Morning all.
Boy did some of the England players look rough yesterday as they took to the stage in Trafalgar Square. Those women sure know how to party and why not, not after what they’ve achieved. Good for them I say. Jonas Eidevell said that his players have two weeks off before training starts again and I think they’ll need it. Lol
The men however have been back in training for a while now and after a number of pre-season fixtures, should be close to being 100% match fit. Vieira, ESR, Tomiyasu and Tierney have a bit of catching up to do so it might be a few weeks yet before we see them starting a game, let alone finishing one. We have squad depth now so we can cope with their absence. In theory anyway.
Sky Sports report that Premier League players want to stop taking the knee before a game. All 20 club captains held a meeting last Thursday when this topic was discussed and the general consensus was that the gesture has lost its gravitas. Personally I think the gesture “lost its gravitas” a long time ago. Controversial as this might sound, I’ve always thought that repeating an action which resulted in someone’s death was inappropriate anyway.
Sticking with Sky Sports, Arsenal are trying to offload 11 players before the end of this transfer window but I think they’ve got their numbers wrong. Pepe, Torreira, Mari, Runasson, Bellerin and Leno are the obvious candidates but that’s only six. AMN and Nelson perhaps but won’t Mikel Arteta need to keep hold of them, if only because of the homegrown rule? What about the domestic cups? Time will tell I guess.
It looks like Torreira is heading off to Galatasaray permanently. I’m not 100% sure of the fee Arsenal are getting for him but with just a year left on his contract and if rumours are to be believed, very little interest in him from other clubs, I doubt it’ll be much. That’s Arsenal’s concern though, not mine and sadly, a sign of where football is today. We’re not the only club losing money on players and what’s more important now is for the club to do all it can to ensure it’s not a regular occurrence in the future and for what it’s worth, I think they will.
I can’t remember the last time the Arsenal squad has changed so much in what’s really been, a short space of time. Twelve months really because it was only last summer that the club bought in numbers. In that twelve month period, I think it’s been eleven players through the door and that’s not counting Partey or Gabriel who were signed beforehand. Incredible really especially as 99% of them have made such a difference. There might have a question mark hanging over one or two in yours or my mind, but that’s often the case. Look at Xhaka, he’s divided fan opinion since the day he arrived at Arsenal yet he’s still here having been selected by the four managers he’s played under during his Arsenal career and he’s still playing for his country. Maybe the problem with Xhaka, barring his moments of recklessness, has been who he’s played with rather than himself. A bit like Ozil really, who when surrounded by work horses, was a joy to watch. The baggage he appeared to carry with him though has tarnished his career in my opinion.
The hunt for a midfielder and winger goes on for Arsenal, that’s if the club are actually intending to sign one or both before the end of August. It might be that Lokonga is seen to be the backup to Partey and Nelson our winger but I’m guessing. I don’t think Arsenal would enquire about Raphinha one minute and then totally ignore that position altogether and if the rumours about Tielemans are true, the same logic could be applied. Still, there’s 29 days of this transfer window remaining which is enough time for even Arsenal to get a deal or two over the line.
See you in the comments.
Good morning Rico, “Taking the knee” has served its purpose and has been steadily and quietly dropped by many sports. I was against the idea from the start and will be happy to see it, and other, virtue signalling demonstrations dropped.
Morning Cicero. I’m with you there. There’s a way to tackle ‘issues’ but I don’t think taking the knee is the right one.
Good morning Rico and Everyone.
Inasmuch as this current squad looks all set and good to go I still fear for us injury was as our versatility can simply be an illusion.
Let’s start with our striking role, if Jesus gets injured we only have Nketiah which is scary, then secondly Partey, we really do have no replacement for him like for like.
The only area I feel we have on a lock down is our defence which is rocksolid and can compete with any defense in the world.
I really do wish we are explosive enough to breeze pass Crystal Palace as it would make title contenders automatically.
Arsene would have fined them their match fees for those celebrations.
Taking the knee had a fair degree of peer pressure in teams that had players that were affected . Probably it has run it’s course and the original kick it out campaign which was working with less antipathy can go back to being the yardstick.
We said a few days ago that some would have to go before we could see the final make up of the squad and I agree that there are a couple of things that could be done .
Trying to buy the right players is not so easy , for instance getting another striker that is coming to sit behind Jesus and Eddie will not be easy and if there is one willing , will he be worth the effort ? we tried that years ago with Suker and Baptista and look where that go us.
Maybe a twilight years striker might fit the bill but I can’t think of one off hand.
Taking the knee does not symbolise the action taken in the murder of George Floyd. It started well before that murder, in 2016 when San Francisco 49ers player Colin Kaepernick took a knee (rather than stand) during the American national anthem in protest against racism in that country. True, it has taken wider prominence in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement to symbolise solidarity in the fight against racism but the pose itself is not related to Floyd’s murder.
Afternoon Mexy, guys.
Do many other clubs have 3 strikers? I’d love a big fella signed, a plan b so to speak but the midfield would be my priority. And doesn’t Mikel like a false number 9? Lol
Perhaps not Adam(2, as HH already has an Adam) but it came about in the PL after the Floyd incident.
Not only has taking the knee ran its course, it’s like the “kick out racism” campaign. If you have to be reminded or encourage not to be a bigot then imho, there’s no need. The average racist or the hard-core one is not changing because of those campaign.
If Torreira’s wife couldn’t adjust in London, I wish her good luck in Istanbul. She should just tough it out for the year, then he free to go anywhere. As you said, better players make others step up their games and with the improvement in the squad it will have a trickling affect. Torreira is better than Lokanga all day. Pepa may become good and ESR can play the wing. It’s a good squad, if managed well.
I often think the same Obi, some people in life just aren’t for changing.
Frank McAvennie and Jamie O’Hara claiming that our signings are all rubbish and that we should sell Saliba take the money and run .
As these no mark two bob ex players of a sort try to make their marks as pundits they start spouting as much anti Arsenal bile as they can think. The trouble is that so many people read and believe , even the the tag advertising line for Sky’s coverage of the Palace match is looking for a Palace win so that they can put the boot in.
Guess nothing changes and that’s why they chose this match for the season’s opener.
Potter, I think the Palace game will be a good indicator of our present state. Both clubs are in the same segment of The Premiership, i.e. just below the top tier so the way we play as well as the result will show whether or not we are able to compete with other clubs of similar status. Palace, Spurs, Leicester Leeds and probably Newcastle.
A starting line-up of :- Ramsdale, White, Gabriel, Saliba and Zinchenko in defence a midfield three of Xhaka, Partey and Odegaard with Jesus, Martinelli and Saka up front will give is an idea how well some of our summer signings are bedding in.
I’m looking forward to the game with a reasonable level of confidence.
It’s official, Bend Leno has joined Fulham in a permanent transfer.
I reckon so too, the hope is Palace do what Brentford did last year on the opening day of the season. A Friday too.
Well, I hope Mikel Arteta’s team shove it right back at these idiots!
Morning guys.
Good luck Bernd.
Cicero, last season the third toughest opponent for Arsenal was Crystal Palace. We took 0 points from Liverpool and Man City (as somewhat expected), and only 1 point from Palace (GD: -3) and Brighton (GD: -1). So apart from a reality check if we could reduce the gap on the PL top 2, this away game at Selhurst Park could show the improvement on both the squad and the tactics. It might be the deep side of the pool to start, but a victory could lift the mood and elevate the moral hopefully for the rest of the season.
Good morning Rico and all
Good luck to Leno. A good keeper. unfortunately he wasnt suited to our system. Still he will remain a good keeper and I hope he goes to the WC. He always played with a smile and was never arrogant. I only have two hopes……that he doesnt spout rubbish about the club (I dont think he will….he seems a nice gentleman) plus he doesnt play well against us only. The rest I wish him all the best especially against spuds
This morning I came across this…….what do you make of it???……..
Steven Gerrard’s fines set at Aston Villa 😳
➡ €600 for a delay in training
➡ €118 if the player forgets his GPS for training
➡ €237 per minute late at the training ground
➡ €1200 in case of being late to a pre-match talker or walk
➡ €237 per minute late to a meeting
➡ €118 per wrong outfit worn on match days
➡ €118 per tablecloth not collected during meals
➡ €118 per case left on the training ground
➡ €118 if a player parks badly in the parking lot
➡ €300 in case of delay in a commercial operation
➡ €60 per day if a player doesn’t bring a cake for his birthday
➡ €118 if a player shows up to the shower without his flip flops
➡ €237 if a player does not notify the doctor before 10am of an illness or injury
➡ €237 for a delay for a session with the physical therapist
➡ €60 per forget recovery leggings
➡ €237 per carton received for protest
➡ An expelled player will have to invite all his teammates and staff to the restaurant within 4 weeks after the red card
Morning Devil.
New post up now