Morning all.
Sead Kolasinac is in the bag, our first signing of this most important transfer window and on a Bosman free. A shiny five year deal done and dusted. I’ve seen a bit of him on the Bundesliga highlights show on TV, presented by some interesting blond Fraulein and he looks one tough hombre. He has pace, tackles like Nigel Winterburn, has a lot of skill and looks made for the Premier League.
It’s been a smart piece of business but baring in mind Arsene’s recent comments, is Sead the first of only three summer signings? And is three going to be enough?
With the prospect of up to eight players leaving this window and that’s not accounting for those wanted by Barca or with contract issues and Arsene saying that the squad is basically too big and needs to be trimmed, will we be light again when the season kicks off in August. We all know what Arsene is like for going into a season with a squad that lacks depth, a few injuries and then it’s panic stations! He never seems to learn and really isn’t likely to change at 67 years of age and with a 2 year contract in his skyrocket, so we’d better suck it up.
Looking at the squad, this is how I see it, and feel free to disagree and if you do then come on board with your reasons and suggestions on our squad going into 2017/18.
Ok, staying for definite;
Petr Cech, Emi Martinez, Nacho Monreal, Hector Bellerin, Rob Holding, Per Mertesaker, Gabriel Paulista, Shkodran Mustafi, Laurent Koscielny, Sead Kolasinac, Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey, Granit Xhaka, Francis Coquelin, Mohamed Elneny, Alex Iwobi, Danny Welbeck, Theo Walcott, Olivier Giroud, Jeff Reine-Adelaide and Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
That’s 21 players who I think will stay and be involved in the 1st squad in the 4 competitions Arsenal will be competing in.
Cohen Bramhall, Krystian Bielik and Kelechi Nwakali could also feature in the cups although rumour has it that Bielik could be heading to Norwich City for a season long loan.?
These are the players who I think will probably be staying although some may yet be sent off on loan t gain further experience.
Calum Chambers, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, Matt Macey, Jack Wilshere and Chuba Akpom.
Finally these are the players who I think will be leaving us this summer;
Yaya Sanogo (gone), Lucas Perez (sadly), Kieran Gibbs, Mathieu Debuchy, Joel Campbell, Wojciech Szczesny, Carl Jenkinson and David Ospina.
So assuming I’m fairly accurate, where do we need strengthening?
These are the players recently linked to us as possibly signings:
James Rodriguez – who we’ve allegedly made an offer for but it’s been turned down by Real Madrid as it falls short of their £70 million valuation. Our offer is not far off though, so perhaps the club will go back.
Riyad Mahrez, 26, £50 million.
Arda Turan, 30, £26 million.
Jean Michael Seri, 25, £34 million.
Alexandre Lacazette, 26, £50 million.
Corentin Tolisso, 22, £50 million
Kylian Mbappe, 18, £100 million +
Another player we are linked to this morning is Lazio’s Hakan Calhanoglu, a Turkish winger. I think the only Turkish player we’ve had in the squad before is Oğuzhan Özyakup and he left us back in 2012.
If we can keep the majority of the squad including Alexis and Mesut, would three signings enough this summer, two if we already include Sead Kolasinac?
If so, which two players would you like to see join him?
By AllezKev.
Ozil is Turkish – although plays for Germany.
Not a big fan of Turkish players in England, they come with big reputations but always fail, like Sahin who was apparently one of the best midfielders in Europe until he came here and was invisible until leaving.
I counted Ozil as German Trb.. 🙂
Re Sahin, we could say the same about Ozil too, certainly last season he went missing, for the majority of it too…
I don’t know anything about this guy we are linked with..
We need grafters in this squad though, no more who only play when they feel like it.
Ozil needs people running off him.
When we play poorly, one thing always stands out, imo, and that’s the lack of movement off the ball.
When we are stagnant, Ozil has no options.
He’s not a guy who will ever grab the game by the scuff of the neck, but feeds off others so when we play well, he will make us even better, but when we are poor, he looks terrible.
If we get Mbappe, Lacazette or anyone with speed and intelligence, Ozil will suddenly be the player we all know he has in him.
Imo, he’s simply too good and too smart for what he has in front of him ATM.
Imagine Thierry in front of him?
Just picture that.
Morning all.
Morning All
Morning Rico, great edit, thanks for that.
I wonder if Mustafi has Turkish ancestry?
Sahin should have come to Arsenal.
Emre Can seems to perform well for Liverpool.
Scott, we can afford to carry Ozil in some games as he is always likely to create something out of nothing, but we can’t carry 2 or 3 players in a game, that’s the issue for me.
Agree re Ozil Scott but still, he could work a bit harder. We demanded it of Walcott so why not Ozil?
I agree, Kev.
Ozil should be an automatic starter,
Imo, but against certain sides, the likes of Iwobi and Theo can’t start with him.
Morning Kev. Pleasure.. and thank you..
Referring to some latter comments on yesterday’s post, I have to agree that on the surface there isn’t a lot of difference between Perez and Lacazette.
Wenger won’t come out of things too well if Perez joins another Premier League team and scores a lot of goals.
That’s why he’ll be sold to abroad.
On my side I see arsenal need about three players,ie defensive midfielder, Strong quality striker,central defender again once more right winger.there we can start dreaming of winning league cup including international cup,money makes money!let them put money and quality player.Wenger always minimize money and buy average players which does not win trophies.otherwise he will leave the club winning the league cup for anymore!
Imo, Wenger shouldn’t be sell Perez full stop. He offers so much, if only he’d get game time..
Would like a beast alongside Xhaka, he is a lot like Petit with his range of passing so needs an all action midfielder alongside him and that’s not something we have. We desperately need a striker with a 20+ a season range, I would even sign Costa if Conte really wants rid of him, just imagine the fire he would have in him, a pure and proper bastard leading the line how Sanchez and Ozil would love having him up there!
These players needs to be sold: Giroud, Ozil, Ramsey, Coq, Ospina, Perez, Wilshere, and Debuchy.
Bring back Campbell.
Buy James Rodriguez/Julian Draxler, Aubumeyang.
Keep: Alexis, The Ox, Bellerin, and Wallcott.
Arsenal needs players with pace because we not gonna win anything with slow players like Ozil, Giroud and Ramsey
I’m on the fence re Costa, with his attitude, in an Arsenal shirt the red cards would start coming again. But I can see why you’d want him Brady..
We certainly need a top draw striker, regardless of what happens to Perez imo.
A few comments saying we won’t win anything or trophies with certain, current players, merely two weeks after the Cup final win.
I guess some people don’t rate that, but plenty of us do.
Maybe we don’t quite have the firepower to win the League, and I agree we must be looking to do that, but let’s not cheapen the value of the FA Cup, guys.
On Perez-if he leaves, and I wam ils t blame him one bit, it’ll go done as one of the great mysteries of the world.
He must have really upset Wenger, but the fact is we bought him and he deserves a hell of a lo more playing time than he’s been afforded.
Seems to be a lot of noise on the Net concerning Alexis Sanchez joining Man City?
Funny about that only days after the ST deadline has passed.
Personally if this move comes to pass, I won’t blame Alexis, but whoever is responsible for contracts at Arsenal should be picking up their P45
Really you’d keep Wilshere? I’d ship him off and bring in someone of equal quality (which isn’t difficult, you’ve named a few) and who doesn’t have the injury baggage.
Thanks AdonisKev…………….you must have been bench pressing some serious pies today as that is a pumped up post !
Arsenal are in the final stages of negotiations over a deal for CSKA Moscow midfielder Aleksandr Golovin, according to reports in Russia.
Sports.ru claim that sources close to the Russian club have confirmed that the Gunners are close to securing a £10 million move for the 21-year-old…………………………….”final stages”………..so must be true as how would you know it was in the final stages ! 🙂
Reiss Nelson has been added to the 1st team squad along with Maitland-Niles………………Kelachi hasn`t so will probably go on loan again as with Bielik.
Alexis is going everywhere and nowhere………….if he does go and we dont get a better replacement ( is there apart from Messi and Ronaldo ?)……then I`m giving up as I will not follow the club whilst a hypercritical, contradicting liar is running the club, so you better be true to your word Arsene !
Just for the sake of it I did some maths and converted the Spud points total this season into the old points system of 2 for a win and 1 for a draw and guess what ?………………..their points average was better than when they won the league in 1961BC ( Before Colour)………………so this was mathenatically technically their best season ever !………………and they still won fcuk all !………………hahahahahaha
I must be a fcuking anorak……………also known as lonely virgins to most !…………….. to have taken the time to look up old Spud tables and do calculations ! hahahaha
test
At last, hh crashed on me…
Kev good post, at this point Rico may not post again.
The genius of Ozil is really underappreciated. We get a few biased tv producers isolating Ozil defensive work or the lack of it and all the sudden he’s lazy. Even the workhorse Sanchez takes a play off here and there. There is a reason why players like Kante, who imho is overrated, are ineffective against Arsenal and the reason is Ozil. Watch how he lets players like Fenandinho, Kante etc plays him instead of the ball. Some fans want James but wants to sell Ozil. Really, Ozil is better off the ball and with the ball, and James is worst defensively.
I can see why AW will want Hakan Calhanoglu, Kev he actually plays for Leverkusen, he would be a perfect replacement for Santi and he’s bigger and can play the wing too but is much better as a CM.
If AW is to be believe that he will not sell Ozil and Sanchez, imho that will be stupid to lose a combined 90m, then this roster does not need more that 2-3 players as he said, DM, Winger, Striker. With DM the perfect one will be Vidal but he’s not leaving BM, Nainggolan, Sane, Illarramendi can all fit the bill. I think The most important is the Striker get Andre Silva young and good imho better that Gabriel Jesus at MC.
Tactics and adjustments are more important than players. Don’t get the players then play them out of formation. Ozil has been awesome with 3 at the back because the wingbacks are doing the most of the tracking back which are him to play to his abilities, Ox and Bellerin are terrifying opponents with their pace, etc… so the adjustments in tactics is more important than players. AW need to be more pro-active with in game management.
Arsenal are in the final stages of negotiations over a deal for CSKA Moscow midfielder Aleksandr Golovin, according to reports in Russia.
Sports.ru claim that sources close to the Russian club have confirmed that the Gunners are close to securing a £10 million move for the 21-year-old.
Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2017/06/10/arsenal-in-final-stage-of-transfer-talks-to-sign-russia-midfielder-aleksandr-golovin-6699550/#ixzz4jbnkU6Sq
Why would I not post Obi? 🙂
I still think Ozil can be lazy, I agree he’s a top player but when the going gets tough, he goes missing. Too many times he ducks out of a challenge or just watches on as others try and do the dirty work..
But I think most of us have said, one passenger in a side is fine, especially when that player has the ability which Ozil has, but when Wenger plays others who don’t like to put a shift in, we are never going to do well.
Campbell didn’t played at Sporting and they don’t want him again.
Our squad have many players? Really?
How many games can Cazorla play next season? and Mets? How many players have we over the 30 years old? Are we prepare for playing 50-55 or more, games next season?
Please, don’t bring James Rodriguez. Will be one more…90% of the time out…
Who have seen Giroud goal yesterday in Sweden?
It was very good Jm.
Chile newspapers: alexis wants to leave Arsenal. Mean reason: AW two more years in Arsenal
Spanish newspapers: Bellerin will ask to be transferred to Barcelona
Spanish newspapers: After bought a rigth back ans a midfield with quality, Barcelona will think in Mahrez
Cant watch the England game as too many Spuds and an ex-spud in the team !……………….although there are at least two ex-Arsenel supporters in the team !……………………………..hope they win but cant watch without wanting the Spud players to contract a debilitating desease !…………………..although I expect they already have STD`s as they are a very close squad at Spudland !.
But is that newspaper reliable Jm?
Needed some Arse` injection !……………………..My OX baby !
How many times do I have to tell you Rico ?………………the only reliable source of information is…………..Ornstein !……………………and he hasn`t tweeted for 10 days !…………..obviously he hasn`t decided to tell Arsene who to buy tet !. 🙂
Unfcukingbelievable !
Joe Hart should be dropped !……………………how much of an empty goal did he allow for the first free kick !……………………….
Rico @ 3:21 re posting. I don’t know my friend, Kev is executing an old African style coup de-tat….. it must be my African heritage…..lol. But seriously your guys are doing a great job. As many sports blogs l go on, I have never felt the need to even commit on any except HH. And all the posters are terrific also, no matter the different opinions.
Ha ha Lc, is he reliable though?
Thanks Obi, that means a lot to me…
It’s true Rico 🙂
Thank you, Obi, I am indeed terrific ! hahaha
You are terrific aswell !……….so Yaya tells me ! 😆
Back to England !…………………..I keep watching the Scotland goals and Hart`s positioning is dreadfull for both goals………..they werent even in the top corner ffs !.
I see that Australia have been sent packing after losing to Great Britain, R o Ireland and the Commenwealth in the Cricket !
I don’t think Obi meant all Adam….. ??
We had three or four new people come on here today, it’s such a shame they don’t stick around for longer..
LC, we Aussies couldn’t get a full game in anywhere lol
Bloody rain in England-who’d have thunk it hahahaha
Scott 11.49, spot on for once, I can’t remember any other player in the last 20 years upsetting Arsene the way he has, simples he’s got to go !
As for Alexis, didn’t he swap shirts in the semi final at Wembley, he don’t half look good in a Man City shirt lol.
On a serious note, if Citeh were in for him I think we could match their wages….it’s the diving pool that they have installed at their new training ground that really worries me……we live in hope !
Launceston’s Richie Porte leads Criterium du Dauphine in lead up to Tour de France.
Cricket in England: Rain 3 – 0 Australia
What Launceston ?……….the new one or the old one ?……………….or the fake one or the real one ?………………………….Is Richie …….Tazmanian or Cornish ?………………………is he a Wombat shagger or a Sheep shagger ?
😆
Just watch & all will be revealed Le Cornwall. Or google him ?You can come along for the ride LC being from Cornwall ?
I think it’s quite appropriate at a time when England is run from Northern Ireland, that England & Wales is captained by an Irishman?
The tail wagging the dog GG.. ?
Morning all.
Do we (England) still have South Africans playing for the country ?……………..aswell as the Welsh, Scottish and Irish ?………………….wasn`t Graeme Hick Zimbabwean ?…………….and aren`t we(England) called the MCC on tour ?…….Marylebone Cricket Club !…………………just change us (England) to World XI ! 🙂
Have we(Arsenal) bought anyone yet ?
Morning…
Wenger purchased a cup of coffee at Nice airport Le Coc. That’s about all
According to newsnow Wenger is ready to do everything to buy Mbappe !…………like he did for…..Ronaldo, Ibrahimovitch, Messi, Kante, etc` etc` etc` etc` etc` etc` etc` etc` etc` etc` etc` etc` etc` etc` etc`
Morning Gooner
Nice !
Cockie…..would you blow all you budget on one player….MBappe?
So Vics !………………when training yor sons team, what formation do you train ?..4-4-2 ?….3-3-4 ?…..hih pressing with very tall ironing boards ?………………have the team and crowd (one or two ? ) started a VCC Out campaign ?.
And I bet Ivan had to pay for it Vcc.
Absolutely !
I bet Ivan did Rico. 🙂
Cockie, we are going with 3-5-2 this season. Reverting back to the formula that won us the double season before last.
We missed our youngster who played the Bellerin role last season. He packed up football to concentrate on fishing. 🙁
Have now signed a lad who looks energetic enough and willing to play this role, so here goes with our favoured formation.
Fingers crossed.
How are the men in white coats at Launcestern mental hospital treating you? Have you been given the week end out ?
😉
Cockie. I’m a hard task master. One or two are Vics out, but the majority want to get fit and win football matches.
wonder if Mustafi has Turkish ancestry?
Albanian I think.
Working today , wasn’t yesterday.
I’ve seen a bit of him on the Bundesliga highlights show on TV, presented by some interesting blond Fraulein.
Any link to the show the blonde sounds interesting.
Talking of nutters, Vics, I always wonder what happened to Fozzie B who just completely vanished from BK !………………..he was fcuking nuts, but loved the guy !
I had troubles yesterday too Potter. Comments just disappeared…
Englanf U20`s World Cup Final live on BBC2 @ 10:50 today.
Thanks Lc, might watch that…
Just settling down to watch the U20 final…
No Ainsley Maitland-Niles. ?
No Maitland-Niles, so no point n watching….
Replaced by a Totts player Kev.
Their keeper is 5′ 9″?? Or did I hear wrong…
Fozzie B…..there’s a blast from the past…….the good old days Cocker.
Mind you, we’ve found Rico, everything as good. You can voice your opinion and not get slagged off for being different.
Would love to get Transplant over here. I love his sense of humour.
Morning Rico and all. Is all this Sanchez to Man City stuff just bullshit I wonder?
I take it Fozzie is an AA guy Vcc?
Morning Adam. I reckon so. Just his agent upping the wage demands.. lol
Surely, Wenger couldn’t stay on, then sell Sanchez to an opponent.
He couldn’t, could he 🙂
Morning all.
He’d be in for some serious abuse if he does sell him…
Wenger has become the Theresa May of football Rico. Now the dust of the season has settled, his staying on seems somehow awkward and unambitious. Unless he pulls some serious rabbits out of a hat of course.
It’ll take a massive signing to give fans any hope and confidence at all.
Also, retaining the big guns, of course.
I don’t think she’s that bad Adam… 🙂
Well, he’s got plenty of time to find a few rabbits…. Although I doubt he will…
Sure will. Sell Ozil and Sanchez and then buy a couple of Swedish kids will go down like a lead balloon….
Probably not Rico, but their judgements seem questionable. 🙂
Wenger is up against it now I reckon.
He was Rico.
Half time 1-0 to England or Great Britain as our Oz boys would like to believe ! hahaha
Fozzie B used to be on Bergkampesque, Rico.
Vics, Transplant would have a cardiac arrest at some of the Wenger disapproval on here !……. the man has an Arsene shrine he worships 24/7 ! hahaha
Adam, I think one was badly advised, the other just stubborn… 😉
Thanks Vcc, Lc. Go and drag him over then… lol
Oi Mr Memory, he was never on AA ! hahaha
Republic of Ireland is just as bad as England !………………………all you need is to own a pint of Guinness to play for them !…………….in fact I was once telling an Irish joke outside Highbury and Eoin Hand asked me if I wanted a trial ! hahaha
I`ve already dragged the Chef from Charlestown over, but he only reads and doesn`t comment (yet)…………..then again he is an AKB !…………………..I know you are reading this, Bryn ! hahaha
Just come on and tell the people on here how good my Arsene impression is !……………Look !….I believe………………… hahaha
Freddy Woodman in goal looks good.
Lookman as well.
See Gnabry has joined B Munich !…….shock horror didn`t see that happening ! hahaha
Lookman…… another one Arsene overlooked !
Mind you, wouldn`t Mavididi have been in the England team had he not got injured ?
He does look good, saving England at the moment.
Very clever manoeuvre by Gnabry.
Good save…
Good to see the technology is working well. Hopefully it’ll soon be in the PL.
Great victory….
England, World Champions, I thought our youth coaches were meant to be rubbish rico.
The future looks bright at least for Nigeria anyway lol.
Gnaby wasn’t a Arsenal player?
Potter, Google Isabella Muller-Reinhardt.
I can just imagine her serving beer at the Oktoberfest…
Whatever happened to Sanchez going to BM for 350k a week last week. This is even after BU stated that Alexis agent wages demands are unrealistic.
Now it’s to MC for 275K a week. These news papers don’t even try to be plausible. Pep signed B. Silva already, has Bruyne, Sterling, Jesus, Aguero, Sane, Gundogun, D. Silva and he’s going to add Alexis, for 50m and pay him 275m, a player who don’t want to be substituted talk about creating a problem. Pep’s entire point during the season is that the teams problem is that they don’t move the ball quickly, so the solution is to add Alexis, huuum.
MC need two quality defenders in order to complete that’s more s priority, I would think, for Pep than adding another luxury goal scorer…..
Cheers Kev or should I say Ein Prosit , looks a nice enough lady better looking than Jim White.
Gnaby wasn’t on loan in Werder Bremen?
Micko, I heard that re the young coaches, who’d have thought they’d win the World Cup eh…
Well said Obi…
And why would Pep want a player he once sold?
Excellant point Obi………………………….I`d take De Bruyne, Aguero and Pep as part-exchange then !………………….. 🙂
Yes Potter, Isabella looks a lot of fun…
Did I happen to catch a couple of colonials on here earlier, whinging about the cricket?
Fair dinkum…
Good point Obi, but maybe it has more to do with weakening Arsenal than anything else?
Cocker, I’ve just been bench pressing a cheese omelette, now I need a sit down to recover.
Mustn’t overdo it don’t ya know… ?
Now it’s Koscienly to Marseille…..
Wasn’t he captain last year in place of BFG? Should think he’ll be sold then! ?
Ah yes, the captains curse…
Kev, the vast variety of thing`s you can bench press is impressive ! ………………….it`s something different everytime, so you`ll never get bored with it !
🙂
Are Arsene and Ivan still in Nice ?……………….hope they come back with a nice present !
Poldark returns tonight so no bothering Rico later as it will be a waste of time !………………….although I have it on good authority there will be no half naked romping around in the countryside anymore……………soz !
Honestly, it`s like looking in the mirror !
Yes !…..I look like the scythe ! 🙂
Koscienly to Marseille may have some truth, I see Mustafi, Holding, Gabriel (1 of AW favs), Sead and Mert, Chambers as the his choices if he sticks with 3 at the back….. Don’t be surprise if he cashes in on Koscienly – is the Arsenal captaincy syndrome…lol.
Lc, I do wish you hadn’t told me… lol
Can’t see Merts playing much next season…
Mind you, he did well against Chelsea
Ramsey….very nonchalant, 1 nil Wales.
Let’s hope he carries on scoring next season Micko…
Catch up tomorrow guys…
Night
Nite matey.
In the ‘wash up’ since the F A Cup victory & going out of CL, it would appear that Old Frenchie may have out smarted himself.with respect to trying to entice quality players this transfer off season.
And…………………
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8YRA-GVufI
Morning all..
Wonder when our busy summer with lots of changes will kick off… 🙂
Morning all.
Feels like a case of deja vu………………….every summer Wenger tells us he will buy only if he can get better quality than he already has !………….in normal terms that would mean he has to pay big bucks, but we are talking Arsene here.
Who is going to be surprised if come September he fails, but says he tried……..” I offered £87M for Mbappe !”
If and it`s a big “if”……….we get Alexis and Ozil to sign new contracts, he will class that as new signings !
If they are made to stay and honour their contracts and then leave for free next year with no “replica” replacements, it will be interesting to see how much tonnage of shit hits the fan……and fans ! hahaha……………………especially if we have another non-title winning year.
Nice and sunny here !
I know t’s very early, but yes, it does feel very much like we’ve been here before LC.
Maybe things will start moving once the WC qualifiers are done and dusted… That is of course assuming his targets are playing for their country…
New post up.