SELLING WITH A REPUTATION FOR WEAKNESS

by .

Amazon launched a new trailer for the All or Nothing series and it looks absolutely electrifying.

I remember there was this weird assessment from some folk that Arteta was meek in character, that wasn’t true as a player, and it wasn’t true as a coach. But, until people see it, they can say what they want.

Well…

Topline thoughts on this series?

It’s going to be electric.

Being successful in life is as much about timing as it is anything else.

Amazon timed this to perfection. They got in at ground zero of implementing a new strategy at the club. The series was nearly over as quickly as it was for Pochettino after 3 straight losses, but then all the action happened, 6 new players, a great winning run, and the 180 conversions of fans from wanting Arteta axed to truly believing in the club again.


Beau said it right.

Remind yourself again about how little you felt for the club this past decade. We were going nowhere, the players weren’t that interesting, and everything was all a bit boring and predictable. 4th was our lot in life and we didn’t know much existed past that.

Fast-forward to now. I’m feeling the pain of disappointment again, why? Because my expectations have been reset. I believe in this squad and its potential. I love the players because they have character and they go to war on the pitch for me. I respect the ownership group because they picked the visionary path with the new manager, they put a middle finger up to the short-termists, they rode out the temptation to make emotional decisions, and they invested BIG in winning over the long-term.

That will play out in this series.

Arteta apparently pushed to get the crew in at the club, I expect partly to fund transfers, part to create a bit of a resume builder.

These shows are make or break for managers. My suspicion? This will do a lot of good for Arteta’s profile. He has the corporate babble of a fast-tracked management consultant in America, but he also has the raw aggression and passion for the Arsenal badge that electrifies fans.

My guess? The people that have been complaining about our standards dropping since Arteta arrived are going to see what setting actual standards looks like. It’ll be interesting viewing because there’s a lot of table banging that my HR department would not tolerate.

Onto the football stuff, Ornstein has spoken, Zinchenko is ours. That’s a magical signing for all the reasons I pointed out yesterday. Check out my thoughts on the excellent Latte Firm.

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He also said that moves on new players might be exit-dependent.

  • Pepe
  • Nelson
  • Bellerin
  • Ainsley
  • Torreira
  • Leno
  • Mari

Let’s be real here, the reason no one has bid for our players is the reason my brother shops at Waitrose after 8… he knows those yellow stickers are coming out and there will be some steep discounts available.

Pablo Mari right now is an £8m player. In 3 weeks’ time, Edu is paying Napoli to take him off our hands. That’s how we’ve rolled and it’s difficult for us to undo the idea that we’re not whipping boys when selling.

To be fair to Edu, unless you are making up lies in the media about MASSIVE selling prices, it’s very difficult to get big fees for players that have failed. The only clubs spending this window are those that are in the Premier League, those that have won the Champions League, or Barcelona who have mortaged their future and spend the proceeds like they’re trying to crush the club.

… what I will say. Enjoy this last summer of selling players we don’t like. After this final flash sale, the only time we’ll sell talent, is likely when we don’t want to. There will be painful moments ahead. The only way we counter horror exits happening is to keep progressing.

Still, let’s not rule out a sale:

My man, Dom Dominique (Sporting Director Podcast), just informed me that Lucas Torreira is at Heathrow Airport today. Maybe that means he’s going for a medical somewhere?

Whatever happens; we need to shift on some talent just to declutter the squad.

The only player off that list I’d keep around if I could is Ainsley, who would be a top, top back-up right back. You can do something you dream of, or you can do something you didn’t dream of, but at the highest possible level for your talent profile.

Ainsley going to play midfield is the former. It might even be too late for him as back-up right back. I suspect the succession planners at Arsenal right now are looking at Reuell Walters and BNC, hoping that the squad can manage one more season with Cedric before one of those two is baked. As a total amateur, I might be tempted to keep one of the younger right-backs for Europa League, worse case scenario, Bill Saliba could cover if they aren’t up to it.

The only worry I have on the list of exits is Bernd Leno. With football players, you have to remember there’s a human there, and if you are too ruthless, you cause unintended consequences. Jesus and Zinchenko aren’t getting exits because they lack quality, they are getting moves for good service and the understanding you can’t make people play utility forever. Bernd is leaving because he needs minutes, but he’s still a top keeper, and rolling the dice on Ramsdale crushing it this year or Matt Turner hitting the ground running might be the biggest of risks we face.

Still, I am a Ramsdalian, he had dips at Sheff U and Bournemouth, he’ll have them at Arsenal, there’s so much upside to his game when he’s on form. Fingers crossed he gets in shape for game day one.

Right, that’s me done, we’ll be doing a Patreon later today about Zinchenko. If you want a piece of that action, sign on below!

P.S. thank you for all the kind messages about the baby! Thierrietta didn’t go down well for the name, nor did Bergy, Wrightina, or Giroulda. xxx

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TR7

Tom

Just ignore them if you can. I would much rather read a dozen posts of yours arguing why Maradona was better than Messi than defending yourself against low level jibes. Most Arteta obsessives here barely talk football, attacking others is their modus operandi.

CaliGooner

Bellerin is there with the other mopes so that we can hopefully drum up some interest for their services.

How successtthat strategy is remains to be seen.

CaliGooner

Successful…oops.

Marko

Did somebody compare Hleb to ESR? I feel like people forget how good Hleb was back in the day

Markymark

TT –
Considering you’ve verbalised through a range of homophobic slurs , mental impairment insults that may have impact to others who have loved ones with impairment . It does tend to suggest you are quick to lose composure and start verbalising aggressively when pressed for a reply.
You can claim you’ve been an Arsenal supporter for however long you want . If you don’t get the Tottenham issue you really are an outlier within the support base and need to understand that.

Zacharse

I find it a bit synchronous and ironic that barca had to stop selling lewandowski jerseys because they ran out of the letter ‘w’ – everything about the transfer definitely seems a big fat L

MidwestGun

Not sure Orlando will risk jeopardising their season. with an injury but we shall see if they actually put out their first team. They aren’t really a high powered attack .. have only scored 1 goal in 4 out of their last 5 matches. Think Chelsea and Sevilla will be a little better of a litmus test. But I’m always excited to see the boys get a run out regardless. Think we might see more of Eddie then Jesus tonight.

Markymark

One area which needs aggressive attacking is Chelsea . Todd Boehly appears a bit overactive. Tuchel does seem temperamental from feedback at previous clubs . Could be a tinderbox in the making. . Looking across now to Spurs with Conte openly saying he didn’t want certain players ( Spence must be pissed off ) Two of the four could blow up. Interesting times ahead Whether people love / hate Arteta I just don’t get that vibe with us. Whisper it quietly but Josh may have started to make a very stabilising and inclusive environment within the structure allowing Arteta to… Read more »

jabberwocky

jesus christ you guys love arguing don’t you. I’m tempted to do what my dad did when me and my sister started bickering as children and threaten that I’m going to bang all your heads together. It’s just the same arguments and name calling day in and day out, where no one actually listens to anyone else and just repeats the same attack lines, and I would go elsewhere but unfortunately Arsenal bloggers seem to be either shuffling from this mortal coil, or losing interest in daily posting. Arteta was a rookie who had zero experience, and whether you agree… Read more »

Dissenter

Mid
MLS teams always relish the opportunity to test themselves against the best teams
No way they put up second string players. It’s a friendly with generous water breaks and lots of subs so they should be fine.

MidwestGun

Jabberwocky.. I’m with you there it does get a bit tedious. I have been here too long probably because for the most part I just don’t even read it all the way through if in the first sentence I already know where it’s going. And really at this point I’ve seen it all on here.. the good the bad and the ugly so i’m not phased much.

There are still enough old timers around to keep me sane. Shoutout to my psychotherapist Sal Paradise

MidwestGun

Diss we shall see. Pato is highly breakable though, If I was their coach not sure I’d risk that one. and their best players are defensive they score on set picees mainly. So not sure about the level of the test. Anyhow, doesnt matter at least it is on solid tv station I can get.

Markymark

Sevilla could be a major opportunity for us. Obviously they set out strongly but if we stretch them and get a result the comparison between that and the Spurs Sevilla dour kick fest will be a real beneficial comparison

Rich

We’ve got a few fitness concerns, White has only been back training since Monday, so it might be too early for him.

Vieira has only just started light training, so is unlikely to be involved.

Tomi , Smith Rowe + Tierney, haven’t been in full training, so it’s unlikely we’ll see either of those three either.

……..…….Ramsdale
..…….Holding Mari
Bellerin Elneny Tavares
……..…Sambi Xhaka
……Pepe……………Nelson
………………Eddie

MidwestGun

I think AMN will play and possibly Odegaard.. it seems like the video Ive seen from training Odegaard really wants to build up his on pitch relationships and work on his passing patterns and dribbling. There is a clip of him doing a modified Cruyff turn which is mesmorising. But you never know with these preseason deals.

BacaryisGod

If it’s not too late, I think the perfect name for Oedro’s daughter has been staring us in the face the whole time:

Lauren

Perfectly normal girls name but with deep Arsenal meaning.

BacaryisGod

Think that at ESR’s best, this is the formula.

Hleb + clinical finishing = ESR

MidwestGun

Peds.. probably went with the “Yes dear” strategy on naming if he is smart. hahaha You have to wait until about the 3rd or 4th one until you start to get naming rights.

Un

Mid

You need to reign your Mrs in early on some name choices and give a best out of 3 shortlist

My Mrs came up with some truly horrendous names
Had I let her have carte Blanche my poor girls would be named like a pair of my little ponies

Un

Fucking tallulah dandelion moon pixie

Un

You throw in your top choice, her top choice and one you can semi agree on and battle out from there

MidwestGun

Haha Un.. just going by my brothers experience.. he had 4 girls. and he didnt get any input until number 3 and by number 4. I think they just pulled a name out of a hat.

Un

And then let her think she wins
But you’ve already struck her most absurd offerings off the table months before
She thinks she’s won so she’s happy
You’ve not got your top choice but you’ve got the worst options off the table safely and let her think she’s won

Un

Mid

I hope your brother didn’t have to contend with some of the choices Mrs Un was serving up
Millennial women 🤦🏻‍♂️

MidwestGun

Well they have unique names that’s for sure. I make up nicknames for my nieces anyhow. so it doesn’t matter. It’s starting to look like we might get Paqueta too .. man this transfer window just keeps getting better and better

BacaryisGod

Midwest

You’re probably right. Think Pedro once said his partner was latina, so that could also change the naming preferences.

Un

Mid

Common theme. Thank the lord sweet baby Jesus and Mary and Joesph I managed to slyly dissuade her

Anyhow
Yeah great window
Punctuated by the 3 day period when every single Londoner lost 2 stone without leaving the house

WengerEagle

Some interesting chatter today. I liked this point made by Ishola and 100% agree on Martinelli being a future 9

” Martinelli’s future position is still CF for me.Anyone who saw his headed goals in those Europa League matches a few seasons ago knows that is CF material.The way he took those headed goals”

It was indeed those EL goals that confirmed it for me. The timing of his runs is absolutely superb and the execution will come together for him as he improves and matures.

MidwestGun

Un – It’s been hotter then a Mofo everywhere. the feels like temp.. whatever that is, was 120 degrees F.. here. yesterday.

Rich

Brighton apparently in talks with Arsenal over a season long loan for Nuno Tavares, That would be risky on our part, Tavares has a lot of raw potential, but if we loan him out, we need him to play consistently. We know he’s positionally + tactically suspect, and his decision making is erratic. Why would Potter go through the teething + shitting the bed stage with Tavares for the season? Only for Arsenal to be the club that see’s the benefit of that education? When the margins are so tight from mid-table to relegation, I can’t see Potter persisting with… Read more »

WengerEagle

For me ESR is more Nasri than Hleb. Hleb was a dribbling magician, up there with literally anyone to have played in the PL at slipping through bodies and traffic in the middle 3rd. ESR imo is not the 1 vs 1 dribbler that Hleb was. He is however similar in regards to combination passes all right but for me Nasri was too and Nasri had end product (goals/assists) like ESR but was a good dribbler, not a great one like Hleb was. ESR is a good but not great dribbler. He actually reminds me of KDB a bit in… Read more »

bacaryisgod

There really should be a generally accepted naming policy. I think maybe what we do on choosing a movie at the cinema. Take the 10 or so movies available and the wife eliminates one then I eliminate one until we get down to the final movie.

englandsbest

jabberwocky

Nice post.

I’m an optimist like you and, like you, at the same time ready to be disappointed. But I haven’t been disappointed since Arteta arrived – nor surprised since I was one of those hoping he’d be hired. And I don’t think either of us will be disappointed this coming season.

The guy has set his target – a return to the elite – which makes statements from some on here like ”he he has to make top 4 this time or resign’ laughable.

The key is: progress made.

MidwestGun

Eagle could be. seems like Jesus would be the perfect mentor to show Marti the ropes in regards to how to play the number 9 with positioning. I always feel like when Marti plays the number 9 he tends to get caught up too much in trying to hold up play and drifts too deep instead of challenging the backline and getting on the end of things also tends to drift wide right. Anyhow, regards to Nuno with Zinchenko here.. think loan is his best option unless we get a sales offer we can’t refuse. We took a punt, he… Read more »

bacaryisgod

Regarding Conte, let’s add a little context to what he said in full: “The club wanted to do it. I said okay, this player is young but he showed he can become a good, important player for us. The club decided to buy him. The club was very clear with me and said we reached an important achievement and … now we want to continue to grow. To grow together with ambition”. This is a fascinating season for both us and Spurs, and for both Conte and Arteta. Unless Chelsea drops out of the Top 4 or Arsenal win the… Read more »

Barking Arsene

Henrietta but swap out the I for a Y. Sorted.

bacaryisgod

I’m so pleased with this transfer window, I can’t even get mad if Arsenal opt for a loan and buy option for Arthur Melo instead of a 30m bid for Tielemans. It will be annoying if Man U end of grabbing him at the end of the window but after getting Zinchenko, it’s hard to get too angry after the business we’ve done.