By Sir Hardly Anyone
One of the more bonkers approaches by the trash-media these days is that the transfer is the thing. The transfer in short is far more important than the performance of the football club on the pitch in terms of team selection, how well a club is doing in the league overall, and particularly how well the club is doing across recent games.
At the same time they absolutely will not talk tactics, and so miss out on the dramatic changes Arsenal have made in the way that they play over the last two seasons. Instead, the latest story is that because Britain has left the EU there are new visa rules that make it easier than before for players outside of Europe to come to the UK and harder for Europeans.
This may well be true but is pretty bonkers when the idea of leaving the EU was to stop all these foreigners coming in here and … well you know.
But it gives the lazy journalists easy writing, as with “Arsenal are under pressure to deliver in the transfer market at the end of the season after an underwhelming month in the winter window.” That’s from the Mirror.
They also tell us that, “The Gunners failed in their bid to bolster Arteta’s squad ahead of the Premier League run-in. And the Spaniard even allowed a number of fringe players to depart the club on loan.”
Of course, what still exists is the overseas players’ quotient but that has become less of an issue now because of the fact that players are tending to leave, and we have within the club a lot of rather fine home-growners such as Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli, William Saliba, Folarin Balogun, Aaron Ramsdale and Ben White. Not to mention a few out on loan such as Maitland-Niles, who might conceivably come back to the club.
So the Mirror, which is part of the same group of media whatnots as Football.London quote Football.London (who quite possibly will soon quote the Mirror) to say that “According to football.london, the Gunners have are aiming to bring in three new players to bolster Arteta’s squad in the summer – with a striker and a central midfielder at the top of the list.”
They then go on to tell us about a right back we are looking to sign (“Peruvian right-back Jhilmar Lora already being eyed for a summer move.”)
There is also Djed Spence from Middlesboro it appears after Martinelli told The Athletic he was the best player he’d played against recently. That’s all it takes to start a transfer rumour. And at the same time it looks like the Mirror has got a bit fed up with being shown to be a total bunch of losers in their previous prognostications over Arsenal as they now say “Arsenal are in good shape heading into the business end of the season, they’ve won seven of their last nine Premier League games and are firmly in the mix for a top four finish.” That, in Mirrovian terms is praise indeed – although no apology for their ceaseless knocking copy up to this point.
And yes we may be in good shape one day, except that the same outlet said the day before, “Rio Ferdinand instructs Mikel Arteta to raid Man City as Arsenal transfer crisis looms.” So there is a crisis after all! I just wish they’d make their minds up.
“Rio Ferdinand has advised Arsenal to sign Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City as they search for a forward to replace Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang,” they tell us. Can you imagine what a mess Arsenal would be in if the club took notice of each Mirrovian instruction?
Here is the league table set in the order of the number of goals scored in the last ten games (ie all since Aubameyang left).
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Liverpool | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 25 | 8 | 17 | 23 |
| 1 | Manchester City | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 8 | 16 | 25 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 7 | 14 | 22 |
| 5 | Southampton | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 20 | 13 | 7 | 19 |
| 7 | West Ham Utd | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 18 | 13 | 5 | 17 |
So we are the third top scoring club in the league, and Lacazette has scored three goals in the league with 19 starts and three substitute appearances. That is not to say he is not undertaking sterling work in the team, particularly in pulling the defences to one side to allow others to score. Top scorers in the league for us are Smith Rowe (10) and Saka (8).
Just because the traditional approach has to have one centre forward knocking in 20+ that does not mean that is the only way to get goals. Who knows how many goals those two players will get next season?
- Why so many people refuse to see just how well Arsenal are doing
- Why do the refs come from the north when the clubs come from the south?
Interesting to look at the Southampton stats…..they are a team on the rise. The game against them mid April is going to be a tough one.
Chris, the games against Southampton are usually tricky. They havve often caused us grief in recent years.
Off topic. A reminder to all ‘Untolders’ that this evenings U23 match at home to Spurs is being shown live on Arsenal.com. Kickoff is 19:00
Tony
“Arsenal are under pressure to deliver in the transfer market at the end of the season after an underwhelming month in the winter window.” That’s from the Mirror.
If we went on the finish 3rd, even runners up, the story would still be about our ‘underwhelming’ January transfer window. I can just see it now:
“Arsenal shock us all here at the Mirror by tripping over themselves into second spot. But don’t be fooled by this, Arsenal still had a poor transfer window in January leaving them short for next season. Will Arsenal ever learn!”
“Meanwhile Spurs stayed on Strongly into 10th spot and are looking forward to another excellent transfer window and yet another tilt at the title next season”
That’s not even an exaggeration, they are that bonkers !!!
What i don’t understand is why the PGMOL has refused to say anything about the meeting Arteta wants to have with them and the media is also keeping mute about it but they (PGMOL) were so fast in issuing an apology to Everton whereas Arsenal have not been issued any apology in spite of all the wrong unjustifiable calls they’ve received this season.
Stephen
I actually think they deliberately made the apology to Everton, specifically to rub our noses in it.
If you recall, the match immediately after it was muted that Arteta was seeking a meeting with the PGMOL about refereeing and VAR decisions, the next match was a refereeing disaster for us.
As I said at the time, I felt they were saying, “you want to question us. ? Think again. Look at this. We haven’t even started”
I’m telling you now. Nothing, I repeat nothing good will come of this. Apology ??? No chance. It will just make matters worse.
I may be wrong. I hope I am. Cant see it though.