Morning all.
Who said summer could be put on halt for one day eh?? Rain? Come on it’s June, Wimbledon is just around the corner and as quick as it came along together with a few rumblings of thunder, it can buzz off again. I’ll admit, it’s nice to have a cooler night but we mustn’t moan here in the UK, enjoy it instead. This weekend is notorious for rain, bucket loads of it because that’s what those who attend Glastonbury get served up. Mud, wellies, more mud, tents blowing away, cars stuck in the sodden ground yet still they have fun, great fun. Anyway, hopefully for once they’ll get a dry weekend.
Back closer to home, well, the home of Arsenal, very little is going on as far as signings go. There might be plenty of things going on behind the scenes but the media are being deprived of anything real to report. But they still manage to merrily go along with the Arsenal are ‘confident’ they can sign Mbappe and Man City are ‘confident’ that a big money offer will guarantee Alexis Sanchez will leave north London and join the man who sold him to Arsenal just a few years ago. Time will tell but if by some miracle Arsene Wenger does sign Mbappe, Alexis might just think we mean business this coming season.
Bobby Pires has made it clear that both Alexis and Mesut need to be kept and three or four players need to be signed. Whether that includes our new left back I don’t know, but either way, I think he’s not far off the mark.
As well as incoming players, there’s a few who should be moving on. Who Arsene Wenger wants to see the back of may differ to us as he has to keep a number of ‘homegrown’ players. Reading around the Arsenal internet world suggests that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has done little to convince certain fans that he’s worthy of a new deal. I disagree though, I liked the way he finished the season and if he stays fit for the majority of the coming campaign, he’ll only get better imo.
Jack Wilshere is the big one. He’s been with us since he was knee high to a grass hopper but time has to be running out for him at Arsenal. Like a few others, his contract is due to expire next summer and the player once dubbed ‘the next Gazza’ is running out of time to convince the Arsenal hierarchy that he deserves many more chances or even any more chances. He can’t stay fit which is no fault of his own really and even on loan, he didn’t really stand head and shoulders above the rest in the Bournemouth team with his performances. Yes he did well, but a player with his attributes should really have had a great time on the south coast. There was a suggestion a while ago that talks for over a new contract would soon take place, now though that seems to have cooled, certainly if we are to believe the media. Still, he’s just got married, China is allegedly calling him so at least he won’t have to worry about money. It’s hard to believe that a player who by now should be attracting the worlds best clubs for a price in excess of £50 million, is now valued on Transfer Market at just £17 million.
Back to Alexis Sanchez who last night booked his place in the record books for his country by becoming their highest scorer of all time. Not something he’ll achieve at Arsenal I’d have thought but who knows. He has a good few years in those little legs and he’s already managed 72 in 145 matches but Thierry Henry’s 226 is perhaps a target too out of reach even for him. I’d just be happy if he stayed to be honest, records, although there to be broken, aren’t really that important, certainly not individual ones. Football is a team sport and right now this team needs a few classy players added to it in order to challenge for the Premier League next season. No, not challenge for it, win it.
A tough, maybe even impossible task under the guidance of a man who for the last few years has shown no signs of being capable of winning anything other than the FA Cup and hope alone isn’t going to change that. New players might, but then we’ve thought/hoped that before as the changes/improvements have been made, but no, nothing. The odd game or the odd run of games have raised hope, but over an entire season, we simply haven’t been at the races.
Still, let’s see how the squad looks once the end of July arrives and who knows, we might just sneak back into the top four by the end of May… 🙂
Have a good Friday guys….
Morning all.
Fantastic post and full of news-not sure how you manage to find it all, Rico, especially at this time of year lol
Pires is right-there’s little point signing Mbappe or anyone else if we also let the likes of Alexis and Ozil go.
That’s not building.
If we are serious, pay those two what they want, bring in Mbappe and one or two others, because by extending their contracts, if we also strengthen the squad, we will only enhance their reputation and price tag in a year or two if we decide to sell them:
Let’s have a crack first, though.
Pep was on £12 million & won nothing. Just saying?
GG, Pep has a lot to prove, imo.
No question that he can manage, but there has to be a question mark over him when he’s had Barca, Bayern and now City-all world class squads.
I think City are his toughest test mainly because this League is competitive, not just a race between 2 or 3 clubs.
Can’t write him off yet, though.
Thanks Scott. Ten mins of sudden inspiration thanks to Sir Bobby ?
Scott
The words ‘austerity’ & ‘Pep’ have never been used in the same sentence, until now of course ha ha.
Anyway, back to the swans/Dons
Go Swannies 🙂
Rico, let’s hope Arsene heeds the legends advice.
I know we’ve said it for several years, but it’s been true-we are pretty close to being a fantastic side.
It won’t take much.
Hi Rico, that was a pretty good post on a no news day/week.
Wilshere is a funny one, there is a great player inside that battered body of his, but I wonder if the desire to be one of the best has been left in the treatment room.
Going to China really would be all about semi-retirement and the money.
Maybe he knows that his career has been cut short by all the injuries and he wants to maximise the years he has left?
I don’t think he has done anything to justify a pay rise, in fact I’d be surprised if the club did more than offer an extension on his current deal. Players have to realise that it’s a two way street, they maximise their earnings when it’s going well and that’s understandable, but why should they and their agents expect big pay increases if their fitness and performances don’t warrant it, get real ffs…
Arsenal need to toughen up on contracts and transfer fees, as Tottenham do. Daniel Levy is brilliant at maximising what they have, Wenger and Fox have patently failed to replicate his tough business stance. But you don’t see players and agents taking the piss at WHL, Levy fcuks them right off, but they don’t agitate to leave…
Do agents see Arsenal as a soft touch?
Would Theo get £140k at WHL..?
Would Diaby have been indulged as long as he was, at WHL..?
Just because the Spuds don’t win anything, it doesn’t mean you cannot learn from them.
Kev, I think our club tries to do everything the fit and proper way, and that’s seen as a sign of weakness, or at least, something that can be taken advantage of.
Big hope though Scott and that’s the problem…
Hi Kev, thanks and that’s a very good comment. Re Theo, no, not a hope in hell he’d earn that, although he would at Chelsea ?
There’s s headline on NN which suggests Ox will be sold to Liverpool.. if that’s true then I’ll be really disappointed…
Whereabouts Rico , I have friends in Sitges, Sant Pere de Ribes and Vilanova. Try to get there twice a year .They are desperate to get away from Madrid and you will see more George crosses there than here as their patron saint is Sant Jorge too.
Barcelona Potter, well, just outside in Viladecans.
Twenty minutes from Sitges, which is a beautiful little village with a stunning church.
Our friend was over in the Uk a few months ago staying with us and she said about all their troubles and if it wasn’t for the rest, ‘Spain’ would be in dire straits…
According to Sky Sports, we are in serious talks to sign Lacazette…..
Rico. That makes me incredibly excited. 🙂
Is he any good?
Hi everyone. Good opening volley rico, considering nothing is being leaked from Arsenal, or nothing is happening!!
Le Prof wouldn’t dare to start the new season without some serious signings. It may go against his ethos, but time he spent some big money. If not, he must know the reception he will receive.
Then if and when we have a decent side, he must accept new training methods are called for to motivate them. Sadly, with the same backroom staff, this won’t be easy. They should have been the first to go forth and multiply. The old boy needs fresh ideas and new blood from his staff team.
I don’t think anyone would want wheelchair, certainly not for £17 million. He couldn’t even keep a place in the Bournemouth team. Long body, short legs and a big ‘ed. Not a good combo for an athlete is it?
Catalonia is beautiful, that is where we stayed for a month. Barcelona players are the heroes there.
Not so keen on southern Spain, but I don’t think it can be called ‘3rd world’, not since being in the EU anyway.
Me too Adam. I think so, quite good…
Thanks Meerkat.
I agree, he’d be foolish but we’ve said that before haven’t we?
Spot on re the coaches, I’d have oiked them out a long time ago….
Evening all and thanks Rico !.
Must admit I wanted Lacazette a couple of years ago, but now I`ve seen what an exciting talent Mbappe is I`m going to be disappointed !……………………..Lacazette ( if he comes) to me means another player will be bought, whereas if we it were Mbappe, then that would be it !
Interesting article in the the Mail today, but it needs some looking at by accountants !………..have we any on here ?…………..AA was full of them and even though maths should be an exact science not any of them could agree ! 🙂
To keep Ozil and Alexis we may have to sell quite a few players according to the link !………………..
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4632274/Arsenal-breach-Premier-League-wage-control-rules.html
On the face of it if true, it may tell us a bit why Wenger is so cautious with the money, but then how do Manshafter, Mansour City and Chavs get around it ?
And by the way……..in my humble opinion………………… Newquay is a shit hole ! ………………………..300 miles of coastline around Cornwall and 100`s of beaches that are gorgeous but Newquay !…………nah !………………………..only good for stag and hen do`s…………………………….I also find it hilarious seeing some fat bastard walking through Newquay in a tight wet suit holding a surf board under his arm ! hahahahahaha …………………………………………sorry !…..no disrespect intended to any HHers who are slightly over weight ………………….and bastards ! 😆
Bet none of our Antipodean Gooners are like that !…………………………………although I`m not so sure about some of the roough looking sheilas ! ……………………bet Scott and Gnarley have come off the worst for wear and hospitalised for wrestling a few ! 😆
😆 😆 😆
http://img1-azcdn.newser.com/square-image/35160-20110401004836/aussie-mayor-begs-ugly-girls-to-move-to-town.jpeg
Both Lc, both. Then get rid of Walcott… lol
I never knew there was a wage structure rule? No way are we bigger payers than City, Chelsea and Utd. Yes, we over pay average players but that’s a different thing.
I never knew it either Rico, so if true are we wrong to moan about Wenger regarding finances etc` ?…………….too complicated for me, but it would be nice if the club explained such a rule, then the fans would have a bettter understanding of the clubs problems with pay, signings etc`………..as I said needs an accountant type on here to try and explain !……………………
I dont think so really Lc because imo it’s not about what we pay but who we pay what. That’s where I think he/the club waste so much, not only these days but in years gone by…
Mind you, when did that rule come in I wonder…
I’m also excited Rico, who are we signing?
Mbappe would be a sign of real intent whereas Lacazette is just a signing!
‘Nuff said!
I could crush a grape Kev… lol
He sure would Wavy, big time…
LC
Knotted hankies, sox & sandles still the go where you are are?
It’s either too hot, too cold, too much rain, not enough rain, nothing is quite right, or Arsene Wenger gives you the tom tits. I hope the general attitude picks up by the time this ‘tourist’ hits your shores?
‘3rd world economy’ meerkat, when you are quoting me!
Is there a trade deal between Blighty & Oz? We get all your bloody television productions & copy them & you get all our sporting experts & copy them? We are getting the rough end of the pineapple there I reckon!
“What’s that Darl? Yes coming! Have you booked me the Charlie George £40 guided tour yet?”
Ok HH. She who must be obeyed is calling, see ya later?
Don’t forget we get your crap too Gg, home and away, neighbours and even a re-run on cell block h… perhaps it’s best we stick to football….
Well said rico, the world’s gone crazy, take S Club 7 for instance, aren’t they touring around Australia at the moment and there’s only 3 of them left, what’s it all about.
They’re clearly easy to keep entertained Micko… lol
“Knotted hankies, sox & sandles”……………..that`s clothes !……………………sorry GG, but the whole of Cornwall is a designated naturist colony !………………….just pack a suit case of sun cream and a surf board to cover your modesty !
😎
Sorry, Rico, but Neighbours, Home and Away and Fosters.
Enough said 🙂
You can keep the lot Scott… 🙂
Morning all.
New post up.
Morning Rico. A more comfortable cooler dull grey has descended upon us here. But several new signings might brighten things up. 🙂
Well, hellooooo, all!