Morning all.
Mikel Arteta’s assistant coach Steve Round left the building yesterday. By ‘mutual consent’ it was reported which usually means, sacked. It doesn’t matter, what matters though is who replaces him. Santi Cazorla perhaps, or maybe Mikel Arteta has someone in his thoughts. I’m sure we’ll know who it is before the new season kicks off. Hopefully it’s someone who reinforces the need for rotation.
Another exit was confirmed yesterday. Granit Xhaka has joined Bayer Leverkusen, a deal that’s been written about for a while now.
Both Edu and Mikel Arteta summed up Granit Xhaka rather well I think.
Edu said:
Granit has been a big part of our club for a long time. He has given us great commitment and quality over the years, playing such an important role in our progression and success. He leaves us with our huge respect and thanks. We wish Granit all the best for the future.”
Mikel Arteta:
We are saying goodbye to a fantastic player and person loved by all of us. It has been an incredible journey together for him and he has given absolutely everything for this club. The influence Granit has had on his team mates on the pitch and colleagues at the club, will tell you just how popular he is. We cannot thank Granit enough for his service and contribution to this club over the years. We wish Granit and his family all the best in the next step of their lives.
Granit has been a bit of a marmite player during his time at Arsenal. His behaviour when Arsenal faced Crystal Palace was probably his lowest point but that aside, and despite the officials treating him differently to many other Premier League players who commit really bad challenges week in week out, there’s no doubting his love and commitment for the club and more recently, the fans too. He wanted out and was ready to leave before Mikel Arteta intervened and it’s fair to say, he’s just enjoyed what’s probably been his best ten months of football in an Arsenal shirt. He leaves at the perfect time I think and I’m actually quite sad to see him go but at the same time, I know it’s the right move for both him and Arsenal.
Good luck Granit, enjoy the rest of your career and life beyond football….
One out then but one staying on too as Reiss Nelson has signed a new long term contract with the club. I’m sure not every Arsenal fan will be pleased but I think it’s really good news. He’s English, like Xhaka, he had some excellent moments during last season and he’s still only 23 years old. This is a big season for him in my opinion because it’s likely that he’ll get a lot more playing time than ever before.
Today could be busier than yesterday for Arsenal as William Saliba’s new deal is likely to be confirmed and both Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber are expected to undergo a medical. Who knows, we might even have three deals confirmed by the end of the day. It is Friday after all……
The last twelve months has been extraordinary I think. Arsenal have gone from being a club/team which was considered outsiders for a top four place to a club which but for 2/3 injuries, might have won the League. Players had been leaving for free or cheap yet now, a reported £21.5 million has been secured for a 30 year old Granit Xhaka. Flo Balogun has a reported £50 million price tag on his back, not that I think he should be sold. The days of waiting until the final weeks of a transfer window to see who’s available, Arsenal are going for their targets early. Most importantly, players already at the club are signing new long term deals. Nelson, Saka, Ramsdale, Martinelli, Ramsdale and William Saliba. I’m sure when White and Odegaard are offered new deals, if they haven’t already, they’ll sign them too. It wasn’t that long ago Balogun, Smith Rowe and Nketiah committed their future to the club either.
Declan Rice is joining Arsenal because he wanted the club and the club wanted him and I truly believe that had City ever been an option in his mind, West Ham would have accepted their bid and the rest would be history. It was similar last summer with Jesus and it’s no different now with players who are committing their future to the club. Does anyone believe Ten Hag didn’t think about signing Timber? Too bad if he did because he wanted Arsenal too and rumour has it, Lavia feels the same.
Of course there’s a wage element to every deal but I’m sure City, Chelsea, United, Real etc, pay their players just as much, if not more than Arsenal pay theirs. When did we last hear an Arsenal player say ‘just give me the pen’ when his new contract was being talked about? That’s how much Martinelli wanted to stay.
Arsenal FC has always been a big club, the biggest in London that’s for sure but for the first time in years, probably since David Dein left, we’re behaving like one. It’s great isn’t it….
Catch up in the comments.
As I intimated yesterday Arteta is bulding a squad capable of interchangability . Like Guardiola has in his City system the ability to say take off De Bruyne and bring on Gundogan , or Mahrez replacing Silva or Foden .
As we look at the signings fans are asking where will he play ? the truth is in possibly a few different positions . Will Timber replace White or Tomiyasu or will when he plays will White go into midfield . If Saka looks tired , Trossard or Nelson comes in , If Martinelli gets a knock then it’s Trossard or Nelson again , Odegaard = Smith Rowe ,
It’s a squad and the reason that City have dominated .Arteta is building the same.
I am sure that there are many other combinations of starters and substitutions, in defence and midfield we are getting alternatives and additions or replacements.
It’s looking good on paper , now it has to look good on the pitch.
And for ten months instead of August to January….
I always liked Granit….. I’ll always forgive someone who fucks up because they cared so much. Rather that, than someone who goes through the motions. He never did that.
Morning Rico and all.
First assistant coach round leaves now according to reports our club doctor has left us for Man United, I hope this is not the start of any background inner fighting.
Good news, Saliba has signed his contract and it’s official. Didn’t see that coming. 😆
Hi Geoff.
I think it can be healthy to have a gradual turnover of staff as long as you’re replacing like for like or even better for like, Ferguson loved churning his staff, it kept them on their toes and brought in new ideas.
Rice has passed his medical according to reports, let’s hope they announce it soon and move on to other transfers both in and out.
Love the creation backed up by stupidity , Arsenal in for Mbappe offering Pepe plus cash .
We will give you 100million for Mbappe or 105 if you take Pepe as well.
I’m not fussed about Round or O’Driscoll (spelling) going. There must be a reason for both so move on I say. Plenty of Drs out there to choose from I’m sure. Perhaps we might find one who can keep our players fit. 😂
😀 potter
Shock! Horror! Rice has failed his medical. He has Hammer Toes. He played for West Ham, nick named The Hammers, Hammer Toes gedit. 😊
This is great…
https://twitter.com/afcstuff/status/1677648101920714757?s=20
Nice video clip Rico, that’s what we need to see, the team supporting each other
I’m going to watch the final later Geoff, should be good. Spain are strong I think.
Busy first half for the ref, 7 bookings and one coach for each side, sent off.
England 1-0 up thanks to a big chunk of fortune, but who cares. Lol
Dumb bowling by England. Trying to bounce out Head and the Aussie tail. Restrict their scoring options, increase the pressure. There’s two days left in the match, plenty of time of we play “proper” cricket..
Well done England, congratulations to ESR…
Unbelievably , England did not concede a single goal in the Finals, Trafford kept six consecutive clean sheets and saved an injury-time penalty.
Congratulations England under 21, very happy for ESR.
I felt sorry for him played wide on the left , Martinelli he isn’t . He was like a fringe player and got subbed after an hour .Still at least he got some pitch time and did not pick up an injury.
If we are looking for a left back, and we should be*, we could do worse than consider Norwich City’s twenty-four year old Max Aarons. Watching last night’s U 21 final I thought Aaron’s was one of the best, if not the best, England player on the pitch. I’m sure he would jump at the chance of leaving The Championship for a move to a Champions League side.
* In the expected departure of Tierney can we really depend on the injury prone Zinchenko to play around thirty to forty games? I doubt it. Aaron’s has much going for him in particular Premiership experience, a mature twenty- four and English. I commend the idea to The House.
I second your proposal.
Spooky, I was just thinking the same about Aarons…
New post up