Things have been going pretty well for us this transfer window. We have managed to sign Declan Rice, a right profile 24-year old with loads of experience and hungry to achieve more. I don’t know if Rice would be able to fix the problem Thomas had last season, but we have tried to address it. We have got Timber, which allows us the flexibility to use White as CB if and when needed. Last season, we ran out of ideas and bodies when both Tomiyasu and Saliba were out, injured. We had to play Holding because White couldn’t be shifted to CB, and Kiwior is still raw to adapt to the style of play Arsenal does. We have also addressed Xhaka’s immobility with Kai Havertz. Despite his Chelsea’s performances, I am hopeful on this. Kai will prove to be a much better player for us, and will certainly have more runs in him than Xhaka.
We have stop gaps in other places, Tierney is a very decent defender if Zinchenko get injured (again), Nelson/Jesus can cover for Saka at RW, Trossard provides a cover for Martinelli and can play up top too. We have ESR in the mix this season, who can cover for Odegaard. We have a solid, young team who just finished 2nd and is going to fight till death to improve it. They are going to play at the grandest of the stages in Champions League and I’m sure players who fought to get the #10 and #7 shirts at Arsenal would want to prove they deserved it.
So, what is this reality check?
First, we are playing in one of the toughest leagues in the world. Second, last season was a transitional/poor season for most of the top 6 and they are aggressively fixing their problems. Third, it’s not a one-game-a-week for us and Mikel is not very good at rotation I’m afraid. Lets get into the details.
First point is evident. It doesn’t matter if you are Manchester City, Liverpool or Arsenals of the world, you are not guaranteed to win against the likes of Brentford, Brighton or Wolves. Even a newly promoted side like Forests can restrict City to share points. We didn’t make it last season not because we lost to Man City or Liverpool, but because Everton beat us, Brentford restricted us to a draw at home and we couldn’t get past the Southampton defence twice. There’s no guarantee in March 2024 that a team which sits on top can easily beat a team fighting for relegation. This is what makes Premier League exciting and is something you can’t do much about, than to concentrate on your game and improve as much.
Second point is concerning.
- Liverpool – Last season Liverpool fell of the cliff after Mane left. They had a very old and tired midfield too. They have let go Firmino, Milner, Keita and Chamberlain while strengthening their midfield by getting deals done for Szoboszlai and Mac Allister. Again, the same philosophy as ours, bring in young legs but experienced. I’m sure Klopp would be serious to get back into the mix after having missed the Champions League spot.
- Man City – Well, Man City have only brought in Kovacic as of now and half of their title winning team is off to Saudi. That’s a good news till you check that Pep is still there and he can build a team from scratch whenever he wants. All the money that is coming in, he will use it to fix what’s getting broken. They have unlimited money and one of the best managers in the world.
- Chelsea – The best transfer for Chelsea has been their manager. They have brought in Pochetino, who is great in building a solid team playing a definitive football. All the talents in the world and they were poor because there wasn’t anyone to manage them. Now, they have one and they have let go of the players that weren’t performing in their system. Mason Mount, Havertz Pulisic, Koulibaly, Kovacic, Mendy are all gone and it’s the last transfer window that will help them. The likes of Mudryk from last season are going to improve, and there recruitment is still going on. I personally think they will be the ones to watch out for, and are going to make life tough for everyone around.
- Man United – Well, Ten Hag is doing what Arteta has done at Arsenal. He is another non-emotional manager, has let go of De Gea and replaced him with Onana. Maguire has already been stripped of captaincy and he has brought in Mason Mount from Chelsea to strengthen his midfield. United are in Champions League, they have added motivation to invest and ETH is a very capable manager in building a team which can fight. They are going to be a pain in the arse, as always for us Arsenal.
- Newcastle United – They are the new addition in top 6. David Howe has gotten them the Champions League spot, after bringing the likes of Guimaraes. They are yet again in the market trying to improve on their 4th place finish, and has already brought in Sandro Tonali from AC Milan. Another oil money club to fight against, with virtually unlimited money and a manager who has done pretty well after taking over a relegation fighting Newcastle a year and half back.
- Tottenham – Well, they are going to be sh*t always, so nothing to worry about them.
It’s not going to be easier this season, that’s for sure.
Coming to the last point – we are all aware of Arteta’s stubbornness in playing a fixed starting XI, with last 10 minutes subs. It has it’s Pros and Cons. When these players play together regularly, they develop a chemistry and understanding about each other’s game. Also, a winning team is very high in confidence and any changes to it likely causes a small disruption. However, not all players are built like Saka or White, and playing them week-in, week-out can cause them fatigue and injuries. We have seen Partey broken, we have seen Saka not playing to his best, and we have also seen what happens when a player not rotated enough comes back in the fold when one of such cases happens (with Holding).
I’m in the favor of sticking to a playing XI but not that rigidly. It’s as simple as subbing out Saka a little bit earlier if we are 2-0 up against Forest. Showing a little bit of confidence for the bench players against the bottom half teams can keep these players fresh for the important games.
This season is going to test Arteta on his rotational skill. We are going to play twice a week and it’s not like no one would care this time. He will have to manage players in a way that they do not get injured, do not get stale, do not feel dejected; all while keeping them motivated for every minute they play.
As I said the last time, it’s going to be a tough season for the Manager, having to manage the team in two important competitions while improving on the last season’s performance; players after staying on top of the table for around 30 weeks and not winning; fans because we have seen improvement and the frustration and anger has changed to hope.
Right, see you in the comments.
Very well reasoned article Ambarish.
I would argue that Villa could be also in the reckoning if they get another couple of players in. Tottenham, as you say, look the team most likely to be dropped from the chasing pack.
Liverpool look worrying, as they have addressed their midfield weakness with two good players incoming. Another argument for selling Partey would be that it could mean that we get Lavia in , which would take him out of Liverpool’s hands if they sell Fabinho.
Arteta has been stubborn when rotating, part of this stubbornness has been a lack of belief in his alternatives. As it stands, I would argue that it’s only RW (and possibly CF) where he might still need convincing to rest Saka enough. With Trossard, ESR, Timber, KT, Kiwior, TT, Partey, Jorginho we have eight outfield players who can be rotated in and out – some more than others. The CF back up is less clear for obvious reasons. The twelve selections either side of CL matches will make very interesting reading!
With five subs, it’s clearly also about how long starters stay on the pitch before being replaced by fresh legs, to limit their minutes . In an ideal world we’ll be comfortably winning games, rather than chasing them, encouraging earlier game time rotation.
Nice piece Ambarish.
My biggets surprise so far is ManU and Newcastle haven’t spent more – I assumed the takeover at ManU was going to get done and dusted quickly and they’d look to make a couple of statement signings. Newcastle ended up in the CL probably a season sooner than they planned I thought they’d look to capitalise on that.
Beyond that the Spuddie’s look fucked – especially if Kane leaves and its possible Levy will do a Levy special and hang it out so long to squeeze some extra cash out of the deal that they don’t have time to bring in the right replacement.
Villa will also be a team that takes points off of the top teams if they’re not at their best.
Well laid out thoughts, Ambarish. An interesting season ahead.
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Marc
Manure are relegated to our trolly dashes by the look of it. I couldn’t be happier. The Glaziers have done to Ten Hag what Raul did to Emery only with transfer funds rather than bringing in unwanted players. The Glaziers were the best thing to happen to Manure where I’m disappointed they are selling up or is this just a ruse to get out of spending in this TW?
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I would imagine they might be big spenders in January.
Ambarish
I agree with the others – a really sound analysis of the present and the coming season. Your assessments of the 2 Manchester clubs and Liverpool accord with mine, and they’ll be our competition (although Liverpool’s front 3 might still be underdone). However, I think Chelsea wil struggle to adapt to Poch’s high work rate ethos. They’ll have a reduced fixture list but I still think their players are a group of disconnected individuals rather than a cohesive team. I’m looking forward to Spurs’s post Kane trolley dash based on what happened when they sold Bale. Soldado, Chadli and Lamela calibre players. Newcastle? I’m not sure they’re ready to improve either.
This season I want to see a little bit more swagger from Arsenal. Teams needs to fear our technical ability but also know that we’re going to bring aggression and will to win and an enthusiasm for dealing firmly with referees. Ode needs to be more vocal along with others such as Gab M, Rice, Ramsdale and Saka.
Has anyone been appointed in Round’s place yet?
Tony,
I can’t make my mind up whether the Glaziers don’t want to sell but need to make ManU fans think they will or are just asking for a crazy price.
Either way they’ve got a good manager in Ten Haag and if they don’t spend they’ll have no chance of top 4.
Kroenke
I think it’ll take the Poooooch a couple of seasons to really get Chelsea into shape but I can see them being miles better than they were last season.
To be honest part of that is easy – he’s got to select a squad of circa 25 players and go with them and then tell the owners to deal with the rest of them.
I love the photo by the way. The Emirates and the Home of Football. My flat is about 300 metres walk away from where the clock end meets the old east stand. Good memories.
Ambarish
The most intelligent assessment I have seen anywhere.
Without emotion ( except regarding Tottie_hamsters )
And
Without drama like in Le Potage (potato puree)
Thank you for the effort you put in . The passion for Arsenal comes free though
Kroenke,
I use to live about 1cm N of the tower block on the left of the four, Lowman Road. Took me around 6 mins to get from my house to my seat.
A good friend of mine used to run a pirate station from one of the tower blocks on Harvist Estate to the right. It was as much a glorified youth club than a station.
Kids these days with their spotifies and youtubes will never appreciate the stress we went through to avoid shit music
Good to see some North London heads on here.
Bob and Aitcho
North East London was the place to be in the capital in the 90s. It probably still is. When I bought my place (a flat just to the north of Highbury Barn) non-Arsenal friends thought I was mad having a place so near the ground (what’s so bad about leaving for the clock end at 2.45 sometimes and being home in time for final scores?)
But that belt of communities from Camden across to Dalston and Hackney, and from Crouch End south to Shoreditch and King’s Cross were the places to go out in. Pirate radio stations everywhere (remember Girl’s fm?) and even Kiss fm on the Holloway Road was fresh back then. Coming out of the cross and bagleys as the sun was coming up and kids were handing out flyers for the coming week.
But I knew gentrification was on the way when they opened a cheese shop and did up the Highbury Barn. I took my custom up Blackstock Road to the Gunners after that.
Did you indulge in 5/6 a side football at the time? We sometimes played at the Sobell (everyone in different variations of Arsenal kits) but we mainly played outside down the City Road in Homerton just south of the canal.
City Road? I must be thinking about Cardiff. New North Road.
KP, I used to play at Sobell every Friday when I went to Islington Sixth Form back when it was based at Annette Rd, next door to Jones Brothers now Waitrose, and Benwell Rd. My football stomping grounds were Market Rd and the Marshes, 7 and 11 a side respectively. After the Di Canio ref pushing my team was in the Sun in a feature about how tough refs had it. My team also used to play at the JVV centre Arsenal Lunchtime League 5 a sides, all the local big dogs had their representatives in that and the medals were worth winning, solid with a big embossed Arsenal Crest. They used to bring a local ‘celeb’ to do the end of session presentations. The highlights being, Phill Mitchell and Glen Helder. I managed to liberate a whole Arsenal 89 home kit, 1-14 from one of the changing rooms one lunchtime, still have it.
Do you mean the Finsbury Leisure centre. I never played there much back then.
It’s such a shame how kiss dropped off so quickly. Did you go to the opening all dryer at the Fields when LL Cool J performed? The days when Glastonbury acted like anything other than indie and rock was pointless.
Thanks for indulging me.
Football-wise. Other teams should improve but apart from ManC they were cack last season, they’ll be less cack this. But on paper we’ve also improved now, they’re playing catch up to us. Hopefully with a better squad, Tet’s well recognise rotational issues will be less of an issue.. We showed last season we’re good enough to win the damn thing. I expect ManC to be our only serious rivals while the rest address their shit-ness.
My word how generations change as the way I see it we had it good in our days because we had to work for it, sometimes as Aitcho alluded harder than seemed worth it, but of course it was. Today, it’s all too easy and technology is to blame for that.
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Part of my youth was in East Ham; not the best place to live in as a Gooner and after a few pugilist disagreements as TRVL would say, my choice of club was accepted because they noted I was different as they labelled me.
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Picture this for different. I had all sorts of mates I didn’t subscribe to the skins or greasers: I just did me. So, I told some skin mates I knew I’d just bought a bike with them thinking Lambretta or Vesper.
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Imagine their faces when they were at the traffic lights on their pregnant hairdryer scooters going pop pop pop all crombis/parkers and sta press with blood spattered Dr martins they’d never wash off and probably got it from the local abattoir.
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I rocked up on this compared to scatter roaring BSA Starfire also wearing a crombi, but with steel toe caps boots, as on bikes we used our feet on corners when needed; something scooters couldn’t do with running boards. Then, when they tried to keep up, the sparks were fun to watch before the rider took to the air, as I’d watch in my wing mirrors. Skins and Mods collectively were never that bright.
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Back then music and football and the lure of foreign soils was my life. Don’t laugh at the Starfire it was a beast in it’s day in the 70s and didn’t look half as silly as the multi mirror scooter mods.
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To the modern generations think: Oasis plastic pop fans vs Guns & Roses hells angels and general spit and sawdust rock fans.
Back in my day it was the Beatles vs The Rolling Stones and, of course, I liked both and then Pink Floyd & Cat Stevens.
.https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-mod-on-a-lambretta-scooter-20042946.html?imageid=50A07401-7E69-451D-9EFE-3EE1AF2560BF&p=56320&pn=1&searchId=ffdff4d794dd1285884cce8f861631b0&searchtype=0
Sorry I digressed down memory lane or was it Pound Lane or Penny Lane.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-rB0pHI9fU
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I had mates from Dalston and Hackney and from around the Blind Beggar and Empress of India. Those from the area will know those battle cruisers well, as did my mates and my mates dads’. All Gooners so home from home in those days.
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Back in those days those areas were tough boroughs or manors to this who ran them. Most of my mates dad’s worked for the crews of the day truck driving and various businesses we never knew about.
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I used to call them honest villains because they looked after the old and lived by codes that rarely involved the public. You could walk the streets any time back then and even leave your back doors unlocked.
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That was 50 years ago. How the UK has changed. I lived it and got out thankfully.
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Now it’s probably best if you invest in a stab proof vest to go to Tesco or travel around the city and now villages around the country are experiencing knife crime. Give it another 20 years when the migrants have all had kids and the Albanians are taking on the Russians et al.
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To sum it up a good successful friend who is a true Brit patriot said to me recently he’s been looking to become an expat and has looked at Europe, America (Hawaii) and other countries, such as Panama, Peru and Colombia that are being written about as good places to retire.
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I agreed with him the choice is very small these days.
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Back to football, not much happening or worth writing about. It’s a waiting game for us Gooners.
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Have a good one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM_kvTl6sI0 BSA Starfire
As the Rolling Stones rolled on the style led me to so many amazing styles of music. Long live the old Rhythm & Blues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyyoP5MBWFE
My sons both played in teams on Market Road. I use to play occasionally at the Sobell in the early 2000s before I got frustrated with my inability to play as I used to.
Bob
What position did you favour?
Me, the old center half and anywhere along the back 4 when 442 became the new system. I was seriously quick, still am for my age. My challenge was keeping possession at full speed. Rarely happened, so I kept up with the opponent’s speedsters defending.
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It’s why I was so much better at rugby. I had the speed of a winger playing 10, 11 or 12, so was a handful. At 15 I played for the local men’s team at fullback, which became my best position.
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I could naturally think rugby when playing, where as I couldn’t think football anywhere near the same, if that makes sense.
Midfield Tony, loved to tackle and shout a lot! Played scrum half mostly.
Am I the only who thinks the new away kit is bloody awful?
It’s indeed bloody awful. That too when Adidas had made one of the best away shirt last season.
Not sure about it too but if we win the league it’ll be iconic like the famous bruised banana strip! Should be able to spot a teammate though, psychadelic zebra!
Bob
I liked the bruised banana kit – it was different this just looks odd but as you say no one would care if we did something major in it.
Tony, I’m not sure London is getting more dangerous or if its just perception driven by media and a device to increase both police powers and powers of the Courts.
In 1970 there were 105 murders in London, in 2022, 109. In real terms, London was probably safer per capita than 50 years ago.
Sometimes we’re more influenced by anecdotes and shock stories than the data
Bob
“Should be able to spot a teammate though, psychadelic zebra!”
For someone not under the influence of alcohol or other perception changing substance may find it lot more confusing.
Aitcho
Interesting fact, but knife crime was rare in the 70s as were drug gangs. It’s aways safe until it happens to you and whether you’re equipped to handle it. Then muggings again rare in the 70s. London murders maybe similar to today, but the streets are a lot less safe than they were in the 70s. The problem is it’s only going to get worse with the migrants extending poverty through the country creating more crime.
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It’s not all trouble free here. Certain streets pay for police to come round and clock in several times a day. Bigger houses and factories have their own 24/7 security.
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Nowhere is safe but I wouldn’t let Junior go to uni in England. Edinburgh uni I’d be happy for him to go. More likely he’ll go to Vancouver as it’s safer than LA and there are many recording studios he can go to find work at weekends.
Market Road (always an Aussie or Kiwi hippy outside trying to sell a VW dormobile) just up the road from the Gin Palace and not too far from Shillibeers. I used to play there with my old (politically) right wing friend Keir Starmer (who was a short arsed midfield terrier) in the 90s. Holland Park, Wormwood Scrubs, Battersea Park and the Marshes plus numerous games in Hoxton, Homerton, Shoreditch and the Western side of Hackney. I once tried playing at about 11am on a Sunday after having popped a final E for the night at about 4am. All I can remember is trying to head everything that came into the box. The result? Massive fucking head and neck ache!
Tony – that BSA is beautiful. It sounds as if you ploughed your own furrow in the 70s/80s cult wars.
The streets in the UK are probably safer for South Asian migrants now than the 70s. So there’s that.
Perception is important. Mugging happened in the 70s, its why there have been laws against it since before the mass migration of the 50s and 60s.
As important is how a country manages migration. Qatar does it very well, it doesn’t increase poverty, Japan does it very well, it doesn’t increase poverty. Its almost as if us in majority white countries have difficulty with migrants.
The trope of migrants being workshy scroungers is just that. Most people emigrate, migrate to improve their prospects financially or improve their quality, or just chances, of living. It’s the same for Brit expats in Dubai as it is for Somali taxi drivers in Shepherds Bush.
Nobody travels thousands of miles for a council house and £75/wk universal credit. Imagine showing the rellies back home if you’d ended up in an South East Asian slum. Reverse that for any migrant who comes to the UK from that part of the world. They don’t come here to be poor or increase poverty and crime.
The ‘problem’ which we’ve established is only one of perception isn’t getting worse and I’m tired of expats, ie white economic migrants who haven’t lived here for years carping on about how bad the UK is ‘getting’ when it’s still still global destination and one of the best countries in the world to live. It’s like the Brexit ranters losing their mind over there not being any white nurses or not hearing English on the high St like it’s some cause for alarm.
And I’m tired of this veneration of old gangsters like the East End was some peaceful independent state. People who lived there lived in fear in the Kray era, they weren’t Robin Hoods and very often robbed from ‘their own’. Yes you could leave your back door open, there was nothing to nick from worming class houses in them days, but you couldn’t run an honest business without the risk of the Krays extorting money from you.
If our country is getting worse it’s due to the muppets who have been in charge not a few brown faces.
On current the most current international stats, which I recognise aren’t your feelings, Canada has a higher murder rate per capita than the UK. Tell the boy to come to London and enjoy living in one of the world’s best cities.
Ambarish
Just out of nosey interest, are you planning anything special to market LiR in various parts of the world before the season starts? Is there anything we can do to support it? Maybe you could reach out to AFTV for example to see if they’d give you a ‘shout-out’ as an India-based site for Gooners?
I’d be happy to contribute some old shirts /memorabilia if you wanted to run a competition.
More fans from diverse backgrounds (female and male) would be a brilliant addition to us old farts. We’re all cynical about the club to a fault (except Bob!) but I reckon we’d give a warm and inclusive welcome to any new posters.
Tony
One of the problems with crime today is perception – with a 24 hour news cycle things get reported to death and hyped to a crazy level. Is it more dangerous or are we just all scared into believing it is?
Aitcho/Marc
That’s fair in what you both say. I lived in and out of the area as my mates were from there. Their dad’s worked for…… so as youngsters we never felt fear going out. The hospital was close to the Blind Beggar, so great area to chat up nurses after their shifts then take them on for a ruby murry in the early 70s.
The new kit does leave one with few words. Truth be I don’t much care about shirts so they could play in mankinis as long as they are winning trophies.
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Junior just said great idea the defenders will be stuffed at corners as whats can they grab? Got to to be loads of penalty shouts.
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Looking at the women’s team they should stay in normal kits.