Morning all.
Some of the Arsenal players who’ve been out on loan last season shared a mixed bag of joy and disappointment. Guendouzi ended the season injured whilst Kolasinac and Mustafi suffered relegation with their club. I don’t think Torreira had the best of times at Atletico Madrid but even so, his team won La Liga. Joe Willock had an excellent few months at Newcastle Utd, ending with a player of the month award and yesterday, Daniel Ballard helped Blackpool return to the Championship with a 2-1 win over Lincoln City at Wembley. He’s a big and strong unit in defence that’s for sure but whether or not he’s ready for the Premier League I don’t know. Until he’s tested at a higher level, no one really does. The decision Mikel Arteta has to make is whether or not he stays at Arsenal for the domestic cup competitions, or head out on loan again. Personally, I think he’s too good to be warming a bench and at his age, he needs regular football to improve his game. I’m sure there’ll be a lot of of clubs trying to sign him up on loan this summer.
It’s funny though because having read a lot of stories and comments on social media about William Saliba and how he ‘must’ play for Arsenal next season, he’s 20 years old and his experience so far is the top French League only. A French League which really isn’t that strong outside of a handful of clubs. Yet Daniel Ballard is 21 years old, he’s experienced the rough and tumble of English football in a tough, physical League and he’s already playing for his country unlike Saliba who I believe yet yet to feature for the French senior team.
I’m not trying to suggest either Ballard or Saliba should walk right into the Arsenal first team next season but, and I know this is obvious, Mikel Arteta has to find out which of our current defenders are best suited to the Premier League and which central pairing will form the best partnership now and longer term. Chopping and changing a central pairing, unless injury dictates otherwise does the team no good in my opinion. Chopping and changing the team in general isn’t ideal either. Of course the tactics will be tweaked for home and away games, as they will depending on the opposition but I don’t think the history books would tell us that successful clubs didn’t have a settled first team.
Look what happened to Man City against Chelsea in the Champions League Final. City lost that because Guardiola was trying to be too clever in my opinion. Arsenal were knocked out of Europa because Mikel Arteta was trying to be too clever in my opinion. Why abandon the basics of the game when so much is at stake? A ‘false number 9’ is poppycock I think, just play a striker who’ll score goals when the chances arrive. Sometimes he might even wear the number 9!
Whether or not Lacazette will still be wearing the number next season is anyone’s guess as his future is one of many Arsenal players which needs resolving this summer. The Frenchman has just one year left on his contract so it’s decision time for Arsenal and him. Eddie Nketiah is in the same position contractually but I think it’s safe to say he’ll be playing his football elsewhere next season. Watford are rumoured to be interested in signing him as are Brighton. If Arsenal really want to sign Yves Bissouma, perhaps an agreement could be reached between the two clubs involving both players.
See you in the comments.
Morning Rico and all. Until Arteta starts to sell and buy new players and sort out our keeper situation it’s hard to say which players to bring back from being on loan, however any player 22 / 23 years old is starting to get too old to loan out and we should seriously look at selling them, hopefully Willian will leave and along with Luiz will free up 2 places on the bench for 2 loan players to come back
Morning Geoff, all.
I’m hoping our transfer window gets going soon so we can see where we’re heading. Quality over quantity this summer.
Good morning Rico.
I watched a bit of the Blackpool / Lincoln game yesterday and was impressed by Ballard. He looks to be strong and quite good in the air, if a bit rough round the edges probably a result of playing lower league football.
I’ve seen nothing of Saliba so can’t judge him but a gut feeling says if a good offer comes in sell him and keep Ballard.
‘morning Geoff.
Morning Cicero, a couple of the Blackpool players looked good I thought. Their left back, Husband I think his name was. Felt the same re Ballard, a bit of polish needed but very assured. Not afraid to take hold of the ball and his passing game was good too.
Another central defender we have is of course Mavropanos. They can’t all stay. I’m glad I’m not the one having to make the decisions. 😅
Rico I agree this transfer market we need to be smart and get in early and not rush at the last minute with the leftover players no one wanted
Morning rico and all, a warm sunny one. Had to get down to Southend seafront for a run early, 8 o’clock, before the tourists arrive!
I’ve never known a closed season with so many questions about our squad. Usually we debate about a few players, this time it’s about half of them with so many loans!
We also have to consider Mavropanos who is receiving interest from more than just Stuttgart in Germany.He is now a full Greek international . We have Holding,Mari ,,Gabriel, in situ and probably need two more. We need to check on left and right side but first thoughts are let Ballard have the first half of the season at Blackpool and see how he gets on in the higher division and wait for the market to pick up before we sell the others for a pittance
Apparently, we are interested in a young, eighteen-year-old, Portuguese striker from Sporting Lisbon, but the lad is reluctant to sign because we are not in next season’s Champions League. Where do these kids get their arrogance from? At eighteen he believes he would walk into a Premiership teams’ side for a major European tournament.
Bright and sunny here too Andrew, but a chilly north-easterly breeze is keeping the temperature down. I wouldn’t want to be up on the coast right now.
Morning all.
Bring Ballard and Saliba in and see how they go, imo.
We still have cup competitions to test them.
Both are young so there’s no real need to choose one over the other imo.
Morning Andrew, it certainly seems summer has arrived and everyone and anyone has flocked to the coast. Who’d have thought Coronavirus is still around eh….
I read that Arsenal wont need to sell before buying although I’m not sure how true that is, I agree though, let’s not sell our players on the cheap just to make a few quid. Other clubs seem to do ok selling theirs for a maximum, Arsenal need to do the same, certainly with the younger and English players.
Cicero, well said. The arrogance of some of the younger players, not ours I hasten to add although I’m sure we have one or two who think they should be in the first team, is ridiculous.
Cicero I agree with Rico well said these younger players need to learn that it’s a privilege to play for any top team and not a Wright
Wonder what people think about a player from Stoke city Harry Souttar is a strong 22 year old centre back who can score goal I believe he has also played for Australia
Don’t think we need another central defender Geoff…
We are still letting in too many goals and a defender who can score goals maybe worth just keeping an eye on.
What we do need is another striker to cover Auba if he doesn’t start scoring from round one
Rico your site has just changed back to the old look much better
Afternoon Rico and the House.
A very good post Rico which highlights a hard decision that
Mikal has to make
I would like to see them playing in the same match so we can compare
them. However that I think will not happen unless its in the Emirates Cup.
Another thing that will have to be taken into consideration Danny is now over 21
and must be included in the 25 man squad where as Saliba can still play
as u 21.
Rico have you seen the interview that Danny gave just after he was recovering
from the Virus. It makes his performance this year even better
For me too Geoff.
Afternoon Rick, thanks.
It is a tough job for Arteta but I suppose that’s what he gets paid for. Lol
I haven’t seen his interview but I’ll try and find it. Didn’t realise he’d had the virus either…
How is the situation now for English clubs, with European and non-European players? How many can there be in the squad?
Guendouzi off for a pittance apparently. £ 12 million pounds or euros according to different sources .
Rises Nelson to Olympiakos today’s rumours
This dam virus just won’t go away were I live in Victoria we are in a state lockdown for minum 7 days only allowed out to get food
Geoff, you guys really are copping a hammering.
More so from your government than the virus, though.
Crazy times mate.
It’s all fine to want top money for top players, how ever players like Guendouzi if we ask for too much we may get stuck with them and have a player that Arteta may not use sitting on the bench watching the grass grow.
Some times your better off to take a small lose to just get the player off the books. I believe Guendouzi is worth around 20 million but I would let him go for any offer over 15 million pounds.
can not wait until this transfer season to see who we bring in and who we kick out, sorry let go
That’s what you get for airing your dirty washing in public.
Once people know that you are desperate to sell and are having a fire sale the offers go down until you crack and take a loss..
With Guendouzi and Kolasinac as with Ozil the die is cast , the world and his dog know that we want rid and any offers are going to reflect that .
It was mentioned a few years ago that on radio talk shows once the name of Arsenal crops up the phone lines go crazy , you only have to look at News Now to see how many different sites put their twopenneths in to realise that a wrong comment here or there gets blown out of all proportion . Maybe the club should disassociate themselves officially from these sites and register the name to stop the impression that somehow these represent the words of the club.
Starting with Robbie and his crass talk show.
Hi Rico..Saliba has made the shortlist for CB of the season. Considering he’s only been with Nice since January, that’s great news!
Really pleased for Ballard.. enjoyed the play off & glad they won. We have some very talented CBs waiting in the wings..
Hi Sue, that’s incredible for Saliba. Hard to believe really considering.
Agree Potter but Arsenal don’t help themselves either with comments coming out of the club about changes and selling players. I doesn’t take a genius to work out which players are likely to be sold and yep, the Chinese whispers gather pace on NN.
There’s a new post up now
https://highbury-house.com/2021/06/01/xhaka-the-diplomat/