Morning all.
As expected, Man City beat Burnley last night but not as easily as the footballing world anticipated. With defeat came confirmed relegation for Burnley, with victory came a place at the top of the table for City because of goal difference. Now it’s over to Arsenal who play Newcastle Utd on Saturday evening at The Emirates.
The mission is clear for Arsenal, win all five remaining fixtures and do so by scoring a lot of goals.
Arsenal title run-in:
Saturday April 25th – Newcastle (H)
Saturday May 2nd – Fulham (H)
Sunday May 10th – West Ham (A)
Sunday May 17th – Burnley (H)
Sunday May 24th – Crystal Palace (A)
Champions League:
Wednesday 29th – Atletico Madrid (A)
Tuesday 5th May – Atletico Madrid (H)
Should we get the better of Atletico, the Champions League Final takes place after the domestic season has concluded.
Man City title run-in:
Monday May 4th – Everton (A)
Saturday May 9th – Brentford (H)
Sunday May 17th – Bournemouth (A)
Sunday May 24th – Aston Villa (H)
*Game vs Crystal Palace (H) was originally scheduled for Friday May 22nd but has been postponed. A new date is yet to be announced.
FA Cup:
Saturday 25th – Southampton. A potential final for City would be on Saturday 16th May.
I’m sure everyone who loves football outside The Arsenal and Man City, hopes the league title chase will go down to the final day. A pundit somewhere will be desperate for his “Aguero” moment, or better still “It’s up for grabs now” moment. Me however, I’d rather it was over and done with by then, in Arsenal’s favour of course.
Early injury news from the Premier League suggests that Eddie Howe will be missing a few players on Saturday. Emil Krafth, Fabian Schar, Anthony Gordon and Valentino Livramento are all injured while Joelinton is suspended.
For Arsenal, Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafoiri and Bukayo Saka are very close to returning, perhaps even this weekend. Not that I would expect any of them to start having been out for a while. Saying that, Martin Odegaard played 90 minutes against City.
Despite going into the season with a strong and deep squad, at least that’s what I thought at the time, a few players just haven’t really settled. For all his pace and fancy touches, Noni Madueke has been disappointing and Christian Norgaard has hardly played which has really surprised me. Piero Hincapie has been excellent in the main, as has Cristhian Mosquera and whilst I know Ebe Eze can drift in games, when he’s good, he’s very good. Viktor Gyokeres is the current Mr Marmite as is Kepa I’m sure. Martin Zubimendi has taken a bit of stick this year but are you really surprised his level of performance has dropped slightly bearing in mind how many minutes he’s played? He came from a league which had a winter break whereas at Arsenal, he’s barely had break at all.
I read somewhere the other day that Arsenal should move Gyokeres, Madueke, Norgaard and Kepa this summer. I totally understand why that would be suggested although I don’t think it’ll happen but I do think it’s time to say goodbye to a few favourites. Ben White and Leandro Trossard for starters. I have no idea where Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri sit in Mikel Arteta’s plans but I fear they could be sold to raise funds for transfers. My worry with that is who comes in because if the standard of player is as it was last summer, then what would be the point? If Arteta is not going to dig deep into his squad for rotation, what’s the point? If we are going to play the same style of football, what’s the point?
Throwing good money after bad is pointless, especially if it means two very good young Arsenal academy players are cast aside in the process. After all, their best playing days are yet to come and I truly hope those days are with Arsenal. A Myles and Ethan midfield could work you know…..
Catch up in the comments.
I’ve lost a post
Great post Rico, for me it’ll be the development of Dowman, Salmon and Mosquera after a good summers rest that I’m looking forward to see next season and also the arrival of the exciting Ecuadorean twins who I’m hopeful will arrive in January, join in training with the senior squad and quickly become just the boost we need at that time of the campaign.
I understand why some are keen to see some churn in the senior squad in the summer, which I agree with, but only if we get acceptable offers for them, no more giving our players away on the cheap, already Porto are reportedly trying to get Arsenal to reduce the fee both clubs agreed to last summer for Kiwior. I’m sure if Porto procrastinate that we kind find someone else to take him off of our hands and then sue them for breaking a contract.
We are already likely to lose a very large chunk of value on Vieira and Nelson, in line with the fee we actually got for Leno, so I don’t want to see Trossard leaving for next to nothing or Norgaard. As for Ben White, we probably overpaid for him so if he leaves it’ll be for a much reduced fee, but I’d be happy to see him stay! Martinelli is where there is value, not least given that it is PSG who are sniffing around and they’re loaded.
Delete it if it pops up again Rico. 🙂
Thanks Kev..
I’m arguing with myself right now. Does the club give Arteta more money to carry on, or not? I’d hate for us to sell the likes of Nwaneri and mls when a different manager might have a different approach.
I’ve lost a marble Kev. 😝
Re Martinelli, I’d rather see Madueke and Trossard be sold before him although I know the two together wouldn’t raise as much cash as Martinelli.
I used to love playing marbles as a kid Rico, back in the days of 405 lines on your TV
Me too Kev, kids these days don’t know what they are missing.. lol
You’re not alone Rico, A good post for sure.
Those to go? Working from the back, Kepa, he’s proved to be an accident waiting to happen, high wages.
Ben White, injury prone, lost a yard of pace.
Calafiori, Injury prone, high wages but a utility player who could be useful but easier to replace.
Norgaard, if we are not to play him why pay him?
Madueke, biggest disappointment of last summer’s business, high wages.
Trossard, not a regular starter, blows hot or cold, rarely finishes a game when he does start.
Eze, a luxury player who drifts in and out of games, if we can find a top class attacking midfielder/ number ten.
Finally, Jesus he’s just a highly paid embarrassment.
That is the conundrum Rico, Berta needs to maximise as much as he can in order to reinvest although we will have done very well financially through the Champions League and that is going to help a lot
Agreed Martinelli although not the complete article is a better bet to keep than the other two. I saw Madueke compared to Pepe for his endeavour and lack of end product it was very illuminating . He often reminds me of Glenn Helder , very quick and able to beat his man to get to the by line and then hit the clock.It’s exactly what my Chelsea mate said when we bought him . They couldn’t believe their luck.
Any money we raise apparently will go to funding Alvarez , his fee , his wage and his agent. We will get a look at him first hand in the two games against Atletico , he averages a goal every 3 games but one thing that worries me is that he is one of Arteta’s mates from City and we know how Jesus and Zinchenko turned out.
If we can persuade him I would bring back Hein and let Kepa go. Hein has been on two loans , one in Spain and the other Germany and is a full Estonian international and I know that Valladolid were struggling so he got lots of experience and rave reviews.
I can’t find out when his contract runs out but if money is the stumbling block we have an alternative in house.
Thanks Cicero.
I’d keep Eze but the others I totally agree with. Can’t believe I forgot to mention Jesus.
Hello everyone, lovely new format.
Squeaky bum time for us and City, which atm seems like a toss of the coin.
I really hope Arteta unleashes the shackles for the run in.
Summer is a conundrum.
Defensively we are solid, but we do need a reliable back up for Raya, who can challenge him for the Number 1 jersey.
We’re not very exciting and too predictable going forward.
Naturally you don’t get a Bergkamp or Henry in every generation, but surely there are players out there who could make us more dynamic and dangerous when we attack.
The glaring issues which are over-hanging from last summer are the left wing and a quality striker.
It would be great to have a superstar striker (we haven’t had one since Henry), who genuinely terrifies opponents, Liverpool and City seem to find them regularly enough.
It’s not the amount but how cleverly you invest your money, and it’s something Arsenal need to improve on massively if they want sustained success.
For me we should try and offload Jesus,Madueke,maybe White and Trossard although those two can be very good.
If Martinelli goes it would be a shame,depends on the offer I suppose. The problem is the others might have little to no value.
A big problem for me was spending nearly £50m on Madueke and allowing Ethan to go on loan when he is as much better player.
The season isn’t over yet,could still be a great one….
Bb, couldn’t agree more..
Our style of football needs to change, an injection of pace and control is much needed.
Whether we see it for the last few games is something I won’t hold my breath on.
I’d have much rather have seen Nwaneri than Madueke too Limey. The loan for Ethan has gone horribly wrong but I hope he’s not judged by it. What he does for Arsenal is far more important than what he did in France.
Can we please create an intervention that prevents Arsenal from signing any Chelsea rejects.
When has it ever worked out for us?
The only time a signing from Chelsea worked in our favour was George Graham, and that was back in 1968. Since then they have rinsed us for £millions.
Havertz is okay, but cost too much and is among the top earners, without moving the needle.
They’ll no doubt need to sell with no CL football, for the sake of our sanity, please Arsenal steer clear.
We need to learn our lesson.
Lamine Yamal out for the rest of the season with a hamstring . Spain hoping he will be backfor the World Cup.
No Chelsea or City rejects for me either. We need players heading towards their best days, not having had them already.
I’m not good a keeping tabs on the reply option, not used to it. Lol
Reinvesting hasn’t really gone that well though Kev, certainly not last summer.
I think I preferred Pepe…
Hein’s contract expires this summer although Arsenal do have the option of extending it 12 months.
I wouldn’t mind Enzo Fernandez Rico, he would be a big boost to our midfield and he’s just approaching his best years.
There’s often an exception to the rule Cicero. 😝
Morning to you and all.
Morning Rico and all.
I think the board need to have a good talk to Arteta and his coaching staff, after all we can’t keep buying and selling players for small improvements.
none of us are , finding it confusing , the link says that there are 6 comments and when you open it there are 25. Mind you I am world famous for the ability to crash any I.T system , so it’s probably me .
Saka and Calafiori both in contention for the Newcastle game, according to Arteta.
Hi Geoff.
Good news re Saka and Calafiori. Just need Timber and Merino now..
Really Cicero, you’d still be prepared to allow Chelsea to fleece us again for someone who has been seen to show his racism on a public platform?
I’d love to know why Arsenal keep going back to Chelsea and willingly overpay for ordinary players.
And you want more of the same.
On the midfield, I don’t like the chemistry, and for me, playing a double-pivot DM transmits the wrong message, saying that from the off, we’re on the backfoot, and big clubs never do that.
I liked the Kevin Richardson – Paul Davis/Michael Thomas partnership in ’89, but the best duo we’ve had in terms of team chemistry has to be Patrick Vieira and Manu Petit, though Vieira and Gilberto Silva were great together during the Invincible season.
In our current system does Rice release Zubi, or does Zubi release Rice?
There’s always more questions than answers…
On tomorrow, I’m hoping Arsenal get a comfortable 2-0 win (or dare we ask for a 3 or 4-0 to pile the pressure on City).
Your boy Wood’s back, Stu, right in time for the WC.
His goal tonight wasn’t as easy to score as it looks.
I think his cool-headedness in all situations as well as his reliable technique in tiny spaces, aren’t always given the credit they deserve.
Slowly, but surely, the relegation noose is tightening around You-Know-Who’s neck(s) …
Anyone fancy a ticket for the World Cup Final? Behind the goal, row 45, seats 33, 34, 35 and 36 the price? £1.7 million each.
Seriously Cicero? That’s scandalous! Oh, not thanks 😂
New post up