Daily Bits and Bobs

Arsenal and Barcelona close to a deal? Now it begins.

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

It’s all or nothing in sport, we’ll it seems that way with the sports I enjoy watching. All the tennis finals at Wimbledon including the invitation doubles and of course the third/fourth playoff in the World Cup followed by the final between France and Croatia yesterday afternoon. For once though, football had to give way as I kept my eyes on Wimbledon and the invitational doubles which are always good fun.

I nearly forgot, in amongst all of that, Arsenal fired eight goals past The Wood. The result meant nothing, although it was nice to see a few different names on the scoresheet, the day was about fitness and a good footballing workout in what was very hot conditions. For Unai Emery, I guess it was much about the continual tactical changes, identifying individual weaknesses and simply getting his new players to buy into his philosophy. I doubt the latter is causing a problem as who wouldn’t want to play the game in a different way to before?

Things get tougher now and as much it would be great to see Arsenal win with such ease in every match between now and next May, that isn’t going to happen. In preseason alone, we’ve got tough and testing opposition. Just what we need imo. It’s all very well nipping over to Asia, Australia or any other location and beating sides with ease but they’re no test for what’s to come. I know a lot of a preseason tour is about PR and money making but building the players strength, stamina and togetherness on the  pitch is equally if not more important.

Unai Emery has just under four weeks left to make sure his players are ready for the opening fixture. He’s got to decide who stays and who goes before the transfer window closes and that includes loans. A few are yet to    meet their new manager on the training pitch, Welbeck, Ospina, Xhaka, Torreira and Ozil although most should return quite soon, Welbeck being the last I’d imagine.

In eleven days time, the players, coaches and other hangers on will be in Asia ready for the first ‘competitive’ friendly and then it’s four games in a short period of time with a few miles covered during that time

  • Thursday 26th July. – Atletico Madrid v Arsenal 12:35
  • Saturday 28th July – Arsenal v PSG 12:35

Then it’s off to The Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

  • Wednesday 1st August – Arsenal v Chelsea 20:05

Finally, a short trip to Stockholm.

  • Saturday 4th Arsenal v Sevilla 19:00

How fitting that our final friendly is against one of Emery’s old clubs, one he was successful with too. Emery said:

“It will be great to meet up with my good friends from Sevilla in our last pre-season game before the Premier League starts.

“It will be a competitive game against strong opposition and we look forward to giving our many Swedish fans an exciting day.”

Just a few days after that match, Thursday 9th August, the summer transfer window closes. So around three and a half weeks of what I think will be a busy period. Arsenal might have been proactive in getting most of their signings over the line but the likes of City, Liverpool, Utd and certainly the neighbours have been relatively quiet. West Ham haven’t though as they’ve been spending money like it’s going out of fashion. I don’t think Arsenal are done yet either. As always, there’s plenty of rumours and for once, a number of them have come true this summer but before the end of this window, there’s bound to be others which won’t.

Hers today’s:

Max Meyer is linked. He’s a free agent right now and both ourselves and Liverpool could go for him. His wage demands are quite high apparently but with no signing on fee he’d be a bargain wouldn’t he?

The N’Zonzi rumours continue too as do the links to Ousmane Dembele, Andre Gomes and Cristian Pavon. Talks with Barcelona for Gomes are in full swing according to The Express. (I know!)

Have a good day guys…

 

rico

52 thoughts on “Arsenal and Barcelona close to a deal? Now it begins.”

  1. Adam says:

    Morning Rico. So many rumours about possible incomings and still the Ramsey conundrum to sort. I hope that the club offer him a sign it or leave scenario. And I couldn’t help but notice that grotesque little shit Griezmann was up to his usual tricks yesterday. To think that most Arsenal fans really liked him before our tie against Athletico.

  2. rico says:

    Morning Adam. I guess Gomes or Meyer might fill the gap should Ramsey depart. Greizmann is a cheating little…. I see he’s looking for a move.

  3. Cicero says:

    Good morning Rico and Adam,

    I’ve already had to come indoors, even in the shade of the apple tree it’s too hot with hardly a breath of wind.

    You missed one sport Rico, cycling. Yesterday’s stage on the pave of northern France was fascinating to watch but horrendous from the riders point of view. I don’t think I’ve watched a tougher stage outside of the mountains ever. Fifteen cobbled sections of hot, dusty, narrow, bumpy “roads” made for an exhausting and perilous day’s cycling.

    A well earned rest day today, I think the riders need it almost as much as I do. 😉

  4. potter says:

    Griezmann,Hazard, Neymar, Delli Alli,Kane, Vardi they’re all at it. It’s a different game to the one I played where we were told to stay on our feet and the tackles were much harder.

  5. Cicero says:

    I can’t see why Welbeck should be late back, he’s had a three week break touring Russia without the need to kick a ball in anger. I think if I was in his position I’d want to get my face in front of Unai Emery as soon as possible. He could be one of those heading to the exit.

  6. Cicero says:

    Potter, add Croatia’s Mandzucic to that cast list of thespians, ever ready to dish it out with a sneaky elbow, but happy to dive at the least opportunity.

  7. rico says:

    Morning Cicero.

    I’m not a huge fan of cycling, in fact I find it quite boring.. lol

    We’ve got cloud and humidity, really oppressive.

  9. Le Coq Monster says:

    Afternoon all and thanks Rico.

    I go by Dick and more importantly Ornstein in transfer matters !………………nothing from Ornstein and even Dick says we are finnished unless something extraordinary happens, so we are done imo.

    Need some rain here, my land is cracking up !……………………too scared to walk on it in case I fall through and end up on an expedition to the centre of the earth where I will be improsoned by a lost tribe of all women who need me to impregnate them all !………………………..bet I wake up now and discover I`m only typing a comment on HH !

    🙂

  13. john hermit says:

    I don’t understand the title of this article at all, I don’t see any mention of Barcelona or any deal other than dembele at the end in passing. totally bizarre and utterly pointless.

  14. rico says:

    John, that’s a shame you didn’t see The Express bit about Barca and Arsenal in talks over a move for Gomes. Not Demble at all.

  16. john hermit says:

    oh lol you mean the single offhand mention of gomes in the same sentence dembele is named?? mindboggling quality blogging mate, searing insight. not being facetious but the title is ‘arsenal and barcelona close to a deal?’ and it not only doenst even attempt to answer that, it barelty mentions it and when it does it does so only very briefly in passing. a single word.

  17. Adam says:

    It’s a daily blog in a close-season full of the usual rumours. Chill out and shelve the crass criticism. It’s not needed on HH.

  19. Le Coq Monster says:

    I welcome Mr Hermit to write a post himself if he feels capable and just like Rico I will thank him for it what ever the quality it is or not.
    Mr Hermit I take it you know nothing of how hard Rico works to keep this blog running so only respect is due.

  23. Obi says:

    Forgive me for not remembering who wrote it, but the other day some commented about Arsenal having similar players or players who think are similar, i.e., the plethora of players who are #10 or think who are #10.

    When I hear the Gomes rumors my only hope is that someone like Iwobi, Xhaka, Ozil, or Ramsey is leaving. At the moment we dont need Gomes, but I will take Ousmane quick fast, and he’s an Atsenal fan. Ousmane without the injuries will flourish at arsenal very well.

  25. Cicero says:

    Ousmane Dembele signed a five year contract with Barcelona last August, the transfer fee was €105 million with €40 add ons. The buy out fee in his contract is €400 million.

    I don’t see Arsenal paying that sort of money for any one player.

  27. Cicero says:

    Good morning Rico.

    Another hot dry day here in parched Norfolk.

    I see that Jeremy Wilson, in The Telegraph, agrees with me that Welbeck could be on his way out. Perhaps we can work out a package deal, Welbeck and Ramsey plus €120 million for Dembele. The only fly in the ointment being would Barcelona want either of them, let alone both. 😉

  28. rico says:

    I wouldn’t be surprised if Welbeck was sold either Cicero, although our homegrown quota for senior players must be down to the limit nearly. Same with Ramsey.

  33. Le Coq Monster says:

    Arsene Wenger says staying at Arsenal for 22 years may have been his biggest mistake !…………………….shall we say the penny dropped a little bit too late 😉

  35. allezkev says:

    Buy out clauses rarely reflect the value of a player, if Barcelona wanted to sell to raise funds to buy then a realistic value on Dembele or any player would be agreed.
    But I agree, it’s unlikely, but Ramsey leaving isn’t….

    As for the 25 man squad, the balance between home grown and foreign is about right, if we sell Campbell and Ospina we’ll have 17 foreign players, the maximum.

    Bellerin, Iwobi, Martinez are counted as home grown.
    We have more than the 8 stipulated, but Akpom will probably leave and I guess Welbeck is a saleable asset, especially if Lucas Perez stays.

    Guendouzi and Mavropanos are both U21 so we’re ok there.

  36. Cicero says:

    Now it looks likely Cech could go back to Chelsea, if Courtois moves to Real Madrid. With Ospina also probably going we will be left with Leno, Martinez and Macey. I’d be happy with that.

  38. potter says:

    Cech has not been a happy bunny at The Arsenal, then again behind a Wenger defence who would ? He would probably welcome a chance to go back to Chelsea as a back up . Should that happen I too would be happy to see Ospina go as well because although he is a good keeper , he is always a good number 2 which is symptomatic of Wenger’s final squad . We had Giroud , Welbeck , Debuchy , Mustafi , Chambers , Holding , Mertesacker , Coquelin ,etc getting limited game time but really only reserve quality but blocking up the squad . We now have a few more young ones coming through to bolster things and with the new signings including Auba and Mikhi who I really believe to have been signings from the new collective and the squad looks more balanced and able to compete across the four competitions that we are in.
    We have a difficult start but if we can get a good start , who knows how far they can go ? As i have said before Emery has been given a time scale and a target , if and when he achieves this will decide how long he will be with us.

  39. Cicero says:

    ‘morning Rico, what we need to recognise is that Wenger’s apparent bias against signing older players, has proved to be another of his “biggest mistakes”. Top clubs all around Europe have no compunction in taking over thirties and getting good service out of them.

    Cech and Chelsea could be a good move for both parties.

  40. Le Coq Monster says:

    Morning all

    Rumour has it that Mansour City will be without a few players for the opener like DeBruyne so will we look a gift horse in the mouth and fcuk it up ?

    Agree there Potter, Dick has a time scale to reverse years of Wenger neglect, personally I give him a year to get his philosophy installed and challenge for title, but if I`m honest and realistic I still dont think anyone will challenge City because of their spending power unless we do a Leicester !………………………..it will take someone better than Guardiola as a coach to out fox them and then they always have the money to fall back on !……………………………..as of lately I think our only chances are the cups where luck sometimes takes precedence over money…………………..not making top 4 even in his first year will be let down imo as our rivals again for the second year running have the distraction of CL.

  41. allezkev says:

    Limits placed on Abramovitch by the British Gov’nt, followed closed by the mothballing/cancellation of the redevelopment of Stamford Bridge and the prospect of a fire sale of players this summer. Is the Russian preparing the way to sell up?

    Petr Cech to Chelsea would be good for both parties, he would return to the club of his heart at 36, maybe as their No.1 and Arsenal would lose his substantial salary, able to reinvest it elsewhere and the club seemed happy to sell Cech to Napoli a few weeks ago.

    Maybe Emery has been impressed by Martinez, who at 25 really needs to play, even as a No.2.

  42. rico says:

    Hi Cicero.

    The reason I think it’s odd is that for the first time in a while, there’s a chance our keepers will be behind an organised defence so the timing is strange.

  44. allezkev says:

    Forest Green, Coventry and Cheltenham – what a shit draw, I won’t be going to any of them!

    Was hoping for Stevenage, Charlton and Wimbledon. ☹️

  47. Le Coq Monster says:

    Just heard on SS that The Ox will probably miss the whole of this up and coming season………………….thank Dennis we sold him !

Leave your comment.

Discover more from Highbury House

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading