That sounds more promising than throwing in an untested player out of position.

Perhaps Zinchenko can cover Xhaka's position if necessary?

I always think it’s dangerous if you lose a first 11 player to then pluck other first 11 players out of their positions to fill the gaps.

In theory if Partey got injured (with Elneny out as well) you could move Xhaka to deep midfield, Zinchenko to Xhaka’s position and being in Tierney. But it feels like shuffling too many parts.

I don’t know about Ben White there, I prefer Xhaka for the ball progression ability.

Arsenal are likely to try hard for another central mid, remember when we thought Elneny would miss a fair chunk of the start of the season we went with 3 bids for Douglas Luiz at the end of the summer window. Well we’re in the same position now.

Tielemans is still there and easily obtainable, but you’d question why the club haven’t done it yet if they really wanted him. He’s also more Xhaka’s position than Partey.
Reading lots about making a big play for Declan Rice in the summer. He’d be excellent but West Ham won’t sell him mid season when they’re in a dog fight at the bottom.
Onana from Everton is another mentioned, huge guy, more of a screen that Partey’s all round game but could do a job

They will sign somebody there’s no way they will play the polish centre back in that position. Whilst he’s played there it was last season and all his recent games are at centre half. They aren’t moving Ben white either.

Got a feeling this guy might turn up despite our fans pissing his dad off

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football ... s-29043271


Would feel a bit meh though

It is certainly being looked at. UEFA are bringing in a rule to limit transfer fee amortisation to 5 years. Chelsea are trying to get around FFP by offering these long contracts and amortising them accordingly. It's a very risky strategy because if players don't work out you are stuck with these guys on high wages for years.

We will probably have to wait until next year to see how it impacts on their financial accounts and then see if UEFA will act.

No.idea about the Juve guy, but I agree on the rest. They aren't going to throw in the Polish kid in central.midfield. Elneny is hardly long term cover for Partey anyway. Given our league position and the chance we have to do something remarkable, I think we will bring in a decent midfielder.

Mudryk's eight and a half year contract provoked the thought that even the President of the US doesn't get that long.

We aren't going to get anyone even close to being good enough to do what Partey does for the team (as least not in January).
If Partey gets crocked we'll have to rethink the midfield.

Mckennie looked lively and combative at the WC and might be a good squad addition, but (judging from a very small sample of games) ... as you say , a bit meh...

Man Utd will likely end the season with a trophy, the league cup. I'm hoping Newcastle wins and beats them in the final, but I'd think the odds makers will side with Man Utd I'm guessing. Ironically enough its going to be these two clubs more than likely fighting for the 3rd and 4th spots in the league.

I’ve just read an article lauding the new found ‘dark arts’ employed by Newcastle. It enjoyed how Eddie Howe said ‘we’re not here to be popular we’re here to compete’. It said how Howe had spent time observing Simeone’s Atletico Madrid in his time away from the game, Lascelles has been booked twice as a sub for interfering with the play, Joelinton is the enforcer and has 7 yellows, they waste time, Wilson scuffed the penalty spot before Mitrovic slipped and missed from the spot recently, Jacob Murphy waving off a Saints player when he was carded, the coaching bench launching a bottle at Klopp, tactical injuries to eat up time and how Howe’s ‘handsome’ assistant Tindall can turn ugly with his antics on the touchline.

It’s funny because I thought we’re getting absolutely lambasted for only a fraction of that behaviour. And Arteta has been doing what he’s doing ever since he started at Arsenal and it’s strange that it’s only now that we’re top of the league that people find anything wrong with it. But plucky ‘state sponsored’ underdogs Newcastle are lauded for anything they can do to topple the elite?

Simon Jordan says a lot of things but he got it spot on with Arteta, he said people are getting overly upset because he’s seen as a jonny-come-lately, he shouldn’t be this good this soon, he’s putting noses out of joint and his thoughts and tactical brain on the game are hugely threatening for anyone who still goes for the ‘get in their faces’ approach to winning games. Wenger had to put up with this all his Arsenal career.

How nice to see a list of Arsenal squad wages and not see loads of players who are bleeding the club dry for their wage. It’s been far too long.

As someone commented on The Guardian website, 'What is so exciting and encouraging about this season is that we are clearly the best team in the league over the first half, and by a noticeable margin. And critically, we have backed up important wins with more important wins, and bounced back from our rare setbacks immediately (loss to United, crushed Brentford away next game. Drew with Southampton, crushed Forest next game. Drew with Newcastle, followed up with an away win at Spurs).'

Break our transfer record in a January window. Can’t see it.

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/footba ... 55782.html

Guardiola on Arteta.

"He's an Arsenal fan. He was always jumping and celebrating except against one team... I was jumping and when I turned to him he was sitting there. That team was Arsenal."

"I'm pretty sure if I left before and he was here it would be better. But I extended the contract. I'm sorry and he didn't wait."






…. Reminder people here wanted the bloke sacked last year

Rumor season coincides with the transfer window
Latest is Moises Caicedo @ Brighton

If things go according to level and form the league cup will be Newcastle vs Man Utd and I'm sure I'm not the only gooner who will be cheering for Newcastle that day.

That being said, we may end up facing Man Utd again this season. Right now, we've got to be at or near the top of the favorites for the Europa League cup. Man Utd play Barcelona in the same competition and while Barca should be the favorites, I can't rule out Ten to come up with the right tactics to take Barca.

We could end up with Man Utd again in a Semi or Final. I'd love to avoid it but it could happen. More than likely Barca but again, with their present form, and having a manager who is good at tactics, I can't count them out by any stretch.

Some talk around Ibrahima Bamba

https://www.football365.com/news/arsena ... ase-clause

£26.5m release clause, defensive midfielder but has been playing CB in Brazil this season. He’s only 20

Now Kolo Touré sacked from Wigan.

Kiwior’s agent

“Zinchenko dragged Jakub into the changing room after the game against Manchester United. I think when he saw what kind of atmosphere there was, he already wanted to participate from the pitch.”

Zinchenko fast becoming a huge fan favourite. And to think Gary Neville said he’d watched Zinchenko and said he wasn’t a leader. Despite him being his nations captain and plenty of evidence in City team talks which he led.

The problem I have with Neville and Arsenal is not that he has an opinion that I think is wrong it’s that he refuses to use the evidence in front of his eyes to revise that opinion. Last week you had Carragher talking about Arsenals wide players and Neville was talking about what it was like in his day marking Marc Overmars. That was 20 years ago when everyone played 4-4-2 and full backs overlapped wide men….talk about the perspective of the full back with modern formations, 4-3-3 and how he’d play against Martinelli with no full back overlapping but instead Xhaka popping up between him and his CB, and then Zinchenko dropping in to central midfield.

Sorry not had a chance to post pics etc yet , since Monday I’ve been hit with a real busy week , will aim for next week

Highest yearly wage spends of football clubs.

Remarkable how we’ve slashed our wage bill. All but level with Spurs and between £130-170m less than Man U, Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea. For now that helps bridge the gap of not having Champions League money, if we get Champions League money next year which looks increasingly strong we add something in the region of £80m extra revenue per season guaranteed rather than being in the Europa. Someone like Declan Rice may not be out of reach after all

Nketiah deserves an England call up. He can still play for Ghana if he wants. He's proven he can play the lone front man role.

I would hate to be the Everton Manager right now. High wages and yet not commensurating with performance

It looks like Dyche is going to be that manager. His first game in charge will be against us. Not ideal for us with everyone else having been able to play Lampard's horror show - they're still poor players and we're still top of the league so we should win.

Dyche is a good appointment for Everton though

He’s better than Callum Wilson. He’s even scored more goals this season. Honestly if he keeps it up it won’t be long until Southgate comes knocking

Emile Smith Rowe injured misses tonight. Can’t help feel for the kid. People are kinda forgetting how good he is.

It’s *%^@ or get off the pot in the transfer window. 3 business days

Might see some movement today.

We’ve bid £60m for Caicedo from Brighton.

I think I’ve read Brighton want over £75m

Hi Rich,

Top player but we all now how this story ends.

Brighton don't want to sell in this window so my question would be why offer well below we know Brighton want, what's the point? Is it just a convenient story to divert attention away from our real targets?

Who knows. The bid is £60m fixed so I presume Arsenal can go higher with add ons. Chelsea will surely come back in with a bigger bid.

Apparently Edu put a confidentiality clause in the negotiations for Kiwior so no leaks came out. I think he knows (or suspects) teams watch what we do....

Laws of negotiation. If you start off at 75 they will ask for 100 lads

Seems weird that we are going so large this window. I literally know nothing about the player apart from clips. He doesn’t look a natural partey replacement though from what I saw. Are we genuinely going to
Break our transfer record


Saw a clip of Ramsdale on a podcast saying Trossard is not here to sit on the bench and he’s going to take someone’s place.

I watched Caicedo's YouTube video. Very robust tackler but you'd worry about the number of times he leaves the ground. For comparison, Kante rarely dives in.

From that viewing, Caicedo seems like a red card waiting to happen.

If Trossard starts tonight I could see Tierney get a start as well, he seems to work better with a forward who cuts inside more than a touchline hugging forward. But Arteta's general plan is for the wide men to hug the touchline

Do you think we'd be going so big in this window if we weren't top and had areal chance at the title? I'm hoping everyone sees it as a real opportunity so are willing to risk a bit more, or bring forward some spending for the chance of glory

I think our Owners have finally realised that if you want your brand to grow in value, you have to keep investing. Now that we look to have a realistic chance of top 2 where the real TV money is paid, it's a decent punt.

Soc
I have never taken much notice of him.
Can you or anyone else advise what type of player he is and what makes him a 'top' player to get us to bid 60 million for him.
Fees are well and truly ridiculous these days.
Can he do what Partey does?

I thought we were interested in Declan Rice and he had more or less given his word he'd be joining in the summer.....

If Ramsdale did say that isn't that a tad disrespectful to the current holders of the front line?
Sorry i think it was TG said he saw a clip of Ramsdale saying that

The Rice thing is interesting. I’m not sure why we are linked with him as it’s the transfer that we never seem to pull off for major England internationals at Arsenal but I’ve heard some mentioning there re very specific reasons he wants to join Arsenal. His dad is a season ticket holder at Stamford bridge but he’s just had a kid a few months back and insists he wants to play in the champions league.

He’s a good enough player to adapt roles, ie he could play in xhaka and parteys role

Like Mudryk you mean. Full Instagram, Arsenal shirt mode.

Hi david,

I am not professing to be his biggest fan or to have studied his game in depth but he seems a very good all action player in the Kante mould....... strong, athletic, reads the game well and a decent passer. Only 21, too, so lots of room for improvement.

Not sure why anyone is really getting to invested in this story, though, it isn't happening. Even if we were to agree a fee at a higher price you can bet Chelsea will get involved.