Just listened to Nketiah on the beautiful game podcast. Worth a listen If you get time.

Came across as a well grounded lad but said he and all his family have been Arsenal fans all their lives and the only thing he ever wanted was to be Arsenals centre forward. It was recorded pre his recent run in the side and he talks about playing minutes a lot. You can’t help feel pleased for the kid knowing since then he’s played all the games.

https://tbrfootball.com/report-says-alv ... -25m-move/


Please no
Please no
Please no

I find that one pretty hard to believe. Surely unlikely. Unless Arteta does want 2 strikers in addition to Nketiah as he’s pretty cheap

I just dont rate him.
Age profile just seems out of sync with our recruitment drive.
He is hardly prolific either.

America is irreparably broken. She has passed the proverbial 'Rubicon' towards assured decline. The only areas globally where mass shootings on this level and this frequency are normal to all of us are: America, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Israel/Occupied countries and less than a handful of other places. Any similar event in any developed, G20 nation would and have galvanized the nation into collective action. Political, cultural, class divisions set aside. New Zealand, Finland, Austrailia, France, Japan to name a recent few in modern times.

But not America. The aforementioned nations only needed one event. No nation at the level America is ever lasts with such events continually. A peace has to be made. Ireland, the UK comes to mind.

As the political divisions continue and there are as bad as I've ever remembered or in history since the Civil War. Even in the build up to the Civil War, the business of running the country was still adhered to. These days? Republicans routinely run for office with a platform of not ever compromising with or working with Democrats. It's impossible to run a nation that way. But, we are at that stage. Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader while Obama was in the office, bragged publicly about telling Obama when they met after Obama hadn't even warmed his seat that he would not work with him on anything. Not that he wouldn't work with him on things his party didn't agree with, no, with ANYTHING. Even things he may even support. They'd vote for it if something they were for was up for a vote and fell into their laps but as far as constructing, etc? No. They'd critique it from the sidelines and that's it.

The Democrats are the most imcompetent at politics. The Lincoln Project, Republicans who are fighting the party since it embraced Trump and have run ads against Republicans, have commented that the Dems can't follow simple political strategies and they end up snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Sanders polled very well against Trump in both the 2016 and 2020 elections but the Dems backed 2 candidates the Dem masses didn't want. Hillary Clinton and Biden are beholden to the corporations and special interests (so are the Republicans) and the masses dying in debt, undercut by every turn by the Amazons of the world, wanted someone who would fight for them. But the party machine wanted to serve their paymasters and chose someone who would do just that.

This fall the Democrats will lose and lose big. It won't be pretty. They will lose both houses of Congress and after 2024, we will see Republicans in complete control of the country, top to bottom. Not only will they have the White House, the entire Congress they will likely have before all is said and done, 7 of the 9 Supreme Court justice and the majority of them have no intention of honoring precedence, the Constitution or protecting the reputation of the court as unbiased. Not only that, 28 of the 50 states have Republican governors but my guess is they will get 35 to 38 or 39 governorships over the next 4 years or so.

What will the Republicans do with all that power? They will do what either party has done. They will abuse it. Republicans abuse it by granting the rich so much unregulated freedom, they end up creating a economic bubbles that eventually explode. Its happend every time in the last 100 years, with only one exception. The 'Ike' years of the 1950s (specifically 1952-1960) and the reason it ended well was because Eisenhower ran the government like he ran his army. It lived no more, no less on what it needed. He was the one that warned about the power of the 'Military-Industrial Complex'.

Anyway, my guess from what I can see from present trends, events is that there will likely be a massive economic crash of Great Depression proportions before the end of the decade. The Democrats will react by wanting to write checks to everyone, damn the national debt or how they will pay for it. The Republican masses will become unhinged and react how they have for the last 20 years: mass shootings. To whom they will direct their animosity to? Take your pick: elected officials, immigrants, Blacks, Gays, liberals.

China will emerge the new world leader. Russia will become an ally to check China and we'll look the other way of internal abuses in Russia and probably the other way as they reconstitute the old Soviet bloc by force. India will join this alliance as it has a regional concern. Pakistan will play both sides possibly.

America will be balkanized. Even up to the point where the red states, especially those that are adjacent like the deep south, will be similar somewhat to Kurdistan in Iraq. Techinally under the auspices of the Iragi government but in actuality autonomous.

Yeah another ex-Chelsea player.
Meanwhile, Rabiot just might go to either Spurs or Chelsea.

'Goodfellas' actor Ray Liotta died in his sleep in the Dominican Republic. Age 67. He was filming a movie there called Dangerous Waters. RIP

Villa have so far signed Coutinho permanently, Boubakar Kamara on a free and now reached an agreement with Diego Carlos the Sevilla CB….on top of Digne and Chambers in January and a big spree last summer with Buendia, Bailey, ings and Ashley young all joining. A big offset is the Grealish transfer though.

A couple of points:

It must be a worry for other leagues that players are switching from top 3-4 teams in those leagues to join 14th in the Prem

There are a number of players in that list who will be on very big wages due to their age or free transfer status as well as the status of the teams they’ve come from no doubt paying them high previously. Villa must be absolutely smashing their total wage outlay. But also could find themselves having problems in the future, as we know to our cost old players with big wages is not an easy problem to solve if their performance drops

I’ve sen us linked once again to Aouar. His price is dropping rapidly. French media say he’s available for £12m. He’s about to turn 24. It’s the sort of gamble someone could take and be handsomely rewarded if he refunds his form….or mildly put out if he doesn’t. £12m is nothing in today’s market

Here are some per 90 minute stats and where that ranks in percentile (closer to 100 is better) for a striker we’ve been linked with. Would you have him at Arsenal?

For that kind of money I can also see West Ham, Newcastle, Villa, Tottenham, Leicester going for him. We have a higher profile than all of them and I'd include Tottenham. I still think we have a bigger rep internationally.

Seems we are starting a bit early on a few contracts as well.

3 of the most important deals we can do this summer are extending the contracts of Saka, Martinelli and Saliba. I think all 3 have 2 years left on their deal this year. 3 year extensions for all would secure their futures

33 years ago today (shouldn’t be any need to say what was). 3 months from being a quarter of a century. Gulp. Mind you, getting old is better than the only alternative.

Er, so maths is not your strong point

In what way? 26 May 1989 to 26 May 2022 is 33 years isn’t it? A third of a century is 33 years and 3 months isn’t it?

EDIT: Sorry, I get what you mean. I meant to say a third of a century not a quarter. Incompetence using the wrong word more than faulty maths.

Good thing you caught that. The 1/3 of a century that is, mother a 1/4 century. Was sort of wondetong that myself....

Edit: supposed to be 'not a 1/4 of a century' and wondering not wondertong....

It was only after I’d done my first reply to Terry Henry that I noticed I’d somehow used the word quarter rather than third. Incompetence or carelessness I guess, as I’d actually been talking to my wife about it being three months off a third of a century just before I did the post. Indeed, it was my chat with her that made me do the post.

I also chatted (by text) this evening about it being 33 years to an Arsenal supporting friend who didn’t go to the game with me as he decided to watch it at his family’s home with his dad, who was terminally ill with cancer. The friend was a regular home and away fan like me. Says he doesn’t regret his decision not to go because when Thomas scored the winner, despite being terminally ill his dad (also a lifelong fan) somehow found the strength to get up and celebrate the goal.

My friend said if he’d gone to Anfield with me, he’d have never shared that moment with his dad.

I was never there but when I see the videos of it I feel like I were.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=704931333892630

Unless I hear any evidence that supports why we risked losing him by never playing him (we could have used him instead of Holding), that even Henry has commented, if he leaves, its self inflicted mistake.

Saliba is one of the big mysteries I am hoping the documentary solves.

Translation of la Liga comments: "Only we are allowed to offer insane contracts because we have Real Madrid and Barcelona who are above mere football"

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61598269

I know this is the season of transfer babble and click bait targets and such but we were strongly linked to Morata a while back. I used to want him but not anymore.

https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/news/arsenal-transfer-alvaro-morata-winger-24074650

Arsenal 'very close' to signing Alvaro Morata and hold 'legal guarantee' over midfielder signing

Looking at music across eras brings back memories of where i was in past years.

https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=335054751023549

Holding made 9 starts and 6 sub appearances for us this season
Saliba made 51 starts for Marseille including 12 in European competitions and made his senior international debut....and was voted in the French team of the season and won young player of the year. His development at Marseille has been a resounding success, as good as you can hope for by sending a young player on loan. He would not be the player he is now if he'd stayed with us and played just those 9 starts Holding did.

There is always a risk with loans that the player gets a taste for first team football at a lower level and wants more of it, as the club loaning out the player you have to hope that the desire translates in to coming back and proving himself at the bigger club and fighting for his spot in the first 11.

I can't think of many 21 year old CB's playing every game for one of Europe's top teams

I hear ya Rich, but from the little I know, it wasn't like he was initially seen by Marseille as a raw, rough player who worked on his game and developed.

Wasn't he good from the start? Of course he got better...as any young defender will when they get minuites. If anyone is trying to say Holding, who I have always been a fan of, was better and thereby should be higher in the pecking order...well, if they can convince me I suggest they go to Newcastle and sell them some coal.

We didn't even get a chance to find out. We have to take Arteta's word for it and as much as I like Arteta I can't take his word for it regarding Saliba, especially when Henry himself has slammed Arteta.

I have yet to see any independent observer say Saliba didn't deserve to play for us at all.

...furthermore, I think it was Holding who should have been sent on loan. Given what was at stake as a club. 8th in the league prior to the season, we needed all hands on deck. If we had a better, deeper squad, I wouldn't have liked it but I would have grudgingly accepted it. We were desperate for defenders at the end of last season.

Links to Zinchenko from City today. It is a move that makes a lot of sense. I do like what I've seen of Hickey as well, young and 2 footed.

Jesus, Zinchenko, Bissouma, Tielemans, Abraham - I'd snap your hand off for that this summer, all Prem league ready which de-risks transfers massively

Zinchenko would be an excellent signing. Tavares is well short of the level we need. With Tierney's injury record, Zinchenko would be a great fit. He can play in midfield too, which he does consistently for Ukraine.

Are city really going to sell us all these players

Would be a good signing and a genuine replacement for Tierney in the event of an injury. Would be a bit weird though because spending at least 35 million on a backup player whilst desperate for midfielders and strikers

I know debating which players may join is what football fans do, but I do think it’s wise to ignore clickbait and see what actually does happen. I mean, according to this link Wolves could be taking Arsenal to court which may lead to a transfer ban. Hopefully it’s clickbait nonsense, but there again so might 99% of the transfer rumours circulating.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football ... dium=email

Top 5 names being put on the backs of the new shirts by the fans

1. Ødegaard 8
2. Saka 7
3. Martinelli 11
4. Smith Rowe 10
5. Tomiyasu 18

Tomiyasu must be the overseas market, I'm guessing.

If only this were true!

Getting minutes quite often exposes young players' weaknesses and shows that they are not going to cut it.

So we’re signing hickey, zinchenko and now this guy

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/18708170 ... ter-milan/

Oh this Marquinhos thing is all over the place. So whether or not Edu was at all aware of last summer's Wolves supposed agreement is another thing entirely.

https://dailycannon.com/2022/05/wolves- ... s-arsenal/

Oh this Marquinhos thing is all over the media. If Edu was even aware of last summer's supposed deal with Wolves is left to be revealed.

https://dailycannon.com/2022/05/wolves- ... s-arsenal/

Retaining the likes of Elneny and Nketiah makes sense in terms of there being a lot we need to do with the squad this summer in terms of quality and numbers, keeping those two maybe allows us to add fewer but higher quality players.

Centre mid and striker are the two key areas to add quality, perhaps we can commit more money to those positions now. If it is Tielemans and Jesus I think that’s a pretty good start to the summer, both would be somewhat cut price as they have 1 year left on their deal.

There are lots of rumours around Gnabry, he also has one year left on his deal, won’t sign again with Bayern so they’re looking for £34m this summer, he’ll have just turned 27 when next season starts

Ivan Perisic is close to a 2 year deal with Spurs, I think he’s a very underrated player, but he’s 33 and will command huge wages. He’s the sort of signing you make if you’re a winning team who just want a bit of extra edge for 2 years….looks like Conte is going all out on the short term to try to be successful- and he might be - but I don’t see a long term plan when all your best players are ageing and on very big contracts…..plus the £75m to make two loans permanent to just stay still for next year

Help please.

What time is ko for the CL Final - UK time?