Arsenal 2023/24

Hey Surge, yep I'm interested, are you on the podcast?

Is there a way to get it outside of spotify?

Yes on both counts Paul... it should be on Google Podcasts soon; Apple is taking a while longer. But in the meantime it's also available on the ArseNZ website: https://arsenalnewzealand.co.nz/2020/10/07/episode...

So Ozil & Sokratis miss out on Europa League. Interestingly your initial EL squad is only for group stage so changes can be made for next round. Auba was suggested as an option by the guys at Arseblog but I get Arteta's choices. Mustafi as a suggestion was purely down likeliness to leave + injured so he wouldn't actually be available too much this side of January, but he does have more chance of playing than our big greek bastardo.

The Tierney situation is about to kick off. PL rules for players in his situation only require 7 days of self isolation so long as you're passing negative tests (which he's continued to do) but the Scottish FA is enforcing a 14 day self isolation meaning we miss him for Man City. Going to be a bit of a back and forth between the SFA & Arsenal I imagine...

Interestingly Torreira's loan has been confirmed to have no purchase clause in it - will be interesting to see how those negotiations go but a wise move for us keeping our options open if he does come to find form under Simeone again.

Final thought, is Todd Cantwell worth a gamble for us? Or would he just take up space in an attacking midfield role that Willock/Saka could be playing in?

The more players who test positive during these international windows the more daft they seem, especially when they're friendlies. Once the dust settles and clubs realise they're about to lose players I think they'll be kicking up more of a stink.

As much as I'm fizzing at the prospect of an AW's match at Wembley and have been chatting with the Flying Kiwi's chaps about how we support it as best we can within the guidance I can't help but think it's a mistake to be doing it.

I think it'll get pulled - mainly because of how (badly) the UK seems to managing Covid. Which is sad.

Deleted, wrong thread

Downham Market, NorfolkMe talking to my family & friends back home...

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/10/7a/97/107a97ca5bd4a571edcebec54a66fc32.jpg

Arsenal v Leicester got re-scheduled to 8.15am on a Monday morning, I was flipping out, then realised it's on Labour Day YOU BEAUTY

For those of us in the UK it's been moved to Pay Per View for £15 ON TOP OF YOUR FUCKING SKY SUBSCRIPTION.

Absolute farce over here.

Some chat that de Bruyne might be out

Not hearing much about the Tierney situation yet

COVID-19 ramping up in the UK, there's a few footballers turning in positives on international duty. Hopefully it doesn't stop again...

I'm struggling to see how it won't unless some pretty drastic measures are taken. It is also spiking in Spain and France. fudgeing pain in the arse 

Yeah that's fudgeing ridiculous when we pay less than that per month for all the games.

cant wait to get into this
https://www.thetotallyfootballshow.com/podcasts/the-totally-football-show-arsene-wenger-arsenal-gunnersaurus/

Anyone started on Arsene's book yet? Not expecting much juicy stuff and from the interviews and reviews so far it sounds like there's not much in it. Apparently Mourinho doesn't even get a mention and it's probably no surprise that he has too much class to get into mud slinging about people, whereas you can imagine someone like Mourinho to have an entire chapter on their feud. As for details on things we hoped for like the Park deal it sounds like we may be disappointed but perhaps there are non-disclosure agreements in place that prevent him revealing much.

Anyway, got the audiobook downloaded - I find I can never really be bothered reading, but quite like audiobooks for the commute. Got a 1 hour flight this evening up to see my parents, then the return journey on Sunday so will get into it.

ordering the book this weekend. I've heard two interviews with him now and I cant wait for it. 

I've done the interview and KICKED myself that I didn't realise I could have gone in person.

Book's now sitting on the coffee table, just in time for London's lockdown level increase :)

They need to lock down the internationals, that's where the spread is happening for the players.

Living in the UK it's interesting, it's getting worse but I think everyones a bit more used to the idea of living with it so the fear over here isn't like it was back in March - which risks a bit of apathy around obeying rules. Trying to avoid going into pro's/con's of approach and turning this into a covid argument - just reflections on life on the ground :)

Guttign loss but feel like there were a lot of positives. Similar kind of game to those where we've ended up winning like the victories over liverpool and the fa cup semi against city.

Didnt catch much of the after match but did hear a quick couple of sentences from tony adams (surprisingly) which summed up my initial thoughts - basically gabriel looks absolute quality, partey showed in just a couple of minutes that he could be the perfect player for us, and today the front 3 simply didnt do enough. 

Man does saka look like the business too. At the point where he should be starting every time no matter the opposition?

Worries in the front three. Arteta is tinkering and nothing is consistently clicking. Willian in a false 9 the latest experiment. None of the front three seemed comfortable with it. I think he needs to give a 3 time to settle with consistent selections. Either Auba/Laca/Pepe or Auba/Laca/Willian for me. 

Overall we can soak up this loss confidence-wise as long as we get points in the next two against Leicester and ManU. Massive couple of games. Feeling confident as the spirit in the squad seems good. They appear to have real belief right to the end in every match.

We are very 1 dimensional from an attacking perspective, always trying to unlock defences out wide before pulling a cross back in for a tap in. Sadly the lack of a Giroud style player to change things us hurts us.

I really think we need to get back to a 4-5-1 which gives us more options going forward. When attacking we can still be cautious, allowing a full back forward while keeping one back, or having old mat Xhaka slot in as a 3rd CB to allow both FB's to get forward.

Ideally another central player to allow us the option of being more direct. Willian, Pepe, or that german world cup winner - old what's his name - could probably do a job in there.

Interesting stat I saw this morn... since Arteta took over, 19.4% of his matches have been against Liverpool or Man City... that's pretty mental

3rd clean sheet and 2nd man of the match of the season for Martinez. Best keeper in the league on current form. Imagine how much Chelsea will be planning to pay for him next summer.

Arsene Wenger on Mike Hosking radio show now. Certainly doing the interview rounds with the book out.

On Mike Hosking's show??? Did I read that correctly WTF

Yep. Doing the rounds to flog the book.

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-demand/week-on-dem...

Choose the 8.00am block from this morning and it starts around the 7 minute mark. Extends into the 8.15 block too.

Was Wenger able to get a word in?

A few. 

He's on the latest episode of The Tuesday Club just released too. Can't be anyone left he hasn't spoken to about the book now.

Daniel Levy.

John Cross had a bit of a tanny in a tweet, I think because he's about the only journalist Wenger didn't speak to lol

Must admit Hosking came up with some pretty good questions, and also did a decent job of pretending he'd read the book.

Cech registered in Chelsea's PL squad. Can we register Arteta?

More chance than Ozil being registered especially as he has officially been left out along with Sokratis

Cech is fascinating, I wonder if he's chasing a final appearance for the Blues to get a milestone or something - or a back up for worst case scenario.

Ozil & Sokratis is such a sad end to their careers with us. I really hope we release Sokratis ASAP - guys done nothing wrong, just couldn't get a fee for him due to covid.

Ozil, on the other hand, is much more difficult to manage. If he digs his heels in its likely it'll be cheaper for us to see the year out with him on the bench than giving him a golden handshake to leave. I know we gave him the contract, but surely if you're in his position you negotiate your way out so you can get back on the pitch while you still have it in your legs.

I liked Arteta's comments on it this morn. Put to bed all the conspiracy theories about Ozil's china comments etc etc. 

The guy simply isn't doing what's required in Arteta's set-up. I'm backing Arteta on it 100%. 

Ozil is now out of our Europa and Premier League squads, so cannot even appear on the bench or anything. 

Would rather not have him at training then, given that. 

What are the options to get him out before Jan? I've no idea what you can even do, if anything? Can we still sell/loan to MLS or any other league when he is under contract? Surely he'll go in Jan at the latest now, if he actually does want to play.

I don't think we can do anything but release him - which I don't think we're against.

Any of you guys catch the game? I thought we were dreadful. Lacking directness and creativity in the final third again, almost looked as if we were going through the motions. Partey looked good, and definitely shows he can do more than just be an enforcer with a few defence splitting passes.

Leno's meltdown was a concern for their goal, although given the way we play out from the back you always know we're capable of these types of cock ups. Thankfully it happened in a game we won, rather than being the difference in a critical match.

Gabriel continue to looks absolutely ace, I really rate his decision making and positioning. He knows when to go flying in, and he knows when not to. Mustafi could learn a lot.

ooh we might see a back 4 this morning... Partey, Ceballos and Xhaka all starting

That is very very exciting.

I think Xhaka will do that thing where he slides in at LCB when we are on the ball to enable Tierney to push forward. Big nod for Saka getting the start ahead of Pepe.

We are heading dangerously back towards Emeryball...

That was utter wank.

Scary to think Luiz going off meant we were void of any creativity.

I thought our shape has evolved well under Arteta, but our final product hasnt. That showed in the first half (which I was very impressed with). But we lost it in the second as the Foxes set a trap for us and we fell for it.
We need an option B, like a really creative player who can unlock defenses.... enough said. Also, we need to move Auba back to the left, he never looks threatening from the right. 

Good read on the last 10months of Ozil. 
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/26/sports/soccer/m...