Morning all.
With one minute to go in the game at Selhurst Park, Man Utd, who are 1-0 up, gave away a free kick just outside their own penalty area. Michael Olise stepped up and fired a cracker past David de Gea. 1-1, two points dropped and thank you very much Patrick Vieira’s team. Rewind to 80 minutes of the game and Utd’s key midfielder Casemiro was booked for a foul on Wilfred Zaha which means he’s now suspended for Sunday’s fixture at The Emirates. After the game, ten Hag was quick to point out that when Arsenal lost at Old Trafford, there was no Casemiro in his team. There was no Thomas Partey in the Arsenal team either but unless something freaky happens between now and Sunday, there will be this time. Utd were fortunate that day and he probably knows it.
Rio Ferdinand believes there is no comparison between Casemiro and Thomas Partey as Casemiro ‘wipes him [Partey] away’ with his impact on the game. Stats are behind his random opinion adding – ‘I think the importance to their teams…you could argue both sides quite equally. But then, when you through the stats in Casemiro wipes him away’ he said on his Vibe with Five Podcast.
Stats, love or loath them are an odd thing to base an opinion on in my opinion, certainly when comparing players in different teams. What is important is what that player does for his own club and how his performance has an impact on the team he plays for. Look at Yves Bissouma for example, superb for Brighton during his time there but how’s he doing now? Declan Rice is probably the first name on David Moyes team sheet each week but that doesn’t mean he’d walk into the first team at Man City, or even Arsenal. Jack Grealish and Kalvin Phillips moved to City after standing out for Aston Villa and Leeds respectively but at City, life is a lot tougher. Arsenal themselves have signed players who have been on fire at their previous club but arrive at Arsenal and they struggle. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that we have a £70 million player out on loan because his move to Arsenal didn’t work. If reports are to be believed, Unai Emery didn’t even want the club to sign Pepe because he wanted Wilfred Zaha instead. Again though, just because Zaha has been pretty good at Palace, there’s no guarantee he’d have excelled at Arsenal.
Going back to the result last night, two points dropped by Utd is good news for Arsenal and every other club in and around the top four. I know it’s only January and there’s a lot of football to be played yet but it doesn’t matter if a club drops points on the opening day of the season or the last, they all count.
I know the Daily Star is about as reliable as a bus arriving on time but they’re suggesting Arsenal might keep hold of any transfer budget available this month until the summer. The story was possibly sparked by the Declan Rice rumours because it’s highly unlikely West Ham would sell the player this month. In any case, I’m sure Chelsea would sign him right now if they could. Honestly, I can’t see the club not adding to the squad before the end of the month, not when we’re in such a good position in the League and Europa League. There has to be a number of players out there in a similar position to Martin Odegaard when he first came to Arsenal on loan. A fringe player for his current club but one who has oodles of talent and ability just waiting to be unlocked. Players who know they just need the right move in order to progress their career. Or a player who is out of contract in the summer but wants to move right now.
Chelsea might be throwing the money around, collecting as many players as they can, because they can but it’s Arsenal who sit top of the Premier League. Mydryk might have said no but not every player will. Not if football wins.
Catch up in the comments….
Just watch the chav ******* try & gazzump the ‘ Trossard ‘ deal.Fat Boehly is prob jumping into a taxi as we speak.
Are we after him then Pete?
Morning to you and all..
Morning rico, all, good report.
Romano says we are after Trossard and personal terms agreed.
Morning Andrew, Ornstein too.
Interesting from Ornstein –
https://twitter.com/TheAthleticFC/status/1615032877711753225?s=20&t=zfOwh8av-hsUmejY6CW1Lw
Although a third choice it seems, he’s ready made to fit straight in as needed. Be 30 million well spent and leave cash for a DM. Romano says Arsenal want deal in HOURS. Maybe we learning, you pay up and get deal done.
Man U may have beaten us without Casimira, but on Sunday they will also be without the Old Trafford/Referee-decision effect.
Sometimes even paying the money doesn’t get the player though Andrew. Apparently we offered the same as Chelsea for Mydryk.
Our bonus’s were apparently quite different rico, winning the Ballon D’or!
who know what the truth is about Mydryk, there was a report in one of the papers a few days back, that the club he played for were worried Arsenal may not be able to pay the add on. at the end of the day, it seems our negotiation team are too slow.
In less than a week after Ramsdale was kicked by a fan, another fan has run onto the pitch taken a selfie with Man U new player and going by reports he was almost of the pitch before security grabbed him,
Do we really need Trossard, he has only kicked 6 goals in 16 matches not much of an improvement on what we have already got.
Geoff, does he need to be an improvement? Ideally yes, but they are few and far between. Do you expect Saka and Martinellii to play 50 plus games and never get injured before May? Our only alternatives are Nelson, who had flattered to deceive, but hopefully will come good one day, and young Marquinhos. I think it’s a MUST we get some backup/ rotation.
It would be difficult to improve on what we have without getting someone that would be thinking of dislodging Saka and Martinelli. As I said a couple of days ago Mudryk chose Chelsea because he didn’t think he could get Martinelli’s spot. What we do need is a back up to them and Nelson is injured again.
However the same could be said of Partey and Xhaka , we have Elneny who is steady and Lokonga who is not ready for first team at Arsenal would discount the Rice rumours because at the end of the season all the other big hitters will join in and West Ham with one year left on his contract will try and screw as much as they can .it could well become another Tielemans saga.
Andrew, even though Emile Smith-Rowe is mainly AM, he has been playing at LM and LW in the academy. So I expect him to become the backup for Martinelli, especially if we don’t buy reinforcements this January. I absolutely challenge the ‘does he need to be an improvement?’ type of signings, so I’ll be more than happy if we don’t buy anybody to the attacking third this window.
There are fans who believed that Nketiah was a useless guy well below the Arsenal quality, but they are eating the humble pie as we speak. We should focus on central and defensive midfield, because while we have bodies to deputize Partey and Xhaka, the gap in quality is on a much deeper level then the difference between ESR and Martinelli or Saka and Nelson/Vieira.
Plus Arteta needs to find out – or demonstrate to the fans – what his plans are with Emile, as currently we have 3 young attacking midfielders of high quality totaling a 140M, and I’m not sure if it can be justified if they don’t have a secondary position besides being the #2 and #3 AMs waiting for cup minutes and a favorable draw in the EL.
That would be a first Andrew. To this day I still don’t understand why Thierry Henry didn’t win one.l
1.52 Andrew, totally agree.. If there’s money, now is the time to spend it, otherwise I think it prove to be a great opportunity wasted.
Well it sounds like we have him for £27 million , Give our wingers a rest
I read £20 million on Sky Sports. Either way, good signing I think with a few pounds left over for a midfielder.
20 – 26m with add ons sounds a very shrewd signing. Now find a similar defensive midfielder for 30 million who can step in for Partey and the Muddy disappointment will be forgotten. And in the short term, probably a better solution.
£27 million forTrossard, a done deal according to The Mirror, he’s having a medical this evening and could be a available too play on Sunday.
If all is true it’s a great deal for Arsenal, and Brighton, a Premiership experienced player 28 years old and at his peak, he will have ambitions to win things rather than seeing out his contract whilst topping up his pension pot.
Eddie has been doing well as a central striker, but rumours abound concerning Jesus’s recovery being longer than expected, so I think it would be wise to call Balogun back off loan to provide cover up front.
We still want a defensive midfielder and, if Cedric is allowed to leave we will need a young right back as understudy to Tomiyasu and Ben White.
Trossard for 20-27m is good business, will be a good rotation player. He has good work ethic and his 6 goals is more like 10 if he plays for Arsenal because he will get better service.
Yep, winger done, now for B2B or DM.
Don’t we already have a young right back? Norton-Cuffy..
Blots 2 nil up at half time . Even though they are beating City I cant get my head round being happy .
Indeed we have, Rico.
BNC is on loan, so he would not be available for the second half of the season, but we have Reuell Walter in our ranks: with 5 youth caps, but more importantly the only academy player Arteta took to play in the pre-season friendly against Nuremberg. Maybe next season Norton-Cuffy and Walters would compete to be the back-up if/when Tomiyasu is injured.
Anyway, probably Cicero got a bit greedy, as the club clearly doesn’t need a third-choice RB behind White and Tomiyasu, as Cedric played only 120 competitive minutes this season, and none of them came because no other right backs were available.
And calling off Balogun’s remarkable loan would be simply insane. And not in a good sense.
Essie, Jesus and Martinelli – now that he has a proper backup – can cover for the striker role. Balogun should play, learn and grow this season in France, and most likely get a 30-40M move to a proper club instead of competing for the second-choose striker role.
Just couldn’t go for totts, and entertain any possible top 4 finish for them, no way. All we have to do is win games, we will get help from other teams.
City with a 4 goal second half , blew them away . Totts now 14 points behind and we have 2 games in hand . Reckon St Totts is revving his car up.
LLoris is a nightmare beaten at his near post again , if they buy anyone it has to be a new keeper.
Afternoon Rico and the house
Good to see you back online Rico.
Been down for 2 days.
House is still alive! Just as well with Jacub Kiwior ‘here we go’ and Trossard confirmation anytime. Not to mention Fresneda ‘verbal agreement’! Mudryk money not gathering cobwebs 🙂
Well there’s a thing, Arsenal closing in on a deal to sign a 19 year old 6 ft defender, Ivan Fresneda. A right back by all accounts. It looks as though Arteta is as greedy as me.
No one in midfield?
Joaquin, Key-Vee-Or just happened to play 19 games in defensive midfield in Italian League last season 🙂
Apparently this guy might fit the bill.If Andrew is right.
Name: Jakub Kiwior
Current Team: Poland
Shirt Number: 14
Age: 22 years old (15-02-2000)
Height: 189cm
Nationality: Poland
Positions: Defender (Centre), Defensive Midfielder (C)
Bit more info from TBR .
Who is Jakub Kiwior?
Arsenal have been looking for a left-sided central defender to compete with Gabriel Magalhaes.
Kiwior, a versatile 6ft 2in defender, looks set to provide that competition for the Brazilian.
The 22-year-old mainly plies his trade at central defence, but can also feature at left-back and in defensive midfield.
Kiwior came through the ranks at Polish club GKS Tichy before linking up with Anderlecht’s academy in 2016.
He also played for Slovakian outfits Podbrezove and MSK Zilina before joining Spezia in 2021.
And the right back of Valladolid
Arteta news conference shortly on Sky Sports News.
Also, we haven’t yet seen Tierney at left back and Zinchenko DM.
Sensible transfers, prioritising the Title.
Trossard signed a long term contract, it official, it’s on the clubs website.
Friday is the new signing day again then..
After Rick, all.
Austen Trusty is a left footed defender. I’m hoping this new guy is for midfield. Apparently he’s arriving at Arsenal tomorrow evening.
Morning Rico and all
I will support Trossard but I’m sure he what we need. however, it will allow Lokonga to go out on loan or be sold.
Kiwior from what I have seen he could be a good addition to the side. as he left footed and does seem to like challenging for the ball, will be good to see him with White in the backline.
Soares to leave if the Spanish kid is signed but I’d keep everyone else, I wouldn’t tempt fate by loaning out our squad players, juggling the squad can wait for the summer for me.
I get the feeling that all who needed to go have gone, there appears to be a complete togetherness in the squad, so we should be looking to retain all we have but, if we do sign another right back, it would make sense to let Cedric go.
22c at the moment expected high 26c no cloud and a very light breeze.
Breakfast now then swimming mad poolside people watching. 😎
And not mad
A nice way to relax Cicero and take in the Arsenal news, enjoy!
Just to make you feel better Cicero , I have just moved my car into the milky sunlight to try and clear the heavy frost on the glass rather than use chemicals. Thermometer showing minus 3 at the moment.
The rumour is that it is going to warm slightly and start raining , at least we may have warm water.
As for the Arsenal , If the Polish and Spanish kids ask their peers , I am sure that Cesc and Sczesney will have good things to say and will give encouragement and as they come as squad players they will have to fight for their appearances in the cups .
I wonder as these deals fit in with the apparent policy of bringing in young players to mould in the Arteta system whether the Mudryk thing expanded into a Machiavellian plot that once he had gone past our limit ,we pushed Boehly to pay far beyond what he is worth .
If so superb poker playing.
It’s bloody freezing in the UK, but don’t you feel guilty Cicero… 😉
Short term the 8 year contracts work but eventually the Chavs will run out of wiggle room, come on Liverpool, make my day…
Slightly smug Kev but not guilty. A little sympathetic too. 😉
Bah Humbug !
Morning all, 22c where I am too. Do I feel guilty? Absolutely not. Someone else is paying the electricity bill. 😆
New post up now