It’s Coming Home, If You’re An Aussie!
Jul 9th, 2017 by 'holic
The end of another glorious weekend, weatherise, and whisper it softly, but the last weekend without Arsenal football until next May! Seven pre-season matches kick off with a tour of Australia and China in the next fortnight.
On Thursday morning at 11.00 (it’s 8pm local time) we play Sydney FC. Hopefully the work laptop will stretch to the audio coverage on the Arsenal Player but there is no chance of me catching a live stream. Hopefully someone will have the match on Thursday evening over here. Next Saturday at the same time we face Western Sydney Wanderers. I’m very pleased for our really great supporters down under that they will catch the Gunners in the flesh.
In China, if the good folk of Sydney will forgive me, the opposition ramps up a notch. We face Bayern Munich, who I’m sure will be offered Alexis on the spot at a discounted price to that we would demand from Citeh, if we had any interest in selling to Premier League rivals. Unless they finish third in their Champions League group this will be our only opportunity to suffer our nigh on annual beating from the Bavarians. At least the kick-off is at lunchtime over here!
Then it’s the first of two FA Cup Final repeats before the League season gets underway. On Saturday week we renew our acquaintance with the bus stop in Fulham at the Birds Nest Stadium. Again it’s a lunchtime kick-off so that should be a second match I can watch live. Can you imagine how elements of the support of our friends in the west will behave towards the locals out there? We should have a huge fanbase in China after that particular match.
We return to finalise our preparation back in London with the Emirates Trophy on the weekend of 22nd/23rd July. Don’t forget if you want to win a pair of Club Level VIP tickets on the Saturday to watch RB Leipzig play Sevilla before we entertain Benfica then you can do so here. After playing Sevilla on the Sunday we have a one week break before once again going head to head with our vanquished FA Cup Final opponents at Wembley. Can you imagine how elements of support of our friends in the west will behave towards the locals there too!
Roll on Thursday. It will be great to see Kolasinac, Lacazette, Lemar, and Mbappe make their Arsenal debuts in Australia. What? Oh, sorry!
Art of Football
Thanks to Clockendrider for his comment in the drinks on the recent ‘Nearly’ post about the quality of service and products from @ArtofFootball to which I responded praising their packaging too.
Lest there is misunderstanding of my support for them it is because I have one of their tees, and will be buying others when the wardrobe needs replenishing, and know well the quality is excellent. More importantly at my request they provided some prizes for the Grenfell fundraiser @TheGunnersPub in exchange for me promoting their business here for a month.
Today we are featuring their excellent ‘Just Done It’ tee or sweat design. Chaps and chapesses of the Ian Wright vintage will love this. It brings back memories of a truly amazing day. Whoever thought Wrighty’s achievement would be surpassed so soon?
129 Responses to “It’s Coming Home, If You’re An Aussie!”
Arsenal News 24/7
Nice one, Guv’nor. Here’s to a return of football with as much success for the Arsenal as England got from the cricket today.
What a day Ned, and to think I turned down a ticket thinking it might not be a good idea to go on a pre-school day!
You could have got some long odds — even as late as stumps on the third day — on 19 wickets falling on the fourth day. Would have been something to see.
Away from the flannelled fools and back to the muddied oafs, I see another of our youngsters is off to foreign shores. Kaylen Hinds has signed for VFL Wolfsburg where former Academy boss Andries Jonker is now manager, with one F. Ljungberg as his assistant. Hinds is Brent-born and Islington-bred, to boot.
Debuchy, Gibbs, Jenkinson, Perez and Szczesny not on the plane to Australia. I guess that must be the sell list. Giroud, the Ox and Ozil do travel. Bellerin and Sanchez excused the trip because of summer international duty.
Gabriel also missing Ned. Interesting. Suggests four more overseas signings still possible?
First win in 7 tests for England Ned,and a cracking World Cup win over the Aussies for the England Ladies as well.
First defeat at Lords for SA since the 60/70’s i believe.
Not sure about the batting line up for us,Ballance looks technically deficient to me,and doesn’t look to have improved since his previous stint in an England shirt.
But Root was adamant about picking him,no coincidence that they play together for Yorkshire.
Young Jennings as opener looks a work in progress,but Dawson coming in at 8 doesn’t inspire me,makes for a long tail.
But still plenty of time to fine tune the squad before the Ashes down under later in the year.
As for the round ball game,some in the bar who should know better,keep being sucked in by the gutter press and their absolutely fanciful click bait stories on who is coming/going/staying,wage demands etc at the Arse.
Just like us,they know absolutely nothing about the internal machinations at the Club.
I’ll believe it when it is posted on the website.
Gabriel out injured till end of this month H.
4 key personnel not on the plane,
Sanchez/Mustafi/Holding and Chambers,all on holidays after playing through til end of June in various Tournaments.
Theoretically they shouldn’t be back at the Club till end of July,so cannot see any of them lining up for the Leicester game to start the season.
With Kos suspended for the first 2 games,and Gabriel injured,we could be looking at a makeshift central defence for the kick off again.
One name that i wasn’t familiar with in the squad for the overseas tour is Donyell Malen,can anyone enlighten me,i notice also having sold one Wilcock,brother Joe is on the plane,begs the question as to whether Arsene sees more potential in the younger sibling.
About Rugby, Trev. A game which I knew nothing about before arriving in NZ, where it is akin to a religious experience like the Crusades, lots of mud and blood and shouting. Indeed the top NZ club is called The Crusaders. The national side is known as the All-Blacks, not because they are a Maori team as I had assumed prior, but because some long-dead English journalist wrote that they played as if they were ‘all backs’ (backs being the fast runners in the team. Somehow an ‘L’ got added in translation. Whatever it is clearly not a sport Kiwis can be that proud of as the national side is never ever referred to as New Zealand. It’s like they want to be able to blame someone else when they lose, even though they seldom do.
Anyway, the game is pretty simple, which is just as well because it appears to be played by simple folk. First they fill both ends of the pitch with players, at least 25 on each side, or so it seems to those of us used to watching football (that’s real football, the game where you kick the ball with your foot and get penalised when you touch it with your hand – unless you’re Manure playing at home).
The game starts with someone kicking the ball high in the air for someone to catch and kick it out of play. Then the ball is thrown in to a rabble of ballet dancers who leap inexplicably high to catch it and then hide it amongst them while its progress, or lack of, is carefully screened from public view for several minutes until the ref blows his whistle for a scrum or penalty (the exact reason for which provides endless opportunity for commentators to debate during the endless breaks in play for water to be sprayed around and players’ legs massaged by trainers (an increasing number of whom are women these days. A promising new diversion in the game I believe will brighten it up no end).
Scrums can last for ages. They have zero to do with anything other than to test the patience of the ref and spectators as the ball is continually rolled in amongst the players only for the ref to blow his whistle and order them to do it again. And again and again and again. If/when the ball does eventually lodge in the scrum it will disappear from view while its progress, or lack of it, will be carefully screened from public view until, with luck, it finally reappears at the back of the scrum where someone will hurriedly pick it up and kick it out of play again. Repeat, side-line throw-in, scrum, penalty ad infinitum.
Until the play is close enough to the opponents line to allow a player to kick it over the bar and score 3 points. Or 2 points if it’s a particularly difficult kick from the sideline after a ‘try’ is scored. But this is rare and none were seen in the latest 15-15 draw, all points having been kicked. Tries are so rare, and so often result from illegal forward passes a blind pensioner could have spotted, that they’re barely worth mentioning. So I won’t.
I have never personally watched a live game of rubgy, which reading above may suprise you, nor to the best of my memory have I ever met anyone who has. While the latest zoo meeting between lions and kiwis was on I was watching my League team, Manly, losing to Penrith and later Joe Root thrashing SA.
Clive@8: Malen is an 18-year-old Dutch striker. Quick and well-regarded (obviously as he is on the plane to Australia). Scored seven goals in 22 games for our U23s last season. Has played for Holland up the age groups from U15 to to U18 currently. Joined us a couple of years back from Ajax. Has the same agent as Pogba and Lukaku.
Joe Willock plays central midfield, like his eldest brother Matt at ManU, while elder brother Chris plays left wing. I don’t know which of our pair of Willocks is better regarded, but it was Chris Willock’s decision to leave for regular football, not Arsenal’s, as he was offered a new contract that was refused.
Thanks H. You are the bearer of surprising news. I did not expect to us to be commencing pre-season games quite so soon. I hope the new fellas bed in nicely.
I second those comments regarding the quality of the Art of Football tee shirts and the packaging. Very impressed.
Many thnks for the info Ned,much appreciated.
As to the imbecilic post @9,the less said the better.
But for the record,there were 2 tries scored in the Test match on Saturday.
It says it all when said poster actually admits to following Rugby League which has more thugs running around the pitch than you can poke a stick at.
I wouldn’t call it ‘following’ rugby league, Clive. When I arrived in Aussie in 1967 there was no proper football there and I was persuaded by friends to watch their local heroes throwing the ball around between bouts of stiff-arm mayhem and blatant cheating. Not my idea of entertainment, but Aussies as I’m sure you’re aware tend to throw up excellent sporting types and the best of them gravitate to whatever football code reigns supreme.
In Sydney that was rugby league and in time I became reluctantly hooked as Aussies are are far and away the best at it in the world. I can fully understand your opinion of the code since it is no doubt based on the rubbish English clubs offer rather than the infinitely superior brand played downunder.
But still, the principal reason I ever got involved with Manly RL club was that they were the best sporting watch in town. Sadly the same can’t be said of NZ rugby league. The locals claim rugby union is the game played in heaven, to which I can only hope that God has more patience than me since with all its stoppages it seems to take longer even to play than American grid-iron, a game even more boring to watch if that is possible.
Until I am assured that football is the principal game played in the hereafter I have no intention of leaving the hereandnow.
Good luck to you Clive, and please enjoy the drink on the bar.
We all have our failings Chris,and we will have to differ on our secondary winter sporting choices to the round ball game.
Mine’s a freshly squeezed orange juice,a martini,shaken not stirred is on the bar for you in reciprocation.
The first three games are all live on Premier Sports – god awful channel and a rip-off in price. Sadly it doesn’t look like arsenal.com will be carrying anything other than audio although i’m sure there will be some sort of highlights package at some stage.
Interesting reorganisation of the Sky Sports channels (and by interesting I mean pointless)
Sky now have a dedicated Premier League channel, plus a channel for other football, golf, cricket and F1
Load of wank
Sky Sports Main Event
Sky Sports PL
Sky Sports Football
Sky Sports Cricket
Sky Sports Golf
Sky Sports F1
Sky Sports Action
Sky Sports Arena
Sky Sports News
Sky Sports Mix
No change to pricing for us Virgins.
Not checked in for a bit.
GH – You may be interested to know that it’s all kicking off with hundreds of business sellers on E-Bay who are suddenly getting charged by Photobucket to use their own stock photos. Sound familiar ?
Very, NDR.
I can’t believe they haven’t performed a U-Turn or amended their ransom demand to an affordable annual fee.
Particularly as the competition is plentiful and free, at present.
Or as Digital Trends puts it:
PHOTOBUCKET GOES NUCLEAR ON ITS OWN USERS, DEMANDS RANSOM TO EMBED IMAGES
https://www.digitaltrends.com/web/photobucket-angers-users/
Cheers Chris, for the rugby explanation.
I do actually enjoy watching the international games and my “rugby”comments in the previous bar were only supposed to be a bit of fun – as, clearly, were yours.
Funny, I found it – not imbecilic.
I treat a number of very good rugby players – I’ll let you know what they think !!
But what do you treat them to, Trev?
Pain and suffering, Ned ?
And then charge them for fixing it? Damned cunning…
You’ve been rumbled Trev! ?
There might be the odd gratis pun thrown in during each man hip elation. ?
I’ll get my coat.
?
🙂
Clive,
Just to add a couple of points to Ned’s excellent as ever info on Malen, he is one of a couple of strikers that Wenger appears to rate very highly. Malen was one of Jonker’s best acquisitions and has a great deal of quality. I’ve only really seen him in UEFA Youth League games but he is pacey, tricky and capable of scoring spectacular goals with head or either foot. Even better possibly is young Nketiah who ( I believe ) transferred from Chelsea because he stood a better chance of getting a game at our place. He is a great natural goal scorer and has overtaken Akpom as a potential first team striker. Chuba is likely to be off.
If you want to follow the younger players there is an excellent website
https://arsenalyouth.wordpress.com which is the work of Jeorge Bird. It is very informative and hasn’t got a down on the club like so many blogs.
He is very good at spotting the fast risers and those likely to make it.
Holic,
Good spot about the first two games. If we play three at the back we may need either to use Bielik or young Pleguezelo who has been on loan in Spain last season, Its farcical that we begin every season like this. Or we could use Kolasinac or rush through Chambers or Holding.
TTG, looking at the potential signings I am thinking now that we may go into the start of the season with a flat back four. I also hope the plan is that we chop and change between a 4 and 3 depending upon the opponents and the match. Purely my opinion and based on no insider info. Just thinking about the best use of our resources at the start of the season.
Let’s get this party started…
One man’s comedian is another man’s imbecile, Trev.
Jim Davidson.
The prosecution rests, M’Lud.
Tell them by all means, Trev. Just don’t tell them where I live.
Many thnks for the info on the young ones TTG
I will add the aforementioned website to my favs.
Both players you mentioned are on the Tour,so will be interesting to see how much game time they get.
On another note,
I had a text from my Brother,who i have to admit is as bad as Cynic when it comes to Arsene,telling me that apparently Maureen had considered bidding for Lacazette,but has been quoted as saying that he chose Lukaku instead, as he didn’t think our man could handle the physical side of the Premier League and that he failed to deliver in the big games.
I guess we will find out come next month,as Leicester and Stoke,both with heavy emphasis on the strong arm stuff,will be a good early test.
Lacazette is what French hipsters use as their musical format of choice, you know.
I am quietly optimistic about him but whisper that please.
He looks suspiciously like Darren Bent though. When I haven’t got me specs on. 😉
TTG@27: It would be a particularly sweet success for AW if Nketiah made it to the first team as Chelsea released the youngster after deciding not to offer him a scholarship, and AW signed him immediately. Twenty-four goals in 34 games for our U23s, U19s and U18s suggests he knows were the goal is.
Endorse your endorsement of Jorge Bird’s blog.
Clive@31: I think Mourinho has previous in preferring Drogba types as his main striker.
Reiss Nelson is another of the youngsters taken to Australia who is worth keeping an eye on. A regular in the U23 side last season though still only 17 years old. A quick, skillful right winger. Scored nine goals in 10 games for England U17s. Also highly related by AW.
Ned,
Does the Community Shield count as one of Koscielny’s three game suspension?
I’ve been talking to some rival fans recently. Citeh are a bit frustrated they haven’t signed more players ( they expect to sign six or seven in every summer window) and want Sanchez. Chelsea are very frustrated at the Costa / Lukaku situation and that they haven’t made a marquee signing( remember the first summer of Abramovich when they bought a new team in a few days? ) . Liverpool are frustrated that they have only Salah, United are frustrated because they expected to sign more than Lindelif and Lukaku and Tottenham are hoping nobody nicks their best players and haven’t signed anybody. We are very pleased to have signed two and hopefully will hold onto our best players. Another couple like Lemar and Carvalho would do me.
It shows how impatient fans are and how transfer strategy becomes a proxy for ambition and success. It’s another example of the influence the media has .
I should have added Everton fans are ecstatic ( although I’ve only seen this through the newspapers and Sky). Pickford aside have they signed any world- beaters and they’ve lost their best player!
Yep, can’t see why Everton fans could
be happy at all. The Chavs missed
Lukaku but have got a couple of
others. Not sure about Lukaku but
he could be very good, just seems
a bit lazy and inconsistent at times
to me. Shitty do seem a bit slower
than usual this year and I wouldn’t
have bought Salah, so Poo can’t be
said to have done well. Spuds
ambition seems to be just to hang
on to their players so in my
completely biased opinion we’ve
done best so far and fuck all the
rest.
TTG
Community shield is classed as a friendly,so doesn’t count in Kos suspension.
Everton fans are happy because they’ve never seen spending like it and they equate spending with ambition to improve. They’ve also got silly money for Lukaku who doesn’t really look like a top top level player.
I haven’t seen many United fans delirious about him anyway, most I’ve seen or know are like, “£75m? WTF?”
Further to my post above, it seems that Thursday’s game is indeed on arsenal.com.
On Everton – Davy Klaasen is a good signing and Sandro Ramirez is also very handy. Not so sure that Keane is as good as everyone makes him out to be but they needed a centre-back too. Not sure they their fans can expect them to bring in much better given they’re level and lack of European football.
Thanks Clive
That is a pity but means we might be a bit more competitive at Wembley.
I’d forgotten that Everton signed Keane, he is better than Cahill in my opinion and much better defensively than Stones. But Holding will do for me and Chambers may be much better for a season of hard work in the Premier League in which he acquitted himself well. Gabriel played superbly in a three at Wembley and we also have BFG and Nacho so we are pretty well stocked with candidates to play in a back three.
#18 / #19
From whet I hear fellow E-Bay sellers are simply digging out their cameras (remember them?) and just replacing their photobucket stock pictures with their own images…
A complete pain for them all and so reputationally damaging for Photobucket that i suspect they will be a goner before too long.
Looks like Bayern no longer need Sanchez
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jul/11/bayern-munich-sign-james-rodriguez-real-madrid-two-year-loan
Sky suggest Ox won’t sign a new contract. I’d sell him to the highest bidder before the season begins. It’s a pity but I can see his point of view.
I’d sell whoever hasn’t signed by the time the season kicks off, whoever it is.
supermarket food on the teeter
gets a big sticker stuck on it
Arsène need a machine
send Jens round with it about half seven
these summer evenings
might concentrate the mind of a few meat pies
Lacazette has been given the no 9 shirt. Perez moves to 28, vacated by the for now (unitl he is sold?) numberless Joel Campbell
cba @ 46, ? ??
re Kos’s suspension, the relevant section of the FA regulations says:
A Player who is dismissed from the Field of Play for Serious Foul Play under Law 12(1) or Violent Conduct under Law 12(2), whether he has previously been cautioned in the match or not, will be suspended automatically from all Club football, except for any match sanctioned or regarded by The Football Association as a Friendly Match, including non First Team matches commencing forthwith and until such time as his Club’s First Team has completed its next three matches in approved Competitions.
The catch is that the Community Shield is not a Competition by the FA’s definition.
in all modesty bath
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7b45FVDeA0
?
.
http://www.nme.com/news/music/thom-yorke-ken-loach-radiohead-israel-gig-2108127
anyhoo
my opinion of radiohead’s politics
or world view
is unimportant
as should be theirs
PARTICULARLY
since they brought it up here
on an Arsenal site
and they had no business
doing that
YELLOW CARD , t(h)om !
no need for it
steal some more tunes
sing swan song
anyone ?
.
.
don t worry ‘hol
i’ll do the door
.
.
(how polite)
Yer a poifect gent, cba. I won’t have anyone say different.
Not even Steven T.
If we made it to Australia we must have gotten over our fear of flying by now?
i like steve T
his willingness to be open about his weller love
will i’m sure give others the strength
to come out of those shadows
and say
“I don’t care if he’s an unoriginal clothes horse”
“I love him”
and
“for yer information mr smartypants i think his hair is boss”
and
“groovy”
He’s a cool dude but groovy? Nah.
.
.
of course i am joking
i think woking’s Marmalade
were tip top
Any Aussie ‘holics fancy doing a guest preview and/or report on Thursday’s match?
And thank you for manning the door, cba. Fine job you’re doing. 🙂
66
yer barred !
*powercrazed*
see when ye write yer book big man
i hope there’s a few bouncer stories in there
had some right surreal experiences
provided by bouncers
Who’da thunk it?
having said that
any regular in a bar
is a bouncer in my experience
i am not six foot 5
but on occasion
i have used my chiselled good looks
to deflate a dangerous situation at the door
apparently even the most angry of eejit
responds to handsome and modest
.
it’s a gift
*gold tooth sparkles*
http://68.media.tumblr.com/91002df7868c97476ebe6b645a414bdb/tumblr_o68mtcy0FG1uwji85o1_500.png
but god bless em
the real ones
with the hearing aids
and the etc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J8Mc3f3Djk
baff
???????????
though my jacket is of a classy 50s style
and like a seasoned wok
now resistant to all invasion
i suspect you have a misguided notion of me bath
.
.
76
july 4
ramones played london
.
*can’t help self*
rip hovis
bath
showed herself the picture
apparently not too far off
haa haaaa
“i have had this haircut since the 70s ”
and
“I’ll be damned if i’m gonna change it ”
.
.
.
“tears will not soften my resolve”
.
.
this is all on you
dandy
HWSAWY ?
.
.
.
askin fer a friend
?
i think i will be quiet now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_UgHbWutjc
I’m close to the day where only cba, bath, and I will interact on here. It won’t be a bad place to be. There will be memories of the golden era.
Enjoy the tour all. Let’s not take it too seriously. ??
Don’t get all sentimental H.
There’s plenty of other daft bar addictive folk out there.
On matters other than football.
Fantastic win by Jo Konta at Wimbledon,in epic 3 setter against her least favorite gal pal Simona Halep.
Sweet revenge for Halep’s callous disregard for Jo’s wellbeing in the Fed Cup tie against Romania,where that mad bastard Nastase behaved appallingly during the match,reducing Jo to tears with his vile foul mouthed spray.
First Brit female to reach semi final since Jo Durie back in 78.
Good on her.
Arsene has confirmed at his news conference in Sydney that we will start the season with a back 3,but have the option of going to back 4 for games where it suits.
He has confirmed he is still looking at new signings,if they can get the right players.
He has denied making any bid for Lemar,saying they are interested in top quality players, but the rest is speculation.
Also denies Alexis has indicated he wants to leave the Club,and reiterates he doesn’t want to sell his best players.
He said Lacazette will play a part in both matches in Sydney,so they can integrate him quickly into the setup.
Not sure what the turnout will be for Wed night game,as the match is on the same night as the biggest rugby league game in Oz,the 3rd and deciding State of Origin game between Queensland and New South Wales.
Evening everyone. Just playing a bit of catch up.
Clive. Really enjoyed your appreciation of the oval chasing my game. I must say, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed The Lions tour and some great tests. So there you go Trev. Not just passionate about a bit of cod??? Although, I am partial to the odd bit of fish I must say.
I’ve also enjoyed a lot of the cricket on offer. It’s been great to watch.
Also great to see the reverend back in the bar.
Our recent signings? Time will tell I guess although it’s clearly a step in the right direction. But the fact that we have so many players with only 12 months left on their contracts and still little sign of any future commitment to the club is both a worry and something that is unnecessary. Surely it should not be left this late??
I’m still struggling to get my head around pre season games in the second week of July. I know it’s all about the business and money but as I’ve said many times now, I’m very much not a fan of this side of the game.
Still lots of summer sporting trips to follow. There’s still me top quality athletics and the council ground that West Ham rent. Then there’s a day at The Oval test and some T20 to enjoy. Then it will be more egg chasing for me, hopefully with the odd trip to The Grove thrown in somewhere.
Enjoy boys and girls.
Good to hear from you Steve
Trust all well with you and yours.
I have to correct myself re first game in Sydney.
Our match is Thursday night down under,not Wed,so doesn’t clash with State Of Origin Rugby.
Clive @88 – the first game against Sydney FC is Thursday night Australian time so no State of Origin clash.
Unfortunately I can’t get to Sydney on Thursday night so my youngest ( a proper gooner – I got it right at the third try) and I will be there for our first ever senior Arsenal game on Saturday. We did see a 21’s game at the Emirates.
Will try to post some pre and post match comments as the excitement builds. The squad looks pretty good with plenty of genuine first teamers. My 48 year wait to see Arsenal live is nearly over!
Hi Clive @65
Will also pen a few lines after Thursday & Saturday.
A bit of rain today, but forecast is for fine tomorrow.
Understand both games now sold out at Olympic stadium
80,000 both nights!
also live on local tv SBS
Getting good coverage on sports tv and some bits on news.
Should be interesting getting in the ground as managed to break my foot over week end…..
Was looking forward to playing…now arsene will have to go to a back three!
Good to get an early confirmation
from AW that we stay with 3 at the
back. Fingers crossed for no new
CB injuries and we should be good
to go for Leicester.
Less than a month to go to the PL
starts and I wonder what’s on AW’s
checklist. I’m happy enough with
the squad as of now but wouldn’t
mind at all if we signed the new
Santi. Of course I accept that Santi’s
don’t grow on trees but anyway.
Other than that I guess it’s to give
Saed and Laca some game time,
have a look at some the youth in
pre-season, sort out the departures,
and decide on loans.
I almost forgot the Alexis / Ozil
elephant in the changing room.
Like almost all I’d like that sorted by
the end of July but if they don’t sign
I’d either sell them overseas or keep
them. Of course that ignores the
money side but it’s just my opinion.
So Arsene “doesn’t want to sell his best players”, Clive. But when is he going to sell his worst ones? Okay, less best ones. I’ve seen long lists of players expected to move on but precious little activity that side of the market. Most rumours refer to clubs now not wanting so and so. As Cynic pointed out the loan signing of James suggests the end of Bayern’s interest in Alexis, for example. WHam have lost interest in Jack and wherever Perez was supposed to go are now looking elsewhere etc etc.
And if AW is serious about wanting to retain Alexis and Mesut all he has to do is say they’re staying end of story. That he hasn’t, suggests he’s still happy to let them go, IF anyone will take them at a reasonable fee in a market that values Lucuckoo at “£75m? WTF?”, as Cynic so eloquently put it.
Surely you won’t be watching the Origin of the Species match on Wednesday night (Sydney time), Clive? You should you know, if you want to see a real contest. D:
🙂
Chris
I wouldn’t be worrying too much about players we are trying to offload.
Still a long way to go till end of transfer window on Aug 31st.
As long as we are sensible on the sell price,you would think they would all want to find a new home if they want to play regularly.
As for Mesut,no chance he is leaving,and as far as Alexis goes,that may well depend on other transfer business being concluded.
By that i mean if more top shelf quality arrive,he would see it as genuine intent to challenge for the Title,and sign an extension.
As for the State of Origin thugby,you are welcome to it.
Unless he wants to go I’d keep Jack
too I think. No big hope that he’ll
stay fit or come through but he
just might and it’s an area we are
still a bit light.
Plenty of time yet to offload Gibbs,
Jenks and Debuchy. I’m a little
surprised Osp is on tour as I thought
he’d want to leave. Still, there’s many
a slip twixt cup and lip so we’ll see.
In the meantime, I’ll enjoy waffling
about it as I’m happy enough with
the squad as is.
OsakaMatt@98: My guess is that Szczesny won’t stay unless guaranteed to be first choice keeper — a guarantee he won’t/can’t be given — so Ospina won’t be allowed to leave until the January window at the earliest.
Bam
Been a while. I dedicate this goal to Gooner’s everywhere.
Sydney Red @92, thank you. Could you mail them to goonerholic@virginmedia.com please?
nice one george A 91 – i hope the wait is worth it
and
happy hopping syd red 92 – one good foots enough
.
.
looking forward to yer matchday noodlings.
UP THE ARSENAL
*touches the hem of bath’s garment*
Excellent ton bath. Hold your bat aloft, sir.
Exciting testimonials about our new fitness coach . Sounds like he is the real deal.
http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal-have-hired-the-best-in-the-world-fitness-guru-darren-burgess-backed-to-shape-gunners-into-a3584401.html
no worries holic at 102
can I also post some photo’s?
NBN@99
Seems like a fair guess to me.
I suppose it’s a fair enough
precaution in case of a long term
injury to Cech. Once January comes
though I’d like to see Emi as the cup
keeper. Cech can’t go on forever and
Osp isn’t good enough for No 1 keeper I
think. So, let’s get a better look at
Emi while we can.
Well in, Bath. looking forward to your match reports, Sydney Red and GAW me in ’69. Sydney Red, if the pictures will be a problem for ‘holic, I highly doubt it would but just in case it is, you’re welcome to past them on Twitter, if you’re on there, and we can see them there and/or post links to them here for others who don’t have twitter.
If we get Lemar… then Alexis is gone methinks.
Not sure about a preview Holic but the Arse seem to have made a good first impression locally judging by the attached from the Sydney morning paper –
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/arsenals-first-appearance-in-sydney-proves-theyre-everything-liverpool-werent-20170711-gx98d1.html
UTA.
G’day all!
Apologies, Holic, for my poor recent attendance record. I’ve missed being in here but too much work, too little time and a couple of tough years with other well enough known issues have left the sense of humour – and energy – in fairly short supply.
I must admit to feeling pretty let down Arsenal-wise by the three months after Christmas. That, and the constant sniping and griping around the club by the truly dreadful FanTv, the black scarf mob, the very poorly handled Wenger contract situation and the total lack of communication from the club, has led me, and my next seat neighbour in Block 91 to take a year’s break from going to matches.
It has led to a calmer and more detached – i think – view of the summer’s dealings.
The onset of the pre-season games and the sight of some new albeit reserve talent around the squad has got the old enthusiasm stirring again.
I’m certainly hoping to get in here more often. I might even have some more enlightened opinion to share as I will be relying mostly on a TV screen this season.
I am certainly hoping to get to a few games and look forward to meeting up if that proves possible.
Trev
Nice to see you here. I nearly took the same decision but was talked out of it by the chaps I travel to games with . And the Cup Final . And that weird sense of optimism that arises from who knows where at this time of year. I hope things on the personal front are as good as they can be.
It could still go very pear- shaped this summer but the majority of things are positive and they could be very positive if we get Lemar , retain Sanchez and buy a strong midfielder. We will now be the fittest team in the league after all!
Cheers, TTG.
Yep, I’ve only missed 3 home games since The Emirates opened 10 seasons ago – can it possibly be a decade gone by ?
Oddly, the internet has been a boon and allowed places like this ‘ere bar to open and flourish. On the other hand, it has given a platform to the likes of FanTv and Le Grove to batter the club and good supporters alike with their constant downers agenda.
I quite appreciate everyone is perfectly entitled to their opinion but football, at the end of the day, Brian, is supposed to be fun. For me, much of last season wasn’t. Even the matchday travel was a regular nightmare and afterwards, you were left reading the mindless ranting of some, or the criticism of the mindless ranting of others.
I’m looking forward to a season of performances, hopefully great goals and maybe even a trophy or two, and much less discussion of finances, directors, owners, chief executives and delayed or cancelled journeys.
Can all those things be realistically separated ?
I’m hoping so.
And I don’t mind, at a time when the transfer market has gone absolutely bonkers mental, whether we play with mega-buck superstars or success hungry youngsters. I just want to be able to support in my own way, without having to justify my opinions to everyone around me.
It’s a shame that there will be few, or no, trips with my hopefully fully recovered daughter this season, who still goes to games with that great unspoilt sense of fun that I used to share – and hope to get back.
The Reverend AL was back in here?
It’s a sign.
Madness is hip again – you’ll need more than that demented Paddy on the door if Borda Disorda emerges from his most recent slumber……
Love from the Feelgood Beer-Garden ?
yay ???
howdy trev
.
demented is it ?
demented did they?
demented can we?
the nerve !
.
“back o the queue !”
?
Sydney Red, yes, send your best two, thanks again. ??
What an exceptional crowd of ‘holics in today. Lovely to see you all. ☺️
The statos at CIES Football Observatory in Switzerland have updated their list of estimated transfer values for the 110 most valuable players (all worth 40 million euros or more). A lot of the numbers look incredible (155 million euros for Dembe Ali, for example), but CIES has a reasonable track record of being not far off the mark when big-money deals are actually done, (e.g. Lacazette: estimated at 55.6 million euros; actual 51.9 million euros plus up to 6.7million euros in add-ons).
The top Arsenal values:
17 (in the top 110) Alexis — 95.9 million euros (£84.9 million)
60 Bellerin — 56.5 million euros (£50.0 million)
64 Alexandre Lacazette — 55.6 million euros (£49.2 million)
68 Mustafi — 54.1 million euros (£47.9 million)
75 Ozil — 51.1 million euros (£45.3 million)
76 Xhaka — 50.7 million euros (£44.9 million)
All the rest are reckoned to be worth less than 40 million euros (£35.4 million)
Thomas Lemar, incidentally, is valued at 62.9 million euros (£55.7 million).
TTG@106: interesting read. Thanks for the link.
Darren Burgess is Head of High Performance. Was Feelgood considered?
Trev@114: Good to hear you have a spring back in your step. Can the puns be far behind…
Fat fingers @119. Dele Alli, not Dembe Ali.
Go Darren!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
One of Wilshere or Rambo needs to go. Mo renains goal starved, but when has anyone here questioned his effort.
Alexis for De Bruyne, City..let’s do it!
And, sorry Guv, but will keep fronting Pablo Fornals until it can’t happen.
Wow..ok
Ochi, Rambo has two years left on his contract. He is going nowhere. We should give him another extension before Christmas.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ?
to be checked by Steve T , now that’s bettah than v. good : he speaks from the heart and engages the ‘ead, and whether you agree with all that he says, or not – you can’t ignore any of it – and him’s been proved quite-ish right over the longest time, and him’s stuck his neck out further than most of us would’ve have dared over certain times/years etc.
Trev : his massages/messages (punny, that) go deep, but boy does him know him’s stuff (he was there, C), but you know that – and he wears it more lightly than he might, everyone. Still, he does have a beard, and he only played fussball to semi-pro level (so someone told me), and has had a season tkt at the Arse 4 ever, the lightweight/sports science oriented, weirdo – wot does he know?
And i know wot i say presumes to set me up like sum m-fukkkah, wot reckons he knows best …
but, then there’s Zico – and wot does he know? (funniest fukkah of the lot – OK, CBA – you’s good & U knows it, and if i keep goin’ on Ur gonna feel patronized, and Ur gonna kick my arse – but Zico’s got the drole thing snared, i reckon). Then you got Bath: rampant swivel-eyed Tory MayFukkkah, but peculiarly (oh yeah), good guy. Und SOfististicated fukkah (he shouldn’t fank me 4 that) in the flesh.
And ‘H – they don’t get bettaaah, do they!?! ? No thems don’t. But we all know that’s troooooo.UTA!
https://youtu.be/WkKccucy-qs