Arsenal put finishing touches on pre-season plans

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In the last couple of days, the finishing touches to Arsenal’s pre-season have been put in place.

Less than a month from today, we face Nurnberg in Germany.

This season we will begin our pre-season in German. The squad will head to Adidas headquarters in July for a training camp.

Our first stage of pre-season will culminate with the game against Nurnberg – the Adidas headquarters being on the edge of the city.

We then head out to America to take on the MLS All-Starts.

The game will take part in Washington DC, with the MLS team managed by the D.C. United head coach. Some fella called Wayne Rooney.

A certain Lionel Messi might an appearance…

Just two days after we face the MLS All-Stars, we face Manchester United in New Jersey.

It was around this time in 2022/23 that I knew we had a good team.

In our second game in America last season, we beat Chelsea 4-0. We were unplayable on the day with goals from Gabriel Jesus, Martin Odegaard, Eddie Nketiah and Bukayo Saka.

Mikel Arteta will be hoping we put out a similar statement of intent against Man U.

The American tour concludes with our first visit (I think) to Stan Kroenke’s SoFI Stadium in Los Angeles.

Expect a 70,000 sell out as we take on Barcelona.

This will only be Barcelona’s 2nd friendly of pre-season against our 4th, so expect us to be a couple of weeks ahead in terms of fitness.

After 7 games in 3 days, we say goodbye to the US and return to London Colney for the last couple of weeks of pre-season.

In our sole friendly in Islington, we take on Monaco in the 2023 Emirates Cup.

It looks like the Emirates Cup will no longer be tournament format, and will just be a one-off game against Monaco. I also can not find evidence of the women’s team participating this year.

Pre-season is rounded off by that glorified friendly – the Community Shield.

We face Manchester City in the traditional English season curtain opener; a repeat of the 2014 fixture when we ran out 3-0 winners.

I never think too much can be read into this fixture. Last season Liverpool demolished City 3-1. The year before Leicester Ciit won it.

A team has not won the Premier League having won the Community Shield since 2018.

Stretching back more than 20 years to 2001, only six teams have won the title after lifting the Community Shield.

I always feel you can not read too much into pre-season.

I have seen teams perform brilliantly, and then not take that form into the regular season. Likewise, sides have looked poor in pre-season but then come the big Premier League kick off have been brilliant.

It is almost always a case of if you perform well, you put a lot of weight into the performances. You perform poor, that it is just pre-season, just the Community Shield.

I want us to get the season off to a winning start. Winning the Community Shield will be the way to do it.

Let us know in the comments if you plan to watch Arsenal abroad this summer…

Keenos

With Saliba signed, what is Arsenal’s next defensive move?

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Last week we spoke about how the William Saliba contract negoations could delay our defensive recruitment this summer, and that is was essential for Edu and the team to quickly get the situation resolved.

Edu must read our blogs because 48 hours after we hit publish, it was announced a new deal for Saliba.

So what do we expect to now happen?

No new central defender

Arsenal were always looking at a defensive reinforcement this summer. But just the one.

It was either someone to cover Saliba in he centre of defence, or an extra full back that would allow Ben White to play centrally if required.

The plan last season (is it now last season or still this?) was to have White as Saliba’s covver, and Takehiro Tomiyasu coming it at right back.

Saliba and Tomiyasu both getting injured at the same time led to Rob Holding coming into the centre of the defence, and the gulf in class was startling.

Holding has been a great servant to the club, but his attributes do not make him a suitable replacement for Saliba.

With Saliba’s new deal, and the recruitment of Jakub Kiwior, the plan for next season will be the same as this – White to cover Saliba.

And that will mean no new central defensive signing.

New full back

The expectation is Kieran Tierney will be sold. Tomiyasu will then become first choice cover at both right back and left back.

to then avoid being in the same situation as this season, we will look to recruit a 3rd right back into the squad (who will become 2nd choice right back if Tomiyasu is on the left).

Ivan Fresneda certainly has the attributes to be a like for like cover for White. With a reported £17m release clause, it is a deal we could get done quiet quickly.

We have also been heavily linked with Timothy Castagne. The Leicester City full back is also available at around £17m.

Castagne would bring 3 years of Premier League experience, as well as a further 3 in Serie A.

What makes Castagne attractive is his versatility.

Predominantly a right back, the Belgian has played 75 games on the left flank. His attributes are not too dissimilar to Tomiyasu, and his recruitment would see us having two full backs that are comfortable on either side.

I think at the time of writing, Castagne could be the deal that is done.

And do not forget about Declan Rice

Going into the season with 3 specialist centre backs would be a risk.

Looking at the defensive group, we would have 3 central defenders and 4 full backs, with two of those full backs able to play centrally.

And then we have Declan Rice.

Some pundits have often thought that in a better team, Rice would end up as a central defender.

Whilst I do expect we have bought him to replace Granit Xhaka further up the field, it can not be ignored that he can also play in the centre of the defence.

In an emergency, you can certainly see Rice playing in the middle of our defence and Jorginho or Emile Smith Rowe playing in the 8.

3 dedicated central defenders might feel short, but we would actual have 6 centreback options (if we sign Rice):

Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior, White, Tomiyasu, Rice.

Tying up the Saliba contract so quickly is great news. It means that we now know where we are going into next season, and can accelerate or plans for defensive reinforcments.

Expect deals to happen quickly.

Keenos

Saliba with a side of Rice as Edu begins to cook

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The weekend was BBQ weather, and Edu was back at the coals cooking.

There had been talk last week that Arsenal and William Saliba were not far from agreeing terms on a new deal. And whilst must of us were sitting in the sunshine having a few rum cocktails, the news broke.

Saliba is one of the best young central defenders in world football. There were some naysers trying to create the narrative that he was unhappy at Arsenal due to his loan deal to Marsielle. That he did not like Mikel Arteta.

The new deal shows that these people really do not know what they are talking about. And that they are happy to try and distabalise the club sharing fake news to gain YouTube hits.

They have a wierd hatred for Mikel Arteta and will do whatever they can online to try and undermine him. It is odd behaviour.

The Saliba deal has come shortly after Bukayo Saka committed his future to the club. Aaron Ramsdale and Gabriel have also both signed new deals and Martin Odegaard is set to follow in their footsteps. These are huge positives for the club.

We are in a similar position to 2008. A team of talented young players who overachieved and could have won the league.

After the 2007/08 season, we struggled to keep hold of our best players. Manchester City, Barcelona, Manchester United and others came in for our stars, snapped them up, and gave them success and money.

This time is different. We are tying down our best players to new deals.

One thing of note is both Saka and Saliba only signed 4-year deals. That basically means we could have just 2 more years with them both.

If in 2025, we are not still a competitive side, winning trophies, I expect both to move on.

You can easily see Saliba at Real Madrid and Saka at City. It is now about Edu, Arteta and the rest of them to recruit and coach players that will lead us to success. It will also be down to Saliba and Saka to continue improving us and lead us to glory.

So what next?

Well Edu is currently boiling up some rice inside to go with the BBQ. And it will be ready soon.

I think the only people that do not expect Declan Rice to join Arsenal is West Ham fans. They are a little deluded over the fact. I even saw one say “pay Rice £500k a week and give him a 10-year deal. He will stay then.”

Sorry to break it to you mockney bastards, but he is fed up with being in relegation battles. He no longer wants to play for a fickle fan base that call forn the manager and boards head every other week.

Rice wants to play for a stable, forward thinking club that plays at the top level. Winning the European Johnstone’s Paint Trophy is beneath him.

We have England internationals this week, so do not expect a deal to be done over the next fortnight.

My gut is Rice will want his future tied up not too soon after those England games. He can then go on holiday, relax, before turning up to The Arsenal for the first day of training.

Have a good Monday.

Keenos