(The not-so-temporary quite-official) Gooner Thread

The lad got asked repeatedly about it, hard to navigate respect for current club vs not closing door on next level return to home town.

Like you say if he goes now we get a huge fee & likely justifies re-signing The Ox. Means we can then chase after another top RB too.

The good thing about this is we can just say no if the fee isn't good enough, or if we just don't want to sell at all. He's contracted for 6 years, so we hold the cards. 

Interesting comments from Wenger about Kolasinac and Monreal;

http://dailycannon.com/2017/06/wenger-confirms-whe...

So basically confirms we're going to continue with the new formation, I'm stoked about that, and that Monreal better suits the left sided CB role in that formation, which I also like. 

One thing about the way we've been playing with 3 at the back is our CBs have the ball at their feet more often, and are encouraged to dribble into midfield before passing. That suits almost all of our CBs as they all have good feet, perhaps Gabriel aside. Koscielny, Holding and Monreal in particular are definitely ballers. 

That is great RTJ!

I was reading Wengers interview with BT Sport and he talked about bringing in 3 players. Assuming they're all new signings, not returning loanees, and Sead already on board I'm curious as to what the other two positions will be.

I'm also guessing he's only bringing in 3 players while keeping Ozil & Sanchez - which seems to be the biggest up in the air ever.

#1 Santi replacement. This is our biggest weakness right now in my opinion. I like Ramsey, but he isn't disciplined enough to play next to Xhaka in the middle.

#2 Winger - probably Mahrez

#3 Striker 

I believe Sanchez will leave to Bayern Munich and Ozil will stay.

Agree RE Santi.

For the striker I think we've got to be aiming for Aubamayang, Lacazette, Lukaku, Dybala, Belotti type players to soften the blow if we loose Sanchez.

I would have agreed about Santi prior to the formation change, but now I don't think so. 

I feel Ramsey is a better fit in that role now, he doesn't have to have the positional discipline with the extra protection afforded by this system. Xhaka sits deep, in front of the 3 CBs, and Ramsey roams, doing what he does best. 

Despite his excellent passing range Cazorla doesn't provide as much danger in the final third as Ramsey for me, and now with 3 CBs, we aren't as reliant on our midfielders needing to hold the ball at all costs, which is what Santi is so good at - getting out of those tight spaces and getting it into Ozil without losing it. 

Aubamayangs off to PSG isnt he?

Does that mean Cavani is available?

Big no thanks on Cavani for me. Misses way to many chances. Giroud used to get hassled for that sort of thing but Cavani is the worst going around in terms of chance to goal conversion. He's the king for missing one on ones. 

"At one point in his classic Rabbit novels John Updike sends his paunchy middle-aged hero off on a sad wife swapping escapade in the Caribbean. Alone in the bamboo chalet Harry and nice prim Thelma fumble through a belated moment of 60's swing with awkward married tenderness. Eventually, in search of something special and ,exciting to do, they end up urinating on each other in the bath. This is pretty much what Arsenal's back three seem like: confused, fumbling, spreading across the chest like a hot sweet flush of ammoniac regret." 

Barney Ronay, writing in the UK Guardian.

Looks like Bellerin rumours were bogus. The lad himself tweeted "don't believe everything you read" last night...

Gnabry has left Werder Bremen, apparently exercised some clause in his contract that allows him to go. Had a good season for them, interesting decision. 

where he gone?

Man him and Campbell will be the biggest 'what could have beens' for us. Why do we seem to hang on to midfielders forever but let young promising attackers quite frequently.

No word yet, apparently a free agent. Some rumours of an Arsenal return but I doubt that personally.

I wonder if this is the final step in the chess game Bayern Munich were orchestrating to get him there - especially if they're selling Douglas Costa.

I thought he and his agent didnt want Bayern because they had previously had a bust up? 

thinking about it a bit more...my knowledge is just chatter through the vine so will most probably hold true

Leaked away kit: http://www.sportbible.com/football/kit-arsenals-aw...

Loving this. Definitely getting one next season.

Called it - signed for Bayern. That's got to be the most obviously dodgy transfer set up in recent memory. If Liverpool are publicly apologising for their recent antics Bayern should be under investigation.

Two transfer thoughts for you.

1) If Sanchez recent comments is that the decision about his future is with his agent he personally must have decided. Now being ever the optimist I'm hoping he's decided on Arsenal and his agent is hammering out the terms and conditions with the club.

2) If Verratti is edging for a move wouldn't he be the kind of midfield signing that could be a huge coup for us?

Imagine a world where we re-sign Sanchez, Ozil, and The Ox & Verratti, Lacazette, and Mahrez all turn up.

Drool.

I'm imagining it... ah yes seeing it now... DailyMail headlines.... Verratti injured... still haven't replaced Viera... needs a centre back...

In no world does Sanchez stay at Arsenal this season, in my opinion. Wenger's comments were just posturing to try and get the best deal.

Opposite surely

We have no desire to sell

He needs to play he has a World Cup to go hard at. No way he throws his toys. 

I hope you're right foal

Mbappe vs England this morn;

Absolutely schooled the english defenders, but should've nabbed a goal or two.

Unbelievable that he's only 18 when you watch that. 

sign him up :)

Hadn't considered the World Cup element. In a WC year moving clubs is quite risky, especially if you're not getting game time due to increased competition from other players. If you're really cynical smarter move is seeing your contract out, having a killer WC, then signing a huge pay day.

If he's fit he'll be starting at the WC, regardless of how much time he gets at club level.

Yea those reasons would be excellent ones for almost all other players

oh ffs, its cropped when i post it, but it comes up half cut in the feed....

Try editing the html:

<img style="width:80%" src="https://scontent.fakl1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19059476_10155033804472713_4424585194616180196_n.jpg?oh=5a929cba81f8d2a0481f3beea3c72bfb&oe=59D06023">

Looks like a reasonably kind run in for 4th after the usual December-February collapse. Feb looks tough but it helps, that we won't also be playing Bayern or Barcelona in between those games, unless they suffer a disaster in the CL group stage.

You just know Bayern are going to get third in their group this year and draw us in the europa league.

Yep. Worth putting money on.

With Sanchez converting a dubious 94th min penalty to win it.......for them ;-)

So what would you prefer;

Sell Sanchez for 50m to Bayern or

Keep Sanchez this season and lose him on a free to City?

It's a no brainer for me. Either he signs a new contract or he goes. Ozil I don't care so much about; he will end up at Man Utd with Jose if he doesn't sign with us.

They are not the only 2 options . Can't see much chance of either happening. We would only sell for silly money with a similar level replacement already signed up. And there isn't a similar level replacement is there?

As for Ozil, well you should care about the Worlds Best #10. I know I do. If he extends his contract than Sanchez will too... Simply put the Worlds best footballers want Ozil in their team. 

The world's best number 10? If he was, he wouldn't be playing with us.

Not really too interested/bothered with what happens over the summer. Unless something hugely significant changes, it's going to be the same old.