It’s easier if you just say where does he feature in the top 20 midfielders rather than all players. I find it difficult with Özil and I’d be even tempted to say Michael Thomas,Paul Davis and David Rocastle would feature higher in my personal preferences. I can effortlessly name 8 players in midfield who made a greater contribution to Arsenal without giving it much thought

On overall contribution, would he rate above, say, Brian Talbot? No particularly reason for singling him out, except that that here must be scores and scores of players over the last century and a bit who were stalwarts in their day but are virtually forgotten now.

I try to only compare players I’ve seen. I can’t compare Liam Brady with Alex James, for example, or Ian Wright with Ted Drake.

People tend to use the 'best of all time' label very carelessly.

Just been reading about an 18 year old right winger called Noni Madueke, he’s from Barnet, was in Spurs youth team but they lost him to PSV, he’s played 22 times for them this season and got 7 goals and 8 assists.

It’s strange, an Young English player doing great things abroad and I’ve barely heard a peep about him from the media in this country, and certainly nothing about Spurs failing to keep him in their team.

One to keep an eye on as you’d imagine having grown up in north London he may want to return to this country at some point. Lots more young English players starting to be brave enough to move abroad at a young age, European clubs are starting to bring that talent over as well because they realise the English coaching has changed to become far more technical based than the old fashioned values the English system held dear for so long.

Wonder if Hodd knows anything about this kid?

Tomori the 23 year old chelsea CB is going to seal a loan to AC Milan, with an option to buy for £27m! This is a good young player who has played 1 season in the prem and has been dropped this season. Of Chelsea sell him for £27m that is crazy money. I see this time and time again from other clubs but never from us. I feel like we’re about 10 years behind the likes of chelsea in terms of selling and loaning out players

There must be a reason. They must be doing something we simply aren’t. Maybe simply they have better players worth more

I think they do have better youngsters, Hudson-odoi, James, Abraham and Mount are very good, but we still have some good home grown guys. It’s more what they extract for players they don’t want or extract from the loan system. In 2018/19 chelsea earned £35m in loan fees alone.
I think it is just an attention to detail. We’ve hardly been known as driving the best value in the market for buying and selling players in the last 10 years so I don’t expect us to be any better in the loan system.

Look at Liverpool as well. £23m for Brewster who is at the moment not as good as Nketiah, no arsenal fan would expect us to be able to get that for Eddie. They got £20m for Solanke and £15m for Jordan Ibe.

We are miles behind.

Paul has changed his social media M10 logo to Fenerbache colours, he’s definitely going.
So Özil, Kolasinac gone, Sokratis very likely to go this window. That’s probably as good as we could have hoped for in terms of outs. Really need another player in

Few rumours around that we’re in for Woodman the young English gk at Swansea on loan from newcastle

Of course ‘Paul’ was a great autocorrect from Özil

I was hesitating to ask. I was worried that everyone except me would know who Paul is.

One of the best managed games I've seen from OGS.

Me too

I was wondering if Paul Merson had come out of retirement to join Fenerbahce?

Yes, I've been wondering about it all afternoon. Most interesting thing to happen all day!

I try to through in a few more autocorrect names if only to keep you all on your toes.

2 goals for John Stones tonight, he’s come back in from the cold at City and playing brilliantly. Best defence in the league and a great partnership with Dias.
I recall not too long ago there were whispers of Arteta going back to City to try to buy Stones for us when he was out of favour. I quite liked it at the time based on him having big potential, English and a ball playing CB.
Surprised there haven’t been more rumours linking us to City rejects or City youth players. City have a ridiculously talented youth team with many probably unable to see their pathway to the first team, I was half hoping Arteta would use his knowledge and influence to try to poach some.

For some silly reason thought of Paul Pogba.

No Bernard we played hard ball. Some News magnate has picked up his media rights and is paying £350k to cover his wages weekly.

Thanks. That fits as it explains he is getting his £350k a week from somewhere. The good news is if it’s some sort of magnate rather than Arsenal.

If Tierney and Martinelli are both fit to join the squad tonight that would leave Pablo Mari as the only injured first team player, and his injury is only minor. After years and years of fitness issues we do seem to have turned a corner in this regard.
A lot more of our players seem to be more robust.

https://www.spotrac.com/epl/payroll/

This website which details all footballer's salaries has us with the 2nd highest wage bill in the league behind Man U. Strangely I find it hard to believe we're ahead of City and Chelsea but also not that hard to believe given some of the bloated figures we pay in what is a bloated squad.

just taking Özil off the payroll drops us to 6th in the list, level with Liverpool.

All best to your future at Bournemouth Jack Wilshere.

Seconded. If (a big if, I know) Jack can stay injury free he has more quality and class than most. Would love to see him help Bournemouth get promoted and show that quality in the Premier. Good luck to him anyway, he really deserves a good run.

So, hands up then.

Who’s doing this?

https://www.skysports.com/share/12188507

Mustafi on twitter in a message to Özil
Bro, you have been the most unselfish player on and off the pitch, I have ever shared the dressing room with. You will be always remembered as the Assist King. Unfortunately we as a team haven’t been able to assist you when you needed us the most. All the best

Lots of talk of the Bundasliga clique at Arsenal - Özil, Kolasinac, Mustafi, Sokratis - not Xhaka apparently.

If you have a situation at a club like has happened with Özil, then you see messages like Musafi's then it is clean there is a divided dressing room. We must do as much as we can to sort this out. The 4 above are gone, or going. There were rumours of Luiz not towing the line, true or not he's gone in the summer.

Bit too modern for me LTG

Give me the days of alcohol fumes and cigarette (and other smoke) on the wind, meat pies, bovril, and the swaying of a sweaty, smelly, volatile and roaring crowd any day. That would be truly immersive.

Unfortunately, those days are long gone.

The game is being cleansed of passion.

Not forgetting Percy Daltons peanuts of course.

Of course.

Sadly no more. Company dissolved in 2016. Sold out to KP apparently.

Mustafi's taking the piss. Barely average player mouthing off. He can *%^@ off too, useless *%^@

Tierney back, Partey back, Martinelli back on the bench. Cédric for Bellerin.
Newcastle, having started with 5 defenders and three defensive mids against Sheffield United have picked an attacking looking lineup.
Stating the bleeding obvious, vital we win tonight. I'm not going to jinx it by making any predictions.

Watneys party seven on the train to away games.

That’s almost a 4-2-4 for Newcastle. Expect them to go very direct to Carroll most of the game, hopefully he forgets his shooting boots like he did in the fa cup game

Why do you have to show such anger towards Mustafi? You once said you hated him, and then a while later repeated it.

Gus Caesar was the worst player I’ve seen play for the club and was a million miles worse than Mustafi. He also came from Tottenham and was or is a lifelong fan of Tottenham. Do I hate Caesar? Not even close.

Mustafi was probably a mate of Özil. What’s the harm in what he said?

Just can’t see Partey and Xhaka working in the same team. Strange selection

Who cares about Gus Caeser?? Mustafi is under contract, highly paid and a bang average player. He should keep his counsel until he leaves the club. I hope he never kicks a ball for us again, to be honest. Dreadful signing regardless of how crap Gus Caeser was.

Never had that particular pleasure brom.

He just doesn’t like AMN does he. Dumped out the squad.

I understand he was poor in the last game but it was his first game in absolutely ages in the league and out of position again. Don’t tell me he’s a worse player than willock