TOMIYASU SIGNED A NEW DEAL.
We all love it.
Worth noting that Edu and Richard Garlick opted to give him a 2 yr extension (option for one yr), instead of the 3-5 everyone has been signing onto.
This reflects two things for me:
- Lack of availability is a concern and has affected his long-term value
- 2 years means we have a get-out-of-jail-free card if he doesn’t get fitter
- He’ll be a potential exit next summer
This feels a little like the Aaron Ramsdale deal. If we sign someone like Hato in the summer, our mix of defenders might see Tomi’s opportunities shrink.
We’ll see though. He might come back to life fitness-wise and stake a long-term claim in the starting 11. Feels unrealistic, but you never know.
Overall, this is a great for the squad. Another player commits. The boys who brought the club back for life are getting paid the fur coat dollars. We’re retaining the culture keepers.
The only deal that needs to be signed now is the Mikel Arteta one. He’ll be looking for guarantees over summer business and I would suspect he’ll be hoping for a fat rise from his £159k a week deal.
Klopp, according to the DFB, was getting £21m base + £21m image rights/advertising.
Where would Arteta fit in the scale of pay? He’s delivered improvements consistently over 4 years now. He’s moved the club forward faster than projections. He is the generational saucy coach I said he’d be.
Will they pay him like he’s one?
I don’t doubt it, I have to say.
One year left on his deal. The super club vultures will be circling, no doubt.
News on the injury front has been promising… Bukayo Saka has been sent home as a precaution. That’s great news. Put him in his cryo-chamber and let him heal so he’s fresh and ready for that City game.
Arsenal were SPANKED in a 0-4 QPR game. According to Arseblog, Tomi and Partey were the only two first-teamers that started. That means the Jurrien Timber comeback tour is behind schedule and we won’t be seeing him for the City game. It’s worth noting that Courtois of Madrid has had a big setback with a meniscus injury post-ACL issue. Returns from injury are rarely linear – no no need to panic. The most sensible thing Arteta can do is give the player as much time as he needs. When he returns, we want him to stay returned.
Right, that’s me done for today… we are having a meek week for news. Check out our latest Therapy Session with Jacob and Matt.
wasup
Prem champs
I dont like the TT deal. This guy is perma crocked. I think it was just a money saving idea. Everyone knows he is a back up. period
Trophy 🏆
The last thing we need is to keep carrying perma crock players. Ex. TP. what a shame
Saka out of England. Looks like we are gonna go balls out v city
Fingers crossed on Saka. He’s fairly irreplaceable.
hope we have a full squad of rested players available. would love to see
raya
benny, bill, gabi, kiwior
rice, ode, jorgi
saka, kai, marti
I guess we would have a decent chance of winning it with this group
If we can get Rice, Billiam and Ode home too I’d be a happy chappy with that … 😉
Pedro – “That means the Jurrien Timber comeback tour is behind schedule and we won’t be seeing him for the City game.”
There was more chance of Martians landing than Timber playing in that game
The most that might happen this season is a few cameo appearances in lower key games as a sub and even that’s tenuous
Send Saka to Dubai for a week. Just need Rice to ditch the England squad now.
Cochrane is bad for your business Pedro . He makes Haider look normal.
Fred, I can’t have a podcast with ‘opinion’ in it and try and control what people talk about on their personal feeds. He’s not an employee. His only commitment to me is to keep things Arsenal on the podcast.
Thanks Pedro for responding- you didn’t have to – I’m a massive fan of your work and loved the pod but it’s very difficult to separate the two. The vitriol and lack of objectivity that he espouses on a very deep, complex issue must have a knock on effect on the integrity of the pod.
Anyway I had my say and respect the body of work you have created over many years .
We should wait to the end of the season with Arteta contract extension. If we win big one, or at least push it hard to the end without usual bed wetting/ collapse then give him what ever he wants. Otherwise questions need to be asked.
Hey Fred, I appreciate you letting me know your thoughts, and I am sorry if it is impacting your enjoyment of the podcast (hopefully not the writing).
I don’t put political views online at all because I don’t want to alienate anyone who is just here for some spicy Arsenal takes. I have had Jewish friends mention it, and they have all said you just have to let it go, even if you disagree with it (and I do).
What has Jonny Cochrane actually said ?
“and I would suspect he’ll be hoping for a fat rise from his £159k a week deal.” I wouldn’t want Arteta to earn something close to what Klopp earns as this wouldn’t make sense as he has yet to win something major to warrant it. But, I do agree that he deserves a pay increase to reward him for the turnaround in club culture and the fact that he is now clearly doing some really good work. “That means the Jurrien Timber comeback tour is behind schedule, and we won’t be seeing him for the City game.” To me, that… Read more »
Timber was never going to be back for the city game. You don’t spend what was it 6/7 months out to then come back for the toughest game of our season. My guess is that he’s being given more time to get fully fit cause we’re not desperate for him
Yeah there was never a chance timber would be expected to miss the whole season and then play at the etihad
Wouldn’t trust him one bit in this game
And that’s not against him, it’s just the context of the situation after such a long layoff. You don’t miss a whole season and come back at your best.
Best we should hope for is a few late cameos in games which are well in hand to give him a feel for it. Then have him hit preseason hard so he’s good for next season
Arteta is the biggest star of the entire club. He should be compensated accordingly. I also firmly believe that the manager of the club should be the highest earner. How can you as a boss, have employees who earn more than you. The Tomi deal is good. He is super versatile. He gave us 30 odd games last season which isn’t bad. He’s a good athlete and with slightly better game management we can get 30+ games from him every season which as your first back for your entire defensive line, isn’t to shabby. We should be targeting Hato /… Read more »
If the glove doesn’t fit, you must acquit. Classic Johnnie Cochrane.
Mertesacker is the glue that is keeping it all together.
The want to muzzle Cochrane? Their depravity has no limits.
Yeah curious what he’s said that’s cancel-worthy! But I don’t have a Twitter account and not about to get one
Btw I never knew before that Johnny is a famous comedian and has been on TV… thought he was ‘just’ a fan who Pedro rates for his insight and sense of humour
Bukayo when telling Southgate he’s not 100% fit to play
Just saw the fallout about the England flag colour on the Nike kit lol
On the one hand they were definitely wrong to change the colour
On the other hand it looks really cool lol
China
Can you imagine any other country’s Football Authorities allowing their flag to be changed?
Has Saka withdrawn because of an actual injury or a Fergie’s Utd Player style “precaution”?
Where would Arteta fit in the scale of pay? He’s delivered improvements consistently over 4 years now. He’s moved the club forward faster than projections. He is the generational saucy coach I said he’d be.
Will they pay him like he’s one?
I don’t doubt it, I have to say
Pedro, if Arteta signs a new contract say a 3 year contract. What is the expectation? In 3 years there will be minimum of 12 trophies how many wins do you expect him to deliver? What is the bare minimum?
Felix 100% it was wrong
I don’t know why it was done but I sure hope not because of some bollocks about someone somewhere finding our flag offensive because if that’s the case said offended people can suck it frankly
But but but…. That Nike flag design is legitimately cool looking lol
At least if they’re gonna make a bad decision it’s a bad decision that looks cool!
There is a possibility that Arteta may not win any trophy this season and the next. There is no certainty or guarantee in Premier league except you are Manchester city. But should City and Chelsea be dumped out of the league next season, we will be favorite for the title. For me, that is biggest achievement of arteta in the last two seasons. But if city avoid any severe punishment as I fear, and Arteta fails to win any major trophy this season or the next, I will still hope we keep faith with him not because I think no… Read more »
Cancel culture is a sickness that has to be eradicated.
Cancel culture should be…cancelled!
I should be a comedian guys,gonna start charging you fuckers to read my brilliance soon
Flags, countries, land, people, they’re/we’re all the same. Except Arsenal…we are special.
If the new flag on the England kit looks cool what’s all the big deal??
“What has Jonny Cochrane actually said ?” He said Jewish women are bad at sex, and he told this story to paint the picture: A Jew bought an antique lamp and while he was cleaning and rubbing it a genie popped out, introduced himself as the genie of the lamp and told him he could grant him one wish. The Jew thought long and hard about it and finally said he wanted all of the oil fields from all over the Arab States to be relocated to Israel. The genie took a deep breath and said granting this particular wish… Read more »
As someone of Jewish descent, colour me not offended. It’s just a joke. We can all lighten up when we don’t take everything so personally. We joke about countries all the time, we should be able to joke about religions too.
Ricky Gervais is an absolute menace for being offensive yet one of the funniest bastards around
Ride on Johnny, if that’s as bad as it gets.
If not… time to be cancelled!
Johnny Cochrane is about as funny as herpes.
Saw a skit of him telling the audience about how he and his brother would put his mum in the back of the car and take her out for a drive and it looked like they had taken her hostage(as she’s white). Truly fucking hilarious that one. Don’t give up the day job mate…..
The best news about Johnny Cochrane is that he will not be appearing in a theatre or on a TV station anywhere near you. Ever.
The bloke is an absolute twat and the sole reason I’ve only ever tuned into to The Podcast once.
I would appreciate it if we keep it civil here. I don’t like when LeGrove turns into a political blog.
Just said he isn’t funny Rap-however you look at it,that’s not political. It is a fact though.
I also agree with Felix-it’s the very reason I don’t listen to the podcast. Matt’s cool,sensible and calm-could listen to him easily enough. Pedro’s balanced and straightforward enough, but the third amigo is a no no.
If Jonny is telling jokes beginning ‘so there’s this Jew……’. It’s all a bit pre alt comedy. A bit strange, is he bringing Jew baiting into the arena of the ‘perfectly nice’ crowd who can now allow a light antisemitism in their lives? In my book perhaps a joke that should be owned by a Jewish comedian. An equivalent of a white comedian telling jokes about black people ( hence Jim Davidson is still bitching about his career ending ) Years back I saw an alt comedian begin lines like there’s a fucking Christian a fucking Muslim and a fucking… Read more »
At time of writing, we have the following iinjury risk exposure before the City game Rice Ramsdale Raya Saliba Odegarrd Trossard Zinchenko… survived yesterday! For once, wouldn’t mind Neville nails his prediction that Rice would withdraw from the NT after England’s first game… Saliba, Odegarrd and Trossard… unlikely would withdraw so🤞 On Timber coming back. Don’t believe he’d be match fit anytime soon nor should we risk him in rest of this season. With most players relatively injury free we’d not be short of depth for rotation or bench. Let’s hit City where it hurts(@home) and start putting a little… Read more »
I don’t like Johnny on the pod, but he’s absolutely entitled to his opinions. I always liked South Park’s take on comedy, that you can’t differentiate what’s ok to make fun of, and what isn’t… Either everything is fair game, or nothing at all. Some people might like a certain style of comedy, and others might not.. But I’m not in favour of cancelling anyone. People should be free to choose what events they attend, and what content they subscribe too… If you don’t like it, then don’t watch or listen to it.. It’ll disappear quickly all on its own… Read more »
I mentioned it yesterday (and many times before) but it makes little sense to schedule these international friendlies at this juncture. Players are pulling out of the national team squads to protect their involvement in the remainder of the club season. So what use is that to the international manager who has selected them and why risk the players in the first place for something that is ultimately a little pointless. Surely makes more sense to place the friendlies closer to the start of the tournament and not interrupt the club season just as it is hurtling toward its conclusion… Read more »
I know Tomi and Partey played in the friendly… I wonder why not Vieira and Smith Rowe? They have so little game time.. almost less than Partey and Tomi lately.
Who said it’s an opinion? People conflating a joke with an opinion?
I know we’re bored this week but I don’t understand all the strong opinions on Cochrane. He’s just a gooner like all of us. Of course there are loads of things, opinions that we will have massive differences about. Just imagine the wild views held by some of the millions of Arsenal fans around the world. What I’ve heard from him about Arsenal … He seems to be just another fan. He’s not a dangerous individual or especially controversial, unless you are extremely sensitive. Has he said anything really outrageous? Enough to avoid the podcast? I doubt it. People love… Read more »
I’m still not sure what opinion Johnny is supposed to have that’s problematic
Supposedly he made a joke about Jewish women. Are we now saying if you make a joke it’s your serious opinion?
Has he been posting lots of comments against Jewish women or has he just made a joke – because there’s a really big difference lol
If saying a joke = your opinion than ALL of us are toast. It’s literally that simple
“back of the car and take her out for a ……”
Looooool
I used to be the most left wing person you’d ever meet. I was legit communist
In those days, my brother (who was equally commie) and I used to make a lot of very right wing jokes with each other because we thought it was funny and ironic
The thing about jokes is that they’re supposed to be funny, not serious…
China
You mixed up what I was saying
I’m perfectly fine with any jokes, whether I find them funny or not, whether I like the people telling those jokes or not.
I don’t agree with much of his opinions on Twitter.. But I’m perfectly fine with him or anyone else expressing those opinions.
Just agreeing with Pedro, that what he puts on his own social media, has nothing to do with the podcast.
Joke friday:
Jonnygunner: “Hey, I bet you’re still a virgin.”
Sid: “Yeah, I was a virgin until last night .”
Jonnygunner: “As if.”
Sid: “Yeah, just ask your sister.”
Jonnygunner: “I don’t have a sister.”
Sid: “You will in about nine months.”
China, I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to be Johnny’s position on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. He’s backing Palestine and I’ll say I looked at his twitter and that video he reposted of Israeli drones bombing people walking down a city leveled to the ground. Then again. And again. It’s disgusting. Supposedly civilians, maybe not, but I don’t see guns on them or anything that would make them dangerous, they don’t look trained… Then boom, a missile and they are blown into pieces… That and starving them to death looks like genocide. In general, media is full of it and literally can’t… Read more »
And Rap…YOU said to keep off politics…wow.
When you air raid,rape,murder,put babies in an oven whilst raping the mother…what do you think the repercussions would be?
Johnny, I’ll keep off.
rap, to paraphrase the line from The Full Metal Jacket movie “get some scene”, anyone who runs is Hamas. And anyone who stands still is a well disciplined Hamas. IDF tank opened up on a car full of civilians ( wink wink) killing everyone but a six year old girl, who dialed emergency number on her dead sister’s phone and stayed on call for two hours begging for rescue. Two emergency crew showed up hours later and got mowed down along with the six year old girl. Shame because she actually looked white, well, almost. But she should’ve known better… Read more »
That’s tragic, Tom.
Glad to be of service Sid. But what were you doing on our white South African farmstead ? 😉
Gaslighting anyone who questions any form of social injustice?
@Jonnygunner, master was on a trip to the city and the madam loves ebony
Plettigoal
Kai Havertz will start at CF tomorrow for Germany vs France!
Julian Nagelsmann: “He has taken a great development. I appreciate him very much as a person and player.”
_________________________________________
Not a surprise for me. It was obvious that CF is his best position. If Kai keeps developing, he might be making a case for being our long term CF solution. If we were supposedly ready to pay 60m+ for Toney, Kai is superior to him in every way.
Sat 6 April: Bournemouth (A)
Tue 9 April: Bayern (H)
Sun 14 April: Aston Villa (H)
Wed 17 April: Bayern (A)
Sat 20 April: Wolves (A)
Tue 23 April: Chelsea (H)
Sun 28 April: Spurs (A)
Wed 1 May: UCL Semi final (H)
Sat 4 May: Bournemouth (H)
Tue 7 May: UCL Semi final (A)
Sat 11 May: Man United (A)
Sun 19 May: Everton (H)
Sat 1 June: UCL final (H – Wembley)
We’re playing every 3 days for the next month and a half. This break right now is pure gold for a lot of our important players.
Tom,
that’s a great scene from “Full Metal Jacket” ..
The story you recount is heartbreaking… I really don’t think it belongs on legrove though. We can see those on X twitter if we want …
Please stop posting that kind of stuff here. I come here for a little escape from daily horrors.
That looks one hell of a fixture list.
Reports out of Germany that Alonso would choose Bayern over Liverpool. Gerrard back at Liverpool, and Southgate taking over at United.. Would be hilarious. Would take even the most impatient Liverpool fans a lot to turn on Gerrard.. And would certainly create friction within the fan base. United fans are already in meltdown mode over Southgate, talking about boycotting the club. Hopefully their new owners are tone deaf and thoroughly pig headed.. Then go for Southgate regardless. The level of toxicity would be a thing of pure beauty… Particularly with Chelsea apparently needing sales urgently to avoid a points deduction,… Read more »
Raptora, I’m glad you’re appreciating Havertz but I don’t see him as a typical CF at all, especially when the studio graphics show the lineups with him up front. He’s always much farther back. At best he’s something between a scoring 8 and false 9. He does much more than standard 9s for the team, and that makes him especially unique. I won’t judge him on goal numbers if he presses like mad and intercepts, runs from deep midfield with the ball drawing yellow cards and breaking lines too. Now he’s fit in and gained confidence, his presence in the… Read more »
Jesus is a winger not a CF. City knew that but he was in denial. Question now is whether Arteta pushes him into that role. We have cover therefore for Saka and Martinelli. Kai is a no 8 and so the clear hole on the squad is a top CF who can play the Arsenal way. That isn’t an easy role and out of a small pool of affordable and available CFs the candidates for us will come from an even smaller pool I suspect the answer will be another project but better than that than an overpriced corrupt bulldozer… Read more »
That is a helluva run in Rap- but we’ve a young team and I suppose they can show their mettle by living up to what’s being asked of them.
Do or die really.
Jesus as a winger/wide forward is behind Saka, Martinelli and probably Trossard.
High wages and a crock.
Rich, comedians aren’t scared of the “woke mob”, that’s a lazy assumption from someone who affords so much careful analysis of football. The comedy landscape has change because every revenue stream they have is tied up with brands and tv shows supported by brands. Most comedians now are afraid to say anything that might tread on the toes of the companies that have infested the creative arts. Bill Hicks had it nailed. I’m always suspicious of anyone quick to blame anything on the ‘woke mob’. But not entirely surprising to see you drop this line given your posts here back… Read more »
“Rich, comedians aren’t scared of the “woke mob”, that’s a lazy assumption from someone who affords so much careful analysis of football.” That’s the thing here, I personally don’t see a problem with the joke he told but then you put it in the context of getting involved in Pro Palestine politics generally and you can see why people are getting offended. Want to be a comedian, be a comedian. Same goes for footballers, want to be a footballer, be a footballer (eg dont be a Beckham, Rashford, Ozil) but saying stuff like “from the river to the sea” is… Read more »
Rich, comedians aren’t scared of the “woke mob”, that’s a lazy assumption from someone who affords so much careful analysis of football. Interesting that my comments about this got deleted when we talking about laziness and careful analysis. I said nothing offensive apart from perhaps what the Palestinians themselves say (which is instructive) and what has been parroted by Johnny. Again, people will vote with their wallet on this matter, people are entitled to their opinion but everyone is also entitled to disagree with them publicly or privately if that’s the case. If you want to hide someone’s opinion and… Read more »
Sid – Trossard’s best position is not on the flanks but more a deep 9 or an 8. However all 4 would be needed to compete for all trophies whatever the order of priority
I never get the Jesus bashing on here.
He was a huge part of what took us from being also rans to challengers. He pulled the team up a level and showed them what pressing from the front at the top level was.
Loved watching today’s training video that was posted on The Ars.com. ESR and Jesus featuring prominently, which is interesting to see. Could we see a cameo from ESR before the season ends? It would be nice. Partey was noticed in some of the clips. Could we see him vs Man Cheatty? It could be a maybe in my book. He owes us a pitch perfect game and the Cheatty game could be the one gane he plays for us before he is sold. I hope he has not lost his ability to dictate the game from midfield. Cedric Soares is… Read more »
‘ The comedy landscape has change because every revenue stream they have is tied up with brands and tv shows supported by brands. Most comedians now are afraid to say anything that might tread on the toes of the companies that have infested the creative arts. Bill Hicks had it nailed. I’m always suspicious of anyone quick to blame anything on the ‘woke mob’.’ Said corporations are terrified of the woke mob. You’re not working for a major corporation if you haven’t noticed that. I work for a Fortune 500 company that gave me mandatory elearning about how we need… Read more »
I always find it funny in my case as I’m a straight white Christian male = I’m bad by the company DEI standards. But I’m based in China meaning I am the most ‘diverse’ employee in my local team lol
It’s all a load of BS.
A bit of common sense and a meritocracy is all that’s required.
https://twitter.com/ArsenaIComps/status/1771257933688443019?t=FPnF9AT_nR2gAJRn-h6dEA&s=19
The best outlet. If an Arsenal player is under pressure, just get the ball to him, no matter how many opponents around, no matter the tightness of space. He will escape and progress the ball.
New post
Odegaard is sublime.
“That means the Jurrien Timber comeback tour is behind schedule and we won’t be seeing him for the City game.” Only a madman would have played him in the City game even if he were ready to go. he still needs to work off half a year’s rust and learn to play with new teammates. Playing a high pressure game against the world’s best team is foolish.