Morning all.
After such a poor ten months of football and with fans making their feelings more than clear by staying away from The Emirates, the club has gone a long way towards getting the fans back onside by making major changes off the pitch but that alone might not be enough to convince everyone. After all, aren’t many of our players simply not good enough? Such things have been written nearly everywhere in the blog world at some stage over the last couple of years, certainly here on HH. Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal, Ozil, Chambers, Ramsey, Cech, Ospina, Lacazette…the list goes on, all who’ve been on the end of some kind of criticism and in certain cases, a lot of it.
But are they really bad players, or footballers who’ve suffered heavily because of the previous set up? It’s highly likely that the majority of them will start the new season so we the critics need to hope Emery and his new coaching team can prove it’s the latter.
So what about the fans who stayed away or those who took a break from holding a season ticket etc, are the changes in the management team alone enough for them to return? Are you one of those fans and if so, what’s your answer? Yes? Or do the club need to make a couple of top signings to convince you that better times are not far away? I only ask to satisfy my own curiosity really because like Kev expressed yesterday, I personally can’t wait for the new season to begin. Also, I still believe our players, certainly the majority if not all, will prove they are really good players. Yes, even Mustafi and Bellerin.
That’s not saying all is perfect, far from it imo as there’s gaping holes within the squad and I guess by the time the season kicks off, that will have changed.
No sooner had I typed that late yesterday evening, out came some news from the father of Sokratis Papastathopoulos. Speaking to a Greek radio station he said the deal was pretty much done and as long as his medical, which he’ll undergo today, goes well, he’ll become an Arsenal player. What he also said was Sokratis stuck two fingers up at Mourinho and Utd as he chose us over them.
Charalambos Papastathopoulos said.
“United have a very good relationship with Dortmund, the teams talked but Sokratis chose to go to Arsenal. “Arsenal had talked two years ago but I don’t know why he didn’t sign.
“He is going to a higher level, the world’s most competitive league and I believe he will do very well. Sokratis is in his last year at Dortmund. This was a major reason? [for completing the move]
So I guess we can expect an announcement any time soon and I doubt it’ll be long before Stephan Lichtsteiner joins him hopefully. Thank goodness an iPad soon picks up on these awkward spellings and fills in because I’d never grasp those two surnames. I’m sure glad I’m not planning on buying the new shirt either because there wouldn’t be enough room across mine for Papastathopoulos…
There are a lot of headlines suggesting we’re in for free agent Fellani but I just can’t see that one coming true. He’s a cheat, he’s dirty and sticks his elbows into whoever is nearest him. In an Arsenal shirt he’d get away with very little, unlike he seems to at Utd. This is certainly an odd one but kind of interesting if it’s true.
Stoke City’s Xherdan Shaqiri is on the market for just £12 million. That’s his reported buy out clause which a few Premier League clubs are keen to activate apparently. Having been relegated with Stoke, (oh how I laughed) he’s desperate for a rapid return to the Premier League. He’s a bargain I reckon and he’d come with bags of experience having played for Inter Milan and Bayern Munich and Switzerland.
Anyway, that’s all the transfer gossip I can find, not that’s it’s much but at least it seems we’re finally about to see a bit of Arsenal action this summer transfer window.
Enjoy your Tuesday guys and gals…
Morning, good post rico. I liked Fellaini at Everton but hated him at United. Odd that?
Thanks Andrew. Not odd, not imo anyway. I’m the same. Always wanted us to sign him from Everton, now though, I’m not so sure..
I think its a paper story based on a 2 year old enquiry by our Manager. Already its being denounced. Agree with you on Shaqiri, at 12m a snip, skilful and scores good goals.
Two footed too so a big plus I reckon…
Good morning Rico and thanks for the post. At last a bit of, possibly, genuine transfer talk. Four names in one day is riches beyond compare. ???
Sokratis and Lichtsteiner? Yes please! Shaquiri? Well maybe. Fellaini? No way!!
Even bad players can be improved by the right coaching, maybe not to become World beaters but certainly better than they we’re. That being the case I can see a future at Arsenal even for Mustafi and Bellerin.
I look forward to hearing that we have signed Cech’s replacement, Ospina is off and Macy has been promoted with Martinez brought brought back into the fold.
Just that rough, tough, but lovable, defensive midfielder to find.
Morning Cicero. Seems odd if the club have given Cech the no1 shirt but then sell him. We’ll see, but I hope Emery has a keeper he plans to bring in, Oblak with a bit of luck or someone at his level.
Morning Rico and all. Surely a new goalkeeper is a necessity. No to Shaqiri from me because he is just too weird.
Shaquiri could be interesting , a bit of an Arshavin player, one that can change a game but also disappear on occasions.
Sokratis and Mavropolous together at the back should fill the referees notepads but do show that the weaknesses in our back 4 are being addressed , add in the Swiss captain for decent cover and all we really need would be the defensive midfielder.
If Sokratis is 17 million and Lichtsteiner free , should we trigger 12 million for Shaquiri that leaves a fair chunk 20 million or so to fill that gap which makes Fellaini on a free less likely.
I reckon our new scouting team will be looking to solve that problem throughout the world cup and the mop headed Belgian will be the last resort.
Shaquiri is a top baller but his injury record is shocking (calf injury’s especially) so no thanks
Shaqiri on his day is a world beater. But with Ozil also, do we really want two players with questionable attitudes and the proclivity to be flaky at the very best?
N
Morning Adam, I’d have thought so too re the keeper. I’d like to see both go, promote Macey/Martinez and get a top top keeper.
Seems Shaqiri is a no then but I think he could be a useful player for the Cups and early stages of Europa.
Neil, I didn’t realise he had an attitude. I watched him a few times on tv and thought he was one of Stokes best by a country mile..
Potter, I guess a lot depends on the budget. I still don’t believe Emery will have the kind of money as being reported, ie £50-70 million. Surely it would be a lot more..
stole this from the online gooner :-
Income
TV Deal 150 Million
Emirates Stadium 110 Million
Europa League Unknown
Arsenal Property investments 80 Million
Shirt Deal 30 Million
Sleeve Deal 10 Million
Outgoing X
Wage Bill 230 Million
Transfer Fees ?
Leaves 150 million to run the club , pay debts etc .
What about match day income, ST sales etc, that must be a big amount..
That ‘s the £110.00,000,0 from the stadium I think, if so it doesn’t leave a lot for transfers and new wages . looks like we only had spare cash when we were selling property around Highbury .
I think i remember reading from the Swiss ramble that sponsorship without the tv money and the stadium income barely covered the wage bill. Still now that Wenger is not there we must have a leettlle bit more in the kitty.
Ah, ok thanks. There’s the Emirates sponsorship too.
Seems we are switching to Adidas next season then. Hope their kit is better than Puma…
Should read that that sponsorship without the tv money , the stadium income barely covered the wage bill.
No mention there of day to day running costs. Travel expenses, hotel accommodation, Hale End Academy, London Colney Training Complex. Match day policing, stadium maintenance, cleaning and security. Not to mention the employment costs of the seven hundred employees that Wenger said were on the payroll.
No doubt there are still outstanding transfer fees, both incoming and outgoing, to be taken into account.
It really is too simplistic to say that because we have x amount of income it can all be spent on player purchases.
Precisely Cicero , high income coupled with high expenditure doesn’t leave a lot left.
Afternoon Rico and the House.
Lichtsteiner has signed for us and will wear No12.
Stephan Lichtsteiner quote “I’m a right back who likes to attack but I also know when it’s time to attack and when you have to stay behind”. That’s what I like to hear, he’s a player who knows his role.
My new season optimism is rising. ????
Think you summed up Fellani quite well rico, definitely more destructive than constructive, someone would be up for a public flogging if it went through you’d hope !
Afternoon Rick, all.
Micko, his hair is worse than his game…
One done and dusted then, next…. lol
Aren’t our new chaps words refreshing…
One in and a few more to come, I think. I wonder who will be leaving?
Such excitement!!
Afternoon all. In old London Town yesterday a couple of very chatty black cab drivers were most illuminating on. The subject of Uber. A totally unscrupulous and unregulated company. They should be avoided at all costs.
Turned out nice at chez nous, eventually!
Wonder which new faces will arrive tomorrow?
Wasn’t Kev was it Wavy? Lol
N, I don’t think so, they were middle aged but not that much middle aged! ?
Just a thought, could we see either Joel Campbell or Lucas Perez back at Arsenal? They’d both be like new signings ?
G’night all. ?
Morning Rico and all. A signing at last!
And a good one too , he is out of the Juventus defence which is not noticed for it’s profligence . He may not be for the future but he is what we need now . Good signing I think.
Lets hope he doesn’t get crocked in Russia.
Morning Adam, Potter and all.
I’m pleased…
Morning Gooners, yes Wavy, I’m only 39, I’ve been 39 for years. ?
Rico, if it had been me driving the cab then I’d still now be moaning about Uber. ?
In between handbrake turns on the A40 elevated section.
Now if I’ve got this right, these are the foreign players we have in our 25 man squad – you are allowed a maximum of 17.
Cech
Aubameyang
Xhaka
Monreal
Ozil
Elneny
Lacazette
Mustafi
Mkhitaryan
Kolasinac
Lichtsteiner
Perez
Ospina
Koscielny
Campbell
That leaves us room for two more foreign signings if nobody leaves.
Bellerin, Martinez, Iwobi, all qualify as Home Grown.
Home Grown players over 21, maximum of 7 in the 25 man squad:
Akpom
Iwobi
Chambers
Martinez
Macey
Bramall
Holding
Welbeck
Bellerin
Jenkinson
Wilshere
Ramsey
That doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room without a few loans or permanent departures.
Takuma Asano has gone out on loan already to Hannover for next season.
Ha ha Kev.
If Ospina and Cech go, leaves four places to fill which I reckon would be about right. One top keeper, Sokratis, a winger and DM….
New post is up now.