a Ben White type player needs to be signed, just look at how our playing out the back dipped when Martinez left. The best keepers in world football these days can play through the lines better than Mo Elneny, we need to find one if we want to be more effective and unpredictable in this new system.

We also need to build out the right side of our defence. Cal Chambers is a very decent player, his delivery is excellent and he’s tactically astute (everyone at Arsenal loves him as well). The worry is that he very much looks like a centre-back playing right back. I have no idea where we’ll go here, but we need to find a player with the correct athletic profile that can invert. I know, I know… Ainsley could do that role, it’s such a shame he’d rather bum around in center-midfield at Watford than make a career at a club that could take him to the top but there we are. Delusions of grandeur is a bit of a problem with some of the Hale-Enders on the fringes.

We’ve also not spoken much about the #9 position, that might be because our hands are tied. I’m not sure anyone is giving Lacazette £180k a week and Auba on £350k a week is immovable unless he decides like Willian he just doesn’t fancy the slog. To be honest, I don’t think we’ll have a year like the last one from Auba again. The pattern of players we’re bringing in all points towards freeing him up earlier with better chances.

I also think Flo Balogun is going to be a very special player, he’s the closest player we have to Aguerro in style and athletic profile. I’m not sure how Arteta is going to manage his career because there’s a real story to be told with regards to loans. Do Arsenal keep Balogun on the bench like we did Eddie? Or do we send him on a short loan at the start of the season so he can develop in a starting 11? People get absolutely hysterical about loans, but forget that players like Harry Kane went on four of them. Same could be said of William Saliba. There’s no European football next season, what is best for his development? Our bench for 4 months, or Newcastle’s first team for the same time period to adapt to the language and the pace on someone else’s dime? Who knows, but the fact people get so emotional about it is a very, very Arsenal fan thing.

Finally, let’s talk about that time we spent a load of money with Lille that looked VERY odd. Remember I told you to look at the sort of people we were dealing with? Remember the exBarca exec that was at Lille at the time? Remember that outrageous fee we paid Lille who were in deep, deep shit that summer unless they sold at a big price?

If I speak, I am in trouble.

Football is a dirty game. Genaro Gattuso lost his job at Fiorentina after two weeks because he brought his super-agent buddy to the table. It is stunning that now Spurs are negotiating with him, mainly because he’s a bang-average coach, but also because it shows their lack of ideas… if you are outsourcing your Sporting Director role to a super-agent, you are fucked.

Talking of the Spurs manager job, let’s use this moment to highlight what I told you in December… fear what comes next. Spurs, for all the banter, is a London club with an elite stadium and a squad people thought could contend the title last season. They’ve been rejected by Poch and Conte. They had to lower themselves to Fonseca, who is a good coach, but coming out from under a cloud. Now they are bumming around with passion merchants and their unsavory handlers.

I’m telling you this because it feels like there’s a pattern emerging. The Premier League is the most competitive league in the world and rockstar managers will only join if they have to tools to win. The idea that we’ll sack Arteta and get Conte or Nagelsmann is fanciful because our project lacks elite levers. Spurs are struggling because no one wants to come here and fight four Goliaths with David money.

It’s still really funny though… really funny.

On that note, remember to check out the two podcasts we produced this week. They are of fine quality. Johnny is no full-time on the team, he changed his bio to reflect the blood agreement we have. Give him a follow on the internet here.

ACAST | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play

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grooveydaddy

1st

grooveydaddy

And

Mr Serge

Let’s spend some money

Mr Serge

Please set up

Mr Serge

Groovedaddy

Mb

Top 10?

Mr Serge

Pedro I agree people moaning that we are spending money tells me one thing these guys are just on here to moan whether it’s good news or bad that’s what they will do the sad sad bastards

Marc

“The lesson from last season is young players are hungry and tend to take their chance. I’d be excited to have a promising back-up system being built out.”

But that doesn’t apply to giving Saliba a chance this season?

Batistuta

Lol so basically just recycling links to the same players.

Said at the time this window has shades of the 2012 trolley dash summer transfer window. Perfect excuses all lined up.

Also big fat LOL at Pierre on the other post saying logically we shouldn’t buy anyone this summer, i mean the chaos that’ll ensure from that will be worth the ticket money alone and also did you watch us play at all last season? We were god awful

Ken

Oh come on Pedro, the way he dresses speaks of his attitude. You don’t see the very best players dressing and carrying themselves like Jesse Pinkman.

Mr Serge

Marc a chance yes hang out coat on the fact he can be a key player at 20 when he won’t be and fail ? God no why do you think he is going for ready made 23 year olds ?
I would give Saliba minutes off the bench and easy cup games

Batistuta

Moaning about other posters moaning! Classic Le grove

Marc

Bati

It just looks like we’re being randomly linked to PL players now and you know 99.9% of it will be click bait.

Mr Serge

Ken have you seen auba dress sense ? Please

Mb

No one will moan if KSE decides to bring Mbappe.

Or Mikel gets 7 more Ben Whites & wins the Premier League.

People are moaning because they are not wrong assuming we will buy a CB (Holding, Saliba, Gabrielle, Mari) and miss to build a proper midfield (Elneny, Torreira, Xhaka).

Mr Serge

Batistuta most of the posters moaning classic le grove is the correct quote

Ken

“Now they are bumming around with passion merchants and their unsavory handlers.” lol

Marc

Serge

Who is suggesting Saliba should be starting every match?

Read the part I quoted again:

“The lesson from last season is young players are hungry and tend to take their chance. I’d be excited to have a promising back-up system being built out.”

Pedro says “I’d be excited to have a promising back-up system being built out”

Using Saliba as back up is precisely what I’m suggesting, if he’s awful stick him on loan in Jan if he’s playing well then he’ll earn promotion to first choice.

Marc

“You don’t see the very best players dressing and carrying themselves like Jesse Pinkman.”

Two words: Emmanuel Eboue – class player classy dresser.

Mr Serge

Mb has the window shut ? Moan if it does and we don’t sign a midfield
I am confident we will

Gonsterous

Get in two top quality CM and fix the other issues internally

Mari and Gabriel first XI CBs
Saliba and holding back up

Cedric at RB with chambers behind him
Tierney at LB with AMN behind him

Partey and two new CM in the middle of the park
ESR in depending on the formation

Saka auba and pepe up top
Willian, laca and martinelli as back up

Then we have other squad fillers:
Elneny, willock, balogun, eddie, etc

More than good enough for 45 games…

The two CM should complement our defence and attack

Marc

Gons

45 games? Bloody hell you’re confident on next season!

Mr Serge

Marc I agree with you on that part he has to get minutes but also learn from experience players
I don’t have a Saliba issue like a lot of people on here

Rich

Marc I’m not against giving Saliba minutes next season But if the option is send him out on loan to play every week, or have him stagnating on our bench, only playing a few domestic cup games, and sending his value plummeting Then the smart move is to send him out on loan again, this way we either get back a more mature player in 12 months time, or we at very least protect his value Young players need to play in order to develop, neither Arsenal or Saliba benefit from him warming the bench, Reiss Nelson is the perfect… Read more »

Frost

Isak is such a baller! My goodness!

Mr Serge

We need that kid isak

Vintage Gun

“Do I know what it all means? No. Am I going to draw sharp conclusions that this guy is taking Arsenal back to the absolute pinnacle of European football? Absolutely.”

Funny!

Good post

DigitalBob

The key to this summer was always to get rid of the dross in the squad and improve the first 11 with better players. Ben White and Maddison are better players so while both seem like overpays particularly in the case of Ben White I’ll be happy if/when the deals go through.

Lokonga for less than £20 million also looks like a good bit of business.

Where I draw the line is with the likes of Ramsdale and Sander Berge for circa £50 million. That is bad business on players not good enough that I cannot get behind.

Valentin

Pedro, The legal issue at Lille OSC is not so much about the agent fees that it is about the fact that the previous owner just pocketed all the cash and left the club in a dire situation. I do suspect that they will also uncover malfeasance in term of agent fees retrocession and hidden accounts in murky jurisdiction, but that’s not the current object of the investigation. Gerard Lopez was brazen enough to think that he could repeat the exact same swindle in France a few months later. He tried to buy Bordeaux with somebody else cash a few… Read more »

Batistuta

Isak has a 75 million release clause i read. We’re poor

Ernest Reed

“Also big fat LOL at Pierre on the other post saying logically we shouldn’t buy anyone this summer, ”

Pierre is Pierre, nothing more needs to be said. Take what he says with a grain of salt.

Zacharse

Poulsen on denmark/leipzig is a striker i wish wed take a look at. Been impressed w him since last years CL Semis.
Ben white seems like an improvement on Kos. Im for it. Saliba will never reach the heights if hes allowed to go on like a bitchy hale ender. Wouldnt be surprised if last years drama w him fades fast when pre season starts

Buy some **^%#=+ midfielders ffs!!

Vintage Gun

“Using Saliba as back up is precisely what I’m suggesting, if he’s awful stick him on loan in Jan if he’s playing well then he’ll earn promotion to first choice.”

Perfect sense.

Saliba comes back and fights for his place. Start him in the LC games and as a rotational option in the EPL. If he fails to make the grade then move him on. Simple

Nelson

I thought that Arteta’s priority is having players who can play out from the back. Then why he prefers Leno over Martinez. Now he wants to spend £20m on Ramsdale. I am lost.

Frost

Such a fluid player Isak. A tall guy doing what he just did to the 5 slovakia players should be a crime

I mean sure, dribble the opposition, but don’t make professional players eat grass ffs!

Zacharse

Valentin Interesting take on lille. Its probably not super common knowledge but frank mccourt, current owner of marseille, used to own the LA Dodgers baseball team. He made his money in “parking lots” in boston- not exactly an above board way to become a billionaire. Lots of dirty ties… anyway interesting to me that he went straight for french football ownership when his $500b divorce went thru. My feeling is that what Lopez did at Lille has been done plenty of times, legally and illegally, and this time the methods will be uncovered more coherently than when leagues want to… Read more »

Frost

“I thought that Arteta’s priority is having players who can play out from the back. Then why he prefers Leno over Martinez. Now he wants to spend £20m on Ramsdale. I am lost.”

Trust the process.

Arteta stans will tell you he has a plan.

Mr Serge

Ramsdale is bullshit click bait we can get onanana for 7m why would we get ramsdale

Marc

Vintage

I think I’m not the only one who’s major fear is we could see a £27 million signing sold after 2 seasons at a loss who never makes an appearance for us but goes on to be a top player.

Frost

“Isak has a 75 million release clause i read. We’re poor”

Doubt. We just bid £40M for a player we don’t need.

Frost

Oh btw, funny how Ben White is now being painted as one of the top passers of football in the PL.

Frost

While Saliba isn’t apparently…

Marc

Frost

Come on – you don’t manage to finish 16th in the PL unless you’re one of the very best!

The Bard

Some very good comments on the manager situation Pedro. I’m in total agreement. The Spurs debacle is a lesson we need to heed. Arteta is going to have a real baptism once the fans get back in the stadium. The Kroenke’s need to realise they have to invest heavily in the ‘now’ . If Arteta goes and I think he might if things don’t go well, we are in deep shit. What are the odds on Pulis or big Sam being next in line.

Zacharse

Frost
How do you become a top passer in the PL if you havent played a game in the league?
And of course a team like liverpool, miles ahead of us in scouting, would never poach a player from a lesser team like newcastle (wijn) stoke (shaqiri) hull (robertson). Didnt bayern give an extension to an ex stoke player (after he’d left psg). More great LG opinions…

Valentin

Zacharse, Financial regulations are a lot tighter in France which means that very few people do leverage buy out. it is a lot more difficult to make money If at every steps of the process you need to prove the origin of the funds, park them under French jurisdiction, justify the spending. For example even if you are owner of a company, it is illegal in France for a company director to use the company money on non company related activities such as refurbishing your house, buying a yacht for personal use. So France and French club are often unprepared… Read more »

Rich

Marc Saliba looks like he has everything to become a real top player None of us really know if he’s currently ready or not though, players can develop quickly at that age, it’s about managing his development We definitely screwed up not getting him out last October, both Arsenal + Saliba would have benefitted from him playing a whole season, rather than wasting 3 months of his development Hopefully we’ll get a better look at him in pre-season, I don’t want us to sell him, because I think that would come back and haunt us in 12-24 months But also… Read more »

andy1886

All purring over Lokonga? Must have missed that. Be honest 90% on here had never heard of him until the last couple of weeks. Might be good, may not be, YouTube highlights and selected stats can make almost anyone look good (even Xhaka).

Ultimately Tets will pick his signings and will live or die on the results. All fine and dandy unless you’re the next hire and inherit another load of duff over paid primadonnas and we’re back to square one in another 2/3 year cycle.

raptora

We should close our eyes and trust Arteta and Edu with 150m. A defender no one noticed to be any special, Maddison and an average goalkeeper conceding over 60 goals in the League.
I mean, with their track record, why should we be worried? It’s a transfer success after success.

Bob N16

The Bard, the only way we’d be in deep shit if the players we buy aren’t a good fit. If Arteta goes then our next manager will have a decent squad of players.

Vintage Gun

“I think I’m not the only one who’s major fear is we could see a £27 million signing sold after 2 seasons at a loss who never makes an appearance for us but goes on to be a top player.” Good chance of that scenario playing out as his career on the field has played out well so far. For St Etienne and Nice. The problem with loaning him out for a THIRD year would be that his contract would be down to two years upon his return. So unless he signs a new deal first (not likely) then i’m… Read more »

China1

Why are people pretending arsenal have been playing poverty for years and only just started spending??? What weird nonsense is this? I don’t even remember the last time I heard someone say spend some fucking money because it was BEFORE WENGER EVEN LEFT In the last several years we’ve spent half a billion on bum transfers and people are pretending it’s still the early Emirates years to justify us spending even more Let me jog everyone’s memory Pepe 72m – may come good but terrible value thus far Auba 57m – lots of goals, zero of much else. Mixed bag… Read more »

Bob N16

Vintage, agree with Holding out, White in.

Bob N16

China, it might just be that moment when our billionaire owners step up. Have another drink and cheer up!

Elmo

“Talking of the Spurs manager job, let’s use this moment to highlight what I told you in December… fear what comes next… The idea that we’ll sack Arteta and get Conte or Nagelsmann is fanciful because our project lacks elite levers.”

Be Careful Wot You Wish For.

Marc

Quite like Pedro’s headline: ARSENAL BUYING A FAST START

4 points out of our first 3 matches is not out of the question but I don’t think anyone would class that as a fast start.

Zacharse

Valentin,

That doesnt sound terribly different to usa rules. I think theres a bigger issue underlying the ones you raised and thats good old fashioned money. French league is not rich. French teams are not rich (excepting psg). The tv deal is incomparable to PL. i think when a billionaire comes in the rules change. I think the money issues w ligue 1 make it ripe for issues like that. Could be wrong, but mccourt was just such a terrible terrible
owner in the us that him buying marseille could only mean one thing to me

China1

That list doesn’t include the ozil contract, the Willian contract and the Luiz. Chuck in a bit of kolasinac and you’re safely approaching or breaching 500m wasted by arsenal on dubious and dross in the last handful of years

‘Spend some fucking money’

I can’t imagine anything worse honestly

Marc

China

Add into that turning down £60 million for Sanchez who effectively left for nothing and letting Ramsey run his contract down until he had a mega money offer on the table from Juve.

Bob N16

China the buzz killer!

Bob N16

Marc joining in, I’m gone!

Champagne Charlie

“We should close our eyes and trust Arteta and Edu with 150m. A defender no one noticed to be any special, Maddison and an average goalkeeper conceding over 60 goals in the League.“ Well Pepe and Torreira have been terrible hype merchants the online community waxed lyrical over. Aubameyang was another, and he’s taken us no closer to being a top side again. Edu and Arteta might have everything to prove this summer, but if recent history tells us anything it’s that buying players that suit our needs is 1000x more important than bullshit names to get tongues wagging on… Read more »

andy1886

La la la I’m not listening. All is well, nothing to see here!

Marc

CC

I wouldn’t have a problem if all of our signings this summer were relative unknowns. As you say if they’re the right player and the right fit then they’re the right choice.

Zacharse

Lol Bob. LGs very own AI program

Frost

Zach

“While Saliba isn’t apparently…” A TOP PASSER.

Hope that helps you.

Marc

andy

It’s like the joke line in The Shawshank Redemption where all the inmates are innocent and were stitched up by their lawyers.

Zacharse

Frost
No it doesnt. But thanks!

andy1886

To be honest I’m a bit shocked that every seems to have meekly accepted that the ‘process’ seems to be us becoming a knock off / Aldi copy of City. Can’t we find our own identity?

Even if it was a good idea (it isn’t) by the time we get there everyone else will have moved on to the next fad.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Clubs dead…

China1

Yeah Marc didn’t even mention the waste in missed player sales

Xhaka was going for 20+m, now struggling to get 15m
AMN going for 20m who knows what now
Martinez genuine quality, only 20m
We literally pay players to leave us

‘Spend some fucking money!!!!’

No. That credit card needs putting on board a nuke and launching straight at the sun. It should be detonated just before the nuke and card melt just in case but at least we can take solace that the gravity of the sun will ensure it’s dealt with if the nuke fails to go off

Champagne Charlie

New 5-year contract close to sealed for Tierney, ESR expected to be finalised soon too with player keen to stay and sign on.

Must’ve heard Dissenter claim none of the young players wanted to sign on.

Marc

CC

That will be good news.

Frost

Not excited about any of the players we’ve been linked to tbh

I do appreciate the functionality of buying proven PL players to makeup the spine of your team.

Good logic. Not sure of the execution tho, with those we have in charge.
.
That their ability to pick the right players is questionable is an understatement.

Maybe that changes when you’ve got abit of money to play with? We’ll see.

Vickingz

Pedro writes these days just to justify himself and his fanboys come to the comment session to hail their lord. We’ll all be here next season

raptora

Oh my god that elbow?????

Frost

“New 5-year contract close to sealed for Tierney, ESR expected to be finalised soon too with player keen to stay and sign on.”

Best news I’ve heard this window.

raptora

It is a pen. Good decision. VAR at work.

Marc

Don’t think that’s a pen.

Rich

BobN16 2021/22 White in, Saliba out on loan 2022/23 Sell Holding, bring back a more experienced + mature Saliba as an internal replacement for Holding, that to me seems like clever squad planning Next season there’s little room for error, we have to get back into Europe, but with no European distraction, we should really make that advantage count, and qualify for the CL Throwing a 20yr old centre back with less than 60 senior appearances, next to a 23yr old centre back with only 100 senior appearances Probably isn’t the smartest way to get back into the CL, and… Read more »

salparadisenyc

Ridiculous penalty call right there.

Pierre

Batistuta “Also big fat LOL at Pierre on the other post saying logically we shouldn’t buy anyone this summer, i mean the chaos that’ll ensure from that will be worth the ticket money alone and also did you watch us play at all last season? We were god awful” What I said actually made sense. We already have a bloated squad and if we buy 3 or more players and the ones already at the club decide they don’t want to take a pay cut or move to an inferior club , we will be in exactly the same position… Read more »

TR7

Maddison is a good midfielder. I like the way he plays – good tempo, decent passing skills, athletic and can deal with press. Partey and Maddison as central midfield combo can turn out to be really solid if not spectacular.

andy1886

Marc, you certainly got the joke bit right. We’re like the Rita Hayworth/Raquel Welch posters, when you look behind them there’s actually nothing there.

Guns of SF

Maddison is a pure 10.
Would get run over in a back 2 ….
I think Mike wants a 433

never, TP and hopefully Aouar in the middle 3
Aouar is loads cheaper now…. and is better as attacking 8

Elmo

Pedro Enjoying the pod with Mike McDonald. Like his description of the trend towards a coach-led game, where many managers covet control and management of risk over everything else. It’s exactly what Cesc talked about as pundit on the TV coverage a few days ago: a feeling that the game has overshot into becoming too robotic, where managers micro-manage everything and only allow creativity within a very limited, risk-averse lens. I’d be interested to see whether Cesc can succeed as a coach. He seems to have a sharp tactical mind, but with Big Weng’s commitment to the beautiful game. When… Read more »

Guns of SF

Neves

Marc

TR7

I wouldn’t say no to Maddison the question is should a midfield 2 that has a combined cost of £120 – £130 million be able to be described as “can turn out to be really solid if not spectacular.”

Frost

Cannot believe the ref gave a PK for that.

You’re meant to jump without your arms as leverage now? Ridiculous.

Marc

SF

I don’t like the stat put up about Aouar on the previous post about him only being able to last 60 minutes in most matches.

If he’s doing that in France the PL will eat him alive.

TR7

Partey-Maddison-ESR midfield works for me. Of course we will need another central midfielder to add depth to our squad.

raptora

Souchek’s work rate is insane. He covers the whole pitch.

AFC Forever

Okay, so you want us to show ambition but you don’t want us to spend money. You think Arsenal is a joke of a club and that some lad called Saliba with his 26 games at Nice is our saviour. Well here is a bit about why Arsenal are showing ambition by persuing the Ben White transfer. Arsenal conceded just 39 goals in the Premier League, the third-best, a result of our improved ability to defend as a team without the ball. Something we had wanted for years. However, we only scored 55 times, which was the joint 9th and… Read more »

AFC Forever

*Correction: 26 games at St Etienne, 20 at Nice

raptora

tldr

Frost

“I wouldn’t say no to Maddison the question is should a midfield 2 that has a combined cost of £120 – £130 million be able to be described as “can turn out to be really solid if not spectacular.”

Good argument.

Maddison in means you have to draft in a top tackler too. Bissouma maybe?

Maddi & Partey aren’t protecting that defence.

Captain Tierney

Maddison is KDB, Ben White is Dias and Balogun is Aguero.

All of these players are good but someone is definitely in fantasy land 😂

Whats next? Waiting for concrete links to declare Ramsdale as Allison

Sid

We couldnt sign Buendia and Diet Peps bozos think we are signing maddison

WengerEagle

‘The usuals’ AFC Forever you’ve got to stop this us vs them shit on here, it’s getting embarrassing at this point, you bleat on about it everyday and how you’re a ‘target’ on here. Champagne Charlie for example holds very similar views of the manager and the club like yourself but he at least accepts the critcism and can understand others POV, something which you seem incapable of on here of late. It isn’t hard to figure out why there is healthy scepticism about spunking 50m on Ben White if you can take off the Red and White glasses for… Read more »

TR7

“Maddison in means you have to draft in a top tackler too. Bissouma maybe?”

I think nowadays there’s a lot of insistence on having a midfielder who can break the play and shield the defense. I much prefer proper central midfielders who can track back and have some defensive awareness rather than an out and out tackler.

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