Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a new number #12. Jurrien Timber is finally here, and we have welcomed him with both arms. Edu took his van to the airport to receive him personally and our women legend Viv Miedema welcomed him at the club.
But it’s not about us today.
It’s a mad, throat cutting football world where half of the transfers do not go through because of egos and money. Much of the other half ends up being wrong for the player and club. Neither Mudryk nor Chelsea are happy in the situations they are in because the selling club preferred more money and forced player against his will. He was wanted at Arsenal and he wanted Arsenal.
Sometimes, it’s the selling club. Some other time, it’s the player himself. Look no further than Alexis Sanchez. One of my favourites in last decade, it was always fun to watch him play and he was red and white through and through. Until he decided he needed money, a lot of money. I’m sure he regrets it.
But where am I going with this? Ajax and Timber.
Two clubs sat together, discussed the fees, checked with player if he is happy and decided to make a deal. Timber had an interview where he was asked where he wanted to play eventually, it was London and for Arsenal. Deal has gone through without any complications (we are still reading the Declan Rice contract, lol).
Arsenal made sure he is welcomed here in best possible way. Ajax drops a video tagging both the club and the player, giving a message to their young followers and to ours. Watch it yourself!
Now, dropping a farewell video for a player dedicated to a club and moving for a better league is not uncommon. Clubs need money and players wants progressions in their career. What’s classy here is that they dropped a message to their fans and made sure to put a kid in an Arsenal shirt at the end. They have been putting videos on Twitter on how he wanted to play for Arsenal and wishing him all the best.
How many players receive a video made when they leave? No, not those highlights of goals and trophies.
What Ajax has done, here, is that they have sold him as a player but not as a follower. Every Ajax fan who owns a Timber shirt would be sad but not angry. Unlike David De Gea.
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Yeah, it’s business. Selling club wants maximum pounds, players wants maximum salaries but it shouldn’t turn out to be a ‘Mudryk situation’. If you think I’m exaggerating this, do you remember the Laurent Koscielny swapping Arsenal shirt in official video after his move.
So, yeah, welcome Timber from one classy club to another.
Short one today, do share your opinion about it and if you remember something similar.
It’s starting to look like MA might have lost faith in White’s ability to be the starting RB moving forward, which wouldn’t be nearly so devastating if it weren’t for the fact that he paid way above the number to secure his services…with Timber arriving and plenty of talk surrounding the notion of him playing a similar positional/tactical role as that of Zinchenko, albeit on the opposing side of the pitch, White might become our 1st defender and 3rd ever 50+M cover piece(Pepe & Auba)…ironically the same descriptors that were once being lavished upon White, by the Kool-Aid crew, are now being directed towards our most recent backline acquisition…the only saving grace is that they might actually be applicable in this particular case…ultimately if this leads to improved results, come the business end of the season, all will likely be forgiven, but if not MA’s status as a chequebook manager will reach almost legendary heights…of course, none of this will or should reflect poorly on Timber, as he’s not the one who made the mistake he’s been brought in to rectify…here’s hoping that he will play a far more decisive role than his predecessor whenever we’re facing anyone with bus parking tactical tendencies
What is it with Arteta and City cast off rebels? Cancelo is today’s clickbait special menu I would normally not give a 2nd glance, but ………. It’s Arteta and City. Zinchenko can’t defend and neither can Cancelo and Pep cast him as out of favour. Havertz was underwhelming in his first outing, so our left is looking it might be ours again. Well covered on RB now, so maybe White will be our swiss knife back line cover. Ho hum.
Music time that makes better sense.
Often though Peter Gabriel (Genesis original vocalist) was a more theatrical Steve Winwood and would loved to see those 2 working together.
Below Gabriel full Live concert
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiLMrC5IulQ
Steve Winwood famed tune.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecfq4hdJ8D8
Educated music for barista made coffee. enjoy 🙂
thought*
One order of Rice will be arriving shortly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQOEaWN6s24
Bob
Imagine Dragons live in Vegas is excellent with very connecting lyrics. I think Zac would like for many reasons. Songwriting is clever.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8kEWPC8Ls4
I hope Rice is more risotto than stir fry although that’s better than the plain basic Xhaka version.
Bob
Let’s hope its Special Rice!
Enough Rice puns lads! Let’s just hope he’s the new Paddy!
Before I get into the subject I need to make clear I’m of the opinion that you don’t regularly rotate your back four, more than any other area of the pitch the defence works as a unit and that needs familiarity.
I haven’t seen Timber play so I’m not going to comment on him until I’ve seen him get a run of matches.
What I will do is comment on his signing – he’s 5’10 so I don’t think he’s been brought in to play at CB and he’d have to be some player to displace Saliba anyway so he’s been brought in to play at RB. I’ve never been fully convinced by White at RB although he did improve considerably over the course of the season what this all leads to is once again a massive lack of joined up thinking by Arteta.
He spent £50 million on a CB when we already had Saliba on the books and I firmly believe Arteta’s intention was to bin Saliba off, events forced Arteta’s hand and he was “lucky” last season that injuries meant he could accommodate both players without having to make tough decisions. Hopefully we won’t have that this season but he will have a selection headache, rotate heavily and you affect performances / results leave one on the bench and you end up with an unhappy player (big fees generate expectations).
Or you hit a worse situation (one that I’m worried could really happen) you end up with a player who’s happy to sit on the bench and pick up big money whilst not playing. Ben White has already talked about not watching football because he doesn’t like it and was sent home from the World Cup squad something that other players would be deeply ashamed of.
The long list of money Arteta’s pissed up the wall through being a shit manager could be about to have another £80 million added to it.
The raw version eh KP? I saw what you did there. 🙂
Kroenke
At least you didn’t use that bloody Rice RIce baby pun.
It’s odd how signings affect us. I hadn’t allowed myself to think he was an Arsenal player (call it a Wengerian hangover) but it looks certain now. I am getting PV4 at his peak vibes from this. I’m going to love seeing him making those runs and dribbles right at the heart of defences. BUT TP HAS TO STAY. We’ll scare the shit out of any team with those two in the middle. I know Rice doesn’t possess the creative skills of Odergaard but for me, he looks like a complete midfielder, at least up until the part where a genius through ball on the edge of the opposing box is needed.
Great to see Souper Kevin Campbell and Alan Smith on the TV this morning talking it up.
Kroenke
I think Partey’s gone – Arteta’s got his golden boy in Ode and just spent well over £150 million on 2 new players. Partey might have cost £50 million but that was yesterday so that money doesn’t matter.
Personally I’d prefer to see a double pivot of Rice / Partey or Rice plus another new player if we’re pushing Partey out for good reasons with Ode being the more forward of the midfield.
I hope I’m wrong but I’ve bad vibes about the Havertz signing – he’s never seemed to have the right body language or presence for the PL.
Marc
Totally agree with what you say. We can all see where Arteta wants to go with his inverted full backs as plan A. I’m think we’ll still be light on the left if we have Zinchenko, Havertz and Marts. I feel and always have felt that Trossard is a natural fit for 8 as is ESR.
It’s going to be really interesting to see how Arteta balances his preferred 11. I’m sure round pegs and square holes are going to feature. which will be Arteta undoing.
Hopefully, I’m wrong and Zinch or KT is going to morph into a Winterburn 2:0 and Timber will be a modern improvement on Dixon or our Russian Horse. White, I heard took up Ballet in the close season. There, I was thinking he was improving his Musketeer look for an upcoming part: D’Artagnan in tights.
My view is that we now have KT, Zinchenko, Kiwior, Gabriel, Saliba, White, TT and Timber to cover our defence. I think this compares favourably with pretty much any time I can remember. I think CB partnerships are best not rotated too much but I can’t help but feel that in hindsight Saliba should have sat out a few games last season.
Marc, you can’t have it both ways, either you play the same back four or you rotate. If you choose to rotate, we have excellent back up options. It’s also important to note the demands on the FB position, a lot of running. You suggest a possible misspend/overspend on White now we have Timber too. The way I see it is that White can rotate with Saliba, Timber can rotate with White. They all get 30+ games. Our right is very strong, possibly the best in the league. White is an excellent player and going back in time to put forward the opinion that his purchase was a mistake, in my view, is out of date.
The left is not as strong, particularly with Zinchenko’s calf! Kiwior is a great prospect though and I’m happy if he lays the domestic cups and features as a sub otherwise. I suspect if Zinchenko is unavailable, Timber will replicate his role on the right and Kiwior will sit more on the left, effectively playing a three at the back with Gabriel and Saliba.
Let’s not forget TT who can cover the back four. I’m not even sure we’ll replace KT if he leaves.
Bob
We shouldn’t be short for this season’s run in. Kiwior needs a break out season to announce he’s legitimate claim to the LB spot. At least we won’t be resorting to the walking wounded.
Tony, from what little I’ve seen of Timber, as well as looking at his stats, I reckon he’ll do a lot of valuable work in midfield. He’s quick, anticipates well but crucially is very good at receiving the ball in tight areas and progressing play. Love the look of him.
Rice though, hopefully will be a complete game changer. With our FBs inverting, it’ll allow him to drive forward and drag opposition players towards him. He’s exceptional at screening the defence too.
Both have great personalities, so should immediately fit in.
Havertz I don’t have a clear idea on!
.com announcement
Bob
I’m not suggesting you have a back four that plays every minute of every match but we’re not talking about having a £5 million back up we’re talking about a £50 million backup and for “everyone” to get 30 plus matches you’re going to be changing the line up too often.
We also won’t be keeping all of the players you listed Tomi will be sold and its looking like Tierney will be leaving as well.
Bob Everything I read on Timber I’m happy with his appointment. Like you, I’m more worried about the left and inverting leaves wide spaces. Pep rarely uses invert FBs on for some opposition. Pour Mikel with employ it most of the time as it’s his default tactic, which is a worry of its own.
We’ll see, Bob. There are no caveats to my 10 to 12 game first review. New players is starting positions have to have time but with a full pre-season under their belts and against the toughest clubs in Europe, we should be out the traps quickly on Aug 13.
only*
Rice is in the house with Timber, so a big Gooner welcome from Junior and me. Who’s going to be the bigger player for us?
Marc, with respect I prefer to believe that Arteta, Edu and the coaching staff have a clear idea how the players will be best employed. I would also suggest you forget about the price tag. Getting the ‘right’ amount of quality without the concern of top players not getting enough minutes is clearly not straightforward – City don’t seem to have a problem with it. Rotation in their defence doesn’t seem to be an issue either.
Arteta needs to rotate better, wherever on the pitch.
I’m hoping Rice is transformational.
The Athletic has an extensive article on the whole Rice transfer ‘saga’. I know there are a few on here who won’t be reassured that Arteta considered Rice’s acquisition to be integral to our future success.
Bob
Your idea that Arteta has an idea how he will play players is incredibly naïve for one very simple reason – he came out all of 2 days ago and said he doesn’t yet know where Harvetz is going to play.
Doesn’t matter though he only paid sixty five fucking million for him.
Why do you leave such open goals that make me go after you I’m trying to be nice?
Bob
I’m pretty sure plenty of us would believe that Arteta saw Rice as an integral part of his plan.
We just also believe in Arteta, Edu and the other members of the P.R.AT.’s ability to cock it right up.
Personally I’m relieved we managed to get it done.
Marc, ‘open goals’ I love the fact that you think you know more than Arteta. You should know full well that Arteta is often deliberately opaque with his comments. You jump in two footed if it suits your narrative that Arteta doesn’t have a plan.
Arteta 1 Marc 0
Marc-as you’re well-aware, I’m a strong proponent of the notion that the Timber purchase is more than a rotational get and that it clearly shows that MA had no intention of keeping Saliba in the fold when he overpaid for White…as per usual, those who drink from the Kool-Aid trough will always have excuses on the ready regardless of the circumstances…of course, no one is really compaining about us having more depth at the back, as that should always be the case for teams of consequence, but the fact that some continue to propogate the notion that all these moves were all part of a long-term definitve plan is just blinders nonsense…Cheers
Bob
You are beyond naïve – its not what I think its what it shows to the world. Why do you think they give young players media lessons?
There are a million ways to talk about a new player and how his position could change or evolve saying you don’t know is stupid, saying after spending £65 million is pathetic.
I reckon if Arteta said the yellow snow tastes nice you’d order a bucket load.