Morning all.
2023 started nearly as well for Arsenal as 2022 ended.Tottenham dropped three points at home against Unai Emery’s Aston Villa and the Chelsea surrendered a 1-0 lead to draw against Nottingham Forest.
Conte went straight into moaning mode after his side lost:
To become title contenders, to become a team ready to fight to win something, you need to have a solid foundation, which means to have 14 or 15 strong players, with quality, and the other young players to develop. Every season, you can add two players, but two players priced £50m, £60m, £70m. In this way, it means you are signing important players who can improve the quality and the level of your team. But this is a process, guys. This is a process.
I can’t believe he dropped the “P” word in. I reckon he’s been spending too much time listening to Mikel Arteta.
I never understand why a price dictates how good a player can be for the club he signs for. Chelsea once paid £50 odd million for Fernando Torres but that didn’t turn out well. Nearly as well as signing Lukaku for £100 million. Arsenal spent around £50 million on Alex Lacazette but I wouldn’t say his move was a great success and Nicolas Pepe certainly turned out to be a disaster £72 million signing really, as did Mesut Ozil. How much did Mitoma cost Brighton, Gabriel Martinelli Arsenal, Eddie Nketiah or even Martin Odegaard, William Saliba and Gabriel? Neither Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko moved to Arsenal for £50 million, nor Takehiro Tomiyasu or Kieran Tierney for that matter. Yet all have and still are part of the reason we’re sitting top of the League right now.
I read that Tottenham has spent £400 million on players in three years. Arsenal’s net spend according to PlanetFootball is £280 million since Mikel Arteta arrived.
Conte always seems to blame anyone or anything other than looking in the mirror and admitting it might be him who’s the problem. Just like Arsene Wenger was his own worst enemy during his latter years at Arsenal, Mourinho in recent years and a number of other managers over time too. £170 odd million spent last summer and Conte is still moaning! I bet Djed Spence is so glad he joined them. Not!
Whatever Conte is trying to do, the players don’t look like they’re enjoying being part of it. On the other hand, what Mikel Arteta has, and is doing, the players are 100% into it. Not one of them cost Arsenal in excess of £50 million.
Having money to spend helps any football manager to build a strong squad but I’ve always believed that eleven players at the level of Messi on the pitch will only be great if they believe in who is coaching them and what he’s asking them to do. Respect has to be a two way thing and it has to be earned. I think it’s safe to say that Mikel Arteta ticks that particular box.
Of course I hope things stay as they are down the road from The Emirates because the more they fail, the better it is. I’m just glad Arsenal took the route they did by taking a chance on a rookie but a rookie who’d learned from one/two of the best. Although I’ll admit, there was a time when I couldn’t see where he was taking our club.
There were two stories doing the rounds yesterday afternoon. One, which nearly every tabloid printed, suggested Arsenal have agreed personal terms with Mykhaylo Mudryk which even if true, is worth little if Shakhtar and Arsenal can’t agree a transfer fee. The other suggested that Real Madrid are interested in signing Martin Odegaard. Oh yes, I can see him wanting to rush back to Madrid cant you? I think the chance of him ever returning to the club who sold him to Arsenal are slim to none.
This is by Sam Dean in today’s Daily Telegraph:
Arsenal the ‘prime destination for young talent’.
It’s the way Arsenal are playing and the age of the squad they’ve got right now that is contributing to this. If you look at the front four against Brighton – Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli and Odegaard – the oldest of that front four is Odegaard at 24.
This has become very quickly under Mikel Arteta one of the absolute prime destinations for top talented young players and when you look across the game, who Arsenal are targeting and what the appeal the club might hold for some of these players, it is hard to think of a more enticing project right now.
We all know they want to sign Mykhailo Mudryk and it seems pretty clear from his social media activity at the very least that he is keen on joining Arsenal. That paints a picture of its own as this is a place now where talent goes to thrive when only a few years ago it struggled.
The philosophy Arteta has instilled has made joining Arsenal a very attractive proposition.
I know I’m biased but I agree with him and not only are Arsenal an attractive club to join but to stay at too. Our squad is young, they’re growing together, improving together and they are clearly happy together. The players coming through the academy must see what’s happening at the club and want to be a part of it. The best will get their opportunity I’m sure, they’ll just need to be patient.
David Ornstein reckons one of Man Utd and Arsenal are favourites to sign Joao Felix on loan from Atletico Madrid for the rest of the season but only if the Spanish club lower their loan fees.
Catch up in the comments..
Real Madrid??
btw ozil is a success since he lift few fa cup before his decline….for others yup abit of dissapointment buy
There are some solid points, Rico, but manipulating with numbers is beneath you.
“I read that Tottenham has spent £400 million on players in three years. Arsenal’s net spend […] is £280 million since Mikel Arteta arrived.” It does suggest that Spurs are burning cash like there is no tomorrow, while we make reasonable, smart investments. However when you compare net transfers for both teams, we are still overspending Tottenham by 9-10%. Which is not terribly much, but shows a different picture, especially taking into consideration that our most expensive signings cost more (in aggregate as well as by 1v1 comparison: White, Jesus, Partey vs. Richarlison, Romero, Lo Celso) than Tottenham’s. (I see the numbers in €, but we net spent 311M in the last 3 year while Spurs spend 288M over their transfer income.)
The other thing we disagree is this part: “The players coming through the academy must see what’s happening at the club and want to be a part of it. The best will get their opportunity I’m sure, they’ll just need to be patient.”, but that’s a known debate between us. So far it is all wishful thinking (of which I sincerely hope to turn out to be true), but all the evidence show that Arteta prefers to buy young talent over nurturing them from the academy. Which could be the right decision for all I know, especially when trying to win the league, so I’m not blaming him (much), but you are giving credit to him for something he didn’t earn so far.
Morning Rico and all,
Considering how we are playing; I don’t see the sense in loaning Joao Felix unless it comes with the option to buy, the money we spend on him I would prefer to use some of it and up the amount we want to pay for Mudryk if Arteta really wants him.
I still feel Emery was not supported as much as Arteta has been by the club, however I have now eaten my humble pie and now ready to move on.
Morning Rico,
Have to agree with your report today and am somewhat surprised to read how much spurs have splashed £400m compared to Arsenal £260m. And as you listed some of our starters they are all less than £50m.
I do think we have now earned the respect for young talented players wanting to join Arsenal and the Arteta/Edu project. Our track record of developing young players and making them first team starters not just for Arsenal but their national teams as well. Mudryk is certainly one player who knows he will become an even better player and Arsenal know he can come in and make a difference. His qualities have shone this season in the CL games he’s played in, which I think is one of the key reasons he can become a key player for us this season providing cover and impact we currently lack in the attacking third.
I keep saying this but we must sign a player with the same if not better qualities for Partey’s defence midfield position. He’s been outstanding, and with his first two seasons and his injury problems I fear for his fitness and this would be catastrophic for our title push. We have decent back ups for Odegaard in Viera and ESR, I know Zinchenko and Tierney can provide some backup for Xhaka who has also been at another level this season and he doesn’t seem to get injured so my fears are less for his position. But Partey is my biggest concern and we don’t have anyone with his qualities right now. I hope and pray that they sign someone which provides both backup but also competition for the defensive midfield position. I will add that I so respect Elneny and what he has given to Arsenal. He never complains is ever present and does have the occasional purple patch, but I think he won’t be with us next season. And Lakonga hasn’t had the impact we and Kompany expected, maybe he will develop I think he may need to go out on loan and get some mins for his development and see where he is in the future. So my reckoning is we need one possibly two midfielders.
The last point, I have read that we should be looking at a left-footed backup for Gabriel. Yes we do have Tomi and White albeit he’s right footed as back up and holding of course, so the need is less but I would hope that for this position we go all out and find another young talent who we can develop. That or we have an academy player coming through although I haven’t heard any names mentioned.
Pbarany puts some important perspective on net squad numbers, I am not in the know and can only believe what he’s says is true. But there’s a couple of points I think are a little unfair and wide of the mark. Arteta spends a lot of time watching our youth teams and laying down plans that develop them to a level they can come back into the first team squad. Look at Saliba and where he is now. I’m looking at Balogun and what he’s doing in France and hope he’s at a level he will be a first team player next season. Which maybe why a Felix 6 month loan could be good business and enough cover until the summer. Charlie Pino and other talents are out on loan and injuries aside they are developing. Look at how he’s progressed with Nelson, when he was called upon he took his chances just a shame he got injured again. But when you look at the chances he’s given other players and then moved them on you can’t tell me he’s not one of the best at nurturing talent.
And then in terms of spending he inherited a very divisive squad. He had key players with disciplinary problems Ozil and latterly Auba and had to move them on which he did. He had a squad with many fringe players that were never going to be first team level and had to both replace snd move those players on with Edu pulling the strings. I cannot speak highly enough of what both Arteta and Edu have done since they teamed up. In three years they have worked wonders and need to be credited with what they’ve done. So from a squad development and money spent to date I can’t fault them.
Good morning Rico, an excellent post thank you.
Reportedly, Arsenal have activated the extra year option on Saka’s contract, in order to ward off interest from other clubs, whilst talks are on-going over a new long term deal.
The word is that AC Milan are interested in signing our young striker Flo Balogun currently on loan with Rheims. I wouldn’t be averse to letting him go to them but loan for a season to gain more experience before bringing back to do a “Saliba”.
Morning Geoff, Mig, all.
My point about the finances is that Totts, despite Conte’s moaning, have spent money and lots of it but they’ve not really improved much.
Morning Cicero, thank you.
Yes, Ornstein mentioned the Saliba deal which is good news. I can’t see a reason why he wouldn’t want to extend his contract unless he wants to return to France.
Mig, I agree re the quality of players who join us, certainly in the centre of midfield but I don’t think a hefty fee always guarantees a player will be perfect which is really what Conte is suggesting.
Your 10.38 is spot on I think.
Oops, you were talking about Saka Cicero whilst I read Saliba. Eye test this week so don’t worry. 😂
Morning Rico. Happy New Year to all. I’m delighted with our league position but this transfer window offers a unique opportunity to solidify that. The win against Brighton was great but, as the substitutions happened, I thought we looked tired and lightweight. Mig is bang on pointing out the Partey thing I reckon. We are not the same team without him and we have no real able sub for him. It’s worrying.
We need to boss this window and buy forensically, especially in midfield where we are certainly light once Thomas is out of the picture through injury or substitution. I am also sure that Mikel and Edu are on the case though.
Morning Adam. I agree re Thomas, we have no one like him in reserve and when he’s not there, we struggle to win the midfield tussle. He’s such a quality player.
Afternoon all.
A bit of fantasy transfer ‘talk’. Imo, Declan Rice would be the ultimate replacement/ understudy for Thomas Partey. What do others think? Am I barking or just up the creek?
Declan Rice would be a very expensive understudy, would he be willing to sit on the bench or get the final twenty minutes when Partey is rested?
I’d love Rice at Arsenal, even it’s not until the summer. If we get top four, we definitely need more than just Partey, more than we do now and we’re already in need of a CM imo.
Cicero, he’d get plenty of game time between now and May with the number of fixtures we have. It’ll be a miracle if Partey stays fit for the next five months.
Blimey, Martina Navratilova has been diagnosed with throat and breast cancer… ☹️
Liverpool beaten 3-1 at Brentford. Nice…
Best wishes to Martina. That’s tough news. I wish her well.
Klopp seems to have lost the plot and that’s great news.
It sure is Adam. Couldn’t happen to a nicer club or manager..
We’re being linked to this guy, he was on Arsenal’s books as a youngster..
I can’t wait Rico😀
I won’t believe it until Fabrizio Romano announces it though.
He’s in the know😬
🤣 Adam.
Ticks a few boxes Rico .
Young , American , fast , mainly Right footed physical midfielder. Looks a lot more dynamic than Sambi . Could be the surprise Partey back up signing.
Looks good but it is on you tube but they do speed up the video.
Good morning all. Big game this evening, let’s see what Newcastle United have got.
They’ve been doing well but will be worried at the idea of taking on the League leaders particularly as it’s at The Emirates where the home supporters do so much to help the team.
I’ll make no predictions about the result, but wouldn’t it be great to see our front three all score for the third game in a row.
C’mon The Glorious Gunners!!
I thought so too Potter.
Morning Cicero, all.
New post up.
Home fans could make the difference tonight..