I assume it has to be balancing the fee Celtic want against his injury record. His signing would be a risk. However good he is, if he doesn’t play much we’ll often end up at left back with a once fine but now past it Monreal or in Kolasinac a defender who can’t defend.

That type of hatred is ridiculous. I remember Paul Davis who was a favourite of mine was a target of the boo boys at one point.

But remember Darren is a level headed guy he means he hated Mustafi in a sporting sense

I remember when we lost the Europa final (we were all really expecting to lose anyway) people were on here telling Emery to *%^@ off. People these days are far more reactionary


... but that said it doesn’t make Mustafi any less shite

I wonder how often American has seen Bielik play. Being fairly local to me, and with my son's friend and his dad being Charlton supporters, I saw him three times at the Valley last season. He was definitely one of the better players on show, but he was far from standing head and shoulders above the rest - mainly journeymen pros with a few youngsters. On the evidence of my own two eyes £10M is a perfectly acceptable price for Bielik. Good luck to him anyway.

Darren is a level headed guy. Which I suspect would make some think he shouldn’t sink to that level. Bloody Nora, I’ve seen Caesar, Mancini, Blockley, Stepanovs and no doubt others who have slipped my mind. I didn’t declare a hatred for any of them, and they’d all ensure Mustafi wouldn’t even get on the subs bench for my worst ever Arsenal team.

Perhaps that is Stan's plan Now, who will be "Curly" in the team?

To echo some of the views here, I am excited about the new season. Was excited last season when Emery took over, but it dissipated when Emery started to sound like AW. With players of his choice coming in, and good quality ones at that, the excitement (and high anticipation) has risen. Fix the central defence with one key signing, and we are ready to transform back to the Arsenal of old ............. one without a soft-belly. For all you know, Xhaka might even turn out to be the Captain we have been missing for a long time. With better players in front of him, there may be lesser need for him to run (jog) back in desperation. With better movement in front of him, he might be able to find the players better. And maybe, he will be braver with his long-range thunderbolts. Here's wishing!

Hi gooner,

I am excited too but I do feel that if we don't bring in a CB and LB we will be like Liverpool of a couple of seasons back........like the red arrows going forward but just too vulnerable at the back to be a serious team.

Time is running out to get what we need.

Hi Bernard,

There is talk that we are not closing the Tierney deal because we don't want to start paying him until the last minute because he's injured.

Of course, if his injury is not responding well to treatment then it could possibly be a deal-breaker, at least until January. Risky policy because who knows what clubs might need a LB then but then it would also be a risk signing a player without knowing the full extent of his injury and the underlying causes.

£15m odd.
However, ox was a hugely talented 17 year old who had most big prem teams after him, hence the price tag.
I don’t know for sure but it certainly didn’t seem like Bielik had a wide range of prem teams after him, let alone the best prem teams.
The quality and quantity of the teams wanting to buy a player is always going to push up the price.

£10m is really good money for a player moving to the Championship I'd say. A quick look at transfermarkt shows the record signing of a Championship team as £16m, with about 15 players going for £10m or more.

I think we'll see some movement early next week, with the final pre season game over. My guess would be we're simply not in such a hurry to finalize the deal because Tierney won't be available to start the season anyway so it doesn't matter if it's not done until deadline day. Been way too much talk for us not to wrap this one up.

Hi Socrates. My immediate inclination would be to see that as tight. But he’s so injury prone, I can see the logic of it.

Don’t you remember Higuain though? There must have been just as much talk about him, perhaps even more.

Yes, but there doesn't seem to be anyone else in for Tierney so it's all about finding an agreement with Celtic. With Higuain we had competition. Can't imagine the player would turn us down to stay at Celtic, when he has a good chance of starting for us once he's fit.

Everything I’ve read suggests Tierney wants to join us. For me the issue is, as you say, agreeing a deal with Celtic. Whether that can be done considering his injury problems, I don’t know.

Apart from Tierney, I guess the last part of the puzzle going into the season is central defense. There are still rumours about Mustafi being available, we know Koscielny wants to leave, and now a rumour surfaced that Sheffield United wants Chambers on loan. If at least two of them leave we would need a replacement for this season, but time is running out.

Lots of interesting options out there, and I wonder if we've strengthened our position as a buying club this summer. With the signings we've made, perhaps players see us as a club on the rise? The club president of Lille was on French radio before the Pépé signing was announced, and he said Pépé chose Arsenal both because of our financial offer and because the player saw our football project as more interesting.

This is the latest that I can find about his injury. That has gone from a double hernia and now he has the other issue.

https://talksport.com/football/581945/c ... y-arsenal/

I have not found any highlights of his defending just his attacking part of the game. I think we have put too much energy into this transfer and should have been looking elsewhere for a CB and LB.

IMO we are looking at a potentially good player who is injury prone and we have no idea whether he is EPL standard. I think it is too risky unless he can pass a fitness test.

From what I can see he had a big injury in 16/17, and then one or two this season that eventually required surgery (not sure if the two injuries were linked?). He has managed to play 40 games or more the last three seasons and only just turned 22, so I think it's a little premature to label him as exceptionally injury prone. I'm sure we have qualified personell to make an assessment about his health.

According to Talksport, Holding played in an under 23 game against Watford yesterday.

https://talksport.com/football/582020/a ... ppearance/

This is where I got my info and for someone so young he has a bit of a history.

https://www.transfermarkt.com/kieran-ti ... ler/300716

F366 have broken down our ins and outs based on what we’re paying this season.
It works out at £33m out and £15m in. Meaning we should still have £27m odd from our rumoured £45m budget

It's like signing Charlie Nicholas after he scored 50+ goals for Celtic. Exciting times for Arsenal. Sanllehi's wheeling and dealing has been impressive on paper so far.

Anyone know anything about the Leeds no5 name of White?

Watching Bristol C v Leeds, and quite impressed with him

Not a bad Charity Shield match. Sterling missed some gilded edged chances. Early in the season but still, some of his finishing was woeful despite the goal. I've seen better finishing on unvarnished antique furniture.

Oh, and 3 mass shootings in less than 2 weeks. It wouldn't have anything to do with...nah..not the President? No, surely he hasn't incited nut cases with his rhetoric?

Thankfully Aubameyang's form is excellent, may it stay that way all season

Match is on Premier Sports 1
if anyone has it

Willock impressive
Nelson lively
Defence looks OK so far

Great goal by Aubameyang

Mikhi playing well. Deeper and more defencively that usual. Could be the answer to the lack of defenders................

Decent performance so far.

The kids have been excellent.......AMN, Willock and Nelson all really good.

AMN playing like prime Cafu

It seems like every pre season game people are saying Willock is the stand out player.
How brilliant would it be to be able to have the likes of Willock, Nelson, AMN, Nketiah as not only first team squad members but genuine first team players who can win games with their performances. It would be rear to see the press stand up and take notice of this young English talent we have.

Will somebody please tell the comm on Premier that it's Mikhi not Mackhi

Errrr....

I’m outraged we haven’t won the Catalan bullsh*t cup. Every victory Will be hollow from here on out.

We saw the very best and worst of Maitland-Niles tonight. Some longbusting runs forward and some great crosses in the first half but a second half littered with lapses in concentration and just a general lack of defensive awareness and nous.

We played quite well at times tonight but one thing is absolutely clear, if we do not sign a LB and CB we are in for another season filled with the concession of comedy goals.

Mustafi and Chambers is a comedy pairing and we are an injury to Sokratis away from that.

Monreal's legs have gone and he has become a liability defensively whilst Kolasinac is simply not a LB.

I didn’t watch the game and can’t find a match report on the official website yet. What was the team and who came on and went off?

AMN is not a natural right back. Not sure if he enjoys playing that role. I think he is more a right winger.

Yeah, it was my understanding he was put at RB out of necessity due to injuries (Bellerin, etc). It's a tough position to learn. Central defenders just focus on defending and positioning while full backs have to be both defenders and part of the attack. That takes years of training.

I looked at highlights online. I could not make out Leno calling M-N as to his positioning. But the 2nd goal was an absolute disaster and similar to a number we have conceded in preseason and last season. I have no sense that any of them know what they are doing or supposed to be doing at the back. The worry I have is that this defence could totally collapse at any time. I think Ozzie Ardiles as manager proved that 5 forwards and a crap defence is a problem. I am very concerned that we urgently need central defenders and cover for Bellerin who must be ready to play immediately. Can’t see this happening and our season could be in strife right from the start.

Emery has made it clear that they need to start the season really well. I take that to mean only a win at Newcastle is acceptable. By then it will be too late for a trolley dash.