Edu and Arteta took over from Emery and Co more than two and a half years back. We saw some fresh faces coming in, in the hope of winning Champions League in 3 years time – Willian, Cedric, Mari and Partey. That hope crashed like no one imagined. Willian was one of the worst performers of the season even after playing 37 games. Cedric turned out to be okay-ish, Mari was so poor he is on loan to I don’t remember which club and Partey is injured most of the time.
Not so surprisingly, ones who saved Arteta’s career were the hale-enders. ESR broke into the team because of injuries and got him out of that winter misery. Last season when we lost 3 easy games against bottom half teams, Laca’s sickness allowed Eddie some game time and some relief to Arteta and Co.
Soon AFC realised what was done initially was just replacing old dross with new ones. So, someone at the club took a notice of it, decided there won’t be crap signings anymore and we only are going to invest in players with potentials and in the right age-frame. I suspect it’s Edu because of the Brazilian collections we are doing.
We went ahead and brought White, Tomi, Ramsdale, Sambi, Tavares and Odegaard.
How did that turn out? Not that great. Someone, again, at the club realised buying young players doesn’t guarantee success. It should be ‘good’ young players. We are back in the market this transfer window for a Left Back and targeting Lisandro Martinez who has a much better profile and would be an upgrade to Tavares. We are trying to bring in Tielemans because Sambi didn’t turn out to be the next big thing and we already have invested in Vieira who plays the same role Odegaard does – after noticing Odegaard’s little contribution in games when it matters.
We realised, yet again, that hale enders are much better in producing output than veterans we have. Eddie signed a 5 years contract and is given one of the most important numbers of all time #14. I hope he continues it’s legacy and make us forget TH14 with EN14. After letting go Guendouzi, the hottest prospect in world football at some point, we realised our mistake and are now adamant to keep William Saliba.
We also realised the priority. Fixing midfield and CF positions is (and was) more important than buying CBs when we had better than average players in Holding and Gabriel (and Saliba if we had not sent him on loan again).
If you are a ‘glass half full’ person, you are most likely excited for another season noticing all these realisation at Arsenal Football Club. You are happy we are correcting our mistakes and trying to be more competitive.
I’M NOT. I am more than excited for another season of Arsenal, I’m a gooner till I die. What I fail to understand is how can a club this big in history and values, is allowing people to learn on their job, things which are pretty basics for anyone working in the industry!
I guess someone will realise ‘yet again’ that some targets should be set for a manager, failing which there should be consequences. Three years of millions spent and finishing 5th is not a process, making mistakes and correcting it is not a good thing if those mistakes ‘shouldn’t’ have been made in first place.
Short one today, monsoon has arrived in this part of the world. Hope everything is all right for you, thank you for making LiR a better place for Gooners.
Kroenke
The Kroenke’s gave Wenger and Emery a second season to get back in the CL or at least until it was clear it couldn’t be done. They gave Arteta a shit load of cash last summer way over what we could afford after COVID, they gave Arteta the contract extension when it looked like we were going to grab 4th.
There’s been talk about oversight on any incoming transfers – I really think Arteta’s on CL or you’re gone territory.
just imagine for a second, the very real possibility, that come opening night we still have Xhaka slothing around in deeper spaces, our purple patch kid up top and a whole host of talent sitting firmly on the bench due to our inability to properly redress our most pressing needs before making a series of “luxury” purchases…of course, this isn’t to suggest that players the likes of Raphinha and Jesus, or even Vieira, are scrubs, in fact, far from it, but none of these individuals specifically addresses a single one of our most glaring deficiencies; unless someone, like Saka, ESR or Marts, are being shipped elsewhere…without a viable DM and a pacey target man, with some length to boot, this could be same shit, different mix 2.0…then what?
TRVL
The entire Xhaka phenomenon is a difficult one to fathom isn’t it? Wenger must have been out of his mind buying him (chosen instead of Kante if memory serves right), persisted with to some extent by UE, and then the unconditional love-in resumed with one of his predecessors who was also a slow and predictable midfielder and a poor tackler (kindred spirits floundering in the world that is modern football). He’s not even marmite to the fans – the vast majority dislike him, it’s not a 50-50 thing. And I don’t buy this idea that he’s a natural leader and good for the dressing room – what kind of example can he possibly set after so many points-losing red cards and telling the paying faithful to fuck off. His attributes? Well, he’s always there and runs a lot, albeit at a glacial pace. I’d do that for free if the club really only needed that.
So blame chihuahua head for buying him but equally blame lego head for persisting with him when there are sooo many better alternatives available including Gunnerdouzi and Lokonga in my opinion.
GX and MA are in a joyless marriage of convenience it would seem. Let’s hope there’s a speedy divorce in which both parties sign a decree absolute and head for the hills.
Does anyone know what the rules are now regarding overseas player quota’s etc?
I know we have to have a number of home grown players (8 I think or the 25 man squad is actually reduced) but what’s the situation with EU and non EU players?
Reason I’m asking is the reports are we’ve done the Jesus deal and according to Pedro we’re close on Raphinha both Brazilian – the rule used to be a max of 4 (I believe) non EU players – well we’ve got Party, Gabriel, Martinelli and Tomi who are all non EU. I know the rules can be fudged for under 21’s but I’m trying to figure out the logic behind signing 2 more Brazilian players (beyond are they what we actually need) and can they all play.
Of course the worry is Liverpool who have lost one forward and there’s talk of losing another will look at Martinelli who Klopp loves – Saka going to City to replace Sterling is even worse.
OK now there are reports that Lisandro Martinez is a done deal – another non EU player.
Am I missing something or are we going to struggle to get all these players on the pitch at the same time?
Hi Marc
The article I got this from is dated, so unhelpful in terms of current players, but it’s nevertheless a useful generic explanation of the policy.
First things first, “homegrown player” has nothing to do with nationality. A player is “homegrown” if he spent three seasons or 36 months, consecutive or not, registered for a Football Association or Football Association of Wales club before his 21st birthday or the end of the season in which he turned 21. So for example, Cesc Fabregas was a homegrown player despite being Spanish. Héctor Bellerín is in the same situation.
The Premier League allows clubs to register 25 over-21 players. 17 of those players can be non-homegrown. Any additional players up to that 25-man limit must be homegrown. So having overage, homegrown players is useful because it allows a club to register a deeper senior roster.
Clubs are allowed to register any number of U21’s, regardless of homegrown status. If you look at the Premier League rosters from 2020-21, clubs have pretty much their entire U21 youth roster registered because they can and because registering them counts towards hitting that magical three-season mark
Kroenke
Yeah but we used to be limited to 3 or 4 non EU players – EU players were effectively unlimited outside of the home grown rule because of EU employment law.
I don’t know how the rules have been altered by BREXIT but prior to the EU employment laws teams used to be limited to 3 or 4 non English players in European competitions – used to affect ManU back in the day with the Welsh, N Irish or Scottish players who weren’t counted in domestic competitions but were in Europe.
This is just a complicated way of asking “we’re buying a shit load of South American’s how will they all play with the existing non EU Players?”
Almunia
That Galway v Armagh game had a rather tasty ending. Eye gouging – wtf! That pundit – I think his second name is Spillane? – didn’t hold back either. Your sports pundits make our lads look like fey metrosexuals. I’m glad Galway won BTW.
Kroenkephobe,
There goes another season for Mayo. As the great Eurovision crooner Johnny Logan said “What’s another year?”
I’ve been astounded by the frenzy being whipped up over our transfer window to date. Vieira is a gamble,simple as that. He sounds like the type of creative technician that Arsene collected and therefore exactly the type of player we all love.But no one had heard of him and a player who wasn’t even a regular in the Portuguese league isn’t guaranteed to hit the ground running. Particularly when he’s trying to get a place in direct competition with our best players.
As for Jesus,not for me at all. This bullshit about him being hungry for success,knows Arteta,buys into the project. If that stuff is true then we’ve just bought another thickshit. No champs lge? Has he ever watched Artetaball?The only thing he’s hungry for is a payrise,now where would you go to get one of them I wonder? I accept that he is probably the best we can get but then why do we have to pretend he’s ‘next level’? Just admit that last season’s failure has limited our options and we’ll have to make do with him. Eddie will probably prove himself the better player. And that tells you where we are now.
I have noticed an increased attack from the superfans regarding Arteta’s tenure. This has all been a masterplan from day 1. Sorry,but he has been making it up as he goes along and even with the most unprecedented financial support in the club’s modern history he still has no clear plan. His failures have been financially appalling. His successes have also been financially appalling given that project deadwood cost a fortune in lost transfer fees and even the modest successes in incomings have been achieved by vastly overpaying.
I am not being captain hindsight here. I have said time and again that Arteta is presiding over our club at a time of unprecedented opportunity given the Kroenkes incredible financial backing. He will squander it. The blind faithful will point to tiny gains and claim it has all been worthwhile ( oh look we’ve gone from 8th to 5th,marvellous). The bigger picture is eluding them. The squad will have returned to overpaid players whose transfer values will not match the fees paid. And the jewels may well be sold before anyone reacts. The opportunity will have been lost.
Process my arse.
Almunia
Cheers man. A typically eloquent and accurate summary of where we are. Pedro and his alter egos are playing an easily-seen-through exercise in smoke and mirrors. If we want to understand what the club thinks, the place to get that from is Arsenal.com. Why bother getting the same rehashed bullshit from LG or Unsold Anusol?
I’m not going to be able to look at Vieira without imagining him in a cape and pointy hat, finger-banging Hermione Grainger behind the bike shed of a minor English public school.
As a man of letters and a classicist yourself, I’m sure you find JK Rowlings’s oeuvre utterly elitist white bollocks too. It’s amazing how the UK literary scene for kids is almost always able to feature fee-paying schools. Subliminal advertising I guess. In fact, I distrust any adult who gets aroused by her miserable output. What’s wrong with adults reading books written by adults for adults?
I digress. I think with Mayo I’d already got the sense from you that Kerry was a bridge too far (although that didn’t stop me shooting my bolt when I misread that youth team result…). Does the latter win at least suggest that Mayo have some ‘hale-enders’ coming through the system? I’ll keep an eye out for the remaining games and see if I can boost my GAA knowledge.
Whereas Arsenal are talking the talk about signings, aided and abetted by the turd polishers on Le Grove, Cardiff have walked the walk and made a slew of interesting buys meaning there’ll be at least some new faces vs Norwich at home on the first day. It will be a test but I’ll be there. I really rate Irish international Callum O’Dowda and think he’ll be a good addition.
Hope the wedding went well mate.
Afternoon, gents.
I agree with Almunia – Gab Jesus joined for the money. He’s more than doubled his salary, so if he doesn’t become a 20 PL goal a season striker, he’ll end up being shifted on a free at the end (or before) his deal expires.
That said, I like him as a player. Presses from the front, hustles, is versatile, and can finish. I really really hope he improves his output if we play his as a striker.
Vieira is a gamble. The excuses about his age, being in ‘the toughest league in the world’, needing time to acclimatise to London, etc will be rolled out if he doesn’t do anything special next season. His YouTube reels are sexy though, for whatever that’s worth (probably nothing..).
Central midfield is the huge worry, and LB because Tierney has an appalling injury record. Can’t say I know much of Lisandro Martinez or if he can make the step up from the Dutch league (another farmer’s league according to LG).
Lisandro, Tielemans (or another CM), and Raphihna on top of Vieira and Jesus – I have no idea where the money’s coming from. We’ve had a deficit of £200m or more over the last couple seasons. FFP be damned! Josh is reaching into his dad’s piggy bank if those targets are signed.
“Arsenal will spend. But so will Newcastle, United, Chelsea, City, Spurs, and Liverpool. There are no guarantees. Which is why I’d like to put all the folk saying ‘NO EXCUSES NEXT SEASON’ in the bin.
Like, mate, do you think Arsenal is run on excuses? Is your idea of football so immature that you can’t understand the difference between an excuse and a process?”
This is such an embarrassing take. Excuses already being lined up if we don’t progress further than 5th next season before a ball has been kicked.
Jamie
The only reason they haven’t started to use the World Cup as an excuse is because they haven’t thought of it yet.
It’ll be amazing how Arsenal are the only team who will be affected by the upcoming World Cup.
Arteta game plan is like Russia in Ukraine . Aerial bombardment . G Jesus is good but not the thing for Arteta’s obstinate gameplay. Jesus will succeed and be prolific if Arteta can summon other ideas from his nogging..
Hoopah.
I like your analogy. Russia is also conducting a huge, state sponsored exercise in lying and attempted media manipulation while hiding away from anything resembling the truth. To be honest, they’ve been at that since Stalin came to power.
Those characteristics manifest themselves at our club from the owners all the way down to their collaborators spouting the company line in lieu of the truth at anyone who’ll listen. It’s as if fanzines never existed as independent fora for fans. Le Grove and Unsold Anusol have the Arsenal establishment’s fingerprints all over them. The header articles are unreadable.
Marc
One WC-related excuse we’re bound to hear if we suffer this season will be a selective set of stats showing we’ve been good a few times in the recent past on or around the autumn equinox or some such shite.
On Jesus, he’ll be worth scrutinising very closely in his first few games. He used to irritate the buggery out of me as a city player – diving, whinging, thumb-sucking (oh fuck not another one!) and he contorts his face to look like a victim every time something goes against him. A perfect foil for Arteta. I doubt fans will give him too much rope if he gets up to his old tricks AND fails to being about an improvement in our GD.
This Lisandro geezer interests me. If signed would he be our first Argentine outplayer (ie not a GK) since Nelson Vivas? Sounds like he could be the next Ainsley… Oh, hang on.
Someone please read the new post that’s recently dropped on Le Excuse and tell me Pedro’s either not on the pay of the Kroenke’s or Arteta or has had a complete mental breakdown.
Marc,
You know my thoughts on that. What I can’t understand is the growing support behind such thinking. If someone is incentives financially or otherwise then it can logically be explained why they would push a narrative. But those who flock to support it? Can’t work them out at all. I’ve noticed in my own job that sycophancy,as a method of rising through the ranks,is becoming prevalent. I personally think the practice is wrong and very harmful to society. But,anecdotally speaking,it’s a growing feature in Irish workplaces, particularly in the public sector. This is why I mentioned to you before that I suspected the need to be part of the ‘in’ gang, to be on the side that’s ‘right’,was a feature of the younger generations. However I accept your reply that many older supporters are also flocking to display blind faith and be part of the collective, rather than stand by their beliefs which would see them in the minority.
So now I’m theorising that it’s actually very simple. Plato and Socrates were right. Most humans seek shelter in the ignorance of the masses.Truth is unimportant. Only perception matters. Think of when you were a young lad in school and you’d do or say or accept anything to remain anonymous, to avoid drawing attention to yourself. You didn’t worry about what your logic or instincts were telling you,your primary concern was to remain with the majority. Now,thanks to social media,people identify what they think is the popular take on an issue and guess what? That becomes their take.
A friend of mine,American,explained to me that in the elections,the rival democrat and republicans simply survey their constituents on every political issue and then form their political ‘beliefs’ or manifesto on the statistics, i.e.what is the most popular stance? Nothing new there I know. But what struck me was that it is no longer just the politicians who do this. People are very aware that what they say on social media is now permanently recorded for huge audiences in a way that casual conversations never were. So they are no longer expressing personal opinion. They are expressing popular sentiment. The need to be right,to be ‘liked’, has surpassed the need to stand by our conscience. We are back in the playground again.
https://youtu.be/lmTahAali90
Almunia and Marc
That tendency you mentioned is encapsulated rather neatly in this character, indecisive Dave from the fast show as he picks his all time ingerland XI. Enjoy.
Don’t get me started on office politics and arse kickers at work. I spent 30 years in an organisation with a very flat hierarchy and loads of oxbridge and red brick university types who imagined backstabbing was in their job description and were trying to get above each other on a slippery slope. The ones from working class and bourgeois backgrounds were arguably worse than the public schoolboys, and many women fell into the trap of trying to be even more unpleasant than their male colleagues in order to get ahead. Very competitive and very exhausting. There seems to be a pissing contest going on over at Arteta’s favourite blog to see who can be the most gushing, fawning sycophantic fanboy (I ♥️ Edu – he’s simply marvellous dahling!) . And to think some of them may even be grown men rather than solely figments of Pedro’s underwhelming imagination) .
Lickers rather than kickers (which are in short supply on LG these days).
Kroenkephobe,
Enjoyed that man, captures the struggles of being all things to all men!
On other matters,I couldn’t stop my mind drifting to songs to celebrate the arrival of Jesus,but I ended up realising something,I don’t want to celebrate it!
Imagine if we took the Jesus and Vieira money,added a bit and bought Rice. Now that moves the needle. Now I’m excited.
Which then got me wondering,what player did Artedu sign that really improved us? It could well be 3 to 4 hundred mill spent in 2 and a half seasons by the end of this window and not one player who in ten/twenty years time will even be mentioned in an all time Arsenal X1 discussion. That’s really disappointing isn’t it? Not one single player purchased by the deadly duo who will go down as an Arsenal legend. Hope I’m wrong and Ode/ Vieira/ Jesus/Marquinhos take the prem by storm. But I wouldn’t bet on it. Christ I’m depressing myself,sorry lads. Will return with optimistic perspective soon…….
Any adapted songs about this Jesus would likely be as mythological as the millions of versions contained in hymn books.
Ever heard that old c&w Lena Martell tune? It hung around like a bad stink in the pop charts at the height of the punk era iirc. One day at a time?
One goal every game sweet Jesus
That’s all we’re asking from you
Stay onside, don’t dive
If you can’t get a goal
An assist will do-o-o…
What’s the rhyming pattern there mate? ABCDB?
Fuck sake. I must be getting rusty.
Like my feelings for Arteta, I don’t much like the cut of Jesus’s jib. I mentioned some of his irritating onfield habits earlier. Its also because he’s coming from City in the role of someone not quite good enough to fit there any longer (who would be with that freakishly immense Norwegian waiting in the wings?) and his signature hardly represents a u-turn on the many players they took from us. All just a bit meh.
Here’s me spoiling you again big man.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8_0ypYlYr64
I surely do remember that. Listening to it was about as pleasurable as watching a rerun of this season’s goalless draw at home to Burnley. Was thinking of doing something with ‘Jesus in the house’ but quite literally couldn’t be bothered. Totally underwhelmed. That said,other people whose opinion I value rate him. So hopefully I’m very wrong here.
I see Bale is gone to the MLS, you won’t have to silence your inner spurs hate this season. O’Dowda is a good gamble,should produce at championship level. Poor old Charlton are lost in the wilderness, would love to see them get their act together. The new season is kicking off end of July, it’ll be here in no time. Hang in there man!. No more c&w Hall of shame ditties. Nice try with the lyrics though.
One for your diaries people.
The lid is about to be lifted…. One of my kids said the first trailer about the Arsenal documentary is being aired this afternoon. All or Nothing my arse.
What’s the betting Arteta will come across as a control freak who goes round London Colney pissing everyone off. Not much of a stretch is it.
https://youtu.be/-aGR-fErvcU
First trailer of All or Nothing Arsenal has been released.
It wasn’t a season to relish but it would be exciting to see what happens behind the scene for a team you support.
Kroenke
My issue with Jesus is less about him being a City cast off (may become an issue may not) it’s more about he’s in no way the type of striker Arteta has had countless crosses thrown into the box for when none of our strikers were that type of player – now after 2 1/2 years he’s either decided to change his style of play (major questions raised) or thinks Jesus can do that job (even more questions raised).
The real fear is Arteta gets 6 weeks into the season realises that it isn’t working but can’t drop one of his big money signings so drops ESR or Martinelli to accommodate him.
Do Arteta supporters realise just how much fans of other clubs are enjoying his tenure at Arsenal?
https://images.app.goo.gl/De4NrMNDo9QGnUaN8
Almunia
That’s the ultimate measure of a manager – Spuddie’s hated Wenger during his first 8 odd years – why he was good, Arsenal & Liverpool fans hated Fergie – why he was good.
Arsenal fans loved Martin Jol – why he was a moron.
So why do the fans of other clubs like Arteta?
Marc,
Is it because,like Pep, he has created a brand of football that everyone, regardless of their affiliation, can appreciate and enjoy?
I was pondering the notion of reaching out to Pedro to inquire about the potential length of my current LG sin-bin designation…below you will find my rough draft, so please provide me with any feedback regarding how you think that insufferable prick will respond to this somewhat cheeky olive branch:
Positive Pete, I get it, you’re a pussy who likes to be the center of attention, but can’t handle the inherent complications that come with being in a constant state of peacocking…any timeline on you growing a pair, you spineless bitch…all the best…btw I think my account has been hacked😉