The plan for Arsenal next season seems to be shaping up and I think we’re going to see some forceful shifts in how we play.
Two things stand out from some of our style last season:
- We’re very buttoned-up structurally, everything was very orderly, everyone knew where to be, there weren’t gaping holes in our setup that were easily brutalized like they were under Unai Emery.
- Sometimes that structure can make us a little robotic and overstructured
- We came back from going behind in 1 game last season, part of that will be experience, part of that will be down to having no striker, part of that will be that we didn’t have enough flair or BANG BANG in the squad
Mikel Arteta seems to be shifting the side towards a single pivot midfielder. At the moment, that looks like we’re be rolling with Big Mo, Sambi Lokonga, and Thomas Partey there. We’re going full on City here.
It looks like he’s going to counter some of the concerns about exposing our defence by creating one of the most youthful and brutal attacking forces in the Premier League.
We’ve leaned heavy into seek-and-destroy players.
Gabriel Jesus has 76 goal contributions from 99 games, he’s explosive in attack, he can make something from nothing, and he’s a league-winning difference-maker. He’s signing his deal today and having his pictures taken. He’s in, this is huge, 6 other clubs compete for his signature. Do you think we’d be signing him if Arteta didn’t spend time with him for 3 years at City? No chance. He’s coming to Arsenal because he likes the coaching and he knows he’ll fit the vision.
Fabio Vieira gives you total control of the ball, his footballing intelligence is off the scale, and he can pick a lock with something ridiculous in the same way Mesut Ozil could. Again, one of the best producers of end-product last season, with the least minutes.
All the reports seem to be indicating that Raphinha is close to Arsenal because we’re basically the only option left with Barca having no money and Spurs being the least attractive club in the world. This is a player that is direct, incredibly aggressive, as well as being loaded with flair for a final ball, PLUS, he has the guts to score goals.
We tied Eddie down to a long-term deal, he’s explosive, he’s added Lacazette connective play to his game, his movement is sharp, and he is all about end product. Eddie will always, always finish.
Then look at our defence. We’re moving hard on Lisandro Martinez. This is a lock-picker from deep, this is someone that can connect attack and defence like a regista, he will form part of our build-up play and offer us variety from deep.
You put a Tielemans into the mixer and you have our version of Thiago. Elite setpieces, accurate diagonal balls, and a better final pass than Granit Xhaka can offer. He also scores goals.
This new Arsenal team is NOT about power, it’s about control, delivery, and goals. All the players are going to be hard pressing, all are going to be comfortable moving the ball around, every single player has extreme levels of football IQ, and now we’re going to add some locomotion to the goal count.
Arteta isn’t relying on individuals like Spurs will have to. He’s building a machine in which every component piece is finely tuned to the system. You won’t be able to man-mark Arsenal out of game next season because everyone is a threat. You won’t be able to press us out of a 90 like Newcastle did because we have press-resistant players that can find agents of punishment in the forward line.
Arsenal will have a deep squad of players that have swiss army knife elements to their game. There’s balance, but also a huge variety of tactical options available for any situation.
Deepblock? We have pickpockets.
High press? We’ll destroy your players with our fast frontline players.
Thug battles? We have big characters that can ride that bullshit.
This could be a team that runs teams so hard and punishes so quickly… teams are beaten before kickoff.
If this Arsenal side delivers a good August, who knows what we can do this season, but we should be looking at dethroning Chelsea in 3rd place.
We need to use this season as a platform to make a charge at the top 2 next season.
The Europa League campaign needs to be seen as an opportunity for the fringe players to ask questions of the first team. I want to see Charlie Patino, all ripped and fit, dominating that competition. I want to see Big Mo, Omari Hutchinson, Flores, Matt Turner, and William Saliba absolutely dominating proceedings.
Next season can’t be about 14 players, it needs to be about 20 players all giving it their best and stepping up when called upon.
This transfer window is fucking wild.
It’s the one we thought Newcastle in their green and white shirts were going to have.
This is how big clubs operate when they know who they are, what the vision is, who is accountable for executing it.
… and just think, this time last year, we were debating if Aston Villa were a better prospect for Emi Buendia than Arsenal?
Emi Martinez my man, what did you do to your friend?
Ok, that’s all I have today. Get into the latest Patreon where Johnny gives his FINAL views on his top 25 players.
Plenty of good wingers available if we are serious. Not every good player will come to Arsenal. If there is a really good winger available now, we should bid for that player (someone like Diaby or Pedro Neto). Otherwise we should keep our powder dry and get our other priorities. You just have to have priorities set and go for them one by one.
Get Lisandro and Tielemans now and we still would have a really great window.
We’re signing PL proven quality players and talented players with the right attributes and production at top flight level from their respective leagues and people are complaining. Follow a different sport. I for one who has been very annoyed (call me negative or whatever) with the way the club signed players and the types we used to sign, is very happy.
Wow! Talking such a positive game.
One problem though.
Nothings happened yet!
I hope you’re right Pedro but I’m afraid I still have my doubts.
Man stop these puff pieces , it’s sickening. You have t even watched viera live. Stop it.
Missing raphina means we have to get tielmans. Get the mid solid. Il take it , still a good window
Only blessing with Chelsea is they sold Tammy, Tammy on top and I’d be scared. Havertz is quality but does not scare me like he would .
“Man stop these puff pieces , it’s sickening. You have t even watched viera live. Stop it.”
Not a chance. Pedro is now officially Puff Daddy, or P. Diddy in the streets.
Jesus came because he wants to be a big fish in a small pond…anyone who believes he gives a damn about Artetas process has lost touch with reality
I would have thought a 145% pay rise is a factor in Jesus’ decision.
Pay rise would be secondary imo. He knew he wasn’t going to get game time at City.
Tom, every post is pure kool aid , take the most positive angle on every call. Somebody called out the Eddie quote already, honestly, the guy knows what he’s doing to drive the interaction but he still has to laugh at himself writing it.
Find a bit of balance man.
“.We’ve allowed the best EPL player available in this window to go to a direct rival over 10 mio quid.”
Goodness me! The best EPL player available in tis window. How did you arrive at this?
“I will remind anyone that says “right wing is not a priority” that they said it when Saka breaks in January.”
Oh! Really? You sounded like you know tomorrow. So, Raphinha cannot break even before the season starts?
Embittered soul
Not too upset if we don’t get Raphina. Sure cherry on top but no matter the number of games it would have squeezed Matinelli or ESR to the periphery in the PL. let’s go get Martinez and a worldie midfielder instead
I’m not going to lie raphina wasn’t in my mind start of window, I was a tielmans man. I’m not going to cry, but I did enjoy the Liverpool approach of loading the front.
We now must load the mid, saint maximan maybe for wide, he would be cheap. I’ve been turned we need somebody wide as well.
Why are people creaming over this Martinez dude. He’s a backup lb, you will not lift levels with him. Goals win games.
“I can see Raphinha having a great season. Good age. Some of those goals he scored and dribbles are world class.”
Come on Samesong, you know the drill, when he looked like joining us he was a brilliant signing, sure to ‘bang’ as Pedro says. Now that he’s joining the Chavs he’s an overpriced pile of crud that will likely flop hard. That’s the way this thing works.
On the other hand if he does a last minute U-turn he could be the best thing ever again.
Hahah, class andy
I agree..Martinez doesn’t inspire me at all…don’t even know what he exactly does or is good at..Raphinha would have taken us to another level.
Jesus still taking the world’s longest medical I assume?
Given our playing style I wonder is Jesus is any good on crosses?
There were quite a few of us here of the opinion that Raphinha is overrated days ago
Seems the early Chelsea demise reports might’ve been a bit premature.
The new owner came in swinging big dick, fired some heavy’s , sent Lukaku out in loan, and basically asked Tuchel who he wanted and went about getting it done.
Meanwhile Roman took his billions in proceeds and went straight away to work distributing them amongst the Ukraine war victims, I’m sure.
Really don’t get the massive fuss over Raphinha. Sterling is a better player and will go to Chelsea for cheaper.
“Missing raphina means we have to get tielmans. Get the mid solid. Il take it , still a good window”
If I may ask, what’s the correlation between Raphinha and Tieleman? If we have gotten Raphinha then does it mean we don’t need to get a proper cm?
Duifg
If you don’t know then maybe learn a little about him
Tee, the correlation would be money. If you recall last season the claim was that even after buying White we’d still have the cash to sort out our MF issues. Reality was that we didn’t. It’s quite possible that if we spunked £60m on Raphinha we’d not have the funds for Tielemans
Backing up Saka was never an issue.
Jesus, Vieira, ESR, Martinelli could all play there if necessary. May not be their best position, but they certainly have the ability to do it.
“Why are people creaming over this Martinez dude. He’s a backup lb, you will not lift levels with him. Goals win games.”
Says who? You?
Goals with shaky mid and defence win you nothing.
Raphina is yet to show he has goals in him other than his workaholic attributes.
Maybe we should go gung-ho on forwards while neglecting the mid and defence.
Liverpool became a force to reckon with after they got dyke and their goalkeeper.
Andy1889,
Yeah it has to do with money. Leeds ain’t ready to botch fhe fee set which is why they are taking their time to see who meets up.
But I will rather we stock up other areas than spend that amount on Raphinha who primarily plays where Saka plays.
Ain’t saying he is a bad player, bit we must get our priorities right. We ain’t Chelsea, man u or man city who can withstand multiple pepe-like transfer failure
” every post is pure kool aid , take the most positive angle on every call.”
DUIFG
I don’t even mind that, but what really makes me wonder about the guy is stuff like him spending the entire 2020/21 season bagging on Klopp for having been found out, while completely ignoring all evidence of Pool’s horrendous injury crisis……………..only to then shamelessly turn right around and use the example of VVD missing that season with injury to illustrate the importance of key players staying fit when Arsenal ended the last season poorly with Partey and Tierney out injured.
Crazy.
So out of interest, what will people here be saying if Man Ure beat us to Martinez?
Tee. I’m not embittered. I’m annoyed at the idiots that took the Piss out of Chelsea – like they were gonna fall Off a cliff. It was premature and stupid and I think we’ve been caught haggling in a 4 team market here for a great player. Before you laugh at my statement on his quality – look at his stats and ask why we wanted him. He’s a pressing Monster. Him Jesus and Martinelli would give us a dimension we’ve lacked and really force teams to play over them and into Our athletic back 4. That’s why he’s the… Read more »
Aren’t Man Utd close to completing a deal with Feyenoord for for their left back Tyrell Malacia?
Think that’s who they’ve gone with rather than Martinez whom there was an obvious Ten Haag link but not much concrete interest there. Arsenal need to speed things up though as others may just follow this Chelsea last minute sniper attack policy🙈
Raphinha is a top player. People will come to understand that when he elevates Chelsea’s attack. There is no point in debating that. He basically helped keep Leeds up with a few players besides him. And he is in his prime. He has better finishing skills and defensive work than Saka. But Saka is better at cutting edge. But he wasn’t an absolute necessity, he was a luxury. The whole point of him was not to have a huge dropoff in quality from Saka. Even Chelsea will have a drop off from Raphinha to CHO in the right. And they… Read more »
Why are people celebrating Chelsea guzumping us ? Some of the fans on here are just plain weird,
How can you celebrate a strong team getting stronger ?
It s madness hopefully we have a plan b or c personally I would get gnabry he is class, although sid thinks he lacks stamina, so on that opinion alone I would buy him
Pedro Neto, Diaby, Olise, Gnabry all should be in our list of we went hard for Raphinha. They make just the same amount of Sense.
Raphinha is a loss if we were serious about him we pissed about too much, let that be a lesson to Edu and get those deals over the line quicker
Habesha correct any of them would be great
Sake was spent because 0f Arteta
Pepe should have been used to give Saka rest here and there
That bit is on Artea
Mr Serge
Some fans didn’t want him. It is shocking to be honest. But they had some concerns about Arteta blowing his budget on Raphinha and Martinez and then not doing anything at CM. I had those concerns too. But I absolutely wanted Raphinha. But If I had to choose between a CM and a new RW, I would have chosen the CM every time.
Habesha
Are we sure Raphinha is a better finisher than Saka? He has scored 13 PL goals from open play in two combined seasons.
Saka is the better source of goals.
Mr Serge
“Raphinha is a loss if we were serious about him we pissed about too much, let that be a lesson to Edu and get those deals over the line quicker”
It’s not on Edu that the player wasn’t keen to come to Arsenal
Arsenal was like an afterthought, should Barca and Chelsea not come for him.
Honestly I don’t want that type of player around the club.
WengerEagle
Go and watch how Raphinha shoots. It is very clean. Most of his goals hit a corner too. The amount of goals is due to the weakness of his team mates.
I love Saka. But a lot of times, his shots are scruffy. I some times see top quality finishes like the one he scored against Watford but he isn’t a great finisher yet. No problem with that considering he is 20. He needs time to perfect that.
I love Pedro Neto. Just the same as Raphinha. He can play LW flawlessly too. Arsenal should go for him now. Kid is going to become elite.
Per Sports Illustrated: In Guardiola’s entire management career with top-flight teams (Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City), only Lionel Messi, Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero have delivered more goals and assists than Jesus. Jesus made 159 Premier League appearances for City, scoring 58 goals and providing 29 assists. In all competitions, he scored 95 goals in 236 matches. ——– Jesus’s stats are impressive. He will be a great player for us. Now we just need to upgrade our midfield. The Raphinha thing doesn’t phase me.. people playing fantasy football.. kind of like Pedros post.. he went full on… Read more »
Raphinha misses goals in the same way Martinelli does.
He doesn’t;’t strike the ball well enough.
Bielsa gave him a free role and he wasn’t that productive in a philosophy where attack-attack was the mantra.
Saka is the better player.
Ask any neutral premier league observer, who they will rather have Raphinha or Saka?
Dissenter
I didn’t say Raphinha is better overall. Saka is better. I just said he has better defensive work and finishing abilities (shooting abilities). Everyone misses chances. But the way he scores goals say something. It is either low in a corner or a 90 degree shot. He is a better finisher than Saka. Nothing wrong with that considering one is 20 and the other 25. Even Martinelli is a better finisher than Saka. That doesn’t make them better players than Saka though.
Why do we have to choose ? Saka and raphinha. Please It’s about pictures. Our right side was a well oiled machine last year. But if ode or Saka are missing – and they will have to be – it’s broken. We went after vieira and raphinha. Both can step in and do the same job – exactly the same job. So the players that play around them – tomi. White Partey. Left 8. Jesus. Will all see the same pictures. People saying “oh so and so can play there” forget that we play structured football under pressure. Can’t just… Read more »
This is what happens when you are Owned, Managed and Run by complete Amateurs who are gleefully Aided and Abetted by would be experts like Pedro and the Clown Robbie at ATV, All speculation and drama with very little returns, How I miss the days when David Dein would just unveil a Dennis Bergkamp or a Sol Campbell.
Diss I actually agree with that ethos if they don’t want to run to our club they can piss off
”Pedro Neto, Diaby, Olise, Gnabry all should be in our list of we went hard for Raphinha. They make just the same amount of Sense.”
Can add to that list Gouri, Cunha, Guedes, Nkunku, Berardi, Bowen, Nico Gonzalez, Carrasco to name a few alternative options for LF.
I also really think that we should be checking out this Raum LB from Hoffenheim. He got 11 assists last season in the Bundesliga and 13 the season before that in Bundesliga 2. Those are pretty mental numbers for a full-back.
Speaking for me, I couldn’t be happier the Raphina deal fell through.
Why were we contemplating spending 60 million on a position that we are already strong at?
That’s utter madness.
If creating attacking options was necessary, why not look for a veteran striker that can attack the ball crossed in.
Milan did this with Oliver Giroud and it paid off.
Blowing the bag on defence is beyond silly. The back 4 could have complete storm era and Ramsdale fucks it to lose a game. Get me elite forwards were 3 stink and one bloke bags 2 and you win.
Martinez does not lift this team levels, u less the guy is cancelo crossed with alphonso Davies I don’t want to know over raphina.
I was just at a mates house 6 of us there they are all pool or ,an u fans bar me and a spurs fella they all said why are you even interested in Raphinha saka is far better, the kid is amazing, I guess to give him a rest as Pepe was incapable of it is my answer, we can get just as good for less money
Habesha
Saka’s finishing has improved a lot imo and I would take him all day over Raphinha in a bet for goals in a season. Sure his technique in striking the ball isn’t as clean but look no further than Raheem Sterling. Well over 100 PL goals from wide and mostly without pens and he is what you would call a scruffy striker of the ball.
Perisic and Podolski are two of maybe the best strikers of a ball I have seen in terms of technique but give me scrappy Raheem over either of them any day.
Spot on Mid.
We need a CM so far ahead of a player like Raphinha it isn’t even funny. After last summer’s debacle and neglecting any forward or CM additions in the £135m spend it is beyond wishful thinking to believe we would have splashed £145m on Jesus, Vieira and Raphinha and then reconstructed our CM on top of that.
Earlier this year we were discussing Arsenal’s requirements in the summer transfer window and whilst we agreed mostly that Pepe needed to be replaced in the “squad” we were never suggesting that Arsenal needed to spend £55 million+ on this position. The two most important priorities which were discussed were finding a first string centre forward and a central midfielder who could rotate with Partey and Xhaka. We have bought Jesus and Vieira who are both very good offensive players. Now we need to buy the player who will play in Central Midfield. Frankly I would much rather spend £50… Read more »
The other thing is – Saka hasn’t signed a new deal. His agent let Eddie and flo run down their contracts and got good deals for them. But we were happy to forego those fees to play the game. With Saka ? No chance. We would have to sell next summer to get anything worthwhile. So we need hand. Having a viable option to play if we had to sell is hand. And it makes us better and him less beasted in the meantime.
We still need many things. But this deal
Made loads of sense to me. Still does
Emirates
“Let’s be clear we need Saka to sign a new longterm contract. That is just as important if not
more so than buying another winger.”
The Saka extension will be key
Sign the last to at least a 6 year deal
More Spurs biting on Twitter!
So far we have basically spent 75 mil on Jesus and Viera. The good thing that will come out of this Raphinha deal collapsing is the fact that we will have room to spend more. The rumors were we were bidding 50 mil for Raphinha and 35 mil for Martinez. Assuming we go hard for Martinez. Then there is still 50 mil plus sales left for a CM and a winger. I think we will get Tielemans now. 30 mil at best for him. And we will be better off for it. If we could sell some players, approximately 30… Read more »
Johnno
We need a 60 million “hand” as leverage for Saka?
You really wanted Raphinha badly
Loling
I mean if the owners said spend whatever you need. And we had a shot to land Raphinha due to our Brazilian connections.. Then I;m ok with that as long as we don’t neglect other areas. Clearly we do have a limit though and we must have hit the red line..
Let Dodger dude pay the premium.. I’m ok with that.
Habesha
How about we go scouting and get a player like Neto?
Why does it have to be the most expensively quoted transfers our fans are asking for
I expect that Arteta-Edu and the transfer team have contingencies and lists for the transfers.
Wenger Eagle Carrasco is a target for Chelsea. Apparently he is willing to play wingback if Tuchel plays 343. Why are we after Lisandro Martinez as a backup CB? He’s 5’8 and seems the type of player who will struggle in the PL. Let him go to Man Utd. He’ll end up at Barcelona in a year or two since they are obsessive over defenders who are good on the ball. Not my type. Already spent 50m on Ben White. A few inches taller and a player who at best the jury is out on (I’m not a fan) Don’t… Read more »
*does seem to be a top pro
Mr Serge “I was just at a mates house 6 of us there they are all pool or ,an u fans bar me and a spurs fella they all said why are you even interested in Raphinha saka is far better” I’m convinced that saka should be on the left due to his immaculate delivery with his left peg …maybe Arteta has come to the same conclusion. that there is no point playing a striker like Eddie who is lethal in the box and then starve him of the ball that he so thrives on. We could be looking at… Read more »
Pierre
Saka on the left? I’m listening. Go on. Does that a shift to a back three?
Dissenter
Even if you scouted a player vigorously, it still doesn’t mean that player is ready for the PL. Neto is. Just like Raphinha. We need quality. It isn’t about the price. It is about whether that player makes a huge impact for you immediately. And Neto does for me. It is about not having a huge dropoff in quality between your starter and the rotation option. City are signing Kalvin Phillips for that exact same reason. If we don’t do that we won’t compete with the top dogs.
Neto had a broken kneecap which is a very severe injury.
I would want assurances i.e at least a full season of evidence that he is stll the same player before I would part with £60m for him.
WengerEagle Gouiri is going to be a tough ask now we have Jesus. He will be expensive and he can’t play on the right. Cunha isn’t leaving Atletico. They are banking on him. Guedes is a good shout. I don’t think he is elite but he can be a good player. He has been around for a while too. Berardi would be the most sensible signing. He is experienced and he is very good. I would be okay with that. I don’t want Carrasco. A player that goes to China in his prime isn’t meant for top level football. He… Read more »
Dream I assume with Martinez that he is being signed for his versatility. Can play CDM, LCB and LB in a pinch. I like him as a player but yeah, if the intention is to sign him to play as a LCB then I am not sure why unless Saliba or Gabriel are being sold. 5″9 so a partnsership with White would be disastrous against physical strikers. True on Gouri but he can play LF and it is where he had played much of this season with Dolberg and Delort the strikers. Has a very smooth game and he is… Read more »
I did like Samuel Checweze but seems he has fallen off a cliff this past season. Doku isn’t a bad shout for me either. I am not sure he is Arteta’s type of player though.
Dream
“Saka on the left? I’m listening. Go on. Does that a shift to a back three?”
No, it’s more a 4-3-3 that could become 4-1-4-1 when ee are defending…….with a back 4 , partey sitting deep with Odegaard and fabio either side and an offensive 3 of jesus on the right , saka on the left and Eddie up top ..
Habesha Gonzalez just put up an impressive season for Fiorentina and was good for Stutgart in Germany. Starts for the Argentina NT and is liked and trusted by their gaffer. Similar type of player to Raphinha, not quite as good maybe but very close and is fast, direct, industrious and has solid production. Would cost half the amount is the key here and it would enable us to sign somebody like Tielemans too for the price of Raphinha. Nkunku’s release clause is €55m on his new deal I thought I read? Although he may well stay for another season. Gouri… Read more »
Habesha
“Bowen is unattainable for me”
Bowen and smith rowe have a very similar game, both very tidy players on the ball who look to make a difference in the final third.
Doku’s numbers look a bit shite tbh considering he is in France.
A Ligue 1 St Maximim.
WengerEagle
Yep Doku is like St maximan. I honestly wouldn’t hate that type of dribbling threat as a backup to Saka. He is still 20 too. And his performances have been okay besides not scoring. His numbers will eventually go up because he shreds every fullback. And he will be cheap too.
Didn’t know about Gonzalez. His stats and his YouTube reel looks okay.
But it just shows you the amount of options there is to have competition for Saka. It doesn’t have to be 60 mil Raphinha.
A small club would sign sarr from watford as hand and try to tell Saka agent – who is a problem – that they’ve got the position covered. A big club would sign a raphinha. Btw. Big clubs have more than a first 11 and “some other blokes” – especially with 5 subs. I just don’t understand the mentality on here. Making up reasons why not getting a great player is a good thing. So we can over play a fella that has t committed and is looking for reasons to sign on. Only a small club would let their… Read more »
Richarlison has all the attributes to be the perfect striker for this Arteta system, except consistently scoring goals. So yeah I guess he’s not the perfect striker for this system then.
I was saying the other day that we shouldn’t jump the gun on Tielemans and Raphinha. It appears while we were here discussing the player, Todd Boely was reading the blog and laughing at our ignorance. Let’s actually sign the players then give Edu and Arteta their due praise not before.
Didn’t buy into the Raphinha narrative till last week and now I have re-invest and relocate my fragile Arsenal heart on other players like Gnabry, Gakpo.
Johnno
I don’t think it is good that he has signed with Chelsea, would have much preferred he went to Barca because he is a very good player.
But have you seen the fucking state of our CM? And our LB situation? We finished 5th last season, how much did you really predict we would be spending this summer?
So … are we getting all excited about a second string yank keeper, some lightweight from Portugal with the body of a 10 year old and 5’9” or City reject? I’m not overly bothered about Raph going to a dying Chelsea, that’s on him, but I will be miffed if we don’t get Lisandro and Tielemebs over the line. I don’t see we have moved the needle that much unless those deals get done
Relax about raphinha. He’s a few years older than Saka and not as good. Never will be. As for needing to protect and rotate Saka, Vieira played half his games on the wing, including on the right. If saka breaks down from being overplayed next season it’s nothing to do with a lack of options on the right and everything to do with poor squad management. Raphinha is the absolute definition of a cherry on the top luxury signing – and a very expensive one at that. I’d have been excited if he came but let’s be real he really… Read more »
Can we really not just get this Tielemans deal over the line? I have a bad feeling we’re gonna waste so much time messing around on this one that he’ll end up elsewhere.
He’s supposedly only 25m away from being an arsenal player. He’s surely like to come. On what planet is it good for us to sit on our hands here? Just get on it arsenal so we can finally close this chapter of the non-existent midfield
Baying mob well be fair. Our signings all improve our team/squad visibly. That’s not really in doubt
But until we have a fit for purpose midfield we will not be a CL team.
And a fit for purpose LB wouldn’t hurt as well!
Arnaut Danjuma wouldn’t cost us £55 million and he’s desperate to return back to England
The problem is that Villarreal are flush with CL money and will have noticed we were ready to spend big on a lesser/comparable player.
Danjuma has a release clause of €45 million in his contract
Activate it and he’s doing his medicals on Thursday.
Danjuma is another decent shout yes Dissenter.
16 goals in just 27 starts across La Liga and the CL last season. 17 goals and 7 assists in the Championship before that.
Fast, powerful, good dribbler and end product.
What I like about Danjuma too is that his performs consistently across the board and his numbers do not change much no matter whether he is playing Championship or CL football.
Raphinha has that same quality. Portugal, France and England his numbers were consistent across the board. No dramatic deviations.
Wenger Eagle
The lad is desperate to leave Villarreal
I bet he goes in hunger striker to force through a move to Arsenal
He has experience in England and is ready ti go from day one.
That’s why I wondered why we were so fixated on Raphina
Westham are close to signing him but they want to negotiate the transfer clause and sell Said Benrahma to fund the deal.
Dissenter and WE
If I am not mistaken, Danjuma is signing for West Ham. Moyes finally has an alternative to Michail Antonio. It is a shame Sebastian Haller was sold before Moyes returned to East London
It’s really interesting how so many people here become negative at the slightest setback. Weak willed. Again, it’s a slight setback in the fact that our manager really liked the player-a lot, and we didn’t get him. That’s it. Nobody expected us to go for a 50 mil wing player the summer. There is no denying that none of us valued him at that level during the season, even if we liked him. Respect to the many people here who were cautioning that the price was getting too high .. before we lost out on the deal. If there is… Read more »
Dream & Dissenter
Did not know that, that is a very solid pick-up for them. Were crying out for another goalscorer.
Move on down the list so. Unless we hijacked the move of course…
Dream10
He hasn’t signed fir Westham yet
They can’t pay that release clause without and selling Said Benrahma first
If Arsenal show up, it’s a no contest and we pay higher wages.
Saka is a top quality player so of course you could play him LF and he would still be excellent. But it is blatantly obvious to anyone that has watched him at length this season that his game has gone to another level at RF. He’s fast and unpredictable enough to mix it up and go on the outside of his fullback and run the channel and swing the ball back with his right or better yet he body feints his way in on his left and either he gets sight of goal or combines with the CF. Not just… Read more »
Pedro should be thrilled to see so many comments here today, great for clicks….a lot of the “supporters” who only show up after we lose, to gloat… they’re all here today.
They haven’t been around for our first 2 signings.. not as fun for them as a rival stealing a deal from us.
Johnno must be Bigper because I can’t believe there could be 2 people like that haunting the blog. Hackney is never here on a good day. Enjoy your misery tonight.
China1
Absolutely right. Saka is the go to guy on the right and we have backup in the form of Viera who isn’t a small ticket signing.
And some folks here like to talk about behaving like a big club.
Easy to say, it ain’t your $$. Would you blow cash on a bigger car than your neighbor and call yourself a roller.
When it comes to Chelsea, I think $$ wise they traditionally scale better? I think they can for this window since they have CL.
If we get the mythical Xhaka upgrade, I think we are set.
Seems arsenal need to be way more stealth or way quicker in doing these deals. Still penny pinching like Arsene and missing out.
Samesong.
Thorough
Raphael
It’s all on you man. You singlehandedly ruined our window… And battered the door too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vi_emwrUauI