I echo putting out the welcoming mat for Kai and Declan and even more so that Mikel has got his men where any excuses for next season issues won’t be accepted in this quarter.
I agree Timber shores up our RB/RCB with White nicely. White tends to run out of gas after 60 minutes at RB, so I can see some rotation for RB but only when Saliba needs a rest to play CB.
It’s not the numbers so much but the lack of negotiating nous that played into Sullivan and Brady’s hands as the controlled the leverage and we have Declan to blame for that. He could have stepped in earlier to seal the deal, but his loyalty was to West Ham: I hope the lad shows us the same courtesy when and if he moves on. I believe he will.
Can Declan become Mr. Arsenal? If the price is anything to go by, then yes he will, as our most expensive player. I also don’t think the pressure of his price will bother him; how Arteta tries to use him might, though. Junior and I watched him quite a bit last season and he can pivot into 8/10 when he makes his runs from our half, but he’s ungainly in his stride and not fleet of foot, as one needs to be in that position – more Xhaka like than say ESR or Trossard who both defend well when needed.
We no longer need Holding with Rice also being a CB. It’s easier to see how Rice is going to be employed at 6 but how does Kai fit into Mikel’s intricate jigsaw puzzle of plays?
I don’t see KH as an 8, but a 10 back up, yes. False 9 and 9 yes he can play, and he has enough pace to go wide left when interchanging with our attack. Kai has the requisite technical skills to be successful in the opposition’s final third, but expect Pepe’s levels of defending, as Kai doesn’t like the physicality of defending and another Ozil like cupcake.
Mikel said he has five roles for Kai, so he’s going to be busy and probably confused. Kai also needs to toughen up and add a bit of bulk to his overall muscular frame although he looks like an ectomorph to me, so very difficult for him to add muscle. Mikel loves to play his shiny new toys, so I would hate Kai to be in front of ESR, and I hope Emile has a great pre-season. ESR is better than Havertz just younger and needs regular minutes to shine.
If we get Timber then we need to address the LB cover for KT and buy Lavia as MF back up or buy similar. Vieira needs to go out on a PL/Championship loan and be judged on that next summer. All in all the window is being kind to us and CL football is a magnet to quality footballers. Will we be stronger at the end of the window? That depends on the outgoings and who else after Timber A&E bring in.
I hope lessons were learnt by Mr. Lewis/Edu and Mr. Garlick. Never negotiate without leverage and a sound strategy, and next season is already looking like it’s shaping up for Mikel & Edu.
I’d say this coming season is all or nothing for Edu & Mikel – sink or swim?
God bless all here. Bored out of my hole with the transfer window now. Craving football so much that I’m watching irish champs (shamrock rovers) v Icelandic champs( don’t ask) in the champs lge first qualifying round. Icelandic boys winning if anyone cares.
Ashes have been amazing, really rescued my summer. I’m admiring both sides greatly but Ben stokes is a superman, is he better now than Botham? I wouldn’t be in a position to answer that but I know that they’ll still be speaking of him many years after he’s retired.
That’s the type of character we need at Arsenal. Maybe Saka,Saliba or Martinelli will be that man. I think many believe Rice is a character to be admired. I watched a lot of West Ham last year but I still don’t know if he is a natural leader of a club our size. Happy to sit back and watch. I’m pretty confident timber will do well from all I’ve read but I’ve never watched him.
I’m unsure why people don’t feel we need a striker. Jesus is not the answer for me,nor is Eddie. Flo isn’t going to be here and havertz is seemingly not being bought to play as a striker. Maybe its old fashioned but I find the notion that we can win the league with goals from the wings and midfield to be unlikely. Pep did it once. Spain did it once. Otherwise all successful teams have a quality goalscorer. I don’t think we do.
Hi Almunia
The cricket has had everything hasn’t it. Close games, high emotions, Bazball and Australian bending of rules (or at least the spirit of them) . Bad losers and bad winners. The Man Utd of international cricket.
When I worked at the British Embassy in Buenos Aires in the late 90s, we played a team of Australians. When I went out to bat, they tried to sledge me…. Wankers.
I’d suggest Stokes has already surpassed Botham as a cricketer. He gives off a vibe of total dedication. Other players must get some buzz and a natural urge to do their very best when they walk out alongside him. Ms K is even a devotee. Plus he’s a leader which Botham (now a Lord for fuck’s sake) never was.
The last test had some elements of retribution – Cummins and Carey failing with the bat, Carey dropping that difficult chance in the 4th innings, that little cunt Warner kept in Broad’s pocket. It’s nicely poised and I think the crowd will be equally fired up at Old Trafford. A decider at the Oval would be terrific. Wood looks so fast and threatening.
I think at one stage, I was having to exagerrate my sense of ennui at the TW, but I’m properly fucking bored of it now.
My local club, Haverfordwest County, are about to start their Europa Conference qualifying campaign with a two legger against FC Shkendija (sorry can’t be arsed to check the spelling). They hail from a town called Tetovo in North Macedonia. It won’t end well but it’s the first time they’ve qualified in 20 years. The ‘home’ leg us in Cardiff City’s stadium, a hundred miles away.
By contrast with Tets, the manager isn’t promising a CL victory within 3 years.
7 sleeps til the 4th test mate. 💤🏏
Hi Almunia
Many of us including several on LG are in total agreement that we need a quality CF with Jesus moving to the right as backup to Saka. Eddie is a loss and should have been sold when there was an offer on the table. The problem is that too many clubs need CFs Bayern, Man Utd, Chelsea, Real and so on with very few available. I have the feeling that if Jesus does not deliver close to 20 goals, we will get a proper striker either in Jan TW or next summer as we are now already past 200mil in fees.
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For me the Rugby Championship is on with a cracker this weekend All Blacks v. Springboks in New Zealand. Too bad I will be airborne for the live match but a must see on demand. Also the under 20 RWC was interesting. For Arsenal just the silly friendlies and preseason matches before the real McCoy begins.
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September 8th first match of the 2023 RWC Pool stages, France v. New Zealand a tasty match up. Prior to that starting July 29th every weekend Rugby World Cup Warmups with August 25th South Africa v New Zealand in Twickenham.
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Hope this will help with the boredom 😆
Almunia-it’s clear that in more recent times both City and Pool have made their marks without an out-and-out Striker, although it’s imperative to note that the former just experienced their most successful campaign on the heels of acquiring possibly the best Striker on the planet…that said, Klopp’s Pool might be the closest comparison to our present scenario, with Salah and Mane out wide, but does anyone really expect Saka and Marts to score at a comparable rate…I would think not, albeit they’re heading in the right direction…in light of MA’s tactical predilictions, which has seen both Laca and Jesus coming deeper, in more of a link-up capacity, it would be fair to say that our manager is banking on our new recruit, Havertz, to make up the difference…that’s a big ask, considering what’s been on offer since his arrival in the PL
so what then? I believe MA would be foolish not to keep Balo for at least 1 season, as his contract doesn’t expire until the summer of 25 and he offers us something a little different up top, but that situation seems to be a proverbial can of worms…you’ve got the player’s “demands”, not to mention his potentially strained relations with MA, the problematic extension given to Eddie, with a six figure wage to boot, and a “sensitive” Jesus, who clearly wants to be the presumptive starter and was undoubtedly given assurances in this regards…so once again our short-sighted manager has backed himself into a corner…as such, it’s another roll the dice scenario or, even worse, we sell off our young up-and-comer then acquire an all-too-familiar half-measure option, which could negatively impact any future plans…ultimately I just don’t think we’re in a position to properly redress our Striker concerns unless we can get above the number for several of our outgoing assets…too bad there’s not another Arsenal out there so we could properly fleece them…Cheers
Morning all. Hope you are having a good summer wherever you are,we had the warmest June in Ireland since records began. As soon as they announced that it started to rain. And hasn’t stopped. The Irish weather is a cruel mistress I tell you.
KP,
I like your take on the cricket,doesn’t surprise me that you think Stokes has surpassed Botham. Didn’t see much of the latter but it’s difficult to imagine a player making a greater impact than Stokes. Haverfordwest is an interesting one,will keep an eye on them,why Cardiff though? Uefa regulations or hopes of a big crowd? Hardly the latter?? Good luck to them anyway.
You won’t be surprised to hear that Mayo bowed out in the quarters this year,beaten by those cursed dubs! Nevermind. We’re taking the kids to a hotel up the country next week for a break so I’ll be on hols when the 4th test begins. Sneaking into the bar every chance I get to watch the cricket,can’t wait. I still get strange looks when I ask for the cricket to be put on in bars,history weighs heavily on the Irish subconscious!
Kilroy,
I forgot about the u-20 rwc,it has been fantastic viewing. Fear a bit for the Irish after watching that second half performance by the French v England but not without hope. The Irish second half v SA was pretty impressive also. The rugby played throughout by all teams was seriously entertaining,unlikely to be replicated in September but looking forward to that nonetheless. Never get optimistic about Irish chances,they still have never gone beyond the quarters of a WC. If Ireland fail I would like to see the French win it on home soil,like the soccer team in ’98 they are carrying a history of glorious failure and great expectation. Have you ever checked out the French team that lost the WC semis in ’82 and ’86, winning the euros in ’84? One of my all time favourite teams. Probably second only to the Dutch teams of ’74 and ’78 for beloved failures. Anyway Ireland will come to a standstill for the final this week,but rugby is still a distant third to soccer and GAA. Gap is starting to close though…
TRVL,
Yep,you’re spot on about that Liverpool team,forgot about them. Though when they had Salah,Mane,Firmino and Jota I would still argue they were simply pushing strikers into wide positions to suit Klopp’s style whereas we don’t have strikers(except Eddie,not good enough and flo,not staying). Maybe its just a question of semantics but ,saka aside, I think we are lacking goals big time. Martinelli could explode into a goal getter as did RVP,but hoping for that to happen this season is still a stretch. I’ll stick by my assertion that neither Jesus or Havertz will fill that gap. I guess time will tell. Fuck it though,I miss 4-4-2!
Almunia-I actually meant Klopp’s Pool before Jota had even arrived in the Northwest, when Firmino averaged about 11-12 goals per season…the real difference between us and them is that they were far better on the counter, as both Salah and Mane would tuck inside, to add some directness, when the situation called for it…that said, if Jesus could pot another 7 or 8, which would put him just under 20, and Havertz could double his output from last season, that would give us an extra 15 tallies, so long as everyone else at least duplicated their respective totals from last year…of course I’m trying really hard to remain positive, as I feel much like yourself in this regards, but I just don’t think a Striker of any real consequence is coming this summer…have a good one
I dare someone to find another club, no matter the league or level, who’s worse at the transfer process than us…talk about anticlimatic…now if this whole litigious snafu, involving the Rice acquisition, is an intentional plan on our parts to fuck with the Hammers shit, following a rather contentious negotiations, then I guess it’s not the end of the world, but if not, we’re amateur hour personified…I don’t even think our club could manage a baby gender reveal properly
TRVL
I welcome Messrs Lewes and Garlick who having licked their wounds have returned to the scene of the financial nonsense massacre where we had our noses well and truly blooded by Gold’s ventriloquist’s dummy; Sullivan.
Dummy he is as our two legal gladiators are having fun at WHU’s expense and letting the rest of the PL and Europe know: fcuk with us at your peril. Our legal beagles are having fun which I find highly amusing and very happy to see we finally have teeth.
Almunia
You’re like the first warm spring’s day with your posts that never fail to hit the right notes and assuage our emotions – well mine anyway – I’ve been too busy to really take notice of the TW any further and am just waiting for the first 10 games results. The boredom is crippling, though, without games on the regular to take one’s mind off things, as well fighting Goliath here who have just entered the cage. I fear I’m going to need more than a sling and rock. Oh, well the trenches are not my first rodeo and it’s a long war ahead.
KP
Good to see you survived Malaga. If you have a funny war stories, prey do tell. We have need of your unique story telling to keep the Gooner troops from dying of boredom of never ending stupid click bait.
Marc
At least in 4 weeks you’ll be back in the Tolli and banter in your favourite pitch side seat digging in for the the next 9 months and telling us less fortunates how it really is on the pitch.
Bob
Some good signs from our suits that offers more positive hope going forward. I still want a better experienced leader as CEO or at least a very football experienced board member under 50. I guess between Josh and Tim Lewes KSE wrongly thought that the leadership was functioning at its best levels. Paying £105m for Rice isn’t at the levels we need to be at. We need better.
I was hoping we’d have a good final Rice round and happy we are doing just that. Let Rice enjoy his Portugal holidays while our legal duo play Pacman with Sullivan’s balls, peas or whatever they resemble these days and judging by his Shar-Pei like face not something you’d want to come face to face with.
Looks like we have learnt from our first and second round licking from Rice and Harvetz deals, haven’t we? I live in hope.
Ambarish
You ok? Missed your thoughts here too, and our Indian/Asian Gooner brothers. I’ll see if I can find the time to send you a post tomorrow.
LIR
A couple of songs to start your day with lyrics, Bob, for Zac.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p74BC9OmA00
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pQISeHRPFE
Tony, as long as Rice and Timber are on the plane to US, I’m not bothered about any delays or lawyer shenanigans. If it pisses off West Ham and their supporters, all well and good, we’re paying a high price for the privilege!
Amen to that, Bob.
New post.