It is very interesting to see International Cups, European Cups and domestic leagues…and for me, it seems that:
- The teams that can find the right balance between attack and defense do well
- The teams that attack and defend together do well, sometimes beyond expectations
- If you want to win a League, you have to produce goals first and defend well second
- If you want to win a Cup, you have to defend well first and produce goals then…
Man City, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan are fine examples of this at national level and even Atletico and Lille who really outperformed themselves offensively without losing their defensive solidity…
At European Cup level, Chelsea was hard to beat because they were so solid defensively and clinical going forward. Villareal – same story. Solid defensively in the end and then clinical forward. But both teams were very much about asking teams to try to break them down…
Now at the EURO 2020, it is hard to bet against England and Italy at this stage. England is for me the favourite now. England is not conceding goals and better than that, they do not concede many chances. Out of the 4 semi-finalists, England seems to be the most solid defensively and I see them lift the trophy next week unless they really mess up mentally and unfortunately, Pickford, Maguire, Walker have a mistake in them and could be England’s downfall…but that said, I think that overall the team is super well balanced and cohesive with a lot of options at the back and going forward…
I think it is amazing for Saka to be part of this squad because he is getting so much experience and also so much exposure and will learn greatly from this Euro.
Sancho for 85 Mln EUR is a steal for Man Utd…I think that City will be pouncing on Kane. So both Manchester teams will be going in the next season as favourites with Chelsea as apparently Chelsea is pushing hard to get…Haaland
Anyways, another post on a very dull Sunday: no EURO 2020 and no Wimbledon…
So what do you think? England to win the Euro? Defensively strong teams win Cups?
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Teams that will do well in all forms of football in the 2020s are those that manage their games throughout the 90 ( or more) minutes.
Convert your chances when on top, expect a comeback from the opposition, tighten in both midfield and defence, and then recreate and convert again if possible.
Arsenal had the third best defensive record at the conclusion of the season. Their positional discipline and communication however when under pressure in games was deficient regularly, resulting in many points lost.
Leaders who do the job by performing rather than expecting others to correct faults are what we have also been missing. Motivation should come both verbally and by performance.
And finally player(s) who understand the Club system as instructed by the coach and execute for the coach on the pitch, is what brings success.
I see no reason why a revised, youthful and determined squad cant press next season for success in all competitions.
Thanks for the post RC.
Meanwhile, Marseille keen on:
– Guendouzi for a loan + a mandatory option to buy at only 10 Mln EUR
– Saliba for a loan
– David Luiz
I don’t understand out club…Gunedouzi could be sold for 20 Mln easily
To who RC?
In Germany, Italy and Spain…Marseille is really struggling financially but they are really pushing to get promising out-of-favor players or out-of-contract…They now got Under from Roma…
Who has shown any interest whatsoever in him apart from French. Even his last loan move Club arent prepared to gamble.
It is crazy…two years back, he was monitored by the likes of Juve and Barcelona…He will come good but maybe not great…Let us see. He still has quality and character – now can he channel his talent and character properly?
As for Saliba – 5 years contract: 1 loan spell to St-Etienne, 1 to Nice and now 1 to Marseille. Why did we pay 27 Mln EUR for him? He has only two years of contract after the end of the season…Clearly, Arteta is not keen on him…
If Saliba “proves himself”, he will either be invaluable to us or sought after by others. Think he will pay his way in the end myself, RC.
Copa América 2021 semi-finals:
Brazil vs Peru
Argentina vs Colombia
Top Scorers (currently still in competition):
4 goals – Lionel Messi(Arg)
2 goals – Alejandro Gómez(Arg), Lautaro Martínez(Arg), Neymar(Bra), André Carrillo(Per), Gianluca Lapadula(Per)
Imagine a Brazil vs Argentina final…
Now, Colombia is hard to beat…So it could end up with Brazil vs Colombia…
Peru is also tough but if Brazil does not wet themselves, they ll go through easily
Camavinga available for 30 Mln…Tchouemeni for about 50 Mln…
Pay the 80 Mln EUR and prepare the future double-pivot…
Camavinga, Tchouemeni – Saka, ESR, Pepe – Martinelli
All under 23 in this line-up except Pepe…
It’s the first time I have heard €85 million called a steal. It’s a great piece of business by Dortmund.
I have always felt that England have a good chance to win this Euros. The main reason being the opposition in general is poor. Throw in home advantage (mostly) and it looks good.
They should beat Denmark, but it won’t be straight forward. What could trip them up is Southgate’s caution. Playing two holding midfielders will not create enough chances against a well organised team.
Anyway roll on August when we can start talking about real football again.
As long as Rice-Phillips keep disciplined, there is no reason for England to lose. Against Denmark, I would actually be keen to add one more body in central midfield and play a 433 with:
Pickford – Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw – Rice, Phillips, Mount (or Foden or Henderson) – Saka, Kane, Sterling
It will be about keeping the ball and absorbing pressure and moving fast forward. Denmark will press, high intensity…
Shoul be doable though for England
Leeds really have decent players, at lease one per line, no?
– Meslier – GK
– Cooper – CB
– Phillips – DM/CM
– Raphinha, Harrisson – AM
– Bamford – FW
Would you think that we should make a move for one or two of them? If so, which ones?
If we let Laca go, then Bamford would be welcome I suppose…
Then, I would also go for Phillips
Leno (boo!) – Chambers, White, Gabriel, Tierney – Partey, PHILLIPS – Saka, ESR, Pepe – BAMFORD
Ryan – RECRUIT, Holding, Mari, Tavares – Willock, El Neny, AMN – Azeezv – Martinelli, Auba (or Balogun)
Argentina always beats Colombia,
Colombia beat Uruguay…not easy to do
You don’t follow south American football it would seem, Uruguay not the force day once was,
If you can keep Cavani and Suarez off the scoring sheet, it is quite impressive I would say…these guys need half chances
Oooooospina saved 2 penalties against Uruguay!👍
Ospina – always a brilliant shot stopper but a little suspicious in the air and with his feet
White to join AFC, apparently together with N. Tavares and Lokonga
Not impressed to say the least
RC
You will be surprised!
Goodbye and good luck 🥺
Copa América 2021 finals, it is indeed Brazil vs Argentina.
Brazil with comfortable 1-0 win over Peru. Argentina after a hard fought 3-2 penalty shoot-out (Emilano Martinez saving 3 penalties) win over Colombia, with them leveled at 1-1 after regulation time.
Brazil has home ground advantage and also 10 different goal-scorers (from their defenders to forwards, anyone is a goal threat); Argentina has the tournament’s (currently) top 2 goal-scorers in Lionel Messi and Lautaro Martínez.
JM – classic final at the Copa America in perspective and hopefully, we can have a first ever final at the Euro with Italy – England.
Brazil really playing as a team. Paqueta and Neymar having a good tournament but I think that this could be Messi’s year to win the Copa America. He seems on a mission and the whole team is behind him.
It will be a cagey game for sure. May end up in ET or PKs unless we have a magic touch from Messi or Neymar in regular time…Let us see.
CO England tonight. Will be tough but England should go through. Keep a clean sheet in the first 30 minutes and you will win. Concede an early goal and it will be tougher…
Infuriating, as always, the the Club cannot seal transfers in and out NOW, especially since respected opinion that Mari is now considering asking for loan out ( Besiktas asking and offering Champions League), rather than be sidelined by possible White deal. Gabriel is now injured apparently ( and IMO, inferior to Mari anyway), Saliba is almost gone on loan. Get you finger out Edu, or we will go from too many CBs to not enough.
LBG – I am also surprised but hoping that at the end of EURO2020, there will be some major announcements…
For me, 4 CBs: Holding, White, Gabs, Mari is fine.
Saka starting again for the 3 Lions
That more like 3 CB Mari always injured
Fred
And now Gabriel injured.
Saka still manages to create an equalizer against a close marking defence. Our star!
I don’t understand all the praise from grealish from the crowd, clearly saka having a better tournament
Neither do I Fred…neither do I, especially with yesterday’s performance…Grealish is a great player, no doubt but he is not having a great Euro
New post anyways