Morning all.
The shining light of Arsenal FC circa 2018/19, were the forwards.
Last season the Arsenal strikers pretty much got us to the Europa League Final by themselves. Aaron Ramsey apart, our midfield lacked creativity and dynamism, certainly against Napoli and Valencia.
The days of having Marc Overmars, Bobby Pires, Freddie Ljungberg and Sylvain Wiltord coming in from the flanks and getting into double figures and Dennis Bergkamp pulling the strings from the No.10 are a distant memory. Mkhitarayan, Iwobi, Ozil and Welbeck were just a poor imitation. We desperately needed more pace and goals from our flanks and the No.10 role.
In came Dani Ceballos on a one year loan from Real Madrid for a loan fee said to be around £4.1m, a player Madrid were rumoured to value at £50m. He’s shown flashes of being able to play either as a no 8 or interestingly as a no 10, a far more dynamic player than the present incumbent who often looks as if he’d rather be sat on the beach rather than be playing for Arsenal. Ceballos is a midfielder who looks to score, tackle, drive into the box and get back to defend rather than just assist…
Eddie Nketiah had to sacrifice a great opportunity to go on a loan spell last season due to the Danny Welbeck injury which saw his season come to a shuddering halt. Eddie spent most of last season warming the bench although I honestly think that Emery should have given him more minutes on the pitch. What Eddie must have thought when Denis (the Spanish Kim Kallstrom) Suarez arrived in January, is anybody’s guess? First team minutes for Nketiah were further complicated by the arrivals of Pepe and Martinelli, so despite an impressive pre season, he decided to spend a year at Elland Road, to further develop and sharpen up his game.
During the summer Arsenal were strongly linked with Claude Maurice of Lorient, an old team mate of Guendouzi and described as a younger more raw version of Nicolas Pepe, therefore it was a very welcome shock when Arsenal, under the current austerity of KSE, actually went out and paid a club record £72m for the real thing…
I really had no hope of Arsenal bidding seriously for or getting a player like Pepe, so to get him is a coup and we have to give Raul and KSE a lot of credit for pulling off this deal. Liverpool were in for him but we got him and that feels oh so really good.
The prospect of Laca, Auba and Pepe up front is mouth watering…
So, imagine you’re Tyreece John Jules and in front of you is Alex Lacazette and PE Aubameyang whilst Danny Welbeck has just left leaving the main competitor for the senior squad as Eddie Nketiah, who then goes on loan. Signing that new contract must have been an easy decision and a positive move. That is until Pepe and Martinelli arrive and now you’re wondering if signing that deal is such a good idea and your agent is whispering in your ear about AS Monaco being interested in you and the opportunity of getting fast tracked into Ligue 1.
John Jules made a good impression during the mid season tour game to the Gulf so we don’t want to lose him. We’ve already lost some talented youngsters this summer, so we have to ensure that TJJ stays. He needs game time and Emery has to be brave and trust him in the cups.
A backheel volley at the Emirates? Standard 👊@TyreeceJJ9 🔥 pic.twitter.com/cNSgfgS3hD
— Arsenal Academy (@ArsenalAcademy) August 23, 2019
Arsenal can’t afford to let him slip off to France…
By AllezKev.
Good morning Rico, another fine post for another fine day. It’s already 24 degrees here and heading towards 30 by mid-afternoon.
I suggest Arsenal should quarantine John Jules, for a few days, and put it about that he has suspected chicken pox. That should put a stop any transfer talk. 😉
Good post , I agree with you especially about John Jules. I think he should get a chance in the cups, especially the Carabou , we have such exciting talent at Arsenal, but until they are older we are never quite sure which one of them will finally make it through. I have had great hopes before on different future stars, that did not turn out to be so great & we had to let go
Morning Cicero, I’d like to take the credit but it’s Kev’s today. Agree though, a good post.
I like your idea re John-Jules.. 😆
Sohara, they all need game time but the PL demands probably won’t allow it. For the club I suspect it’s about keeping hold of, and playing the best of the best if that makes sense,,,
I was so eager to congratulate the author that I forgot to look for the by-line. 😉
Afternoon Rico and All…
Folarin Balogun is another young striker with a shed load of raw talent, as Rick will confirm.
This season will be about Balogun developing more in the U23’s as he’s only 18, but he could get onto the bench in the League Cup.
Sam Greenwood, is an England Youth international who we signed from Sunderland just over a year ago, has a lot of promise as a striker or wide forward.
Nice one Kev,
John-Jules is a player I’ve really liked,Saka too, not sure how many chances they will get.The U21s play tonight in the EFL trophy so some will get an opportunity.
The Monreal rumours are getting louder,looks like the club are wanting to minimise the wagebill,we are probably stuck with the usual suspects but I wonder if we will move any on in the next 6 days ?
We have to prioritise , the short term pain as in the risk of getting knocked out of the cups should in the long run give us the knowledge about the players and how they are progressing.
John Jules appears to have more going for him than Eddie who appears to be more of a poacher , both effective in front of goal though and both are precious assets and need to be bought on and both kept within the club.
Afternoon Rico and the House.
Another very hot day down here a little bit too much for me.
Excellent post Kev and I totally agree with you and Potter,
we have to keep him at the club.
During the USA tour Emery stated he would give some of the young players
the chance in the Europa and other cup games.
The Caraboa cup draw is tomorrow and the Europa on Friday.
When we know who we have got in these and taking the Leasing trophy,
and the u19 international cup into consideration we will have a fair idea
of the standard of teams we will be facing.
Kev I think the likes of JJ,Saka Smith Rowe Balogun Harry Clark and Bola
could come out tops .
Its going to be interesting to see who plays against the Cobblers tonight,
will Martnelli play
seeyou later.
Afternoon Kev, do you watch the academy teams online? I never seem to find their fixtures to watch live. Or I forget.. lol
Afternoon Rick.
Really hope we get favourable draws in both so the younger players get plenty of time on the pitch.
Cheers Limey, yeah I like Saka and TJJ, I’ll be surprised if both aren’t involved in the League Cup and maybe the early rounds of the UEFA Cup?
I’d forgotten about the Leasing Cup this evening, Northampton are not playing well, so if they rest a few our lads could/should take advantage…
Yeah Potter, different players indeed, Eddie is a finisher, he can play wide but his strength is in the box finishing off attacks and he’s very good at that.
TJJ can play a deeper role, almost a No.10 or up front, he can play wide as well, he’s a more skilful player imo than Eddie but doesn’t score as many goals.
Hi Rico, I’ve never watched the U23’s or U18’s online, do they actually show the games?
You can follow the game on Twitter, it’s just like when we used to sit in front of the TV looking at Ceefax, ah, the good old days eh?
Hi Rick, that’s a good call with Martinelli, can Smith Rowe play?
We was unlucky last season, drawing Portsmouth after the group stage, they were too strong, I was hoping that we might have got an easier draw and squeezed a couple more games out of the competition than we did.
Do the clubs also go into groups in the International U19 Cup.
Plenty of opportunities for our lads to get good competitive matches.
We need to put all the cups on the back burner this season and get back into the CL, that to me is the absolute priority, not least for Emery who might well find himself on thin ice if we go and blow it again…
Kev .
Both the leasing and the international cup are Groups.
In the Leasing we are away to Northampton,Peterborough and Cambridge.
In the International cup we have Villarreal,Dinamo Zagrabe and Leicester
as you say good competitive matches.
Im hoping for better results this year.
Smith Rowe can play kev if they think he is fit .
Macey, Swanson, Bola, Clarke, Olowu, McEnuff, Olayinka, Smith Rowe, Tormey, Balogun and Coyle…
Hi Rick, ESR is in.
Clarke and Olowu as centre backs, you’ve spoken well of Clarke, it’s a decent team…
Another game for Tormey…
SUBS: Hillson, Omole, Ogungbo, Burton, Azeez, John-Jules
Interesting mix of younger players and our older more experienced lads…
Ha ha Kev. I remember those days very well. Just. Lol
Nketiah starts for Leeds v Stoke in the Carabao Cup.
I hope he gets a hat trick…
Interesting to see 2first year scholars on the bench
with Burton and JJules.
Just watched the boys warm up Smith Rowe looks good.
Come on Boys show us what you can do.
Me too, I still detest Stoke..
Rico, it would absolutely make my season if Stoke City go and get relegated again and spiral into a Bolton/Bury type financial crisis…
Still 0-0 at Northampton after about an hour, although we’ve created a few chances in the 2nd 45, both Coyle and Tormey going close…
You and me both Kev..
Arsenal down to 10 as 1st half substitute Omole sees a straight red, wally….
77mins Olakino puts us 1up
Should be Olayinka
82mins 1-1
Olayinka gives 10 man Arsenal the lead, Northampton equalise 4 minutes later.
Eddie scores for Leeds but their losing 1-2…
Full time 1-1…
And now penalties, all good experience for our lads.
Time for Macey to be a hero…
Martin Atkinson to ref the NLD 🤬
Full Time 1-1
Pen Shootout for extra point
a good performance except for silly mistake by l/b
Northampton win penalty shoot out 4-3
Arsenal still get a point for the draw.
Peterborough are going to be tougher than Northampton, so a missed opportunity.
Real Sociedad are pushing for a quick deal on Monreal, they want him to play for them on Friday.
The Tierney signing seems to have pushed Nacho towards the door. It will still be two months before Tierney is match fit, so we have to rely on Kolasinac to play left back and hope Luiz doesn’t commit too many silly fouls and cop a few suspensions in the meantime.
New post up now