Morning all.
“It wasn’t easy for me to get into the team either because I was coming off the back of a long injury lay-off. I felt like I should be playing but I was wrong about that because I wasn’t fit. The coach was really straight with me and said that if I got myself fit and kept working hard, I’d have a chance of getting back into the team.
“I ended up performing well and repaying the faith he’d shown in me before the Newcastle game. From that moment onwards, we started to build a good coach/player bond and things went well for me personally. I think he’s made me a much better player in the last six months.”
I suspect it’s a common theme among footballers. They think they should be playing regardless of how they’re playing or even behaving. I bet even Matteo Guendouzi thinks he’s the best thing since sliced bread despite his constant rolling around on the ground and handling the ball when he feels a tackle was too strong. Funny enough, our other outcast Mesut Ozil spends as much time on the grass as he does his feet yet instead of moving on, he still believes Arsenal is the right place for him. To earn vast amounts of money. Those two are easy targets of course because they’re current and their stories are being played out publicly but I’m sure, not only at Arsenal, others feel they should be playing instead of warming the bench at best.
Hard work and good behaviour seems to be the demands of Mikel Arteta. As it should be.
Ceballos is right though, the first half of the season wasn’t brilliant for him, mind you, it wasn’t for any of them really but changes came and with them, well, change came and Dani Ceballos was one who changed quite dramatically. So much so he became one of the key players in the team. He and Xhaka, AMN, Tierney and Aubameyang. Martinez.
Martinez is a wanted man according to the back pages. Aston Villa have tried their luck with a £20 million bid for him. I’d tell them to double their offer. At least. Actually, I’d simply tell them he’s not for sale. They can have Macey if they need an Arsenal keeper.
NewsNow headlines suggest Rob Holding might not be leaving after all. True? I’ve no idea but I guess with Chambers still out injured, Mustafi and Mari too and with Sokratis seemingly heading off to pastures new, relying on Luiz and two young central defenders who are new to English football might a bit of a risk. Heck of a risk really, especially as well have League, Europa and Carabao Cup fixtures to play over the next few weeks.
Arsenal have a lot of players to move on I think and perhaps once a few more have gone, reducing the wage bill and increasing transfer money available to Mikel Arteta and Edu as they go, we might see one or two more signings completed.
Until then, enjoy a bit of Granit Xhaka in a Swiss kit wearing the captains armband.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e3QT5gNWYLE
See you in the comments guys.
Hi Rico and all. Going by the story I read Martinez said if he is not number one then he wants to leave for more game time and if that’s the case I would take the money and get him off the book and use it towards buying another player
Morning Geoff, all.
Until the season kicks off, it’s difficult to say who our number one keeper is. I can’t see Mikel Arteta ignoring how much Martinez contributed to our FA Cup journey. Or the calmer defending with him in goal.
Morning Rico, there’s an interesting post on Arseblog and he’s basically suggesting what if we don’t sell anyone? I mean we can discuss this new signing and that new signing till the cows come home but if we can’t sell it surely follows that we can’t buy either…
Arsenal have sent out a lot of players on loan : Mavropanos, Medley, Coyle, Swanson, Smith, Osei Tutu and Sheaf and I’d imagine that we’ve got a loan fee for most of them but it won’t have been for substantial amounts.
We’ve sold Greenwood for an initial £1.5m rising to £3m, hopefully there’s a sell on clause as well and we’ve got rid of Mkhitaryan but that really isn’t enough is it?
Morning Rico and All
Micky has done brilliantly so far,
how he has some how got this lot to bind as a unit is why beyond what any of us imagined it now looks like he has to duck and dive to get the players we need and sacrifice one or two nuggets everyone has a favorite of some kind rumors we’re selling we’re keeping the roller coaster poor old Micky’s waking up to every day to top it all Ozil has reappeared on the scene can’t wait to see how Micky’s goner work him out.
I decided some while ago to jump onboard with Micky so far he has been jumping the hurdles with success now for the chase course
Don’t worry guys we’ve liked what we’ve seen so far and should all be looking forward to the season.
I know I am
Morning Kev, I saw the headline but haven’t read it yet. I can’t see other clubs somewhere not wanting those the club hope to sell. They’re not that bad. Wages however might be a problem so perhaps loans will be the way to release them.
Gabriel and Willian will have probably eaten up any spare funds we had available with the deals for Mari, Saliba and Soares already budgeted for so we need to sell, but nobody wants to buy, mainly because they’re all skint like us.
The supposed deal for Sokratis has stalled as have any move for Torrieira whilst interest in Guendouzi is non existent. Besiktas say they can not afford Elneny, we can’t shift Kolasinac and even a promising young gun like Balogun can’t generate any bids. Despite some enquiries for a Bellerin that’s gone cold and despite some limp links to Juventus and Atletico it’s a no go for Lacazette atm.
Morning Fred. There’s certainly reason to be optimistic ahead of the season. More than for the last 5 or so years anyway.
That’s right Rico, we might be looking at late September before we see any transfer movement, we might even have to wait until January for others?
I think Rico, that Arsenal and many other clubs are in a wait and see mode.
The fans are restless as usual but this is because of all the lies and general shit we get from NewsNow and co, I reckon we’ll make one more big signing and that’s that.
I honestly don’t see the point in selling Martinez for £20m and then spending most of it on the Brentford goalkeeper unless those at the club think that the Brentford goalkeeper is better and if I recall he made a couple of major mistakes at the end of their season which cost them promotion, so I don’t find that too comforting.
Just read Arseblog Kev. Interesting yes, depressing, even more so but sadly, probably not far from the truth. Just why I laugh when people expect Kroenke to throw a few hundred million at the squad. How could he even if he wanted to? Our squad is top heavy and expensive to fund but until we sign any other player, those who aren’t in Arteta’s plans have to go. It’s bad enough funding Ozil and Guendouzi whilst they sit and do nothing. The club can’t afford to let any more do the same.
It might be that the club lower their financial expectations for the players they want to sell.
All those player exit rumours though are just that. They could have been garbage from the start.
If Martinez leaves we don’t need to buy another keeper why not just promote our under 23 keeper.
Good morning all.
Hector Bellerin has bought shares in Forest Green Rovers, an all vegan club based in Gloucestershire.. No conflict of interest as his share holding is below the minimum level. Maybe he will play there when his senior football career is over.
Have to love Hector..
Of the two I would keep Martinez although I don’t think we will sell either of them.
Whilst we are in pandemic mode there is no market for sales except to the artificially subsidised clubs who already have players as good or better than those we are trying to offload.
As a club we are trying to reduce our overheads , 90% of Europe are in the same boat , reducing our fees for the few players that people want is not good business practice. If needs be we will have to hold on until the next window or even the one after that. Until football starts to generate money the market will be flat.
This season is going to be about managers and coaches unless there is a fortune behind the sofa to force sales the good ones will rise to the top whilst the average and worse will sink. I believe that in that scenario we are well placed.
Rico, yeah it’s an interesting picture he paints, but I don’t think it’s depressing as much as disappointing because we’re still paying for the stupid deals given to players by previous regimes notwithstanding the effects of Wuhan Suprise.
I’d be ok with the squad as it is because we have Arteta and he can work wonders with these guys, I saw a bit of Guendouzi on YouTube playing for France U21’s and he can do a job for us if he can get his head out of his arse, maybe one or both of Arteta’s new coaches can get through his thick skull and motivate him, who knows he could even treat himself to a haircut and decide to look more professional.
Torrieira can still do a job for us if we can’t shift him, ok his wife isn’t happy but what can we do we can’t give him away, keep him until January and see if any of those clubs who’d like him can raise some dough?
Even Ozil could be used, make him captain of the squad that goes to Leicester for the League Cup, let’s see if he’s still able to do it? Ozil, Torrieira and Guendouzi in midfield surrounded by some kids and fringe players. Ozil, if he’s got his head screwed on should looking beyond this season and onto his next contract, nothing quite motivates like a new contract and he loves a new contract, so we might get a bit out of him this season as he sells himself to the next highest bidder?
Who knows Rico, was Wolves in for AMN or not, have Villa made a bid for Martinez, it’s all agent inspired isn’t it, but we know that Torrieira and Kolasinac are unsettled, nobody has denied that, so I guess that there has to be something in those rumours?
The Holding situation is intriguing, Leeds were in for him (or were they?) then Newcastle were in for him (maybe?), but these rumours wouldn’t have come from Arsenal and now the talk is that Arsenal have done a U turn, well I like a U turn, especially if I can knock over a few Lycra clad middle class cyclists, but yeah it seems that Arteta wants Rob to stay.
Now Arsenal played two behind closed doors friendlies recently and conceded 6 goals and nobody knows who played in our defence, was it a back three or a back four, but it could be that Arteta wants the added security of Rob whilst Saliba and Gabriel fully integrate?
Why not sell Leno? He would be easy to sell and we would get more money for him.
Brian P
I would hate to see Martinez go but if we need to raise funds, we have to accept that good players may have to be sold to strengthen were we are week. No one in their right mind will touch Ozil (wages) or MG (attitude) or least that’s how it looks.
I still think we are still short 1 top midfielder to challenge for top 4 but stranger things have happened…
I don’t think we will either Potter. I’d have thought bigger clubs would be sniffing around if he was available.
Arteta could play any of them Kev but they’re no good to the team/squad if they have ‘issues’..
They all have issues Rico, I’m sure that Aubameyang has a few of those, like ‘I’m not going to sign until we bring in some better players’ or ‘I wonder if Barcelona might be interested in me now that Luis Suarez is leaving?’…
That’s my point Kev, there’s a load of garbage out there both with links to Arsenal and leaving Arsenal too. What or do we believe? Me, none. Lol
Or Brian, you start the season with Martinez in goal and get him to sign a new deal, once he’s signed you can mix n match.
Ditto TT, the defence minded midfielder imo although we could do with a bit more creativity too. Maybe ESR will bring that along with Saka and Ozil if he really is to be given yet another chance.
I was hoping Guendouzi would have attracted more attention.
How can Arteta not start the season with Martinez though. It really should be Leno pushing for his place back and until he does, he can be the cup keeper if that’s how Mikel operates.
I still say freezing players out only drops their value and makes other clubs back away from looking at them. We would have been better off to keep the players on the interchange and pick them for the last 10 minutes this way it makes it look like he is not suitable for your game plans and not a troublemaker.
Isn’t that why Mikel is saying everyone starts from fresh again? Who knows, both Guendouzi and Ozil might be on the pitch at Fulham. We’ll have to wait and see I guess. It was different last season as rules and boundaries had to be made clear.
John-Jules has gone to Doncaster on loan.
Evening Rico… Eddie’s at it again! He can’t stop scoring…
Auba made team of the year, very well deserved!
Evening Sue. I’m pleased for Eddie, it’ll do his confidence the world of good.
No surprise re Auba. 👏👏
I bet the Scousers are livid that KDB won PFA player of the season.
I’m glad KDB won it, he’s world class and a joy to watch! As for the scousers, they won every bleedin’ thing else 😴😡
Not the FA Cup or Charity Shield though. Lol
Gazzetta dello Sport claim today that Sokratis has reached an agreement with Arsenal which would allow him to leave the Emirates for Napoli on a free transfer.
The report claims that the Greek international will sign a two-year contract worth around £3.17 million per season in Italy and the move is expected to be completed in the near future.
😂 damn right they didn’t!
What did we pay for him? Around 17m? Be good to get him off the wage bill, but we could’ve got a small amount for him, surely? Napoli will be in the money once they sell Koulibaly to City!
About that much I think but it’s probably his wages Napoli won’t pay so a freebie will help. Irks me that we let players go for free etc but hopefully with the wage structure better managed, it’ll be a thing of the past.
Let’s hope, Rico. Can see Kolasinac leaving next for peanuts… at a push chocolate coated 😆
Ha ha Sue.
Evening Rico and the House.
Goals by Lewis and Balagon hve given our U21 a 2-1 win
over the mouthy Ipswich Town team.
McGuinness the best player on the pitch.
At last it looks like we have a good C/H coming through.
Only guarenteed thing in life is Bellerin will probably invest more money in FGR than Kroenke will ever invest in AFC!………………….and he will look good in green tights with feather in cap!
A dull nil nil draw for England against Denmark. AMN on as a sub on. 87th minute. Does he get an England cap for that? Should add a few quid to his transfer value.
Not going to mention the cricket. Other than to say we let the Aussies win the dead rubber. 😉
I see that Guendouzi has put on his Instagram ‘back to work @Arsenal’ so yeah, maybe the curly haired wunderkind has taken his head from out of his back passage and is going to put in a shift and try to reincorporate himself into the squad?
Love your work, Cicero hahahahaha
Kev, I think there is a decent player in that kid if he cuts the crap and let’s his playing do the talking.
If we can get good money then sell, but if not, a full season under Arteta surely can’t hurt his value I reckon.
Before there can be any question of selling Emi Martinez, the fitness of Bernd Leno must be tested beyond any doubt.
Leno suffered a severe injury and appears to have recovered from it physically at least but what about his mental recovery? Has he overcome the fear of a repetition? Every time he jumps for a ball will he have in the back of his mind the thought that a bad landing could put him out of the game for months?
If there is even a hint that his confidence has not be rebuilt his reliability must be in question.
I think he should be given at least until the January window for further rehabilitation, only then should he be considered for the number one keeper role.
Until then Martinez should be our starter in all Premiership games.
Totally agree Cicero, right now I’d say he’s our number one imo.
Nice finish!
https://twitter.com/goal/status/1303420398298595333
New post up now