Morning all.
Football is entertaining if nothing else and not always for the right reasons. Certainly not in France as PSG lost again, this time to Marseille in a game which saw 14 yellow cards, 5 red cards and a mass brawl once the final whistle blew. Neymar was one of the PSG players given his marching orders, alleging racism was behind his little outburst.
In England, Frank Lampard has hit back at Jurgen Klopp after the Liverpool manager made comments about the amount of money Chelsea are spending on players this summer. Van Dijk, Alisson, Fabinho, Keita, Mane, Salah – all top players who didn’t come cheaply said Lamps in attempt to justify the hundreds of millions Chelsea have spent. This is what happens when managers stick their noses into other clubs business. Klopp shouldn’t have got involved in the first place and when asked about Chelsea, he should have just said that what they get up to doesn’t concern him. I doubt we’ll hear any complaints about Chelsea’s spending from Mikel Arteta because he’d be a hypocrite to moan after his three years at Man City. We had a manager who was hell bent on talking about other clubs and their managers but as time proved, he should have concentrated on his own club because it was slowly going down the pan.
Hopefully, the spat between Klopp and Lampard will continue and their football suffers because of it. Meanwhile at Arsenal, we’re having a decent transfer window and we’ve started the season well with three points away from home and a clean sheet to go with it.
Martinez is on his way to Aston Villa, Matt Macey is reported to want to leave too which suddenly leaves our goalkeeping situation in a mess. I’m not keen on the Brentford keeper and the guy from Iceland looks pretty lightweight. Or pretty and lightweight. Either way, one injury to Leno and all Arteta’s hard work could be undone in a flash if our number two keeper, whoever that might eventually be, isn’t up to the task. Hopefully Edu and Arteta have something planned.
The Telegraph report that Wolves are set to up their offer for AMN and The Independent report that Arteta wants French 21-year-old Mounir Chouiar.
I’ll just be glad when the transfer window has shut and we know what’s what. Then we can get on with the season ahead, or at least until January when the transfer rumours start all over again.
For Arsenal, I’d imagine the club are still trying to find a solution to getting Partey signed up, if that’s who they’re really after, or Aouar. Or someone else who can slot into are midfield and make it stronger. Willian and Saka can make things happen from midfield, Pepe too hopefully, as his second season should be more productive and then we have Eddie, Nelson, Willock, ESR and Martinelli too although the latter isn’t expected back for a while yet.
Defensively we’re not too shabby either with Saliba, Mari and Luiz all lurking. Seems like we’re keeping Holding now which I think is good news. Elneny too.
Ideally, we’d offload Ozil and Guendouzi. Sokratis, Kolasinac and Torreira finding new clubs would help too. A bit of money in from the sales and a reduction of our wage bill.
So, if Arsenal sign a keeper and midfielder, do you guys think we’re good for the season? Assuming Lacazette and Bellerin aren’t sold of course.
See you in the comments guys.
Morning campers, morning Rico, a nice post to start the week.
Just over 3 weeks before the window closes and an awful lot can happen in that time.
Wolves would need imo to double their initial bid of £15m if they wanted to sign a young England international from Arsenal, we don’t need to sell and I’m sure that Arteta doesn’t want to sell either so Wolves have to make us an offer we really can’t refuse.
Nice one, Rico… looks like FL’s spree will continue – new gk incoming and they’re to
bid for Declan Rice in the coming days…West Ham want 60m!!
Was mentioned elsewhere that ESR, Nelson and Willock may go on loan….do you think that’ll happen?!
Hopefully it won’t be long until we bid farewell to a few and can bring in 1 or 2 more and finish our window off in style 😉
Auba…. we’re still waiting…..
As for the question Rico I think we’ll have a great season if Aubameyang signs and we actually do no other business.
Bring in Partey and I think that top four is a realistic possibility with probably a cup win, hopefully in europe, to gloss it off.
Morning Kev, Sue and thanks.
I’m assuming Auba has already agreed to stay as I think he has. I also think wolves are wasting their time as it seems AMN is going nowhere. That’s if Arteta is telling porkies.
Can’t see them going on loan until January Sue, we’ll need them for the Europa League I reckon.
I think that Arteta alluded to this over the past few days Rico, but it’s such a shame that the smaller clubs voted against the expanded squads and five subs used after lockdown, because it allowed him to keep more players involved as well as using more imagination on his substitutions, I also think with 5 fresh players available that it raised the standard of the game/product overall.
Good morning Rico and all.
You wont have to wait until January for the transfer rumours to start, mid October at the latest.
I hope Moanhio stays at the Spuds, Levy is too tight to sack him so he will carry on until he spontaneously combusts. Long may the entertainment last 😉
Unfortunately and probably true ,5 subs gave an advantage to the clubs with more internationals in their squads . Just a quick google and Man City played against Brighton with Sterling , Aguero Mahrez and 2 Silvas and still had Stones , De Bruyne , Sane , Otamendi and Jesus on the bench and I have to say I did not know any of Brighton’s subs .
I can see the smaller teams point.
Morning Rico & everyone,
Great write up, that Icelandic keeper looks smaller than the 6ft 1 listed, he also apparently isn’t first choice at Dijon.
Most keepers are giants these days too, I see the proposed fee is around £1.5m so maybe worth a punt if
Yes I think a midfielder and goalkeeper would be enough. Selling Bellerin would be crazy imo, he is one of my favourites.
Voting against the five subs was shortsighted I think Kev because the same number of fixtures are being played but with a month less to play them in. It is a shame though for the reasons you suggest.
I actually think it would help the smaller squad clubs just as much as it would others. No moaning about injuries eh.
Morning Cicero, Potter, Limey and thanks.
I see your point Potter but there’s a flip side too. More subs means the so called lesser clubs can rotate/rest more which in turn might prevent injuries. But yes, the likes of City and Chelsea etc would have an advantage.
Arteta has been clever and full of wisdom in tackiling questions from the press so i can’t see him being a busybody in other people’s business matter like Klopp. He is an humble guy and full of respect to others. When asked about transfer concerning a particular player linked to the club, he will always tell you “I can’t talk about a player who’s in another club” that’s respect.
Hi Rico and all So It looks like Martinez has gone and now Macey want’s to leave,
If what you read is correct and Arteta is looking at 2 different Keepers to bring in and replace Martinez that tells me that Arteta has no trust in Macey as our number 2 keeper their for I don’t blame him for wanting out
news:
1 – Lucas Torreira looks set to leave Arsenal and join Torino a fee of €24m, according to reports in Italy.
Arsenal paid over €28m to sign the Uruguay international from Sampdoria in 2018, making 89 appearances for the Gunners in total.
Torreira is set to reunite with his former boss Marco Giampaolo, who managed him at Sampdoria.
Calciomercato and Tuttosport say Torino are getting closer to an agreement to bring him back to Italy. The deal would be an initial €12m loan followed by a €12m obligation to buy at the end of the season.
2 – Arsenal have moved quickly to replace outbound goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, with the Telegraph reporting that the Gunners are in talks with French club Dijon over the signing of Runar Alex Runarsson.
Martinez is set to join Premier League side Aston Villa in a move worth £20 million and the Gunners look likely to bring in Icelandic stopper Runarsson as his replacement.
Brentford’s David Raya was on Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta’s shopping list, but the Championship club demanded £10 million for their keeper. Runarsson is set to cost the Gunners £1.5 million.
Paper Round’s view: It seems like an efficient signing from Arsenal. Obviously Martinez wanted to leave the Emirates Stadium in search of first-team football, but the most appealing part of his departure for the Gunners will be his £20 million fee. The Spanish stopper was probably valued at under £5 million before he began to impressively deputise for the injured Bernd Leno back in June. It’s quite well documented that Arsenal don’t have as much spending power in the transfer market as their rivals, so the London club were forced to sell players in order to raise funds. There was no point in spending half of Martinez’s income on a back-up keeper, so signing Runarsson for just £1.5 million makes a lot of sense.
WSL still using 5 subs!
Still no news on Auba then. Good move for Torreira if he leaves. Shame things didn’t really work out for him with Arsenal.
Apparently his wife is not happy here and wants to go back to Italy and as all men know if the wife is unhappy , life can be unbearable.
Rightly so too… lol
Morning all.
I really feel for Torreira.
Terrific player, Imo, always put in but it really felt like he never settled in for some reason.
I wish him well.
From “She Wore A Yellow Ribbon”
Martinez just another Manninger?
Let me tell you a story.
Arsenal’s first choice goalkeeper got injured. In came a replacement who went on to equal the club record of 6 clean sheets in a row. He played 7 league games and was named Premier League Player of the Month.
He also played 5 games in Arsenal’s run to the FA Cup final.
But come the end of the season, it was old Big Hands between the sticks for the final against Newcastle.
The goalkeeper was Alex Manninger. The season was 1997/98.
Austrian Manninger played a key part in Arsenal’s double winning seasons, but his 7 league appearances, 6 clean sheets and Player of the Month award were not enough to get him a Premiership winners medal. Arsenal had to apply for special dispensation for him to get one.
There were no questions the next season as to who would start as number one. David Seaman.
Manninger would deputise for Seaman for the next three seasons, making 64 appearances in total.
In 2001 he would be loaned out to Fiorentina as Arsenal signed Richard Wright in the search of David Seaman’s replacement.
Manninger would go on to sign for 9 different clubs following his loan move to Fiorentina. A career that took him from Juventus to Espanyol, Liverpool to Bologna.
Only once – for 2 seasons for Siena in Serie A – would he be number one goal keeper.
The story of Manninger is one to be told alongside Emi Martinez.
The Argentine had a break through season last year.
Taking advantage of Bernd Leno to perform to a high standard for 9 Premier League games. Leno was unable to return to fitness for the FA Cup final so it was Martinez who remained in goal.
Like with David Seaman, Bernd Leno has been a consistent performer for a long time.
Nearly 300 games in the top flight in England and Germany, he has played over 400 domestic games. Only Manuel Nueur has stopped him being a regular for Germany.
Meanwhile Martinez has been at Arsenal for a decade.
Loaned out to Oxford United, Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham United, Wolves, Getafe and Reading.
He was fairly average at them all until that final half season at Reading where he stepped up. That encouraged Arsenal to keep him as understudy to Leno following the retirement of Petr Cech.
9 Premier League games as football returned from is suspension saw him play 23 games in total for the club in 2019/20. A single season accounting for 23% of his lifetime appearances (101 in total).
That is not 101 appearances for Arsenal, but 101 appearances through his career. Not a huge amount for a 28 year old.
Having got the taste of first team football, Martinez got the hunger for more.
With 2 years left on his contract, he has seemingly made it clear to the Arsenal management that he will only sign a new deal if he is guaranteed 1st team football. A guarantee that Arsenal are unable to provide.
Like deciding to sell David Seaman to keep Alex Manninger off the back of 7 Premier League games, it would be a huge risk for Arsenal to dump Bernd Leno for Martinez off the back of 9 Premier League games. Not only would it be a huge risk, but it would also be a stupid one.
The career of Manninger has shown that you can have a great spell at a club, before disappearing into obscurity.
Over the years Arsenal have had other Manninger’s.
Stuart Taylor got numerous chances, and was highly rated by Bob Wilson , but that did not stop Arsenal signing the experienced Jens Lehmann following the retirement of David Seaman.
Manuel Almunia and Lukas Fabianski also had their spells where they looked very good at times.
In the early part of the 2021/13 season, Vito Mannone came in for the injured Wojech Szczesny and Fabianksi for a spell of 9 Premier League games.
He kept a clean sheet at Anfield and kept Arsenal in the game during a 1-1 draw against Manchester City. When Szczesny was fit, he returned to the first team.
Szczesny went on to join Roma, before becoming Juventus’s number 1. Mannone joined Sunderland, before signing for Reading. He has since played a bit of MLS for Minnesota and was last seen in the Danish Superliga for Esbjerg.
Moving up North to Manchester and Man U.
In 2011/12 Anders Lindegaard came in for the injured David de Gea and performed well for 8 league games, keeping 6 clean sheets. Sir Alex Ferguson stuck with his best keeper and de Gea soon returned.
Lindegaard’s career then took him from Man U to WBA, Preston North End, Burnley and Helsingborg. He was unable to establish himself as number 1 anywhere.
A goalkeeper can have a good spell. A period of 8 or 10 games where he saves everything.
Over the years we have seen the likes of , Kasper Schmeichel, Rob Green and Jussi Jaaskelainen have fantastic spells. But no top team picked them up after their good spells.
A purple patch can happen for goalkeepers. But a run of 9 or 10 good games does not then make them a top keeper.
From Manninger to Lindegaard, we have seen the likes of Emi Martinez before.
Ultimately, clubs should always stick to their senior, consistent number 1 performer. Form is temporary class in permanent.
Leno has performed to a high level for Arsenal for 2 seasons. He has easily been one of the top 5 keepers since he came to England. This comes on the back of an extensive career in Germany.
You do not get rid of someone like Leno just because another keeper has had a decent 2 or 3 months.
Just like you do not get rid of David Seaman just because Alex Manninger kept 6 clean sheets in the row.
Keenos
Follow @KeenosAFC
Looks like the Leicester League Cup tie will be on a Wednesday night covered by Sky.
JM, I have to say that I agree with that article.
Seems that people have forgotten how damn good Leno has been for us, and that’s no knock on Martinez, but a small stint doesn’t make a career and there is a reason a 28 year old has taken so long to make his mark.
I’d prefer we kept both, but after the recent stint, it was clear Martinez deserved first team football, but how he suddenly became better than Leno was something I don’t get.
So be it, we move on.
Could it be down to some decent coaching at last Scott? I don’t mean just the ‘keeper but the whole defense in front of him. Arteta has changed the system to a back three and improved the passing out from the back, so giving the ‘keeper more confidence. On top of that, I believe Martinez is quicker to the ball than Leno. But the whole argument is about to become redundant if the Villa deal is sealed. I shall be very sorry to see him leave.
Hi Cicero,
Well, I’ve said all along Arteta is a genius so maybe you’re right.
I’m not happy that Martinez is going, but a small stint doesn’t make a career, though many fans are making a judgement on just a small stint, and Leno has shown over several years how good he is, so based on longevity and consistency, the right decision has been made but we must remember this, Martinez forced this issue.
Whether the call was right or wrong will be proven over the next 12 months.
New post up now
As shall I Cicero.
I think that Bob Wilson was in his mid to late 20’s before he got a run in the team in place of Jim Furnell who’d been a big signing from Liverpool. Wilson had joined Arsenal as an amateur and struggled make any impact but following Furnell’s abject performance in the 1968 League Cup Final he got a chance.
Wilson went on to make 307 apps for Arsenal winning a League Championship, the FACup and the UEFA Cup.
So the Manningers of this world can make it but only if they’re given the opportunity to do so.
An excerpt from Wikipedia about the period when my ears and eyes first pricked up about Martinez . I remembered those matches and read at the time that there was a coaching problem with Gerry Peyton and Wenger.
I remember a penalty save and thinking ast the time that he had ot it and after years of Almunia , Fabianski and even Szczesney I thought he was the best prospect , raw then , but looked good.
Still he tried to force Arteta’s hand which was probably his mistake .
After returning to Arsenal, Martínez was an unused substitute as Arsenal won the Community Shield on 10 August 2014, with a 3–0 win over Manchester City at Wembley Stadium.[13] He made his debut in the Champions League soon after, helping Arsenal defeat Anderlecht 2–1 in the group stage.[14] He then made his Premier League debut as a 2nd half substitute, replacing the injured Szczęsny against Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on 22 November.[15] With injuries to backup goalkeeper David Ospina, Martínez played his second Champions League game on 26 November, keeping a clean sheet in a 2–0 victory over Borussia Dortmund.[16] His “faultless” performance in the match led to him being named in the UEFA Team of the Week.[17] He made his first Premier League start on 29 November against West Bromwich Albion, and also started against Southampton four days later; he kept two clean sheets as Arsenal won both matches 1–0.