Morning all.
Renee Slegers is probably enjoying life at Arsenal. Last season, the Champions League trophy and yesterday, she and her players added another trophy to their cabinet last night by beating Corinthians 3-2 in the FIFA Women’s Championship Cup Final.
Olivia Smith gave us an early lead in the first half, but six minutes later, it was 1-1. Fifteen minutes into the second half and Renee Slegers side regained the lead through Lotte Wubben-Moy’s superb header but as the game went into added time, Corinthians were awarded a penalty after a VAR review. Caitlin Foord was the hero in the end after a well taken shot found the back of the net.
It wasn’t all good news on the night though as goalkeeper Anneke Borbe left the pitch on a stretcher having collided with Wubben-Moy. Just hope she’s ok.
Mikel Merino has broken a bone in his right foot which requires surgery. He’s going to be out for quite a while it seems. How long is anyone’s guess but hopefully he’ll be back before the season ends. He’ll be missed that’s for sure. David Ornstein suggested Arsenal might try to get a player in on loan today but I’m not sure there’s a player out there who can do what our Spaniard does.
There’s been no official update on Bukayo Saka as yet but perhaps Mikel Arteta will tell all later today.
His late replacement on Saturday, Noni Madueke though has been awarded the goal which was originally given as an own goal. Rightly so in my opinion because his corner was on target.
Both Man City and Aston Villa dropped points yesterday. Emery’s team were beaten by Brentford who had a player sent off in the first half and City dropped two points against Totts. There’s a little song oft sung by fans “two nil and you f****d it up…..” Well, that was City yesterday.
So, we have a six point gap at the top which isn’t bad in February with 14 fixtures to go. Still, a long way to go yet and a lot of opponents to face, all of whom will want to beat us. I think two things potentially stand in our way and that’s injuries and a lack of self belief.
Whatever Mikel Arteta said to the players after the home defeat to Man Utd, he needs to be repeating it week in, week out for the rest of the season. Mix it up a bit of course otherwise it becomes white noise.
Tomorrow we face Chelsea in the League Cup. We’re 3-2 up going into the second leg at The Emirates. Rosenior decided to rest a number of his usual first eleven players against West Ham but his decision nearly backfired. 2-0 down at halftime and quite frankly, being battered, he had to make changes. West Ham will be kicking themselves because they had enough opportunities to take Chelsea to the cleaners but instead, ended up losing.
Anyway, it’s transfer deadline day today but despite what Ornstein said, I can’t see Arsenal signing anyone on loan today. Not with the squad depth we have.
Catch up in the comments.
As I said last night , although it’s not my scene , congratulations to the ladies it’s always good for the club to win things.
Which means that tomorrow takes on an importance that it might not have had at the start of the season because this squad badly needs a trip to Wembley and a case of Goddards silver polish to keep the cup in the best of order.
As for the Merino situation , now that Calafiori is getting back to play perhaps it opens the door for Lewis Skelly to play in his true midfield position .
Recent results give the impression that things are falling into our favour , we have to keep concentrated and not get complacent and we have to believe that we are now in with a great chance and do everything to make sure it happens.
The League Cup certainly wasn’t in my thoughts at the start of the season but now we are at this stage, as you say, it’s become more important. Arteta, the players, they need a trophy to get the taste.
Good morning Rico and all
The Corinthians supporters have certainly set the bar. Look at that support. The Emirates fans should take not
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1707032356735696
Morning Rico. Just read that Arsenal are looking to loan Wilson the young 17 year old Striker from Hearts for the rest of the season as Merino is now out. Am all for it albeit we still have a good strong squad but with so many more games ahead plus FA Cup and Champs League, more injuries could take place. Hopefully not, but lets be prepared.
Morning Devil, Laura.
That’s an odd one. If it’s a striker we need, surely use our own academy players..
Well done for giving us a mixed bag of Cookies, Turkish delights, sweets, candy etc. Very enjoyable I must say.
I don’t think you can find any player capable of doing what Merino does. We have to get three to cover for him…a DM, an AM and a CF. Havertz can play the latter two but not DM. Norgaard can play DM but not the other two positions. Zubimendi can play further upfield but that would mean benching Rice. Odegaard, if he plays like the last third of the match against Leeds would be brilliant but he can’t play CF.
Getting a player on loan would smack of desperation imo. So I would say that we should stick with what we have. Any incoming player might destabilize the camp.
Arsenal are set to sign 18 year old Hearts player James Wilson. Advanced midfielder/forward
Didnt see your comment Laura.
However I think that Wilson is not a Merino replacement but one for the future. It is seen as a loan with a chance of buying him outright if he manages to catch the eye of the coaches.
Good morning Rico.
A very good weekend for us result-wise, but not so good on the injury front. Saka, Merino and Borbe are all three influential players in their own way, they’ll be missed.
Congratulations to our ladies, winning the Fifa Women’s World Championship is an excellent way to get more publicity for Arsenal and the women’s game in General. Prize money of £1.7 million is very welcome, a nice little earner. 😉
Refs and Var come in for a fair amount stick…as usual, and from the usual suspects, Guardiola, Emery, Marco Silva and Ian Holloway (Swindon Town). Why is it always the officials fault? Never the players or the coaches or the manager’s.
Merino’s injury presents an opportunity for Norgaard to show his value in midfield whilst Zubimendi can take over Merino’s goal scoring duties.
Morning Cicero, dreadful on the injury front.
Not read any of the VAR groans from this weekend. Always someone else’s fault though. Unless it’s bleedin obvious..
Latest from Sky Sports News’ Keith Downie:
Newcastle have had no approach from Arsenal for Sandro Tonali, despite a report by Sky in Germany this morning.
Newcastle have had no contact, don’t expect any, and would not welcome any, for a player who is contracted until summer 2029.
I’d be a bit surprised, given their position in the SPL, if Hearts would loan James Wilson to us unless there is an obligation to sign him in the summer. Our recruitment team will be, I’m sure, working overtime in order to get any deals over the line before today’s deadline. 7pm if I’m not mistaken.
Yeah, Merino is quite unique because of his many skills as a multifunctional midfielder and a forward, the closest to him in style is I believe Ruiz of PSG and he wouldn’t be available except for a crazy fee. If Merino’s injury had happened a couple of weeks ago then I suspect that we’d had got a deal done but because it’s so close to the deadline and clubs’ would recognise our need and therefore inflate any fee whether it be a loan fee or permanent it’s unlikely we’ll get anything done.
I guess that at a push we could even sign up Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain until the end of the season?
A bit of noise around an Arsenal enquiry to Newcastle over Sandro Tonali‘s availability but no surprise that he’s not for sale.
On a low wage with a pay for play clause but not on an inflated wage structure .
Now we’re linked to another teenage Scottish striker, this one from St Mirren, named Mooney.