Whilst he would be useful right now he’s looked shot this year. He missed some absolutely ridiculous chances . The one that sticks in my mind is Everton away when he put it wide but also Lacazette hit one at the keeper from 6 yards.

We’ve missed some absolutely criminal chances I shudder to think where we would be if we had took even half of them

Thanks for mentioning him. He had a big reputation following Dundee's run in Europe. A favourite of mine - a professional in his personal preparation and attitude towards the game in an era when that wasn't always the case with the players. If I have posted this before apologies, but on including him in my team of the Drought Years I once wrote:

"I have to select a man who admitted in his autobiography that he only became a footballer because as an unemployed eighteen year-old he had nothing better to do! Ure’s resilient and self-sufficient character was born out of his working-class upbringing in Ayr. He was only fifteen when his father died, and he soon learned how to look after his family. He put the hours in to make himself a model professional player, and wanted others to respect his worth. He could be hard-nosed and as unflinching in his contract bargaining as he was in the tackle. Arsenal was always his team as a lad, so when he moved south from Dundee in 1963 Highbury was a natural home. Ure was tall and lean, and his head of hair, as white as gin, gave him a striking presence. He was always immaculately turned out and fastidious as his team mate Jim Furnell recalled. ‘He had new white laces in his sparkling boots, new studs and meticulously taped his shin guards on. The tapes had to be spot-on, all the same length. He’d try about six pairs of shorts on until he got it right. He was unbelievable. Then Frank McLintock would ruffle his hair up and he’d go mad. Frank did that once before a team photo and when Ian saw his hair was ruffed up he ripped the photo up!’ Some may remember Ian Ure as a perfect combination of imperfections, especially when his mistakes led to losses, but considering he often had scant supporting cover from his midfield or attacking colleagues, he was mostly magnificent. He is in my side alongside Simpson and Neill as a carver of meat for men."

Of course he hasn't played well, but we know he has the ability. His finishing stats are not terrible this season though. XG of 6.89 against 4 goals scored. He missed 2 penos. Now, for a player of his quality that is not good enough. There are more problems with our attacking than just poor finishing.

How much their official attendances are lower than the capacity is surely the burning issue though. I presume they measure official attendances like Arsenal: seats sold rather than people inside the ground. If they sell every, or at least most, games out it may not be too much of a problem if 8,284 (on average) don’t bother turning up?

Having said that, Tottenham’s fan base is smaller than Arsenal’s. I’ve always wondered if their motivation for having a slightly bigger stadium than us had more to do with having the largest club ground in London (until or unless Chelsea build one, as isn’t West Ham’s 60k) than actually filling it game in, game out?

Great on Quizball.

There are but our poor finishing is a major component.

I don’t know how that stats can reflect anything positive about his finishing this season. Stats are misleading. He’s missed so many chances an average striker would take, one at Newcastle from 6 yards out and just so many come to mind.

Play Lacazette and our build up play is better but we will miss many chances, play Aubameyang and we will have slightly better finishing although not this season but weaker build up play.

omoh, ltg, etc, always get my curiosity about former players piqued.

And when we got there the cupboard was bare. Not a striker to be found.

https://newsjust24all.com/alexander-isa ... ayOHluAj4c

I haven't been paying much attention to the back pages. Has there been any big name or significant transfers so far in the league? I heard one or two I think.

Now, this is NOT an excuse for our inaction. I thought we'd have someone in by mid month with the buzz at the new year. Do our rivals have any new names?

Thanks for that. Ian Ure was in the side when I started going and was my first favourite player. Made a mistake against Swindon in the League Cup final but my dad rated him highly and so did I. Then came his performances in Quiz Ball, which he practically won for Arsenal on his own.

I was sad when he moved on.

Swinging sixties eh? The audience look like they are from decades earlier. Just got to love the Forest captain sitting there smoking a pipe.

Mitrovic?

Midfielders in short supply too.

https://www.skysports.com/share/12525774

I don’t know if this comment was tongue in cheek but I suggested something like this yesterday. Pull the best striker we can find out the championship as a back up that can fill in short term.

I can’t believe there aren’t players there that would be an upgrade on Nketiah. At least you would have some options

I am absolutely stunned that Guimares is happy to go to Newcastle.
I thought he would laugh them out of town despite the prospect of big wages.
I thought he would want a higher profile club in a better league position but it seems money does talk and maybe an indication that they will be able to attract top class players after all.
We should be all over Guimares at the money quoted but looks like we are not biting.
Desperately need a midfielder and striker.

As the saying goes, money talks.

I’d love Newcastle to go down. Sadly I don’t think they will as I expect it to be Watford, Burnley and Norwich.

If we exit the window without bringing anyone in what will it mean for us ?

I suppose we will have players back soon so we won’t be down to the bare bones still.

Probably we will be poorly equipped for a top 4 finish but top 6 sure and with several players leaving the wage bill this summer we can rebuild further.

This season to me feels to me as usual Christmas has totally derailed us. I guess it’s the usual pragmatic approach is required with Arsenal

When those players like Lacazette, el nenny and possibly Aubameyang leave the club this summer wengers shadow over the club will have gone and my feeling will be the club can then be judged entirely from its new position.

No, a serious suggestion - this guy is a Premiership level player with great self-confidence. I am surprised nobody has been in for him - though I imagine Fulham would not let him go easily.

27 goals in the championship with games still to go is some haul for the guy.

I suppose the other option is the lad at Blackburn brereton

A few striker names picked up from those arsenal fans online who take scouting and stats seriously….Scamacca from Sassulo and Cabral from Basel, Fiorentina have bid £14m for the later as their Vlahovic replacement

Scamacca is 6ft 5, looks like he’s part of a drugs cartel but has some decent skills and pace for a man of that size.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mehdi-t ... ler/307058
Or this guy on loan with Aubameyang going on loan in the opposite direction!

Just reading a few baseless rumours for those who like the tittle tattle

Matt Turner, the back up GK from MLS might be the only signing when the transfer window closes.
Now that most deals have fallen through.

Would have been an earful to hear what Stan/KSE and Arteta discussed at or before-after that hockey game.

By all accounts Pépé had a very good AFCON tournament. Ivory Coast were KO by Egypt on pens tonight. Would be great for Pépé to have a strong end to the season for us. With our lack of strikers we might end up in a 4-6-0 formation. Guardiola style

Irrespective of signings one of the most important thing for us is getting Partey and Xhaka playing every game together. They’ve only started 7 games together this season, won 5 of them and scored 20 goals.

Reports about Victor Osimhen although I doubt Napoli would want to let him go at this stage of the season given they're in the hunt for the title. Seems to have a lots of good attributes and would fit into Arteta's style of play but would also likely cost around €70m+

https://totalfootballanalysis.com/playe ... is-tactics

That's up to Xhaka.

and what style is that exactly ... ?

Ahhh yes .... the ability to execute laser accurate sideways / backwards passes

........ but going forward ; couldn't hit a bull in the arse with a handful of wheat from three paces .

I'm curious how French clubs seem to keep getting the cream of the crop when it comes to young talent before turning them into the next big thing and offloading for huge fees.

Is it simply a matter of being able to make them seem like world beaters in a weaker league which is much harder than for young potential in the PL?

Bit hard to fire laser accurate forward passes when there's no-one to pass it to.

I know the hard arses from back in the day would have tried it but I personally wouldn't want to try hitting a bull in the arse from three passes with a handful of wheat.



and for those who may be mystified by the recurrence of some good Aussie slang, here's a guide to a few sayings... a few of which I will see if I can slot into my next boring meeting.

https://www.theland.com.au/story/512202 ... sie-slang/

That’s true. If he gets another straight red this season it will hand him a 5 game ban.

Few rumours linking us to Douglas Luiz from Villa. He only has 18 months left on his contract.

He’s clearly not as glamorous as other names we’ve been linked with but after the summer when nearly all the players we bought were less glamorous than other names maybe we need to trust the club if it happens

The guy Edu should be signing is this 15 year old Brazilian kid Endrick. Touted to be the next big thing.

Sadly, it looks like Madrid are at the front of the queue.

Why is Edu not snapping up young brazilian and south american talent. I thought his experience and contacts in Brazil was going to give up the edge in this market.

Think he's a good player, and cerainly fits the profile age wise. Would be a big step up moving to Arsenal, but he is proven in the league and probably wouldn't need much time to adapt.

To be honest I can’t really dig the guy out about anything. Apparently he wanted to sign Neto and Emerson but arteta wanted Ramsdale and Tommy. Can’t argue with that Decision.

I think the inclusion of white and Ramsdale has added focus and determination to the side. I think it helps that there’s now quite a few British based players in the squad so it means there’s more of a cost to losing. If he wanted to sign that Brazilian fella from Lyon though I wouldn’t complain.

Please god put us out of our misery ..


Says we are interested in Ruben Neves as well



https://www.corrieredellosport.it/news/ ... er_gennaio

I don’t think many Brazilian or other Sth American youth would dream of playing for Arsenal. Very similar culture in Spain would also make the transition for a young player much much easier. Martinelli I think is a bit of an exception.

Who was our left back? He got owned.