Tag Archives: Mesut Özil

Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, Jack Wilshere, Arsenal’s Defensive Crisis & More

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So a week or so without blogging has done me well. I feel refreshed, I have learnt some new words, and I have actually got some proper work done. But I am back, and I thought a good way to start off would be a recap of stuff that I would have blogged on in the last few weeks…

Mesut Ozil & Alexis Sanchez

Speculation is increasing that both will leave on a free in the summer. I would have dumped them both last summer and got in some replacements. My opinion is the same for January. Take what we can, and get in some replacements (Thomas Lemar and Julian Draxler still getting talked about).

Harry Winks

Who? Was what I asked when he got called up for England.

It turns out he plays for Spurs, and has started 4 Premier League games in his career. Good job devaluing the shirt Gareth. Still baffles me as to how Theo Walcott fails to make the England squad whilst the links of Jesse Lingard and this Winks fella get in.

THAT Spurs Book

White Hart Lane: The Spurs Glory Years 1899-2017

  • 2 League titles
  • 8 FA Cups

Arsene Wenger: We Want You to Stay 1996-2017

  • 3 League titles
  • 7 FA Cups

Spurs really are a deluded bunch.

“Super Clubs”

A lot has been written in recent years about Super Clubs. The likes of Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. A lot of what has been written is positive, blue prints on how they got to where they are, and how others should attain to get there.

Whilst the likes of the 4 previously mentioned sides, alongside the likes of Juventus. Inter and AC Milan are at the top of the footballing hierarchy, the life of a football club is cyclical, and just because you eat from the top table, does not mean you will not have your struggles.

Man U, for example, have not been the same since Sir Alex Ferguson left. The other British Super Club, Liverpool, are 26 years without a title.

Bayern Munich, after years of everyone saying this is how you run a club seem to be intent in ripping themselves apart through internal politics. Whilst the famed Barcelona La Masia academy seems to be no longer producing world superstars.

Real Madrid sit 7 points off top and have won just 2 league titles in 10 years.

The two Milan clubs have also struggled since Juventus returned from the match fixing scandal.

These are all great clubs. They have the history, the success, the European trophies. Yet they are like every other club, they have good periods and bad periods.

Arsenal are not at that top table. We have never been, and whilst we wish we were at the top, the fact is we are the level below.

Every clubs have their troubles, no matter if they are a super club, the one we should all dream to become, the one which we all try and copy. No one is immune from a poor period, a period of turmoil.

Sean Dyche for Arsenal

So Ian Wright said Sean Dyche could be the next Arsenal manager. Whilst I agree that Arsenal legends should not be abused for their view, they are not free from criticism. And this view point is just a little bit silly from Ian Wright.

I have seen some fans backing him. “Anyone but that c**T Wenger” I saw one Facebook post from an admin of a page with 25,000 people. This is just stupidity.

The majority of us believe that Arsene Wenger’s time is over, but it should not be anyone but Wenger. This is just stupid.

When Wenger does go, we need to get an elite manager. A proven winner. Do not let your agenda lead you down a path of anyone but Wenger.

Jack Wilshere

After two poor England performances, where the side lacked creativity, plenty are calling for Jack Wilshere to be rushed back into the first team.

We all know that Wilshere is England’s best central midfielder, and if fit, starts. But let’s not rush him.

I would not play him in any international friendly until the World Cup preparation starts at the end of the season. Concentrate on letting him get fit, and stay fit. The 2 weeks off every few weeks will do him the world of good. Then at the World Cup, he will (hopefully) be fit and ready to go.

What is the point in playing him in meaningless friendlies?

Defensive Crisis

So Shkodran Mustafi pulled up with what looked like a hamstring problem for Germany against Azerbaijan. It has also been reported as a thigh strain.

With Laurent Koscielny plagued once more by his troublesome achilles, it is being reported that Arsenal face a defensive crisis ahead of the game against Watford.

The usual moaners are complaining that we did not buy a centre back in the summer.

If the above two are out, it still leaves us with Rob Holding, Per Mertesacker and Nacho Monreal as the back 3. That is the same back 3 that won us the FA Cup Final. And we still have Calum Chambers in reserve.

I would not be surprised if Koscielny is fit to start on Saturday. His withdrawal from the French squad is more of a precaution.

But if he is out, we are certainly not in a defensive crisis.

The International Break

Mixed results for Arsenal players, as Mohamed Elneny, Alex Iwobi, Olivier Giroud, Nacho Monreal and Alexandre Lacazette helped their countries qualify.

Meanwhile Aaron Ramsey Wales and Sead Kolasinac’s Serbia just missed out on a play off.

I did smile when I read the moody dog shagger Alexis Sanchez will not be at the World Cup. Call me petty, but whilst he (and Mesut Ozil) want out of Arsenal, I want as little success for the pair as possible – unless it is in an Arsenal shirt.

Keenos

10 reasons why Arsenal will beat WBA & Starting XI

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  1. Arsenal are on a 6 game winning run at home against WBA. This stretches back to September 2010
  2. That defeat in 2010 was the only time WBA had beaten Arsenal in North London since 1983
  3. Arsenal are on a 4 game unbeaten run
  4. Meanwhile WBA have not won in 4
  5. Arsenal are unbeaten at home since March 17th 2017
  6. Alexis Sanchez played 90 minutes on Wednesday, he is likely to start
  7. Mesut Ozil is also back in first team training
  8. This means Arsenal could put out their strongest XI for the first time this season
  9. Arsenal are 4/11 home favourites heading into their game against West Brom according to Sports Betting Dime
  10. Tony Pulis is a hat wearing mug

Predicted starting XI:

Cech

Koscileny Mustafi Monreal

Bellerin Xhaka Ramsey Kolasinac

Sanchez Ozil

Lacazette

2018 set to be a worse summer than 2017 for Arsenal fans

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The transfer window shut a week ago today and I am already looking towards 2018 with dread.

If you thought the summer 2017 was a disaster, things will be worse in a years time. The clubs lack of action this summer, and policy over contracts is gong to come back and bite it in the arse.

Firstly we have the expiring contracts.

Alexis Sanchez will almost certainly leave in a free transfer. He was so close to leaving this summer. He will go. He will take his dogs with him to lick peanut butter off his nut sack. Mesut Ozil will also be out of the door. Whilst no one was willing to pay for him this summer, a lack of transfer fee will see many Turkish and German clubs be able to offer him a nice big signing on fee to make up for (potentially) lower wages.

Santi Cazorla also has his contract expiring. He would have spent nearly 18 months injured before we see him again this season. He really should have been replaced this summer, but was not. Per Mertesacker will retire, leaving us an experienced centre back short.

Then we have Jack Wilshere. If he get’s fit and stays, he might sign a new deal. But that is unlikely. He will be another out the door for free. The final one who’s contract is expiring is Joel Campbell. Not a disaster him going, but he will take it to 6 players leaving with no fees coming in.

We then have the want-a-way players. Those who tried to leave this summer.

Shkodran Mustafi tried to engineer a move away from the club this summer. The club were seemingly happy to allow him to talk to other sides having decided he was not good enough. Too much water under the bridge. Unlikely to be here for 2018/19.

We also have Hector Bellerin. Another who flirted with leaving. He ended up staying. But such as a mass exodus, it would not be a surprise to see him in a Barcelona shirt next summer.

Arsenal will also still need to ship out some dead wood.

Next summer, Petr Cech will be 36 years old. We will need a new goal keeper. His understudy, David Ospina, is not good enough to be number one. Will he be happy us signing a new first choice keeper? Probably not. He may well leave. That could result in us needing to sign a first choice goal keeper, and a second choice one if Emiliano Martinez does not prove himself.

Lucas Perez, Mathieu Debuchy, Carl Jenkinson and Chuba Akpom were all told this summer to find new clubs. They didn’t, with only Jenkinson leaving on loan. They will still be contracted to Arsenal into next season, and the club will once again try to move the 4 on.

There are also 8 players who have their contracts coming to an end in 2019, meaning if they do not sign a deal throughout this season – and who would sign with so much uncertainty – they will be entering the last year of their deal next summer.

These players include the aforementioned David Ospina, Mathieu Debuchy and Chuba Akpom.

Also on the list is Aaron Ramsey. With his comment about Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, maybe he will feel next summer is the right time to leave Arsenal for a new challenge elsewhere. On the flip side, his position is reminiscent to Theo Walcott a few years ago, when other senior players were leaving and he was able to secure himself a bumper new contract, far above his true value. Ramsey could be in a position to negotiate a new 5 year, £200,000 a week deal…

Nacho Monreal is another who could move on next summer. With a year left on his contract, his left back place taken by Sead Kolašinac, and his best mate Santi Cazorla set to leave, he is another who could agitate for a move back to his native Spain.

Will Olivier Giroud be happy with another season as a Plan B? The World Cup will be gone and he will be 32. Like Monreal, he might find it the right time to leave.

Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck are the final two who’s contracts are coming to an end.

If the Class of 2019 do not leave next summer, they will leave for free the summer after.

I can not see Monreal or Giroud wanting new deals – or the club offering them (both will be well into their 30s). And I would be surprised if Danny Welbeck would sign another deal, having continually found himself as a bit part player since his move from Manchester United.

As for Walcott, the club will probably offer him a new deal, but at a reduced wage as he would be on the wain. I can not see him accepting this.

Now for a few side notes.

Are Calum Chambers, Francis Coquelin or Mohamed Elneny good enough? In other circumstance, you would file under dead wood and look to get rid. But with the impending disaster, poor employees will be kept as better employers leave.

Finally we have Laurent Koscielny. On the 10th September 2018 he will be 33. He will be even more injury prone. With his heir-apparent Mustafi set to leave, not only will we be looking to sign a partner for Koscielny, but also potentially a long term replacement if Rob Holding does not develop as expected.

All chucked into a big cooking pot, it looks like it is set to be a tough summer in 2018.

We are already a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and a centre back short, around 16 key members of the current squad could leave next summer, and another 4 are tittering on the edge. And many of those 16 will eave without a fee coming in.

If disaster hits, we might have to send up signing 20 players!

And the worst of it all is this disaster has been orchestrated by Arsene Wenger, who in 2019, will walk away from the sinking ship, having driving it deliberately into the rocks.

Cheers Arsene

Keenos