Morning all.
The international break is upon us. Two weeks of crossing anything which can be crossed in hope that none of our players pick up injuries whilst away with their respective countries.
Those away are:
Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Martin Odegaard, Granit Xhaka, Nicolas Pepe, Bukayo Saka, Thomas Partey, Mo Elneny, Cedric Soares, Kieran Tierney, Bernd Leno, Daniel Ballard, Karl Hein and Alex Runasson.
European teams have three fixtures during the break, the ACON, just two although for Aubameyang and Partey, it’s only one because of Covid travel restrictions. Good, I wish they were all playing just the one fixture.
I’ve been thinking about Martin Ødegaard. Just a few of weeks ago had anyone suggested Arsenal keeping him, I wouldn’t have been the first to shout yes. Yet now, it’d be a big fat yes. I’m sure many other fans as well as Edu and Mikel Arteta would love to see his loan deal made permanent.
I think he’s the best player Arsenal have brought in on loan since the turn of the century and there’s been a few, although not as many as I thought. Thanks to TransferMarket, here’s the players who have joined Arsenal since 2000.
2020/21 – Martin Ødegaard, Matty Ryan and Dani Ceballos
2019/20 – Cedric Soares and Pablo Mari
2018/19 – Denis Suarez
2013/14 – Kim Kallstrom
2011/12 – Yossi and Thierry Henry
2006/07 – Julio Baptista
2003/04 – Michal Papadopoulos
2001/02 – Junichi Inamoto
Of course the Henry loan was great because of the sentiment but as far as a player making a real impact on the team it has to be Ødegaard.
Agree?
See you in the comments.
Good morning Rico.
There’s little doubt that Odegaard is the best loanee for quite a while, if only because he arrived fit rather than spending half a season in the medical room. 😉
Morning Cicero.
Ha ha, there’s a striker on that list I don’t even remember.
On a serious not though, with the club always insisting money is tight, I’m surprised we haven’t loaned more players over the years.
too much immovable deadwood taking up squad places?
Good point.
Odegaard is one of the best talents around atm. When he took ESR’s place I was dead against it because I felt it would stunt ESR’s growth. Especially as the latter was shunted to the left.
How wrong I was. Not only did he knit the team together, but ESR and Tierney have developed into a fine left hand partnership which is very solid and difficult to break. While Odegaard pulls the strings.
I hope we have him again next year. Maybe we will buy him.
Hi Rico.. who the hell is Papadopulous?! A distant relative of Sokratis’ 😄
Definitely a few to forget on there!! But yes Øde is looking the real (no pun intended!) deal.. Real must have some talent for him to hardly get a look in and to leave on loan.
Some of the Sky pundits said he was the best piece of business in the window… I wonder if we’ll keep him though??
I know Real are in debt (who isn’t?) and want to buy Mbappe or Haaland, so that could work to our advantage!
I was of a similar opinion when he arrived Devil, but I think the Toots game especially, put an end to the ‘can they both play in the same team’ question.
Hi Sue, can’t help you there. Lol
I hope we get him, even if it’s on loan for another season to start with. He’s everything Ozil could have been.
I’m really pleased Partey has only one game this break, he could do with the time training back at the club. Aubameyang too.
Cedric must be chuffed to be called up by Portugal for the first time in a couple of years.
Hope England are sensible with Saka and ESR.
Afternoon all,
Blimey a couple on that list were hardly seen in an Arsenal shirt.I did like Julio Baptista,he had some good games,one against Liverpool when we scored 6 springs to mind.
Sad news the loss of Frank Worthington, he was an entertainer and a brilliant off of the cuff footballer, he would have gone down a storm at Arsenal at the time as we were so boring…
Vladimir Pertovic, we took him on loan around 1983’ish, a very technical midfielder who the crowd really took to but English football was all very muscular Charles Hughes at the time and eventually Petrovic joined a Spanish club, but he loved it at Arsenal and turned up several years later a few pounds heavier to play in a testimonial, not bad for a guy who spent half a season on loan?
Benayoun scored to help Arsenal qualify for the CL in the last game of the season at West Brom… That’s having an effect.
He came with low expectations at a time when Wenger was making some really weird transfer choices, but won the fans over with his 100% effort and hard work.
Petrovic I really liked…..although I only saw him play three times for Yugoslavia. He was a classy player and once I remember that Rix was preparing to take a freekick against Stoke I think and Petrovic ran past Rix, uttered something gibberish and simply curled the ball over the wall into the top corner. I read it not saw it and have searched many times on youtube for it but never found it.
Baptista I also liked as well especially when he whacked the dippers with 4 goals.
Benayoun I wanted him to stay on but it seems that AW said something that we could not afford it or something like that. We could have done with another season of him.
https://twitter.com/goonerbeau/status/1217348241471299592
https://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/the-adoration-and-failure-of-petrovic
Hi Rico and All
Half of the names on your list I can not remember who they are but I think Odegaard would be they one that stands out for me.
He seem to have settled in quickly and both the players and Arteta seem to like him and most importantly is that he seems to be happy playing for us. I would very happy if we could sign him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dSQgAc5U1U
21 years ago today…..The White Pele scored 3 and assisted 1 in a 4-2 score vs Werder Bremen
Romford Pele I think DG
Tony Adam’s was also from Romford
Yes Kev was talking about Parlour.
I wish we had a couple of grafters like him today. Those who stick in and play even when its cold, windy and full of snow up north.
I remember that goal against Aston Villa, we were so boring in those days, hard for younger fans to realise but it was grim.
Petrovic was a glimpse of what could be but English football wasn’t ready and nor was Arsenal.
Kev, I think that Petrovic would have fitted perfectly in the AW team of Rosicky, Hleb, Fabregas.
The talent of Odegaard was evident from day one-he’s a superb footballer.
What I doubt anyone thought was how quickly he’s settled in and just looks part of the furniture.
The key to him staying on is the player himself.
We keep seeing the power that players have in transfer negotiations, let’s hope for once it works in our favour.
If we got a option to buy from Madrid I would be looking to build a team around him .
Currently I would flank him with ESR and Saka who both work back with Laca and Martinelli up front . Partey , Gabriel , Tierney , Holding , Cedric and a keeper as my first choice .
Then it’s case of bringing up the standard of reserves where we can either throiugh buying and replacing or developing what we already have.
He has proven what we have long needed but the more he plays the bigger the barrel that Real are holding us over..
Potter, I’m not so sure.
As I mentioned, players wield so much power these days, if he wants to force has way out of Real, he will.
That’s the key, what he wants.
Yes, we will pay good money but hey, he’s a superb player so that’s to be expected.
I hope it happens.
Arsenal have fallen in love with Martin Odegaard , so says Marca in their Real Madrid pages . They also say that Real may be open to sell him to fund a bid for Ronaldo from Juventus who they say is open to a return.
Who knows but I hope that they are not looking for us to fund all of Ronaldo.
Real Madrid going for Cristiano Ronaldo must mean that they can’t get either of Haaland or Mbappe which make you wonder about how bad their finances are, I think their losses and Barcelona’s runs into the hundreds of millions…
Arsenal need to show Odegaard that they are an ambitious club who can satisfy and match his own because there will be other clubs watching him like Liverpool and Man City and Chelsea who can match and beat us financially and offer him better opportunities to win honours.
As of January this year Real Madrid’s debt stands at €901 million.
They cannot afford to refuse a reasonable off for Odegaard, the question is does the player want to stay at Arsenal or will he be willing to move to a club with better prospects of European football.
Odegaard is in the shop window with a big sign on him that says “FOR SALE”
no Cedric in the line up today.
João Cancelo (M. city) on the right and Nuno Simões (left back) (sporting – 18 years old)
Afternoon Rico and the House.
2nd jab done no side affects at the moment and7days to the end of sheiding
Looking good.
19 days to my second jab, that’s if the EU doesn’t ban vaccine exports.
I have seen that Saka is still receiving treatment for vhis hamstring is still
at home and will not play in the first England game.
Should withdraw alltogether.
Evening Rick, all.
Imo, our best chance of getting Ødegaard is on loan for another season, similar to the deal for Ceballos.
There’s going to be some politics surrounding Odegaard. If we can stump up the cash for him then great. Supposedly our back up is Coutinho for £35m. Apparently if Coutinho plays 10 more games for Barca another big chunk of money is owed to Liverpool.
So I can see a situation where Real may sell to leave Barca with a big bill.
I think we could afford him, IF we can sell in members.
I agree, Rico.
I think we must do everything we can to keep him.
At his age, the future looks bright.
Real hold all the cards though Scott. I’m sure Arsenal will try.
Ødegaard limped out of Norway’s game tonight. Twisted ankle apparently.
☹️
Rico, I don’t agree.
Players wield more power now than ever before.
Real still have a say, no question, but I doubt Odegaard has ever felt at home there-constant loan spells suggest that.
Either way, let’s hope he stays as he’s tire quality.
I get all that Scott but ultimately, Real will set the price and Real will say yes or no to any deal.
As has been said before, the more and better Ødegaard plays, the more Real will push for a bigger fee.
Good Morning everyone.
Some news with regards our game against Slavia Prague……..
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/mar/24/slavia-prague-ondrej-kudela-could-be-questioned-by-police-if-he-returns-to-uk-arsenal-glen-kamara
UEFA rules with regards racism. Read pg 15 (article 14).
https://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/Regulations/uefaorg/UEFACompDisCases/02/60/83/56/2608356_DOWNLOAD.pdf
Kev, Real and Barca have lots of debt between them. Infact I think they are the two clubs with most debts in the world right now.
tThe figures coming from Real Madrid. If Barcelona’s total debt is €1.173 billion and their net debt €488 million, Madrid’s is €901m and €355m, respectively. it’s the short-term debt that is Barça’s biggest concern. They have a gross debt of 730 million in the short-term, while Madrid’s is just 203 million. In summary, Madrid’s gross debt is 901 million euros and Barcelona’s has risen 1.173 billion euros.
The financial situation at Barcelona is worse than anyone could have imagined. The club recently published a statement, confirming that they were in debt of 1.2 billion euros which needed to be paid back by June 30th. over a billion euros in debt; wages accounting for 74% of the budget; a short-term debt of €720m; €186m in amortisations; a €488m loss in 2019-20; the need, somehow, to raise almost €200m this summer alone; a negative working capital of €602m; a long list of players to be paid for.
Real Madrid’s gross debt has risen to €901 million, in the club’s latest figures, leaving them just behind rivals Barcelona in huge debt. According to SPORT, Los Blancos revealed gross debt of €901 million, which isn’t too far off Barcelona’s €1.2 billion gross debt.
The Spanish champions have a net debt of €355 million and of that €114 million is attributed to the renovation of the Bernabeu, which has left them playing at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano at the moment. Real do only have €203 million in short term debt, which is far less than their rivals, who currently owe €126 million to other clubs for other transfers alone, across 19 different clubs.
Morning Devil,
Barca and Real will take away the attention of their financial situations by spending up on the worlds best players 🙂
Years ago, Barca were a mess (nothings changed) and a certain bank wouldn’t lend them more cash, so the next day, tens of thousands of Barca fans lined up to close their accounts.
Suddenly, the cash was available.
Funny that 😉
….and the more attention he will attract from clubs competing in the Champions League. If it comes down an auction, we have no chance, our best hope would be CL qualification via winning the Europa.
Let’s not forget, he has no allegiance to Arsenal Football Club.
Exactly Cicero. Signing Odegaard depends on so much but of course, if he has fallen in love with Arsenal, it’ll help.
New post up now by the way.
I need a link Rico…
Thanks for that info on Barca and Real, the world those two inhabit is really unique and a bit weird, no other clubs anywhere exist quite like they do.