Arsenal (Champions 2025/2026)

I think the final for me highlighted how fucked up VAR is. Whenever they don’t send the referee to review something controversial it leaves a sour taste. Rather than finding the perfect solve for those in the VAR booth we have got to move to reviews. I’d feel way better if we could send something we disagree with for review, even if the referee doesn’t change his mind. 

Romano suggesting we are in the market for a winger, RB, midfielder, and possibly a striker. The names being linked are decent too. Kroupi, Rogers, Tonali, Fernandes (West Ham), Alvarez (athletico). Concerningly Real Madrid want Calafiori. I love the guy but his injuries might mean it’s worth cashing in.

Cucurella off to Madrid. Keeps Calafiori with us, and ensures we don't have to see Cucurella in the league again. Win win.

Assuming Spain make it through to the next round, here's who could be available for opening game as an 11:
Kepa
White Mosquera Hincapie Calafiori
MLS Nwaneri
Dowman Havertz Jesus
Gyokeres

Not the most balanced!

How long is the break meant to be for World Cup guys?

Surely the likes of Raya could start?

Gutted to see Saliba go off against Spain. Hope he can get some solid rest now and won't need surgery or anything. 
In terms of replacement/back up, I'd totally be offering the free agent Stones a contract. I think he'd partner well with either big Gabi or Saliba. 

Boo. Reports that Saliba will be out for 4-5months. Gonna need back up for Mosquera

Rumours starting to ramp up with the world cup coming to a close. 
Reading about attackers, seem to be in this order of likelihood at the moment?;
Christos Tzolis
Morgan Rogers
Julian Alvarez
Bradley Barcola
Rumours around for a while about Guimaraes from Newcastle in midfield
Now rumours popping up around Konsa from Villa with Saliba likely to go for surgery, and suggestions that White will stay
Trossard gone, Martinelli likely to follow, meaning we might get two of those attackers in? Big big prices being put on Rogers and Alvarez suggest that getting both is unlikely. Tzolis looks cheap in comparison, perhaps we'll get him and one of the other three?

I don't think we are in for Barcola. Seems like he's off to Liverpool. And same for Alvarez. We are interested but it looks like he is Barca bound. While id happily have either of them

the thing with Liverpool and Barcola, Liverpool need him more due to absence of Salah and can guarantee him more game time.

Rogers is off to Chelsea. 

He had a mare this morning celebrating that move. 
Saka hattrick moves him above Bobby Charlton and Geoff Hurst as England's 4th top scorer at World Cups with 6. Ludicrous not to use him in the semi if he was up to the full game today. Fully fit Saka in this tournament could genuinely have been the difference between 3rd and winning.

England were never good enough to win the final regardless of how well Saka played.

3 World Cup winners returning home. Nice that 2 were in the pitch when it was won too. Surprised Zubimendi didn't get any minutes before then but Merino ended up being quite important with 2 winners in the knockouts. Should have scored the winner in extra time with that header today too.

Couple of nice stats from the World Cup. We were third in goals scored by club behind Real Madrid and PSG. 13 goals in total scored by Havertz (3), Saka (3), Merino (2), Trossard (2), Gyokeres (1), Martinelli (1), Rice (1). 
We also had the 3rd most players in the winning squad behind Barcelona and Atletico Madrid aswell as the equal 3rd most representatives in the final across the 2 squads.

Looks like Noorgard is off to Everton. Never really trusted to play. Hope we can bring in an upgrade. 
The vini Jr rumours rumble on. I am still in 'this won't happen' camp, but the longer it drags on with nothing from Madrid, the harder it is to maintain that position...
Bruno G rumours also continue. If we get him and Vini, we'd have half the Brazilian national team! 

Looks like Bruno G is done. Expensive but good player to be bringing in as we fight to retain the title. 

looking promising, good players are always going to be pricey, especially if we are looking to go again for the league and the champions league

Annnnd Vini signs a new deal with Real. Fun while it lasted, now we look for other options. I don't know who is out there but maybe Barcola, AC's Leao, Alvarez? Some unknown wonder kid? 

Having a crack at naming our first and second string lineupes. 
Make-up of the midfield two is tough, tempted to throw Bruno in there but Zubimendi seems a better partner to Rice? Also Hincapie would just about be our starting LB, but I didn't have anyone else to slot into CB in the 2nd team, so don't think I've got that quite right. Perhaps shows that we do need another CB, particularly with Saliba out for a bit... 

                     Raya
Timber-Saliba-Gabriel-Calafiori
            Rice-Zubimendi
    Saka-Odegaard-Martinelli
                 Gyokeres

                       Kepa
White-Mosquera-Hincapie-MLS
           Merino-Guimaraes
          Madueke-Eze-Tzolis
                     Havertz

First team players not included: Nwaneri, Meslier, Setford
First team players assumed to be leaving: Jesus, Nelson, Vieira

Two good looking squads. I could see Eze over martinelli and MLS over Zubi in the 1st 11. As for MLS at LB, I think those days are over now. He is just too good in the middle to be playing there. Maybe as back up, but I'd prefer if we got another LB in and let him focus on being our metronome in the middle. 
Also, with the Vini jr thing predictability falling over, I am interested to see who else we target for the LW spot. We definitely need improvement there so keen to see who they uncover to fill it. 

Yea agree with you there, MLS was excellent in CM end of last season and legitimately took that spot off Zubimendi
Bruno actually has his work cut out. What a place to be in as a squad.
With Hincapie and Calafiori I am happy with LB. The gap is really as CB, particularly with Saliba out for a while. 

I think we might see Tzolis in the first team instead of Martinelli and I'd prefer to have Meslier as back up keeper.

He's definitely looked interesting in the last couple of friendlies. Good set piece and lovely pen this morning. Feels like he could be a bit less involved than Trossard in general play but still quite productive from crosses/set pieces. Be interesting to see who starts the Community Shield. 

Bit of chat about us cashing in on Zubimendi. 
Seems like a step backwards, but I get it. With Rice, Bruno, Merino and MLS we are pretty stacked in that midfield two. 

Community Shield is on Bein Connect in the morning in case anyone was wondering.  You can get a free 7 day trial. 

I got Bein for $129, last year as a discount beginner. This year mine is going up to $149, which considering what is on offer is still a good deal. If the A League was on Bein, it would be a steal as you can login pretty much on anything to watch most leagues. 

It's good value if you watch the leagues that are on it. I rarely watch any non Arsenal games other than finals as I just don't have time. So for just FA and Carabao Cup games, which may not even be every month (or at all if you're out early), it wasn't worth paying for personally after they lost the CL (I was paying for it when they had that too). So last season I faffed around with free trials with different accounts or used BBC when they screened our FA Cup match. 
I did end up paying for a year of DAZN for the CL last season as they have no free trial and it was the best option I could find with on demand. I paid for the US Paramount service the season before for CL as it was cheaper than DAZN but it was always a lottery as to whether the DNS or VPN settings would work with it and I couldn't be bothered with the hassle again. Obviously have Sky for the EPL (and other sport). Was easier and cheaper when it all used used to be on the one service instead of now needing 3. 

I didn't realise it was on this weekend. I thought it was still a week away. Eish, this season is coming around quick. I still feel we are two key players short. But it will be good to see the team in a semi serious game again. 

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/361021057/nightmarish-start-maresca-arsenal-outclasses-man-city

how good!dis-respect us at your peril! Goals from open play too!

Always nice to batter the petrostate funded bastards. Though again I think Raya saved us. They could have easily put 3 in if it wasn't for him.

Lovely start to the season and always enjoyable to beat them. Actually thought Maresca was Guardiola to start with as he looked so similar. Shouted at the TV “I thought he was gone!” when they came out lol.

 

Enjoyable game. Tzolis looks a useful player. Tidy, looks like he’ll be less involved in general play than Trossard but has output. Picked up assists throughout the friendlies and again today he found another 2. 

How good was MLS's pass for the opening goal?!? Such good body work to open up and hold onto the ball, let alone see and hit the pass to the galloping Italian stallion. Just beautiful. 

hopefully this is the one and only goof moment of the season.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/361021254/arsenal-star-laughs-trophy-lift-fail