Morning all.
Mikel Arteta’s press conference was predicable I think. Has he signed and if not, when will he? It wasn’t that long ago the same questions were being asked about Bukayo Saka and whilst Arsenal fans fretted, the club remained confident he was staying. It’s been very similar for Folarin Balogun. Mikel Arteta has always been cool and confident, insistent that everyone at the club, including the player, wanted a new deal signed. The trouble is, the media interfered and hinted he was ready to walk away.
So, what happened?
Just by trying to, first of all, understand why he got to the point that he was really thinking about leaving the football club after being raised here and the feelings that he had built towards the club. Once you understand the position of him, then try to explain what you want to do, how involved he is going to be in the project and how. Then, get the full commitment from the club and support from Edu, who I think has done an incredible job as well.
Will Balogun will stay with the squad next season or go on loan?
First of all we have to sign him! Once we sign him, we go step-by-step and we’ll communicate with you guys on what we’re doing.
I think the latter question is tough to answer because between now and the summer anything could happen. However, Martinelli didn’t go out on loan and neither did Saka because when a player oozes talent and confidence, it’s better he builds his career around the first team players. Personally, I doubt he’ll go out on loan IF he signs because he’s a big and strong 19 year old who I think would cope with Premier League football. Then again, I thought similar about William Saliba.
Folarin Balogun was one of the six U23 squad players who trained with the Arsenal first-team at London Colney. Jeorge Bird reported that he together with Miguel Azeez and defenders Joel Lopez and Alex Kirk. Goalkeepers Karl Hein and James Hillson were also involved.
Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe were back in training but both Martin Odegaard and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were absent so I’d imagine neither will have travelled to Prague. With a bit of luck, Balogun and Azeez will have.
Slavia Prague will again be without defender Ondrej Kudela, who had been suspended for the first leg but he’s since been banned for 10 further matches by UEFA for racial abuse against Rangers’ Glen Kamara in the their round fixture at Ibrox. Simon Deli and David Hovorka missed the first leg and they’ll miss this one too because of injury.
Arsenal need a goal tonight, preferably more so we don’t have to endure a nervy finish. We should be in a better position going into this fixture but frailties at the back and opportunities to score spurned at The Emirates means we’re not.
Slavia aren’t Sheffield Utd but nor are they a team to be feared. Respected of course, but no, not feared. Repeat the kind of performance from the weekend and we stand a very good chance of progressing through to the semifinals. Arsenal need to be ready when Slavia counter attack and don’t give away any set pieces as they are dangerous on both. Our front players need to put pressure on their keeper as in the home tie he looked nervous. I reckon there’s a mistake or two in him if pushed.
This is a big night for Arsenal, a big night for Mikel Arteta too. I hope his players to him proud. 95 minutes of commitment, energy and concentration. Get an early goal to settle any nerves and then go for the jugular. Or just win 1-0. Either will do as long as we go through.
See you in the comments.
Mornin Rico and the House.
Nice sunny morning in Kent hope it stays that way
Thanks Rico will be back later
Morning Rick, Wavy, all.
I’m confident too, well, a little bit.
Morning all.
Blue skies and bright sunshine here too! A lovely day. Just popped out to put the water sprinkler on my re seeded lawn. It didn’t work! A bit of head scratching, got splintered. Then, then looked harder and found that the hose and sprinkler were still frozen! No wonder my hands were so cold.
All that glitters is not necessarily warm☹️
Tonight we should win fairly comfortably but, it will depend on which Arsenal turns up. As always. I’m quietly confident but not certain. Egg shaped could occur. End of season if it does, not however, the end of Arteta. The ‘project’ will roll on. Let’s hope it all ends up, happily ever after!
Good morning Rico and all.
Overcast with a bloody cold wind here in Norfolk.
As with all transfer, and contract talks believe nothing until it is announced on the official club website. Any assertions from people outside the club are largely mere click bait.
Just like this example from this morning’s Times. “Germany goalkeeper Bernd Leno, 29, says he is “open to a new adventure” and that there have been no talks to extend his contract with the Gunners”.
Or this from Football. London “Arsenal are unlikely to offer Brazil centre-back David Luiz, 33, a new deal, with boss Mikel Arteta keen to give French defender William Saliba, 20, more chances in pre-season after his loan at Nice ends”.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9473995/Tottenhams-new-commercial-partners-Dulux-mock-unused-trophy-cabinet-deleted-tweet.html
😂
Morning Cicero. I saw the Luiz headline yesterday and hope it’s true. I’m not fussed over Leno but I’d imagine this comes from his agent.
Totteringham the gift that keeps on giving. 👍
Hi Rico… that’s hilarious about dulux!! I found this:
https://twitter.com/paddypower/status/1382617750401658886?s=20
Nicholas Anelka was only 17 when came to Arsenal, by the age of 19 he’d won the Double so yeah, I reckon that Balogun is ready to play a part in our first team next season and this season if need be.
I see the emergence of Balogun and Martinelli as the mainstay of our attack way before the contracts of Willian and Aubameyang expire, both of the old guys could well be regular subs before the end of next season not least when Auba jets off to Africa mid season.
Arteta is taking very good care of Martinelli because the Brazilian has had some awful injuries and maybe needs to be protected from himself and his desire to win every tackle, win every race for the ball and win every header. Balogun is a bit more selective and is more ruthless, he won’t waste energy unnecessarily but give him a chance and it’s in the net.
And let’s not forget Tyreece John Jules whose had awful luck with injuries this season as did Smith Rowe at the same stage, but TJJ is a very very good footballer and may just come into the thinking of the manager if he has a good pre season?
Morning rico, house. Really nice article:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56726954
Super lad.
I know that in many quarters of the Arsenal blogosphere that it’s not au fait to praise Arteta or Edu but looking back in general at the business that Edu minus Raul and his team have done, to me it’s mainly positive.
Gabriel was a great signing, Partey was a great signing, Mari has been doing really well, Soares it’s been a bit mixed but mostly positive, signing Saka was absolutely massive with the vultures circling, Balogun fits into that category as well, Aubameyang at the time was celebrated as a great piece of business and he could still turn it around despite the disappointing results from him this season, Willian has just been a wrong ‘un and an expensive wrong ‘un, it happens to all managers. Runarsson the less said the better, blame our goalkeeping coach for that one.
Moving on Mkhitarayan for no cost was a brilliant piece of business, losing Mustafa, Ozil and Sokratis off of the books was also good business from where we were when Edu took over.
Losing Greenwood and Martinez was disappointing, nothing could be done about Greenwood but Martinez was a big mistake, rivalling the arrival of Runarrson.
Hi Sue, it certainly made me smile. Ha ha re Gunnersaurus.
Hi Andrew, Saka is a credit to himself. Seems totally grounded.
Well said Kev. Couldn’t agree more.
Agree with all that Kev. Transfer business was about 8 or 8 and a half out of 10. Which, after winning the FA cup makes our current position a little surprising. But if anyone had said, after 18 months of Arteta, Arsenal will have won a major trophy, I would have taken that gladly.
It’s a bit mystifying Andrew, everything looked so positive last summer, two trophies in the cabinet, a good start to the season, Aubameyang signed and sealed, I mean some of us were sure we’d finish top four, but that run of poor results before Christmas really killed our season.
I still can’t believe how inconsistent we became after the winning streak, starting with Chelsea in the new Year, everything just seemed to fall apart.
Here’s my starting eleven :-
Leno
Bellerin Holding Mari Cedric
Partey Xhaka ESR
Saka Lacazette Martinelli
That was odd how everything suddenly changed. Wasn’t it against Wolves and after the Luiz incident that things went pear shaped?
Arsenal XI vs Slavia Prague: Leno, Chambers, Holding, Mari, Saka, Xhaka, Partey, Ceballos, Smith Rowe, Pepe, Lacazette
Subs: Ryan (GK), Hillson (GK), Bellerin, Gabriel, Willian, Cedric, Nelson, Elneny, Nketiah, Martinelli, Balogun, Azeez
Balogun on the bench. He’s definitely staying. 😆
Godo evening Rico and all
Slavia Prague first team tonight…..
Fabianski, Djourou, Vermaelen, Squillaci, Santos, Coquelin, Frimpong, Benayoun, Oxlade Chamberlain, Arshavin, Chamack.
Now that you have managed to overcome the initial shock just think that this could have easily been Arsenal’s first team today. Shiver me timbers.
We will win tonight 2-1 or 3-2
Balagon and Azeez in tonights squade
Evening Devil, I doubt it as some of those have retired. Lol
Risky to play with Xhaka on the left. Slavia’s midfield is very strong and very tough. It was there that the game was lost or not won.
In my opinion it is very soft and we play without right and left original backs on both sides. It went well once, it does not mean that it takes a second, because the teams are different, they have different quality and above all, they have different football.
No JM our finishing is where it’ll be won or lost.
It’s been that way all season.
A score draw will do me.
COYG’s!
Get well soon Aubameyang… Malaria. ☹️
❤ Auba
We WILL have an away goal!
Maybe a 2nd. Come on Laca.
Yessss.
Brilliant start boys….
Get in coyg.
Fantastic! Saka.
And we hit the post!
Am I dreaming 3-0 24 mins
No Rick, it’s the performance we have been waiting all season for. Let’s remember Leicester couldn’t beat this team.
BANG BANG BANG
we need to keep on scoring. I want more. And if we humiliate them? Honestly I would relish that
Excellent first half from everyone.
Who is this team in blue
Absolutely Andrew, in fact no team has beaten them at home for nearly two years…
Pepe, Saks, Laca. Our front three.
That is why I love goals to be shared.
I wish Auba all the recovery needed……after the end of May. The longer he keeps out of the team the better.
Just the job!! Emery.. we’re coming!!
3 great goals… All hail the Hale Enders!!
Boring Boring Arsenal…
Let’s really smash em in the 2nd half.
Unleash the Balogun and Martinelli on them…
I would really love that Kev. Smash them as you said. The more the better. Knowing Arsenal we will try to control the game now.
But I would love to smash them to the tune of 6, 7,8
Xhaka is a competent player but move him out of midfield and the ball goes forward so much quicker which is why for 20 minutes they couldn’t live with us. Now it’s just practicing game management.
Do that to Fulham Devil ,let the Totts know were coming for them.
4-0 Laca with his 2nd.
4-0and aclean sheet . Thats 2 in a row
Pleased to see Balagun come on.
Superb performance.
Ceballos is a different player when played higher up the pitch.
A clean sheet with Chambers, Holding, Mari and Xhaka is always welcome. And they kept it for the 2nd game in a row.
Great game. Great result.
Unai Emery’s Villarreal next, bring it on!!
Any clean sheet is welcome, Devil 😉
With all the medical staff and all the travel advice available to professional footballers how come Aubameyang caught malaria.
Surely someone could have told him he was going into a region where malaria is prevalent. All it takes is a visit to a pharmacy and the purchase of enough tablets to provide one for the day before departure, one a day while in the region and one for the day after arriving home. Simples.
Great night!! 👌 Up next Unai and Coquelin… while the Mancs face Mkhi and Smalling..
Mouth-watering ties… COYG
It’ll be interesting Cicero to see how much we miss Aubameyang, if at all?
I know nothing about malaria except that it can be fatal, isn’t it quinine that they take to protect yourself, if he didn’t take the right precautions then that’s quite irresponsible?
Anyway, if he’s out for the rest of the season then more fool him…
There you are JM, as I told you, it’s all about the finishing….
Great performance by Xhaka again, playing out of position but he still gives it everything, Mari and Holding look our safest pair at centre back and another solid performance by Chambers.
Our young players are simply wonderful and I’m so pleased that Arteta didn’t go down the Willian route later in the game but brought on Martinelli, Nketiah and Balogun.
The future is bright Kev.
Arteta has given the older guys every chance and more, yet the you get at are producing the goods.
I’m glad he’s taken them along slowly, though as it’ll pay dividends in the future.
Great win didn’t see they score line coming before match, Shame our first goal was called off side. Good time to bring Balogun on even though it was not long every one minute counts.
Kev, with early diagnosis and the right medication malaria can be cured in two to three weeks. But it can remain in the kidneys and cause relapses for months or in some cases years. Recovery from the effects of the fever can take longer.
We may be without our captain for some time.
Morning all.
New post up now.
https://highbury-house.com/2021/04/16/arsenal-drop-a-10-10-performance-in-prague/