Morning all.
For years Arsenal has had what I would call an under tall squad. When Arsene Wenger’s team was in its pomp, the likes of Petit, Vieira, Edu, Campbell, Toure, Henry, Keown, Adams etc stood tall. Literally.
Now we’re going, or rather we’ve gone, big again. Partey, Rice, Havertz, Calafiori, Saliba, Kiwior, Gabriel and if he ever arrives, Merino. All are 6’ 1” or taller. They’re strong players too but with grace on the ball. The only under 6’ defenders and defence minded midfielders we have is Zinchenko, Timber and Jorginho.
Nice to see five of our players named in the PFA Team Of The Season. Fully deserved too. Haaland, Foden, Walker, Rodri, Watkins and van Dijk made up the rest of the team.
Yesterday was about five things in the news relating to Arsenal. Yes, Merino yet again which is inevitable until he either signs or the transfer window closes. Both Eddie Nketiah and Charlie Patino are very close to leaving Arsenal on permanent deals and Mikel Arteta is very close to signing a new contract. Nothing new there really.
Fabrizio Romano revealed that Bournemouth have joined in the race for Ramsdale. It seems no club wants to actually part with money to sign him though as all I’ve read is loan deals. Fine if it means they’ll buy him next year but if Arsenal to sign a replacement, I bet they’ll be expected to pay up in full. Whoever signs Ramsdale will get a top notch goalkeeper.
Raheem Sterling’s name has been loosely linked to Arsenal but unless it’s a loan deal with Chelsea paying the majority of his wages, thanks but no thanks. Ademola Lookman Is another new name linked to Arsenal. Sportitalia via Goal.com claims that Arsenal are looking to make an enormous offer for Lookman this summer. The report claims that the Gunners are preparing a bid worth €50 million (£42.5m/$55.7m) plus bonuses but could include Jakub Kiwior in the deal to lower the fee. A loan with an option to buy is also on the cards as the transfer window draws to a close. Liverpool are linked with him too.
Even if Merino were to sign before tomorrow’s lunchtime deadline, there’s zero chance of him starting against Villa on Saturday in my opinion, or even making the bench because he’ll need to find his feet. Calafiori has already trained and played during the end of the preseason but he didn’t get onto the pitch last weekend. He’ll get his day though, as will any other player who Arsenal sign in the next eight days.
Short one today guys just to refresh the site.
Catch up in the comments..
I thought White had a better season than Walker…
I believe the window doesn’t close until Friday next week Rico.
Good Morning Rico and all
Enjoyable summary Rico. But am confused about it. How can a short post be about tall people?? It seems something is not fitting hehe 😜😜😅😅
Tbh I have been banging the drum regarding tall players since the days post Vieira MK1. The days of Fabregas, Flamini, TR07 and later on Arteta, Cazorla etc. we had a team of shorties and while the idea of AW was a very good one because ideally the ball should be played on the ground, in reality the EPL is unforgiving and when shorties come against tank like players whose main theme is to maim and get into our players’ faces to subdue us, its very difficult to get a result. That’s why Vieira MK2 does not cut it that much because of his frame, height etc. On the other hand if we had shorties with the attitude and strength of Makelele or Kante the story would have been different. Such aggressive and skillful shorties are very very rare.
Now as you said, we have tall players with grace on the ball. And its not surprising that teams are finding it difficult to subdue us.
I was referring to the deadline for this weekend Cicero. I should have made it clearer. Lol
Morning you two by the way.
I’m glad we’ve added height to our squad in recent years. Opponents have big and strong strikers who we can’t expect someone like Saka or Zinchenko to be marking on set pieces etc.
Having short players marking at set pieces is ok if the positions are arranged so that the keeper takes responsibility for those areas. That’s one of the reasons why I supported Ramsdale against Raya as he is taller and has a better reach.
Still that ship has sailed and Arteta is not about to change tack now.
Can’t complain about the abilities of Cesc and Cazorla for us and Zola for the Chavs recently and Armstrong in the past , you don’t have to be tall to be effective but as long as the team is built in a way to use their better skills there is a place for them.
Regarding transfers , what will be , will be. It takes more than two to tango nowadays and with so many fingers in the till , I am not surprised that sometimes things do not work out . If though as is being suggested the management at Real Sociedad are changing their demands on a daily basis they are running the risk of a player that down tools and plays his contract out and they lose everything . Just as we may well be stuck with players that we want gone because of no-one wanting to meet our demands.
I’ve nothing against smaller technical players but there has to be a balance surely?
When we had Petit and Vieira, we also had strong/tall defenders and technically gifted players around them. We went from being a powerful team to an ‘easily bullied’ team. Imo of course..
Wait and see.
Lee dixon 5ft 10, Winterburn 5ft 8, Lyungberg 5ft 9, Pires 6ft 1, Henry 6ft 2, God of Highbury 6ft,
Vieira 6ft 3, Mr Arsenal 6ft 3, Steve Bould 6ft 4, Divine Blonde ponytail 6ft 1, SAfe hands 6ft 4,
You see lads….the short ones play on the flanks not in the middle or the spine. Those are the double winners of 1998.
Different than having Cazorla, Cesc, Rosicky, Flamini etc in the middle of the park. I love them all mind you and they had a God given skill which had you on the edge of your seat and when they left I was gutted as I wanted them to succeed and continue with us. But strength plays a big part, height plays a big part. And I never saw the 1998 winners being bullied, but the Cazorla and Cesc midfield was bullied now and then.
as Rico pointed out….there must be balance……so the shorties on the flanks and leave the spine full of tall monsters.
Jm, did you see Potter’s comment to you yesterday?
Morning all, I reckon Rico sumed it up well, it all comes down to balance. a good small player is alway handy around a pack enviroment to weave in and out and look for that loose ball to put in the back of the net.
My old Aussie rules coach used to say, I want the tall player in goals to defend or mark if in the forward line and the smaller players just hang around the pack and be pest just like an annoying fly at a BBQ
Don’t worry too much about Portugal Rico , I will be investigating but I was curious about driving distances and times.
Thanks anyway.
Wait and see Rico
Harry Brook is a bit special…
Shut up AK
Devil is right. All things being equal, ability, skills and determination. The bigger the athlete the better. One thing no coach can tech is size.
Okie dokie Potter..
He is Kev, very special. Gone for this innings though…
Merino done according to my son .
Merino done apparently, now for the medical.
By David Ornstein
Arsenal have reached an agreement in principle to sign Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad.
Arsenal have agreed to pay €33.5million (£28.4m) alongside €5m in variables to secure the services of the midfielder, who is expected to agree a four-year contract plus a club option of a further year after undergoing a medical.
Not on .com though.
Ornstein is the next best thing. 😜
It’s like the Forsyth Saga all over again…
Certainly is..
Arsenal will make no announcement until every i has been dotted and every t crossed, the medical successfully passed and only regulatory processes to be completed. The transfer fee and player wages will be undisclosed.
It’ll be too late for Villa Park but Merino will be in situ for City.
I guess the big question for Arteta at Villa is who starts on the left?
Zinchenko or Timber or Califiori?
Martinelli or Trossard?
Rice (8) or Havertz?
Emery will be equally unsure in what is his biggest game of the season…
The Telegraph is saying the Merino deal is all but done for around £28 million. It is also reporting that Nketiah is close to joining Nottingham Forest for around £30 million.
One in, one out, a profit of around £2 million. Every little helps in these days of P S R.
Timber at left back for me Kev. Even had the Merino deal been completed in time for the Villa game, I don’t think he would have been picked as he would have had no time for even the briefest of training sessions with his new teammates. We could see him given some minutes against Brighton at home Saturday next.
Timber or Calafiori for me.
New post up.