Morning all.
Out of nowhere, Victor Osimhen has hit the Arsenal headlines for the first time this summer. At least it’s the first time I’ve seen this rumour. I strongly suspect Gabriel Martinelli has something to do with this because he’s been linked to Galatasaray. Nearly every sports page is running this story, although there is nothing in The Athletic. He’s been around the block a bit has Victor, from Germany to France, to Italy, Belgium and lastly Turkey, scoring a lot of goals along the way. At 6’ 1” and still just 27 years old, for a few months anyway, he would a here and now signing should he arrive at Arsenal.
Victor is known for his explosive pace, strength and clinical finishing inside the box. He’s what one might as being a “proper striker”. Surprisingly though, none of what I’d call the “big clubs” have ever signed him. Is he the kind of player Arsenal need? Well yes if we’re looking for the kind of qualities he possesses but the fact that no big club has ever taken a chance on him should raise a few red flags. Perhaps his eqo is bigger than his goal scoring numbers.
But what about Gabriel Martinelli who works his socks off for the cause week in week out and isn’t afraid to cover every blade of grass on the pitch. Is he not a here and now player who loves the club? He’s far more productive than his counterpart on the right hand side of the pitch and no, I don’t mean Bukayo Saka. Why not send him off to Turkey instead?
If only football worked like that eh? In other transfer news/rumours, Ethan Nwaneri, like Martinelli, continues to be linked with a move away from the club which I hope is little more than click-bait. Villa are reported to have rejected an offer made by Arsenal for Konsa but Arsenal are expected to go back with an improved offer. Apparently the player has told his club that he wants the move. I’ve no idea if that’s true, I read it on TeamTalk.
Sky Sports news however, report that Arsenal are in talks with Bayer Leverkusen over a possible deal for England defender Jarell Quansah. Mikel Arteta is keen to add to his defensive options and sees Quansah as a good addition, with his versatility in both the centre-back and right-back positions.
One deal which does appear to be done is for Vincent Joseph. All that needs to be resolved is the fee which if Arsenal and Liverpool can’t agree on, the Professional Football Compensation Committee will do it for them.
The new season is upon us as Premier League Champions Arsenal take on FA Cup winners Man City on Sunday. How good does that sound eh? The match kicks off at 3pm and it’s live on TNT Sport as well as HBO Max. Arsenal have won this trophy a massive 17 times, 7 of which came before I was born. The others are mixed in with the highlights of the last 25 years of finals..
Enjoy…
Catch up later…
New post up.
Morning Devil, all.
6 subs Merlin, that’s good.
Good morning, all.
20-man squad for Community Shield with 6 substitutions.
Good indication which players will be sold.
Ha!, Geoff, I wish I could claim the wise quote. It comes from one of our former Prime Ministers.
Dev, would that require six hydration breaks?
Geoff, you should care much much much more about the Community Shield. The more we win it the better. Because it means that the previous season we would have won either the EPL or FA Cup.
Imo the Community shield should be changed….the winners of the EPL, FA Cup and Carabeo Cup should play in a triangular tournament. 1st half A vs B. 2nd half B vs C. 3rd half A vs C. That should be more entertaining imo.
Good morning Rico and all
According to some news Arsenal have accepted BP17M for Jesus from Napoli.
Stuart, you cheeky bugger, you know we only keep the smart ones and send the rest back
Do not care about the community shield, the only good thing about it is giving the fringe players a bit of game time and see how the new players blend in with other senior players.
Guess today Community Shield game will answer lots of questions.
New rules on delays taking throwing, freekick, goalie kicking, set pieces, etc. will kick in officially.
Most interesting to see what new routines that Jover had worked out.
Goodnight, all!
I think Gyokeres will be better this season. Bruno and Tzolis will spot him imo.
Certainly don’t think we are weaker this season other than the injury to Saliba.
Last season, Odegaard and Havertz and Merino were injured for a few months. Saka too was in-and-out of the side due to his hamstring injuries.
If those key players remain healthy throughout the season, this means the team is stronger.
Trossard was brilliant in 2025 and then went off the boil in 2026, scoring a single league goal, albeit a crucial one against WHU which I believe virtually sealed our title win.
Fingers crossed after watching preseason games.
I think Tzolis is a pacy winger who can deliver more accurate crosses and through balls than Trossard. Trossard best role in 2025 was as a deep-lying striker playing behind Gyokeres and cutting inward more as a striker.
Let’s hope this season goal scoring slack is taken up by these 3 healthy players – Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard and a 10+ league goal Saka to compensate for the loss of Trossard goal contribution.
Arsenal is weaker than last year.
Trossard’s departure has a greater impact than B. Guimarães’s arrival.
The rumours, if they materialize, add little beyond defensive reinforcement.
The neigbors are stronger then us.
Good afternoon, all.
Gyokeres was still adjusting to ArtetaBall last season.
2025, he was a static training cone in the box, hardly mobile.
2026, a different animal and he was mobile, pressing and chasing for the ball.
I believe Gyokeres needs more thru’ balls to play between defenders where he is at his best to latch onto an accurate thru’ ball and with just 1 or 2 steps, hit a thunderous shot at goal. That is his bread-and-butter scoring prowess, moving between defenders and running behind to latch onto an accurate pass or lob that he can control with one touch.
Gyokeres does not have that technical skill to control the ball when pressed by 2 or 3 players, and especially last season, most of the balls were passed to him in a crowded box when he was surrounded and pressed instantly.
This season, I expected Arteta had realized what worked for Gyokeres, and with a healthy Saka and Odegaard, he should be scoring at least 15 to 20 league goals.
That’s what worries me Stuart.
I’m not sure about that story Kev, it’s a lot of money for a 20 year old. Another midfielder too..
Generally speaking kiwis leaving home for Oz raises the IQ of both nations (you’ve got to be stupid to leave) but that wasn’t the case with Jacinda.
Hinshelwood is some player but surely not a replacement for MLS or Ethan?
Gyokeres had a slow start but now the players have a better understand of where he like the ball placed the better, he is, I’m tipping a better season ahead.
I agree Rico, Gyokeres scores goals against many of the lower sides, the sides we had trouble scoring against until he arrived.
I know aesthetically he isn’t everyone’s cup of chai but I like him – so there!
For Hinshelwood to join there has to be an exit….
The plot thickens. 🫡
Arsenal are leading the race to sign Jack Hinshelwood from Brighton. It’s believed that a bid within the range of £43m to £51m could lead to an agreement – The Sun
Possession is our weakness in many ways imo. It encourages too much safety and not enough risk which can in the right circumstances give reward.
Kev, nearly as weird as Summerville going to Saudi so young. They do it for the money I’m sure.
No way would I entertain selling Gyokeres, 21 goals is all comps last season, which for the first six months he was feeding off scraps imo.
Geof, my major concern about Osimhen is that he had to move to Turkey from Serie A, now no disrespect to the Turkish Super Liga but that is a bit of a weird one if you’re this hotshot striker?
As I said a couple of days back, I am not convinced Victor Osimhen is the answer I have seen him play live on tv and also on YouTube, he can be hot and cold yes, he can score some nice goals, but he can easily lose the ball when tackled.
Kev, we are now saving up to send Jacinda Ardern and our dump premier Jacinta Allen (notice all most the same first name) to America it should take at least six months in a leaky boat,
Apparently Jacinda has ‘relocated’ to Australia, now there’s a bit of luck for you Geoff!
I wonder if Jacinda Ardern is, or was, a member of the Fabian Society, or the Kiwi equivalent?
The Fabian Society believes in eugenics, you know, a bit like the NSDP.
Scoring goals isn’t about being a better footballer though .It’s instinctive and that’s an instinct Havertz has not got .
Throughout my time playing and watching football the one thing that has tactically developed is .defence. It is not so open and not so easy to score against and players that take time to think are closed down quicker. Is Osimhen better than what we already have , ? I don’t know but Gyokeres is the only player that scores the half chance, I think Eze, Martinelli and Tzolis might if the desire for possession and not wasting chances was not so heavily drilled into them.
Is your horse a black London Trotter, Kev?
I’m glad I have a place in your affections, mate. Thinking of putting the fact on my C.V.
New Zealand was the first country in the world to give women the vote. Way back in 1893. Kate Sheppard championed the cause and is rightly celebrated today.
We’ve had three women P.M’s since. The last one told us, “We (the Government) will continue to be your single source of truth, dismiss anything else, unless you hear it from us it is not the truth”. She had formerly served as President of the International Union of Socialist Youth. The loony left loved her, the rest of us thought she was batshit crazy.
Osimhen? On his day he can be as good as pre meltdown Auba. I don’t hold Gyo in the same esteem some on here do (Merino and Kai are both better footballers), so I’d take him and sell the Swede.
Morning all.
Personally, I’d love us to have two top strikers at the club. Rotation without compromise. I’d think differently if we had an 18/19 year old coming through who is showing he has what it takes but I don’t think we have.
Sounds harsh but playing Havertz or Merino up front is “making do” imo.
Jesus “in talks” with Napoli.
Manchester United and Tottenham are both interested in Osimhen, DG not two top top clubs I admit but we are not alone in wanting him.
Good morning ye all of good faith and perseverance
Yep, I forgot Merino Rico. And yes Cicero, technically Havertz is not a number 9. So that means we have Gyok, Havertz and Merino who can play at CF. So why get Osimhem? He plays for Galatasaray and no clubs are clamouring after him. So he will basically leave us in the same level. So why go for someone who will not improve us??
Imo, we should stay with what we have. Unless a science lab comes up with a return to youth project and works with Arsenal to transform TH14, IW08, BP07, DB10 back to their early twenties. In that case we can sell Havertz, Gyok and Martinelli to accomodate those I mentioned
I often sadly up my horse and take it out for a ride… 😉
I don’t know anything about the Constantinople Convention, but Turkey actually gave women the vote before Great Britain…
That’s where it all started to go wrong for them… 😁
I think Merino is more clinical than Havertz..
Great news about Martinelli, but I doubt it will stop other clubs from sniffing around.
DG, Havertz is not a number nine in the true sense of the name.
I guessed Stuart 😂
Saddle, Rico… saddle:)
I’d quite happily see Havertz sold Devil.
Thanks Stuart..
Probably not Potter although he has said his relationship with Arteta is really good and that it wasn’t Arteta’s decision to sell him.
I’m with Limey, Big Pat was a fabulous keeper and gave us some great years. A real gentleman, he also speaks glowingly of his time at Arsenal. I had a picture of Jimmy Rimmer on my bedroom wall, he followed on from Bob Wilson and Geoff Barnett and, as Potter noted did a lot to keep us up during that dreadful season when we finished 17th.
Terry Neill. I have his signed autobiography in my home library, “Revelations of a football manager”. A good read with some real insights into those tough years. He fielded seven Irish players on one occasion in 1980: Jennings, Rice, Nelson, Devine, O’Leary, Brady, Stapleton.
Good to have you back in the sadly, Rico.
We have Gyokeres and Havertz for the CF role. Do we need another?? One of the present incumbents has to leave. Gyokeres has scored 21 goals last season. A decent return. Are we certain that Balogun can better that??
Keep in mind that with Gyok, Balogun, Alvarez or whoever it is, opposing teams will still play low block against us and that means that goals will be scarce. What we need is a striker with the finishing of TH14/IW08 plus the footwork of Alexander Hleb or TR07 or Ronaldinho in his prime. Even Drogba, with all his brutal raw strength would find it difficult to score against low block. we need a striker who can operate in tight spaces….and that player is certainly not Balogun.
Would he come back though . It takes two to tango.
If Arsenal are considering a striker signing this summer, why not just get Balogun back? We have a 17% sell on clause which would in theory reduce whatever the amount he is available for…
Just married or not, I wouldn’t leave Arsenal for Galatasary either… 😂
Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli has turned down the chance to join Galatasaray.
The Turkish club made an offer of around £38.9m for the winger, but Martinelli is not keen on a move to Turkey at this stage.
Just got married , would you ?
The Istanbul Convention: Turkey was the first country to sign the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention on combating violence against women in 2011, but the government officially withdrew from the treaty in 2021, arguing it undermined family values…
Martinelli turns down GalatasaraySky Sports News’ Gary Cotterill and Sky in Germany Florian Plettenberg:
Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli has turned down the chance to join Galatasaray.
The Turkish club made an offer of around £38.9m for the winger, but Martinelli is not keen on a move to Turkey at this stage.
I used to love Pat Jennings,he might have been a Spurs man but a fantastic player. When you look back at the Terry Neil era it was incredible we only won one FA Cup,we had some truly special players,Brady Stapleton and loads of very good,mostly homegrown players,Rix O Leary and others.
I can’t be too down on Terry Neil,the 2/3 years after he left were dire,until George Graham came along.
Shades of modern day in some ways,a much loved manager stays too long,the club drifts for years until a former player turns out to be a special manager.
Afternoon Devil, I really don’t want to see Nwaneri go either, I don’t think many fans do.
Good afternoon.
RIP Rimmer.
He was unlucky with injury and Nigel Spink replaced him in the European Cup Final.
It spelled the end of Rimmer at Aston Villa with Spink taking over.
BDW, the Charity shield is my favourite trophy. One in which we should participate every year whatever the reason for it. The European super cup is also one I like although that is harder. But we should definitely do our utmost to compete in the Charity shield every season. That would be a guaranteed friendly for which the club does not spend a lot of money on.
Rip Jimmy Rimmer. I was too young to remember you playing but I still remember Pa talking about you non stop. I am sure he was waiting for you for a good loooooong discussion.
Good afternoon Rico and all.
Osimhem?? no thanks. Too much baggage with Napoli plus he gets itchy feet. Good player for Napoli but if he was that good why didn’t top clubs like RM , Barca, BM etc go for him??? First we look at Vinicius now we are looking at Osimhem??? No thanks. Its like going from Caviar to packed sardines. We should remain with what we have imo.
Should we sell Martinelli and Nwaneri?? MArtinelli maybe but not for 40=45M. Anything less than 60-65 is not good. Nwaneri should stay imo. Nwaneri for 40M would be criminal unless there is a clause giving us 50% of his fee if he is sold.
Mikel Arteta on Ethan Nwaneri: “I want him to be at the club. But we have to consider in the medium, long term, what is best for the player as well”.
“Ethan needs to play football. And if he stays here, it is because we can guarantee him that he can have those minutes”.
Stay or go on loan perhaps…
Probably because White’s fitness can’t be relied on Kev. It would be a huge risk.
I did only say alright Dennis. Lol
Great minds Cicero…
As I recall Rimmer saved us from relegation twice and as HH said Jennings who replaced him although a good keeper was and still is a Tottenham man .They were dark days on the North Bank as the great Smell of Brut hung around in great clouds taking over from Old Spice.
But I remember him fondly and like others here hope that he rests in peace.
Didn’t Quansah get sent off in the World Cup?
I can recall it being front page headlines if an England player got sent off, how times change…
Why not buy a right back and play White at centre half?
Hi Rico
Yeah, Jennings was ok, but he was from Tottenham, and it struck me as odd that they let us have him (for £45k) because they were upgrading to Ray Clemence.
And at the time, Rimmer was on the rise where as most of Jennings best days were behind him.
Don’t forget Rico, we lost three of four finals with him in goal, and as Kev alluded to, the Board had absolutely no title ambitions which was reflected in how far away we were from the eventual champions. Neill’s best season was finishing 7pts behind Aston Villa in ’81 (when Jimmy Rimmer won the title), the last season where it was 2pts for a win.
I think the Jennings deal (as well as Willie Young) only happened because Neill managed there before coming to Arsenal in ’76.
Neill’s defence consisted of 4 Irish (inc. Jennings) and a Scot, Willie Young.
For years Arsenal allowed Neill to get away with being a bang average underwhelming manager. Strange times.
RIP Kimmy Rimmer.
It makes uncomfortable reading to learn that players younger than me have died.
G’day all,Victor Osimhen may just prove to be the striker we are have missed for so long, at twenty-seven he is in his prime and might appreciate being part of a successful, and varied squad.
If Galatasaray could be induced to take Madueke instead of Martinelli I personally would be much happier about the deal.
David Ornstein is running the Quansah story too…
Hi Geoff. I doubt there is much truth in the Osimhen rumours.
Morning Rico and all.
I Cannot remember Jimmy Rimmer, but like any pass player of Arsenal that passes away I hope he RIP.
Not sure about Victor Osimhen I have seen play live on tv and on YouTube and seem a player that can be hot or cold yes, he can score some great goal, but he can also loose the ball when tackled easy.
Jennings turned out alright though Dennis.. 😜
Ditto, RIP Jimmy Rimmer, straight from United reserves to the Arsenal starting XI where if I recall correctly, he had a stormer in the cauldron of Anfield on his debut, helping us to a 0-0 draw.
I remember being a bit annoyed when Neill replaced him with Pat Jennings.
You didn’t know any better back then Kev 😂
Not sure what the point of CS is really. It’s not recognised as a trophy when it comes to counting them. Just a glorified money making exercise imo. A day out for fans who can afford to go.
I meant to include the passing of Jimmy Rimmer. 78 is young these days. Sleep tight Jimmy.
RIP Jimmy Rimmer.
I didn’t take much notice of Quansah at Liverpool,something tells me he was injured a lot but not sure.
I do like the look of Osimhen,he comes with a lot of baggage though,so I’m not sure he would fit in.
Only a week until the big one,I find it hard to get excited about the Community Shield,Sky and the rest will hype it up.
We’ve lost Jimmy Rimmer (78), those of us of a certain vintage will remember ‘Jim the Rim’ a very underrated goalkeeper who was eventually to win the League and European Cup with Aston Villa. Famous for his illegal marking on the pitch, amazed he got away with it for so many years.
Played in an awful team at a time when Arsenal had zero ambition from the boardroom and we flirted with relegation, hard to believe in these days! I never used to miss a game back then, I must have been mad… 🙂