Pogba's value is more about his ability to sell stuff. No doubt a very good footballer but it's his marketability that is making clubs willing to pay crazy transfer fees for him.

I wouldn't mind having Pogba play for us but nothing close to the price. Mourinho killed a great box to box player. When he's happy and confident, he's a potential game changer. We saw it at Juve and the French national team.

Man Utd are dreaming. Maybe 2 clubs would even consider that (RM and PSG), maybe they are holding out for them.

It probably annoys me because it is exactly the sort of thing Arsenal don't do.

Spend loads on talented player, talented player plays nowhere near as well as the fee we payed for him, talented player wants to leave, other clubs tap up talented player, we sell for 1/2 of what we paid

Oh if you watched the video you'll see it was the Iranians alright.

May be some more vacancies in football administration coming up.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-18/ ... p/11222568

But is there proof that they were deploying mines. The photos look like a bunch of guys in a boat

It’s odd that Japan and Norway are less worried than the US that their tankers were attacked.

I saw a bunch of lads in a boat take a mine put it in the boat and sail off. I doubt they'd be so cavalier if it wasnt their mine.

See Freddie has replaced Bould as Assistant Coach.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/48662806

How is it known they aren’t Americans and the video is doctored

Don’t you think it’s odd the way it’s just the Americans kicking off about it and not the Japanese or Norwegians as it was their ships ?

So many penalties at the women’s World Cup due to VAR. even more interesting was the penalty that France missed but VAR intervened and said it should be retaken as the gk was a foot off her line. With encroachment from outfield players also a factor you wonder how consistent VAR will be with this in the prem.
All of these are matters of fact, like offside, so there can be no argument, it’s a black and white call. In theory we should see loads more penalties and loads more retaken for gk off their line or encroachment. Every penalty scored or missed will need to be checked.

This could be a right mess

Supposedly as part of pushing young players to be part of the first team squad. Exciting if true. Think likes of Nelson, Willock and Emile Smith Rowe won't let us down if given a dozen starts especially in cup games.

There was a podcast from Arseblog talking about the use of young players in the cups particularly in the Europa Cup. They were firmly in favour of it.

It is a good idea but if we go out in the group stages because of playing youths then it could cost us a fair bit of money (and even less for transfers in the future) plus it is no use all the supporters complaining if we go not progress. Emery really has some stressful issues to deal with in trying to find a balance at the club.

I would be interested to see what others think of this idea. I think I would play no more than 3 youths in every game and run the risk of elimination. If Özil is still with us he would be selected every time until his attitude improves.

On another issue I notice that we have friendlies against a few good opponents for a change. I wonder if Emery is wanting to prove an early point before the transfer window closes. We win these games and the team may be up to a big season. We fail miserably and get a couple of hidings and he tells them we need to do the trolley dash.

so they were all wearing turbans and had little Iranian flags sewn on their sleeves .

Yep that it do it .... let's bomb Tehran .

Ever hear of the Gulf of Tonkin .

Good point Big Boy

So, Celtic and Besiktas is interested in Jenkinson. Our Jenkinson, right?

Not just them

https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2019/06/19/r ... jenkinson/

Bielik playing for Poland U21's on Sky.

Watched some of it. Enrico Chiesa's son looks like a player

He shoots, he scores, our man Bielik puts the Poles ahead. Will they be able to hold out against a very hard press frm the Italian kids.............

Another rule thing that is going to annoy me next season will be the amount of added on time. I’ve already got a problem with it as I 100% believe more time is added on if there is only 1 goal difference between the teams than if a team is winning 3-0, for example. Next season with VAR we are going to lose so much match time.
Imagine a game with 4 second half goals, 6 subs and 3 VAR referrals. Common thinking should be 60 seconds per goal, 30 seconds per sub and god knows how long for VAR, but easily 2 mins....even more if it is a penalty and we have all the protests. Can you imagine games regularly having 10+ minutes of added time? It just won’t be enforced.

86. min. Argentina penalty by VAR
91. Scotland gk saves penalty
93. VAR says Take it again
93. Argentina scores
95. Although we have lost 7 mins the referee ends the game

I prefer a ref and two linos, warts and all.

Agree 1000 per cent, Brom. VAR has been in operation in the Australian league for a couple of seasons (in fact, the first-ever VAR decision in a top-flight professional club competition in world football was in favour of my local team, Sydney FC, so I really should be more grateful), and it has only managed to muddy the waters every step of the way.

Was there enough contact for a penalty? Was the goalkeeper's boot a millimetre in front of the line when the spot-kick was taken? Let's have a look at it from a fourth angle for a fifth time - and then ask the ref to have a look for himself on his little screen. Football's crowning glory as a sport, the utter delirium of the ball hitting the back of the net, has been completely, terminally, compromised.

Sorry, VAR, you seemed nice enough, but I'm afraid it just isn't going to work out. It isn't me, it's you.

The two things that particularly annoy me about VAR are:

1. The new 'natural silhouette' interpretation of handball. It's no longer about whether it's hand-to-ball or ball-to-hand or whether it's deliberate or intentional. It's not about the distance the ball has travelled either, nor even speed of the ball on contact. No, all that's been junked. Now, if the offending player hasn't adopted a 'natural silhouette', then it's handball. The point about this is that this new interpretation is a direct function of the introduction of VAR since the circumstances can only be judged in retrospect by freeze-frame analysis. That's not the rules of the game we all grew up with.

2. Goalkeepers moving on penalties. Goalkeepers have always moved on pens. Always always always. Again, elevating this traditional part of the game (to which everyone in the game turned a blind eye) to a bookable offence and a new pen is a direct result of VAR since it also requires freeze-frame analysis. It has always been that a GK had a chance, albeit slim, of saving a pen; VAR means that this random underdog's chance will be squeezed out of the game.

Now the US are saying their drone has been shot down in international airspace.

I really urge our government not to get involved in this bollocks.

Agree 100%

Whisper it quietly but I thought the penalty decision in the champions league final was ludicrous. To decide a major competition like that was ridiculous. Handball needs to be deliberate and only the referee can decide what that consists of.

I also thought that pen was very soft (oh dear, how sad, what a pity) but the interesting point about it is that it was given by the Ref without recourse to VAR. It shows how quickly this entirely new VAR-driven interpretation has been written into the rules of the game.

I'm happy for Freddie but the question begs, was this a demotion for Bould? I wonder how about the chemistry between Emery and Bould? Whose decision?

Also, was Freddie the clubs decision? I really don't know about any prior history between Emery and Freddie. Usually, managers bring in their own people. I like that Arsenal tries to maintain the generational transition from prior players to new players. Keeps the club a "family".

Anyway, just hope it all works out.

I read a rumor Man Utd are going to make a bid for Aubie. 70 mil was banded around from what I read. Shows you just where we are. Man Utd finish below but we may still be a feeder club to them. I hope its not true.

What good will it do. This has as much chance of happening as I would to have an online campaign to end trolling on the SG forum..lololol
Seriously though, so what? The ONLY thing that will have any semblance of effect is hit Kroenke in the pockets with a boycott. And that won't happen.

https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/ ... t-16456877

'Kroenke out!' - Arsenal fans start online campaign to remove majority shareholder from club

As I understand it, Bouldy actually asked to be allowed to return to the academy last summer, but agreed to remain as was for continuity purposes; he was never fully comfortable with the role he had at 1st team level.

It will be good, from a personal level, to be around "uncle" again in the academy.

I did wonder about that. It did seem to make some sense for Ljungberg to take up the role in that we’re looking to transition these young players he’s been working with. It looked a move with a lot of upside apart from for Bouldy as it seems somewhat of a demotion, however if he’s been wanting the move it explains that. Good news all round.

Hi Hodd.

What are your thoughts on Ljungberg (apart from being a club legend obviously)?

Do you think Bielik will be sold, especially if his performances in the u21 euros brings in a few bids?

I hope we get some of these deals for outstanding youngsters over the line. It seems the logical route given our financial predicament and it could lead to an exciting season. However, there is always a feeling that we are not really at the top of the queue for them and once any kind of fee is agreed the big boys will swoop in.

Wouldn't want to hold your breath on that one TG .

Boris as foreign secretary seemed one , only to willing to shoot from the hip and not too worried whether it hits him in the toe or the intended target .

Shoulder to shoulder with our trans Atlantic brothers I think will be the line .

Thanks for the perspective, Hodd. As long as everyone is happy with their roles.

It's a good strategy to strengthen your squad and weaken your rival. If Aubameyang wants to leave and we can get 80m or more, I say sell him. Not sure if Lacazette can step up to be a 20-goal striker in the league but the money could be re-invested to get two players for the first team and theoretically that should make us stronger.

Playing regularly rather than be on the bench would be a big factor for some players. I think we can re-look at the recruiting strategy that got us Vieira, Henry - young talents struggling at big clubs but excel when given the opportunity to play. If Emery can help realise the potential of some our young players, he will earn the reputation Wenger used to enjoy, and more young players would be keen to join.

Hi Soc
Freddie is highly thought of within the club. That and the fact Emery’s remit is to promote youngsters from the academy into the 1st team squad, makes this appointment something of a no-brainer.
Bielik is an interesting one and could go either way tbh. He did well on loan last year, but isn’t ready to push into our 1st team; he needs games which could mean another loan or, if a good offer comes in, a permanent move away.

I know it is, but I just long for the days when a Man Utd / Arsenal transfer was rare. I never, ever want to see a player of Aubameyang's quality transfer within in the league. Or even go anywhere. But if he has to go, out of the country is the only option I wouldn't be totally upset about. I'd rather take less from a club outside the country that 80 mil inside.