Hi Rich,

A lack of european football is both a help and a hindrance. Whilst all the travelling is time consuming and a hassle the early rounds would have given us the opportunity to give Martinelli and Balogun and others some very valuable minutes in their development.

I wouldn’t write off Martinelli or Balogun being able to play No.9 in the future, more slight and shorter players than both are effective No.9’s. It’s experience and body position to shield the ball and draw fouls.
Suarez is a similar height to Martinelli, certainly a bit stockier but I think it’s something Martinelli can learn with games against tough CB

With a slightly misfiring attack our defence has been crucial to ensuring we’re keeping the clean sheets so that when we do make a chance we can potentially win the game from it.

In the opposite vein of form I read Liverpool have scored 2 or more goals in 17 straight games in all comps. So you need to score 3 to beat them. That isn’t happening very often, but thankfully West Ham did it!
Liverpool without Mané and Salah when they go to the ANC will be interesting

Honestly with martinelli I don’t see him as a striker. His strength seems to be running from wide positions into the box and running at full backs. He really disappointed v Chelsea up front and I think it’s a little unfair on him to ask him to do that job. He says himself he prefers to play wide and I feel our fans calling for Aubameyang to be dropped and to play him are a little silly.

When I watch him play I see him as more of a Freddie Ljungberg than Luis Suarez and actually I think he may look better on the right flank. [where we are well stacked ] He certainly did well there yesterday

Burnley v Spurs match postponed due to weather. Irregardless, feel for travelling fans. No doubt match tickets can be used for rescheduled game.

Quite a few people, here and elsewhere, have said exactly the same of Aubameyang being better breaking into the box from wide positions.

Indeed, though a midfielder rather than a striker like Aubameyang is, that was arguably Ljungberg’s main strength as it’s how he scored so regularly.

I also thought Ødegaard had a fine match. I didn’t think he was the man of the match as I saw someone call him on another Arsenal chat room. But he played well without being brilliant.

One thing he may need to improve upon is getting into positions more regularly when he can show his creative talents. He often seems to get the ball miles from the opposition goal. Perhaps I’m being unfair with that as at least he shows a willingness to make himself available for passes in deeper areas of the pitch and routinely keeps possession when he does. But his main strength seems to be in the front third of the pitch.

When was the game postponed? Their travel costs will be lost though, if any set off before it was postponed. I suppose those going by car or a club coach would turn around if they got the news before arriving. But those going by train would have a problem if the game was postponed after it had left.

At least a hour prior to kickoff Bernard from what I understand. Would think travelling fans, most anyway, would have arrived early due to weather concerns.

Yeah, if was not much more than an hour before kick off I’m sure practically all the Tottenham fans would have already got there.

Officiating team make a complete balls up letting Man U play from offside. Tuchel points it out and gets a yellow card. Ridiculous.

Just doing some work on the forum serverside - Shouldn't have anything bad happen but just a heads up.

The server people had broken something but have now fixed it.

I'd be gloriously happy if you are proved right G7 ......... but at Old Trafford it doesn't seem to matter the make up of the respective teams they beat us .

Maybe I'm thinking too much of the Rooney , Keane , Ferguson days .... we'll see next week .

Recruitment this summer was very good, but the best big task the recruitment team have is arguably their most difficult….a new striker. If we get it right and find a 20+ goals a season striker then we’re right in top 4 mix. But unlike some of the other positions we recruited this summer think it’s harder to find a reasonably priced under the radar striker, because quite simply anyone scoring goals has a big price on their head.

According to MOTD2, it was called off only 50 minutes before kick off.

Hey Kiwi, the game is on Thurs not next week
I'll make sure you'll feel all the glory of happiness on your Friday.

I'm with you on this one G7. About time we beat that bunch of *(&*^* at OT.

I expect Man U to be right up for it to impress the incoming Rangnick. They also looked a lot more settled at the back with Carrick parking the bus against Chelsea and am sure Ronaldo will be raring to go after being left out as well.

While I wish it were otherwise, I expect a homer ref, a red card and a draw the most likely outcomes up there.

Thanks.

Was discussing the Kroenke thing with American sports friends from their perspective. Being from LA, a couple of them are Rams fans and know about Arsenal from that point of view as one of his sports holdings. They seem to think he already knew the case was strong against and took measures privately to pay it.

Their reasoning is the settlement was likely discussed prior and the court case was just part of leverage. Makes sense. The rich will tie up court cases for years using minute interpretations of the law, appeals, etc, so the plaintiff will go away due to the cost (not a strategy when the plaintiff is a city with millions at their disposal) or settle now and not wait years for a potentially bigger pay off if time value is used (what St. Louis did). St. Louis, in their minds would have made more money in a court case but they will get millions and be vindicated I guess.

Anyway, while discussing his holdings, I was reminded that he no longer has his Denver sports teams because the NFL has a rule against cross ownership in other cities with professional sports teams. He sold the teams to his wife to get around the rule, but Josh is in charge so he is de factor owner. Completely forgot about him having to do that. His wife doesn't get involved in his business and that was an emergency, unique issue. My gues is they hit very hard times, she'll come in to help but its a last resort as in the sale of the Denver teams.

One of them became an Arsenal fan of sorts because of the association. Not a strong supporter but his daugher plays football so he notices our scores, a weak fan.

It remains to be seen how the January window and next summer will be affected. We spent a lot and you guys know more than I do, but did the money come from? Meaning, I don't believe Kroenke dipped into his pocket and gave us the extra money. Or did he? I assume it was partially financed by sales of players.

I'll be in LA for a few days in December. I'll definitely go see the stadium. Even before the Kroenke's I was never really a Rams fan. Now more than ever I'm not.

Full of good advice me AG ........ I'd say pick up a few freebies while you are there ........ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftYHfK6 ... annel=ABC7

Let's not get pedantic here Raffles Head Porter .... whichever day week or month we play those plonkers we will lose ...... No ...?

I'd agree with that. He's not a midfield general a la Scholes or Fabregas but more of a Bergkamp in latter years type. His ability to hold the ball and make a pass can do far more damage closer to the opposition box. He also seems a little lightweight to me and could with a few extra pounds of muscle.

I was thinking 4 points from Man U away and Everton away would be a good return. Whatever we think we can get at Man U we really need to be looking at the Everton game as a game we should win. Everton are in awful form. 5 defeats and 2 draws from their last 7 and the Merseyside derby up next. I can't recall too many easy wins away to Everton but it is the sort of game that will show a lot about where we can hope to finish this season.

Apparently Arsenal had bid for Romanian youngster Ianis Stoica:
https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/arsena ... ian-mbappe

A wonderkid eh? Is there any other sort?

If the offer is £6m, and they want £10 plus 20% of any future transfer, the key difference seems to be the 20% of any future transfer. I’ve never heard of him before reading your post, let alone seen him. Have you, because these ‘next Mbappe’ claims could be applied to any kid?

Doesn’t that show the Kroenke family are linked financially? Just like any married couple.

He's certainly lively.

I am always nervous us going to OT even when we were good. We really need Saka but we'll see if everyone steps up.

Really would like to see Rangnick in charge at OT Thursday. Mainly to see how up for it our young players will be, aside from a more motivated Aubameyang and new signings will be. Should be a huge incentive challenge to get stuck in. No capitulating defeat mentality if MU score a couple of goals. Happens too often players go into OT already mentally out of it.

Never heard of him and never seen him play. Agree the sell on fee is key considering such a reasonably low fee.

Saw this stat online: Tomiyasu took 37 touches in the attacking third against Newcastle, his most in an Arsenal shirt. Hector Bellerin took more than 37 touches in that area of the pitch only once last season

Nice to see that Tomiyasu is comfortable doing that because against teams who play so deep we need wide threat from both flanks.

I read Tomiyasu generally plays left centre-back for Japan so he provides some decent versatility and cover across defence.

It will be interesting if Ronaldo plays. He goes against everything Rangnick wants in his forwards and tactic. Part of me wants him to play as he offers so little defensive work and throws the balance of their team out. But if a chance drops in the box or someone is needed on the end of a cross there is no player I’d want it to drop to less!

At 17 million quid he looks an absolute steal of a signing when comparing him to other defenders fees

Likewise Tavares which for 8 million quid looks absolute robbery.

You can’t fault our recent transfer business. It’s impressive

Saka recently named Luiz as one of if not the most influential and helpful player he’s played with at Arsenal. Despite the bad reputation I think the media unfairly gave Luiz, and one that many Arsenal fans jumped on as well I think it is overlooked how much he did for the younger players behind the scenes. It may be popular opinion that Luiz was a reason for many of our problems over the past 2 seasons but perhaps in the wild ride of post wenger and changing managers, players and hierarchy as we struggled to establish a new identity Luiz was actually someone who was helping to hold things together in the dressing room.

Tavares at his price is incredible, mainly because of where you think he can get to. I heard someone compare him to when Toure joined, athletic and full of energy but young enough to be able to harness that and improve. The raw ingredients are there for him.