It’s 745 in New York, I’m at the airport thinking about my UK brethren that woke up at 730am this morning and immediately started sinking pints. What a beautiful mess my home country is going to be today, I am gutted I won’t be there for the shame. I’ve never seen England in a final of a competition and I’m nearly 30. Quite wild.
The mural image in the picture was sent to me by Paul (check out his awesome Instagram), what a moment it’s going to be for a player that has truly blown-up onto the world stage in this tournament. He’s one of ours, there’s a small chance he starts tonight, what an unbelievable experience for him. He has everything, he’s a straight-A student, god-fearing, extremely humble, and everyone who works with him seems to love him. It is such a treat that Arsenal has a player with his technical gifts. Someone is going to need to give Jack Grealish break-up counselling when this is all over… the bromance is strong.
The game tonight is the one everyone wanted to see. The Italian’s have been sensational for the most part of it. Direct, fast, aggressive and spectacular at times. Roberto Mancini has put himself back on the map, he’s reinvented Italian football, but this is where the journey has to end.
Gareth Southgate has been on a similar journey. No one believed in him, but he reinvented the way English people look at football. He didn’t answer the question: How can I put all the shiny pieces in the same side. He built a team that could do the job. We control games, we’re patient, we knock the ball around like Spain when we want to, and we have the class to finish games at any point. We’ve conceded one goal all tournament with Jordan Pickford in goal. That is so impressive.
I really hope we can win it at Wembley. My first big football memory was that Germany semi-final way back when. My first non-Arsenal game was Turkey vs Wembley with my uncle in the early 90s. To go back to there with the man that missed the important spot-kick and win would really be a story for the ages.
It’ll be a tough game though, Italy are deadly all over the pitch. This game though is the one we all wanted. I have no idea what is going to happen, let’s just hope it’s a cracker and we’re lifting the trophy come the end of the game.
Also… those people that put on Twitter, ‘I’m English, but I really struggle to support our country’ need to get in the bin. I don’t mean to be childish, but you don’t have friends if you are writing things like that on the internet.
Onto a bit of Arsenal.
The James Maddison rumours are revving up to white-hot. The ITK rumour mill has Arsenal offering him a shit ton of money. The whispers I’m hearing are that the player wants the move, Leicester absolutely do not want to sell, and the fee will have to hit £70m.
YIKES.
Will this be like buying property in London? Extremely hard to swallow, but long-term, the right move. Or will it be like buying a timeshare to Monte Carlo from Gary down the Masons? Painful and more painful.
It’s an interesting move. Leicester were a top 4 side pushing for the title until Maddison picked up an injury. He’s created the 2nd most chances in the league behind KDB since he made his debut in 2018. He immediately addresses our creativity problem. There’s a lot of chat that his open play creativity doesn’t really match up to the big dogs, which is a fair call… but one of our biggest challenges last season was creating from setpieces. If you have someone that can provide like Beckham, you are in a great place. I don’t think there’s any way around it, he’s a very good player we lack, he’s in the top percentile categories you want him to be in, and he’s been very specifically working on the goals side of his game.
£70m is well expensive though.
Still, you have to thumb through what Arsenal are trying to do here… they’re trying to shortcut top 4 again, but this time with a younger profile of player. Maddison is 24-years-old, he’s on the verge of elite, and he’ll 100% hit the ground running. If you are calling Arteta a bum, that means you have no time for him to blood players, this is what you should be smiling about.
There’s the other side of the coin if you want to take more of a risk. Houssem Auouar for £25m seems like an absolute steal. He’s bossed Champions League knockout stages at 20 years old, he is technically outrageous, and he could be world class within a couple of seasons. But… there’s no guarantee he hits the ground running, there are worries about his attitude, and he wasn’t great last season. He feels very Samir Nasri to me, gifted, but a little unpredictable knowing what you’re going to get.
Again, who knows where this is going, but if we’re tapping up Maddison, I refuse to believe someone hasn’t said, ‘Arsenal, he’s going to be fucking expensive.’
I salute the ambition.
Arsenal are going big with the spine, padding out the squad with well-scouted youngsters, with the hope that these additions make the rest of our players infinitely better.
Imagine an attacking line-up with Maddison, ESR, Saka, and Auba. I mean, that is very, very sexy.
Next up should be Lokonga if the media is to be believed. He’s out of isolation and the paperwork is done. Another sharp siging if it works out. I like that Arteta has been getting intel from Vincent Kompany on the player. You know that not only will he get a talent read, he’ll be getting the character download, which I think is just as important based on some of our recent experiences.
Right, enjoy the game, stay safe, don’t put anything on the internet you’ll regret. Do NOT be that meme of the naked guy crowd surfing.
See you in the comments. x
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“I’ve never seen England in a final of a competition and I’m nearly 30”
Have you started doctoring the birth certificate, Pedro?
I’m on board for Maddison, seeing as we have to start creating and scoring. Don’t know what the truth is, but if the rumours that having bought White, we’d have to sell to buy Aouar, 70 big for Maddison seems a long stretch.
Italian job tonight.
Is it coming home today? And if it does, will we know what to do with it? For whose home is it now and furthermore, what is ‘it’?
Pedro is half Nigerian, turns 26 this year.
No excuses this season if we don’t hit too 5 at the very least and be in a good position come December the fans will loose their minds in the stadium
I can’t wait to be in there for the first day of the season and see what the concensus is with the fans that go.We know what everyone on here feels
I have a horrible feeling that tonight’s game will go SPURSY! Harry K will be eaten up by the Italian defence and we’ll get murdered on the counter.
Said this before and will say it again Emi Martinez will become one of the best GKs in the world within a couple of years. He will be talked in the same breath as Donnarumma, Ederson, Oblak etc. Letting him go was a monumental mistake. Arteta wouldn’t have won the FA Cup and Argentina Copa America title without Emi.
I thought Pedro said he was in his early 30s
Strange case of Benjamin Button
Elmo, yup, Pedro’s telling porkies.
The last England v Turkey game before 2003 was in 1992, so if Pedro really is under 30 he went to that game aged around 1 yet he remembers it apparently.
He has to be pushing middle age by now, maybe Mikel is his mid-life crisis man crush?
Champagne CharlieJuly 11, 2021 13:39:07
Pedro is half Nigerian, turns 26 this year.
—-
Pedro is fully Spanish and was conceived by Arteta-no doubt.
Said it before, Pedro’s the Taribo West of the blogosphere.
26 going on 40.
Liked the mural of Saka.And also liked the post up till-‘Onto a bit of Arsenal.’
But grudgingly state the post was a bit more balanced.One I could stomach-on the day of the England vs Italy-Euro Final..
Heard Maddison,might be a bit of a problem?Is that true?
And for the £70 million quoted,can see great prospect,but is it worth the hassle,given the talent?
Hmmmm…….
PS
Not really buying it,for that amount quoted-£70 million?You’re having a laugh….
Charlie We’ll have to raincheck and agree to disagree on the Emi/Leno stuff for now or we won’t get to sink our teeth into how it is coming home tonight. Re what I am smoking re Maddison’s pricing, only the best shit. 35m would be my first offer with 45m being my final one. Think that would be a fairly reasonable price for a player that is out of favour at Leicester even if he is very good. He’s not a poster boy/megastar like Grealish so he won’t be nearly as expensive. And Leicester won’t turn down good money to… Read more »
70m for Maddison would be laughable.
That kind of money got United a 21 year old Jadon Sancho.
Rodrigo De Paul is joining Atletico Madrid for 35m and he’s better than Maddison.
NorthbankerJuly 11, 2021 09:33:02 PhD – drove from Adelaide to Melbourne once which after 100s of miles of swamp land then finally hits the Great Ocean Road. That part really memorable although I gather Apostles are being lost to the sea so I’d get there as soon as you can —— Yeah, heard Adelaide is meant to be the city of churches.But at the same time,heard some deep, dark, dastardly stuff goes on down there. The Great Ocean Road trip,is one journey I’d love to embark on.Heard it’s amazing. Are you kidding-the seven apostles are eroding? Is Melbourne better than… Read more »
Tr7 stop saying it then man you are like the guy whose Mrs left him and you can’t stop talking about her.emi has gone get over it
It’s not line we lost Th14 or DB,10
WengerEagleJuly 11, 2021 14:01:37
70m for Maddison would be laughable.
—
In fact,I was thinking £25-£30 million.Really £25 million with add on’s.
“Pedro is half Nigerian, turns 26 this year.”
That’s funny
PhD I think Leicester paid 21m for him when they bought him.
Why is he out of favour anyway what’s happened ?
andy
“The last England v Turkey game before 2003 was in 1992, so if Pedro really is under 30 he went to that game aged around 1 yet he remembers it apparently.”
Pedro contradicts himself – his first non Arsenal match was the early 90’s his first big football memory is England Germany 96.
If he’s up at 7.45 on a Sunday morning he’s probably sleep deprived and excited about tonight.
‘Why is he out of favour anyway what’s happened ?’
He didn’t subscribe to Brendan’s non-negotiables.
Weagle Where’s the stuff about him being unwanted? There was stuff about a fallout with Brenda end of last season, but that seemed overblown given he promptly returned to the side. Maybe just a willingness to sell vs actually wanting to. 35-45 mil isn’t a realistic figure at all for Maddison, he’s high-profile and plays for a side constantly battling for CL. They paid 40 mil for Tielemans from Monaco, Maddison is circa 60 mil imo. Would much rather we spend on a profile of player like him than where we’ve previously put such money. Who do you buy for… Read more »
Mr SergeJuly 11, 2021 14:08:53
PhD
I think Leicester paid 21m for him when they bought him.Why is he out of favour anyway what’s happened ?
——
I don’t know.Allegedly attitude issues.
PS
But ask Pedro-he has the scoop…He’s far more attuned to what’s going on,than me-A Johnny come lately. 🙂
Maddison, £50m max even with English Premium.
Emi/Leno soap operate continues.
Monumental mistake. Cant believe what Arteta & Edu clown double act thought they were seeing in training. Clear just looking at Leno body language he was mentally and physically weaker with lower ceiling That decision alone cost us a place in Europe.
Indicative of way club is run. Sell best keeper for 20m. Buyer inferior no 2 12months later for £40m (Ramsdale).
You couldnt make it up.
MarcJuly 11, 2021 14:10:40
andy“The last England v Turkey game before 2003 was in 1992, so if Pedro really is under 30 he went to that game aged around 1 yet he remembers it apparently.”Pedro contradicts himself – his first non Arsenal match was the early 90’s his first big football memory is England Germany 96.If he’s up at 7.45 on a Sunday morning he’s probably sleep deprived and excited about tonight.
—–
And he’s your uncle’s aunt…
🙂
PhD
The guy looks good in a dress – don’t judge him!
Charlie It’s mostly wishful thinking on my part but he was left out of the side for the FA Cup Final after all. Also isn’t really a fit in the side along with the 2 up top in Vardy-Iheanacho. No chance he would go for above 60m in this market, let’s meet in the middle and call it 50m. I mean you look around and United bought a 21 year old world class player in Sancho for 70m, Atletico bought De Paul for 35m. I would be resistant to spunking our load on Maddison even though I like him. 120m… Read more »
Pedro is half Nigerian, turns 26 this year.
How do you mean bro? Are you insinuating that all Nigerians are cheat? Far from it. Most Nigerians are honest people, but that doesn’t mean there are not a few who have soiled the dignity of the people and thats not limited to Nigeria.
Akinzo
Chill it’s banter.
WengerEagleJuly 11, 2021 14:11:33
‘Why is he out of favour anyway what’s happened ?’He didn’t subscribe to Brendan’s non-negotiables.
——
Just remember fornicating Leicester..
And how we did them at the Emirates with the last gasp header in the last fornicating minute by:|-“King Danny Welbeck”
Fornicating Leicester-if only…….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPumrIYfwxs
MarcJuly 11, 2021 14:22:17
Akinzo
Chill it’s banter.
—–
How does it feel to be outshone by another -‘Debbie Downer?’
You need to up your game Marc…
🙂
PhD
I think I’ve been a model of restraint in all the moaning on here this morning.
I’m sure somewhere on this earth-Pierre is knocking one out to Ozil’s sublime free kick,that: -‘King Danny Welbeck’ rose up, to deftly glance that last minute header into the bottom corner of the net.
Oh Wengle Eagle creaming his pants at that time.
Oooohhhhh…Aaaargh…
Ooooh fornicating Leicesterrrr…..
What a story for Southgate if he gets redemption tonight. That’s what sport is all about, these incredible moments.
Hopefully this isn’t a dull affair, but it is a final. There is sure to be nerves and that margin for error is so much more costly. From a neutral point of view it’s going to be great!
Sorry my English pals, I won’t be as rude this time with banter as to not offend, in saying I’m tipping Italy.
It’s either Italy or a goal fest with England running away with it in my opinion.
MarcJuly 11, 2021 14:33:19
PhDI think I’ve been a model of restraint in all the moaning on here this morning.
—–
Come on dude…It’s the Euro Final for fornicating sake..
Engerland vs Italiaaaaa
Let loose…
Who’s your money on to win-you miserable, whingeing bastardo?
Italy in a tight affair*
Madison for £70m would be scary considering what Leicester brass could do with this kind of cash in the depressed French market.
Unless of course Rodgers has a say and buys two Fofanas and takes them from a shoe in top four straight into relegation.
England v Italy.
Weagle Lots goes into second the few of a player, you know that. De Paul was at a selling club with no leverage, Dortmund had some leverage but 75 mil is prime time for them. Leicester are a wealthy selling club who operate in the premium. If we want their star man, as a rival for CL, and at his age/profile it comes with a tax. Ben White is 23 and costing 50 mil with 1 season in the league, Maddison has 3 PL seasons producing top numbers. Could that 60 mil go further in Europe? I think so, but… Read more »
Buy Saka to score / assist.
He ll be too quick for their ageing plodders.
PhD
Heart says England Head says Italy will have too much for us.
Unless of course Super Saka is unleashed!
*lots goes into deciding the fee of a player
70m will get you Bernardo Silva no doubt, and ManC get the money they want to be able to afford Kane. Bernardo’s link up play is on a whole different level to Maddison. We get a top class football player and we weaken ze spuds. Ideal.
Tom
“””Madison for £70m would be scary considering what Leicester brass could do with this kind of cash in the depressed French market”””
My sentiments too.
Southgate has clearly engendered a great team spirit around the England camp- in part by omitting prima donnas like Maddison out of it.
Rogers didnt fancy him for the Cup final
Southgate didnt fancy him in the squad.
£70 000 000?
Madness.
Maddison is easy on the eyes Lingard.
Charlie I know Udinese had no bloody leverage and that was the beauty of it on my part in the thinking haha. Shit and broke Italian lower midtable club, was perfect. I still think that is steep money considering he hasn’t posted top numbers exactly, more good numbers but definitely not elite or in that ballpark. I definitely think we could stretch that 60m much further in Europe. Could get Aouar and another player with that kind of coin and I have seen Aouar perform at a higher level than Maddison. It shouldn’t have to be an all PL summer… Read more »
I must admit having watched both Copa and Euros simultaneously, Copa was played and reffed like the PL of yore, while the Euros more like a middling domestic continental league with a few notable exceptions hopefully today’s final being another.
PHD
Haha what was I spaffing myself over ?
The reffing in the Copa Final last night was incredible.
Ref gave Brazil absolutely nothing, in the best/fairest way possible. PL refs would have melted under that kind of heat.
I like Maddison. The cunt’s been impressive every time I’ve seen him play.
However he does look like a bit of a Jack the lad, which is not going to sit well with Tets.
70m is stupid money and like putting a nuclear bomb in the hands of Leicester, with their scouts. But look at it this way, better spend it on Maddison than the salaries of ageing WC winners looking for a retirement fund…
Thought that Buendia went for £33m plus add ons, not £40m.
Maddison is probably worth £50m but then again Ben White is probably only worth £30m so it just depends how much of a premium we’re prepared to pay.
English premier is so shit. We can literally pillage and bully any other club in the world for 30m world class talents but instead we are spending north of 50m for players that I find hard to believe will ever be top class. We never sell well so spending 120m on 2 English players mean money that we’ll never ever see again.
Raptora, the issue with foreign talent is most of them just see a club in mid table. Our manager has no rep and we are a mishmash of decent and shit players.
We have more chance of hiring local, though the cost is higher.
PhD – didn’t spend that much time in Adelaide – looked a very boring place (we had been travelling through at that point and had just done Central Australia). I don’t know how bad the erosion is now re GOR Apostles but the natural bridge that was there has disappeared.
There’s a belief in Oz that Sydney is the better place to visit but Melbourne is better to live in. I’d echo that but both are worth seeing. Melbourne from a distance looks like Emerald City from the Wizard of Oz!!
btw if you ever do drive from Adelaide to Melbourne make sure you fill up with petrol whenever you can. I had a very tense journey towards the end of the swamp lands with no township in sight anywhere!!
I can’t see how paying 70m for Maddison is going to end well for us. I’m not interested in gambling all on black – we need to rebuild properly and over time and not throw money we haven’t got at every player possible. Moves like Lokonga make sense – Maddison does not. We’re penniless now because we blew it on Pepe and Saliba for 100m outlay and did the same previously for Xhaka, Mustafi and Peres.
We’re not in a position to spunk huge cash so let’s stop doing so
Moray, Arsenal has the pull and the salary. If we wanted Tielemans he’d be ours. If we wanted Mahrez and Kanye before they went to Leicester, they’d be here. James Rodriguez would be here if we went for him. I’m not talking about the Mbappe’s of this world, but finding bringing talents like say Oyarzabal and Olmo a year or 2 ago. We can be the most exciting team for young 20-24 yo players. We have the money, we have the fans, the history, the excitement to showcase your talent in the best league in the world. We should be… Read more »
Champagne CharlieJuly 11, 2021 14:43:05 Leicester are a wealthy selling club who operate in the premium. ——– Really? Yes they do,but how are they able to be more efficient than us in that department,given we’ve had almost 25 years of CL football and won EPL titles,with a higher wage bill and being the 8th richest club in the world? Versus their 1 EPL title,given they came from Division 1 (or the Championship) and were staving of relegation in their first season under Nigel Pearson in the EPL during the 2014/2015 campaign-non?As in steering relegation in the face-finishing in 14th place… Read more »
I’m not sure we need another no.10 taking into consideration the impact that Smith Rowe had on the side from Christmas onwards. His impact was similar to the impact that Bruno Fernandes had at United when he arrived in turning around a poor season.. Smith Rowe may not have the numbers of Fernandes YET, but he alone did more to turn a very poor Arsenal side that was close to relegation places , into the 2nd best team in the league for the final 2 thirds of the season.. Put it this way, without the inclusion of Smith Rowe ,… Read more »
PhD – we have actually been there before – Summer 2003 – we only bought Lehmann if my memory serves me correct. We went on to be the Invincibles! Just saying!
Beretinni wins first set against Djoker.
I can’t believe that Arteta was first row spectating Emi Martinez day in day out and still preferred to keep Leno ahead of him. Homegrown and 28 yo has more than 7-8 seasons to play, hugely motivated and loves our club. What an epic fuck up.
My concern overall is that because Arteta is now under such pressure (quite rightly – I would have sacked him at the end of the season or after Villareal) we and he are now in the position where we are trying to buy half a team to rebuild to get instant success and secure his job next year. This rarely works and could store up trouble in terms of cash outflow (you can only spend it once) and store up yet more dross. Buying in volume for me is an issue. A rebuild takes at least 3 years to do… Read more »
Pierre
What happens if ESR goes down with an injury? With his track record it isn’t too far-fetched to anticipate it happening at some point in the season.
Our overall level of play and creativity falls off a cliff without him. We desperately need another player that can add spark and consistency to our play.
Maddison is a very good player. I don’t care whether Brendan likes him or not but the boy can play.
TR7
Djoker has already broken Berrettini in the opening game of the 2nd, he’ll now steamroller through him in 4, at worst 5 sets.
raptora – yes it was – for that and buying Willian and the pitiful display last season he should have walked. However, he didn’t so let’s hope he has learned some valuable lessons and he puts us back where we should be – top 4 at least. He has at least 1/2 a season to prove himself now.
If Arteta got White and Madison would that constitute enough of the roster change to call it his according to his illustrious fan club , or would he need another transfer window?
Asking for a friend.
one more year and Charlie Patino will be knocking on the CAM door. ESR and Patino would be more than enough. I’d prefer in the meantime to get a Xhaka replacement and sort out the RB role
Weagle
“What happens if ESR goes down with an injury?”
Move Saka inside , put pepe and Martinelli out wide or play a 4-3-3 , bring willock into the 3 in midfield and use him the way Newcastle used him .
There are many options i could give you, it doesn’t always have to be a like for like change.
WE,
That’s why I advocated for a more versatile player that can fill the gap in case ESR gets injured but also isn’t a direct competition to him. Buendia and Bernardo Silva were just that being able to play on the wings. Aouar can play in a three with Partey and ESR or in ESRs place if needed.
I don’t think buying a 70m player that will be guaranteed to start 90% of the games for us in ESR’s favourite position is ideal. I just don’t.
WE
Yes, don’t think Beretinni has got enough in his locker to beat Djoker. His backhand is very ordinary. Unless Djoker commits a lot of unforced errors, the Italian has no chance. Shapovalov who Djoker beat in SF actually outplayed Djoker but squandered his chance. He converted only 1 out of 11 break points.
TR7
.Maddison is quality without a doubt but I would rather we address the areas that need to be addressed.
NorthbankerJuly 11, 2021 15:11:21 didn’t spend that much time in Adelaide – looked a very boring place (we had been travelling through at that point and had just done Central Australia). I don’t know how bad the erosion is now re GOR Apostles but the natural bridge that was there has disappeared. There’s a belief in Oz that Sydney is the better place to visit but Melbourne is better to live in. I’d echo that but both are worth seeing. Melbourne from a distance looks like Emerald City from the Wizard of Oz!! —- Oh ok..I heard the Yarra river… Read more »
NorthbankerJuly 11, 2021 15:24:42
PhD – we have actually been there before – Summer 2003 – we only bought Lehmann if my memory serves me correct. We went on to be the Invincibles! Just saying!
—–
Fair Dinkum…
Pierre
I think we will need another creative force along with ESR. See I like ESR but he is effective only when Saka plays in tandem with him. Not criticising ESR but he has some way to go before we make him lynchpin of our attack. A player like Maddison will not only reduce our reliance on Saka-ESR combo but will also add another dimension to our attack. Arsenal need quality midfielders to climb up the table.
Saka dropped for Trippier, Southgate to play with a back 5. The same tactics was used to beat Germany.
NorthbankerJuly 11, 2021 15:11:21
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I think there was one place-maybe called the ‘Rock’s’ not far from the Opera House.Well across the river,on the other side.Saw some British Telephone Boxes,felt like I was in Little England.Since most the restaurants and bars on that road or in that area,were staffed by English waiters…
Is that place called the-‘Rocks’? Or maybe it’s another named placed?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, before we spend $50M on Ben White or $70M on Maddison, we should be buying Grealish.
Arteta should sell him the project.
TR7
If we had unlimited funds then buy Maddison or Grealish.
We don’t, so we need to be smarter and strengthen up the central midfield and the right back position.
Buying maddison or Aouar without strengthening centre mid is doomed to fail .
azedJuly 11, 2021 15:51:19
Arteta should sell him the project.
—-
What’s the project that Arteta is selling?
Would love to know…
I’m all eyes.
Weagle When you’re trying to gain a stable footing it makes perfect sense to buy from within the PL. I know you’re one of the more opposed to its merits vs Europe, but there’s a degree of safety in this market and we’re at a point where the money needs to deliver after a turgid few seasons spend. Look at moves like Anderson at West Ham, 40 mil he landed here for and despite his ability not one English side would entertain him for half that. Back to Lazio he goes. Pepe wouldn’t sell for 30 mil after we’ve dropped… Read more »
Top 8 with no European football under his tenure?
Evening, No point in buying Maddison for 70 million, If oooaaar is available for 25 plus then get him Still gives you 45 million for xhaka replacement or top draw right back, or better still a decent keeper. (Selling emi, you mugs) I don’t believe there is a 200 million warchest. If we are spending that its because we’re having a mass clear out and there’s no guarantee we’re getting good fees for our dross. Watch everyone play poverty when arsenal ask for cash. We still have more dead wood than a coffin makers, and we still take an eternity… Read more »
Let’s hope Southgate isn’t making the fatal mistake of overthinking things for a big game..
There is a history of managers cocking it up on the big day by overthinking selection and systems.
Very rarely did you see ferguson or wenger make that mistake in cup finals.
Wenger played Bergkamp up front in the cup final v United and got away with it , the performance was rubbish and we were fortunate to win on pens .
Phd Leicester do so by adhering to a talent profile and getting it right enough times to spin a healthy profit. They don’t pay outrageous wages either so the fee is boosted. They’re admirably run, but it’s also why they’re in a position to yield to a side that finished 8th place for their best player. That model has a glass ceiling because either you break your structure, keep the talent and up the expectations to cover the costs, or you sell high and back yourself to replenish. They value the latter and power to them. Arsenal need to establish… Read more »
Pierre
Central mid, attacking mid and right back position all equally important for me. 50M for White is a sheer wastage of money, that kind of money gets us Maddison.
No talk of Bissouma these days.Is he a non starter with everyone? He was flavour of the month before the window opened.Strange.
“When you’re trying to gain a stable footing it makes perfect sense to buy from within the PL.”
It’s all about keeping things to a degree of value. How you measure that value can vary but top talent within the PL has a premium and English talent a daft premium. The trick is to buy the Maddison’s of the world before that premium goes crazy.
TR7
That is what Arteta (not Edu) will be judged on – we buy White and get the midfield reinforcements we need and no one will care about what we spent on White (providing he’s not a disaster of course). We buy White and don’t add properly to midfield and Arteta will have signed his own death warrant.
It all depends where we see Partey doing best.
Is Partey a DM or a box-to-box CM?
On the answer depends the profile of player we need.
The way it’s going Arteta believes that Partey is a CM and he wants to add a deep-lying playmaker in the mould of Xhaka, Rodri in Neves/Locatelli.
I would rather move Partey in DM. But that’s me.
Marc
I don’t disagree with that, I wanted Grealish before anyone on here and was scoffed at because he’d only played well in the Championship. I like Todd Cantwell and had that idea laughed at because he wasn’t blockbuster like Buendia etc.
My point is the safer money is in Maddison vs Pepe for various reasons. We’ve swung our dick in Europe with terrible returns. Our best players have been from here (Tierney), or speculative signings for peanuts (Martinelli). If we value a ready-to-go talent profile this summer then it’s hard to argue against the merits of the players quoted.
CC
It’s all about getting the profile right – something I get the feeling has been more luck than judgement recently whether the players from overseas or the PL.
England weak link is Pickford. He’s yet to drop his customary howler
That said, Harry’ Kane is a good man to have around on a night like this.
Palace (Vieira) linked with either Eddie at £20m or Dolberg for £25m. No offence to Eddie (or Pierre) but getting the latter is a no brainer at those prices.