I don’t want to say it but I will. Kids, I think we’re rocking and rolling.
Joe Willock looks set to leave the club for £22m.
This is good business. I mean, finally, Edu, on holiday 9 of the summer, has managed to slip in a sale between kayaking and ziplining. What a baller.
I’m going to have to take some time away from the internet this week, because I could swear I’ve been reading about our inability to sell players all summer… now we’ve sold a player who has had a total of 14 solid games on loan, and people are whining.
Joe Willock has made 78 appearances for Arsenal, he scored 11 goals and made 4 assists. Most don’t realise this, because he was mostly incredibly anonymous. He moved to Newcastle, dropped 14 appearances and scored 8 goals. That’s outrageous output, it added £15m to his pricetag and now makes him one of the most successful exits from the Hale End Academy. But always remember… Reiss Nelson scored 7 goals from 12 shots, we thought we had the next Jadon, we didn’t sell… and we are where we are with him.
I think Tim Stillman made an excellent point, sometimes you have to take a chance on a sale. Deep down, we all know he’s likely not at the level, but if we wait a season to qualify those thoughts, guess what, everyone else will know and there won’t be a premium. It’s really hard to sell players everyone knows are rubbish (look at the dross we can’t move). Also, massive shout to all the fans that were calling Joe a bum when he was in our first team under Emery, now pivoting their narrative.
The good news? If we’re letting Willock go, that means we’re feeling frisky about the chances of bringing in someone to replace him as a #10 or a dynamic #8. 100%, bet your bottom dollar, there will be incomings and outgoings by the end of the window. Will you like them? Who cares, just give me bodies, that’s where I’m at.
There’s an ITK thread doing the rounds at the moment that states Arsenal are £10m short of what Leicester want for James Maddison. The price is £60m, we have £50m, negotiations are positive and ongoing. Who knows what’s going on here, but if this were a smokey fire, you’d see the yellow flames licking the Twitter feed.
The biggest move for me this summer, beyond a CAM, is a striker. We’re woefully short in that department and it’d verge on gross negligence for us to head into this season with a broken Auba, a teenager, and a striker that is painfully short of what we need physically (and in the last year of his deal). People keep reeling off that our chance creation is shocking, and whilst it’s not 2015 Ozil levels of ‘on a plate’, it’s not that bad.
- Hibs 19 chances
- Rangers 19 chances
- Watford (don’t have the number, but we scored 14 and ripped them apart)
- Millwall (don’t have the number but we cored 4 and ripped them apart)
- Chelsea 14 chances
- Spurs 11 chances
Look at the spaces we move the ball into, the system produces good crosses, great opportunities. Imagine replacing Pepe’s STOP/THINK FOR 5 SECOND/MOVE approach to wide play for Saka or Smith Rowe’s direct running. But more than that, think about how much better everything would be with a striker. Imagine Tierney crossing to someone that didn’t sit at the back post and hide? Imagine Lokonga or Xhaka knocking balls over the top to someone that could control high balls and bully centre backs? Imagine having someone truly aggressive in the box?
Maddison makes a big difference, no doubt, but I think we’re kidding ourselves if we think Auba and Lacazette are suddenly going to turn the taps on the way we’re playing.
Part of me is desperately hoping Gabriel can be a difference-maker, but again, our eyes are bigger than our bellies when we talk about young players. Martinelli didn’t start a single game in an Olympic team. This is a tournament Serge G, off no Arsenal games, dominated 4 years ago. Are we really going to expect him to come in and be our saviour as a #9?
As for the backup keeper. I still cannot fathom the flapping around we’re doing on Ramsdale at the prices being spoken about. Here’s what I would do, as a total amateur: I would get a list of keepers with a St Georges flag next to their name with one year left to go on their deal and I would go to the poorest of the clubs and wave a fee at them. Just get me someone that can catch a ball and kick.
Fraser Forster would be an excellent back-up keeper and I’m sure he’d jump at the move. Then you can keep your pennies dry and move for Onana on a free transfer in January, not fearful you are one slip away from a 19-year-old keeper taking over as your keeper.
With the monstrous savings I’ve just found you, I’d hire a branding agency, then go to work on a really nice deck that showcased all the things you’re getting with Hector Bellerin as your brand new right back. It is devastating that we have 4 players that can drop in as right-backs and none of them hit the level we need. The Spaniard doesn’t want to be here, I’d be shocked if he signed a new deal even if offered, we need to ship him out, we need to find a loan for Soares, and we need to get someone that can do a Tierney on that side.
My word, we have a lot to do by the end of the month, but that’s the job of Edu and we can’t be hearing excuses like, ‘oh, I was on the slip ‘n slide in a Mallorca waterpark and missed all the calls this summer.’
Ok, that’s your lot. Podcast tomorrow combined with a Twitch Stream. We’ll be going LIVE at a slightly later time because I am moving house this week.
See you in the comments. x
Emirates That’s a young player, he was 18 at that time playing in a very high energy system crafted by Emery. Why would I be surprised at him getting tired? And no I don’t go to games, if you do then xhaka’s lack of energy in general even when fresh should be more jarring than a young player getting gassed. At the end of the day we finished higher up the league with guendozi playing than we did without him playing. The table speaks very loudly come the end of the season. Plus I am quite fond of that rugby… Read more »
Samesong
Thierry had attitude, Vieira wasn’t a boy scout.
Parlour, petit. Adams keown
Even Dennis could be dirty with an elbow.
Problem is arteta doesn’t like players who answer back.
There soon shipped off as we’re seeing now.
NWM
Can make allowances and excuses for any number of players, but those are the numbers.
I’d argue in two full seasons nothing about Pepe screams “creator”, he’s at his best driving into the box and finishing. Flatters to deceive outside that. He’s penalty box material, and yet to show his value further form that.
It’s a problem in a team like ours, same for Auba on the opposite side. Does damage inside the box but makes up the numbers 30/40 yards from goal recycling the ball back into midfield.
If we are really waiting on the Odegaard situation before moving proper for Maddison then this is shit, shit, shit management. Get off the pot or take a shit. I don’t give a fuck about Leicester but this is one of their pivotal players, the nearer it gets to DL day the less likely they are to sell at any fee. If MO isn’t available today then that’s that, go in hard for Maddison and let Madrid stew in their own shit, meet Leicester’s valuation (as long as it isn’t stupid) and let’s get it done. I hoped once Wenger… Read more »
Pedro,
Read the comment again.
It said he’s not as good as any of those players.
But he is better than what we have in elneney xhaka, and probably torriera apparently as arteta doesn’t want to try him out either.
Got to say that Willock leaving brings some sadness. He looked a player on the up to me. His fee is covering the wages we have given to Willian. Bad business again if you ask me. We are becoming a 2 steps back 1 step forward club. We are miles off the top 4 with the current squad. A Cam/RB/ST are the minimum. Goal keeper Neves from psg looking unhappy now would be great. There are plenty of players that improve this squad available all over Europe. Arteta will be gone by next season unless Garlic an Edu sort out… Read more »
Outside of Pierre, i cant imagine anyone getting all that chuffed about selling Willock for a premium. Facts are facts, in all the years and games that he played for Arsenal he was basically invisible. The fact that he showed something for a purple patch at Newcastle, well that was for Newcastle. If he’d shown that at Arsenal he’d be a starter, but he isn’t, and never will be.. Willock may turn out to be.a gem of a player, but it was never going to be at Arsenal. For a rather unremarkable player, Arsenal managed to get a remarkable sum… Read more »
Got to say that Willock leaving brings some sadness. He looked a player on the up to me. His fee is covering the wages we have given to Willian. Bad business again if you ask me. We are becoming a 2 steps back 1 step forward club. We are miles off the top 4 with the current squad. A Cam/RB/ST are the minimum. Goal keeper Neves from psg looking unhappy now would be great. There are plenty of players that improve this squad available all over Europe. Arteta will be gone by next season unless Garlic an Edu sort out… Read more »
Apparently its Dough Boy Willian’s Birthday. Im sure he’s a busy boy at the moment chowing down slice after slice of his cake – after all, he and his agent did get their cake and are eating it too!
I’d rather see lakonga and torriera on Friday in the midfield than xhaka and Elmo.
Why not chambers he played their for Fulham and got player of the year.
Mayne that’s why whites been bought as our new defensive midfielder?
Hell stick AMN in there, if he’s rubbish (and he can’t be worse than xhaka)
At least that might convince him he ain’t a midfielder and would be better off at right back.
That’s one position sorted then.
“All we hear are these rumours that he’s a bad influence,.well.I thought arteta was supposed to be down with the kids and can improve anyone?”
If more than a couple of people are calling out Guen for bad behaviour, then these are not rumours. These are not rumours.
Read the Torreira thing was a covid related instance of needing to isolate for 10-14 days. Arsenal giving him permission to effectively do so in Spain before coming back to training proper.
He needs sold, what a shocking signing he’s turned out. That said, if he stays then I’d sooner see him try and rebuild a career than watch Elneny.
Did anyone get any info about Guendouzi’s performance for Marseille? Given that Saliba got all the rave reviews.
Torriera was shocking at the coppa America he has regressed so much
If it’s true and Leicester value Maddison at 100 million, then they are smoking some strong shit. Can I have some Brendan mate 😁
Can’t really blame Torreira on anyone, kid seems to lack the mentality to step onto bigger stage.
Didn’t cut it with Emery, Arteta or Simeone could add in time with national team.
Shame was excited by him as a signing.
Ernest
Yes it’s more than rumours, doesn’t mean he can’t be redeemed though does it.
He’s just become a father, maybe that has grounded him and made him grow up?
Maybe he regrets being a dick? People change.
He should have been bought back into the fold and told it’s his last chance.
When I think about Adams, merson, parlour, bould, etc with all there outside football problems, could you imagine if we binned them off.
Up for grabs Adams bould Merson parlour were all determined and extremely talented players guendouzi is not that’s the difference
Any manager who persists with Pablo Mari in x 2 successive pre season fixtures despite coming up to his 3rd season is clearly a very poor manager.
Mari on his pre season form-better suited at Madame Tussards.
Another A & E special, tied to a 4 year contract.
Who goes on in managements mind,, to think Pablo Mari can play the high line?
Defoe ran him. ragged in the Rangers fixture and he is 40.
Mindboggling.
What.
Mr serge,
We’ll never know if arteta keeps binning them off.
Sal
“Can’t really blame Torreira on anyone, kid seems to lack the mentality to step onto bigger stage.
Didn’t cut it with Emery, Arteta or Simeone could add in time with national team.Shame was excited by him as a signing.”
Yea, impossible to scout for a lack of cojones to step up
I doesn’t matter what the talent level is, what the proper attitude it’s nothing.
Very quiet around Ainsley. Wonder if anything has changed in regards to either him wanting to only play midfield or Mikel’s willingness to play him there. Still think he could do a great job for us as a sort of utility player.
James from Gunnerblog mentioned today that Maddison is more interested in Arsenal than we are interested in him. If Ode isn’t available it will be interesting to see who we move for.
He also mentioned that it’s unlikely going to be Aouar
“He should have been bought back into the fold and told it’s his last chance.”
I thought the same as you Grabs, but when you are as arrogant as he is, it takes a unique individual to put up with someone like Guen. Is Arteta the type of person to turn him around? No and why should he be. Being a professional means also being mature and responsible. Nothing i have seen, heard or read about Guen lends itself to him being a redeemable character.
We should try for either of the Futch midfielders. The one at Utd and the other at broke as fk Barca. Their names elude me now but both are good. Anything but Xhaka as a starter again this season. We need to save Arteta from himself even though I’d rather hd be sacked before Xmas
Dutch
Guendouzi collapsing and falling over the ball trying to get a free kick was one of the most frustrating things about him. Most of the time it was embarrassing.
Xhaka is most definitely better out of the two but if Guen sorted his head out and knuckled down, I think he has the capacity to be a better player than Xhaka and has a higher ceiling.
Team of nice lads who won’t talk smack back to you, that’s what we’ve become. Gone are the fiery personalities that gave van nistelrooy grief for diving after his penalty miss, everyone is now too nice and both the manager and fanbase want it all to remain milquetoast. Guendozi a bit too much to handle? Tells me all I need to know, no one is in house who can just tell him to shut up and get on with it? Not the manager, none of the players, not the fanbase either? How on earth would we ever handle that invincibles… Read more »
Xhaka personifies that shyt level that we are now on.
He is absolute do crap in terms of footballing ability and that’s why no one was willing to take a reasonable move for him.
A totem pole who can’t dribble, is poor technically., can’t run, can’t jump … Gawd what a sorry ass situation Arsenal has put itself in with this albatross
i am having the best laughs of the month today.
people saying that guen is better than xhaka… lol
correct me if im wrong but the other guy has been the main man in every pro club he has played in and just made the star IX of the euros… while the other guy has more or less been booted out of every pro club he has ”played” in and doesnt get even call ups to his national squad let alone play in it…
so much lol
Xhaka has been the main man for failing managers.
Great, put that on the CV.
AMN went out on loan, looked shit and killed any interest in him. That’s what happened.
He isn’t a premier League midfielder let alone a top 4 one (whatever that means).
He needs to put his head down and focus on reinventing himself as a right back. He can make that position his own at Arsenal. Same applies to Reiss Nelson.
CG
I’m going to steal this:
“Mari on his pre season form-better suited at Madame Tussards.”
It’s much better than comparing someone to orange traffic cones.
The shining light so far in pre season has been Lakonga. Our best spell of football offensively in pre season was the last 20 minutes v Chelsea, not surprising that Willock and Eddie were on the pitch during that spell.. Arteta has a selection headache for the Brentford game.. Aubamayang is totally off his game and shouldn’t be anywhere near the starting line up. Saka has only had 15 minutes pre season and shouldn’t be anywhere near the starting line up. Pepe hasn’t exactly set the world on fire has he. Willian wasn’t even on the bench against Tottenham so… Read more »
I only caught the last few minutes of Marseilles’ match. The commentator described Saliba as growing in the match – getting better as it went on – but nothing on Guendouzi. In those dying minutes Saliba made a couple of important clearances to help them secure the away win. Guendouzi did his customary dive to the ground when a player is behind him (hasn’t quite mastered it like Xhaka) but was ignored by the ref. From this match and a few others of his I watched Hertha I’ve got confess this isn’t quite the Guendouzi that impressed at Arsenal in… Read more »
I think the fans who keep blaming the kroenkes for all the woes of the club are being a little unfair, to starters when they bought the club it was already on a downward spiral, thanks to the old board and Wenger, we had stopped competing for the title, their mistake was going along with what they met, can’t say I blame them at the time Wenger was a business man making them money and no one would have expected them to change things. What they failed to do after the fans got rid of Wenger was for them to… Read more »
Probably a good idea to not get too caught up in the chaos. The basic facts so far this window are as follows: IN: White, Lokonga, Tavares OUT: Luiz, Odegaard, Ceballos, Ryan It’s very early for a judgement call but right now, that puts us as a net positive in terms of squad strength due to the potential of having a top CB in White and Lokonga’s early promise. The biggest issue as others have pointed out is a back-up keeper. I quite like Pedro’s shout for Fraser Forster as back-up because Sam Johnstone won’t go somewhere he won’t be… Read more »
Rather try okonkwo or hein as backup goalkeeper, can’t be worse than runarsson.
We now have the likes of Edu and arteta running the club, they make the signings and give contracts, they are both novices, they are the ones who decide the transfer strategy of the club ——————- This is precisely why the Kroenkes are to blame. Those two shouldn’t be running the club. The Kroenkes have poorly managed the transition from Wenger to now. Everything they’ve done till now suggests a lack of clarity in their vision of the club. They appear to have settled on one now but have, in my opinion, badly judged with whom to carry this out… Read more »
Just looked up Brentford FC roster and not a single player I know or even heard of.
What kind of football do they play and what are their strengths, anyone?
Raheem
🙏🤞
Just go watch a recap from the friendly last season, they can’t have changed that much really… We haven’t changed much.
Tom, where are you from?
West Ham signing Milenkovic.
Good CB and very good value @ £14m
Sorry for the late reply Charlie, no doubt you were waiting with bated breath hehe. ”Don’t define terms after the fact at your convenience. You were talking up a 19 year old doing well at Ajax, in Holland. I simply don’t consider that a good profile for our current CM needs, and I sure as shit don’t think a good season in Holland means a player would walk into our side and be ‘2nd best CM’ as you put it.” I wasn’t defining terms after the fact, we were literally talking about Ajax exports. I could just as easily level… Read more »
”By playing Auba & Pepe wide you have two players who just don’t create chances“”
Hmmm, we won’t mention that Xhaka is the second lowest down that list at a terrible 148 mins per chance created will we?
Our 2nd best MF and better than Gravenberch eh?
JKanu Stepover, where did you hear the rumours of Maddison spitting in Rodger’s face?
If that was true, Maddison would have been shown the door. I also suspect he would be impossible to sell.
An Everton player spat at a team mate in training. When his team mates remonstrated with him, he repeated it again.
He was loaned out ASAP to a Spanish team after strenuous efforts to keep it out of the headlines.
Now just imagine if those actions had been directed towards the manager.
Just looked up Brentford FC roster and not a single player I know or even heard of.
Dominic Thompson LB is from Arsenal academy
and Ivan Toney played for Newcastle. Ivan Toney is a good player.
They beat Valencia in a friendly last Saturday.
They play nice football. Are they any good defensively? don’t think so.
Then again we don’t even know how to put the ball in the net these days.
Its a Friday kick off at their home. First game of the season they will be up for it.
Samesong
Interested to see how Toney gets on in the league. He absolute nuked the Championship.
Watkins was a similar age and transitioned very well, love his all-round game myself even if he doesn’t quite score enough.
Wenger Eagle, How are you keeping? I see you and Charlie are bored out of your brains waiting for the season to start and are having a sparring session with each other to stay fit. Wouldn’t like to be tackling either of you. Have a question for you. I’ve never been on Facebook or sent a tweet and heard about tik tok from my daughter yesterday.Le Grove is it for me really. I only discovered how to read the comments on Arseblog last week( I know,I sound like an octogenarian). Anyway, when I look at the other Arsenal blogs,none of… Read more »
Interested to see how Toney gets on in the league. He absolute nuked the Championship.
He will score against us and look like a world beater. Then be average for the rest of season 🤣
Almunia How are you keeping my man? Keep the short-stories coming by the way, honestly they always crack me up. Were you a screenwriter in a previous life? Yeah Arsenal giving us fuck all to mull over. Have been taking a rest from here most of the week but seem to get dragged back in haha. Charlie’s a great sparrer, always goes in two-footed like myself when he is adamant he is right. Re your question, to be honest with you Le Grove is the extent of my online Arsenal experience too. Have never even read other blogs barring Untold… Read more »
Looking forward to Tierney and Auba sending in crosses for little fat Lacazette to miss completely. At least Arteta’s silly shouting for 90mins will be drowned out by actual crowds.
Guendouzi seems to have lost some of that high energy progressive play he showed under Emery and from what I saw of him last season just seems to have kept his bad traits like lack of defensive positioning. I think Hertha being a struggling poor quality team mainly on the defensive just did not suit his cavalier playing style, just like Arteta’s Arsenal would not. Now he is back on a bigger stage in will be make or break for him this year.
Shame about Torreira if motivated I am sure he could easily out perform Elneny
WE, good to see you on the site.
Wenger Eagle,
It doesn’t really matter I suppose,none of the other blogs can compare to the lads that contribute on here,no matter what their opinions, they’re all very intelligent. Got to hope that if Arteta goes we get someone we can all get behind for a change, might leave me short on material though!
I think it’s a straight ode v Maddison now and the latter is the favourite. Would still be underwhelming given the gk, rb, cm and st issues we have but if neither arrive then he’s in big trouble. Sit back and watch I guess.
Pedro, this is article I have been waiting from you for some time now. A Striker is our utmost need even if Auba was in good form. Without the tenacity of an Alexis Sanchez type or an athletic Giroud type of striker, Arsenal will have zero chance if getting even a Europa place next season. Auba is a good weather player and Laca’s legs are gone.
Cheers Pedro, I will always be back even when I step away at times. Too good a place not to as it goes beyond just football alone on here which is never the case on the other sites and why I’ve never had the interest to frequent.
Love having you here WE, even if we do disagree on some topics.
People still complaining about Willock being sold and yet expect the club to get business done for ins and outs? Aside Willock scoring for the Magpies, how many goals did he score consistently when he played for us? Reiss Nelson, Nkethia, and AMN are all hype no substance players. Guys get a grip. What’s been done is done! If Nelson, Nkethia, AMN, Elneny, etc can follow suite I’ll be extremely happy even if ( that’s a big IF) we sign no one. We want CL and need cash yet some complain about selling players who in the interim are less… Read more »
Weagle Behave yourself, there was no ‘Ajax talent’ remit, you literally said the following when i questioned the sense in targeting a 19 year old CM recruit: “Gravenberch is going to be top shelf, he’s only 19 sure but he’s already more than holding his own in CL games and is a man amongst boys in midfield in the Eredivisie, albeit on Ajax but still it’s very impressive.” “The latter is a full Dutch international, has CL and EL experience and has played 62 games for Ajax with most of those starts in a far better league than the Belgian… Read more »
Almunia It’s true and it goes beyond football. You get it all between other sports, politics, locations + lifestyle, I even saw a food debate the other week haha. And of course the banter, lead by the esteemed Sir Sid and your Artetdu fan fiction. I have a funny feeling that Maddison won’t be granted his move. Leicester have no real reason to sell and he won’t be in a massive hurry at 24. Also if he plays well this season he’ll likely just get his move next summer anyway, potentially to a club in a better spot than us… Read more »
Right on cue Abraham looks close to a move to Roma, Chelsea rather flog him abroad and keep him out of our hands.
Loan + 30 mil obligation to buy.
Charlie
You think Tammy will agree to go abroad when a major London club is interested?
Tammy gave Arteta that hug last week which just tells me that something is up.
Every tabloid rumor that says Tammy may go to Roma finishes with the premise that the ball is in the player’s court.
I think the best signing we could make next would be a player that can play cam and CM. What that would do is allow us to play more of esr in the role he wants (and I think best suits him), and also get a proper partner for partey. On top of this giving a rest to esr won’t be as much of a problem as we can sub the new signing into cam and Lokonga next to partey. It also means we can introduce martinelli onto the wings more regularly. We have so many players able to play… Read more »
Dissenter Just read more about it there, and seems the agreement is principally between Chelsea and Roma, Tammy is thought to be mulling it over the next few days with the initial report suggesting Roma will go another direction if no agreement by the weekend. Think he wants Arsenal but we can’t guarantee a move because we need to sell first. Maybe the next few days allows us to seek enough clarity to encourage him to reject it or not. Be a pity if we miss out on him imo, don’t think you’re getting a more suitable player for that… Read more »
The tabloid stories are that Roma will pay only 4.2 million euros this season for Abraham and pay the rest over time.
Arsenal can EASILY do better than that and no way Roma can match the wages Arsenal supposedly offered the player.
The player calls the shots
Tammy knows Mourinho’s the death nail to upward mobility in the game and if he doesn’t his agent surely does.
Charlie Your rebuttal only included Ajax flops outside of the Kezmo lad. I also never said that all Dutch prospects are shit-hot but clearly Gravenberch looks a cut above a lot of the names provided. He is very highly thought of by Ajax fans who don’t rub themselves off to every potential talent like Arsenal fans do. The Iwobi love-in was painful to witness… I likely misread the comment so I humbly take back the Kezman banter. ”Azeez could land minutes this season and be a revelation, same for Patino in 12 months time. I really don’t know how you… Read more »
CC
We really don’t really need to sell to get Tammy if we are forward thinking. There aren’t that many good strikers in he market, not now and certainly not next summer.
We have to move Balogun out on loan to a lower level Championship club and then we bring in Abraham. Laca will take the hint and arrange his exit.
We can’t afford to let this opportunity pass. You only haver to see Villa paying 30 mill for Danny Ings. It’s no going to get any easier to get a striker next summer
Tammy just has to refuse every offer that comes
Chelsea will have no choice but to do business with us in the late hours of the window.
Sal
Would nearly be on board the Tammy train just to piss off Mourinho and fuck Roma’s shit up.
We can certainly offer better money to both the Chavs and Tammy himself.
What will it be for the living situation eh Tammy? London living for a rich and famous English 23 year old or Rome where you don’t speak a lick of the language barring ordering a few Birre on your weekend away that time in Venice with the Missus.
“Ok but what if the academy kids go the way that the overwhelming vast majority of them have done in times past and fail to cut it at Arsenal and we opt just for the safe-guard filler approach that doesn’t really improve us to any serious degree while somebody like Gravenberch blows up into a 70m player?“ It’s not a prerequisite to have a saucy teenager on the books per position mate cmon, I’d MUCH rather have a notably good CM now with kids that fail to step up, than super saucy kids with an underwhelming midfield. Could just as… Read more »
Cc it’s only one man’s fault that Saliba is being wasted
Dissenter True, I’ve said my bit on why I like the player and I can’t argue with your take on the ST market. But we can’t keep Laca and bring him in, so we’d need to find a way out for him even if that means negotiating down his exit fee. Like you I think it makes more sense to replace Tammy for Abraham this window that put resources into Laca for him to walk next season with no obvious replacement lined up. :a a walks next year and anyone we sniff immediately has a premium because they know we’re… Read more »
I have a very positive dispensation towards Tammy
Even a floppy Tammy will outdo Laca in terms of goal’s scored, then you consider that he will allow us to actually use Pepe and Saka properly.
Laca for all his hustle doesn’t really trouble premier league defenders, he loses most headers and comes off worse physically. That’s why he’s reported to lots of theatrics.
Auba is incapable of Physicality
It will be nice to have a 6′ 3″ striker that can actually win headers and possibly bring other into the game.
Also surely this whole game plan we are moving towards is meant for buying low and selling high. Gravenburch ticks those boxes for sure.
Also what do you mean where’s the ambition regards rice? Your main criteria for a good player is England call ups (even if they don’t actually play) and in the instance of the Ramsdale, used his fan favourite poll to assure his quality. West ham aren’t great. But rice isn’t shit. (Also duno if rice is fan favourite, but having watched him last season I’m sure he’s up there for the bubble blowers)
Eagle I’m not on the Tammy train just yet but that’s surely adds spice, bending our ole adversary Mou right over. On another note have to say I enjoyed watching Lautaro Martínez in the Copa. Great first touch, doesn’t require many, excellent with the head but by no means just a target man. Has a real Falcao early days vibe for me potentially headed to that Atletico productivity. All a bit moot as Inter apparently not selling with Chelsea’s massive outlay for Lukaku. But I wouldn’t be at all sad to see him replace Lacazette, but yes the fees is… Read more »
There’s this erroneous notion that Tammy’s build up play is poor but that’s only when he’s judged by his time at Chelsea. Chelsea don’t typically use hold up play that much, same reason Giroud has been redundant.
Tammy holds he ball as good as any one if you review his games for Villa in the Championship, he scored lots of headers too.
Incoming striker chat a non starter unless Edu’s able to shift Lacazette out and get Eddie at least loaned out.
Charlie We look like we’re going around in circles again because Gravenberch isn’t just some other kid. How is he even remotely comparable to Patino, Azeez or even Lokonga for that matter? You may not rate a stand alone season but it’s a hell of a lot more than we have seen from Lokonga who nobody on here saw play even once before pre-season started. I just don’t see it being a smart strategy to overspend on a good but not great midfielder like a Ruben Neves that hasn’t a ceiling above being a decent PL player. I’d much rather… Read more »
‘Incoming striker chat a non starter unless Edu’s able to shift Lacazette out and get Eddie at least loaned out.’
Bang on the money there Sal.
I’m getting increasingly concerned that there doesn’t seem to be any market interest in Eddie. I would also love us to test Lyon and Aulas’ resolve and put a few briefcases on the table along with offering Laca as makeweight for Aouar.
Agree send Laca home to bookend his career soaking up that Lyonaise sauce.
As many have alluded recently Aouar’s a weird one, value halved with no takers as of yet.
Based on playing front one of my first choices to fill that void, was last summer nothing changed a year on. Yet here we are.
Can we not send Lacazette over to Rome instead
Stay on brand Cabregas, give Mourinho nothing…. ever.
“I’d much rather pay a lesser fee for an elite talent like Gravenberch that looks headed to the top based on his performances and from opinions coming out of Holland on him“ Why would such a player have a ‘lesser fee’? Truly elite talents come with a price tag to match. And again, not disputing he’s a talent, but you’re massively overstating the sort of impact/influence he’d have if he landed here tomorrow imo. Keen to use Ruben Neves for underwhelming points I see, I just name dropped Renato Sanches as a player that fits what I’d consider a better… Read more »
Sal Not sure myself. It’s clear the the guy is a mercurial talent, I know that the word on the street is that he has an attitude problem but imo it could be much more likely that the guy just pissed and moaned about not getting his big money move last year and Rudi Garcia takes no prisoners when it comes to players who are not 100% committed to the cause ,he’s old school like Deschamps in that respect. All I know is that he hasn’t always been flagged up as a problem child and the guy was very well… Read more »
Sal
Eddie in his final year, no loan for that boy happening. Need him out the door for 15 mil, Southampton come help us out…
I agree with you there WE. Maddison is out of reach, Odegaard is complicated and Auar is craving to come to us. Plus not really a big risk if 25million euros is his current value. He can be our new Nasri. Test them by offering Laca as makeweight and keep Eddie if Brighton don’t move for him.
A big NO to Lingard or Abraham. Can’t believe we clear the deck of deadwood for big 4 clubs and fuel them with money we struggle to generate and then they get the Haalands of the world.
CC
Didn’t realise that with Eddie contract and yes £15m seems quite optimistic for his skillset / level.
Pierre needs to attend that meet.
Sal
English premium, young, low wages, later in the window etc but I agree. Would accept 10-12 frankly, similar situation with Laca albeit much higher wages. Anyone offers us 10 mil for Laca it should be concluded that day.
Them out and Tammy in improves us no end imo.
Charlie ”Why would such a player have a ‘lesser fee’? Truly elite talents come with a price tag to match. And again, not disputing he’s a talent, but you’re massively overstating the sort of impact/influence he’d have if he landed here tomorrow imo. Keen to use Ruben Neves for underwhelming points I see, I just name dropped Renato Sanches as a player that fits what I’d consider a better profile….he gash because he’s not got ‘worlds best’ in his future too?” When I say lesser fee I mean more along the lines of you likely get Gravenberch for circa 35m… Read more »
Eagle Maddison would be a great signing but really see that as a no-goer with all it will take to get it over line, already feels like one of Arsenal’s former failed transfer sagas. Said it too many times but why not one more time with feeling, for that outlay could test Lyon for Aouar and Guimarães which ups this mid dramatically. Surely Laca could be used in that deal to ease blow for Monsieur Aulas. Not to mention our boy Martinelli would be swooining. In end many creative options available, zero excuse to exit this window without pulling another… Read more »
“In other words a player with a much lower ceiling that improves us but not to any great level?“ Not sure how this is your takeaway simply because I prefer a talent in the 22-24 bracket with experience and readiness over a 19 year old setting tongues wagging at Ajax. Probably a dozen guys of that profile that make our midfield a totally different proposition vs marginal gains. “I gave you not one but two great examples of massive teen CM success stories at our club alone, never mind other teams in the PL in Cesc and Jack.“ And just… Read more »
Weagle
I’m calling that 2-0, and I’ll claim a hat trick if Tammy signs 😆 good bants though.
On another note one has to really feel for Aguero injuring himself to stave off the inevitable of playing for a Messiless Barca.
Now seems United throwing theirs cocks in the ring to land the clubless goat.
Oh Charlie Boy, out on a walk with the Madra right now but going to throw the crushing blow to your top 4 hopes now with the dagger blow when I get back.
I have it 2-1 to me at worst unless you’re begging for a dubious VAR assisted Kezman banter goal.