Morning all.
Wasn’t that a great BH weekend? The weather glorious, The Arsenal playing in a way so reminiscent of Arsene Wenger’s early days and a great party atmosphere at The Emirates on a very special day. Arsene Wenger was as ever the perfect gentleman, his words kind to all and even threw a little humour as he said his goodbyes to the stadium which has been anywhere near as kind to him as Highbury was. When you listen to the likes of Mourinho, Pulis, Allardyce, Hughes, Pardew etc etc, it does make you realise what a great representative of the club he’s been. We may have not liked some of the stuff he used to come out with during his press conferences, especially of late, but the one thing he’s never done is embarrass the club. I’ll miss the old boy in so many ways, but not for football reasons which i know sounds odd.
Many are making comparisons between his leaving and when Fergie left Utd but apart from the two being the longest serving managers at one club in history, I don’t think there is any comparison to make. Fergie left behind a group of players who coming to an end of their careers and to be honest, had he not had RvP in his team, he’d never have left with a final PL trophy in his hand. Whoever followed him, was in for a tough time, it just happened to be Moyes.
I know many will disagree with me but I think Arsene Wenger is leaving behind a squad in very good condition. Yes, it needs additions, yes it needs a few to be moved on, but on paper, our squad and Academy are in a really good place. We have some great young players coming through, who if worked with properly, could very well play a huge part in our future. The rest, well I still maintain that most of the issues they have are down to the lack of discipline, knowing their job and doing it. Arsene Wenger ‘the father’ can’t be Arsene Wenger ‘the ruthless manager’ and he’s proved that himself.
A new face on the training pitch is like you seeing a new manager walk in your place of work. You’ve been working on auto pilot for a few years because you know you can get away with it. Your old manager is heading off for a long and healthy retirement and you’ve suddenly got to prove yourself again. If you don’t, this new, ambitious and cut-throat manager will have you out of the door and replaced with someone who is desperate for your job and willing to work hard.
Mesut Ozil must be quaking in his boots! Well, he darn well should be after yet again sloping off for a little rest after his dreadful performance out in Madrid. Never fear though Germany fans, as he’s already made it known his over worked legs will be fit for the World Cup. Seriously, what kind of message does that give out in the dressing room? £300K a week, our biggest earner and he can’t be bothered to play against Burnley. He couldn’t be bothered to put a shift in for the team when a Europa Cup Final place was up for grabs so I suppose Sunday was no great surprise. I’m sick of him and his lazy attitude and regardless of how good he can be when ‘he’ wants to be, I’d sell him this summer and get that money off of our wage bill. I still think he only got his new contact because the club, well, Arsene was trying to keep the fans happy after Alexis went. Ring any bells from when we signed him?
Talking of Alexis, I still believe we’ve got a great player in Mikki, I really do and he, Auba and Lacazette should do really well next season in what will be their first full season together. Imo, it’s behind them the new man needs to look at. A top class keeper, at least one top notch defender and midfielder and an out and out winger with pace to urn. The right and left back positions need addressing too but other than that, I reckon we’re good to go. For this summer anyway.
I make that five/six summer signings needed, what about you guys?
Morning Rico and all.
Everybody will have their own ideas about how many players we need and where we might need them. The new manager will need to have something about him to meet the expectations of the fans. If he doesn’t then he will no doubt be roundly criticised by the giant intellect that resides inside Martin Keown.
Morning Adam.
They will and that’s what was behind my post. I’d hoped it would generate a bit of discussion about where we think the squad needs addressing. It’s good to see peoples different views.
Ignoring the last game, with the exception of Mavropanos who looks a real prospect and the fact that Iwobi seems to have found a position that suits him, I reckon we are in reasonable shape as far as potential goes.
We certainly need a very serious goalie and perhaps a proper number 2. Depending on Hector’s future and Nacho’s fitness we could also do with a utility player who can fill in around defensive areas. A CM general for sure and a wide man with pace.
The big job will be to instill a sense of purpose and responsibility into the players and let them know what is expected of them and that, if they don’t show the right attitude, they will be dropped and sold for someone who does.
Surely so much about management is in the head and that’s why we need a real leader.
I forgot to add that we also need a top CB, especially with Kos on the way out and Mustafi being liable to spells of flakiness.
That’s pretty much what I said… 🙂
Macey or Martinez could turn out to be the number two keeper though.
I believe Arsene Wenger left Arsenal in a pretty bad shape.
I know Rico. 🙂
Morning rico and all..
I think it’s difficult to know what’s the true level of the current squad
they have been playing wenger ball for sometime and they haven’t been coached properly especially when it comes to tactics ,organization and defensive play. .
I know we ( I ) redicule most of them, but I guess some might just show a bit of improvement when the new coaching staff start working with them ..
In my humble opinion I think we should try to get rid of the following. .
Ospinaaa
Kosa
Mustafi
Ozil
Belerin
Ramsey (he wants big money dosn’t deserve)
Santi (don’t think he will be the same player again)
Yes I would keep both Xhaka and wilshere??
Recruit
new GK
Centreback
Central midfielder/defensive midfielder
Right back
Wide player/winger ..
I know it’s never gonna happen. .lol
Great minds Adam.. lol
Morning Kk, we’re not far off with our thinking either. I too would keep Xhaka. I forgot a creative player with an passing ability/accuracy like Fabregas and Santi.
It could happen though, it’s not like we don’t have the money and a decent amount will be generated by sales..
ATF. Welcome and why do you think that?
Not at the game sunday only live tv..
But Chambers looked like he had a mature game.
Not a lot said about him?
Obviously we need to do something with our defence but I don’t think we need a brick outhouse door there although it might be handy. We need a Terry ,a Mclintock neither the biggest but their organising skills were what we need right now.
Could be Bouldy staying on,
No defender likes a forward running at them,
it’s whats in front…twooing up and shielding
is whats required..me thinks.
Difficult to comment on our defensive on Sunday isn’t it? Burnley didn’t really put us under much pressure from what I saw.
Probably because the forward players were having so much fun. lol
The Greek kid looks awaome rico
He single handedly knocked out Lukaku and ashley barnes, and bullied anyone came near him..usually it’s the other way around lol..
he also showed some good positional play and composure..
good signs I suppose.
He got out jumped in the box once though Kk… lol
But yes, he looks good..
We need new ideas and a new way interpreting the game.
We need players and replace others.
We must attack the market before the world cup because all those who go there (and now are many countries) and that stand out will have the price greatly inflated by performance and clubs.
We need to stop with the exorbitant prices we pay players (eg Walcott). It is a snowball impossible to control, it only creates problems and there are at least 1 or 2 players who want to leave everything on the pitch and grow in football.
rWe need a coach from the second decade of the 21st century.
Wenger has just left us in the 6th position, no UCL football and a total mess of looking for a new manager who we don’t know, OT could be a David Moyes type of a manager.
What do you think guys
I dont think we should be too hard on Ozil. If hes injured, hes injured. A good manager and on the pitch leader will sort him out. Otherwise …
Maybe our new coach will teach our wingbacks to go forwards more than we see at the mo. Sunday was so refreshing to see the team lunge forward at every opportunity
Only way is up ATF, league position etc might not be that good but we’ve still got the Europa next season and a good squad which needs just a few additions but most importantly, a guy who can get more from them than AW has been able to. Imo anyway.
These players don’t become bad overnight…
Doug, I wouldn’t be so cynical if this was the first time…
So that’s a new world class goalkeeper, a top quality centre-half, a beast of a defensive midfielder and a winger…
All for £50million.
Good luck… ?
Or £200m Kev.. 😉
Rico, next you’ll be telling me that Father Christmas lives in Greenland.
?
rico has the hunch
£200m it’s then..??
I don’t mind the wingbacks going forward providing that someone covers the gap. Either a midfield player or the defence swivels as a unit to form a defensive line that compensates All our defence needs is organisation and an air of responsibility.
I would like to see the end of Zonal marking too and talking which doesn’t appear to happen , our marking and following runners leaves a lot to be desired. Going forward we have no real problems we are the third highest scorers but we are about 10th in the goals against charts.
He does Kev..lol
Kk, hope it’s as good as the last one.. ?
I’m surprised we aren’t higher in the table for conceding goals. Agree re zonal marking, it just doesn’t work well.
Ho Ho Ho. Rico ?
Evening all and thank you Rico.
Canny scot that Fergie, like you say he spent a wise £20m on RVP to win the EPL then got out quickly knowing his squad was aging and also that the rise of CFG was going to be a bigger juggernault than his redside of Manchester, had he stayed on I doubt even he would have been able to change anything which brings me to my main point…………………..Wenger didn`t know when to stop untill it was too late !…………………..he even said jokingly that everyone liked him now he wasn`t winning titles, joking but true and the biggest insult that he couldn`t see was other teams wanting to stay on so we wouldn`t compete !……………………….Fergie played it spot on and the conspiracy theorist in me thinks he got the ” chosen one” in Moyes to take over knowing he was going to fail miserably !……………………..Canny scot ! hahaha
Ornstein has spoken, but alas has really revealed anything we dont already know !.
https://twitter.com/bbcsport_david/status/993559846321557505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.redlondon.net%2F2018%2F05%2Fallegri-to-arsenal-bbcs-david-orstein-reveals-update-on-arsenals-move-for-new-manager%2F&tfw_site=Red_London
Bit early Kev… lol
Why we sold him RvP I’ll never know Lc..
Night guys.
Money , the board decided to sell because his contract was up and he was 30 and wanted a long term contract but Wenger upped the price . So the story goes.
Another defeat: u23 v. Porto – 0-1
This is not serious, in my opinion 🙂
No Nelson or Willock or Nketiah or Mavropanos for the U23’s, it’s almost as if Arsenal didn’t take this competition seriously, the Arsenal team looked a right hotch-potch, with youngsters and players due to be released turning out.
Tbh, Porto can’t be much cop if they could only score 1 goal against such a poor Arsenal team, even Steve Gatting wasn’t in change but U18 coach Kwame Ampadu.
A poor show all round…
I missed out ‘to them’ Potter, sell him to anyone but them…
Morning all, bring back the dark mornings so I don’t wake so early..
Seems silly to have played such an under strength team last night as it’s not as if many will be used tonight. Backfired big time and the youngsters missed a big chance to get the feel of winning a trophy again. A feeling long missing in our squad.
Morning Rico. I’m sat eating a roll at London City Airport. I was up at a silly time too. 🙂
Oh and I missed out the bit where he wanted to invest to win something , which was not part of the hierarchy’s master plan.
Rico :- Get a black out blind £ 14 from Argos.
Morning Adam, seems I fell back asleep….
Flying anywhere exciting?
I’ve got them Potter… Thank you though.
New post up now.
In Amsterdam now Rico
Are you having a coffee Adam?..lol
Porto too.