Morning all.
I read through Mikel Arteta’s pre Southampton press conference yesterday although I’ll be honest, I’m really not fussed about the actual game. Of course I want us to win but there’s little resting on it other than giving the travelling faithful something good to watch. The game is not being shown live in the Uk although I’d imagine it would be had we not already secured Champions League football for next season.
All I wanted to read about really is the plans Arsenal for the summer.
What is clear with the amount of injuries we had in the front line is that we need a goal threat, we need the firepower out there, and understanding that the context can change tomorrow. We cannot rely just on the numbers we had before. We have to add goals, we have to add creativity, we have to add numbers and that will be in different positions.
Music to every Arsenal fans ears I’m sure. More firepower and more creativity. More speed to our play, oh sorry, he didn’t say that. Lol
He’s made it more than clear to all of us what he wants this summer and I don’t think he’s simply shooting in the breeze either as I think his message is for the board too, get me the players I need. Please. Logic suggests he’s going to get the players too because otherwise, he’s setting him up for a lot of criticism, ridicule even.
I’m pretty sure there will be some moaning and groaning about who we sign, especially if it’s a player from Man City or Chelsea, but that’s inevitable as no one can please everyone all of the time.
It’s quite amusing reading the stories about Man Utd this morning as apparently, the club are prepared to listen to offers for all of their players. Ouch, imagine being a Utd player waking up to that headline. What must Ayden Heaven and Chido Obi be thinking now? The grass might appear greener but sometimes, it’s not. Omari Hutchinson found that out when he left Arsenal for Chelsea only to find himself at Ipswich and now, heading for life in the Championship. Unless another Premier League club snap him up of course.
Young footballers these days think they can run before they can walk but logic says, if they are good enough for the club they are already at, they would be given an opportunity. It is kind of a defeatist attitude to look at the players ahead of them in a team and accept there is no way through because what they should be thinking is, I’m going to push myself through because I am good enough.
As has been said and written by all of us at one stage or another, all it takes is an injury or two and a chance will come. Ironically, both players who thought life would be better at Utd would in all likelihood, found themselves playing a lot of first team football. Still, it’s good to sit back and not give a hoot.
More importantly for Arsenal is the young players who are at Arsenal, who want to stay at Arsenal and want to push on up into the first team. Who they might be though remains to be seen. Both Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly are very likely to play a big part in Arsenal’s 2025/26 season but hopefully, we will see one or two more step up. The long term positions of both Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly are yet to be decided. Might both end up playing alongside each other in midfield? I have no idea but bearing in mind Mikel Arteta said he sees Nwaneri as ending up in the number 9 position, perhaps next season that will become a reality. The joys of having multi talented players in the squad eh….
Anyway, I’ve waffled on for too long..
Catch up in the comments.
As far as I am concerned next season starts tomorrow .
This year such names as Setford , Nichols , Henry Francis , Butler Oyedeji , Edwards , Kabia , Sagoe Jnr. have appeared on the team sheets . Tomorrow is the chance to see them on the pitch rather than just filling the bench.
I am not suggesting that they all start but should the game go our way ,and we should make it so , a gentle drift of a few of them to the pitch for longer than the referees added time should take place.
Already we have heard that Setford is to be in next season’s squad , well give him 20 minutes tomorrow , same for Butler Oyedeji and Henry Francis , give them some time and some encouragement and maybe another Nwaneri or MLS might emerge.
Yes Potter, Football365 is produced by Bet365 the betting company owned by the Coates family who incidentally own Stoke City.
I am currently wearing my anorak.
Agreed Potter.
Morning Rico, nice post as per usual and yes I agree, Arteta was sending a message to Tim Lewis and the owners, as it is they that hold the purse strings and if January actually taught us anything it’s that the manager can ask, but he won’t always get want he wants as Mick Jagger once sung.
Nothing will really happen until June and then I expect to see Zubimendi be the first through the door.
There’s a lot of false flags flying on the gossip pages/blogs atm and although I can’t help looking at a few myself I also know that 99% of it is total bollox.
Tottenham winning the two-bob cup will add just a little bit more pressure on the KSE ownership to really ‘go for it’ this summer, but Stan is an immovable object when he doesn’t want to invest and the LA Rams are his real baby.
I see the media, or rather the blogs after hits etc, are suggesting Nwaneri is stalling over a new contract. Cant see it being true myself.
Nwaneri? Now unless his agent is putting it out there then how would they even know?
Man United have already stolen a couple of our youngsters so maybe they’re sniffing around and the petrol-fuelled duo of City and Chelsea would also make themselves known to the Nwaneri family, but I’m not nervous, there must be a whole host of talented players around the world who would love to join Arsenal.
Is Dowman being ‘tapped-up’…?
You can bet he is…
Morning Kev, thanks.
I think the board will back Arteta, after all, they have ever since he arrived. I know we all think we should have signed more but we have ffp or whatever it’s called these days to adhere to.
I’m steering clear from the gossip, as you say, most of it is poppycock.
Afternoon Rico and all,
The whole team have a lot to play for, those who want to stay have to impress Arteta and those who want out have to impress any new club. which will hopefully will raise their selling price.
Afternoon Geoff, they’ve had all season to do that. I suspect Arteta has already made his mind up on who goes.
Apparently, and according to his uncle, Gyokeres announced at a recent family dinner that he has decided to stay Sporting Lisbon.
If that is the case attention will be turned to Benjamin Sesko and Rodrygo. Neither will be cheap but not as expensive as Newcastle’s Isak.
It’s going to be a busy summer at the club. It’s nice to look at the shiny new transfer targets and it looks like we want to add a striker, a winger and a midfielder to our squad. Lots of names are being bandied about but I’ll wait and see who comes in.
There is another issue for us though. Jorginho, Partey, Neto, Sterling and Tierney are all at the end of their contracts. That’s 79 appearances between them that will possibly be leaving, and they will need replacements. Approximately £530k a week in wages.
Add to that Trossard, Zinchenko and Tomiyasu are within a year of their contracts ending as well and it would make sense to either unload them or extend them this summer. 52 appearances from these players. Approximately £340k a week in wages.
And finally, players with 2 years left are coming up to their standard extensions so we can tie them down if we want to keep them. Jesus, Saka, Gabriel, Saliba and Martinelli. That’s a big chunk of the first team. Approximately £930k a week in wages.
So that gives us 13 players of one sort or another and that’s before adding in any extra players or replacements. …. Lots of financial juggling to be done.
Saka, Rice and MLS all called up for England’s next two matches. Ben White was omitted due to the expected birth of his first child during the International break.
I’m surprised we are not reported to be interested in Delap.
Maybe the Gyorkeres narrative has been encouraged by the club to cover its real intentions?
There are a number of Premiership clubs who have expressed an “interest” in Delap which means there is the likelihood of a bidding war to sign the player who is in a position to demand any salary he wants. I don’t think Arsenal will join in.
In other news, Forest have refused to allow Gary Neville access to their stadium to work as a co-commentator at their final game of the season against Chelsea. This follows the comments Neville made about Forest owner Mariakis and
Nuno Espirito Santo having a conversation on the pitch at the end of their previous game.
It’s good that somebody has at last stood up to Neville and taken him to task for his often vitriolic comments.
Just why it’s best to ignore the media rubbish Kev.
Good on Forest I say Cicero, Neville had know idea what was said on the pitch and just because the owner looked cross, doesn’t mean he was. He is Greek after all.
Delap could be another Declan Rice, only has one club in mind so the fee kind of becomes irrelevant with his get out clause.
R B Leipzig have contacted Andrea Berta about a potential deal to sell 21 year old Slovenian forward Benjamin Sesko.
Shouldn’t that be the other way around?
Morning Cicero, all.
Jason Ayto has left Arsenal.. That’s a weird one after standing in for Edu.
Ayto has probably been approached by other clubs for the position of Director of Football, also it must be difficult to remain in a secondary position when you’ve been passed over by an outsider for the main job after you’ve been doing it temporarily?
Maybe Sesko was the target all along and the Gyorkeres rumours were just the club shadow boxing because we know that Chelsea are waiting to gazzump us?
Ive a feeling we’ll sign someone totally different to the names linked..
The lad from Frankfurt?
Dulap?
No idea Kev but we need a lot of players this summer, to spend huge on one player could affect the numbers.
That’s why Delap makes sense to me and he’s very good in an average team.
That’s how it was reported, Rico. Good morning.
I would love to be in Lisbon today, it would at least be drier and warmer than a cold and soggy Norfolk. 😉🍺
Me too Cicero, looking forward to the game although I think Barca will be too good..
If Delap had any sense, and if we are interested, he’d join us because he’d get games, a lot of games. Chelsea, Utd, etc have strikers and at the moment, cannot offer Champions League football.
There is a new post up.
I wonder how, long term, involvement in the World Club Cup will affect Chelsea and Man City next season, particularly in the latter stages of the season?
Yeah Delap seems a pretty cost-effective option Rico and as you say he’s scored goals in a really poor team, ex-Man City, Arteta will know him I imagine, makes sense to me if he’s affordable? Over ready as they say…
Still prefer Sesko though.