Good morning Positivistas,
I thought I would break into the interminable Summer break, a hiatus that seems to have lasted weeks now, though the calendar tells me it is less.
Turning to matters AFC yesterday’s unveiling of Granit Xhaka was a bright start to the summer and the boy now has a chance to settle into the first team squad and acclimatise to life in England. The early move seems sensible. It may well be that with a significant change of personnel in our midfield, with Mikel, Tomas and probably the Flamster too on his way out that a few weeks is required to fit together all the pieces again.
The young Swiss player comes highly rated and, from what he says, Arsene was tapping him up on the ‘phone a year ago. ( Surely not !).I know very little about him and on the rare occasions I watched Monchengladbach last season, perhaps one or twice, he did not register on my radar. I look forward to being educated over the next few months.
A large transfer fee appears to have momentarily quelled the Scarfist jibber-jabber. I suspect their quiet will not last long once the transfer window is open and others are flashing the PL cash. There is talk of another striker, but who knows ?
Looking a little further forward we have the Euros commencing on the 10th when the hosts take on Roumania. With a select band of Arsenal players taking part in France there will be interest for us but, apparently, it seems to be a tournament where even now ‘security’ concerns are looming over proceedings. There will be much good football, and a few new names. I look forward to the event. As matters stand England have first to negotiate the ‘friendly’ with Australia on Friday night. Why playing the Aussies is regarded as a good final preparation and fine tuning for the Euros is a puzzle, as even Vardy seems to realise.
Talking of the relentless march of time Ian reminded me that it is 27 years today that “it was up for grabs now”. I can still see the rooftops of Lewisham and hear my voice. Happy St Michael’s day to you all and thank you Ian for the pic.
Enjoy your week and what over here is a Bank holiday weekend.
Positively Arsenal 
What a pleasant surprise this is.
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A pleasant start to the summer which includes confirmation that the club has actually continued to be in search of players to buy to strengthen and would not just buy for the sake of buying and also the player has to be set to move … perhaps our man wanted one more year in Germany?
When AW time and again said he was looking to add quality players many kept suggesting he was lying as if buying a player is like gooing to a shop to buy biscuits… likely there were / are a number of long drawn targets some not working out and others still being worked on…
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if that match versus Leicester eventually won us the EPL it was have given present day fans the idea of what it was like… that end of game goal that titles the balance especially from a losing position and the opposition can do nothing about it!
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Thanks A5. And thanks also for your last article, which I didn’t properly thank you for.
I wanted to post the following at the “end” of the last thread, but read “Comments are closed”. I was outraged, as per my wont, but checking, desperately, I now understand and forgive. (Who is this pr*ck?).
Anyway, further indulgence, please:
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Xhaka looks to me to be a non-marquee signing at approaching a marquee price.
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Nice. Broke up my day off and accompanied my cuppa during a rest from hoeing the weeds between my potato plants.
The chap, no doubt, has a song all but pre-penned as indicated by the sheer volume of dad-type jokes, based on his name, that one can see coursing through the Twitterverse. Even made one myself (I am a dad though)
27 yrs ago I was in my living room and still recall the vague shouting of the good lady in the background as I jumped and danced and yelled. My wife was not shouting for the same reason as me but rather ‘at’ me. Something to do with the can of Red Stripe that was spinning and spouting on the floor. Admittedly it had been in my hand moments earlier but those moments coincided with “it’s up for grabs now!”
I own up now to happily being an England fan for the next few weeks and, while I may worry that Ozil gets an injury, I most certainly won’t worry if his team get a darn good thrashing. Likewise with Ramsey (sorry Kelly), and any other Arsenal player who is there but opposing England. So it’s Jack and only Jack that has my full unhindered support.
By some element of luck I happen to be off for every England game with the exception of the first knock out round (depending where/if they finish the group). Even if that is the case, I’m due to be working with a couple of folk who have no football interest and will almost definitely let me disappear a touch early that evening.
My 30th wedding anniversary falls during the football and I panicked it might clash with something but fate again kindly made it fall in a two-day no football break between knockout rounds
So, the best indicator that England will win the thing is that the gods/fates/soothsayers/runes/moss on the trees/Lady Luck have all got together to give me an uncomplicated and unobstructed couple of weeks, ideally mapped out to both watch England’s glorious route to victory and repay the better half for Michael Thomas’ spilling of the Red Stripe, 27 years ago.
Back to those pesky weeds. Have a good day, all. UTA.
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Don’t feel as if the world is against you Ranty – after 10 days the comments on an individual piece switch off !!
And that is the oddest tug of war I ever saw
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WOW… What can be said.. that little boy is tough!
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Nice article. Looks to be a good player from all reports I’ve heard. Obviously the only reason we haven’t heard any complaining is because we’ve done the first business.
As soon as other clubs sign players that the (what do we refer to the support challenge fans as nowadays) xxxxxxx want then the moaning happens. Of Xhaka will be compared to them.
Happy days.
Woah look at that little guy go! Nearly had the big guy there. What was I watching?
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Arsenal’s CM options at the start of last season
1. Arteta
2. Coquelin
3. Ramsey
4. Flamini
5. Wilshere
6. Cazorla
We knew wilshere was out injured long term, and that Arteta was an injury concern and Ramsey had a poor injury record of sorts but was expected to be available for most of the season, and he played in 31 of our 38 BPL games and was unused sub a couple of times too, he played 40 games in total.
Arsenal’s CMs as it stands now
1. Xhaka
2. Coquelin
3. Ramsey
4. Elneny
5. Wilshere
6. Cazorla
Wilshere has a poor injury records of sorts, and although Cazorla is coming back from a long term injury like Jack, both can be hoped to be fit for most if not all next season.
I watch Bundislega highlights weekly, and as I stated when we were first linked with Xhaka, in the middle of the season, my only concern is that he could very well be a target for our ever so unbias refs in the BPL, as the lad takes no prisoners, and if he gets kicked he is not afraid to kick back.
with Xhaka and Eleney added, and Arteta and Flamini leaving, we have swapped two aging players for two guys coming into their prime years, and both are very mobile, and of course both have gone some way to adding more height to our team.
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the signing of Xhaka has done little to quell the malcontents, did anyone think it would, and in fact does anyone really think that no matter who or how many new players we sign, that the malcontent will not still play their agenda driven little games, it will just be more moving of the goalposts, it will either be, they guys we signed are the wrong ones, or they will just change who they call “deadwood”, Ramsey, Theo, Ox, Gibbs, Per, Gabriel, Giroud, Ospina, Szczesny, Debuchy, Jenkinson, Campbell are all “deadwood” according to some, so they have lots of scope to keep their juvenile like whinging going. Don’t expect any amount of signings to change them, remember “to change, first, one has to want to change”, and the malcontents do not want to change, they want an argument.
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after Alexis taking the No. 7 shirt vacated by Rosicky, Ramsey has taken Arteta’s No. 8 shirt.
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Stan Kroenke has bought 23 additional shares for £368,000, which increases his shareholding to 67.05%. He really must have taken notice of those who demand he leaves AFC.
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Looks like he’s certain to piss off. Running scared.
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I don’t know where the tug of war took place or any significant detail. I had read that someone at the meeting sent the video to the little boys mum, and she was delighted with him, confirming him to be as extra special as she thought all along. The video went viral particularly after an hook up with a chat show host.
I continue to find it compelling.
Thanks A5 for explaining the 10 day rule, though I was taking the P out of myself in expressing “outrage” and offering “forgiveness”, the pr*ck remark, rhetorical and defo at me.
If Arron’s taken the no.8 he’s unlikely to be looking for a move, I guess. Alexis took 17 from Nacho (who moved to the dreaded and unlucky 18! God, he’s so technical – every thing so classily measured), because Sanchez wants the 7, which he’s now got.
Who’s gonna get 9?
Welcome Xhaki. You’ll be kicked and derided but you wanted to come to Arsenal and you clearly know how it goes. For me, when you kick back, make it worth it. We’ve had plenty of playing with 10 men in the past, and you never know, if They can let Barton, etc smash people up (on or off the field, colleagues or not), notwithstanding you’re a foreigner playing for a foreign manager, I hope you’re allowed some leeway.
I only watched Switzerland for Djourou but now I’ll have to watch in order to see you. Tut.
Re the video: I see the little boy as Arsenal and you can choose which ref(s) officiate similarly to the one who “done” that contest. (Note how the big boy at one stage shortens the rope, and also repositions it over his shoulder).
All right, I’m going to bed….
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yeah i did wonder about shortening the rope and putting it over his shoulder is that allowed?
Little boy as arsenal and the nearly win as our title challenge of 2008.. we were that close to winning it!
Now we are back with a bang… having grown up a little more! 4th to 3rd to 2nd is mounting a challenge no matter the spin to suggest spurs did betteer.. they finished 3rd and so they didn’t
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A lovely painting to illustrate the article Andynic
I find it quite surprising that there’s not been a big buzz on the Arsenal Blogoshere about Granit being bought early in the TW.. unlike when Wenger bought Ozil and Sanchez when the Arsenal world exploded. Perhaos it’s because he’s Swiss and played for Muchengladback rather than Real or Barca. I think he’s an excellent choice.
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Bril A5, an interlude to the interlude.
I was only 6 in 71 and didn’t start going to Highbury until 74 so 89 was the first title I really felt part of. After the great start to the previous season only to be robbed by the ref again at old Trafford the league seemed beyond us forever especially after the results again Derby and Wimbledon towards the end of 89. Even Rocky thought we had to win four – nil at A field before someone reminded him if we scored two goals then two would come of their GD.
The season is building up to be a corker which probably means it won’t be exciting at all for the neutral but maybe it will be for us, either way that’s for later licks are a licking.
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‘Ave in Poldi, ‘ave him son.
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Xhaka listed as No.16 and Iwobi has moved shirt number to No.17
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happy for Iwobi… great for the developing players.. bellerin, iwobi… but for Gnabry injuries, he was on the verge a few years back… still young though.
Making giant strides… hope toral and co get a chance and if not go out on loan again for some.
I like the idea of adding one new player a season and the other gaps filled by the upcoming players being developed so i won’t complain if there are no new faces coming in
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big reports coming out of Germany that Arsenal are in for Wolfsburg left vack Ricardo Rodriguez, the 23 year old is an international team mate of our new signing Xhaka and they two are said to be big mates. Head of the AFC Academy Andries Jonker is said to have recommended him to Wenger, as AJ worked with the lad while assistant manager at Wolfsburg
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