Morning all.
I’m not going to pretend I know much about Italian women’s football but when Arsenal drew Fiorentina in the Champions League, the media considered the tie to be a difficult one for our women. It’s not over yet I know but to return from Italy last night with a 4-0 victory in the first of the two legged tie is pretty special. Only an absolute disaster in the second leg would prevent Arsenal from progressing and I simply can’t see that unfolding. Miedema Grabbed two with Mead and Evans adding the others on what was an excellent night for the club.
In other positive news, all our players who were on the injury list are now back in training. Not just running either, proper training. Excellent.
Further good news comes in the shape of Joe Willock who has just signed a new contract with the club. I’m sure it’s the news that many of us wanted to hear, I know it was for me. It’s great signing top class players like Pepe etc but if we can’t keep our own then the clubs identity will fade faster than it already has since the big money came into the game.
To be at this club is amazing feeling and I’ve always wanted to play for the Arsenal first team. Now I’m doing that, since the age of four and a half, it’s always been my dream. And to sign a new contract today is a brilliant feeling for me and my family.
You cant buy that kind of love for a club.
It’s hard to believe that Joe Willock wasn’t even born when Freddie Ljungberg signed for Arsenal 21 years ago yesterday, yet the fore mentioned has played his own part in helping our 20 year old midfielder become the player he is growing into. It’s not all down to Freddie of course as his father, brothers and many other coaches have helped him during his journey through the academy into the first team but having the Swede bending Unai Emery’s ear must help. Other younger players too who were part of the under 23 squad last season.
I loved Freddie as an Arsenal player. He always looked full of mischief with his cheeky smile but he was an outstanding player for us too. He and Bobby Pires gave us all so much pleasure on a match day. They seemed to have a telepathy between them which the likes of Dennis Bergkamp and co tapped into. Excellent times for Arsenal.
Another of my favourite goals of his came in the FA Cup Final against Chelsea. We’d already seen and heard the ‘it’s alright, it’s only Ray Parlour’ moment just before he sent his shot firing into the top right hand corner of the Chelsea goal but then Freddie almost copied it exactly with a cracker of his own.
I still think Ray Parlour’s was better. Just.
Joe Willock has the footballing world at his feet in my opinion. He’s earned the right to be given the chance he’s now getting and I think he’s going to be a really good player for us over the years to come and the one thing he’s promised is to give his all.
‘Whoever you are, even if you’re my idol, I’ll go against you with everything I’ve got.’
Can’t ask for more than that…
Have a good Friday guys, I’ve got to pack up and leave the south coast far behind me. Well, not that far, not really.
That was some team with quality players everywhere. I watched that video clip and the shot of Lauren made me think about where we are weak now . With him Adams , Campbell and Cashley at the back with Dixon and Keown on the bench so strong and I think we all would give our right arms for that stregnth again .Parlour unsung but the worker with Vieira holding the middle and Edu in reserve . Pires injured bought in Wiltord and Freddie to play wide and Begkamp and Henry up front with Kanu sitting it out .
Yeah that was some team alright.
Morning RIco, considering the the main focus of the past couple of weeks has been on international football, it’s probably gone under the radar a tad, what a good couple of weeks it’s been for Arsenal.
Rob Holding ready to return to 1st team action.
Bellerin back in training with the 1st team.
Mavropanos back in training with the 1st team.
Tierney finally in training with the 1st team.
Willock signing a new contract until 2023.
It’s all good news and now we have to cap off a very good period by stuffing Watford!
After so many years of watching Arsenal dithering over contracts and lacking the resolve to deal with players running down contracts, it so bloody refreshing to see how Raul, Edu and Huss have revitalised the contracts scenario at the club…
Guendouzi: 2022
Lacazette: 2022
Nelson: 2022
Chambers: 2022
Martinez: 2022
Kolasinac: 2022
Leno: 2023
Holding: 2023
Mavropanos: 2023
Smith Rowe: 2023
Bellerin: 2023
Torrieira: 2023
Willock: 2023
Maitland Niles: 2023
Xhaka: 2023
Tierney: 2024
Martinelli: 2024
Saliba: 2024
Pepe: 2024
Most of the above constitute the core of the Arsenal squad for the next 5 years, that is some smart work by the contracts guys, young, energetic, gifted and hungry.
Young players with big futures others whose value to the club has been protected, we’re looking like a well run football club again…
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/sep/12/dani-ceballos-arsenal-real-madrid-hardly-any-difference-anfield
allezkev….thats a pretty impressive line of players. imo all thats missing is a big strong athletic DM. Perhaps we can find one in January. Then we will be cooking with gas.
COYG
Morning Kev and Vcc.
Contracts. That’s how a club should operate so hats off to Raul and co for getting things sorted. Shows two things in my opinion, one, this regime know what they’re doing and two, these players want to be at the club and have clearly liked what they’ve been told about where Arsenal are heading, or certainly aiming for.
Well done Stan… 😉
Lacazette is injured apparently and out until next month. Sprained ankle. ☹️
Rico, do you reckon he’s been 100% this season?
Didn’t Lacazette pick up that injury in preseason?
Quote from arsenal.com. “After assessments to an ongoing ankle issue, we advised that Alex will need to rest and strengthen his ankle to regain full fitness. Alex has been playing through this injury for several weeks. He is likely to be back in action in october”.
The question is, whose decision was it to allow him to play whilst carrying an injury?
Cicero, if it were 2 years ago, we know who’d be “to blame” lol
Surely Emery and the medical staff knew about this as he hasn’t been 100% quite clearly.
Crazy situation to risk long term fitness at the start of a damn long season, imo.
Morning all.
I’d say in this case, Lacazette has said he feels good. Sounds more like something which has niggled rather than something identified in a scan/X-ray etc.
Wenger used to get stick, justifiably imo, for overplaying players who’d just returned from injury, like Santi etc.
Morning all.
New post up now