Morning all.
Have to laugh really at the way Alexandre Lacazette has pretty much been forced to defend his place at Arsenal. The gutter media have tried to make out that since the arrival of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Lacazette is second best, some have even gone as far to suggest he should be sold. Mind you, I’ve read a few comments from Arsenal fans hinting at similar which is quite bizarre to say the least. Ever since RvP was sold we’ve been craving a clinical striker, the media have slated us for not having one and now we’ve got two, we’ll, need I say more. 2018/19 is the first full season we’ll get to see the both of them play together, perhaps not all the time I know, but it’s certainly an exciting prospect. One has the pace to destroy defenders, he’s pretty good in front of goal too and while the other might not be quite as quick, although he’s no cart horse himself, can be ruthless in front of goal.
I never said it [Aubameyang’s arrival] was bad for me, only people in the press said it was bad.
I was happy because I knew I could play with him. I didn’t see him as a rival, more like a team-mate, so since the beginning I was happy about his signature.
And so was I. Just as I am with Bernd Leno who so far has done very little wrong although I know it’s very early days. Petr Cech seems to have had a new lease of life since his arrival too, or the new keeper coaches but either way, he looks like he’s up for the fight to keep his number one status at the club.
I know it’s only preseason but there’s certainly been signs of improvement. The defence and defending remains a work in progress, proved by how easily Chelsea opened the scoring on Wednesday night and again when Bellerin so easily and clumsily gave away a penalty. Cech surprised us all by saving the subsequent spot kick.
Arsenal will sell Shkodran Mustafi this summer if a team pays £22.3m for the Germany defender. (Daily Mirror)
Wouldnt surprise me at all if that’s true although with just seven days of this transfer window left, perhaps it’s leaving things late. Silly me, this is not the Arsenal of old, this is a new Arsenal with a different approach to signing players. One week is like one summer under the previous regime and I’m far from convinced the club are done with transfers yet, both in and out.
The big question is though, will Osamune Dembele be one of the ins? He’s certainly doing his best to add fuel to the rumour fire. Seeing that photograph and our players, just how impressed have you guys been with Matteo Guendouzi and for how much?
Just goes to show that there are very good players out there who don’t always cost £50 million plus. Mind you, it’ll take double that amount to get Dembele apparently…
TGIF guys, tomorrow it’s the last preseason fixture, then it gets real…
Good morning Rico and everyone… The game against chelsea was a reality check to the fact that we still have a lot of work to do in our defense, Auba looked tired surprisingly, bellerin is finished for me as Wenger let him self destruct.. Matteo is something else, I see him being an upgrade on pogba, Ozil has really impressed me so far, Elneny and Nwobi cannot be trusted and shouldnt be playing for a team like arsenal.. Lacazette is good to go… Can’t really say much about MikhMikh…. Concerning transfers I dont mind a dembele coming in, will definitely strengthen our squad, I will gladly accept any replacement for Mustafi and Ramsey will not be missed if he leaves… Wish us the best against man city, the game is just 9 days away..
Morning Mexzy, all.
I’m not surprised the players look tired. They are working hard and the travelling must have an effect on their bodies. I’d imagine once the season starts the training won’t be quite so intense but apparently they’ve been doing double sessions..
Morning Rico, Chuba Akpom out the door for £2m + sell on clauses.
That’s Cazorla, Wilshere, Mertesaker, Jeff and now Akpom off of the clubs playing staff plus about 12 youngsters, 10 permanently, 2 on loan.
Good morning Rico, no hot Arsenal news on yet another hot sunny summer day.
Mexzy, we can hardly expect our previously un-coached defenders to turn into World beaters in the course of a couple of weeks of pre-season.
Changes in personnel, coaches and, most of all, a new system of man marking rather than zonal defence are bound to take a bit of time to coalesce.
Bellerin really needs to rethink his game. He got skinned on multiple occasions in the Chelsea game, finally going for a desperate tackle that led to the penalty. Despite that, according to the Telegraph, he is still one of the most sought after fullbacks in Europe.
I expect Ospina to go in the next few days and also Cech who is entering the last year of his contract. Macey and Martinez will provide ample back-up for Leno.
Matteo Guendouzi could well be the find of the decade.
Rico, I’m not sure that I’d sell Mustafi, I think that he’s had a very solid preseason.
Sokratis, who the media were writing off before he’d kicked a ball, has gradually settled in and once Torrieira is in situ, we’ll see how good this team defensively can really be.
I’m keen to see Lichtsteiner get a game, see what he can bring to the table in terms of defensive discipline, physicality and experience.
I thought that Chambers looked really good when he came on, it’s amazing what some proper defensive coaching can do.
Still no hints at what is happening with Carl Jenkinson and has Danny Welbeck returned to the club even? His situation is like an Agatha Christie mystery, is he staying or is he going?
Matt Macey joined Plymouth Argyle on loan for the season a few days ago Cicero.
……….I missed that Macey move Kev. Welbeck wouldn’t be missed, except on the bench. 😀
It would be a bit of a risk Cicero, going into such a long, intense season with only Lacazette, Aubameyang and Nketiah as strikers though.
I’m not sure we could afford to sell both Perez and Welbeck and not bring someone else in.
But I’ve noticed that Liverpool are now interested in Ramsey and the fee has shot up to £40m.
Now if Man Utd come in, the fee might go up again?
I don’t want Ramsey to leave, but business is business and if he doesn’t sign a new deal then c’est la vie Aaron.
I know that Emery said that he wants Ramsey to stay and that he’s a big player for Arsenal, but isn’t that just football speak? You can’t ask a big fee for a player if you want to sell them.
Afternoon Kev, Cicero.
Shame Akpom couldn’t find a better club to go to. Can’t see him staying where he’s going for too long. Surprised one of the newly promoted sides didn’t take a chance on him.
Just another made up headline I suspect Kev, the newspapers have got to disrupt our players one way or another. I’ve only seen one of the preseason matches so can’t really comment on our defenders. I tried watching the Chelsea one but kept falling asleep… 😜
If our signings are done now I’d rather we kept both Perez and Welbeck, but if selling is needed to fund Dembele then that’s another story…
Agree there Rico, I’m not too fussed whether they both stay or both go tbh, but we need depth in attack, I mean if either of our main strikers gets a serious knock them we’re in shit creek.
Campbell is another who we can’t shift and Ospina is haggling over money with the Turks so it’s a bit slow in that regard.
Interesting to see that Bielik played in midfield for the U23’s, so maybe all that Wenger nonsense about converting him into a centre back is finished, it might resurrect his Arsenal career?
Europa League might need them Kev..
I’d forgotten about Campbell…
Evening all and thank you Rico.
Virginia(goalie) has moved to Everton………………….the clearout continues, just Campbell, Perez, Ospina, Mustafi, Sokratis etc to go ………… 🙂
I think Iwobi`s contract extention will be the final straw for you Rico………………………Is it Dick out already ?
🙂
Listening to Dean Saunders today on talksport and he couldn`t beleive that Wenger never used to make the players watch vids of the opposition, he said all EPL clubs do it and even he did it at Wrexham as manager, honestly worth listening to on re-listen if anyone can……………………he did say though that it`s a fact that players attention scan will only last 15 minutes on any subject !
Kolasinac out for upto 10 weeks !
No Lc, I think the club are just making sure that when players go, they do so for a fee.
Also, Iwobi under Emery might be different to Iwobi under Wenger, just as it might for a few others..
Ramsey is still injured too, the Kolasinac one must be nasty.. Is Monreal back yet?
Bad news about Kolasinac, particularly as the only cover for Monreal is Maitland-Niles who is not experienced enough at left back to play for any length of time in Premiership matches.
Ramsey will either sign a new contract before the deadline or will be sold. He will not be allowed to run his contract down and leave for nothing.
Can’t Lichtsteiner play left back too?
I believe he can play in all defensive positions. A Peter Storey of the modern era!
Gotta admit we’ve been blessed with Swiss defenders in the past, still don’t think he can hold a candle to Djourou or Senderos, right back, left back, central defence, nothing ever phased those guys, think I’ve got a bit of dust is my eyes……!!!