Morning guys.
Last night’s League Cup draw saw us land an away fixture against newly promoted Premier League club Ipswich. The date of the fixture is yet to be confirmed but early September is most likely.
Later today, the Champions League draw takes place and because of the new ruling, we cannot be drawn against Inter Milan but we will definitely playing one of Arsenal will definitely be playing one of Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona or Atletico Madrid away from home. Not that I think the draw is fixed, heavens above that would be a ridiculous suggestion but I wouldn’t bet against us ending up in Spain. Atletico if we sign Alvarez which of course I hope we don’t, or Barcelona if Viktor Gyokeres ends up moving there as has been suggested in the transfer gossip pages.
The league phase fixtures are scheduled as below:
Matchday 1: September 8-10
Matchday 2: October 13/14
Matchday 3: October 20/21
Matchday 4: November 3/4
Matchday 5: November 24/25
Matchday 6: December 8/9
Matchday 7: January 19/20
Matchday 8: January 27
Just four days of this transfer window remains thank goodness as I for one will be glad when when the rumours have stopped, Alvarez is still is Madrid and with a bit of luck, Gabriel Martinelli is still an Arsenal player. I know it’s unlikely, but a girl can dream.
Al Hilal, the club trying to sign Martinelli have agreed a deal to sign Ollie Watkins so at least there will be a familiar face to greet him should he move.
What worries me though is what happens if this Alvarez fiasco goes into the final day of the transfer window and he ends up staying in Madrid or Atletico buckle and sell him to Barcelona, Martinelli has gone and Nwaneri has been sold too or gone out on loan? Worse still would be the Gyokeres exit rumours becoming a reality. We, and I mean Arsenal football club would be left looking rather silly. I’m sure the club wouldn’t allow that to happen but it could.
Alvarez missed Atletico’s training session yesterday, through illness allegedly but I’m pretty sure he’s sulking after being booed by his own fans at the weekend and not getting his dream move. If I’m right, I don’t think it’s good behaviour from the player, or any player really when this happens and my concern is if Arsenal do sign him, this time next year he’ll be doing the same kind of thing because I truly believe he would be using us to get to Barcelona. He’s been in England before and clearly didn’t like it so why anyone thinks it would be different this time is beyond me. There’s no doubting his talent but personally, I don’t think he’s worth the hassle.
Or the money Atletico are asking for him. Arsenal’s problem if this falls through is time because it’s running out. If Alvarez says no, where do the club go to replace Martinelli, or will they simply not bother this summer?
I guess there’s always Jesus….
Catch up in the comments.
That adds a bit of sadness to him going Limey. I didn’t realise.
Morning all.
New post up.
Apparently Reiss Nelson was the last player left from Wengers final squad.
Cicero I didn’t think he was that old, how time fly’s
Reiss Nelson could hardly be called a young player Geoff he’ll be twenty-seven in December.
Wherever he goes I wish him well.
There is a positive side for Reiss, it will make he think very carefully about his career and hopefully get a second chance that many young players don’t get
Would Madueke have played for England as much had Saka been 100% though? Regardless, I don’t think he’s cutting it at Arsenal. Certainly not yet anyway.
I thought similar when I saw the draw, it certainly won’t be easy. Same re the Villa and Chelsea swaps for big money. One way to beat PSR I guess or whatever it’s called these days.
According to Wikipedia at Psv and Chelsea he played 118 games and scored 24 goals , ave 4.916.
During his time with us Martinelli played 191 for 41 goals ave 4.658.
How many of those 4 chances he created were missed by other players and how many of of them by himself.?
All part of the get round the financial rules, Rogers highly inflated price , now the same going the other way and the rumours of Martinez as well .
Looks dodgy to me
If I had my choice between Martinelli or Madueke, it will be Martinelli all day. However, two very good managers can’t be totally wrong, Arteta and Tuchel. In the game against Coventry, Madueke played 26 minutes and created 4 scoring opportunities. More than any player on the field. And there in lies the problem. He may screw up 8 chances in a game, but when the margins of winning top flights games are 1 or 2 goals, he becomes valuable to coaches and managers, hes direct and win free kicks.
And at PSV and Chelsea he had a descent goal scoring rate.
Tough draw I think, can’t see us finishing top again , too many banana skins there.
Arsenal: Real Madrid (H), Bayern Munich (A), Borussia Dortmund (H), Real Betis (A), Lille (H), Napoli (A), Sabah (H), Slavia Prague (A)
How can Jackson be worth £65 million in his move from Chelsea to Villa yet Gabriel Martinelli is being sold for less?
on if a player publicly and privately should want to join Arsenal:
Publicly, I never ask them. I think it’s more private to get the feeling that if it’s something unique, an attachment, a feeling, that they really want to join us, and they have that desire to come and be part of our family.
Well, that should mean the end of any move for Alvarez because it’s been made quite clear he only really wants to join Barcelona.
Arteta:
on not seeing Gabriel Jesus in training today:
It’s something to do with the numbers that we have in the squad at the moment and the way we’re managing that kind of situation individually with all the players – they have some personal situations.
on Gabriel Martinelli leaving training ahead of other players today:
That’s another personal situation that we’re dealing with. I think everybody knows and recognises how much we love Gabi. Whatever the outcome is, it will be because everybody agrees to that.
on if he’s had a conversation with Martinelli and Jesus:
Yes, for sure. Those conversations go both ways, but I’m very satisfied with how these conversations went because I know what is in each other’s hearts, and the words that come through in those conversations make me really happy. But it’s inevitable at some point you need to have certain discussions and say certain things that sometimes are tough.
At least Reiss will be able to find himself a club now, meanwhile we’re stuck with Madueke.
You’re as cynical as me Cicero.. lol
Reiss Nelson’s contract terminated by mutual agreement. So that brings the curtain down on the Arsenal career of a nice lad who for some reason never hit the heights we hoped he would. He had several loans but never returned to us with his reputation enhanced in fact he pretty much tanked his own value.
There’s no chance of a fiddle with the CL draw. Here’s one paragraph of the rules.
“Starting with pot one, each team will be drawn out individually. They will then be selected eight opponents via Uefa’s automated software.”
Yeah right!
Complacency springs to mind with that final. Arrogance even..
I have absolutely no recollection of that semi-final but I wish I could forget the final from 2011
Guimaraes could be back Monday, Konsa will be in the squad but Timber remains out. From Arteta’s press conference.
I certainly remember the final. What a disaster that was..
it will be the first encounter in the League Cup since a 3-1 aggregate win for Arsenal in the semi-finals of the 2010/11 edition.. We lost 1 nil and then went home and beat them in the second leg but lost the final to Birmingham
I can remember going to Portman road about 15 to 20 years ago , but I can’t remember what for but I think it was the league cup. I will cheat and look it up.
We could always sign Mudryk on loan 😜
Champions league draw at 5pm today.
Looks like Liverpool have Barcola in the bag. £120m
Not just Tzolis Kev. 😜
Yes Rico, a day to forget, problem is I tend to remember the disappointments more than the successes, that kick in the gut feeling never leaves.
Was that the Ipswho Cup Final Kev? We lost 1 – 0. 😥
We’ve gotta keep Tzolis fit Rico…
I can’t recall Arsenal playing Ipswich in a cup tie of any description since 1978
Just checked the news and that’s so awful what is happening to our most loyal of allies Nepal also Tibet one of the most peaceful countries in the world.
I hope the British government divert a lot of the money away from illegal migrants who hate us and sent it to Nepal along with any logistical help we can muster.
That’s what I hope too Kev, plenty of spinning plates because I don’t think Eze or Madueke playing on the left is the answer, both would leave our left back too exposed.
We may not necessarily hear or read about it but Berta will be spinning plates and a lot can happen over the space of a couple of days. Talks about salary will have already taken place and agreed with agents so no hold up there, Arteta will know who’s in the pipeline all it needs is for the selling club to agree a fee.
I did read that Atletico had reduced the fee to a more ‘realistic’ £111m but as Sporting discovered Berta drives a hard bargain on fees particularly if the player wants the move. That’s the major hold up, Alverez hasn’t indicated that he wants the move, so I’d hope that Berta is spinning plates to pivot to when he needs to, Igor for example?
Morning Geoff, all.
Mine too, what’s happening there is awful. Tragic..
Morning Rico and all,
I know it’s football, but my heart goes out to all in Nepal.