Xhaka has been world class since August 2022. He didn't all of a sudden become a great player. The reason he was underappreciated prior to that is he wasn't played in the role that best suited him. He was expected to shield the back four. He didn't have the pace to do that. He was the only player we had that stood up to opponents that bullied our players. His managers and teammates loved him.
Pedro, Manure will outspend us this window because they will also outsell us. They will get a boatload of money from Saudi Arabia for Casemiro because Sheik Ronaldo wants him on his team. They could sell Sancho and Greenwood for more than anything we get for any of our players. They could also sell any of Rashford, van Beek, Amrabat, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Erikson for a couple million. Though rumoured to have only 50 million in the kitty they may generate a lot in sales as they clear house.
It's a lot more fun to keep score when you're winning most of the time, as I am.
If I were like most experts here and I was calling for the club to buy Benteke, Aurier, Bissouma, Aouar, that Brazilian DM that went to Forest, Schneiderlin, etc...
--- then I wouldn't like people keeping score, or reminding me either.
Don't take everything personally. So if you liked Bissouma, you were wrong. It's not a big deal. 95% of grovers were screaming to buy him (none of them even wondering why no big clubs bid for him even at a cheap price except Levy the bargain hunter).
Cases where I was wrong:
Tavares 😆
Guendouzi
Lokonga (but I was the first to realise he had to go).
When SALIBA was at Marseille making comments that he might like to stay there and play in the champions league..
-- I was so angry that I said he could fck off and stay in France if that was his attitude. That was reactionary.
We all make mistakes... I just have the best percentage of correct calls, especially under this new regime.
My big wins:
I fell in love watching Santi Cazorla playing in Spains second 11 in friendlies, and I was ecstatic when we went for him.
I wanted Alexis Sanchez from Udinese before he even went to Barcelona. What a player.
Everyone knows I was right about Trossard and Havertz... against the mob ... and rightly against Caicedo for our midfield.
My current interests in premier league players linked or not, are Bowen, Hwang, and of course Neto.
Joao Neves looks a lot like an Arteta player, but I worry about his passing ability.
Thank God Xhaka no longer at Arsenal. Absolutely atrocious at times and average to good in a functioning system at best in the PL for us. Don't miss him at all. He's found his level in a league that has always suited him.
If we are buying a certain type of midfielder to fill a void... look at Fofana. I could see that as a practical addition. At least he would have the potential to be a higher level under Arteta.
No way are we going for Onana, a complete one dimensional player. Silly clickbait.
Some people haven't grasped the fact that since last summer Arsenal are only looking to buy from the top shelf. Seriously. Why would we add inferior players?
Onana would not even be an improvement on Elneny and a horrible use of funds.
Onana is completely a Tottenham level player. As bad as Bissouma who some of you were so excited about at the beginning of this past season. You all know who you are. Imagine Arsenal with Bissouma.
With you on that one Nigel.Id be very surprised.Unless Arteta has seen something we haven’t that he could work on? The two standouts are Guimares & Fofana.We’ ll see.
I would change my tune to supporting him if Arteta believed in any player.
Habesha posted some helpful stats about Bruno G who I didn't rate.. and it opened my mind a little... but the price is far too much for him, I think. Same thing I thought about Caicedo.
Might it be possible for you to offer your opinion without denigrating somebody else’s?
When I’ve seen Onana live, I’ve been impressed. I agree we should set our hopes high but when it comes to incomings Edu and Arteta will have done their homework and will be making the decisions- not Arsenal fans posting on a blog. If they go for Onana will you be disgusted with them? Even if we sign a different CM, it doesn’t mean that they haven’t rated Onana.
The crimea ship has sailed long time ago, I’m mainly talking about the other four oblasts Putin has annexed, all rich in minerals the entire world runs on.
But we mustn’t forget the Ukraine’s nazis, the danger to worlds peace.
RIP Kevin Campbell gone far too soon, my thoughts and prayers are with his family. When the news of how serious his condition was I prayed this wouldn’t be the next update but sadly here we are, thanks for the moments Super Kev
Nigel was right about 8am being 1hr before 9am. What do we know??
Xhaka has been world class since August 2022. He didn't all of a sudden become a great player. The reason he was underappreciated prior to that is he wasn't played in the role that best suited him. He was expected to shield the back four. He didn't have the pace to do that. He was the only player we had that stood up to opponents that bullied our players. His managers and teammates loved him.
Pedro, Manure will outspend us this window because they will also outsell us. They will get a boatload of money from Saudi Arabia for Casemiro because Sheik Ronaldo wants him on his team. They could sell Sancho and Greenwood for more than anything we get for any of our players. They could also sell any of Rashford, van Beek, Amrabat, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Erikson for a couple million. Though rumoured to have only 50 million in the kitty they may generate a lot in sales as they clear house.
About my past record of opinions..
It's a lot more fun to keep score when you're winning most of the time, as I am.
If I were like most experts here and I was calling for the club to buy Benteke, Aurier, Bissouma, Aouar, that Brazilian DM that went to Forest, Schneiderlin, etc...
--- then I wouldn't like people keeping score, or reminding me either.
Facts are facts.
You would eat yourself if you were made of chocolate.
Palace in for Nelson, anywhere around £15 million would be good business.
Ornstein reckons we want £20 including add on’s, which would be excellent.
https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/06/15/crystal-palace-arsenal-reiss-nelson/
He would do well with their new coach and system. The final quarter of the season they were really impressive. He would be a scorer for them.
Bob,
Don't take everything personally. So if you liked Bissouma, you were wrong. It's not a big deal. 95% of grovers were screaming to buy him (none of them even wondering why no big clubs bid for him even at a cheap price except Levy the bargain hunter).
Cases where I was wrong:
Tavares 😆
Guendouzi
Lokonga (but I was the first to realise he had to go).
When SALIBA was at Marseille making comments that he might like to stay there and play in the champions league..
-- I was so angry that I said he could fck off and stay in France if that was his attitude. That was reactionary.
We all make mistakes... I just have the best percentage of correct calls, especially under this new regime.
My big wins:
I fell in love watching Santi Cazorla playing in Spains second 11 in friendlies, and I was ecstatic when we went for him.
I wanted Alexis Sanchez from Udinese before he even went to Barcelona. What a player.
Everyone knows I was right about Trossard and Havertz... against the mob ... and rightly against Caicedo for our midfield.
My current interests in premier league players linked or not, are Bowen, Hwang, and of course Neto.
Joao Neves looks a lot like an Arteta player, but I worry about his passing ability.
I don’t take it personally, I just think your righteousness is unnecessary. I don’t think people are ‘keeping score’ like you appear to do.
‘Everyone knows I was right’ do you honestly think people are thinking that?
I like the look of Joao Neves too.
‘Everyone knows I was right’ do you honestly think people are thinking that?
Yes he does.
That’s why Nigel is special.
All hail Nigel
Thank God Xhaka no longer at Arsenal. Absolutely atrocious at times and average to good in a functioning system at best in the PL for us. Don't miss him at all. He's found his level in a league that has always suited him.
If we are buying a certain type of midfielder to fill a void... look at Fofana. I could see that as a practical addition. At least he would have the potential to be a higher level under Arteta.
Tom,
nobody cares about your geopolitical opinions. Save it for the day you find a friend to complain to.
But you do, Nigel, enough to take time off from hurting small critters to post about it.
No way are we going for Onana, a complete one dimensional player. Silly clickbait.
Some people haven't grasped the fact that since last summer Arsenal are only looking to buy from the top shelf. Seriously. Why would we add inferior players?
Onana would not even be an improvement on Elneny and a horrible use of funds.
Onana is completely a Tottenham level player. As bad as Bissouma who some of you were so excited about at the beginning of this past season. You all know who you are. Imagine Arsenal with Bissouma.
Aim higher.
With you on that one Nigel.Id be very surprised.Unless Arteta has seen something we haven’t that he could work on? The two standouts are Guimares & Fofana.We’ ll see.
I would change my tune to supporting him if Arteta believed in any player.
Habesha posted some helpful stats about Bruno G who I didn't rate.. and it opened my mind a little... but the price is far too much for him, I think. Same thing I thought about Caicedo.
Might it be possible for you to offer your opinion without denigrating somebody else’s?
When I’ve seen Onana live, I’ve been impressed. I agree we should set our hopes high but when it comes to incomings Edu and Arteta will have done their homework and will be making the decisions- not Arsenal fans posting on a blog. If they go for Onana will you be disgusted with them? Even if we sign a different CM, it doesn’t mean that they haven’t rated Onana.
Says the guy that calls others pig headed
I’m sure you’ve remembered correctly, I can’t recall. Apologies for my hypocrisy.
You take apologies too easily. A proper apology involves a lamb to be slaughtered, then its babarcued and a few le grovers eat it after libation
Would that be Halal or kasha Sid or Bobs butchers?
Bloody typos.Kosher of course.
Whatever
His swiss teamates Aebischer and Freuler have also been good for Bologna in serie A. Same level as Xhaka
Nothing has changed about Xhaka, Not a great player in the EPL. A good performance against Hungary doesnt change that.
Didn’t he have one of those vs France as a few years back as well?
MOTM I believe.
There’s quite a bit of middle ground between being great in the EPL and a completely calamity many had Xhaka pegged for.
Off topic.
Putin has presented his plan for the Ukraine peace.
It turns out a massive land grab is at the heart of it.
Who knew?
I’m sure more than a few resident geopolitical experts , you know who you are, will be shocked by it.
Only 24% of Crimean residents considered themselves to be Ukrainian
That’s a crime.
Trusting Russian Census officials, Sid?
I thought you were smarter than that lol.
The only government that gives Russians run for their money in the full of shit sweepstakes is my government and the Israeli.
The crimea ship has sailed long time ago, I’m mainly talking about the other four oblasts Putin has annexed, all rich in minerals the entire world runs on.
But we mustn’t forget the Ukraine’s nazis, the danger to worlds peace.
The midget puppet coke sniffer is a bigger danger to his people
Right on Pedro, the two footed tackle on Gundogan was shocking.
I couldn’t believe the announcers and Mark Clattenburg on my feed were so cautious in calling it for what it was in real time, a horror tackle.
The Scott should be out of the competition with a two game suspension.
RIP Kevin Campbell gone far too soon, my thoughts and prayers are with his family. When the news of how serious his condition was I prayed this wouldn’t be the next update but sadly here we are, thanks for the moments Super Kev
This site is terrific for extended highlights of all Euro matches -
https://ourmatch.me