2-0 Hibs. Very poor defending

I know it’s the first game of preseason but us missing a total sitter, conceding to a gk mistake, conceding a 2nd from a corner with terrible defending and now having a penalty saved is so very Arsenal.

Still plenty of time in the transfer window to get rid of these players but it’s still quite depressing to see some of them in our shirt still.

Total joke

Kroenke trying to flog viewing to fans in China rather than his “legacy” fans. Shows how misguided they are when most friendlies are dreadful. I remember one v Barnet I went to when they took the field we had a fat version of Arshavin playing who must have put on 2 stone. The game was so poor we spent the 2nd half in the bar.

I agree that racism should stop and there is nothing wrong with taking the knee to support that point. The England footballers should take credit for doing so, but it is not the be-all and end-all of anti-racism. It is quite evidently not something everybody is comfortable with. There are many ways to give substance to anti-racism.

Nanketiah?

I honestly don’t blame them.

https://skwawkbox.org/2021/07/13/breaki ... t-johnson/

I sometimes find Arteta's man management very difficult to accept.
https://metro.co.uk/2021/07/13/mikel-ar ... wsnow-feed

This is not the first time he has said this about S-R in the press. Given he scored our only goal against Hibs, this seems a little strange.

On the other hand he says SR will be 100% at Arsenal this season
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... nners.html

Not clear he needs to ventilate this in the press. Will he be so forthcoming with comments in the press about Willian (who played against Hibs) and Aubameyang strike rate this season.

Why pay. Highlights available to watch on Arsenal.com interesting but we had good chances so we should have won but it's really not that important

Rangers next game. Would be nice to win that

Somebody else said this on twitter but it sums up the blm point perfectly.

If it wasn't a knee but a Hitler salute would you still say it's a race thing or call it for what it is?

But it’s not ? That makes no sense whatsoever

Let's see.
a) Taking the knee is a protest against racism.
b) The Hitler salute is a protest again the right to existence of jews, homosexuals, slav, black people, disabled people, dissent, small nations, and anything else that in unfortunately enough to get in the way of will to power

But no doubt there are good people on both sides!

Let's try another one
1) Blowing a raspberry at someone or exposing your arse/ scratching your nuts in public
2) Greeting people politely, shaking hands, thanking people, showing consideration.

The are both 'civility things'. Are they both reprehensible? If not why should a) and b) (both 'race things') be treated equally?

The reports say that Pépé and Emile Smith Rowe looked very good. What did people who saw the game think?

I agree that pushing things into binary categories should be approached with caution, but wouldn't you agree that Gunfire's comparison of taking the knee with the Nazi salute does suggest that making sharp distinctions is sometime appropriate?

Overly 'woke' people are a pain in the neck, but they are not polar equivalents to Nazi. Trump's 'good people on both sides' is just false.

And how are peaceful anti-racism gestures 'more political' or 'problematic' than, say, players crossing themselves after scoring? Racism is not a 'political' issue, any more than criminality is.

And I think that taking the knee has transcended its association with BLM.

And has anyone been forced to take the knee? Feeling uncomfortable because others are doing it is not the same as 'forced'.

The origins of "taking a knee" or "taking the knee", started by 2 San Francisco 49er NFL players in 2016 during the playing of the US national anthem. Then it evolved from there as stated.

Taking the knee (or taking a knee) is a symbolic gesture against racism where the person kneels on one knee. It was originated by American football player Colin Kaepernick on September 1, 2016 to call attention to the issues of racial inequality and police brutality in the United States, and it led to a series of national anthem protests.[1] It has been adopted in other sports, including soccer, and has been seen in non-sporting contexts, such as Black Lives Matter protests.[1] It has also been adopted in other countries around the world and has been present in UEFA Euro 2020.

Imagine the reaction if Arsenal had just offered an expensive 5 year contract to a 34 year old.

It will be interesting to see how Messi performs as he approaches 40 years old.

Willock supposedly close to another season loan to Newcastle. The common thought was Arsenal need money from sales to make the signings we want/need to strengthen the squad. Willock was a player who would have generated a decent fee. I thought the other option was to keep him in the squad and play him. Arsenal seem to be going with the 3rd option of another loan.

It seems that any team that wants our players wants loans and any players we want will cost transfer fees. Difficult to see how all that adds up for our finances.

Hopefully now the euros are over things will move a bit quicker.

Willock may end up being a Newcastle legend without officially being on their books. lol

And on half of his last contract which was £123million a year, or £2.3million a week, for the next five years.

So that's only £61.5million a year, or £1.15million a week.

Staggeringly obscene by any standards. No wonder Barcelona are in the deep doo-doo financially.

Hope he pays his taxes this time.

In my view staying at a single club (a huge one like Barcelona) in one country (Spain) his entire career weakens arguments that he’s the greatest ever player. Maradona did his stuff in different places including Napoli who are at best Italy’s fourth biggest (behind Juventus, Inter and Milan, and Roma and Lazio might argue about that). Even Ronaldo did it in England with Manchester United, Spain with Real Madrid and Italy with Juventus. All huge clubs, but at least it means he did it in different places.

I think Messi should have gone to Manchester City in England, or somewhere else. But not stayed at Barcelona.

Are Pele and Beckenbauer considered greater because they played for New York Cosmos? Is Bobby Charlton's standing as probably England's best ever player enhanced by playing a season for Preston at the end of his career? Baresi and Maldini played their entire club careers for Milan. I can't see how it makes them lesser defenders.

And as for Maradona, as brilliant as he was, he was essentially a failure at Barcelona, so I don't see how that adds to his greatness.

I accept your points about them moving clubs but I saw Maradona do things with a ball Messi couldn’t. I consider Maradona better. I’ve said before I don’t like Messi so many of my views on him are probably unfair to an extent. But not the one that he wasn’t as good as Maradona.

I do think he should have left Barcelona to do it at City in England too.

I understand the different clubs argument when comparing Messi and Ronaldo. But Ronaldo won the league at the biggest club in the England, Spain and Italy - and when he went to Juve they'd already won the league something like 6 times in a row. Ramsey also won the title in Serie A. Of course Ronaldo played well and scored a lot of goals at Juve but they could have probably signed any of the top 30 strikers in the world and still won the league. There is talk of PSG signing Ronaldo this summer, I'm sure he'd win the league there if he went but we need to look at the context of where he's going before we give too much weight to the 'he's done it in multiple leagues' argument.
Does anyone seriously think if Messi went to Juve instead of Ronaldo that Messi wouldn't have won the Italian League?

The reason I think Messi is superior to Ronaldo is Ronaldo is (certainly for the last 7-8 years) purely a goalscorer. Yet Messi still equals or beats him in number of goals scored but also rakes in the most assists. His stats in the Copa America were staggering. Messi was basically the best striker, best No.10 and best central midfielder all at the same time. He had similar stats in La Liga last year, he's doing the job of 3 players and is the best at all of them.

For me they are the two best players ever, but Messi is well above Ronaldo. It is comparing a guy who sticks the ball in the back of the net A LOT vs a guy who also stick the ball in the back of the net a lot but in doing so he's dribbled past half the team and curled one in to the top corner whilst also assisting another 3 goals for his team mates.

Still lots of reports of us going for Locatelli and making sizable bids. By all accounts the player has his heart set on Juve. We need to make sure we have other targets ready to go. It seems some of the credible links we've had with players could easily not come off or we get gazumped by other teams. As always it is critical to get business done as quickly as possible so it is a balancing act.
The thing I hate with things like the Ben White transfer is that it has dragged on so long already, with 2 bids turned down that if we don't get him it will be seen as a huge blow.

Rich, I also think Messi is a better player than Ronaldo although I do give him credit for testing himself elsewhere, even if it was the biggest clubs in those other countries. But at least he has done it elsewhere.

But that’s why I compared Messi to Maradona, who in my view is better than Messi. I never said Ronaldo was better than Messi. I just pointed out he has done it elsewhere.

What I am fed up about is Messi signing another five year contract. Have we still got another five years of the admiration of him to come? Urgh!

I’ve long said the only time to pay attention to arrivals and departures is when it’s confirmed on Arsenal.com.

Hi Rich,

From twitter......make of this what you will:


The Argus has been told there is currently nothing on the table they would accept for Ben White. Arsenal have shown the most interest. A well-placed source says it would take a number which makes it “nonsensical to say no” to move White. [@brightonargus@Brian__Owen]


It does seem to be dragging on but how much of that is due to the Euros and how much is because we are simply unable or unwilling to meet Brighton's asking price is hard to judge.

It is all well and good overpaying for players but there has be be a limit somewhere and maybe we feel that limit has been breached.

If so, I hope we can move on quickly to other targets. The start of the season is nearly upon us and we haven't strengthened the starting 11 at all yet.

How about this for a ‘development’? Kind of sums us up right now.

https://newsjust24all.com/granit-xhakas ... od5ywaxl1g

What about Tavares ? He’s the dogs B*llocks. Quite literally

In all seriousness 50m plus for White seems a ton of money. Your almost in the ball park of proven world class quality for that price 48+6 apparently our last offer,

I'm beginning to get the impression you're not that fond of Messi, Bernard. In comparison, how do you feel about Ronaldo?

Damn, I thought I’d hidden it. In comparison to Ronaldo I’m not keen on either. I think Messi has been the better player, but he also annoys me the most.

In a post covid market that seems a heck of a lot.

Then again if he stays at the club 10 years and matures into a worldclass ball playing CB its money well spent.....a big "if" though.

Hi Bernard,
Yes I just picked up a thread of discussion and added my two pence worth rather than quoting anyone on the forum in particular. I realise you compared Maradona rather than Ronaldo - I never really saw enough of Maradona at his best so it is difficult for me to make the comparison.
All these things are subjective and will be debated until the end of time so I have no problem with who anyone else thinks is better as long as they aren't bringing in ridiculous suggestions.

Ronaldo and Messi have been the worlds best for some time and they probably still are and yet they are 34 and 36 I think. It reminds me a bit of men's tennis. Nadal, Federer and Djokovic have continued to dominate the sport well in to their 30's. Are they still really that good or is there a lack of credible challengers - probably a bit of both. Only recently have I seen some men's tennis players who seem like they can compete with the big 3. In football there is talk of Mbappe and Haaland taking over from Messi and Ronaldo but neither are there yet.

Should just ask for one of their players instead.


http://sportwitness.co.uk/club-chief-re ... rm-stance/

Yeah, can’t see someone else willing to pay this guy 200 grand a week for the next 2 years like we are

https://www.caughtoffside.com/2021/07/1 ... ans-react/

The UK Football Policing Unit said, as of 13 July, 897 football-related incidents and 264 arrests had been recorded across the country in the 24-hour period surrounding the final.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57848761

Staggering

.... yeah keep moaning about the protest instead of the problem eh.

Palace sign Marc Guehi from Chelsea for supposedly £15-20m and with a sell on clause for Chelsea. 21 year old CB who I have never heard of and who has never played a game for Chelsea's first team - £15-20m! and Chelsea have already made £4m or so from a couple of loans to Swansea.

They may spend billions but their loan and selling system is a very well oiled machine that puts us to shame

If he's on Chelsea's books at some point he showed promise beyond his peers and years. Maybe he regressed, maybe he was good but not enough to break through those big international signings. May turn out to be canny business for Vieira.