Success for Leicester last season would almost certainly have been qualification for Europe. Any of their directors and players, even Ranieri himself, would have happily taken that on the first day of the season. Yet they won the title and in doing so shamed many other clubs who had spent enormous sums in an effort to do the same thing.
LVG blew out at Manchester United basically because he had become something of an erratic parody of himself. Pellegrini suffered from the curious decision to name Guardiola as his successor while there was still the business end of the season to negotiate. It could though have been part of a ploy for him to fail in the light of Pep’s impending arrival. Liverpool had a crap, ego-driven manager but, to their credit, the board recognised this, acted, and got Klopp in. I would think they can only get better from now on. Portuguese sociopath Mourinho, discovered that there are consequences to being a bully. I reckon that, if Abramovich had stuck with him he might well have taken Chelsea down. It’s nice to dream.
Spurs had a great season, almost. But blew out amidst signs that, in trying to build a typical Argentinian team of over-physical and over-hyped thugs, “Poch” as he is affectionately known in the fried chicken dives along Tottenham High Road, went too far in trying to assert his theory of intimidation over quality. And who can forget the evisceration of the Spurs players’ reputations at the Euros?
Meanwhile, back at the Emirates, last season Arsene Wenger was doing exactly what Arsene Wenger has been doing for over a decade now and playing silly buggers with both the team and the fans. It must be said that on several occasions we played very beautiful and destructive, winning football that was a pure joy to witness. But consistency was elusive, the injury count high and on many, many more occasions we were just plain awful. Sitting in the stands it was perplexing in the way we just allowed teams to play around us. The quality of our game last season, with the exceptions I mentioned, was poor and we can no longer hold our expansive, adventurous and exciting football up as some sort of badge of honour for which there is no prize. Unless of course you had a bet on best free sports offers for the season panning out the way it did.
When the fans within the stadium gradually realised that Arsene’s tactics had grown essentially bland and based on the rather shaky premise that it would all be alright in the end, they began to get restless because they have eyes and their allegiance is not blind (not all of them anyway). If I used the word archaic to describe the manager’s team selection, substitutions and generally lack of dynamic input, I would be understating what was going on at the Emirates for much of last season. I will say it again. We should have won the PL. I would like to think that the board and/or Kroenke asked him some very serious questions after the season ended. But somehow, I doubt it.
This is all history of course. But, perhaps at no other club does the past seem so relevant to the anticipation of the future. This surely has much to do with Arsene’s remarkable longevity.
Most Arsenal fans I know began this transfer window as optimists. This will be the season when Arsene, now free of the rather convenient stadium debt, really went for it. If you are thinking that this means spending some money, I say yes. But I don’t mean the sort of spending that the Manchester clubs and Chelsea indulge in. I mean spending to establish a squad that is, at the very least, capable of sustaining injuries and the season’s rigours without imploding. Do this by getting some proper quality in depth, especially in central defence and up front.
But it’s more than that. If expensive players were always the answer then Leicester wouldn’t have won the PL last season. It is about squad balance, strength and being ambitious and dynamic. It surely must include adopting a fluid awareness to your play and not being afraid to change things if it isn’t working. By this I mean that if Andy Carroll is killing you with his heading power, then you immediately introduce a system and a player who will counter that threat. You have to earn the right to play and not witter on about mental strength and character when your team is showing very little of either on the pitch. It means that if you possess a player who is constantly threatening the opposition with his wide play, perhaps you don’t substitute him with 12 minutes to go and issue an open invite to your opponents to pour forward and snatch a draw from what should have been your victory. But, for an elite team, it must also involve having game-changers of the type that can make something out of nothing, so draws become wins and potential losses are turned into a valuable point.
There is still a way to go before the transfer window closes and ‘perhaps’ Wenger will actually get busy and strengthen the team’s possibilities. I very much hope so. If he does then he will be letting the fans know that things might well be looking up, especially if he backs himself with a fresh look at tactics – ultimately to play winning football and not the predictable, boring nonsense that he and the team have served up on far too many occasions recently.
If he does what he has always done and the results are poor then all bets are off for him as the offer of a new contract will be met with such a loud groan that things will become quite unpleasant, quickly. Nobody wants this sort of destabilising outcome.
I can remember Arsene’s ash-grey visage staring from sunken eyes late last season as if he really couldn’t believe that he was losing the fan’s support at an alarming rate. I, along with many others, felt for him. He became very defensive in interviews and there was a wall being built between him and the fans which is something almost guaranteed to ensure failure.
Success for Arsenal, this coming season, is the Premier League title and a decent run in the Champions League. Yes, some fresh faces could be critical but I still believe that the team’s approach and ability to think and act on the field is vital. Given our recent history and the rather patronising way in which legitimate supporter’s concerns have been fobbed off, anything less will be rightly viewed as a failure. Then there is the elephant in the room which is the promise, or threat (depending on your point of view) of the contract renewal. So, please Arsene, tap into your deep footballing experience, reinvigorate yourself, sell off the under-achievers, strengthen this squad and pull this team up to where they should be. The fans will be with you if you show that you are with them.
But another season of under-achievement like the last and it will surely become apparent, even to someone as stubborn as you, that a house divided against itself simply cannot stand.
Written by Adam
The layout has gone bonkers this morning. Bear with me whilst I try and sort it..
Adam, that was outstanding, a brilliant read, well done mate.
Ivan should read it…
Good Morning Lovelies and Hunkies.
Well done Adam. Brilliant read I must say. I always enjoy reading your posts.
Wissam Ben Yidder is a tall tower of strength standing at a massive 5ft 7ins. Enough for Kev to put a plate on Wissam’s head and eat comfortably.
I hope he has the speed though.
And he scores a goal in three games.
Really good Adam, so well put too… 🙂
I really can’t see Arsenal winning the league this coming season. Last season it was there for the taking but we failed spectacularly. Unless other cubs struggle as they change managers, build new squads etc, under Wenger, we will continue to turn up expecting to win, but losing, play shoddy football and imo, will be lucky to finish in the top 6..
And that’s me with a glass half full… 😉
A very fine post, Adam. I think you reflect the feelings of the majority of the fans very well. Yet I think you believe too much in the power of purchasing players and undervalue the fact that Arsene is keeping the squad together and that we will see more incremental growth of our players this season. This is not as sexy for many but the way our key boys performed in the Euros tells me we will be a lot stronger this season. I also believe that Xhaka will be the missing link in midfield we have been looking for for a while.
We may see an additional attacker who is comfortable on the wing and maybe an experienced CB, so let’s see what happens next, but the squad is very good in almost all areas.
Great summary of how it was down at the Arsenal last year. Well written Adam. I think you’ve caught the flavour of what the average fan believed what occurred on and off the field. Last season was a real excerpt from a spaghetti western, we had, the good, the bad and the ugly! The finish was far more luck than judgement. Wenger got lucky, very lucky. That kind of good luck lightening won’t strike twice. Sadly I think we are entering our final descent, If the old wizened one doesn’t find his mojo lurking somewhere in his singles man’s wardrobe we and he are sunk.
Is there a solution, apart from reattaching his mojo to his soul? Yes, I think there is, as has been eloquently suggested already, we need several good squad players plus an excellent CD plus a goalscoring striker. I’m not suggesting that these ‘new’ assets should replace what we already have but supplement and improve the quality of those already employed athletes! Come on you old wrinkly get on your bike and demand a couple of tried and tested quality players to help you fulfill your final dream. And turn our dreams into reality!
Morning all. Sunny intervals here but just beginning to warm up.
Morning Rico and the house
Top read Adam
I can’t see Wenger buying a CB, because we signed holding. In fact I think our transfer business is finished.
I wonder how long it will take for wengers replacement rumours to start
Good Morning to The Lady of the House and all fellow Gooners in residence.
Adam – An excellent read. You make a valid point that as well as signing some new players Arsene needs to “sell off the under-achievers”. Between injuries and lack of squad depth there has been an air of complacency in the team. This has been reinforced by Arsene’s unwillingness to substitute players and change the tactics until the last quarter of the game.
The team needs true competition for all positions and the knowledge, that whoever you are, if you’re not performing up to standard you’re coming off.
Welcome TA – we are terribly short up front and in defence. I know we have Chambers and Holding but they’ve yet to show they are ready to be first team players imo.
Morning Cg & Mg…
Have to nip off for an hour, catch up in a bit..
Rico, you and co writers are doing a great job with your blog. ⚽️
We are short up front till September when Ollie and Alexis (and later on Danny) will return and I am hoping that Theo, Iwobi and Campbell will hold the fort till then. The BFG injury is a big blow, if true, and we may see Debuchy, Monreal or even Xhaka being moved next to Gabriel.
Latest scores:
Spuds 0. Juve 2 at half time. Shite hart lane mob are looking defensively frail. Sounds like a north London ‘disease’!
Lacazette offer of €35m declined. Well there’s a shock. The old one is not showing his ‘serious business’ streak! No striker coming?
Where is our shaggy dog writer? He should be here to take a bow and accept the accolades of his peers (well fellow Arsenal supporters).
Didn’t Lyon turn down 32million quid from West Ham for Lacazette..? So WTF do we offer less than what’s already been turned down…? Do we intentionally try and piss off the selling clubs with our skin flint ways..?
Thanks TA…
How much did we offer Wath?
Apparently, 29.4million quid Rico, 35million euro..!
Adam, A mighty fine post mate…! covers all the bases me thinks.
How embarrassing Wath…
Lyon have said he’s not for sale haven’t they?
Actually, the Arsenal claim was that they offered €45m Lyon claimed it was only €35m! Well who do you believe. I mean we are tighter than a ducks ar** aren’t when?
They? Not when!!
And yes, Rico that’s exactly what Lyon have said.
That’ll be that then Wavy, Arsenal will walk away and some other club will bid higher and get him…
It’s all about the money Rico, if you want someone bad enough stump up the dosh or someone else will that’s for sure. Is he worth 35million quid when Stirling was 50mil..?
Suppose it’s all conjecture as to needs must and where different people see different value for money.
Good post Adam
Good season for Arsenal imo is a new manager, end of story.
Lyon have taken to twitter to announce that they are turning down an offer of 35 million euro for Lacazette! Oh how the mighty have fallen. Cant see any club doing that to Manure, City, Chelsky or Liverpool. Once we owned the French market, now they only laugh at us.
But we have the best balance sheet in world football so all is good apparently 😛
BFG also out for up to 5 months ( in Arsenal speak that’s the rest of the season) with an injury and all we have to fill the gap is an untried Holden from a lower league and overrated Chambers so lets get ready for a typical Arsenal season with panic buying in late August and scramble for the 4th in may but this time I suspect we wont get it.
We will still have a flock of sheep bleating Only One Arsene Wenger in the stands and demanding the protesters sit down/go home/support Spurs 😀
Exactly Wath. They need to stop faffing around otherwise they’ll end with no-one and Sanogo will be striker!!
There’ll be less of the ‘sit downs’ at the end of the season TT… 😉
Hi Rico and the House.
Absolutely cracking read, Adam, the club are in a mess because they can’t decide on a real identity.
Are they a club willing to fight tooth and nail for the title, or is top four the ceiling of ambition?
The weird transfer policy isn’t that of a club who expect to be laden with major silver-ware, so we can only conclude that top four is their ultimate aim.
The consequences of this are evident with the split in the fan-base, and the general lethargy towards all things Arsenal. The club make no effort to excite their fans or offer hope that they’re capable of winning the PL anytime soon.
Credit to you and your team Rico for at least offering a platform for interesting and intelligent lively debate, especially as most Gooners have been having the same conversation for at last 5 years now, some maybe even longer.
I was trying to remember when Arsenal last bought a striker who made a significant impact on the club and football in general. I had to go back seventeen years to the signing of Thierry Henry.
I discounted RvP, because he only won 1 FA Cup, Adebayor because he only gave us one decent season and Eduardo, who was class, but dreadfully unlucky, and I thought let go far too soon.
There may have been a shout for Wiltord, but he was used mainly as an attacking right winger, which is why his stay was so short.
That is a shocking indictment on a club of Arsenal’s stature.
I’d still take a punt on free-agent Mario Gomez.
Top post Adam, if only AW was tied in a chair and made to read it. Afternoon everyone.
Afternoon Herb. Thanks re HH.
You forgot Podolski, a striker with a great left foot but played out on the left wing… 😉
Andrew, he’d read it and then say ‘what does he know’?
Hi Rico. But would he believe that 90% feel the same way? I know he knows best but just a slight dose of reality and he would know how frustrated we all are.
Hi Andrew, good point. At the moment I think he believes all is ok with the fans, little does he realise it’s not…
He thinks he has the backing of most of the fans Andrew hence his attitude and seeing as Adam has not managed over 1,600 games what does he know..! if it wasn’t so sad it would be funny.
Sorry Wath, can’t see anything funny about last few Windows. In fact it’s downright depressing. Maybe you just mean Wenger’s perception of fans? Thats sure depressing as well! Only thing that cheers me up is when Goonsters taking it even worse!
Adam well said, very real post. As an Arsenal fan I have resigned myself to believe that until AW leaves, next year will always be our year– every year.
It’s not just the last few transfer windows, it’s the crap football he plays with who we have….
Oh, and persevering with too many average players..
Aha, Rico, the enigmatic Lukas Podolski.
I remember being quite enthused by his signing, but as time prevailed it soon became obvious that he wasn’t the solution either. But you’re right, he had a rifle of a shot and was known for scoring the odd belter here and there.
The problem is Rico, our record outlay for a striker is a measly £16m, and even that was very recent. It’s also assuming Danny Welbeck was bought as a striker. If not, then Giroud would be our record buy at £12m.
United paid £20m for van Nistelrooy in 2003 and £30m for 18 year-old Wayne Rooney a year later. City paid £38m for Aguero, Chelsea paid £25m for Drogba in 2004, Liverpool paid similar for Torres, and £22m for Luis Suarez.
This is why we perennially fall short. Our scouting network is woeful.
Looks like we are left with Yidder.
Can’t see our fans cheering him
on………..Can you?
I think Wenger should stop
all this poker talk.
It’s more like the Oaky Coaky to me.
That’s incredible Herb, one of the most important positions on the pitch too.
Similar at the other end though, how long have we had a very average goalkeeper between the sticks. Until now of course…
You’d like to think Arsenal will go back to Lyon with an acceptable offer Fred. That’s if Wenger really wants Lacazette….
@Herb’s Army
Totally agree with the first part but at the end………
” Our scouting network is woeful”
Don’t agree to this at all. there are no indications that I see that the scouting network is broken, we don,t know what list they give the manager or what requests for players the manager asks the network to look at if he does at all.
For a manager that watches football all the time and is an encyclopedia regarding players he has become increasingly bad at choosing the right players and when he picks a bad one he sticks with him just to prove a point that is not there.
Everyone knows who the top tier players are and the second and so on and so doe’s the manager, don’t need a scouting network for that,especially if he ignores them as some believe.
True Rico, and let’s be honest, we were gifted Cech. The Odious One hated it so we’re fortunate that Abramovich allowed Cech to make his own choice.
As long as Wenger is in charge, Arsenal really are a rudderless ship relying solely on the misfortune of others and spurning any opportunity to do better and make our own luck.
im quite distressed by this transfer window it’s a huge problem to be practically playing our reserves against a hunger Liverpool team under Klopp and a Leicester team which will want to prove they aren’t one season wonders 6 fuckin points lost we can forget about anything this season absolute farce! No striker for season Giroud expected to deliver as normal but won’t be there for the first two games! I really don’t know what is going on at the club! Really fucked off by it all
It will all come out in the wash
all that fartie-arsing about
I suppose.
We all know the way this/our club
ponce around when it comes to a pound note.
Rico.
Hi TT
Where was Gilles Grimandi when ‘little’ Leicester were scouting N’Golo Kante and Riyad Mahrez?
Maybe with the nature of social media, such as ‘Youtube’,there’s a debate to be had about the relevance of Scouts. And if Wenger ignores their recommendations, they’re not needed at Arsenal.
So if Higuain is worth 75m in the eyes of Juve surely Lacazette is worth 40million to us when needs be and he’s 4 years younger…!
Couldn’t agree more Herb. Thank goodness Cech was settled in London.
Arteta jumping ship to City says a lot about what he thinks of the Arsene….
Join the club Steven..
There’s one difference Wath. Juve don’t fook about when they want someone….
Higuain is now a Juve player….
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/10513184/premier-league-2-new-youth-competition-explained
Good news I think..
Sorry guys….but to pay Eur100.5 million for a 29 year old GH is pure madness.
In this case AW is right to be tight.
Yes we need a striker. But not at that cost. Juve are idiotic as much as Manure are for paying 100mill+ for either of Pogba and Hig. Good as he is that is a waste of money.
I would only pay over 100mill for two current players….Messi and Bale. Will not pay that much for Ronaldo due to his age…..had he been 5 years younger yes.
And if he gets Ben Yidder for around 10mill Eur and he manages to get us 20+ goals in the season I can assure you that AW will enjoy sticking a broomstick up the fans shit creek arseholes.
I get that re Higuain Devil, but we are talking about Lacazette and our miserly bid..
I don’t know if I am right in this……but as money goes at AFC I feel that Ben Yidder makes sense. At around 10mill Eur he will not come at a big cost. If we get MAhrez (40mill) and maybe Shkodran (25mill) then for 75 mill AW will have got a CB, a W and a CF.
Just read Ben Yidder’s stats……he is skillful, a poacher and has speed.
Maybe that is why AW made a low bid for LAcazette. Per’s injury put a spoke in his wheel as it will force him to get a CB. That is why he may have shifted his attention to Yidder.
Come off it Devil, we have plenty of money – there’s no need to be so bloody tight…
I agree 1million % with you Rico. I am just trying to work out how AW’s mind works.
Its a struggle as I feel that not even AW himself knows how his mind works.
Ben Yedder is probably another Chamakh….
Don’t bother Devil, the man has lost it…
In the League last year and in the Euros the teams that punched above their weight played the old Arsenal and Italian tactic of defending deep and breaking away when possible. The seems to be back in fashion at a time when I don’t trust our defense and think we’ll struggle without a replacement, or first team striker, with incredible aerial ability.
Wenger won’t play that way though Dick…
Evening Rico and the house
3 years ago we wouldn’t spend 35 million on the HIG and today he was sold for double that
I thought Wenger was suppose to be an economist
The transfer window is over for us
Rico @6:20, If you put Wissam Ben Yedder on the current Arsenal team, he would be our best finisher, right now!. I think AW destroyed Chamakh confidence, but that’s another debate. Yedder’s movement and ball control especially in the box is exceptional. He would be a perfect compliment for Ozil and Xhaka long balls. I don’t know if people has watched him played, but he is a faster Eduardo.
…and like Santi, he uses both feet very very well.
Hi Mg.
Thanks for that Obi, could be a good signing then?
Mg, you keep saying the transfer window is shut but why? Clearly, after knowing we are trying to sign players, your view is quite wrong.
Hmmm. MG is trying reverse psychology this year.
The previous summers he was constantly saying that AW will sign this and that player. And we hardly signed anyone.
This summer he is saying we will sign none……so hopefully we will get someone.
😛
Let be honest 30mils not
peanuts Rico.
He must think the player is worth it.
So the club want more …so what.
Pay up…..
The Arsenal are ripping the fans off.
Who would ever have thought the Free
money given to us by the TV Companies
He looks like doing it all again..
Him and his Poker crap.
He needs to know what it’s like
being a fan.
It’s like getting poked in the eye every
day of the Window.
Mg is just very negative… Always has been, always will be…
I know Fred, in this football world, it’s cheap..
This is Ben Yedder….I know that youtube can make even Wath look like a superb CB…..but watch his feet……
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEJ-t6a3WDU
He reminds me of Craig Bellamy at the top of his game.
Youtube would need to be a magician to make me look like a supurb centre half Dev, although I can turn quicker than the BFG..! Can read the game better than him as well these days.
That’s not difficult Wath….
If it’s true 10m is a steal, especially when strikers who can’t shoot penalties – Higuain – are going for 75+. If Ben Yedder was English he will be going for 40+…lol.
let’s not count our chickens before they are hatched. We have not signed any striker yet.
Currently we have Ollie and Akpom as CF.
Evening Rico and all. Many thanks for the kind words.
I know there is still a way to go before the window closes and we in fact know very little apart from the stuff we read. Personally, my stance hasn’t changed much over the years. Wenger seems to want us to see him as some sort of footballing guru who knows all things and yet.
every season he says that our squad is strong enough to win the PL and/or the CL. Most here, as I recall, say “No Arsene, you haven’t and we are still 3 or 4 players short”. So far we have been right and he has been wrong, every time. Without wanting sound clever, that’s not a great average is it?
Evening Rico and the House
Adam that is a simply brilliant post, a great read in keeping with H/H at its best
Well Done
Evening Adam, Rick.
We are at least two players short… Probably three Adam… 😉
Rico a C/H and a C/F are a must a left winger would be a bonus.
With you there Rick.
I’m off to shut the chooks up and say hello to my pillow…
Night all..
Night Rico.
Thanks Rick. Much appreciated mate. 🙂
I am off too.
Well done Adam. I really enjoyed reading your post. Looking forward to reading another one of yours tomorrow. 😉
Evening All You Hunky Loverlies…
Obi, that was quite interesting what you was saying about Yidder…
We don’t need to spend stupid money, like with Higuain, but we DO need to spend, spending nothing is no option at all…
Coach, so you say that Yidder is on the short side, well that’s not a problem, as long as he can finish…
Great comments Herb, also Total, a different view, I hope you are right about some of our players stepping up a level. Some consistency would be nice TA…
I’m hopeful that Iwobi can develop further, as for Walcott, well 10 years and he still isn’t the finished article.
Rick, it’ll be interesting to find out if and who, out of the youngsters, can enhance their 1st team squad credentials during the USA tour.
The opportunity is there if any of them have what it takes to grab it…
My money is on Willock, I know he’s still very young, but there’s a gap to fill on the wing and he has the ability, it’s just whether he has the mentality yet?
Kev you could be right about Willock. He has bags of talent and has got something we have lacked for some time . He is a natural left footed winger.
I am also hoping that we see Akpom and Chambers given a good run out
It will interesting to see the effect that Granit has on the team.
I think that Theo could benefit from the way he passes the ball
By the way Sky is streaming Thurs game live just after Mid night, are you going to watch it ??
Night All
In press Conference in US of A Arsene has confirmed that Merts is out for a few months and that Granit will play a part on thurs,
I haven’t got SKY Rick, I might pop around to visit Adam and watch it?
Morning all.
Great post Adam.
Who knows what goes through Wengers mind when it forms to these things.
I do, however find it ironic that when I named Lacazette app. A year ago as a player is love to see at the club, he wasn’t good enough, according to most.
Now, we should be offering 45 million for him???
The market is ridiculous, and fans are that desperate for a signing, even a half decent one, we are questioning a 30 million offer.
Wenger, just fekken get it done!!!!!!
Not sure where Wenger’s reticence to spend comes from other than he fact that he is naturally cautious. Lacazette showed a couple of years ago that he had a natural goal scoring ability and at the time his price was around £20 million , Wenger though has to wait to be sure , the player develops and the price goes through the roof. Doubt that it will happen now , he will move on to another and watch his development for a year and Lacazette will join the list of stars we might have signed.
Potter, it’s the old joke-Wenger spends it like its from his own pocket.
We are financially on great condition but there’s not much point accruing a nest egg when spending some could see us soar.
Morning Rico and all. Surely the club must meet Lyon’s evaluation in the same way that any club wanting an Arsenal player must meet the same?
The supporters though, are expecting a cheaper alternative, thereby perpetuating Arsene’s somewhat deserved reputation.
Morning Adam and all.
You’d think so, £40 million isn’t that much these days in football, especially when one considers how much other strikers have been sold for over the last couple of years..
That’s true Rico but I imagine that, being French, there are other factors at work. They do love a bit of oneupmanship do the French and rumour has it that the Lyon president is unbearably Gallic in these matters.
Personalities ‘shouldn’t’ matter, but they do and Arsene has previous for things like this. Remember our desperation for a goalkeeper and the interest in Schwartzer? Mark Hughes, ghastly man that he is, never got on with Wenger and by all accounts, slapped an extra half million or so on the goalkeeper’s transfer fee, essentially for a bit of a dig in his pathetic little power trip. Arsene refused to pay it, thus condemning us to yet more time with the hapless Almunia in goal. Remind me how long the goalkeeping fiasco lasted? 🙂
I remember it well Adam, thankfully we have a decent keeper now, how he could persevere with Almunia for long beggars belief…
I recall Wath saying the guy at Lyon doesn’t like Wenger…
I wonder if Lee has been allowed to leave Ibiza yet, I bet their profits have drastically dropped… 😉
I too have heard that Aulas doesn’t like Arsene.
To look at the impending season from a strategic level, Wenger seems much better at being a general nice bloke and father-figure to our players than he does at assembling a title-winning squad. Going into a season with Almunia in goal ensured only one thing. In retrospect it seems like the decision of a muddled mind.
Did you see the comments from Cesc about Arsene?
I did. Makes one wonder why he wanted to go so badly. But then I guess we all make bad decisions at times. 🙂
I guess he just wanted to win things, and go home of course.. 😉
Just wish he hadn’t moved in the way he did… Sulky little brat.. 😉
Me too. I guess he always saw it as his destiny and never considered he might not be good enough. Still, he got the chance to be used as a pawn in Mourinho’s sick little mind-games with Wenger. I hope he enjoyed that. 🙂
Just me and you this morning Rico?
Kev ⚽️?
Cech
Bel Gab/buy Koz Nacho
Xhaka Rambo
Jack Alexis Ozil
Giroud
These 11, fully fit, can give any team a run for their money. Except for Gabriel and Jack’s fitness issues, all these players are quality in the roles they have within the team. We also have a strong bench, especially in midfield, the key area.
We need extra fire power up front on the bench, and to have an alternative to ‘holiding CF’ Ollie; and we also need more quality cover at CB as I am not sure Gabby is ready yet, but we have a lot of players at the top of their game and a settled squad. Let’s add one or two and also give the youngsters an opportunity up front. But I know you will at least agree with me on the latter! ?
Seems so Adam… 🙂
Morning TA.
New post up now.
Does Wenger have the power of Voodoo,4 days ago Mertesacker says ” we were lucky to get 2nd and need to strengthen the squad , then he befalls a long term injury and disappears for a few months.
Morning Rico 🙂