Good morning all and completely happy Saturday! Tim Stillman right here to take the reins this weekend till Andrew returns to his desk on Monday. Whereas Andrew has been taking in pre-season in LA and Philadelphia, I’ve gone a bit of extra low key (however no much less glamorous). I’m off to Lincoln right now to see the Arsenal U23s (or ‘Arsenal XI’ as they’re recognized throughout the summer season for some purpose) play at Sincil Financial institution.
I’m solely going as a result of I’ve by no means been to Sincil Financial institution earlier than and this shall be floor quantity 70 of the 92 for me (the promotion of my native childhood membership, Bromley, to League 2 this season bumped me up one other one!) Anyway, I can cowl that sport off in tomorrow’s weblog, which I’m certain you completely can not anticipate.
The actual place is to begin is the affirmation of Emile Smith Rowe’s transfer to Fulham yesterday. The deal is reported to be round £27m with a possible additional £7m in add ons and it’s reported that Arsenal additionally maintain a sell-on clause for the participant too. The emotional affect of his departure hadn’t actually dawned on me till now as a result of, in my head, I’ve been totally anticipating this for fairly some time now and have thought that to be the very best factor for the participant and the membership.
From Hale Finish to the primary group. 55, 32, after which our quantity 10.
As soon as a Gunner, all the time a Gunner.
Thanks for the recollections, Emile ❤️ pic.twitter.com/lgWWKHJfIL
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 2, 2024
I nonetheless don’t actually perceive why Arteta and Arsenal insisted on his retention final summer season, aside from perhaps they needed some safety towards a giant damage someplace that simply didn’t materialise. I feel one of many issues that Arsenal followers have in all probability struggled with is a scarcity of actual clarification as to why Smith Rowe fell to this point out of favour.
At first, many suspected his continued omission was health based mostly. Then many people have guessed that perhaps ESR doesn’t have the bodily or out of possession properties that Arteta desires, however we’ve got by no means actually had that confirmed in any severe approach. That mentioned, I do assume Arteta’s feedback about Smith Rowe have all the time contained a component of caveat or problem.
Even after he gained the Man of the Match award for his efficiency towards Luton in April, Arteta mentioned, ‘[I was pleased with] how bodily he was right now with out the ball. He went into duels and gained a number of them and was considering with that killer intuition to play ahead and make issues occur.’
Arteta wasn’t actually requested about Smith Rowe’s physicality or how nicely he performed ahead however they had been clearly issues he had spoken about as improvement factors with the participant and that additional suggests they had been parts of Smith Rowe’s sport that Arteta felt to be missing.
Smith Rowe posted a tear jerking Instagram message to say goodbye and it was troublesome to not really feel sorry that his Arsenal profession didn’t fairly go the best way many people thought it might three or 4 years in the past.
On the finish of the 2017-18 season, I went to look at a couple of Arsenal FA Youth Cup video games and it was solely as a result of I had heard a lot about Smith Rowe and needed to see him for myself.
I went to Colchester to look at him play a youth cup tie there and it was very clear that he was a number of ranges above everybody else on the pitch. Sadly he was carrying an damage within the ultimate towards Chelsea and couldn’t present his finest kind and, in hindsight, that was to be a portent for his Arsenal profession. Manchester Metropolis journey to Fulham on the ultimate day of the season and it might be fantastic if Smith Rowe’s Arsenal legacy just isn’t fairly completed but…
One other Hale Ender edging nearer to an exit is Eddie Nketiah, who’s clearly set on a transfer to Marseille. Fabrizio Romano reviews that Nketiah and Marseille have agreed private phrases however that Arsenal knocked again a bid of round 27 million Euros yesterday. Whether or not it’s the measurement of the payment or the construction of the funds that’s the problem I’m not certain however I strongly suspect that Marseille will come again with yet one more bid and it’ll in all probability do the trick.
He’s clearly a giant goal for Marseille and the participant should really need the transfer to have already agreed private phrases. I think Arsenal have knocked the bid again totally anticipating Marseille to return with one thing nearer to their valuation. The membership rejected Fulham’s first bid for ESR and it appears like they’ve rejected two for Eddie from Marseille. It’s heartening to see Arsenal stand their floor a bit of extra available in the market with regards to valuation of their gamers.
There was a number of conjecture over whether or not or not Arsenal are good sellers. I feel to be good sellers you first must be good consumers and the membership solely actually set on that path three years in the past, there was all the time going to be a lag. However with good, homegrown gamers like Smith Rowe, Nelson and Nketiah obtainable and perhaps a global like Kiwior or Zinchenko, it does really feel just like the accusation of being dangerous sellers would have some basis had been they not capable of safe good charges for these gamers.
For Eddie, he wants to go away to kickstart his profession and it appears like he is aware of that too. Whether or not or not Marseille is the best membership for him is a name for him to make however with Havertz, Jesus and Trossard as present choices for the quantity 9 place and Nketiah simply not fairly having the all spherical sport Arteta desires from a centre-forward, this one makes a number of sense for participant and membership.
Eddie is 25, he isn’t a youth prospect any longer and any purchaser just about is aware of what they’re getting, even when there may be room for improvement with extra common soccer. I like Eddie, I feel there have been a couple of occasions the place I’ve written him off and he has proved me unsuitable. I feel it is extremely clear he has labored on a number of parts of his sport that had been just about fully lacking when he was youthful.
I get the impression he has labored very arduous to attempt to make his Arsenal profession work however now he desires to play extra regularly- and so he ought to. He strikes me as a powerful skilled and I’ve a number of respect for the best way he has carried out himself and fought to make a profession in North London. He’s at the moment simply wanting Arsenal’s present degree however that’s hardly a shame. I hope he will get his transfer and shines.
Anyway, again to the present squad and they’re now again from the U, S of A and making ready for a few video games on the Emirates towards Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday and Lyon on Sunday. That is the place the pre-season begins to get actually severe and possibly transitions from bodily tuning to bodily and tactical tuning.
Declan Rice, David Raya, Aaron Ramsdale and Bukayo Saka all return to coaching this weekend and I think about we are going to see these gamers from the bench on Wednesday with additional involvement towards Lyon. Rice and Saka specifically are such necessary gamers that I totally anticipate that Arteta desires them ship form and within the beginning line-up for the Wolves sport on the opening day.
It appears as if the Smith Rowe cash shall be used to fund a transfer for Mikel Merino. At 28, he’s very a lot a ‘for now’ signing and that implies to me that Arsenal really feel they’re previous the ‘constructing’ or ‘mission’ part and into the ‘it’s time to win now’ part. I additionally assume that Arsenal are responding to a reasonably dry market.
I think about in case you cornered Arteta with a fact serum and a pleasant glass of Rioja, he would in all probability inform you that he would favor to purchase a youthful, deep mendacity playmaker however in all probability simply doesn’t see one available on the market. This window jogs my memory a bit of of January 2023 when Arsenal introduced in Jorginho, Trossard and Kiwior, flooring raisers somewhat than ceiling raisers.
Whereas final summer season, we noticed Rice, Havertz and Raya are available as gamers that Arteta in all probability expects to be regulars within the beginning XI for the following 5-6 years, this summer season feels a bit of extra like we’re changing below used squad gamers with choices that Arteta would possibly really use after they stakes are a bit of greater than ‘we’re 5-0 up towards Burnley with 10 minutes left.’
I additionally assume we’re underestimating the affect of the expanded Champions League with two further group video games from subsequent season. That’s going to put an excellent larger demand on the squad which implies that we simply can’t have gamers on 450 minutes a season taking on house. We additionally may need to get comfy beginning the odd sport with out a Saka or a Rice and if somebody like Merino is extra trusted to help that than Smith Rowe then that’s what must occur.
Anyway, I’ve a 4 pack and a practice to Lincoln to catch, extra from me tomorrow earlier than Andrew returns on Monday!
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