Morning all.
The international break couldn’t have come at a better time, something I’ve often read when Arsenal have had a negative result before many players go off to represent their respective countries. It’s not a sentiment I necessarily agree with though because after Saturday’s awful showing, I think it would be better if Arsenal players and coaching staff were together and working out what went so horribly wrong and how to ensure it doesn’t happen again any time soon. This wasn’t just one or two players having an off day, it was worse. Mikel Arteta had an off day too because he sat and watched it for over an hour.
Brighton was Arsenal’s first really big test this season and sadly, that test was failed with a capital F!
But, it’s one defeat, no more, no less and as much as we all might be cheesed off, for our own sanity, it’s best to forget it. Unless of course it becomes the norm rather than the exception. I see no reason why it should be. Personally, I think Arsenal cocked up in the summer transfer window and that’s not because of Saturday but because of not replacing Gabriel Martinelli. Not replacing the pace he possesses.
Again though, it is what it is and like us, Arteta has to deal with it.
But going back to the international break, Arsenal have a large number of players who be away:
Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Ebe Eze, Ezri Konsa and Myles Lewis-Skelly – England
David Raya, Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi – Spain
Gabriel and Bruno Guimarães – Brazil
Martin Odegaard – Norway
Viktor Gyokeres – Sweden
Christos Tzolis – Greece
Kai Havertz – Germany
Jurrien Timber – Netherlands
Riccardo Calafiori- Italy
Ceadach O’Neill – Northern Ireland
Max Dowman, Ifeoluwa Ibrahim and Marli Salmon are on duty for the England under 19’s and 18’s. Other younger Arsenal players are away with their respective countries too but I’ve only listed those who have been involved with the first team this season.
The next three weeks will certainly give Ben White, Piero Hincapie and William Saliba more recovery time and hopefully we’ll see two of them return after the break, leaving just Saliba on the injury list.
The Sweden fixtures are the ones I’m hoping to watch over the next couple of weeks because I’m interested in seeing how our striker plays. What would benefit him, his country and Arsenal is that he gets his mojo back because Arsenal need him back and firing. Oh, and playing!
Four international fixtures take place within an 11/12 day period for European countries which is ridiculous in my opinion. I get the reasoning behind it but I do think it’s too much for the players, especially after a summer World Cup. Brazil only have three fixtures and all are friendlies.
One can only hope that the managers use their common sense when it comes to rotation of players.
I’m away on holiday this week so posts will be limited.
Catch up later.
Could have turned Martinelli into a striker imo. A simple through ball for him to run onto and chances are he’d have scored more often than not. A bit like Wenger did with Henry, not that I’m comparing the two players by the way.
It’s turned a bit chilly in Cornwall so unless the rock pools are warm, any thought of venturing into the sea is off. 😂
Morning all.
New post up.
Arsenal seem to have this issue in the transfer market and it’s not a new thing because I still recall that summer when Wenger tried to sign Higuain and Suarez and ended up with Ozil, but we can’t seem to get attackers over the line. Vlahovic, Isak, Vini jnr, you’ll know plenty more I’m sure. So maybe if you can’t sign forwards the next best thing is try and develop them yourself.
Could that have been behind this recent influx of youth signings we made in the summer and those in the pipeline? The striker from Blackburn, the striker from Crystal Palace, the forward from Liverpool (whilst targeting another in January), the winger from Man U, the Georgian lad, the Ecuadorean twins all three are attackers, the Irish lad an attacking midfielder, the investment seems targeted to me.
Barcelona don’t need him now as they have Jesus and they are happy with him. So far he has made 4 substitute appearances for them and scored 2 goals . They got him cheap and have no need to pay Atletico a fortune for Alvarez.
Good morning all.
Barcelona have dropped their interest in signing Alcarez, who has now said he will wait to see what offers are on the table from P S G and Arsenal before making a decision to stay at Athletico Madrid.
Probably a wise call, Potter. I froze every time I ventured into the sea during my years in England. Now, the Welsh waters are something different, tho’ that must have been down to the 60 days of unrelenting sunshine over July and August.
Looked at the sea near Great Yarmouth today , decided against it.
It’s great thanks Stuart, not ventured into the sea yet though but it’s planned. I don’t see a hard working player in Havertz. I wish I did. I know he runs around a lot but I just don’t see him as the player others do.
I, too am of the ‘Eternal now’ theological persuasion. We can celebrate the birth of our Saviour every day. Indeed, if it were up to me we’d be eating roast lamb and pavlova at least once a week in the Angus household.
I think Alvarez left city because he knew he wouldn’t get a look in with the big Norwegians arrival. Alvarez scored 10 CL goals last season, has massive work rate and I’d agree with others on here is more a false 9 than a classic 9. He’s more in the Kai mode, a technical, hard working (Kai has the highest work rate of any striker in the EPL) very mobile striker.
My Northland Harlequins team have our Cup final this Saturday boys (and lady). I know the England v Spain game will occupy your attention but do spare a prayer for my knees, that they get me through what I hope will be a 45 minute cameo.
I hope you are enjoying Cornwall, Rico. What’s the water temp down there? I swam in the Menai Straight in August and it (the water) was 20 degrees.
Me too re MLS. He is probably my favourite Arsenal player, no fuss, no drama, just a player who gets on with things.
WhetherMLS is worth a fortune or not only comes into play if he is being sold . I hope that one day he becomes team captain and finishes his career as a 1 club man.
With Alvarez I can only see him replacing Havertz or Eze as he is similar to both of them , a clever player that uses the ball well but more designed to get assists rather than goals
I meant at the club Devil.
Afternoon Devil, it’s an odd one though if you are right. Why sign an out and out striker to play second fiddle to a player who is not?
Rico, Arteta wasnt the only on who did not see the good side of Auba, Ozil, Guendouzi and Pepe. I never wanted Auba tbh and was against his signing from the start. Pa hated Ozil with a passion. And both of us did not respect either Pepe or Guendouzi.
Good afternoon Rico and all
My opinion re Gyokeres (who is one of my favourites in the present team), is that he is going through now what he was supposed to go through a year ago. We all knew that whoever was going to come was going to be 2nd to Kai. End of. Period. Kai was supposed to begin games and Gyokeres introduced slowly. With Kai recovering it was impossible. Gyok did not have a proper pre season last year. But now Kai has recovered and he goes first in the team which plays just one CF. Maybe Arteta is doing with him what he did with MLS? That is, sit on the bench, observe, learn, practice in training and understand what the coaches want from you. Thn when the time comes he will perform and deliver what Arteta wants him to do so. It worked with MLS. Whether it works with Kai is another story. It can also be that he does not see eye to eye with VK14. So he doesnt play him. Who knows? Not me, not any one else.
Pundits, supporters and those who claim to know everything from inside sources because the tea lady is a cousin to a friend of a friend who was together in the same class in the last century, will say that they are right. All are right. No one is right. Its like Rico saying that her woofa is the most beautiful in the world. And I say that my doggy is the most beautiful in the world. We both are right.
Normally I hate international games interlull. With a passion. But this time I am chuffed for MLS. He can learn from someone else other than Arteta, his coaches and the players around him. I hope he plays in midfield. In a few years time we might hopefully have a midfielder worth around 250M
Hi Geoff, that’s just it though, no one knows for sure re Viktor. That is I guess why speculation will always be there when the player is not starting games. All he can do is when he does play, give his all.
Ozil, Pepe, Auba, Guendouzi etc etc stick in my mind though, all players who it was clear, Arteta didn’t fancy for one reason or another.
Smart move Cicero.. lol
Morning Rico and all, I’m not keen on Alvarez but as Kev said loan in January with the option of buying / sending back at the end of the season sound good but I wouldn’t give him a long contract in case he stuffs up the next season.
If Arteta didn’t want Gyokeres, then I wonder if that’s why he is not playing him and if that’s the case are Arteta and Berta getting on and if Berta leave then the question will be did both Berta and Edu left because Arteta is a pain to work with.
Good to see Arteta resign, but a bit surprised as I thought he signed at the end of last season
I was very tempted yesterday morning Rico, but my wife threatened to not ever bake another of her superb mince pies if I did. 😉
Agree, if he wanted to be in the PL, why leave City who were at the peak when he was there. Let’s hope the visa situation for his family is sorted if he is set to join us, or not depending on one’s opinion of him.
Have you bought any yet Cicero?
I can’t see Alvarez as any sort of solution,a good player but I just can’t see it,maybe it’s just me.
More stories today that Gyokeres could leave in January,probably just stories but he can’t be happy with the current situation. I think we are all happy with Tzolis,my only criticism is he hardly ever takes a shot (expect him to score for Greece now) It makes you wonder how weak the Belgian league is. So we need another option.
Mince pies have been on offer in lidls for at least two weeks.
If we are doing a deal for Alvarez it must be completed at the earliest possible moment to give him time to get to know his place in the squad. If Athletico try delaying tactics we should just walk away.
Arteta is probably in Spain with his family this week..
Ha ha Kev, it’s easy if you put your mind to it..
When thinking of the Brighton performance, or rather lack of it, where does Alvarez fit into the team to improve things? From what I recall of his short time at City, he didn’t do a lot of the gritty stuff when needed.
All these contracts extensions have been in the pipeline for weeks I reckon…
I don’t think that contract renewals are part of Arteta’s department anyway Potter, although he’d probably give them the green light or not, maybe he should have a few days off himself?
Rico, I wish I multitask like you, I’m deeply envious… 😂
I’ve done all my shopping for Christmas Kev. 😂
Rice too re extending his contract..
Rico 😂
It’s never too early to be Christmas Rico, you know that… 😁
However news this morning that talks are ongoing with Odegaard to renew his contract , it would appear that we are going to spend the international break talking about contracts rather than about what happens on the pitch.
Agreed Kev , there are always two sides to a coin , it could be that he is unhappy or his girlfriend is in London and comparing our city to Porto I know where I would choose.
From a footballing perspective though, sitting on the bench as a goalscorer, which he is , and watching chances go astray must be as frustrating as his personal life . So there might be credence in his desire to get away.
It’s a tricky one with Gyokeres because we don’t know what’s been going on behind the scenes, if anything. Seems odd though that after a decent first season he’s been cast aside for a player who is not even a proper striker, nor is he clinical. Gyokeres works as hard off the ball as Havertz imo.
Very woke Kev, it’s not even Christmas 🤣
Alvarez on loan Rico, hmm as long as there’s an option so we can send him back if it doesn’t work, I could live with that?
I wonder if one of the main movers for any move away from Arsenal by Gyokeres is from Viktor himself?
He certainly seemed to thrive in Iberia and his girlfriend comes from that neck of the woods (maybe she’s unhappy in the UK) so maybe he was up for the move to Spain last summer? Just sayin’
Morning Gooners, happy holidays Rico, oops that’s a too bit woke for me… 😱
2029 Cicero, Arteta signing for less than 3 years, I guess that allows Arteta the room he might want to return to Spain?
This football break has allowed me to focus a bit more on doing some extra work and given how our political class routinely destroy our economy it’s badly needed by my bank.
Morning guys.
As Potter said, now Arteta’s future is sorted, get down to sorting out the football.
Alvarez in January? Why I do not know and desperately hope it’s not true.
Excellent news that Arteta has agreed a new contract. It boosts the stability that is so vital in the current football climate. We only need to look to our North London rivals to see the damage caused by changing managers/head coaches almost on a monthly basis.
A contract lasting until 2029 with an increase to his £10 million per annum wage demonstrates the confidence that the Kronke family have in him.
As Kev often says Onwards and Upwards.
More unsettling news for Gyokeres as Spanish media are suggesting that we have a deal for Alvarez on loan in the January window. Whether he is part of the deal is not known.
I’d say Gyokeres is a quality striker, the fact that he doesn’t fit our system is the problem. But to criticise Arteta over his signing, one surely needs to know who was behind the signing, Berta or Mikel. I read somewhere last season that it was Berta and that Arteta wasn’t as keen. Didn’t Arteta want Sesko? Rumours at the time certainly suggested so,
Thanks guys re my break, the Cornish Riviera is rather pleasant..
Dennis, I didn’t reinstall the dislike comment for Cicero or anyone else for that matter. It’s only fair to have both options.
I’m not sure if you read the comments here daily but if you did, you would see that post Brighton, there were many deeply critical comments about Arteta and the players from everyone on here. Some of us in life choose to keep going on about it, others, me included, prefer to hope it was a blip but the one thing which has been made quite clear through the summer is that most of us would have much rather have seen Madueke sold before Martinelli but there is no way the former would have raised the same amount in transfer fees.
Similarly, it’s been said many times, not replacing him was/is an error which would bite us on the backside.
Furthermore Cicero, I didn’t comment on here swearing and cursing, or even bashing Arteta, I pointed out a few issues that for him and his team (non-playing staff), were supposedly quite an easy fix.
You know, issues that someone like you steers well clear of in case anyone accuses you of having your own opinions.
I knew we were sailing close to the wind regarding the wage-bill, so you have to ask why decent (but nowhere near great – perhaps with the exception of Declan Rice) players are put on superstar wages which makes it almost impossible to shift them. Two quick examples, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz. What intelligence led data at Arsenal thought these two should be paid nearly £300k a week?
It can only be Mikel Arteta or Andrea Berta.
When you use your resources so poorly there is little to no chance of upgrading and playing attractive football.
Or maybe a true old passionate die-hard Arsenal fan like yourself has written a critique which fully absolves our now legendary manager of any blame, and the whole over-spending thing is all on Berta, right?
Had Arsenal been a little wiser when conducting their business, there’d have been no reason to push the much-loved fan favourite Gabriel Martinelli out the door.
Shouldn’t another Chelsea dud (and Arteta pick), Noni Madueke have gone before Martinelli?
Alternatively you might be ok with how ridiculously generously Arsenal spend, but as we both know, it’s a bit like whack-a-mole (please don’t anyone reading!), as soon as one area appears to be resolved a glaring hole appears, and with Arteta it has mostly been at the expense of our attack.
In nearly seven years he still hasn’t bought a quality centre-forward.
Would you describe that as elite management, Cicero?
According to the BBC the first thing that he has done in this shut down is sign a new contract. Now that’s done ihope he starts looking at the way the team are playing not just tying them in to new deals.
You must be chuffed to bits, Cicero, that Rico granted your wish of a ‘dislike’ button.
What is this, a childish popularity contest, or a football blog where like-minded people congregate to discuss EVERYTHING Arsenal?
As if there isn’t enough division out there, you requested for the opportunity to create more.
Well done you.
By the way, Cicero, I didn’t disappear during our winning run.
I got all the starting XI spot on for the opener against Coventry.
We ground out a 1-0 at Villa (a game we lost last year), equally at Sunderland, Raya’s brilliant penalty save turned the game, and won 2-0, whereas again last season, we dropped points in a 2-2 draw, so there are plenty of positives.
It doesn’t mean we don’t have some outstanding issues that have been left unresolved for some time.
I’d be surprised if Arsenal win the PL this season.
As the most settled and stable, we should be favourites, but the team as a whole is unbalanced, and our attacking force is lightweight.
A Brighton game can happen to anyone, but I don’t think we have enough goals in the team without set-pieces.
I think Andoni will get it right at Liverpool.
Please prove me wrong, Mikel.
Remember how old was Saka when he started to break through into a regular first team place.. He started at 17 but was nearly 18 plus when he got a place in every line up . During that time he has played for club and country in 382 games which averages about 60 games a season which would have been more without his injuries.
Is he suffering from burn out ? almost certainly yes and it’s a salutary warning to all of those clamouring for Dowman to be used in a similar way.
Buenos Dias guys , Lets look at the bigger picture.
Is it Arteta’s fault that players do not convert their chances ? in one form no but in another yes.
Arteta cannot run on the pitch and tell them where to put it , that is down to the player but it is his responsibility because he selected that player to be on the pitch.
Do we as a group support him ? in the main yes because last year he led us to a title win but can we have opinions and critcise ? Yes to that too.
This is his best opportunity that he has had for some time . His brains trust are kicking their heels for 3 weeks until we play Leeds and this time needs to be put to good use .
He has built this team by shipping out players that either were not performing or had past their sell by date.
So why did he win the league and weaken the squad , why did he sell both Trossard and Martinelli and bring in one player of about the same standard . ? Has the Martinelli decision undermined the confidence of the players ?
Why is he sticking with Havertz who is probably our greatest candidate for the highest number of misses in a season award., and why is he offering him a new lucrative contract if it’s not to get a better price when we find an alternative.
Why do we fall into negativity when we take a lead ? we have the players to damage teams so why not play do it ?
Why position our best box to box player in the back 4
These are some of the questions that I would be asking and these are the type of questions that should be discussed within the club whilst the coaches do their job and coach whilst most of his his squad is away from Colney.
If he comes up with answers that will be good, but if he is seen to be chasing his pipe dreams like Alvarez and Vinicius , this fan base may start to swing away from full support.
We don’t need superstars with inflated egos , just good players that play and do their bit.
Geoff, the injury Saka suffered to his hamstring means it’s unlikely that he’ll ever be the player he once was, wear and tear perhaps? But he is still one of our major goal threats and that’s why he plays, all the time, probably too much. He also misses his mate Ben White who stretches the opposition and gives him some space that Timber doesn’t. I think that Saka is currently our top goalscorer.
Some have criticised Arteta for not bringing on Madueke for Bakayo, but Saka provides defensive security that Noni can’t and with a very rusty Timber at right back I guess that Mikel went with the security.
Considering who we unfortunately had to sell I was quite happy with who we brought in and not panic buying just to keep the fans happy,
Kev, I like Saka, but how many times does he do the same thing, he runs close to the corner stops then run backwards stops then cuts into the edge of the box, I just feel that he needs to add a different action / style to his game, Arteta is Part of his problem by not dropping him when he has a bad run or he is tired, if I was Arteta I would stop making him our second captain and drop him for a couple of match to bring back the younger Saka not this one that seems to me to be getting a big head listening to all the good write up’s about him.
No probs, Kev, I just don’t think Mikel is all that and he has succeeded because of the money he’s been allowed to spend. A lot of our transfer business has been hit and miss.
Cicero – wow! ‘…digital diarrhoea..’
Are you as excited by Artetaball as you were watching Wenger’s team at Highbury?
Lighten up, there’s always debate to be had, except in your safe, conservative bubble. Apart from your disdain for Madueke (and Eze?), you cosy up and stay safely in your lane, never expressing any emotional opinion.
We’re all different, but I’m passionate about everything Arsenal, and unlike you, sometimes I’ll offer opinions that invite respectful conversation.
You’re not in the least bit snobbish, are you.
Any cricket on the village green to update us on?
For the sake of clarity, my earlier comment was directed at Highbury Heros.
Unfortunately Dev you are probably right, Arteta will forever be the recipient of faint praise by some, but on the bright side it livens up the blog.
Geoff I’d be happy to debate Saka with ya digger, tbh I’ve had Rocastle vibes about him for awhile, that is he’s been overplayed, suffered debilitating injuries, leading to him losing his burst of pace but is still one of our best goalscorers.
Enjoy your trip wherever you are going Rico.
Just a suggestion…..have you ever tried the mountain villages of the Alps?? Like San Candido, Dobbiaco, Braies and the surrounding towns?? You should. I can assure you its a step away from heaven. At least for me.
Ha ha ha, take it personal HH, nah mate I just support my team and my manager. You on the other hand, I suspect, made up their minds several years back and nothing will shift your opinion and that’s fine, you carry on. Thanks for starting my day with a smile…
Predictably after an absence of several weeks, whilst Arteta and Arsenal went unbeaten, immediately we lose a game you return with your digital diarrhoea in full flow. Do you not recognise that your lengthy comments lose their effectiveness when repeated ad nauseam.
I’m sure we are all aware that some additional fire power would be advantageous but there are rules that govern how much clubs can spend, and Arsenal are very close to breaching those rules.
Only the sale of Martinelli and Trossard prevented a breach of the rules.
We all have to live within our means and football clubs do as well.
Good morning Rico and all
Yes, Arteta is still learning…..he is learning HOW to defend the EPL title now. He is not learning his ropes. He is not learning the EPL. He is only learning how to defend the league as CHAMPIONS. Keep in mind that Bertie Mee, George Graham and even Arsene Wenger never defended a league and won it the season after. 1971, 1989,1998, 2002, 2004…….none of them managed to win it two seasons in a row. So yes Arteta is still learning in his job. He has to learn how to defend the title and win it again. Because mark my words if he manages to win it again this season expect the following one as well.
As Kev rightly pointed out….is it Arteta’s fault that Havertz and Saka missed in one on one with the keeper?? The first time at 0-1 a goal was missed, they went the other end and scored.
If there is one thing I blame Arteta for its that he did not rest MLS for Ipswich and played him against Brighton. they went through us like hot knives through butter….simply because MLS was not closing the gaps at the back and midfield.
MLS carries the buckets of water and is like an invisible wall.
Kev….I guess that even if we win 3-4 consecutive leagues, there will still be those who blame Arteta whenever we have a brain fart. We just have to move on.
Hey Potter, no mate, not aimed at you at all. I enjoy the forthright frankness of your comments, you tell it as it is.
Kev, you don’t have to take everything as a personal slight.
Kevin, Mikel Arteta has done ok, but a first PL title after six and a half years doesn’t make him a football messiah.
We’ve suffered longer periods of failure with better managers.
We’re not Wimbledon or Crawley, we’re a major football club with billionaire owners who have backed their choice of manager extremely generously.
Look at managers like Unai Emery, who pound for pound has got more out of a financially restricted Villa, or Andoni Iraola and Keith Andrews who operate on a much smaller scale, again pound for pound have exceeded what Arteta has done, including buying better strikers.
The idea that Arteta is solely responsiblle for Arsenal being competitive ‘again’ is for the birds.
Just be a little more balanced and honest, it is literally impossible to achieve perfection, although it seems you want to see Arteta as the perfect manager.
He has made many transfer errors which have been glossed over with even more money.
Was it Arteta’s fault Havertz didn’t score at Brighton?
Come on Kev, you’re not a child.
Arteta’s fault was going back to Chelsea for yet another dud, who will never be a natural number 9. And then somehow thinking that Victor Gyokeres was the answer, while Chelsea bought Joao Pedro for less.
Seven wins in a row you say? I would imagine for the bigger more successful clubs this is a normal phenomenom, but for us it’s a major achievement?
If we beat both Liverpool and City convincingly, Kev, your points might gain more traction.
You’re a top bloke and great asset to the blog, and I don’t wish to stoke your ire, but we each have opinions, some right, some wrong.
Duly noted, Geoff, cheers.
H H – be careful what you say about Saka, as every time I say something negative about him, I get strung up, personally I have always thought Saka is a bit overrated, he is a good player but very easy to read.
Being one-eyed is usually the territory of the online haters, be they Arsenal fans (maybe, maybe not?) or the fans of other clubs. But there is no doubt that the majority, or those who make a lot of noise are rabidly anti-Arsenal and by extension anti-Arteta as he is the main reason Arsenal are competitive again and bordering on dominant.
Should Arsenal have scored a hatful against Napoli? Well yes and was that Arteta’s fault? How so? We have footballers earning an absolute fortune and putting the ball in the onion bag is pretty much their job. Should Arsenal have thrashed Ipswich? Probably and kept a clean sheet. Was it Arteta’s fault that Havertz was through on goal at Brighton and failed to do his job?
Tactics, preparation and substitutions you can criticise him on and in general, after 7 successive win you have to say, accounting for any bias you may have, that Arteta has done his job, Brighton was an anomaly for this season.
mostly for everyone here who won’t hear a word against him,
Not sure that is particularly true , I think it is quite frequent that you will read criticism of tactics , substitutions , team selection and transfers both in and out..
Yes we won the league and we all appreciate that under his wing the club has made substantial progress however we often point out the things we see as wrong .
At least I know that I do.
Happy holidays, Rico, a good time to go, avoiding all the Arsenal hating media and their ‘noise’.
It struck me during the ’70’s that there was a media agenda against Arsenal, as I’ve aged I’ve reàlised that it’s because they are woven into the Establishment, of which there are many critics, detractors, and inverted snobbery.
Having agreed to compromise and adjust my feelings over the length of time it took Mikel Arteta to win the PL title, I’m trying to warm to him, mostly for everyone here who won’t hear a word against him, but his overall tactical approach and style of football is still dull.
Bukayo Saka has fallen off a cliff, or he has been found out, because since being rewarded £300k a week he has been very meh. For that money Arsenal should be looking at him approaching the same numbers Salah produced for Liverpool pre-2025. He is nowhere near being at that level.
If he doesn’t show significant progress this season, the unthinkable has to happen and he’ll have to be moved on.
But he still has plenty of time, so he definitely shouldn’t be written off yet.
Does Bruno Guimaraes improve us or just add decent squad depth.
A year after the much-celebrated signing of Martin Zubimendi, we suddenly discover he’s not all that, and we don’t need him. We have a few players who fit that description.
I’m looking forward to the crunch acid-test games against City and Liverpool.
Two points from a possible 12 last season, but the nervousness and chasing a first title for 22 years makes it understandable.
As champions, we challenge the opposition to take our title, and take the game to them.
Is Mikel Arteta brave enough for that with a blunt, inferior attacking unit?
And if he isn’t brave enough to hunt them down, his and Arsenal’s ability to identify genuine attacking talent needs examining.
We scored the least amount of goals as champions since Leicester won the PL in 2016, which is a worry, especially as we’ve weakened our attack, and are acutely aware that many of the fine-margin set-piece goals will not be as plentiful this season.
Just a thought or two for us to ponder.
Have a fine holiday, Rico. May the World drop off your shoulders and Heaven ravish your heart.
When, as a boy away with my Dad on his boat we’d jump in the sea and use a mix of beer and raw egg to wash our hair.
Amen, Kevski.
Seems that Salmon has withdrawn from the under 19’s too
England revealed in an official statement that Rice would be playing no part during the international break, along with Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford, Cole Palmer and Tino Livramento.
Have a good trip wherever you are off to .As most of the first team squad are away 20 plus 3 injured it gives time for Arteta and his team to reflect . The first thing they have to accept is that they have not got everything right and that they need to rethink and look at how they might rectify things.
The Evening Standard is reporting the up 5 players have pulled out of the England squad, one of those being Declan Rice.
Apparently Brazil are flying halfway around the world for their matches, not good, for the rest of our players maybe hearing different voices coaching them will be beneficial and maybe Arteta and our coaches need a break as well because 4 games in 10 days is quite intense.
Arsenal almost equalled a record 8 wins winning streak from the start of a season last achieved in 1903, 123 years ago, Chapman, Graham, Wenger, Whittaker, Mee, did any of them ever come close to that?
Rico, you’ve well earned your holiday, enjoy the South of France and come home safe… 🙂
Brighton was our first really big test???
What, bigger than Sunderland (a), Aston Villa (a), Chelsea (h), not sure I agree with those sentiments Rico, we took 6 points off of them last season.
When we lose we magnify the result and when we win we lessen the result, it’s an emotional thing, it’s why we remember our worst defeats in cup finals more than our victories.
Anyway Arteta will be stewing on that game at the Amex for the next three weeks and I reckon that we’ll go on a long unbeaten run when we reconvene next month…
Morning Rico and all.
I still not sure Arteta will pick Gyokeres even if he kick 3 goals every international match, it seems to me that Arteta loves Havertz more.
Enjoy your holiday Rico, you deserve it
Good morning Rico.
The break will give players and staff time to take a deep breath and think rationally about their poor performance against Brighton.
Arteta will need the time to get the seagull shit out of his hair and his mind.
Bon voyage Rico, have a great time.