Lets hope Emery doesn't make this big mistake against Man City

By 1970's Gooner

To be honest I haven't seen enough to convince me, during pre season so far, that the players are putting into practice what Emery has been preaching in his press conferences so far.

He has been talking, sensibly so, that he considers it as important to be alert not only when in possession but when we loose the ball. 

However the practice session of holding hands in a circle with three players in the middle (also holding hands) trying to win the ball in unison doesn't seem to have done the trick in the real games. No wonder the assistant coach had to get in among the three players and really show them the aggression needed to win the ball back!

But I haven't seen the pack mentality adopted by Pep's teams when not in possession. We have only been pressing with the players playing up front but, hell, we have been doing that even under Wenger.... If you don't transmit this mentality to the rest of the players then what's the use. 

The second issue that worries me is that the team appears to be playing a very high line with the defenders pushing up to the half way line. 

But in the absence of pace at the back I would be really worried. A ball over the top and I don't see Socratis nor Mustafi having the pace to catch the Leroy Sane's of this world....

Again a throw back from the Wenger days....

And lastly, and this is my biggest worry, Kolacinac has been dreadful so far. He was at fault for both of the goals we conceded so far (against Athletico Madrid and PSG) by either being too slow, out of position stationed too far up the field or both.

He is not good enough to start as a left back and if Emery cannot get Monreal ready enough to start against City we will be in big big trouble. 

All you will need will be the long ball on our left side over the top with the centre backs unable to accelerate to cover and you can kiss good buy all the good work that will have been done during the pre season.

 I am sorry if I appear too pessimistic but I have to call it as I see it.  

We do of course have 12 days more to get things sorted out (and get Monreal ready).

Chinese club doubles Arsenal's offer to Socrates

By 1970's Gooner

Although the signing of Socrates Papastathopoulos from Dortmund is considered a done deal a new offer from a Chinese team is on the table.

It can be revealed that Arsenal's offer to Socrates is an annual salary of 5.5m pounds which equates to about 106,000 per week, for a three year contract. 

Greek site Sport24.gr is reporting that the offer from the unnamed Chinese club is 11m pounds p.a or 212,000 per week but for a two year contract.

Socrates, who will become the highest paid Greek footballer, has decided according to Sport 24.gr to stick with Arsenal wishing to continue his career at a high level.

Also Socrates father speaking to the Greek site has revealed that the Greek Arsenal Supporters Club helped persuade Socrates or rather kept 'pestering' him with phone calls urging him to choose Arsenal over Manchester United who wanted to sign him on the cheap later in July.

Stephan in Hector out?

By 1970's Gooner

The signing of the Swiss and Juventous right back is not of course a done deal as the player himself has indicated. The fact that Arsenal are pursuing this player is nevertheless  significant.

This player is very experienced, ouzes class and in my opinion can be a first team starter. His performance in the friendly against Spain and of course for Juventous in the past season certainly points in that direction.

Would a player of that stature and quality be prepared to play second fiddle to Bellerin and warm the bench at Arenal hoping that injury or suspensions may give him a game?

I doubt it.

In my opinion the fact  that he has accepted Arsenal's offer that could mean that Bellerin would be on his way. And probably Ainsley Maitland Niles could be the understudy of the new guy coming in at #2

Releasing or creating if you like another 50m from the sale of Bellerin to be added to Emery's transfer fund to strengthen the squad in the problem areas that Wenger refused to tackle.

A defensive midfielder and centre backs.

Lichsteiner signing could create more cash for Arsenal transfers

By 1970's Gooner

The signing of the Swiss and Juventous right back is not of course a done deal as the player himself has indicated. The fact that Arsenal are pursuing this player is nevertheless  significant.

This player is very experienced, ouzes class and in my opinion can be a first team starter. His performance in the friendly against Spain and of course for Juventous in the past season certainly points in that direction.

Would a player of that stature and quality be prepared to play second fiddle to Bellerin and warm the bench at Arenal hoping that injury or suspensions may give him a game?

I doubt it.

In my opinion if we hear that he has accepted Arsenal's offer that could mean that Bellerin would be on his way. And probably Ainsley Maitland Niles could be the understudy of the new guy coming in at #2

Releasing or creating if you like another 50m from the sale of Bellerin to be added to Emery's transfer fund to strengthen the squad in the problem areas that Wenger refused to tackle.

A defensive midfielder and centre backs.

Lichsteiner signing could create more cash for Arsenal transfers

By 1970's Gooner

The signing of the Swiss and Juventous right back is not of course a done deal as the player himself has indicated. The fact that Arsenal are pursuing this player is nevertheless  significant.

This player is very experienced, ouzes class and in my opinion can be a first team starter. His performance in the friendly against Spain and of course for Juventous in the past season certainly points in that direction.

Would a player of that stature and quality be prepared to play second fiddle to Bellerin and warm the bench at Arenal hoping that injury or suspensions may give him a game?

I doubt it.

In my opinion if we hear that he has accepted Arsenal's offer that could mean that Bellerin would be on his way. And probably Ainsley Maitland Niles could be the understudy of the new guy coming in at #2

Releasing or creating if you like another 50m from the sale of Bellerin to be added to Emery's transfer fund to strengthen the squad in the problem areas that Wenger refused to tackle.

A defensive midfielder and centre backs.

VAR would have probably chalked off Bergkamp's goal at Newcastle

By 1970's Gooner

I am glad that VAR's introduction into the PL has been put off till next year. It needs to be tried and tested a lot more than what has been attempted so far and it would have caused havoc with the enjoyment of the game by the millions round the world paying to watch it every week.

One of the greatest goals scored in the PL is undoubtedly Bergkamp's delightful pass to himself round the hapless Newcastle defender Nikos Dabizas.

However looking at it again (Arsenal's away goals at Newcastle are featured on Arsenal.com) it struck me that if VAR was in operation then it would probably have been chalked off. As Bergkamp gets himself in front of Dabizas his hand is stretched behind him on the defender's chest and pushes him off.

We face an away trip to Newcastle next Sunday. We have been abysmal away from home this season amassing to what I think is the second lowest number of points on the road!

Add the fact that a lot of payers will be rested and we may have to face another disjointed and uninterested performance.

Logical prediction: defeat

Hopeful prediction : away win

The ideal circumstances for Wenger's exit

By 1970's Gooner

It will seem somewhat strange to be writing about Wenger's departure from Arsenal Football Club when a fine victory has been achieved against Watford.

But it is obvious that even he has realised that achieving 4th place in the league is now beyond the realm of possibility. It will require two teams to begin having a nightmare run in to the closing stages of the League. This is highly unlikely.

He has obviously began concentrating on winning the Europa Cup and achieving entry into the CL via that route. This is why he has been resting players from the League games thus giving them time to heal and rest. Wenger's team selection for Watford is a clear indication of that.

And wouldn't it be an ideal situation for Arsenal and Wenger to actually win the Cup, achieve CL qualification AND THEN DEPART.

It would be ideal for most of all us fans who admire what he has done for the club and would hate seeing him spoil his legacy by staying on too long.

Dont be so stingy Arsenal. Pay the money for Aubameyang

By 1970's Gooner

Its the same every time. Arsenal trying to squeeze even the last penny out of a deal. Trying to get the player on the cheap when it is obvious that the valuation Dortmund placed on Aubameyang is about right considering todays market place.

We have already placed a bid for 50m or so, so we are not far away anyway. And we DO NEED to strengthen following Sanchez's departure AND WE DO HAVE AROUND 250M CASH SITTING IN THE BANK.

For crying out loud PAY THE MONEY AND BE DONE WITH IT

Aubameyang transfer to go to the wire with uncertain outcome

By 1970's Gooner

Lets get the so called facts right. 

It is a fact that Aubameyang wants to come to Arsenal and Arsenal do want him having sent over a strong delegation headed by Gazides to get the deal through. It seems that this a deal that Arsene wants badly enough having upped the money offered to 53m.

Dortmund want to get rid of Aubameyang as he has been very problematic with his attitude but they need to find a replacement and have asked for Giroud.

There are only 7 days left for the window to close and it seems that Dortmund have a slight bargaining advantage as they don't need to sell that badly and can wait till the next window in the summer. They also need to make sure that they qualify for the CL.

On the other hand Arsenal have, as always, left things very late again and are desperate to make up the gap that Sanchez has left behind as failure to get fourth place or a Europa Cup win is seriously looming ahead.

This will cost them a few more million as Dortmund are likely to press their advantage through. And I predict that Wenger will relent and allow Giroud to get his desired move to Dortmund thus improving his chances of a place in the world cup France squad.

But all this will probably unravel on dead line day at 12 o'clock at night ala Arshavin's transfer if you remember.

Nothing changes at Arsenal in the end!

Yes there was a bias against Arsenal but is it justified?

By 1970's Gooner

What do us Arsenal supporters expect from the media and ex player pundits when they see a match lost 3-1 by Arsenal at home with a possession statistic of 75% and 30 attempts at goal!

We've all heard that story before haven't we? Dominate possession, the opponents park the bus and then do us on the counter attack usually through a defensive mistake.

Even we were and still are extremely critical of our players, especially Mustafi and Koscienly, after the Man Utd debacle let alone the media and MOTD who make their money by highlighting these faults and sometimes using hyperbole to transmit them to the mostly neutral masses.

It is a fact that we were terrible in defence and one would have thought that Wenger would have prepared the players for exactly this sort of thing happening. So for my money Wenger should get some of the blame.

In addition it seemed that we were not prepared to face, from first whistle, the full court press on our defenders. They were not mentally tuned in to deal with it. They were under the impression that Utd would sit back  from the first minute and play their waiting game.

Still you would have thought that Arsenal's players could pass their way out of it! Instead they were passing to the opponents!

Were the media (and pundits) failed imo is that they did not spend enough time to analyse the fantastic attacking display by Arsenal and how two terrible decisions by an inept referee and assistants changed the course of the game.

How would the game have panned out if the decision on the clear foul on Welbeck was given? It would have been 2 2 of course with lots of time left to snatch a winner (for both teams).

The media would then have been more eulogistic and even euphoric towards Arsenal coming back from 2 0 down so impressively....

Which brings me to the referee (and his inept assistants). They were lauded on BT for their fantastic refereeing!!!!! They brushed aside the two clear penalty incidents as though they were a minor element in the game....

This and Clattenburg's recent statements of devising a game plan before the game and sticking to it smells to me.

May be the referee for Arsenal's game did not want to award a penalty for the same reasons.

You may say that he did give a red card to Pogba. But that was right in front of him, he did have a clear view so he couldn't just ignore it and it was a clear red card after all.

Still we should focus on the positives. We have a fantastic capacity for attacking play which blew Utd away and would have blown Man City away too. We played with intensity, beautiful movement and Lacazette is an amazing forward.

Can you sort out the defence Mr Wenger?