Morning all.
Arsenal are on the verge of announcing Folarin Balogun has committed his long term future to Arsenal. Personally I think this is great news but for the club, keeping him is crucial. Ok, he’s young, he’s raw but he’s definitely got talent. Loads of it.
Twitter:
Folarin Balogun has signed his new contract with Arsenal until June 2025, done and completed. He received more than 15 proposals to sign as a free agent – Bayer Leverkusen made the biggest one. Edu Gaspar and Arteta convinced Balogun to stay and sign a new contract. ⚪️🔴 #AFC
(Fabrizio Romano)
Whether Balogun goes on to become a great footballer is something only time will tell but that fact he wants to stay says a lot more. Money aside, he clearly believes in the direction the club is going and he believes in the management/coaching team Arsenal have in place.
Had he have left, and I know nothing is official yet, but it would have been negative for the club. ‘Arsenal can’t even keep hold of young talent’ or headlines of a similar nature would have soon been across the Internet because who other than an Arsenal fan doesn’t love a negative Arsenal headline?
Also, do Arsenal want a reputation of letting their young stars go? Southampton did that and whilst selling younger players for vast money can sometimes help a club move forward, Balogun could and would have walked away in a few months for nothing. If he’s signed up until 2025 as is suggested, Arsenal have a footballer who could either prove to be fantastic and have a great career with the club he’s been at for over ten years, or he’ll have a financial value.
Good news seems to be the theme of the day as both ESR and Saka have been passed fit for tomorrow’s fixture in Prague. Aubameyang and Odegaard are being assessed which often means they won’t be fit.
Talking of Odegaard, his goal from 25 yards against Olympiacos in Athens won the vote for goal of the month in March. That was always going to be wasn’t it? Either his of Elneny’s. His came second and in third place was Vivianne Medema’s superb volley in a north London derby victory against Toots.
Any goal against that lot is worth celebrating.
See you in the comments.
From yesterday’s post.
They don’t want to upset their biggest supplier to Poundland , and Poundstretcher Kev although I do like your WuFlu description.
Australia’s land mass is 3000 times larger than here and our population is 66% bigger which might explain why a respiratory spread disease is less prominent there . Although a lot of their people are collected in few towns and there are large swathes unoccupied , I believe that the density is nowhere near that of London and the major cities over here.
Jealous about the pubs though Scott , went with the wife for a beer in the local’s garden but despite gas heaters she was frozen after 20 minutes so we left.
I can’t think of anything worse than sitting in a pub garden of an evening when it’s so cold…
Morning all.
Rico, I can’t see i’ve seen a lot of Balogun, but the way you guys speak of him, no doubt the talent is there so this is fantastic news.
I do hate these drawn out contract negotiations, but when it ends in our favour, I guess we can put that aside 🙂
Potter, life here in Oz really hasn’t been much different, especially in more recent months.
Our beer is still ice gold and often too gassy but I’ll survive hahahahaha
Kev, in NSW, we have a Premier (state leader) who’s done an amazing job, imo.
She’s allowed us to operate as normally as possible, while also taking in ALL international travellers and having them quarantine here-other states started accepting flights quite recently, but NSW never shut people down.
She’s had the perfect balance imo, where other states have premiers who’ve shut their states borders down totally, and for nothing but their own political benefit.
“Look at me, I’m saving you all”.
The problem is, people are buying it and it’s a joke.
You mentioned the Kiwi PM-the Maori population are not fans of her, and she’s not as popular as the media make out a coursing to my Kiwi mates but as you say, the loud left love her so that’s what the world hears.
Some of our state dictators/premiers are of similar ilk!!!
Our PM controls the national economy and we are already seeing things on that front getting back to normal, with employment on the rise.
He has no control over the state borders though.
Anyway, sorry everyone-just replying to a few queries from yesterday’s post.
Ødegaard’s goal was a cracker, and the award was well deserved.
Laca’s first on the weekend will take some beating for this months edition 🙂
I see him signing as a win win for the club Scott.
Agree re this months goal of month. Can’t see a better one being scored for a while.
Rico, as I said, too many of you rate him for the kid not to be damn good so after months of speculation, I can’t wait to just see him progress.
Your point on us losing/keeping young talent is a massive one!!!
Huge boost for the coaching/managing staff imo.
‘morning all, the private pool that we use reopened today and we were in at 10.30, absolutely wonderful to be back in the swim. 👌
Great news about Balogun, let’s all hope he gets some minutes for the rest of the season, so we can see whether he’s worth a place in the first team squad, if not, a season out on loan to gain experience would be in order.
My turn to lose a comment!
Basically, I just said that selling Martinez was stupid but not just because imo he’s the better keeper, but because the transfer fee was too low. Arsenal should have pushed for £50m after the way he’d played after replacing Leno.
As Kev has been saying for yonks, Arsenal are too soft when it comes to selling players.
I suppose much depends on how we finish the season. No Europe then I can see a number of players going on loan, especially after Christmas if we’re out of the domestic cups.
I hope Balogun isn’t one of them though..
Hi Rico and all can not wait to see Balogun play I have read some good reports about him.
Scott you were lucky our premier kept our area in full lock down for 2 months only allowed to go out for food and our area did not even have the virus then. May be he does not like me because I have never said any good about him.
It’s all your fault, Geoff hahahahah
Nah, he’s just one of the premiers who out his own career ahead of what’s right for the people.
Hi Geoff, me too. I’d love to see him play at the weekend against Fulham. If the game allows it, twenty mins at the end would be good.
So Scott, which are the States that have leftie woke Premiers and which are the States that are normal?
Kev, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia have the wankers.
The Labor Party here may as well be known as the Greens.
They’re certainly not for the workers anymore.
https://twitter.com/afcDW/status/1382303934786703364?s=20
Thanks Sue, I’m off to watch that…
Not bad hey, Rico? 😉 He trained along with Azeez today 👍 No sign of Auba or Odegaard though ☹
Happy Birthday to Guendouzi, 22 today 🥰
I know Scott, your average woke, socialist politician/local official is middle class and knows as much about the lives of ordinary working people as I know about crochet.
It wouldn’t surprise me if Saka, Smith Rowe and Odegaard started tomorrow with Auba on the bench…
Kev I for one would be very happy to see Auba start on the bench and start with the same team from our last home and away match
Scott the best part of our premier was when he fell down the staircase at home last week and hurt his back all of Victoria raised a class to the staircase hahahaha
Rico I recon Fulham would be a good team to test Balogun nothing against Fulham but I recon it would be a good test to see how close he really is to make a regular position in the senior team or if we need to put him out on loan for 12 months.
Excellent if he’s training with the first team Sue..
I don’t think Fulham are as bad as when we played them early in the season Geoff. There’s still a lot for them to fight for.
Another exciting night in the CL. Come on Real and City 🙏
Evening Rick, it seems like it but until it’s on I’m keeping my fingers crossed…
Evening Rico and the House.
Has he finally signed ,great news if he has.
There is one more who Mickal must give a new contract to
thats Kido Taylor Hart. He is another we just cannot let go.
The Pool thugs are out in force tonight.
The Madrid coach had a window smashed on arrival at Anfield.
I just hope they get smashed
How stupid of the Liverpool fans. I hope they get beaten.
You can be sure of one thing, that the media will sweep yet another example of Liverpool thuggery under the carpet, nothing can be allowed to sully the media narrative of the friendly, cheerful and welcoming Scousers – a load of old bullshit…
At least they’re out Kev but City through.
Let’s hope both away teams progressing tonight is a good omen for tomorrow, in both fixtures…
The only damage Pool did tonight 😂😂😂
Foden is quality! What a strike! Another great night in the CL. Let’s hope tomorrow is just as good 🤞
The Slavia Prague player who was suspended for racial abuse in the Rangers game has been handed a ten match ban. So that’s one threat less tomorrow.
Uefa must take action against Liverpool, it’s not the first time their thuggish fans have endangered the the lives of the visiting team and bus crew by throwing missiles at the bus.
And so it always has been. Anyone that stood on the North Bank in the 60’s and 70’s knew to look behind themselves throughout.
The crashing the gates 5minutes before kick off , just as the pubs threw them out, the pushing kids out of their way to get to their behind the goal position to sway with their scarves and sing their bloody song.
Remind you of anything?
The reason I can not stand Liverpool is their fans-even here in Oz.
They have this attitude that they’re above all other clubs, and they’re always the victim!!!!
The good news is they’re all very, very quiet atm.
Spot on, Scott 👍
I agree Cicero, Galatasaray used to be a hairy destination but UEFA didn’t do anything to the Turks, not that I can recall.
I guess that Liverpool could play their next home european tie in a neutral country, that seems fitting. But then Liverpool could argue that the window was not broken by a Liverpool fan at all, leaving open the unspoken suggestion that it was done by an Everton fan etc.
It’s a minefield.
Morning all.
https://highbury-house.com/2021/04/15/one-will-do-it-arteta-talks-about-baloguns-future/
New post up now.