Pre-season training starts tomorrow 27/6. Need to get some of the other deals across the line asap.

Not being a lawyer, a friend said the source for the legalization of interracial marriages from the source I saw said it was based on equal protection clause. In any event, it can be challenged as well. The end result is this is all a big fat mess.

A real insurrection was attempted on January 6th 2021. It was sloppy and buffoonish but an earnest attempt nonetheless that involved members of the government. The Democrats won't do anything more than a finger wagging and the Republicans are shockingly willing to ignore it for politial expediency. This is something we expect out of 3rd world government not the self named, 'Leader of the Free world'

The EPL is more like the SPL these days. A 2 team league with regards to the title. I think eventually Newcastle will interrupt that duet. Until then Chelsea or Man Utd I think stand the best chances. Either will need to buy well and get a good manager and both are very capable of doing that.

Newastle may take up to 5 years to challenge that. With their money and manager they will likely look more like Chelsea when they first got money than City who were all over the place with regards to transfers and managers who weren't really good enough early on.

That kind of financial resource is rarely denied.

Pep has said he doesn’t want to keep players who are unhappy. He’s hinted something similar for Bernardo Silva who is getting interest from Barca.
Jesus with 1 year left on his deal puts context on the price. For a player with 1 year left I think £45m is relatively expensive, but take that element away and £45m is cheap for a player with his stats and ability

Haaland os one of the two most sought striker talents in football (along with Mbappe) he’s probably the main reason Pep feels he can move on without Jesus, along with the contract situation the timing feels right probably. City also bought Julian Alvarez, the best young striker in South America right now, 22 and scored a lid for River Plate - a lot of teams tried to loan him but City have rebuffed them all so he’s clearly seen as the Haaland back up.
Just because a top class manager is willing to let a player go doesn’t mean he’s no good or past it.

Arsene never seemed to stand in the way of top players who wanted to leave, even in the good times. Petit, Overmars, Paddy, even Henry.

The psychology around this is important too; no point trying to keep an unhappy or ambitious player, no matter how good.

It’s also worth pointing out Jesus only had 12 months on his contract left and it’s a World Cup year so he needs to start. Really Guardiola had no choice.

We’ve discussed this here. Seems pretty obvious really.

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/footbal ... nsfer-news

I wasn’t aware anyone had said a manager letting a player go means he’s no good or past it. But do you not accept that had City offered Jesus £220k a week, let alone the £280k Top Gun said he’d read, that he might have changed his mind about staying there pretty damn quickly?

Guardiola presumably doesn’t rate him high enough to pay that sort of money to, and City have had more spending power than anyone. You yourself said if Jesus was the only recruit in strikers you’d consider it an underwhelming transfer window in enhancing that area of the team. Now he looks like being the only new forward you spend all day (not literally) trying to find stats to make out he’s so brilliant he’s the answer to our problems.

If our only options for strikers next season are Jesus, Nketiah and Balogun, my confidence about getting a top four place will decline. On paper I think it looks even weaker than the three we started last season with: Aubameyang, Lacazette and Nketiah.

I admire the attempt at fairness, but exactly what are the Democrats supposed to do? They have to tread very carefully, because anything they do will be twisted around and used as precedent when the Republicans take power. Even prosecutions are highly risky, and they cannot be seen to be politicizing the DOJ. The Democratic Party has to position itself as the party of moderation and constitutionalism, and just hope that the great American public wakes up before it is too late.

One of the most mind-boggling things about democracy is how much people's votes are influenced by short run economic factors (like inflation) that are completely outside the control of the party in power, and how little by factors that would actually matter.

Basically it boils down to a choice.

Do you want to sign Tammy Abraham or Osimhen on their own for 85 million (because that’s what it will cost) or would you prefer to get Jesus and Raphina for almost the same amount of money?

I’d pick the latter personally and I think many would. Gives you many attacking options and a beefed up squad ready for 4 competitions

I agree. It’s an impossible dilemma. Anything the democrats do will be reversed and strategy copied but the issue is the republicans and tories of this world will plumb the lowest depths anyway.

The problem started and can’t be fixed essentially the moment you allow people like Donald Trump and Boris Johnson to be involved in major political parties. They will wreck everything to support their personal interests and that of their allies. Does anybody actually believe they are motivated by improving living standards for their citizens ? Just total bollocks. Trump would literally let America rip itself to shreds if it benefitted him personally, likewise Johnson.

The world is *%^@** with its current political leaders

I’ve only skim read the relevant posts so I’m not really following this debate in any depth. But what I will say is that however mind boggling some factors that influence voting behaviour can be, I still strongly believe that democracy is better than the alternative. Sure, voting systems can often be improved. But I’d rather have a less than perfect democracy with citizens having the right to vote unwisely preferable to not having elections.

Like I said on Friday. Coming to a place near you

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/ ... de-327500/

Gabriel Jesus is looking promising but I can't help feeling that even if we agree a fee for Raphina some other club like Barca will find the money from somewhere at the last minute (don't they always) to match our bid.

I wonder if we are working on any more surprise signings amongst the press frenzy for Jesus and Raphina news.

When I'm posting the stats they aren't to back up a strong opinion I have because the stats are there are fact based and just allows others to see if this might change or affirm their opinion on someone.

I've said many times I want a tall physical striker and would be slightly underwhelmed if Jesus was our only striker purchase but I can also see that he's a hugely better option for us than Lacazette in almost every attribute, and have been surprised by the signing of Vieira and the rumours than Raphina is close - I didn't expect us to be in for players like those. I don't feel the need to swing fully to one side of the argument or the other and entrench my position there, I'll often bring up the positives (Jesus Stats) and the negatives (lack of a plan B, no physical taller striker).

If City offered Jesus £220/280k per week, who knows if he'd have stayed. Plenty of players with the world cup on the horizon have decided to forego the pay-day in their comfort zone where they might feel they've won everything and go for the new challenge where they can be the main guy. We'll never know Jesus mindset on that.

Give at the start of the summer I set out very clearly what I wanted from Arsenal - it was a minimum of 6 players, 2 defenders - particularly to cover the full back positions where I think we got exposed when Tierney/Tomiyasu were injured, 2 more players in CM - a more defensive minded player and a creative player, and 2 strikers - 1 tall/1 small for the sack of saving long explanations - given that fan desires rarely come off in a window.......If Arsenal come out of the summer with Jesus, Vieira, Raphina, Tielemans, Martinez (plus Saliba nd Turner) that would be as big a window than any Arsenal fan could have hoped for.

So whilst there are still areas I'd want to improve (I've said there are 3, right back cover, taller striker, CM), and whilst top 4 is still going to be a battle, I would deem that a successful summer.

In terms of top 4 - if we assume Liverpool and City take the top 2 places as no-one looks ready to challegnge them quite yet. I haven't seen anything from Man U to suggest they are turning the ship yet, Spurs have made a few signings and have those 2 world class strikers but they are heavily reliant on them. We're probably pretty equal with Spurs right now, but longer term our squad is infinitely better set up. Chelsea are a mystery - who knows what they'll be next year. So for us it is probably 3rd-5th. Which is the same battle I'd be expecting us to have even if we signed an extra striker

I think Raphinas availability might have altered our transfer plans. It doesn’t sound an easy transfer but if he did come our attacking options would be endless. Even if you had an extreme injury crisis and lost saka, martinelli, Raphina and Emile Smith Rowe to injury at the same time you could still push Vieira and Jesus wide and use Nketiah up front. Saka and Raphina can both play left or right and in the game for Leeds where Raphina impressed Arteta the first time he swapped flanks frequently. There’s tons of options.

The only thing that doesn’t make sense really is that it’s pretty inconceivable we wouldn’t sign a central midfield player as that was a problem area for us last year and it may be the club will look to sell first before investing in that part of the pitch.

Raphina as well as Jesus would certainly give us a very fluid and interchangeable forward line that's for sure.

Totally agree about the central midfield issue. Whilst our lack of goals was an obvious issue, without Partey we were bullied far too often in the centre of the park last season, particularly away from home in difficult conditions.

I am not even sure Tielemans is the solution there, he adds more technicality, composure and goals but not really a more physical dynamic presence.

Morning both.

I think the Raphinha deal is the most evolving/ time sensitive of the lot which is why we've probably parked Tielemans for now. I would imagine we feel there's less urgency regarding that deal as we may have a free run at him. Just a guess obviously. I also think in this day and age of social media we hear about potential deals more readily than in the past without necessarily understanding how certain deals may need to be prioritised over others at specific moments in time. If we do get Raphinha and then move for Martinez - who I think may well be viewed at as a Tierney replacement long term due to injury concerns etc - then we can say this has been an excellent window regardless of whether we sign Tielemans. I hope we do get a CM however as we need depth, experience and variation in our midfield. Not to mention an upgrade too.

Think you might be right about Martinez and Tierney Darren. This is the only mooted signing I don’t get. Ornstein is saying we are serious about him but you don’t spend 35-40 million on a back up centre back who can play in midfield at a push.

Holding isn’t leaving and Saliba seems to be returning. Mari will certainly go but that doesn’t mean you need 5 centre backs.

Just a bit weird the player we are pursuing for that position this season played at centre back last rather than left back.

I agree that paying £35-40m on what would essentially be a swiss army knife would seem excessive. That said, think of the likes of Steve Nicol back in the day at Liverpool, a player who could fill-in several positions and play them as well as the person he was filling in for. That kind of player can be priceless.

One thing I would say is that from the youtube clips Martinez's technique for a defender is exceptional, especially his long passing, so he could certainly play comfortably in several positions.

Still thinking fans are getting a little ahead of themselves. People talking about this being the best window ever, well it might be in terms of strong links to quality players but strong interest in a player is still a long way from getting a deal over the line.

Jesus looks like it will go through but the others are still up-in-the air with some teams yet to show their final hand.

The best window 'ever'?

Has to be Sol in my lifetime surely? The sheer audacity and drama of it, not to mention he was a free.

Having said that, still the signing I was most excited about as a youngish teenager - Supermac. The fee, £333,333 and no doubt 33p.

I got really excited when we signed Clive Allen.

And also Alan Ball (which seemed quite unbelievable at the time).

Best window ever surely had to be the Platt And Bergkamp arrivals summer

Never have I been so excited to see a new player. After years of dour football Dennis arrived. Even went to the friendly v inter and I recall him hitting the bar or something from a chance that he should have scored and there was a nervy feeling in the ground.

Then we had the hysterical period where he hadn’t scored and people were contemplating if Dennis Betgkamp was useless or not. Not me I’m afraid. A genius is a genius

On the way into the Southampton game my two young sons weren’t that keen on getting the knock-off Flying Dutchman t-shirts a at fiver from the stalls along Gillespie Road. They had rather changed their minds by the time that it came to go home.

Evening socrates. Who on earth has called this the best window ever? Good grief. Has anyone said that on the strength of transfer gossip about players who haven’t signed yet? For me the best one in living memory was Petit, Overmars and from memory Anelka arriving at around the same time, which had a very big impact on the 1997/98 double.

A transfer window can only and should be assessed once it’s over, and not before. Vieira, Marquinhos and Turner are on board. But apart from them we still don’t know for sure who will arrive. Jesus looks a good bet, but I’ll wait until it’s confirmed on Arsenal.com before considering it a safe bet. Martinez? Maybe but I’m seeing Manchester United might move for him. Raphina? An exciting player but I’m not going to bet my wine collection on him arriving. Tielemans? It’s gone quiet but who knows what is happening?.

I think most were saying the biggest priority in this window was strengthening the forward line. Hopefully Jesus, assuming he does arrive will do that. But how much variation will our forward options of Jesus, Nketiah and in an emergency Balogun offer? If we do get Raphina, he’s mobile and did apparently play up front in Portugal. But there again if his primary position is wide right, that’s Saka’s normal position and for big games my choice between the two would be Saka. That makes Raphina a bloody expensive upgrade on Pépé as first reserve for wide right.

My own guess is that if Raphina joins we’ll thus see him all over the shop, right, left and centre, in attacking positions. That in itself is a positive. But again, how different a player to what we’ve already got or might get (Saka, Martinelli, and presumably Jesus to name but three) is he to make us more multi-dimensional, or less one-dimensional, in our forward play?

The other area perceived most commonly as needing strengthening is what I call deeper midfield. Bissouma was many peoples favourite but as he joined Tottenham for what looks a bargain, forget him. The only other name I’ve seen, unless Martinez is signed and plays there and not left back or central defence, is Tielemans. You yourself socrates pointed out he increases our technical attributes in deeper midfield but not really the physical side of things. And the buying of Tielemans looks the longest odds on any of the names being put around as potential arrivals.

This brings me back to a point I made the other day. In deep midfield we currently have Partey and Xhaka as first choice, with Lokonga and Elneny as back ups. Unless of course Maitland-Niles returns or Martinez is recruited and is rarely used at left back or central defence if Partey gets injured. The question I raised is whether Arteta is happy with those options? My suspicion is he must be.

Am I right in thinking the only first choice players (rather than those already at the club who weren’t then first choice regulars) when Arteta became manager who will presumably still be first choice regulars next season are Tierney and Xhaka? If there’s anyone else I’ve forgotten then apologies. But I can’t think of anyone else. Moreover, this is the sixth transfer window under Arteta, with some big money spent over that time. With Xhaka looking as though he still won’t be replaced, and Arteta extending his contract with I imagine a pay rise, I think the most rational conclusion is that Arteta is happy with the deep midfield.

So it is going to be Arteta’s team next season. That’s why I expect him to get his P45 if we don’t get a top four place after the money Kroenke has already let him spend, and is expected to let him spend this window.

Sources in Brazil saying Gabriel Jesus will earn slightly below £200K per week, so pretty close to what Lacazette made.

Oh anytime now. Probably be announced first on Arsenal Direct.
Besides in this photo Jesus has the right tatts but not the same shirt the Fabio photo had.

It will be difficult to survive on such a paltry sum but I am sure he will get by.

That's better.

Funnily enough, while I saw Alan Ball play quite a few times for us, I have no recollection of his signing.

Clive Allen, on the other hand, I remember well. If only for Kenny Sansom - what a player.

Alan Ball was famous at Everton for wearing white football boots. When he joined us from them my dad got me some white football boots to wear when playing at school.

I’m sure he played a small number of games for Arsenal in white boots, but hardly any. Maybe one or two? It would surprise me if it was three or more. Then he stopped wearing white boots and went back to black boots.

Annoying at the time but can’t hold it against him. He was a great player for the club and in my view saved us from relegation in the mid-seventies.

Good year for Kroenke, his hockey team Colorado Avalanche has just won the league for the first time in 21 years.

Clearly the Kroenke's like the feel of winning.

It'll be a hat-trick when we win the PL next season

Fabrizio Romano on Saliba

William Saliba situation. Rumours on loan move are wide of mark, Arsenal board and Mikel Arteta both count on Saliba as part of the team for next season. Been told situation could only change in case of crazy bid. Arsenal trust him - keen on discussing a new contract.

A couple of physical midfielders of interest.
Seko Fofana - more of an attacking/box-to/box
Cheikh Dacoure - defensive mid, occasional CB - Palace supposedly interested

If we don’t beat city’s achievement of over 100 points next season Arteta should be sacked. If we aren’t top of the league by Christmas the board should act quickly and appoint Louis Van Gaal with Van der vaart & Justin Edinburgh as his assistants


I have to say it feels to me we need another pot soon. Even if it’s a league cup. I think even a European adventure in europa would captivate our fans a bit. Hopefully we can get an easy draw avoiding Eastern Europe and the possibility of the teams plane getting shot down by a stray hypersonic missile from Putin

Last season 69 points. Looking at our results I tried to pick out where clear improvements could/should be made.

Must improve:
Brentford (a)
Palace (h) and (a)
Brighton (h)
everton (a)
burnley/new promoted team (h)
southampton (a)

We dropped 19 points in those fixtures. Of course we can't expect to win all those and maintain all other results but if we did win all those we're in a title race. There are no big 6 teams in this list even though we must improve our record in those games as well.

As always, away wins will be gold dust in this league.