Well, here we are, the unofficial first game of the season kicks off today. Leicester City take on Manchester City at Wembley in the Community Shield.
City really is the team to beat this season. Things are settled, they’ve added Jack Grealish, they’ll add Harry Kane by the end of the month. They are basically unstoppable
Leicester are recording a tricky third album. Rodgers has bottled top 4 right at the end twice now. He’s either going to take his team to the promised land of Champions League football this season or it’s just going to be his thing that Leicester will be also-rans.
I think most people are excited by Leicester recruitment because they basically buy up all the players fans like on Championship Manager. Patson Daka has been on our radar for a while, can he go some way to replacing Jamie Vardy’s output? What will Soumare do for their central midfield after a decent showing for Lille? WILL THE ARSENAL FANS LIVE TO REGRET BERTRAND?
Worth noting Leicester have sold absolutely no one for cash this window.
Arsenal news was very slow yesterday, our fearless Technical Director was once again posting pictures of himself on vacation, this time, the jetsetter was in Mallorca. I know… we’ve lived in a Covid World for the last 18 months, people can work from their phone… still isn’t a good look. Can someone not tell him to shut off his IG Stories?
The big link today is Bernado Silva. No doubt an excellent player that can do all the things we want because he’s been coached by Arteta. We’d be landing a top talent, someone that is schooled in the system, and Arteta will know his character intimately.
… but I like Maddison.
I know, I know, both would be great… but Maddison is on an upward trajectory. He’s won one FA Cup. He’ll be hungry. He’ll slip into our very English vibe. He’s 3 years younger.
BOTH would be good. I just think the statement move is Maddison
Outside that, it’s mostly quiet. Eddie has an injury that has ruled him out for a month. Partey is back in 3 weeks. Gabriel M is still out. I don’t think an injury stops Eddie moving out of the club though.
MARTINELLI WON GOLD AND CELEBRATED WITH BRUNO.
Right, not much else to talk about. We’re under a week away from the start of the season, time to kick it up a gear Edu.
Big links to Vlahović
Pedro
No chance we’re looking to spunk 50 mil on a 21 year old, certainly aren’t going head to head with Spurs for a striker when they’re getting Kane money.
Be glad when the transfer window closes as it takes up SO much time reading about all the players we’re going to sign
Bati,
You watching the shelf utd game? What do you make of Berge? I’m watching it to keep an eye on himself and Ramsdale and while I still wouldn’t like to see Ramsdale coming I’m surprised by Berge, faster and more mobile than I had originally thought him to be.
CC, anything to take my mind of a bug outlay for Ramsdale
Pedro, that was my point, like Dennis he had a hard time in Italy yet in neither case did Arsenal fans run around slagging them off and calling them ‘flops’. Maybe modern fans are different but suggesting that I or the vast majority of older fans on here would slag off a top class player who made one bad move is completely baseless.
Andy, it’s got less to do with modern fan and more with Arsenal’s recent record with transfers/extensions.
For every good one there’s been two two shitty ones.
You don’t see Leicester fans arguing about their transfer dealings much do you.
Almuniasaynomore
I’m watching it and Berge is the one player I’d take from Sheffield.
Tom, I know it’s only one game but he’s head and shoulders above everyone else. No complaints here though I’d like to see more of him. I’ll say one thing for Ramsdale,he is very comfortable with the ball at his feet but a definite no from me, he’s very average at best in the other areas and the last thing we need is an indecisive keeper who invites aerial pressure, which he would. Surely the club can find a good keeper who is decent with his feet and even if they can’t I’ll never agree with prioritising a keeper’s passing… Read more »
Shit Vickingz
i dunno what to say
how bout
man city
that’s my most succinct argument
actually i can cut another word off:
psg
pretty solid teams.
pretty good players there on pretty good wages
Ramsdale will fit perfectly with project Arteta
Absolute joke of a goalie and a clueless manager
Saw that goal he conceded. He was stranded in no man’s land.
Fucking hell. Ramsdale isn’t a top keeper. It isn’t about this mistake. It has just been obvious for a number of years. The only reason he should be signed if he is really cheap.
I see Nketiah is out for a month. Every time arteta decides to do something that isn’t based on logic, we become victims of that decision. There goes any money we could have got for him. But hey, he should have played preseason right. In Arteta’s lala land anything he decides is great apparently.
Habesha
Yes, Nketiah should have played pre-season. He was healthy and looking good but got injured. Players get injured in football.
Alumnia
Yea was watching just to make sure i was 100% right hr waa a crappy goalkeeper and i wasn’t even suprised to see him concede that kinda goal.
Berge was good, championship game all the same but he was good
The talk is that Brighton want Eddie for £20m, not coming from strong sources though.
Bati,
I know it’s been said a thousand times but isn’t it worrying that there is a guy, or a group, who are paid to select goalkeepers that are good enough to play for Arsenal and they follow the Runnarson decision with Ramsdale? Even if you give Arteta the benefit of the doubt and say it’s not him, other guys are in charge of that, shouldn’t he be doing his upmost to highlight their incompetence and have them removed? There is something rotten in the state of Denmark.
I can be partially persuaded that Arteta has coaching credentials if only based on his experience with Pep and the words of praise from players like Tierney, ESR etc. What we should all acknowledge is that he’s been an absolute disaster when it comes to our goalkeeping side. I’m not even talking about the Martinez sale although that has proven to be a costly mistake. More important has been the shocking Runarsson decision. Doesn’t matter whether the decision was by him or Inaki Cana Pavon, he is still fully accountable. He should have sacked Pavon at the end of last… Read more »
20 million take that shit and run. But my bet would be they pull another AMN
Bacary,
Snap.
One other cause for concern and it has to do with the negotiating style of Edu and Arteta. Here’s what’s been reported and not refuted by several outlets. Arsenal offered 40-42m with their first bid, then 45-47m with their second bid and then 50m and agreed to a sell-on clause with their third and final bid. White’s agent said the following: “Edu, Mikel Arteta, and actually all the guys at Arsenal were excellent to deal with, they were consistent in their message that they were going to do all they could to get Ben, and in all fairness that was… Read more »
You beat me to it Almunia!!
Bacary, tell us how you’d have negotiated the deal.
Arsenal in for Trippier? WHAT?
I think bellerin will go to inter now the Lukaku deal is done freeing up a chance to buy a proper RB
Where you hear that Pedro .?
Tripier decent
Ben White, Aaron Ramsdale and Kieran Trippier for circa 100 million. Fuck me this club is run by imbeciles
The Sun.
I honestly thought Trippier was 23 years old. 31 in September. Mind blown.
Not sure I like an ex spurs player unless his name is sol
31 a bit too old
Watch us go for him while Dumfries and Celik move to better clubs for less this summer
I imagine Marko is like the Dom jolly character that shouts all the time
Rather Max Aarons
Tripper rumor from the Sun, most likely rubbish.
Has to be Aaron’s so fits the bill to the age bracket we re looking at
Sun saying we’re still persisting with Ramsdale, sun are a poor source so i’m not worried.
You would have to be blind to not see ramsdale sucks
Serge I noticed last season, still bewildered that we are interested. Maybe Edus still hammered from all those pics of alcohol on his holidays.
Kola off to Fenerbache on a 3 yr deal.
So Kola is joining Mesut in Istanbul, and it sounds like he’s been asking his friend and Dr. Sogut about how to terminate a contract with Arsenal while extracting absolutely everything you can.
The pair of them have taken us to the cleaners.
Lola’s contract will have to be terminated for Fenerbahce deal to go through.
TR7, that’s good news if true. Just get him out, no one will pay a fee.
Pedro
Yes need to offload Kola but worrying that we are not able to sell even one player for any transfer fee.
Pedro
TR7 is saying we have to pay him off to break his contract , then he can eff off to wherever.
He and Mustafa were more interested in defending Ozil’s honor than play for Arsenal.
We’ve bought some horrible players recently, Kola belongs in that group.
https://talksport.com/football/923310/roy-keane-james-maddison-arsenal-transfer-leicester/
Bacary,
The funny thing about what White’s agent said was that in his mind he was paying them a complement, when in fact it was anything but.
That would explain how Partey went from £40kpw at Atleti to £250kpw at Arsenal when no one else was after him.
Tom, amazing that getting deals done is now a problem for you… as well as not getting deals done.
TR7, it is worrying. Edu not helping himself by taking 50 holidays. Think things will move this week. Deadlines on Willock, hearing Eddie going to Southampton, AMN will likely realise he needs to move, and Inter now have some liquidity to do a deal Hector.
Diss, terrible signing, but at least you could see the logic… best LB in the Bundesliga. Glad to see the back of him regardless of how we move him on.
Pedro, you crack me up dude,
When have I ever complained about a signing not being done , when I have no preference as to who Arsenal sign.
The only time you get a reaction from me is when someone says White was good value, or Partey is worth 250kpw, or Pepe , or Saliba we’re good signings.
I can go back some more and name the Sanchez to City deal that we knocked back, or Ozil extension on 350kpw.
Here’s the kicker though, You’ve only now become super sensitive re Arsenal transfer dealings criticism.
Go figure.
Tom, you spent the morning getting hammered for suggesting Arsenal was a lateral move over Leicester, let’s not pretend you are a voice of reason.
Arsenal getting the Ben White transfer done was a positive, £50m is the going rate for sub 24 ball-playing centre backs with a certain profile… you making a complaint that Ben White’s agent suggested the way we went about the move from a profiling and negotiation perspective was a negative… with no reasoning as to why is just another example of your odd behaviour around the club.
Even in recent memory, Arsenal is far bigger than Leicester. Bergkamp was a flop @ Inter. Henry was a flop @ Juve. Those saying they were not should never say Gervinho was a flop at Arsenal. Both aforementioned came as flops from their various clubs but left as legends. Simplicita! Gervinho got rejuvinated when he left for Rome. This is the reason a player shouldn’t be disregarded as being bad just because he perform poorly according standard I previous club. Madison over Bernardo as it stands now. Bernardo though a good player, seems to have peaked. I stand corrected though.… Read more »
Pedro, outside of money Arsenal are a lateral move for Maddison right now, strictly football wise that is.
I realize this isn’t a popular opinion on an Arsenal blog but that don’t make it false.
I never said Arsenal and Leicester are the same size clubs with same size fan base.
You yourself said Rodgers needs to make the next step up this season or be labeled an also run ,which is funny since you can’t be dragged by force to say the same about Arteta.
Tom, the fact that one team is after a player as opposed to numerous clubs going after one player doesn’t indicate the player ain’t good enough. Will you use the same metric for Maguire and Varane because it was only Utd who was after them? And just now PSG after Messi? Aside Chelsea, who’s after Lukaku?
The arguments on this blog at times is……
Tom, it’s just a shockingly bad opinion that doesn’t hold weight on any level. It’s a Talksport talking point, not a serious position. Brendan Rodgers wanted to come to Arsenal but knew he’d soil his rep for jumping around. James Maddison, Leicesters best player, wants to move to Arsenal. 99% of footballers would laugh at that sort of take. It isn’t a popular opinion because it’s so bad, but here you are, pretending you are the voice of reason by taking a deluded rival fan view on the club you support (I actually don’t even think Leicester fans would challenge… Read more »
KAY, have a similar feeling on Thomas Partey. Easily going to be one of the best players in his role this season, worth every penny of whatever we pay him. Not relevant who was or was not in for him. An argument that could only carry weight on a blog, much like the ‘Leicester on a level with Arsenal’
KB , no it doesn’t and I never said it did.
I’m assuming you’re talking about the Partey deal I mentioned, and like the player a lot too, but not the crazy wages he’s been put on.
Better PL players than him playing his position are on less than half.
Which players are better than Thomas Partey in the Premier League in that position?
Pedro thinks Partey moved to Arsenal for footballing reasons to play for Arteta, never mind that we more than tripled his wages .
We made partey an offer that he couldn’t refuse
The name of arsenal is way bigger than Leicester The stadium the history and the money all better But from a footballing perspective they consistently finish above us, they are very reasonably in with a chance of doing so this season. Their squad is probably slightly better tho not very deep. They’ve won an FA cup just now and a league title more recently than us. They’ve played in the CL more recently than us I think and have very nearly done it for the last two seasons. The club has a fast growing reputation as a hub of development… Read more »
Does edu’s holiday happen to be on Raul’s boat again lol
Diss, hold on, Soumare moves to ‘well run’ Leicester for triple his wages and you liked that?
This is like you being excited by Romero, not White… and telling us to look to Dortmund for how you discipline Auba in private even though they did it public in a harsher way than Arteta.
‘ the fact there’s even a question to be had says it’s up for debate’
Only on here, ask Maddison or a Leicester fan.
Maddison is awesome, but let’s cool off on the Bergkamp comparisons
Ozil was a generational talent and the worlds established assist king and he was no Bergkamp and that story ended in tears
Not saying Maddison would be the same, but I am saying there’s only one DB10.
China, there will always be another legend in the making. We went from Wright, to Bergkamp, the Thierry in the space of 10 years. No reason Maddison couldn’t hit those heights.
Pedro If you were given a choice to sign the best defender in Serie A who’s only 23 years old and has played under n exciting manager for 50 million. or a 23 year old defender that no one talked about in real time during last season who had one excellent loan season in the championship and one single season in a top division for 590 million. Who would you sign? We massively overpaid for White, even when his nationality or England invite is factored in. If Spurs get Romero for 43 million, that would be the better deal. You… Read more »
Pedro.
around.James Maddison, Leicesters best player, wants to move to Arsenal.
Wtf! Just shoot me now.
*****a 23 year old defender that no one talked about in real time during last season who had one excellent loan season in the championship and one single season in a top division for 50 million.
“But from a footballing perspective they consistently finish above us“
Finished above us 3 times in the last 6 years, and I honestly don’t know if they’ve ever finished above us prior to that. But yea, consistently ahead..
Also beat us away for the first time in 47 years last season, so guess they consistently beat us too.
“My personal theory is Leicester are due a bad season”
Like 2018 when they came 9th? 2017 when they came 9th? 2016 when they came 12th?
What’s even considered bad for this top notch Leicester side now…
I’m thoroughly enjoying the certainty dissenter has that Romero will be a better buy than White. It’s definitely not conjuring memories of previous claims that couldn’t have been further from the truth.
Walter Samuel II he’s said. Big shoes.
Pedro, are you kidding me?
Fabinho is head and shoulders the best holding midfielder in the Prem and by some distance.
At the rate Parteys getting injured even Fernandinho at 36 might give him run for the money.
As for me getting “hammered “all morning for my Maddison lateral move…….this wouldn’t be by the same posters who laughed Bamford out of town for saying Leicester had a better squad and would finish higher than Arsenal last season would it?
Diss, 55m from Serie A, the slowest league in Europe… or someone that’s played and thrived under Bielsa and Potter… ID’d by Ramos? Not to mention Foden and Saka said he was the player that impressed the most at the Euros.
Give me White all day long. Romero was part of a defence that conceded 73 goals prior to Atalanta and he was binned off by Juve… and you want to talk to me about overpaying?
Tom is a definite closet Leicester fan. Any discussion involving Leicester and he’s always found their side of the argument, even at the expense of Arsenal.
Dissenter
Do you have anything “positive” to say about Arsenal?
Perhaps it would be better for you to find an alternative team to support!!!
Pedro
Okay then….
Ben White for me would make sense had he been a 25-35 million signing.
It was horrible to have our pockets picked in a summer where we didn’t let Xhaka leave over a £5 million difference with Roma.
Once he gets on the field, I’m backing him 100%, same way CC backs Pepe 😁😁😁
Tom… sorry, thought you were going to be a little more creative than Liverpool’s Fabinho. As that’s the best you can do, not sure I can agree that he’s miles better. They have very similar statistical profiles, Fabinho more of a pressure player, but our system didn’t do that last year. The fact that the best you can do here is a City or a Liverpool midfielder tells you how weak your argument is over his salary or worth. Partey is one of the best around, that’s why he’s paid to that level.
Diss, Fofana came from France at 19 and Leicester paid 37m for him. Another 13m for two seasons in England is probably worth the Premium if we want a fast start.
ES
Don’t you have any more billionaire weddings to attend so that you can come back and boast some more
Put a sock in it already, with all your “positivity “BS.
Pedro
Very well
I’m of the opinion that there are better deals to be had on the continent but for whatever reason, we have misread the market and are doing the British tax thing at the worst possible time.
Pedro I hope he can if we sign him
But I get itchy when people take the lords name in vain. Please don’t blaspheme!
Diss, everyone thought there were better deals to be had on the continent, but what have we seen?
Romero to Spurs > 55m
Kounde to Chelsea > 55m (rumoured)
Varane to United > 35m (one year on deal)
Lukaku to Chelsea > 98m
Not a lot of deals going down with a certain profile of player.
Dissenter
Radical process, but I back players until they deliver massively below expectation – then I shift my view to them being poor having witnessed exactly that.
It’s a wild algorithm to really nail down.
China, it’s not blaspheme to say ‘Maddison could be this generation’s Bergkamp’… because he could be.
Dissenter
You devote every single post slagging the club. Perhaps you can explain to me why you consider yourself a supporter.
As Pedro pointed out on several occasions Arsenal’s form in the second half of the season improved and for the record we beat Leicester 3-1 at their ground. We also beat Man Utd,
Chelsea twice and Spurs.
So we are not as bad as you spend your time suggesting we are.
Bergkamp is going to banish you to hell (a land where uncultured footballers play for eternity under fat Sam) if you talk of such comparisons
Now pray at your shrine (you don’t have one right), light a candle and put the invincibles highlights reel on to seek his forgiveness
Does dissenter have to be so negative about everything? Miserable.
That’s just dissenter, revels in trying to predict the success of everyone bar Arsenal. Had Everton overtaking us two years ago, Spurs winning the league last year, West Ham and Villa enviable clubs this summer, Leicester a lateral move etc.
But to his credit he extends his well wishes to Arsenal players when they join, after belittling their transfer for weeks, can’t ask for more than that from a gooner.
ES
I don’t have to explain my fanhood to you, maybe you’re too caught up in your ITK delusions
Unlike you, I’m not here dropping names and pretending to be in the know.
From the silly sports journalist who’s feeding you info, to having Ben Friar’s number and hanging out with billionaires.
You must have trouble counting to suggest that i spend very SINGLE ;post slagging the club when it’s not even true.
Pedro didn’t have a problem with my fanhood when were bantering so why don’t you honor your bedtime.
Dissenter I made a point about billionaires which someone with an ounce of intelligence would have understood. Billionaires particularly of the nouveau riche variety have oversized egos and like to spend their money on their toys. Football is and has always been a hobby for the super rich particularly for those of the gangster variety including the Russian and Italian Mafioso. They don’t buy football clubs to make money. Kroenke is probably more honest than most, but I suspect that he has an oversized ego. He bought the largest ranch in Texas and the finest vineyard in Burgundy. I suspect… Read more »
Dissenter
Your so-called banter is persistent criticism. The message is constant.
Diss you and a few others never have anything good to say this is why your “fandom” is criticised
I feel bad for all these fans pleading that arsenal are a big club. Here’s a question, At present, which is a bigger club? Arsenal or city? At present, which is a bigger club? Arsenal or chelsea? The status of a big club changes. It’s not permanent. In 10 years time when we are constantly finishing mid table, can we be considered a big club? Leicester are a well run club who are on an upward trend. Arsenal are going the opposite direction. If we don’t improve both on and off the field, we’ll continue to get cheeky bids from… Read more »
Gonsterous If you were to ask me, I would say no, arsenal aren’t a big club. We have gone from being the most hated team in the league to being other fans second team because they pity us and liked to see us play Wenger ball. And you would be wrong history makes a big club support, makes a big club not a friggin ten year cycle, was Liverpool not an elite club because they never won a title for 30 years ? Was Man U not a big club because before fergie they had little success for 25 plus… Read more »
Gospheous
Here’s a question,
At present, which is a bigger club? Arsenal or city?
At present, which is a bigger club? Arsenal or chelsea?
Arsenal they are less successful because of financial doping but it will still take these teams many years to catch our rich history and trophies especially city
Gosperous ? How did that happen sorry gonsterous
Have to say is difficult to understand why Chelsea must lay all that bread on an ageing Lukaku when they have got Timo and Abraham who could suddenly be better than Lukaku going forward.
I’m not even sure Timo was ever inferior to Lukaku, lad was struggling in a new environment in his first year…nothing new.
£98m?????!!!!!
Maybe we will get £40m for Laca too at some point this TW.
Silva > Maddison…just my opinion though.
“Leicester are a well run club who are on an upward trend. Arsenal are going the opposite direction. If we don’t improve both on and off the field, we’ll continue to get cheeky bids from the likes of Aston villa A players time is not the past or the future, it’s in a short period of 10 years and in those years, they want to compete and win for trophies (something arsenal have not been doing), so yes, for them arsenal aren’t a big club” As much as it grieves me Gons you are right at this stage of our… Read more »
This Trippier shit is tripping me out man.
F THis
We are a big club. Nobody can change our history. What do we think happens to Chelsea once Roman loses interest, Putin dies and he or his descendants cash in on the 1bn+ debt? Man city are looking to set up something more sustainable but the oil money won’t be there forever, particularly now we are in the climate change endgame. We’ve been badly run for years now, with our clueless absentee owners, but a big part of what makes Arsenal great is our history. If football is becoming about content, 5 second snippets because kids can’t concentrate longer than… Read more »