By Sir Hardly Anyone and some mates.
So just as one group of youngsters leave – with no one unexpected and no nasty surprises on the departure board – the word is out about new teenagers coming in, and one player signing a new contract.
The new kiddie, the one Arsenal and Liverpool are said to be watching, is AS Roma teenager Matteo Cardinali, “according to a report.”
And it is interesting that Dragomir and Fortune are leaving not because the club doesn’t want them but because they rejected the contracts Arsenal offered. Did they leave the club with the unmistakable look of young men about to be berated in public by their respective mothers for wasting an opportunity and throwing their lives away? Did they leave with the aspect of a cat that has wandered into a strange back garden, and found itself covered in water? Or have they had a better offer of fried fish from the noisy neighbours?
We wait to see and of course we know not. But a new contract deal is arranged with Callum Chambers which seems to confirm that there is a significant attempt to shore up the defence with old hands to allow the youngsters to get more game time, but not having to play through a run a poor form by suffering in match after match.
At Arsenal that is certainly something to be avoided as we have seen how quickly a small minority of “fans” can turn on players of all ages, and then how slow and half-hearted can be their forgiveness. It happened in the 1930s (Chapman complained about the boo-boys in his newspaper column), in the 1950s (the players themselves complained about it in the press, and Tom Whittaker even went public on it), in the late 1970s (but Bertie Mee would never stoop so low as to read mere newspapers, so the club never responded) and it is happening still now.
I don’t have figures to show how Arsenal’s ability to retain the young players it wants compares with the effectiveness of such action at other Premier League clubs, so really it is hard to tell what the situation is with the youth players. Did Dragomir and Fortune look at the quality ahead of them and decide they didn’t have a chance? Were they anxious for more chances now, rather than later? Were they badly advised into accepting a bid from one of the clubs that promises the earth and delivers the graveyard?
Certainly if Mr Emery has anyone passing on snippets of what the media says he’ll realise that the honeymoon is over with Givemesport claiming that fans are up in arms about the departure of Drogomir, calling it a “disgrace.” The trouble is “disgrace” is a bit of an overused word these days, rather like embarrassed and embarrassing, so its impact is reduced. Journalists now need their daily dose of disgrace to get through the day it seems.
But it would be really interesting to know what the perception of the club, its management and its supporters is, among players who decide to leave. However without a series of in-depth interviews, which Untold certainly doesn’t have the resources to organise, we seem unlikely to find out.
Of course the old games are still the staple diets, as it were, as the “major blows” are dealt to Arsenal, as with “Arsenal have been dealt a major blow,” (told you so) “after it was reported that Chelsea are leading the race to sign CSKA Moscow star Aleksandr Golovin.” Ah well. Not sure we were in the race to sign any more midfielders, now we have lots of them, like Xhaka, Ramsey, Torreira and Elneny, not to mention Maitland-Niles who can play there as well as anywhere else.
This story goes back to the great idea the Daily Mirror (in the shape of its drainpipe Football.London) had by predicting that having given Xhaka a long contract extension and pay rise, we should immediately drop him and play Ramsey and Torreira as the midfield partnership with Ozil in front. Oh what jolly fellows these journalist chappies are.
Mind you the Daily Mirror put out a piece also in the early hours which says, “Vlad Dragomir ‘hopeful of Arsenal deal’ despite being released…” which is curious. I wonder what insight they have.
Staying with the wild and wacky, Goal.com seemed to get carried away with itself in the early hours of this morning, at least according to reports from our nightwatchman. At just before 2am they released the story that Ozil will “need time” to get over Germany disaster. Then a quarter of an hour later they came up with Ozil will ‘need some time’ to get over Germany’s early World Cup exit.
The subtle difference between “time” and “some time” has been a matter of great dispute in the Toppled Bollard public house in sunny Rutland, during its early morning rush. We came to no conclusion.
Nor did we over “Arsenal Ready To Tie Down 27 Y/O Welsh Midfielder” in the 4th Official. Bondage and football is a matter to which the Untold team have not given much thought and as a member of the aristocracy I think it is time we should.
- England v Columbia: how to work out what the score is likely to be
- Forget Torreira, Monreal replacement, drop Xhaka, bring back Joel, buy another keeper, sign Son
- It’s been going on so long I expected to read a rumour that Torreira is leaving Arsenal
Yassin Fortune’s Time with Arsenal has been blighted with injuries ans, as a result, he has fallen down the order for young strikers. That the club wished to keep him shouldn’t be in doubt as there was a new contract on offer. He was not particularly impressive in his last appearances for the club and has a long way to go to become a top striker.
I am far more sorry if we are to lose Vlad Dragomir, who I think has potential to become a really good attacking midfielder in a few years. I suspect he wants more now than Arsenal can offer him. There are somewhat conflicting reports with his agent reporting that discussions with Us are still ongoing and others saying he is going to Monaco.
The good news is that Tolaji Bola has signed his new contract giving us another option at left back along with Cohen Bramall at least till Nacho Monreal gets back from his bench warming at the World Cup.
According o Jeorge bird Dragomir’s agent says that they are still in talks with arsenal. However, bird believes he will eventually had to Monaco.
I agree with Andrew on both players and the article underlined the challenge that youth systems at big clubs have. Arguably in terms of silverware Chelsea and Man City have the two best academies but are they producing top first-teamed for their clubs? The likes of Chalibah and Asolankevand Sancho have to move to develop their careers. Under Wenger we have genuinely tried and to an extent succeeded in providing careers for young Arsenal talent rather than stockpiling players so nobody else can have them . I have a young grandson who has already been attached at 7 to Brighton and has a chance of progressing to a career in the game. I would consider he has a much better chance of doing this at satybSouthampton which puts the emphasis on developing home-grown talent
I’m proud of our philosophy at Arsenal and hope it continues. Certainly judging by the new appointments led by the estimable Mertesacker we are likely to do this. Having been to the Youth semi last year I think Virginia, Burton, Amaechi and especially Smith- Rowe all have the ability to become first- team players and thus year I expect a breakthrough year for Eddie Nkeriah. But Premiers League football is a high bar to jump and only a few can make it
Monaco looks a good move for the boy, they have a great record in developing youngsters, all the same it’s a shame we’re losing him, but young players leaving English academies for a chance abroad seems to be on the increase.
as ever, interesting and entertaining. the BEST BLOG out there
News is, Meyer isn’t already attached to a party, and Arsenal are in amongst a number of teams with intentions towards the young man.
Obviously the failing is on the part of Arsenal, who are unwilling to meet the £84,000pw wage demands. we were paying that for Oxlade and Walcott, probably Danny, he’s better and 22.
Isn’t there a distinct difference between a DM, CM, Holding Midfielder, or even creative central midfielder, B2BM and Golovin and advanced playmaker/forwards?
Apparently Chelsea are after everyne we want, but without a manager and sales being considered, likely including the club itself. I doubt they are particularly serious, but 22 million euros, is quite literally nothing.
If you are youth and quality and don’t sign for Arsenal right now, well, you are a fool, a gap here, a gap there, players playig from U18’s, people breaking through, first teamers who’ve hd to balance further studies with first team deployment.
Greedy agents, or family agent and frst team opportunities elsewhere.
Why always confrontational on here. We have a new set up and the old one was clearly not working. Stop being so bitter all the time and you might make a good read.
That’s rather interesting BobP. Normally Untold is accused of being sycophantic.
Sorry you lost me there. How is 22 million euros quite literally nothing?
OK Tony, it’s precisely 22 million euros more than nothing, and then even the term is debateable, but really! 😉 🙂
It’s cheep, cheep, cheap, churp!
All of this is irrelevant. The number is 17. Only 17 overseas players allowed in a squad of 25 (overseas players at the club for 3 years prior to 21 don’t count – Bellerin).
So, its not money. If you look at the 2017-18 squad of 25 ( so – NOT including Perez and Campbell), you will see that if we take Leno, Lichsteiner, Socratis, and Torreira as definite, nobody comes in until an overseas player (or two) departs. We can assume at least 1 GK will leave (maybe 2). That would only leave room for 1 more (Banega?).
After that, any purchase would need an overseas player to go in order to free up a spot (and to raise funds). Simple as! (I know this is a re-hash of a previous blog, but it is all that actually matters.
You seem to be repeating one of our earlier articles