Morning all.
Nothing from Arsenal on deadline day other than players leaving. I thought we might try and bring a defender in at least, even one on loan to help cover at left back but I guess if Mikel Arteta was happy to loan out Kieran Tierney, Nuno Tavares too, he believes the squad he has is good enough and deep enough to deal with the challenge ahead. Until January anyway when the transfer window reopens.
Flo Balogun, Rob Holding Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Granit Xhaka are the main players never to been seen in an Arsenal shirt again. With AMN, I wonder if he regrets not accepting he might have made a really good right back for Arsenal. Balogun possibly wonders what more he needed to do whilst out on loan to be given a chance under Arteta but of both Holding and Xhaka, I’ll always have fond memories. The FA Cup win with Holding and Merts at the back was brilliant. Good luck to all the players who’ve left north London for pastures new.
So, here’s the squad. 26 players in total, including Pepe and Soares who could yet depart. I’ve a feeling Soares might be sticking around though. Mo Elneny is in there too but despite not a single under 23 player being promoted, it doesn’t necessarily mean we won’t see a number of them feature this season, especially if we have an injury hit campaign. Fingers and toes crossed we don’t.
From Arsenal.com
Mikel Arteta was asked about his change of tactics and formation this season during his press conference yesterday and I must say, his answer left me baffled but I do now know that he doesn’t always drive the same route to work. Seriously though, he’s the manager and if he believes what he’s doing is best for the club then he’ll either be considered a genius by the end of the season, or a tinker man who has ruined what might have been a very good season for the club.
One has to hope he proves himself to be a genius because football fans are ruthless. It doesn’t matter how close we came to winning the league last season because we live in the present. This season matters more than what’s gone on before. The injury to Timber was cruel but couldn’t be helped but Arteta now really needs Havertz to performing a lot better than he has so far. He needs this new formation to click into place. He also needs to hope that the likes of Zinchenko, Tomiyasu, Saliba and Partey don’t pick up long term injuries. The same applies to every player of course but Partey, Zinchenko and Tomiyasu have a history of breaking down at some stage during a season.
Arsenal play Man Utd tomorrow in what already feels like a must win match. Stupid I know because the season in long. Utd strengthened their squad yesterday and apparently, their new striker signing earlier in the summer is now fit to go. Much fuss has been made about Rasmus Hojlund, he’s even been labelled the next Haaland. Ridiculous though as he’s 20 years old and has never stepped foot into Premier League football. His history is Atlanta and Sturm Graz. More recently, Denmark for whom he’s scored 6 goals in 6 games, 3 against Finland. Obviously, I hope he proves to be a £72 million flop, unlike Havertz who I hope proves to be a £65 million bargain….
Still, more about the game tomorrow, tomorrow.
Catch up in the comments.
Can someone tell me why Elneney is still at AFC ???
At best he has only ever been average and there’s zero chance of him getting into the first team so why is it that when AFC is at last getting rid of unwanted fringe players that possibly one of the worst is never mentioned ???
Not me Stan, unless he’s working towards his coaching badges alongside Mikel.
Good morning Rico.
Elneny has been injured for months, he has only just restarted training, after a serious knee injury. it is unlikely that any club would be willing to take him on until he is proven to be fully fit.
Arteta obviously sees something in him that you do not Stan, otherwise he would not have given him an extended contract earlier this year.
With a Saudi club, reportedly, offering £200 million for Salah, surely one of them could be persuaded to offer £ 25 million for Pepe, their window is open for another week. we can only hope. ..😉
Morning Rico and all,
would Pepe want to go to a Saudi club,
I reckon Arteta is happy to keep Elneny on the books as he seems to be happy to play off the bench.
Morning Cicero. I think he’s a good character to have around the place too but I can’t see him playing much, especially if Arteta fields strong cup sides. Time will tell I guess.
Hi Geoff.
We have players but we don’t have a team. We have an expensive squad, with many egos and difficult to manage.
I hope I’m wrong, but as a team we are below both Manchester, Liverpool, Villa, Newcastle, Brighton, WH, Chelsea and totts.
Hasn’t Pepe turned down Saudi? No doubt he wants Arsenal to rip up his contract so he can secure a big money move elsewhere. Personally, I’d play him if he ends up staying, obviously not in the the PL or CL.
Watching the Sheffield United /Everton and the commentator has just mentioned a new rule, if a player goes off after having treatment for an injury, he can’t return for thirty seconds. Apparently it’s to stop players wasting time by feigning injury.
Cicero, I was surprised when I heard that rule too, but did laugh when the ball hit the back of Pickford’s head and go in for a own goal
It’s a good idea I think, doesn’t stop keepers though…
It’s a new rule yes.
Tierney is playing for Real Sociedad.
Beto (Everton) was very helpful to us.
A few big scores around today. Totts have scored five..
Afternoon rico, house. And it starts, Partey out for a while now.
Afternoon Andrew, seriously? What’s his injury?
Neither he or Rice in the training photos on Arsenal.com.
That Partey report comes from the Ghana FA who say they have been advised by Arsenal that he player will not available during the upcoming International break, following an injury sustained in training. That could be a blessing in disguise, White to right back, Gabriel to centre back, alongside Saliba and Zinchenko to left back.
Massive blessing as long as we beat Utd tomorrow 😂
Reports vary between a couple of weeks and three months for a grade 3 tear.
☹️
Newcastle are above us, is that right?
Elneny still injured, Partey injured, I guess that opens the door for Jorginho?
No only do we need to win but we have to start scoring more goals to catch up with the top two side or it could come back and bite us in the ass, at the end of the season.
Morning guys
New post up