Morning all.
Ex Arsenal employee Raul Sanllehi has spoken out about Arsenal, I think for the first time since he departed. His main moan about the way Arsenal are right now relates today is Mikel Arteta being the manager rather than head coach.
I do not agree when clubs call the first-team coach “the manager”. First-team coach is first-team coach, that is enough. Nowadays, the workload is overwhelming, and I need him to concentrate on the first team. They have betrayed the model a little bit now. By going back to the manager at the top, that is a mistake, but that is their mistake. I would have not allowed that to happen. But that’s fine, it is working so far for them.
Betraying the model? What model, because other than Unai Emery, I’m pretty sure every Arsenal manager has been called that, manager. Arsenal’s time under Sanllehi was hardly something to look back on and think “they were good times”. If stories about Unai Emery having very little say in who the club signed are true, how can that be considered a good way to run a club? Also, how does he know what or what not, Mikel Arteta is involved in as far as decision making goes? Player signings and sales should be a big fat yes because it’s he who trains them, plays them and has the unenviable task of getting them to work together as a strong and cohesive unit. It’s the manager’s job at risk on a weekly basis, not some bloke sat in his office dealing with his mates each transfer window. I’m pretty sure Arsenal, and any club for that matter, will be run in the way they see fit and right for them and whether there’s a head coach or manager, a title will make little difference.
What’s just as important, if not more so, is the way the club is run away from the pitch and one of the many things evident in All Or Nothing, Arsenal’s team behind the scenes are a strong, together and united group. Success starts at the top and I think we’d all agree that when David Dean left, that strong team behind the scenes is what caused Arsenal problems. Just as Sanllehi himself did. Thankfully though, those days are behind us and we’re well into what’s looking like being a much better era.
Tonight, Granit Xhaka, and Martin Odegaard are in action for their respective countries with listed bonuses being picked up by fans to support them to pick up victories. Scotland play too but Kieran Tierney has returned to Arsenal as a precaution after being sustaining a head injury against the Republic of Ireland. Thomas Partey is believed to have returned too having suffered an injury whilst warming up for Ghana in their first friendly. Hopefully he’ll be fine by Saturday but sadly, I doubt it. As we already know, Takehiro Tomiyasu has returned to England too but the interesting part of this is that Japan, according to AFC.com, should have beaten USA by a greater scoreline than they did, and would had Matt Turner not made a string of really good saves. Any positive news about our players is always welcome but especially our number two keeper because in the few appearances he’s made, he’s looked shaky. Or perhaps just nervous. It’s funny because with outfield players, it’s often said that coming from a different country or league, it can take time to settle into a new team yet with a goal keeper, they’re expected to be at their best from day one, yet they still need time to get to know how the players in front of him play. Must be even tougher for a number two keeper because they don’t get the constant run of fixtures a first choice keeper gets. That’ll change in October though as four Europa fixtures take place and another in the first week of November. Plus, there’s a League Cup fixture just three days later too.
A hectic schedule looms large for Arsenal but it’s the same for every Premier League club unless they’ve already been knocked out of the League Cup so we can’t complain. For fans, it’s great.
See you in the comments.
I don’t pay any attention to what Raul says. He is clearly a highly corrupt individual. There are two words that will define his period in charge at Arsenal: Nicolas Pepe.
Why spend £20 million for a player, when you can pay £72 million?
Blame has to be shared with the person who gave him the job. Ivan Gazidis. Remember him?
Morning Rico.
Like I mentioned last week Partey’s fitness will be a constant worry this season. Lokonga can’t play the same role yet. I suspect we will be looking for cover in January.
We should have been looking for cover before the season started
Morning Pete, Potter, all.
I’m of the same opinion, the cover for Partey was crucial, if not desperate.
I too think it’ll come in January. On the bright side, the club will have saved six months of wages and if we’re after one of the players out of contract next summer, he’ll be cheaper. 😆
Maybe after the world cup
That is January Jm. Lol
Wenger bought Gilberto after a world cup tournamen so who knows?
If only there was another player like him out there to sign.
Flo Balogun scored again in England’s 3 – 1 victory over Germany.
Good night Gooners, everywhere.
Hopefully things will pick up a bit now Cicero. Sometimes I think I’m talking to myself, probably because I am. 😂
Morning Rico, yes it does seem quiet on here but that’ll all change in a few days, it the old interlull lack of interest syndrome I’m afraid…
Edu has had a couple of really busy summers bringing in some talented young players and moving on a lot of time wasters. Despite the sniping of Raul, the man that called the shots when he was at Arsenal, you cannot deny the good work our smiling DoF has done over the last 18 months or so.
We’ve gone from a squad where we couldn’t include everyone in the 25 to a youthful squad where the 25 only has 20 with a raft of U21’s doing a man’s job.
But that all changes next season when some of the U21’s become Over 21’s and maybe that’s partly why there are 5 vacancies in the 25..?
Morning Kev, well, if it doesn’t for an NLD, it never will… lol
My only gripe with Raul is the not signing who Emery wanted. If true of course
But, he was part of the Arteta decision I think, and he was in place when Martinelli was signed, Tierney too and I was thrilled when Pepe arrived, Torreira too and early on, Guendouzi looked like he could be the perfect midfielder in the future.
However…
Next season, 2023/24, Balogun, Saka, Martinelli, Okonkwo and few fringe players like John Jules (don’t get excited Adam), Alebiosu, Hillson, Akinola, Harry Clarke, Cottrell and Rekik have to be registered as part of the 25, loaned or sold.
Obviously the first 3 or maybe 4 are only likely to need spaces to fill but that could swallow up 3 or 4 spots.
What does the future hold for loanees like Trusty, Tavares and Pepe (remember him?).
Yeah I get that regarding Raul but he must have had his hand in the cookie jar somehow, it just seemed to coincidental that Tim Lewis arrives, looks at the books and in a matter of a few days Raul is gone.
That’s true Rico, the thing is how can you employ a guy to coach your team seemingly because you believe that he has the skills to do the job and then refuse to sign any of the players he wants. Maybe the players who Emery wanted didn’t appeal to Raul because there was nothing in it for him?
Possibly Kev, he did seem to like dealing with a select few when it came to agents.
I can’t see many of those you list being at Arsenal for much longer, they’re going to be moved on rather than take a squad place imo. With a few exceptions of course. Jules being one. 😝
Good morning Rico, Kev. The involvement of so called “super agents” around the time post Gazidis and Wenger leads me to suspect that there were financial shenanigans going on to the detriment of the club.
It’s all very well to pick out a few names to blame, but the final responsibility lies with whoever appointed them in the first place and that is the Kroenkes.
Morning Cicero. I see it differently to you because the Kroenke’s didn’t force anyone to do any kind of deal and I doubt they knew much about dodgy agents or shady deals in the game. After all, it wasn’t Arsenal’s board fault that George Graham got up to naughtiness.
New post up now by the way.