Last Gasp Defeat at Barca
Aug 4th, 2019 by 'holic
A full house saw the Joan Gamper Cup at the Camp Nou between Barcelona and The Arsenal. Once again some of the youngsters were given a chance to impress by Unai Emery.
What felt like a very good first-half of football produced little in the way of goalscoring opportunities. It was midway through the half before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was a whisker away from a flying header. I think this is a good sign for what approaches, but it was confusing.
As the half hour approached we allowed Alba a little too much room on the left and he cut in to fire straight at Bernd Leno, thankfully. We appeared to have set up in a 4-4-2 and as the final quarter of an hour of the half approached we were becoming less dominant. However in the 37th minute Mesut Ozil teed up Aubameyang and with a magical strike of the right foot wand we were ahead.
Of course there were multiple half-time changes. Three for Barca, and two for The Gunners. The game retained it’s remarkable high tempo but few chances tempo. Ainsley Maitland-Niles slid a ball back to Leno who had vacated his goal. The scores were level. The home crowd bayed for Messi to finish the task.
With both teams pressing hard and high it was a tough watch as it developed. You can’t criticise anyone for their performance, but but both teams look solid. Defensively we should take something from that.
Suarez applied the late finish when once again we were undone by a long ball down the middle. It was effectively the last meaningful action of the evening.
The whistle blew and that was it. We had played so well for a half. It’s pre-season. So be it.
121 Responses to “Last Gasp Defeat at Barca”
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I only saw the second half. Martinelli and Saka both impressed going forward but we lived supremely dangerously in our own box. Sickener for Ainsley, but better to get that out of his system in a meaningless friendly than in a match with points attached.
Did I see the classical Mustafi move – both hands going up in the air – as the ball sailed over his head to the little biter for their winner? I think I did.
Barca don’t like Dani Ceb, do they?
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Another preseason in the past thankfully. We played some good opposition so that will help us hopefully. My attention was not on the game as the MLS game was surprisingly more meaningful to me on this occasion. I will be ready next week though and trust the Arsenal players will be as well.
Thanks for the report as
always Guvnor.
I suppose the starting XI today
was close to the XI for the
Newcastle game.
Just watched the goals – lots to
like about ours.
As it was a friendly I laughed at
the OG but even though it was a
friendly I scowled at the second.
Hopefully, Laca will be back for
Newcastle and Pepe a couple
games later.
Our defence is what it is for now.
Tierney won’t be fit for a while
even if we sign him and a new
CB will need a little time to
adjust. Basically we’re just
crossing fingers it doesn’t cost
us too many points before we
get it sorted out. Not a great
strategy but I suppose we’re all
used to it by now.
Not quite sure what is going on and most of the media comment is pretty unhelpful. We are clearly short of defenders and central defence is a major priority. I hear w3 are trying for a Lian for Rugani and this seems to be the only target at present. Sarri rates him and if he doesn’t let him go we are very short of time unless we take the Cahill option. Tierney sounds too crook to be risked. We might cope at left back but a decent utility defender is the order of the day. As we start to trim the squad we are picking up cash for a number of players most notably Bielik , getting sell-on bonuses and losing those wages. I’ve heard we’ve cut the wage bill by almost £500 k a week. This means that we are in a decent financial position the way our deals have been structured and should be able to afford a defender or two. There is clear planning and intent at the club but I’m very keen we get defensive reinforcement before Thursday .
Thanks for the report Guvna. I didn’t see the first half though I did see a clip of PEA’s lovely goal after a very good piece of possession. I understand that Willick looked the business in the first half. I did see the last 30 which seemed mostly one way traffic but we did have the odd break out that could have been productive. The two young wingers definitely look lively additions to our offensive options but oh dear, we do desperately need to add comparable to or indeed increased quality over Papa at CB. I’m afraid that neither Chambers nor Mustafi cut the mustard and thoughts about Tierney or Coutinho are delusional until we sort out that situation. To rely on them holding the fort until a fully fit Holding returns and that he will a) still be top drawer and b) hit the ground running is hopeful in the extreme. If the French fella is the future, even a one year loan of a top rate CB would be sufficient. We cannot rely on those two. I now see why the club cut up so roughly over Kos. Sort it out, Raul.
Thanks for the report, Holic.
I watched on a variety of streams but both seemed to have more locks in them than the Grand Union canal. Sorry, but I am not paying premium channel rates to watch pre-season friendlies.
All the young players did well – some have yet to reach 19 or 20 years of age aand have played Real Madrid and Barcelona in the space of a couple of weeks. You can’t say we hide in pre-season !
More concerning were the old familiar problems of Xhaka needlessly giving the ball away in dangerous positions and Mustafi, who seems to think that a football pitch is where you go to catch up on missed sleep, doing gawd knows what, as the genetically cheating scumbag that is Suarez took his time to slot their winner.
Shortly before, he had kicked the ground a good yard and a half past his marker and thrown himself to the ground in search of a penalty. Really, in a pre-season friendly packed with you g academy players ? You f#^%ing cheat.
Our defensive requirements are well known, though hopefully not the very expensive and very injured Tierney.
Our midfield and attacking options are looking very good.
Bring on the Toon and their fans who, for once, will not be underdressed as it is early August. ?
Thanks for the report Holic! Didn’t see the game myself but by all accounts it’s not all doom and gloom. However some of the defensive frailties haven’t disappeared overnight and I wouldn’t have expected them too. Not much has changed in terms of coaching or personnel, so why would it! Let’s hope we can just out score the opposition because we are still going to let a bucket load of goals in as the window draw close.
On the plus side, John-Jules has signed and he is a promising prospect for the future.
I don’t know what to worry about more, our defence or the England batting line up?
We have apparently bid £60 m for Upamecano one of tge outstanding young defenders in Europe. It’s a bit late in the day but it dies acknowledge we have an issue. Upamecano and Saliba will possibly be France’s centre backs when they defend the World Cup. We may need to be slightly less ambitious before Thursday .
But it does suggest the fan unrest may have loosened the purse strings at KSE
TTG, About a year ago you asked how Adrian Heath was doing as coach of Minnesota United, and I said his main problem was defensive. A year later he has replaced 3 of the back four, brought in an experienced defensive midfielder, and the results are much better. A match report on yesterday’s game gives this praise: “This was a team that has defined themselves as tough and smart and damn hard to break down defensively after being soft and mentally sloppy and giving up almost 150 goals the previous two seasons.”
If only he had been describing Arsenal…
Bt8
Thankyou for the update.
Maybe you’ve unearthed our new defensive coach!
My pleasure, TTG. He got some players who can stand the heat in more ways than one. It was brutally hot yesterday.
In the other hemisphere (yours if I am switching around too fast), Martin Keown has chimed in on our lack of defensive signings: “On Arsenal’s transfer window, Keown added: ‘He [Emery] must think he can do it tactically with the players he has. ‘Otherwise it’s very obvious that he should have been buying central defenders, or defensively minded individuals both in midfield and at the back. ‘So he has made decisions in regards to the personalities he wants and he’s gone after and pursed this talent, so that’s a gamble because we know there is a weakness and only time will tell if he’s got that right.’
Eddie Nketiah reportedly was requested by 23 different clubs during this transfer window before Arsenal apparently decided to send him on loan to Bristol City. I imagine we got a good price, including some kind of semi-guarantee that Eddie will be given a lot of playing time.
Cahill gone to Palace.
Pressure rising.
bt8 @16, on reflection, having considered Cahill a possible upgrade on Mustafi/Chambers, I decided he was not and I am therefore delighted he has gone to Palace. I hope we can stretch to Mr Meccano, though in truth that would be a second miracle after Pepe but if not, there’s surely someone out there that’s more useful to shore up our flimsy central defence than a crocked ‘tic left back.
Arsenal appear to be ‘ confident’ of a deal for a young man who is out for at least two more months and may have chronic injury problems. The6 have been on the verge of a first/second/ third etc bid all summer and are leaving it very late, strange tactics in my view, strange target too. Meccano is a work in progress ?
Works in progress and mechanics do seem to go together.
Cahill signed a two year deal worth a reported £75k a week, which is a pittance thesedays.
We should have had him. We’ll end up paying more out for a loanee, with loan fee and wages.
Steve T and Cynic in the last drinks. You were starting to remind me of Wolfie days. No doubt there is a load of bollocks he could have taught the both of ye. Or has.
Or not not.
And well in Steve for the phantom post new post century in the last drinks. Better than putting it past the post by some distance.
The Guardian/Observer’s
Premier League 2019-20 fans’ previews, part 1: Arsenal to Liverpool
posted at 9:02am but part 2: Manchester City to Wolves posted 2 minutes earlier. Technically, doesn’t that make part 2 actually part 1?
Football related drink.
Brand name or generic?
Looks like Raul & Co also
decided Cahill wasn’t an
upgrade on existing options.
OM@27: Raul & Co might well be right.
Upamecano would be an excellent buy, but he will take at least half a season to bed into Premiership football. Rugani would be more ready-made but he will be difficult to pry our of Juve.
A credible report that Kos
is going to Bordeaux for
4 or 5 million subject to
a medical.
I suppose getting the fee
justifies our stance in a
way but it’s an ugly end
to his time.
Anyway a bit more cash to
throw in the action now pot
I hope.
Magalhães and Koné from Lille or Viergever and Tasende from PSV. Rather than a crocked Tierney and no new centre half at all.
Please, please, please, for the love of god tell those at the clubs in charge of bringing new playing staff to get this sorted.
No chevrons.
What a load of old bollocks….
Bruised banana? It looks more like perishable pineapple to me.
Kos has finally left. Good luck and good bye. We move on
What KS said about Kos. He was Arsenal’s best defender of the last ten years, always had the right attitude until the end, and scored a number of critical game winning goals for us too. In my mind he is an Arsenal legend and we definitely do not know all the circumstances of his departure.
Something went very wrong for Koscielny at the end of his Arsenal tenure. I can only assume he can’t get on with Emery but it must be a very nasty personality clash for him to up sticks as he has.
He was a fine signing , one of the best defenders in Europe at his zenith and may well have played in the World Cup Final if he hadn’t been injured. I’ve had my say on his tantrum about the USA tour. I wish him well at Bordeaux ( bet he took a big pay cut) . Now please replace him before Thursday!
Not saying all the unknown circumstances will make Kos shine but there are factors such as family that could be outside his control a bit.
Derby County are collecting so many over the hill Premier League stars maybe the club should consider joining MLS. 😉
Today’s headline on the horse race to sign Eddie Nketiah:
Leeds United have come on strong in the race to sign Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah on loan.
So many people either want to demonize Arsenal, or to demonize Koscielny on the other hand. I demonize neither and suspect the occasional if seldom emphasized reports of a misunderstanding between the parties has some validity to it.
A constant presence in the worst defences we’ve had since the 80s, so no great loss.
If I had to partner Mustafi I might go on strike too. Just saying.
@35 TTG, well said. Agree with all of that.
Jim White will be going into overdrive at this point as the window starts to close . Goodness knows what we will do before Thursday. Possibly nothing , maybe Raul will surprise us. We definitely must sign a good centre back as a minimum. The Tierney negotiation must be the slowest on record. I wouldn’t touch him with a bargepole at the moment but let’s see what the medics say IF we ever get that far .
On the exit front we could be waving goodbye to Jenko, Mesut, Elneny , Nketiah ( temporarily) , ESR ( ditto) and maybe pppllleeeaaassseee Mustafi.Lots of moving parts as they say . We have until the end of the month to sell abroad but I hope we have a balanced squad in place before Jim dons his yellow tie on Thursday.
Silly rumour that Ozil is wanted to replace the Granny Shagger at DC.
They surely can’t afford him though.
Sadly.
Koscielny was our best defender for sure, but so often cost us dearly in big games. The early red cards against Bayern and Man City come to mind, the shambolic defending at a crucial moment v Atletico, and all the clumsy penalties given away over the years.
He was a decent defender, and one of Wenger’s best signings of the 10s, but i never felt he was one to lead us to a serious title challenge and so it proved.
Having seen his “shirt off” video, he just underlines for me that he is a bellend who doesn’t merit all the fretting about him going.
Think people are only sorry to see him go because compared to what’s left behind, he looks like Bobby Moore. If the rest of our defence was any good, it would be more like losing a Common Senderos.
Agree with you bt8 @34
Kos did come up trumps in
a few big games over the
years.
Oddly, I agree with Barack
@45 too – he did fuck-up in
a few as well.
Top class player, hit and miss
captain, I’ll miss him and wish
him well at Bordeaux.
The shirt-off video was a mistake that Kos will regret. Probably the idea of some social marketing kid tripping over his own irony.
Jenks has signed for Notts Forest. Hard to believe that the Corporal is 27 now but played only 70 games for the club because of injury. His career has not so much not taken off as slipped by. I hope he gets a long run of injury-free games for Forest and gets himself back to the Premiership.
Upamecano reportedly has a £92 million release clause and RB Leipzig have both turned down our £50 million bid and say they have no intention of selling him.
So if anyone is free this weekend, they can probably get a game for us at CB.
What Ned said about a happy
future for Jenks. He’ll always
have Norwich away.
And we’ve turned down 30m
for Iwobi it seems.
Good. I wouldn’t cry if we sold him but £30m in today’s mad market is a joke.
Blimey, we’re trying to sign David Luiz and he’s gone on strike to force the move.
Supposedly.
Sideshow Bob to the Emirates? He and Guendouzi would have it out in the changing room over the hair dryer.
An Edu connection?
Silly me, I foolishly assumed
we wanted to improve the
defence.
Anyway, not sure why Chavski
would help us. Maybe he’s on
big wages so they want rid..
David Luiz is a Kia Joorabchian player.
The same agent represents Edu apparently.
The deal, therefore, looks quite likely to me.
Luiz is also an occasional accident waiting to happen but better than the occasional accident waiting to happen that we already have.
Think Luiz was also with Emery at PSG.
At his age, 32 (?), shouldn’t cost too much, especially once
amortised ….. etc. NED HELP !!
Welbeck has joined Watford.
Best of luck to him, he deserves
a bit of it I suppose.
It’s grim news indeed if we are trying to sign David Luiz. The guy is 32 and cannot defend. I would honestly prefer to rely on Mustafi.
This transfer window lurches from triumph to farce . Why leave everything to the last minute? Everton are even worse. Why not get their act together in good time?
There is no chance of Chelsea selling us Luiz at this stage in these circumstances unless he has pictures of Frank Lampard in compromising positions with various farm animals. They would be mad. And if we did sign him we could hardly slag off Koscielny who has done exactly the same in forcing a move.
Does this mean we see Luiz as a cheaper alternative to Rugani?
I think that what Kos did was a puerile stunt.
Unfortunately, I am also puerile on occasions. I’m considering purchasing a Bordeaux shirt, which I will remove to reveal an Arsenal shirt. I will then use the Bordeaux shirt to “floss” any loose tagnuts from my crack!
Looks like the next post will be tomorrow evening if the jungle drums are right…
Well what do you know ! Those pictures of Frank and Shaun the Sheep have surfaced and someone well connected at Chelsea tells me a deal will happen tomorrow. Guendouzi is gutted because he has had the rollers all to himself in the dressing room. It’s not what I expected or hoped but we do need someone better than Mustafi. Which brings me to Shaun the Sheep again ?
I haven’t seen it but I hear Corporal Jenkinson has made a video too where he takes his Arsenal shirt off and has a newer Arsenal shirt underneath.
A shame he was never goung to make it at the Arsenal. Great heart, great spirit. Good luck to him.
A better show than Koscielny’s Bordeaux Whines. A favourite player while he was here. A great shame that a breakdown in communication or a broken promise on one side or other led to such an unsatisfactory way for him to leave.
Whatever it was, it should have been dealt with in private, but the club captain should never have behaved the way he did.
So Sideshow Bob looks like a done deal and so is Tierney, according to Sky.
I have no problem with what Koscielny did, he was merely metamorphosing from Arsenal to Bordeaux.
I feel sorry for Jenkinson, as he was at one point living his dream, which fell apart. Good luck to Danny, he’s one of the good guys and deserves a little luck with his injuries.
It seems Tierney is on his way down for a medical. Could we really have spent the last month arguing the toss over a few mill money up front?
Good luck to Danny Welbeck who always gives his best and was one of my favorites. That said he now must be oddsmaker’s favorite to score against us when we play Watford. Doubt he can outscore the AubaLacaPepe combo tho.
I guess Elneny and Mus will follow
Jenks and Kos our the door if we
are truly going to sign Luiz and
Tierney.
Tierney is a risk with his injury but
maybe a reasonable punt given
his potential to be our LB for the
5 or 6 seasons.
So we need discipline and
leadership in our defence
and somehow decided Bob
is our man. Who? How?
What the fuck?
A David Luiz signing I do not think is a bad thing. However, I do have one reservation. It would open the possibility of a centre back pairing of Luiz and Mustafi.
I can’t be the only one with certain concerns???
Luiz can be bolshy and maybe
Lampard wants rid quick to
avoid any pissing contests?
Just a thought.
I would look @ a David Luiz deal as a limited options deal or a deal being done because of limited funding, which leads to very limited options + Kos leaving making the situation even more dire.
One possible benefit of
signing Bob is that if he does
ok we won’t have to rush
Rob back too quickly, which
I was worried about in the
present situation.
I read that Jenks was our
longest serving player for
one day after Kos left!
I guess it must be Nacho
now.
Given that we failed to shake Upmecano out of RB Leipzig, the move for Luiz makes more sense than shelling out at least as much for a loan deal for Rugani whose defensive frailties are at least as long a list as Mustafi’s. OK Luiz can occasionally show his offensive instincts to the detriment of his defensive duties but he adds not only massive PL and International experience, mental-strength, leadership and a superb passing range that may transform our midfield ball retention and our break-outs from the turgid give-away performances of last season. A two-year contract will allow him to mentor Holding and the French kid cming through over the next two seasons. Although the prospect of a Luiz-Mustafi central defence gives me the jitters, I honestly can’t see that being a frequent selection.
If we get that CB position filled this has been the first window to address our major needs in a long, long time. Certainly since PV4 left. This squad can compete properly.
I’m quite glad we didn’t sign UpMeccano, he spends most of his time in bits in the box.
I’m here all week.
And longer.
The David Luiz thing I reckon has been in the works for a while, it doesn’t feel like a sudden “stick in a pin in a list of defenders and see who you get” jobby anyway.
Doesn’t make much sense for the player though, unless he hates Fatty?
Oh and yeah, the squad looks stronger than usual. Just need to shift a couple of deadweights off the wage bill and it’s joy all round.
Can you still get our shirt without sponsor bilge, like you used to be able to in the days of Nike? Online retailers used to sell proper legit shirts without sponsor gubbins and I would very much like our home shirt, but I’m not parading about with Visit Rwanda on the sleeve. Not overly happy about advertising the airline of a country with a dodgy human rights record either.
Which is a bit snowflakey for an elderly fart like me, but there you go.
8m for Luiz according to
the Beeb.
If Luiz comes then I expect
Mus to be sold so hopefully
the x-rated sight of a Mus/
Luiz partnership will just be
a story told to frighten young
gooners at bedtime.
Seems Eddie is off to Leeds
for a season. He needs games
so it makes sense to me. He’s a
long shot to fill Auba’s shoes one
day but it’d be great if he could.
And it seems we’ve sold
Dominic Thompson to
Brentford.
I thought he was the kid we
took with the squad to Barca
last week?
Anyway, best of luck to him
too.
Come on Holic, it’s TDD!!!
Luiz is an upgrade on Kos (only just). Chelsea shipped 12 less goals then us last season and Luiz played 36 times. Although that said, he did have quality defender’s either side of him.
With Tierney (even though it’ll be sometime before he starts) and with Holding to come back and Chambers looking to cement a place. Means there will be healthy competition. The real problem is finding someone to coach them on how to defend as a unit.
Tottenham, Everton, West Ham and Wolves have all done good business. Top 6 will be hard this season!
Lennon the Celtic manager
says Tierney will be fit to
play in 2 weeks and that
talk of 2 months is nonsense
Course it’s only Lennon
OM@81: Surprised to see Thompson sold. He was reckoned to be one for the future, but perhaps he feels Tierney’s imminent arrival diminishes his prospects. Another youngster understanding the value of playing regularly at that stage of their careers.
If it came down to Luiz or Cahill as a stop-gap CB, I would have taken Luiz. To echo bath@76, there does seem to be some strategy at last to addressing the CB issue.
Jorge Bird tips Joel Lopez to emerge as Thompson’s successor at left-back in the U-23s and thus the long-term competition/cover to Tierney.
https://arsenalyouth.wordpress.com/2019/08/08/lopez-set-to-benefit-for-arsenal-as-thompson-joins-brentford/
Iwobi signs for Everton/ Tierney confirmed / Nketiah on loan , no news officially on Luiz. Quite a window .
Hard to do meaningful sums but we took in about £60 million with sell-on fees and spent about £105 million with fees and loans- net spend about £45 million!
The Iwobi deal really is a surprise but a good one. He is a better player than most bloggers would admit but I’m not sure of his position. It’s good news for our young wingers. Wouldn’t be completely surprised if Mkhitaryan left too.
I agree with TTG. Iwobi a good deal for both parties. Will give opportunities to Reiss Nelson and Saka when Auba and Pepe need rotating. He’s had loads of chances and never quite did it for us.
I’m also delighted with both Tierney and (one presumes) Luiz
If you’d told me six months ago we’d sell Iwobi for £35m or so, I’d have laughed and said snatch their hands off, but in today’s ridiculous market, that feels like a cheap deal
I think the guys running the show now have done an awesome job.
IF they get David Luiz over the line…
https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/922/609/f83.gif
Iwobi was a surprise but a
good decision I think. He
was becoming a bit like
The Ox – lots of potential
but never quite fulfilled.
I read it was 40m which
seems about right.
Good luck to him.
Luiz is confirmed. Number 23 shirt.
Great work by the backroom team this window. I am very, very impressed. Much more optimistic about the club’s future than 2 months ago. The declaration of intent by the club is very reassuring. Now we need the coach to turn this very exciting group into a machine.
No news on Iwobi but a good deal for everyone including the younger players for whom he makes space in the squad. If he ends up ay Everton, I wish him luck.
COYG
Iwobi has talent, but his decision-making is suspect, which will be an even bigger drawback in an attack that looks as if it will be at its best when moving at speed. He spun his wheels a bit last season, to my mind. OM’s comparison with the Ox is well made. A fresh start at Everton may be what he needs. — though he could end up as Theo Mk II.
As was already mentioned, some great work by our staff, not the least considering our money situation. Completely outdone my expectations. Now let’s get that bloody 4th place trophy.
Come on you Mighty Reds.
Just saw the TDD news. Feels a bit like somebody finally figured out where the air freshener was. COYRRNBG
TTG, I make it over 130 million spent on Tierney, Luiz, Pepe, Saliba and the Brazilian lad plus the loan signing, so at least 70 million net spend. I’ve only seen Luiz play so no idea how they will all do. Hopefully job well done.
In other transfer news, Joe Willock’s brother Chris, formerly of this parish is being loaned to West Brom by Benfica, and Benik Afobe, also formerly of this parish, is being loaned to Bristol City by Stoke.
TTG, Devon Stu: It is not only the net spend on transfer fees but also the timing of the payments and the impact on the wage bill that add up to the total cost of this window’s business.
I have more assists than Ozil in 2019. And here’s another …
I have more goals than Sanongo
Our net spend was very carefully managed as Ned suggests. The instalment plans for Pépé and Saliba and the loan for Ceballos meant that probably our biggest capital outlay was for Tierney. It should also be noted that Auba and Lacazette May sign extensions which should prevent more Ramsey and Welbeck situations.
Sanllehi has impressed in this window. He uses the big agents who Wenger eschewed and he is much less data driven than Mislintat. Yesterday’s quick switch to Luiz was pragmatic and probably Edu inspired.
Least we get too carried away we have a tough start to the season and most of our best defenders injured. I want us going to Liverpool and not capitulating like the last two seasons and I relish the quality of our attacking play when our best players are all available .
At this point in time Sanllehi looks to put Gazidis firmly in the shade .
A good transfer window for
Reiss Nelson then. Not so
good for Calum.
It’s possible more will leave
to European teams this
month. Mus, Elneny and
maybe Mkhi.
OM@102: MKhi featured in the arsenal.com photo gallery for media day, but Eleny and Mustafi did not. Make of that what you will.
https://www.arsenal.com/news/behind-scenes-premier-league-media-day
Well in for the ton, Steve ‘I’m better than Sonogo’ T.
I note that ESR, Nelson, Willock are still not listed on the club site as first-team members, though Tierney, Luis and Pepe have already been added.
Sir Arthur Miles-Naitland DSO and bar is listed as a midfielder not a defender.
Ned,
A picture paints a 1000 words 🙂
I figure Mkhi must be wondering
about his future as Pepe will play
wide, we have Ozil, Ceballos and
ESR as AMs. Even when we play
with wing backs Hector and AMN
may be in front of him.
If he really wants 1st team
football he will have to play
like a house on fire to start the
season.
If he’s happy to take the money
he’ll stay but if he’s not then he
should be pushing to leave.
Same as Iwobi I suppose –
I wonder how much of his
departure was……
a) an objective view from us
on his performance/potential
b) Iwobi’s wish to move
c) financial necessity after
signing Tierney / Luiz
If it was mainly a) then I am
pleased we are actually making
the difficult decisions more
quickly than before
It might look foolish or wise
with hindsight, but it’s ok if
we get some wrong as long as
we actually make a decision-
just my tuppence worth.
Impressive work from the management. It seems like they were working on multiple deals with some of the deals contingent on other deals. If we had landed the young Leipzig CB, I wonder if the Tierney deal would have been dropped and that’s why it played out until TDD.
I was fairly despondent at the end of last season but watching the young lads during pre-season and seeing us address most of our problem areas via transfers (especially on a limited budget), I’m suddenly excited for the new season!
COYG!!
OM @107 – I hope it is a). I would be surprised if it was b) with Iwobi being an Arsenal lad from an early age. Could be c) but I hope we balance the books with transfers out during the remaining Euro transfer window (Elneny, Mustafi, and possibly Kola).
Looking at the potential of Nelson and Willock, I think we have the loss of Iwobi covered. Both seem to be better in the final third and better defenders for forward players. Maybe not quite as good with the ball at their feet and holding the ball against defenders.
Just the other week Iwobi was talking about his situation if we got Zaha and that he’d have to leave, so I think it’s a bit of a and a bit of b, with hopefully c not playing a role, apart from the fee being too good to refuse.
I know a couple of Everton fans and they are less than pleased, as they say it smacks of a panic buy just to get something and not what you were really out shopping for at all.
Like when you go to the chemist, find yourself being served by a young female and end up buying toothpaste…
Worst kit ever
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EBYnm_dWsAUna-P.jpg
OM@107, ecg@109 and cynic@110: Everton manager Marco Silva says “Alex was one of our main targets for this window”, which if true, suggests this deal had been negotiated out of the limelight for some time, and thus OM’s a).
Well he would say that wouldn’t he 😉
🙂
Silva also came out with the boilerplate sentence: “He is hungry to join {insert name of club here} and take the next step in his career, to help us compete with the strongest teams in the league and reach his potential at our club.”
ecg @109
Kola is a possible to leave I think
but he’s our only defensive type
option at LWB so that might save
him. Pretty handy in a ruck too 🙂
I idly assumed Nacho was our
longest serving player after Kos
and Jenks left. Turns out that it
is in fact Emi Martinez, though
I’m a bit doubtful of the logic
of that really.
Nacho is the longest continuously serving player at the club, followed, perhaps surprisingly, by Ozil. They joined in January and September 2013, respectively.
Then it is Bellerin, Chambers (both July 2014), Macey (July 2015) and Elneny (Jan 2016).
Martinez is the longest on the books overall, having signed senior forms in July 2011 (previously with the Academy), but had loan spells at Oxford Utd, Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham, Wolves, Getafe and Reading. He has had more senior games for each of Wednesday, Wolves and Reading than he has had for us.
Something weird and disturbing happening with Ozil and Kola. They’ve been pulled from the squad this weekend due to further security issues which the police are investigating.
WTF?
Very sinister news about Kola and Ozil. This suggests they are still being targeted.
Season openings are not what they used to be. We signed six players. One went back to his club. Tierney appears to be out for four to six weeks according to the website ( Aagh !), Pepe is not fully fit after the AFCON , Ceballos picked up a knock in Barcelona but I suspect may play with no Mesut, Martinelli is one for the future and our main signing turning out on Sunday may be Luiz. We may see our ‘ new’ team in November !
This is disturbing about Ozil, Kola and ‘further security incidents’. Are they being targeted? And if so why? I can understand that there might be a Turkish political connection in Ozil’s case, given the furore over the Erdogan photo incident, but why then would Kola be involved unless there is some broader Muslim or gang dimension, as equally or more concerning? And what could the threats be that would make their traveling with the team so dangerous?
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