Morning all.
One from AllezKev today…
Well there I was out in the garden sunshine, camping by a billabong, under the shade of an old coolibah tree when it hit me, those glorious Gunners were playing a game of footie in the land of the Antipodean Colonies.
So I at once left my boiling billy, put on my outback hat, resplendent in corks and went inside to grab some snippets of the game on YouTube. Bonzer!
80,000 excited Aussie fans squeezed into the ANZ stadium, which was extremely gratifying and showed the spread and interest in our great club across the globe and even to these far flung outposts of the Empire.
It seems that the Gunners have made of lot of friends Down Under and with the clubs’ thoughtful PR policies allied to the open manner of the visit which saw the coaching of youngsters by Arsenal players whilst the saucepan lids were dressed in new Arsenal kits provided by the club, selfies with Aussie Gooners at the airport when the team arrived and generally making themselves available whilst spreading the good name of the club.
I know that many of us complain and grumble about certain aspects of the way they go about things at The Arsenal but they do have a certain class and are always thorough in these circumstances.
Arsene Wenger and Ivan Gazidis looked every inch the Pommie tourists and thankfully for them, away from the constant intrusion they find in England, were totally relaxed as the benefits of doing some big early transfer business was clear for all to see. The new players were fully integrated and ready to hit the ground running next month with the promise of more to come in the next week or two?
The fan base has seemed in general more relaxed and more optimistic than I’ve seen in many a year following the signing of Lacazette in particular as free from that debilitating transfer deadline day angst we usually suffer we can sit back and watch our rivals scramble about on August 31st, something we haven’t enjoyed for a long long time.
And what of the Sydney FC game?
Sydney are the A League champions and whilst they may not be a Bayern or a Chelsea they aren’t a team of mugs either. It was a game played in a good spirit with both teams working on fitness. Arsene left Ramsey, Ospina and Koscielny out of the squad of 22 and mostly went with the Yoot…
Reiss Nelson was our stand out performer from among the kids, he looked a proper footballer and was totally at ease among his more esteemed peers. It wouldn’t surprise me to see this lad fast tracked into the senior squad on a semi regular basis this season.
It should also be quite interesting to see how much and how many our young tourists are still involved in the more testing matches in China and then let’s see how many of them are still around the squad during the Emirates Cup in August?
Other than Nelson I was quite encouraged by all our young players. You’re usually looking for progress and improvement at this stage of their careers and they all looked strong, confident and not out of place in this early fitness exercise. It’s highly unlikely that they’ll all make it into the Arsenal senior squad in the future but from what I saw both Willock and Ntekiah look to have what it takes as well as Nelson.
The present crop of youngsters are maybe going enjoy the kind of fortune that most of their predecessors during the past twenty years have not benefited from and that is because of their opportunities of first team exposure is going to be all the more the greater with the clubs’ involvement in the UEFA Cup.
I’m actually – and don’t shoot the messenger – quite looking forward to the UEFA Cup or Europa League/Cup/whatever it’s called, because of the chances Arsene Wenger will hopefully give young our young players. Something which could really be a benefit in terms of the squad and the places that some of our young lads can fill in the near future as transfer fees/wages continue to rise to ever more unsustainable levels of insanity.
We have to pay these crazy, inflated sums to compete but that also doesn’t mean that we have to feel comfortable about how our game is going…
Really enjoyed reading that one Kev, thank you. Sorry about the added ‘Australia’s most wanted’ photo fits… 😉
I didn’t see much of the games played so far, the most was the first one and I’d agree re Nelson, he looks a very very good prospect. I’d like to see him for the next game, or the Chelsea one.
Love it, Kev 🙂
Well done mate!!!
Aussie enthusiasm suits you-are you sure you’re not one of us???
Morning all.
Sean and his mate carrying the FA cup off the bus was something I’ll never forget, and nor will he.
He is still walking around smiling, talking about the experience.
Arsenal may get things wrong at times, but every bit of this tour was exemplary.
Thanks Kev, and you too, Rico 🙂
PS-Ray Parlour was fantastic, considering the amount of autographs he signed, and pictures he had taken, the guys a saint.
Rico, I found those pictures on the wall at the Post Office lol
No worries Scott…
Did you have a beer with Ray Parlour? 😉
If the local constabulary make contact with me Scott, I’ll give them your address…. lol
I thought this comment from Arsene Wenger says an awful lot:
After making 200 appearances and winning two major trophies across two spells with the club, Jens Lehmann has returned to north London to assist Arsene Wenger and his coaching staff.
The former Germany No 1 was known for his positive influence on the changing room during his playing days, and Wenger believes he can have a similar impact in his new role too.
“He has a demanding attitude and can give his desire to win to the players, to help them achieve their targets,” the manager told Arsenal Player. “That’s what you want from these players.
“He can also give good advice because he has gone through periods where it was not easy for him, where it wasn’t all going well, and I believe his rigorous attitude to his career is similar to Per Mertesacker. It’s important that a team is surrounded by people like that.
“He enjoys being involved in training as well, and to experience the pleasure he had when he was giving his best for Arsenal Football Club again. He’s still highly motivated and that motivation never goes. When you want to do things well, I don’t think that ever changes.”
Rico, Ray had a beer with everyone in Oz 🙂
Really, just a good man!!
We did present him with our Ray Parlour pale ale which he was pretty chuffed about.
Morning All
Morning Rico, what great pictures.
Morning Scott, all our players seemed to enjoy themselves it seems a very happy camp atm, hopefully that’ll still be the case after the Chinese leg of the tour.
I bet you did too Scott… 😉
Morning Kev… They certainly do seem a very happy camp right now. Who’s missing? 😉
Rico, it was certainly a memorable moment.
Good point Rico
I’m sure Scott.
Kev, there’s not many is there? Just one or two…
Szczesny is a gonner then…
Ok, these could be the options;
PSG offer £35million for Alexis, do we sell…?
City offer £60million for Alexis, do we sell…?
Arsenal keep Alexis and he walks for zip in 12 months…?
Morning all – really good post Kev, your inner Aussie had a field day!
Preference of the above options:
Keep him and walk for zip
Sell to PSG for 35M
Sell to City for 60M
Or he stays, we do well and he signs (adding my own option in, however hopeful it might be)
Kev, we should be asking a lot more than 35, imo, but I’d take that rather than 135 from City!!!
I really don’t like the idea of keeping him unless he extends
G’Day Bumba, thanks mate, I drank a few tinnies afterwards… ?
Scott, if we get Lemar and we should push the boat out on that one, then I’d take selling Alexis to PSG, even if we only got what we paid for him 3 years ago.
Selling him to Man City is a big fat NO in my book…
Bumba I guess that as risky as that seems, it could work, it did with Walcott although the circumstances were different.
Rico, £10million, if that’s what it is, is a steal I reckon for Szczesny!
I’ve read £8.8million elsewhere so it could be €10million?
Why didn’t we renegotiate a new contract with him 12 months ago before he went back to AS Roma, another fcuk up by the contracts department…
Someone should be sacked for the contract shambles at Arsenal…
But as it was probably Arsene at the heart of it and all he was thinking about was his own contract, nothing will be done.
Hopefully the new guy from Sky can sort things out properly…
Option three seems wrong Kev, but what about a 4th, he stays and signs an extension?
Kev, that’s keep most Gooners happy, I’d suggest.
Oops, great minds Bumba…
Agree Kev re Szczesny, just another really bad contract situation.
You have mail Rico ?
Agree re selling to Psg, if he really wants to leave, then that’s the only club we should sell to unless any other overseas club want him.
Just seen Kev, thank you…
Good day all, I see we are all a bit excited ….. Selling to MC is not an option and I agree with keeping him and risk letting him go for free next season. Who knows,Wenger might have signed Mbappe already for next season(just saying). I think keeping him also gives us the feel of a big club and letting other clubs know they can’t just snif around our players at will.
Agree re City Bondex, it’d a big fat no fro me…
I did just see on sky that Wenger has said we are not selling him and he can lead us back to the CL. I hope that is true.
Bondex – Wishful thinking that Wenger has actually planned ahead with Mbappe….not sure he knows what forward planning is sometimes.
Bumba, I reckon he planned ahead when it came to Xhaka. We were linked to him the summer before he arrived but imo, he said, wait a year…
Hi guys:
It’s great to see Lens back…i like the fact that AW compared Lens with Per….. the common factor been strong German mentality and professionalism.
Why do people fear selling Sanchez to City? As I have said before Sanchez is one of my favorite players in football and I have followed him for years. His ability to be petulant has been demonstrated everywhere he’s been, even on the national team. Sell him to City for as much as possible and let Pep realize why he wasn’t playing him in the first place at Barce, which will lead to him sulking again. When Sanchez realize he’s not the alpha male at City and he’s not playing every game that in it self can sink City. RVP situation was different, MU needed a striker in order to have a better team and SAF was leaving. Pep doesn’t need Sanchez, for all practical purposes he might not even want him.
If AW gets Lemar and his 14 goals and 17 assists, in my mind Sanchez is expendable with his 400k a week demand and I want to win the CL talk. If he want to be here good if not, imho, it doesn’t matter where he goes just worry about strengthening your team….
Obi, While i agree that worrying about your own team is the highest priority, we all know Sanchez’s quality, so would it not be wise to try and ship him to a club that is not going to compete with us? Its no good us getting a star player, only to give another club a star player too. Ship him abroad if we can.
Of course, that might not be possible and so i understand if it creates a toxic atmosphere and we can get the cash from City, then it might be an option to explore.
Obi ,whilst Pep might not want him,he also might not want us to have him either. Unfortunately they can open anther barrel or two to pay for it. If we have done a deal for Mbappe for next year and we force Alexis to stay and we qualify for CL what happens then.?
Sanchez would surely want to stay anyway if Arsenal sign a couple more top quality players…
How about we give him a,two year deal at an exorbitant salary with a buy out clause if we fail to qualify.
Sounds too much like a bit of sense for Arsenal… lol
Hope you are having a restful time in the sunshine Potter…
‘Neymar set for Barca exit after accepting PSG’s €222m offer?’
The world has gone mad, roll on the day this ends…
Rico @ 5:58, Neymar is a perfect example of modern day egotistical footballer. His only reason for wanting out of Barca is that he doesn’t want to be in the shadows of the Argentine or the Uruguayan. which is exactly my point, imagine Sanchez at City when he’s subbed at the 60 minute mark. He’s probably acting up because he knows Mpabbe is coming………..lol.
Not good for football, Barce with all that money to spend. I wonder if Verratti is going the other way?
Same preference as above:
Keep Sanchez and walk for zip
Sell to PSG for 35M
Sell to City for 60M
We’ve had a good 30m from him over the years.
I can see us hardly spending a penny this window! If we fail to get Lemar, end up too late on Mahrez, sell SCZ, Chambers, Perez, Dubuchy …….same old story. Hopefully I’m wrong that the bank manager will be pleased again.
Pleased to see you boy had a great time Scott!
Tuttomercatoweb radio in Italy are reporting that they have been forwarded the financial details for Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny’s sale to Juventus.
The BBC reports that Arsenal accepted a £10m bid from Juve for Szczesny and that the Polish international is in Italy, ahead of completing his move to the Serie A champions.
Tuttomercatoweb however say that the deal is worth €15million in total, very close to the €16m Arsenal were asking for the keeper. The Bianconeri will pay €12million (£10.66m) up front and a further €3m (£2.67m) in bonuses over the course of his contract in Italy.
It is stark contrast to where negotiations started between the two sides. Juventus reportedly only offered €4m up front with their opening bid, but it seems the Gunners have more or less got their way.
Evening all and thanks All Oz Kev………….fair dinkum mate ! …………………………..bet you can bench press two sheila`s on the barbie ! 🙂
I`m not going to listen to any more Alexis rumours as Arsene has again said he`s staying, so that`s it, one more year with us then he either goes for nothing or stays with a new contract !……………which is possible if we win the league !………………….matter is now closed for me !
Is this our Scott in the vid promoting the beer ?……………………….has to be !…………………….Rocky`s Remembrance Ale !……………………………Ray Parlour one !……………………………and looks the spitting image of the criminal looking “Wanted Guy” up top with Parlour !
😆
Master brewer Scotty !……………………………talk about stereotyping Aussies as only loving beer ! hahahaha
Blimey, storms here…. ?
6.24 Obi, I thought Mbappe was heading our way? Lol
No comment, LC 🙂
Master brewer-I just make a few phone calls and it’s sorted lol.
It was my idea but as I said, I get people with talent to design the labels as I wouldn’t have a clue how to do it on computer.
It’s all good fun.
Andrew, we had a great few days and I’m as surprised as anyone the impact the tour had on Sydney, especially those non football fans.
I wouldn’t have imagined its create the buzz it has.
You`re an anomaly Scott ……………………………….a modest Aussie !
😆
From all I`ve seen, inc` AFTV, you Aussie Gooners did the club proud and we are very lucky to have you all and I`m still astounded or should that be shocked !…………….by the enormity…..extreme scale of support in Oz !………………………………although I was also shocked to discover one Spud fan there !…………………………I should imagine Aussies have there own saying for a deluded bastard ! hahaha……………………………………….anyway, well done mate, it almost makes you a HH celebrity ! hahaha
That Spud must have lost a bet hahahahaha
Muppet!!!!
There isn’t the absolute hatred here between rival fans that happens in England-it’s more taking the piss out of each other.
Still, he’s probably lucky he didn’t cross paths with a few ex-pat Londoners 🙂
I knew there was a large Followjg for the club here, LC, but what’s hit home is just how many non football fans got caught up in it.
It’s never happened with any other club, and I don’t believe I’m being biased there.
Again, I’d say a lot of that is down to how well the club handled itself here.
Struth kev your post has wound the clock back to the old Barry McKenzie days. Is this a symptom of Brexit? Do you Poms want to come back into the fold now you are ditching Europe? I can safely say that immigration standards have changed somewhat since the days of Kangaroo Valley in Earl’s Court. Aaaaahhh!!! those were the daze 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PfDro1UGUo
BTW, I think Alexis will stay!
Afternoon, GG.
On Alexis-but will he be here next season?
I reckon that’s the big question.
I reckon Alexis will stay Scott. I just think his pimp is just putting him about hoping for the best deal. And besides with him in a team that gets CL status again by May, he’ll sign on again next year even if he doesn’t this season.
Morning all..
Morning Rico.
Morning all.
Bloody typical !…………………………two games in Oz were live on Arsenal Player and I was working………………………….not working today and the game is not live on Arsenal Player………………………………..working Saturday and the Chav game is live on Arsenal Player !……………….strewth !……..stone the flamin` crows !
Morning Adam. What do you make of the new sport channel available on Sky? £9.99 a month is a bit steep I thought..
Morning all.
What new niceties is Mr Murdoch offering the gullible sports punters now? Is it a mother “get rich quick” Chanel or what?
Saw the club are open to offers for wheelchair. I wonder if there will be any takers?
As for Sanchez, who, in their fight mind would pay him anything like the figures that have been bandied about on the web? The stories of him moving to citeh, I firmly believe have been constructed by the press. Pep, having sold him is hardly likely to want him back, is he? In my opinion. Mind you, I do think he’ll walk for free at the end of the season, having negotiated a mega personal deal as no fee will be paid to the arse.
Anyway, it’s overcast here and not especially warm…….yet!
Morning all.
GG, I hope you’re right, mate.
Hi Wavy. The new channel is independent from Sky, I think it comes from the States though as it shows all American sport so Murdoch could be involved. Annoyingly though, it’s the channel showing all our pre season, including the Emirates Cup I think…
Hey Rico. I haven’t seen that. I will check it out.
New post up now..
It’s a rip off Adam… lol