WHAT DID WE LEARN?

by .

Arsenal lost another preseason game, to another London rival, on a rainy August afternoon at the bowl. No one likes to lose, no one likes to lose to Spurs, but this is preseason and nothing really matters bar the result on Friday night. If you spent last season campaigning that beating Liverpool in the Community Shield meant nothing, pardon me not caring much about how important Spurs is in the Mindfulness Cup.

So let’s reestablish what preseason games are all about.

  • Bringing your fitness levels as close to perfection as you can. Reality is, for elite level athletes, it takes about 6 games to get fully fit, so these guys are going to be burning.
  • Trying out new tactical approaches. Arsenal will have a lot of time on the training ground this season, so expect the football to develop
  • Learning who you can trust and who you cannot. There were players out there today you’d hope to see the back of in the next two weeks

What we did not like:

Our forward line really was drossy today, it has been all summer long. It was last season. Nicolas Pepe loves a standing start and it interrupts his strengths. Lacazette is our best striker, but he can’t drop deep then make up the ground. Auba is the next point.

Auba has lost all his confidence in his thirties. That’s a major concern. He looks depressed and he lacks the ability to contribute at the level we know he can. He’s so far off the pace and that is a concern. I don’t think this is an Ozil issue, he clearly cares, but he’s nowhere near the level he should be right now.

We only have two centre backs that are acceptable to this system. It’s pretty clear that Pablo Mari and Rob Holding aren’t cutting it. Mari with a horrendous bit of WTF in the build-up the Son goal. That’s a concern heading into the season and one that we’re going to have to live with this year.

We’re getting the ball into good spaces and crossing like there’s a target man there. None of strikers are tall enough. None of them seem to have the desire to hustle to win those high balls. It’s pretty clear we need to sign someone with a height and playing style of Tammy if this system is going to work.

Our right side of defence needs the Tierney treatment. The most ideal candidate would be Ainsley, but he wants central midfield, and doesn’t seem to have people advising him to take the Arsenal offer. That leaves us Hector Bellerin, who wants out, but has no interested clubs. With Soares, who is lucky to be at Arsenal. Chances are looking sparse that we move on anyone in that position and that is a massive, massive L for the summer plans.

What we most certainly did like:

Lokonga isn’t going to need 6 months to make an impact on this side. We don’t need to see Mo Elneny in the starting 11 on Friday. The Belgian midfielder looks composed, his range of passing is stunning, and he moves around the pitch with ease. Mo came on and we looked week, Granit Xhaka barking at him because he wouldn’t play a pass that looked on the mild side of risky is exactly why Mo shouldn’t be anywhere near our midfied, but be real, who is taking him?

Ben White looks like the central defender we’ve been needing for a long time. Not sure there will be many doubting what he offers. He has great recovery pace, his ability to dribble with the ball if there is no option makes him dangerous, his passing range is like a midfielder… and he is lightning quick into the back of strikers and midfielders. There were moments he could have done better, there are partnerships to build, but for a full debut, against a decent side, he looked very solid.

Granit Xhaka has come back looking fit and ready. I know a lot of people wanted him gone, but playing next to people like Lokonga and Partey brings out the best of him. He’s going to have a decent season and start on the right footing.

We controlled the game for the most part, moved the ball into dangerous positions, but didn’t make our chances count. That’s the story of the backend of last season. It’s positive that we can do that, but we really need to see some movement on players that can help us be more incisive. Tammy Abrahams in this system gets goals. James Maddison gives us better set-plays and more incisive balls where they need to be. We’re not there yet, but the basics of a very good system are there.

Final thing I liked. It’s clear what needs to be done this week. It’s clear who should stay and who should go. It’s absolutely 20/20 on what the side needs as we head into the final 2 weeks of the window.

Can Edu, who has been on about 15 holidays this window make it happen? So far, it doesn’t look good. We’ve moved the squad forward with two signings that’ll likely be there for the start of the season, but there’s nowhere near enough work on exits and there’s still a massive, massive lift needed to land that #10, a back-up keeper that’s not dropping howlers, and a striker that gives us the right sort of options for the type of chances we’re creating.

It’s a big week, all eyes are on Friday, all hopes are on a big 3 points landing to calm the nerves.

See you in the comments.

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Tee

“Thats because Xhaka is nearer to being a starter than Willock is and Willock is fetching more value. When we used him for a whole game he was limited. It would have been great to use him as an impact sub, but we need the money. If it buys the next required player then it’s probably for the best.”

Please, stop making sense here, you will be lonely.

Look at val talking of dishonesty. Pot, kettle and all

Lol. He will pull you down with his sources

Tee

“I think that Arteta will be sacked in December after the Everton game. ”

Another exclusive from itk Val

Tom

Tee, I didn’t realize there was a statue of limitations on how far back you can go to establish a transfer philosophy of any given club.

They bought Perez for 2million and sold him for 36million, what does it matter if he’s been at Leicester two seasons already?

The point of it is that CG might seem like a crazy uncle saying the darndest things around here, when in fact he’s been proven right more times than the whole Legrove positivistas faction, regrettably.
Maybe you should start paying attention to him and learn something.

China1

Tee see how many players arsenal have signed since 2015 and made a profit on

I would say name 5 but I’m fairly sure we’ve not even managed 4

China1

And by profit even a £1 would count

China1

Iwobi and ox are the only sales we’ve made in the last several years where we fleeced the buying team and iwobi was an academy product and ox was signed like a decade ago

We are in no position to mock other clubs and their sakes when we make losses on very close to 100% on transfers

Pierre

Northbanker
.” When we used him for a whole game he was limited”

Will just point out that according to whoscored Willock started just 6 times for Arsenal last season in the league and Europe, scoring 3 with 3 assists..

So when tee says to you “Please, stop making sense here,”, I’m not sure that 6 starts with 6 goal contributions from midfield is what one would call “limited”.

Maybe he meant stop talking nonsense as that would be more apt.

Tom

No one was more vehemently against the Willian transfer and the Auba extension than CG.

I can dance around the issue and say I was for extending Auba’s contract but can’t be responsible for how Arteta’s been using ( more like misusing) him and therefore his up to date colossal failure, but the fact is it’s been a failure and I was wrong about extending him, and CG was right.

How about you, Tee?

DivineSherlock

Pierre

I hope Edu can see sense and just loans Willock to Newcastle for a year , also hoping we extend Nketiah . At this point I dont trust Arteta with kids . Martinelli wont get a start even if Auba is playing poorly , thats where we are with this manager .

Tom

Pierre, it doesn’t matter how good Willock has been when given opportunity if Arteta doesn’t see him in his plans for the season.
Highly doubtful Arteta crashes hard enough for Kroenke to make the move , so chances are he’s here to stay.
Willock needs to do what’s good for his career from now on and not worry about Arsenal.
Same as Saliba.

Kaz

So we remain a cross centric team without a competent heading striker.

Fantastic strategy and recruitment as per usual.

Links to Trippier too who is a fantastic crosser, but no links to someone who can routinely score with their head?

Only us.

SAGG

Pierre What about Willock last 50 Arsenal apperances contribuition? Can you add the opponets against he scored and assited? Then add interceptions, balls recovered, duels won, how many times he lost possesion, etc? You will find a very incosistent player in there, whom better moments are against weak midfield opposition. Joe Willock always have had lots of qualities, but NEVER HAS addressed his weaknesses, not under Ljunberg, not under Emery, not under Arteta, so yes, MAYBE at some point he could become a top class player but he is already 21 and there is a 25 million on the table… Read more »

Mr Serge

China you are wrong to say we have not made profit on sales in the last 5 years

S Asoa

Tom
The hard fall for Kroenke to feel the need to evict Arteta the Toad, the fans would need to up the ante and make enough noise to hurt Kroenke so he gets off his butt and does the right thing.
#ArtetaOut

Mr Serge

Tom fans are back in the ground trust me if MA fails he will be gone by November the kronkes cannot take dissension from the fans

Pierre

Kaz
Or maybe this one might convince a few.
https://youtu.be/MVsnZ3ADbvE

Mr Serge

Messi crying as he is leaving Barca is hilarious if he loved the club so much then take a pay cut to stay you a multi millionaire anyway and your endorsements alone net you £50m a year

Pierre

How about this header …they were all match winners by the way.
https://youtu.be/uKlfp7Q5_E8

Mr Serge

Sagg here here wilock is bang average we are robbing Newcastle blind if we can bring in ode or Maddison or silva with help from his transfer I am all for it

tunnygriffboy

Still reading blog. Don’t post anymore.
I’m in the cautiously optimistic mode. My perspective could see an improvement 2nd half season. Still too many errors individually. Villarreal a real let down. Insipid performance.
Like 3 signings so far. Not against Xhaka staying. Must play right people with him though.
Still need at least 3 players in to be really competitive. I’m really hoping that this can be done.
Keep my powder dry until then

Ronald

This is from gunnerstown…..Mike says “Please tell me that the corners were for the bin. That we aren’t revealing what we are really trying to do for the season. Last season the short corners never resulted in a goal. Never. What do we see repeatedly…. more completely ineffective short corners!! The plan was obviously to set up a 30 yard shot for a player who isn’t good at shooting from 30 yards. Unreal. If you told me that this idea was planned by your 12 year old self I’d believe you. If the idea is to just turn a corner… Read more »

Pierre

SAAG
“You will find a very incosistent player in there, whom better moments are against weak midfield opposition”

Was it 7 goals on the bounce last season FROM MIDFIELD against supposedly weak midfield opposition.

The normal rhetoric on Le Grove was that Willock couldn’t do it in the Premier league against any opposition, that’s now been changed to he only does it against weak opposition….

And for your information, the “weak midfield opposition” he scored against in that run included
LIVERPOOL
MAN CITY
TOTTENHAM
LEICESTER..

Leftside

It’s completely been glossed over that we primarily spent over £50m on White (who albeit has looked promising) when we clearly struggled for goals last season, and this pre-season has been no different. We’re now in a position where we seemingly have to sell to buy, and Willock is one of the few players who will command a respectable fee. Bellerin, Xhaka, Willian and co will not do that, Torreira’s status is up in the air so we have to sell where we can so we can improve the team where we need to. The biggest issue is that we… Read more »

Pierre

Ronald The reason we don’t put the ball in the box from corners is because we have no player who will attack the ball. Holding used to but he’s been replaced by white who is not tall enough or powerful enough to make a difference. Of course, this lack of aerial dominance will come back to bite us as defensively we will be found out from set pieces. Having a keeper who doesn’t dominate his box and centre backs who are not dominant on the air will not have a happy ending I’m afraid. To cap it all, Arteta plays… Read more »

TR7

Tom “but it’s a bit disconcerting to see Nuno barely a month into his Tottenham job getting his Kane-less troops playing more free flowing, attacking football than our Arsenal under Arteta some 20 months into his Arsenal job.” I have said this before Spurs will be better off without Kane provided they invest the proceeds of his sale in good players. Not that I don’t rate Kane as a player, think he is one of the best strikers in the world but when Spurs play without Kane their attack has more varied patterns. Remember a few games in which Spurs… Read more »

TR7

“Messi crying as he is leaving Barca is hilarious if he loved the club so much then take a pay cut to stay you a multi millionaire anyway and your endorsements alone net you £50m a year”

Messi did agree a contract with Barca on reduced wages, the contract could not be extended due to some La Liga ruling.

SAGG

Pierre Let me see Liverpool defending their 1-0 advantage in his own area in t elast minutes og the game, just to get equalized in the 95 minute. Man city, already champions, with a MIXED starting eleven Leicester that won 1 of their last 5 Tottenham, super strong midfield, thats why they constantly play counterattact almos against all teams in the league. And as always they were defending a 1 goal advantage just to be equalized in the last minutes, AGAIN. Seems you didnt watch the games at all, but you love eady statistics. By the way Willock play half… Read more »

China1

Mr serge who are the players we signed then sold at profit in the last 5 years? A list of 5 and their net profit included, please!

SAGG

China

There arent.dont know what are you still discussing about ir. Beyond Iwobi amd Ox there is no one, now Willock follow by…. Guendouzi?

We are crap at selling since…. a long time ago?

Raulishuss

Pierre you use to spend all day lambasting ramsey for his glory hunting but here you are defending willock when he does’nt offer half of what ramsey did on the ball. Every other aspect of willocks game needs serious polish. A midfielder that barely averages 30 passes a game and you think we’re doomed without him? Good luck to joe as i think he has huge potential but with our present needs he’s easily not a prioty keep for now. You used to defend ozil and say a mid’s job wasn’t scoring but here you are

Valentin

I had the same reaction when I saw Messi crying because he has to leave Barcelona. Crocodile tears about himself. He is a great player, but he has been bleeding Barcelona dry for years. This is the consequence of his greed and a weak management team. They were all terrified of being the ones that let Messi go. If they had been strong, they would have told him and his greedy father that his repeated 18 months demand for salary increase had to stop. Selling him to another club would have been a shock, but it would have left them… Read more »

TR7

AFCbell reporting that Arsenal are willing to pay £60M for Maddison to Leicester although we would prefer a player plus cash deal as we need funds for a right back if Bellerin leaves and for a back up GK. Willock deal has strengthened our position to tie up Maddison deal.

CG

Tom “”””No one was more vehemently against the Willian transfer and the Auba extension than CG.”””” I stated the William transfer will go down in folklore. In years to come at Harvard and Yale ,they will teach the students about the Willian transfer and explain how this is how NOT to do business and contracts. As for PEA and his contract. Like the recent Xhaka contract , simply indulgence for indulgence sake PEA still had 12 months to run on it post FA Cup triumph. But , no surprise to any of us , the club is riddled with buffoons.… Read more »

Leftside

“Sources close to Arsenal’s negotiations for James Maddison & familiar with the club’s ‘purchasing power’ in this window have already indicated that they would rather avoid ‘spending madly’ on one player & ‘neglecting any gaps or shortages’ in the squad”

…Ben White no? How many players could we have got for the fee we paid for him..

Valentin

Pierre, That obsession with putting the ball in the box for our attackers to head in is ridiculous. Our attackers are poor to average at heading the ball. In fact the best is Nkethia who has a good leap, but will never be a powerhouse in that department. I have reached a point where I miss Emery’s cut back. At least they lead to goals. Arteta then stating that the more crosses Arsenal made, the more goals will be scored was the equivalent of out of his depth Moyes at ManUtd. Being tall is also a guarantee that the player… Read more »

Marko

Just fyi while I do rate Maddison and would love to sign him for something like 40-45 million max but for 60 million when 60 million could get you a Aouar or Odegaard and still have enough for a Guimaraes or a RB…for that price no. We have to be smart with the money nearly 115 million on White and Maddison during covid times when half of Europe is having a fire sale on their players is so incredibly stupid imo.

Valentin

Correction : Being tall is also NOT a guarantee that …

Muppetman

If Wilock was that good more teams than Newcastle who are shite would be in for him

Emiratesstroller

Willock transfer to Newcastle appeared to be agreed according to both BBC and Sky.

Sad to see him go, but realistically we need to recruit a more creative midfield player and
the £22 million will go some way to buy such a player.

Valentin

If Willock has a great season at Newcastle like I expect him to have, then bigger clubs will be interested. I fully expect Champion’s clubs to make a move for him within 2~3 years. The same way I fully expect Emi Martinez who was sold for even less to join a big club within 2 years. Clubs have to be smart and patient with academy players. They have to nurture them and give them time to grow. Lately, we have been neither, just lucky. ESR got his big break because of injuries. Right now I would take Willock over Elneny… Read more »

Valentin

Correction: I fully expect Champion’s League clubs …

Mr Serge

China we have not sold a lot of players we bought in the last 4 years we have sold a lot of players for profit in the last 5 years though what’s your point ?

Mr Serge

Valentin any team that buys willock from Newcastle will be disappointed he is average in all areas bar getting in the box you have to play in a very specific way for that to work

Globalgunner

Valentin. I disgree with your conclusion on height. It does matter. It is simple bio mechanics. Attackers come into your box witha running jump, which automatically puts them at an advantage evn when they are not that tall. Defenders have to rely on the standing jump, which is why having tall CN`s is a MUST. You also remember wrong wrt Crouch. He DID use his height well and always seemed to score against us because though he looked gangly, he was also quite and athlete and had bags of skill. His only defect was he wasnt quick across the ground.… Read more »

Mr Serge

Willock also gives you no cover in midfield have you not seen enough of him to know he is ok at best
Take away the fact he is one of our own and you will see

Batistuta

So, Turns out we do not exactly have money to burn and the actual order of the transfers was actually important and we went and spent a huge ton of what we have on a position we could have waited on. I mean nice to be positive and belive there’s an actual plan here but we’d be deluding ourselves wouldn’t we because it’s Arsenal and as was said early on this summer, we never seem to be able to sort out the most important positions in the squad. Still don’t have a competent back up GK or starting one if… Read more »

Alan

“We controlled the game for the most part, moved the ball into dangerous positions, but didn’t make our chances count.”

Surely no one agrees with this crap? First half yes, even then they made the better chances. Second half was all theirs. Not just in terms of chances but control of the game.

Gentlebris

I will say this again: Why didn’t you all stand up and say a loud NO when the club was trying to bring a guy with zero experience to steer a big club out of a big mess? Pedro sold disco lights to all of you and narrated Arteta as world class and you all bought into it, in spite of the facts staring at you that the job wanted a veteran with a verified record of success. Now you are here plotting on how Arteta gets the sack by November…you are dreaming, my friends. Arteta only gets the sack… Read more »

Matt

Batistuta

Depressingly accurate summary!

TR7

Willock is not going to be a top player. Some of you are going overboard with his praise. Well done to the guy for impressing during his loan stint and hopefully guaranteeing himself more game time at Newcastle but Arsenal did the right thing by selling him.

DigitalBob

TR7 – £60M for Maddison is a good deal. £10M more and its an overpay. I’d sincerely hope we can sort this transfer out before the weekend, we’ve got the Willock money + whatever Edu bid for Locatelli so the funds are there to get this one over the line.

For all the limitations of Willock he’s only 21 and could make tremendous strides in the next 3/4 years to his overall game. I really hope we have first option and sell on clauses included in this deal.

Terraloon

Mr Serge / China

Back to then dastardly accounts but Arsenal have sold several players which lead to an accounting profit

2017 £ 1.8 million
2018 £ 120 million
2019 £ 12.2 million
2020 £ 60.1 million

Emiratesstroller

Valentin

Willock is an offensive midfield player and he is not going to sit around at Arsenal behind
Smith-Rowe and potentially a new AMF.

Elneny will be fourth ranked midfielder behind Partey, Xhaka and Lokonga. My guess he will
be offloaded at end of this season and replaced by either Azeez or Patino.

Marko

Bati Arsenal have struggled with having a plan for the best part of 10-15 years now and we have even less of one now that we have a manager with zero style or philosophy. So of course we’ll end up more or less the same as before or worse despite spending a lot of money yet again. The second they decided to keep him on for another season we were basically throwing away yet another season and that’s what is playing out real time now. We’re basically pissing away next season until his inevitable sacking.

China1

Terra the question was which players have we signed in the last 5 years and later sold for a profit

Davey

Over complicated football will be the death of Arteta, his interview he states after the 1st 10 mins they dominated the 1st half? The game I watched was different we dominated possession but never looked dangerous and Spurs always looked more likely to score with a fraction of possession. The fans ain’t going to put up with this shit.

CG

V ””””Lately, we have been neither, just lucky. ESR got his big break because of injuries. Right now I would take Willock over Elneny and see if he can grow into a Lampard or Ramsey type of player.””” Undeniable that Willock is a better player at his age than Lampard and Rambo. Undeniable he is a better option for Brentford than Elneny. He off course has lots to work on his game- but goalscoring midfielders are worth their weight in gold in the modern game. No one can also dispute that Newcastle Utd will get a hefty profit on Willock… Read more »

Samesong

Arteta mentioned the we were ‘disorganised’ slightly concerning that.

China1

Terra for example: Mustafi signed 35m Given away for nothing Mikki signed, I forget the fee, given away for nothing Even our free transfers haven’t turned out profitable as we try to kick them out again on free transfers or pay them to leave like kola That’s why the mocking of Newcastle making some good sales in the last handful of years was silly. Besides iwobi and ox we have close to zero good sales at all in the last several years – and I can’t think of any who were signed in the last 5 or 6 years then… Read more »

Emiratesstroller

Batitusta

We have spent £72 million on three new players without selling any players. All were needed.

I am pretty sure that we will buy a new AMF and GK so the order of priority in transfer market is frankly not important.

I think that we will offload this week at least 2- 3 players including most probably Willock and Kolasinac.

That will leave 2 weeks to finalise other business. Probable other departures will be Runarsson, AMN, Nelson and Torreira.

Samesong

Willock is not going to be a top player.

Willock is not my favourite but I wouldn’t write him off just yet.

Emiratesstroller

None of the four players I listed have a future at Arsenal or likely to play in first team next season so it is only a matter of how and when they leave.

DUIFG

Holding Mari not good enough? Well blow me over, if only we had an elite young cab ready to go…

Pierre

SAAG “Let me see Liverpool defending their 1-0 advantage in his own area in t elast minutes og the game, just to get equalized in the 95 minute .Man city, already champions, with a MIXED starting eleven Leicester that won 1 of their last 5 Tottenham, super strong midfield, thats why they constantly play counterattact almos against all teams in the league. And as always they were defending a 1 goal advantage just to be equalized in the last minutes, AGAIN.” Some very strange arguments against Willock and I think this one beats the lot……regarding last minute goals v Liverpool… Read more »

T

I guess the sale of willock and bidding for madison probably means that arteta is looking to go all out on 4-3-3?

Cant see any other outcome if we start lining up with maddison-xhaka-partey in the middle and lokonga filling in… El neny probably as a fifth choise cheap insurancy policy?

It would probably also mean more time for the smith at left flank..

Personally i rather like this idea.

Batistuta

Emirates We have spent 72 million on three new players none of which exactly takes us from 8th to 6th or even 5th do they? The most important squad needs have yet to be addressed this late in the window is the point. And you “think” not that you “know”. Huge difference there if you ask me. At the moment though, going into the first game of the season we are looking at a starting midfield of Xhaka-El Neny, prime FC Basel if you ask me. We are still with the same set of attacking players that oversaw our worst… Read more »

CG

Dig Bob “”””’For all the limitations of Willock he’s only 21 and could make tremendous strides in the next 3/4 years to his overall game. I really hope we have first option and sell on clauses included in this deal.””””’ J Willock will never lose the knack of scoring goals from midfield – how good will he become when other parts of his weaknesses are improved upon? And at 21 years of age and a running style of akin to a 400m runner there is ample time for improvement. when the likes of Grimsdale are going for £25 million. Willock… Read more »

Guns of Hackney

We will be relegated this season. Trust this prediction.

englandsbest

Willock IS going to be a top player – though whether for Arsenal remains to be seen. He will improve year on year and become an England regular. If the midfield wasn’t cluttered and the squad overloaded, no way would Arteta sell him.

Newcastle is a great move for him. Bruce will bring out his best. This site will overflow with tearful regrets.

Dolomite

Guys,

Since we have Willocks position technically covered don’t you think the most pressing issue is that of RIGHT BACK?

Bellerin is abject and definitely the weakest player/position on the team.

For all the talk of a lack of a CAM, having a lopsided defence in which one side is positive and stable yet the other side is so weak and unpredictable means no matter how many goals or chances we create and score, we’ll always be susceptible to an odd goal defeat due to the weakness of our right side.

Emiratesstroller

Batistua

All the replacements are needed.

White has replaced Luiz.
Tavares has replaced Kolasinac
Lokonga replaces Ceballos
We need a AMF to replace Odegaard
We need a GK to replace Ryan
We need a RB IF Bellerin and either Soares OR Chambers leave.

No-one suggests that Elneny should be in the squad, but we have got three other players in
Partey, Xhaka and Lokonga who I would expect to be ahead of him in the pecking order.

I would also expect Azeez and possibly Patino to come into the frame to replace Elneny next season.

Ashburton Patriot

I’m not Arteta in or Arteta out.
I’m Kroenke out.
The lackadaisical attitude of any organisation starts from the top. Good owners don’t let sloth and incompetence linger around very long.

It’s so bad that I question the ambition of any “big player” or manager that would come to arsenal. Its a great place to be if you want to earn lots of money without working hard or performing.

We need to focus our angst on the right person and its Kroenke.

DigitalBob

“And at 21 years of age and a running style of akin to a 400m runner there is ample time for improvement.” – CG Exactly, its like people have judged Joe Willocks entire career in the sporadic game time he’s been given by Emery and Arteta and assumed he is currently all he’ll ever be. What’s done is done but I really hope we have stipulations in place within this deal with Newcastle so that should this prove to me a mistake we have another opportunity to rectify it somewhere down the line. Stroller – Personally I want Azeez and… Read more »

Batistuta

Ideally if i was taking any plsyer feom Leicester it would be Ndidi. Sure they’d be open to seeling now they’ve got Soumare. Won’t cost up to 70 million too.

Ndidi and Aurora for the price of one Maddison.

EdTheRed

This will be horrible season. Our only hope is that PV hits the ground running with Palace, so he can come instead of Arteta, when he inevitably loses his job 10 games into the season.

Anyone who feels optimistic about coming season is in for a reality check pretty soon.

Radio Raheem

Anthony Martial over Bamby Tammy

Batistuta

Emirates

Ideally, we didn’t need to replace David Luiz, shouldn’t have bought him to even start with.

Patino and Azeez will most likely not get that much playing time considering we have fewer games and our manager hasn’t exacly fast tracked any young players and given them ample chances while he’s been here.

Again not disputing that we had several positions but you’ve asides White mentioned squad players none of which make any instant improvements to all the problems we had last season and that’s the point

Billp79

We got to stop playing teams in preseason who have a vested interest in maiming our players for the upcoming weeks

Radio Raheem

Circa £25m for Willock is good money. What we do with the money is what worries.

The Bard

Ashburton completely agree. If we have a bad run, which is on the cards, Arteta will be sacked and on we go with another cab off the rank. We need to focus our anger on Kroenke. No interest, no vision, knows nothing about football.

Marko

You got it right Bati. You could probably get a Guimaraes and Aouar/Odegaard/Baumgartner for the price of a Maddison

Billp79

Look… if a shit team like LC can hold off MCity…..it is not all gloom and doom for arsenal

And I’m not for going after Madison for the price quoted….

Mee

Mari is horrible. Not at all suited to the PL. A 26 year old playing in Brazil. No way is he better than Saliba or anyone else for that matter. Runarsson is a troll. Arteta has not only managed to hold on to dross, he has added more. Pretty sure he’ll turn out to be a dross manager. Bottom half Spanish teams or the Spanish equivalent of the championship is his level.

WengerEagle

Pierre telling himself that he was spot on now, fucking LOL.

Getting close to Dariano levels.

WengerEagle

Marko

Aouar + Gravenberch for 60m >>> Maddison for 60m.

Valentin

Global gunner, I did not say that height did not matter. I wrote that it is not necessarily the deciding factor for an attacker. Having a good anticipation of the flight of the ball, having a good leap, willingness to attack the ball are more important. Tim Cahill was small, yet he was a very good header of the ball because he had all those qualities. On the other hand Peter Crouch had the physical advantages, but he was not dominant against a lot of opposition. His anticipation of the flight was poor. He was stooping down for a lot… Read more »

Gentlebris

Supreme leader really hates to be called out these days…your post will be deleted and you land in the bin.

Would surprise me if he has not blocked me out already.

SAGG

Pierre Ozil has nothing to do.with willock. Ozil was a number 10 with TONS of creativity, Willock is an 8 witch ZERO CREATIVITY. Im still waiting for the AMAZING STATS that willock has as a number 8. A couple of late minute goals mean nothing. I just told you that Willock scored goals arent that impressive, it doesnt show any control of.the midfield or any great ball distribuiton. It just showd a guy coming from behind to score a goal when all his teamates are in the box trying ro get an equilizer. Where are Willock impressive midfield stats? Or… Read more »

Marko

Aouar + Gravenberch for 60m >>> Maddison for 60m.

Absolutely. Honestly it makes zero sense to me Maddison at 60 million when you can get comparable elsewhere for less and still have funds left over for a much needed CM or RB

Mr Serge

I agree with sagg no way willock worth keeping if we can get a progressive number 8
I really think we are robbing Newcastle

reality check

Thought I’d return and engage. Did Keyser ever return?

DigitalBob

There was a moment during yesterday’s match that Leno collided with Son and was clutching his thigh. That was the moment I realised Runarsson is still at the club, its shocking really.

Hein and Okonkwo are not ready, they need to both be out on loan and away from the GK coach that recommended Runarsson.

Mr Serge

Marko I agree with you it’s wiser to get those two players over maddison but the thinking behind maddison is he is prem ready is what they are thinking

SAGG

Weird that Roma have 40 million for Tammy Abraham, but was short of money to pay 20 millions for his FIRST TARGET OBSESSION Granit Xhaka.

It is starting to seem like a bluff from Xhaka Agent to get a contract extension with a better salary at Arsenal.

Emiratesstroller

Batistuta No-one would disagree that recruiting both Willian and Luiz was a mistake. It was money down the drain and hopefully Arsenal have learned from the mistake. I think that the recruitment policy has now changed and money is being spent on younger players. White is rated highly by a number of people not just at Arsenal. CBs particularly of home grown variety or with experience in EPL fetch ridiculously high prices. Stones cost £50 million when he was recruited by Man City and Maguire cost £75 million when he was recruited by Man Utd. Maguire had played for Wigan… Read more »

NORG

GOH

The embarrassment of being relegated – perhaps a name change is required – one that would suit the current management team and structure – FRED KARNO’s Circus.

Kroenkephobe

Pretty sure he’ll turn out to be a dross manager Mee Can I offer a grammatical alternative to that sentence… He has turned out to be a dross manager. The die is cast. There’s sufficient evidence that already shows he’s not up to the job. Poor recruitment and retention, naive and shambolic in-game management, atrocious mentoring of young players, inconsistency when applying policy to players, illogical selection and lying/bullshitting to fans. Not up to the job. He’s had long enough. In fact, I’m already concerned about this narrative that suggests he’ll be P45’ed in December. Why the flying fuck wait… Read more »

Kroenkephobe

Anyone know what odds are being offered on PL management casualties this season?