Gazidis leaving Arsenal to go AC Milan

If it comes to fruition then I would suggest we wish him well for sturdying the ship and ridding ourselves of the prolonged damage Wenger was doing to the club. His tenure was difficult and he probably didn’t have the easiest job.

#merciIvan

No hidden gem. Just my turn of mind. Observing a cracking player, which Varane is, can lead me to recall one at the other end of the talent spectrum. Hence my obscure Steppy comparison. To use a Le Bossism, 'overall' Igors was a bit of a plank, but for some reason I couldn't dislike him.

Had a listen and you're right. The Italian one isn't at all bad (though I wouldn't use the word 'excellent' and prefer France's). Not that keen on the American anthem.

Yes, if Pogba can put a long run of fine games together then United will prosper. Last league championship was 2013, so they are due another one.

Ah, there you are then, I was - as the Chilean saying goes - looking for the cat's fifth paw.

You are entirely right that rubbish CBs are entertaining - just wasn't sure if you were implying that Varane actually belonged among such fine examples.

Mindboggling. I'm not sure if (scarily) people are getting used to Trump -- 'Stockholmed' as our American would put it--or if we are reaching some sort bottom where the Republican establishment is going to say 'no more'.

Trouble is Decaf, every day the bottom seems to go lower and lower, if you see what I mean!!

Maybe if there are videos of Trump, he has videos of certain other 'establishment' folk? Otherwise I'm at a complete loss as to why the GOP allows this charade to continue.

I’m starting to think the latter maybe.

It must have felt like treason was watching it for most Americans. I can’t help think Mueller is getting all the information he needs and the net is closing.

I’m surprised all the remaining living presidents like bush Obama carter haven’t issued some form of joint statement on the situation which is out of control.

Man U sell Daley Blind back to Ajax for £18m!

£18m for blind?! We really need to get much better value for our players, there are mugs out there willing to pay it.

Replace the buffoon ...with whom John .... a more acceptable to the pallet , puppet ...?

America is the cesspit of sleaze , vested interests , controlled media , blowflies aplenty in the NSA , CIA , FBI . Homeland Security

Nothing will change in the world no matter who is in the White House ... more wars , interference in other countries affairs , cooked up agendas , sanctions to mask the fact they are trillions of dollars in debt .

Arsene Wenger’s shock confession: Regrets staying at Arsenal so long

ARSENE Wenger has said staying as Arsenal manager for nearly 22 years may have been the biggest mistake of his career and that he regrets sacrificing “everything” for the job.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/football/p ... 11da6a7861

The bloke is a complete Bell end........

I’ve neglected a lot of people. I’ve neglected my family, I’ve neglected many close ones. Deep down though, the obsessed man is selfish in his pursuit of what he loves. He ignores a lot of other things. But it’s a bone to chase at the same time.”

Wenger was also confident that former Arsenal players Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira, who are now pursuing coaching careers, have the qualities to succeed at the top level.




..... yet never gave anyone roles close to him or brought more coaches in. He’s a prat of the highest order and thank goodness we haven’t got another season of his nonsense

I am with you on that view. Being happy with life is finding a balance in the whole package. It is a bit like managing a football team. It is about getting a balance across the whole squad and making players make sacrifices for each other. Nothing stopped Wenger doing that in his life. Yep all that money may not replace having a family now. Move on mate and admit you made mistakes something he is not capable of doing.

A lot of bull in that interview...


You wake up at 3am thinking about team selection, tactics, formation…



Really Arsene ? Could have fooled us. We had none.

I find his claim that he sacrificed "everything" utterly creepy. In other words, the world should feel sympathy for Wenger because of the self-sacrifice he suffered in being paid a fortune to have few or relaxed targets in his work, and to have been given enough control in his job to clinically satisfy his craving for power that probably represented rampant megalomania.

These days I find it very hard to like the man, regardless of his Highbury years.

So what is the general feeling about our summer transfer business so far?
Obvious holes in the squad plugged but not by star names. How would we view the window if wenger were still in charge?
There is still some deadwood to clear and I think we're still a bit short of quality in central defence and in a wide position

Agree fully Pete, but this guy’s a complete nutcase and he’s got his finger on the trigger

Yesterday's news. The past was yours, the future's ours.

The way he keeps talking about his personal sacrifice is pathetic. He was paid 8 million quid a year for doing 3 hours work a day and watching a football match at the weekend, he lives in huge mansion in Totteridge lane and has a bank account with the best part of 80 million sitting inside it. It’s very hard to be sympathetic.

He’s perpetuating the Wenger “myth” that he’s this all encompassing football supreme being that sacrificed his life to take this tiny club from north London and make them champions for the first time.

Like it’s everyone else’s fault he couldn’t find another hobby.

Read the other day that Wenger has been doing his usual punditry for BeIN Sports this summer as he did when he was manager, someone was questioning if we would have been able to conclude the 5 signings we’ve made so far if he was still in charge and doing this media work at the same time.

Torreira apart, mostly underwhelmed. The best player business done in 2018 was bringing in Aubemeyang, retaining Özil and promoting Maitland-Niles. If Ramsey signs a new contract I will be happy.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzzYxTPYAcA[/youtube]

But Trump is at another level, Kiwi. For all that it is a mess (post-Bush II especially) America still has fairly strong institutions and checks and balances, and some committment to internationalism. Its broken in many ways but there is still a long way down ... Its a bit having a 2 year old at the helm of 747. We are hoping the autopilot is engaged but as John says that lunatic near the button is a bit worrisome. He does seem to be too much of a coward but who knows with someone like that?

Oh, spare us. We went through 10 years of dour football, but you grew your bank account by many millions.

well said

Ox likely to miss most of next season as a result of his last injury.

Wasn't that a good piece of business for us...................

Can you believe Klopp hasn't learnt his lesson and is now willing to pay £66million for a goalkeeper?

I think it’s logical but unspectacular business. Wenger left some pretty obvious holes and we needed to fill them so we haven’t been able to buy 1 or 2 players right at the top of the market for mega money as we have had to stretch our budget to bring in 5 players in the right areas because we needed bodies.

The bargain could be Torreira who looks just the type of player we have been missing. Leno I haven’t seen much of but we needed a keeper.

It will be interesting to see what happens over the next few weeks. In my opinion we are desperate for a fast wide attacker and Coman has been linked today but the rumour is we need to sell first and Monreal and Welbeck could be sold as they have a year left on their contracts as well as us willing to listen for offers on Perez, Mustafi, Campbell and jenkinson.

Obviously also Ramsey still hasn’t signed his new contract which s a concern

That genuinely caught me out as I was skimming through. The posts were all about Arsene and this just seemed to be more of the same.

so reading between the lines here you'd be happier if Arsene was still in control

.......https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLPbGKF_GV0

Well he certainly did waste any time with formalities before sending 28 Tomahawks into Syria and when you have a Secretary of Defence called Mad Dog alarm bells should be ringing but I think a nuclear war is less likely than a financial meltdown .

Strong institutions Decaf .... like Goldman Sachs , JP Morgan , Monsanto , Coca Cola , Bechtels all wonderful little companies looking after their own interests and f**&& everyone else .
Checks and balances ... like removing the dollar from the gold standard , abolition of the Glass Steigel Act

Trump isn't the main danger , he is just a puppet .The real power lies behind the scenes .

America's lack of respect for the rest of the world is the most frightening aspect ... they depose anyone they don't like , create chaos wherever , bomb whoever , sanctions against anyone not toeing the party line , false flags .... and when their finanacial system comes crashing down they'll take the rest of the world with them .

Time to invest in the wind turbine , grow an enormous vegie garden , start a breeding herd of zebra and wildebeeste

Yes but he now regrets staying too long ONLY because of the way it turned out . Getting shoe horned out the door would have left a bad taste in his mouth .

I don't buy into this gibberish about 8 million well compensated bullsh*t , that doesn't have a bearing on anything .

No amount of money insulates you from stress , when things aren't going right you do wake up at 3 am and churn things over searching for solutions .

Plenty of wealthy doodles commit suicide .

If he'd asked for help , listened , evaluated the advice he'd still be at the Emirates and happy .

If he'd have read the Gleiber for six months he'd have been more successful .

Best piece yet from the Kiwi man

My take on the signings:

1. Torreira.

An exciting prospect if the WC is anything to go by. A proper DM who reads the game well, can tackle and intercept but also has a nice range of passing and seems to be exactly what we need. Will probably take some time to adapt. Seems to take good freekicks, too, which could be useful.

2. Leno

From what I have read he is a player who has never quite fulfilled the potential he showed as a kid and whilst capable of great saves is still prone to occasional howlers. I think he's around 6'3" so it will be interesting to see how commanding he is aerially.

3. Sokratis

If reports from the Boreham Wood game are anything to go by he seems to be a big slow lump with organisational abilities (where have we seen that before)

4. Lichsteiner

Seems to be an experienced back-up for Bellerin. In the twilight of his career but perhaps has the attitude required to kick a few backsides when needed.

5. Guendouzi

One for the future who could have some short term impact. A work-in-progress probably destined for some cup games but may surprise.


I'd like to see us make at least one marquee signing because whilst we've filled a few holes we do need a bit more stardust if we genuinely want to compete with the very best.

If we sign a winger or a central midfielder presumably as a regular starter not exactly a problme but fun and games fitting Aubameyang lacazette Özil Mihkataryan Iwobi and another starter in the team. All in all probably good to have genuine competition for places.

You do know that our new signing is Sokratis, not Socrates?

We needed to buy a DM and defenders, especially with Kos out. A keeper as well. We have a pretty good squad. Yes, we would love to see a major signing or two but I think with the squad as is, we will do okay IF we change our mentality and not go missing as we did so many games last season.

I'm guessing the players want to impress Emery and see him as a re-set. Attacking wise, we are pretty darn good with the options we have. We need team defense and a back line with a DM in front of them. Its not a great corp of defenders but it can be decent enough if we defend as a team and play some team football.

The transfer window shuts on August 9th so you have essentially 3 weeks from today to get Ramsey and Welbeck to sign new contracts or sell them and if both go I’d suggest we would need another wide player and midfielder to come in definately

Always loved that track. Enjoy this stellar line-up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrTMc2i6Lzc

On the football I hope the new manager and his buys do well. Have to say though two 30+ defenders, a mid-ranking keeper and a young French prospect doesn't immediately appear to have shattered the Wenger transfer mould? Big hopes for Torreira - he looks the business.

OK, I'm glad France won the WC ... and acknowledge Mbappe's awesomeness. Vida and Lovren are scum.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/s ... 786870002/

*narrator*

it does.