Morning all.
I’m feeling very well, I’m regaining confidence and I can feel my knee is better. After an injury like this you are kind of scared to force the knee again but the past couple of weeks it has been fine and soon I can start training with the ball.
I think we have an excellent squad and along with Mikel’s forward-thinking and winning mentality we can carry on doing well. We are playing well and training well, everyone wants to win and we are all giving everything. I believe this season is very promising. – Gabriel Martinelli.
What a miss Gabriel Martinelli has been. He arrived, showed us all what he’s about and then suffered a freak injury during training. That was back in March and before lockdown. Six months and knee surgery later, he’s back at Arsenal, his knee improving as each day passes. His return is expected at the end of the year which isn’t as far off as it sounds. Personally, I think we can pretty much write him off for the rest of the season as we’ve seen before how players can struggle for their first few months after a ligament injury. In July this year, he signed a new contract which keeps him at Arsenal until 2024, with an option of an extra year. It’ll be great to see him back though.
The rest of our younger players contracts run out in 2023, barring Eddie Nketiah. His runs out in 2022 so discussions over extending his stay must be in the pipeline. The under 23 England international is scoring goals for his country but for Arsenal, it’s not quite clicking. Yet. Next week, our Europa Cup campaign kicks off and I’d imagine he’s in the pipeline to lead our front line. The perfect time to start taking his opportunities and build some confidence.
Our next fixture is as tough as it gets really as we head to The Etihad and then just a few days later, we travel to the Allianz Stadion to face Rapid Vienna. It’s a 5.55pm kick off.
It’s a great in hindsight that William Saliba was left out of the Europa League squad because it might have proved to be the ideal competition for him to get playing time. He was linked to a loan to Brentford but it seems he’s staying at Arsenal now, until January at least.
The Europa squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Leno, Runarsson, Macey, Hillson, Iliev
Defenders: Bellerin, Gabriel, Holding, Cedric , Mustafi, Chambers, Pablo Mari, David Luiz, Kolasinac, Tierney
Midfielders: Dani Ceballos, Willian, Maitland-Niles, Partey, Elneny, Xhaka
Forwards: Lacazette, Aubameyang, Pepe
Nelson, Saka, Nketiah, Willock and Smith Rowe are all included as homegrown players.
The inclusion of Mustafi, Mari and Chambers would suggest their return is imminent. Nelson and Smith Rowe, two players who could really do with game time and with our group as it is, I don’t think Mikel Arteta will have a better opportunity to give one or both, minutes on the pitch.
We have a fixture every 3/4 days now until the 7th November when Emi Martinez and his high flying Aston Villa teammates come to The Emirates. Between now and then we travel to both Manchester stadiums and face Leicester City at The Emirates. Plus, two home matches in the Europa League and one away. Seven fixtures in just 22 days, if my maths is right.
Having a fully fit and healthy squad, barring Martinelli, will be a huge boost for Mikel Arteta. Even if it does give him a selection headache. The joys of being a football manager eh…
Meanwhile, the ‘Project Big Match’ saga rumbles on and on the changes in football theme, Arsene Wenger would like to see some of his own. Not the free-kick or throw-in suggestion but in relation to the Nations League.
We need to get rid of the Nations League and find clearer events that everyone understands. If you ask people in the street what the Nations League is, you won’t find many able to explain it. We need to have as few events as possible. One World Cup and one European Championship every other year would probably be more appropriate for a modern world.
To have a World Cup or European Championship each summer, that’s if I’ve read his comment right, would be too much I think. Players need a summer break and a full one too. Why should domestic clubs have players miss pre-season each year or worse still, find them return injured or absolutely knackered? Why not just go back to how it was?
See you in the comments guys.
Re yeaterday’s post , I saw that game too . I was 10 my Dad took me with my uncles . I was swapped from should to shoulder throughout. We went 3 nil down and got back to 3 all crowd was going mad but they scored 2 more and we got another near the end. Such was life in those days.
On the Ozil bonus , I also read that a lot of his £ 350,000 is tied up in appearence money , so if he doesn’t play his salary is reduced . Rumour suggests it’s in the region of £ 100,000 a game , so if he’s got £ 8,000,000 it probably goes some way to mitigation.
I read that last bit as a gap of a year between the world and European cups and of course now we have to pencil in the African nations as well.
Morning campers, morning Rico, £8m for Ya Gunners Ya, what a joke, but if it was agreed to by Wenger and Gazides then we have no choice, we are duty bound to pay it, maybe Ya Gunners Ya could have donated it to a pot to pay the salaries of the 55 who lost their jobs at Arsenal being that he has such a social conscience?
Morning all.
Kev, it’s fact he’s donated one hell of a lot of money to those in need.
It’s easy to he has plenty, but he’s done it and I guarantee there’d be other sportsman around the world who haven’t.
It’s just terrible that we keep talking about this as the story just drags on.
It needs to end somehow ASAP
Scott, Wenger indulged him and he’s admitted as much recently, it got the best out of him but it made us uncompetitive.
Emery tried to do what Arteta has done but couldn’t get his message across, he also made, in retrospect, some poor decisions like not starting with Leno and trying to playout from the back with a goalkeeper wholly unsuited, he also flip flopped with Ozil and those decisions send the wrong messages to the players, so it wasn’t a shock when he lost their confidence.
Arteta has got everything about spot on but he is still saddled with the legacy left him by Gazides, Wenger, Raul and Emery, so that’s why it’s still an issue.
Once those players bequeathed us by earlier regimes are almost all gone then that’s when the narrative will eventually change.
So next summer I guess?
Kev, there’s the difference between Emery and Arteta though.
The biggest question mark or criticism people had of Arteta when he got the job was would he have the balls to make hard calls.
He’s shown he’s got that and then some.
No stuffing around.
Ozil obviously hasn’t towed the line so he’s out.
Better to do that than have the issue in the change room and effecting other players on a daily basis.
ACON, America’s cup or whatever it’s called too. I know these blokes get paid a lot but by the clubs, the clubs who suffer long term.
Morning Kev. Thank goodness the Ozil saga will soon be over. A ridiculous deal which I hope the club never repeat again.
He has Scott, but to anyone in the country he earns his money from?
Rico, I don’t know but I’m not sure it matters.
Kids in need are kids in need.
He may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but he’s also not the evil bastard plenty make out.
I guess the Ozil story and conversation will go on because it’s relevant. Annoying too. I’m still hoping the club and he can come to some kind of financial agreement and he goes. Unless of course there is a way back which I doubt.
Great article, and one that doesn’t give Ozil a free ride, but does offer some perspective.
https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8240583/amp/There-Mesut-Ozil-considered-350k-wage-cut-snub.html
Rico, I agree it’ll go on.
I just meant it’s a shame we are talking about this and not how well he’s playing lol
Rather be talking about Ozil the footballer but obviously that’s not possible atm.
I don’t think he’s evil Scott, just took advantage when he could. It’s not his fault Wenger and Gazidis cocked things up.
Blokes like Ozil and Hamilton etc could learn a lot from the late great George Michael. Only when he died did his generosity be known.
During an interview with the BBC this morning Arsene Wenger was asked about Ozil
You signed Mesut Ozil for a then club record fee of £42.4m – what do you make of his career currently?
I feel it is a waste for him.
Firstly because he’s in the years where a player of his talent can produce the most. And it’s a waste for the club as well because he’s a super talent, a creative talent that in the final third can create that killer pass.
The way football is going at the moment it’s quick counter-pressing, quick transitions and everybody plays the same. It’s kicked out players like Ozil. Although let’s not forget who this guy is. A world champion who has played at Real Madrid.
Yeah, as mentioned above, I have heard that a lot of his weekly salary is made up from bonuses and by not playing him or having him in the squad it saves £100,000 per week.
Now I don’t know the accuracy of these rumours but I heard them via normally reliable sources although we don’t know where they got them, etc etc.
But let’s assume that they’re correct, that’s £400.000 per month and if he stays until his contract expires next June that could amount to the tidy sum of £3.6/£4m, which is a lot of dough.
Ah Lewis Hamilton, the poor dear is a slave…
Cicero, don’t you think how Arsene summed up his view on Ozil reminded us how much he was out of step with how the game was changing and his inability to change with it.
I do Kev, and it’s worth reading the full interview on the BBC Sport website. But take into account it was an interview given to publicise his new book “My Life in Red and White”.
Afternoon rico, all. Keep looking for Nketiah in that list, but we must have let him go on loan .. 🙂
Saliba omission does seem odd when one of those goalies went out on loan next day so a wasted selection?
Madness that no compromise being reached with Oz, for everyone’s benefit. I remember saying give him another chance, another chance, until finally I thought no more. But, would still like to see one more match to see if he really can still produce.
I suppose one thing about the Ozil situation is 45% of his earnings go direct to the treasury, so helping to fund British hospitals, schools,police and so on. Doesn’t help Arsenal though.
Going back to the subject of Rico’s post,it will be great to see some of the youngsters,Emile Smith-Rowe is hopefully fit soon.When he’s back Martinelli will be – like a new signing (dare I say) Perhaps someone new will break through,most of the better youngsters seem to be on loan though.
Anyway I can’t wait for proper football to return.
That £100k a week saved by Ozil will add up to… A new signing. Lol
Afternoon Andrew, all. I can’t believe I left Eddie out….
Are you sure Limey, we’re against City. Lol
Looks like this could be a big season for Eddie, Nelson, Willock etc.
We always seem to lose to City too.
Fingers crossed then.
This international break is so pointless, and there is another one in a few weeks.
Yep, after the Villa game. The stop starting of a season is utterly stupid.
Ronaldo has tested positive for Covid..
Come on Eddie… break the record!!.
What a boost that would be for him..
Rico… Eddie’s done it!! Phew, left it late..brilliant!
Missed a penalty and then scores 2 minutes from the end
Good night for the U23 tonight.
They have won2-1 at Crawley now top of Group.
McEnuff and Azeez scored the Goals.
Great effort by the U23’s, Steve Bould is still copping a lot of criticism despite his squad being decimated by 11 of his available players going out on loan. So pleased for him that the team have delivered.
If Bould was such a poor coach as suggested by many online, then I doubt that Mertesaker would have stuck by him.
Agreed Kev. I think Bould was judged harshly. One manager didn’t listen to anyone other than himself imo, the other just kept him on for continuity I think.
New post up now