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Arsenal News In Brief

Hello all. Have you had a long hard day or night and don’t have the time or inclination to go through the newsfeeds for your Arsenal news. Let me help you out.

Guendouzi Extension Sought

Numerous sources (originally the Daily Mail I believe) are reporting that Matteo Guendouzi is close to signing a new five-year deal that will double his wages from £35k a week. The young Frenchman has impressed at the start of this season having got that difficult first year in the Premier League under his belt.

Rob Holding To Feature

The Mail also report that Rob Holding is expected to play 90 minutes for the U23s against Everton on Friday night. The central defender played for an hour against Blackburn Rovers at the same level last Monday.

Mesut Offers Advice To Young Guns

Arsenal.com runs an interview with Mesut Ozil with advice pertinent to Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson as they fight to establish themselves in the first team.

“I just want to say that the most important thing is to believe in yourself. Of course you have some days when it doesn’t go so well but you have to believe in yourself, keep working and the most important thing is to have fun.”

…And Returns To Training

Following his carjacking ordeal Mesut has returned to training and should be available for the trip to Anfield on Saturday for the meeting of the top two in the Premier League.

Important Travel News For Saturday

For those of you heading to Liverpool this weekend this from the official Liverpool site.

Fans travelling to Anfield for Liverpool versus Arsenal on Saturday August 24 are advised to plan their journey in advance and arrive at the stadium early to avoid delays.

Supporters should be aware that there will be disruption to the Merseyrail network on Saturday due to planned strike action. A reduced train service will run across the Merseyrail network:

  • There will be no trains running on the Kirkby, Ellesmere Port or Hunts Cross lines during the strike action.
     
  • Most services will run between the hours of 7am and 7pm. However, there will be a break in service during the middle of the day. 
     
  • Some stations will be closed.
     
  • The Soccerbus will not be in operation on Saturday as trains will not be stopping at Sandhills station. Fans should instead use the 917 express service (Stagecoach) from Lime Street to and from the Stadium. The 501 and 502 services (Peoplesbus) will also be in operation post-match, departing from Walton Breck Road to Lime Street station. LFC fan support will be on hand to assist should you have any queries.
  • Fans are also advised that emergency gas works will be undertaken from Friday August 23 until early next week affecting Queens Drive at the junction of East Prescot Road. Fans should take alternative routes in order to avoid road closures and delays.

Let me know if you think the news in brief would be be a useful ongoing feature in the drinks. Thank you.

37 Responses to “Arsenal News In Brief”

  1. on 21 Aug 2019 at 8:42 pmTTG

    Thanks for this Holic.
    I’d be interested to see this with your own perspective eg, Is Guendouzi worth a new deal, when are we likely to see Rob Holding back for the first team ?
    I’d be interested in who we might ship out before the European windows close

  2. on 21 Aug 2019 at 8:55 pmSilly Second Yella

    Guennn-dooo-zzzzeeee!!! yes

    (He’s in the middle and Rob is in the back. What a ….?)

  3. […] Trackback URI | […]

  4. on 21 Aug 2019 at 9:14 pmMark Earle

    Thanks Dave,

    It seems that the policy on players being retained, bought and sold has certainly improved, you can actually see a plan emerging.
    A great crop of young talented players with some seriously good mature experienced staff, I honestly believe we are on the up.

  5. on 21 Aug 2019 at 9:20 pmGoonerholic

    Thanks TTG,

    I would have waited until the year end to see if Matteo continued his upward curve but maybe the club have heard of others sniffing around?

    Rob will find it hard to get back in the side unless Unai opts for a back three at some point. He is a left-sided player mainly so in direct competition with Sideshow Bob.

    Looks like we are desperately trying to send Mustafi back to Italy, but it’s reported Mavropanos stays as he is injured. Thereafter a couple of loans for key youngsters possibly.

    Cheers all.

  6. on 21 Aug 2019 at 10:04 pmbathgooner

    Excellent feature, Guvna. Having long since stopped visiting NewsNow, I find this a valuable round up. Please feel free to continue it.

  7. on 21 Aug 2019 at 10:36 pmcan't be arsed

    what baff said

    well i think that’s what he said
    so many vowel sounds all at once

    ?

  8. on 21 Aug 2019 at 10:40 pmcan't be arsed

    ps
    thanks ‘holic

    the big man means well most of the time
    but he’s been told off by the guvnor now
    so
    thanks

  9. on 21 Aug 2019 at 11:09 pmGoonerholic

    ??

  10. on 21 Aug 2019 at 11:09 pmcan't be arsed

    i promise i won’t waffle all night again
    but
    himself Patrick years ago
    stopped acting the maggot
    and i noticed him halfway through proceedings
    when i was sitting out the front on me wee wall
    few tourists had stopped earlier
    i made them soda bread and sausages
    and the ducks came up
    on their nightly parade to have a dip in the old sheep dip
    and eat slugs
    but i commented that the ducks self segregated
    and they waddle in a long straight line
    one behind the other
    but 3brown ones 4black ones 2tall ones 5 etc
    and
    meself and the two couples
    who parked up their wagon round the back
    and stayed the night
    were discussing this
    and as i saw it every night
    and had thought about it
    i said that i didn’t know whether
    they were doing this out of fear or solidarity or what
    or if they even thought about those things
    or if they even thought they were all ducks

    himself did a snort tut and fucked off
    the most brilliant dismissal of pseudo intellectual bollocks
    ever done

    so
    he’s not all bad
    our Patrick
    and he was only a wee fucker then

  11. on 21 Aug 2019 at 11:29 pmOsakaMatt

    Thanks Guvnor, I appreciate the
    news in brief especially in weeks
    with no midweek game.

    And it’s good to have your own
    view as TTG mentioned.
    On Rob, I think Sideshow is actually
    a benefit for him. If all goes well
    we can ease Rob back via the Ropey
    League and League Cup and then
    see if he’s good enough to push
    Sideshow out over the winter.

    Mus and Elneny seem odds on to
    be gone soon. I’m wondering if
    there will be any surprise departures.

  12. on 22 Aug 2019 at 12:14 amTTG

    I have become aware recently that I am not only fan who is less than besotted with Xhaka’s contribution. He stands on the threshold of being club captain and yet he should struggle to get in our best eleven especially if Ceballos and Willock play as well as they did last week. I would love to see him unloaded, especially as he might fetch a tidy sum from teams who need a one-footed , one-paced totem pole with poor concentration and erratic judgement with a temper to boot. Can’t see my wishes coming true as we are light in this area but had the Khedira stories been true ( free agent coming from Juventus) his experience and quality ( notwithstanding a typically Arsenal fitness record) would have suggested a very good and pragmatic replacement.
    A window in which we shed Xhaka and Mustafi would be beyond dreams

  13. on 22 Aug 2019 at 12:56 amSilly Second Yella

    oh lord another tEnpolE

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bx7QFFlV9M

  14. on 22 Aug 2019 at 1:07 amcan't be arsed

    i love tenpole tudor

  15. on 22 Aug 2019 at 1:12 amSilly Second Yella

    right OFF the (charing) CrosS

    love him too

    ainzweithreefour

  16. on 22 Aug 2019 at 1:15 amcan't be arsed

    throwing my baby out with the bathwater
    a song i sing regularly

  17. on 22 Aug 2019 at 1:26 amcan't be arsed

    15
    why do you mimic me ?

    i’m nothing special
    granted i’m smarter and better looking

    but why ?

  18. on 22 Aug 2019 at 1:29 amOsakaMatt

    @12
    agree with all of that!

    I gave up on Xhaka 18 months
    ago as he only does half a job.
    My only remaining hesitation
    is that both AW and UE have
    regularly played him. I can’t
    see why but I accept that both
    have a better understanding than
    me. Baffling. Cumbersome is not
    being fair to cumbers whatever
    they may be.

    Anyway, once Hector is fit we have
    Guen, Willock, Calum, AMN, Torreia
    and Dani as possible CM combos-
    a nice range of options. If we want
    an older head then buy Santi back !

  19. on 22 Aug 2019 at 1:41 amcan't be arsed

    hello Japan

  20. on 22 Aug 2019 at 2:00 amcan't be arsed

    my brother has just discovered I’m can’t be arsed
    ?????????

  21. on 22 Aug 2019 at 2:43 amOsakaMatt

    Hello whichever cba you
    may be

  22. on 22 Aug 2019 at 10:51 amNoosa Gooner

    Thanks Holic,

    In other (somewhat) related Arsenal news, I see that Nketiah is popping in the goals for Leeds. His development there will be interesting to follow.

    Also that our old friends Stoke are currently propping up the rest of the Championship. Oh dear, how sad, never mind. Long may it continue.

    UTA.

  23. on 22 Aug 2019 at 11:20 amCountryman100

    Hi ‘holic

    I like the updates and agree with TTG that I’d like to get your viewpoint on them. Would prompt discussion etc.

  24. on 22 Aug 2019 at 12:24 pmNorth Bank Ned

    What C100 said.

  25. on 22 Aug 2019 at 4:56 pmOsakaMatt

    Xhaka and Ozil both available
    for this weekend.
    Decisions to be made for UE.
    The defence picks itself I guess
    unless we return to 3 CBs.
    I have no idea who will be
    picked in midfield or up front
    as UE might go with a lone
    striker. I suppose last season’s
    whacking may influence him.

  26. on 22 Aug 2019 at 5:45 pmiBtM

    Good feature, Holic. Mix in some of your pearls and we’ll be happier than pigs in shit.

    No way Xhaka will go in this or the Christmas window (Chorus : How much is that doggie in the window), TTG. He’s the senior/most experienced practitioner in MF and he’ll get all of this season to impress. More brain farts and continued depression of transition speed and he may well go next summer. I’m not a fan of a defensive MF who can’t tackle.

    I’ll be impressed (and excited) if Emery has the balls to start the Burnley midfield at Anfield. I suspect either Xhaka or Torreira will feature at the expense of Guendouzi.

    Anyone planning to go along to the U-23 game tomorra?

  27. on 22 Aug 2019 at 7:54 pmSilly Second Yella

    est. 1966

    when I was a little biddy boy

    my grandmother bought me a cute little toy…

  28. on 22 Aug 2019 at 11:30 pmOsakaMatt

    surely that’s “donkey in the
    window”

  29. on 22 Aug 2019 at 11:54 pmGoonerholic

    Thanks all. I don’t know how much news there will be to be around, but I will try, with my opinion, on a more regular basis. Thank you. ??

  30. on 23 Aug 2019 at 12:46 amSilly Second Yella

    poor thing

    he never heard of c berry

    eduuuuca-tion

    singalong

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaEC-lWSlmI

  31. on 23 Aug 2019 at 7:39 amVinay Prabhakar

    Torreria/Ceballos/Xhaka should be our midfield trio with lucas playing the deepest, this is our best midfield and for all the hate Xhaka gets, he controls the tempo of our play better than guendouzi who is often caught unawares.

    We dont have much of a chance tomorrow and that itself may work in our favour. Take the gamble Unai, play the front 3 of laca/auba/pepe and try to outscore them for we can’t defend against them. Mesut off the bench to clinch it? perfect ending and then I woke up.

  32. on 23 Aug 2019 at 11:48 amTrev

    Holic, I know you won’t mind so first things first –

    WELCOME BACK cba !!! ( please note the non-use of capitals or ‘ ‘ )

    Great to see you back to some kind of health – at any rate a huge improvement on what sounded a horrendous time. It seems, from a quick back drink, you’ve been back a few days – I just haven’t been in for a while due to work and getting ready for holiday and my daughter’s new puppy – madness.

    Anyway cba, you were greatly missed, as any reader of 93% of all drinks will have noted ! ?

    Holic,
    I like the news summary – and with your own interpretation as and when you have time. It’s a useful distillation of the mountain of nonsense out there on an almost daily basis.

    Can you actually distill a mountain ? I’ve no idea.

    Sounds like one for our recovering commentaholic to chew on – with his cows, of course ?

  33. on 23 Aug 2019 at 2:30 pmOsakaMatt

    I know this is a football blog
    but 67 all out for fuck’s sake.

  34. on 23 Aug 2019 at 4:09 pmPangloss

    Oh fuck. First I heard was OM’s @33.

    COYG

  35. on 23 Aug 2019 at 5:04 pmbt8

    Hey ‘holic

    Basically I have to agree with TTG and the others. Your slant is critically important even if just scribbled

  36. on 23 Aug 2019 at 7:18 pmcan't be arsed

    ?

  37. on 23 Aug 2019 at 9:26 pmGoonerholic

    I hear you all, thank you. Will do. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>