Category Archives: Arsenal

Arsenal keeper pens new contract as 2 more pre-season games announced

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And so the endless transfer speculation continues…

The last week and a bit has really seen the steady stream of bullshit turn into more of a river of crap. It will not be too long until NewsNow is filled with more shit than UK waters.

I always have a little scan of the site before writing my blogs, just to see if there is any news that I have missed. This task is now becoming harder as every media outlet and blog looks to maximise ad revenue through transfer speculation.

I am glad that we have always positioned this blog to provide fans with useful opinions and honest opinions rather than using clickbait headlines for hits. I hope through the blogs, we are now all more aware on the likes of amortisation, book value and the transfer merry-go-round to circumnavigate PSR.

In actual Arsenal related news, 3rd choice keeper Karl Hein has signed a new deal.

The Estonian international has been with the club since 2018 and has played 4 times for the club. Now 22, it will be interested whether he will be trusted to be the man to step up to be number 2 behind David Raya, or whether he will remain as 3rd choice and we recruit a replacement for Aaron Ramsdale.

The club have also announced the Lyon will be our opponents for this years Emirates Cup. We are also set to face Bayern Leverkusen at the Emirates as part of our pre-season preparations. The fixture against the German champions is not part of the Emirates Cup. Ticket information for both games is available on the club website.

Other than that, the only other talking points are our players performances in Europe and America. I have barely watched either of the tournaments so have no idea how our troops are getting on!

Enjoy a sunny Tuesday, and hopefully England win tonight and top the group!

Keenos

Fans of the “badly run 6” need to be careful what they wish for

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What a glorious morning!

I am feeling a bit tender from the best weekend of the year weather-wise. Two days spent out in the sunshine drinking quickly takes its toll at my age. A mixture of sunburn and over consumption (food and alcohol) is taking its toll this morning!

Just like we blogged last week, the transfer merry-go-round to circumnavigate PSR hit the headlines over the weekend.

I have no issue with clubs selling youth products at inflated prices, and then buying youth products at equally inflated prices to try and create a short term balance of the books. All this does is kick a huge amount of debt down the road.

These badly run clubs are struggling to make ends meet now. these sort of deals are short term and will just lead them to breach the rules further down the line.

I am laughing at the fans celebrating “getting one over” the Premier League, not realising that these deals merely paper over the cracks and increase the likelihood of issues for seasons to come. It is basically like taking out a loan because you are struggling to pay the mortgage.

If you support another club, are reading this blog and have spent your weekend on social media talking about these deals in a positive mind-set, please educate yourself. These deals are not a loophole, they are not something to be celebrated. They just move a problem from 2024 to 2025 or 2026.

At the weekend I also had a giggle over Everton fans welcoming a bid from Newcastle United for Dominic Calvert-Lewin. if it was Arsenal, Manchester United or Liverpool bidding for their star striker, they would be moaning about PSR forcing them to sell and the “Red Cartel”. But as it is their “friends” at Newcastle, they have no issue selling.

It just shows that everything is just posturing and the attack on “bigger” clubs is just a deflection tactic to take away the attention from their badly run clubs.

The narrative of PSR is always that “it stops clubs competing”. But this is not true. What it actually does is dramatically reduce the risk of clubs going into administration due to owners signing cheques they know they can not pay.

PSR is needed to protect the future of clubs. I am sure if the rules did not exist, Everton would have already entered administration. Aston Villa, meanwhile, with their 80% wages to turnover, would have quickly become the “new Leeds”, bankrupting the club for future generations in an attempt to spend their way up the league.

In the 10 years since PSR / FFP came in, just 6 English clubs have gone into administration. In the 13 years previous, 44 clubs went bust!

You get fans of Newcastle complaining that PSR stops their oil rich, sportswashing Sheikhs bank rolling them to success. But I would rather Newcastle’s spending being restricted and them forced to build naturally, then return to a situation where we were losing 3 or 4 clubs a year to administration.

The issue we arrive to is fans want their clubs to be able to spend what they want, regardless of the long term damage it might to do their club. And it is very short sighted.

What we have learned over the last few months is many fans do not care about the long term survival of their club. They are happy their owners bankrupting their future on the off chance of short term success.

And the irony is, if they got rid of PSR, it would not make the likes of Everton, Aston Villa or Nottingham Forest ore competitive. They would still be the paupers in comparison to Manchester City and Newcastle United who could spend even more! And then their fans will be moaning about an uncompetitive league with state sponsored clubs ruining things!

My final thought is be careful what you wish for.

I always remember Everton fans celebrating when Moshri became owner. About how he would be financed by Usmanov and Everton would become a force to be reckoned with again. A few years down the line and after overspending by hundreds of millions and run poorly, the club is on the brink of administration.

Fans need to stop wishing for short term solutions. The only way to sustain success in football is by having a long term plan.

Enjoy your Monday!

Keenos

England need to “play like Arsenal”

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England’s performance last night should have surprised no one. Gareth Southgate is simply not a good manager.

For all those that highlight his “success” since taking charge, having managed us to a World Cup semi-final and Euro final, always remember that Roberto di Matteo was in charge of Chelsea when they won the Champions League.

Like do Matteo, England get where they are in tournaments under Southgate due to the players individual talents rather than Southgate’s tactics or management.

A better manager may well have won us a World Cup or European Championship over the last 6 years.

England’s problems are clear, and the fact Southgate does not recognise them will cost us again

Trent Alexander-Arnold is not a midfielder. He is a right back. Why would you experiment with his positioning at a major tournament having alienated him for 2-years prior?

The Liverpool right back is a fabulous long passer of the ball. But there is no point playing those balls over the top when you have Harry Kane up top.

Kane is one of the best finishers in the world, but he has lost whatever pace he had. He also no longer creates for himself or drifts outwide.

Ian Wright and Gary Linekar got it right with him on ITV and BBC respectively. He is too lethargic and needs to concentrate on scoring goals rather than sauntering back slowly.

Phil Foden is also a delightful player, but he looks lost on the left hand side.

Foden will naturally come inside. But with right footed Trippier at left back, the left hand side then becomes very narrow.

The solution is easy. Play like Arsenal

Set up 4141 and trust in Declan Rice as the loan defensive midfielder.

Ahead of Rice, play Bukayo Saka on the right, with Phil Foden just inside him in the Martin Odegaard 8 position. Foden has played here to success for Manchester City and looked dangerous when he drifted into this position against Denmark.

Jude Bellingham is then in the left hand 8. Again a position he has played for Real Madrid. Bellingham is also comfortable on the left wing which create some fluidity as the winger pushes forward.

And then Ollie Watkins in the left.

Kane is still very good creator when he does drop deep, but he relies on once in behind. Son, Sane, Gnabry, etc.

In my mind it is simple. When Kane drops deep, dragging a central defender with him, Watkins makes the “Son run” from out to in looking to exploit the space left by Kane and get on the flick on. And to avoid congestion, Bellingham pushes further left.

You then play Trent at right back, who can then play those switch balls to Watkins whose pace and power will allow him to dominate the opposing full back.

Trent will also play inverted – similar to Zinchenko and providing the extra man in midfield.

Alternatively, you play Kyle Walker as right back, and then it is John Stones who steps into midfield with Walker plying narrower. Like what Man City do.

It really is this easy. But instead Southgate will probably stay stubborn, look to go 1-nil up and then try and sit on it for 80 minutes.

Going defensive early has cost England everytime we have led a big game under Southgate. It clearly does not work.

Meanwhile, watching Spain against Italy, the Spanish went 1-nil up and continued to attack. Look for a second. They looked electric.

Next game is Monday. If Southgate lines up the same way again he deserves to go if we don’t win. Give another manager a chance with this very talented group of players.

Enjoy your Friday

Keenos