Morning all.
The second World Cup semifinal was decided last night as England beat Norway and Argentina defeated Switzerland. For those of us old enough to remember the “hand of god” match, I hope Lady Luck is with England on Wednesday night. Why Declan Rice started last night I just don’t know because it was clear he wasn’t firing on all cylinders.
The only Arsenal players left in the tournament are Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Ebe Eze, Noni Madueke, William Saliba, Martin Zubimendi, David Raya and Mikel Merino. Barring Rice and Saliba, the rest have been used sparingly or not at all by their respective international managers.
The signing of Illan Meslier has similarities to when Arsenal brought Aaron Ramsdale to the club. Mr “I get clubs relegated” goalkeeper was the butt of many jokes as fans and media alike couldn’t believe the Englishman was potentially going to be Arsenal’s number one. Arsenal had sold a great keeper to Aston Villa the previous summer in Emi Martinez and I don’t think I’d have been the only one at the time to think Arsenal had made a huge mistake.
The goalkeeping situation at Arsenal had become a bit of a joke really as it seemed like we couldn’t get through a summer transfer window without signing at least one. We’re still doing it now. I’ve lost count of how many keepers we’ve bought and sold since 2019. As for Ramsdale, he turned out to be pretty good didn’t and he saved our skin on a number of occasions with a catalogue of wonderful saves. But, something about his game was clearly not quite right in Mikel Arteta’s eyes, or Inka Cana’s as in the summer of 2023, David Raya joined us on loan, another bonkers decision I thought, however, I could not have been more wrong. Ramsdale soon found himself on the bench for Premier League fixtures and the following summer he was gone. David Raya’s deal was made permanent and the rest as they say, is history.
I can recall watching a number of Leeds games when Meslier pulled off a few fantastic saves. I think that was the 2020/21 season when Meslier had joined on loan in the summer. Crysencio Summerville joined Leeds too.
The moral of this story is, Ramsdale turned out to be far from the liability keeper folk thought he would be. Meslier might not be too. A new club, different coaches and who knows but I’d rather be glass half full than half empty. The same goes for any player who we sign this summer.
Look on the bright side, he’s never been in a Chelsea or Man City squad….
Catch up in the comments.
Declan Rice on Twitter.
“When the final whistle went, everything else the score, the rivalry, the countries we represented just faded away. All I could see was my brother standing there with heartbreak in his eyes, and in that moment, my heart broke too.”
“We’ve been through so much together at Arsenal. We’ve suffered after painful defeats, celebrated unforgettable victories, and pushed each other to become better every single day. He’s more than my captain—he’s someone I truly look up to. Tonight we wore different shirts, but that will never change what we have.”
“I ran straight to him because I wanted him to know he wasn’t alone. I wanted him to feel that hug and know how much I care about him.”
“Football can be incredibly cruel, but some bonds are stronger than any result. I’m proud of him—not just as a footballer, but as a leader, a fighter, and an incredible person. Before long, we’ll be back at the Emirates, standing side by side again and chasing our dreams together.”
“Norway until the end for him. England until the end for me. But Arsenal… Arsenal is forever. I love you, Captain. ❤️🤍“
Just for you Potter
Arsène Wenger:
“Gerard Houllier’s thoughts echo mine; he thinks what the national coaches are doing is like taking a car from our garage without even asking permission.”
— “They will then use the car for 10 days and abandon it in a field without any petrol left in the tank.”
— “We then have to recover it, but it is broken down. Then a month later they will come to take your car again, and for good measure you’re expected to be nice about it.”