I would add to that. IMO Xhaka is too limited and we end up with other players having to cover for his deficiencies. Would get rid of him and start remodelling the midfield in totality. Don't actually think any of this will happen.

I would not be holding out much hope of getting big funds from Guendouzi sale particularly if he is wanted by other medium to big clubs. They know he is not wanted at Arsenal and will likely offer very little funds on the basis we want to get rid of him.

I didn’t think that was what I said. I said I consider Ceballos more creative than Emile Smith Rowe. That isn’t the same thing at all. I think with young players there’s often a tendency to overreact to their potential. Emile Smith Rowe has only played one single game for Arsenal when I didn’t end up feeling underwhelmed.

I have overreacted myself. After three brief sub appearances last season I was hoping Medley could become another Sol Campbell. He hasn’t played one first team game this campaign, not even in the League Cup. So I was probably overreacting. But at least I saw more in Medley to overreact about than I have in Emile Smith Rowe.

Seen some comparisons of points after the first 19 games
Arteta 30
Emery 38
Wenger 33
Rioch 33
Graham 38
People trying to make a point that Arteta has been worse than all 3. But by showing all the managers it just shows how you can't take anything from the first 19 games, and that is before you look at the state of the teams each manager inherited.

Almost irrespective of results, if Arteta had used his half a season to get the confidence and morale back in to the squad, root out the bad eggs, made clear decisions on who isn't good enough and what he needs, and get everyone pulling in the same direction that would have been a tough ask in itself.

This is a monumental re-build we have to do. Maybe Arteta can make some easy wins just as Wenger did. Wenger took on the drinking, the diet the fitness and we improved players without signings. Arteta can improve, off the ball, positioning, discipline, desire and motivation - all things that we have lacked and can be coached in to existing players.
We cant go and sign world class players, we cant go and sign half a new squad. We need to pick our battles, invest in the long term future, take the painful sales where required if the longer term goal is upwards. Invest smartly, bring the wage bill down, realise we are battling to even be in the top 6 next season and go from there. Season on season with the same long term goal. It might mean we have players in the squad who are not up to quality but we can't shift them and don't have the money for replacements, and those players stay around for the next 3 seasons or so. It will be frustrating but there must be a sensible plan. Nothing since Wenger (or the last few years of Wenger) has been a sensible plan

Klopp fully deserves manager of the year if he gets it. But a shout has to go out to Rodgers and Santo, both have done a phenomenal job.

Does anyone else feel our group of young academy players are a bit lightweight? They obviously have ability but in terms of athleticism and physicality they seem a big step behind similar players at other clubs academies.

Everyone loves an academy player in the first team, but it can cloud judgement to their true ability. Really every single one of them should be considered a sell-able asset apart from Saka. They can all do a job as squad players but at the moment I don't think they're good enough to take us where we want to be. I'd actually go for AMN as the next best after Saka. His problems seem more fixable on the training pitch as he already has pace and a more physical build than the others.

If we were offered £20-25m for any of Nelson, Willock, Nketiah then we should cash in I think

There is still lots of talk about us signing Willian. This season he's been far better than any attacking midfielder we have but I don't think this is the sort of signing we should be making. Will he improve us next season? probably. But he's looking for a 3 year deal at I would estimate up around £200k per week. Of that £30m commitment (plus bonuses) how much of that Time will Willian be performing at the level he's been this season? Pretty much as soon as you give Willian that deal his value is £0 and you have no chance of moving him on at any time of that 3 year contract no matter how he's playing.

Can we play this Chelsea in the FA Cup final please!?

Couldn’t agree more Rich. Your post corresponds closely with what I was saying earlier. The ones you list are all good squad players, as you imply. But I can’t believe some of the overreaction to some of them, as I implied earlier. With your listing, however, I would add Smith Rowe to the sellable items, and add Martinelli to Saka as the not for sale items.

I don't know how to feel about playing Chelsea in the cup final watching them play Liverpool! They've gone toe to toe with them and currently it's 5-3!!! They remind me of Liverpool before they bought Alisson and Van Dyke

Of course. If we're 5 and they're 3 or less. Obviously not the other way round.

Pulisic has to be the best player America has produced so far. Hopefully more to come and hopefully they don't end up with our rivals.

30 year wait and you can't celebrate in front of your fans nor have a parade. That's gotta suck. I am happy for them though. We and Man Utd have gone through a similar drought.

AOC but must go to bed every night and thank his personal deity for that transfer.

Hes done well in terms of getting the medals around his neck, but has he improved himself as a player, marginally maybe but he's not forced his way in to the starting 11 and is still a 1 good game in 5 player he was with us. People can always point at players who have left Arsenal and won trophies, but the reality is Liverpool could have signed Elneny instead of Ox and it would be Elneny with all the trophies.

He's a good player but Liverpool have a £40m substitute

Of all of them I'd like to see more of Emile Smith Rowe. He has a set of skills the others don't and is something this team needs. He can dribble, score and create. Obviously the level he can do that at is the biggest question.
The academy serves two roles, first team players and sell-able assets. If we did sell Nketiah, Willock, Nelson even for a combined £50m then the academy has done a pretty good job. For the academy to just produce 1 player every 2 years good enough for Arsenal's starting 11 for where Arsenal should be it is doing very well.

Every big club struggles to produce first team players from the academy

Saka has been given the No. 7 shirt for next season

Don’t think it’s been used since Mkhitaryan went on his loan. The two players I associate most with the 7 shirt are Brady and Pires. If Saka is to get anywhere near their levels, he’ll have to become one hell of a player.

I hear ya mate, but I think if you asked him if he could go back in time and been a guaranteed starter for Arsenal, improved technically or his Liverpool career, he'd laugh at the question.

I'd love Willian but if the choice is Willian or a highly rated central defender, I'll take the latter. We've looked more solid at the back than we have been. I'll credit that to better organizing by Arteta but we desperately need a solid central defense if we have any hope of top 4.

Not looking great for allowing spectators back into football grounds. Last night’s entirely unsurprising group revelry outside Anfield shows that football crowds cannot be trusted to do the right thing. Sheer madness

Bloody scousers. Still at least someone is happy for them.

Too right. I'm too young to have seen Brady play but Pires was a lovely No.7! Sanchez was a great 7 for us in terms of talent but won't be remembered as long as those two

Saliba has been given No.4. Bit of a boot out the door for Elneny who's been given 25.

Bit of a risk for any fan to get the name and number of a current player on the back of their shirt.
I remember my young nephew got Sanchez and was sad when he left so my sister let him get a replacement and he chose Giroud - who promptly left 2 months later - she should have spoken to me as there were rumours at the time he was to be involved in the aubamayang deal somehow. Not sure who I would have recommended he got instead at the time though!

Emery has been appointed Villareal boss. Wonder if he fancies taking some players off our hands?

Sorry to see Kevin Whitcher step down as the editor of the gooner. Always thought his editorials were under stated and usually nailed on.

New bloke seems a publicity whore who says a lot and nothing insightful

You lucky bugger (the age bit, not the Brady bit).

Is it American Gooner then?


(PS Only joking American - honestly. )

Mustafi looks like he's out for the cup final. That's a blow because he's been our best defender for a while.
I'm assuming it'll be a back 3. Holding/Luiz/Kolasinac doesn't fill me with joy. Holding/Luiz/Tierney is better. Bellerin plays right wing back. Then it's Saka v AMN for left-wing back. Xhaka/Ceballos in the centre and Aubameyang/Lacazette/Pépé up top.

Like you I think it’s a big blow if Mustafi is out for the final. We will obviously still have a decent chance as anything can happen in one off games. But I firmly believe our chances will be made slimmer if Mustafi is out for the final.

That's it. You are blocked.

(PS Despite stories to the contrary, I don't mind a good joke at my expense)

My present shirt barely has the tag off.

(my inner voice)
Don't say it AG, don't. Don't take the bait. Go deep inside and muster the strength not to say anything about 'him' not being in the cup final.

C'mon AG, I see you are slipping...Phew, did it!

I don't expect us to win the cup final. I am guessing the bookies have Chelsea favored. The fact we got to the final is an accomplishment in its own right.

AOC as an ex Arse player getting a title trophy was the one plus from Liverpool winning this season. He would've waited awhile longer to get a title win at Arsenal so far.

Oh well with a 5:30 kick off time Aug 1 for the FAC final, may see fans from both sides outside Wembley. Depending on the winner, expect flares, fireworks, chants, yelling to commence, along with lots of drinking. And why not, an empty stadium it will be. If fans allowed to gather, except dead silence from the losing side.

Warrior, can you help me figure out how to do that on my pc?

Serie A has become the SPL when Rangers dropped several years ago. The 'old lady' is about to win their 9th straight title. The only joy in that is Ramsey gets a medal. Other than that its boring.

I think had Wenger not come along Man Utd would have won all the titles from '98 to 2003 and if Chelsea didn't get an oligarch they would have won every title through Liverpool getting Klopp.

The one possible exception are the 2002 Liverpool side. They were capable of winning a title and had it not been for our run in that spring they'd have been champions.

The point is American, what Rich said there is 100% correct. Mustafi has been our best defender for some while and if he doesn’t play in the cup final, it compromises our chances. Just because you don’t want to accept it doesn’t make Rich wrong.

I realise you’ll deny seeing this, so maybe someone you haven’t blocked could reply to it in order to copy it. You’ve simply boxed yourself into a corner over Mustafi, and have made yourself look a bit silly.

I don't know him but he's clearly a proper Gooner who I believe was the Islington Gazette Arsenal correspondent. I quite like him.

Just to complete a great season - Mike Dean as our ref