As many of you will know, last November the She Wore a Yellow Ribbon banner disappeared from its place in the North-East corner of the stadium.
When we noticed its absence, we contacted the club to understand why. The club informed us that the high winds of the time had damaged our banner as well as others around the stadium.
This was 2nd incarnation of the She Wore a Yellow Ribbon banner, and had replaced the original banner that was taken down in 2018 due to wear and tear.
The first banner had been in place ever since Arsenal carried out their “Arsenalisation” of the ground a couple of years after the stadium was built.
The club ran a competition on Facebook to design stadium banners, with those that received the most votes getting created and put up in the ground. Thanks to our loyal following, we won the competition and the She Wore a Yellow Ribbon banner was paid for and created by the club.
When we were informed that the first banner was no longer fit for purpose, that club explained that supporters and supporters clubs now had to pay for their banners, and that if we wanted to have a replacement we would need to finance it. A quick bit of crowd funding and the 2nd banner was paid for and installed.
We were concerned when the banner went missing in November. Whilst we also noticed other banners had been removed, it coincided with a lot more overseas supporters club banners going up. We wondered if this was part of a move by the club to reduce how many Arsenal banners were on the stands, and increase those that recognised supporters from around the world.
After discussions with Mark Brindle, Arsenal Supporters Liason Officer, our worries were addressed and we began working on the new design ready to be installed for the new season. We can now reveal that design!
The new banner will be in please for the new season, and as always we would love to share your photos. So if you are in the ground and notice it, ensure to tag us in your pictures.
We would like to thank Marc who has designed the newest banner and our previous version. Mark Brindle, who worked with us on ensuring our space was left empty ahead of a replacement banner being made, also deserves a shout out.
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. Back the at the Emirates!
Hale End graduates Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson are all surplus to requirements.
The other day I read a Tweet that was eye opening. It went along the lines of:
“The same fans that want us to give youth a chance are also those complaining we are yet to sign anyone of note. Do they not realise that the superstars they demand will be coming in above those players they want Arteta to give game time to.”
And that is exactly the situation Smith Rowe, Nketiah and Nelson are in.
Smith Rowe turns 24 soon and has only completed one full season in his senior career – 2 years ago in 2021/22.
During that year, he was exceptional, but injuries have taken their toll in the last two years and are now operating at a much higher level.
No longer a youngster with potential, injuries have been part of Smith Rowe’s career since his academy days. He reminds me a lot of Darren Anderton – plenty of talent but will never be able to stay fit. This is the summer for us to cash in.
Not only can Smith Rowe no longer be relied upon, he is also not the standard required for title challengers. For proof of this, the clubs interested in signing him are mid-table Premier League sides – Fulham, West Ham.
There has been plenty of talk around signing a new left winger and potentially someone to play in the left hand “8” position. The players we are being linked to in this position – Nico Williams, Eberechi Eze, Bruno Guimaraes – all are better than Smith Rowe.
Smith Rowe barely got a sniff last season as he found himself behind Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus on the left wing, and Declan Rice and Kai Havertz more centrally. A new wideman or midfielder will push Smith Rowe down another position in the pecking order, and even less opportunities to play.
To move the team forward and turn us from title challengers to champions, we need to improve on what we have. And signing (for example) Nico Williams is clearly a step up from Smith Rowe. You simply can not demand more game time for Smith Rowe whilst also demanding we sign a player that is better than him!
Last season, only Nketiah got a sniff, but as the season went on his game time become more limited.
Unlike Smith Rowe, who some fans still hold a candle for, everyone is united in that last season should probably be Nketiah’s last.
He has done a decent job as a back up striker as we returned to the top 4 and then onto title challengers, but to make the next step up we need better.
That better is already in place in Kai Havertz.
Nketiah started the season as our 2nd choice striker, covering Gabriel Jesus. By the time we reached the business end of the season, Havertz had established himself as 1st choice, with Nketiah relegated to 3rd.
There is a debate to be had as to whether Havertz is the right man to lead the line in 2024/25. Any incoming striker needs to be better than the German. But where there is no debate is that Eddie is now no longer required.
With no new forward, Nketiah is 3rd choice. If someone comes in he will be 4th choice. Like Smith Rowe, this could be the last summer we can get a premium for Nketiah before his value begins to drop.
Finally with have Reiss Nelson.
Turning 25 in December, Nelson’s Arsenal career has never really ignited and he highlights just how tough the step up is from talented academy footballer to playing regular senior football for a top team.
There is a decent Premier League footballer in Nelson. But his level is Crystal Palace or West Ham. Not The Arsenal.
We go and sign a new striker, winger and midfielder this summer, then Nketiah, Nelson and Smith Rowe will all find themselves as one further down in the pecking order. They all struggled for game time in the second half of 2023/24. More, better players will just see them get even less chances.
And we are not in the position to be giving them chances. You do not play them ahead of a better player just because they came through the academy, or because you like them as a person. Title winning teams need to be clinical when it comes to giving squad players a shot.
Where Arsenal are in a strong position is all 3 have decent lengths on contracts, are not on huge money and can still play a role of a back-up dancer. We do not need to dump them for cheap. We can stay strong and demand a premium.
Nothing less than £80m is what I would want to see come in for the trio:
Emile Smith Rowe – £35-45m Eddie Nketiah – £30-35m Reiss Nelson – £15-20m
All 3 are home grown and talented. Being not good enough for The Arsenal does not mean they are not good enough for mid table teams.
You can certainly see the trio going to Fulham, West Ham or Crystal Palace and making a huge impact. And they are better than what those teams already have in their respective positions.
I expect all 3 to leave Arsenal this summer. But they will only leave if our valution is met.
Selling Aaron Ramsdale was never going to be easy.
The £40m asking price we have on his head would make him the 4th most expensive goalkeeper of all time – Andre Onana, Alisson Becker and Kepa Arrizabalaga the only 3 men to have cost more.
It is not that Ramsdale is not worth that amount. He is. It is more that the teams that would spunk £40m on a new keeper are not in the market for one.
Back in November, we discussed who Ramsdale’s next club could be. It was clear back then that there would be headaches for all parties.
Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham and Aston Villa all have established number ones and Ramsdale will not be looking to move somewhere to be second choice.
That then puts you in the mid-table area of Newcastle, Crystal Palace, West Ham, Wolves and Chelsea.
Newcastle always felt like a good fit for Ramsdale, but they have recently signed Odysseas Vlachodmios from Nottingham Forest and John Ruddy from Birmingham. The only way Eamsdale now joins it if Nick Pope departs.
As for the others beyond the Big 6, I can not see them splashing £40m on a goalkeeper.
For most Premier League teams, £40m is the max they look to spend on a single player. And those clubs that do have that much money on their back pocket will more likely spend it on an attacking player than a goalkeeper.
I would also question whether Ramsdale is a £40m improvement on Areola, Jose Sa or Sam Johnstone. And he certainly is not an upgrade on Jordan Pickford. So we are now between a rock and a hard place.
The clubs that can afford Ramsdale are not in the position to buy a keeper, and those clubs who he would improve are unlikely to spend big on a keeper.
“We need to lower the asking price” will then be the view of many. But Arsenal hold a lot of the cards in this transfer.
For a start, Mikel Arteta likes Ramsdale. He is cleary happy for the Englishman to remain at Arsenal as cover and competition for David Raya. We are in no rush to sell him.
And one big reason we are in no rush is due to the contract Ramsdale signed last year. That deal takes him through to 2026, which is basically 2027 as we have an option to extend for a year. With 3-years left on his deal, we can take our time waiting for the correct deal to come in.
Ramsdale could play up and push for a deal, but he does not seem that character. He will also now realise that if he wants to be guaranteed first choice, he would probably have to go to somewhere like Brentford or Brighton. Not exactly the bright lights of the Emirates are they! And both of those clubs would only be interested if they could get him cut price.
One option could be a loan deal.
As it stands, we have around £8m left in amortisation costs for Ramsdale’s transfer from Sheffield United. He is currently costing us £4m a year plus wages.
For this season, we might consider loaning him out with a £4m loan fee and 100% of his wages paid. That would mean that Ramsdale would it us a penny for the next 12 months, and we can still cash in on him next season.
Suddenly getting a keeper of Ramsdale’s quality for just £4m looks like a bargain, even if it is just for one season. There will be a scramble for him and Arsenal might even be able to get more than that!
The second option is Ramsdale stays for another year. That he accepts he is better off being 2nd choice at a big club like Arsenal than a starter playing for a team lower down the table.
Whilst this might lose him his place on the England squad under a new manager, it would mean that he doesn’t need to upheave his life having just become a father for the first time. And the option will still be there in a year to depart and regain his England place for the next World Cup.
The last option, and it is an outside bet, is that Arsenal use Ramsdale as a chip in any bid for Ivan Toney.
Outside of the £40m cost, Ramsdale and Brentford do feel like a good fit. The Bees just can’t afford him.
I can certainly see a scenario where Brentford buy Ramsdale for £40m, and we buy Ivan Toney for £60m. This sort of deal would get both teams players they want, and enable them to spread the fee out over their next 5-year accounts.
We then spend £20m on second choice keeper, which would basically mean that we get Toney and a back-up goalie for a net £40m. That does not feel like bad business.
My gut is we will loan Ramsdale out for the season.
Expect it to be for £4m fee, with an option to buy for £30-35m.
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 