Tag Archives: Lucas Torreira

New signings and contract extensions galore at The Arsenal

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How refreshed do Arsenal feel at the moment?

I have said it a few times before, since Arsene Wenger left, the club feels like a breath of fresh air.

The last couple of years under the Frenchman felt stale and predictable. Our transfers resembled someone playing roulette nobody can be successful without a proper strategy.

No matter what happened people would moan. Fans were staying away, many of those that went were struggling to maintain interest. There was a lack of enthusiasm at the club.

Everything feels different this summer.

From the huge turnover of backroom staff at London Colney, to the new ideas and vigour bought by the axis of power now leading the club. It all just feels fresh, feels exciting.

Add in record season ticket renewals and it is only the real bitter people, those with an agenda, an online personality and following based on negativity that continue to moan and complain.

One look at the BBC home page highlights how positive things are…

We have Calum Chambers signing his new contract – a surprise considering many thought he would leave the club.

Then we have the signings, Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Bernd Leno both having joined the club in the last 2 weeks.

They create a bit of a shit sandwich with the only disappointing news on the page being about Jack Wilshere leaving the club. Although this is the right decision for both.

We then have even more positive contract news.

Granit Xhaka, who I think will have a massive season next year as he is pushed further forward, and Ainsley Maitland-Niles signing new deals.

There is still plenty of talk about Lucas Torreira, who is expected to join after the World Cup  as well as the news of Arsenal signing Stephan Lichsteiner on a free transfer fro Juventus.

The last bit of news on the site that will hopefully be concluded within the next week is Aaron Ramsey’s new contract.

It is still unsigned, but the feeling is it is only a matter of time.

However you felt about Arsenal in recent years, there has been plenty to be positive about in the last 3 qweeks.

I am buzzing for the new season.

Keenos

Lucas Torreira Update, It’s Coming Home & Liverpool Bitterness

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Lucas Torreira Update

Some conflicting stories at the weekend about Lucas Torreira over the weekend.

The majority of outlets are still saying the deal is done. That everything is agreed between Arsenal, Sampdoria and Torreira (and his people). That we are all just waiting for Uruguay to be eliminated from the World cup before the deal is announced – Uruguay could go all the way.

But there is a small minority who are insinuating that the deal is not done. That it might not go through.

My take on it is that these people are just saying this to be different. To generate hits and click bait.

The deal is done, and Torreira has impressed in the World Cup so far.

Against Portugal he put on a well disciplined display in the middle of Uruguay’s 3 man midfield. He maintained his positioning throughout the game, defending the space between the centre backs and the midfield.

He pretty much stayed dead central throughout the game. He did not go chasing the ball (like Coquelin did) or over commit.

When the ball left his defensive circle, he retreated back into position, letting other players press. He was never caught out of position.

This coming season out central midfield will have great balance once Torreira joins:

Xhaka Torreira Ramsey

The Uruguayan will allow Granit Xhaka to push higher up the park, press higher, and be more aggressive. That in turn will free up Aaron Ramsey to get into the box at will, knowing that he has 2 men behind him backing him it.

The midfield 3 has tremendous balance to it. We just need one more alongside Mohamed Elneny and Ainsley Maitland-Niles to provide cover. Someone a bit more attacking to provide Ramsey with cover 9I still dream of Max Meyer).

Next season it’ll be a lot harder to get at our defence next season

Its Coming Home

Love the “Its Coming Home” movement.

It is sung at the football, in the pubs, at Liam Gallagher on Friday and at the cricket.

What I love is it is people enjoying themselves, and it is properly annoying the snowflake generation who label all football fans as “thugs”.

It is very much tongue in cheek the chant. We know that it is very unlikely that we will end 52 years of hurt, but we might as well have some fun.

And with the way the draw has opened up, maybe, just maybe, it is actually coming home?

Bitter Liverpool fans

Liverpool fans really need to get over Sergio Ramos and the Champions League final.

I am actually surprised by the behaviour of their fans, they normally do not hold grudges, complain for years about things. Their bitterness over Mohamed Salah hurting his arm in a tangle has been hilarious.

We have had petitions calling for Ramos to be banned, and demands that the final should be replayed.

Now we have Liverpools fans celebrating Spain going out of the World Cup, and calling it “karma” for Sergio Ramos’ part in the tangle.

Let’s get something sorted straight away.

Spain lost to Russia, it was a massive shock. But then Salah’s Egypt went out at the group stages. Finished bottom of their group. Failed to win a game.

As for Ramos being bothered about Liverpool, let’s look at the truth:

Since 2006, Liverpool have won 1 League Cup

Ramos has won:

1 World Cup
2 European Championships
4 Champions Leagues
4 La Liga’s
3 Copa del Rey
3 UEFA Super Cups
3 FIFA World Club Cups
3 Spanish Super Cups

Mo Salah is basically the Egyptian Harry Kane. Loads of made up personnel accolades but no real team success. Just the single Swiss Super League medal won 5 years ago.

To someone like Ramos, Salah and Liverpool are just another victim in his way of an incredible trophy haul

Keenos

Lucas Torreira Scouting Report

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Like the majority of Arsenal fans, I got my first viewing of Lucas Torreira on Monday – that was not on YouTube.

It is easy to look at things through rose-tinted spectacles, but it was impossible not to be impressed by his performance in Uruguay’s 3-nil win over Russia.

Playing in front of the back 4 as the deepest man in a midfield 3, it is the exact role Arsenal have signed him for. I expect us to play 4321 next season, with Torreira to be flanked by Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey.

Torreira’s performance was exactly what Arsenal have been missing for some time.

He ran 10.km during the 90 minutes. He was everywhere, working hard, getting stuck in. He seemed to fully understand that his role in the team was to protect the defence – not to bomb forward and create like Francis Coquelin used to try and do.

Uruguay played very similar to Arsenal – with both full backs bombing forward and providing the width. Torreira allowed them to send both full backs forward without being exposed at the back; often dropping into defence to make a back 3.

At one point  Torreira’s tried to block Fyodor Smolov’s cross with his head while he’s on the ground. Uruguay were 2-0 up with 5 minutes to go at that time. It is the commitment we have missed for a few seasons.

It was not just warrior battling that impressed, but his brain and over all play.

He covered a lot of ground but was certainly not a headless chicken. 3 interceptions and zero tackles showed that he did not have to get “stuck in” in the middle of the park. Instead he was reading the game and ensuring he did not have to commit a last gasp tackle.

Torriera also did not give away any free kicks – highlighting his incredible positioning during the game. He was never on the wrong side of an opponent, never in the wrong place trying to get back.

At Arsenal, you need to be able to pass. We play out from the back. Our defensive midfielder usually sees ore of the ball than any other player – we all remember those Mikel Arteta 100 completed pass statistics.

Torreira completed 94.6% of his 56 passes. For Arsenal he can expect to add 50% to his total passes. At that many passes, anything around the 95% mark is incredible.

For The Arsenal, he will mainly be winning the ball and making short, sharp passes back to the defence (if under pressure) or into Xhaka or Ramsey to launch an attack.

What is important is that he understands his role in the team. He is not a playmaker. He is not switching the play with Hollywood balls. He is there to cover the defence and pass the ball on. And for Uruguay that is exactly what he did.

Torriera has been identified by Sven Mislintat. The German will know a lot more about him than any Arsenal fan. He looks to be a terrific signing and a steal at £26m.

Keenos