At 5 P.M. yesterday I was quite pleased with our transfer window, Despite the upsetting news that Iwobi had been sold to Everton, I thought we had mad a decent fist of slightly improving the squad. Then the more twitter posts and blogs I read, the more confused I became. People were celebrating like we had won the Champions League. Claiming it was a 10/10 window ,the best window ever, Raul “the Don Raul” (ffs) had done madness.
I wondered what I had missed. As far as I could see, the only real improvement over last years squad would be if Pepe proves to be greater than the sum of Danny and Iwobi. We have lost Ramsey, the best box to box midfielder in the league, and lost our captain,the best center back we’ve had since Sol.
Let me stress, I think it was a decent window, I think it gives us enough to get top 4, but great window? The best ever? Madness? Have a word with yourselves.
Then I saw a post from Eddy and I realised that people were looking at the window with no balance whatsoever.
“Nicolas Pépé from LOSC Lille, Outstanding Winger with goals and assists or is it the guy who flopped at the ACON
William Saliba from AS Saint-Étienne, best young CB in Europe or is it the guy who is not yet ready for the BPL as he hasn’t 20 games in France under his belt
Kieran Tierney from Celtic FC, the rightful heir to Cole, Winterburn and Sansom, or is it an injury plagued guy from a one horse league that is about the level of League 1.
David Luiz from Chelsea FC, the experienced ball playing central defender we’ve needed for a decade, or is it sideshow bob, the cheating, diving disruption that CFC were only too glad to get rid of despite being under a transfer ban
Gabriel Martinelli from Ituano Futebol Clube the hottest young property in Brazil, or is it an untried callow youth from the 4th tier of Brazilian football
Dani Ceballos from Real Madrid, the star of the wonderful Spain U21 team, or is it the 23 year old who has failed totally to hold down a place in the worst Real Madrid side for a decade.”
God help these new players if they are not the world beaters they have been built up to be by fans desperate to justify their fascination with winning the transfer window.
We love a new player, right up until the gloss wears off and he becomes deadwood.
Positively Arsenal 
Emery has said he told Mustafi he can leave Arsenal, and is one of those that may go in the next 3 weeks.
Elneny is thought to also be available, and many rumors doing the rounds that Monreal may be allowed to go too
LikeLike
I seen some say that David Luiz has been reunited with Unai Emery at Arsenal, after having played under him at PSG, so I was a bit surprised to see that he played a full 3 game for Emery before being sold back to Chelsea.
LikeLike
so what line up are you guys expecting to see on Sunday
I think its fairly certain to be Leno in goal and Maitland-Niles at right back, with Kolasinac out it will be Monreal at left back, at CB its likely Chambers and Sokratis, with David Luiz the only alternative if he is deemed ready, with Chambers the most likely to miss out. Mustafi might make the 18 man squad, but with Emery stating today that he is available for transfer, i don’t see him starting.
Aubameyang certain to start up front. So its midfield and the other forward positions that have some doubts about. I’d say Xhaka and Guendouzi certain to start, and I would expect Mkhitaryan also to be selected.
That leaves 2 starting places up for grabs, with Torreira, Ceballos, Willock and Nelson the main contenders, but Pepe if deemed fit and Lacazette, again if deemed fit, with an outside chance of starting, although I’d expect both to be in the 18, if deemed fit,
The 18 man squad might be something like this
Leno
AMN, Sokratis, David Luiz, Monreal
Xhaka Guendouzi
Mkhitaryan, Willock, Nelson
Aubameyang
subs: Martinez, Chambers, Mustafi, Torreira, Ceballos, Pepe, Lacazette
with Saka, Martinelli, Burton and Medley all in with a chance of being in the squad depending on the fitness levels of pepe, lacca, ceballos and if Mustafi is included with transfer interest.
LikeLike
Elneny Mustafi and Nacho, that’s a lot of experience if they are being allowed to go, if the injuries kick in.
Thought Montreal was supposed to be one of the captains, and at LB, Tierney is injured, and Kola has the safety concerns, which might not go away any time soon (I am guessing some gang types are now trying to extort money from them)
LikeLike
Think heard Luiz hadn’t been playing much for Chelsea pre-season so don’t think it would be wise to put him in from start. Would also feel harsh on Chambers and dent his confidence and morale at stage we are likely to need him in coming weeks.
Put Luiz in and it doesn’t go well and it feels like we’re firmly on back foot right from off in defence, whereas don’t play him and you’ve possibility of other two getting off to positive start, with new guy still to come.
Hectic few days and not sure there’ve been any training photos in that time, which may have given us bit more of a clue about Pepe and Cellabos for instance.
With latter, just remembered he took a nasty foul to ankle against Barca (sort of thing I worry he’ll be targeted with here but didn’t expect in friendly against non English team), so fingers crossed not injured by that.
If Laca, let alone him and Pepe not available, reckon Eddie would have been very useful given level of involvement pre-season. Loan probably right move though.
LikeLike
Too acquainted with football and our luck now to bank on any time when everyone is fit, but if we can do pretty well in early weeks, it will feel healthy and positive to then have Holding, Tierney, Bellerin and even Smith Rowe coming into fold.
Like idea of Saka getting in a few match day squads early doors as well. Think he’s talented enough to force manager’s hand and accelerate passage into regular squad member if gets even a few 15-30 minute cameos.
Hadn’t clicked until today that we released/sold two right backs, loaned next in line, and one after that declined contract and left. In other words, we can ill afford setbacks with Bellerin. Should Mustafi leave even more so. Only Chambers left then to fill in if Ainsley out, and AMN has had a few injury issues last couple years.
Can’t think of anyone to step up from youth ranks. Quite like look of Swanson but not ready for that jump yet.
LikeLike
Our squad is worse compared to the start of last season. And lopsided to. Cech gone, belerin not back until October and what his condition would be, kos gone, stefan as well. Rob on the mend and monreal a year older. Mustafi or kola might leave. New arrivals in Luis who was released by a club on transfer ban and an exciting left back coming with injury.
in midfield, we lost probably our best player and replaced him with a prospect who was reported to have asked his parent club not to include option to buy him in his loan deal. This guy has yet to prove anywhere that he can give us the goals Ramsey gives.
The only good thing is the addition of pepe. But we let go a player that can render some assistance in the midfield. martineli and other youngsters can not be relied upon if we are to challenge for top 4.
I hope emery is right about being happy with his squad. But I’m afraid we might finish below last season.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Last 24hrs have been really confusing in the Arsenalverse. Hailed a 10/10 and all is happy on Christmas morning with the new pressys and yet on closer inspection they be crocked or unready. I thought it was Wenger teams that were unready for the season (according to the world of superfandom), and this, at least at this stage seems worse?Surely we should be having a vast out pouring of rage..?
Injured or going. Our start is looking quite unstable and unsure. (inside the camp we have no idea, but seems odd from the outside). So even the bringing forward of the transfer date that was supposed to get rid of the nonsense still doesnt work. ” hey Mustafi and Nach youre not wanted anymore but can you please play for the next few games while your replacements get better” -so we can expect this answer :” then we will play for you to the level the Ox did in his final game, jog about a bit and do fuck all”.
Would you be loyal to people who hate your guts and slag you off?
I didnt see the vid as its too much of a wind -up but I saw that aftv had an puritan outrage vid at Kos for going and how he had insulted the club. Insulted the club my ass. aftv live in some weird bubble world, full of some lingering farty smell. Its funny how they dont see the damage they are doing to the club but point the old finger left right and centre. Ha! The moral arbitrators of the clubs consciousness. What a joke. Except its not funny.
Seems more to the Ö and K situation than we are being told, doesnt make sense that they arent going when body guards are available both to stay with them and to stay back in London to protect their partners? Mandy may be onto something though, and they are perhaps being ask to help investigate…more unsettled and unstable goings on.
It was irresponsible of the press to show Mesuts gaff, but the press always know what they are doing, it wasnt some unconscious mistake, it was a clear ploy and as we know those people enjoy messing with people lives.Krank.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Couple of choice quotes in Keown’s interview with Hassenhutl
‘we want to be disgusting to play against’ Hojberg
‘KEOWN: I’ve heard Jurgen Klopp say that winning the ball high up the pitch is better than any No 10.
HASENHUTTL: That’s the philosophy I am focusing on. The best playmaker is the ball winner. Statistically, the chance of creating a goal is higher within 10 seconds of winning the ball.’
Article has decent insight into some of the challenges we’ll face against them and others from pressing this year
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7342555/We-want-disgusting-play-against-secrets-Ralph-Hasenhuttls-Southampton-revolution.html
LikeLike
‘we want to be disgusting to play against’ Hojberg
Which means they admit they cant. Play?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mills, think I’ve heard the phrase before.
It’s on borderline, where you could claim, if anyone ever pressed (which never happens), that you don’t mean through being dirty, but rather hard work, blah blah
Saints been very dirty- disgustingly so at times- against us for years now, though. Surprised me how low Koeman in particular was willing to go with it, and could well be Hassenhutl is no different.
I expect it from Brit managers, and Portuguese, and a certain Argentinian, but tend to think others won’t go as far.
LikeLike
Biggest thing from interview for me is that for a moment I almost grasped it in my mind what that approach to football is like.
Mou allegedly had a manifesto for it (at Madrid!)… the pinnacle of what i think of as parasite football, whereby you hope the other team will try and play. devote energies to thwarting that and then causing and capitalising on mistakes through pressing et al.
For me, that approach almost inevitably leads to a team being dirty, as legitimate spoiling tactics blend so seamlessly with foul play.
Potently grim image for me is that of a ten being inferior to good pressing. Logically that leads to team you wish to press having the choice of whether to risk sucker role, by playing themselves, or sit deep and take no risks at back. Too many have these ideas and surely you have a shite spectacle, or at least one that is far from football at its best.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mills
Remember this time last season when the PR consultants were pumping out their PR?
The gengenpressing/passing out from the back revolution (two essentially contradictory concepts but nevermind the punters will snort up any old gibberish eh?) the great signings like Stephen litchesteiner, confusing the word antagonist with protagonist (tips hat to Shard!), left is right, war is peace, and the people who ignored Brian Clough for the England job are defended by some clowns as protecting their sacred concept of English Football, whilst others are acting like a poodle/mule for the Spanish Arry Redknapp.
As for the old Ten argument. That’s been going on since the dawn of football.
A good coach will not ignore a good ten! This is a simple equation. If violated it usually results in even a good coach losing their job, and their way. You all know I like Biesla. Biesla and Riquelme. Argentina. Biesla in the Championship, Nice, Lille etc.
Yep.
The Age of the Moron.
The Age of Alli and Kane being compared to Shearer. and Sheringham IBSF.
The Age of the PR consultant!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think Rich people will be onto Klopps high pressing game soon, and find a way of arresting it, probably works better against teams that dont naturally park the bus? It buggered the BVB team for the whole season after they played against us years ago.
They statements form the Meil seem to have bs bells ringing, not sure on that data.
Its weird how team like the Sotonists can get away with it. The big nationalistic wank-off was the four teams in the Euro competitions, but they can all play entertaining, skilful football. I cant see Soton getting to a final at Euro level, yet seem to get a green light in the minds of some. To even start out in such a negative ways stinks of failure and jealousy and a lack of intelligence or any hope?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rich
Fascinating stats from the Classico games between Morurinho and Guardiola specifically the stats on Ozil being the most intense pressed on the pitch for two of those matches.
Mourinho would’ve made better use of Riquelme then Biesla? Looks that way then, the anti-football coach could apparently use a ten. If he can, then…
Nevermind the football eh?!
The Age of the Moron
(That includes football coaches!).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good post fins! Many times Im really glad for you guys on PA. We live in a weird olde time for sure.
LikeLike
Last December in Mourinho’s pre match presser he urged his players to be “disgusting”, “wild dogs” and the British press translated it as “good ol’ fashioned football” being on the cards. We all know how that played out; ended Holding’s season, nearly left Douzi with a broken leg and without his hair.
What is that you call it Fins? “confusing English football with it’s football variant” or something like that.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I think Hunter said it much better then me.
–
Confusing a style of football with nationalism – when it’s not even the predominant style of football in the country as evidenced by, I don’t know, Liverpool and their five European cup, the attack attack attack slightly weird old Trafford chant etc. etc. etc.
LikeLike
Great posts today lads.
LikeLike
well seeing as someone mentioned Keown, he must have been on the sauce, first he mistakes our new record signing Nicolas Pepe who we bought from Lille, with Ismaila Sarr of Rennes(he signed for Watford on Thursday) was bad enough, but then he goes and tips spurs for the title.
LikeLike
Full team to face Chelsea u18s:
Karl Hein; Zane Monlouis, Ryan Alebiosu, Joel Lopez, Mazeed Ogungbo, Miguel Azeez, Ben Cottrell, Matthew Dennis, Kido Taylor-Hart, Alfie Matthews, Sam Greenwood.
Bench: Graczyk, Plange, Butler-Oyedeji, Flaherty, Sraha.
currently 1-0 to Chelsea
LikeLike
Dan Critchlow@afcDW
·
5m
HT: Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea
Arsenal with the majority of the possession, Chelsea with the majority of the chances, unfortunately.
LikeLike
Dan Critchlow
@afcDW
·
9m
FT: Arsenal u18s 1-2 Chelsea
Luke Plange comes off the bench to make it 2-1!
LikeLike
Good to see West Ham get really stuck in today and make a game of it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hat trick for Sterling Eds.
He really has come through, had the luck with the injuries, bloodied by earlier England coaches who backed his potential, fair play to him he’s an inspiring footballer even though I’m not a huge fan of the scene that helped developed him
along with Sancho we can see that coaches like Wenger and Guardiola have indeed been the pioneers in the development of the modern game. Nowt the dickheads can do to change that: Southgate sees Chamberlain as his 8. The rest is now history.
LikeLike
so its possible that David Luiz will not be able to make his Arsenal debut tomorrow as he needs international clearance
LikeLike
by the way Luiz, Lacazette, Pepe and Ceballos all took full part in training today
LikeLike
Bellerin, Tierney and Mavropanos done light training and some ball work with the physio’s
LikeLike
“Emery has said he told Mustafi he can leave Arsenal,”
This is part of why I can’t warm to this guy. The club know how he has been targetted by the boo boys, but instead of publicly supporting him while he is still an Arsenal player, they are giving them more fodder with this kind of statement! Values, what values?
LikeLiked by 4 people
Spurs luck continues
Maybe Rauls malign influence will finally get us a little of the luck that usually seems to go the way of those who dont deserve it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree passenal, it actually makes no sense to actually make it public, all that does it make it clear to buying clubs that we are desperate to sell him, we have knocked a fair few million off his price, as we have with Elneny, and did before that with Koscielny.
Rumor has it that we will sell Monreal at the end of the month to Real Sociedad for a nominal fee.
Emile Smith-Rowe might be off to Germany too, loan or permanent remains to be seen
LikeLiked by 2 people
Seems like politics, that he doesnt like Mustafi or the other way round and also wants to get the “real fans/super fans” who hate Mustafi and want him gone,on his side?
LikeLiked by 1 person
mills there is a real bit of mourinho about our head coach
LikeLiked by 1 person
bang on Ed.
Tough to trust a leader like that?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Police arrest of two men outside Mesut Ozil’s house led to him and Sead Kolasinac missing Arsenal’s season opener
Save
File photo dated 01/05/19 of Arsenal’s Sead Kolasinac (left) and Mesut Ozil
The incident was one of the security threats that caused the pair to withdraw from Arsenal’s opening Premier League match Credit: PA
Sam Dean
10 August 2019 • 9:00pm
One of the security threats that caused Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac to withdraw from Arsenal’s opening Premier League game of the season involved the arrest of two men outside Ozil’s home, it can be revealed.
Two men were seized by police on Thursday night following an altercation with security staff who have been stationed outside Ozil’s north London home in the wake of an attempted carjacking last month.
Ferhat Ercan and Salaman Ekinci, both 27, were charged under section 4a of the Public Order Act on Friday and are due to appear at Highbury Corner magistrates’ court next month.
The incident was one of at least two threats to Ozil and Kolasinac in recent days as they have been targeted following the attack by two men armed with knives last month.
Arsenal said on Friday that both players had been pulled out of the squad to face Newcastle United on Sunday due to “further security incidents”, adding that Ozil and Kolasinac were safe and unharmed but that the club’s top priority was the welfare of their players and their families.
Arsenal defender Sead Kolasinac, right celebrates with Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozi
Ozil and Sead Kolasinac celebrate after last season’s win at Aston Villa
Footage of the attempted carjacking from a month ago showed Kolasinac leaping out of Ozil’s car in north London and confronting the two assailants, who were brandishing knives, before both players were able to flee to a nearby Turkish restaurant.
The threat to Ozil and Kolasinac’s safety comes at a time when Premier League stars are increasingly being forced to spend thousands of pounds on private security measures.
Protection dogs, panic rooms and manned security patrols are becoming increasingly sought-after methods of protection by players, The Telegraph understands.
Richard Osborn, the co-founder of Chaperone K9, a company which provides specially-trained protection dogs, said footballers were regularly targeted because their whereabouts are so public.
“Security is paramount to these guys and they are targeted on a regular basis,” Osborn told The Telegraph. “Because of that they look at different types of security measures. Purchasing a dog is one of those measures that someone can take to make sure they are safe and secure.
“When they are away, either on international duty or playing away from home, their family is normally left at home on their own and they want that added security. It makes the family feel safe and it makes the footballer feel more relaxed.
“Criminals know where footballers are based, they know what areas in cities they live. Unfortunately there is a risk. It is becoming more and more prevalent.”
Osborn said that footballers made up about 80 per cent of the company’s client base, with the specially-trained dogs costing from £30,000.
“We are getting more and more younger footballers now,” he said. “It used to be the ones in the middle of their career or coming towards the end who had more time and thought it would be nice to have a dog around the house,” Osborn said. “Because there is that knowledge that they are a target, younger footballers are speaking to us.”
LikeLike
Interesting, just wonder if this is all part of an attempt to threaten Ozil with the aim of extorting protection money, maybe by criminal members of Ozils own Turkish or perhaps Kurdish community looking at those names.
Just hope the police/security are on top of this
LikeLike
Ozil’s friendship with President Erdogan could be at the heart of these attacks
LikeLike
Think that offside technology should help us or at least hurt opponents this year. Spurs and Pool especially have scored a lot of goals in recent seasons playing right on (and over) offside line.
Think they were naturally encouraged to push it because those decisions would generally go their way, and it looked as though when it’s them and it’s close linemen tend to ‘guess’ that they are on.
We on other hand would logically be disincentivized to play it really close to edge on offside as linemen would generally guess the other way with us. So we could well get some benefits that way, too.
That said, it isn’t clear as yet if this business of linesmen flagging as they normally would, instead of delaying as they are supposed to with VAR, will mean play being stopped at that moment, or if play will continue till that phase is over, meaning a goal can be checked and the linesman’s flag overruled if inccorect.
LikeLike
As for first full day of VAR in prem, they were at least consistent in the level they kept the threshold at. It would be something if that remains case, for all.
This is the calm before the storm controversy wise because we are yet to see how it looks, and feels, when VAR makes a big call on a red or a pen, without the ref getting to see incident again.
The only way that- ie the break with how VAR is done everywhere else and the lack of use of pitch side checks- will attract serious ire and attention from Sky, commentators, journalists, even fans, is when it concerns a call said people don’t like at all.
That may not happen all that soon or very often- as it would be something like sending off a Spurs, Liverpool or Utd player on VAR’s decision- but it will at some point, and i reckon they will like it a lot less than these close offsides.
Meanwhile, we see today if they can resist altering the high threshold with us should any opportunity present itself. Something at the level of the Milojevic one yesterday for instance..
LikeLike
One other little VAR note. Seemed Dean wasn’t gonna give the City pen yesterday as he was beginning to move backwards away from it a few seconds after, and then very abruptly, erm, stiffened with a jolt, stopped and pointed to spot.
Bit like Mason a few years back if anyone remembers, though without any hand moving to earpiece.
Think most likely thing is that it was linesman who firmly shouted ‘pen’ in his ear, as it was only a matter of a few seconds between challenge and it happening. Touched on my fear is all that with their microphone communciations they could do things outside protocol and we’d never have a clue.
Don’t even know if linesmen would still raise flag in that situation to denote seeing foul in box.
LikeLike
Excited. New season, new ideas, new assistant coach, new and very good signings..
Not sure about the sale of Iwobi who IMO has enormous potential band I sincerely hope the sale was not due to economics.
A point today would be fine. Our team is severely depleted. A win would bring a smile to an old man’s face 😀
COYRRG
LikeLiked by 1 person
New post is up and our new season is running
LikeLike