Morning all.
Arsene Wenger has just surpassed Sir Alex Ferguson to become the longest serving manager in the Premiership era and he now faces a ferocious battle to secure his legacy. The top flight has never been this competitive during his 21-year tenure, but Wenger has refused to head off into the sunset and his belief in his ability to return Arsenal to the summit of the game is unwavering. Could this be the season that Wenger finally ends his title drought? It stretches back 13 years, to the Invincibles season of 2003-04, and has largely been defined by the costly process of moving from Highbury to the Emirates. It paved the way for a golden future for the club, but left Wenger hamstrung for years in the transfer market, forced to sell his best players and replace them with young and unpolished alternatives.
No longer: the stadium debt is now paid off and Arsenal have the financial firepower to compete with pretty much any club in the world. There are no longer any excuses and Wenger is running out of time to secure another title as he is 67 years old.
But the task has grown ever more monumental. Arsenal posted their worst finish under Wenger last season, ending up fifth and failing to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in his reign. Alexis Sanchez, the star of the last campaign by a country mile, now apparently wants to leave and it is harder for the Gunners to sign players, such is the pull of Europe’s most prestigious competition. He is up against champions Chelsea, who are on course to spend £200 million on a squad already blessed with the likes of Eden Hazard, N’Golo Kante and Thibaut Courtois.
Man City are favourites for the Premiership after spending a fortune themselves, already well north of £100 million and counting, while Man Utd are also throwing money around like it is going out of fashion and have snapped up Romelu Lukaku for £75 million.
Tottenham have many of the best players in the Premiership, they are strong in every department and they are young and constantly improving. Liverpool are also spending big, as are Everton, ambitious after Farhad Moshiri abandoned Arsenal and began bankrolling the Toffees. He is up against the greatest collection of coaches the Premiership has seen – Antonio Conte, Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Mauricio Pocchetino and Jurgen Klopp, with Ronald Koeman thrown in for good measure.
In a division where Everton are bidding more than £40 million for Gylfi Sigurdsson, Bournemouth are spending more than £20 million on new defenders and clubs like Leicester can surprise everyone, there are no easy games. So what of Arsenal’s chances? The bookmakers make them outsiders. Bet365 is a trustworthy bookie, with competitive odds and good liquidity, as this analysis shows, and it has Arsenal as 11/1 fifth favourites. That puts the Gunners behind Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea and Tottenham, but ahead of Liverpool.
For the first time they will not be distracted by the Champions League. While the other five big teams slog it out midweek, Arsenal can rest (Wenger is apparently not taking the Europa League seriously and will field reserve teams to conserve the energy of his key stars) and that will make a huge difference. The last two champions, Leicester and Chelsea, were not playing European football and could focus on domestic matters.
They are also a very strong side, even if Sanchez does force through a transfer. They looked much better after switching to three at the back last season, and it culminated in them overwhelming and beating Chelsea in the FA Cup final. Wenger is finally buying for the present and not the future, and more stars are set to join record £52 million signing Alexandre Lacazette, as the purse strings have been seriously loosened.
Their rivals also have weaknesses. Liverpool have already been written off by the bookies. Tottenham will have to find their feet at a new stadium, Wembley, while their new home is being built, and they will not spend much this summer. Man Utd drew far too many games last season and finished sixth, and have not really improved as Lukaku is essentially a direct swap for Zlatan Ibrahimovic; some would consider the Belgian a downgrade on the magnificent but seriously injured Swede. Chelsea finished mid-table last time they tried to defend a league title and have missed out on most of their top targets, while the Diego Costa situation is causing friction and Conte does not seem happy. Guardiola has often looked flummoxed by the Premiership and has still taken no steps to address his side’s biggest flaw: central defence.
There are plenty of opportunities for Arsenal, and Wenger could yet mark the twilight of his career with glory, so that 11/1 looks pretty tantalising.
Finally, Alexis Sanchez has headed home to the small town of Sauzal, where he greeted the local community. According to The Mirror, the 28-year-old greeted people with hugs before posing for pictures with local children and one girl was reduced to tears as she nabbed a photo with the country’s footballing hero.
As the eventful day came to and end Alexis left a message on Instagram saying: “Finishing a visit to the people of Sauzal… Happy to share, help and give a smile to all and especially the children. Thank you Sauzal.”
The Chilean then jetted off in his private helicopter together with girlfriend Mayte and three other friends…
What a nice chap, now get back to London and sign a new contract!
Have a good Friday guys..
Morning Rico and all.
Oh the daily grind that is the life of a professional footballer 🙂
Still, they do give up a lot to make it to the top, but the rewards are certainly worthwhile.
Is the stadium paid off?
I didn’t think we could pay it off early, not that it matters, because we are definitely not suffering financially because of it any longer.
Ripper of a write rico,
The Club must do everything to keep Alexis?
GG, Arsene really does appear adamant he’s staying, at least, publicly.
I wonder if he means it this time 🙂
Can anyone see the guy staying on beyond this season, though?
History says no, but if we do continue to strengthen, maybe he will.
Though his attitude to teammates annoys the crap out of me, no question we are better with him.
Morning All
Alexis???
He’s staying, end of..!
Morning Rico, a sponsored post methinks.
Goretzka would make sense if we needed reinforcements in central midfield, especially as the youngsters will get plenty of playing time in the UEFA Cup so his arrival wouldn’t necessarily block off anyone’s development. I’d rather the German than Barkley tbh…
Personally I’d hang onto Walcott, he seems to be high on the list of most people’s ‘to be sold’ and fitting him into the three at the back system is problematic but he does score goals and for that reason he stays for me. I think that he’d be great playing with all the youngsters in the UEFA Cup, give him the captaincy even…
I wouldn’t sell Chambers either, not unless Wenger plans to keep Bielik at the club.
It wouldn’t bother me if Wilshere stayed as well, I know that many on here would be happy to see him gone but again I think that he would be perfect in the cup squad and both Jack and Chambers being English is quite important to the make up of the 25…
Once Debuchy and Perez leave, then two more places in the squad will be available for foreign signings (I think?)…
Morning Scott, I’ve no idea re the stadium but I guess it’s no different to us having a mortgage.. I suspect you guessed I didn’t write the post as it’s sponsored… lol
Can’t take any credit Gg..
Morning Kev. Only seen Goretzka on Youtube but he looks good… lol
Just a thought on Walcott, wasn’t he our second highest goal scorer last season, and from the wing. He may frustrate but as you say, he scores goals…
Scott
Alexis has to stay, & “I wonder if he means it this time” is what worries me, as well as Sanchez’s new love interest.
Kev please be right!!!!
Anyway, off now, footy is about to start.
I did realise it wasn’t yours, Rico 🙂
I’m almost certain the finance was set up in a way it couldn’t be paid off early, but I could be wrong.
Again, it doesn’t really matter, as it’s no longer the handicap it once was.
No chance Perez will stay, Kev?
I hope you’re wrong, but fear you’re right.
After Sean met Theo, I really can see why people like him.
The guys a thorough gentleman, and, for want of a better term, totally likeable lol
He does a job and adds to our squad depth.
If we sell him, would we get an upgrade with the money?
Probably not.
Wenger just stated none of our Spanish players are leaving.
Live Press conference.
Whoever wrote the write rico, it’s a ripper?
That’s interesting Scott, does that mean Perez stays then, well for now anyway or until somebody matches Arsenal’s valuation?
Yes Scott I’d like to see Perez stay, but he’s not on the tour so that kinda sends out a message…
Haven’t we already got someone to play on the right Scott? H’s Spanish and out of favour… 😉
I’ll pass it on Gg, thanks..
Keep them both, Rico.
Kev, it adds to the mystery that is our transfer window.
There are reports that Perez could be heading out on loan…
Arsenal v Chelsea tomorrow will be shown live on ITV commencing at 1230 pm BST. Be there!
Hooray… ?
In an ideal world perhaps Scott, but if AW wants Lemar, Mahrez or others, players have to leave I’m sure. I reckon those on tour are staying put though…
Afternoon Rico and All
I have zilch confidence in Arsene to do the right thing
even when the pressure is off.
The older supporters seem to think his run his race.
20 years = Part of the furniture to our younger supporters.
Maybe?
I would sell Theoooo now..Arsene’s not got a clue how
to play him..Nor have I
That’s good news Kev. I’m at the inlaws so they’ll have to suffer it too… 🙂
Afternoon Fred.
I make the older supporters right, the younger fans, who have only ever really known Wenger to be the Arsenal manager are the ones who appear to believe otherwise. imo anyway…
Re Theo, if he stays, play him on the left, all he has to do then is cut in onto his natural foot instead of trying to get past a defender which we all know isn’t his game…
Interesting to see that despite selling Walker for a massively inflated £50 million and being in the Champions League that Middlesex have yet to sign anyone…
Are we seeing the initial effects of the new stadium?
I actually can’t wait to smash the bastards at Wembley…
Other than on Untold Arsenal and the rather political point of view you get on there, it’s rather strange that none in the press are discussing the effects of Brexit on the Premier League…
How are changes to immigration policy going to effect EPL clubs signing up youngsters from abroad for example, as Arsenal have done with Fabregas, Bellerin, Bendtner, Szczesny, Toral, Martinez, Vela, Malen etc ?
How will it effect the balance of the squad in future, maybe we won’t be able to sign players like Toure or Elneny or Gabriel, we might have to go for the likes of Shawcross or Crouch ?
The times, they are a-changing…
🙂 Kev. aren’t they waiting for Barkley and D Day… lol
And if all the foreign players leave and the general level in the EPL drops will Sky and BT pump millions in, and if they don’t will overseas viewers be as interested as they are now when most of the EPL clubs resemble the England national team?
Maybe Rico, maybe? ?
Will the best foreign managers be able to get jobs in the U.K..?
Will the best coaches, physios, etc?
Guys, from what I see, it’s the younger fans who can not accept anything but success-the world of instant gratification.
The 20 somethings are often those who became Arsenal fans during the era of Dennis, Thierry etc etc.
I know plenty of Arsenal born and bred fans and I’d say the majority of “older” fans are more respectful and supportive of Wenger than the younger ones.
I talk to plenty both here in Oz but also from North London, as it’s a small world these days.
If you visit the Supporters Club-you may be surprised to see the support he has there alone.
I guess it depends on who we associate with.
I guess until the full Brexit plan is known, we won’t know..
It’s a shame politics and sport have to mix.
I can’t see why Brexit would make a difference really. It’ll prob be no different to players outside of Europe needing a Visa to play in Britain.
Brexit looks like a bit of a waste of time now anyway.
that’s how the media and mainstream politicians wish to portray it. The back stabbing within the Tories coupled with the opportunism of the Lib Dems and then the stop at nothing until they have grasped power Corbyn supporters combine to weaken our hands at every turn. Once we decided to do it we should have all worked to get it done , but the shall we call them elites will try to water it down until there is little or no difference.
As far as football is concerned no doubt rules will be put in place about the level of player that can be imported , what it will do is stop the hoovering of promising youngsters and loaning them abroad either to get a European passport or gaining the right qualifications to be able to meet the criteria.
That can’t be a bad thing Potter. Chelsea will hate it…. lol
more interesting though is the discussion about 30 minute halves with a stop watch on the ball out of play. no retakes of penalties and no follow ups should the ball be saved to stop encroachment. And there’s more to come to make the game more T.V friendly , with more Ads no doubt.http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40311889
That’ll never take off surely…
Evening all and I knew it wasn`t a Rico write up ! 🙂
We/Arsenal have a mortgage and have not fully paid it up !…..it`s years down the line, I will probably pay mine up before Arsenal do !…………Same as Arsenal, I could probably pay mine up now, but all professional advise is not too with low interest rates !.
Funny to read newsnow and see that Alexis is in two places at once !…………………….somewhere in Paris Hotel ……….which there is no photographic evidence and given today that even homeless tramps have mobile phones etc` …….is unbelievable……………………………..he`s also been in Chile, a piss poor country and yet there are plenty of polaroid instamatic photo`s and etchosketch drawings and a cave painting of him there ! hahahaha
What on earth would he be doing in Paris… lol
Ox to the chavs? Possibly but, he’ll not be any better off there in terms of playing time although I expect he’ll have a much better pay packet!
If goes it will not surprise me at all. I think Wenger has treated him abysmally. He was a really talented footballer at 19 or so but he was rarely given a starting role. Theo was always first the Ox was mostly a second half sub. Then of course there were the injuries, countless numbers of them because, through lack of game time time he was never properly match fit! And then of course there was and still is his Dad who thinks he should already be an England legend but Wenger has restricted his progress.
I’ve just convinced myself…..of course he’ll leave. Why would he want to stay?? Nelson will replace him on the old subs bench! He may even turn out to be a better prospect and subsequent replacement and the Ox knows it!
It’s dark here…..again!
Good to be back to the wind and rain , Sanchez off then , there’s a surprise , we surmised that if Wenger renewed his contract then he would go and so he will. Just do it quickly get the best price that we can reinvest and move on.
I read that PSG are going to offer £70million?
I’ve also read the sum being £40million…
€70million equates to £62.8million…
I’d hang out for £80million.
Meanwhile let’s complete the Lemar deal…
Afternoon All
Afternoon Rico, enjoy the game… ?
chelsea 1 up
Apart from Montreal none of our 1st choice defence will be ready for first game. So once again we will start the season under strength. This defending is amateur at best
Nacho cost us the first goal though, Bob, so we are in trouble hahaha
Nah we will be fine for the Leicester game.
This pitch is unfit. Someone will get their studs caught in it and get injured.
Shockingly unacceptable performance. Even in a friendly.
Disorganised rabble.
Still, once again we have nothing like a starting 11.
He’s blooding players, which is what we all call for during these unimportant games/tournaments, so we must accept some poor performances.
How embarrassing was that display. Same old Arsene, tinkering with players positions.
If the Ox want to go then I’ll drive him to wherever he wants to go. Get shot of him.
Hi Kev, I didn’t enjoy it, not one bit. Awful stuff..
Afternoon guys…
It was irrelevant and infuriating at the same time.
We’re all doomed
It was.. so typical of today’s Arsenal though.
I only saw the 1st half and on that 45 minutes Alex Lacazette is no Ian Wright
Early days re Lacazette I think…
Evening all.
As I said the other day we have had great pre-seasons and lost our first EPL game, better off having a bad pre-season and winning the first EPLgame, so today was excellant, all going to MY plan ! hahaha
Had we won today, we would have seen no new players coming in as Lord Wenger would have thought he was Master of the Universe in beating Chavs and B Munich within a week !
He already thinks he has it all sussed out since changing to a back 3 and thinks we all forget that we were fcuking lucky in most of them games in the late season run, probably only Chavs at Wembley was a top display and that was more down to my out of the box talk about pitch size and Wenger listening to me about using Ox as a left wing back ! hahaha……………………………….BM was a lucky win and should have been another 5-1……………….so lets not forget how fortunate we have been and teams and thgeir coaches will react to our new style of play, whereas Wenger will act slow if it falls to bits !
Lose Ems Cup and Community Shield and we may see some transfer activity !………………………………..oh and Wenger, if someone offers £10M for Gibbs, then snatch their hands off, get the deadwood off the books, dont worry about the fee !
Lc, ‘three at the back sussed’ totally agree. I recall writing something similar in a post a while back…
Meanwhile, other imaginative managers will be thinking/working on the next new format….
Agree Rico !.
At least he is still sticking to his guns Re: Alexis !……………………….and he should, as we will be a lot( wish I knew how to underline words) worse off without him !……………………….
Makes you wonder if we will get anyone else and I say that because Wenger himself has come out and said that it`s an advantage to get signings in early and that he has done…………………………… so does that now mean that`s our lot because I dont know if anyone has noticed, but we have slowed down to a crawl on the transfer front with nothing but groundless rumours and Ornstein looks like he`s been kidnapped with not even a ransom note ! hahahaha!
I reckon others will come in once the squad return home Lc, Wenger likes to be involved in transfers doesn’t he?
I’m not convinced Alexis won’t be sold though.
How can you doubt the word of Wenger ?…………………………….Alexis is going nowhere !
😆
Easy, he lies like a cheap watch..
West Ham look like they’ll be a strong team this season, Everton too. Our transfer window isn’t looking at all good so far…
Catch up tomorrow. Night…
It’s Groundhog Day…………….again!
Looking at the tour in its entirety there’s been some positives and today is about the negatives.
I can fully understand the reservations of ppl on here, mainly because we’ve seen it so often since we left Highbury. But I’ve been encouraged by our youngsters and tbh the Emirates Cup is going to be a truer indication of where we are than some junket on ploughed field in China.
I didn’t go overboard when we beat Bayern and I’m not going to jump off of Euston Towers because we lost to Chelsea in a friendly with a mish mash line up.
And now I’m going to enjoy some cherries I got from M&S – reduced in price of course. ?
Sky Sports are saying that Mansour City are near spending £200M this window !…………………couple of thing`s that piss me off……….1) Arsenal are supposed to have more money in the bank in cash than any club in the world and it dwarfs MC`s amount, yet they can spend that kind of money and they haven`t even got it in the bank !………………and we have !……………………..someone explain that to me !.
2) Said so bastards are getting the LB from Monaco (and the RB from Madrid and they`ve already got a RB……Kyle fcuking Walker !) which is supposed to mean Monaco wont let another player go…..ie…..Lemar !……………………………why the fcuk did we not get in quicker for Lemar, before MC got in for the LB…………..(dont he`s fcuking name and am too pissed off to look ! ….hahaha)……….and made it hard for them(MC) to get the LB instead of us having an hard time getting Lemar !……………………fcuking shocking, but not fcuking surprising !……………we really are shit at transfers aren`t we !…………………………………………………….`kin hell !……………….MC look like spending around £150m for 3 FB`s !……………….who fcuking else and how much more of the money they haven`t got in the bank are they going to spend ?
Five rivals in the CL and you just know with a clear run at the EPL we will fcuk it up, but I`m glad Kev will be happy if we win the Emirates Cup ………………………life is a bowl full of cherries ! 😆
😆
😆
We have become reactive since Dein left,he was the driving force that bought the players to the club.We are to believe that Wenger will not accept a director of football so as the team wanders around the world transfer dealing grinds to a halt.
Morning all.
New post up.
Morning Rico and all.
Let’s hope that yesterday was a rather depressing blip in our pre-season preparations.