Arsenal should give up on a top four finish, claims Ian Wright

By

-

07-02-2019

When it comes to the fortunes of the Gunners, all of us like to offer an opinion. One of the more valued opinions is the one that former players have to offer.

Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright who at one time was the leading goal scorer in the club’s history had some thoughts on how the club should approach the rest of the season.

Speaking to BBC Radio(via Mirror), this is what the Arsenal legend had to say:

“Going back to the unbeaten run, I think that gave people false hope in respect to finishing fourth.

“But the fact is that that kind of elevated everybody’s expectations a bit and I still feel top four is still out of our reach if I’m going to be totally honest.

“I think that Europa League is what Arsenal should be focusing on. The manager’s got a bit of pedigree in it and I think we can get some guys back [from injury] and have a blast for that.”

The striker’s reasoning was that the club would have a tough time finishing in the top four so it would be better to focus on the Europa League. If the Gunners win the competition, they will qualify for the Champions League and that is the main target for the season.

After replacing Arsene Wenger as the manager of the club, it was always going to be difficult to be a challenging task for Unai Emery to handle. But if he is somehow able to get the team back to the elite of Europe, it will be considered as being a successful season.

For this to be accomplished, it is necessary to focus more on the Europa League. Yes, it is a knockout competition and one bad game could mean that you are out of it but it is a risk that has to be taken.

The problem within the squad is that there are a few injuries happening right now and that is hampering what the Gunners are trying to achieve.

Fans will be hoping that the club will be able to finish the season on a strong note and winning the Europa League will be a step in the right direction for everyone involved.

Arsenal join Chelsea in race to sign ‘new Thiago Silva’

By

Nithyanand

-

07-02-2019

The rumor mill regarding Arsenal is never going to stop so, fans should get used to the club being linked to a host of players.

One of the newer ones to be linked is Boubacar Kamara, a French center back who plays for Marseille in Ligue 1.

And as per reports from Calcio Mercato, the North London club are among the clubs who have taken a serious interest in signing the 19-year-old defender.

The report further states that there is a significant amount of competition from the likes of Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund as well as AC Milan. Marseille’s technical assistant, Claude Fichaux, compares Karama to Thiago Silva in terms of his elegance and ability to read the game.

Kamara has had a breakout season in which he has gone on to establish himself as a key member of the Marseille back line.

He is good at reading the game and is quite a good tackler to boot. As with any modern center back worth his salt, he is also incredibly comfortable on the ball. These are some of the reasons as to why Arsenal are targeting the youngster but they face some stiff competition.

If the Gunners are able to beat such rivals and get Kamara to come to the Emirates, it will be quite an achievement as the youngster is so highly rated.

The other major factor regarding this deal is that the defender’s contract will expire in the summer of 2020. This may see the French club look to capitalize on his current value and sell him to the highest bidder.

If that happens to be the Gunners, then it will be a big boost to the transfer ambitions of the club and what they are planning for the future.

Defense is one area where Arsenal are in real need of some form of reinforcements and getting a player such as Kamara who has so much potential, is a step in the right direction.

Arsenal transfer budget for this summer revealed as Unai Emery targets three signings

By

Nithyanand

-

06-02-2019

It has not been long since the end of the January transfer window and we are already talking about what could be done in the summer.

As per reports in Sportsmail(via Daily Mail), the Gunners will be given a budget of around £45 million to sign players. It further states that manager Unai Emery is keen on getting in as many as three players.

While this amount may seem like it is too little for many, it does not take into consideration some of the external factors relating to the budget.

There are definitely going to be some players leaving and this will have a significant impact on the wage bill that Arsenal have at the moment.

The Daily Mail has also claimed that some players such as Petr Cech, Aaron Ramsey and Danny Welbeck are expected to leave the club in the summer which is expected to free up around £300,000-a-week off the weekly wage bill.

Apart from that Adidas is set to come on board as the sponsors and as per Telegraph, that deal is worth around £50 million each season. That will also be a major boost for the club in terms of sponsorship.

No matter what happens, it promises to be an interesting period in the summer and for all we know, there could be a lot of change in terms of personnel.

When a manager is replaced after more than two decades at a club, it is going to take a lot of time for the club to get back on the front foot. Fans need to be patient and give the people in charge some time before they start criticizing them.

This transfer window gives the Gunners and Emery the chance to do something about this. So, it is best to be hopeful at this point.

“Never been good enough”: Carragher blasts Arsenal defender after Man City defeat

By

Nithyanand

-

05-02-2019

It was a very big game in the context of the season for both Arsenal and Manchester City but it was the defending champions who came out on top. The match ended 3-1 in favor of City after a hat trick from striker Sergio Aguero.

Jamie Carragher, the former Liverpool player and current pundit took exception to the performance of Shkodran Mustafi. He was unimpressed with the way the German played and he made his feelings clear about it.

This is what he had to say as per Mirror:

“Mustafi has never been good enough since the day he walked in the door.”

“To see Arsenal defend like that, there’s a big job there for Unai Emery to do.”

Though it sounds a little harsh, there is some truth to what Carragher has said here. Mustafi is a talented player but he is too error-prone to find consistency and do well on a long term basis.

It is this facet of his game that ends up hurting the North London club a lot, especially in big games such as the ones against opposition with the quality of City.

Any team that has players like Sterling, Aguero and Silva are going to be a problem for even the best defenses and it was clear that the Gunners were not able to cope with the skill of the opposition.

Arsenal lost the game by two goals but to be honest, it could have been more as it was the performance of keeper Bernd Leno that prevented the scoreline from increasing.

The Emirates club now have to regroup and get over the loss and should focus on the next match. If they want to finish well in the league and qualify for the Champions League, it is absolutely essential to win as many games as possible.

Up next is Huddersfield in the Premier League and fans will be hoping that the Gunners will get back to winning ways. Both Manchester United and Chelsea are breathing down Arsenal’s neck for the fourth spot and the team has to perform at a high level.

Arsenal legend might make a surprise return to the club

By

Nithyanand

-

05-02-2019

This season has been all about change as far as the Gunners are concerned. The season began with the departure of Arsene Wenger who was with the club for 22 years.

Then there was the departure of Ivan Gazidis to AC Milan and recently it was announced that the Head of Scouting Sven Mislintat has decided to leave the club this month.

There is more change set to happen at the club with a new director of football expected to be appointed very soon. The candidate that appears to be the front runner is former player Marc Overmars, according to reports in Daily Mail.

The report further states that Ajax have denied the claims that the former Arsenal winger was approached. The winger was a key component of Arsene Wenger’s first league and cup double and could be set to return to the club.

Daily Mail have further claimed that transfer guru Monchi who is at AS Roma at the moment is also in the race. Monchi already has a strong relationship with Emery having spent many years at Sevilla but it is unlikely that the Italian club will be willing to let go of him.

This is seen as another move by Head Of Football for the Gunners, Raul Sanllehi to strengthen his influence at the club. The Spaniard was one of the influential figures in bringing Unai Emery to become the manager and it looks like he is making another move that he deems to be good.

Overmars has been highly impressive during his tenure and has shown that he has a keen eye for picking the right deal for players. This was particularly shown by the transfer of Frankie De Jong which generated millions and millions of profit for the Dutch club.

If Overmars was to return to the club, the fans are going to be happy as the man was a real fan favorite during his time with the Gunners. But for the club, it is necessary to get a new guy as soon as possible.

Denis Suarez sends message to Arsenal fans after disappointing Man City defeat

By

Nithyanand

-

05-02-2019

In the recently concluded transfer window, there was not a lot of activity as far as the Gunners were concerned, but one of the most noteworthy things to happen was the loan signing of Denis Suarez.

The midfielder was signed from Barcelona and made his debut against Manchester City in a match that Arsenal lost.

After the game, he took to social media to send a message to the Arsenal fans about the Man City game. This is what he had to say:

“Today I returned to Manchester to make my debut in the premierleague and I was eager and happy to start this great challenge. The score wasn’t good but this has just started. Let’s go for it, C’mon Gunners! ArsenalFC”

Here is the tweet:

Today I returned to Manchester to make my debut in the @premierleague and I was eager and happy to start this great challenge.. The score wasn't good but this has just started. Let's go for it, C'mon Gunners! #ArsenalFC pic.twitter.com/B5OF0i20JK

— Denis Suarez (@DenisSuarez6) February 3, 2019

It was a match that was always going to be difficult for anyone to make a debut in. If fans had their way, he should have made his debut against easier opposition but this is the way the footballing world works.

Though he was not able to impress during his cameo, he did show a few glimpses as to what made the club get him in the first place. As the season goes on, he will have more chances to showcase his talent and the fans will be waiting to see that.

Suarez is the kind of player who will fit in properly into the system that manager Unai Emery is trying to implement at the Emirates. And given the fact that the midfielder has already played under Emery, it does bode well for the future.

The deal that brought Suarez to London includes an option to buy him and if he does showcase his true potential, fans will be very happy to see him join the club on a permanent basis.

The main focus for the Gunners will be to get back into the Champions League and having a player like Suarez is only going to help in that regard.

Arsenal reckon they have an advantage in signing 23-year-old midfielder this summer

By

Nithyanand

-

04-02-2019

The transfer window is just behind us but that does not stop the rumors regarding Arsenal from flying around.

Every day we can see a new player being added to the mix and that is interesting to say the least. One of the names that is in the mix is Adrien Rabiot who is out of contract at the end of this season.

According to reports in the Mirror, the Frenchman who plays for PSG is set to leave the club in the summer and it appears that Arsenal are leading the pack to sign him. It further states that the reason the North London club have an edge is because of manager Unai Emery’s history with the French club.

As the manager of PSG, Emery had first-hand experience of working with Rabiot and it seems that it could be the defining factor in getting the midfielder to the Emirates.

But getting him to join the Gunners is easier said than done as there is some fierce competition for the player’s services. The main competition is coming from Spain in the form of Barcelona(as per Sport) who really want Rabiot to join them.

Another factor that works in favor of the Gunners is the fact that Barcelona have just recently signed Frenkie De Jong from Ajax, who will be joining them in the summer. If Rabiot was to go there as well, the chances of him getting a lot of playing time are slim.

The fact that the Frenchman is available for free in the summer is what makes this deal even more enticing for any club that is looking to take him.

The 23-year-old midfielder has refused to sign a new deal with the Ligue 1 champions and as a result of that, he has been frozen out of the team.

This has only gone on to make his desire to leave the club that much stronger. It is clear that he is a player who has immense quality as well as potential. If the Gunners are able to get him to the club, it will go a long way in offsetting the damage done by the impending departure of Aaron Ramsey.

[Photo] Arsenal defender offers positive injury update

By

Nithyanand

-

04-02-2019

It is well known that the Gunners are suffering from a host of injuries within the defensive department. So, it was a little bit of good news for the fans to get a positive update from one of the players to have been injured recently.

Hector Bellerin who injured his ligament in the match against Chelsea took to social media to offer an update that is sure to leave a smile on the faces of many fans.

On Twitter, he posted a photo from his hospital bed and the caption that was alongside the photo read:

“Yes Doc? I can get out of hospital yeah? Saaaafe. Road to recovery begins.”

Yes Doc? I can get out of hospital yeah? Saaaafe. Road to recovery begins 💪🏼 pic.twitter.com/rkCPy8z5RV

— Héctor Bellerín (@HectorBellerin) February 3, 2019

He recently had surgery done so this update is certainly a bit of good news. It is important that the road to recovery begins as soon as possible for the defender.

The defender is one of the most important members of the squad and the team really suffers in his absence. Bellerin is also crucial to the way in which manager Unai Emery likes his team to play so that makes his absence hurt the club that much more.

Without him at right-back, the options that the Gunners have are not going to inspire much confidence. The candidates are Stephan Lichtsteiner, Carl Jenkinson and Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

None of these players possess the qualities that Bellerin has and that affects the rhythm of the whole team. The build-up becomes a little stunted and there is a real stop-start nature to the way Arsenal play which is not what they will want to do.

Bellerin will hope that he can come into the team sooner rather than later and the surgery being a success is a step in the right direction. If the Gunners are going to achieve any sort of progress, it is necessary for people like the Spaniard to be fit and firing.

Martin Keown: Denis Suarez signing is bad news for this Arsenal player

By

Nithyanand

-

03-02-2019

It has been just a couple of days since the Gunners confirmed the signing of Denis Suarez on loan from Barcelona.

Once the deal was announced, it was time for a lot of people to have reactions of varying degrees. Fans took to social media to express their opinions and some former Arsenal players were asked for their opinion as well.

Former Gunners defender Martin Keown had a rather interesting take on the whole deal as he warned Granit Xhaka that his role could be in jeopardy. This is what he is quoted as saying as per the Metro.

“The arrival of Denis Suarez at Arsenal puts pressure on Granit Xhaka, said Keown. Unai Emery is not going to drop Lucas Torreira, and Matteo Guendouzi has showed promise.”

While there is some element of truth to what the former player has said, it does not seem like Xhaka will be dropped for the incoming Suarez anytime soon.

Xhaka has established himself as a key member of this team and his influence on the team is most visible when he is not playing. The team struggles to string passes together as Xhaka is the one who helps set the tempo of the game.

As far as Suarez is concerned, manager Unai Emery seems to have something different in mind for where he will be playing. Speaking to Arsenal Player before the game, this is what he had to say about the new arrival:

“He[Denis] can play right, play left, inside like a 10 player, and I am going to use him in all the positions in the attacking third.”

This means that what Keown said is not not really going to happen any time soon. Suarez is a player who has the experience of playing on the wings and that will help him fit into what Emery has planned for him.

Xhaka will certainly be in the starting lineup against Manchester City on Sunday and given the importance of the game, the Gunners will have to field the strongest team that they can to get a positive result.

Ramsey and Lacazette to start: Predicted 4-3-1-2 Arsenal XI to face Man City

By

Nithyanand

-

03-02-2019

The Gunners are back to form after a midweek win against Cardiff City and the fact that Bournemouth beat Chelsea a few days back meant that the North London club were back in the top four, although the Stamford Bridge reclaimed that spot with a win yesterday.

Taking that momentum forward, they will be coming up against the defending Premier League champions in Manchester City.

It will be interesting to see the way in which manager Unai Emery sets his side to combat City. What makes matters worse is the injuries that have affected the Arsenal squad and this is particularly felt in the defensive end.

Let us see how Emery will combat this. The predicted lineup would be in a 4-3-1-2 formation.

Goalkeeper

Arsenal will continue with the German Bernd Leno in goal as he has been a consistent performer all season.

Defense

For the right back, it is most likely going to be Carl Jenkinson who will be given the nod. Given the fact that Ainsley Maitland-Niles is not fully fit, means that the Englishman will have the chance to prove himself.

In the center of defense where there are problems for the Gunners, the duo of Shkodran Mustafi and Nacho Monreal are likely to get a start. Monreal has the experience of playing in the middle of defense so that should be acting in his favor. On the left-hand side, it will be another start for Sead Kolasinac.

Midfield

The midfield adds some element of mystery as to what Unai Emery will want to do. Players that are likely to start the game are Granit Xhaka, Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi.

Xhaka was rested in the match against Cardiff and should be fit and ready to go for City. Torreira and Guendouzi will play alongside him and protect the defense and help the attack as well.

It is the fourth midfielder that we are not quite sure as to who will be given the nod. There could be a surprise start for Denis Suarez, the new loan signing from Barcelona but the more likely option would be Aaron Ramsey.

Forwards

Here, the case is much simpler and the two options that the Gunners are going to make use of are Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.