Arsenal Banter Archive August 05 2018

 

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05 Aug 2018 23:12:11
Chambers on loan to Fulham. Dinos will be the surprise package this season.

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05 Aug 2018 23:39:24
Can’t help but fear a lack of epl experience and pace in our centre halves this season - not being negative but statement of fact.

Surprised it’s not Holding going out on loan

We need reinforcements in defence not people injured / loaned or sold.

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06 Aug 2018 00:12:18
Forgot about Mustafi but Sokratis and Mustafi don’t fill me with confidence as a pair.

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06 Aug 2018 00:37:00
I found it odd that we extended Chambers contract as I could see nothing to suggest that he was a top six quality CB. Indeed I believe he is barely PL quality. Now we are apparently loaning him out to Fulham. That leaves us with 4 fit CB's. I am not over-impressed by Mustafi, and Mavropanos is full of quality, but a couple of years off being ready to be a regular first team player. I hope it means that we are signing another CB, we have been heavily linked with Vida and Soyuncu. Although it could mean we will utilise the 4 remaining CB's until the new year when Koscielny returns.

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06 Aug 2018 04:15:12
I totally agree sy, I think we could still be in a bit of trouble at cb. Evans or a similar solid experienced cb would of been good someone who can offer a decent option, while the young cbs mature, but wouldn't halt there progression too much. Obviously I would prefer a top cb, but that's not going to happen.

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06 Aug 2018 08:23:56
Not pre judging players until they've performed under emery doesn't go for Chambers then RG?

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06 Aug 2018 08:31:16
If its true a very very strange decision and one that would only make sense if we brought someone in.
Hard to actually think this is real story, it's that bizarre.

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06 Aug 2018 10:12:34
Strange move as he ony just signed a contract entension to then be loaned out, does Emery not rate him or is another experienced CB on signing on the cards. Myabe behind the scenes there is deal to sell Mustafi in the pipeline but need to get a replacment in first. without Kos we have a lack of pace in the CB area so surprised Chambers was loaned out.

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06 Aug 2018 11:27:20
Chambers to me looked like our obvious 3rd choice CB ahead of Holding and the young Greek CB so he does seem a strange chioce to loan out.
It's a weird one for me but ho it's Dicks gig and if he gets it right what's it matter, but should it not work out so well then I don't think Dick will get the decade of understanding and patience Arsene got for so long despite making so many strange decisions on players that's for sure:-)

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06 Aug 2018 11:29:44
Vida would be a joke signing. world cup hangover?

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05 Aug 2018 21:58:40
Dicks will make sure we play to our strength. Junior firpo may arrive on loan.

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06 Aug 2018 11:24:00
Firpo, who's that citizen?

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05 Aug 2018 17:13:33
Just watched the Community Shield, should think 3 points guaranteed next week, City looking very poor! 😂😂

Interesting to see Hudson-Odoi get zero from Walker whilst he gave Bellerin the run around.

Also great to see the ref John Moss has spent the summer getting into shape.

Shame it's the same unfit round one he was in last year! 😱😉.

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05 Aug 2018 18:42:13
Probably took his surname literally and spent most his days lying around rocks.

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05 Aug 2018 19:47:48
Poor old Hector, he's in for a long hard season or even Arsenal career no matter how hard he trys or however much effort he puts in for the team.

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05 Aug 2018 21:04:27
I find Bellerin very weak for a defender, i like my defenders to assert themselves and want to defend like its a crime for someone to get past you. I also think he freezes when he defends because he is never as quick at running defending as he is going forward. He is very fast on the training ground apparently but he gets left for dead too many times when players run at him.

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05 Aug 2018 21:38:41
I hear all that Steve yet still he continues to be linked with City and Barcelona persistently, the lad obviously has his weaknesses but he's so often our furthest defender forward when we lose the ball yet somehow managers to very often be our last defender when the opposition attack ends, what happens to all the defenders and midfielders in between where Hector starts off from and finishes up at?
Personally I think he's an Ox type player who will only be seen at his best post Arsenal, I'm not quite sure where or why Belerin lost the Arsenal fans because the effort is always there even when it's no where near as apparent in other players.

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05 Aug 2018 23:27:59
Personally, i think he is a right footed kieran gibbs gunner. He won't ever play for a top top team, after an early fanfare and false dawn.

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06 Aug 2018 00:44:47
I fully agree with Steve r. Bellerin was a converted winger and Gibbs was converted from a midfield player and neither player can tackle, nor do they possess any defensive awareness, Lichtsteiner is a proper RB, the problem is age is against him.
We still need to sign a RB, a LB and a CB.
Perhaps if we sign Nzonzi, we can paper over the cracks with Torreira and Nzonzi providing a defensive shield for the CB's.
Rodriguez would be a decent signing for the LB position. Whilst Vida impressed during the World Cup Finals.

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06 Aug 2018 11:24:55
Thats the modern day fullback for ya stevie, a winger in disguise.

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06 Aug 2018 23:22:44
Valencia, is a converted winger but he can tackle and does his job with authority. No comparison to bellarin, same goes for walker.

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05 Aug 2018 13:36:31
I am finding it tricky to work out Emery's formations, as they are so fluid. What I have noticed is the absiebce of the gaps that used to occur, particularly in front of the fullbacks, when defending.
Yesterday it appeared that we defended in a 4-4-2 and attacked from a 4-2-3-1, which is inventive. I have always been a fan of fluid 4-4-2 0r 4-4-1-1 formations, but to interchange between an attacking 4-2-3-1 and the benefit of two banks of four when defending is new to me and extremely impressive.
I was impressed with Leno's ability to play from the back.

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05 Aug 2018 15:20:34
Let’s hope the opposing managers also find it tricky mate.

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05 Aug 2018 16:04:34
I would think its tricky because i would think it will take a while for it all to sink in and look organized.

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05 Aug 2018 13:06:21
Everyone saying we need a Cb ( sok, chambers. holding. Mustifa, Kos, Monreal ) when clearly another CDM (Just Torreira) is a must. can't rely Torreira to play every game, what happens if he gets an injury? Nzonsi is a must. In addition I think Zaha is our only wide play option due to him being homegrown, especially if we sell Ramsey and Welbeck. AMN is another wide option and hopefully Nelson can state a claim. Might be time to give youth a chance. I have a feeling that there a lot of clearing out to do with players on high wages who are unsellable, thanks to there joke contracts. This may be one of the reasons affecting our spending power.
On another note, its a joke that we are getting out spent by teams like West Ham. Fulham and Everton.

Fans getting ripped off. .

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05 Aug 2018 13:30:42
I doubt Emery will classify Monreal as a CB and Koscielny is out until December-ish. Whilst I don't believe Emery rates Mustafi and if we can achieve a reasonable fee, he will be sold. That leaves us with one experienced CB, Sokratis and three, young-ish and unproven CB's. Perhaps Holding and Chambers are making up the homegrown contingent? Thus, if Mustafi departs, a CB may be necessary.
As far as DM's are concerned, we have Torreira, Elneny, Xhaka and Maitland-Niles, which provides options. I would love to see us sign Nzonzi.
As far as spending power, we may be governed by FFP regulations and hence hamstrung to a certain extent, until we ship players out. We also have a large squad, which needs trimming, outs: Ospina, Jenkinson, Campbell, Perez, etc. Possibly Ramsey and Welbeck. I don't feel ripped off as false, we have made astute signings, 5 in all and integrating more tha 5 can prove tricky.

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05 Aug 2018 13:48:09
Like Ed002 said, rather than count the home grown players count the non home grown players aged over 21 years old and as long as it's no more than 17 we are fine.
This home grown thing isn't the issue many people are making it out to be.

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05 Aug 2018 14:12:44
Of course the homegrown contingent is important, otherwise you simply have a squad of 17 overage non-homegrown players, plus youngsters, The homegrown players enable the squad to total 25 overage players, which is necessary in the modern game.

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05 Aug 2018 14:15:47
We probably do need an experienced CD because Kos is injury prone while Sokratis is our only experienced defender and I am a little nervous about that. J Evans could have done a great job there for us. Some EPL experience would be a plus. Also good for thecdevelopment of young talent we have.

👍 so that’s one signing we need

Then a winger with pace and can play in 4 4 2 as well as a 4 3 3 formation. I like the idea of Zaha or Martial. Both have an eye for goal and can run at people.

👍 that’s the second key signing we need to make

As for Nzonzi - I understand the desire but we probably have enough cover in there as long as we have the discipline. Will he be a bit player - he won’t like that. Do I want two very defensive players in there = no. I like Emery’s attitude of “let’s win 5 : 4 rather than 1 : 0” as we in an entertainment and competitive sport.

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05 Aug 2018 14:35:28
The home grown rule is only an issue if you have more than 17 non home grown players in your 25 man squad, you can have a 25 man squad of all non nationals if you like as long as 8 are under 21, there is no rule saying you must have brits in your squad.
But no one is saying don't have any brits or how grown qualified players only that it's not the issue people make it out to be.
Mbappe or Welbeck both are eligible to add to your 17?
Quality is the impotat factor and nationality doesn't improve your quality.

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05 Aug 2018 14:51:10
I can't remember the last team to win the premier league with a let's win 5 4 attitude though SY mate.
The really successful sides seem to all be tight at the back as well good going forwards, City scored a huge amount of goals last season but I don't think they conceded an unusually high number goals at the other end.
When Arsene first said about " if they score 4 we will score 5 " I loved it because it sounded brilliant but the reality didn't match up to the exciting words.
Liverpool finished 4th last season with that approach and I'm sure they will look to improve their approach in order to improve thier league position.

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05 Aug 2018 15:23:36
True - I don’t mean literally but drawing every game nil nil won’t help either

That’s my point - we can pack the teams with defenders or attackers to achieve the two scenarios. That’s the extreme.

I want us set up with balance but set up to win and entertain rather than set up not to lose

“Thats the difference between you and me. You want to lose small. I want to win big”

Not directed at you but my thought process.

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05 Aug 2018 15:54:25
I agree SY it's about ballance and I don't want to go back to the George Graham days of 1 0 to the Arsenal 1 shot a game will do approach.
Not losing has to be the first step but the journeys end mate.

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05 Aug 2018 19:36:14
Sorry that should have been not the journeys end SY mate, oops :-) funny what missing or adding a word can make sometimes:-)

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06 Aug 2018 00:47:17
I do not believe teams can rely upon 17 overage foreign players, plus U21's making up the squad. Hence the need for up to 8 homegrown overage players,

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05 Aug 2018 12:30:04
The Lucas Perez situation shows how poorly run the club were in the post David Dein era.
We signed him for approx £17m in August 2016. He stayed for one season playing 21 matches in total, spent the following season on loan and now is being sold for a reported £4m. He cost £13m, plus wages. Costing approx £620,000 per match, plus wages, etc.
I fail to understand the purchase and how he has been treated at the club. Someone should be held to account.

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05 Aug 2018 12:52:53
He was a fan pleaser signing never intended to be played but to keep the striker hungry fans off Arsene back.

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05 Aug 2018 13:41:24
Expensive fan pleaser!
I just think he was a mistake, a costly one!
The new backroom team seem to have a better eye for a player.
So far:
Lichtsteiner on a free looks intelligent.
Guendouzi, although raw looks a steal.
Sokratis - I reserve judgement, his lack of pace concerns me, but he may make up for that with astute defending, much in the way John Terry did.
Leno - Looks an experienced quality keeper at a reasonable price,
Torreira - Love the guy and looks an absolute bargain in today's hyper-inflated market.

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05 Aug 2018 13:56:18
All fan pleasers are expensive even if it's just the wages you pay them, but they can take the heat off a manager for a while.
Many people on this page went Perez crazy when we signed him declaring all kinds of wonderful things for him and us despite not ever having seem him play, as a PR exercise it worked brilliantly but unfortunately for Perez he wasn't aware of the real reason why signed him and he desperately wanted to prove himself, feel sorry for the lad.

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05 Aug 2018 08:16:11
Interesting to see what happens in respect of Mustafi, Ramsey and Welbeck before the window shuts.
All three could depart and we may sign Nzonzi and a wide attacking player. Having been linked with Vazquez and Dembele.
I have a feeling offers may be in the process of negotiations. We appear to have made no move to extend Welbeck's deal and at a reported sale fee of £15m he would appeal to clubs. Miustafi didn't play yesterday and hasn't been impressive. We have 4 alternative CB's, plus Koscileny when fit, and rumours of Vida have appeared. Was Ramsey injured or was it a convenient screen as he is due to depart next week? 5 days to go!

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05 Aug 2018 08:41:47
Guendouzi could be key as to whether we replace Aaron or not, if Dick plans on giving the lad a real chance straight away then there would be no need to sign another midfield player.
The fact Aaron hasn't signed a new deal suggests to me he will be elsewhere come next weekend, Liverpool and Chelsea have been rumoured to be interested but personally I wouldn't completely rule out a cheeky United bid, mind you didn't Aaron and Sanchez have a problem with each other? Maybe Alexis could come back as part of a Ramsey deal :-) I can think of 26 million annual reasons that can't happen :-)

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05 Aug 2018 10:40:36
eds do you know if there's much likelihood of one of holding, chambers or mavraponos going out on loan if mustafi stays or is replaced, won't be too many options for all of them, they would gain a lot more playing regularly.

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{Ed001's Note - I would expect at least one of them to go out on loan.}

05 Aug 2018 11:30:26
As you can tell - I really like the guy. The mobility, calmness and forward momentum he brings to our play. However, he’s a young kid and as shown yesterday can easily put us under a lot of pressure by forgetting his own capabilities. Long term solution to Xhaka in midfield but may be cameo roles this season as aren’t strong enough to accommodate a lot of individual errors. Torn on having him in the starting 11 just yet.

Torreira and Xhaka could be the CM pairing this season with Xhaka having the mobile partner he needs.

Matteo was very mature for a young man. Played deep when needed, moved the ball forward fast, shielded back four, took the ball off the back four to play forward BUT occasionally overplayed. that could be the difference between a cup and no cup or finishing 4th Vs 5th.

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05 Aug 2018 12:16:35
Xhaka there is a player that devides like no other i have ever known, reading a player rating on yesterday's game and he was rated as " having a understably quite game after his world cup exploits " :-)
Another article said he'd had " an excellent world cup ".
I just can't see it, I tried in the world cup to see what he does for Switzerland I can't see in an Arsenal shirt but he looked exactly the same player to me for country as club, odd gpod long pass, odd long shot in between giving away possession far far to often and which leads to his team conceeding unnecessarily silly goals.
Surely the potential to score from distance 4 or 5 times a season isn't enough to be a premier league footballer, is it?

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05 Aug 2018 13:06:56
I am trying hard not to pre-judge players until we see how they perform under Emery. He has let Wilshere and Akpom depart, others have been loaned out and it looks clear that we are prepared to let other players go: Ospina, Welbeck, Perez, Jenkinson and Campbell.

Other players have had their contracts extended, which means either Emery sees something in them or he is protecting their sale value: Xhaka, Iwobi, Maitland-Niles, etc.

The positive thing is that Emery is decisive.

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05 Aug 2018 13:32:09
I really see the value in giving everyone a chance because if you take your time and try all you can to improve a player before letting him go there is less chance of regretting your decision Latter.
I hope by the time next season is over I will be a Xhaka fan who can see what he brings to the team rather than how much better off we'd be with someone in his place who was mobile, able to tackle without getting a card each time and didn't lose the ball in silly positions on regular occasions.

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05 Aug 2018 13:55:26
62 - I hope that is the case. I have my doubts about him ( doesn’t think or react quick enough for epl ) but he’s never been set up to succeed. Fingers crossed as I don’t want two defensive CM players - I want a balance like petit and Vieira.

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05 Aug 2018 14:15:13
Xhaka has many qualities, but could clearly benefit from the type of quality coaching Emery may well give him.

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05 Aug 2018 14:52:34
Cool, please tell me what are his qualities RG?

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05 Aug 2018 16:02:55
Guendozi plays in exactly the way and style xhaka should be playing. The difference between the two, Gouendouzi has the ability and xhaka doesnt. I have never seen xhaka hold a ball up, turn and drive away from players, he can't drive at players with the ball, he isn't quick enough in his thinking or movement and he isn't an intelligent passer or tackler. The other difference is xhaka won't make it Guendozi, has a chance to because he can do it.

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Review Of The Day 5th August 2018

05 Aug 2018 05:39:39
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Review Of The Day 5th August 2018

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05 Aug 2018 02:54:14
I have a sneaky feeling that Ramsey is goners. I just hope it ain't to a rival club. I can see him and fringe players funding a wide player like dembele. Mustafi didn't get a run out today which suggests he might be surplus to requirements. hopefully we can get a solid defender like Vida if he does leave. I reckon there could be a lot of movement at arsenal this week.

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05 Aug 2018 08:46:45
Maybe Dick will use this season to gage what he already has or doesn't have within the squad, it would make long term sense to do what you can with existing players this season then replace those who he can't improve next summer
I know that's not a very exciting thought for this season but over the next 4 or 5 years it would make sense.

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04 Aug 2018 23:32:46
Was at the Liverpool vs Napoli match (because it was in Dublin and we don’t get a lotta quality football supporting Ireland 🙄) but Liverpool look very strong like really strong, especially against a strong Napoli side, was at the arsenal match in Dublin as well and Liverpool Unlike Arsenal never looked under any serious threat unlike arsenal in the first half.

I think Liverpool are dark horses for the league even tho I’m probs sure they’re second favs with the signings they’ve brought in I honestly think they’ll rival city for top spot this year as long as they get those needless defeats from lower table teams out of their system.

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05 Aug 2018 00:41:03
The gap will be smaller but city will have too much for everyone else including Liverpool again this season in my opinion.

City Liverpool 1 and 2, 3rd and 4th should be United and one other but could easily be any of Arsenal Chelsea United or Spurs in those last two champions league spots as there are so many questions concerning all 4 chasing teams going into this season.
United and Jose are anyone's guess how that will go.
Arsenal Chelsea new men in charge while Spurs haven't strengthen but have so many players who played in the latter stages of the world cup who could struggle for form.

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05 Aug 2018 05:14:20
Every time I see a predictions table Man Utd automatically seem to be determined as top 4. Tbh I’m not that sure I think with the current regime at Utd plus the seemed Mourinho/ player disagreements I honestly think that Utd will struggle to get into the top 4 this season. Am I going bananas or does anyone else agree with me? I’d love to hear feed back from you lot as well as an ED or 2 I’d that's not too much to ask 😂.

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{Ed001's Note - it is very difficult to call this season, it all depends on Mourinho. If he carries on the way he is going they will meltdown again. If he bucks his ideas up and starts actually remembering what made him a success, then they will finish in the top 4 due to his pragmatic approach and De Gea's brilliance.}

05 Aug 2018 08:03:52
Other than City United were the only team to hit 80 + points last season so can't be completely dismissed as not being top 4 heavy weights again this season but like Ed001 says Mourinho and his moods are key to which way their season goes.
United are the biggest marmite club there is, unless your a United fan then they are most people's pet club to dislike especially under Jose so it's easy to let your feelings get in the way when predicting their downfall.
Personally I think this will be Jose's last season at old Trafford top 4 or not as United simply won't want the clubs huge worldwide image to be damaged too badly by him and his very strange ways.
What happend in Itlay and Spain to Jose to turn a very funny charismatic intelligent man into such a bitter boring man is anyone's guess but he's losing his employability by any top club at a very rapid rate of knots.

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