Morning all.
The above chart from The Mail Online shows the win percentage for the so called big Premier League clubs when playing at a neutral ground. Whilst our 57% isn’t much to be proud of, it better than most and importantly perhaps, better than Utd and Toots. Arsenal have played thirteen away fixtures so far this season, winning just two and drawing eight. I’m not 100% sure of what our miserly two away victories would give us in terms of a percentage but off the top of my head, I’d say it’s under 20%. Bored? Me too. Basically, playing our remaining fixtures, certainly the scheduled away ones, at a neutral ground could help us chase down a Europa spot. Top four isn’t out of of reach but a lot depends on what happens to Man City. A ban from European football and its game on as Arsenal are just five points off Man Utd in fifth place.
Dani Ceballos all but confirmed the restart date during his recent interview and it’s the 20th June. At the moment anyway. A bit of a blunder by our online midfielder but who really cares? If the date is set, why the big secret? That gives clubs approximately one month of training, players four weeks to get match fit. I was against football returning because of the risk Covid-19 carries but now I’m looking forward to seeing Arsenal back in action. Even if it is without the fans.
With Troy Deeney and N’Golo Kante opting to stay away from football because of their own concerns, other footballers are likely to follow suit between now and the return date. But is it is fair on others within their respective clubs who still have to train and eventually play? I’m not for one minute suggesting Deeney and Kante are wrong in opting out but in the real world, if we had to ‘shield’ ourselves when others going were returning to work at the same company, we’d be furloughed and with it, lose 20% of our income. So surely they should be expected to do the same with Watford and Chelsea (in this case) paying out 80% of their respective salary but retaining the remaining 20%? There’s no doubting both Kante and Deeney are important players who will be missed when the season restarts and in Watford’s case, losing your captain for nine fixtures when relegation is a real threat, it’s a big deal.
Transfer gossip.
It’s madness I know as the big names, big money signings continue to be link with Arsenal, one of which is Rabiot. The Mirror, Metro and Newsnow headlines, which I really can’t be bothered to read, suggest were in talks to sign him. Juventus want Pogba back apparently and selling Rabiot would help raise funds to get him. Err, I don’t think so.
Then there’s Ibrahima Diallo who I’ve never heard of but is suggested to be the ‘next’ Kante. We need height in our midfield don’t we? Diallo is 5’ 10” but who knows eh.
PSG are ready to try their luck with a £35 million offer for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang but will go higher if needed. Go higher to start with then if they really want him. If true, I hope any offer PSG make kicks off a bidding war.
The Star report that Arsenal target Odsonne Edouard has the backing of the Gunners’ record goalscorer, Thierry Henry, to go “right to the top”.
Lastly, The Express write that Arsenal are reportedly weighing up a summer move for Besiktas centre-back Domagoj Vida, who could be available for as little as £6million in the upcoming transfer window.
That’s your lot for today.
Stay safe guys and stay away from the British beaches. They’re crowded…
Good morning Rico, the rumour mongers are moving into top gear.
Barcelona have lowered their valuation of 26-year-old French defender Samuel Umtiti to just £27m, amid interest from Us and Man U.
We are also planning a £25m transfer move for Dortmund’s 24-year-old Switzerland defender Manuel Akanji, after talks began in January.
And…we are also chasing Ajax and Argentina left-back Nicolas Tagliafico, 27, in a deal worth £20m.
Frankly I don’t believe any of them, but the hacks have to earn their corn somehow. 😉
Morning guys,
Damn it’s hard keeping up with the rumours 🙂
Keeps us interested, I guess and that’s a plus right now.
Rabiot could be another Lemar as he’s been linked to us a few times before.
In fact, I hoped/thought we might go for him last season on a free due to his connection with Emery and that worked out well lol
Hi Rico and All Just watch video of Domagoj Vida he looks good in defence and can score goals, according to the report I read he is on 56.000 pounds per week also Aston villa and Watford were both interested in him about 5 months ago how ever my concern is his age ( 31 years old ) how ever if he is worth only 6 million it may be worth a gamble or maybe try to make a deal were they give him to us for nothing and we loan them a young player for 1 or 2 years
Morning Cicero, Scott, Geoff and all.
Happy 50th Birthday Scott.
The rumours are hilarious imo.
Thanks Rico.
Never thought I’d make it 🙂
Hi Scott happy birthday. In cricketing terms you’ve hit a half century, time to change your gloves, straighten your pads and take a fresh guard before going for the next fifty. 😎
Happy Birthday to you Scott, did you know that 50 is the new 40. 😉
Neither did I Scott. 😂
Ah, the transfer rumours they never fail do they, fail to make you think ‘bullshit’…
The journalists are just spending lockdown desperately trying to justify to their employers why they should retain their jobs, so recycle some old news, get all your ideas off of Twitter and as a last resort steal a story from a competitor, they’re all at it.
I wonder when the fixtures will be published?
You know for the rest of this season as next seasons fixture list seems like a world away.
If the Premier League does kick off on June 20th that’ll mean it restarts only 10 days before the transfer window is supposed to open. How does that work? The league in France is over, if PSG bid £50m for Aubameyang on July 1st what would happen?
We’ve not heard to much from UEFA in that regard except for temporary extensions to contracts, but if a player refuses, what then? And maybe some clubs wouldn’t want to offer a player a contract extension so is he then out of work?
I mean, would Arsenal say to Dani Ceballos, off you go, back to Madrid?
Kev, it feels like the new 90 for about 30 minutes each morning!!
Ankles aren’t great lol
Cicero, I’m going hard at the next 50-no mercy 🙂
Felicitations Scott , have a good one.
Thanks Potter.
I’m having a few mates and family over tomorrow as our regulations have been relaxed.
We can now have up to 10 people gather outdoors, and further easing is happening next week.
Slowly, slowly things are getting back towards something normal.
I genuinely feel sorry for you all-we’ve had a pretty easy time of it, to be fair.
The nature of being a million miles from everything 🙂
You’re catching us all up Scott! Happy birthday. Have a good one.
Kev, didn’t Fifa suggest it’ll be a shortened transfer window in July/August or did I dream that?
I don’t think the FA/PL really know when or even the restart will take place. If more players drop out or relegation threatened clubs throw a hissy fit, goodness only knows what the future holds. Have neutral grounds even been decided on or confirmed yet?
Hi Scott Happy 50th if you get on with your neighbours turn your top half of the fence into a bench now you can have at least 40 people 10 in each yard.
Why do we want VIda?
He’s a worse and slower Croatian defender than anyone we have
Hahahaha Geoff, I love that thinking lol
Thanks Wavy.
We don’t Jm. But Geoff does. 😂
why not don’t forget no one wanted Luiz now he is starting to show leadership, we got rid of Santi but look what he is doing. Vida may be a bit slow but our back line is not that quick either
Happy birthday Scott. Have a lovely day.
“Vida may be a bit slow” 😂😂 Geoff!
He’s 31!! We need younger!
Apparently we’ve been linked with 89 players already and the window opens on 10 June (?) Some people have got way too much time on their hands!!
Happy Birthday, Scott… half a century, hey?!
But Luiz was PL experienced Geoff plus he’s won things.
Ah yes Scott, those first thing in the morning aches and pains are the result of a lifetime of work and not looking after yourself. It’s what my back tells me every morning…
Didn’t Emery want Vida the same summer he brought in Sokratis?
Apparently we couldn’t afford him.
We have Saliba and I reckon that he is going to be massive for us.
I did read that Milan want Mustafi for €10m, but I’m inclined to think that we’ll keep him.
I’d like to see what more Arteta can get out of our players before we bin them.
Mustafi is a difficult one because he’s going into his final year of contract.
Happy 5️⃣0️⃣ th Scott.
Tomorrow @5pm ITV `89 title decider!
Happy birthday Scott!
Morning all,
Thanks Adam, Sue and Andrew.
I had a lovely, quiet day yesterday but today could be a little different 🙂
Kev, I wish I’d trained greyhounds earlier in life.
The treatment of injuries became of paramount importance for the dogs, and I could probably walk better know if I’d learned that lesson sooner.
Roll the ankle at 18-19 years of age, throw ice on it for a little while and then head to the pub.
Leave it until it felt ok, try to train or play and see what happens.
Young and dumb I guess, but old and sore now lol
If I last until 70, walking isn’t going to be fun.
Oh and thanks LC-sorry I missed you bud 🙂
Rico, 6.34, yeah Rico that is going to be a difficult decision, a subject for a post perhaps?
On this day in 2006 we signed Rosicky…. what a goal 👌😍
https://youtu.be/mf9XyZq25Kw
You’ve covered that Kev… 😝
What a great player Sue, I loved him. Darn injuries!
New post up now.