Morning all.
Well that wasn’t bad was it? German domestic double winners Bayer Leverkusen were despatched 4-1 with consummate ease.
Mikel Arteta’s team soon went ahead through our new number 17, Oleksandr Zinchenko and what a goal was too. Leandro Trossard made it 2-0 shortly after before Gabriel Jesus added a third. After the break, Kai Havertz added to the scoreline with a proper strikers goal from close range before Adam Hlozek scored for the visitors.
I thought Arsenal showed moments of brilliance. The passing was crisp and sharp, movement was good and defensively, we were solid, certainly before the changes were made.
Mikel Arteta on the absence of Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber:
Jurrien had a little discomfort in his foot in the last few days and obviously after the amount of time he’s been out we didn’t want to take any risk with him. In regards to Riccardo, so much happened to him in one week! He’s come into a new environment with a different methodology and different training so we are managing him and we want to do it slowly and in the best way possible. Hopefully he will be available to play some minutes on Sunday.
I’m not surprised Timber has a few niggles as after such a big injury and a long time out of the game, his body needs time to get used to working hard again.
On seeing more of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly in the first team:
If they continue like they are doing right now. There is no difference whether they come from the academy or we sign them from Germany or Argentina or Italy. If they are showing the quality that they have, the personality they have to play at this level… let’s see. Why would we put any restrictions? If they deserve minutes, they get minutes
I liked reading this because it’s true. It doesn’t matter where a player comes from or how much he’s cost, if he performs on the pitch to a high level, then he deserves to be playing. Arteta did go on to say that Lewis-Skelly has a few things to improve on like concentration and positioning but that’s coachable. In other words, if he focusses hard in training, he’ll improve really quickly. These two are just 17 years old. Nwaneri though, well he already looks at home in the first team.
On Jesus looking back to his best:
I said from day one, the first feeling when I saw him after talking to him at the end of the season is that he was something different. I could sense it. His energy was different, the way he looks is different, the way he’s moving is different. He really wants it. Now it’s about finding that consistency and doing it in any context, against any opponent, against any formation, any day, every three days, for 90 minutes, for 30 minutes, for 70 minutes. If you are produce in those circumstances? It looks good.
His goal, which he created for himself, was very good.
Despite rumours of both Jesus and Zinchenko possibly moving on this summer, I think we can be assured that neither are going anywhere.
Arteta wouldn’t comment on the rumours surrounding Eddie Nketiah and Aaron Ramsdale but I think both will leave before the transfer window closes. Reiss Nelson too. As for the Mikel Merino saga, Fabrizio Romano reports that negotiations remain ongoing.
Crystal Palace keeper Sam Johnstone is looking for a move.. just saying..
Next up for Arsenal is Lyon on Sunday afternoon when we should see Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Alexandre Lacazette return to their old stomping ground.
Catch up in the comments.
Good morning boss and all
good post Rico but sorry to say that we won’t be seeing Lacazette I think because he is playing for France in the Olympics. Its true that the final is tomorrow, but I guess that Sunday’s game will be a bit too early for Lacazette. I will be amazed if he plays from the beginning, maybe he will make a cameo appearance at the end. AMN yes we might see him.
I read this on a Facebook post………..At a dinner with his players, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta secretly hired a team of professional pickpockets. The sleight-of-hand artists were tasked with going round the tables, pinching phones and wallets from an unwitting first-team squad.
At the end of the meal, Arteta stood up and asked them the team to empty their pockets. A number of players were missing valuable items. The idea was to teach his squad the importance of being ready, alert and prepared — at all times.
This kind of innovative thinking is typical of Arteta, who sees every occasion an opportunity for learning and development. His influence is evident across every dimension of Arsenal. They have become a team built to his specifications, and a club moulded around his competitive spirit. His obsession with improvement has been infectious. It’s a mentality that has proliferated throughout the club.
That’s psycholigical coaching. It really works in many fields.
Morning Devil, I didn’t realise Lacazette was at the Olympics, shame.
Perhaps Arteta needs to be pickpocketed himself… lol
Good morning Rico,
Perhaps we should start calling Arteta “Fagin”. You gotta pick a pocket or two. 😁
Morning Cicero. I wish he could pick the pocket of Pep Guardiola…
I’ve watched the high-lights, very impressive, but let’s not get carried away.
It looked me that Leverkusen need a new and better ‘keeper. Ramsdale would be an ideal candidate.
Yep, s was pretty poor.
Pre season friendlies mean little imo.
Cicero, how about Fagineta or Artegin??
Rico, he surely picked Guardiola’s brains.
Yes, friendlies mean nothing but still, you can only play what you have in front of you. Had we lost with the 4-1 scoreline do you all honestly think that we would say that friendlies mean nothing?? Friendly or no friendly I never ever went into a game, both as a player and as a coach, wanting anything else other than a win. I am usually a sore loser, a bad loser and if eyes could kill probably I would be standing alone on the football field at the end of the game.
So yes it was a friendly but I was very happy with how the performance and result turned out in the end.
And from that game I liked the look of Hlozek Bayer’s scorer. He can play anywhere across the wings and in the CF position.
Morning Rico and all,
Just watched a short clip of the Arsenal fans clapping Xhaka of the field,
which was nice to see considering all the up’s and down’s he had with us,
Xabi Alonso when asked to describe Mikel Arteta after the Arsenal thumping of Leverkusen tonight: “Competitive. He has been always a competitive animal. Here you can see how he has developed a great project.
“You could see that he wanted to win and he was preparing for that, you know. It is a fruit of many decisions that he has taken that they reach here in Arsenal.”
Good performance and some great goals,only a pre season friendly,I’m sure nobody is getting carried away,I’m always cautious about these games against teams whose league starts later then the premier league.
Yeah I noticed Lacazzette is at the Olympics,captain of France too,I think he scored in the earlier rounds. I thought the Olympics were only supposed to be for young players (if it should be for highly paid professionals at all is another matter) I did hear Mbappe wanted to go but Real Madrid put a stop to it.
We might see a few changes on Sunday,it will be good to see AMN.
Limey…at the Olympics, each nation is allowed to have 3 players over 21 years of age. I might be mistaken on the amount but its between 3-5 in the whole squad. Otherwise the rest must be eligible for the under 21.
Not well enough Devil. 😜
Hi Geoff, he left on a high though which was good..
Yep, that Arsenal we saw yesterday evening was more like the Arsenal we’re used to seeing and I think we actually took Leverkusen a bit by surprise, I reckon if we faced them in the CL we’d be playing a very different animal.
Yes Rico, it was nice to see the connection and mutual respect between Xhaka and Arteta when Granit came off. I reckon that Granit could still do a good job for us and get into the team.
It was a nice moment between them both Kev, I wonder if Arteta and AMN will share such a moment on Sunday…
I think Xhaka left at the right time personally.
From the official I O C website.
The Olympic football competition is open to players under 23, but up to three overage players may be included in squads.
Marseilles, according to the Guardian transfer window page are in credit to the tune of some £20.4m up till now, following all the business they’ve done so far, so no preaching poverty mon amis.
Seems that the two clubs are still talking over Nketiah and trying to come to some kind of compromise over the fee and payments/add ons/sell on clauses etc etc etc.
I reckon things might begin to move a bit more next week with league campaigns looming.
Good Motrning everyone
Have we signed a GK, a midfielder a winger and a striker yet?? lol.
Have we managed to sell Nketiah for 50 million yet? haha
Have we cloned TH14, Gilberto silva, Cazorla and DB10 ?? I wish
Has Arteta managed to do the operation to transform his body back to a 25 year old and registered his name as a player???? if Odegaard takes the number 10 then his old number 8 would be free.
Afternoon guys
David Ornstein reckons Nketiah is likely to move to Marseille on loan with an obligation to make the deal permanent next summer.
Not good we need to take the money and run .
Depends on the conditions, do they pay his wages in full? Are there any reasons by which they can cancel the loan? How much is the transfer fee that they are obligated to pay. Is there a sell on agreement?
The legal beagles will be beavering away…earning their inflated fees.
I too think it’s better to get the money now, especially if we need it to sign a midfielder etc.
Maybe taking Eddie on loan was always what Marseilles wanted and tbf they’ve done ok out of Arsenal in recent years so why would they not try?
Neto to Chelsea apparently
Good luck Chavs with old Mr Glass
£60 million apparently. Crazy money for a crock.
Solanke to Totts looks likely. David Ornstein…
I don’t mind Eddie for a solid obligation. I have a feeling that we don’t need the money immediately as we want people to think for negotiation reasons. A decent fee and moving him on is what matters. There is no use or place for him in our team. We play all false 9 and he’s not nearly the profie for it.
Jesus, Havertz, Trossard, Martinelli all ahead of him at 9.
He’ll score plenty in France or a regular club in England.
I like Neto but that seems like crazy money for someone with his injury record. That’s Chelsea for you.
I’m glad we’ve not signed Neto. Good player but expensive and injured too often. We already have enough of those.
Arsenal v Lyon kicks off at 2pm tomorrow, fifteen minutes earlier would be a great time to introduce new signing Mikel Merino to the Arsenal faithful.
Wouldn’t it just…
Morning Cicero, all.
New post up.
ahhhh the great Neto. The winger who in the last 5 seasons at Wolves has scored the grand awesome total of 14 goals.
Poor old Gabby Magalhaes at Arsenal, who plays Centreback, has scored a miserly 15 goals in just 4 seasons.
good morning Rico and all