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

I wonder if Ozil will finally get the #10 shirt now.

I think that's the point of Banega - he can play anywhere do any role so provides us depth in midfield which Jack (sadly) couldn't. In a couple of years AMN, Nelson etc will have made the step up.

He's a decent quality, experienced, flexible, back-up.

I don't think he'll come; seems settled at Sevilla.

Anyone else seen  Xhaka’s rocket for the Swiss?! So good. Interestingly Ozil not involved in Germany’s late win against Sweden today...

I've found myself cheering for the swiss a bit, they have the heaviest arsenal influence... 

It’s just a photoshop, but in answer to if Ozil gets the #10. Would be an Arsenal thing to do!

Surely this is a stitch up...

How so?

read the title.

Hahahahaha, only just clicked. Brilliant

*facepalm* - that's gold

Is that real?

Hilarious!

So from the Arsenal interest it looks like the following are going to have a smaller world cup hangover:

Elneny

Ozil

Iwobi

Campbell

Those still charging:

Monreal

Welbeck

Xhaka

Liechtensteiner

TBC:

Ospina

Those two havent played any minutes either have they?

Also, Liecht is suspended for the next game against the swedes so he might be home a little bit more rested as well. 

I don't believe so. I'd say Monreals best shot was their last group game and Welbecks best chance is tomorrow. Both are really there as injury/suspension cover or last minute options to get the result.

In other good Arsenal news Fellaini is staying at United after signing a contract extension. He'll now score extra time winners against us both home and away this season before being sold for $5m to Shakhtar Donetsk next off season as his career begins to wind up.

I wonder if I can get a multi on it?

The only one that may be too tired is Xhaka, really. Ozil can have a nice depressed sleep now.

I see Ozil is the fall guy for Germany now, despite creating 7 chances this morning, the most by any player in a game in the world cup so far. And the most since the 7-1 demolition of Brazil 4 years, ago, after which he was weirdly criticised as well!

I feel for him. He is the type of player that is easy to pick on in a loss, and hard to praise in a win. His style is just not that visible and in your face. The guy just creates chances all day. When the strikers finish them, great, but when they don't, it all comes back on Ozil. 

Ozil just has a face that is hard to like, and a demeanor that is hard to take. That is it. That is the reason people constantly crap on him. When he passes the ball to someone, and then that person does not score, for example, he will throw his hands up to the sky like a petulant child. Those sorts of things annoy people, which isn't surprising.

He has gone missing in games before for long periods, but this game was not one of those. I thought he played well overall and created quite a few chances; not least the one Hummels should've put away.

Don't mention the VAR!

Rumour is Ramsey is on his way for a new 4 year contract extension that puts him level with Mhiki and Auba for pay. Fingers crossed we get that over the line.

I also really liked this piece from Tim Stillman:

https://arseblog.com/2018/06/forward-foreword/

For me I'd sell Welbeck in a heartbeat to get access to a quality wideplayer to enable us to keep Laca & Auba competing through the middle with room for youngsters to augment as possible.

The squad is starting to shape up nicely. Lookng ahead to the start of the season, and thinking about our lack of natural wide players (assuming we don't get any) I wonder if we'll revert to 5 at the back again?

Could line up like:

                    Cech

     Mustafi   Sokratis  Monreal

Bellerin  Xhaka Ramsey  Kolasinac

                     Ozil

              Auba     Laca

Bench: Leno, Mhiki, Welbeck, Torreira, Elneny, Liechtenstein,

Reserves: Iwobi, Holding, Chambers,Ainsely Maitland-Niles, Martinez, 

Injured: Kosc

Then we've got a bit of tidying up to do to clear some dead wood and ensure we don't stifle quality youth progression:

Hopefully sold: Lucas, Campbell, Ospina, Jenkinson :(, Asano, Akpom, Reine-Adelaide

Hopefully on loan: Nketiah, Mavropanos, Nelson

I'm also hopeful we keep all 3 of our young CB's, but that would require a bit of loan action for some of them, or perhaps the sale of Kosc or Mustafi. 

Liking the look of the squad.

Sounds like Chambers is signing a new 4 year deal.

Didn't see that coming, but I think I'm ok with it. 

He's constantly improved since we got him, and seems quite mature on the pitch now. He's had quite a few excellent performances in some of our biggest games, and I don't recall him making as many errors as Mustafi and others. 

If Emery believes in him and sees him as important then I think I'm positive about this.

Some talk that Monreal is on his way. I don't understand that. To me it feels like Kolasinac is the future and Monreal the mentor, much like Lichtsteiner/Bellerin on the other side. Monreal is also a great back-up at CB in the event of an injury crisis. 

There is no way Monreal will leave. What bs rag did you get that from?

We still need to sell Mustafi and get in a better CB imo. I also do not rate Holding. I like Chambers, so good we're keeping him - though it's not like we were waiting on him to sign a contract. He had already renewed in 2017..

Losing Monreal wouldn't be ideal, I'd actually rather see Koscielny moved on before Nacho.

Torreira had a great game for Uruguay today, shut Ronaldo down a number of times. That kind of zippy break up player would be a very good option for our midfield.

it would be typical Arsenal for Torreira to land on other clubs radars after performing well..

Yeah he was a beast, i was concerned about his size but he has a massive heart/balls.....seems to get stuck into everything. Hopefully we do have him signed up

Saw it mentioned in a couple of blogs, I didn't go check sources though. Hopefully it's just rubbish.

The siging of Sokratis Papastathopoulos is official. 

Replacing one BFG with another. Glad it did come through and wasn't a fizzler out. Now I'm more interested in the exits!

I'm quite liking this new Arsenal.

I think it's going to be quite c*nty. It will be very different.

We are pussies and are clearly lacking some c*nt. Successful Arsenal teams (not to mention others) have always had some c*nt. 

I like this.

Good signing re: Sokratis. He seems like a better Mustafi. In saying that, we need a better partner for him than Mustafi - both like to rush out and be 'proactive' defenders. We need a calm BFG type to partner/cover his mistakes imo; perhaps that could be Chambers, but he's lacking the recovery pace.

Preferably a left sided CB though..

Would you sell Mustafi for another CB?

In the absence of Koscielny and the retirement of Per and the addition of Leno and likely sale of Ospina I think to sell Mustafi and bring in another CB would be a huge shake up at the back, one we've not got a long enough pre-season to prepare for.

we are still being linked with that young turkish CB arent we?

I forgot about him, I'm only expecting to see the Uruguan kid come in, and ideally after a few departures bag a proper winger.

We are being linked with Barcelona's Andre Gomes this morning. I know nothing of this guy and it seems to have come out of the blue.