Kicking off the PL on a Friday night, Thursday night football and a season full of Sunday p.m. games – could this be the recipe for a successful campaign?
Let’s hope so.
I wrote yesterday that I believe we have the squad, the experience and the talent to win the title (I wasn’t joking) and believe if we can get through the very difficult opening fixtures with confidence intact, we will be top at Xmas.
And it starts tonight. Leicester were a pale shadow of the Champions last season, Mahrez was rubbish, Vardy the same, Kante walked, etc etc. They have managed to retain almost all of their highly talented squad but can they improve ? Well, they have spent 0ver 50 million of Her Majesty’s finest in the summer, bolstering the midfield and adding some Man City reject upfront.
Is it enough?
It depends upon expectations. LCFC will never win the title again, it is unlikely they will ever reach Top 4. Better than last season when Leicester so cruelly sacked The Tinkerman? Yes.
Enough of them …
We must be hyped about tonight. We have made two (so far) excellent (so far) signings, maintained (so far) the squad, and have already won silverware. I am unhappy that we carry injuries into the start of the season with Wilshire, Ozil, Ramsey, Mustafi, Sanchez, Coquelin, Cazorla, Gabriel and Mertesacker unlikely to start. Koscielny is suspended.This is very frustrating in a summer with no major International tournament.
My Team:
Cech
Holding Monreal Kolasinac
Bellerin Elneny Xhaka Ox
Welbeck Lacazette Iwobi
Ozil may be fit enough to play as is Walcott. This is not a team Mr Wenger would choose if everyone was fit, perhaps only 4/5 would be first picks.
Are they good enough to beat Leicester? If they play as well as they did for most of the game at Wembley, then Yes.
Lacazette will be the media focus. I predict great things for the man. He has all the attributes to succeed in a passing, fast-attacking team, but we have yet to see if he can become a target man.
Big game for Kolasinac. First impressions are very good but he will have to play alongside a very inexperienced CB partnership. Monreal will have to be at his best and most vocal.
Time for Welbz to score – he has been goal shy for some time and if he wishes to become an automatic starter Welbeck has to become an efficient finisher.
We need a good start to the season.
Let it be So
COYRRG
Arsenal News 24/7
Thank you Erik
Thanks also to the summer’s blogstars for keeping the ship afloat, notably Chas GN5 and Zeeeeeee
Here’s a great thing about Friday night KO, no family or friends will be expect me to be stealth watching.
Pre match prep for the didit has included visiting the bogs of three potential restaurant venues to ascertain wifi connectivity
Daytime warm up will include periodic complaints of stomach discomfort ahead of this evenings threefold onslaught of vomiting diarrhoea and constipation all rolled into one unprecedented attack
Enjoy game all who go
Come you Gunnnners
Thank you Raddy, Your PM’s have become a traditional part of every Arsenal gam I watch – and long may they last (that includes me 🙂
It would be good to see some of the wounded players on the bench, they may only be fit enough for 20 minutes or so. I would also like to see Giroud start but will he and Lacazette complement each other or will their styles clash?
Micky you were also a constant throughout the summer, but there were very few bloggers in general, I hope they return to share their thoughts with us. I’m looking forward to the game today but I won’t be watching the game live as I’m recording it to watch later when my son has finished his jobs for the day,
Nice one, BR.
I think Mustafi is fit, but whether he’s had enough time since returning is another matter. Looks like Ozil, Rambo and The Sack all trained yesterday.
Let’s kick this season off in the manner in which we hope to continue throughout.
Come On You Rip Roaring Gunners.
Excellent stuff, Biggest Raddy. 😀
In a way I do not really mind what team is put out tonight as long as it is a winning one.
We need to be a Rat-Tat-Howd’ya-Like Dat type team to night and give it to them between the posts. 🙂
Hi Micky,
You were being very modest about your own efforts during the dead season – but I seen yer baby – short sharp Posts to amuse us – and very welcome.
The truth is – and I am sure my friend GN5 would agree with this – the real star over recent weeks (and longer to be candid) has been the Chasser – specialising as the chief administrator, collator of pics and videos, and occasional author.
Let’s hear it for the Chas!! Hip, Hip, Hoooray!! 😀
Zee you are so right Chas has become/is our star blogster – even going to the degree of creating his own very unique “AA morning show” which I enjoy immensely. Plus he adds some life to my boring statistically based posts with his additions/improvements.
Hip…….Hip…………………………
Yes I agree Micky is being far too modest.
In fact I think Rasp should create a banner for Chas——-
“The AA Morning Show by Chas”
Chas Out, Chas Out, Chas Out, Self-Righteous Prick Out.
Umm, steady on, Chas. You have a lot going for you – but don’t get your self-righteous prick out.
You might poke someone in the eye with that! 😀
You got right to the point Zee…………………. 🙂 🙂
There is a little boy and a little girl in the woods. The little girl asked the boy, “What is a penis?” The boy replied, “I don’t know.” At that time he hears his mum calling him for lunch. He goes home and eats his lunch. Then he sees his dad on the couch. He goes up to his dad and ask him, “What is a penis?” The dad whips his out and says to the boy, “This is a penis, as a matter of fact this is the perfect penis.”
The boy leaves to go find his friend and brings her to the woods. The girl again asks him what a penis is. He whips out his penis and says to her, “This is a penis, and if it was two inches smaller it would be the perfect penis!”
The teacher walked into the classroom to find the word “penis” chalked in small letters on the board. She was a bit embarrassed, so she didn’t say anything, but rubbed it out and went on with the class.
But the next day when she came in, she found the same thing again – “penis”, this time written slightly larger. So she rubbed it out again, and went on with the lesson.
Again next day, in larger letters, there was the word “penis” again. With a red face she rubbed it out and went on with the lesson.
Well, this went on for a whole week, every day the word penis getting bigger.
Finally, on Friday she went into the classroom to find chalked up: “See, the harder you rub it, the bigger it gets!”
Great posts BR and posts seem to be coming in rapid fire, quick succession now. Its building up to an exciting kick-off.
I missed my chance yesterday to put up my prediction –
1. Arsenal
2. Shitty
3. Chelsea
4. Manure
5. Pool
6. Everton
7. Newcastle
8. Spuds
Arsenal have announced they are dropping the ‘Ladies’ reference from their Women’s Super League side as the team celebrate their 30th anniversary.
The team, who for formal purposes will be renamed Arsenal Women Football Club, will simply go by the name Arsenal
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4740178/Arsenal-women-drop-Ladies-team-name.html#ixzz4pS5yjcHf
I’m miffed about how after 6 years of playing Fantasy EPL with a team name of Kiss My Arsenal, its now been censored to Change Name. I noticed that Micky even did an AA post titled Kiss My Arsenal. What is wrong with this name that it got censored after 6 years. I was thinking of changing it to Come On The Arsenal but did not want to risk a deleted account. I need some ideas for a good name.
COYG!
Its so funny here at OZ. I’m so excited about the first game but need to go to sleep now so that I can wake up again in about 4hrs to watch it live…
Hi VP we will talk to you after the game and a good 4 hours sleep………
Excellent, thanks Raddy. They’ve been touting the fact that we haven’t won the first game of the season since 2014 on the radio … so it is really time we laid that to rest. We’re at home against a lower mid table side, so if we have title pretensions, it’s a MWG 🙂
Starting XI: Cech, Holding, Monreal, Kolasinac, Bellerin, Elneny, Xhaka, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Welbeck, Lacazette
Subs: Ramsey, Giroud, Ospina, Walcott, Iwobi, Mustafi, Coquelin.
Ha ha got it up
Ooh I got 10/11 in my season opener 😀
Who knew Ozil was fit?
Hi guys
Thanks for the Pte-match Raddy sorry I haven’t had a chance to
read it yet. I’ve sped to the ground to sup a beer after feeding four baby spuds including one named Mauricio. Guess who he belongs to 😉
Just seen the team …….. thrilled to find Elneny alongside Xhaka.
Enjoy the game all xx
Coffee brewing
eggs and soldiers at half time
COYG
AWESOME start
first touch, kick off, 2nd touch, goal
Anyone think we playing to high
Stop Arsing about……come on lads.
COYG
We are complete shit. Stupid short corners, short free kicks, scared to put the ball in the danger area. Their crossing is so much better than ours
Did danny almost miss
Lack of aerial threat Rasp, I would play Ollie and Lac personally in this 3-4-1-2.
Lack of centre back options means I’d actually rather us be playing 4-3-3.
We have put ourselves in shit for both their goals, Petr’s traditional first game of the season walkabout, and everyone going forward for the second.
As pleasing as it was for Lacazette to get off the mark, we scored to early, relaxed too much and Leicester came back hard. Pressing and buzzing around. Needed a calm head to demand keep ball for 10-15 minutes in their half to stifle their enthusiasm.
It’s what we miss from not having BFG out there.
2-2
Cracking
5-3’ish should send people home heppy 😀
That was wild!
But, once the D settles down Arsenal should be fine.
2 handballs, 1 sure penalty-dean, what does everyone expect.
Cech all over the place- needs to chill.
Holding needs to play more conservatively.
Xhaka needs to win a headball, and Mesut needs to hold it.
Second half – start with the momentum.
Go Gunners!!
Hi GiE, I agree on all counts. Everyone in the ground could feel their goals coming as we continued to give the ball away playing risky balls out of defence. Petr should never have come for that cross for the first goal
Lacazette looks the dogs.
Defence very porous and Holding’s passing has been poor. We miss Kos, BFG and Mustafi.
Overall the attack is potent, the midfield busy.
We can win this.
GIE. I agree, in the absence of our CB’s, should revert to 4-3-3.
Gave the ball away cheaply by trying to be too clever coming out of defence and they punish us again. The problem is created on the training ground … our players don’t know when to take a risk and when not to take a risk
How does Vardy score from a corner?
Just crap defending.
Vardy wanted it more ….
Rambo
micky, very close to your prediction
COYG
7 goals
We win
Proper game
Night all
Wow. What an exciting and open game to start the season.
Well what a difference Giroud makes, not just offensively where he gives a threat that Morgan et al are drawn to leaving space for others but also defensively where in the absence of Kos and BFG he gives us size and strength and he has been doing that marshalling of near post flicks for years.
As well as Ollie and Rambo did when coming on Shakespeare handed us an advantage by putting Inheacho on very daring considering the situation.
I understand that we look to pass and keep possession, I have no problem with that, but surely players don’t need to be told that if a pass isn’t available sticking it over their back four towards the corner flag is a better option than passing it to no one in your own half?
Well it wouldn’t be Arsenal if they didn’t put us through the mill and three points are theee points.
The good …. Ollie, Rambo, Lacazette
The bad …. Hector, Petr
The ugly…..Vardy
There were so many positives and the negatives will be sorted by the return of our defence.
Ox very good tonight.
Ozil my MotM with Elneny and Xhaka not far behind
Erm….F*CKING WOW!
Amazing to be on the right side of one of those games. Feel for Leicester who are good at what they do, but the subs won us the game so got to give the manager credit for that and the switch to 442 which gave us so much more going forward in that last quarter.
I thought Özil was outstanding in that last 30 minutes when nobody else looked interested and went into their shell. He made runs and tried to make things happen even if it didn’t always come off. Xhaka aswell 😍 Never stopped passing forward and making things happen.
Defensively awful but it was makeshift at times and surely it will improve.
What a header by Giroud!
Lacazette aswell looked very clinical in the few chances he had. Hitting the target and thwarted only by a great save at the end.
Can’t believe I left Rambo out!
I’ve already said he’s getting 15+ goals this year if he stays fit. The system suits him and he is as good as anyone at arriving in the box. Great goal and great pass by Xhaka.
Ramsey’s goal was a cracker. Superb pass from Xhaka and then the control and finish from AR was outstanding
Daft as it sounds, sometimes these sorts of victory are better for morale than winning 4 or 5 nil. Says a lot about the character of the team that they ground out the result. Awful to watch at times, but fantastic spirit and all without some key players. Looked like the crowd stuck with it for the full 90 aswell even though it must’ve been unbelievably frustrating to go in full of hope and expectation and see us 3-2 down. At points I was questioning my love for football, but the last 20 minutes is why I stick with it. Exciting, frustrating, exhilarating and pure ecstasy.
Football is back!
Thanks Raddy for the post.
I am of mixed feelings. One part of me sees this as a great game and a good 3 points, and that Leicester look back to their old self of causing big teams a massive headache.
The other part of me feels I have witnessed a bit of the same old same old Arsenal faults (mainly defensively) that tend to undermine us in a season where we will post exceptional stats but not cross the finishing line.
We have the squad to win the EPL so lets not Fcuk it up with a lack of discipline, pragmatism, and focus.
GB,
We would’ve lost that game in previous years. That’s what gives me hope. Also, how many times have we been in that position and just swapped players like for like? We didn’t do that tonight, we changed system and put men in dangerous positions without being totally gung ho. Nobody will like to admit it but the manager got it right when he made the changes and changed formation. Both subs scored and Özil was fantastic in the last quarter, how many times have we said that? (None is the answer!)
It feels like previous years, but with Merts, Mustafi and Koscielny to come back aswell as Sanchez and Ramsey, plus Kolasinac moving to LWB (he’s a beast!) then suddenly things feel a little more positive than in previous years.
Or is it just me!?
Xhaka caused all the goal
Just to make it clear,
Bellerin isn’t a LB
Kolasinac isn’t a CB
Monreal is a very average CB
Ox isn’t a RB
Still, we won! 😂
Fred,
Kolasinac wandered off his man to concede first goal.
Xhaka gave ball away for second.
Vardy header could’ve been blamed on 3 or 4 players but zonal marking doesn’t help.
Xhaka switched ball to create space for Bellerin which led to our first goal.
Xhaka played ball into Özil which led to our second goal.
Xhaka assisted Ramsey goal.
Xhaka assisted Giroud goal.
He may have contributed to goals against but he produced 5 key passes and assisted 2 goals. Not bad from a central midfield player.
I think people see him as a holding midfielder but I see him more as a Cazorla replacement. Nobody else in the team has that range of passing other than Santi.
FGG makes a very salient point, it seems hard to judge the defence with the back three that started tonight.
Put Koz, BFG and Mustafi together with Ox/Hector one side and Kolasniac/Nacho the other it’s a much more comfortable evening.
The co commentator summed up my dmfeelings that we had enough in front of the back three to help them out a bit.
I’d personally start with Ollie up top alongside Lac because I feel he can help the ball stick more than Welbeck, and is also far more likely to provide assists, he probably created two chances in the short time he was on the pitch.
How I saw It Xhaka should have one the header for the first goal especially since he has a height advantage on Okazaki,
He passed the ball to no one for the second, and marked no one for the third surely Vardy was in his zone
Arriving real late as I’ve just finished watching the game 9:18pm here. The defense was obviously pants but then again it was just an emergency back three. But in contrast our mid-field and attack looked deadly and our depth is what won us the game – when you can bring on Walcott, Giroud and Ramsey as subs shows just what a good squad we have.
Feeling good right now and I’m off to read what the rest of the football world have to say…………
I’ll be back in a few hours for Chas’s morning show.
Bushy tails this morning or what?
VP
Re the score thing. It was simply based on a comment I made to my son at half time where I said that if you have 50 goals a season parked on the bench and the score is evens with 20 to play, you’ll probably win by two
Didn’t see any visuals of the game just live sky comments so some goal clips would be lovely Mr Motning Crew Chas
Pleeeeeaase
Try this.
They’ve put a block on some online clips.
Morning All,
I am still buzzing from an exhilarating game.
My chief concern from last night was Holding’s performance. He was the only defender playing in his regular position and many of his choices were awful.
Hope his confidence isn’t shot.
8.29 Fantastic pic.
A few hours later his Rolls was in his swimming pool
We said something similar about Rob Holding, BR; especially as the crowd whined loudly when he misplaced a pass.
I just looked at his pass map on Squawka and his failed passes were mostly forward and longish.
I’m not sure he was getting all the support from he needed from Hector. Immediately Holding got the ball, Hector was off like a whippet as if he was a winger, expecting Rob to be able to find him, his ankles disappearing into the distance.
Morning all
What a wonderful night at the Emirates, I have no voice from singing loud and proud 😁
I think the accusations aimed at any of the three at the back are pointless, all we’re playing out of position except for Holding who is used to having experience alongside him.
We were watching Kolasinac going forward joining the play at every opportunity and realised we were playing 1-1-8 and the goals flowed at both ends 😁
This is a lovely read
http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/08/12/alexandre-lacazette-claims-goal-on-initiation-into-crazy-world-o/?utm_medium=share%20service&utm_campaign=social%20media&utm_source=twitter&utm_content=HITCsport
Couple of issues I had last night (ignoring the shambolic defending for the most part):
I thought the commentary made far too much of the Özil handball. There was still a corner and another phase of play after that before the goal, so I dont think it needed to be mentioned as much as it was.
Bellerin offered very little help to Holding (who had a stinker) and could maybe have done more to help when he was struggling in the first half.
What does Elneny do? He’s very good at looking busy, keeping the ball moving, and offering himself in midfield, but he doesn’t really specialise in anything. He’s not going to get goals, he doesn’t create chances, and he’s not exactly a rock defensively. I would rather we played Coquelin when we need to be tighter, and Ramsey when we need to be more attacking, but when does it make sense to play Elneny? Last 20 minutes of a game maybe if we are winning? Couldn’t Wilshere do what he does and maybe offer a bit more? If we had 3 CM’s then I could understand he may have more of a role in the team, but now we have 2 I struggle to see him getting many games.
What to do with Ox? His final distribution can be awful at times and he runs down blind alleys a lot. I think he improved when he went to RB funnily enough. If he’s not getting games at RWB then I don’t think he gets near the team anywhere else when everyone is fit. I just don’t understand what he’s missing because I’ve never known a player have so much ability but play so average! Maybe he just needs to find his position. Clue: it’s not LWB! 😂
Welbecks finishing. Hmmmm….He had a couple of decent chances first half and i get the impression Lacazette would’ve put 1 of them away. I really like Welbeck but just needs to sharpen up in front of goal.
Chas,
I guess I saw it the same as you with Holding and Bellerin.
Oh dear fgg, you’re a bit grumpy 😉
What would you want Elneny to specialise in? The Xhaka/Elneny partnership is more solid precisely because he keeps the ball moving and offers himself in midfield – added himself an assist last night for Lacazette’s goal.
Agree on The Ox and Welbeck 😁
Is there anything better than being the first team to win on a football weekend and then getting to watch all the other teams suffer!?
Fingers crossed for some major upsets 🤞
Peaches,
It would be nice to have a specialist defender on the field at some point 😂
I like Elneny, others in our squad could do with his energy and workfare, but I just don’t think he’s good enough to be in the Arsenal first team. The fact we accepted £10m from Leicester probably says it all. Surely Maitland-Niles or someone like that could get a chance in there instead. Hope he proves me wrong but I don’t see him getting much better than he already is.
I personally like Elneny over Coq, as Peaches says his ball moving is what his particularly old at, and maybe a bit like Gilberto he goes about his business quietly and effectively.
Loving this.
http://untold-arsenal.com/archives/63607
Morning all, I guess the defending has to be viewed in relation to only fielding 1 proper CB (Holding) who was later subbed and we finished the game with no CBs … but the subs made all the difference and I was pleased to see them made earlier than the standard 73 minutes.
Giroud must be the best plan B in the EPL …. he always looks likem scoring when he comes on these days and usually delivers … definitely a keeper if he is happy with his role.
The little run in the box by LaCaz was fantastic and produced another great save by Scmeichel … does anyone have a clip of that.
I’m loving Kolasinac. At one point the opposition backed off when he had the ball because they didn’t fancy taking him on.
I thought it funny that in chas’ link to the Mertesacker / Arsene question sessions yesterday, Per said Kolasinac was the player he’d least like to get in a ruck with, and Arsene said “yes, he’s strong” as if surprised … I’d like to think that was one of the main criteria when we scouted him, he received a lot of appreciative applause last night when he won the ball and pushed forward. He’s not a CB, his instincts are attacking and a lot of the time our back 3 was a two. The good news is his passing is good and he loves a one/two going into the box … but then don’t we all 🙂
Rasp,
All this money flying around and Kolasinac could be one of the signings of the season. Fans already love him and he looks a fantastic LWB (not CB!).
Lacazette looked really sharp yesterday when he was involved. He strikes me as the type who will do very little for 20 minutes and then bang in a half chance. He comes to life in the box and seems to be in the right place at the right time. Absolutely loved his celebration aswell!
While I’m all gooey eyed …… I read on twitter that when we were in full throng singing ‘by far the greatest team’ at around 86mins, Lacazette stopped in his tracks and stared at the North Bank …… I didn’t notice it but while we were singing I did think to myself how much better that must sound on Tv than the racist chanting from those slimy scummers.
Peaches – it sounded wonderful and was a joy to listen to, I hope we get to hear it a lot more this season. When we went down 2-3 I said to my son well this is when the crowd typically turn on the team but to my pleasant surprise I heard very little distention on TV.
When Ramsey scored the noise was huge but it got twice as loud when Giroud scored and when you all sang his song it must have made his hair stand on end in pride – the crowd just love him, no wonder he wants to stay.
There were several shots of Sanchez during the game but they only showed him when Leicester scored? Trying to create a negative story, without words, I guess?
Nice vid, Frederico.
You’ll do me out of a job. 🙂
Is Fred Jacob you?
We are being spoiled now , not one but two video wizards.
Chas
Just watched your 7:48 highlights
OMG joy
What a night
Thank you
Agreed Chad bellerin was playing as a striker yesterday, so offered no protection for holding, even on the second goal Xhaka miss placed pass bellerin should have been around that area, wonder if that why Arsene moved him to LB
Yea Chas that me 🙂
Up the Terriers! 2-0 up against Palace! 😂
Chelsea 3-0 down to Burnley! 😂😂
Liverpool conceding a last minute equaliser 😂😂😂
Happy as an arsenal fan with those score but damn my fantasy side in a mess lol
Frederico, it sounds like I’m going to enjoy weekends where your fantasy team is in a mess.
Well if it continues you be ecstatic for spurs game tomorrow
” Burnley stun 9 man Chelsea ”
Haha
Chavs 😀 Both sendings off would have been yellows a couple of seasons ago and just a foul pre-2010.
Lovely to see L’pool concede.
And fine to see Huddersfield TotL. Another Leicester? Probably not.
Our history against Huddersfield will make an interesting post – one of these fine days.
I wonder if the Chelsea player who dived for a penalty late in the game will be reviewed after the fact?
City are looking really good, they will be hard to beat this season.
I actually drop a sleep watching that city game guess that how they trying to beat there opponents this season bore them for death
They were unlucky not to score in first half
chas 10:04 article, very good, thank you
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
Morning All,
Still enjoying Giroud’s super subbing
If AFC had 2 players sent off the media story would be a regurgitation of AW’s teams indiscipline.
With Chavs it is Conte needs more players and how difficult it was for them having 3 players missing.
We had an entire defence missing and yet they write about how porous we are and Neville slags off Kolasinac in his first PL game!
Morning all – 6:30am here.
Does anybody know why and when the media turned on Arsenal?
As a kid my folks would say that the newspapers with all Northern based and therefore only praised Northern team. But now it’s seems to be the entire media – football commentators are among the worst.
Weak elements within the Arsenal have a victim mentality
The strong don’t give a monkeys nuts what others think
I post from a very safe distance 😎
Oh dear
Done it again
Dear All,
I humbly apolo…….
Typical totnum luck. First the Toon have to sub due to 2 injuries in the first 30 mins, then that little cheating scumbag Ali gets Shelvey sent off. The one Toon striker gets a hamstring strain and the scum then score 2 goals virtually unopposed …. it would be impossible for me to dislike them more …..
I’ve disliked them a lot longer than most Rasp, and nothing changes that – neither distance or age.
Next up Man U and their moaning creep of a manager – they are both so easy to detest.
Rasp. They will need the luck as the season progresses. Spurs are two injuries away from mediocrity
I hope you’re right Raddy, I’m really getting my nose rubbed in it in this vicinity ….. they’re so bloody cock sure of themselves….. emphasis on the ‘cock’ there of course 🙄
Morning All,
That cat reminds me of Steve Archibald
Morning All.
Dennis Bergkamp’s goal for Arsenal against Newcastle in 2002 has been chosen as the best in Premier League history by BBC Sport readers.
The Dutchman’s sublime turn and finish came in a 2-0 win at St James’ Park – and with 31% of votes it topped our poll, just pipping Tony Yeboah’s wonder strike for Leeds against Wimbledon in 1995.
Good maoning all 🙂
My predictions for our transfer activity before the window closes:
OUTS….
The Ox – chavs circa £35m
Perez – Toon circa £12m
Sanchez – hopefully abroad – circa £50m
IN …
Lemar – circa £45m
I’m sure Chas will find us a video to remind us all just how incredible Bergkamp’s goal really was!!
…. taking into account Kolasinac was on a free and Lacaz around £45m, that would make us about break even on transfers for the summer
My prediction is that we sell Perez and Wilshere with no new additions.
Could be leaving if they want to go and the money is right ….
Welbeck, Gibbs, Gabriel, Jenkinson, Reine Adelaide, Wilshere, Akpom, Asano
Hi GN5 … which one of us is the more optimistic in that case? 🙂
The Frenchman is not a bona fide starter in north London, particularly now with the arrival of countryman Alexandre Lacazette.
He has an important part to play however, as evidenced with his late winner against Leicester on the opening day.
West Ham, Marseille and Borussia Dortmund were all linked with the 30-year-old, who feels he made the right decision to remain at the Emirates.
“There was something in my soul and in my heart which told me to stay,” Giroud said.
“I’ve been hesitating because I’m the most happy man when I play and I am on the pitch.
“But I keep the faith and I still believe I can have an important part to play this season in the club and I feel good in my head and also physically.
“So I am 100 per cent focused on the club project. I’ve been through five amazing years here so I felt like the story had to continue.
“There are nice days to come from me in an Arsenal shirt.”
Rasp I don’t look at in that manner, I think that we will sell many of the “spare” players. However unless talks are well under way we will not have time to get another top class individual.
Lemar has been touted but is that just the media doing the negotiations?
I think the Lemar negotiations are us being canny … If we lose Sanchez (the deal is probably already on the table) then we bring in Lemar. It could get a bit congested up front any way with Sanchez and Lacaz …. Lemar is more of a wide player.
Great interview with Giroud … he’s a rare beast … 100% a club man …. he’ll achieve cult status I predict (if not already there)
Interesting article from Sky Sports.
Last Updated: 14/08/17 10:30pm
Premier League clubs will discuss the proposed introduction of a new summer transfer window that closes before the opening game of next season.
It is understood talks will take place between every club next month about whether to change the deadline of the current window, which closes nearly three weeks after the first game of the season.
Sky Sports News has been told by sources that the “majority” of top-flight clubs currently favour an earlier closure, and the issue could be voted on during their next shareholders’ meeting in September.
At least 14 of the Premier League’s 20 clubs must agree for a new rule to be introduced.
One consideration is whether Premier League clubs will be weaker if the summer window closes in the middle of August.
Clubs from other European leagues, including Spain and Italy, would still be allowed to sign players from England in line with their own domestic deadlines.
It has raised concerns that Premier League sides would be unable to sign reinforcements, or replacements, which could lead to a competitive disadvantage.
But some clubs are understood to believe it would be better for the league’s integrity if none of its teams could add to their squads from the first match of the new season until the January transfer window.
Paul Clement, Swansea City manager, said after Saturday’s draw at Southampton: “Our club would support that decision. The majority of clubs are in favour but maybe all have to be for it to go through. It could happen next year.”
Transfer windows in January would be unaffected as current proposals only relate to the summer months.
Will pl window open early then
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What a match to begin the Premier League!