So the great new dawn is upon us. We have rid ourselves of Arsene Wenger and his gang of incompetents, and replaced them with high class people that can bring us the success we deserve.
It’s absolutely fantastic. The players are drinking water, smiling,training hard, young players are involved and the manager is hands on on the training ground. These things never happened before , now did they?
That there have been major changes in personnel is undeniable. That they are all top people in their fields of expertise appears to be the case, they are certainly experienced with good track records. Its more people with more individual responsibility and a coach with much less. Modern football? Or should I not say that because “modern football” is frowned upon by the “we want our Arsenal back” hoards. But I digress.
The point is almost every fan is happy, us included, the future looks bright. But what has actually changed other than our perceptions?
We have spent about £70m up until now, I suspect there will be outgoing and our net spend will be considerably less. So are we spending more? Is the new regime spending the money Arsene refused to? Seems not ?
Have we dipped into the £250m in the bank that should be spent on making the team as good as it can be? Seems not ? Perhaps that’s not for spending then, or not anywhere like that figure?
Are we competing for the likes of Marhez ,with City, or are we still buying from the second shelf ? It seems we are not and we still are ! So what’s the big change?
Have we tied Aaron Ramsey down to a new deal, or is it dragging on? Dithering?
Now here is the rub, the moment many readers start shifting uncomfortably on their seat, searching for an answer that doesn’t destroy all their hard earned narratives.
If you are happy with all things Arsenal now, you have a certain Stan Kroenke to thank.
Without spending any more of the clubs money, and of its reserves ,or dipping into his own pocket for a single silver dollar, he has given everyone what they wanted ? Without being a football man or spending time at the club he has granted the wishes of the permanently malcontent.
His useless puppet (Ivan) is now the dogs bollocks. We are Kroenke FC , being driven by Ivan, and he is the very image of a none football man.
So if everything is rosy in the garden, and I hope it is, then we should be very much KROENKE IN ? He has come through big time and perhaps all the hate was for nowt?
Positively Arsenal 
< the most famous example of a CM dropping in between the centre-backs during the time of old gaffer's last great team was for me Arteta after about 15 minutes of the 2014 FA Cup final.
Flawless performance it was too from the old skipper, as apart from himself and the two CBs the rest of the team went over the top. Just that late chance when Hull when a fatigued Mertesacker stumbled, and Fabianski paid tribute to his polish colleague Szczesny with a chance so rare for Hull after the opening spell of that game that it inspired this outstanding work:
LikeLiked by 2 people
Finsbury, not especially judging the credibility of the source or otherwise, just saw it as a decent tribute to a man who served the club well
LikeLiked by 2 people
I notice that Ben Sheaf was not in the U23 squad tonight, not sure if he has an injury or if it suggests he may be on the move, maybe another loan for him.
LikeLike
LikeLiked by 2 people
I see Tony Adams claimed he won the FA Youth Cup with Arsenal, the drink has really muddled that guys head, the best done in his time in the youth team was a semi final loss to Aston villa. our team had Adams, Keown, Ceasar, Thomas, Rocastle, Hayes, Quinn in its ranks
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sorry Mandy just preemptively overreacting to the fulsome praise for a player who might play in a little bit similar to a Denilson type/style (from a physically mature player – at the same age or thereabouts Denilson never recovered from that back injury) from people who might have spent some (a lot of) time previously groaning at having that style of player (converted forward player, usually happens with older players) in that role, whilst declaring it to be something new (only relative to the last two seasons).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Other forward players converted to CMs:
Two different players who won plaudits in the role,
Arteta
Cazorla
Unai Emery is an already successful and ambitious student. He knew so much about each and every player at Arsenal because he’s been following the club closely through the recent periods. I’m up for this kind of “revolution”!
LikeLiked by 1 person
isn’t it odd that no one in the media are asking why high ranking people at Bayern Munich are lining up to have a pop at Mesut Ozil.
No, the media are just oh so very keen to keep the negative spin on Ozil going. Discredit him as much as possible, another example of the media attacking the whistle blower and not the perpetrators of wrong doing. Disgraceful.
LikeLiked by 3 people
for me, as things stand with out squad I would think that our main starting 11 this season when all fit will be
Leno
Bellerin Sokratis Mustafi Monreal
Torreira Xhaka
Mkhitaryan Ramsey Ozil
Aubameyang
the midfield attacking 3 very mobile and interchangable
LikeLiked by 1 person
I suppose it is hard to ignore the feeling that it is just weird behaviour to see a tribute towards VA when VA stayed at the club for another season out of respect for the greatest manager in the history of AFC, the manager who the writer had spent years running down in such a disingenuous manner.
Given that, then such people who know so much about the Arsenal are not exhibiting “Arsenal Values”, that is a fair, reasonable and evidential comment.
I couldn’t think of anyone less qualified to pay a tribute to someone like Vic Ackers. I don’t imagine Vic would have any respect for someone who couldn’t respect his old gaffer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve tried to join in the jamboree celebrating having a coach who “coaches” according to such classy writers referred to above, and to focus on other areas and not the CBs considering I have been Groaning IBSF about this topic or obvious undeniable weakness in the squad since last Summer when it became apparent that Koscielny would struggle going forwards. whilst our sincere blaggers chose to gallantly take the opportunity last season to focus on “defensive coaching” which reflects more upon people who chose that line as opposed to reflect and discuss what was happening on the humble football pitch but I digress, of even more significance then any tweaks to the forms and patterns in midfield is who the starting CBs will be and how their form will be going forwards.
Same issue as it was last season…
LikeLiked by 1 person
A fair amount of old rubbish gong the rounds everywhere but here it would seem. When it is not centred on the wonderful new innovations that Emery has brought in ( and the only difference to me seems that the Communications Dept seems to have suddenly woken to the fact that stories need to be spun) it has focussed on the great Ramsey contract scandal, with all sorts of strange ideas surfacing. All I would say about that is there is a noticeable lack of rumours as to where he might be going if he doesn’t re-sign, which would suggest to me that he has either got a cast-iron offer from a huge club, or his agent isn’t doing a very good job in hawking his player round. This time last year the Ox was getting towards his final year, and I pointed out that for a player with his injury history it would be a gamble to run his contract down. Imagine the situation he would be in now if he had run that risk. On that basis alone I do not think Aaron Ramsey will go down the ‘leave on a free route’, and I would expect him to sign a pretty decent new contract probalby sometime in the Autumn.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Yeah the media have Aaron going everywhere and at such times you can only go by the player himself (excluding the extremely dubious Sol)
Aaron said he was looking to stay and said he was leaving it to his agent and had no idea what the sticking point was. It seemed to me he just was enjoying his football and everything else could be left for others to negotiate, which is a very sensible approach.
Based on that I can’t see Kelly has much to worry about it seems it’s more about getting the right deal rather than going elsewhere.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ed, Ben Sheaf is injured at the moment
LikeLiked by 2 people
As far as first eleven goes I think the game is increasingly squad based and and so Home and away games could be very different as could the ability and style of opponents.
I think in the past Shotta has showed that successful teams had the fewest changes going forward interchangeable players will become more apparent.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ed,
Agree on the eleven ,if you had to pick one, but I’m with Ian in thinking it likely we’ll alter things home and away and in general for different teams.
However, as he also mentions, many/most successful teams have a settled side as season progresses (Leicester the obvious recent one, think Chelsea were much the same Conte’s first year as well)
My feeling is it will take a bit of time before he finds his preferred partnerships/combinations at cb, centre mid and attacking 3. Heck maybe even goalkeeper, fullbacks and striker while we’re at it!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Mandy
It was a touching tribute from a very credible source. I wish TS would start his own blog.
LikeLiked by 2 people
“A very credible source”
Not by his own words published on these very pages mate. By said writer. Not me.
But you are of course entitled to your opinion.
We are on safe ground if we assume Vic’s opinion towards such disrespectful disingenuous parasites. His own actions speak louder then their petty words (staying on one last year).
LikeLiked by 1 person
These masters of sports communication are putting in a big effort trying to reclaim their Arsenal from AW’s legacy.
it’s nice to know they have fans.
But it’s a bit of a shame for them then that we all ended up with one of AW’s students as the new gaffer (please refer to the shiny new CM) and not Simeone eh?
Puts all the gibberish, the cunning “sports communication” strategy of not discussing the squad last year, of running down the greatest manager in the history of AFC and the immature sneering towards anyone who chose to support the manager and the club vocally over the last several years into the right perspective.
Considering that the major issues are essentially the same as they were last summer – contracts of big players and replacing the BFG and Koscielny that effort results in only one place for such efforts: into the dust bin.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I particularly loved it when UE explained ta the fans have to be in harmony with he club.
Puts tthat cunning linguists sneering defence of the toxic atmosphere around afc that he helped to create into the correct perspective. Please remember I am simply quoting and referring to the new gaffer.
Let’s be fair.
These little liars have less then zero credibility.
With UE’s appointment, by the football we can all see upon the football pitch and also by his own words Arsene’s legacy is affirmed and will continue to evolve. Do they not like that?
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLiked by 2 people
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cech is captain tonight
LikeLiked by 1 person
< I think most people understand what a "football crowd" can be like.
A normal football crowd may be boisterous, may even use fruitful language, but they are not often as toxic as we have seen in recent times.
Home crowd support has been decent, enjoyable, but the toxicity worries many had refered to the overall atmosphere around the club etc. AFTV, the heckling of Adebayor led by the likes of Arseblagger etc.
It's not a good record that these people have left behind them for posterity to observe.
Record, as in: Not an opinion
LikeLiked by 2 people
Mustafi and the new CB as the starting CBs then?
Mustafi entering only his 3rd or 4th year as a starting CB? Hopefully he’ll kick on this season with enough experience under his belt now, that last excuse is receding.
I’m not sure if he has the potential to hit the heights reached by Koscielny, which was never in doubt as far as Kozza was concerned, and looking at AFCs place in the market we can only hope that he does!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Fins your dead right, I always think how will history judge any situation and when fans start enjoying themselves all those who have made a living out of negativity will not be welcomed quite as much as they are now.
LikeLiked by 3 people
‘Not by his own words published on these very pages mate. By said writer. Not me’
Tim Stillman wrote something on this blog that offends you. Is that what your saying?
What was it? Could you enlarge on this, because he doesn’t seem the type to write offensive blog articles.
LikeLike
Offend? Me? On a football blog?
I’m not sure how that would be possible.
But your opinion is no less important, even if it makes no sense.
Even opinions can only go so far. If we consider the sad defence of the toxicity we can appreciate that such conduct requires no opinions, only stupidity (in regards to a football club).
I’m not sure I’d accuse people of being offended for simply dismissing my copious opinions. Pinched nerve my dear? Are you ok?
LikeLike
You’re still not explaining your dislike of Tim Stillman or what it was he said.
LikeLike
Ian
When the Great Bob was wheeled out onto the pitch in May he unleashed his nano bot armour piercing rounds upon the opinions of the Arsenal Holes.
They toxic merchants were called out for their conduct in public, in the ground, in front of everyone, and dismissed. (Why would anyone confuse the word dismissal with offence? Beats me…).
Ivan did that well (I do have a soft spot for him and that may well be because he is one of the few football CEO’s who actually likes to play some football!).
LikeLiked by 1 person
I remember the honest hack Hugh Whizzy (unlike some others he never pretended to be anything else) asking Crucial Robbie what was wrong with Bellerin’s comments. (And these twerps wrote that there wasn’t a toxic atmosphere! Amazing opinions eh?!)
I sense an echo of the spluttering bluster implying that Bellerin had been offensive that Robbie* proferred as his reply back then.
Funny old game innit.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Subs: Leno, Chambers, Holding, Mavropanos, Maitland-Niles, Nelson, Smith-Rowe, Iwobi, Nketiah, Lacazette.
LikeLiked by 2 people
http://www.hesgoal.com/news/31995/Arsenal_vs_Chelsea.html
ramsey injured in the warm up and smith-rowe in for him
LikeLiked by 2 people
5 minutes in, cfc take the lead from a corner, free header 8 yards out.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good football from Arsenal in the opening minutes, the new rookie French CM impressing again so far. Free header from the corner for Chelsea.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mustafi at RCB.
LikeLiked by 1 person
poor defending from bellerin and its a penalty to cfc
LikeLiked by 2 people
Chelsea now enjoying some possession. Kante & Fabreags alongside their new CM.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cech saves it
LikeLiked by 2 people
Cech saves!
LikeLiked by 1 person
we are finding it very difficult to get away from the cfc press, and our press on them not causing them problems
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m expecting a difficult game for the midfield opposite the full strength Chelsea midfield.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Passing their way past the AFC press at times.
Aubamayang wins a corner.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oops goal kick!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Özil dropping into midfield to help out ATM.
LikeLiked by 1 person
no one getting in the box for us, really missing those runs ramsey makes. its all on the fringes, aubameyang coming out to make the play too, mkhitaryan and ozil floating about, but not enough creation from them yet
LikeLiked by 1 person
Arsenal FC
Verified account @Arsenal
4m4 minutes ago
🚨 An update on Aaron Ramsey…
Aaron did not start tonight’s match due to a minor calf problem – he was replaced in the line up by Emile Smith Rowe as a precaution
LikeLiked by 1 person
They seem fitter and faster than us all over the pitch
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’ve seen some say in recent weeks that Guendouzi is the new PV4, well for me his style of play is way more like Emmanuel Petit
LikeLiked by 2 people
Lazy Özil now from LM conjuring Arsenal’s first half-chance/shot.
LikeLiked by 2 people