Morning all.
Three key deals have now been sorted out by Arsenal this summer. Folarin Balogun, Emile Smith Rowe and now, Kido Taylor-Hart. Whilst Ben White, Sambi Lokonga and Nuno Tavares are great additions to the squad, keeping our own is crucial. Even those who might not go on to have a career at Arsenal, if good, need to be on a contract because they are the club’s bank. Or at least part of it. Good English players will sell for higher transfer fee than an overseas player of similar quality. Especially after Covid is a thing of the past.
Kido Taylor-Hart is an exciting young prospect who has pace to burn from the footage I’ve seen of him and the footwork to go with it. He’s still only 18 years old so it’s unlikely we’ll see him in the first team for a year or two yet but you never know. I don’t think age should be a barrier, if a player is ready to play both physically and mentally then he should play. Managing his playing time is what matters.
“It’s a good feeling!” Kido told Arsenal.com. “I’ve been at the club for a long time, so I’m proud. It’s a proud moment for me.
“I support this club so obviously I want to play for the club and spend as much time here as possible and hopefully progress into the first team!”
That’s another huge plus with the academy players who come through, most of them are huge Arsenal fans and have been since they were old enough to to know what football is. Their family are Arsenal too and passion like that cannot be bought in my opinion. The young guys want to play for Arsenal because it’s their dream and not because the pay packet on offer is the best their agent could get get them. So yes, I’m thrill Kido has signed his first professional contract and hope it’s the first of many.
In other news, Chris Wheatley of Football London has reported that Thomas Partey will miss our opening two games after suffering an injury to his ankle following a challenge by Chelsea’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek. The way Chelsea approached the game in general didn’t reflect its ‘friendly’ status and Andre Marriner seem happy to let them get away with it. Arsenal are yet to confirm how bad, or perhaps not so bad Thomas’s injury is. I think we can assume he won’t be facing the Toots this coming weekend.
Before the season has begun, Mikel Arteta is without his main midfielder. Whilst we all probably want to see Sambi Lokonga start at the weekend, I doubt the Toots will respect the fact that the match is a friendly either so I think it’s a big risk to start him. I know he can’t be wrapped in kid gloves but the thought of going to Brentford with Elneny and Xhaka as our midfield is a scary one for me. On the other hand, the Toots fixture is all about preparing for our opening fixture of the new season so perhaps Mikel Arteta has no choice but to start him. Who’d be a manager eh?
Sky Sports newspaper round up is quiet on the Arsenal front.
- Arsenal are leading the race for Real Madrid star Marco Asensio, according to reports (The Sun).
Haven’t we heard that before?
See you in the comments.
you have “Marco Asensio To Arsenal?” as a headline and the solitary “Arsenal are leading the race for Real Madrid star Marco Asensio, according to reports (The Sun).” in the article.
Thank you for your well thought out imput
I wish it was Mike Riley retiring…
Morning Gooners.
Morning Rico, thanks for the post and your input, well thought out as it was.
Arsenal have now got the majority of its best young talent signed up until 2024/26, so well done the contracts people.
10 days to Brentford and 19 days to Chelsea, 19 days, I wouldn’t completely rule Partey out of the Chelsea game…
SS, your point is?
People like you are so annoying. All you do is come on here to be critical or, as it seems to me, to provoke an argument. Tell you what, shuffle off somewhere else and do you’re you’re your worst there.
Morning Kev.
I wouldn’t rule Partey out of the Brentford game just yet. Apparently he had a scan yesterday so hopefully Arsenal will announce the results soon.
Well Kev, speaking of Riley. Have y’all seen what that moron said about making VAR ‘better’?
Nothing short of laughable/infuriating. I just can’t wrap my head around the fact that FA, up to this point are still turning a blind eye on all the thuggery being committed by that bunch.
From the Training Ground Guru:
ENGLAND Under-18s coach Kevin Betsy has been appointed as the new U23s boss at Arsenal.
The 43-year-old succeeds Gunners legend Steve Bould, who was sacked in May after two decades as a coach with the club.
Betsy is a Uefa Pro Licence coach who has developed a stellar reputation during his five years with the Football Association.
He joined in 2016 as England U15s lead and has gone on to coach the 16s, 17s and 18s. His win ratio in 52 games is 70%, achieved with an average of 64% possession, and his teams won four tournaments (the Uefa Development Tournament, Val De Marne and St George’s Park International Tournament with the 16s in 2018/19 and the Syrenka Cup with the 17s in 2019/20).
During his time with England he has worked with players including Jude Bellingham, Jadon Sancho, Phil Foden and Buyako Saka. Prior to joining the FA the former pro player was Lead Youth Development Phase at Fulham for seven years.
Ryan Garry, who recently gained the Pro Licence, will continue as Arsenal’s U23s assistant, with Dan Micciche taking the U18s, as TGG revealed earlier in the summer.
Good Morning Rico and all
Good post Rico. Silent Stan was disappointed poor sod. He had a smile on his face and gleefully clicked it and ended up swallowing the hook, the line and sinker as well. On another day he would have gobbled out the fishing rod as well….only to discover that he failed to notice the question mark at the end.
Do you think he needs lemons or is it sour grapes?
Once again….I enjoyed reading your post.
BDW….Allegri is playing Ramsey in the DM position for the pre-season friendlies. and he has kept him there. So maybe that will put an end to the comments of him coming back to us. That was nonsense…..and tbh I prefer Willock in his place nowadays.
Yes Alex I did read his comments, they were, let’s says, ironic…
Good morning Rico, it’s the correct policy to sign up our academy kids as early as the rules allow. It shows that there is a path open to them and that they are valued by the club. The greater the support they are given the greater their contribution will be in the future.
By the way, I’m impressed by your “bog off” comment in answer to SS. 😉
Silentstan is the best argument for selective breeding that I have seen.
I thought Betsy had been confirmed before now..
Morning Devil, thanks. Sometimes all it takes for a player is a change of manager. I hope it works out for Ramsey. But yes, we have moved.
Morning Cicero, everyone has a breaking point. 😂
Gabi scored his penalty in the shootout.. Brazil through to the final!!
Hi Rico, nice post btw!
Chris Wheatley’s on it today:
Excl: Arsenal have proposed a player plus cash deal for Leicester midfielder James Maddison.
I’m told negotiations are ‘very slow’ and ‘like a game of chess’ but the player is keen on a move to North London.
Marco Asensio has just come on as an eighty minute sub for Spain against Japan. Extra time just about to start. It’s live on the BBC red button.
I hope Maddison gets his move to north London enjoys playing for Barnet. 😉
https://twitter.com/AFCMax9/status/1422514064090144774?s=20
Asensio scores a sensational goal to put Spain one up.
Sign him up Edu 😉
It’s the Rico effect, Cicero 😜
Spain vs Brazil in the final.
Rico’s crystal ball In action again Sue. 😉
Hi Sue, thanks. I bet that player is AMN…
I thought my ears were burning Sue/Cicero. 😅
I’m disappointed to have been out, come back home and Arsenal haven’t made a signing..
Four year deal for Xhaka I’m losing faith rapidly
Nothing learned from the Aubameyang deal then. Crazy!
Mazeed Ogungbo has signed his first professional contract.
There’s nothing about a new contract for Xhaka on the official website.
Good night all. 😴
I’m hearing that Xhaka has signed on until 2025 and personally I’m pleased about that, I know he’s not popular on here and that’s fine but for me it’s a smart move, he isn’t going to go on strike like Aubameyang and Willian, in fact I think he’s going to get better as his game is based around reading the game not charging around. Will he still make mistakes, of course he will but don’t they all, ask Hector.
I actually think that the contracts guys have done some damned good work this summer, ever since Saka signed we’ve managed to keep the majority of the players we wanted to keep.
Good morning all, well the Xhaka story has caught on. Talk Sport, The Express, The Mail and others are all reporting some form of it. Either he has signed, is going to sign, or Arsenal are preparing an offer. With all media coverage the story is getting it must be true…..
Morning Cicero, all.
New post up now