Rich, no point in getting stressed about our results or league position for the rest of this car crash of a season mate. We're *%^@, plain and simple. 13th sounds about right, maybe even lower. Just be grateful we won 3 on the bounce before lockdown cos without those 9 points we really would be in bother.

We can only hope that lots of deadwood can be got rid of for the start of next season, whenever that is.

You make a good point on good midfielders not having to have goals and assists. For example Liverpool's midfield 3 don't have many goals/assists between them this season whichever of them plays. Their style is a functional, disciplined midfield, assists come from full backs and goals and more assists come from a fluid and dynamic front 3. Throw a few set piece goals from CB and they've created a very effective system without any end product from a midfield 3.

Guendouzi is suffering from having to grow and learn in the team without a mentor or chaperone. Nearly all our younger players are in the same position. Which makes it all the more remarkable when players like Saka and Martinelli seem to still be able to produce and thrive in such difficult circumstances.

I'm happy to persevere with Guendouzi but there are aspects to his game that he can improve on and off the training pitch. But equally if silly money was thrown at us for him and we could replace him for a similar amount of money with someone like Ndidi (only 2 years older) I would do it as I think the club would benefit overall. We need to balance sort term gain and long term goals on a restricted budget.

I would buy Ndidi to play with Guendouzi. I would sell Xhaka or Torreira before Guendouzi.

I’ll be interested to see if Saka and Martinelli develop from their bright starts. Sadly, I’m not convinced we’ll get the opportunity to see that at Arsenal with Saka. His contract ends next year and I’ve seen he’s showing little enthusiasm for extending it. I hope he does but if he doesn’t and we lose him, for all the negativity I currently feel about Kroenke’s ownership, it’ll be doubled.

"I earn more than you EVER will! Matteo Guendouzi tastelessly taunted 's***' Brighton players over money earlier in defeat before £40k-a-week midfielder grabbed the throat of Neal Maupay at full-time"

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... money.html

Hmmmm

If true the *%^@*** idiot should be dropped for our next match

Must say I can't get too bent out of shape over this as I imagine the Brighton players are not on the bones of their arses. Maybe not Guendozi-rich, and certainly not to be compared with your own mega-salary, but they won't be needing a food bank to get through the week.

Of course Guendozi's alleged comments tell us a lot about the game today - time was when reference to trophies and caps won would have been the taunt. Its all about the money now!

Recommend this weeks new Tuesday club.

Davies goes in a comprehensive and totally nailed on rant right from the start about everything going wrong at Arsenal. Tragically funny and more concise about our problems than any pundit or journalist.

It's the arrogance of it. If I saw or heard that a player at another club had said that I'd think he's a tosser. Concentrate on winning the match, you can count your money afterwards.

Exactly so.

Indeed it is arrogant, but I can't help smiling that a group of rich men (by any normal standards) could consider a taunt about money worthy of public comment. In two hours the poorest paid member of that Brighton side had probably earned more than most of their fans earn in six months. Guendozi may be a *%^@, but the Brighton boys seem to have lost some perspective too by not leaving it all in the stadium. With millions of people just about making do these days any reference to money can be highly charged.

Did anyone see Guendouzi grabbing Moupay by the throat? Wasn't it just a gentle flick that hardly made contact?

If not then the quote could just as easily have been made up to justify the actions of Moupay.

I think Maupay is a *%^@ too. What seems to have been ignored amongst all the outrage of why Guendouzi didn't get a ban is Maupay appealing for a handball for Leno taking the ball outside the area when the poor guy was lying there in agony with a shattered knee. No waving to get a physio on, just appealing to the ref. Very classy.

But I don't want to see or hear of an Arsenal player waving his money around during a match. It stinks. Leave that *%^@ to the likes of Robbie Savage.

I saw it. It was a different incident than the sly flick.
I thought at the time I saw it he would get a ban. In my opinion we are very lucky that he has not been banned for the neck grab.

Can someone help me out here but why are the plod investigating the banner flown over the Burnley game last night as a hate crime? Genuinely don't understand.

I’d settle for just one midfielder who can make himself available to receive the ball from Leno and get us moving forward. The city game was just embarrassing, well the 45 minutes I could be arsed to watch.

Because it’s likely arranged by a Britain first type hate group who wanted to stir the pot via racial baiting and get people with xenophobic bones in their body either laughing at it or debating that there is nothing offensive in its message.

Apparently Leno injury not as bad as first feared. Likely to miss the rest of the season but not months and months.
But, Martinelli picked up an injury in training that might rule him out for the rest of the season.

Apparently Luiz has signed a new deal. A few tweeting about it.

Because it was done to offend and intimidate.

Oh yes. Kroenke is more focussed on LA Rams. Arsenal are a side bit play thing. As pointed out on here numerous times, Kroenke's other sports clubs in the US are flat and mediocre, given their competitions. And no. I don't bother with US sports that much either, in response to your earlier post answer. I do so with owners who have acquired an English football club added to their portfolio though. If only to observe the teams they currently own or preside over, given their progress within their respective comps. I'm not a huge fan of NFL super bowl or baseball. That said, I don't give a toss about whether or not LA Rams win a super bowl. What happens to Arsenal is more of a concern. Kroenke is as much responsible for overseeing the finances, progress, management of Arsenal as much as Mark Bezos is for Amazon. At least Mark Bezos is more ambitious.

Wirral. Three days later and Maupay showed no signs of any visible finger imprints or bruising to his neck today. There is a way to grasp someone on the neck without squeezing. No matter. That missed penalty by Maupay against Leicester was a fair humiliation.

A guy on twitter has done a detailed analysis of potential Arsenal signings in midfield based on what Ramsey gave us. He's taken Ramsey's key stats for goals, shooting, passing, chance creation, tackles, interceptions, pressure - basically any metric you want and this is the list of players that come out of it (a StatDNA approach if you like)
Kai Havertz
Mason Mount
Todd Cantwell
Florian Neuhaus
Angelo Fulgini
Lorenzo Pellegrini
Suat Serdar

The first two are not available to us. Roma's Pellegrini is interesting especially considering how much Roma want Mkhitaryan. There's rumours of us wanted Kluivert in return, but he's a winger so I don't see any sense in that.

Is that the extension to the end of the season like a lot of out of contract players have done, or a deal that keeps him here next season?!

Fair enough. Glad he missed the pen. But Guendouzi still lucky.
The Guardian saying Martinelli going to miss start of next season. Luiz signing something to keep him at club. God we are unlucky

Really disappointed to read the news about Martinelli.

Nothing unlucky about Luiz signing a new contract, if it’s true he has. It was surely the club’s decision to offer him a new deal. Luiz couldn’t force them to, and you can’t blame him for signing it.

The conclusion can only be that Arteta rates Luiz more highly that some of us. Again, that isn’t bad luck. It’s the head coach’s opinion. I disagree with it myself. Personally I’d rather keep Mustafi, although maybe we still will.

Going back to my previous point, maybe it reflects the financial restrictions of the owner. He would presumably rather extend Luiz’s contract than buy someone new as it’s cheaper. Poor old Stan does only have ten billion after all.

One year extension. Mari and Cédric Soares signing 4 year deals apparently.

Hi mate.

I find that totally shocking, or at least I would do if decisions like this weren't par for the course at Arsenal these days.

Frankly, I don't rate Luiz or Mari. I've no idea about Soares but do we really need to give him and Mari 4 year contracts?.

None of them would be anywhere near Liverpool or City.

It just seems we are going around signing mediocre players and the fact that Arteta actually rates them is a bigger worry than anything else.

It would not surprise me if Arteta is on the ropes by Christmas, bar some major investment in the summer. He talks a good talk but his team selections and tactics leave much to be desired.

That’s some big contracts handed out to a couple of players we’ve seen little of. Looks like we’re going cheap in defence again.
I read on twitter that there are rumours of offers for Sokratis and Holding.
Saliba, Mari, Luiz, Mustafi as CB
Bellerin, Cédric, Tierney, Kolasinac as full backs
That group is not getting top 4 and is conceding 45+ goals again next season.
Dominant leader at CB required preferably another left footer. Take the money raised by sales of holding, Sokratis and others like elneny and pump it all on a top class CB
Spend any of the budget that’s left on a dominant CM.
Feel like we’ve been saying this for years

A big problem at the moment is I don’t think we’d be interested in Luiz and Cédric if they had a different agent.
How is that allowed to dictate transfer business? Surely someone somewhere at Arsenal can put their head above the parapet and make a case for old fashioned scouting over any player attached to Raul’s flavour of the month super agent.
I fail to see what we get out of this relationship. If it is meant to be access to the top players who have the top agents we’ll our current standing in the game means that is pointless right now

Luiz, soares and Mari. 3 journeyman players. Doesn’t feel like the revolution we were hoping. We are at Hobson’s choice.

Don’t expect too much too soon.

Valid point. We are being linked strongly to Willian now because he’s the player of Kia Joorbachin.

Just like soares and Luiz. Seems crazy. Players of the wrong age group who have been exceptionally hit and miss on huge money. I’m not sure anything we do makes sense anymore it’s so illogical

I expect you are correct in that Arteta sanctioned it. I will be surprised if Arteta is still in a job at Arsenal by next Easter. I am calling him already. The Brighton game did my head in because it was obvious Arteta was happy to play for a 1-1 draw after we conceded. I repeat we see no style of play and the players he rates and plays have failed us before.

Evening socrates. As you say, it is par for the course these days. I know you tried to deflect the blame from Kroenke, but as the sole owner of the club I still say the buck stops with him. He employs every senior member of staff, and I bet he knows who they are far more than he’s aware who we’re playing on Thursday. Okay, he may not know anything about the standard of hot dogs served at the Emirates (when fans go to games), but the financial policy and the big staff, he will know and it’s for him to know enough to measure how they’re performing.

I’m not against Arteta yet as I think he has to be given some time. But I’m very much in two minds about his start. He still has it all to do in order to convince me. But whether me, you, or anyone else amongst the fan base likes or dislikes Arteta, Sanllehi and others in the club’s hierarchy or playing staff is approaching meaningless. It’s down to Stan whether they remain in post, and I don’t think Stan even cares what the fans think as long as enough continue to buy tickets, replica shirts and so on.

I think Rich said recently the fans can influence what players are bought and sold, when I argued about how irrelevant that was in comparison to Stan’s ownership. Apologies to Rich if he didn’t or I misunderstood him. But I thought he did. Us debating what players get new contracts or are bought and sold have close to zero influence. Stan’s tucked away in one of his huge ranches, pretty oblivious to what goes on at Arsenal on a day to day basis. He leaves it to Sanllehi, Arteta and others he employs.

Zed pointed out that it’s not just Arsenal, but his other American clubs. When Kroenke buys a sports club, the main thing their fans have to look forward to is long-term mediocrity. It’s the KSE way.

I think you’ve hit the proverbial nail on the head, Zed. I’ve no idea what Dangote would be like as an owner. But I’d welcome him buying the club with open arms because I can see what Kroenke is like as an owner.

Bugger me, I’m tempted to say I’d rather have serial killer Myra Hindley as the owner than Stan, and she’s bloody dead.

Hi Bern,
Edit: I meant Jeff Bezos. Mark is his brother.
I may have mentioned one time I'd take Al Capone even.Big Al wasn't only organised and authoritative, he was ruthless with swagger. You did mention Myra Hindley.

Do you know that Emery had thirteen Premier League games in charge this season from which we won eighteen points. Arteta has had twelve Premier League games in charge from which we’ve won seventeen points. If we draw at Southampton on Thursday, our points total from Arteta’s first thirteen league games will be exactly the same as the points total from Emery’s last thirteen league games, which had got him the sack.

If we win at Southampton Arteta’s points per game will be a bit better, and if we lose it will be a bit worse. But whatever happens the difference isn’t that big or noticeable. The biggest managerial plonker at Arsenal this season was Ljungberg. We got five points from his five games.

I realise it’s not a perfect measure, mainly because it takes no account of the opposition in their fixtures. From memory Arteta had both our games against Chelsea but Emery had games against Liverpool and Tottenham, which Arteta hasn’t yet. They’ve both had one each against both of the Manchester clubs. So again, not that different. Indeed, Emery had a game against Leicester, which Arteta hasn’t.

I know I am harsh but just not seeing anything to brighten the horizon. The players he seems to favour are just not good enough or he has not been able to improve them. Luiz - what can I say. Ceballos - a nothing player who will cost us. His Martenelli stance - not just now. And I can go on. Tactically I have seen nothing. But he is looking like Emery II. The players he is bringing in for the defence are ordinary and we are signing them to long contracts but have not got Saka in contract.

I had no idea the beloved Philly mob boss the late Angelo Bruno had ties to the Krays and Wilf Pine.