Ivan Toney’s ban came to an end and it’s not a co-incidence that he decided to went on air to declare that he wants to play for a big club and compete for a trophy. The transfer window is open for all and there’s never a better time to announce your interest in a move. Proper goal scoring strikers are in shortage these days and almost everyone is looking for one, paying exorbitant amount for average strikers like Ten Hag did for Rasmus Hojlund. Arsenal is also looking for one after giving enough chances to Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, when neither of them can convert any half chances, and our endless attacks just ends with no ‘end’ results.
I had been a supporter of Eddie, mostly because he never got a proper run of games earlier and he is from the academy – one of our own. However, with recent performances and some of the misses, it seems like he won’t make it. Not this year at least, when we are competing for the title. Gabriel Jesus is mostly injured, or if fit, suffers the same way Eddie does.
System is to blame, no doubt about that. If you are asking your Centre Forward to drop deep in defence and make him run full length of the pitch, his concentration shifts. Jesus is a play maker, so it’s fine but players like Auba / Nketiah are poachers who hangs around the box for the ball with just one single purpose in their life – put that ball in the nets. It’s not happening.
Mikel can change this by not asking a striker to drop deep and help in defence, but we all know how stubborn and inflexible he is for changing ANYTHING AT ALL. The other option is to bring in a non-traditional CF who can do what he wants along with scoring goals. Pep got it in Haaland, who can score 25+ goals a season. We need our own, and Ivan Toney could have been the answer!
But it’s not happening!
As much as I want to be positive and want to see him play at Emirates, the matter of the fact is that we have spent too much, and we can’t do that anymore. Only 6 months back, we had to ask Brentford to sell us David Raya on loan with a confirmation that we will pay the complete amount in the next summer to comply with financial fair play. And Brentford want 100 million pounds for one of their best players.
We can’t recoup any money from selling. There are news floating that Cedric will leave on a free transfer like a few others we did under Mikel’. How are we going to pay 100m? Even if Brentford agrees for a cash + player deal, we are looking at 50m + Eddie at minimum. It’s still not possible.
Now, I have had written earlier that the we are spending too much on fixing problem that can wait. Havertz? Timber? Raya? When we had Tierney, Vieira/ ESR, Ramsdale? I was told that it’s not my money and that I shouldn’t care. I was told that in present footballing scenario, you can’t win big unless you are able to compete with the oil money and the ex-russian.
You can win without spending a billion dollars. You can also run out of money even if your owners are billionaires. I’m sure Arteta would have asked for a bag of cash, and I am sure he would have been told that he spent 50m on Gabriel Jesus not so long ago in the name of bringing a winning mentality and that he would have to do with what he has, at his disposal.
I want Ivan Toney at Arsenal. It’s not happening though. Because we have shot ourselves in the foot with Raya and Havertz.
Not much happening in transfer news but Arsenal football will be back this weekend and I’m sure there will be some movements in the last week of transfers.
Hope 2024 is treating you well!
Tony-the legendary cure-all Thai sticks…that should do the trick…be sure to let me know how that all went…have a good one
“Arteta’s sprinkling of summer signs have all slotted into his plans seamlessly, with Declan Rice and Kai Havertz breathing a new lease of life into his midfield”
Imagine any so-called legit football journo actually believing such tripe, let alone publishing it and proving that either they’re on the take or functionally clueless, especially the part about Havertz’s “seamless” transition
Palace have won 1 game put of their last eleven, and the team suffered a demoralising cup loss to the mighty Everton in a replay on Wednesday so many players will be knackered.
Any ideas how it’s going to go? Asking for a friend. You going Marc?
Looks like the Smith Rowe is going this January to West Ham on loan. Depressing news , but if one is positive hope it re-ignites his career and England prospects. Also , if a team is keen to take him on now , maybe it proves that the ” fitness issue ” was just a red herring dished out by Arteta to humiliate ESR . Damn it he can’t suddenly be fit as a fiddle in an instant !
Another positive with negative connotation is expectedly ESR performance at WHU would expose Fraudeta .
Thanks
Ambarish, RVL , Kroenkephobe ,
My place is still the idylic coastal area. Bit conservative , not much tourists
“What he needs now is chances to put all the desire and qualities that he has on the pitch. To do that, we have to give him minutes.”
I’m not sure what might happen with ESR, but when your manager makes delusional comments(see above) it certainly can’t make him feel too confident about his future prospects at our club, so long as MA’s in charge…how does one look into a camera and make this statement, almost as if to suggest that it’s someone else’s fault that he hasn’t been given significant minutes…what he should have said was that it’s difficult to give him minutes when I’m so consumed with trying to justify my ridiculous off-season Havertz acquisition…not to mention, behind the underwhelming Havertz sits another short-sighted, square peg/round hole TW decision, Tross, who might have something to offer if it weren’t for our static tactical approach, but surely not as a cover piece for Marts out wide…as such, he likewise sits ahead of ESR on the depth chart in the “midfield”…go fucking figure!!
KP-we should be in full shock and awe mode out of the gates, but if we fail to pot a couple early, it could be tough sledding…if we don’t wipe the mat with this downward spiralling outfit, all hell will break loose, as even those within the Kool-Aid crew will have cause for pause
on a side note, what’s up Killroy??
Kroenke
No – had a crazy week and spent most of it freezing my arse off in the warehouse (I’m in sales I’m not actually supposed to do any actual work!) and my local train line has annual maintenance.
All in all the prospect of watching Palace try to bore us to death and Arteta trying to upstage them in the boring department whilst freezing plus a stupid journey produced a serious case of the “I really can’t be bothered”.
Maybe the Salah injury will be “like a new signing”…this window thus far has been as boring as our on-field product
I won’t be watching this match live, as I’m heading out again for some late-night revelry…enjoy what might be a rather tense affair…I’m sure I’ll have something to contribute once I’ve had a chance to play catch-up…here’s hoping that this isn’t a fucking snorefest…Cheers to one and all
Match Day article is live now!