TIMBER ON TURF + A NEW STRIKING TARGET EMERGES

Well good morning to you ALL. Are you enjoying the ramp-up in Le Grove posts? I hope so. It feels good to have the pen in hand more regularly and it has been fun to joust in the comments section again with that exact pen.

New Year, new me, same Arsenal propaganda as before.

So, let’s talk Timber.

He’s out in Dubai with the team and he has been spotted on the turf training alone. This is great news for Arsenal fans, but you do need to hold your horses with regard to his return. Getting on the grass is a big step, but also small in the grand scheme of these types of injuries. Fixing the tear is phase one, now he has to rebuild all the muscles around the knee, then he has to regain his fitness… the return is never perfect. Players tend to have mini-set-backs along the way. Then they have to deal with the psychological impact of the trauma associated with that type of injury.

Will it heal?

Will it be as strong?

Why is my body failing me in other places?

Can I trust my knee won’t explode if I turn sharply?

It is really, really hard getting back from this type of setback, and it cannot be rushed. If you do it again, return times are way harsher. A late March return would be exceptional, early April will probably be par the course at this point. Still, having a player of that caliber coming back for the business end of the Premier League and the Champions League would be special. So keep ’em crossed for him.

The Times is reporting that Newcastle will likely have to sell one if its stars to avoid and Everton like end to their Profit and Sustainability issues. They’re at a £155m loss over three seasons when they should be at £105m. Their CEO said this.

“If we’re going to get to where we want to get to, at times, it’s necessary to trade your players,” said Eales who is determined to help establish Newcastle as a trophy-chasing, top-six club. “It’s a counterintuitive part of the PSR system that there is an incentive to trade players if you want to reinvest.” He explained that were Newcastle to sell a homegrown player for £50m, that would count as profit but, should they then purchase a new £50m first-teamer, the cost could be spread across five seasons.

This basically comes down to their income. £250m is not a lot for a top 4 team. Their stadium isn’t big enough and they don’t have lucrative enough sponsors. This story might be painful for Newcastle fans, but it does give me a little bit of hope. They are taking the rules seriously and their situation is so bad, they can’t afford a loan fee for Kalvin Phillips. No team in the world could move harder with the funds their ownership group has, so it’s a good sign that they are playing it safe.

Imagine Arsenal moving on Bruno for our midfield? Oof… delicious. Delicious but doubtful.

The morning started with Arsenal being linked with Borja Mayoral. I couldn’t be any less frisky about a 26-year-old journeyman from Getafe. The story states we bid £22m for him and that Getafe want £39m. No thank you. He’s not a better player than Eddie and he’s certainly not a better player than Gabriel Jesus.

A little later in the afternoon, we were linked with Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee. The 22-year-old ex-Bayern striker is having a good season in front of goal. He’s 6ft 4, moves with the ball at his feet like Alex Hleb, and he’s wonderful in the box. Arsenal has a past with Bologna after signing Tomiyasu and the release fee is about £40m. A summer move if there was one, but I wouldn’t mind having a player with those talents in the ranks.

It’s really hard to judge players from Italy, but he does have some elements I like. He’s really powerful, and his hold-up play looks top-class. His ability to turn out of traffic and create something looks really exciting for such a big player. There’s a lot to like about his link-up play as well. He also has small shin pads and short socks. We’re gonna need a player like that if Smith Rowe exits the club.

Certainly a prospect, but never forget: so was Scamacca. RIP big man.

The picture around the squad is starting to look a lot brighter now the team is in Dubai. Thomas Partey will be ready for Palace, Forest at the latest (as I said a few days ago). Gabriel Jesus is absolutely fine and so is Zinchenko. Those are three players that greatly improve our chances against Liverpool. We just need to keep them fit.

Ok, that’s me done for the day. If you love podcasts, please do check out this new one called The Arsenal Opinion. Jacob Hawley is back by popular demand and he’ll be a regular for the rest of the season. ENJOY!