Morning all.
Arsenal take on Bayer Leverkusen tonight in what is the penultimate pre season friendly. Returning to The Emirates is Granit Xhaka and ex academy player Nathan Tella.
Two Spaniards, Mikel Arteta and Xabi Alnso, both 42 years old, brought up in the Basque region of Spain – just 13 miles separate their home towns – and both played a chunk of their footballing career in England. Not just England, but in Liverpool.
The two go head to head later, one having won the FA Cup, the other having just not only won a league title, but achieved it by going unbeaten. I know that’s probably easier to do in Germany than in England but it’s still pretty special. Not for one minute do I expect Mikel Arteta to emulate Bayer’s unbeaten season but I do hope he gets to lift the Premier League trophy one day. Next May would be ideal.
Surely Arsenal as a club can’t keep on spending multi millions of pounds on players without having something to show for it. Other than a return to the Champions League of course. Whilst a domestic cup would be something to celebrate, it’s the Premier League and or Champions League which Arsenal need to be winning. I know the lines about Man City, their money, even cheating their way to success lines have been written but let’s not forget that Liverpool managed to beat them to the league title under Jurgen Klopp.
Bayer Leverkusen, until last season, were a bit like Arsenal really as it’d had been a long time since the club had experienced success. So much so, they’d been nicknamed ‘Bayer Neverkusen’ – which I find slightly amusing. Xabi Alonso’s arrival soon put an end to that.
Without trying to undermine what Leverkusen achieved last season, they certainly benefited from a campaign in which Bayern Munich had an up and down season. I think every Premier League club will be hoping Man City have an up and down season this time around too, barring themselves of course, because it’s about time they finished somewhere other than top spot.
Bayer have added three new players to their squad so far this summer. Teenage centre-back Jeanuel Belocian, forward player Martin Terrier and former Manchester City midfielder Aleix Garcia. Josip Stanisic has returned to Bayern Munich after his loan deal ended.
Arsenal have added just one new face to the squad so far this summer and tonight could see Riccardo Calafiori make his debut in front of a packed Emirates Stadium. Every player is now back in training but even so, I’d be surprised if our English international players start this game. If pre-season is anything to go by, a number of younger players could be involved tonight, Ethan Nwaneri especially but hopefully, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ayden Heaven and Josh Nichols will get more minutes too. Not only tonight but perhaps in the domestic cups too if the draw allows.
The game, which kicks off at 6pm, isn’t televised but Arsenal.com are showing it for £6.99.
Lastly, Paul Merson has been confirmed as one of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing celebrities. Now that will be worth watching.
Catch up in the comments.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5681028/2024/08/06/nathan-tella-bayer-leverkusen-arsenal/?redirected=1
Nice interview with Nathan Tella.
By the way, The Athletic newspaper has an offer on for just 50p a month for the first year.
Sorry if this is pedantic, but it’s ‘Bayer’ not ‘Bayern Leverkusen’.
Ha ha, I’m so used to writing Bayern, a slip by me…
Thanks Rico and morning all,
interesting interview with Tella,out of the current crop of youngsters,Nwaneri seems to stand out,so it will be good to see how he gets on.
I would have thought Saliba,Saka and Rice especially will only need half an hour or so (I think they have another game Sunday) I suppose all players are different.
Paul Merson on strictly,wow I can’t see him being too dedicated to the training,its got way too serious in my opinion though. Sometimes those people stay in for comedy value.
Strictly is the UK version of dancing with the stars.
Morning Limey, I agree, limited minutes for the returning players, a few more too as I assume there will be unlimited substitution options.
I reckon Merse is only doing it for fitness, best diet out there 😜
Ha ha yes and a nice bit of wedge too.
Yep, that too. 😜
Morning Rico and all,
I wonder if Arteta will play Calafiori.
The beer i like is Crown lager or Victoria bitter,
Devil, There is nothing like home made wine, my brother inlaws is Italian and his dad used to make his own wine, but the only problem was it tasted like cordial untill you got up and found that you couldn’t feel your legs.
I see our old boy Dani Ceballos scored for Real Madrid against Chelsea,any goal against Chelsea is to be celebrated as far as I’m concerned. I think Ceballos is very much a squad player.
I’m with Geoff – Victoria Bitter is very nice,also the Aussies serve their beers extracold.
Morning Geoff, I’m sure the new boy will get minutes at some stage.
Any truth to the stories that Timber is injured again, if it is true, it may be time to look at selling him.
Good Afternoon everyone.
I enjoyed reading that Rico, especially the bit about Alonso and BL. Its a Pity he never played for us. He would have been a success imo.
Geoff…home made wine, especially with 14% alcohol (like grandpa and uncle used to do it), is always genuine and tastes exceptional. Uncle used to have a speciality….mulled wine. It tasted incredible. I remember my wife, when she came over to our family the first Christmas we were together, and when I offered her wine I poured only half a glass. And she told me that she could take a glass or two. Gently, I told her that this is not normal wine, because I knew it was 14% alcohol making it very strong for her because she was used to the cheap ones with 9-11% alcohol. She kept on stressing that she wanted a glass full of wine…..so reluctantly I obliged. She commented how tasty it felt and before the dinner was half way through, she fell asleep on the table. I carried her to the sofa and she woke up some time later. I could not stop laughing when she realized what had happened and turned red. Nowadays she steers clear of wine and alcohol although she does take the occasional cider.That incident is 26 years ago now…..but I still mention it every Christmas.
Seems as if Timber has an injury of some sort again because according to various sources on Facebook sites he has not been training with the seniors.
Thanks Devil. We had Arteta instead. 😝
Timber was bound to suffer a niggle here and there after such a big injury.
SS’s reckon Liverpool are after Zubimendi, as should we be if Merino isn’t joining.
Let’s just hope it is only a niggle and not anything more.
Devil, your wife must hate christmas, my problem was the buggers never warned me untill I had a few watching soccer, then they all laughed when I got up for a toilet, luckle the lemon tree was pritty close for us men, but they are good memories
Geoff she loves Christmas. Like me.
The injury that Timber has is associated with the load he did in preseason in USA. he needs good recovery and will not feature against Bayer Leverkusen
Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Odegaard, Havertz, Vieira, Trossard, Jesus.
Subs: Ramsdale, Setford, Lewis-Skelly, Nichols, Kiwior, Heaven, Partey, Rice, Nwaneri, Martinelli, Saka, Nelson, Nketiah.
Leverkusen: Kovar, Frimpong, Tah, Tapsoba, Kossounou, Hincapie, Xhaka, Garcia, Wirtz, Adli, Terrier.
Subs: Hradecky, Lomb, Arthur, Belocin, Puerta, Andreich, Hofmann, Tella, Holzek, Boniface.
Two super goals from the Arsenal…
2 great goals in the space of a minute. 😯😯😯
Zunchenko and Trossard with the goals.
Haverts got both assists
Halftime. 3-0 up. Jesus got the third, but I missed it.
Nwaneri is a very mature looking player for a 17 year old. He looks right at home in the first team.
Yes Rico…that’s why I banged the drum a lot for him. I have seen nearly all his minutes with the first team in preseason and he looks at home as you pointed out.
4-1 with Havertz on the score sheet.
Well, that was a good run out for the players and nice to see four goals scored..
Knew he was good Devil, but he’s so composed too.
He is. His composure is quite advanced for a seventeen years old.
It also helps to be surrounded by quality players
The club are so heartless. I thought they were going to retire the number 17 in honour of Cedric but no. They decide to give it to Zinchenko who immediately scored with it.
Ha ha..
joking apart….Zinchenko’s goal was simply superb. It went in like a Roberto Carlos missile.
Zubimendi seemingly going to Liverpool even after all the endless guff about him only wanting Barcelona?
Maybe Arsenal were never watching him and always wanting Merino?
Maybe after watching Zubimendi they decided that Merino was the better player?
Maybe the hold up in the Merino deal is just moving Eddie on?
Apparently the alternative forward Marseilles we’re looking at isn’t available so in the words of Arnie ‘They’ll be back’ hopefully?
With thanks to Buddy Holly.
Maybe baby, I’ll have you.
Maybe baby, I’ll be true.
Maybe baby, I’ll have you for me. 🎶🎶
Morning Kev, Cicero, all.
New post up