I think most were saying the biggest priority in this window was strengthening the forward line. Hopefully Jesus, assuming he does arrive will do that. But how much variation will our forward options of Jesus, Nketiah and in an emergency Balogun offer? If we do get Raphina, he’s mobile and did apparently play up front in Portugal. But there again if his primary position is wide right, that’s Saka’s normal position and for big games my choice between the two would be Saka. That makes Raphina a bloody expensive upgrade on Pépé as first reserve for wide right.

My own guess is that if Raphina joins we’ll thus see him all over the shop, right, left and centre, in attacking positions. That in itself is a positive. But again, how different a player to what we’ve already got or might get (Saka, Martinelli, and presumably Jesus to name but three) is he to make us more multi-dimensional, or less one-dimensional, in our forward play?

The other area perceived most commonly as needing strengthening is what I call deeper midfield. Bissouma was many peoples favourite but as he joined Tottenham for what looks a bargain, forget him. The only other name I’ve seen, unless Martinez is signed and plays there and not left back or central defence, is Tielemans. You yourself socrates pointed out he increases our technical attributes in deeper midfield but not really the physical side of things. And the buying of Tielemans looks the longest odds on any of the names being put around as potential arrivals.

This brings me back to a point I made the other day. In deep midfield we currently have Partey and Xhaka as first choice, with Lokonga and Elneny as back ups. Unless of course Maitland-Niles returns or Martinez is recruited and is rarely used at left back or central defence if Partey gets injured. The question I raised is whether Arteta is happy with those options? My suspicion is he must be.

Am I right in thinking the only first choice players (rather than those already at the club who weren’t then first choice regulars) when Arteta became manager who will presumably still be first choice regulars next season are Tierney and Xhaka? If there’s anyone else I’ve forgotten then apologies. But I can’t think of anyone else. Moreover, this is the sixth transfer window under Arteta, with some big money spent over that time. With Xhaka looking as though he still won’t be replaced, and Arteta extending his contract with I imagine a pay rise, I think the most rational conclusion is that Arteta is happy with the deep midfield.

So it is going to be Arteta’s team next season. That’s why I expect him to get his P45 if we don’t get a top four place after the money Kroenke has already let him spend, and is expected to let him spend this window.

Sources in Brazil saying Gabriel Jesus will earn slightly below £200K per week, so pretty close to what Lacazette made.

Oh anytime now. Probably be announced first on Arsenal Direct.
Besides in this photo Jesus has the right tatts but not the same shirt the Fabio photo had.

It will be difficult to survive on such a paltry sum but I am sure he will get by.

That's better.

Funnily enough, while I saw Alan Ball play quite a few times for us, I have no recollection of his signing.

Clive Allen, on the other hand, I remember well. If only for Kenny Sansom - what a player.

Alan Ball was famous at Everton for wearing white football boots. When he joined us from them my dad got me some white football boots to wear when playing at school.

I’m sure he played a small number of games for Arsenal in white boots, but hardly any. Maybe one or two? It would surprise me if it was three or more. Then he stopped wearing white boots and went back to black boots.

Annoying at the time but can’t hold it against him. He was a great player for the club and in my view saved us from relegation in the mid-seventies.

Good year for Kroenke, his hockey team Colorado Avalanche has just won the league for the first time in 21 years.

Clearly the Kroenke's like the feel of winning.

It'll be a hat-trick when we win the PL next season

Fabrizio Romano on Saliba

William Saliba situation. Rumours on loan move are wide of mark, Arsenal board and Mikel Arteta both count on Saliba as part of the team for next season. Been told situation could only change in case of crazy bid. Arsenal trust him - keen on discussing a new contract.

A couple of physical midfielders of interest.
Seko Fofana - more of an attacking/box-to/box
Cheikh Dacoure - defensive mid, occasional CB - Palace supposedly interested

If we don’t beat city’s achievement of over 100 points next season Arteta should be sacked. If we aren’t top of the league by Christmas the board should act quickly and appoint Louis Van Gaal with Van der vaart & Justin Edinburgh as his assistants


I have to say it feels to me we need another pot soon. Even if it’s a league cup. I think even a European adventure in europa would captivate our fans a bit. Hopefully we can get an easy draw avoiding Eastern Europe and the possibility of the teams plane getting shot down by a stray hypersonic missile from Putin

Last season 69 points. Looking at our results I tried to pick out where clear improvements could/should be made.

Must improve:
Brentford (a)
Palace (h) and (a)
Brighton (h)
everton (a)
burnley/new promoted team (h)
southampton (a)

We dropped 19 points in those fixtures. Of course we can't expect to win all those and maintain all other results but if we did win all those we're in a title race. There are no big 6 teams in this list even though we must improve our record in those games as well.

As always, away wins will be gold dust in this league.

I'd be interested in this 'would you rather' question.

Win Europa League but finish 6th

Win the league cup and finish 3rd

both scenarios get us back in the Champions League, which has to be the minimum expectation this season. Both scenarios win a trophy, albeit the much more prestigious trophy comes with a feeling of a lack of progress in the league

League cup and 3rd definitely but I think setting a bar without evaluating the circumstances is difficult. Who knows what if Ramsdale broke his leg in the first game.

I have to say winning a European trophy again would be fun and is overdue. I’d go to the final as long as it wasn’t in *%^@*** Baku

Might seem crazy to say no to a European trophy, but 6th place would mean we’re nowhere near where we should be. This is a long term project, so it’s definitely 3rd and the league cup for me, because that means we’re on the right track. Winning a cup is doable even if you’re not the best team in it, so it doesn't necessarily mean we've improved

Absolutely, Bernard. My second paragraph, which you have quoted, was a separate point. Criticising citizens' voting choices in no way implies that one would advocate restricting democracy. Democracy is our only hope, which is why we have to work hard to defend it, and it is worrying when we take it for granted.

I hope my first paragraph, which you deleted, made that clear. I said, "The Democratic Party has to position itself as the party of moderation and constitutionalism ...". The Republicans have pretty much made themselves the champions of the opposite.

3rd place, even without the league cup. That would be an achievement.
6th + Europa would be acceptable of course. But cups are so uncertain, and a Europa run is very risky unless we really do have the squad to compete on both fronts. The league has to be the absolute priority.

Let me clarify I wasn’t questioning your own support and preference for democracies in any way, shape or form. The paragraph by you that I quoted simply seemed more relevant to my point than the one I deleted.

Altered someone’s comment. Tut tut

Matt Turner has been confirmed. Will wear the number 30
https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1541 ... 7Wu8mwYOBw

This was obviously aimed at me, as you have said similar before.

I’ll make a similar point. Have you never deleted part of someone’s post that you’ve quoted then?

Easy to find a recent example. You deleted one of Decaf’s paragraphs in his post you quoted.

We bought an American defender, Auston Trusty, in January and loaned him back to Colorado. I wonder if he'll be part of the squad next season?

that his real name or his porn name ?

If we sign Martinez and only sell Mari he would be centre back number 6 for us so I doubt he would be involved.

Bet he never kicks a ball for us. That screams like something done to keep kroenke happy or PR. I wonder if Arteta even knows the blokes name

You could well be right about him never kicking a ball for us, but he's 23 and been part of the USA squad, so who knows.
I'd ask AG but since I'm persona non grata with him, and given he doesn't know his arse from his elbow, that would be the definition of pointless.

Reading about this bloke now. He’s been on the bench for the US as an unused sub 3 times and that’s it at international level. Not sure Ben whites going to be losing any sleep over this.

Few reports we've upped our bid for Raphinha to 50m euros and upped our bid for Martinez to 40m euros

Everything is quite quiet on potential outgoings

The Martinez bid was reported by Mike Verweij, who is considered very reliable in the Netherlands. Think that one has legs.

Lisandro 40 million euros plus add ons. You don’t spend that kind of money on a player if you aren’t sure where you will play him or for a 4th choice centre back. Also if he’s being signed to play in midfield that’s a lot of money, almost enough to sign a prime midfielder respected in that position

That one does make me suspicious that Gabriel or Tierney could leave. Tierney was getting linked with city and Real Madrid not that long ago I wonder if for a big bid they could move him on.

However I just read this..

Papi Mento from weTalk Ajax, explains: "I wouldn't use him as a full-back or a wing-back because he's not that type of player. He could do it, but he would do it in his own way but don't expect a Kieran Tierney type, so it's better for him to be central, maybe defensive midfield or in the back line with Gabriel [Magalhaes] and Ben White,"

Stan's NHL ice hockey team, Colorado Avalanche won the title. His Rams have won recently as well. Could Arsenal be next? hahahaha

Jesus TG, that doesn't even make sense.

Yeah this feature of the forum needs to be on the must fix yellow post it.

Luis Suarez is a free agent. 1 year deal?

Fabrizio Romano confirms Arsenal's 40m euro bid, plus add ons for Martinez. Ajax want 50m euros. Man U are still keen

It’s all gone very quiet about Pépé. Or I’ve missed it.

Is there a queue of potential buyers?

Will he still be with us next season?

Not a lot of interest.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football ... sfer-exit/

Arsenal fear being left with Nicolas Pépé with NO transfer interest in flop £77m winger yet amid Raphinha bid

ARSENAL fear they could be left stuck with flop Nicolas Pépé this summer.
That’s because the £77million club record signing has so far attracted ZERO interest.

I've never seen us win the league cup in my time as a fan but a European cup would be far more prestigious. I'd take 3rd and the league cup, thank you.

Rich, do you know if the European Confederations cup or whatever that thing is Mourinho's Roma won last term would get us into Europe?

Not particularly surprising. The best bet would be a middle ranking French club given that he did well there before we signed him, but no doubt he’s on stupid wages that nobody else could or will pay.

£140,000 per week according to the article.

He looks to be a bigger waste of money than Lukaku.