Good people of Le Grove, it is a Saturday, I am at the hospital, it’s hour 12, and I’m writing a blog.
Am I sure of the rules around this sort of thing? No.
I will pay a price for this with divorce papers at some point, but listen, your insatiable appetite for transfer stories, or my need for attention, greatly weighs on me right now.
So what do we have to talk about?
Arsenal and Manchester City have now reached verbal agreement in principle for Oleksandr Zinchenko, fee around £30m. Personal terms are still discussed. ⚪️🔴 #AFC
Salary and length of contract, in negotiation – key step to complete the agreement. pic.twitter.com/QJYrwdqJH1
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 16, 2022
Arsenal is closing in on Zinchenko and I am absolutely OVER the damn moon about it.
He’s a bit of a ‘woah’ signing for me, mainly because we stopped making moves like this a while ago. Experienced, a winner, in the prime of their career… it’s quite sad I think like that, but that’s how low the standards have sunk over the last 8 years.
I loved the strategy of last summer, I knew we’d go for more complete players this window, but I didn’t think they’d come with Premier League pedigree. I was expecting us to live in the world of Paqueta types. Top talent owning their league. This move on players that are already doing it in the league, but looking to break out, feels very Liverpool when they signed VVD, Mane, and Wijnaldum (stole that from @DanielZeqiri).
These two charts really paint a picture of what we have with Zinchenko.
Firstly, this is how he compares at left back to Tierney and Tavares.
Now, context-wise, accept he plays at a higher level with better players. But what I love about his data is this is a player who had an extremely choppy season with next to no minutes until December when he landed 5 Premier League starts in a row (5 wins and a draw). Then he found the bench and didn’t get a good run until the end of the season when he picked up 7 starts, landing 6 wins. That is extreme mental strength.
Remember, Tavares played great at the start of the season, got benched when Tierney returned, came back a mess against Nottingham Forest. Never recovered.
Regardless, Zinchenko’s left-back numbers are OUTRAGEOUS.
… but there is more.
These are his midfield numbers. When stacked against Granit Xhaka. More passes, more accuracy, better defending.
Then look at the fee. United is paying £50m for a 5ft9 centre-back we wanted to play at left-back. We’re getting a 4 times Premier League winner for £30m.
That is outrageous.
Again, I’m gonna go at the folk that called Arteta the cone boy. Do those people want to sit here and tell me that Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus are coming to Arsenal under any other circumstance other than Arteta at the controls? Do you think they’re coming to Arsenal in their prime to play for a coach that doesn’t know his onions? These are the benefits of having a coach that is a top-tier thinker. It also shows you that despite some of the noise, top players can see this project is about to bang.
There are only two more jobs to be done if we get this deal over the line.
We need to sign Tielemans in central midfield, another top Premier League talent that will find new heights in our system.
We need to sign a winger with outrageous production. There are quite a lot of strong rumours linking us to Leroy Sane. He’s world-class for me, he’d represent a real hero signing, and I’d prefer him over Raphinha any day of the week. Seems like an insane move because of where he is in his career, his price tag of £60m, and his salary of £300k a week, but damn, that would be a statement piece. He’s only 26.
I’m not quite sure we’re going there, but again, if you can, and the player is willing, do it.
I want to keep our best young players at the club. Bukayo Saka needs to see where this project is heading. I’m pretty sure he’d be thrilled to see someone at Sane’s level joining the party.
There’s a rumor about Edmond Tapsoba doing the rounds again. The 50m euro centre back is 22, he’s being linked by a new site that is dedicated to transfer rumours, which is a bad business model unless you peddle 80% guff. Regardless, it’s important to remember that ground zero for Arteta last season was Newcastle. We lacked bravery to break the press and didn’t deliver on the plan. Old Arsenal might have let that slide, new Arsenal will chop out players if there’s an opportunity. Whilst I have my doubts we’ll do anything mental, don’t be shocked if a Gabriel-like name is moved if we can ship in someone else. Big clubs make hard decisions. Ben White and Gabriel dipped hard in H2 last season. I’m not giving credence to the rumour, but look, those Juve rumours won’t die. If he leaves, we are purchasing.
Strong rumours William Saliba is making his rebirth debut against Everton tomorrow. It’ll be interesting to see whether we begin to jettison some of the expendable players now the tour has taken on more seriousness.
Ok, before I go. I have TWO pieces of information.
We signed a podcast deal with BlueWire. So if there’s disruption to your podcast things, let us know, but it should be fairly straightforward. Does this deal make us professional podcasters?
If I speak…
Secondly, thank you to all the generous folk that have contributed to our Patreon subscription. You are a special bunch. We’re trying to work out what the deal is in totality. Here’s where I think we’ll land for 2022 podcast-wise.
- On The Whistle – Premier League – free to air.
- Before the whistle + Europa League review – Patreon
- Special Features – Patreon
We dropped a Patreon BANGER last night. I made slides. Johnny showed up and left it all on the pitch. We talked Saliba, Zinchenko, Sane, and the shape of our summer so far. All good vibes.
Join up below.
Hallalujah and praise be to the Gabriel Jesus … it worked.. hahaha
Thanks Left !
Odegaard is captain for the day
Did Lampards luggage get lost and he had to buy clothes at the airport?
Is it kicking off late?
They are just now about to do it.. not sure.. if late.
Any streams
Already Xhaka missed a shot.
GD4 scroll up.
That link is awful my mcafee just went crazy
Left testicle and Freddie posted some.. other then that can;t help you. sorry.
Lots of fouls for a preseason match.
Xhaka off the post with a header from a corner.
Bad pass by Xhaka leads to a counter attack last ditch defending think it was Saliba. Been The Xhaka show so far for 25 mins good and bad as per usual. He is playing at least 20 yds further forward then normal.. don’t really get it but ok.
This stream is strong@
https://watchstadium.com/live/the-charm-city-match-everton-vs-arsenal/
Turner ain’t it. Sorry we’re gonna have to pray Ramsdale doesn’t get injured throughout the season. Shouldn’t play in the league. Why can’t we buy a proper back up keeper from Europe? I don’t rate any player in MLS. Why did we buy two? Right because of our American owners tryna be slick.
Thanks Guns.. Much better stream!
Jesús!
Jesus!!!! roofs it from a corner. 4 yds out.
Get in !
We hav a good unit already
Partey does turn on the magic
He’s like a conductor
Nice one!!!! 2-0 Saka!
Saka with the next! Great prep from Jesus! Can’t wait for the season to start
http://papahd.club/arsenal-everton-2/ here is a good link. The commentators are kinda annoying using basketball phrases like “turnovers” and “driving”.
Jesus scores! Never in doubt. We have a striker. I expect 30-35 goals max from him this season. As i’m writing Saka scores lol. We’re gonna have fun this season. HAhaha!!!
Jesus to Saka.
And another one
It’s a feisty game
Mina and Jesus should go home together
Put Paqueta or Tielemans in Xhakas spot and Zinchenko for Nuno and we are cooking. Saliba looking pretty smooth so far as well. not really tested.
The commentary is something else 😂
And I especially liked the sauce (advert) talk midway through the half
Serge, Wenger Eagle, Those posts by Tony (Kroenkephobe, Veira Lynn, Junior) were not really funny. I saw them as a cry for help. Anyone who has to take on multiple personalities, personas, just to get recognition on a blog is in a lonely place. If he wasn’t so hateful to the club, I’d feel sorry for him. His pessimism is disgusting.. Dark soul in there. Tom and Rich should squash their beef. People here that I really don’t like, but then I see them holding exactly the same opinions as myself sometimes. Find some common ground. Rich is usually right… Read more »
not sure who this male commentator is but he is shit
I will say this about Turner.. he never looks smooth as a Keeper but I ‘v e seen him play about a dozen times and he never loses. It could be incredible luck.. Im sure his record isnt’t 100% wins. But he is not great with his feet never has been, that could be a problem.
This should be red.. Stupid fcuk
Mina trying to hurt Jesus
Hope Everton actually gets relegated this time around. Jammy fucks sneaked their way into staying up. Their whole team is rank full of average.
Its some former Women’s US team player and no idea who the dude is.. sounds like possibly an MLS announcer they brought in for match. Anyhow.. Ive seen enough of Jesus.. dont need to get an injury at this point lots of fouls.
Yeah the commentators are awful. Liking what I see from our front three and Partey though, even if the camera angles in that stadium are pretty terrible.
“five corners, that is a healthy number” what is he smoking…
I feel like a mental person.. Watching a friendly this late.. Flying out on vacation with the family tomorrow.. Great to know there are more watching.
Looking forward to see our second half team
He’s some kind of schmuck, a weiner and a douchbag.
Gab Jesus scoring again, fantastic finish.
I can’t wait for the season to start.
To think we muddled along with Lacazette for so long! 😳😳😳
I just want to reach into my screen and slap this guy commentating. One of the multitude of reasons i don’t watch MLS even though i live here.
He sounds like Ed Winchester from the Fast Show.
To top it off he is an Everton fan…
Oh yeah, Saka scored again.
Can we give the boy a rest?!?!?
Gommit it’s not late here …. you are mental… hahaha j/k Never need an excuse to watch the boys. .
Leeds your a little behind second half just started.
Refresh the page Leeds.
3 at the back? interesting.
Pyramid Pirlo in for Partey I think. yep..
They are so full of themselves.. How can they make a living from this!
Verbal diarrhoea.
They are like the drunk guys you move away from at the bar.. I have them on mute now
It’s the Men in Blazers dude.. no idea why they decided to do an interview in teh middle of the game with him.
Our midfield with AMN, Elneny and Xhaka now is just not good. I guess AMN is the Cam.
I am not so sure about a lineup including Niles, Bellerin, Xhaka, El Pirlo and Pepe..
God forbid this lot are our back up players. That midfield is vomit inducing. Mikel is clearly talking shit about making the car faster.
Hard to call Pepe a winger when he never plays wide. Him and Eddie are holding hands in the middle.
It’s a weird formation thats for sure. Hopefully it’s just a preseason we tried this and they scrap it.
It is painfully obvious that we must ship out around 10 players currently in the states..
Saliba looking absolute Quality!
These american commentators just yapping all game long sheesh
Give it a rest for like 30 seconds now and then
Pepe needs to leave for the good of his career. Maybe we can sell him to Lyon for that Brazilian packet of crisps fella.
Yep…. we could do with a yard sale. Looks like another formation change. again… Walters and Nelson and not even sure who else.. maybe 4 more changes.
Saliba is mustard. I expect White will be sitting on bench along with Holding once he’s settled into the side.
Pepe is feel bad for. Sell him and Nelson and AMN.
Those fellas need to be let go. Let them live
Nelson, Pepe, AMN, Mari, Bellerin ….. can we have an auction.? . invite all the MLS teams. have some phone buyers from Europe.
Well my hope for a high scoring game came and left. oh well.
Shoot it Hector… oops haha nevermind
Marcelo Pettinati (Gabriel Jesus’ agent):
“Chelsea were one of the teams that tried to hijack the Arsenal move. They tried very hard in the final days to get him. By that point, we’d already chosen our new project.” [@Freddie_Paxton]
Lol we’re gonna surpass Chelsea this season. New world order. A couple years of red ink and their new owners won’t be so cocky. Not going to write off shedloads of financial losses.
Pepe killing the attack passing backward. Put him out of his misery.
Hector is unrecognisable from the player he was…
first and last time these two announcers work together thats for sure
Well the second half was definitely more like I remember preseason games being like.. Kind of all over the place with not much cutting edge. But first half was decent no doubt Jesus is the real deal. looked sharp again, our front 4 looked good.. Xhaka is not a forward playing midfielder, he just isn’t, it’s weird seeing him hanging around the box. Partey looked good. Saliba was nice.
Anyhow on to the next one in Flo- rida.
Hector, Ainsley, Reiss, Pepe, Torreira, need new homes
Let’s hope Everton get relegated this time around… what a shitty team..
Get me some Zinchenko and a Midfielder. and life is good or something like that,
Forgot Pablo Mari
Fuckin Tarkoski still thinking he’s playing for Burnley with that tackle on lokonga. Dirty Cunt!
whos the next game against?
Oh some MLS side Orlando I think.
hard to tell anything from pre season but i think everton are gonna have a looooooong season that i could easily see ending in relegation.
nice be good to play an mls team. theyre all fit mid season. hope finding a stream is easier for that one
Remember Alexander Pato of Brazil and Chelski for awhile? think he plays for Orlando.
Lol I think the announcers sound so excited to be commentating a soccerball game between two real soccerball teams that aren’t American. That over excitement just makes it overbearing 😅
pato looks like he’s from orlando.
ya china, when they try and work stats into their chatter youd think they were riding one of those machines that howard stern uses on his show
Gabriel Jesus sure looks the business. As for the composition of the US tour squad- apparently Arteta wanted to run the ruler over everyone in the senior team and see who wanted to fight for their place… and told everyone there they were starting with a blank slate. I think, actually this is incredibly fair minded of Arteta. Maybe it’s his way of admitting he might’ve made mistakes and he is trying to repair broken bridges. Perhaps it’s come too late for the likes of Bellerin and Torreira. Yet, it would literally save us millions if Reiss Nelson and Ainsley… Read more »
This is something I could get use to hearing “Jesus to Saka”.
Mic drop from Middy.
Got to hand it to FC Barcelona and how they just piss right in face of the financials.operating in some fringe world whilst players reported to defer wages just gets kicked down the road or under the carpet what a car crash this situation is becoming.
Never liked that god damned club, so bent.
Everton are really poor
The only way they don’t go down is if the newly promoted sides are real rubbish.
There was a major gulf in class between the two teams. I swear that Iwobi os the best player at Everton, thats how poor they are
Its safe to say Pedro took a big L on Jesus . He even wrote a whole blog post right ? lol
I hate Barca
I hate Madrid
I think I hate Barca a little more
Fuck Madrid and Barca but definitely fuck Barca more
Italian media report Juventus would offer £25m plus Melo and Rabiot for Gabriel Magalhaes…
Tell Juventus to fuck off… 25m plus deadwood for Gabriel shows no respect for Arsenal, kinda like we are retard or something
Maghales should be 55 plus
He is better than 50m benwhite
Uzeros the problem is we have form of selling badly and Juve know they can unsettle players to make noise and push for a cheaper move based on the prestige of their club name and promise of titles
But yes it’s time arsenal grow a pair and tell Juve to put a 65m offer for Gabriel (market rate) or fuck off. Needs to be said in no uncertain terms so that they stop trying to unsettle the player.
He should only be for sale for a great price for arsenal.
TT –
The comedy dream isn’t over.
Your Perisic postings will take you far. Throw in some Djed Spence shit posting and you’ve got a whole season worth of material
I dont think Gabriel M will move to Juve. He does not seem the type.
He is our main CB, and we are close to getting CL now.
Plus we have more and more Braz coming in
Jesus loves a cross! Too much?