Hi socrates. I started my post from your original so didn’t see you had removed the £300k. I would certainly hope the £300k can’t be true. But my other point on this issue remains. If Saka and Pépé will become our first choice wide attacking players, how much do we need a 32 year old Willian on high wages (even if it isn’t £300k a week) for 3 years? Especially if Smith Rowe is half as good as others appear to suggest (even though apart from one pretty good game I’m yet to see it myself).

But that's what they said about me though.

Not with Özil still milking the club for £350k a week for one more year. Once bitten, twice keep the money in the bank surely. Or offer Willian half that. Which is still very good money for a 31 (nearly 32?) year old.

Yes surely it’s as or more attractive to Willian than to Arsenal, gets to stay in London where he’s presumably built a life for himself over the 8? years he’s been at Chelsea, gets the wage boost from being a free transfer. Gets to link up with Luiz and if he’s been personally requested by Arteta. Who’re the other club I wonder? It’s spurs isn’t it...

Ornstein mentioned Chelsea, Barcelona and Miami as three others.

I agree with Haz - if it's what Arteta wants, give it to him. We have plenty of youth in the squad and Willian, assuming he's still in good nick (which he appears to be) adds quality and experience.

Willian's weekly wages at Chelsea were £120K, according to the Chelsealatestnews website. Kepa/Kante currently highest paid at £150K a week. Chelsea 2020 wage bill stands at £98M.
Can't see Willian on £300K a week unless it's cause he didn't cost anything. And yes, Spurs were interested, yet Mour stayed quiet.

I highly doubt those wage figures. Jorginho is on less than 120k a week? After being bought at great expense recently as Sarri’s key signing? There’s a load of horseshit that goes along with these published lists and always has done as far as I can see. Like Arsenal including bonuses and other clubs not doing so, that makes it meaningless doesn’t it?? Also including and not including agents fees in transfers. Murky stuff.

Willian is a quandary. Can he go 90 minutes any longer? He's a game changer though. He can do for us what Giroud did for us off the bench and is doing for Chelsea now off the bench, come up with that goal in a game that gets you the points.

If he is not a week in, week out starter, will he stand for starting sometimes and coming off the bench other times? And his need for 3 years. If we get him and can get 2 good years out of him and in that time get back to top 4 at least and on the way to challenging, then his 3rd season can be written off. By then, we'd have gotten (presumably) other good players in as we are on the up.

That's all a big if. If we can keep Aubameyang, we won't need him but if we do both, well, things get interesting. We desperately need either a CB or a DM. I hope the long rumored deal for Partey is as close to getting done as the rumors suggest. He's young and talented, like Saliba and we have nice group of young players (Saka and others) that we can build on. Some maturity is needed to lead them for those uber big games.

Some rumblings in France that we're getting close to signing brilliantly named Brazilian centre back Gabriel dos Santos Magalhães from Lille. 22 years old, 6ft3 and supposedly very comfortable on the ball. Haven't seen him play, but seems like a good profile for us.

I reckon Lacazette will go while he still has value.

I think MA fancies Eddie Nketiah to play the same chasing / harrying / poaching role. I wouldn't argue too hard against that decision.

The chasing part of it and the energy definitely, his finishing is highly regarded and I’m hopeful that will pick up with confidence and more chances, It would be his link up play that I’d question him being first choice in that position.

It will be image rights - Arsenal include them in wages, most of the other clubs in this country don’t

Willian played 90 minutes 21 times in the league and was subbed off 8 times in the 29 starts he made. I’d wager that is as good a 90 minute ratio of any winger at a top 6 club. Wingers being one of the most substituted players.

I posted a link to his stats on injuries before, one thing we don’t need to worry about is Willian’s fitness or injury record, he’s kept himself in top condition at 31. Similar to Aubameyang who barely misses a game and plays the 90 very often

If Daz is out there watching nervously in his Brentford shirt ...good luck
Another London derby next year no matter what

I’m not sure. I can’t see Arteta going into a new season with just Nketiah as his central striking role. If you look at firmino he has way more technical ability and excels at link up play. Nketiah seems to be a different type who wants to exist in and around the 6 yard box moving to receive the final ball. It would be such a massive leap of faith. How many great goals has he scored for us, he’s a real novice.

Nketiah isn’t scoring that goal against spurs Lacazette did. Lacazette might go but to go into a new season with Nketiah as first choice striker would be ridiculous

Thanks Rich,

Willian and Aubameyang are the same age. If Aubameyang says he wants a 3 year contract to stay, do we uphold the same criteria some on here applying to Willian?

For me, Effing brilliant. Fulham won 0-1 and they’ve always been my second favourite London club. Have family who support them. I’m so pleased. Fulham are miles below Bayern and Rangers in the correct order of my favourite clubs. But they are fourth following Arsenal, Bayern and Rangers.

Advice please from those that buy the shirts.

I’m getting a shirt for my nephew’s birthday, and instead of the usual bog standard £60 odd quid one, as he’s on a special birthday I’m wondering if it’s worth getting him the £100 odd quid one. (Especially given the 10% discount)

Is there a discernible difference in quality or fit?

Cheers

Sorry mate, I’ve. no idea. I’ve bought a few home shirts and got one away over the years. But beyond long or short sleeves that is as far as it goes for me.

No worries. Maybe someone else will know.

The price is putting me off but it’s become a tradition for me to buy him one for his birthday. And as he’s 21 I thought it might be good to get the posher one.

I wish I had you as an uncle growing up!

I probably have zero beneficial advice really what I would say is that the shirt situation is insane and I’d suggest getting him the 60 quid one and buying him something else because in 9 months time whatever shirt you will have bought gets chucked out anyway and a new one is issued.

I bought my son the yellow away kit 6 months ago which looks nice I thought. Que corona and the first team have barely worn it. Why on earth would any sane human being buy a third kit ?

I’m aware they change the kits every year now but it’s ludicrous really it’s exploiting parents

The new home shirt looks horrendous in my opinion.

It’s really simple. The perfect arsenal shirt is a replication or variation of the 89 shirt or the shirt the invincibles wore.

Thick whole white sleeves that haven’t been messed with and a red body in the right colour tone with minimal touches and flashy bits.

Right Hodd image rights. That wasn't factored in on that website. Let alone other fees. Just basics.

I wouldn't rate the 03/04 shirt too highly. Too much white on the shoulders. The simple shirt of the 70s was excellent but I think my favourite was 98. A superb kit.

My son bought the new shirt today using his own money. Crazy price, but the only consolation is that the things last forever. I have shirts from 20 years ago that look exactly.like they were when I bought them.

Cottagers return.
Suppose the boat rides to their stadium won't be happening for quite sometime.

It's a shame Brentford didn't make it. I'm sure Hodd is most disappointed. They are on the cusp of big things.

Maybe you could buy Özils shirt. He's not using it.

Thanks TG.

It was my Dad that did this until about 5 years ago. Since I’ve been looking after Dad I’ve sort of taken over. To be fair, my nephew usually wears the shirt every time he plays 5 a side, which up until recently was about 3 times a week.

Won’t be sweaty, that’s for sure.

Thanks Goonie. Nephew is definitely lean, if not a bit scrawny.

Given his 5 a side playing, it might be better for him.

Discount code runs out on Friday, so I’ll have to make a decision soon.

https://www.skysports.com/share/12042794

If it’s not safe to accept inbound travel by opponents then it’s going to be a mega challenge trying to persuade another ‘neutral’ country to take that same risk for both clubs involved. And arranging it would be a logistical nightmare. Next season’s European competitions could end up being a nonsense.

Yeh, but your first two yards are in your head.

The shirt looked really nice as we were lifting the cup with it on Saturday.

For me they are very different. One is our best player and it would take huge amounts of money to replace what he gives the team. The other is a nice to have player but not essential in the way a commanding CB and CM are.

If Arteta's criteria for a winger is one who can play both wings, has experience of the league, won't block the progress of Martinelli and Saka and who is cheap then you arrive at Willian.

https://theathletic.com/1875792/2020/06 ... ed_article

David Ornstein's article in The Athletic about Arteta's Arsenal - article is unlocked and free to read for 7 days

Very different players indeed, Aubameyang being the most imporant of the two. But they are both 31 and both can remain fairly healthy. Willian brings big game experience. I'd rather we spend that money on a top CB or even a class DM but we will be a better team with Willian.

I'm also obviously pointing out the debate about offering a 31 year old a 3 year contract makes it seem a wee bit hypocritical if we were to offer Aubameyang one. And I doubt fans would storm the gates if Aubameyang got it.

https://theathletic.com/1735166/2020/04 ... ed_article

Another interesting Athletic aritcle on Arsenal's head of scouting Cagigao

Spurs reserve Kyle Walker Peters close to signing for Southampton for £12m following a 6 month loan. If Arsenal wanted to move on some of our younger English players there is the bench mark in terms of fee, £12m for a player with only 6 months experience.

. A couple of players said they couldn’t make the conference call. Arteta was unimpressed. He sent an uncompromising WhatsApp voice message in return.



Let’s have a guess which 2 players did this ?