Author Archives: keenosafc

Arsenal’s 3rd summer signing set to be a 3rd keeper

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Our third permanent signing potentially being our third goalkeeper signing of the season has created the hullabaloo that I expected. And it really is unneeded noise.

Firstly, fans need to realise that one deal being completed before another does not mean that deal was prioritised. It just means it was deal that was easier and therefore quicker to complete.

Football is real life. It is not a computer game. You can not delay the transfer of one player just because you want some PR and the appearance of prioritising a deal.

Secondly, there are some very clear and obvious reasons why we are looking to recruit 3 new goal keepers this summer.

David Raya

Our first, and easiest, signing of the summer was always going to be David Raya.

Whether you agree or disagree with the Spaniard replacing Aaron Ramsdale as Arsenal’s number one, Raya was clearly Mikel Arteta’s first choice last season.

Signed initially on loan with an option to buy, it was when, not if we triggered the clause. You would have got very, very short odds on Raya being our first signing!

Lucas Nygaard / Tommy Setford

I will deal with the signing of Lucas Nygaard and impending signing of Tommy Setford together as they are basically the “same player”.

To start with, neither are signings to our first team. They are youth players, and clubs sign many academy players each year. The only thing that has changed is with social media and 24/7 TV, youth signings become a news story. Back in the 90s we would not have known about them.

This summer, we have seen 5 academy goalkeepers depart:

James Hilson (23) – Joined from Reading in 2019. On the bench for a handful of Europa League games. Was considered as a potential 3rd choice before Karl Hein breakthrough. Released.
Arthur Okonwko (22) – Released by the club, joining Wrexham following a successful loan deal.
Hubert Graczyk (21) – Signed from Everton at 14. Loaned to Slough last season. Released and without a club.
Ovie Ejeheri (21) – Went viral earlier this season after it was misreported that he was 15-years-old. Released. Joined Danish champions FC Midtjylland.
Noah Cooper (18) – Joined Stoke City on a free transfer after club opted not to not offer him a professional deal.

Last summer also saw the promotion of Karl Hein (22), to third choice senior.

The 5 departures, plus the promotion of Karl Hein, has left both our U21 and U18 a little bare with keepers –

In our Academy, we had only two players on professional deals -the highly rated Alexei Rojas and recently promoted Brian Okonkwo, both just 18. there are no goal keepers who are either a second or first year scholars. Beneath this group, we are then into the U15/16s.

The departures meant that we have just 2 keepers to cover both the U21 and U18 sides. Lucas Nygaard (18) and Tommy Setford (18) make it 4 keepers for two teams. It is clear that we needed to recruit new keepers to our age groups.

Some will comment that we would have been better off keeping some of those that left, but why keep a player who the club knew were not good enough?

What we are doing is refreshing our academy keepers. Out are 4 guys in their 20s, being replaced by 4 teenagers. It really is that simple.

Hopefully this has clarified why our first cause no concern to anyone.

Keenos

England reinforce their Spursy tag and fall at last hurdle

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Well last night went how most of us predicted. It was all a little Spursy.

Hopefully by the end of this week, Gareth Southgate has done the right thing and announces he is stepping down to allow someone new to take over this England time.

it is quite clear that this England team has outgrown their defensive manager. No longer should we be looking to scrape through tournaments, beating lowly ranked teams, to then go out to our only decent opponent. Southgate is unable to get the best out of the attacking riches we have available.

Let him graciously step aside. Thank him and wish him well. then we move on.

As for the game being on a Sunday night, this is a disgrace. The game so late last night ended up losing its lack of community.

Everyone had been hanging around all day waiting for kick of. By the time the game started, everyone was lethargic, kids were falling asleep, and wives were looking at their watches itching to go home. Finals should be held on a Saturday.

Apparently, it was held so late last night due to the “American and Asian market”. But this was the EUROPEAN Championships. You do not get Eurovision held late on a Sunday.

And one big reason the NFL has never really taken across around Europe is because the Super Bowl is held so late on a Sunday. No one wants to be watching a major sporting event at a time when they want to be unwinding from a weekend and preparing for a week at work.

With both the Euro’s and Copa America now over, we turn our full focus back on The Arsenal.

Our first proper friendly is in 10-days against Bournemouth on some field in America. it will be interesting to see what sort of squad we send out.

After an international tournament, we usually see players get around 3-weeks off. By the time we play Bournemouth, everyone except for our English, Spanish and French contingent would have had at least 20-days off.

Ramsdale, Raya, Saliba, Rice, and Saka are our only players who were still involved in International football beyond 6 July.

For Bournemouth, I expect the team to be all those who did not travel to Germany or America for their countries, whilst Manchester United might see cameos from some of those who were knocked out early or saw little game time.

The Liverpool match is probably the game where every bar the 6 mentioned above will see some action. That would have given most of the squad their 3 week break and a weeks training.

It will not be until the friendlies in London that we see the likes of Saka and Rice. they will be given a proper rest with Mikel Arteta knowing he has a long season ahead.

One thing that is always interesting about these pre-season tournaments is the balance between Arteta wanting to give his players a rest, and the pressure from above for him to play his best players due to the money involved. There will be a lot of unhappy Yanks who have paid a lot of money if they do not get to see Saka, Martinelli, Rice, etc.

This week I expect to see us begin confirming departures. That then frees up the squad places for us to make some signings.

Have a good Monday!

Keenos

Supporting England gives insight of how Spurs fans feel

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Being an England fan must be what it is like being a Spurs fan.

The complete lack of national success in my lifetime is the only thing missing from my love of football.

Arsenal have provided my more success in my 39 years than most fans will experience in their lifetimes. And I have been there in the ground to see much of it. When it comes to England, before the Southgate-era the only thing I really had was Euro 96 and lots of penalty shoot out disappointment.

In four tournaments under Southgate, we have now made 2 finals and 3 semi finals. Only in 2022 did we fail to get past the quarter finals, losing to eventual champions France in the quarters.

Whilst Southgate has “achieved” more than any England manager other than Sir Alf Ramsey, I do not really class his era as a huge success.

Southgate is a poor manager and England’s progress deep in tournaments is due to the layers rather than him. And every time we have come up against a team that has equivalent players to us, he has been found wanting.

In 2018, we were beaten by Croatia in the semi-final despite taking the lead. We then lost to Belgium in the pointless 3rd/4th play off. Belgium also beat us in the group stages. Panama, Tunisia, Columbia and Sweden were the only names we beat in that competition.

That Croatia result would typify my issue with Southgate – take the lead, sit back trying to defend it and lose. And that is what happened 3 years later at Euro 2021.

Everything should have been in England’s favour in our first national final since 1966. We were playing at Wembley, against an ageing Italy team and went 1-nil up after 2 minutes. A better manager, with a team playing front foot football, would have looked to dominate the game and win at a canter.

Southgate’s England sat back, conceded and then played for penalties.

The fact that, against a slow, ageing defence, Southgate failed to bring on Jadon Sancho or Marcus Rashford until the 120th minute shows his issue as manager. He was aiming to not lose in extra time rather than win. Had he had the balls and replaced Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling with Rashford and Sancho, I am sure we would have won. Italy would not have been able to cope with their pace and fresh legs.

Ultimately, Italy won because they had the better manager (Roberto Mancini).

And it was de ja vu in 2022 as England beat Iran, Wales and Senegal (drawing with USA), before losing to the first decent team we faced. Once again, Southgate was outclassed by his opposition manager – Didier Deschamps.

Despite having a wealth of talent capable of winning the game on his bench, Southgate kept up his policy of not making subs and looking to not lose the game. It was only after France went 1-nil up with 11 minutes to go that Southgate made a sub – Sterling for Bukayo Saka.

In the 85h minute he finally got Rashford on the pitch, and his final sub happened ithe 98th minute (Jack Grealish for John Stones).

This tournament has been very much in the mold of those previous – England playing uninspiring football against teams we should beat, with Southgate setting his team up negatively and failing to make pro-active changes.

We have somehow got to the final. Although we have had a huge assist by being on the easiest side of the draw.

Whilst Spain have faced Italy, Germany, France, Croatia and Albania, we have played Netherland, Switzerland, Slovakia, Serbia, Slovenia and Denmark. the runs are simply not comparable.

Today I am filled with hope just like I was back in 2023. But I have nagging feeling we will l fail once more. And for one evening at least I will feel like a Spurs fan.

Enjoy the game wherever you are watching. Look after your mates. And if we win, enjoy your celebrations.

Keenos