Morning all.
Nicolas Pepe has left the club for good. Transfer exits throw up all sorts of emotions for many football fans I’m sure. Sometimes it’s relief, occasionally sadness but every now and again, for me at least, there’s a what if or if only. Then there’s why? Why did a certain player not work out, or why another had to be sold. David Rocastle to Leeds, Michael Thomas to Liverpool, Reyes and Anelka to Real Madrid, Fabregas to Barcelona, Serge Gnabry to Werder Bremen, Ashley Cole to Chelsea – to name just a few, brought a feeling of sadness, mixed with a bit of anger in regards to Fabregas and Anelka. Van Persia and Ashley Cole too. I’m sure you guys have a player or two to add to the list. Nasri, Hleb and Ramsey perhaps, albeit the latter left for free.
I think it’s fair to say though that in amongst the list of players you and I perhaps wish Arsenal hadn’t have signed is a long list of those who we were glad to see the back of, especially during the last few years of Arsene Wenger’s reign through to the present day. Players such as Aubameyang, Ozil, Giroud, Luiz, Sokratis, Chamakh, Santos, Xhaka, Gervinho – honestly, the list is far too long for me to write. The now departed Pepe being the most recent. Unfortunately for him, not long after he joined Arsenal, the club not changed its manager but the career of Bukayo Saka was just beginning to take off. Pepe still played many games, 42, 47 and 23 during his first three seasons and it was he who scored the first goal in Mikel Arteta’s first League win at The Emirates. A 2-0 defeat of Man Utd. Just a few months later, he played his part in our FA Cup run and eventual victory over Chelsea in the final. November the following season, Pepe was sent off for the first time in his career for head butting a Leeds Utd player early in the second half of the match. After the game, Mikel Arteta was quoted as saying:
It is unacceptable. Unacceptable. At this level you cannot do it. With ten men it is a big disadvantage. I really liked the personality of the team when Pepe let the team down, how we stuck to do what we had to do and had a moment or two to win the game, but obviously it makes it really difficult.
Was that the beginning of the end for Pepe? Only Mikel Arteta knows but what we all know is, he believes in discipline and players/staff, not letting the club down. Anyway, he’s gone now and perhaps he only has himself to blame. Just as any other player who Arsenal has sold because of their lack of respect for the club under Mikel Arteta. We wanted discipline and respect back so we can’t complain really now that it is.
I know I listed all the international fixtures the other day but here’s a reminder of what’s happening today.
Brazil (Gabriel, Martinelli, Jesus) v Bolivia
Azerbaijan v Belgium (Trossard)
Ukraine (Zinchenko) v England (Nketiah, Ramsdale, Rice, Saka)
Estonia (Hein) v Sweden
Germany (Havertz) v Japan (Tomiyasu)
Other than hoping for no injuries, I hope that Kai Havertz starts for Germany, has a cracking game and scores lots of goals. Sorry Tomiyasu, but Arsenal’s needs are great than Japan’s and this match is just a friendly. Havertz is the new Mr Marmite at the moment and Ramsdale isn’t far behind if the internet is anything to go by, although goodness knows why. Perhaps it’s because Raya is waiting in the wings, although it’s Ramsdale who makes the top ten on ESPN’s list, not Raya. Havertz, I just hope he’s horrid start to the season soon ends which is why I think this international break might help him. Come back next week and hit the restart button.
With Champions League fixtures just ten days away, a home fixture against PSV Eindhoven, Arteta has no room for passengers. Especially as he has ESR, Trossard and Vieira just waiting for their chance to come. I think we’ll see more of them over the next few weeks and months, Nelson too.
Lastly, it’s potentially a big night in the international career of Eddie Nketiah tonight as England face Ukraine in Poland. I hope he gets some minutes and of course, I hope he scores too. I can’t remember the last time England had a striker similar to Nketiah. If ever…
Catch up in the comments..
£72 m transfer fee, £29.12m approx in wages over 4 years, almost £100m.
I think that Monsiuer Nick has to shoulder a lot of the blame for it not working out.
6 of 1….
Bad timing that’s for sure.
Afternoon Rico and all, to be fair to Pepe, it wasn’t his fault that we paid 72 mill for him.
Unfortunately for Pepe, the main memory I have of him was the match where the opposition keeper was half up the field and instead of kicking it long over the keeper’s head into an empty goal, he tried to run the full length of the field and mist and easy goal.
Hi Geoff, he scored some great goals though. I’ve just watched the clip Potter posted and I have to say, I agree agree with. It left me wondering what if, or if only…
G’day Rico,
An agent and someone else, a former Arsenal executive? Are still chucking when they scan their personal bank accounts.
Hi Cicero. Big Raul probably
As I said earlier Rico, Potter’s youtube clip makes you wonder why Arteta froze Pepe out.
Attitude I suspect Geoff, and his work ethic. Or lack of it maybe.
Penalties in Ladies match v Paris. Twice came back from behind. Russo goal to make 3-3 ET. On Arsenal website live
And now they’re out..
Not the best penalties from Arsenal..
I watched a lot of the game. Awful pitch, sluggish performance by Arsenal.
Was Pepe frozen out or was he found out, why could Arsenal not sell him last summer when he eventually went on loan to Nice, especially if he was misunderstood and just waiting to be given a chance?
No, I’m afraid that a free transfer to the Turkish Super Lig tells you all you need to know, yes he had talent but I’m not sure he was the smartest lightbulb in the packet or the most resolute, let me just suggest that he was more Lokonga than he was Nketiah…
So much for hoping Havertz would have a great game, Germany were thrashed by Japan.. lol
A bit of both I think Kev. In hindsight, Arsenal, or rather Raul, should never have signed him because Emery didn’t want him, he wanted Zaha. If reports are to be believed.
But, every club freezes players out at some stage. Look at Utd with Sancho and Martial – two super talented footballers who I wouldn’t have minded seeing at Arsenal.
That’s true Rico, we hear about and are reminded of (by mainly the media) our worst transfers but every club has them if we can be bothered to check, but I’m not and I don’t blame anyone else who doesn’t bother.
Tbh I’m not sure that Zaha would have been much of an upgrade initially and I wonder how long he would have lasted under Arteta?
I’m not about Sancho anymore Rico, he’s been at a United a long time on big wages under different coaches and been duff. I liked him when he was at Dortmund.
sure
Yeah I did notice Havertz on the periphery of things for the German team, it’s too early to write him off but I’m not overly confident of him suddenly morphing into the new Bergkamp anytime soon.
Japan should have won by 6 or 7 goals, our old-boy Asano scored again…
Before Sancho went to Utd I mean Kev, same with Martial. Not now though. Zaha might have thrived under Emery and Arteta but that’s the thing, we’ll never know. Thankfully we as a club have moved on, as have most of the waifs and strays that didn’t fit.
I’m not convinced by Havertz either, his body language doesn’t seem right at the moment. It’s almost like he’s holding a lot of frustration in him and can’t channel it in the right way on the pitch. I guess three years at Chelsea can do that to a player..
Personally, I’d like to see Arteta take him out of the starting eleven and use him from the bench. No big deal, just rotation and let him chill a bit. Otherwise there’s a danger of him drifting further into decline.
Did you watch the England game Kev? The rugby I mean? 😂
I did Rico, it was a clever ploy to win with twenty-seven points, eighteen from penalties and nine from dropped goals, all scored by George Ford, but that’s not Rugby as invented by William Webb Ellis who famously, in a football match, picked up the ball and ran with.
Saka was not the only one to suffer from some robust challenges, Gabriel suffered a thigh injury in, a brutally fierce game for Brazil.
ran with it
Loved it Cicero. Really clever stuff from England and Ford’s kicking was superb.
Yes, I’m with you Rico, England have been on the receiving end of some quite attritional rugby in recent years, I’m quite liking this England team, all for one and one for all spirit.
Anthony won’t be playing for Utd again any time soon.
“As a club we condemn acts of violence and abuse. We recognise the importance of safeguarding all those involved in this situation, and acknowledge the impact these allegations have on survivors of abuse.”
He’s not even been arrested let alone charged!
I didn’t watch the England football team, Southgate is just wanking away one the best generations of English talent with his unimaginative and sterile tactics.
He won’t last 5 minutes when he return club football. He should stick to pizza adverts.
£90m down the toilet, old toilet even 😁
Agree, why on earth is he still playing Maguire and Henderson. Goodness knows how or why he feels leaving White out is a good idea either. England need a manager who lives in this century, not last…
Chelsea blew £92m on Lukaku but all we hear about is Pepe!
It’s wrong though, utterly wrong imo.
Exactly, the player they paid big money for, twice. 😆
I think that Arteta will stick with Havertz until after the NLD Rico, if he’s still a bit meh during the next few games, then I think he’ll get a sit down.
The team selections for the ELC and CL will be interesting?
Raya, Smith Rowe, Kiwior, all due a run-out at Brentford?
I don’t Kev, too many games coming up. He’s already hinted that rotation can be expected after this break. I’m all for it too.
Definitely re Brentford. If ESR, Trossard and Nelson don’t start that one, I’ll be very surprised. Disappointed too.
Man City have built a £365 Million indoor arena next to the Etihad, it’s called the CoOp Live. When I first saw a picture of it I thought is was new distribution depot for the supermarket chain.
🤣
It’s amazing what you can save up and do with your Co-Op divi…
Arsenal need to seriously investigate how difficult it would be to increase the capacity of the Grove, 75,000 should do the trick
Aren’t they doing that already Kev?
New post up by the way.