Dennis Saurez gave interview saying that he was not even 50% fit after 16 days at Arsenal.
One game sticks in my head, I think it was Man City away we were 2-3 down with 15 mins to go.
Ozil was on the bench ( i thought he was coming on @ halftime but stayed on the bench(this was shortly after the claim was made that Ozil can’t play away because of the physicality by the manager) I was thinking at the time Poor away fans who traveled as it was clear we were going to get beat but the fans had nothing to cheer, (cant remember too many chances being created or any pleasing football) at that moment with 15mins to go he brought on Saurez who had been in the country 5 days, ahead of Ozil. I knew something was up then but this really confirms it.
Not only had Denis Saurez not acclimatised to a new country , different way of playing , food, culture, language etc, the guy by his own admission was less than 50% fit.
I think that was the day i decided that this manager had his own interests and not the team or the fans interest at heart.
He played Saurez just to make a power statement and it has had a detrimental affect on team morale.
Look at the start of the season, everyone was bubbling looking forward to the season, people putting themselves forward to be captain, people saying they want to follow in legends footsteps, to how we finished the season low on morale and without a Scooby Doo.
I want the manager gone because i seen more conflict with the team than working to harmonise the team and make them a coherent unit.
Victory through harmony it certainly has not been.
Rant over
Gee.
Positively Arsenal 
Jeorge Bird
@jeorgebird
Of the new scholars Azeez, Butler-Oyedeji and Oyegoke have been spotted at London Colney so far (via Instagram). Still awaiting an update on Musah. Looks like Nwakali is heading to London for training – he could be with U23s.
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I like what Mesuts trying to do. Would be very interesting if it succeeds on a grand scale and see how well the knock on affects work…
COYÖ!
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Nearing the end of July.
Still no one in charge of the football club.
Head of “Football Reations” is happy.
“I really like Raul”™
T-shirts, cuff links, etc. are all available. Special price at a special discount for the special people.
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The long kiss goodbye…
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confirmed Jordi Osei-Tutu at VfL Bochum.
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Is that a permanent move or a loan eduardo?
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Never mind, I’ve seen that it’s a loan. I just hope he gets to play enough to make it worth his while. I still don’t see why Guendouzi gets to develop while playing for the AFC first team, while other young players get sent on loan where they hardly get any chances to play.
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this coming Friday will mark the half way point of this summers BPL transfer window, meaning there are six weeks and 3 days left to this window for signing, players can still be sold to clubs in other leagues whose transfer window is still open.
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I thought most contracts don’t finish till July 1st so officially deals can only be done after Saturday.
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Could be a fair bit happening next week. Schoolboy contracts finish July 1st apparently, so will prob find out then about our scholarship intake including Musah.
Believe there may be something about a new kit supplier around then.
Does actually seem to be something in Saliba and Tierney talk, and then there’s Brazilian kid Martinelli.
Alaways thought it sounded fanciful waiting on announcements till new kit deal starts but with Martinelli at least could be case.
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Any one know what Emerys track record is like with developing and integrating youth into his teams?
Is there anyone that he has nurtured through from youth ,u18 etc
I don’t know if someone has already answered this so forgive my ignorance?
Be interesting to know with everyone saying our focus is youth over the next coming seasons
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The anti Ozil rhetoric is crazy.
We seem to be only concentrating on this season like he is a new player.
Funny I thought he was instrumental in ending or trophy drought, almost wining the league when we finished 2nd, created the most chances according to mins in the prem, instrumental in our team playing entertaining football etc, suddenly this yr entirely media driven agenda(until someone at the club actually comes out and says Ozils contract is a problem) Ozil earns too much and is a burden on the team.
For me, more and more these days, it seems people have got a real herd / hive mentality driven by media and main stream officials.
Ozil earned his contract for more than the reasons stated above, I admit and he prob will admit he has not had the best season but how some of our own have turned against him is mad.
I swear Fabregas till this day gets more love and he refused to play for us and Nasri insisted to play but guess who is more hated.
Have you ever seen a gushing story in the media about Nasri ?
but no one in the media can deny Fabregas love for Arsenal right?
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Gee the joke is that Cazorla nevermind Ozil was, by far, the more accomplished footballer when compared with the F word.
It’s not even a debate.
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But the anti Ozil rhetoric isn’t crazy.
It’s a PR campaign we could predict after he good Dr.’s premptive strike, sent the PR consultants into a tizzy and a flurry of innocent tweets including timeless gems like this one:
“I really like Raul”™
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The good Dr is pissing himself with laughter ATM.
I don’t know what the next move is that he’d have prepped several months ago in advance of the genius Sports Communication consultants.
Oh wait! We’ve just seen it, released into the ether just as Raul’s employees and consultants had fired off their first spluttering load. And what a move it was too. If Ozil’s critics rely on playing the race hate card, then so can the good Dr too!
The rook goes straight to the end line and:
check!
What a bucnch of ****s these ****s who’ve taken over the club are.
The club is moving away from the club of Rocky Rocastle in more ways then one.
“I really like Raul”™
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What kind of football fan would like the man that helped to destroy the long built reputation and status of FC Barcelona?
Oh, wait…I see.
A really really, really, genuinely stupid football fan.
Perhaps lobotomies are not all that?
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Jeorge Bird
@jeorgebird
Goalkeeper James Hillson, who was brought in on loan last season, was back at the Arsenal training ground today, which suggests that he has been offered a professional contract and could sign permanently.
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I see the media are linking AFC with a move for Wilfred Zaha, can I just say now, before any potential deal is done, that I don’t rate him, way too inconsistent, throws too many tantrums,(yes I know he gets kicked a bit, which is a disgrace), he is for me far too selfish, is way over priced(it seems Crystal Palace expect a fee in the region of £80M, laughably overpriced at that), but the biggest problem I have with Zaha is that he is cheat, he is a diver, he is a con artist,
So having said that what will my view of him be if he signs for Arsenal,
He is our over priced, over hyped, cheating, diving, con artist, come on Wilfred Zaha.
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finsburyp Carzola one of my fave players.
I hold the team and squad that won the FA cups and broke our trophy drought as better than the ones where Fabregas was instrumental. Players like Walcott, Ox,Giroud,Carzola are my favs ahead of the likes of Fabregas.
The reason I highlight Fabregas is he was a fan fav for yrs who some fans make excuses for till this day but were like sell Walcott cause he is a big earner,Girioud, Ramsey etc and these players accomplished more for Arsenal and got more hate cause of it.
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Ed. I am with you on that.
80mil does not buy a lot in the Premier League these days.
Zaha has got tricks sure but I am not convinced by his link up play.
It’s not just beating your man and putting a cross in although that seem to be our go to tactic through wing backs but how you link with the team all over the pitch. Pires for me is the best example and Zaha for me falls way short of that for me on link up.
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Keenos@KeenosAFC
Last season in the PL:
Wilfried Zaha
3041 minutes
10 goals
5 assists
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
1645 minutes
6 goals
4 assists
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Gee, I agree with you wholeheartedly.
All this bleating about Ozil’s contract when no one outside a few at the club has the faintest idea of any details of it.
All of a sudden, the nonsense in the press is absolute truth when they report about Ozil’s contract, but are then making it up when they tell us that we are signing any player that moves and selling every player that we have.
Those who do not go to Untold Arsenal already will see, every transfer window, the long list of players the press and the bloggers have said we are signing and selling, with virtually all of it completely false and someone’s imagination.
So why are so many people believing what they have seen in the press and the blogs as to Ozil’s contract?
Frankly, it is none of our business, even if it is true.
Perhaps those people who wish to discuss the private financial affairs of others should initially disclose their incomes.
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“…should initially disclose their incomes.”
And from whence that income came!
If you can’t handle the heat…
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Jjgsol what can you believe from the press, they lie about a pastime which football is, it’s nothing but a pastime played by millionaires.
Never mind the serious issues that affect our lives and pockets. So to take their word as gospel shows a lack of original thought
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Gee, I think the answer to your question is, very little.
To start with, they want to sell newspapers or generate clicks.
With all their self-righteous bleatings about being the public’s conscience, they get the choice to choose what information to pass on in order to promulgate their view and their view only.
What can be important is not only the information that they tell us but the information they choose to withhold.
This is a football blog, not a political one, so I will stop there.
What is clear is that all the bloggers and contributors want our team to succeed, but too many feel that they just have to say anything, even if it is nonsense or libellous.
I contribute usually as a reaction to something I don’t like, so it is rather negative, but I sometimes feel that I cannot let someone get away with what they have said.
More fool me, I think.
.
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Ed, Gee
Totally agree on Zaha. Huge questions for me about linkplay and, similarly, how he would fare against teams parking the bus.
A scenario where we identify him as ‘the one’ and/or would seek to spend the vast majority of budget on him worries me.
I like getting more speed in the team but think it’s required in 2 or 3 areas.
No ideas who exactly and obviously it is many times easier said than done but if we have that 60 mill or so required to think about Zaha seems far more preferable to use it on 2-3 (fast) players. Tierney sounds the right kind of player for one of them.
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This week I’ve thought about that recent positive article of mine and don’t know if I could write one at the minute.
Maybe in part it’s down to the u21 Euros I’ve been watching, but I have dispiriting sense of not knowing what realistic signings we could make to significantly improve us.
The end of the season was obviously a severe blow to positive thinking, and i’ve lost that feeling which is my norm that with 1 or 2 cracking signings, this or that, we could really be in business or close to ‘cracking it’ in creating a winning formula.
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Of course, my mood and whatnot is not strictly related to reality of what shape team is in etc (could feel optimistic and it not go great; could feel pessimistic and we do well) but, as Fins might say, it is what it is at moment.
I find myself stymied when I try generate optimism by imagining a new element- pace here, skill there, etc- in this or that area of the team.
The centre mid for instance needs more speed, as , surely, does the defence, but what other qualities does this notional fast midfield player need to have. I just can’t superimpose a player onto a part of the team that finished the season as it did and imagine it going that differently.
I sure hope it’s just me and there are good plans afoot to get the team working a lot better than it was at the climax, if you can call it that, of last season
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@stillarich – I would rather that we buy Sanchezz back for that money or hell even bring Theo Walcott for me a much better player than Zaha.
Zaha’s numbers are not great for that money.
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@ stillarich
I liked the look of Rodrigo Bentancur for Juve when i have seen him play. More in the ramsey\Fabregas mold. Cm partner of LT for national team. May be a bit light weight though but he is a battler and with Lucas they already have a understanding.
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gee
Don’t know Bentacur very well. Think I may have thought he was efficient type at last world cup. Uruguayans normally seem to come with a guarantee of being smart and tough as well.
Thrown me a bit watching this U21 tournament as two best teams- Germany and Spain- have been playing with tons of verve, technique and skill, while impressing on me once again that, skill needs skill, basically.
Just made me very aware of fact to get the best from technicians you need other technicians in the team with them, also if you are to be a passing team, you want everyone to be comfortable on the ball, a number of players who can withstand press and handle ball in tight areas,etc, intelligent movement and runs from players without ball.
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That isn’t the case if you are not a possession team, especially if you are a true defend-and-counter team. Then it’s just try nail down a good defensive structure, and work on counter attacks.
So it has really brought home to me questions about what type of team we are now or hope to become. It’s hard to know what players can make a big difference for us when I don’t know what we are exactly or what we are trying to become.
Am pretty certain we could do with a speed and athleticism boost, though, especially if we take the EL final as indicative of how we want to set up and play.
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we are now half way through the summer transfer window, despite not a single singing for us there is not a single utterance of “dithering” from the great and the good of Arsenal blog and twitter world, oh how PR has changed.
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ed
You must have a well curated twitter! I got a few divs on mine * who love a moan about our lack of signings so far, kroenke out, and the like.
Few saying Spurs signing Ndombele would prove conclusively fans were lied to about our own spending restrictions etc over years. Only they say it in more wankery ways than that
But, yeah, no doubt the talk would be different if Wenger was in charge still. I do enjoy that aspect of it- not having to hear as much shite levelled at him every day.
*shame on me but can’t stop myself looking…quite often at a few of the worst of worst accounts, with their insane ITK shite, at this time of year!
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ha ha ha, the media are linking us with the bosman signing of Gary Cahill
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Addidas are lucky the head of football relations (PR) at AFC had sweet FA do with their PR campaign.
The good Dr is just an agent as far as the footy goes but he appears to be better at this football relations business then the chap who destroyed the good reputation of FC Barcelona before appeared in north London after such success with Barcelona and started to rock and rot the deck of the good ship Arsenal.
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“Catalyst for change!”
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Arsenal’s first pre-season friendly is a week from today
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Palace valuing Zaha at £100m, now that is really funny, did they just go £1M for every dive he has done
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Sorry guys for being away. As with the dismal season ending and the club losing players of Ramseys calibre for free will prove to be another beginning of our downward spiral post Wenger. No news from the transfer window as yet proves our point that how difficult is to do the business and exposes the myth that the idiot mob at AFTV, Arseblog,Legroan and the blogtettas spewed for years that once we get rid of Wenger we will win the league and the CL and Wenger is the biggest hurdle in our success. Infact we were poor throughout the season bar a few good performances against Spurs etall. We could not get past the likes of Brighton Wolves Palace. and even barely won against the likes of Cardiff and Huddersfield. Pathetic.
With ferwer shots and chances created as compared to 20 years of Wenger reign and not much visible improvement in defence we lost our attacking mindset and flair thus making us boring to watch and losing our clubs identity of playing entertaing football as well.
The idiots Wobs did not realize the fact that the reality of life are different than thier dreamworld. Instead of relishing Wenger’s sucessful reign they divided the fanbase and abused Wenger 24/7.
Instead of sharing the pie for 22 years by remaing top 4 winning 3 Leagues 7 Fa cups they wanted to have the full pie.
And look now they can’t even have a sniff of the pie.
Wenger made Arsenal in the top10 club of the world by keeping us top4 fir 20 years on shoe string budgets building the stadium and making us financially strong enough to compete the likes of United Chelsea and Liverpool etc.
After the stadium debt primarily paid off the rebuilt phase was successfully completed in 2015/16 and we had a title winning squad with Chec Kos Cazorla Ozil Alexis etc .We had a fair shout for the title as well finishing 2nd. Only for the Pigmib for gifting the title to Leicester.
We win 3 FA cups in 4 years. Instead of backing the manager these idiot Wobs divided the fanbase and look now we are in a big mess and thier is no positive news with the new season approach ing.
I dont know what is the Wobs reaction to current scheme ofthings as I left these Wobs site a couple of years ago. I am sure they would have realizied there mistake of dividing the fanbase by abusing Wenger and forcing the great man to leave the club.
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quote Rosicky, “The idiots Wobs did not realize the fact that the reality of life are different than thier dreamworld.”
au contraire Rosicky they knew full well the difference, they just willfully ignored it, in fact they still are, it has always been and always will be about the clicks, the likes, the retweets, the money, the popularity, the feeling of importance(that is missing in their actual everyday lives), the feeling of actually being knowledgeable (that is missing in their everyday lives).
They crave these things, and if they only way they can get them is to damage Arsenal then they don’t care, that has been obvious for years. So please stop saying they do not realize the difference in real life and a dreamworld scenario, as they do, they just don’t fucking care.
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Looks like Vontae Daley-Campbell joining Leicester.
Painful one for me as not only is he a serious prospect he is a bit different to most of our top prospects in that he is very strong and aggressive.
Who was the last who came through like that?
Bit confusing in that I’m 90% sure he was the Arsenal youngster profiled in a book (‘No hunger in Paradise. The players. The journey. The dream’) by Michael Calvin couple of years ago which spoke of a strong attachment to area and club.
Oh well.
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well Rich the VDC one is an odd one, it became a self fulfilling prophecy, he would not sign his contract cos he was not getting pushed into the U23’s and he was not getting pushed into the U23’s cos he would not sign a new contract. He was in much the same boat as those that the club won’t send on loan cos they won’t sign a new contract.
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He’s on the inside, maybe he prefers the idea of working with the Leicester coach than being turned into a robot.
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Rosicky, i would imagine the reaction of the malcontents is to carry on blaming wenger, with ivan , Stan, Ozil on the hit list as well.
They are entitled to opinions in our supposedly free society but there are also consequences. If you want wenger out using an evidence based approach…i know…., fine, but live with the very predictable aftermath and the collateral damage which i believe will be numerous players as well as emery, the one after him and perpaps the one after that no matter who comes in.
Agree with Eduardo, they know exactly what they do, however some become so steeped in their own arguments and viewpoints, they are quite willing to scorch the earth of all they claim to hold dear to force these falsehoods through. A lot of that going on in a wider context these days when you look at nationalist politics, but thats for another type of forum
Arsenal will recover but it will take time, patience,some pain and money. All in short supply these days
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Wonder how Cambell feels about Leicester spending 8 mill on a 21 year old English right back this week?
The ‘sell’ may have included talk about how he was next in line behind their current young right back. That’s football for you.
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Leicester are signing a lot of exciting young players. Talented diver Maddison last year for starters.
This year they have just bought the excellent prospect James Justin from Luton Town, this could well be a player to watch out for
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Tks Ed & Mandy. These malcontents I guess will never learn and continue with thier agenda of destroying Arsenal.
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Supposedly Rabiot very close to joining Juve on a free.
Pretty crowded at Cm with Pjanic, Ramsey, Matuidi and him, plus Bentacur, Can and Khedira. Maybe 1 or 2 of them off. Don’t know what khedira’s fitness like these days. Can another exit candidate but imagine he got hefty wages on his free.
Some talk still persists linking them with Pogba. Surely not
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