Have Arsenal really progressed?

Morning all.

I’m not going to mention Balogun, Nelson or Azeez and their inclusion in tonight’s squad to play Chelsea because each time I do, their names never appear when the squad is named. Once Europa was done and dusted, I thought Mikel Arteta might use the remaining games to give different players a chance but instead he’s stuck by those he’s used for most of the season.

Arsenal have beaten Chelsea already this season and that day brought hope that finally, we’d turned a corner. It wasn’t to be. Win one, draw one and lose one has been the Arsenal theme. The manager isn’t good enough, the players aren’t good enough, even the Kroenke family have been blamed for what has been a dismal season.

So what can we expect to see in the transfer market this summer? Mikel Arteta was asked in his pre match interview on the official Arsenal website.

There are so many things to do because we already have a lot of players on loan and a lot of players with contracts still that we need to sort. It will depend what happens with a lot of those players and what we are able to recruit to improve the team, that is going to determine where we are. We’ve been sitting down the whole year [to make plans]. We’ve been in constant communication and things will change, some things will stick to the plan that we already had and some other things will come out. But we sit down very, very regularly to talk about those things.

Things might change but if Arsenal can’t move on the players who’re on long contracts, they’re stuck with them. With a bit of luck, the players the club want to move on want to move and will do all they can to make sure they do. Otherwise, Arsenal are likely to be stuck with them.

We have made progress in many areas, I would say performance included, and that is supported by many factors that we have looked at. Results-wise, to be where we want to be, it has to be improved. We have already had an incredible amount of changes at the club over the past year or so, more than ever. We are looking to improve and be much closer than where we are at the moment. In order to do that there are certain things that we have to improve.

Well, I disagree with Mikel because apart from the odd match here and there, I think our performances have been pretty dire. They’ve certainly made viewing tough, for me anyway.

I’ve decided I detest Sky Sports because over the last week or so they decided to review the invincible season and the ‘98 season too. Not that I needed to watch either to realise how much Arsenal have regressed. Forget the trophies, the going unbeaten etc, just the level of football Arsene Wenger’s early teams teams played was so exciting to watch. A few teams in the PL play in a similar fashion to this day, not as well of course but Leeds, Liverpool, Villa, Leicester and even West Ham – they entertain their fans, or at least try. Arsenal on the other hand seem to be about slow build up and sideways passing whilst trying to find the perfect goal. I think I prefer watching Luiz play a long ball over the top for Aubameyang, well, I would if Aubameyang had been on form all season.

Anyway, thankfully this season is soon to be over but we’ve still got to face an in form Chelsea tonight, followed by a hard to beat Crystal Palace away from home and Brighton on the final day.

See you in the comments.

 

 

 

75 thoughts on “Have Arsenal really progressed?

  1. Rick says:

    Morning Rico and the House
    Azeez will not be in tonights squad Rico
    He has just scored to put the U18s in the lead against Chelsea.

  2. Devilgunner says:

    Good morning Rico and all

    Just read the post….thanks….after reading all the comments on the previous post.

    I feel that the malaise at our club began soon after the 2005 cup win. It was in the change of personnel on the pitch and also the mentality at the club changed. It also continued at boardroom level and was not sudden but gradual erosion of the core values of the club.

    I do not feel that the majority of changes were all ill-intended. some of the changes, especially in the playing style, were well intended. Arsene wanted to create a philosophy about how football should be played. And went for the Barcelona model of Tiki-Taka. I agree with that however you need players who understand that and who know how to play it. The problem with this during these present times is that we are still trying to play it but its the poor man’s version of Tiki-Taka. we keep on passing the ball sideways and backwards. very rare that we pass it forwards with an incisive effect.

    Even at boardroom level now the core values have been eradicated but the problem is that they have not been replaced with core values which are necessary for the club ethos and how it is run. And the coaches are all young and inexperienced at certain levels. Granted they need to learn but from whom??? Yes I might not agree with a senior coach but his advice will always be of help even if my philosophy is against it.

  3. allezkev says:

    Jeorge Bird

    Arsenal U18 v Chelsea: Mitchell; Oyegoke, Kirk, Monlouis, Ogungbo; Henry-Francis, Azeez; Flores, Taylor-Hart, Ideho; Butler-Oyedeji.

    Subs: Kovacevic, Richards, Awe, Jeffcott, Sagoe Jr.

    Could be Butler-Oyedeji up front. Hutchinson and Edwards are still out injured.

  4. allezkev says:

    Dan Critchlow
    @afcDW

    Jack Henry-Francis makes it 2-0, assisted by Marcelo Flores. 43 minutes played.

  5. ScottfromOz says:

    Morning all.
    Devil, Barca kids learn that style of play from day one.
    Is that the difference?
    Can it be taught to a player in his early/mid 20’s?

  6. rico says:

    Morning Devil, the funny thing is that Emery seemed to want to bring back the more powerful players if it’s true he wanted N’Zonzi instead of Torreira and Zaha instead of Pepe. I don’t think Saliba would be on loan now either.

    I agree re the change after 2005. I don’t think small and technical players suit the PL, certainly not in the majority because English football has too many ‘strong’ teams who are allowed to bully players off the ball. Vieira, Adams, Gilberto etc etc however, refused to be bullied.

  7. Devilgunner says:

    exactly Scott. that needs to be taught from an early age. and that was the problem at our club. It was introduced and those coaching expected to play that way. Tiki Taka needs a lot of off the ball movement and space creation. That means skillful players who are intelligent with or without ball plus leaders who seek to impose their method on the game.

  8. Devilgunner says:

    Yes Rico. Even I agree with regards strength and well built players. They do not fit in the EPL. The only positions which can afford small technically gifted ball players is the number 10 position and the wings. Otherwise the other positions you need strong and well built players.

    I feel that if the present players stuck to one style, the one akin to them, we would be in a much better position. Some of the results we got are simply down to the players trying to play a style unknown to them.

  9. rico says:

    Agree Devil. I get certain managers want to play their own style of football but that’s not always possible so they have to adapt to what they have when they have it.

  10. Aussie Geoff says:

    Hi Rico and all. If we have so many players out on loan and Arteta talking about buying more players then why don’t we just sell or let go our players out on loan. It sound like Arteta does not rate them and all the players we have on loan from other clubs we should send them back.

  11. potter says:

    In answer to yesterday when Kev questioned whether Stan was a shrewd business man to make his money .I would say that althouigh he was already wealthy , his main financial security comes from his wife and he connections with Walmart and her impending inheritance.

  12. Hobart says:

    I think it all depends on what you call progress and when you measure it against.

    Have we progressed since Wenger left. Hell no. But I do think we progressed since Emery left. Not necessarily on the pitch though.

    We need to have a direction for the team, a style if you will. Then the manager can fit that style and then a squad built up around it.

    Over the last few years we have flip flopped between styles direction and our ‘spending’ policy.

  13. allezkev says:

    Nice way for our lads to finish the U18’s season Rick, now they can all think about staying fit and healthy over the summer and returning in June to give Arteta something to think about.

    But before that and despite the need to finish the season on a winning run I do hope that Azeez and Balogun get some time on the field for the senior team from the bench. I know that caution is the Arteta watchword but Mikel could find a bit of imagination lifts his soul…

  14. allezkev says:

    Potter I don’t think you have to be a business genius in order to marry a Walmart heiress, just lucky and our Stan is one lucky bugger.

  15. Devilgunner says:

    The problem with us since the AW days post 2005 is that we have gone down a route which sees us copying the TikiTaka Barca style of total football. Arteta is of the AW school and was guided (brainwashed?) by Guardiola. Having spent his youth with Barca, Arteta knows the playing style inside out. And he is trying to implement that.

    Since 2005 we saw a gradual erosion of the playing staff quality. I am not saying that the playing staff were inferior. However we departed from a style of direct football based on strong and imposing players to a more technical and passing style of small players. We soon got found out especially with nice gentlemen like SAF, Fat Face Allardyce, Tony Pulis etc who soon got the hang of going in our faces. That way it was easy to intimidate and bully us.

    This parting of the pre 2005 playing style was down to one reason. AW, having seen us getting knocked out of the CL and struggling looked at the success of Barca and other teams winning the competition or getting to the semis and doing well. So he wanted to create that system from the 1st team down to the young ones. But to do that you need to get in coaches who know how to coach that way. You cannot stay with the same coaches over and over again and expect to see change. AW only had 2 first team coaches with him in 22 years….Pat Rice and Bould. Boro Primorac was always with him as well. that is all. and even in the academy the coaches roughly remained the same. So it was not possible to change the style.

    Just a small point….in Spain even the under 8 have an A licence Uefa coach teaching them. And the squads are not bigger than 12 players and 2 keepers. They play a full size pitch from under 10 onwards. And they base everything on technique, movement and tactics.

    I am not saying that this is the perfect style or that its a wrong style for the English game. All I am saying is that for this style to be implemented it takes time, it takes change of coaching personnel, it takes change in playing personnel and a big change in attitude. What AW did wrong was that he always oversaw the first team but I feel that after setting up the academy he took too much time with the stadium move, administrative work and hence did not devote much time to the academy. And it regressed.

    his obsession with small technical players plus the lack of financial resources always saw him fitting square pegs in round holes hoping that they work. That was evident in having Cesc, Nasri, Hleb and Rosicky in the same team. All wonderfully gifted players. Especially TR07. But what was wrong with that was that they were all players who had number 10 written all over them. When DB10 retired we got TR07…..he was supposed to replace him. But what happened was that he was surrounded by other number 10s and thus used to play in the right side of midfield. What AW wanted was for players to change position at will during the game itself. And yes I agree with that. However the lack of strength on their side saw them suffering injuries which disrupted the team play. And when they were injured they were replaced by inferior players who took over when they retired.

    That is one of the reasons why our playing style was eroded in the last 16 years. We went from the strength and intelligence of Gilberto whose astute tactical brain saw him nicknamed the invisible wall to the running, movement and energy of Flamini down to the presence of Song. Now we have Xhaka (who I happen to like bdw) a player who does not possess the astute tactical brain of Gilberto and certainly not the energy, movement and running of Flamini. Thank God he does not have Song’s playing attributes.

  16. Rick says:

    Rico I have been catching up on your posts for his week.
    Some very good work by the Lady of the house well done
    and many thanks. There has also been some good comments
    (which I missed) that I would have commented on.

    We have a very good academy which has been in decline since
    Chippy called it a day . He had a great understanding of how to
    handle young players and their ambitions, and this is something I think
    is missing not only at academy leval but when they are promoted to first team football.

  17. rico says:

    In some ways Hobart, we have progressed since AW left because we defend better and we’ve offloaded Ozil and few other players he signed. Under Emery I think we scored more goals but we’re poor in defence, albeit with players Emery reportedly didn’t want.

  18. RaKa says:

    Warning: Long post, feel free to ignore… writing mostly to get it off my chest.

    According to https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/premier-league/fuenfjahresvergleich/wettbewerb/GB1 these are the net spends of Premier League clubs for the last 5 years. If you rank them according to highest to lowest, the rankings for top 5 look like:

    1 City – £568m
    2 Utd – £498m
    3 Arsenal – £308m
    4 Chelsea – £262m
    5 Everton – £255m

    and with
    8 Tottenham – £204m
    12 Liverpool – £119m

    This does not include wages paid/negotiated for players obviously… but is ONE KPI that I would be using to judge performance of my executive/coaching team.

    This is fairly damning. Over 5 years, we rank 3rd in net spends… so that tells us we have had the capital to buy and sell players and have done so by an amount of +104m and +188m more than Spurs and Liverpool respectively.

    However, as we have not managed to replicate the success of Liverpool and others in and around us, it tells me that our transfer KPI is sub-par. Everton are obviously spending big as they try and play catch up, as are Villa. But against our peer group of top 6 rivals, we are way underperforming when you look at net transfer spend versus average league position. In fact the trend is clearly that we are going backwards… you would expect that as you spend more, your average league position should get better, not worse.

    Hence, as it is getting worse, it means we are

    a) buying the wrong players, for example Willian
    b) selling/getting rid of the wrong players, for example Szescnencny
    c) unable to maximise the players we are purchasing …

    It is probably a combination of all three…

    The problem starts at the top and we seem to have a lack of ‘footballing vision’ post Wenger heydays.

    In our prime – circa 2004 – we played a game based on power, pace and technique. We were a model that I honestly believe, that modern teams like Klopp’s Liverpool and Dortmund are the natural successor’s to.

    The alternative model that sprung up in the 00s was the Barca model of keep ball and very fast, usually short, technical players. That model is now championed by CIty, Bayern and to a lesser degree Arsenal-Lite.. Pep DNA primary reason obviously.

    Wenger made the fatal flaw in the late noughties when he saw the Barca model and threw away Wengerball in the hope of building something similar… recall the Barcenal jokes we faced way back when. Naively perhaps, Wenger saw that as the future of football and not the won that brought him so much success.

    So out when the Viera’s and in came the shorter, more nimbler midfielders…

    But, he never fully committed to the Barca, keep-ball model, and he never fully was able to get the players he needed. When he should have got a David Villa, we got a Adebayor or Chamakh instead. The only explanation being he was too tight to spend the necessary cash needed, or still kept being seduced by power and pace…

    Then when he left, we inherited a squad that was neither an Invincibles’ replica or a Barca replica… but instead a horrible mess of players who were better in one system or the other… and worse they were usually not elite level so were unable to adapt. Theo, God bless him, being a notable example.

    Emery and now Arteta have continued with this clapped out approach of not committing to one or the other system. Emery when he came in, said he wanted to own the ball, but instead, we became stolid and relied on counters and usually involving overlapping fullbacks… cruddy stuff.

    Arteta has continued this madness. We have to think that, schooled by Pep, he would have understood that you need to make the major changes quick and make it obvious to all how we were going to play.

    He should have binned Auba, Lacca, Elneny, Bellerin and a whole list of others back in the summer when he had the chance… Don’t get me wrong, I love Auba and Lacca and think Elneny’s attitude is exemplary in the modern footballer. But the hard reality is Auba works only in a Wengerball Invincibles’ type team. Pep would never buy Auba. The same applies to Lacca, great inside the box, but woeful outside the box and unable to adapt to the new role he is being asked to do. Pep had the same problem when he went to City with Aguero… awesome box striker, but never wanted to track back, or drop into a floating role…. but Pep worked on him and Aguero adapted and it worked.

    With Lacca, in the box, he is lethal. Outside the box, with back to goal and being asked to tikki-takka build-ups that require slow and then quick movements, he is hopeless, especially as his first touch is hit-and-miss. Compare Lacca touch and movement outside the box to a great like David Villa in his prime. That is what Pep is looking for to complete his CIty team.. God help us if he finds that player or makes that player.

    To fix this mess we need Arteta to clearly show he can execute. Unfortunately, the current track record is not great. Should have sold Auba and Lacca and Elneney, etc.. but did not. Should have bought Aouar but did not (or keep Ozil)…

    Anyway, next transfer window will be telling when we see who he buys… My view is still Arteta needs to go as he is way out of his depth, but I suspect the owners are willing to give him until xmas… maybe he will learn very quickly.

    Apologies for the long post… quiet day at work.

  19. RaKa says:

    @Devilgunner

    Huge apologies dude, just saw your post and it seems I have plagiarised some of your work… did not read until after my posted, Honest. but looks like we are thinking alike. Apologies dude.

  20. Cicero says:

    With Joe leaving the Arsenal Women this month there is a managerial vacancy. Coincidentally, the Manchester United women’s manager, Casey Stoney is also quitting.. it is believed she is dissatisfied with the direction of the club, some of the playing and training facilities provided and the financial backing.

    Serendipity? Sign her up, she’s very good.

  21. Cicero says:

    About now Mikel will be winding up the tombola machine ready for the exciting pre-match team selection lucky dip. I wonder what our team will look like tonight. 😉

  22. rico says:

    Raka, the net spend doesn’t really tell the whole story as Liverpool spent more than us but had the Cortinho money which was over £100m, Chelsea had a transfer ban and Utd just run along in debt.

  23. allezkev says:

    David Ornstein
    @David_Ornstein
    ·
    Scout candidates assess Berge
    Mazziotti may go, Court gone
    Harris wants O’Leary in
    5 senior players want out.
    Tierney to get new deal.

    The Oracle has spoken (Tweeted)…

  24. allezkev says:

    gunnerblog
    @gunnerblog
    An in-depth look at the situation at Arsenal:

    Willian among the senior players minded to leave
    Physio Mazziotti’s future in doubt
    Tierney to get new deal as part of new core
    O’Leary appointment may be proposed again

  25. allezkev says:

    @gunnerblog
    ·
    “Too much of what Mikel says publicly is not true,” says one Arsenal insider.

    “We can all see what is happening on the pitch. He should have spoken the truth: we did not deserve to reach the final. That’s the reality.”

  26. allezkev says:

    Snippets from what they’ve written in the Athletic, regarding the Gunnerblog tweet about being honest, was Wenger always honest, was Ferguson, is Guardiola, they’re all experts as diverting attention away from a poor performance, they all do it and it’s dumb to think otherwise.

  27. RaKa says:

    @Rico

    Sure net spend tells only part of the story, but as an indicator it shows how well you are managing your resources. We used to be able to find an Anelka for 500k and sell for 23m.

    Hence if your scouting and development setup is world class, you find young gems (Maguire when he was at Hull) or under rated players (Kante or Mahrez when they first came to England)… and that shows on your net spend when correlated against your league position.

    Instead we buy assets at top whack and rapidly see them depreciate so have to sell for a loss .. either because we over paid. Or because we found a gem (Saliba or Guen maybe) at reasonable rate but then failed to develop them to the next level….

  28. rico says:

    Agree there Raka, long gone are the days of buy cheap and selling big. Teenagers with a glimpse of talent go for silly money these days.

    The players we could sell, we seriously need to keep. But, our sales team are rubbish, Martinez was a £50m plus keeper, not £20m

  29. rico says:

    ARSENAL TEAM NEWS

    Team to play Chelsea: Leno, Gabriel, Mari, Holding, Tierney, Partey, Elneny, Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Aubameyang.

    Subs: Ryan, Bellerin, Ceballos, Lacazette, Willian, Cedric, Pepe, Chambers, Martinelli.

    CHELSEA TEAM NEWS

    Team to play Arsenal: Kepa, James, Azpilicueta, Silva, Zouma, Chilwell, Jorginho, Gilmour, Pulisic, Mount, Havertz.

    Subs: Mendy, Alonso, Werner, Giroud, Hudson-Odoi, Ziyech, Emerson, Anjorin, Livramento.

  30. Devilgunner says:

    Its ok RaKa, at least it confirms that I am sane….since someone else has my thoughts. no need to apologize because you posted what you felt mate.

    I agree totally with what you said. Especially on our net spend. It seems that Arsenal could have been more successful had we invested better…especially with regards the net spend. The problem is that (as I see it now) we were just a toy used as we deemed fit. SAF thought only of one thing….winning. Had AW thought only of winning and constructed his squad based on speed, power, strength and directness I feel he would have won more cups and I feel he would still have been in charge.

    I hope Arteta thinks of the here and now and not treat us as a toy.

  31. Devilgunner says:

    I am still trying to make heads and tales of the way the team is going to play today. Saw the line up and it has left me scratching my head.

  32. Devilgunner says:

    The way I see it there are only two permutations…..either Holding is playing at RB or else its a fixed 3 at the back, fixed 3 in the middle and fixed 3 in attack, with Tierney playing at WB on the left.

    so that makes it……

    Holding…..Gabriel….Mari…………….^
    ………………………………………………..|
    Elneney…Partey…Odegaard—–Tierney
    ………………………………………………..|
    Saka…..Auba……..ESR………………V

    In all my life I have only ever seen one team play that way. Valletta FC used to do it because they had a player, Braunovic, who could command a whole flank by himself. So they used to play 3-3-3 with Braunovic on the right.

    I still dont think today’s team is wisely chosen.

  33. Devilgunner says:

    I have changed my mind.

    I think that Saka and Tierney are wingbacks. At least that is the way they are playing.

  34. Devilgunner says:

    ESR has scored to put us up 1-0

    After AW left I have always felt that this team plays better with 3 at the back, and two wingbacks.

    So if I can see it from here why cant Arteta and before him Emery, see it??

    Today we are playing in a 3-4-2-1 formation. not 4 at the back but 3.

    Would we have fared better in the EPL placing and in the Europa lge if we played that way all season and not 4 at the back in a 4-2-3-1 formation???

  35. Devilgunner says:

    So formation is basically this…..

    Leno
    ……….Holding, Gabriel, Mari
    Saka, Elneny, Partey, Tierney
    ………Odegaard, ESR
    …………….Auba

  36. Devilgunner says:

    And yet we are 1-0 up Rico.

    Esr with the goal and Auba assisting.

    Even Auba plays differently with that type of formation.

  37. allezkev says:

    Yes Rick, it was a brilliant goal from a young player who is certain to make an impression next season. I really he and Balogun get some minutes in our last two games.

  38. allezkev says:

    I don’t think they can be honest Rico, the Press would destroy them as would agents, fans and the Owners.

  39. ScottfromOz says:

    Net spend over 5 years is not relevant, imo.
    When you had a half billion dollar squad 6 years ago, buying is easy as you can also sell players at a high price.
    That’s why Roman was driving force behind FFP.
    10-15 year net spend would be the interesting stat.
    Progress-the key word when it comes to the Arsenal in recent times, and rightly so.
    Well, we all said for years that defence was the single area we needed massive improvement on.
    We have that improvement.
    Work goes on elsewhere and it needs to, but Rome wasn’t built in a day.

  40. ScottfromOz says:

    8 years since we beat them away.
    Great result, very good performance in defensive formation and composure.

  41. Devilgunner says:

    Great result.

    I just wish that Arteta plays with 3 at the back in the remaining two games.

    it just suits us

  42. Wavy says:

    Not a great performance but a win is a win!

    Defensive masterclass?

    Two more wins and you never know, a bit more Thursday football?

    Casey Stoney our next manager if Arteta goes? She’s a very impressive person and coach. Should be a shoe (boot) in for the ladies team. I wonder if she constructively sacked herself to get away from manure ladies? I would have😀

  43. ScottfromOz says:

    Elneny seems to throw in a fantastic performance at times, though he’s never terrible, just steady.
    One thing he does is put in 100% every time he sets foot on the pitch.
    A keeper, maybe???

  44. Cicero says:

    Well, well, well who’d have thought that. Arsenal beat Chelsea at the Bridge!

    The whole team put everything into that, I’ll even include Aubameyang for what was likely his only touch of the ball, in the whole match, when managed to pass it to ESR for the goal.

    Perhaps we have seen why Chambers has been playing at right back recently, Bellerin lasted about ten minutes as a sub before going off injured. Was he fit?

    Good God! A clean sheet and three points. Wonders will never cease!

    Aubameyang looked completely pissed off when he was subbed, he made it abundantly clear that he didn’t like it, but at least avoided throwing his gloves on the ground and kicking a water bottle. I think he has realised that his time at Arsenal is all but over. Maybe Tuchel would like to sign his old striker.

  45. allezkev says:

    Elneny seems to come into his own when Arsenal are in a game where we’re under a lot of pressure and he has to play in small spaces, quick one touch passing, plenty of defensive challenges, getting around the pitch closing down, pressing and tackling.

    His limitations are more prevalent when Arsenal have more of the possession and he has to play a more attacking, progressive style, I’d keep him just for these games because he’s excellent in them.

  46. Aussie Geoff says:

    I didn’t get to see the game but a win is a win and I will take any win at the moment.

    No coach will say the truth to the media nor will any players say anything bad about their coach.

    As for how much money the clubs have spent over the last 5 years needs to be broken down to how much money was spent each year by each coach after all for example if we have spent say 100k and it was broken down to say Wenger 70k Emery 20k and Arteta 10k is it fair to blame Arteta or Emery for the amount spent on bad players when Wenger spent more money than the other two put together.

  47. ScottfromOz says:

    Hi Geoff,
    What’s also relevant is did managers get the players they wanted, or were they overruled due to other factors?

  48. Devilgunner says:

    Good morning everyone

    Can Tuchel and Abramovitch make us an offer for Auba which we cannot refuse?? I wonder.

  49. Cicero says:

    Beating Chelsea in the Boxing day game proved to be the catalyst that started our best run of results. Last night’s win was the third in a row, it would be good if we could continue the run with wins at Crystal Palace and home to Brighton. To do so might not move us significantly up the table, but it would put a little gloss on an otherwise pretty crappy season.

    A priority for the summer is to get Saka, ESR and Holding signed up to new long term contracts. They can become mainstays of our squad for the future, with Rob Holding our captain following the imminent, I hope, departure of Aubameyang.

  50. Cicero says:

    DG, I suggested that earlier, but in an interview with the Telegraph Tuchel referred to Aubameyang’s age, he’ll be thirty-two next month, so any offer is unlikely, but we can always hope. 😉

  51. Devilgunner says:

    I have just read that AC Milan have also entered the fray for Bellerin. so it seems that Juventus, PSG, AC Milan and Barca are in talks with Bellerin and the club (fingers crossed) for him. That can only be good.

    Cicero I agree with you with regards the captaincy. Holding would make an ideal captain, he is not afraid to voice his thoughts (remember how he treated Costa in the cup final against Chelsea?) and is a role model as well. Auba is not captain material imo since like some of the incumbents before him he is not a role model and not a leader. I feel he was given the captain’s armband because of his popularity not because he deserved it.

    has anyone realized that that was the first time that Arsenal have kept a clean sheet in three consecutive Away games?

    It seems that Arteta has fixed the defence a bit no??

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