I’d play Holding ahead of Kolasinac v City. In a backs you the wall deep defence performance he’s better. Of holding just has to play in a 30 yard vertical zone from his own 6 yard box and up he’s much more in his comfort zone. No space behind to run in to, he can stay nice and compact with his team mates and head and block everything away. It’s the sort of defending we’ll need against City.

More likely we’d have to pay them to take him off our hands. Wonder if there’s ever been such a case before, where the selling club has to pay the buying club to get rid of him? You’ve had free transfers where the selling club doesn’t receive any money, so in effect gives the player away. This would only be one step beyond that. Could this be called a ‘negative transfer’, if it happens?

I suppose it hasn’t happened because it would cost less to simply pay up a player’s contract to get him off the books. Özil’s annual salary is £18.2m (£350k x 52). With us being half way through July and his contract expiring on 30th June next year, that would now cost around £17.5m (£350k x 50).

Trouble is we’d have to pay most of Özil’s salary too. Might be cheaper just to keep him and never play him.

It comes down to whether he is a negative influence in the dressing room. Irrespective of whether he's disruptive or a model professional it can't be great for a team trying to establish themselves under their new young manager to see the highest paid player never making the team, and never have a chance of making the team. I feel even if we are stuck with paying his entire salary next season that we need to find some way to get him out on loan.
Arteta has been pretty clear about attitude and effort in training in order to make the match day team so we can only assume that is not being displayed by Özil because if he was Arteta would surely find a place for him among the 9 subs he's allowed even if he doesn't fit in Arteta's formation, shape and tactics

This might sound silly but we have Leno and Martinez who you could argue are both in the top 6 GK's in the prem right now. For a club that is desperate for finances to improve the squad it doesn't make sense to have such a valuable asset sitting on the bench all season.
It is brilliant ot have such a good back up as Martinez, and he's been very much needed this season with Leno's injury but is it a luxury we can afford ourselves?
I'm hesitant to say this because GK is really not a position you want to mess around with and many top clubs have had to go through numerous GK's until they've found a safe pair of hands but if for example an offer came in for one of them for £50m then it may be sensible to sell. It weakens that position but with greater opportunity to strengthen the squad as a whole.

With 4 recent goals coming from opposition defensive errors occurring from an Arsenal high press from the forwards Arteta is getting the perfect evidence to show his team that if these are his instructions they will work and we will get the rewards.
The high press is so effective but so complicated to perform. We're nowhere near good enough at it yet but we've had a few results from it. Liverpool's high press is fantastic, every man know his job and understands his position and the angles to cut off. Sometimes it isn't about closing down the ball it is setting the traps. At Liverpool Firminho, one of the most intelligent players, is their trigger. You can't just always press, it needs the right moment which could be a slightly bad first touch or a ball played slightly behind someone. I would love Arteta to install such a confident press in us but it will take time, years even.

This is essentially what United are doing with Alexis Sanchez by paying inter 175 grand of his weekly wages.

It’s utterly mental but it’s the only way out of it.

Arsenal bite their lip and agree to a free transfer and to pay anything above 180k of his weekly wages. The little *%^@** pisses off to Turkey and we continue to shell out a fortune but at least get 180 k a week to put towards other players salary’s.

His transfer is probably the worst arsenal transfer of all time now with 2 decent seasons then he has literally handicapped the side for the last 2 years playing appallingly and financially crippling us to.

Your right Dec,

We need 3 players right down the spine

1 defensive balling Winning midfielder ala Fernandinho or Gilberto
1 Özil no 10 type replacement who can show quality in the final third

1 centre back who can also lead and organise our defence

With Arteta saying he needs the boards help yesterday I found that telling. I do wonder if we could see a scenario with Arteta moving on.

Just looked up the players’ payroll at Fenerbahce this season. Their highest paid player is Luiz Gustavo on £68k per week, with Victor Moses their second highest paid player on £57k a week. If the website giving those figures are right, I don’t think they’d go anywhere near £180k a week for Özil.

https://eurofootballrumours.com/fenerba ... -salaries/

I don't think Mesut would give a rat's arse.

Strikes me he stopped playing - or wanting to play - after the World Cup. Since then, his ambition hasn't extended beyond what to do with his £18.2m salary. He's not doing anything or going anywhere that will jeopardise his finances.

I completely agree DHD. He will turn up for training and play if selected (if you call ‘play’ going onto the pitch and trying to avoid the ball). It would cost him money to do anything else, with fines and so on. But he’s lost his desire to play. The nature of his departure from the German national team and his time at Arsenal since signing his new deal in my view shows that.

At the end of his contract at Arsenal, I think it’s possible he’ll retire as he’ll be approaching his 33rd birthday. Or maybe he’ll go to America if he can find a club who will pay him for doing next to nothing, which is right up his street.

Quote:

'This world is about money, so when you are offered those millions you take them. Few people will ever earn so many. I am one of the few fortunates who do. I may be one of the worst buys in the history of the Premiership but I don't care.'

Sounds like something Özil would say. Actually it’s Winston Bogarde from way back when Chelsea couldn’t unload him nor force him out. At the time I thought that it was a mad one-off. Never thought that it would happen to us.

He could/should join and MLS side in the US. Others have.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sports/news/m ... r-BB16AFll

Update on Martinelli's injury, not expected back until 2021.

When was the last time we started a new season without a player out with a long term injury?

Bogarde was the first. I'm sure Leeds had one player whose wages they were still paying 2 clubs on. I think the money is a factor with Özil. Others too. Sanchez got an insane deal from Man U. He has barely put in a performance since. DeGea is the highest paid keeper in the world...something like 400k per week. He looks like a player who has done absolutely nothing to work on his game in a few years. If you have won a lot and get a huge contract, it is not difficult to see how indifference would set in.

Man U getting lots of VAR lucky again. Surely a clear penalty not given for Zaha and Man U go down the other end and score. It should be 1-0 Palace and it's 1-0 Man U. Now Palace have a goal ruled out for the tiniest offside. The lines drawn by the VAR are still just someone's best guess where the bodies or feet are. Fundamentally flawed system for the tight decisions.

As well as being awarded the most penalties Man U have also had the most VAR reprieves from goals scored against them being ruled out

It's two seasons running with the penos. Painful to watch. There is a silver lining though. I think it papers over the cracks. I just don't rate Solskjaer at all and I can't see them winning a title with him in charge.

Man Utd - 13 penalties this season. Liverpool - 5. Says it all.

Arteta has a great opportunity. He clearly has affection for Arsenal and also seems to have a really clear idea of what he wants. I think he knows it is a difficult job too. But if he can address that central midfield/centre back axis even to some degree, he will be well on his way.

Mavropanos signed a contract extension and a year on loan with Stuttgart next year, back with Mislintat. Rumours are Sokratis is wanted there as well.

Speaking of Mislintat, we thought we had a great coup getting him in then he left, but looking at the signings he influenced, Aubameyang (bit of a no brained and wasn’t bought for that type of signing) mkhitaryan, Mavropanos, Leno, guendouzi, sokratis, torriera, Lichtsteiner- it’s not exactly a roaring success.

Towards the end Kanu was doing the same to us.

P.S. We would clearly have been much better off taking Fabregas back.

I have to assume, winning the CL is the priority for Man City but they wouldn't mind this trophy either. Not expecting us to win. Not even expecting us to put up a brave fight. But I hope nonetheless.

Thomas Brolin, Dec

I reckon Germany got rid of him for the same reason. I recall the excitement when we signed him and 1.5 seasons later he became *%^@. What a lazy a******. I'd pay him out the last season and get rid. He's just sucking up energy, time with trainers, coaches, physio's and is helping perpetuate the virw of Arsenal as a soft touch.

If Leno is ready to start next season, I would definitely be looking to sell Martinez and get a new backup keeper. He has done great since Leno got injured, but there's no point in having two starting quality keepers when you can get good money for one of them. And in a choice between the two, let's not forget we're talking about a six game stretch for Martinez, while Leno has been first choice at the highest level for nine years now.

Tony Adams has laid in to Edu and Sanllehi and recruitment. He said they are both out of their depth. I think it is fair enough to have a go at recent recruitment, it hasn't been good enough and I don't think any of us are comfortable with the 'Agents' based approach, but I'm not sure Sanllehi is 'out of his depth'. He might not be doing the best job but he did this job for Barcelona and is pretty experienced at it.

Smith-Rowe has just scored a cracker for Huddersfield v WBA.

and sadly probably relegated Charlton in the process

good to see him doing well, just wish he hadn't done it tonight

Adams was the best CB I saw play for Arsenal, an absolute lion for us. However, I find him very awkward to listen to as a pundit with his insight. He may be right about Edu & Sanllehi but the full interview doesn't tally for me. He says he'd play Özil and build the attack around him. Özil is a busted flush for us, literally a passenger in a team whose coach now demands more from it's individual parts. I saw a tweet from Le Grove earlier where he says that even at 37, Bergkamp in his final season still contributed 8 goals and 12 assists. To sum up, I find Adams cringeworthy as a commentator on issues at Arsenal despite him being a truly magnificent player.

Our Tone is flaky. I think we all know that. I think AW knew that and I think the Club know that.

Having been excluded on a number of occasions from a realistic role, he’s also slightly bitter.

I still love the man dearly.

Chris Willock (Joe’s brother) scores the first. I think he was with us, left for Benfica and is now back rebuilding his career in England

There has been a record surge in Covid19 cases as you have all read. Especially in 'red' states. Georgia being one of them. The mayor of Atlanta mandated the wearing of masks. The governor of Georgia disagrees and eliminated the requirement for the whole state....and is suing the Atlanta mayor for requiring it. The stats prove she should be more concerned. A sharp rise in cases in her city. She is being sued for attempting to save her own constituents lives. Surreal. But this is how far the right wing has gotten to in America.

The establishment left are weak, spineless. Biden is simply not a good candidate. But he will reassure the establishment (Wall Street, the 1%, etc,) much more than Sanders or others farther left. As of now he is polling very well against Trump nationally but that means nothing. How he polls in the 'swing states' is what is more important. Biden can be 20 points ahead in New York or California. That doesn't matter. Those states are going Democrat and are already factored in. How he does in Michigan, Ohio, Florida, and several others decides things. Hillary polled higher than Trump nationally in 2016, lost the election, had the most votes and ended up still polling higher than him nationally.

Despite Trump the BLM protests that have swept America, the UK, numerous other countries is a catalyst and a sign the political pendulum of America will swing farther left, despite Biden. The far left has its issues just like the far right has. Not sure if or when America will ever be a centrist nation again. The extremes of both sides are harnessing power.

Evangelicals (sometimes known as born again Christians, southern Baptists decades ago) in America, mostly southern and midwest but have expanded, have been on the wrong side of any transformative event in American history. Every single one.
They were pro slavery, pro Civil War, pro segregation, pro Jim Crow, anti women's suffrage's right to vote in 1919, anti Civil Rights and Voting Rights act, pro Vietnam war, anti Women's movement of the '70s, anti gay marriage, pro Nixon....twice, pro Iraq war...and now pro Trump. In fact, they support Trump in far more fervor and in far higher percentage than they did ANY OTHER PRESIDENT in modern history. More than Reagan. And even more than Bush who was a born again Christian (as an aside, Obama was too but they didn't support him).

I once had a discussion with an older co-worker, who was a former pastor and with a degree in divinity, from Tennessee. I said I don't consider the vast majority of evangelicals as Christians but mainly a group using religion to gain power over people. He took offense and I said they were nothing more than modern day Pharisees. And I recited their historical stances. He was offended but didn't have a adequate response other than I can't judge 'man'. I told him the good book said I will know you by your works. LOL.

The religious right sees Trump as some modern day Nebuchadnezzer. They have had the most access to the WH under Trump than any prior President, hence their fawning over him. His support for them was to give them some freedom that muddies the water between the separation of church and state and his promise to move the American embassy to Jerusalem. Why? They want to initiate the prophesies of the Book of Revelations. They are very pro Israel because of that and look for an prophesised apocalypse that coincidentally doesn't end well for the people in the very state they purport to support. I know this irony isn't lost on Israelis.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=516901215678460

The trick tonight isn't scoring. We are capable of a goal. The trick is limiting City to 1 goal, 2 at most and see if we have enough in us for a 2nd. Go to PKs or extra time or whatever. I can't see us getting a shut out. I hope so but its wishful thinking for the most part.

Our effectiveness in counter attacking may be what gets us through if we are able to manage it.

Ironically he spent the 1st half of the season on loan at West Brom.

https://amp.theguardian.com/football/20 ... ssion=true

Brass neck doesn't begin to describe it. A thoroughly odious individual.

Yes when he was at Chelsea and they were feeding off all that money from the owner he was really outspoken and said he just wanted 11 average players who were not gained to give them an unfair advantage. Kettle pot - total an absolute wanker and the fact he is with Spurs makes him even a bigger wanker.

I see Holjberg from Southampton is supposedly wanted by Spurs and Everton, with the later already making a £25m approach. I mean if he is goes for £25m there is the benchmark for any Guendouzi sale - and add another £10m on for sure

https://www.football365.com/news/arsena ... n-transfer

It is too easy for the gossip columns now with Arsenal, just look at any player who is represented by Kia Joorabchian and link him with Arsenal. simple

I really hope Arteta does not bring Kolasinac back in the team.
Surely he sticks with Holding. He played well against Liverpool.

low expectations today.
i mean they are so much better than us.........but we said that 3 years ago in the semi final v city and.........

In one off games anything can happen, and often does. Worse teams than Arsenal have beaten better sides than City many times. This year Watford, a worse team than Arsenal, beat Liverpool, a better side than City this season. Such examples have happened so often if you wanted to list them all, it would be a bigger document than Tolstoy’s War and Peace.

We beat Liverpool after being outplayed and the same might happen again. Maybe a couple of City players will make bad errors to give us a goal or two, as happened with Liverpool. Perhaps a terrible refereeing or VAR decision will go in our favour. Or could we get it to penalties and win the shoot out? Why not?

I understand that we are the massive underdogs and I doubt even Lord Lucan with his gambling addiction, if he’s still alive somewhere, would be putting a fiver on an Arsenal win. But despite City being huge favourites, we do have a chance. Even if it’s a very slim one.