Two days till the TW deadline and things are heating up in terms of players leaving and joining the club. We have a five-star attack and wonderful options in midfield this season, but our defence remains the problem child and we are all hoping for some decent reinforcements come Thursday 6pm.
It looks like Laurent Koscielny is on his way to sunny Bordeaux, and I am not sure what to think. At times Koz was awesome and he always played with his heart on his sleeve for us. He is a player in the vain of Keown and Kolo: a first soldier, always battle-ready, energetic and mostly a good decision maker. He had his best time when paired up with the imperfect BFG whose key skills of organising the defence, bringing calm to the proceedings and aerial dominance really helped the Frenchman to be successful in the mighty red and white shirt. But why leave like this after playing the main part of your career at the home of football? It shows a lack of maturity of our former captain and it saddens me. We don’t of course know all the facts and the club may well have been unreasonable to him, but something stinks here and Laurent will now have a stain on his reputation. A player we loved so much and played so long for us, should not go like this. 😦 😦 😦
It also looks Jenkinson is off and this is of course a good thing. The man still has a chance to get his football career going at a club of his level. Carl is a Gooner and so he would never have had any doubt to join Arsenal when the club came calling, but he would have done much better to join a Championship team back then, in hindsight. I hope he will join Nottingham Forest and pull out many trees there during the remainder of his career.
It also looks like Eddie will go out on loan and that is always a good thing (as long as they get played regularly). Yes he could learn a lot from Laca, Auba and Pepe but nothing compares to regular football to cut your teeth. Bristol City is among the clubs interested, and as they have been so close to the end-of-season play-off games in recent years, he could well make the difference and help them to promotion this time round. I have little doubt that this guy will make it and I will miss him this season, so good luck to him wherever he will end up.
Who will join us?
Well the Guardian are reporting that we are after either Upamecano from RB Leipzig or Juventus’ Rugani – the latter on a season-long:
Given that we are letting go of Koz, it looks like one of these will come through before the deadline. The loan deal for Rugani probably makes most sense but I would not pooh-pooh another high-profile signing of course. I must admit to know next to nothing about these players, but if you do please make a comment.
Finally, the rumours re Tierney joining are not entirely dead and it would not surprise me if we get him just before the TW shuts.
Oh and the delightful and multi-talented Alex Scott will be on Strictly this Autumn! 😀
https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/strictlycomedancing/entries/922b3c45-82db-494f-8d34-7425fd55a0a0
Now we just need to await the other formal announcements!
By TotalArsenal.
Bergkampesque 
Thanks TA!
If we bring in Tierney (for sure) and Rugani (my preference)? I can be happy for everyone, including Koscielny. Kos tried to force an issue– and ended up doing so, if haphazardly. The fates have not been kind to him injury-wise– and his last-gasp chance at a final career contract of substance is hanging in the balance. I don’t like the fashion in which he did so. But I do get why.
Rugani, preferably. With teammates such as DeLigt, Chiellini and Bonucci– means he’s had a chance to play and practice with top-shelf CBs up-close, and everyday. There’s value in that experience I feel.
jw1
Based on a single report from L’Equipe– several sites are reporting that Arsenal will be taking Barca’s Philippe Coutinho on loan (duration unspecified).
https://theshortfuse.sbnation.com/arsenal-transfer-rumors-and-news/2019/8/6/20756737/arsenal-transfer-rumours-coutinho-barcelona-loan
Jeebus! Can Coutinho play CB? Or LB? 😉
Kidding aside– adding another star would be over-the-top.
jw1
Cheers JW, I cannot see why we would need Coutinho unless a big players is to leave before Friday. I still have a feeling that Manure want Auba…. But I much rather see us focussing on a CB now…
If Nathan Ake is indeed available, I wish we would go for him. Very talented and has that calm we need so much.
We still have not solved the main problem for Arsenal. In fact its looking like we intend to make the main problem captain of the team. His loser mentality has infected and will continue to infect the whole team as long as he remains
Ah Akan, keep looking at Xhaka and at some point you will get it… is all we can hope for..
Big ‘YES’ on Ake.
Liked him since I first saw him play. Stellar decision-making. More than occasional goal scorer too.
jw1
Hi there Total ! 🙂
I`m still still delivering the finest ” Award Winning” cakes around Cornwall . You still in Alex Scottland ?
This has been one of the most entertaining Transfer Windows I have had the pleasure of watching, so much so I can actually say that although not an Anorak , I am a certified Tranfer Window Licker !
If only we can get rid of the stat leading Mustafi !……………….if not then I hope to see him wearing the colours of Arsenal for years to come…………………as a mannequin in The Armoury store !
Keep well Totes.
Oops seemed to have done too many comments of the same ! 😆
Good to hear, Coqie! 🙂 You still doing that delivery in Stoke as well? Hope all is well with wife and son?
And what about the bachelor patch: you living in there now?
Well,
Distinguished Professor JGC knows little of any of them, but a touch of research shows ANY one of them would be awesome. I can live with Kola and/or Mustafi wide if needed. Ake is to me the most interesting. A rumour last December when Holding went down, his advantage in my eyes is PL experience, a touch more certainty.
Cheers from downunder — jgc
Have you been youtubing, Geoffski? PL experience in defence is indeed priceless.
I have seen Danielle Rugani and he’s not as “rugged” as his name sounds; he isn’t an upgrade on what we have now, maybe simply as replacement for the departed Koscielny. I have seen the said Upamecano play. Now, that is a stalwart of a defender, if only too young and rather inexperienced. Again, if it is to cover for the loss of Koscielny, he is the one I’d prefer because the fans will certainly take to him. At upwards of £70m is a big statement by the club.
If we can do Tierney and him (or some good CB), I’d say we done extremely well this window.
And, no. Not for me, Phillipe Coutinho. We don’t need him and I say that without caring if he ends up scoring against us every time we play against Spurs or whichever side he joins up with. Shame he couldn’t cut it at Barca.
I hope Jenko stays.
The reveal of Kos in his new club is a sign that he had burnt all the bridges to even respect him. He did not respect the club at first, now he did not respect the shirt and the fans. Thanks but no thanks, Van Judas number 2
Not that bad, jk. Koscielny probably didn’t think doing that would be deemed “disrespectful”; it would look to be a good stunt to pull, showing “I was an Arsenal man ….but now, a Bordeaux man. Voila!!
I don’t take any offence, especially after his statement which was respectful. I wish him well even though he should have made his exit more honourable.
True enough Eris. I watched the video again and i hope that there is a table below the camera. If he took off the shirt and threw it to the ground, it is then disrespectful.
He tried to explain himself, but we all know what happened and the way that he refused to play for us is deemed as disrespectful, like what Auba did before he switched to Arsenal. Sometimes that happens when you want to leave your parents and move out, but to most fans his stock fell dramatically in the past couple of months.
No doubt about that, jk. 👍🏽
Everton put in a bid for Iwobi, which Arsenal have rejected. Not sure how that will turn out if they return with another bid of £50m for him. Everton look really serious this season; the top six will be hotly contested this season.
Jenks has signed for Nottingham Forest. Love the man and his warrior attitude playing for us; but just not good enough at this level and club. I hope he has a barnstorming season and gets promotion to the premier league soon enough.
Mesut to DC United discussions being reported (as Rooney expresses he will leave at season’s end to become player-manager at Derby County.
jw1
Ozil’s reps are flying to Washington to hear the proposal
https://arseblog.news/2019/08/mesut-ozils-representatives-to-meet-d-c-united-over-potential-mls-switch/
“Currently in negotiations (DC United) with a number of new shirt sponsors, there’s a need to add a big signing to the roster to replace Rooney, and Ozil has been earmarked as a potential candidate. The club want a ‘Premier League star’, and the 30 year old comes with a huge reputation and a massive social media following which sponsors would certainly find attractive.”
jw1
All change it seems… new Post 🙂
Eris–
I’m keen to your perspective between Upamecano/Rugani. My reasoning for favoring Rugani is his experience on a multiple title-winning side– albeit as a reserve mostly.
My fear with Upamecano is the 200% difference in asking price (than Rugani)– and the fact that he’s given away 5 pens in just over 40 matches.
I’d be fearful at that cost– to end up with another “there’s a good footballer in there somewhere” type player who we can’t unload.
We have one of those already…
jw1