Morning all.
It’s a big day for Gareth Southgate and England as Switzerland stand between them and a Euros semi-final fixture against the Netherlands or Turkey. Marc Guehi being suspended for this match has led to a lot of speculation about Southgate shuffling his pack a bit. That and the fact England have been pretty poor in the competition so far.
Whilst English media focus on Southgate and his players, I’d imagine the media in other countries are doing similar because the football in general hasn’t been the best. The more entertaining games I’ve seen have involved an “underdog”.
I thought both matches last night were pretty drab, especially when one considers the talent on the pitch. Our very own Kai Havertz was really off his game, not that I care really because how he plays for Arsenal is all that matters to me. Same goes for Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice who have both been criticised by the English media throughout this competition. Do the guys writing such negativity realise that pre tournament, these players have played ten months of football?
Back to Arsenal and four of our opening five Premier League games in August and September have been moved for live TV coverage in the UK. The opening match against Wolves remains a 3pm kick off but after that, it’s changed.
Saturday, August 24th – Aston Villa (A) 5.30pm
Saturday, August 31st – Brighton (H) 12.30pm
Sunday, September 15th -Totts (A) 2pm
Sunday, September 22nd – Manchester City (A) 4.30pm
We have a really tough and challenging start to the new season, Totts, City and Villa away from home, well it doesn’t get much tougher than that. Add into the schedule a couple of Champions League fixtures, it gets tougher. Hopefully the Champions League fixtures will be less brutal.
Transfer news is slow, Arsenal’s anyway but with the Euros final just a week away, players are more likely to start moving clubs. Totts, Aston Villa, Newcastle and Chelsea have been busy shuffling players around, Nottingham Forest, Southampton and Ipswich too but quantity doesn’t always mean quality. Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal are yet to do any transfer business. Not counting David Raya of course.
Riccardo Calafiori continues to be linked with Arsenal but according to Sk Sports, Chelsea and Juventus are also interested in securing his signature. Sky Italy suggests it’s Arsenal he wants to join but we’ve been here before when Mudryk allegedly only wanted to join Arsenal. Until Arsenal.com confirms his arrival, or any other player for that matter, what’s written in the back pages is just speculation.
Talking of speculation, Nuno Tavares is wanted by both Ajax and Lazio while Fabrizio Romano reports that Arsenal have made an improved offer to Chido Martin Obi, with Mikel Arteta hoping the club can keep hold of our young striker.
Catch up in the comments..
Media journos only see what’s in front of them . they don’t think or consider any real extenuating circumstances.
Saka is having a hard time at the moment and is not in sparkling form , but nobody is considering that at the age of 22 he has played in over 200 games since 2021 season.
Smacks of what happened to Michael Owen who eventually fell to recurring injury due to too much too young . That’s my worry.
As far as transfers go , wait for .com it’s the only sane way to go.
Football is in a financial crisis having lived beyond it’s means for ages. It’s coming home to roost now and everyone is trying to buy low and sell high but they are not Tesco who have been doing that for years because the days of naive local people running clubs , they are now run by people with financial acumen and they don’t make financial mistakes.
Well said…
Morning Rico and all,
Potter how true, years ago the people who run the club, loved the club, now most of the owners only see the club as a cash cow that can make there portfolio look better,
The only way to protect young players from burnout would be to change the rule and make it no player under 20 can play more than 10 games ( including country ) without takeing 2 weeks off
Morning Geoff, that wouldn’t help our players as none are under 20..
I see West Ham have adopted the ‘seven year’ contract deals..
Thanks for that Rico, that was very refreshing…
I thought that France were dire and I agree with Nigel re: Ronaldo, Martinez wasn’t brave enough to sub him off, although he did score a good penalty in the shootout. Maybe Portugal don’t have any decent strikers or decent enough to take his place, a bit like England and Harry Kane.
The Euros as a competition has been in decline from an entertainment perspective probably since 1996. Too many domestic and pointless international games has blunted the imaginative football we used to see when Holland had Gullit, the Germans had Klinsmann, the French had Zidane and the Italians had Vialli.
It’s now just very very dull…
Yes Rico, I’ve noticed how Xhaka – post Arsenal – is now being lorded by the same prat’s that used to rubbish him, am I surprised? Of course not.
The media is full of c**ts…
Kev, if England could get their act together, they could actually win this tournament but that’s a big if.
The Euros is a waste of time imo, Africa/America Cup too – why not just have a World Cup every four years and be done with it…
Rico, I don’t think we have the players to play a flat back-four, England looked better under Southgate & Holland’s unimpressive coaching with three and wing-backs.
But I agree, England could win it but I’d have mixed feelings as the thought of Southgate being spoken of alongside Sir Alf Ramsey.
Konsa might come into defence though Kev. The media are pushing for a back three which would likely see Saka drop back but will Southgate change tact?
Only a few hours to go before we find out what Southgate’s latest experiment is. With all the time he’s had with his squad, over the past few years, I find it extraordinary that he doesn’t know his best team or, what is basically the most important thing, his best formation.
The chances of him being compared to Alf Ramsey are infinitesimal, winning the Euros doesn’t compare with winning the World Cup and under Southgate’s dead hand that is the definition of the impossible dream.
??? Testing testing.
I do too as it’s a young England squad barring the odd one or two. Expecting Shaw to become fit was foolhardy and a waste of a squad place.
Will it be he or the media who select the team tonight I wonder, and the formation?
The server went down I think Cicero..
England has a poorly structured team. Switzerland is stronger and more of a team.
Good afternoon everyone.
Good post on basically the few bits and bobs about our club. nothing to say really until its on the dot com.
something a little bit different.
Do you like/love the present team?? do you love the way Arteta runs the club and Per runs the academy??
Does anyone realise that today’s Arsenal have been born from the ashes after we had been beaten and pummelled to the tune of 8-2 by Manure?? How much others laughed at us. And how much we suffered.
signed Arteta (Everton) Mertesacker (Werder Bremen, Andre Santos (Fenerbahce), Benayoun (loan from Chelsea) and Park Chu-young (AS Monaco)
Yes we despaired and were crushed but little did we know that Arsene’s deadline day frenzy after all the pressure he faced, would shape the future of the club, with both Mikel and Per assuming managerial responsibilities at the club post AW’s retirement.
With regards the Euros, unless Spain shoot themselves in the foot and Switzerland commits hara-kiri samurai style it will be a Spain vs Swiss final. I don’t see beyond that.
Just consider how many forward passes which hurt the opposition Spain play against the rest of the teams. SPain do have a history of shooting themselves in the foot however, I feel that this time Spain will be the ones lifting the trophy. Then again I never usually guess the winner.
Crediting Wenger with the post development from his era is a bit of a stretch.
Over all of his years he made as many mistakes in recruiting as he did have successes . He gambled and often lost according to transfer market he bought 207 players in his time , many of whom were unknowns but many were not , and they were not the answer but came with reputations or were fringe internationals.
Mustaphi , Arshavin , Lucas Perez , Squillachi , Suker , Jeffers ( the fox in the box ) Gervinho and of course Stepanovs who according to Ray Parlour he bought after being wound by the players.
Still nobody is infallible but I doubt that Mertesacker and Arteta replacing him was on his agenda.
As I intimated earlier I am not trolling News Now for information I get enough of that from those that send me things on media .
But one of my bug bears is the photo shopping of supposed signings into Arsenal shirts , that drives me nuts.
.
.
Potter, I never credited AW for today’s success. I just said that …….”little did we know that Arsene’s deadline day frenzy after all the pressure he faced, would shape the future of the club, with both Mikel and Per assuming managerial responsibilities at the club post AW’s retirement.”
I doubt he knew that either.
Phew, the thought of Wenger crafting out current success had me coming out in hives for a second. lol
He was great, good and then really average. The latter phase undoing all he did good imo.
Still, we are where we are now and things are better. Although I do sometimes get bored watching all the constant passing around, especially in the final third. City bore me to tears too.
Saka at left wing back then…
Isn’t Trippier at left wing back ? He’s in the starting eleven.
I read it on Sky. Trippier on the right apparently, back five..
England have the same problem today that Portugal had yesterday, that is a centre forward who can’t run anymore…
Absolutely – we’ve had a few good balls into the box but he’s nowhere to be seen.
England are turning the screw. But they need Watkins or Toney up front. Someone who stays there to occupy defence. Otherwise the ball will continue to come back in their own half
10 minutes plus injury time and Saka plus Rice will soon go to a well deserved rest
Saka has decided he doesn’t need a rest yet.
Rice assisted Saka. A pass made at London Colney
Do England need to go behind to play better?
Did Saka scuff that ?
I thought that as well Potter. At least it went in. I was dreading him taking it.
He often hits the ball like that..
My thoughts exactly on the Saka penalty, delighted to see him get Man of the Match, in old money, Player of the Match for the wokists.
Turkey vs Holland is dull dull dull
I’m enjoying watching Turkey..
Wouldn’t mind eating some , have to wait a few months.
I dont need to wait till Christmas to eat Turkey. I eat it all year round lol
I still would not want to sell Kiwior or Zinchenko if Calafiori is signed. I would put in Calafiori as LB while Kiwior together with Tomiyasu, Timber would be rotated with the regular back 4.
Zinchenko I would move him to the wing, rotating with Saka, Martinelli and Trossard. for Ukraine he playes in Advanced midfielder and wings. So he knows what it takes.
Money should be spent on midfield and striker.
Must be supper time Potter. Lol
Netherlands it is then. Courtesy of an own goal winner.
Would it be wrong to hope Kane”s injury will side line him for the rest of the tournament?
Not at all…. 😂
Three of the biggest names in World football have been flops at the Euros, Ronaldo, Kane and the only one with an excuse, his broken nose, Mbappe.
Ronaldo has gone on far too long, Kane is either seriously unfit or just plain lazy. Mbappe has said that he has been afraid to go into challenges and risk further injury and pain.
Having watched much of the Euros I can’t help wondering that instead of concerning about who we are plundering from other teams but whether our players especially Saka and Saliba that will be targetted by the rest of the world.
Both have stood out in their respective teams and both have been receiving no ends of plaudits in the European papers . I have just got back from Catalonia and the Spanish papers have highlighted them and despite Barcelona being skint , Real Madrid are not and as always seem to have a bottomless pit of funding to buy their way to the top.
Last night I saw a report that we have put a number on Saliba the Spanish say it’s 200 million Euros and I read £177 million on a website last night . As much as I can’t see it happening this season , as their reputations grow and if we don’t finally break the barriers of winning things I fear the pressure will mount and we will find our top stars getting picked off.
That’s always the fear with top notch players but it’s up to Arsenal to make sure the so called bigger clubs aren’t seen as bigger and better than Arsenal. I’m sure at some stage in their career they’ll move as a one club football career is rare these days but not yet, not for a while I hope.
New post up.
If Arsenal don’t win anything substantial this season then it may become increasingly difficult to hold onto our very top players, Wenger kept his best (Vieira, Henry, Pires) by winning trophies, Arteta needs to win a trophy or two in 24/25.
Wages aren’t an issue as Arsenal can pay as well as any team in europe and PSR contains the idiot clubs in England up to a point, but our best players need to feel that they can win the top honours at Arsenal.
Devil…
kiwior is Arsenal history if we sign Califiori. Tierney is history already, a total write off now. Zinchenko may stay or go.
Having so many versatile defenders makes having extras unnecessarily costly.