comment by Vladimikel Artutin - committing war crimes against football since 2019 (U18355)
posted 15 minutes ago
Zaha is 30 in November…
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So what if he is 30

Arsenal aren’t gonna spend big money and wages on a player with no resale value

Do think that City buying English players is part of their sportswashing stuff. They could do so much better value for money wise, but they don't need to and if they have a few players in a successful England team people might be less inclined to hate them

Wordle 371 4/6

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comment by Gunnerthru (U6675)
posted 7 hours, 37 minutes ago
Osi would be even more expensive. Napoli hold out for 100m EUR
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So it's not really a realistic alternative then

comment by Castor Troy (U8700)
posted 3 hours, 8 minutes ago
comment by Vladimikel Artutin - committing war crimes against football since 2019 (U18355)
posted 15 minutes ago
Zaha is 30 in November…
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So what if he is 30
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It means he turns 30

comment by Vladimikel Artutin - committing war crimes against football since 2019 (U18355)
posted 7 hours, 31 minutes ago
Arsenal aren’t gonna spend big money and wages on a player with no resale value
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Like we are any good at selling players anyway

That’s exactly the point though.

The club have realised we have to b able to sell better, so we can continue to buy better, and therefore be able to build a better squad of players, that give us a better chance of competing.

Of course it’s a transfer policy not without risk - there’s no guarantee a younger player will develop to the required level (though no transfer is risk free really). But if it doesn’t work out for younger player, it’s nearly always easier, and cheaper, to move them on quicker than older players, who are usually on higher wages.

That’s why signing Zaha for £50m and paying him £100k + a week won’t, and shouldn’t, happen.

I don't think we are signing the very youngest players. The profile of most of our targets are maybe 1-2 years before their prime. Not 5-6 years. Saka, Martinelli, and ESR are really ahead of their maturation but if we do get Raphina, even in their case I suspect only 1 of them will play regularly.

We’re signing younger players, trying to hit that ‘still just under the radar’ sweet spot just before they make everyone sit up and notice.

There will also be the occasional punt in there too.

Tavares, for example.

Jesus (25)
Raphinha (25)
Vieira (22)
Tielemans (25)
Lisandro (24)

Proven but yeah I agree, just below recognition as world class.

For some reason I thought Raphinha and Tielemans were both 23/24. Guess a team full of 20-23 year olds wouldn’t work anyway.

Another attribute they all share and I suspect is a requisite is their ability to play in multiple positions. In fact thats been true for last season's spend as well. That gives me hope that Arteta is now trying to emulate Pep's formations and his mentors, Wenger/Cruyff old ethos of total football.

Wordle 371 4/6

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Stupid word.

#Heardle #120

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Easy

Very true.

Think that gives us more flexibility within the squad and, fitness allowing, will mean everyone stands a chance of playing more minutes next season - especially with the new 5 subs rule coming in.

Framed #106
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https://framed.wtf

Interesting thats its very hush hush on those leaving. The strategy seems very much centred on getting players in before making public those moving out.

comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 1 minute ago
Interesting thats its very hush hush on those leaving. The strategy seems very much centred on getting players in before making public those moving out.
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Transfer business should be and often is quite private really. It's why almost all paper talk is complete nonsense, not even based on the slightest wiff of truth

comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 2 minutes ago
Interesting thats its very hush hush on those leaving. The strategy seems very much centred on getting players in before making public those moving out.
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Leno, Bellerin, Mari, Torreira, Lacazette, Pepe, Maitland-Niles plus Tavares available for loan, are the ones we are trying to move on.

and the simple reason it is "hush-hush" is there is not much interest in them (apart from Laca of course, who has already gone).

comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 58 seconds ago
comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 2 minutes ago
Interesting thats its very hush hush on those leaving. The strategy seems very much centred on getting players in before making public those moving out.
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Leno, Bellerin, Mari, Torreira, Lacazette, Pepe, Maitland-Niles plus Tavares available for loan, are the ones we are trying to move on.
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Do you see Xhaka staying?

Taking into account, we are still pursuing Tielemans and Lisandro. Both players who could play alongside Partey in a two man CM or back him up in 4-1-4-1 (pep's formation) that would suit Vieira and Odegaard.

Lisandro is a CB who has very rarely filled in at left back and DM. Not sure signing a CB for first XI midfield makes much sense, tbh.

In fact, his only appearances in midfield came in his first season at Ajax when he was a youngster trying to break through. Been a couple of years since he played there, and he is firmly established as a CB.