G'Day McQ

We have been alarmingly mediocre for chunks of the season but like you, I'm pleased we're looking better in recent weeks.

I saw a quote from (I think) Arseblog who noted that from the 18 points available from our games against Villa, Wolves and Burnley, we took only 1. From our current perspective, you'd like to think that was a different team - but it wasn't.

No Bern. Never got around to entering the ballot. Can't be arsed with testing protocols.

How much are the tickets? Is the upper tier open?

I see Totts charged £60 a pop for last nights admission.

I'd have paid that to watch that comedy show last night. Would have been hilarious.

I’m not sitting in my normal seat but without knowing presume the upper tier is open. The seat was £35.50 but as I say, that isn’t for my normal seat.

That sounds quite cheap by Arsenal standards.

I disagree with you here g7. I think Ødegaard is worth signing, yes it has to be a fair price but he has a lot about him and with the right guidance could be a top player.

Pay per boo.

Lots of talk around Newcastle making a bid for Willock. I’ve seen some talk saying Arsenal will ask or accept £20m. It’s probably a fair price but why should we only want a fair price if we even sell him at all! He’s 21, English on a long contract and has just scored 6 in 6 to help drag a team away from relegation. That is at least £30m in any market

I'd rather he stayed/

He's been 'Messi' for them. The surprise would be if they didn't want him badly.

The question for me is does this mean Arsenal were wrong about Willock or right about him that he's a good player but not an 'Arsenal' player or a player Arsenal needs?

I understand salary demands precluded us from keeping Ramsey. We couldn't afford him. I'll never be convinced Wenger wasn't being petty in not bringing Fabregas back. Same with Anelka wanting to return. The way both left, Wenger was never going to take them back. He took Henry back for a stint because he was okay with how he left.

Great as Wenger was, he had his faults and he'd sometimes sacrifice what was best for Arsenal to appease his ego and feelings. He's human.

Fabregas, even in his 30s would have been a huge boost to our midfield. Aubameyang and Lacazette would have loved the service he'd have provided. He and Party may have had a great partnership. But its all speculation.

Nothing we can do about Ramsey going to Liverpool and I suspect he'd be good for them. Us selling the AOC was good business. I don't fault Arsenal for that. I'm sure AOC thanks the football gods for that transfer. He's won everything under the sun with them.

https://www.justarsenal.com/liverpool-want-ramsey-will-arsenal-have-regrets-like-with-fabregas/282622

Liverpool want Ramsey will arsenal have regrets like with Fabregas

I rather Arteta takes him back

Willock one is a toughie

When I’ve watched them recently Newcastle seem to be playing him like a 2nd covert striker in their counter attacking style so he’s had great success there as he’s always been good around the penalty area and scoring goals. His flaw was distribution and passing from deeper which I’m not sure has changed or if he’s a good fit there.

Might be best to let him go with a big sell on clause.

The debate about keeping Willock or not may be out of our hands. He could force a move. I don't blame him one iota for what he said to them and could not blame him as well for requesting a transfer. If he requests it I say grant him the chance to go to a great club, great Geordie fans and he's well on his way to becoming a club legend there.

I'm guessing if he asked back he'll ask for either guarantees (of which he won't get) or at the very least a frank discussion on where he stands.

https://talksport.com/football/883502/arsenal-joe-willock-goals-premier-league-history-newcastle/

“I want to say thank you for making me feel so welcome and thank you for greeting me with open arms,” he said.

“I hope you’re satisfied with what I’ve given for the club so far and hopefully there’s more to continue in the future. I’m not going to promise anything, but the conversation is going to be held.

Arsenal should go nowhere near Ramsey. If he wasn’t an ex Arsenal player we wouldn’t be debating it and he wouldn’t be linked.
30, long history of injuries, huge wages.
The only things in his favour are his home grown status and he can get goals from midfield. I’d much rather give Willock a go.

Quite a bit of talk of us going back for Buendia as our primary creative target. I really like him from what I’ve seen, probably the best player in the championship but can he replicate that in the prem? £40m is a big risk to take that he can.

Thought he was good the times I saw him for Norwich during their season in the PL. Been called up to Argentina for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers as well. I like the fact that he seems to play well with both feel, and looks versatile enough to play in a number of different positions across the front line, or even in a midfield three. If we're not going for Ødegaard he ticks a lot of the boxes for me.

Legit question about the rise in level. The money in the championship is better, especially for those recently relegated. There are far more foreign players in the Championship as well, who are sometimes international players if from the 2nd tier Euro countries.

Although no guarantee, I am not as worried about someone who is obviously class moving up to the EPL.

Willock is staying according to the Beeb.

I would think that Willock is by far the better choice in a toss-up between the 2. Certainly hope Arteta don't make the dumb, imo, decision to take Ramsey instead of Willock.

Nuno Santo to Spurs rumours.
Willock should stay where he can thrive, progress. If it's with the Magpies, so be it.

Saw a good point today that with Arsenal not in champions league or europa league next year we may have to wait until the end of the transfer window to secure transfer targets simply because they may be waiting for an offer from a team with European football.

It does. My normal seat certainly costs more.

I can’t work out if this should have got more appreciation or more groans and calls for you to get your coat

This....this is football.

Hahaha...I hate the ginger haired pr*ck. But the only way he doesn't get in the EPL Hall of Fame is if the all the judges are Liverpool or City fans or under 25 years old. Still funny to me though.

https://www.givemesport.com/1694966-scholes-vs-gerrard-vs-lampard-fans-are-angry-with-premier-league-hall-of-fame-decision

That was just amazing. And, oddly, Harry Kane was on the field for Leicester at the time.

Arteta talking in his ore match interview about having everyone pulling in the same direction and saying that earlier in the season when we were losing games there were ‘people inside the club trying to hurt you’

Arteta has made mistakes and I’m still not fully convinced with his general tactics but we have to acknowledge the tremendously difficult set of circumstances he’s had to work in.

2 of them relegated Schalke and were voted the worst signings in the Bundesliga. 1 of them is about to rejoin. Rats.

Hi Rich,

It has been a difficult season but that doesn't excuse some of his team selections, his tactics, his in-game management, the lateness of his substitutions etc.

I've no doubt he is an excellent coach on the training ground with good ideas and principles and that he will probably develop into an excellent manager given time but he needs to learn more quickly than he appears to be doing if he wants to keep this job. Either that or bring in an experienced ex-manager as his number 2 who can give him sound advice and the benefit of his knowledge on how to deal with certain situations rather than him having to learn on the job, so to speak.

Would Roy Hodgson be interested in a less pressurised role in an advisory capacity on Arteta's backroom team? Just a thought.

Hearing Klopp say that no team could have won the title with his teams injuries. He’s probably right but the context he fails to recognise is that he’s had a virtually injury free first 11 for 3 years! Also the season his team did win the title their nearest competitor suffered a season ending injury to their primary CB as well.
If he’s going to play the unlucky card this year then he has to admit how lucky they had been previously

Surely talking about the German clique mustafi, Özil and Kolasinac who just seemed to be going through the motions on the pitch with Özil and Guendouzi causing endless arguments off it since he joined.

Those players had to be shipped out before we could progress

Regarding Arteta's comments. It just seems like he's shot himself in the foot. As supporters, we have no idea what is really going on inside the club. All we can see for ourselves is the tactics and team selection. To what extent internal matters have influenced performance on the pitch is only supposition, but he's left most supporters scratching their heads at times if not most times.

Also, the exclusion of Saliba can't be overstated in terms of confusion as to why. Holding has done a better than expected job. But....we all know the 'but' as it applies to Salbia.

Then there is Balogun being out, Xhaka being in, and a whole host of things.

Saka is my player of the season. In the worst run of games he was the one who carried the team forward and in some of most crucial games he’s been a difference maker.

Saka is my player of the season too. Tierney is my runner up.

My player of the season is Nicolas Pépé. Despite getting a ton of grief he impacts more games for us than any other player who isn’t a striker

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/te ... op-scorers

People who are saying Saka is our player of the year are saying it purely off his potential rather than what he produced this year. (Which he did very well for his age )

Luiz Suarez just gave Atletico the lead! Keep it going and Atletico will be champ ions.

Saka for me too.