Now the English press is publishing fake news just to get my hopes up

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football ... nzini-News

Theo to Westham rumour.

Goretzka is a great shout, I hope we have a serious interest in him. Reminds me a little of Vieira. Also, whilst I hope we get Lacazette, I'm not sure I want Giroud to leave. Lacazette might get in behind with his pace and score those types of goals which is great. But if Giroud leaves then our aerial threat and plan b is gone. We'll lose an asset that has often been underrated especially against packed defences when pace can't always be used. Set piece threat too.

I hope the link for Martial is serious but Mourinho will never sell him. The only way that happens is if Martial tries force a move, can't see that happening or Mourinho wants someone else and is not happy with him.

Man Utd fans are having a bit of fun with the link. We owe them some misery for what they did for RvP.

http://www.talkingbaws.com/2017/06/man- ... l-reports/

Liking the Lacazette rumors. I think it will happen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71z0P9ZnwWU

In the Philippines on vacation and a friend of the girl I went to a club with is from Dundee, Scotland and maybe he had too much alcohol but I couldn't understand a word he said. The accent is not nearly as strong as a Glasgow accent but almost as hard to follow. He is also a Dundee United fan, which I assumed and he was shocked an American knew that.

I see it as a shame when players leave just short of a century of Arsenal goals. As you've pointed out here previously, Merson left when he had scored 99 times for Arsenal. I think Giroud has 98 goals for Arsenal, and I'd be sad to see him also leave just before he joins Arsenal's 100 club. Overall I agree with your point, but there are significant negatives about Giroud. At his best he reminds me of Alan Smith. But at his worst he reminds me of Lee Chapman. Regrettably he seems to be in Chapman mode quite a lot of the time.

Wenger has to make some tough decisions if he's to move the squad forward, PL wage spending rules mean we can only increase our wage bill by a certain amount (7%?) and if we extend Özil or Sanchez deals just one of them will probably take up most of that.

If we can offload Walcott to the hammers then I say go for it, he's on £110-140K a week depending on which source to believe, he did score a lot of goals last season but his all round game is average and I still don't think Wenger really knows whether he's a winger or a striker, frankly I don't think anyone does!, at 28 and so reliant on his pace he's not going to get better and will probably go downhill in the next few years.

Giroud is a good plan B but if he wants to start then he needs to go as well, all his best performances are from the bench and if he cannot accept that then tough decision time Arsene, prove you have a ruthless streak. There are younger options out there who will undoubtedly have more pace than Giroud if not quite his other strengths.

Not sure on the Ox, he did well for half of last season but how long have we waited for that?, I do like him but if he's holding out for crazy money and other teams are happy to pay him £150k+ then I think we might be better off looking for other options, especially in MF, there is also a touch of the "Walcott's" about playing well just before your contract is up..

I don't know how losing both Ox and Walcott would affect our home grown quota though, especially as Gibbs is also likely to move on and Wilshere and Szczesny's future are still undecided, we may not have any English players left at this rate!.

You must have missed the news, Arsene signed a new contract. Thinking we will have a "plan B" is just naive.

Giroud has scored a huge amount of headed goals since he arrived. I've forgotten if he's first or second highest in the headed goals record over the last five years but it's an aspect we severely lacked on before his arrival. And don't forget how useful he has been as a sub. It's a great option to have. Between Lacazette if he signs and if Theo and Alexis stay, not much height there. Wellbeck is decent in the air but misses so much football.

I'm not Giroud's biggest fan and wouldn't be that upset if he left but we would be losing a certain type of threat.

I like Giroud...for what he is. I think he gets slated for being something he never was. I think he maximized his skills with us. He was not a big name, he was one of Wenger's roll of a dice. Giroud got the fans ire initially for not being RvP. That's Wenger's fault. Giroud was never going to be able to replace or come anywhere close to being a replacement for RvP. He did the best he could with what God gave him. He was never known for his pace but gets slated for it. I think he turns difficult chances in to goals and as Sabir says as added headed goals to our 'arsenal' of threats. You get him the ball in the 6 yard box on the ground or air and he converts them at a more than decent rate. I would trust Giroud in the box more than any other Arsenal player save Sanchez.

I hope he stays BUT not at the expense of us not buying a top, top striker. We need adequate back up.The fact that Wenger has gone this long without buying a top striker is the real problem and a lot of fans are taking it out on Giroud unfairly.

You missed he irony. I am one of the most pro-giroud people on this forum however, for reasons that escape me, we never truly play to his strengths (aka the plan B).

An Alexis/Aguero sway being touted.

Can't see it myself. At his age, why would Aguero want to swap City for a team not in the CL? Unless he wants to live in London.

He knows that Wenger is as soft as putty and won't criticise him. He has a few medals already and will move into semi retirement.

According to Sky Sports it's £56m. So pounds sterling, not euros or US dollars.

EDIT: Elsewhere is says £48.7m, which is the euros option for the higher figure.

As you say, I can't see it happening but Sanchez is 28, Aguero is 29. They may be thinking they'd cut him in a year or so anyway. Sanchez is 'fit as a butcher's dog' (haha...love that Brit saying I learned from you lot) as you all say, Aguero is a bit more injury prone.

ZZZZ

T W A T

You alright Hoy. Perhaps fell asleep at the keyboard and your nose hit the z button. Its a bugger getting old isn't it?

Can’t say I’ve watched Lacazette play much, but he’s averaged 28 goals per season the last four years, and he just turned 26. I for one would be excited to see if he can take the next step at a bigger club in a better league. He’s certainly quick, which is a requirement for us. Giroud is a much better striker than Welbeck, but in my opinion we’re a better team with Welbeck playing up front simply because we need someone with that pace and movement.

Also, rumours from Spain that Mbappes family does not want him to join Real Madrid (yet, one would presume). Still a long shot obviously, but I like that we’re at least still in the race.

It appears that Pep doesn't really want him, for whatever reason. If you look at possible buyers, there are not too many who would put him as first choice, while also being able to afford his wages. Chelsea are going for Lukaku, the big two in Spain are sorted as are Bayern. Juve would be very unlikely with Higuain there. Man Utd would be perfect but for the fact that it would be a City to Utd transfer.

I'd imagine getting a good season behind him as first choice striker is probably more important to him than a season of CL, given that it will be a World Cup year and he is by no means guaranteed a spot in the Argentina side.

I would be very happy if we got Aguero to replace Sanchez, but it is probably very unlikely as these swap deals rarely happen.

It's hard to see Mbappe not going to Madrid. If he turns them down now he might not get the chance again. A loan back to Monaco might be how it works out.

I think there's a chance he stays with Monaco as well.

So in AG summary, I think Mbappe either joins us, joins Real Madrid, or stays at Monaco. There's also an outside chance that he joins another club.

The alternative is worse? Anyway, liven yourself up with your posts. Bit more variety. Im watching you!

I hear voices but I did not realise it was you.

Palace appoint Frank De Boer............................

Well, Prince Philip is getting on a bit and Liz perhaps fancies a toy boy?

Question for the older forum members.

I can't get my head round this DUP deal the tories have done. Is there a historical precedence of doing something similar in the past?

I mean the financial element to it not a coalition

if the cuts are to be eased in Northern Ireland, what about other parts of the country? Why is the deal being talked about like it's a high profile football transfer

While there may not have been anything quite as openly stated as the current DUP deal, various UK governments since the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 have been ready to spend public money in Northern Ireland to keep things sweet. The spend of public money per capita figures for UK regions and countries for 2011/12-2015/16 were published in a House of Commons Briefing Note last November, and they show Northern Ireland consistently as the largest beneficiary. http://researchbriefings.files.parliame ... N04033.pdf

Ironically Theresa May's perilous political position has meant there is now a greater degree of transparency about what has been quietly going on for years.

That's really interesting. I was just interested because I can't recall figures ever being bounded about before.

Based on that research you wonder why on earth most Scots would want independence.

The investment in Northern Ireland was about more than keeping things sweet. As long as the Troubles were there, the economy was always going to suffer. It really was a basket case economy back in the 1980s with about 40% of the working population employed in the public sector. It is still high but at least Northern Ireland is now a proper functioning economy. If a hard border goes back up, it could be very damaging and the funding coming from London may increase substantially.

Lots of buzz about a bunch of French players this summer. Thomas Lemar of Monaco is popping up a lot on twitter now. Wasn't there someone on here who used to follow the French league?

This is supposedly our third kit for the season.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DCx4H62XcAAdyLa.jpg:large

Cannon?

The sooner this Puma deal ends, the better.

Hasn't everyone had enough yet of these ludicrous kits? I mean if we wear that more than 3 times next season I'd be shocked. You'd have to be mental to even contemplate it

Never thought I'd say this about a black/pink Arsenal shirt...but I don't hate it. Granted everything looks good on Giroud, but to me it's a step up from many of the third kits we've seen recently. I mean, compare it to this:

Or that purple monstrosity from the 12/13 season.

On the topic of new kits, Liverpool's home jersey for next season is horrendous.left half of the jersey is a different shade of red to the right half. Dreadful.

They are top of the league when it comes to horrendous third kits as well. Every year.

http://www.footballkitnews.com/wp-conte ... 3-2014.jpg