Their all centre forwards though. Nketiah wasn’t getting a look in until the injury. With Trossard now Jesus won’t be played wide much.

I’d agree with those who are unsure there is space for 3 out and out strikers in the squad. Jesus can play wide right but I can’t see us being able to keep all 3 happy.

I think before we put Balogun ahead of Nketiah we should get Balogun on a loan in the Prem. If he wasn’t our player and we signed him there would be concern if he can do it in ‘this’ league. Eddie and Jesus have proven they can.

What a loan it’s been for him, he’s probably and realistically quadrupled his market value.

Jesus is as much a wide player as he is a centre forward, as borne out by his time at City. It's all about rotation. We will be in the CL next year. Loads of games to play and it's great to have options. Go back a few weeks with Jesus and Emile Smith Rowe injured and we had nobody on the bench to bring on against Newcastle (jury is out on Vieira). Now, Jesus is definitely our No.1 striker but competition for that position is a good thing.

How many games would balogun have started this year? I’d guess 2 at most. Even with rotation. If Jesus hadn’t got injured I think we would have had an issue just with 2. That’s the issue

You have 4 players now competing for wide positions before Jesus is even considered there, chuck in the centre forward position and you would 7 competing for 3 places and that’s ignoring Fabio vieira. You’ll struggle to keep them happy

It's not about this year though. We are looking to next season. Balogun would have started very few games this season because he hadn't proven himself. It's much easier to rotate established players than kids. Grealish and Mahrez are frequently on the bench at City. If we have a good season next year we will play close to 60 games. This season we were talking about putting out weak teams in the cups to save the first 11 for the league. We needed more depth and an improved Balogun adds to that.

Agreed. It will require good management, but the alternative is worse. With on two central strikers that the manager trusts, , you are one long term injury away from a very precarious situation, as we have seen.

With our high energy pressing game, we need to be able to substitute our front players after about an hour. Otherwise we are running Nketiah, Saka, and Martinelli in to the ground week after week. Having a strong bench is a huge advantage.

And obviously if we are in the champions league we can't afford a big drop in quality when we rotate, which we will have to.

Balogun yesterday

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6MRmPVZ034

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY58GOHnh94

Ok then I guess how many games would Nketiah have got if Jesus hadn’t got injured and how many games would a third established striker have got before as well.

The grealish comparison just highlights what I’m saying. 3 city wingers competing for 2 spots. We would have 3 strikers competing for 1. Many games would involve 1 of the 3 not getting any minutes at all.

You are talking about how it would be good for us which it would but I’m suggesting you can’t keep those 3 happy in Artetas system with 1 up front.

They deleted the part of the interview where he says he'll prove some of the SG forum members wrong.
Frankly, I don't know what to expect but I'm very hopeful and more optimistic than pessimistic.

Arteta has such a clear vision of how he wants the game played (and its proving succesful) and with that he has a similarly clear vision of what each player in each position is required to do. So, it would make sense therefore that Arteta's ability to spot talented players is going to be very high. If your plan is clear and a success, and you know exactly what strengths each position needs you just find players to fit that criteria - which crucially won't always be the big name player, hyped up player, or sometimes even a player who is playing that well in his current team if the skills he has that would fit us perfectly are not being used by his team.

The Football White Paper

https://www.football365.com/news/footba ... ch-chelsea

Mason Greenwood has had the charges against him dropped. A sad affair for all involved. As always only two people in these cases will ever know the real truth of what happened. Overly partisan fans will tend to fall heavily on one side of the argument but none of us really know a thing about it.

Lets hope both of them can get on with their life - although knowing the British tabloid press (and rival fans) there is probably little chance this won't hang over both of them for a long time

I'd hope Utd take him back. He is innocent and we cannot mere allegations ruining people's lives.

They are right.

But La Liga were quite content when Real Madrid and Barcelona were (and still are) ‘doped’ from outside finance. They could attract whoever they liked and were most adept at unsettling players so that the move became inevitable.

A witness has withdrawn their evidence.

The prem as a whole gets tarred with the wild spending brush but really it’s 1 or 2 clubs right at the top end and a lid at the bottom that’s out of kilter. Historically big and successful teams like us and Liverpool spending a decent chunk of money shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. But Chelsea spending £600m is unprecedented and also teams like newly promoted Forest spending £200m is bonkers. In a way it’s that side of the prem spending that is crazy but has also made it the most watchable league because you have teams who finish well in to the bottom half with £40m strikers and so whilst the team loses matches there are times on their day when the individual quality will shine and they can give the best teams a good game and play entertaining football.

You only have to look at players at top European clubs swapping it for a low level prem team, simply to come and play in the prem…..and the money isn’t bad!

Jorginho vs Arsenal, a bit dated but still....

Yes “prosecution did not go ahead because witnesses (complainant in this case) withdrew statements” does not equal “found innocent.” Basically the evidence hasn’t been challenged or answered and will remain like that. It’s the equivalent of Fabinho on that Brighton player. We all know it was a red card but the FA’s hands are tied. No one “deserves” a career earning millions so I wouldn’t be too fussed if this particular evidence stopped someone doing that.

I think man united will pay off the last 2 years on his contract. Their statement lends itself to the fact they are considering it. No way will they want that attention.

Criminal justice in the UK is an absolute joke however I don’t think the CPS has much choice if the complainant withdraws they have little evidence to proceed. I hate the way crime is dealt with here. Zero police and old bill more concerned with nicking speeders than stopping violence. I know that sounds like a generalisation but it’s pretty true.

That No.10 with the afro looks good. We should have signed him instead.

Weirdo

This is both unbelievably quick thinking and outrageously cynical

https://www.theguardian.com/football/vi ... nsed-video

Interesting to note martinellis new contract gives him 200k a week. They aren’t stupid then.

Wonder what saka is getting offered

Reese Witherspoon has moved up in my all time female actresses list.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/651616970100552/

Until you are found guilty in a court of law you are innocent. The only wierdos are people who think an accusation should be sufficient to end a career.

It's a bit more than an accusation gunny, I assume you've seen the pictures and heard the recording?

Plus, he's not been found innocent in a court of law, it seems there was just not enough reliable evidence to proceed after key witnesses withdrew their statements or refused to cooperate.

If I was being cynical I'd suggest witnesses were encouraged to withdraw their testimony and the case collapsed. I hope that this isn't so because this has done nothing to encourage other women to come forward and the lady in question should be ashamed if it did happen and she has withdrawn here accusations to allow him to go free. She should be charged with perverting the course of justice.

Rumours abound that he's back together with his accuser. Missing the affluent lifestyle?

No idea what United do now, they are stuck between a rock and a hardplace. Whatever they do will be seen as wrong and alienate a section of their fans.

Back and playing he's a £50m+ asset and legally he's an innocent man but morally I would suggest it would be very difficult to have him play for United again.

She ages like a fine wine that girl. She’s on the TOP G list.

I didn’t say I think it should end a career I just find it a bit weird celebrating a sexual assault case falling apart because a witness bailed.

Recordings and pictures are not evidence. Are you someone who believes everything on the internet? I don't. I believe unless it is tested in a court of law it is hearsay. Maybe there was a different context to the recording and the pictures. I have witnessed someone accusing a man of battery and it transpired she used her make up to make her face look bruised. I am not saying it happened here but it has left me cynical. Essentially the legal situation is in England Wales is someone can make an accusation and the defendant's name is over the papers. I can't but think of Ched Evans and his truncated career which was the subject of vitriol from people who think any accusation of sexual violence should be enough to cast you into the outer darkness for ever.

I am certainly not celebrating it. There are no winners in this case and there is no good outcome.

I read £180k but what is £20k a week between friends. 4.5 year deal until summer 2027 with a club option of a further year.

Saka will surely be offered that as a minimum, but I'd be happy to make him our top earner at £250k per week and get him on a long term contract. If you tied Saka down to a 6 year deal then his transfer value would be £150m minimum in the current market.

Then we need to get Saliba sorted. I also heard that Arsenal are looking at getting Xhaka on a new deal as well. Here here!

Partey is a slight doubt for the weekend. Could we see an earlier than expected debut for Jorginho?

putting aside the game where we play Man City on feb 15th Arsenal play our next 4 league games before City play theirs, it is a great opportunity to put them under pressure.

Think of all the mafia and gangland crimes which never get to court because of witness intimidation and witnesses electing not to testify. Doesn't mean they are innocent.

It appears in this case a key witness withdrew their involvement. If it was indeed his girlfriend who refuses to testify because she is back in a relationship with him, as has been suggested, then that is appalling.

The bloke is 100% guilty. I heard the audio his then girlfriend released. He is a *%^@*** scumbag and should never play again. If any man treated my daughter like he is heard clearly treating his girlfriend, then I would not be responsible for my actions.

It's so depressing how misogyny and abuse is excused so readily.

Arteta has won January manager of the month. It’s the 3rd time he’s won it this season from the 5 awards handed out

If he did that to any of my daughters, kicking a football would be the least of his worries.