A few years back, Guendouzi had us raving about his heart on the pitch and his courage on the ball. He played a lot, definitely beyond his years but his fiery persona fueld by his impetuous youth on and off the pitch led to some hairy moments, including the one with Maupay that sealed his fate with Arteta and ultimately with AFC.
From then on, he was moved to Berlin where he had a decent season and is now loaned to Marseille where he will be signing in January on a permanent deal as his contract with us would come to an end in June 2022.
In Marseilles, Guendouzi found a club, a coach, a team and a fans that love fiery characters and where he can be a key clog in the midfield. He had a very bright start of the season even scoring a goal and earned selections at youth and senior level with the French squad. But following his bright start, he is also now showing some signs of frustration and bad habits where he thinks he can do everything in midfield. Sampaoli is clearly trying to help him play better and more effectively but at 22, Guendouzi is still learning.
Guendouzi was raised in PSG academy before joining Lorent and then Arsenal and he recently stated that Marseilles is the most historic and popular club in France and that his past with PSG was just due to him being born near PSG…
So in any case, seems he has finally found a club that accept him with his flaws and his qualities.
Maybe in 2-3 years, AFC will regret letting him go but for now, it is best for everyone to see him flourish in Marseilles and who knows what the future holds?
Bonne chance Matteo but Allez Paris! Marseilles est tragique!
So how do you feel about Guendouzi?
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I’m very happy that Mattao is happy in Marseilles and that they’re happy with him and plan to complete his transfer either this January or next summer. C’est la vie.
In two or three years time I fully expect Charlie Patino to be the star in the Arsenal midfield ably assisted by Omari Hutchinson and Miguel Azeez.
I hope that Guendouzi and Torrieira and Hector et al, all have successful careers wherever they play, it didn’t work out at Arsenal under Arteta and that’s football, I bear them no malice and hope that that is reciprocated, even on Twitter.
Very different analysis to recent comments reported here, from people close to him in France. “Guendouzi always wants to be the centre of attention. To tell team members they are doing it all wrong and pick arguments in the process.”
I believe, despite some obvious ability, we are well out. His arrogance was evident in his Clubs before Arsenal, and this leopard, IMO, is unlikely to change his ill-disciplined spots, making him an absolute liability in the Premier League.
He is definitely getting some stick recently as well for his persona…But the Marseilles fan LOVE him…and Saliba.
Saliba would need to come to us this summer. He is doing well so far this year at club and international level. He is still not as good as Fofana but he will get to a good level.
I went to Marseilles a long time ago. What a strange place.
Guendouzi… promising player (not top rank in my opinion) but with clear personality flaws that will always trip him up.
I hold no ill feeling towards him and wish him well in Marseilles, but Arteta was right to call time on his Arsenal career.
If you remember the context, Arteta was trying to get to grips with a very dysfunctional spirit among the squad – the little clique around Ozil was clearly causing division and the last thing El Patron needed was a young upstart imagining himself to be Bily Big B*llocks at the same time.
There seems to be a more cohesive and positive attitude within the squad now and that is an important platform for future progress.
I’m not too familiar with the best practices of how to deal with young starlets’ attitude, but I’m generally surprise of the notion and the universal acceptance of “some hairy moments, including the one with Maupay that sealed his fate with Arteta and ultimately with AFC”.
I don’t know. Maybe Matteo will inevitably become an arrogant @$$hole like Mario Balotelli – who despite his undeniable talent couldn’t live up ti his ego and is playing for mid-table Turkish team – but if that’s not predestined than it was a managerial mistake to have let situation escalate beyond reparable. Let’s not forget, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has an ego with the size of a skyscraper, yet managed to become the top attacker of his era.
So I’m not convinced that omitting, alienating and eventually selling Guendouzi was the smart and mature thing to do. I would expect a top manager to deal with attitude of ambitious young talents. If it turns out that Sampaoli or the next coach will manage to tame Matteo, then it will be undeniable, that Mikel’s power play just cost Arsenal 50M+
Testing
Test worked LB 😀
Or did you mean that the subject at hand was a trifle testing? 😀