Category Archives: Arsenal

Manchester City fans plan Community Shield boycott

3 Replies

Manchester City supporter group WeAre1894 have called on City fans to boycott the Community Shield match against Arsenal on August 6th over scheduling. The have instead asked fans to donate to the MCFC Fans Foodbank other local causes.

Now firstly get the banter out of your system.

“Oh, they never feel their end anyway”
“Did they boycott the FA Cup final as well?”
And other snide comments….

All of the issues highlighted by WeAre1894 affect every match going fan, and as a result anyone that travels up and down the conutry should be commending, not mocking, their stance.

I have lost count how often throughout the season games as scheduled without taking into account match going fans.

Games as scheduled at times when there is no return travel, leaving fans with either having to drive or having to pay for hefty hotel bills.

We live in a world where “sustainability” is at the forefront of almost every companies Enviromental policy. And I include Sky and BT in that.

Yet they make a mockery of their “Sky Ocean” and other environmental awareness initiatives when they pick a game for a late evening on a Sunday with no trains home, forcing fans to drive.

Trains are the most sustainable method of long-term travel. If Sky et al really wanted to promote themselves as caring for the environment, they would factor in train travel to their decision making on when games are scheduled.

Likewise, asking fans of Newcastle to travel to Brighton on a Monday night, or Bournemouth fans to travel to Liverpool for a 4pm Sunday kick off. It is just wrong.

These decisions show that Sky (or BT) do not care for match going fans. That all the fuss they made about the European Super League was only because they were not invited to the table. Gary Neville and others attempted to make themselves the voice of the match going fans. But actions speak louder than words.

And then we have last minute changes, where fans may have already paid for trains, planes and hotels. Sky, the Premier League and other stakeholders do not consider the fans when changing the timing of a game a week before it is supposed to take place.

So mock Manchester City fans for all you want, but what they say is correct,.

It’s time match-going fans were treated as a priority rather than an afterthought.

Football is not a TV show. And I imagine most of those fans mocking City do not go hiome and away.

The same sort of fans that criticise City for having empty seats, whilst watching a game on an illegal stream. The same sort of fans who then show themselves up ashypocritical by posting “where we were you when you were shit” when City do sell out.

City sold out a near 35,000 seater stadium whilst in the 3rd tier of English football. They have a great core fan base. One which has been through a lot prior to winning the Arab lottery.

This is not about the global fanbase. Those that treat football like a TV show. This is about a local fanbase, the match goiong fans, looking at match times and transport.

If you mock City for their boycott, do not complaing when Arsenal games are moved.

There have a lot of things that we can criticise City for – the 115 financial charges the main one. But like with away ticket prices, sometimes we need to put club rivalry and banter aside and stand together as one.

The stand being taken by WeAre1894 and other Manchester City groups and fans is commendable.

Keenos

Is Kai Havertz the versatile attacker Arsenal need?

4 Replies

Kai Havertz is a player I have always liked.

I have followed his career since his breakthrough season in 2018 when he scored 17 league goals for Bayer Leverkusen from midfield as a 19-year-old.

Havertz was top of my list in 2020 we were looking to replace Mesut Ozil, and I would be lying if I said I was not jealous that he joined Chelsea. Although I did understand that we did not have the finances to splash ~£70million on him at the time.

After 3-years in England, Havertz has not kicked on as many would have expected.

Now 24-years-old, he has yet to really show his Leverkusen form in the Premier League. Although he has a Champions League winning goal to his name.

But Havertz’s stagnation is not entirely his fault.

The German was signed under the regime of that brilliant manager Frank Lampard.

Following Lampard’s departure, he played under Thomas Tuchel, and playing under a proper manager saw him have his best spell at Chelsea scoring 14 goals in all competitions as well as THAT Champions League final winning goal.

This season he became embroiled in the chaos at Stamford Bridge. From Tuchel to Graham Potter and onto Frank Lampard (again).

Chelsea won just once during Lampard’s hilarious 2nd tenure at the club, scoring just 9 goals in 11 games. You could have put a prime Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo in that Lampard time and it would not have changed the results.

Not only has Havertz had to contend with managerial change after managerial change and the tactical changes that comes with it, he has constantly found himself playing in different positions.

He has gone from playing behind a striker, to playing outwide, to playing as a false centre forward, then as an out and out forward, and everything else in between.

It was only in 2021/22 under Tuchel that he got a single run in a single position – playing upfront he scored 11 goals in 26 games.

Thierry Henry recently compared Havertz to Robin van Persie.

I would never really consider Havertz as an out and out striker. I always felt that his best position was in and behind the striker. Playing in that Lampard / Aaron Ramsey position which enables him to drift into the box and be a goal threat from deep.

At Arsenal, I would see him as a great option in the 8, replacing Granit Xhaka. Havertz would provide more attacking balance to that central-left-hand-side and would compliment Martin Odegaard.

Henry’s point about van Persie is really interesting.

“He reminds me sometimes, a little, of Robin back to goal the way he can hold the ball,” Henry told CBS Sports.

“Robin van Persie was very good with his left foot, the touch was always immaculate and he tried to bring people along.

“This is why out of the guys that used to be wingers or No.10 he plays as a nine because with his back to goal he can hold the ball well. Now he needs to make sure he can transform that into more goals because you can play off him.”

It will be interesting to see if Mikel Arteta sees Havertz as an attacking midfield option, or as something a bit different to Gabriel Jesus.

Jesus likes to run in behind, and works the channels. Havertz upfront, meanwhile, is more like van Persie (as Henry states). He will play with his back to goal and look to bring others into play.

He might not be the “proper goalscorer” some are demanding, but we do not really need a proper goalscorer.

We scored 88 league goals last season – the most in our history. Our strength is not that we have one single goalscorer, but we have goals acrossing the attacking frontline.

Signing an out and out striker might see an increase in the goals scored by a single man, but will see the goals spread out amongst the rest of the team drop as a result.

Havertz has also played over 50 games on the flanks.

With his versatility, he then gives Arteta the option of playing himself on the right, or shifting Jesus to the wing if we need to cover Saka.

What is interesting is that I think Havertz versatility is a bonus when signing him. But it is that versatility that has seen him shunted around into various positions by inept Chelsea managers.

The key is to have Havertz have a single position where he establishes himself in, and then his versatile allows him to cover other positions where required.

Personally, I would like to see him playing week in, week out where Xhaka plays. And then if Jesus or Saka are out injured, he could be shifted up top or out wide.

I feel a comparison with Emile Smith Rowe is most appropriate at this time.

Smith Rowe has played both outwide and inside throughout his career, and some feel he could also do a job down the middle as a false 9.

Havertz is only 1-year older than Smith Rowe and is the vastly superior player.

Upgrading from Smtih Rowe to Havertz would be huge. Likewise I would be happy Havertz being 1st choice and then Smith Rowe providing further back-up.

So on the occasion that Havertz replaces Jesus down the middle, Smith Rowe comes in for Havertz in the 8, and so on.

Versatility is key under Arteta. He plays a version of total football upfront. He wants players to be comfortable on the ball regardless of where on the pitch they are. And Havertz is certainly that.

£60million does feel expensive considering his struggles in the Premier League. And I do find the comparison to Dele Alli interesting (loads of goals as a teenager and then went off the boil). But I do not think Havertz has the motivation problems Alli had.

A move to a new club, a manager that cares about players individual development, and a consistency in playing time and position. Havertz could really shine at Arsenal.

Now we just need to get the deal done (writing this on Sunday 18/06 witht he plan to release it non 20/06. So who knows, the deal might progress over the next 48 hours).

Enjoy your Tuesday.

Keenos

Declan Rice news embargo

Leave a reply

Morning all and the start of another week.

England play again tonight against North Macedonia. After thheir final international game, players will then look to disappear around the globe on their holidays.

Some will book a private villa in the Caribbean and not be heard of. Others will be pictured chatting to some wannabe WAGs in Ibizia. Some will return to their home country and spend the time with their family.

Arsenal players will return from their break in the first week of July to begin pre-season training.

As we revealed last week, after a few days in London Colney, the first team squad will fly to Germany for a training camp, before spending a week in America. They will then return to London for the Emriates Cup and Community Shield and then the season starts!

Whilst players are on international duty, do not expect too much to happen in terms of transfer business. Players will be focusing on performing for their country.

There is then a small window between players finishing their season and going away. Some players will try and force through their deals in this window, so that everything is done and dusted before they go off to the beach.

What then happens is a bit of a lull as players are relaxing. Then a flurry of transfer business in the week before pre-season starts as players return to the UK.

And that is why we are putting a self-imposed new embargo on any more SheWore Declan Rice blogs.

If the deal is not done this week, we do not expect it to be officially announced until the end of the month. Although the deal could be provisonally completed earlier.

Arsenal will not call Rice back from his summer relaxation time for promo shots ahead of the official announcement. These will happen after he has finished his holiday (if not done this week).

That means we could have plenty of chatter as journalists and social media click baiters rehash old news, talk about deals being close, offers going in, offers being rejected and interest from other clubs. The truth is 99% of those talking do not actually know what is going on.

We spoke on Saturday about ignoring the noise around Declan Rice.#

All the rubbish of other clubs being interested creating a bidding war, Arsenal being wrong to negotiate and should just “pay the price for Rice” and West Ham fans tweeting more about Arsenal than their own club is tiring.

So we have decided to not add to that noise. We will not be blogging on Rice until he either signs for us, signs for someone else, or announces he will remain at West Ham.

I am still in the “Rice only wants Arsenal” camp, which puts us in a strong position when negotiating. Interest from Chelsea or Manchester City do not matter if he does not want to join them. And West Ham will eventually have to agree to a deal as Rice clearly does not want to remain in East London.

So if the deal does not happen this week, my bet is it will happen during the first week of July.

Some news that escaped us with all the Rice bollocks was Arsenal announcing the 13 players that left us due to their contract expiring.

The biggest name on the list was Ainsley Maitland-Niles. The club have done a really good piece on his departure.

Part of me feels for Ainsley. We should have sold him 3 years ago to Wolves for £20m.

At the last minute, we decided to reject a bid that had previously been rejected and Ainsley stayed. His career really has stagnated since.

Back then, he was in and around the England squad, and who knows how he would have pushed on with regular football.

Following Arsenal blocking his exit, Mikel Arteta barely played him and he has been loaned out to WBA, Roma and Southampton.

Maitland-Niles is not immune for criticism in his decline. He did not impress on any of those loan deals and did not put a case forward for himself to return to Arsenal and become a key member of the first team.

I think there is an attitude problem there. He feels sorry for himself a little too much and blames everyone else. He clearly lacks motivation to push on.

Ainsley turns 26 in August and has earned himself £15million over the course of his Arsenal career. If he ahs been sensible with his money, he could retire tomorrow and never work again.

I hope he does not and he finds himself in a place where he is happy again, both on and off the pitch.

He could still go on to have a good decade of Premier League football. It is just whether he wants to keep going.

Others to leave include George Lewis. You might remember him as being the Rwandan born Norwegian who signed not long after we agreed a deal with Visit Rwanda.

Matt Smith is the only other “known” player to depart.

He leaves after spending 16 years with the club, winning an FA Cup winenrs medal, being on our bench around 100 times but never actually making his debut.

I wonder if there is any other outfield player that has been selected as many times in the match day squad without seeing game time?

A couple of omissions from the released list were Reiss Nelson and Ethan Nwaneri.

It shows that we are still in talks with both Nelson and Nwaneri on new deals.

Whilst their release has not yet been confirmed, if new deals can not be agreed they will both still depart at the end of the month.

Have a good day and remember, lets not talk about Rice baby.

Keenos