Morning all.
A bitter sweet night as far as Arsenal players go. Sweet for Bukayo Saka who featured in the Euros for the first time and gave England something they’d seriously lacked previously but for Kieran Tierney, his summer of football is over as Scotland suffered a 3-1 defeat against Croatia. Selfishly, I’m pleased Scotland have been knocked out of the tournament because now, Kieran Tierney can have a good rest before returning to Arsenal for preseason.
For Bukayo Saka though, I think last night was the first of many minutes of football for him, depending on how far England go in the tournament of course.
Bukayo Saka was England’s best player, the one who one minute was breaking forward at pace, the next, in a right back position defending for his team. He turned defence into attack, possession into something threatening and anyone who thought Rashford, Sancho or Bellingham should have started instead of him, would soon have thought otherwise. He was the instigator of England’s only goal and had he been an inch taller, he might have scored it too. Kane was once again a disappointment but Sterling and Grealish were good I thought, just not quite as good as our man but then I’m biased. As is Lee Dixon who in commentary, couldn’t praise Saka high enough.
Finishing top of their group means England’s first knockout fixture will be at Wembley. The fixture will be a 5pm kickoff on Tuesday 29th June but before any England fans get too excited, the opposition will be the runners up of the group consisting of France, Germany, Portugal and Hungary.
Today’s fixtures are:
5pm.
Slovakia v Spain
Sweden v Poland
8pm.
Germany v Hungary
Portugal v France.
Back at Arsenal, it’s about departures really, the biggest being Steve Bould. Rumours had already suggested he was leaving the club after 33 years, now we know it’s true. I wish him nothing but good luck in his next adventure. Mark McGuinness, Zech Medley, Trae Coyle and Daniel Oyegoke have left too which is disappointing but I suppose understanding if the guys want a bigger challenge at this stage in their career. The Championship will certainly be a good test for McGuinness with Cardiff City. Good luck to all of them.
It’s hard to believe that in less than three weeks time Arsenal’s pre-season fixtures get underway, around two weeks before then, training begins again. With just Saka, Xhaka, Leno and Tierney involved in the Euros, a pretty strong squad should regroup next month. To date there have been no additions to squad, at least not external ones but that could easily change quite quickly. Although Arsenal don’t really ‘do’ quickly, on or off the pitch.
Rumours for the day are:
- Arsenal are looking to revamp their attacking line if they can get players out and they are admirers of Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Daily Telegraph).
- Aston Villa are lining up a second bid for Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe, in another huge statement of intent from the Midlands club (Daily Telegraph).
- Arsenal are edging closer to signing Ben White – leaving William Saliba pondering his Emirates’ future. (The Sun).
Aston Villa need to be told that ESR is not for sale at any price. Yesterday evening was about Bukayo Saka for England, next summer it could very well be ESR turning on the style for his country. In my opinion, there are three players in the current squad who aren’t saleable right now and two them I’ve just named. I’m sure you can guess the third. My hope is Mikel Arteta builds a squad around these players and not instead of them.
See you in the comments.
Potter, your “star of the match” comment from yesterday’s post was pure gold lol
Well played!!!
Time to read todays post 🙂
Morning all.
Rico, I can’t see us even contemplating selling ESR.
Well, unless Barca offer 150 million!
The kid is as good as Saka, imo, and yes, two players to build a squad around.
World class footballers in the making.
Good morning Rico and all.
When you talk of “unsaleable players”, I hope you include Aubameyang in the list, but not for the same reason as Saka, ESR and Tierney.
allezkev on 23rd June 2021 at 9:52 am
Yes Geoff, the kids will still come, the best will certainly come because they’ll see a pathway to top level football at a major club and they’ll be confident enough and talented enough to take on the challenge.
I’m not entirely comfortable with some of the turnover in coaching staff and scouting staff but then I’m not inside so I know as much as the rest of us. Maybe the changes we’ve seen were needed, time will tell I guess? A few years back there was a major clear out of medical staff, some surprising names were relieved of their positions, but our injury record at the time was awful, it’s been quite good since hasn’t it?
Cicero, what’s it like being the Chairperson of the Aubameyang Appreciation Society? 😁
Kev, one thing we fans have to acknowledge, and that is, whatever we’ve been doing as a club for over a decade just hasn’t worked that well, so can we really criticise the changes that are being made?
No, not in my opinion.
Your point on the medical staff is very relevant.
We need to give Arteta time to rebuild the entire club.
He’s the man.
He will make hard calls, and hopefully, he gets everything right.
I hope you’re right Scott, btw our U23’s and U18’s can still call on approximately 50 young players and that’s not including the U16’s who’ll come into the U18’s as and when, so Oyegoke leaving doesn’t mean that our academy is on the verge of collapse as I’ve read elsewhere.
Kev, I could not possibly be more confident in Arteta.
Nothing has changed.
I’m amazed at how many fans who knew we needed a massive rebuild constantly question the things needed to rebuild.
We could have employed a “name” manager, someone who finished top 4 and we’d all have enjoyed that, as it’s “like a trophy”, isn’t it?
Then after a season or two, we’d have realised we were still in the same rut and calls for a new manager would’ve rung out.
No, we most definitely needed a complete overhaul from top to bottom and that’s what’s happening.
I’m loving it.
I hope you’re right Scott but if they come back with a big offer, I wouldn’t put it past Arsenal to accept if. I doubt ESR would want to leave though.
Morning Cicero, ha ha. He’s certainly that it seems.
Rico, right here and now, Stan wouldn’t allow it, imo.
It would be the tipping point for fans.
Hi Rico and all
Scott I’m bashing Arteta but we all know the club needs a complete overall but Arteta needs to be concentrating on coaching the senior team and winning and showing people like me who are willing to give him a chance that he can coach and not worry about what is happening at the academy level. This season will test him and the players with the fans back
I doubt it’ll be up to him really Scott, it’ll be Arteta and Edu saying yes or no to players coming or going in the first instance.
Cicero, you’ll be amazed at how much Aubameyang was detrimental to the team. More of that later
Good morning Rico and all
I enjoyed the post Rico. DCL any time over both Lacazette and Auba. Sell them both, buy DCL and put Balogun as his sub. And either promote Nelson or buy another winger.
Rico, with regards those who doubted Saka, I can assure that even lat in the game there were comments criticizing the decision not to play Rashford or someone else instead. You had to read them to believe it.
Hi Geoff, I agree re Arteta facing a much tougher period as the new season begins. I really hope for his sake, he can move away from the slow, crab like football.
Morning Devil. Cicero means Auba is unsaleable because no other club would sign him on the wages he earns. He did say unsalable for ‘different reasons than the others’. Lol
Thanks re the post. Calvert-Lewin would be an interesting signing that’s for sure. I doubt we’re in for him though, not now it’s been in the news. Lol
They must be Arsenal haters then…
Geoff, I reckon it’s clear he’s got a lot of say in what happening throughout the club, so whatever we think his priorities ought to be, it doesn’t really matter.
Rico, I doubt anyone at the club would be for selling Saka or ESR.
If it happens, we all should change sports lol
Just imagine if Arteta wanted to sign Grealish though Scott…
I hope we don’t sell ESR I just feel that he will take the next step up this season
but I recon if the right money or swap deal is offered they will sell him.
Rico, if he stops the diving, I’d be all over that!!
He’s a superb player, without question.
Geoff, I reckon If the money is right, every player is for sale but what’s the right money?
That’s the question.
Hell, Messi at his best would’ve been sold if the offer was right 🙂
Personally, I’d laugh off any offer under 100 million for ESR.
I think he’s that good for us, long term.
How do we replace an Arsenal junior with a massive amount of potential?
Money can’t buy that.
I see an Aussie lad has been appointed as a PL referee.
Jarred Gillett-massive achievement.
He’s most definitely good enough.
I do not think that ESR will be allowed to go, especially if he signs the contract. Villa tried their luck….even I would if I was chairman of a club. any club.
The only problem was that we did not put in an offer for Grealish when we thumped them 4-0 in the cup final. We commented here when we won it that Grealish was already standing out. If AW had bid for him back then I am sure that Grealish would have been an Arsenal player now. That ship has sailed now I feel.
With Chelsea and City wanting him I guess his price will be stratospheric….maybe even eclipsing Kane.
If the spids are asking £150M for Kane, than what would Lewandowski be worth?? £300M??? I always felt that Kane is a flat track bully. And before anyone tells me that he keeps on scoring against us I would love to point out how many penalties has he got against us? Plus how many times have we ‘gifted’ him with a goal? Next season, if he stays with the Spids, I can assure you he will have lesser goals than this season.
Scott, will he see the game upside down?? 😂😂😂😂😂
I hope he will not be caught asleep when in charge of a match seeing that his circadian rythm is used to that of OZ. Let’s say its an 18.00 kick off…….in Oz it will be well past midnight. Sleeping on the whistle 😂😂😂😂😂
here we are frying with temperatures hitting 42 degrees. 🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵
Devil, I am happy with any official who’s fair hahahaha
He’s a great Ref with a fantastic reputation and should do well, I reckon.
Fingers crossed its true…..
https://the72.co.uk/240266/blackpool-blackburn-rovers-linked-daniel-ballard-to-talk-with-arsenal-over-next-loan-club/
Devil, that’d be an ideal scenario.
It’s a step up in quaintly, and he’s get plenty of first team football.
By seasons end, we’d know if he has an Arsenal future or not.
When asked if he would consider the Tottenham job if offered Arsene Wenger replied……
“Look, I tell you when you have driven a Rolls-Royce and seen the luxury & beauty it’s very difficult to accept getting behind the wheel of a Kia. I would rather get the bus”
Not with ESR going to Villa though Scott as part of the deal. They can have Auba. Lol
I just hope he realises it’s not Aussie Rules Devil 😂
I’ve seen a few headlines suggesting Blackpool want to sign Ballard on a permanent deal.
Rico, there is no way i’d let ESR leave, no matter what the deal.
Scott at least he can’t be any worse at refereeing than some in the PL hope it works for him
Agreed, Geoff, and I reckon most would also agree.
I think he will do well.
That’s how I felt about Martinez Scott.
Rico, fair enough, but imo, he was nowhere near the player ESR is.
We can not replace this kid without spending a damn fortune.
Kev, I would appreciate him more if he would just p**s off.
I don’t think they can be compared really Scott, the circumstances yes, but quality in their own position, no. I hope we don’t sell ESR that’s for sure.
DG, I don’t need anyone to tell me how poor Aubameyang has been since he signed his new contract.
Rico, imagine the uproar?
It’d make the RVP and Alexis sales look tame lol
Cicero….I am saying he has been detrimental from season 17/18 not since he signed his contract.
DG in case there is any doubt in your mind, I did not meant “poor” in the monetary sense
That’s a bit harsh Cicero 😆
I think it’s an discussion which could go on and on I reckon Scott. I think Martinez is up there with the City and Liverpool keeper, Kasper too. I also think ESR is a great player in the making.
Cicero I understood you. But its not that he has been detrimental since he has signed the contract. The team has suffered with regards results since he signed…from day 1. Auba should not have been bought. AW thought he would have replaced Alexis on the left…..but infact he did not.
But I understood from where you were coming with regards money etc
I thought Auba did well prior to his new contract.
it depends on what one means by ‘well’ Rico. If it meant scoring goals then yes….he did very well. However when one looks at the bigger picture of how the team performed with/without him in the team it is easier to draw conclusions. On and individual level yes he did very well. But football is a team game….and a club is judged by how the team performs not by how many individual honours and how much one has ‘done well’.
I always reason it from a team perspective. Not from an individual.
When Sir Alf Ramsey was criticized for picking Nobby Stiles (and he knew that Nobby was a great team player) he answered ‘If Nobby does not play, the team does not play’. It was true that Hurst and Greaves grabbed the headlines because they were the goal scorers. But Nobby did a lot of work for the team and was important for the team.
Auba scored a lot. But when he played many of us got the feeling that we were playing with a man less. How much did he do for the team? And how did those around him fare with him when he was in the team?
Those who have eyes can easily observe how the team performed when Lacazette was leading the line and Auba was not in the team……and how the team performed when Auba was in the team.
Yes he got the goals. But to what detriment?
….and where would the team have been without the goals Aubameyang scored?
…the team would have played differently Cicero.
That’s what I meant Devil, his conversion percentage was up there with the best in the PL, yet he still missed a few. He appears to have baggage, an ego too but Wenger knew what/who he was getting when he signed him. Same with Lacazette and Ozil.
For sure Devil but there’s no guarantee a different player or style would have led to more goals. Also, I’m not sure Arsene Wenger would have set the team up in any other way than he did.
https://dailycannon.com/2021/06/arsenal-aron-sanchez-pre-season/
Quality goals in the Poland v Sweden match.
In essence that was the problem with AW. He played a classic 4231 formation and expected players to fit. So he buys Alexis and he fitted there immediately. Then he bought Aubameyang, a CF, and he expected him to do Alexis’ job. Had he bought a proper winger we would have had a more balanced team and probably better results.
AW did the same with Rosicky, Hleb, Nasri, Arshavin. Aill were number 10s but none of thtplayed in that position game in game out. Rosicky on the right. Arshavin on the left, Hleb on the right and so on.
Square pegs in round holes.
So yes, had AW bought a proper flak player/winger the team would have been more balanced
Strange though isn’t it, I wonder why AW strayed from what had brought him success. I kind of got the feeling that just because one or two players changing their position worked, he believed he could do the same with anyone. I think if he’d have stuck with power and pace he’d have enjoyed a more successful career with Arsenal.
That is a classic problem with many coaches Rico. They stick to one formation and players have to adapt to it.
There are two types of coaches….one who stick rigidly to a formation and expect the players to adapt. And there are those who adapt the formation to the players at his/her disposal. I always favoured the latter, especially when working with young players between the age of 13-19. One has to take into consideration their size, speed, technical level and tactical intelligence. My personal favourite was always 4-3-3 or 3-4-3 (3-4-2-1). However once I had to go through a season with a 3-5-2 formation because the players could only fit that. And even that formation I had to adapt because one of wingbacks was more of a lateral defender than a crosser while the other was more advanced type who preferred to attack.
AW succeeded many times in converting players. He did it with Lauren (midfielder to RB), he succeeded with TH14 from winger to CF. He did it with Pires (a number 10 who was converted to the left flank). Petit, who was converted from a defender to a CDM. The problem occurred, as you pointed out, because he expected that he could do the same with everyone.
And yes…I believe (like you) that if he stuck with power and pace he would have enjoyed much more trophies with Arsenal. Especially between 2006 and 2012
As do I Devil, I think to be successful over a sustained period of time, a coach/manager has to be flexible. Unless that person has a bottomless money bank to sign the exact kind of player.
So it’s Germany on Tuesday at Wembley.
Unless Southgate can sufficiently gee his team up the result will help settle the arguments around the venue for the semi-finals and final, at present that’s also Wembley. However, German chancellor, Angela Merkle , doesn’t want them played in front of such a large (40,000) crowd. UEFA want to bring 3,000 hangers on without isolating at all and are threatening to move the games to Hungary. Italy have offered the use of the Rome stadium. If we go out on Tuesday, Boris can tell UEFA to bog off to Budapest or Timbuktu and take their tin pot trophy with them.
If we don’t make the semis at least, Southgate can bog off too.
Good night one and all.
Merkel and her German MEP have announced that due to the Delta ( Indian ) variant being so prominent in the U.K that she wants all uk visitors to Europe to go into isolation on arrival in Europe to minimise the risk of it spreading to Germany .
Therefor I suggest that she should be advocating that German fans do not attend Wembley on Tuesday and all European members of FIFA’s should stay there side of the channel as well.
There should be Their ( tut tut auto correct )
Only applies one way Potter, as usual.
New post up now
https://highbury-house.com/2021/06/24/the-aubameyang-v-lacazette-conundrum-who-is-best-for-arsenal/