Well, hello there ladies and gentlemen. I know you aren’t really happy with the sun in London for now but I’m sure an evening in Brighton or at Leigh would be a good thing. Are you bored even with no football around? Well I’m here to spice things up for ya with Zinchenko and Saka’s news.
Rumours suggest we are persuing Zinchenko after missing out on Martinez to Man United. I have no problem with him, he looks a very decent signing and in need of regular game time which we can afford to provide with Europa and Tierney’s injury record. That will also mean we will ship out Nuno Tavares and we might get a buyer for a change for him.
Fab Romano has dropped a tweet confirming Saka’s extension is in progress and that the young lad is happy with the project. It’s the money which is holding him to sign da ting but he is not the one we would let go for few quids. He is one of our own.
The club ran an interview of William Saliba, where the player has nicer things to say –
“When I was on loan I watched every single [Arsenal] game because when I was there some players weren’t. I watched the games to see how they played, so when I was back it would be easier to play with those I hadn’t met before.
Source: Arsenal.com
“It’s important that the fans are behind you, and I like it very much. I can’t wait to give back to them.”
Take what you want of this, but I’m positive (and hopeful) the young player of the season extends his contract. We spend a whooping 28million pounds for a youngster so that we won’t have to pay 70m when the time comes. There is no point letting him go on a no profit, no loss case. Moreover, we need him this season when we are fighting on two blocks and I genuinely believe he could be a starter in our playing XI.
In a sad affair, one of our bright academy prospect in Omari Hutchinson has decided to join the London rivals Chelsea. Again, this could mean a dozen things but I have a feeling it’s monetary. Our hale end is in good hands of Per Mertesacker and we have been able to tie up all our good players from academy recently; no complaints from me on this one.
Another sad affair is, there is no news (or even rumours) for a midfielder. What are we going to do if Partey breaks down again this season? Are we going to stick to Xhaka again when everyone knows we need an upgrade on him? Arteta isn’t really done much in giving game time to Patino/Azeez and Sambi has looked raw till now. Are we going to low ball Leicester for Tielemans and put a bid for Savic when the time comes? So much to ask with no answer yet for the midfield. I’m not sure if we will try to leave it unattended giving an excuse for Arteta and Edu for another season of mediocrity, afterall they can’t fix everything at once (Yep, I am sarcastic here).
Right, that’s all for today. Hang tight, mercury will drop down soon to a bearable state.
Arteta loves Xhaka it’s pretty clear to see – we’ve had Xhaka try to leave twice and both times Arteta has stopped it happening.
He’ll be here next season and first name on the team sheet whenever Arteta can get him on the pitch.
The news I am ready regarding Saliba is exactly what I have been saying for months. He wants to go to Qatar with the French WC squad BUT that will only happen if he is a regular starter / player from now until November. If Arteta doesn’t guarantee this, he will not sign an extension. Without an extension to the contract which runs until 2024 it will be stupid not to sell him but than that is the Arsenal way under present management “Failure is an option”.
The media reports that Arsenal is turning their attention to a Chelsea prospect if Saliba doesn’t sign an extension. Think about the height of Arteta’s stubbornness and arrogance. He is considering replacing Ligue 1 “Young Player of the Year”, starting 11 of the Ligue 1 squad, French WC player win a Chelsea PROSPECT!!!
There you have it gents Dumb & Dumber ruling supremely at AFC.
win/with
Marc, so many have died on that hill…
Killroy
It woukd be interesting to see who wins – face saving by integrating Saliba in playing XI or stubbornness. Second option won’t go down well with fans I guess.
I remember the discussions on Le Groan “Saliba is Back” many of us said he is professional and saying things that will not close doors or commit himself until the issue is settled will I be a regular starter or not? Since he is in demand and I can see him leave for a few other clubs that are loosing CBs like Napoli, Juve or stay at OLM. All the negotiating power is with him and his agent.
There is no face saving for Arteta this will come down to either accept Saliba’s conditions or not. If he doesn’t accept those conditions and Saliba turns in a few years to the new VVD and becomes a 100m player, AFC has again blown an opportunity for either elite defense or mega selling price. However neither of those outcomes is the MO of the three stooges in charge of AFC.
Ambarish
And yet Xhaka lives – I’m beginning to think the fucking guys immortal!
Killroy
We’re going to lose Saliba for very likely what we paid for him (assuming the PRATS have a good day) and then in a couple of years watch him lift the CL for another club.
Unless we stumble onto a messiah as the next manager it’ll take a decade to repair the damage Arteta will have done to the club.
Story in the Independent this morning:
“Atletico Madrid and Marseille are looking to sign William Saliba, with the 21-year-old France defender set to ask for a permanent transfer this summer if he is not guaranteed a starting place at Arsenal.”
Arteta really is going to blow this just because he didn’t sign the player. It really does look like Arteta can’t accept any players outside of Xhaka and Saka unless he signed them.
We’ll see ESR and Martinelli leave the club in the next year or so.
KP
The 3rd most excellent weekend this month. Watching on 9NOW Australia vs England the deciding test match in front of a sold out crowd of 47’000 in the SGC Sydney grounds super atmosphere helps with the lull until season starts.
The Saliba story is a sorry state of affairs and he will leave because the last person that wanted guaranteed playing time, Emi, left.
Killroy
2 forward passes for that Australian try I think. Wtf was Jones doing replacing Poortvliet with Care?
Killroy
If Saliba had been handled better earlier on he wouldn’t now be putting down ultimatums.
I genuinely hate Arteta.
Thought myself that perhaps there was some forward passing in that try. But what an atmosphere worth getting up at 6:00am
I had argued the terrible treatment by Arteta, he didn’t address him by first name in an interview showing no relationship. If Juve is successful in their bid for Gabrielle we will be needing to look for an additional position to fix on top of the mid field.
Killroy
Part of me thinks it’s deliberate – keeps giving Arteta an excuse to fail.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/gabriel-martinelli-arsenal-teammate-potential-27495769
Arsehole ray from Arsehole. Every player has his style and USP.
When Martineli was unleashed by Emery he created ripples playing to his strengths. Now comes the Don Quixote with his straight jacket. Even Messi will falter playing with his hands tied behind his back
#WhenArtetaOut
Arseholery from Arsehole
Watched the friendly against Everton on a twitter broadcast stream that showed the £6 Arsenal stream and besides having a dull opponent who doesn’t know where the goals will come from, Jesus looked excellent but so did Elneny in the 2nd half everything attack wise went through him.
The ball distribution, passing and fluidity did look good, but then it was Everton 😆
Killroy
Hi mate. First two games yesterday well worth watching – the other 2 not so much. Could Ireland and France be the 2 favourites for the WC? South Africa did not look that good beating a poor Wales team. Massive inquest in NZ with ABs having lost 4 of last 5 games.
Saw the goals this morning from Bawl’more. Did you consider going. When I lived in DC, I used to like going up there as it was much more like I think a US city ought to be like. That first Jesus goal, neither EN, nor Auba/Laca score that because they wouldn’t have the skill nor audacity to trap a ball direct from a corner. So maybe he is an uptick insofar as quality is concerned. Everton could well struggle again this season – Oh dear! What a shame!
I saw one of those computer-generated league predictor bullshit things yesterday. It had us finishing 6th!
Even the Computer says…
Arteta out.
Still concerned that we’ve got less than 3 weeks to the start of the season and our midfield is not sorted.
Add the stories about Saliba and Gabriel and we could find our defence is undergoing a major reset before the TW closes.