Morning all.
Two years ago today, Arsenal broke their own transfer fee record by signing Nicolas Pepe for £70 odd million pounds. I think it’s fair to say he’s struggled to make a big impact in England. However, towards the end of last season, he showed glimpses of being the kind of player we probably thought he’d be. I think Pepe is like no other winger, he needs the game to be played at speed so his own pace can cause a defence problems. Slow build up means defences are all over him like a bad rash. Literally. If Mikel Arteta’s team speed things up this coming season, Pepe will be good I’m sure.
Just one year ago today, Arsenal were on their way to winning yet another FA Cup trophy at Wembley. Emi Martinez, AMN and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang played a big part in ensuring we made it to Wembley. One year later however, Emi has gone, AMN looks likely to depart and Auba is a shadow of the player he once was.
Football changes very quickly in all aspects of the game. The Wolves fixture is just one of many where Arsenal’s fortunes changed in a flashed and I still wonder how our season would have ended if those early opportunities in the game had been converted. We should have won comfortably but lost. On the flip side, we were 3-0 down at West Ham within thirty minutes yet turned it around to nick a point.
Interestingly, both the above fixtures took place post Boxing Day, so despite the belief that Arsenal improved in the second half of the season, perhaps the reality is, we didn’t improve as much as ‘we’ thought. Either that or the first half of the season really was bad. A subjective viewpoint I think.
Anyway, that was then and this is now. Arsenal need the old Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang back if he’s staying. Hopefully both he and Pepe will benefit from a quicker style of play. We’ll see soon enough.
Today Arsenal play Chelsea in the Mind Series. ‘Mind’ is the UK’s leading mental health charity – and the clubs, using their huge global reach and platforms, will promote mental health awareness as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.
I think this game will tell us more about where Arsenal in their preparation for the new season than the previous pre season fixtures. It might be a friendly but I doubt it’ll be that friendly as both sides will want to get early bragging rights. A bit like the Charity Shield really. On paper, it should be a good game although I still can’t decide whether it’s worth £7.99 to watch on the official site. Before the men play, the women also take on Chelsea in a friendly.
Ben White has been training with his new teammates, Granit Xhaka is back but no sign of Bukayo Saka. Good, he needs to rest that body of his for as long as possible.
Transfer Talk:
- Arsenal are reportedly set to enter a transfer tussle to sign Schalke star Matthew Hoppe (Sun on Sunday).
- Arsenal have been boosted in their pursuit of Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez after the Italian champions refused to rule out his departure during the current summer transfer window. (Express)
- Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira is going back to Arsenal with a bid for winger Reiss Nelson. (Sun)
- Arsenal outcast Sead Kolasinac is reportedly in negotiations to terminate his deal with the club. (Sun)
Terminating Sead Kolasinac’s contract makes sense to me. Of course a transfer fee would be better but if no one wants him, Arsenal will probably save more money than another club would be prepared to pay for him.
Matthew Hoppe is a 20 year old American forward who’s 6’ 3” tall. He being chased by half the Premier League clubs if the internet is to be believed…
See you in the comments.
Morning all.
Kola for free-yep, frees up a decent salary!!
Pepe has his chance this season to show us all exactly what he’s capable of.
We saw it last season, he just needs consistency to be a superb player for us.
Dear God man . “We didn’t improve as much as we thought” “subjective viewpoint”
What the hell is subjective about having the third best defence and third most points post Christmas!!!
Afternoon Rico, thanks for the post.
I see that Roma are going to give us until the middle of August to acquiesce to their deflated offer for Xhaka (that’s very kind of them) or they’ll look for alternative options, according to them it’s all our fault because we’ve not budged from our valuation of €25m which conveniently brushes over the fact that they’ve also not budged from their initial offer of €15m or is it €10m with €3m of add ons, ya pays ya money you take your choice, it’s all PR bluster.
Interesting to see that Patrick Vieira and Crystal Palace approaching Arsenal regarding Reiss Nelson, as reported in many ‘respectable’ outlets.
How do we handle a prospective loan to Palace or anywhere for that matter, does there have to be an obligation to buy in a years time? With Reiss under contract until 2023 I think it’s quite difficult to loan him without that important stipulation in place that is unless he extends his contract as I’ve read is the case required from Arsenal’s side.
It could be a win win for Arsenal as Palace are a good club who always play dynamic attacking football and that should suit Reiss and we’ll either get back a more rounded player or his value will shoot up.
Like I said Stan, it’s subjective.
Afternoon Kev, do we not need to keep Nelson bearing in mind the ACON? We might need him with Pepe missing. Plus we have Cup matches he can play in, or who knows, maybe Arteta sees him as a real option this season.
Just seen line up for todays practice match against Chelsea, all the new players on the bench I save my money, I want to see how the new players go against a good team.
Good afternoon Rico, Kev and all
Yikes….we had the mighty Stan Kroenke aka SilentStan commenting on here. You should consider yourself lucky Rico. its not every day that one gets such an important figurehead commenting in a blog. Maybe he decided not to be silent anymore??
Good post Rico. And it shows. You dont get Stan Kroenke to comment on it unless its a top top post.
Wicked!!!!
Hoppe is a good tidy player whose presence has shot up the past year. I heard of him circa February and it seems he is a good talent whose development is similar to that of Nelson….with the added bonus that he scores every 3 games. He did it for Schalke who got relegated.
But at the same time…..why buy him when we got Nelson himself? I really like Reiss and feel that if he was given the amount of chances Willian got we would be talking about giving Nelson a rest after the Euro endavours with Saka. Its such a pity.
But at least he has two more years….hopefully he will accept an extra year of contract and go on loan.
Line ups for the match…..
Leno | Tierney, Mari, Holding, Chambers | Partey, Elneny | Aubameyang, Smith-Rowe, Pépé | Lacazette
Substitutes from: Runarsson, Okonkwo, Bellerin, Cedric, Kolašinac, Maitland-Niles, White, Tavares, Lokonga, Xhaka, Nelson, Willock, Nketiah, Willian
I still cant accept the fact that its Auba on the left when it should be Nelson imo.
So according to The Daily Mail Arteta went to Saka for His advice on Ben White,
No offence to Saka, but I don’t believe any young player should be asked for advice about any player they have never played at least one season with.
My Concern is, If Ben White fails how many fans will turn on Saka for telling Arteta to get him.
I am not picking on Arteta but that’s what he has scouts for and he should not put the pressure on a young player
We are 0-1 down and we are inferior to Chelsea with regards all stats.
Geoff, Ben White will be a success and honestly I do not believe what the Daily Mail said.
Afternoon Devil.
I don’t think Chelsea are that superior to us. They’re bloomin dirty though. Losing Partey is a real bum but hopefully he’ll recover before the season kicks off.
We were caught a number of times during transition. I hope it’s just due to preseason and due to match sharpness otherwise that is worrying.
I think Partey is just a twisted ankle. He walked off which is a good sign.
Statistically wise yes Rico. The chavs are superior in all departments.
A few little positional errors by our backs and bang.
Saying that we’ve been the better side and created the better chances, hit the post, should have had one penalty and possibly two but it’s a trial.
Partey should be ok….nothing major on face value.
Don’t worry about the stats-we’ve looked very decent.
Yep, some pretty ordinary challenges, especially for a trial.
Xhaka got the draw but TA scored in the wrong post to make it 1-2
Disappointed for Joe Willock, his shot crossed the line.
Leno, Bellerin, Lacazette, Aubameyang – disappointing yet again.
Eddie looks like he’s spent the summer in the gym, he’s looking stronger, fitter and more confident. I wouldn’t sell him, nor Willock.
Rico, spot on.
Those two have both filled out and are much better for it.
Tavarez is a gem!!!
We got a bargain there.
I reckon they’ve been working on fitness and strength closed season Scott.
100%, Rico.
Leno has nightmare written all over him. Xhaka was good. Mariner ghastly.
If Arteta keeps Auba and Lacs AND sells Nketiah and Willock…..🤬🤬🤬
Then the Willock , VAR would have handed us a draw but we would not have deserved it . Nketiah is looking like the player Aubameyang used to be . He is quick daring and playing with confidence . However the further back we go the more our foibles of the past few years show not to have been solved.
Their first goal was again because we got caught forward . One simple pass and we are undone ,
The second Bellerin with a loose pass across his area ( something I was taught not to do some 63 years ago ) it went. straight to Abraham who just pushed it into a virtually open goal.
it all happened on about the third suicidal attempt to play out from the back . Twice we got away with it and again after they scored we managed to cock it up twice more.
It’s obvious that Leno is not going to learn so a new keeper is a must and quick.either that or Arteta and his new defensive coach have got to find another method to clear our lines.
Anyway there’s a lot of time before we go up the road next week and it will be interesting to see who is there to play . I sincerely hope that Eddie and Willock remain in our midst , but some of the others I am quite ambivolent about.
Just said the same to a friend Devil. I think it would be the wrong move. Just like keeping Leno…
If Xhaka is on his way, he certainly didn’t play like it.
I’ve already got a crush on our three new signings… 😂
I hope we sign a keeper very soon. Whoever it is, he must fancy his chances of taking the number one spot from Leno.
If the appalling Andre Marriner and his linesmen are any indication of the prevailing standard of officiating in the EPL then Arsenal are in for a tough tough season.
Arteta simply has to bring this to the attention of everyone as it’s no good just sweeping it under the carpet because it’s hurting us.
I liked our young players, they look ready both technically and physically, the question is does Arteta stick or twist?
The kind of bids we’ve read about in the media for Willock and Nketiah this summer (£15m etc) just doesn’t cut it, if they sustain today’s level against the Scum then we’ve gotta seriously consider extending their deals and using them this season.
Another 10 months of watching Grandad Auba, Grandad Laca and Sloppy Pepe really doesn’t do it for me. We need some pace, energy, urgency and dynamism in our attack.
As for Fingers Berdt, we can see clearly today in cas3 we were in doubt the reason that Arsenal are so keen on a new goalkeeper.
Burnt fingers 😉
Kev. I agree. Leno is a massive risk now.
I’m still alarmed that we are so open at the back.
Bit harsh, that, Kev. Comparing our German reserve national keeper to the old dole dodger ‘fingers’ Jim Furnell! I used to love fatty fingers because his imitation of the old Weetabix dive was so convincing and we saw it so often we came to accept it as his ‘best effort’. ( believe Central Casting sent sent a scout to assess his suitability to replace the then current incumbent.)
But, Bent Leno is fast becoming a not so admirable successor to the former scouse keeper!
Didn’t see the game today but it sounds all a bit to familiar. Have they made no significant changes from last year’s disappointing style?
It could be a long old season.
Top four?? I don’t think so. 😜
Hi Rico.. the same blunders from the usual suspects (including Andre Marriner 😜)
Can’t believe Partey’s injured.. he’s been so good in these preseason games – just sums our luck right up!
There were a few positives to be taken, so I’m not too dispirited, but if we see more gifted goals against the Spuds next week, ask me again haha!
And how confident are you about facing Brentford away on Friday the 13th?! 😆
Hi Sue. I’m pretty confident Brentford will rip through our defence if we defend as we did today. And as Perry Groves said, the opposition will know only too well that Leno will gift a goal away every now and again. And again…
We weren’t as bad as is being made out.
Leno can not play with the ball at his feet.
Sell him or don’t play back to him-they are the options.
The CB’s were caught out horribly on a couple of occasions-still work to be done there.
Still, there are was plenty to like about the performance so let’s not get too carried away before a ball is kicked in anger.
Our biggest issue, imo, is converting chances.
Auba again had two easy ones, blew them both.
We win easily last night if the official does his job, and Auba as well.
No I disagree, the difference between the teams wasn’t defence, it was attack…
I don’t think that our defence was that bad but let me ask you, who would you prefer to defend against, Havertz, Ziyech, Werner and the American guy or Grandad Auba, Stumbling Pepe, ESR and Immobile Laca? No wonder the Chelsea defence looked so comfortable and they also looked more organised whereas Arsenal charged forward and often left Holding holding the fort on his own!
Chelsea had pace to burn in attack which gave them more options in transition, we were slow in transition and poor in attack.
Btw, this was Arsenal’s 5th game in preseason, but was only Chelsea’s 3rd game and they looked more organised and arguably fitter…
I think it was both Kev. As you’ve said, we were too open at the back because Holding was often left on his ow, plus Leno looks very dodgy these days. But yes, we’re still pretty toothless in the final third, certainly when in comes to taking chances we create.
Eddie caused Chelsea more problems than any other of our front men.
Eddie looked better than he ever has.
Didn’t see the game but it sounds like.
Leno playing for Chelsea, Auba and Laca need goal training, The referees are still the same and to go to spec saves,
Arteta coaching still a ?
On the positive side the new players look good and we might be able to reach 6th place on the ladder.
Hopefully we can improve for the main season if we find a new keeper and at least one more striker.
https://twitter.com/MiguelAzeez/status/1421945699273428997?s=20
Azeez – what a goal!!
Good Morning Rico and all
I feel that no new striker will be bought. Having seen how Nketiah has bulked up (like Azeez) and the fact that Balogun will be used on the left I have a feeing that Arteta will be using them there. There will be games in which the attack will be looking like…..Saka, ESR, Balogun behind Nketiah.
Next season will see Auba and Laca being phased out and the above, together with MArtinelli and Pepe will be taking over.
I feel that Arteta will surely buy Ramsdale (or another keeper…..I still want Pope but Ramsdale is a good option as well…plus he is still young) and maybe (MAYBE????) Madison. I dont think that he will get a new striker unless both Laca and Auba are sold.
Yesterday was a good run. still need some tweaks……in the first half that stats were overwhelmingly in favour of Chelsea but over the course of the whole game it evened out….similar amount of shots on target, similar amount of possession, similar amount of passes completed and similar amount of mistakes on either side. It was, as Kev and others have said, a tale of missed opportunities.
Willock’s shot was a whole foot inside the line. So all in all we achieved a 2-2 draw imo. Where is VAR when you need it?
And if Arteta sells Willock and Nketiah it would be criminal……unless those who want them stump up a good level (over 25M each) of cash.
Still, I would not sell Willock for any price. He shows his worth every time he is on the pitch….and he can rotate with ESR.
Devil,
I very much doubt Willock will be sold.
Eddie-well he’s been disappointing to be fair, and one effort doesn’t change that but if he continues with what he showed yesterday, I hope he stays.
As is often the case, social media is full of negatives but I think we played some bloody good football, we showed energy, moved the ball around well but made a few simple, schoolboy errors.
Eliminate those, find some goals and we will compete.
We’ve just spent 50 million to address one issue, goals are what we need imo.
Oh and as I said earlier, Leno is a terrific keeper until asked to use his feet.
Don’t give it to him, especially when I see pressure, or sell him.
Devil the problem is these young kids will not hang around if they don’t get game time, and nobody wants Auba and if we don’t play him then Arteta will have Ozil mark 2.
We might be able to sell LACA if the asking price is not too much.
But should we Geoff ? Generally if Auba plays the first half and Lacazette the second we look better when he comes on .
Aubameyangs career has been over a number of clubs 3 years at Milan with loans to other clubs, 2 years at St Ettiene ,4!/2 years at Dortmund and now entering his 4th at Arsenal.
I think he needs a new challenge , it’s the way he rolls .
I think he goes stale after a while . He’s great when he’s firing but once he settles it’s time to move.
Morning Devil, all.
In an ideal world, or at least in my ideal world, Lacazette, Aubameyang, Elneny, Xhaka, Bellerin, Kolasinac, Pepe and Leno would have been sold on the fist day of the transfer window. 😀
New post up now