Top Gun here, borrowing Bernard’s computer. I’m sure Xhaka was our left back for that game in 1965.

Flint got skinned. Other than this match, was he any good?

That's hilarious ltg. But I believe it. There are players from my childhood teams that I don't recall at all.

I have to say that the impending failure to land Guimaraes is really depressing.

We seem to spend forever checking players out only for them to not want to come or to be seduced elsewhere. The fact that it is Newcastle waving their dosh about adds hugely to the sense of desolation.

And the end of the transfer window is accelerating towards us.

I think the list of players we’re linked to must be huge, the list of players the club is genuinely interested in and actively following wouldn’t be as big but would also be very big. And from that list we’re looking to make one signing in a particular position so naturally there are going to be huge numbers of players we move on from or decide aren’t as good for us as the one we do go for/get.
£33m for Guimaraes doesn’t seem like that much money and I would hope and expect that if he was our No.1 midfield target we’d be in there matching the bid and then if the player still wanted Newcastle it would be simply due to the extortionate wages we wouldn’t be willing to match - and then we’d say do we really want a player with that sort of priority?

Can't really see anyone of note coming in now unless we do a Partey and trigger someone's release clause. That would mean paying the whole amount upfront, though.

More chance of a squadfilling loan.

Matt Turner is a done deal but for the summer £7m

If Chambers to Villa is true that seems strange. I don’t think he’s good enough for us and I’d expect his position in the squad to be taken by Saliba and a back up right back in the summer…..but that is in the summer and he’s back up in those positions for the next 17 games.

We’re stripping the squad bare in a year when a volatile virus can spread like wildfire through a squad

It is true Rich. It’s confirmed on Aston Villa’s official website. With Maitland-Niles already gone it leaves Cédric as the only right back when Tomiyasu is out.

https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2022/januar ... s-signing/

Does Mari on loan and Chambers gone leave us with just 3 cbs and Tomiyasu who can play there at a push? Tierney as well I guess.

Chambers is another one in a pretty long list of players who's been mishandled at Arsenal in recent years. Should've just sold him a couple of years ago, we could've easily gotten 10-15m for him, and it was a long time ago he looked like someone who could be more than a bit part player at this level. Maitland-Niles is another one heading in the same direction - a year left on his deal this summer which will affect whatever fee we can get for him. At one point we had a bid of close to 20m on the table.

All of these missed transfer fees add up, and when we're sitting here all agreeing we need at least two starting players these things play a part in our ability to get them.

Does Mari on loan and Chambers gone leave us with just 3 cbs and Tomiyasu who can play there at a push? Tierney as well I guess.

Yeah, I think the plan for the rest of the season is White, Gabriel, Holding and Tomiyasu at cb, Tomiyasu, Cédric and Tavares at rb and Tierney and Tavares at lb. Might work, but it's a little risky.

So outs this month:
Mari on loan
AMN on loan
Kolasinac contract cancelled
Chambers permanent to Villa
Balogun on loan
And the club desperate to move on Aubameyang

From the 5 outs I reckon we probably paid up Kolasinac’s deal but saved the wages of the other 4 which I’d estimate at maybe £200-250k per week which is £5-6m saving until the summer.

When you consider the prize money on offer for champions league, europa or even just every place in the league on the face of it that seems a strange set of deals for players who could have been emergency back ups for a thin squad. Mari and Kolasinac and Balogun I understand but AMN and Chambers offered versatile back up.

Arsenal fans will go absolutely spare if we don’t add some players in the next 4 days

At the end of the day we only have another 13 games to contest. 3 centre backs plus Tommy might be enough. Saliba comes in next year

Shame Callum left. Good player I thought and always gave his best. Shame really

Isn't it 17 games? Not that thats a massive amount more.

Might have got the number wrong

Matt Turner is a done deal but for the summer £7m

If he’ll replace an outgoing Leno, I’ll be surprised if it’s not another weakening of the squad.

Probably but can a club like Arsenal pay a reserve keeper 100 grand a week.

Would make sense to run a tighter ship till we are back in Europe

Cutting it close again in the transfer market. We desperately need an established Striker and another box to box Midfielder.

At least the women’s team won 2-1 at home to Brighton after being 0-1 down at half time.