Morning all.
This transfer window seems to have flown by, yet it’s been pretty quiet for Premier League clubs. So far anyway. Even Man City are yet to dip their toes into the market which is unlike them. That could all change though over the next seven days, just as it might for Arsenal who have also opted against signing anyone since the 1st of January. Mikel Arteta is giving little away when asked if fans can expect to see a new face or two arrive at the club.
“We’ve been looking at different positions,” he said.
“Since I joined we lost Calum and we had circumstances and injuries in those positions, so it’s true that at the back we have been short.
“At the moment I am 50/50 because this window is complicated. I only want to bring someone in if I am really convinced he can improve the level that we have.”
Sounds obvious i know but he’s right, what is the point in spending money on a player who isn’t going to improve the squad because the last thing we need is another salary being paid to another ‘decent’ footballer when we’ve enough of those already. This squad needs players who will come in and make a difference. A VvD kind of impact in defence, an Arshavin kind of signing whose arrival in January a few years ago lit up the Premier League and had a big influence on Arsenal securing a top four spot. Or of course Aubameyang and a relatively unknown Nacho Monreal who turned out to be a really tidy footballer. I would mention Adebayor, but… There’s been plenty of other winter signings, far too many to mention but not all made an instant impact because as we know, overseas players often need time to adjust to the game in England.
There’s a new name in the gossip pages and that’s Pablo Mari. Once signed by Man City, but never played a game for them A couple of loans followed by a permanent move away from the club yet here he is, heavily linked with a return to the Premier League.
Flamengo central defender Pablo Mari is close to joining Arsenal according to reports on ESPN. The 26-year-old is believed to have flown to London on Friday in order to have a medical with the Gunners. – Sky Sports.
He’s 6’ 3” so I love him already! Seriously, I’ve no idea what kind of a player he is but obviously Mikel Arteta must know a lot about him from his time at City. He might have been out on loan but his performances will have been monitored.
Here he is on YouTube…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OijBogZA5vI
Impressed?
See you in the comments guys.
Good morning Rico, this guy looks like a proper defender and at only £7 million he could be a bargain. Mind you, we’ve had a string of centre backs who turned out to be real turkeys and you tube videos need to be taken heavily salted.
Height is right, age is right and he’s been around the block a few times, and a few clubs too.
I’ll keep an eye on Arsenal.com and wait for the official announcement.
I just hope we haven’t brought a pig in a poke so to speak and that he is able to shore up our leaking defence.
Hi Rico and Cicero sounds like Mari deal could go through I can not remember him playing but as he played for Man city while Arteta there I guess we have to trust Arteta trust in this guy
Hi Rico,So you are happy to be excited by a “tree trunk: as long as it is 6ft3″ ! Wow what Arsenal has reduced itself to. Pablo Mari may be 6ft3”, but he is as slow as a “snail” and in the modern gam, with likes of Mane, Salah, Son Heung-min and Adama Traoré with their after burners; Pablo Mari will be eating dust in their wake as none other than Virgil Van Dijk of Liverpool was left highly embarrassed by Nicolas Pepe, that it was rumoured that Van Dijk had “therapy” subsequently.
If Arsenal do sign this piece of “log” , mark my words today, 25th January 2020. I am nearly always correct in my prognostications.
Morning Rico and all. We certainly need some defensive cover as Chamber’s prognosis doesn’t look good at all.
Big Fcucking Spaniard, we’ve got a Big Fcuking Spaniard
Morning all.
Adam, has there been a medical update on his injury recently? I’ve not seen or heard anything new, except he will be out for at least another 8months or so.
Today is proper miserable and chillingly cold.
Omar, if you read HH often, you’d catch on to my irony. Lol
Afternoon all.
Afternoon Rico, thanks for the post.
You Tube vids are notoriously unreliable, they can make the likes of Yaya Sanogo look like John Charles, but I have to say that this guy looks just what we need in the Premier League, he looks like a no nonsense defender who would probably be at home playing for Burnley or Watford or Wolves, no frills with him mate. He just heads it away and boots it away and looks a threat at corners, a Spanish Ben Mee or Conor Coady, who seems to read the game to compensate for his lack of pace, just like a BFG.
He gives Arteta variety in defence, so if we face an opponent who launches it into the box we just stick BFS there to nut it away. I also liked the fact that Guardiola signed him previously so he must be able to play even if I got the impression that he doesn’t fanny about he just gets it away from the danger zone.
Off topic, but if Arsenal paid a fee to loan Ceballos and he goes back to Real Madrid, does that mean we get a refund, you know like taking your empty lemonade bottle back to the shop and getting 3d to spend on some chews?
Left footed CB struggle in EPL
Didn’t Mari play against all conquering Liverpool recently and it took all conquering Liverpool until the 99th minute to score and thrash the Brazillians 1-0..?
If he can do that then he can’t be all bad…
https://mobile.twitter.com/charles_watts/status/1221047945702838272
https://www.goal.com/en-gb/amp/news/arsenal-close-in-on-loan-deal-for-flamengo-defender-pablo/1186n2onx1p5j1l372lf861yl4?__twitter_impression=true
Hi Kev. Good point re the Liverpool game. Pace isn’t a problem imo, IF a player can read the game etc etc. We’ve been long overdue a no nonsense defender and by that I mean someone who just concentrates on clearing the danger.
Whether Mari could be that guy is something we won’t know until he tries.
From that twitter feed, looks like he’s on is way in barring a medical failure..
Just because we didn’t spend £60/£70m on a defender that doesn’t necessarily make it a bad deal Rico, look at Kepa – £71m….?!
Martinelli was just loose change and he’s not turned out too bad…
Great work by Woakes, Wood and Broad, or we might have struggled to reach 300…
Are you watching it Rico?
I know Kev. I’ve never judged a player by his fee. Always irks me when players arrive but are slated before they even put a kit on.
I am watching Kev. You know me, if England are playing I rarely stray from the television. 😂
Wavy. Just that he might not be fit for next season. At least.
Hi Adam, Chambers? If so that a real shame. The guy just gets going and looks good and bang…
Same thing happened to Welbeck and Holding.
Got you. I didn’t really expect him back much before November. That’s a long time to wait though. Perhaps another CD is needed, despite the fact that Chambers will ultimately return. A no nonsense big lump may serve us very well, if he arrives!
Arsenal.com it is then!
Wavy, I think you can pretty much write off a year from a players career when they suffer an ACL or something similar. Bellerin is just getting back and that’s over a year, same with Holding who is still nowhere near the level he was before Rashford done him.
Physically Bellerin and Holding are probably fine, it’s just about rebuilding their confidence and match sharpness…
Out here in Essex it’s dull, overcast and damp, a right miserable day…
Rico, looks like England have found themselves two reliable opening batsmen, add Burns to the mix and suddenly a problem area of the team doesn’t seem a problem anymore.
I like Bess, he’s got a lot of potential and Pope is a real find, we’ve certainly got a lot of talented young players coming through at Test level…
It’s just a shame that the game at Test level is in serious decline!
Thankfully the Aussies still enjoy it, because nobody else seems to….
The days of playing 5 Test matches against the West Indies and South Africa are fading – how can we not be playing 5 Tests in South Africa?
It’s just down to Australia and India now…
The two end batsmen were pretty good too Kev.. lol
Best test innings by Broad since the fifty he got back in the day.
South Africa don’t know whether to stick or bust. England looking good for a series win.
88 for 6 at close of play.
Excellent day for England. Loved it.
As a junior, playing for his county I think he was an opener, just like his dear papa! And he did little or no bowling! How the times have changed!
Just drawn the curtains on a day that has been dark, dull, damp and dreary since getting up time this morning. As a friend would say, “a typical Stavangar day.”
Hope tomorrow is not more of the same. It really is quite dispiriting.
never judge s book by it’s cover wait for action
We tend to here remix.
Evening Rico and All
Great to hear quiet a few on here and Micky saying how badly Calum is missed,defending takes time to understand,like Rico said A yard upstairs,it can be worth 2 yards downstairs if you know the game.
Sometimes with players more so defenders journeymen apprenticeships are key,so maybe this geezer (Pablo)could be ready now.
A lot here were bigging Holding over Calum a little while ago,but a season at Fulham with proper mens football brought him on bigtime.
Lets hope our mob give holding a chance,he needs maybe a little grassroots for a couple of months lower league,because I think his lacking a yard.
Evening Fred. When it comes to lacking pace, I always think of Gilberto. An excellent reader of the game which made him the great midfielder he was.
Who do you think needs a loan, Holding?
Yer I do,he looked losted the couple of times he has had a chance his passing out of defence was Division 4.
Just rusty though surely after a long time injured.
Maybe rico..But my experience tells me most defenders switch on when guided by journeymen,who know the and read the next phase.
I’m sticking with rusty Fred. Lol
I hope Rob makes it with us I thought he showed a bit of leadership early on last year,comparing him with Calum was a bit unfair on here I thought,considering how well he played at rightback when first arrived from the saints.
You maybe right Rico..But training is a lot more slower than the real deal,so it looks like Micky has had a good look.
Night guys
Morning all.
Ok, YouTube-the point of players profiling themselves is obviously to get the very best of them on film, but I dare say not many clubs look at Youtube to find their next diamond 🙂
I know absolutely nothing about Mari, but I trust in Arteta 100%.
We have flashy, erratic CB’s so seems we could use a stalwart, someone solid and safe.
BFG would be welcomed back right now by most of us, imo-well, if he were 26 years old lol
If we get the lad, we get behind him and I predict Arteta knows more about football than Omar, and I’m never wrong so mark this date down hahahahahahaha
Any other potential signings looking a chance guys????
Chambers will take 12 months to get back, and another 6-12 after that to get back to his best.
Mari maybe, but Kurzawa is off to Juventus.
Morning all.
I don’t know why we send new players for medical lets face it we seem to by them if there injured any ways same money and time just sign them
Hi Scott I see Arsenal Ladies have signed an Australia player
Morning all.
Geoff, Foord is a gun player and she will serve the club well.
Aye let’s just leave omar do all r transfers seeing as he knows every players ability in the world, can’t see flamengos games being aired often so he must be season ticket holder. Omar if your an arsenal fan then I’m sure you’ll know that the cb we have r useless, so I think he’ll be a much needed replacement.
Morning All,
Happy Australia day. Isn’t an Arsenal free weekend strange? I suppose we should be getting used to it, another 2 coming up too.
At least we have a likely new signing, plus we are guaranteed to be in the 5th round cup draw.
Bring on Bournemouth!
Cheers Limey.
So Mari is a done deal?
Not yet Scott, I’d imagine with it being Sunday, we’ll hear nothing until tomorrow at the earliest.
New post up now
Morning all