It would be a disaster for Eze to go to Spurs.
We must find a way to get him. Really we also must find a way to get a razor sharp left winger - if it means selling some first team players then do it.

If I was the Guinness head of marketing I would be very unhappy about that.

Flat beer and flat football. Not good for the brand at all.

Rumours of an Al-Nassr bid for Martinelli - £48m + add-ons.

Not at all sure how seriously we should take it, but it certainly works for me.

We turned them down and they have now signed Joao Felix instead,

I’m not sure if that was very wise on reflection. I think a scenario is developing where it’s evident the player needs a move that makes sense in everyone’s interests. His game currently is like a bad version of Theo Walcott where he is only effective against High lines except he doesn’t have Theo’s finishing in front of goal.

Feels to me that he just needs to move and we just need to look at something else. Also when we play MLS, Merino and him that combination does work at all. MLS just seems to play his own game, merino doesn’t seem to have a connection to anyone and Gabby is isolated. It’s an awful threesome and when I see that on the team sheet I worry. Gabby seems to play better with the Italian for some reason but he’s rarely fit.

I think it's a bit harsh on Martinelli - he's been erratic, but he does pose a threat and has had some good games over last year

I am somewhat perplexed at the Merino signing - he just doesn't add what we need to the midfield

I agree with much of the above in that we so badly need someone on the left who can play with pace and beat a man

Yep - having looked, that story is about a month old. Sorry.

Note to self - check rumours before posting.

In Ireland, Guinness employ inspectors who visit pubs to ensure the Guinness meets its standards.

The poor fellas would probably need therapy if they went to The Arsenal.

Man U are signing Sesko.

Sesko, Cunha, Mbeumo is, if we're honest, a very, very good front 3. They've probably overpaid for each of them as they are coming in close to £200m

Nothing like a big club just spending their way out of the mess they created, no academy saviors or unfashionable players they nurture and train to be better, no bargain players through great scouting. It annoys me as an Arsenal fan, think of what the fans of well run but nowhere near as rich clubs feel like

Chelsea are still trying to sign Xavi Simons and Garnacho - I get they get plenty of incomings and do all sorts of dodgy deals and accounting to be able to keep buying but both of these guys play on the left wing - they've already signed left winger Gittens this summer and have younger player George who plays there. On the right wing they have Palmer (where he played in the club world cup), Neto, Estaveo and Sterling....before we even mention Pedro, Delap, Nkunku, Jackson and Fofana for strikers.

What are these players told when they are thinking of signing for Chelsea. There are 5 other guys who already play in your place, you'll all be in competition and we'll sell 2 or 3 of them in either this window or the next

I still think goalscoring for our team was/is less of an issue than chance creation. We may not have elite or natural finishers and Gyökeres helps with that hugely but if you are creating chance after chance we still have very good forward players to put them away.

When you compare creativity across the 3 big teams then who are we relying on? Ødegaard and Saka as the 'natural' creative players. I think at Liverpool they have both full backs (historically and still now with their replacements), Mac Allister and Wirtz and Salah. Ekitike and Isak are quite skillful forwards capable of creating rather than simply ruthless finishers. City are similar, natural full backs now who create, most options in their midfield and forward line except Haaland are creative.

We still lack it. Eze is a must, he just ticks so many boxes for us. His release clause is no longer active, if we think we'll get a better deal late in the window I don't think we will because we leave Palace with no time to get a replacement so they just say no and Eze isn't seemingly kicking up a fuss to leave even though he's said previously his dream is to play for Arsenal

Simons more of an 8/10 no?

I’d love to be a fly on the wall in one of these meetings between Chelsea and players agents.

Maybe it’s a bit like monopoly you just immediately buy everything you land on. The earliest interest for young players is always Chelsea. Probably stealing lots of marches. Like for example example I could absolutely see a world where Arsenal and Hato are a perfect match, but Arsenal are looking at Calafiori and Myles, and Zinchenko still there and it gives them pause, where Chelsea don’t miss a beat and they’re probably often the only ones at the table.

Colwill out for the season with an ACL in his first training session back after the club World Cup. Maybe it’s because we were burnt so badly last season but it feels like more and more serious injuries are happening simply through the amount of football players are playing now.

Injuries could again be one of the biggest factors to decide where the title goes.

Right now if you have me the option of signing Eze and random injury luck through the season or no Eze but every player stays fit all season is take the latter in a heartbeat.

We’re at a strange point as collective Arsenal fans and this season could cause big division amongst the fans simply because there are growing numbers of fans who believe that Arteta MUST be sacked if he doesn’t win the premier league (which we haven’t won for 21 years) or the champions league (which we’ve never won and are 5th favourites for)

It simple can’t be as black and white as that.

There's no doubt the intensity of the game and the higher number of games played without decent rests resulting in more and more ACLs

If we come close but don’t win anything this season you will have a full late Wenger scenario where 70% of online type fans will be frustrated and want him gone yet most of the matching going fans say 70% want continuation and stability. Like you say it’s not black and white. I really hope he takes home some pots this year to shut people up but I have some doubts.

As things stand I don’t think we look like champions elect. 3 weeks of the window left and I do wonder if we need to do more shuffling in the transfer market. I don’t want the martinelli situation to be a bug bear of our season with people moaning at the player and manager about it. On his day he can be decent but where I am right now I’d probably loan him out and loan someone else in just to hear it not being used as a stick to beat the manager with every week regardless of how the player performed

I have no seen a single Arsenal fan online or any in person who want Arteta sacked if we don't win something. Not one. If they are out there they are tiny minority. I have seen City fans saying Guardiola needs to be moved on. You'll always have these people.

No one is elect at this stage but right now it is between us and Liverpool. If we don't get the injuries we did last season we should in the running come May. Liverpool cannot be as lucky with injuries as they were last season.

Do you have Gaz from Oz blocked for some reason?

It would be understandable if you do, but he's often mentioned the need for Arteta to win something big this season or be replaced. Does the phrase "No excuses" ring any bells?

I would love it if you're right that Man City won't be a threat this season, but it seems premature to write them off as well. Chelsea may be more serious contenders than they've been for a while too.

It's a really tough league. As you suggested luck with injuries can make a massive difference and, as others have said, a player like Salah having an exceptional season is another thing that can tip the balance.

Come on, it may be a small minority of fans but often it is a very vocal minority.

You saying you haven't seen a single Arsenal fan say Arteta should be sacked if he doesn't win either of the two big trophies doesn't make it true that no Arsenal fans are saying this. I have seen plenty of loud fans on various social media channels say he should be sacked for failing to win them. Of course it could be farming attention and being controversial for clicks and we all kind of dislike this breed of 'look at me' fans on line - but they are there and they are still fans.

City are definitely going to be up there. They had a strange 9 game blip where they only picked up 5 points, but the squad is too big and has too much quality for them not to be challenging.

Liverpool are favourites and I make us and City about equal footing as joint 2nd favourites.

Right now I think we're reliant on some factors going our way. a few big injuries to key players for Liverpool and City - and a clean bill of health for us would help - its exactly the set of circumstances Liverpool had last season. I still don't think people fully comprehend how outstanding and out of the norm Liverpool's injury record was last year.

With the way Gyökeres plays we need to find players to play to his strengths, he's going to make run after run in the 90 minutes, we need players who play with their head up and their first thought is can I play a pass to set Gyökeres away. Too often we turn down the early ball in to space in favour of keeping possession. Far more risks in attack have to be taken.
Martinelli is very much a head down dribbler, staggeringly so, give him early balls to run on to in a half space zone then he can be useful, but he's just not a touchline winger who can be effective with the ball at his feet.

Fair enough if it wasn't nostalgia and I do agree to an extent.

The difference is that I think coaches really are more analytical and quick to react to the opposition these days. Not necessarily in game, but in their preparations and planning. And that, along with other things that have changed a lot over the decades, is why comparisons with the past don't always hold up that well. And as we can be quite predictable at times, we really should try to keep as many tricks up our sleeves as we can and have some element of surprise to our game.

Where I agree, and where we're very fortunate at Arsenal, is that Gabriel is an absolute force of nature in the box and most defences simply can't stop him even when they do know exactly where he's going. I'm sure our set piece coach is smart enough to appreciate what he's got there.

Talking of Gabriel, while I was really pleased to see Kiwior do so well getting a run of games, Gabriel's absence clearly affected Saliba and Raya's composure quite badly, with Saliba making some very uncharacteristic errors and Raya's late season form in stark contrast to the rest of the season. This is not meant as criticism of Raya, Saliba or Kiwior, and nor is it criticism of Ødegaard or anyone else when I say that, for me Gabriel is our captain whenever he's on the pitch.

He and Timber are back for Manure away or at least so I read.

Jorrel Hato is Chelsea’s 49th signing in the last four years.

For context, 49 signings ago for Arsenal was Lucas Perez in 2016

Yes, and for all our concerns about Chelsea and other clubs selling better than we do, it's worth remembering that they sold Kepa to us for a mere £67 million less than they paid for him.

Stepping back from football for further context, this is from an article TG linked to yesterday...



Apparently £7 million is a far bigger deal to the Met Police than it is to even a struggling club in the Premier League.

I hasten to point out that the money was merely resting in my account

Bournemouth have lost
Kepa - was only on loan
Kerkez - £40m
Huijsen - £50m
and now Zabayani to PSG - £62m

4 of their starting back 5

They've signed a new gk and a new left back but still have the best part of £150m burning a hole in their pocket

It is these sorts of clubs with this kind of money and gaps in their squad who can panic late on and surplus players in big clubs can be flogged for inflated fees

https://x.com/Arsenal/status/1953822255647273348

Nwaneri new long term deal signed

Hopefully Saliba and Saka next, both with 2 years left

Who do we think should - or will - get the better deal?

Hmm, that’s a good one DHD.

Should be Saka but will be Saliba I reckon.

Probably pretty close, but Saka to get goal and assist bonuses making it potentially higher? That seems fair.

No contest for me. Saka all day long.

If someone had said this summer we would sign two world class starters and 4 quality back up players, for a total of £200m, you’d expect way more optimism going into the season. If Liverpool get Isaak then i think belief that this will be our year will sink even further.

Agreed.
I’m actually ‘at peace’ with the likelihood of Saliba going to Real Madrid within the next 3 years maybe - as long as he signs the new deal so we can sell him for £80-100m then fine. I won’t like it but if the fee is big enough then I can move past it.
I can’t feel that way about Saka

Nwaneri signs new long-term contract!
Best news for me, even better than Gyökeres signing.

Next up, Dowman

So Man U, who in the last couple of years have pleaded poverty and undertaken cost-cutting exercises to remove staff probably earning little more than the minimum wage, have this summer spent over £200m on new forwards and are not finished yet.

Make that make sense.

Chelsea's financial model seems implausible and yet, with some creative accounting and associated rule bending, it somehow works.

I watched them yesterday and was struck by how energetic and vibrant their football was compared to the stodgy stuff we have served up lately.

They have bought some really good youngsters too, like Estavao, Hato, Gittens.

Would their brand of football come unstuck if they face a low block every week, thats the question, but they could be a dangerous dark horse this year.

Their defenders and keeper are a huge weakness.

Line up for today’s match. Close to the team that will face Man U, question mark on the full backs and whether Arteta throws Gyökeres straight in or goes for Havertz