I’m am SO thrilled to be out the backend of this transfer window.
Now the only pain you’ll be feeling is when Tierney picks up a knock on international duty.
This will be a short post today because I am FLYING WOO YES.
According to those in the know, Palace and Eddie did NOT happen because the player asked for too much money. Eddie can smell a free transfer. I don’t know how I feel about this. He did absolutely nothing last season, one would assume that Folarin Balogun is ahead of him this season, so he’s passed for a year of doing nothing.
Where is his agent on this? Shouldn’t you be telling your client to get some game time? What is his free transfer going to be worth after another year of bumming around on the bench?
One player I was excited to see take a loan was Reiss Nelson. He needs confidence and he needs to deliver a BIG season. I cannot wait to get obsessed with Feyenoord this year.
Keeping on the topic of young players, it was interesting to hear Balogun talk about how he bought into whatever Arteta has been saying. He spoke well of what it means to be an Arsenal players and he stated that he was very close to Emile and Bukayo. Balogun just looks good, he’s going to the top, I really like him.
Vinai dropped some words after our extremely messy summer, asking us to come together and be nice. Here’s what he said about the summer.
“Our approach for this window was framed by fully recognising that we are not where we want to be on the pitch — finishing eighth last season, with no European football for the first time in many years,”
“Whilst we would love to jump from where we are to where we want to be in an instant, we need to be realistic that the gap is too large to do that. As such, our activity this window has been focused on youth.
“Our strategy is to fill our squad with some of Europe’s most exciting young talent, with players from both our academy and further afield, that can grow and develop together under Mikel to take us where we want to get to.
“Whilst this will not be overnight, we can make positive progress, and it gives us the best route to future success in a sustainable way.”
Listen, say what you want about all the other bullshit, now the window is closed, we delivered on a new vision. Are the players good enough? Jury is out. But we did what was needed.
- We binned a lot of players, about £700k a week
- We lowered the age profile of the squad, average age of our signings is about 22
- Each player mapped to a very specific profile and most looked well scouted
- We filled the voids
The ‘move the needle’ merchants really need to give it a rest. If you look at the players we’ve signed and can’t see an improvement, I cannot help you. The problem with a lot of fans is they have a very specific view of what a good signing is, that’s usually a popular Youtube sensation, someone with good football manager numbers, someone with a fancy name. A Grover asked me yesterday if I was worried that I don’t know much about the players… not really, if Arsenal did things properly, the team working those deals should know what’s going on better than you or I.
We’re also not in the market for ‘move the needle’ players. Grealish, Sancho, Locatelli, and Varane are not moving to us. The way we’ve worked the market is best suited to our needs. We’ve signed young players who might take a year to bed in, but when they settle, they’ll be ready to compete at the highest level.
Well, that’s the hope.
There are still justified doubts. We haven’t been good at recruiting, fans don’t trust the process, and we still have no idea what Arteta is trying to do with his squad.
There’s also a lot of grim PR around the club. Unhappy squad players. Factions within the club. Power grabs. Those issues won’t go away with a 10 game run of wins I’m afraid.
Arteta’s career fate might have already been decided, but he can prolong it if he gets his shit together. As I suspected yesterday, Arsenal played a friendly against Brentford and absolutely spanked them 4-0.
People don’t want to hear it, but Arsenal are not a bad team. We have a lot of good players and you’ll see that after the break. If you don’t, Arteta will lose his job and someone else will bring them up to their level which is higher than you think.
Ramsdale
Tomi White Gabriel Tierney
Lokonga Partey
Odegaard
Saka Auba ESR
Cut and paste the names around, but don’t tell me that’s not a sexy team that could do some damage after the break.
On that note, take in my stint on the Latte Firm OR the Arsenal Opinion OR both.
ACAST | SPOTIFY | iHEART | ANDROID
Ishola we probably did. Anyway hadn’t seen your earlier post before the above post.
Ishola,
I actually had a tear in my eye while reading that comment from edu. It’s sooooo painfully obvious he’s not what we need.
And totally agree astral weeks is an incredible album.
Kroenke (haha makes me laugh calling you that considering hes so hated and you’re so loved😂😂😂), but yeah you’re definitely not wrong on the steely Dan collection
voice box*
Ish,
I feel you my man.
Just doesn’t make sense.
Like it’s just Arsenal for some reason.
Like when Wenger spent nothing except for buying Cech. We we all crying out for a dm haha. It’s just such a crucial position in the Premier league. The whole central midfield not just DM haha
Tomorrow I have a funny story from Malta.
Tony
A Malta teaser by the sound of it.
Badum tschhhh
Love it!
K’phobe brilliant. It was a reminder for myself really 🙂
Yes the starting line up Pedro has named is interesting. I’m curious about the quality of our new right back and how Lokonga and Partey play together. I’m curious about Ramsdale’s distribution under pressure and concentration levels. I doubt Ben White can play well outside of a back three though. I am also worried that we’ll rarely see that line up as Tierney and Partey are good quality players but prone to injury. The real thing though is whether Arteta can make the line up work well as a team. Will they defend properly, press properly and vary their attacking… Read more »
Weather report had jack pastorius right?
Tony you need to write a book about your stories on the road
So far we’ve only seen 30 mins of lokonga and partey together and they looked really good together
But as edu said he and Mikel like to see xhaka in the starting 11, so….
This club will win a domestic cup every now and again but major trophies under this management is a no. This fallacious approach of building for the future is a cover up for the fact that under our current manager we cannot challenge for the league and we cannot challenge for the top 4. It is a cover up for the fact that we are not even in Europe this year. Arteta, Edu and Vinai are resistant to setting targets for the season because they have no faith in the clubs ability to deliver on the targets. The future bs,… Read more »
Tony
On that voice box tip, Peter Frampton and ‘show me the way’.
There’s a retrospective term for a lot of the music we’ve been talking about – Yacht Rock. SD, 10cc, Genesis, Supertramp (yuck!), Frampton, Christopher Cross and Hall and Oates. Bit too broad for a musical genre in my view but it is a thing I gather.
“Salisbury plain “.?
“The future bs is just spin”. Quite. We’re a mid table club now. Pedro is spot-on when he says that we are”not a bad team.” But we’re not a good team either.
So season 2021/22 was officially the season we gave up the ghost.
The people running the club have basically implied as such.
You know what it wouldn’t be so bad when we are out of the running if we were playing exciting attractive football. But we aren’t.
You would think they would at least give us that if we are now officially just also rans.
Better of at Leeds. They like us have no chance of top four but at least most of the matches they are involved in are exciting and good to watch.
I can see their reasoning behind Xhaka now tbh.
As we are a midtable club and at best challenging for top six Xhaka fits that bill perfectly for those sort of aims.
Shame on the Johnny Cochrane for ever implying that top four was possible with Xhaka involved.
I was close Pierre. My brain’s doing cartwheels and spinning tops, so I should submit to the great god Google. My resolute stance against admitting to any memory slip knowing that I’ll be nailed on it as a senior moment by family and friends or fridge magnet moment by my club Press.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OO2PuGz-H8
China,
it’s Jaco Pastorius.
Only the best bass guitarist ever (which he himself was not too shy to claim).
Edu’ s interviewer “””””If all the players are fit, what do you think this squad should be capable of this season? Is it top four? Is it top six? What’s realistic?””””” EDU: “I don’t want to go for top four or top six or top eight or top 10. I”M JUST REALLY LOOKING FORWARD to seeing this squad play together. I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone fit.”” Do Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd, Man City, Spurs ,Leicester Real Madrid, Ath Madrid, Barca, Dortmund, Inter, /Ac Milan etc executives speak on the record like this? NO TARGET SET FROM… Read more »
Arsenal have basically given up on competing if that interview from Edu is anything to go by. Numerous references to building for the future in the interview and the need to look beyond results. The most shocking part was Edu saying Arsenal didn’t target any first choice central midfielder because Xhaka and Partey would anyway continue to be first choice central midfield pair. Absolutely shocking stuff.
It’s been great chatting with you guys I’m heading to the Room.
Hope the sad and impatient on here read Edu’s interview. It might straighten them out, cheer them up a little.
Central midfield is Arsenal’s weakest area and our manager and TD think we are well covered there. They felt Luiz replacement was of utmost importance. Absolutely out of depth !
It’ll be xhaka and Lokonga or elneny. And if that’s the case Lokonga won’t be showing the promise he has by the end of the season
Englands best.
No
“Xhaka and Partey would anyway continue to be first choice central midfield pair. Absolutely shocking stuff.“
That should be a sackable offence right there.
TR7
“”””Arsenal have basically given up on competing if that interview from Edu is anything to go by.””””””
We all suspected that, we just got it confirmed from Edu.
No pressure, no targets, no goals set.(and no goals on the pitch either)
These imbeciles should ‘nt be running a burger joint outside the stadium, let alone a multi millon.pound org.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone fit.””
Theee games in and the excuses are out.
Goobergoner
“And if that’s the case Lokonga won’t be showing the promise he has by the end of the season”
Yep. People saw some promise with Guendouzi but he would have shown even more if he didn’t have to play with Xhaka.
Any midfielder paired with Xhaka is basically handicapped.
Lokonga will be tasked to do an awful lot paired with Xhaka.
Another pearler from Edu was that we suffered last season because we didn’t have good back up players. Does this guy even watch Arsenal ?
All you can do is shake your head. Especially when EB comes along to promote the process.
Yeah tr7, by back ups he only meant for Tierney.
Arteta being that one trick pony and all, our non existent attack nosedived further because no one else could do what Tierney did 😂
Well Tierney and Partey, but our midfield wasn’t part of our tactical setup except when xhaka stays deep, so partey missing wasn’t as important as Tierney in their eyes
Vinai, Arteta and Edu have spoken this week and removed all doubts and confirmed that they are the idiots we thought they were.
Basing your midfield off Partey who cannot stay fit and Xhaka who is an incorrect fit for this league is insanity. That is clear signs of throwing in the towel.
The thinking from the top is very confused, no wonder we look in total disarray when we hit the field.
Edu and Arteta have done a great job in strengthening our squad so we can long term continue to compete with Villa, West ham Everton etc. and stay in the prem!!!!
If the Kroenkes genuinely have ambition to make us competitive, and the club wants to be competitive then it is a matter of time before the three meek, cowardly, umambitious stooges Edu, Arteta and Vinai are shown the door.
Haha foxy we didn’t even compete with villa last season!!
Left side, if only. It really shouldn’t be this hard.
A back 3 will not work with just Partey and Xkaka in MF as last season proved unless we drop back ESR or Oord into a deeper position. Chelsea make it work because their central MF’s Kante in particular cover so much ground.
Edu’s interview was instructive and actually quite good The policy of buying younger players before they take off is a good approach on paper. Problem is they over-corrected on the previous policy of signing older garbage to squeeze out 4th place. The transfers of Tavares, Lokonga, Odegaard, and Tomiyasu were very good signings The transfers of Ramsdale and White are the contentious ones; Ramsdale is as average as they come while Ben White is too green and unphysical for the league. The decision to keep Xhaka ruined whatever they were trying to do. It’s out of alignment with the strategic… Read more »
Partey and Lokonga has some legs as a combo.
But it’s absolutely bizarre considering tets wants to play with a back 4 yet we go and get players suited to a back 3/5
Arteta has been quite cute really since he arrived at Arsenal.
Cute in the sense that he has been talking down the club ever since he arrived.
All this talk of getting the club back where it belongs, talk of the team and squad being inadequate.
He done this not just because he came from a much better set-up at Man City albeit the cone man there but his primary reason for this sort of talk is to dampen expectations in relation to what is expected from himself.
“Look, why would you sign Saliba and then send him out on loan when you have awful defenders at the club?
‘I think the fans already want him out. I think they will give him until Christmas but I think the fans have made up their mind.’”
Charlie Nicholas can see Arteta’s failings
yes the new trophy – staying in the Prem
This lot are likely to herald getting into the Europa Conf league a big achievement. imagine the headlines on Arsenal.com “Gunners back in Europe”
Well said Diss
Leftside ””’Vinai, Arteta and Edu have spoken this week and removed all doubts and confirmed that they are the idiots we thought they were.””””’ under their watch. At the at bottom of league table, despite the highest spend. Out of Europe for the first time for a 1/4 of a century. Corporate boxes empty and so many tickets available for Norwich City. No settled back 4 or settled team. Top of the table with players catching Covid the Xhaka Extension the Saliba Debacle and on and on and on it goes. humiliation after humiliation. None of them will ever get… Read more »
Foxy, it will be like that celebration at the end of one of Wenger’s seasons we got top 4 on the last day of the season. That was proper cringe
How about a future CB pairing of Saliba and Ballard ?
Englandsbest. I read the article twice because the first time I couldn’t believe what I was reading the second confirmed it There are so many contradictions, so many jam tomorrow that I just wonder if that’s the sort of garbage they tell KSE executives. No doubt like me most will have sat through endless presentations where the classic snake oil salesman will be putting forward a vision where it all seems so easy where follow steps one to 10 is so easy and all will come right in the end. One of the classic phrases I always remember was this… Read more »
Not on tets watch
Our goal for this season is to see everyone fit 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Yep Edu’s interview confirms everything that’s been said here – he and Arteta are a pair of thick cunts. You’re looking into the future then you ostracise Guendouzi and Saliba – two young players that have actually dropped some decent performances consistently. You want to ‘balance’ the squad by overspending on an area that’s got enough bodies if not quality whilst ignoring the attacking positions that lacks both quality and bodies? This belief that our current roster of attacking players will deliver is based on what exactly? Rather than 10 youngish players why not sign 4 then 2 in the… Read more »
The whole.organization is rudderless and operating like a ghost ship whose engine is out in rough seas How in the world can they leave Inaki Cana Pavon in charge after the debacle of the Runnarson signing. They brought in the worst goalie in ligue Un to replace Martinez. They put him on a 4 year deal as increased his wages from €3k weekly at Dijon to £40k weekly At his signing, this is what Edu said; “ We have been monitoring him for some time and, from the analysis, he has strong attributes that we look for in a goalkeeper… Read more »
*certainly not blowing…
“Where we needed to spend big, big money, for me & for Mikel, was in the centre-back position. David Luiz was leaving & we needed someone to come here & straight away have an impact on the team with the right profile of what we believe for the short, medium & long term”
Edu and Arteta must be the only two people on the planet who thought the club needed to spend big,big money in the centre back position. How can people running a multi million dollar organization be so dumb ?
Kris honestly speaking what little I’ve listened to of jaco and weather report really didn’t do it for me That said I appreciate his impact on the bass playing world enormously, really. I have owned 3 fretlesses myself, a cheap Warwick 5 string rock bass which despite a pretty average appearance and tone was probably the most comfortable bass I’ve ever played. Tho I gave it away many years later under special circumstances I also had a burns Bison fretted bass and had it defretted at rikkaxxe store in Bristol about 12 years ago. Still have that and the tone… Read more »
Radio Raheem The walking contradiction of the entire situation is Mike Arteta They brought him in to execute a different approach of trying to squeeze our 4th place by ysigning a few more experienced signings- that’s what the spend the previous summer trying to do- Auba’s extension, Cedric, Willian etc Then they over-corrected and clearly Mikel got slapped down but is still walking around tryi h to do a new assignment he’s not suited for. The ostracizing of Guendouzi and Saliba is Arteta’s. Saliba’s can still be addressed if Arteta leaves. The club backed the new managers like they ought… Read more »
And it’s been pointed out on here so many times that Arsenal actually went on better runs of form when this must replace player David Luiz was actually in the first XI.
Crackers.
A past it defensive error prone CB is an absolute necessity to replace over all others.
Sorry correction
“When this must replace player David Luiz wasn’t in the first XI”
Dissenter
Mikel knows deep down he’s not good enough. Project Youngish players is way out, whilst learning on the job.
Josh Kroenke must be special needs if he can’t see through this.
The transfer policy is fraught with grave danger It reminds me of theAfghan national army: set up by foreign imposition with the latest gadgets but no heart to fight. We signed a goalie who’s been relegated three times in his young career and are built especially to sink if trouble comes Does anyone think this squad is too good to go down with the unmotivated oldies and the too-green young players around.? ‘There was a time when newly promoted clubs and relegation battlers played Arsenal, with that mindset of ‘these are notthe games that keep you up’, now not so… Read more »
The window was a 50%for me- we made 4 good signings, no different from when we signed Saliba and Guendouzi -same transfer approach
Someone needs to ask Edu why they didn’t pursue the same goals with either of the young Frenchmen?
Had they stuck to those principles, they would not be going back to Brighton over and over again to get sodomized for their junior, least experienced and unphysical defender.
It was obvious that Saliba was ready, no less than Ben White.
Exactly ishola
Our best defensive record and best overall form was the Holding Mari partnership at the start of the new year
Gabriel is better than both of them but for whatever reason that partnership was delivering clean sheets
I guess this new policy of going youth comes from KSE. I can imagine that Saliba will be part of the squad next season. If it is up to Arteta, he prefers senior players such as Willian and Luiz,
Hey Nelson, what’s your Gravatar?
Going back to that Edu interview I thought this claim was naive
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette already guarantee 40-45 goals per season so an established goalscorer of Lukaku’s ilk was simply not required.
If you exclude Europe , simply because Arsenal aren’t in Europe the combined totals in the 3 full seasons is
18/19 37 scored
19/20 36 scored
20/21. 26 scored
40-45 goals guaranteed?
Terraloon, I’m glad you brought that up.
How the hell does Edu state that after last season’s efforts?!?!?
Goobergooner
I am a Blizzard gamer. It was a game character.
Negative Nigel.
Nice to see you having a whinge also!
We are just keeping with the old legrove standards
Nelson the problem is if saliba has a good season on loan and has interest from other teams on the continent, and if arteta is still in a job, I seriously doubt he would want to stay. He will kick up fuss and head for the exit. And with only 2 years left on his deal at that point we won’t have much leverage if he wants to go.
If arteta stays, saliba is a lost cause and should be written out of any hopes for the future
Nelson,
I’m not too familiar with blizzard, but the character looked familiar haha. Will look it up
Nelson,
Eww online gamer. Charlie will look at you with utter contempt.
Also Pedro has only been positive for his man crush.
Where was the positivity hounding out Wenger and Emery?
Well Nigel I assume you’re really enjoy 0 points, 0 goals and negative 9 goal difference after 3 games?
What specifically would you suggest the fans be positive about?
Bloody online gamers!!!!!!
China, the process. And the words out of our clubs mouths that are suckled like a mummas norks.
Its like just saying ‘we will win’ is enough for some fans, despite the shit show
Nigel…. I mean Pedro…. I mean Peter
What type of medal would you like. Best I can offer us a bronze one (made of ersatz tin foil) for the ‘I blindly worship Arteta award’, behind E’best and your alter ego Pedro. Top banter.
https://youtu.be/Z0lgDay4_1g
Whatever positivity there was evaporated with that Edu interview.
Arteta and Edu, duo retardo
Due to the physical nature of our Premiership players are injured to some degree regularly.
That’s why a strong squad is necessary to win the league.
Edu is clueless and weak by nature and needs to go .
There is no wining mentality at the club just ticking along taking the money. Who is going to kick arse, it seems nobody.
“Doom and f*** ng gloom.Has to be the most depressing football site on the blogosphere.I’d forgotten how many miserable b*** try’s frequent this site.How Pedro churns out any positivity day after day of reading this shit is nothing short of a miracle.”
My guess is drugs and loads of them.
I blame the positivistas though. Where re the “AFC Arsenal” and his types when you need them most to cheer us up with their rosy takes and offer Pedro the much needed support?
Pedro is the kind if guy that takes a viajar and stays in wanking over fake Arteta nudes
If any of you have met Perdro, he speaks very camp. He’s definitely batting for the opposition.
Edu brought in to assist Raul, that why they gave him a vague title. I think we can easily appoint a proper DoF on top of Edu.
Arteta wasn’t brought in to execute a project youth. He’s not suited for this new approach. He will be gone soon because he won’t have the tactical nous to integrate so many new players into the squad.
raptora
Yeah! I remembered that Charlie envied me that I got the PS5 before him.
Anyone else feel as though this recruitment reminds them of spurs? When they sold bale they bought lots of young players with huge potential, avb oversaw it, and it was a shambles in the end. Barely any of them made it to the levels expected. It’s just a nagging feeling I have, i agree with an earlier post a couple young guns and a couple between 24-27 would have been ideal.
On a positive note, Edu could’ve given his interview from Kia’s boat somewhere in Ibiza but he didn’t.
A true professional.
Do I detect panic among the anti-Arteta brigade? Panic driven by fear? Their reaction to the Edu interview – basically a plea for patience – is so undeserved, so extreme, that it seems they are s**t-scared he might be right. and that the future is bright.
EB.
Yep that’s it, we are scared that arsenal will go above and beyond our average at best expectations.
It’s not unreasonable for fans of one of the wealthiest clubs in world sport, not just football, to expect better than 8th place and an overstacked backline with piss poor midfield and declining (or never got going) attack.
Goobergooner
Which are….?
Tell the rest of us, please, the average at best expectations.
Well seeing as edu can’t even tell us where he predicts we will finish how about you tell me?
I can’t speak on behalf of everyone, but I honestly don’t expect better than 7th
And I won’t be claiming 7th as progress unless we play some quality football for a change this season
Englandsbest
Any fear has been removed by the worst start to a season in history.
Once you’ve reached the bottom the only way is up.
Well unfortunately for us we can still go further down from here haha
EB,
From edus comments, he will just be happy if the team is fit for a season.
Where is the hunger and fire to rally the fans?!?!?
Nowhere to be seen.
It’s all just ‘patience, we fucked up and are now trying to cover out tracks and keep our jobs’
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11670/12398180/edu-exclusive-interview-arsenal-transfer-policy-his-technical-director-role-and-mikel-arteta-discussed
This is a flawed strategy that will fail time and time again and have us relegated. Arteta and Edu need to get the fuck out of our club and go try their strategy in the lower leagues. Would be a different story if they were signing the “best” under 23 players but they’re signing “a lot” average and overspending.
englandsbest
Tell me, what’s your take on things?
In layman’s terms, for the less initiated amongst us, how do you see things under Arteta ( and Edu). What’s your honest opinion?
Based on where we stand and Edu’s interview, how do you see things panning out?
This season will be fun for the fact that either edu and Arteta shoot themselves in the foot and it’s a good old laff, or they exceed expectations, and I for one will raise my hand and accept I was wrong knowing that Arsenal are producing some goods.
Draw win scenario 😂
Whatever England’s best has been smoking these last few months must be some good shit