Morning all.
I think most of us will agree on a few things. Going forward we are well stocked, apart from a left sided wide player as using Aubameyang there kind of defeats the object of having a clinical striker such as he is. The other side of that debate is playing wide left didn’t stop Thierry Henry did it?
In midfield we’re spoilt for choice as it stands and even if Aaron Ramsey is sold before Thursday, that doesnt change really as Willock, Maitland-Niles and Smith-Rowe are all waiting in the wings.
Defence, the dreaded defence, a unit which was once the envy of many top clubs around the world is now the most talked about weakness each summer as we begin a new season. Once upon a time we had Tony Adams, then we had Sol Campbell, now we have Shkodran Mustafi as the leader of the defensive pack. Around Big Tony and Sol were either top notch or simply solid and reliable defenders. Now it’s all looking rather different. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not turning my back on Sokratis Papastathopoulos or even the German or Greek defender right now as only once the season gets going will we be able to see if Emery and his staff have managed to improve our defending but I’m just not convinced. Not having watched the preseason matches anyway. Out of the our two English centre backs, I thought Chambers was the stronger, the more likely to get time on the pitch, even if it was limited in the league, the cup matches would be his. (Performance depending of course) So needless to say I was more than surprised to see him linked with a season long loan to Fulham with a medical taking place this morning. (Now a done deal SS’s) Should have been Holding I thought but then again, he too might go out on loan yet.
If both go though, there must be a plan in place to bring in at least one central defender. After all, only Arsene Wenger would head into a new season with a under strength defensive unit wouldn’t he?
Ricardo Rodríguez is linked with us to resolve the left back problem but we need a top notch central defender too if we are to get back into the Champions League places come the end of the season. The midfield will hopefully solve a lot of our previous problems because it looks so much stronger. No longer should our midfield be more porous than a Tesco Value T-Bag but that doesn’t mean we still don’t need smart defensive players behind it.
The goalkeeping situation looks so much better already. Leno has come in, women Cech from his daydream and now the two are competing, actually competing for the number one spot. Great.
I know Rome wasn’t built in a day and Unai Emery can’t perform miracles in just a couple of months and expecting the perfect squad in place for his first season would be quite foolish imo. Even Pep found that out at Man City and lets be honest, Emery too over with a team totally devoid of confidence and one which was heading south rather than north. He’s had a lot to do, many changes to make and anything more than securing top four next May will be a success imo.
All I’m asking is that we don’t kick the season off with just two fit experienced central defenders. Other than that, I can’t wait until Sunday.
Metaphorically speaking of course…
From now until Thursday it’s going to be rumours galore filling the back pages and Sky Sports News. Jim White will already have his stupid yellow tie washed and ironed in preparation for the big day. They love it, mind you, who doesn’t? Err….
About us today is:
Rodriguez as already mentioned. Jerome Boateng is being linked as Bayern Munich are happy to cash in on him. £44 million? They’re hav
Lucas Perez to West Ham and as said above, Calum Chambers to Fulham which Sky Sports are now reporting to be a done deal.
Enjoy 5he sunshine guys, it’s coming to an end soon…
Imagine Mustafa, Holding, Monreal and Barlline in defence? Too sucidal
Good Morning to The Lady of the House and all fellow Gooners.
Rico – You’re waxing poetic this morn – “…be more porous than a Tesco Value T-Bag..”.
As the transfer window (Silly Season) draws to a close the rumours only get wilder. I maybe could see Ricardo Rodríguez, but Boateng or both, definitely not. Where is the money coming from, the sale of Ramsey? I hope not.
Oh well it will all be over and history soon. Bring on the new season!
There are others too Dan, but I do think we’d lack experience.
Morning Cg, I try. Lol
We have the money don’t we?
Roll on Friday eh..
Good morning Rico and thanks for the post.
Rumours, rumours and more rumours, still only four days to go, so I’m sure we can all cope with that.
Chambers going out on loan seems a strange one to me. I thought he looked quite good alongside Holding in one of the pre-season games. I can’t remember which one but I think it was only for half the game.
My priority is a quality left back. With Kolasinac injured, Monreal still on the beach we only have Maitland-Niles as a fill in and he’s not ready for the defensive part of the role yet.
Lovely day at Wells yesterday, the Beach Road car park was full by ten-thirty, but we got into the Freemann Street one, on what used to be a pitch and putt golf course. only a quarter mile from the beach. I’ve been going to Wells for around forty years and have never seen so many people on the beach. But due to the vast area of fine sand it was by no means overcrowded. Time well spent playing with the grand-kids and grand-dogs, swimming and relaxing. Plus a really nice meal at The Globe. On top of which I discovered a really good beer, Adnam’s Mosaic, a light, clean tasting and refreshing bitter.
Hot and sunny here again, glad I don’t have to go to work.
Morning all and thanks Rico for an impressive spelling of the old greeks name ! 🙂
Bit sceptical about the Chambers rumour so went and looked on Ornstein and it`s true !………………….dumbfounded is what I am !
Bet Pep is rubbing his hands in glee at the thought of Arsenal`s defence !……………….
😆
Rico – “We have the money don’t we?” Only the Shadow (Silent Stan) knows for sure,
We may have the may have the money to buy, but FFP would be a problem with the wages.
Arsenal`s defence will basically be Torreira and Guendouzi protecting it !
A way around FFP imo is that Wiggy could spend some rude money and sign a player for Colorad Rapids and then loan him to Arsenal !……………………………clever is what I am !…………………..
😆
Big problem with that is getting Wiggy to spend the fcuking money !
What about Denmark capten and CB Simon Kjaer who had a great WC this summer??
Can’t see how though Cg, not considering how much City etc pay their players..
Old habits die hard! Arsenal are still there with some frustrating decisions! Chambers out on loan with no replacement would weaken the squad considerably. With Kolscieny no longer the player he was and Mustafi flattering to deceive. Gosh, I don’t understand it!
Man City look like they’ll be hard to beat this season.
Jay, it’s risky signing a player off the back of a good World Cup. Arsene said so so it must be true.. 🙂
Adam, Chelsea won’t though.. lol
Why not just go big for Maguire and cheese Mourinho off in the process?
Cm, see where we are Thursday at 5pm. At least we can hope there is a plan and it will be executed..
Rico. Chelsea are going to have to buy their way out of their problems. They are a good example of buying the right players instead of the most expensive.
No doubt Man City will bid £20 mill for Guendouzi in a day or so.
I’m glad though Adam, I’d like to see them drift down the table. Lose Courtois and they’re in big trouble I reckon.
Rico. And Hazard.
Yes Adam, him too, the diving little rat.
As bad as Griezmann for me.
Me too and yet both are such gifted players who really don’t need to cheat..
It goes under the heading of professionalism to these blokes.
Thanks rico for the post……Shock Arsenal deal done…..Rodriguez and Boateng……. are you taking some strong medication? 😉
Rodriguez has been linked to us for a couple of seasons now so I can see this as a possibility BUT Boateng? never. (Unfortunately) Just what we need imo.
Chambers on loan to Fulham, I would have preferred Holding to go. He is the weaker of the two, but not a great deal between them, nothing but decent championship defenders, at best.
When you look at our back line you see just how much Wenger has left Emery in the mire???? So much work to be done. Ive got Sane, Aguero and Jesus in my dream team for this Sundays game.
I’m hoping for an “Eat my hat time” obviously.
Come on Mr Bould, work your magic with this dross you’ve been left with, now you’ve had those shackles removed.
COYG
And with weak officials who clearly agree.
Ha ha Vcc, funny enough I am. Very strong ones.. 😂
Chambers is not so incomprehensible imo. If he is to reach the standard he promised when he was 19 or 20 and before Wenger got his laissez faire defending methods on the impressionable Young man, he had all the makings of a very accomplished defender. Several years on he has regressed so far that he now little more than a competent championship stopper! However, he needs game time and I don’t believe he would have got much had he spent the season with us. If Fulham are going to pick week after week he may well make all the ground he lost under Wenger. Will we miss him? Perhaps but if and when he returns he may be welcomed with ‘open arms’ and a proper Arsenal future. Then again……….!
Afternoon all. Another hot and sticky day just like the Cornish Riviera only without the surfers and the ice creams! Or the grackles 😀
Sorry there are several missing words in more than one of my many sentences. My keyboard is not working properly, I’m typing the words but it is not registering them. I blame Steve Jobs, always!
And while I’m at it. It may be my aging iPad’s fault but the site is taking an absolute age to load, doesn’t seem to occur on other sites I visit!! Any reason Rico?
Smashing post, by the way. Content is great it’s the mechanics that are at fault, I think.😊
If we had more central defenders in the squad Wavy, I’d agree re Chambers but we are pretty thin on the ground right now. But yes, he and Holding need to be playing week in week out now, that’s the only way they’ll improve if they’re going to.
Two versions and I`m not sure which one is true………………….The Chuckle Brothers are to carry on when Paul Chuckle has Barry stuffed and then learns to become a ventriloquist !……………………………………or the new Chuckle Brothers !………………Arsenal`s defence !………………..I`m sure Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Konstantinos Mavropanos jave been practicing how to communicate “To me to you” in Greek !………………………….Wengerball at it`s best……..”to me to you peeps”!
No idea re the loading of the site Wavy, sorry. Mines ok on an iPad.
Thanks re the post, kind of you…
the money should be in words but in cash other wise we may miss out good things we expect from emery and end up crying again next seasion
Wavy I had that problem and put in an ad blocker and lo and behold it cured things, however it buggered up a few others like Arsenal. com that won’t let me log in now
Chambers going on loan is a strange one as this week has the makings of a major stress ball, becauss I can’t see us unloading anyone for decent money or signing the players we need.
But three days for Sven is like three months for Wenger Kev… 😜
Well old Golden Eyes had better get his contact lenses in Rico, because I’m not as sure as I was about the business we’ve done this summer.
Ramsey still unresolved?
Nelson still unresolved?
Jenkinson still not sorted?
Ospina still faffing about?
Campbell, where is he?
Perez wants to stay, then he wants Sporting, then he want West Ham, make up your mind!
Welbeck has finally come back off of holiday and no decision has been made about him yet?
Gazides, is he staying or is he going?
It’s all a bit Wengerish isn’t it…
I thought we’d put all this nonsense behind us?
Talk about deja vu…..
Now you say that Kev, yes, a bit of deja vu does begin to waft around..
Now it seems that Usmanov is selling to Kroenke , could that be why Gazidis is going.
Kronke makes a bid for ALL the remaining shares. He’s looking for single ownership in order to take the Arsenal to new levels of success! He’s intending to take the club privately! No accountability then. Not a healthy state of affairs.
I just hope the Usminov just dismisses him and his hairpiece out of hand. PHW was right we didn’t need his sort running our club! How on earth have we reached this state of affairs??
I can’t see any good coming from this particular buyout, none whatever.
Warm and cloudy here, black threatening clouds!!
The end of the club as we know it. If it goes private it comes wawy from stock exchange regulations on finance reports ,transparency when major decisions are taken and worst of all ives him the ability to use the money raised anywhere that he wants . I.E he can use Arsenal to mortgage his American projectswith no objection.
What rotten headlines to wake up to re Kroenke.
Morning all.
Kroenke has had a £850 million offer accepted by Usmanov. He has notified the London Stock Exchange of the deal, so it’s official.
Can’t believe Usmanov has agreed to sell, not after all he’s said about the club.
Maybe he’s getting out before the government do an Abramovic on him .
Will be interesting to see where he goes from here . If it’s political it won’t be Everton but if he wants to stay in football there will be a few sleeping European giants to hoover up.
There is always the Brexit effect as well to consider with all that uncertainty.
Morning Rico. Never believe a billionaire. 🙂
We’ll have to see how this pans out. The fan base has changed and the club has changed. Of that there is no doubt.
Yes, that went through my mind Potter..
Oh well, I guess we’ll have to see where it takes us and keep our fingers crossed. Alternatively, perhaps Kroenke will be more willing to sell up to someone new and very very rich…
Morning Adam, I’ll keep that in mind next time I’m on a night out… 🙂
Rico. 🙂
It’s solid advice. Honest.
Regardless of who actually owns the shares, a club of Arsenal’s size will only flourish with success on the pitch which means that bums on seats is everything. I imagine that the poor attendance figure last season at some home games concentrated the mind in the boardroom.
It’s a new dawn at the Emirates in more ways than one. If you’re Kroenke, it’s all looking very rosy. We’ll wait and see as it’s all we can do.
If we were bought out it would probably be by a country, rather than an individual. A bit like Man City. But, if Pep left there, who could they turn to? It’s about a lot more than money as Chelsea are finding out.
I don’t think there is a chance in Hell of Kroenke selling out now. He’s finally got what he has wanted from day one. Total control.
In the statement to the stock exchange, Kroenke said KSE were “moving forward with this offer, leading to 100% ownership of the club” and they “appreciate Mr Usmanov’s dedication” to Arsenal.
The statement added: “KSE’s ambitions for the club are to see it competing consistently to win the Premier League and the Champions League, as well as the major trophies in the women’s senior game and at youth level.”
KSE said that under “its stewardship since 2011 the club has invested in major transfers, player contracts, analytics, senior non-playing football management employees” and it “expects the club to build on those investments”.
Kroenke will be raising the capital to take control of the club with £45m of his own money and borrowing £557m, which he says will not be against the club.
“The offer is not being funded by way of any debt finance (bank loans, payment in kind loans or other debt or quasi debt interest bearing obligations) for which the payment of interest on, repayment of, or security for any liability (contingent or otherwise) will depend on the business of Arsenal,” said the statement.
I think what that means is that Arsenal FC will not be liable for any debt interest payments on the money borrowed to finance the deal.
I know Adam, honest. Money might buy the best but at some stage the best pot runs dry. To be honest, I’ve not a clue about what it means to have Kroenke as our sole owner so I’m kind of keeping quiet. I’m not sure though that I agree with just spending big money to try and win everything there is to win, because at some stage it’s going to go horribly wrong, although I don’t agree with being super tight either which is kind of how we appear to be despite the changes made.
I say that only because we still seem to be short in certain areas on the pitch and we’re a much better club than ‘just making do’ all the time. I know there’s still a few days left but it’s all getting a bit late really.
Hasn’t Josh Kroenke moved to the UK, maybe in preparation of taking over as CEO,.?
The Arsenal Football Club I grew up with was left behind at Highbury, we are now no different from a Man Utd or Liverpool or Tottenham or Chelsea or Man City or PSG etc etc, all owned by billionaires with slightly different agendas but with a common theme of making their investment grow and you don’t grow that investment if the fan base are pissed off and the stadium half empty, so let’s wait and see.
Maybe Kroenke refused to invest because it would have benefited Usmanov, now investment will only benefit him. So expect a £100m bid for Dembele any day now. 😅😅😅
My money is on Josh Kev..
Love your Dembele thoughts… 🙂
Kev. I agree. The ‘old’ Arsenal is gone and it’s all change. The Emirates move was the break with the traditions of the traditional ‘feel’ of the club. Abramovich must have altered a lot of mindsets with his mega money etc. I also think that Potter might well be right and that perhaps Usmanov saw the writing on the wall for Oligarchs in the UK.
Everything around us is totally up in the air. From the club we love to the politics we suffer under.
Yes Adam, everybody is expecting Usmanov to now pile into Everton, but he may take his investment abroad, France or Spain perhaps, there must be a few clubs out there who would welcome his roubles and countries for that matter.
Most fans initial reaction to Kroenke taking complete control is negative, no more AGM’s, even if they were a bit of a joke, the press will certainly miss them. But actions speak louder than words, so let’s see what occurs, Kroenke can’t totally hide the financial figures, so if money isn’t being invested in the team he’ll soon hear about it from the fans. The only was to satisfy fans and sponsors is to be successful and you’re not going to be successful by not spending on the squad, Kroenke May be a lot of things, but he isn’t an idiot, nor is his son.
New post up.