Morning all.
Our new manager faced the media yesterday although not for the first time, that was on the day he took up his new post. This time though there was no Ivan Gazidis by his side. Just him, and his interpreter who was called upon on more than one occasion. Who cares about that though, at least he’s learning the language which will only make his life in England easier. I thought it showed him for who many of us believe he is, a perfectionist who didn’t want to caught out by any question the press threw his way. One slip up because he’d misunderstood their question and the back page buffoons would have soon twisted things to suit their own agenda.
Instead of listening, pausing, writing and repeating that process until a true record of what had been said during Press Conferences in years gone by, Arsenal.com have made life so much easier by printing a transcript:
On his first two weeks in training…
Good afternoon everybody. The first two weeks for us is to start knowing the club, knowing the players, knowing all the people who are working with us. And then to work tactically, technically and physically, to start this way and get ready for the friendly match [on Saturday]. We will arrive 50 per cent in our way.
On the Boreham Wood squad…
The main players for Saturday are the young players and the players who have been working with us. Then the other players who finished in the World Cup, they are coming for the next weeks and will go into their work with the players who are here. The first match for us to look at the performance by the players who are here.
On what he’s learned so far…
First, they are working very hard. They are working with the ambition that I want. I think the quality is high here, and I think together we will work with this quality and the details in the tactics. They will go with my ideas and work with my ideas every day, and this will help them to do these things on the pitch.
On whether the squad can compete for the title…
Let’s go step by step. We need to do it this way, working and thinking with our minds. For me, the position is for the team to get better day by day, and we plan for the first match against Manchester City.
On how many more players he would like to sign…
Normally, in my career the big clubs don’t close the [door] or the moment to sign a new player. Today, we are OK. Maybe we can bring in one if there’s a very good possibility for them to help us, but the club has done a great job of signing new players and I am happy.
On whether there’s a position he’s looking at strengthening…
We signed the players who we needed and only if one player is a big opportunity for us will we sign them. Normally, we are thinking about the young players, the possibility of them staying with us or going to play on loan at another team. We are also thinking about the players who were with us last year and whether we need them to stay with us. At the moment, I think the squad is complete. We will only sign another player if there is an opportunity to bring in that one player, or two players. We will only sign a player in the next month if he’s a big opportunity.
On Steven N’Zonzi…
I know him but we haven’t made a move for him.
On Aaron Ramsey…
I’m very happy with him. For me, every day, every training session, he has the ambition I want. He’s working with a quality, the type of ability that I want. I want to work with him.
On why Ramsey hasn’t signed a new deal…
This is one question for the player and for the club. In my opinion, I’ve said to Ivan, Raul and Sven that I think he’s an important player for me.
On his thoughts on England, life in London and his players…
I looked at the Premier League in my career and also all the players here in the Premier League. Normally, we know it. To be here, to start to know directly and to work with our players here and also we are going to play against all the other teams, to analyse the players, to analyse their systems and their ideas. In general, we know and I think the Premier League is maybe the best competition, for the teams, in the world.
On whether he thinks tactics will change from Arsene Wenger’s reign…
I want to win. The performances, every day, for work on attacking, defending, is to be competitive each match. My first idea is getting better day-to-day with our players and working hard with our players, to transmit my ideas. The system for me isn’t the most important. For me, the most important thing is to be and to create one competitive team. And then, we have the quality.
On appointing a new captain…
We’ve spoken about that. My idea is to know every player and to know, also, the personality of the players. And then, I think my first idea is to have five captains in the team. But at the moment, I don’t know the names. I need to know more and also, firstly, Koscielny is the first captain now and for me, I have respect for that. Then, we are looking at, looking for, who are the players whose personality is the best in the dressing room. We want to keep the respect for these players and to find the captain and choose very well the best player for that.
On if he’s decided who his No 1 will be…
I want to work with Petr Cech, with Bernd Leno, with Emiliano Martinez, with Matt Macey, with Ospina. It’s clear that we have [a lot] of goalkeepers but we want to work in the future with three goalkeepers in the first team. Now, I want to look, I want to work every day with all the goalkeepers and then I am going to decide for [who is No 1].
On if he’s spoken to Arsène Wenger about the players here…
Not yet. Normally, when we meet every year in Nyon (I think they mean Lyon) with the coaches, we have a conversation together. I am sure we will meet together in the next week or month or in the near future.
On if it would be helpful to get advice from Wenger…
*****Absolutely not. He was very successful when he first arrived but over recent years he has let the squad get away with too much. He had favourites and played them even when they were bad on the pitch. He’s been poor, his defensive ideas were non existent and it will take me a while to sort this big problem out but this is something I am already working on since day one and the players improves very well. Arsene is well respected but very old in the tooth. Today is about better football, analysing the team against us and working on how to stop them and how to win against them.*******
Each coach needs to know the players. Not all the coaches have the same relationship with a player and I have my personality. I want to know with my direct opinion, with my direct conversations with the player. I have information on the players for the club, from the people around me. The information with Arsène is also important for me but the best is my direct relationship and conversations with the players.
There’s quite a lot in there and clearly it matters not what number is on a players back, he’s going to have to work for his place in the side which is great to hear, certainly when it comes to our goalkeeping situation. I thought Petr Cech would automatically be our first choice again this season but regardless of being given the number 1 shirt, that doesn’t seem to be the case. With five keepers in the squad, two are going to be left disappointed but it’s up to them now to prove they deserve to be one of the three Emery selects.
The Aaron Ramsey situation isn’t ideal as he enters the last year of his contract. Rumour is he wants what Ozil is earning which is an awful lot of money imo and I don’t think either can justify such a salary being awarded to them. Whoever agreed the new contract for Mesut Ozil probably wishes he/they hadn’t. If it’s true and Ramsey gets that kind of salary, it won’t be long before others start knocking on the door for a pay rise. As much as Emery has made his feelings clear on the Welshman, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if by the end of this month, he was sold. I simply can’t see the club risking him leaving next summer for nothing.
As for further transfers, like Arsene used to say, the club are open to make one/two more signings if a big opportunity arises, only this time, I believe those words to be true.
Finally, the Spaniard wants five players of captain material. Koscielny I reckon will be one as he’s kind of hinted at that but good luck I say in choosing the other four…
Have a good day guys, tomorrow’s match is live on the Arsenal Player if your interested.
PS – ***** I made that bit up. 🙂
Good morning Rico. Thanks for your insight !
Morning Iari, AFC.com made it easy today.. lol
Rico….******** you didn’t have to make that bit up, its all true*******
I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but my enthusiasm for Arsenal is slowly coming back. Lets hope our new manager gets us back on the right track. I feel he has been left with plenty of dead wood though. It will be hard to ship them all out at once.
COYG
Morning Rico. If Unai can rouse the fans, like VCC, myself and doubtless countless others, from the rather bored slumber we have slipped into then it can only be a good thing. Wenger seemed oblivious to the fans support for the last few seasons.
Morning Vcc, just thought I’d have a bit of fun… lol
I think there’s a few set to leave before this window shuts. I noticed yesterday that Asano is back listed in the squad. I don’t think he even has a permit and there must be a few loans out planned..
Morning Adam, my enthusiasm has certainly returned. Even if we don’t start the season well, at least the years or tedious boredom are over.
G’day Rico, you had me going there for a while 😕
Wait and see.
Thanks Rico.
I hear you northern lot are getting Cornish weather !…………………..I`m used to the Sahara heat here and have plenty of used bedouin tents for sale if anyones interested !
🙂
https://twitter.com/IsMisePaddy/status/1017473250102861829/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1017473250102861829&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Farsenalarsenal.net%2F2018%2F07%2F12%2Fhugos-prediction%2F
meanwhile across the pond :- The Denver Nuggets pulled off a midnight trade this morning, sending the expiring contracts of Kenneth Faried and Darrell Arthur to the Nets in exchange for guard Isaiah Whitehead, who was promptly waived. That the Nuggets didn’t receive much of anything in return might not make sense at first, but it was actually a calculated move to save a relative pittance for billionaire owner Stan Kroenke.
For dumping approximately $21 million in salary onto Brooklyn, Denver was forced to also send a top-12 protected first-round pick in the 2019 draft, as well as a future second-round pick. While the Nuggets were previously around $13 million over the luxury tax, on account of a maximum five-year, $148 million deal for big man Nikola Jokic, they’re now $8 million below the tax, with a $6.6 million taxpayer mid-level exception and one open roster spot.
The Nuggets were so desperate to save money that they got rid of their first-round pick to dump two contracts that were going to be off the books after this season anyway. Kroenke, who’s accustomed to doing with his sports teams for quite some time now, now doesn’t have to pay approximately $20 million in taxes. The dude is worth $8.3 billion and also owns the Los Angeles Rams, the Colorado Avalanche, and Arsenal. He would’ve been just fine.
One thing worth considering is the repeat offender tax mark, which penalizes teams that pay the tax too often, but that wouldn’t have applied to the Nuggets. They haven’t paid the tax since the 2009-10 season. The value of a first-round pick is far higher than the possibility of having to pay a few extra million in taxes several years down the road, or even a few million dollars this year.
Ducking the tax is not noble in any way—it’s an explicit effort by management to reduce costs in order to maximize profit. The Nuggets just mortgaged a piece of their future in order to avoid paying a tax for no meaningful basketball reason. At least they signed Isaiah Thomas at his nadir.
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Avery Yang
That “big opportunity” that Unai Emery was talking about won’t be Shaquiri, he’s signed for the Bin Dippers.
Potter, that Denver maneuver is basically aimed at 2019 season as it would be one of the biggest Free Agency year ever. Nearly all of the teams in the NBA, except about 4, have virtually conceded the 2018 -2019 championship to the Warriors and a preparing for 2019 free agency. About 10 of the top 20 players are available to any team; for an example, the Knicks – not a team of financial responsibility, has been shedding salaries for 2 season just to prepare for 2019. The Jokic signing is simply to pair him up with another superstar for 2019 because you can’t leverage a superstar unless you have at least 1on your team, and the “cap room” to fit the salary.
By contrast, the Rams, also are owned by Kroenke, but because the team is contending for a super bowl, have been most active in signing and trading for pro bowl and all pro players: Ndamukong Suh, Aqid Talib, Marcus Peters,
Ramik Wilson, Robey-Coleman, Sam Shields etc… The idea that Kroenke would not spend, imho, is a exaggerate, he spends, but wisely. The easiest decision would have been to trade Jokic, but he invested 148m in him to try to leverage another allstar or superstar. When the time or the opportunity presents itself, i.e., Ozil, Sanchez and Aub, he will spend.
Have to say that I am not particularly interested in the minutiae of American sport , it was just the impression that he was prepared to weaken to save tax that sparked my interest.
Yes, Potter that how they made it looked that it was just Stan doing that; but failed to say 95% of
the teams, including the Lakers who just signed Lebron James are doing that also because all the other new players they have signed are on one year contracts…..
Afternoon Rico and the House.
Another scorching day where I am.
The starting team for the first game is
Cech, Bellerin,Sokratis, Mavropanis, Osei-Tutu
Niles, Willock, Smith Rowe, Nelson
Auba Lacazette.
Well that was thoroughly satisfactory result, no no not England v Belgium, Boreham Wood v Arsenal. 0 – 8.
It was good to see an Arsenal side so well on top, eager to score, comfortable on the ball, pacy and clinical.
I’ve just started watching a recording of the other game, England already one goal down, why in heaven’s name has Southgate started Sterling again?
England defence are all over the place, a bit like Arsenal under Wenger.
England is like Arsenal under Wenger………….promise so much then choke, but in the end 4th place is a trophy isn`t it ? 🙂
Have to disagree if I`m reading it right, Obi, Kroenke doesn`t spend at all, the club spends it`s self sufficient money not Kroenke !…….cant applaud him for buying Auba, Ozil and Sanchez as he didn`t…………………….so far his total investment of money on players is £0…………………………………I love putting that up, just ask Rico …………..hahaha……………………………however I do look forward to the day that he actually puts some of his own money in the club, it will be the same day that I am crowned the most virile lover in the world by a poll of the worlds women population………………………….no wonder I am fcuking knackered in this heat !
😆
I just can’t be bothered to watch any more of the England game, we have little in defence and nothing in either midfielder or up front.
I don’t know which is worse, Jones or Walker on the right of the back three.
Come on C, it’s Jones by a country mile, he is total crap. At least Walker has speed to save him. Jones has, well I’ll let you decide!
Not a good game or plan from Ingerland but an inevitable result. Yeh, top four but like Arsenal what more could you want……T’s the pinnacle of success in Kronke world, why would Ingerland,be,any different?
All a bit of a disappointment really.
Well the euphoria petered out and like Elvis left the building. The stark reality is that we finished 4th having avoided playing any of the really big guns and came up short against Belgium again.
Time for reflection ! Southgate accepted that our players are not good enough and tried to develop a system that could accomodate what we have. To a point it worked but it was based on being careful and not leaving things to chance. We got lucky with decisions golden boot Kane with three penalties and a massive stroke of luck with a rebound that he was not even fully aware of. I would feel embarrassed to accept it .
We played percentage football , good enough to scrape home against Tunisia , thrash Panama , just about survive Columbia , beat Sweden , and then as soon as a bit of skill showed it’s face lost to Belgium twice and finally Croatia.
3 wins ,1 draw , 3 losses entirely average.
Agree there Potter……………………..I`m just glad they are not having an open top bus parade as that would be embarrassing !……………………………may be the Spud lads will do it around Haringay in honour of Kane`s golden boot !
🙂
……..or that howler by Lloris. 😈
Morning all.
New post up now.