Morning all.
Another from Kev this morning.
I started writing this piece before the transfer window had even opened. The rumour mill was already in full flow by then with what often seemed to be credible links to players. Most though never made through the Arsenal doors, just as I believed they wouldn’t. I kept an eye out, started scribbling and after a rewrite or two, here it is. The beginning anyway, as we look at the Arsenal squad over the next few days.
As Arsenal approached the end of the ‘holiday period’ – you know, what once used to be know as the Close Season – and the players began to return from their increasingly brief breaks from the game to begin pre-season, we began to see a picture of how our squad was unfolding. To measure up the season ahead and to judge the business provided by Raul and his transfer team led by Huss Fahmy and Francis Cagagao. Aided by our old Invincible Edu.
We can’t shop in the same market as Man City or Man Utd or even Chelsea, but we can easily compete with the likes of Liverpool and Toots. We may not be able to offer Champions League Football but as a club, we’re a very attractive one. We always have been but now at last, it seems the club have project to sell, a plan for future success. We have a proper back room team to promote that plan too and of course, to deliver it. For now it seems both Manchester clubs will monopolise the transfer market as far as English clubs go but they can’t sign every player. Liverpool had their big transfer splurge last summer but this one was quiet and perhaps Arsenal will kind of emulate the way they’ve gone about things over recent years. Where would they be without Coutinho?
Goalkeepers.
Petr Cech has retired and gone home to Fulham Broadway. Good luck to him though in his new Director of Football role alongside Frank Lampard. David Ospina has finally moved on, leaving us with the very capable Bernd Leno as our unrivalled No.1 and the equally capable Emi Martinez as his deputy.
I’m quite comfortable with Martinez as cover for Leno and hope that we don’t go down the cup keeper avenue again this season and Emery instead chooses his goalkeeper on a game by game basis so we don’t get wedded to the situation we had in Baku where the manager almost forced into playing Petr Cech against Chelsea.
Behind Leno and Martinez sit Matt Macey and Arthur Okonkwo, both no doubt challenging each other for the under 23 top spot as well as being the future number one for Arsenal. Both are English, three cms divide them as far as height goes but it’s the elder of the two Macey who has more experience having spent last season out on loan at Plymouth Argyle. According to transfermarket, Macey’s contract expires next summer and Football London reported a couple of months ago that he’s been told he can leave this summer. For now though he remains listed as an Arsenal player. Should Leno or Martinez suffer an injury though, it’ll be interesting to see which of our under 23 keepers step in to cover…
Tomorrow will be a look at our defence.
Finally though, let’s clear up the new law on handball in the penalty area and why Wolves had their goal disallowed at the weekend.
Any handball, intentional or not is deemed to be handball IF a goal is scored directly or indirectly from it. So if the ball clips my hand, ends up at your feet and you score, the goal will be disallowed.
I think it’s a sensible ruling which ends ambiguity and any suggestion that a referee might pick and choose the handball decisions he decides to penalise. As if they would……
By AllezKev.
Good post Kev and thank you. I look forward to the defence one next, then midfield and strikers. I’ll be out of a job. Love it. 😅
Morning to you and all by the way.
This is priceless…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hmJ0Vw7sZD4
Rick/Kev,
Do either of you know what’s happening with Macey? If he is off as FL suggest then we’re relying on a very young keeper to step in.
Morning Rico, thanks for that fantastic edit, I’d like to claim responsibility for all of it, but it was your work as much as mine, thanks again Rico…
If I recall I started that post back in June, as I did with the others, thought I’d get in early as there seemed to be a lot of creditable rumours, but it still worked out Ok.
Okonkwo is injured so I can’t see Macey leaving just yet Rico and we have Iliev out on loan, he’s about 23’ish so he’ll come into the mix in 12 months time…
Morning Red, Wichita, I’ve heard of that, you know, the Wichita linesman etc.
Wasn’t there an Indian tribe called the Wichita?
I didn’t know that re Okonkwo Kev. That’s why the change of heart then, makes sense. A good season from Macey and the club might extend his contract I guess.
I barely touched your fine post Kev…..
Apart from Tierney, Ceballos too, the club managed to keep things quiet this summer. I didn’t see Pepe or Luiz coming nor Martinelli.
Zaha was perhaps a smokescreen. Rugani appears set for a move to Roma according to reports in Italy…
Good morning all, thanks for the post Kev. We need three fit ‘keepers. Macey must stay and should be given a new contract.
The handball rule is a mess. Where does the arm stop and the shoulder start?
Rico/Cicero, thanks, from what I’ve read Macey had an ok season with Plymouth, but didn’t pull up any trees, Okonkwo is really highly rated at the club, he almost left a year ago because he wanted some guarantees about getting a chance to progress, which he got as the club were eager to hold onto him.
I sometimes think that we carry too many goalkeepers, many like Hillson, with very little chance of making it, but I guess for them it’s great to have Arsenal on your CV…
I think that Bob Wilson remains the last goalkeeper who came through the ranks at Arsenal to take the No.1 jersey regularly, a few have had odd games, but none have held their place in the team…
I think the handball rule is much much better, all makes sense to me.
One of the things in Kev’s post makes so much sense and that’s having a ‘cup keeper’ – I agree it should be binned. Select on merit alone because who knows what form either Leno or Martinez will be in come May should we reach a final. Or February in the League Cup..
Thanks for that Kev. That’s why he was part of our squad a few times last season then. He’s still young though, perhaps too young to be thinking about needing assurances about playing time..
The thing is Rico, if we get to the latter stages of any cup with a chance of winning silverwear, then there really has to be a more pragmatic selection policy, I mean if we get Man Utd in say the Quarter Finals of the UEFA Cup, do we really want to risk it with Martinez in goal at Old Trafford, especially as the rest of the team will have changed?
To me it just makes sense to put players in the picture now.
Of course if Martinez is brilliant in the earlier rounds Emery can make a decision to keep him in the side but it has to be based on merit…
Absolutely agree Kev and the same applies to the whole squad I’d have thought. Although saying that, it depends on where we are in the league too after the turn of the year. Top four has to take precedence this season I’d have thought.
Maybe there should be a break off time. Martinez needs game time and the cups are the best way to give it to him just as it will be with the youngsters when our first team regain fitness.
having said that fter a already declared period say F.Cup 6th round or Semis of the others then perhaps it should be on seniority if you don’t do that then Martinez leaves and we go looking for a replacement.
Kev, if it’s OK with you, I will re-read your Post shortly.
Rico you said that you and the inestimable Dermot Gallager did not agree with my ‘interpretation’ of the new handball law. That’s fine – except I did not interpret Law 12 which has been clearly defined for the season 2019/20.
IWhat I did say, was that the PGMOL {the Professional Game Match Officials Limited} who are responsible for all the match officials in English football, said they had issued guidance on the interpretation of handball during matches following the Law change.
A note on this was issued via the wonderful Mike Reilly. 🥺
– Law 12 which governs handball in season 2019/20 has been further defined to help determine what is a handball and which isn’t.
– A player is seen to have committed a handball if their arm is in an unnatural position, including having their hands behind their back.
– Handball will be given if the ball strikes any hand which is over shoulder height.
– Former whistler Mike Reilly has assured fans that the ball-to-hand decisions we saw this summer Women’s WC, in France, will NOT be given as spot-kicks in the Premier League.
Hopefully that clarifies what I actually referred to in my comment this morning — I am obviously rubbish in my use of English grammar.
Kev,
I have had a chance to read your Post now, and very good it is too, thank you. 😁
You accurately summarised the transfer activities ( and non-activities) that occurred and it helps to put things in their right context for those of us who pay little attention until someone announces we have signed a newbie. A damned good window it was in the end!
I am not going to be drawn any further on the handball changes for this season, (I was simply expressing an opinion) other than to repeat what I said this morning, that I think there will be mayhem surrounding the EPL referees subjective decisions on what is natural or unnatural body positions etc, and will cause much more fan trouble than VAR will, because of the inevitable lack of consistency.
That’s what you get when Gallagher and Reilly stick their stupid noses in, and start their own ‘interpretation’ of Law 12.
I suspect The International Football Association Board (IFAB) which is the body that determines the Laws of the Game of association football worldwide, will eventually have to step in and sort out the PGMOL plonkers — otherwise the EPL will be playing to different interpretations of Law 12 than the rest of Europe..
I can see where you’re coming from Potter.
RA, perhaps what Gallagher was referring to was in the case where a goal has been scored rather than handball in the penalty area in general. That’s certainly how I understood it anyway.
Can’t see it myself Ra, all makes sense to me, certainly on the IFAB website.
You could well be right, Rico.
We will soon find out as with Dean and Atkinson and Co, they are bound to put their slant on things, and then there will be weeks of anger, for one team or the other. Let’s hope it won’t be us on Saturday — (I think someone said Dean was scheduled to be our ref — I hope I misunderstood that.) 😳
Afternoon Rico and all. One of the offshoots of the PL kick-off over the weekend was the sight of Mourinho attempting to re-invent himself for the TV audience on Sky. Here was the new Jose, a million miles and approximately 26 quid away from the sullen, miserable Jose of last season. Yes, it’s Jose Nouveau with a very nice, crisply ironed linen shirt and a distinguished mop of grey hair teased into a modern football manager cut. Jose Nuevo, ready to step into the breach of any BIG club that might want to lose about £100 million very quickly.
Adam,
😁😁
Oops. Should have been 26 million quid. Apologies.
Afternoon Adam, I did wonder when I just read your comment. 😆
Wolves looked good last season, wonder if it was a bit of a fluke..
Mourinho is an awful pundit, or at least I thought so. Mind you, I can’t stand the bloke although I suspect he’s charming away from football..
He’s a disgrace. The chip on his shoulder before, during and after the manure chavs exchange was a disgrace. In nearly every statement he made there was an element of vitriol and a suggestion, not so subtle, that he knew better than super frank and Ollie the dark destroyer. It’s a great shame that he find now that he can’t get a job in the world of soccer ball! Do I feel sorry for him, NO I DO NOT. Long may he languish amongst the unemployed humans who sadly have to live alongside him on this planet. My advice for him would be, don’t give up the current day job and look to move back to his native country! And good shut.
Afternoon Rico, Adam and all. And thanks Kev for your musings, they were well received.
Good morning( west coast USA time),
Does anyone know status of Martinelli? I don’t see him anywhere on the team sheet of the Arsenal website.
Sorry Rico. I know what a stickler you are for accuracy. 😉
Nice one Adonis Kev.
Off topic, here is easy understandable various accounts of what we actually spent this transfer window ! 🙂
No doubt Redders will cream over it ! 😆
https://www.givemesport.com/1497031-twitter-thread-comprehensively-explains-how-arsenal-managed-to-spend-140-million-this-summer?autoplay=on
Afternoon Wavy. I think the bloke has a cheek taking money for a job he always criticised. Ghastl6 bloke.
Adam. Ha ha..
Reg, he’s on there somewhere I’m sure…
Leeds 1-0 Nketiah
Good on Eddie…
Morning all.
Seems the handball rule, or the interpretation of it, is already causing confusion so I can’t wait to see how it works in practical situations.
Surely, there is a way to make it cut and dried so it’s not down to the individual to decide.
I´m not agree with that new rule.
After several weeks of continuously shooting his mouth off, I’d imagine that that repugnant oaf Neil Lennon has suddenly lost his voice…
He’s certainly lost Celtic’s Champions League place. What’s the betting we draw them in the Europa?
Manchester City have avoided a transfer ban by paying FIFA a £350,000 bribe (oops sorry) that should have read Manchester City have been handed a £350,000 fine and avoided a transfer ban for breaching rules in relation to the signing of overseas young players.
Chelsea, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona have all suffered transfer bans for the same offence and it was expected that City would also be banned.
Has anything at FIFA changed since the departure of Blatter & Co?
“Sensible Ruling” Kev, you must be joking…….hands behind the back also given, what a lot of tosh. Hands behind the back, “intentional or not”…..teams might as well play with Amputees………..I’ve heard of some inane rules and regulations but this is bordering on the ridiculous. If referees cannot differentiate in SLO-MO whther it is intentional or not then they should look for alternative emploment. LOL
I guess Andorra it’s that old chestnut between consistency in decision making and using your common sense, either way your equally right or wrong as the case maybe.
I think the rule change has come about because of the difference in interpretation between countries and even between individual referees in those countries.
Football authorities don’t really want you using your common sense, it’s too dangerous for them as it opens up the worry of precedence.
They like it black and white, it’s handball if it hits the hand, plain and simple, none of this deliberate or not nonsense, it’s too loose.
So now we have the other end of the spectrum, with all its niceties and we’ll have it until the pendulum swings back the other way – and so it goes, ad infinitum…
I really love this time of year, August is one of my favourite months not least because it heralds the return of football.
It’s normally nice and sunny, so as I gaze out of my living room window at the rain cascading down I just think ‘Thank God it’s the summer’….
Kev. This sort of weather you should be in your cab up the city earning loads of doh. 😂
Morning all.
I must be the only one who likes the new penalty area handball ruling 😂
Morning al. Kev, Rico et al.
The stuff is falling out of the sky in biblical proportions. It touched my hand and this wet is my penalty! No ifs, no buts, it is a penalty!! No gardening, no sun bathing, no fun. It is August after all and we are in the UK ( United Kingdom) so what can we expect? European blue skies and sunshine….I Rhine not😎
Good news Eddie scored but not for us, but for the for ever damned Leeds United. I really hope the powers that be hang on to him and see him as part of a meal ticket for another body. Give the boy a chance.
Oh and incidentally, it’s still hammering it down. It’s far more like April than August and with temperatures to match! Oh woe is me and thrice woe!
Afternoon Wavy, the only annoying thing about the rain is no cricket. ☹️
It’s heavily overcast, warm and breezy here in arid Norfolk. Swimming towels and togs are drying nicely in the garden.
Kev, I see from a brief visit to A Another site that your family are from Hoxton. My mother’s family came from there too. Crondall street, Hemsworth street, my great grandmother lived there, Stanway street. An uncle had a shoe repair shop near The Green Man and another uncle had a florist shop in the market. Small world. 😉
Victory Through Harmony that’s usually the case and I know that my public will sorely miss me and my adventurous driving as I avoid kamikaze cyclists, Deliveroo bikers who ride as if they’re fighter pilots, white vans full of psychos, Uber drivers staring at their Sat Navs as the drift across two lanes and the many empty buses that proliferate the roads of London thanks to the morons who run TfL, but I’ve got a family thing to go to this evening so I’m indoors listening to the water hammering down and having a bit a Jimi Hendrix afternoon before setting off for South London.
😂 Kev
Cicero, my Dad lived in a street off of Hoxton Street, if I recall I think the street he lived in has gone or the names been changed, he was there between the mid 20’s early 30’s, his Dad then moved to big house in Murray Street now Murray Grove, before moving close to Newington Green. Small world eh?
Hi Rico 😁
Adam has been in my cab as you know Rico and he often fondly recalls what a memorable experience it was and the good thing about having Adam as a passenger is the fact that I never have to remind him to put his seat belt on….
Kev, the Hoxton world has changed out of all recognition.
I have somewhere a facsimile of a letter my Grandmother wrote to the War Office during WW1 asking for news of her husband who she had not heard from for six weeks, he was on the Western Front, she wanted to let him know that she had moved to Crondall street. He had been wounded and then transferred to Italy, he was home shortly after but was not demobbed until 1920.
Hi Kev. Ha ha, I love a cab ride in London, anywhere really. I had two on Saturday, two very sedate journeys I hasten to add. You must be the Lewis of London… 😝
Cicero, my paternal Grandad was in the RFC, not a pilot, he was a carpenter and planes were wooden in those days so he was maintenance, he was in it when it became the RAF in 1918.
He worked at Wembley after the war, not sure if it was the Empire Stadium itself but there was a lot of stuff going on there during the 1920’s.
During the Blitz in WW2 he was in the London Fire Service, he saw some awful things but he never really talked about it although I do know that he lost quite a few pals in burning buildings, he was a lovely man.
My other Grandad was stationed in India, thankfully, but my paternal Grandmother lost a brother at Bullecourt (I think that’s correct?) not many people were untouched from that period.
Rico, you a lady of great taste, using the best cab service in the world.
I am pretty quick away from the lights…. 😉
I am happy to report that I have survived several journeys in Kev’s cab and I even had a kicking from Rico once on the way back from a lengthy lunch. 😃
I don’t doubt that I deserved it though.
Is there any other Kev? 😜
You did Adam, I’m sure. Lol
My grandad was a blacksmith at Royal Arsenal before WW1 . He spent days melting down the railings from London’s parks . After the war he started up for himself and got the contract to Regent’s Park and then along came WW2. And down they came again
Phone glitch
On it… lol
I do recall that cab journey Adam and yes, you did thoroughly deserve it – and more too… 😄
Potter when my father got out of the army after WW2 he was employed by the Ministry of Works and one of his jobs was painting the railings around Regents Park, probably in the mid fifties. A small World.
Your Grandad must have done very well Potter… 😉
He used to show the horses for United Dairies and in the winter his workshop was a popular place to stop on the way home from school especially when the forge was going full blast
Shoe the horses
Hoxton Square !………………I used to play football for is it St Monicas ?………..long time ago and played for so many, best being SENRAB where I scored goals for fun !
I used to referee Senrab, maybe I booked you Cocker, you probably deserved it….
I sat in Kevs taxi once, but decided it wasn’t worth the risk Hahahahahaha
Morning all.
You would have needed a calculator , Kev, for the amount of golas I scored for SENRAB !………………way more than a goal a game !…………….fcuk I should have took it more seriously instead of getting side tracked by the fairer sex ! 😆
Come on Kev, spill the beans , who was the best tipper out of all the HHer`s to grace your cab ?…………..time to name and shame ! 😆
Tipper ?????
An FX4 with a lift back . Now there’s a thought.
Afternoon all.
10:44 – Fair comment Kev.
All these war stories, fascinating stuff – my Dad was in Thailand fighting the Japs, in WW2 – ended up on the Burma Railway for 3 1/2 years. My Mother received a Telegram from the War Office to say he was missing in action and, believed dead. He was around 12st at the beginning of the war and 6st at the end.
Imagine the surprise (shock?) my Mother got (she was living in Brisbane, with all the other Army wives) when the Red Cross knocked on her door and gave her the good news.
He would never talk about his experiences.
Andorrabyte.
My Father also served in the Army and fought the Japs. Thailand/Burma in WW2. His company was the Gloucesters. Their moto was The Glorious Gloucesters. I have tried to trace his movements without much success.
He fought alongside the Ghurkas, who were, in his opinion, the most fearsome fighters, and was glad they were on his side.
He too wouldn’t speak much about what happened. I often wonder why this was, but looking back I remember he got a bayonet wound to his abdomen and was sent to Dhajeeling India to convalesce.
Luckily he survived. Having received such an injury he must have had eye contact with his enemy????? This may have had a bearing on his silence.
Members of my extended family fought all over D Day , Alamein , Rhine . None of them wanted to talk about it . Just when I asked my Dad why so many people went . He just replied that it was something that had to be done .
Never met my grandfather, who died long before I was born but he was a Rat of Tobruk before ending up in Malaysia.
Even my dad doesn’t know a lot about his fathers experiences as it wasn’t discussed much at all.
Morning all.