Yes, I deserved the boos for being absent for couple of weeks but in my defence I was on a much needed, short break to refresh myself for the upcoming season. I hope there’s some relief to the maddening heat waves London suffered, though we, humans, continue to bury our head in sand like an ostrich and keep rejecting the idea of global warming and climate change.
There hasn’t been much change to my last weekly round up. Zinchenko deal was completed, we beat Everton 4-0 in a friendly and lost 2-1 to Brentford with a second string of players. Gabriel Jesus looks to be a world class striker and EN#14 has scored in every single pre-season game. We got to see some of Marquinhos and Nelson, Maitland Niles failed to impress again in the midfield but we have improved our team from last season.
We have a competition to Tierney, our CF position is sorted, Saliba is back in the fold and we have enough coverage upfront to survive both Premier League and Europa.
As a supporter, I worry about that midfield. Partey was injury-plagued, that too when we were only playing once a week. He had been immense whenever he was fit and played, but we can’t rely on ‘hope’ that he remains fit. A combination of Xhaka and Elneny hasn’t looked promising ever, Sambi Lokonga is still an understudy and Arteta didn’t use the last season to test Patino, Azeez!
We need a cover for Partey and an upgrade on Xhaka. There’s a reason we haven’t made to top 4 since Xhaka has played. Still got over a month for transfers but it would have been great if we wrapped it up sooner, and integrated our signings like we did with Jesus and Zinchenko. It would be bonkers if Edu and Arteta decides to go another season without any upgrade/cover.
Back to the players we have whom are trying to sell. Lucas Torreira looked like a promising player when he arrived and is very much capable to provide a cover as a DM. He is one of those players whom you don’t like to play against. However, he found it difficult to adapt to weather / place (really?) and whose fault is that? As a professional player, you can’t run away from a contract you signed because it rains a bit more or you don’t like food. And if you do, you remain classy about it. Posting pictures on Instagram about your time on loan with other clubs when you are on a pre-season tour with your parent club is a poor behaviour. It’s a difficult situation for Edu to handle and we will see what happens, but this one is on the player.
Same with Bellerin, who is trying to move to Real Betis, who don’t want to pay any freaking money, by rejecting all other offers. These Ozil-esque situations are cropping up and we need to send a message to the players. I think we are addressing that by getting players who looks excited to play for Arsenal but then Bellerin was superstar for us, loved by every man on the street. I would even go ahead and say don’t tear up the contract. Bring him in office, tell him he is not going anywhere and would train with U23 for the next 12 months. Take the L, we had wasted a lot of money in recent years but this would be for a good cause.
Onto the positive news, Nuno Tavares is going on loan to Olympique Marseille, there is no option to buy which the club was asking for. I see a player in Nuno and he needed regular game time to improve on his defensive attributes. Arthur Okonkwo is set to join Crewe for a season-long loan, he is promising goal keeper and I’m sure this loan will be useful for his growth.
There would other loan moves / sell out in coming days.
Right, that’s all for today. I am as excited as you for the new season, I have ordered my black kit, the classiest till date and expecting it to arrive before next Friday.
Onwards and upwards. #COYG
I agree Almunia. There needs to be a noticeable uptick in results when the season starts proper. Seville were like a pub team but the first quarter of the game was impressive. Jesus does seem to have an Ian Wright-like instinct for knowing where to be when there’s chaos in the box. I think that’s almost innate, and the result of good coaching and intelligence. And much as I liked Laca the man and his mentoring role, I think the others will get more out of playing alongside GJ.
I’m delighted about Cardiff. Tough first game but they hung on. Pretty spiky game and the Bluebirds got stuck in so that augurs well too. Last time I was there (and it was a draw), I vowed I’d never set foot in the Majeski Stadium again. Awful, soulless bowl by a motorway with the shittest fans and the most banal atmosphere. But rules are made to be broken right?
You recovering now man?
Marc
Your comment earlier about White is spot on. I thought he was a weak link today. I’m expecting him to be shown up by Saliba to some extent this season. That’ll make the 50 million spunked on him look like a huge error, and confirm that Tets was wrong to loan Saliba to OM.
What were your thoughts on the Sevilla game?
I know he’s not designed to appeal my hetero sensibilities (!) but that Haaland is one hell of a motherfuckingly ugly bastard.
Starting to turn the corner I hope. Drugs(legal kind) starting to work. A few procedures to undergo but I’ll live!
Watching the community shield here,I am so jealous of city having Haaland. He may not have the speed or finesse of a Salah but I like my strikers strong and powerful like peak Shearer. Mbappe and Haaland are the dream. I’m fully aware the modern systems have left my tastes behind!
Kroenke
“What were your thoughts on the Sevilla game?”
It was a great result but from what I saw they were playing like it was a 30mph friendly and we came at them at 60mph. The real test will be next week against Palace, we won’t get the time on the ball and they won’t be as naïve as Sevilla were.
“but that Haaland is one hell of a motherfuckingly ugly bastard.”
If he gets better service than today he’ll beast the PL.
Almunia
Mate I thought you had a case of man flu or similar and was being a light weight – whatever it is get well soon and keep strong.
Black kit is decent and I’ll need to buy one before that pink one grows on me, it ain’t bad once I get past the pink issue.
I think we’ve just about got the team we want now. Arteta can’t have any complaints bar perhaps an extra bit of quality in midfield.
It’s on him now. I’ve never been convinced by him but maybe like a last minute scramble on valentine’s, throwing money at the problem might cover his lack of ability.
At least the start to the season is relatively easy.
No stress on having the break. Conserve energy for the cold winter months.
Hi Aitcho,
How’s it going? We certainly appear to have depth in some areas in the squad, but I’d suggest we’re still light up front and in the middle of midfield. Imagine if Eddie Unket and Jesus sustain injuries this winter and Flo has gone somewhere (hopefully Cardiff!) on loan. Or if TP gets crocked at the WC? I think we’re lulled into thinking this season will be like the last but if we progress in the EL and the FA Cup, I reckon we’ll need extra hands in these key positions because there could be north of an extra 15 games. Tielemans looks possible but we also ought to be having scouts looking out for a young but proven tall forward who can offer something either as a starter or off the bench. Sorry I don’t have any suggested names.
That’s another problem which this stupid fucking WC has presented, ie that no new talent has been showcased this summer. It affects all teams of course but Qatar will, among many other defects, screw the transfer market this season.
What colour shorts and socks are accomonying that pink shirt BTW? You’re a braver man than me Aitcho for even thinking about adding that shirt to your wardrobe! 😁And I used to wear that original bruised banana one back in the 90s!
Kroenke
If Partey gets crocked? You mean when he gets crocked!
Marc
Yeah you’re right. But he was practically indestructible in Madrid right? Perhaps he’s more fragile as a result of the extra work he has to do to cover up for GX and others. Notwithstanding the, ahem, other possible problems, he needs to be wrapped in cotton wool this season even if we do buy someone else.
One day, there’ll be a best selling mystery story about AMN and his time at Arsenal.