Morning all.
Three Arsenal fixtures have been moved for television broadcasting reasons.
Watford v Arsenal, originally Saturday 5th March will now be played on the Sunday at 2pm. Sky Sports.
Arsenal v Leicester City has been moved back a day too, to Sunday, March 13th with a 4.30 kick off. Sky Sports.
Aston Villa v Arsenal has been moved forward a few hours to a 12.30 kick off on Saturday, March 19th. BT Sport.
It looks like there’s no way back for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at Arsenal. The squad and coaching staff have headed out to Dubai without him. I don’t know what’s gone on other than his alleged late return to Arsenal after visiting his mother followed by Gabon sending him home early from the ACON for what’s been reported to be health issues. Somewhere amongst his return were reports of him partying late into the night and then testing positive for Covid.
Aubameyang has since gone on to Twitter to defend himself:
We have some problems that are hard to resolve by themselves, then rumours get thrown into the mix. We have to look after our health first and foremost. I’m not going to talk about the false rumours and I truly hope our team goes as far as possible.
Gabon have since been knocked out of the ACON.
What’s next for our ex captain though? A move away from the club this month looks less likely as the days go by, just as Arsenal signing anyone does but should Aubameyang be offered a way back into the team? I suppose that depends on whether or not Mikel Arteta wants him back among the squad, or whether Aubameyang wants to play for Arsenal any more. If the answer to both is no, it’s not good for either party. No pun intended.
How can a player who despite rotten form was continually played, be dropped for non footballing reasons and then suddenly, be out of the picture altogether? Something must be going on which we don’t know about. Perhaps Mikel Arteta will tell us when he arrives in Dubai.
The Ivory Coast were knocked out of the ACON yesterday, by Mo Elneny and his Egyptian team-mates which means Pepe will be returning to Arsenal. Perhaps he’ll fly direct to Dubai and join up with the rest of the squad. He shouldn’t need too much rest as he’s only played in four matches, one less than some of the Arsenal players have during the same period of time.
Five days left in this transfer window and Arsenal, like many other clubs in and around the top four, are yet to make a signing. I know the club has a history of leaving things late so I’ve not given up all hope of a striker and midfielder joining us yet.
It’s the WSL deadline day today and there’s a shock as Tottenham are in talks to sign Arsenal’s Viktoria Schnaderbeck on loan for the rest of the season. Surely not!
Sky Sports report that Arsenal have made the Austria international available for transfer after signing two defenders during this transfer window.
See you in the comments.
Morning all.
Rico, yes, it’s impossible to really know exactly what’s happened with Auba, but it had to be something serious, surely.
I hope it is in a way Scott as another player fallout with Arteta wouldn’t look good on the club.
Maybe, Rico, but they’ve been players we all knew were trouble makers.
We knew a clean out was required, and Arteta said all he demanded was players give their all and respect the club.
If Auba was one of them Scott, why bother giving him a new contract?
He wasn’t causing dramas at the time, or was he.
I don’t pretend to know.
He was certainly performing back then.
Morning Rico and All
This whole issue with Auba is a complete mess and has to be sorted out sooner than later, it’s starting to reminding me of the Ozil situation.
I have always felt Auba only resigned because no one else really wanted him for the money he was after
Morning Geoff, it is me too and I think there’s only one way it’s going.
Remember the reasons he left Dortmund , he fell out with the manger and was consistently late for training and it was reported that he didn’t turn up for meetings and refused to train on the day before matches as he said he needed rest .
We stepped in and they were glad to get shot of him apparently. It would seem that someone at Arsenal thought that they could keep him under control but they were probably wrong.
Potter, someone is responsible for this mess then.
Who signed him?
Wenger singed him and this was his final message to the Dortmund fans :- From the BBC.
Aubameyang scored 141 goals in 213 games for Dortmund, including 21 in 24 matches this season.
But he was suspended by the German club for their match against Wolfsburg on 14 January for missing a team meeting.
The forward was also left out of the squad for their next game game at Hertha Berlin because club officials felt he was not focused enough, but he played 90 minutes in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Freiburg.
After his move to Arsenal was confirmed, Aubameyang called himself “a crazy kid” in a message to Dortmund fans posted on Instagram, also apologising for the manner of his departure.
“First of all, sorry for everything that has happened in the last month, but I already wanted a transfer last summer, it did not work out, but now it had to be,” he said.
“Maybe it was not the best way for me to choose, but everyone knows that Auba is crazy – and yes, I am a crazy kid.
Aubameyang signed for Arsenal 31/1/2018. Wenger left Arsenal 13/5/2018. So guess who was the culprit. 😉
That’ll be Arsene then Potter.
Players have way too much power, these days.
Have a little dummy spit, stand their feet and force an exit.
Disgraceful.
Maybe it’s naive to sign such players, but all the blame lays squarely at the feet of the prima donnas earning massive dollars to play a game.
Pierre-Emerick Emiliano François Aubameyang.. The guy’s got more names the number goals he scored for Arsenal this season.
Cicero, even Cher would give him a run for his money.
Just why I prefer watching the younger players coming through and guys like Martinelli, Gabriel etc etc.
I reckon we all do, Rico.
Wasn’t Sven Mislintat the transfer guru at the time we signed Aubameyang, from what I’ve read Wenger had a straight choice between Aubameyang and Lacazette during the previous summer window and went with a Laca.
Mislintat also brought in Mavropanos who Wenger didn’t fancy at first and then did a 180 on him, it was a very strange time because Gazides was finally getting his way with KSE whilst negotiating his departure with Milan, all underhand of course.
Wenger was also probably feeling the heat of the fans as some of his decisions became weirder and he no doubt suspected that his time was coming to an end – with some regrets on his part that he’s since admitted to.
Then there was the arrival of Raul and shortly afterwards Edu, no wonder Chips Keswick retired a year earlier – and we’ve been in flux since…
It’s just as well that Amazon wasn’t doing their docu/drama of Arsenal during that season, although this one is warming up to be a right rip snorter, I can hardly wait, it’ll be like Strictly Come Dancing or I’m a Celebrity, I bet the girls can hardly wait? 😃
You could be right about Sven Kev. I recall reading something about that now but Wenger must have thought it was a good idea.
More like I’m a celebrity I think Kev. ‘Get me out of here’ 😆
Hi Rico..According to reports we have a behind-closed-doors game lined up (after Dubai) against Reading. The club are said to be concerned about going almost 3 weeks between matches (should’ve tried much harder at the City Ground then!!)
Hi Sue, a friend just told me about that fixture. Great shame it’s behind closed doors, I’d have gone.
Can’t you sneak in like we used to as kids.
Ha ha, I might get locked up.
It’s not the same Rico, not since they can’t visit Australia with all those creepy crawlies and snakes, but enough about Melbourne… 😉
Haha Kev, back this year I reckon.
Don’t rewrite history, guys.
In the 16 year of the post-Henry era we had only a handful seasons where our most prolific striker reached 20 goals: Adebayor in 07/08 (24), van Persie in 11/12 (30) and Sanchez in 16/17 (24). So in the last 10 year only Alexis managed to break the 20 barrier before Auba arrived and scored 22 goals in two consecutive seasons winning the golden boot in the process.
Yes, he might be a greedy, self-centered @$$hole well beyond his zenith. Nevertheless he was an exceptional goalscorer and a significant improvement over Giroud, and even Lacazette when it comes to efficiency. Something has been gigantically screwed up around his contact extension, as he hasn’t been motivated properly ever since, but trying to push this on Wenger is just insane. I understand that some fans worship Arteta, but blaming his shortcomings on his predecessors is just unbecoming to our great club and this fine blog.
Arsenal are closing in on Matt Turner signing from New England Revolution. Deal in place for summer move,
@TaylorTwellman reports and club sources confirm. Fee expected to be around €7m plus €3m add ons. #AFC Personal terms already agreed. Final details and then done deal
Who is blaming Wenger Pbarany? All that’s been said is that Wenger was the manager when Aubameyang signed.
Worship Arteta? I don’t think so. 😂
Leno not leaving before the summer then Sue?
Calum Chambers has joined Aston Villa.
Looking that way, Rico [Leno].
That came out of nowhere!! 2m, is that right?
I read £2m Sue, we really are a pushover aren’t we.
We are indeed, Rico.. surely at least 1 will be coming in before the window closes? Very risky if not…
I can’t make any sense of things right now Sue.
You and me both!!! Very bizarre
While the website refers to an undisclosed fee, TransferMarkt claims it to be a free transfer for the versatile 3-capped RCB/RB/DM who worth 11M.
I’m sad for Calum leaving and disappointed for sticking to the free transfer (or bag of peanuts) tradition.
He was a reliable (squad) player and an genuinely nice lad overall
Pbarany, I’d rather apportion blame to those actually responsible then act like an utter fool and blame Arteta for everything, but then, I’m sure you’re right lol
Back in the day, fans on social media would blame Wenger for nearly everything wrong In the world and some of us would happily set them straight but hey, 5 minutes on here and you know it all.
What a legend you are, though 🙂 🙂 🙂
Oh and I hope you notice, If I’m directing a comment at someone, I name them, I don’t hide, so maybe you can grow a pair and do the same!!!!!!
It’s Scott with an S!!
Back to transfers, I’ve absolutely no idea why we’d have let Chambers go, short of signings being imminent.
That’s a strange one.
Hardly a massive wage being saved, but leaves us even shorter.
I can’t work it out at all, but let’s judge Arteta and Edu in February hahaha
Saliba coming back??
I haven’t heard anything, but is it possible??
Ladies won 2-1. Dominated play but only managed 2 goals. Still, 4 points ahead although Chelsea have a game in hand. Close, very close. I expect the WSL will depend on the result of the game between them.
Shame about Chambers. I don’t think he was ever given a chance to establish himself. Not a world beater but usually reliable. Hope he does well atVilla, who, incidentally seem to have bought very well and are playing some very good football under the scouse dipper!
Scott, you haven’t been on here all day and then you arrive, and have a go at Pbarany who was probably referring to my comment about Wenger, so try winding it in and offer an apology. You seem to think everything is directed at you but mostly, it’s not!
Sue, I hope someone within the club knows what the plan is…
Agree re Villa Wavy. They’ve made some good signings and haven’t stopped yet it seems.
Rico, I’m sure you believe that’s true.
I’m equally sure Pbarany would admit I’m right….
How the hell do you know if others are directing comments at me or not lol
Seriously.
Sorry to see Chambers go and we have to ask how many more. At the moment we can see the exit door wide open but the entry door pretty much closed.
The two million comes from the wages saved apparently there’s no fee .
We look like we are desperate to pare down to the bone and reduce overheads at any cost.It could be that’s the instruction Arteta got from Wiggy at their meeting.
Next up ? Who knows ?
Pbarany wrote “ is just unbecoming to our great club and this fine blog”.
Pbarany, if you tell me you weren’t directing your comments at me, I’ll happily apologise for attacking you over them.
Potter,
A few of us will need to lace up unless something drastically changes and quickly.
Why do you come on here Scott? To argue and be hostile towards others, or to have a debate about Arsenal?
5 mins or 5 years, everyone is equal on here.
Rico, funny, it doesn’t feel that way.
I can’t help but think that the Calum Chambers Transfer is more muddled thinking by all those concerned, I mean we paid £16million for him when £16million equates to around £30million today with football inflation.
He’s an experienced defender whose also an England international, but are we to believe that we’ve let him leave for less than Carl Jenkinson (who I liked as a proper Gooner but he was never really good enough – context there).
We could have sold him several times for £20m or more recently £10m but the geniuses who run our transfer business think it’s great to give him away, really?
I do scratch my head at times….
I mean I really want to believe that we have talented, switched on people running our transfer business but I can’t escape from a feeling that we have some right flipping idiots nicking a living at our club.
I do hope they prove me wrong…
We all do need to be proven wrong on this one, Kev.
This is possibly the strangest deal of a player leaving I’ve seen in a long time.
Unless the club are adamant some players are coming in, it seems there is just no logic behind it all.
It seems very odd to me even as a cost cutting measure Scott, so we now have a senior squad, if you exclude Nketiah and Aubameyang, of 19 players and even though we’re left in just one competition that seems a bit light to me, I can only imagine (and hope) that the club have several deals in the pipeline, be that Leno out for a decent fee and the American lad in, be that a new striker and at least one midfielder.
I guess that Nketiah is staying and leaving in the summer on a free, so more ‘great’ business and who knows with PEA…?
Kev we are proud to breed creepy crawlies and snakes in Melbourne, that’s how we keep the tourist away.
lovely weather in Melbourne Mid 30’s all week how is the weather in England haha
I suppose if you’re Stan Kroneke and you look at a spreadsheet that shows you what has been spent on incoming players over the last 10 years and compare it on what has been earned from outgoing players then there would be a certain cause for concern and a reluctance to keep on splashing out even if it’s coming from the clubs own resources…
Good for you Geoff and I consider myself well and truly put in my place… 😉
Kev, Eddie did refuse to sign an extension and did refuse a transfer so clearly he’s playing the game-we can’t always hold the club responsible for such situations but this one with Chambers is just strange.
This TW could well and truly blow up in our faces, but again, it’s not over so we can only hope lol
Geoff, Dan Andrews is enough to keep tourists away 🙂
I just asked elsewhere for people to imagine fans reaction if we’d actually bought Calum Chambers today rather than sold him 🙂 🙂 🙂
Don’t get me wrong, I can’t see why we’ve let him go here and now, but Arteta and Edu would be torn to pieces if we bought a player if his calibre atm.
Scott, Dan Andrews keeps everyone away including victorian’s
Yep, he’s becoming less popular by the day, Geoff.
I am not having a go at Arteta and No club wants trouble makers but I wonder if freezing players out like Arteta does actually works against him, as some players may look at it as a way to sign a big contract then upset him knowing he will freeze them out so they can still get paid yet not have to work for it.
Who ever writes the contracts have to get smarter, and put clauses in that state after the 3rd written warning The club can let them go with out having to pay the player out.
We can’t keep paying players and not picking them to play.
That’s definitely poor business, I’m sure we got more money for Santos and he was fat and useless.
Wow 19 man squad, where Arteta only trusts the starting 11. I hope he’s got a rabbit up his sleeve in the next 4 days.
Geoff, the problem today is players have way
Too much power.
They think they’re bigger than the club, and they have money hungry grubs advising them.
Thinking about it now, any money for him is good seeing that his contract expires end of the season. Never plays so doubt he would stay even if a new deal was offered.
Bradley, I think it’s more about the issue that our squad is so small already, this makes it even worse.
We all need to cross the fingers the club is on top of this and some players are headed in.
Elneny is now our longest-serving player now followed by Xhaka and Holding. It certainly is all change!
I know I often whinge (I’m female 😊) but I thought our players leaving for nowt was to be a thing of the past?? And just how much was Chambers on?
Speaking of Xhaka; Maureen is hopeful Roma will sign him before the window shuts – now would I mind if that was for nowt? Probably not 🤣🤣
‘He was fat and useless’ 🤣 Couldn’t have said it any better, Bradley
Sue are you picking on poor Xhaka, it’s all Arteta’s fault if he only played him off the bench for the second half extra time period only I am sure he will cut his red cards by 50% haha
I hope I won’t have to say it often, but Scott ([with] a capital S) is indeed right: I was referring primary to him when I formulated my critics on the fans who prefer to blame Wenger for Auba’s lack of efficiency and motivation ever since his astronomical raise.
I didn’t find Rico to be either a pro-Arteta fan or an Arteta-OUT advocate; he seems like a ‘time will tell’ pro-Arsenal supporter. And I wouldn’t attack him even in case of a major difference in our opinions – not because he is the blog owner, but because he always communicates in a kind and mature manner, so even a categorical disagreement shouldn’t be harsh.
Anyway I’m willing to admit Scott was right, and we really should celebrate it, because he seldom is. 😉 No apology is needed.
Nevertheless the phenomenon is wider than his sole opinion; I found it on many blogs and tweets, that even though Arsenal had our worst season of a generation, Arteta is the savior and should be given indefinite tenure and full power, as he is cursed with a sub-par squad – that he should be changing by 5-6 players every transfer window.
And while there is a lot of room for interpretation whether the decision of the manager is a good or a bad in the long run, I cannot help to find that blaming Wenger for signing a player that were prolific in the PL (1 golden boot and 1 goal shy from retaining it) and winning the FA Cup almost alone, and who seemed to trade his world class skills, attitude and dressing room presence for being the top earner of Arsenal and the PL well under Arteta’s management is the encyclopedia definition of a cognitive bias.
And on a more constructive – yet similarly controversial – comment: I am really very happy (no irony here) that we are trimming the squad. I am not just proud that with 22 players we have the smallest team in the PL (which is practically 21 as I don’t see Okonkwo playing a single competitive minute as the 3rd choice goalkeeper this campaign), but I thing this is a step in the right direction.
It is better to have a small squad than having players on payroll without assuring them the required minutes to grow, develop and keep them satisfied. We are losing Laca, Eddie, Chambers and Leno exactly because the lack of (guaranteed) playing time. And you can convince yourselves that this is a good thing because they are below the quality to play in the CL and fight for silverware, but I think it’s wrong. Lacazette was our player of the season when we almost reached the Champions League, Leno is a great keeper and a regular in the German national team, Eddie broke all youth goal records and was prolific until his development was halted by the lack of playing time…
So yes, having a small squad when all players are rotated and nobody stays under 1500 minutes a season is an improvement from past years. We might be envy to Chelsea that they loaned Saul Niguez who was worth €90M/£81M a year ago, but he worth only 40% of that now due to the fact he hasn’t play 700 minutes in England. And MU is destroying wealth with Donny van de Beek and Lingaard too even though their 69/88 PL minutes were somewhat complemented with 200 each in the CL and cup games.
But the reasonable squad size is temporary. Not because of the hope that 1-2 guys are rumored to join in the next 3 days (there might be outgoing transfers in the opposite direction for both GK and ST positions), but because we have 10 players on loan. Some of them coming back will/could be a good thing (Saliba, Nelson, Guendouzi) but we should find permanent solution to the rest (Bellerin, Torreira, AMN, Mari, Rúnarsson) – preferably for a reasonable transfer fee. And if new players are coming in either through transfers or the academy, than we should further trim the squad (Elneny, Soares, Aubameyang).
A team of 22 is perfect for a domestic campaing (PL + cups) and more than enough for a half season without cup games. We might need 24-25 if we reach Europe, but it’s not the time for panic buying. (Both Tottenham and Manchester City has 25-head squads.)
pbarany, as a point of fact, Rico is of the female percussion. 😉
Persuasion, not percussion.
Luiz Diaz goes to Liverpool for the same amount the Totts offered. The difference is that he didn’t want to go to the totts. He would have preferred a larger and more ambitious Club.
Arsenal is no longer in this group.
Please note that the law that regulates the total number of players on loan has been changed and will come into force next season.
Pbarany I would prefer to wait until the end of this season before extending Arteta contract. I know I am looking at it from a negative side but if with loose the next 3 games and other results go against us we could be as low as 8th place, and unless I miss read it wasn’t part of the reason why Arteta wanted our match rescheduled because we could not fill a side.
Pbarany, it’s ok, you can insult me all you like-you’ll be fine lol
For the record though, year in, year out I defended Wenger while he was regularly blamed for things he wasn’t guilty of, imo, and I dare say I almost always was in the minority but that’s fine, I don’t say things simply to be popular because, well, there’s hardly any point to that-not In my opinion, anyway.
I didn’t “blame “ Arsene for signing Auba, I merely pointed out Arteta didn’t make the signing so simply couldn’t be held responsible, but then as with Arsene, managers are to blame for almost anything that goes wrong at clubs, so pointing out something factually incorrect should be seen as educating you-you’re welcome.
Sue, it’s hard to believe he’s our longest serving player!!
How many times have we thought he’d be going but he’s managed to stay.
Incredible and really, he’s hard not to like as he always puts in, and genuinely comes across as a good man.
A rarity amongst todays players.
I agree with you Geoff (as I often do here), but from the right (?) perspective I can be seen as a negative guy.
But I am all for waiting till the end of the season.
And while I would prefer to have a point-based decision tree (transparent from the beginning of the season) instead of the obvious ranking/position based evaluation, I can live with the simple solution:
– 1st-4th position (CL): retain him with longer tenure and higher salary
– 5th-6th position (EL): wait for next season, do nothing, limit the transfer kitty
– 7th place or worse: sack his sorry ass immediately
While the situation is obviously more complicated than that, I am willing no to factor other aspects to the management, just to be generous.
what annoys me about players like Auba is the have a reputation for courseing problems at the a club then another club gives them a second and they play good for 2 season get a bumper new contract and automatically go back to there ways.
Geoff, and yet people often blame the manager.
Go figure.
The players Arteta sold have hardly set the world on fire.
Maybe there’s something in that.
I’ve been known to shake a tambourine Cicero. 😂
Imo, there’s one thing both Arsene and Mikel have in common. Their game management was/is pretty dire.
Morning all.
New post up now now.
Scott, to be fair, Arteta didn’t sign Auba but he he was of the decision making to give him a new contract.
Jm, I’d imagine that many of those out on loan will be either gone in the summer or back at the club and in the squad.
Cicero, does Rico play the drums then? 😄
Morning Kev, there’s an answer to that but I’ll keep things clean. 😂