Morning all.
Did you see Tyrone Mings accidentally connect with Ashley Barnes elbow in last night’s fixture between Aston Villa and Burnley? Not even a yellow card came out of Paul Tierney’s pocket. And people wonder why Mikel Arteta moaned about some of the decisions he made in our fixture against Totts.
When Aaron Hickey was first linked to Arsenal I thought any such move didn’t make sense. However, Nuno Tavares hasn’t exactly looked like the ideal replacement Kieran Tierney when called upon. Tierney’s apparent inability to go an entire season without suffering a lengthy absence through injury is concerning so it would make sense to strengthen in that department. Hickey is primarily a left-back but can also play as a central midfielder as well as anywhere across the back line, including right-back.
His former manager at Hearts, Craig Levein once said of him:
He’s got really good defensive qualities but I don’t know if he’ll end up being a full-back, he might end up going back into midfield, he could be a fantastic holding midfielder with his great awareness of danger and his ability to get out of tight situations with the ball at his feet.
The perfect CV as far as Arsenal’s requirements go but with Newcastle Utd and Brentford interested him apparently, Arsenal can’t afford to dawdle over the signing if they really want him.
We can assume Newcastle Utd are going to behave like kids in a sweet shop with a tenner in their pocket this summer and with the likes of Man Utd, Totts, West Ham, Leicester City, Aston Villa etc all strengthening their squads too, Arsenal are likely to face stiff opposition for player signings. Totts are looking likely to have Champions League football on offer whereas ourselves and Utd, it’s Europa. Does it make a difference? I’m not so sure it does because most players will want to know what they’re joining and who before committing to a move. Is the project, or process Mikel Arteta talks about more sellable than what Conte or Erik ten Hag can offer? Or Brendan Rogers, Patrick Vieira, Steven Gerrard and Graham Potter? If Arsenal were chasing the same player as Liverpool, Man City or Chelsea, would that player choose Arsenal?
Regardless of what you or I might think about the way this season has gone under Mikel Arteta, I think Arsenal remain an attractive club, but not for a certain criteria of player. Big names go to serial winning clubs rather than those aiming to win. At least in my opinion anyway but having spent the last couple of years moving the so called big players away from the club, I can’t see Arsenal going down that route again anytime soon. Certainly not under the current ownership anyway. In any case, I don’t think the squad needs big time Charlie’s coming through it’s doors.
Nor does it need other club’s castoffs as we’ve been there and done it and it’s failed. Sign players who we really need and not those who other clubs simply don’t want anymore. In other words, tell Juventus to take a long run off a short pier. If Arsenal want to sell Gabriel, then sell him to the highest bidder and don’t do Juve any favours. Saying that, if Arsenal want Tammy Abraham, there’s a swap deal to be done with Roma I’m sure. Lol
Not sure about the collar. Really not sure about the black away kit either. Mikel Arteta might have to remain sitting when the team wear black otherwise he might find the ball pinged to him if he’s too close to the sideline.
Gabriel Martinelli has switched his number from 35 to 11. 11 did belong to Lucas Torreira who responded on social media:
“What number will I wear next year?” “Good luck amigo @gabriel.martinelli I love you.”
Number 2 shirt is sat waiting for newly crowned UNFP Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year William Saliba to fill it, according to reports on NN which makes sense as that’s been his shirt number at Marseille.
Arsenal’s first exit of the summer has been confirmed as Dinos Mavropanos has joined Bundesliga side Vfb Stuttgart in a permanent transfer. Once Stuttgart had avoided relegation, it was only a matter of time before this deal was confirmed. The first arrival seems imminent too as well respected Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has posted on Twitter that an official statement will soon be made confirming Sao Paulo winger Marquinhos move to Arsenal for €3.5m. The winger is expected to sign a five year deal.
We head into the weekend with a number league placements still uncertain. Liverpool and City are battling it out for the title and down the other end of the table, either Burnley or Leeds will be relegated. Norwich, I can’t remember who they’re playing, will hopefully end their time in the Premier League with a fine victory at Carrow and in north London, an Everton team, who last night beat Crystal Palace to ensure their own place in the Premier League is safe for another season, get well and truly beaten.
Then we can all have some time off…
Good morning Rico, right from the off I had doubts about Tierney. He arrived carrying a long term injury and suffered further problems with irritating regularity. Aaron Hickey would provide an effective replacement for Tierney and would probably get his his chance before the mid-season break having had time to assimilate with the rest of the squad.
I have to say I’m relieved that Martinelli has accepted a new shirt number, it makes it less likely that he will look for a move away.
Shouldn’t Tomiyasu be offered the number two shirt?
Morning Cicero, it’d make more sense for Tomi to wear the no2 shirt but numbers don’t seem to be the same as they used to.
Vivianne Miedema has signed a new contract at Arsenal. Excellent news.
It all changed with the introduction of squad numbers Rico. Back in the day a player was handed a shirt with the number relating to the positive was filling on it. If a player was playing right wing he got the number seven shirt, if in the next game he was centre forward he got the nine shirt. Now it seems a player can virtually choose any squad number that’s free, as long as it is no more than two digits long.
Correction: Relating to the position he was filling.
Morning Rico and all
I hate the red crap on the collar of next season shirt just leave plain white.
The good old days Cicero..
Hi Geoff
Now it seems a player can virtually choose any squad number that’s free, as long as it is no more than two digits long.
It’s not as if they have to wash their own shirts for next week .
They haven’t lived until they’ve taken home 14 kits to wash and iron. Lol
Never ironed mine but did wash it often , then i got married and it was much easier , still never got ironed though.
…and you’re still married Potter? 😉
😂 Potter
Tammy Abraham with 17 Serie A goals has beaten the record held by Gerry Hitchins of 16 in 1961-62 as the most prolific English striker in Serie A history.
Sign him up I say Kev.
Good afternoon Rico and all
I enjoyed reading the post. Especially the first part….’Not even a yellow card came out of Paul Tierney’s pocket’…………..and then in another article you end up reading…..The Premier League is the only major league in Europe without a single official selected to act as neither referee, assistant referee or video assistant referee (VAR) at the World Cup in Qatar this year.
And are the EPL top brass convinced that the referees in the top division arent making mistakes??
DOn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
The referee association and all the courses need a top to bottom revamp
Afternoon Devil.
It’ll be interesting to see who replaces Atkinson, Moss and Dein. Surely whoever it is, can’t be worse than the idiots the PL has already.
New post up now