Big result given the games against them were ultimately what cost us last season. Did highlight we're in need of another forward though and the lack of a striker may be where we fall short this season.
I like Havertz in the striker role, brings more to our game. And we get plenty of goals from all over the park, so I think we can get away without an out and out scorer in that role. We need to have options though, with a scorer to come off the bench when we need him. I don't think Jesus is that well suited to that. To be honest I wouldn't have been unhappy if those fun rumours about a Giroud loan had come to fruition!
The Arsenal NZ group is organising to watch at Four Kings as it’s an early kickoff (11.30pm Saturday night our time). Is anyone keen? I'm tempted as I didn’t make it to any of their events last season, although I have a tennis match on Sunday so wasn't planning on being out until 2am, but may be keen if there’s a group of us.
Should be a busy week with incomings and outgoings, it feels like a lot of this summers market is going to be driven by multi-player movements, kind of like how we landed Ozil after Bale went to Madrid. I suspect the volume of transfers Chelsea need to do will cause some chain reactions, and possibly even lower transfer values given the number of players for sale is quite high!
Mikel Merino has singed to bolster the midfield. Not sure who he would be set to challenge for a spot given the stacked mid three we have (Rice, Odegaard and Partey).
Merino in and Eddie out. Glad Eddie has found a new home and that we can still watch him play. I think he has the goods to be a top striker but needed a different system to flourish. Much like ESR.
Kinda wish we had another striker come in though. Having Kai then jesus isn’t exactly depth. Unless that long touted move of martenlli into the middle is made. But I’m not sure that is on the cards anymore.
Given Partey's penchant for giving the ball away just outside our penalty area I'd like to see Rice at 6 and Merino left 8. Monster size and late Ramboesque runs and arguably a better finisher than Rice...I've fizzing for it.theprof
Mikel Merino has singed to bolster the midfield. Not sure who he would be set to challenge for a spot given the stacked mid three we have (Rice, Odegaard and Partey).
Looks like Ramsdale is off to Southhampton. Not a bad deal. Really wish he could have kicked on but Raya is just that much better. Hope he is a starter for them as with a bit of game time, he should be England #1. But that means we are in the market for a keeper. Seeing reports of a fella from Wigan that people are swooning over and a guy from espanyol (sp), who seems to be a Raya type keeper. Wonder if we get either or both.
No sure Nelson is leaving this window though. Haven’t heard any bids coming in for him
It's gone crazy movement wise today, unsure if we can convince a guy from Wigan to come fight for 2nd place with someone else from Spain - I think we'd be getting Wigan guy or Espanyol guy. The third choice slot keeps being talked about an older home grown player - that's most likely the Wolves back up keeper in his early thirties. Have to hand it to the club this summer, our selling is improving and I'm delighted we've moved on academy talents for a small fee + decent sell on like Patin and Cuffy-Norton.kwlap
Looks like Ramsdale is off to Southhampton. Not a bad deal. Really wish he could have kicked on but Raya is just that much better. Hope he is a starter for them as with a bit of game time, he should be England #1. But that means we are in the market for a keeper. Seeing reports of a fella from Wigan that people are swooning over and a guy from espanyol (sp), who seems to be a Raya type keeper. Wonder if we get either or both.
No sure Nelson is leaving this window though. Haven’t heard any bids coming in for him
Hear me out, if we need an additional attacking player why wouldn’t we look at Sancho, Sterling, or Toney? They all know the PL, are available on the cheap, and would be joining a team competing for the title (an upgrade for them) knowing they’re not guaranteed a starting spot but it can be earned (see Trossard). Surely that would be an easy last minute squad depth addition than it would be splunking big money on someone like Nico Williams.
Champions League draw is tomorrow (Friday) morning at 4am NZT
The new format means we'll be drawn against 8 different teams - playing 4 at home and 4 away - it's going to be interesting to see how this new format plays out this season
No nightmare long distance away trips either with the Shaktar one being at home. Can remember a lot of trips that far in the early 2000s when we always seemed to play them or Kiev etc and Bergkamp couldn't go. Looks a decent draw with a reasonable mix of "stronger" and supposed "weaker" teams. Could have been worse from each pot. Anyone found a good/cheaper alternative to DAZN to watch the CL? Can't justify paying double the cost of last season.
Hear me out, if we need an additional attacking player why wouldn’t we look at Sancho, Sterling, or Toney? They all know the PL, are available on the cheap, and would be joining a team competing for the title (an upgrade for them) knowing they’re not guaranteed a starting spot but it can be earned (see Trossard). Surely that would be an easy last minute squad depth addition than it would be splunking big money on someone like Nico Williams.
Looks like sterling is on for a loan. Good to have back up for Saka. I think it’s a good move. He has worked with Arteta before and will know the expectations and he has been a winner throughout his career. Plus as there is extra CL games this year, so good move for depth. Also, we’ve loaned some keeper I’ve never heard of and are signing another call Tickle. Lots of merry go round at the end of the window.
Hear me out, if we need an additional attacking player why wouldn’t we look at Sancho, Sterling, or Toney? They all know the PL, are available on the cheap, and would be joining a team competing for the title (an upgrade for them) knowing they’re not guaranteed a starting spot but it can be earned (see Trossard). Surely that would be an easy last minute squad depth addition than it would be splunking big money on someone like Nico Williams.
I'd be happy with Sterling. Can play anywhere across the front three and would be a reliable option to either start or come off the bench. As you say a lot of experience in the Premier League already which is also a plus.
Mikel Merino injured in his first training - collided with Gabriel who landed on top of him and now has a small fracture in his shoulder which will keep him out a few weeks
Also looks like Ipswich are close to a season long loan for Reiss Nelson
good grief, thats a bit frustrating. good move for Reiss Nelson. I reckon getting Stirling in on a loan move would be a sharp piece of business, he's only 29, so not toally passed it.
good grief, thats a bit frustrating. good move for Reiss Nelson. I reckon getting Stirling in on a loan move would be a sharp piece of business, he's only 29, so not toally passed it.
Yeah I'll be happy with Sterling.
It's been said a bunch this off season that it's not so much about improving the starting line-up, it's about raising the floor of the squad - and Sterling easily does that, he's a better backup to Saka than we had last season, and he is very experienced at the highest levels and is used to winning. Also Arteta has worked with him before so they both know what to expect from each other.
Didn't realise he's still only 29 - he's been around for so long I would've thought he'd be 32-33ish
Edit: Also Eddie's move to Palace has just been confirmed - around £30m and he will wear the number 9
Absolutely disgusted by Sterling personally. Can't believe the best we can do is still hiding behind Chelsea's bins on deadline day to pick up what they throw out so we can help them make more room for new signings to improve them. It makes us still feel not fully serious. Can't see that Sterling offers anything at all at this stage but at least we can give him back and aren't stuck with him I guess.
Chelsea will get what’s coming to them. The way I see it, they’re subsidising our title and CL charge because of their poor management. Not to mention the bargain Jorginho’s worked out to be. All in all I’d say it’s been a great window given we resolved the Ramsdale situation, upgraded the left side of midfield and defence, added quality rotational depth to the front line, and moved on a number of players for fee’s (rather than the loan to leave on free merry go round of seasons gone by).ajc28
Absolutely disgusted by Sterling personally. Can't believe the best we can do is still hiding behind Chelsea's bins on deadline day to pick up what they throw out so we can help them make more room for new signings to improve them. It makes us still feel not fully serious. Can't see that Sterling offers anything at all at this stage but at least we can give him back and aren't stuck with him I guess.
I’m also delighted we would have just about got our money back on Ramsdale, refused to spend crazy money on the Espanyol keeper, and found a solution through a loan for this season. The goal keeper merry go round was crazy this window, so many inter linked moves!
Just realised with Nketiah and Nelson gone this is the first squad without a player who played under Wenger. Also no longer a single player in the squad who played in the FA Cup final only 4 years ago (Saka was on the bench).
Not the way we nreally needed that game to go. Thought the ref made some inrteresting calls, let a few things go and then dishes Ricve a second yellow for tapping the ball fractionally away. Hard to call it time wasting, especially when the Brighton player kicks him. Sure Rice shouldn't have touched the ball but he didnt boot it away, it wasnt even a kick. Not time lost. Dumb all around to be fair and not what we needed.
I think sterling is a good signing. Lots of chat about a back up to saka, but sterling always looked best on the left to me? Frustrating game last night but a good point in the end probably. Rice missing for the derby is a real blow.
2nd weirdest red card, forgot about the Martinelli double yellow in one moment from Michael Oliver. I swear to god these referees get bizarrely pedantic with us. The problem I have with yesterday is two fold, why is that enforced when the brighton players in the first half isn’t? Then why is Veltmans kick out not punished? Referee’s getting stuck on sharkty rules like this while letting more go physically makes for a much less enjoyable game of football.
I showed it to my partner, who is no follower of football. I paused it and ask her which one gets sent off. It blew her mind that it was rice. Just ridiculous.
Also the Brighton manager going off at the press conference saying it was a clear red and that you can’t compare the situations in the game. What a nonce.
As much as we mock the guy, I don’t know if it went the other way that Arteta would have defended the Brighton player - but we do need managers to start calling out this BS when it goes in their favour as it’s way more impactful.ajc28
Watch him go off when he's inevitably on the wrong end of a ridiculous decision in 2 or 3 weeks.
Rice suspended, Merino injured, and Odegaard and Calafiori out post internationals too - bloody nightmare stuff! I wonder if we’ll see a a shape change for the NLD with a double pivot of Jorginho & Partey with Saka, Trossard, Havertz, Jesus as a fluid 4 in front of them?
