What do we as Arsenal fans expect from our club over the next 18 months and in particular next season?
For me, it’s the gradual continuation of the progress we’ve seen from our squad as Mikel Arteta and his coaches have worked with them and the hope, given the parlous financial state of football, that he can turn some of our players from a sows ear into the proverbial silk purse.
We all know how good Gabriel Martinelli is, we all know what an uncut diamond Bakayo Saka is and we all know the huge promise of William Saliba – three who are all nailed on to have an impressive 2020/21 season, whenever that is…
But with money being tight and wage reductions being all the rage, what more can Mikel get from the following five players and can they solve a vacancy in the squad, allowing Arteta to divert some of his meagre funds elsewhere.
Emile Smith Rowe has had an impressive loan at Huddersfield Town under the watchful eye of the impressive Crowley brothers. He has shown a growing maturity and his confidence has blossomed making him a definite probable for inclusion into the squad for next season. For me he needs to add goals to his game. Technical and tactical issues can be smoothed over if you can put the ball in the net. He certainly has all the qualities required to be a very good addition to our squad so I’m hopeful that he can make the permanent breakthrough not least for his versatility.
Eddie Nketiah was just beginning to show some promising signs of developing into a realistic option for the senior team when Coronavirus struck. Arteta leaving out Lacazette and starting Eddie instead was a very interesting development not least because Eddie scored a few goals. There’s still a long way to go for him and many fans understandably have their doubts about him long term, but look what Arteta did for Rahim Sterling…
Reiss Nelson has had a few niggling injuries this season, but in between the absences I’ve seen some encouraging performances from him in a number of different roles, so next season could be a big one for him. He can play wide right, wide left and in the middle. He has all the skills to make the grade he just needs to add some consistency, but then we say that about almost every footballer. As with ESR he needs to add an end product, some goals, because they make all the difference as to how a footballer is perceived and he’s no different. I’m optimistic that another season under the guidance of Mikel Arteta could have the desired effect.
Joe Willock has had an up and down last 18 months. A firm favourite of Uni Emery, who I think put in some good performances under our previous manager. In last seasons League Cup, his cameo at the end of the carnage in Baku and his display at Anfield this season in that crazy 5-5 draw especially. Under Arteta I don’t think he’s been given as many opportunities (I could be wrong, please enlighten me if I’m mistaken) but he still has a lot of potential and, depending on the transfer business Arteta does this summer, might show the required improvement over the forthcoming season to become a more influential member of the squad.
Now a long shot, I always like a long shot, so I give you Ben Sheaf, a player who I felt was poorly handled by the Arsenal reserve coaches under Wenger where he was played at centre back, a decision that I think totally wasted a year of his development. So now, at the age of 22 and on loan at Doncaster Rovers he’s been able to stay fit and put in a string of impressive performances. Time isn’t on his side with players younger than him already established in the Arsenal senior squad but that shouldn’t stop him from making it at Arsenal if Arteta likes what he brings to the table. Sheaf has continually stated that it’s his ambition to still make it at Arsenal so if he gets a bit of luck and gets a chance, who knows?
By AllezKev.
Morning Kev, thanks for the post.
I’d forgotten all about Sheaf. I reckon he’d be one heck of a long shot but who knows. I know he signed a new contract back in 2017, only because I looked I hasten to add but if it was a 3 year one, he could be gone in a couple of months time.
Bloody idiots if this is true!
Arsenal players David Luiz, Alexandre Lacazette, Nicolas Pepe and Granit Xhaka have been spoken to by the club for breaking lockdown rules.
The club have confirmed to Sky Sports they have contacted the players after pictures and videos emerged of them breaking government guidelines put in place to safeguard against the coronavirus outbreak.
Pepe was filmed playing football with friends in North London, Xhaka and Luiz met up at a park in Southgate and Lacazette was photographed talking to a car valeter on his driveway.
Morning Rico, glad to help, we signed Sheaf from West Ham when he was 16 so you could be right about the contract, still, let’s see what Arteta thinks when he’s got him?
I’ve been looking Kev, Macey, Eddie and Sheaf signed extensions in 2017. Eddie five years, Macey three but can’t find the details of Sheaf’s deal.
Good morning all, thanks for rare post Kev, another prospect should be Tyreece John-Jules who has impressed while on loan at Lincoln City.
I don’t know if you saw my earlier question, but how good is Miguel Azeez?
Check out jeorge bird Cicero, he has an article about Miguel and a few other youngsters coming through.
Thanks Rico, it looks like we have some great potential coming through at all age levels.
Gotta go now, the east wind has dropped and the garden is bathed in warm sunshine. Time for a recliner, Telegraph puzzle page, a book and maybe a cold beer too. 😎👍
Putting up fences now that the wind has dropped , Lovely that they are we have to keep the Muntjacs out of the garden as my wife is a tick magnet .
Happy Saint Georges day folks , patron Saint of England and Catalonia where traditionally the men give the women a rose and the women give the men a book , usually a long one to keep him occupied and away from the women.
Despite their much more stringent lockdown I bet the area will be adorned with red crosses on white backgrounds unlike here where it will drift by hardly noticed.
As for The Arsenal if the players have been out they should have known that they would be targetted by the press , the media and Spurs and Chelsea supporters. Everyone carries a camera now and the general public is much more vindictive . back in the day Merse and a few others used the White horse in Sandridge did anyone run to the papers ? No , It wasn’t the done thing.
Hi Rico. and All well writ Kev I just read a story on Ben Sheaf by Charles Watt and he claimed that Ben has a contract with Arsenal until 2022
On paper yes Cicero and some do seem better, or more advanced than others. We might just seen a few in the cups next season if there are any domestic cups.
Happy St George’s Day Day to you too Potter, and all by the way.
I’ve not seen one photo of our players out and about. Yet…
Hi Geoff, thanks for that.
That’s something I don’t understand Potter. St Patrick’s Day is well celebrated, yet we English do nothing on this special day…
Think I’ll move to a little Catalan village near the sea…
Think I’ll move to a little Catalan village near the sea…
We have been saying that for years.
Hi Cicero, I’ve only seen glimpses of Azeez and from what I’ve seen he’s got a lot of potential, next season I reckon he’ll stay in the reserves and if he does ok the club might send him out on loan in January.
Yeah I agree, John Jules reminds me a bit of RVP, but I reckon another year on loan for him in 20/21, maybe back at Lincoln. Arsenal are a lot more switched on about where they send their players on loan and I think the club has been impressed with how Lincoln have used TJJ…
Cheers Geoff, well thats good news because that means the club has two years to decide whether he’s up to it at EPL level or alternatively we can get a good fee for him?
Same here Potter but it’s a huge decision to make. South coast here in the Uk is more realistic…
according to the story I read Ben Sheaf said he had played 3 or 4 games for the Arsenal senior team and hoped to returns to Arsenal and play under Arteta but Arsenal are looking at loaning him out to a European club for 20-21 season, Maybe Arteta is getting a bit worried about to many new young players in the team at once. which would make sense.
Happy Saint Georges Day…………………………….the greatest Saint, because without England inventing football (amongst a million other things) there would be no Arsenal!…………………….we are the greatest nation on Earth, we invent great sports and being generous we let other countries become better at it than us!
Daniel Ballard would be my long shot!
PS………………….written by a proud and biased Englishman……….. 😆
Quite emotional when a few key workers drive by and acknowledge the support offered by the ‘clapping’…
That’s good re Sheaf, at least he might get a chance and even if things don’t go well, another club will soon take him on.
Aww Rico, emotional times for sure! It has united everybody…
That was a great read from Kev 👍
There are still plenty of dicks around though Sue…
Good one Kev, let’s hope a few make it good.
United all us ‘normal’ people, yet the footballers still think lockdown doesn’t apply to them, it does anger me, Rico…
Ditto Sue. I hope this Arsenal story has no truth to it, or certainly that it’s being exaggerated.
Quem leu o Untold-Arsenal?
https://untold-arsenal.com/archives/80495?fbclid=IwAR33nz_Hlt8xVxycVc2s7qQX_WrH5j5EavywBb9LoTQ-GHLOuV-LKW4Uqy0
Thanks Sue, I’m working on a couple more, that’s if you can all stand it… 😉
Cheers Andrew, good long shot Cocker I also like Ballard.
Ballard is an impressive young player for mine.
Could well end up a captain.
Morning all.
RIP Dave Bacuzzi :-
Bacuzzi played with McGill , McCullogh, Affectionally known as our Irish International fullbacks although he is listed as being born in Islington from an Italian background
Add to that McClelland goalkeeper and Terry Neil and as the lot from Seven Sisters strode to their double , at school all we had was our Irish connection as we staggered to midtable .
I admit that I have just looked up the Irish bit , apparently he started and finished his career playing and managing Cork Hibernians .
I know that I saw him play but he doesn’t stick out particularly in my memory like Dennis Evans and Billy McCullogh who did and were both entertaining in their own way.
Evans as a right back was a great penalty taker used to power them into the top corners and McCullogh had the turning cirle of a double decker bus and couldn’t do a decent foul if he tried . I can’t remember the winger but Billy was being roasted and he was getting stick from the North Bank , as the winger went past him for the upteenth time , McCullogh grabbed his shirt which tore and about half of his sleeve came off , as the crowd roared with laughter he sheepishly held the sleeve and waved it to the crowd with a big grin on his face.
Which was only surpassed by the time he tried a slide tackle and went off the pitch and got his foot trapped in the little picket fence that used to go round the edge of the pitch at Highbury.
There was so much fun at Highbury in those days.
Anyone got any spare Dettol?………………….. 😆
I did hear a tale once about Billy McCullough, that following a rather controversial game with Leeds at Highbury, it could be the one when Eddie Kelly got sent off, that Billy grabbed hold of Billy Bremner, locking them both in the boot room and having a rather ‘stern talk’ with him with the rest of the Leeds team banging on the door. I think a few slaps were dished out if I recall…
Morning Rico and all. Kev, I’m anxious to know what the future holds for AMN?
Doesn’t surprise me Kev , Bremner didn’t have too many friends at Arsenalafter the way he tried to cripple George Eastham with Bobby Collins assistance.
Morning all
RIP David Bacuzzi. Yes I remember him, saw him play a couple of times, I think in the early 60’s. Long blond crew cutty hair that came down to a point just above the bridge of his nose! Not a bad player, quite physical but not quite in the same league as McCullough or Magill. Sad to hear he’s passed though. Just another reminder of my childhood disappearing from this earth, thankfully not from my memory.
I have a feeling that big, very costly transfer fees will be a thing of the past when the new transfer season opens. I suspect most of the clubs around Europe. And beyond will be counting the cost of Covid19. Most will be running huge debts due to lack of financial activity, and it will take them years to recover.
I feel that the football bubble has burst or is about to. Not an entirely bad thing, if I’m honest. Time for the clubs and the authority’s sat down and devised a new completely new modus operandi, in which cash is no longer the god. I know most people will not agree but if there is not some kind ramping down football, as we knew it, as recently as March 2020 will never return. The vast sums of money, much of it corruptly come by, will disappear for ever, never to return. At least I hope it and they will. Perhaps it will leave us or put back the world to a place where the Dave Bucuzzi’s of this world were revered and not reviled or put out to pasture, discarded as so much meat that is not up to quality. Mind you that’s still happening today and found in every academy in the league. Hey ho, it will be fascinating to see how all this pans out. A world where no player can get closer than 2 metres to his opponent, tackling a thing of the past; 60 yard passes the new norm; no celebrations or shaking of hands and vaccination kits part every physio’s magic water sponge bag!
Ah brave new world that Sky no longer dominates.
I’m looking forward to it.
Adam I don’t why but I have this gut feeling that we are going to sell AMN
Afternoon Adam, all.
New post up now.