By Sir Hardly Anyone.
Football journalists love what in the olden days was called “browsing and sluicing” and is now called something somewhat more basic. Now many of them look like the warrior Tetraites, 30 years after retiring and having had several late nights out on the town. That is to say, rather gone to ruin.
Their job however is to write copy without a postscript, and indeed without facts, nor in fact without regard to the headline which is generally added later. But I like headlines, so have offered a few starting with…
Not arriving at Arsenal
This is a new category created by those who have been churning out the same rubbish for year on year and getting only 3% of their predictions right. Goal.com is ahead of the game with
Arsenal won’t sign world class players’ – Emery favouring ‘functional’ additions
So it’s over before it has started.
Leaving: Mustafi
Mustafi was once seen standing on his left leg, and that just about did it for the commentators. For when the media get fevered about how bad a player is they find it hard to remember that much of the fever is simply the invention of their own minds. The fact that a lot of fans then go on to believe it all is neither here nor there.
So Mustafi is so bad, only a total idiot would think he was good, which makes it hard for the purveyors of tripe to understand why both AC Milan and Juventus fancy signing him – according to MilanNews.it repeated in Caught Offside. A bit of a problem for the bloggers that one.
Arriving: Maguire, Zouma and Dakonam
Leicester City defender Harry Maguire is still on Arsenal’s radar, according to
Arsenal are also interested in Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma and Getafe’s Djene Dakonam, who is a central defender who can double up at right back, but not at the same time probably.
Stay or Go Ozil
Arsenal star outlines plans to stay this summer – but should Emery cash in while he can?
Ramsey – do we need a replacement?
Well, the media said that a deal had been agreed by both sides for Ramsey to stay, and then suddenly Emery or Arsenal or maybe both changed their minds, cancelled the contract and told him he could leave. Which if true means that they already had someone else in mind to play in the Ramsey position – when picked. Which thus means that the headline, “From Aribo to Nkunku: The perfect Aaron Ramsey replacements for Arsenal next season” which appears in
Well! It is almost as if, far in advance of modern medical thought, these journalists have discovered that alcohol is a medicine.
Nicolo Barella not Chelsea but Arsenal
Barella who plays in midfield, was going from Cagliari to Chelsea, but then he wasn’t and now he can’t unless Chelsea get their transfer ban lifted. So we are back in for him on the basis that Arsenal “are believed to have had a scout in the Stadio Friuli crowd when the 22-year-old was in the Italy side that beat Finland 2-0”. And you can’t get more tentative than that.
Besides, apparently he has only had one goal and three assists in 33 games this season, and that doesn’t sound like a Ramsey replacement, so maybe he is replacing someone else. And the price tag is said to be £40million which at the last reports was our entire transfer fund.
Christopher Nkunku: ongoing
There was talk of Nkunku from PSG to Arsenal in January on loan and when new ideas run out it is always possible to pick up a few old ones. He also would be a Ramsey II – he turns up all over the place. And PSG can buy anyone they want, and they generally are happy to ditch players that Emery brought in. So maybe that was it. Emery found he could have Nkunku and so let Ramsey go.
Joe Aribo from Charlton
But hey if we can’t deal with PSG and the like because of the cost, maybe we can get Aribo who plays in midfield for Charlton especially as he is running his contract down. Some have called him a Patrick Vieira type player – but then he is playing in League One which makes it hard to judge.
And this is a Football.London story, so it might not be all it seems not least because this news item has not come to me as a rare and refreshing fruit picked from the tree, but more like a hit on the back of the head accorded by a sock full of wet sand. But then read enough transfer rumours and anything can feel like anything else. They have that effect.
Off topic but our U18s are in action tonight. They play Derby County in the playoff to decide the overall Champions, we won the Southern League, Derby the Northern. The game is at Derby’s main ground with a 19:00 kickoff. Intermittent updates via arsenalacademy but there might be a stream via Derby County’s website.
COYG
One incoming that looks to be popular (and a done deal) is Edu as technical Director
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/may/07/edu-arsenal-technical-director-after-brazil-copa-america?utm_term=RWRpdG9yaWFsX1RoZUZpdmVyLTE5MDUwNw%3D%3D&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=TheFiver&CMP=fiver_email
Come on Barcelona!
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Come you U18 Gunners!
The media rumours of a clear out of 6 top Gunners at Arsenal this summer that includes the likes of Ozil, Mkhitaryan, Mustafi, Monreal, Xhaka and Elneny for their lack of consistent top grade performance for Arsenal in matches especially in the PL cannot be far fetched. Or could it? This purported 6 Gunners clear out next summer doesn’t include Cech, Ramsey, Welbeck and Lichtsteiner who Arsenal has compulsorily retired from the club for various reason will make it 10 Gunners who will be cleared out next summer. But this media clear at Arsenal rumours of a thing should have waited until Arsenal have known their fate in the Europa League Cup 2nd leg semi-final match. And if Arsenal go through to play in the final, the clear our rumours should still wait until the final match has been played. For this purported media rumours mass Gunners clear out next summer is a distraction to Arsenal nearly on the eve of their 2nd leg semi-final match away to Valencia. But I believe the Gunners mentioned in this summer clear out by the media are rumours made up by the media and therefore should not bother about them but focus totally for now on their Europa League Cup 2nd leg semi-final match away to Valencia on Thursday night.
Just watched a most brilliant football match. Liverpool 4 Barcelona 0. Liverpool go through 4-3 on aggregate to the Final in Madrid. The goals were awesome as were the players for Liverpool. The most fantastic thinking by Alexander Arnold (20 years old) takes a quick corner as Barcelona was asleep and Origi puts it in the net almost unchallenged. A truly wonderful display of football – the beautiful game.
gengenpresing or heavy metal football was at it best at Anfield this night to see Liverpool did the impossible to knock out Barcelona from the semi-final match stage of the Champions League this season to reach the final match at the Santiago Bernabau. Aah! What a historic knock out of Barcelona by Liverpool this night.
gengenpresing or heavy metal football was at it best at Anfield this night to see Liverpool did the impossible to knock out Barcelona at the semi-final match stage of the Champions League this season to reach the final match at the Santiago Bernabau. Aah! What a historic knock out of Barcelona by Liverpool this night.
I would lock all our players in a room and make them watch recordings of our last four or five league matches against poor to average opponents followed by Liverpools match against the best team on the planet over the last few years, Barcelona, and then ask them if they put in even 50% of the incredible effort shown by the scousers tonight.
Our boys should all hang their heads in shame as should our manager for allowing them to get away with such weak performances.
Deeney is right, no cojones.
By the way, is Origi of Liverpool a close blood relation to Iwobi of Arsenal? Just look at their faces, the duo look very much alike but Origi looking to be the senior brother to Iwobi. Would the two want to run a genetic blood test?
Yes, Liverpool were terrific and appear to have achieved this without breaching FFP rules.
Were you watching Man City?
But with an owner who openly said in a conference that contracts in football mean nothing.
Yes, it was a great performance but as yet Liverpool have won nothing and lest we forget Klopps terrible record in cup finals.
But in reference to Tony’s article, maybe that is the kind of effort you get from players when they know you stick by them even when they win nothing for 10 years, as opposed to how they play when they are faced with constant abuse despite winning 3 Fa cups in the last 10 years.
Maybe a lot of our ‘fans’ get exactly what they deserve.
I have a couple of good mates who support Liverpool. Despite no title for 30 years and nothing for the last 10 they never, I repeat never slag their team off like our ‘fans’ do, let alone fly planes over the stadium or organise demos outside or set up bloggs specifically to slag off the manager and certain players (or is that all the players?).
It pains me to say I’m jealous. Not of the team or what they have or haven’t won, but of the way their fans and ex players stick by them come hell or high water.
I’m not saying I’m enjoying the even bigger Love in but I have to say well done, you deserved it.
Tony
He’s right though isn’t he. Players sign for four years, get a £million loyalty bonus and strike to force a move to Barcelona. Not the only one either.