Morning all.
Seldom have I taken what Jamie Carragher has to say about Arsenal seriously, in fact since he’s been a commentator for Sky Sports, more often than not I’ve hit the mute button on my remote or turned him off altogether. Recently though, he’s been quite positive about Mikel Arteta’s tactics and the team in general, he certainly was after our defeat of Aston Villa. “No team is doing what Arsenal do” he said, or something similar. He was talking about the way the players move both on and off the ball and the way they work together as a unit.
Writing in The Telegraph he said:
Criticism that Arsenal lack a superstar in and around the penalty area should be taken as a slight by Saka, given what he has done for his club. His goal against Villa was his 100th for club and country, which by any standard is a significant achievement for someone whose best years ought to be in front of him.
He’s right but not just about Bukayo Saka. Saka deserves all the credit he gets but I think it takes a great group of players to help any single player in the team to be at their best. There seems to be a lot of fuss made about our lack of quality up front but I think that opinion is harsh. Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Odegaard, Ebe Eze, Christos Tzolis, Kai Havertz and even Noni Madueke who on his day can produce a moment of, well, I wouldn’t say magic but he can keep his marker on the back foot. Bruno Guimaraes has been know to be pretty good in and around the box too. If all the above players stay fit and perform to the levels we know many of them can, this could be another good season.
What makes a superstar in any case? A player who scores 30 goals a season with half of them coming from the penalty spot? A player who bombs past his defender each time he gets the ball but his cross doesn’t find a teammate or simply a player who makes things happen for others as well as himself? Or simply a player who stands out from the rest? If it’s the last one, I think the critics will be waiting a long time because barring the odd one or two, I think our players stand out alongside the rest and that’s what makes a great team in my opinion.
Yes, we might look light on the left side of attack but with Eze and Madueke, we have depth. One has the pace, the other has the skill and intelligence, at least on his day he has and as suggested before, with the way our left backs play, I think we’ll be ok.
James Scanlon, who Arsenal signed this summer will be 20 years old in a few weeks time and I suspect Mikel Arteta is already thinking about him on the left if he proves himself in training. I cannot think a player of his age has been brought to the club for the academy alone.
Superstars? We have more than one it’s just that ours aren’t only in and around the box..
Catch up in the comments.
New post up.
Morning Rico, morning Gunners, the media are getting themselves into a right old tizzy over the prospect of Chelsea upsetting the champions today. They just can’t help themselves, the dears!
Despite the hype I’m pleased at how Arsenal have avoided getting involved in all the nonsense and have just focused on fitness and training videos to satisfy the fans.
I still can’t get my head around the way it all unfolded, let alone why..
Not sure the club would want to provide the opportunity for the crowd to display their feelings about the transfer.
The money Gabbi is now earning Geoff, he could pay for himself 😜
Morning all.
it would be nice if Kroenke paid for Martinelli to fly back for one of our home matches so the fans can say goodbye and wish him luck properly.
Hard luck Stuart, the Springboks where the better side.
Suzuki has a fabulous out ball. Pinpoint much of the time.
I think so too re cohesion and of course a settled manager.
Rice always walks with a limp Kev. Lol
Watched that Man City vs Coventry game.
Maresca bought Anderson, Enzo and that Moroccan lad.
But the team lacks cohesion and may take months to gel as a team.
Arsenal greatest advantage over the chasing Pack is continuity and a team in place, which improves to another level with Bruno and Konsa. Both are vital for squad rotation.
Luton 1-0 Leyton Orient
“Which usually means they will be fit for selection Kev..”
Hopefully Rico, I’m sure I noticed both Declan and Bruno limping slightly during the Villa game but they’re given a 75% chance of being fit, Mosquera and Timber are at 25%
Setford starts for Stevenage at Barnsley today….
Which usually means they will be fit for selection Kev..
Afternoon Geoff. You are right there.
Mosquera is due to have a late fitness test for tomorrow vs Chelsea, also having late fitness tests are Bruno, Rice and Jurrien Timber?
Have to say Newcastle are a very generous team, they give the ball
with reckless abandon.
I think there was some suggestion that we should have tried for Anthony Elanga but he’s a dead ringer for our own Madueke and about as effective. He started on the right but got nothing out of the Bournemouth full back so moved to the left.
Your local boys were doing very well, 0 – 2 away to Newcastle but the Magpies got a goal and are showing a bit more fight.
Alex Scott of Bournemouth is a very very good player.
Afternoon Rico and all.
The way things are going with the pay, players want each week to play is that the average fan and pensioners will not be able to afford a ticket to watch a live match let alone stay a member.
Geoff , I just saw your comment on working on the last thread.
We used to have a little poem in the union ran firm I used to work for. It started””. If you work and do your best , Youll get the sack with all the rest . If you skive and laze about you will see the job right out “”
Can t remember the rest .
Saliba is in the CL squad so the expectation must be he’ll be fit before Christmas
It’s possible Kev. Prices might be inflated but they already are.
Only 4 months Kev. 😝
I see that Berta is getting a fair bit of stick particularly over missing out on Rodgers, funnily enough I wasn’t too gutted, £80m yeah but £117m and heavens know what sweeteners to the agents, it’s like Mudryk episode 2…
Yes Rico, that’s how I see it, if Junior Kroupi had been fit then we probably would have gone for him.
Rico, 2027, don’t…. 🫣
Somehow Chelsea made a profit on transfers…
2027 will be here before we know it. Lol
Morning Kev, we have done our big spending over the last 3/4 seasons so this summer was bound to be less imo. It’s clear imo that Arsenal had a winger targeted but couldn’t get the deal done. January perhaps.
If Balogun had join Everton the Gunners would have netted £7m from that deal…
I did read that Bartishvili could join us next March when he turns 18, just a thought…
Morning Rico and Gunners, seems that there’s still a couple of late deals being completed, one was the sale of Martinelli for £60m including a sell-on clause.
it means that Arsenal have sold £118.7m of players, a record maybe? Are we still awful at sales, I’ll leave that to the accountants?
Man City won the transfer window, 115 charges? Who cares?
Arsenal finished 7th in total expenditure, behind Aston Villa… 🫤
Ipswich Town… ££194.7 million
Arsenal……….. £208 million (including £3m from the Norton Cuffy deal)
Liverpool……… £242.5 million
Aston Villa……. £255.9 million
Newcastle Utd.. £272.8 million
Tottenham H…. £311.5 million
Chelsea………. £340.4 million
Man City……… £457.5 million…..
Ipswich signed 15 new players but the King of the Mountains jersey goes to Hull City who signed a mammoth 18 players spending 156.4 million. Kerching…
Due to his age he will not be available to play for us until June 2027. So Tzolis and Eze have a lot of work to do this season unless Dowman can switch sides as Martinelli who was predominately right footed was required to do .
The Bartishvili news came out a week or so ago. Just need AFC.com to confirm it.
I don’t really have a definition Merlin, because what is more important imo is what a player does for the team he’s in and the club he’s at. I don’t give a toot really about global recognition, pundits, commercial value etc. Big name don’t always mean big performances.
“Arsenal have reportedly completed the signing of highly-rated Georgian teenager 17-year-old Andria Bartishvili after the midfielder put pen to paper on a five-year contract.”
Next season, he will be 18-year-old and together with James Scanlon, should be pushing Tzolis for playing minutes at LW.
Morning all.
Interesting, but Rico what is your definition of a superstar?
I would said global appeal and recognition by all plundits and journalists, with huge commercial values:
e.g.
After Messi and fake Ronaldo retired from European Football, the only superstar I recognize are Vini Jr and Myappe only.
Saka is still “work-in-progress” superstar and got a few steps to go before global acclaim in Football World as superstar in the class of Vini Jr and Myappe.
The main effect of being a global acclaim superstar is the huge commercial values and personal image value reap by club and player.
Sure, Saka, David Raya and Declan Rice are worldclass player but not superstar.