Morning all.
It seems Mr Higuain’s agent has been busy this summer. Having spoken out about a potential move to Arsenal, the player is close to signing a four year contract with Juventus so if true, another striker has slipped away. I’m not blaming Arsenal of course, unless faffing around with low fees and wages is the reason behind Higuain not making his move to North London, but sometimes, in fact most times, what we read and what is true are gulfs apart.
Just as the Rob Holding stories probably have little substance to them, and this morning there are reports in the back pages which suggest Bournemouth are confident of stealing the Englishman from under our noses, yet their offer for the player is apparently less than ours was but either way, it’s been rejected by Bolton.
It’s hard to believe that it’s less than a month now until the season kicks off with Arsenal only adding one player to first team squad. Some may suggest it’s two after snapping up the Japanese striker but has he even joined up with his new team-mates yet? Is he ever or is this signing just another shirt seller?
As much as the squad needs additions, players need to be sold too and it looks like Wellington Silva and Joel Campbell are soon to be heading away from the club. I’m not fussed about Silva but Campbell going is a strange one. He gives more on the pitch than both Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott, yet it’s clearly a case of his face doesn’t fit. Valencia is rumoured to be his next destination and I wish him well, I really do. At least he can start afresh and be given a chance, then it’s down to him.
Yaya Sanogo needs to be shipped out asap because all he’ll be doing is taking a squad place which a much better player could fill. Mind you, he’s not the only one but sadly, the English players will all no doubt be staying put just because they are English.
Her’s our squad as it stands right now:
Goalkeepers – Wojciech Szczesny, David Ospina, Emiliano Martinez, Petr Cech.
Defenders – Mathieu Debuchy, Kieran Gibbs, Per Mertesacker, Gabriel, Laurent Koscielny, Nacho Monreal, Calum Chambers, Hector Bellerin, Carl Jenkinson.
Midfielders – Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere, Mesut Ozil, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Santi Cazorla, Granit Xhaka, Francis Coquelin, Mohamed Elneny.
Forward players – Alexis Sanchez, Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott, Alex Iwobi, Yaya Sanogo, Danny Welbeck, Serge Gnabry, Joel Campbell, Chuba Akpom.
Do you think that squad is good enough to win the league this time around?
No, me neither as it couldn’t win anything last season and as much as Xhaka is a great addition, he’s not going to be scoring a bucket load of goals and if this new campaign is going to be anything like the last, neither will anyone else. Apart from Ollie of course, but his alone aren’t enough…
Maybe Chuba Akpom will be the surprise of 2016/17……
Transfer gossip:
According to reports coming out of Italy, Arsenal have made a £25 million offer for Juventus defender Daniele Rugani, the only problem being, the Italian club want a bit more than that for their man.
Surely not…..
Finally, Arsenal are reportedly ready to hijack West Ham’s £26 million move for AC Milan’s Carlos Bacca. That’s according to the Express.
Have a good Friday guys….
My thoughts and prayers are with the people of France, horrific stuff….
Wow 1st…..
Bournemouth has also apparently signed Subotic for 8.3m. I guess we couldn’t use him.
Amazing Obi, Subotic I mean… lol
Not a single word of Subotic on Bournemouth site, nor fan forums……
Morning all.
Since we know their business, wonder if we should ask them who we’ve signed lol.
Bloody transfer rumours are killers.
Killing Scott, nah, they are hilarious…..
Good Morning to the Lady of the House and all fellow Gooners in residence.
Welcome back Rico. I trust you enjoyed sunning yourself at the seaside?
As for Asano, I believe he is involved with Japan’s Olympic team and will not show up in London until after the games in Rio.
Rico. It’s an annual thing this hilarity. 🙂
I bet old Arsene loves it.
Killing us via fits of laughter, Rico lol.
Morning Cg, thank you, I had a lovely break, just not long enough….
I bet he does Adam, just as much as he’ll probably be smiling when the window closes and he’s spent very little…
With some of the crap the journos make up Scott, it sure does…
Is it just me or is the commercial media’s accuracy on ‘exclusive stories, lies, pipe dreams and rumours slipping to an all time low. As usual the club is crushed, devastated, panicked, etc. by missing out on players the club was probably never interested in.
Now the rumour/story (bullshit) that Higuain had agreed a deal with Juventus is being denied by the Napoli President’s son. Oh for some clarity. In the meantime I’ll just chill out and chant my mantra “sports journalism is dead”.
Rico, About as hilarious as Wenger with the annual… we didn’t find anybody with the quality we were looking for….. bla bla bla…..
I’m sure Arsene, the journos and some bloggers have a pact-keep us occupied when there’s no football 🙂
Morning Wath.
Rico. The success, or otherwise, of next season lies directly in his hands. If he blows it again he really can’t stare out, ashen faced, from the footballing pages or at his press conferences with his “Don’t you understand the sacrifices I have made for this club?” look.
January is going to be enormous for everyone concerned with Arsenal.
I’d say an all time low Cg, probably because AW is doing nothing much in the transfer department…
Morning Wath, I’m sure he’s practising those very lines already. Although on second thoughts, he shouldn’t need to, he’s said them often enough…
I know Adam, as said yesterday, he’ll reap what he sows if he doesn’t sort the squad out, and more importantly, the way the team play…
Why January specifically?
Because I see January as the time when we have had enough football to know where we are with regards to winning anything. If we are nowhere near by then I cannot see how the club could possibly move forward with him as manager, bearing in mind how much opportunity he would have had to get things right. After Christmas will be the time when the fans will get going. Perhaps it might even be before then.
Whatever, I think we are in for some interesting times. Good or bad.
Rico – Between the extremely low credibility of the press reports and Arsene/Arsenal’s penchant for keeping all transfer business close to the chest; who knows what has or hasn’t been done. I’m not going to get excited about transfers until we sign someone worthy or until late August and we haven’t done any significant business.
Just pass the sunscreen and another tall glass of chilled G & T.
Adam, I think we’ll know what’s in store by the end of August…. 😉
But I get what you mean, surely if we are already out of the PL running by Christmas, he won’t be offered a new contract…
You wouldn’t think so I agree but, with this board, I wouldn’t bank on it.
As we have said though, this is the time for a serious change of attitude but, quite honestly, can you see him changing?
Best way Cg..
Neither would I. Seems finding a new manager is is the far too difficult tray…
And no, I can’t see him changing because I don’t think he knows how to and is there anybody at the club who would dare tell him he needs to?
Only the fans. 🙂
Well he won’t listen to them…..
Scott @11:11 my bad it was apparently Middlesborough not Bournemouth.
N that’s according to BBC Sports Today
339 all out is a good response to the Pakis steady start…
Now we need a couple of centurions from our boys…
Hi Fred, yeah as Adam says morons do write moronic stuff…
It’s all rather insulting the way they take the piss out of us…
I see Draxler is staying at Wolfsburg…
And without Jimmy….
Another non-story Rico, were we really in for Draxler this time?
I know the Metro said it was a Done Deal.
The Express quoted his gardener.
The Telegraph wrote its usual shit and will now list all the players Arsenal have missed out on, like Kalou, Benteke, Barton, Ronaldo and Collymore.
HITC wrote ’10 players who could change Arsenals season.’
And Daily Cannon will repeat last month’s rumours packaged up as exclusives…
Pass the sick bag…
Jimmy Anderson is just brilliant Rico…
What a bowler he is, one of the best ever, up there with Trueman and Larwood…
I doubt it Kev, not at his price…
Well that’s always the clue Rico, because as soon as a fee in excess of £50m is quoted for these average players, I just lose interest…
I think we should have gone for Janssen, the Scum could have got a real bargain there!
Obi, no dramas but I wasn’t taking a crack at you mate, just the entire silly season, and the rumours that go with it.
Sure is Kev. I love him…
Ditto Kev, Arsenal aren’t going to fork out that amount of money. Same with Higuain I suspect and for a bloke nearly 29? No chance….
I’m surprised we didn’t go for Janssen, surely AW must have someone else in his plans…
Any chance Wenger being Wenger will go for one of the strikers we genuinely missed out on over the last few years??
There’s a few around that took the money elsewhere and have languished on the bench.
Ivan perisic is the one we’re after
Don’t shoot me Rico
Who though Scott?
Scott @1:09, none taken at all bro that’s why I said “apparently”. In the end we are all hoping that ARSENAL does well
Hi all. I think we all underestimate the way the powers at the club think. Whilst the fans see last season as a missed opportunity, the club see 2nd place as a step forward. Despite the fact that we were behind Leicester! This is why there is a new contract sitting there ready to be signed. Sadly there is nobody at the club with any vision or foresight to move us forward so we can get ready for more of the same!
Where did you hear that Mg??
Sounds about right Bob…
I have a mate who’s a solicitor in Milan
We’re very interested along with Chelsea and another club
I have a friend who is a solicitor too, but he knows nothing about football transfers… lol
86 for 1
Steady as she blows…
Or goes…
Cook dropped on 22 – phew… 😉
Gnabry heading to Rio, another to miss the start of the season…
Serge Gnabry is going to the Olympics with the German squad, so we can rule him out of the early games of this season…
100 for 1
Keep it going boys…
You asked and I told you
I suppose will have to wait and see
He’s meant to be quite good isn’t he? Who are the other two clubs interested?
Rico, I have a few friends, and none of them are solicitors, and quite a few no nothing about football and even less about transfers…
I just thought I’d share that with you… ?
🙂 Kev.
He’s certainly a very decent player.
I thought a few of the Croatians would look in red and white Adam…. 😉
Other than diamonds though… 🙂
Fido is pestering me, catch up in a bit.
Rico. I think he even had a red and white hairstyle of bizarre configuration. 🙂
Rico, I don’t even know where these guys are currently playing, but Ba, Bony….guys like that.
Not saying we should chase them, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we did.
Once Wenger likes a player, it lasts forever 🙂
Afternoon Rico and the house.
Both JW and Campbell were training today. Jack back a week early
This morning England U19 beat Holland 2-1 in the euro u19 champs.
This win puts them into the u20 World cup for 2017.
Niles played full 90mins.
Question marks over James Vince…
Afraid Joe Root did a Pietersen and exposed the pair of middle order jokers Vince and Balance! Cruising to four down in no time!
Portugal beat Germany 3-4 yesterday and will be into the u20 World cup too.
If Gnaby goes to the Olynpics it’s because has authorization from Arsenal. Probably will be on loan then.
As soon as Ben Stokes is fit, it’ll bye bye Ballance
Hi Rick. Hope you’re well. That must be good news. If Jack can put in a full season-ish, then who knows what he is capable of. I’ve more or less forgotten his game and how it fits in.
Rico and JM, I think Gnarby going to the Olympics is good for him if he plays. Even though we will have many players missing when the season starts, he is not going to get playing time because 3-4 players are ahead of him.
He’ll do for me then Adam 😉
Scott, RVP it is then…. Lol
Afternoon Rick and all….
Evening Rico
Evening Adam, what a dark and cold one it is too…
It’s been generally odd for months now.
Kante to Chelsea for £32M…..
For years Adam, proper summers are long gone…
I’m having an early one. Night Adam and all.
Night Rico.
When I was a kid the sun never set during the summer months and the sky was azure blue! Ah, happy days!
Evening all.
Thanks and good night Rico !. 😀
Looking at that squad list it is indeed not good enough !………..and that`s without……..Szczesny, Debauchery, Jenkinson, Welbeck, Gnasher, Ozil, Alexis, Ramsey, Giroud and Koz who are either on holiday and will miss the Liverpool game, Injured, will be on loan, at Olympics, will be sold and in the case of Sanogo……………. taken to a euthanasia clinic !…………………and dont forget we have lost Arteta, Flamini and Rosa !.
We are going to be well behind before a ball is kicked. It seems to me that this season we will see even more teams play the high pressing high tempo now with Pep and Conte added to the Klopp, Ranieri and Spud geezer and others………..Dennis help us !
Agree there Adam and Rico !….the cold summer !….honestly this has to be the coldest summer I can remember and I mean cold, not talking about rain as It isn`t raining here…… for instance, last night it was sunny whilst I was waiting to play 5-a-side, but really cold, so instead of watching the women players who are on before us men, I found a nice shrub to keep warm in and watched them through it !.
First we have N’Golo Kante leaving, now Mahrez wants to leave,
I wonder if Jamie Vardy is having second thoughts about his decision to stay at Leicester..?
I bet he is Kev….
Morning guys..
Morning Rico and all.
Morning Adam.
Strange and scary world we live in.
Isn’t it just. I see ISIS are claiming to be responsible for the Nice atrocity…
New post up now.