Football: “WHAT THE F*CK WAS THAT”?

[ljkeane]

Mkhitaryan’s a bit of gamble, on current evidence he could be good or he could easily be shit.

I don’t know what the deal is with Aubameyang’s off field attitude but he’s been going at almost a goal a game for Dortmund of the last couple of years, he’s one of the top 3 or 4 strikers in the world. If Arsenal get him performing at anything like that level he’s an upgrade on Sanchez. That’s not a bad bit of business at all.

[Rorshach]

Watford sack Silva claiming that  the board«has seen a significant deterioration in both focus and results to the point where the long-term future of Watford has been jeopardised.»

So.. we spent ages trying to find someone, ending up with the rather underwhelming (yes, I’m feeling kind today) Allardici, but in the process we manage to destroy Watford’s season as well, and possibly manage to derail Silva’s career. 

Well done us!

 

Oh, and #Allardiciout

[polishgenius]

3 hours ago, ljkeane said:

 If Arsenal get him performing at anything like that level he’s an upgrade on Sanchez.

Well, on the pure goal level, but Sanchez normally (ie not this season) offers far more hustle and general all-round play than Aubameyang, who really is someone who needs to be fed. There have been times in the last few years when Sanchez was the only one trying to drag Arsenal forward and keeping them in games. Aubameyang won't replace that if it comes down to it again.

[ljkeane]

9 minutes ago, polishgenius said:

Well, on the pure goal level, but Sanchez normally (ie not this season) offers far more hustle and general all-round play than Aubameyang, who really is someone who needs to be fed. There have been times in the last few years when Sanchez was the only one trying to drag Arsenal forward and keeping them in games. Aubameyang won't replace that if it comes down to it again.

Possibly but relying on one player to drag them through isn't a recipe for success regardless of who they bring in. The level of competition in the top six in the Premier League is to high now for one player to carry you into the top 4. They need to build a team to compete consistently Sanchez or not and having one of the top strikers in world football doesn't hurt.

[Jordan La Cabra]

Sky sports sources are claiming that Chelsea are interested in Burnley’s Ashley Barnes now...

I don’t understand why it has to be an English striker.

[Consigliere]

Are Chelsea penny-pinching now? It looked like they were close to agreeing terms for Dzeko but the word now is that talks are set to resume on Monday.

 

[ljkeane]

11 minutes ago, Consigliere said:

Are Chelsea penny-pinching now? It looked like they were close to agreeing terms for Dzeko but the word now is that talks are set to resume on Monday.

 

Chelsea haven't really been big spenders for a while. Prices have moved beyond Abramovich being able to buy a team with his spare change so I think the club's been expected to pay for itself for a few years now and they've got a stadium expansion to fund. I don't think they want to spend too much money now if Conte's going to leave in the summer and they have to get players in to fit a new manager's plans. 

[polishgenius]

1 hour ago, ljkeane said:

Possibly but relying on one player to drag them through isn't a recipe for success regardless of who they bring in. The level of competition in the top six in the Premier League is to high now for one player to carry you into the top 4. They need to build a team to compete consistently Sanchez or not and having one of the top strikers in world football doesn't hurt.

Absolutely. I'm not saying they shouldn't sign Aubameyang, just that him on his own isn't really an improvement for the squad. Especially with Mkhi being the other guy coming. It has improved this season, with Ozil's form and Lacazette is a willing worker, but they need more runners in, and Aubameyang imo won't be that useful in the long run unless they do.

[Jordan La Cabra]

We still spent the second most money during the summer transfer window. I know that we aren’t as high up when it comes to net spend, as we are a selling club and usually do well when bringing money in from sales. At the same time, I almost find it hard to believe we spent so much money, because our squad hardly improved. In fact, with the sales of Matic and Costa, I’d say our squad weakened.

Again, it goes back to my point of our signings being reactive rather than planned. Most of the players we sign seem to be our plan B or C. The fact we have been linked with so many strikers this window, if we were to land Barnes, say, it would make him be our plan E or F.

The club has been paying for its transfers in recent years, rather than Abramovic funding it himself, which is probably why we miss out on so many players and end up with second or third choices.

I think you are right, @ljkeane. It is pretty clear that Conte is the one wanting a big target man. The club know that he is unlikely to be our manager next year, so at this point, it makes little sense for them to splash out on a big man on the chance that our next manager won’t want one. This, in turn, will probably make Conte feel even more hard done by, and even more likely to leave. As a group of football players, I imagine it would be difficult to motivate yourself to play for a manager you’re almost certain isn’t going to be coaching you next season; I think this could be the cause for some of our recent lacklustre performances.

[Mexal]

28 minutes ago, polishgenius said:

Absolutely. I'm not saying they shouldn't sign Aubameyang, just that him on his own isn't really an improvement for the squad. Especially with Mkhi being the other guy coming. It has improved this season, with Ozil's form and Lacazette is a willing worker, but they need more runners in, and Aubameyang imo won't be that useful in the long run unless they do.

Arsenal has had the same issues for the last few years.

1. They don't have anyone who is capable of breaking up play and then making a pass forward in the midfield.

2. They play far too slow when moving from defense to offense. We try to win with possession but that's really fucking hard to do consistently. We need a few cheeky counter-attacking goals which we rarely get.

3. Wenger refuses to play traditional wingers and instead clogs up the middle with a lot of players who enjoy the same space. Ozil, Ramsey, Iwobi, Sanchez, Giroud/Lacazette all end up in the same exact place and then we're left with no balance on the field. You get Bellerin deep on the right but he's meh on the ball and his runs aren't actually runs, it's more him sitting there waiting for the ball in open space which doesn't actually create any 2 v 1s.

4. This leads to FBs being out of position, no one in the middle to protect the CBs and the CBs gambling which is why we always give up counter-attacking goals.

and finally, the thing that kills me the most...

5. WE NEVER KICK THE BALL OVER THE TOP OF A DEFENSE. Lacazette makes 10 runs a game that are never recognized. 

These are issues that won't be solved by bringing in Auba or Mkhi. Arsenal needs a new manager with new tactics and new training regimen. The fact that all we seem to ever do is play keep away drives me nuts. When Szczesny went to Juventus, he was impressed that every week, they spent all week in training working on shape. He said Arsenal never did that and it shows.

ETA: I think Ozil signs a new contract.

[Jordan La Cabra]

22 minutes ago, Mexal said:

I think Ozil signs a new contract.

I always felt he was much more likely to renew than Alexis, but it’s dragged on so long now. It’s unusual for such a big player, still in his prime, to let his contract run down this far to actually sign an extension in the end. 

Surely, having negotiated for so long, Özil knows exactly what kind of deal Arsenal can offer him; and surely Arsenal know exactly what Özil is looking for - what is he / Arsenal waiting on?

[Mexal]

8 minutes ago, JordanJH1993 said:

I always felt he was much more likely to renew than Alexis, but it’s dragged on so long now. It’s unusual for such a big player, still in his prime, to let his contract run down this far to actually sign an extension in the end. 

Surely, having negotiated for so long, Özil knows exactly what kind of deal Arsenal can offer him; and surely Arsenal know exactly what Özil is looking for - what is he / Arsenal waiting on?

Maybe he was waiting on Sanchez?

Also, just saw pictures of Gazidis/Mislintat with Auba's car in Dortmund. Looks like Auba might actually happen.

[Daemon the Leaner]

10 minutes ago, JordanJH1993 said:

I always felt he was much more likely to renew than Alexis, but it’s dragged on so long now. It’s unusual for such a big player, still in his prime, to let his contract run down this far to actually sign an extension in the end. 

Surely, having negotiated for so long, Özil knows exactly what kind of deal Arsenal can offer him; and surely Arsenal know exactly what Özil is looking for - what is he / Arsenal waiting on?

Ozil has been an Arsenal player since 2013 and he never won "more" than a FA cup. Maybe he will renew, maybe not, but if he does, it seems very weird to me.

Although I can hardly see him in another big club to be honest. Wenger will likely not sell him to an English rival (it puts aside MU, Chelsea, Liverpool), Bayern already has plenty of playmakers, PSG doesn't need his profile, Real would not take him back, I don't know if Juve, Napoli would come for him. So it leaves... BVB ? lol

 

[polishgenius]

I've never understood why Ward-Prowse never seems to get a consistent long-term run in this Southampton team. He might not be the flashiest, silkiest, most complete player all-round but anyone as consistently good at putting the ball into exactly the most dangerous part of the box from anywhere up to forty yards out should be in the team every week.

Maybe Arsenal should buy him, get him feeding those Lacazette runs.

[Mexal]

Just now, Sandokan I Ironborn said:

Ozil has been an Arsenal player since 2013 and he never won "more" than a FA cup. Maybe he will renew, maybe not, but if he does, it seems very weird to me.

Although I can hardly see him in another big club to be honest. Wenger will likely not sell him to an English rival (it puts aside MU, Chelsea, Liverpool), Bayern already has plenty of playmakers, PSG doesn't need his profile, Real would not take him back, I don't know if Juve, Napoli would come for him. So it leaves... BVB ? lol

The problem, as you point out, is where would he go? Wenger doesn't have to sell him because he is out of contract so that angle doesn't matter. But outside of City, which doesn't need him, which English club would he want to go to where he'd actually win "more" than the FA Cup? Only really Chelsea.

[Consigliere]

As predicted, Real Madrid look so much more fluid in a 4-3-3. Ronaldo is also more involved in build up play when his starting position is on the left rather than CF and he and Marcelo work very well together on the left. Ronaldo is not a CF and doesn't like leading the line. Bale has been their best player since returning from injury and him and Modric have started to link up very well. As good as Isco is, trying to accommodate him at CAM is to the detriment of the rest of the team.

 

28 minutes ago, Mexal said:

Maybe he was waiting on Sanchez?

I suspect Özil is waiting to see how this season pans out. If Arsenal fail to secure CL football then I think he walks at the end of the season.

[Jordan La Cabra]

I’d love him at Chelsea but don’t think that would be possible; he seems loyal enough to Arsenal fans than go there and burn all his bridges.

Surely Europe’s two premier cheap-skates Bayern Munich and Juventus would be interest in signing such a big player for free in the summer, though?

[Mexal]

Just now, JordanJH1993 said:

I’d love him at Chelsea but don’t think that would be possible; he seems loyal enough to Arsenal fans than go there and burn all his bridges.

Surely Europe’s two premier cheap-skates Bayern Munich and Juventus would be interest in signing such a big player for free in the summer, though?

Wages would have to be huge and Ozil would have the leverage.

[Mark Antony]

Not the best game aside from the last ten minutes or so which were very entertaining. Southampton could really use some pace. They had so many opportunities to counter but just couldn’t pull it off. Spurs weren’t great, Alli was especially bad imo. Draw seems fair. 

[Iskaral Pust]

3 hours ago, JordanJH1993 said:

Sky sports sources are claiming that Chelsea are interested in Burnley’s Ashley Barnes now...

I don’t understand why it has to be an English striker.

Football365.com had an opinion piece a week ago that claimed Chelsea are targeting English strikers because their 25 man squad is already at or near the limit (17) for foreign players, and pointed to Barkley and Drinkwater as examples where they had to buy homegrown squad players in recent windows just to reach 8 homegrown players.  They could fix that with some of their young players on loan, e.g. Tammy Abraham, but either don’t want to or don’t have the right to recall them. 

So if you have to buy an English striker, and your rivals won’t offer you Kane, Rashford, Vardy, Sturridge, etc, then you quickly get linked to a lot of strikers who sound like a terrible fit for the team. 

I don’t think Chelsea will really move for a mid table English striker.  If they have that little faith in Batshuyai then they can sign a striker to take his place in the roster, or they can drop a peripheral foreign player in another position.  Striker is too important to force a square peg.