Ok, so David Dein has a new book… and get this, the bits that I have read, are really good. I also have a friend that has read every sports book penned and he’s halfway through this one and already loves it.
The thing I’m enjoying about it is getting the additional context around some of the major moments in our glorious history. David will tell you how a deal went down, he’ll go deep on the challenges of the moment, and he’s not trying to sugarcoat anything.
I suspect some of the decisions he made towards the end are weighing on him, but for me, intentions are always the most important part of big decisions. Reading this book, there can be no doubt, the man always had the best interests of Arsenal FC at heart.
If he’d stayed on after his abrupt exit to manage the Stan K transition, I think he would have recognized the shifting sands, and moved to bolster Arsene with a better coaching staff, he’d have invested in a technical director, and I’m sure we would have seen bigger investments during the years Wenger didn’t want to spend cash that was clearly sitting there.
… alas, history played out differently, but for me, David Dein will always be a key architect of the greatness we see today. A visionary for his time, gone from the game too soon, but no doubt proud of where this current Arsenal side is today.
You can buy the book here.
Talking about the past, the stories of Arsene Wenger coming back have bubbled up again. I’m not massively fussed either way, though I do think it’d be good for him to lay the past to rest and get engaged with a team he thinks can contend the title.
Arsene should move into a figurehead role. He represents a winning period of the club, he still has an amazing reputation, he’s sharp, and he’d be a pull for any player that knew he was around Arsenal.
Arsenal take on Brentford early tomorrow. This game is dangerous. They have scored 15 goals this season, 1 more than Arsenal. We know they are physical, boast players that can kill us, and if we’re not 100% they will cause us massive problems.
There are unsubstantiated rumours that Odegaard and Saliba missed training. That would be a concern. We could potentially be minus Zinchenko and start-worthy Partey. That’s 4 players that make us tick not available. It’s quite annoying that these injuries are following us around. But I do think it’s more down to luck of the draw right now than something more structural.
… well, that’s what I’m hoping in a post-Shad world. Get them out the way before our BRUTAL October.
Regardless, whoever starts tomorrow should be enough for Brentford. We have a good squad, the momentum is with us, and as Thomas Frank rightly points out: We are the second best performing team in the league behind City this season.
Short post today, but know this: There’s a good Patreon below where we talk about Utility players vs Versatile players. The debate of the age.
We’ll also be on the whistle tomorrow. So subscribe to the Youtube below.
🚨NEW PATREON DROP
A SHIFT TO LUXURY: UTILITY VS VERSATILITY.https://t.co/eUrXb6ZPYh
— Le Grove (@LeGrove) September 16, 2022
Ishola
Pretty funny to see West Ham and Forest sitting in 18th and 19th after a combined 350m summer spend on 8 combined pts.
Rodgers sack is imminent but in fairness to him he wasn’t given a penny to spend at least.
LS
Yeah winning there on my birthday would be as good as it gets. If there was ever a year that we look strong enough to do it then it is now.
The difference was Jesus Not have to come deep to get the ball because Viera did that, Jesus was able to peg back the opposition.
Weagle
“Rodgers sack is imminent but in fairness to him he wasn’t given a penny to spend at least.”
Yes but the amount of goals Leicester are conceding is just unforgivable from Rod-gers regardless of no money spent.
I heard somewhere that the amount of goals conceded by Leicester up to this point in the season is an EPL record.
He had to re-cut his suit this season but he has refused and his team is so open.
Im i the only one who has to “post comment” twice for the blog to accept? Is it some tool Ptah is using
Yep Ishola, they are in freefall and the right decision now is to send Brendan on his way as he has lost the dressing room clearly.
Conceding more than x3 goals a game on average is beyond appalling. He has never been one to set up teams to be stout defensively but this is something else altogether.
Although i haven’t seen much of either , Vieira and Patino look to be cut from the same cloth, both very slight , both technically good and both make the game look ridiculously easy probably due to their first touch.
The more highly technical players we have in the squad the better chance we have of controlling the game, Zinchenko is another of slim(ish) build with an exquisite first touch.
Patiño is not slight. Otherwise good insight Pierre(pat on head).
It almost wasn’t worth posting directly after the UTD game as it could have only sounded like a hard luck whinge over the refs decisioning plus a stick or twist error from Arteta. However 3-1 was worse than our performance deserved, it could easily have been drawn out.
Our general performance levels have been top 2 since start of the season so if we keep to top 2 by World Cup break then it really is brewing. Top 3/4 would be more concerning but should still show a pathway to ending in top 4.
Was Jesus really booked for his first foul all game? Fuming. PGMOL piss off.
gabriel, saliba, xhaka and partey really are a super strong core for the team. the efficiency at which they shut down potential counter attacks and recover lost balls is astonishing. kinda reminds me of peak france from 98-00. it took a few managers and some time but now that the team is built to function around partey and xhaka they really are a sight to behold.
Venga
I agree man it tough to complain about the officials after a 3 nil win but there really seems to be an eagerness to inflict damage via decisions and open a door.
Xhaka can still be dodgy off the ball.
What has undeniably helped him is being given a free role in the midfield. To float around rather than being tasked to mostly one duty.
As others have noted Partey is the real key to that midfield in regards keeping it together.
Although leicester will probably panic and sack Rodgers, i dont necessarily think it’s the right thing to do as performance wise they look decent going forward
Results are poor but they haven’t had the easiest of starts , united , Spurs, Arsenal and chelsea in the first 7 games which also include Brighton and Brentford.
Losing fofana and Schmeichel has affected them at the back , a new keeper is a must.
Their next 5 games are forest, Bournemouth, palace , leeds and wolves and i wouldn’t be surprised to see them in mid table after that run of games.
Partey is utter class. I’m Ghanaian but really wished he wasn’t going on international duty. We know he is a starter for the world Cup so why not rest him and allow us to rest and wrap up in cotton wool. Will be pissed if he gets an injury and misses the spurs goal. What a player Sailba is. If fofona is 70 then Saliba easily 100. Hopefully we won’t have to find out that price tag for a long time when he signs a new long term deal. Lovely goal from Vieira. Hardly any backlift and boom in the… Read more »
*spurs game
Something sinister about that ref.
Brentford had a few kicks but nothing.
Jesus first kick and yellow.
Almost as if he couldn’t wait to give them the decision.
Really thought he was going to give them a penalty such was his fucking eagerness. Instead was a free kick.
Can’t put my finger on it but they are so quick to give decisions against us rather than for us.
KelvinSeptember 18, 2022 14:15:37
For those still doubting Arteta. Guadiola tried to warn everybody.https://twitter.com/AMonFootball/status/1565057185792630787?t=w3nEq3hsJRsD0sW3VlUdWw&s=19
Kelvin
Top post mate
Brentford 0 Arsenal 3. Arteta’s 2nd best day as Arsenal manager since he got the job. Immaculately turned out ( unlike Frank)- the team made a Brentford side look very ordinary. (Brentford have scored 4 against Chelsea, Leeds United and Manchester Utd within the last 6 months) Arteta after 3 years of mostly indifferent decision making and many millions spent, has finally got the athletic profile of the side correct. No Williams or Luiz or Maris or PEAs in sight- but players that can actually run.(eg Saliba and Jesus) If he had not loaned out Balogun and signed a world… Read more »
Partey xakha Saliba and Jesus were immense today
Vieira Saka and martinelli were all always a threat without having 9/10 games and Tierney and white were both solid, productive and safe with the ball
This is the Arteta vision and I’m loving it. United was a blip
Let’s win next week and show spurs that London is fucking red again
Bring it on
COYG
Pierre
Agree
Leicester will come good
They have to trust Rodgers as he’s a very very good coach
They’ve lost a lot of good players down the years and still bounced back
They are really well run club and Rodgers is an underrated guy. He’s got that wenger like knack for creating deliciously slick attacking units wherever he goes
If he had a defensive coach worth their salt to offset his deficiencies Leicester could really threaten top four again
Still think that Gabriel is the well link though
CG
You coming around then?
Watched the game but had to go straight out after final whistle so not had time to comment until now.
What a good performance, we made Brentford look very ordinary at their place and controlled the game from start to finish. Happy hor Viera to get his debut goal and congratulations to the young 15 year old lad who got on to break the youngest player record although I do realise it was injuries to Odegard and ESR that allowed him to get near the first team bench and we probably won’t see him again for a while.
Agree we made Brentford look ordinary. Terrific performances from Xhaka and Partey. Veira’s goal was a peach. Slight issues on the horizon that need sorting.
Saliba only has two years left on his contract. Saka hasn’t signed another deal and ESR rumoured to be unhappy. If this project is going to have legs these issues need fixing.
We need those three signed up. I can understand ESR being a bit miffed but I think it’s just as much down to his injuries as other people keeping him out of the team
UN
“”CG You coming around then?””.
No, I think he makes too many basic mistakes.
(Getting better though. )
Excellent performance today despite the absence of Odegaard and Zinchenko.
I thought that Partey’s inclusion in the team made a huge difference to our overall performance. He
adds composure to our midfield. Had he played in the Manchester United game I am sure that there would have been a different result.
Partey does make a lot of difference to us he has that
Patrick Vierra type composure .?
But sometimes he looks like he has got himself in
trouble only to emerge with the ball fitness and game
time will sharpen him up even more if only he can keep fit.
A good performance.
Thought Ben white had a good game as well.. seems to b getting better n better
Ben looking good at right back, even better than at center back, that’s not a dig at his center back play either
Time for me to eat humble pie regarding Granit Xhaka , he looks settled in his new role , makes great runs and creates opportunities . Still prone to making rash tackles but we have solid base defensively so neednt worry about that. Hope he carries on like this .
My word William Saliba though , kept Ivan Toney in his pocket all game . What a talent , I really really really hope he extends for us . Monster of a CB .
CG – Balogun needed. to be loaned out – he would have had little game time otherwise and he needs to develop in a softer league, just as Saliba did.
Would you really keep him here for a minute advantage in terms of third cover or bring him back next year a more complete player. For me it’s a no brainer
We also have a goalkeeper who is developing and maturing – whether that was best for the immediate moment or not. My personal belief is that Ramsdale is up there in terms of the best and he will get better
You need to accept the bigger picture
Vieira goal had more skill than meets the eye. He gave the keeper the eye as if he was passing it wide, you can see the keeper moved to his right and Vieira striking it to his left without looking or back lift.
Magical goal.
The only two positions worrying we don’t have equate cover and we drop our standard massively if we lose them, Party and Jesus. Eddie and Mo/Sambi not the standard required.
The talent we’re starting to acquire is incredibly exciting. Nwaneri has barely been mentioned in the Academy news and I guess has only been in the u18s a very short while so his progress is astonishing
Now all we need is a laboratory to develop our own Haaland
Apparently he had to get changed on his own.. child protection laws
NB “””CG – Balogun needed. to be loaned out – he would have had little game time otherwise and he needs to develop in a softer league, just as Saliba did.””” Nonsense. Saliba should have played x 50 games for the club by now. I have no idea , why Arteta didn’t want him around last season and preferred the plodders ( Holding and Mari) It cost the club the CL. His performance today against Toney was Van Dyke like. As for Balogun. What happens if Jesus or Edde tears a cruciate? Just as well A. Wenger never loaned out… Read more »
SimpleWaySeptember 18, 2022 18:55:26
Vieira goal had more skill than meets the eye. He gave the keeper the eye as if he was passing it wide, you can see the keeper moved to his right and Vieira striking it to his left without looking or back lift.Magical goal.
What…you mean EXACTLY what Jimmy Floyd Hasslebank said on Sky ? Word for word?
Ed Sheeran gets taken to court for plagiarism you know 😉
Sid…nope…just once,but then you’re a dodgy character so it’s probably that.
“What…you mean EXACTLY what Jimmy Floyd Hasslebank said on Sky ? Word for word?
Ed Sheeran gets taken to court for plagiarism you know 😉”
For a moment i thought simple way had an original thought…
Iwobi doing well with Everton..
Nice catch on Simple Way, Jonny, CG-we know the loan question isn’t a black or white one. I still think the Saliba loan decision was the wrong one and his performances this season make it hard to argue that he wouldn’t have excelled here last season like he did at Marseille. It really could have cost us those extra points we needed for Top 4. It might also have soured the relationship with the club because it was clear he had been very unhappy with how he had been handled before this season. Things are thankfully looking up though, but… Read more »
Things are thankfully looking up though, but I’ll only exhale when we announce his new deal.
If he signs a new deal then loan move was a
right call, and if he refuses then the loan move
was a mistake. I too believe that he should have
stayed. He would probably have signed the
new contract by now.
Been working all day so wasn’t able to catch the game, but so nice to read the universal positivity!!! Nice one Grovers!!
Any thoughts on this Nwaneri kiddie? Only started hearing about him 2 months ago, but for him to get on the field at 15 is pretty ridiculous no? Need to look I to him more but yet another reason to be deeply excited about what we’re building….
Because I’m an Arsenal degenerate, here’s our first chance of the game in detail. It starts at 0.31 with Gabriel M collecting the ball from an errant Brentford pass. Gabriel M, Partey, Saka, White, Saliba, Partey, White, Saka, White, Partey, Gabriel, Xhaka, Partey, Xhaka, Saliba, White, Xhaka, Saka, Gabriel, Saka, Vieira, Gabriel M, Xhaka, Martinelli, Xhaka, Martinelli 54 seconds. 25 passes. 9 players. Xhaka’s movement is incredible. At 1.06 he’s in the deep right midfield postion passing the ball to Saka on the right wing and at 1.23 he’s on the left wing cutting the ball back for Martinelli to… Read more »
I have to say that Simeone’s methods are a disgrace
Atletico are the most anti-footballing.merchants around among the European elite league.