The Arsenal Club Thread **No Spoilers**Updated Rules - Please read before posting**

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Updated rules and sanctions:

1. These threads are for: tactical/player discussion in between weekend matchday threads, injury news, contract renewals, manager press conferences, and general minor news about your club that may not warrant its own thread. Anything that's not regarded as a minor news story must go in it's own thread.

2. No Spoilers! Please keep any discussion about weekend and midweek fixtures to the relevant matchday threads, at least until MOTD has been shown.

3. All transfer talk should be discussed in the dedicated transfers threads. Small rumours, signing of youth players etc outside the transfer window when the transfer threads aren't open are fine.

4. As per forum rules, keep it civil, supporters of any team are welcome to post in all club threads. If you have a problem with a post, RTM it. Trolling or accusations of trolling will not be tolerated.

While all the rules must be listened to, take particular care of the rule regarding spoilers. Any mention of the result or performance, even hinting at it, prior to MOTD will result in a suspension.

As the above rules have been continuously ignored by certain members and it being unfair on those that follow the rules to lock this thread permanently, we're introducing a new thread strike system for every time a rule is broken in this thread:

Strike 1 - 7 day thread ban
Strike 2 - 30 day thread ban and 1 week forum suspension
Strike 3 - Permanent thread ban and 2 week forum suspension

I'll start.

Last season quite a lot of fans were calling for Ramsay to be sold this summer. I was borderline on it. After the Euro's he's just had, I'm now really unsure. He just never looks that good for us.

This thread is not for transfer talk

* I can hear DM sharpening his keyboard from here at the sight of this thread.

 

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Indeed, since that great season Ramsey thinks he's Diego Marapeledona or something. He does the simple things well, so just keep it simple.

 

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Not sure on Rambo myself, he had had a great Euro's similar to a couple of yrs ago when he was smashing goals in left, right and centre but since then he hasn't really kicked on.

Perhaps another yr and see if he gets better.

And yes he seems to think he's the Welsh version of Messi with his fancy flicks. For gods sake man keep it bloody simple please lol.

As for this season coming, not sure how we will do...actually wait I do know, it will be the usual top of the league till xmas then a struggle to get top 4. Mind you with Moaninho, Conte and Pep now in the EPL, I think things will be a lot more difficult for Wenger and Arsenal.

This will be the hardest season for a top 4 finish ever. The chances of winning the league now are virtually zero. That's what makes last year so hard to swallow. Teams right up there imo are

Man C
Man U
Chelsea
Arsenal
Liverpool
Spurs

That's a tough gig for us I have to say, especially with the supermarket sweep that is going on in Manchester.

 

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Perhaps but even if they don't win the league, they're still a very good shout for a top 6. I think Arsenal shouldn't count them out as you are.

They will be seriously found out this season. A lot of teams will treat them with more respect. They'll sit deeper and play more cautiously than last season. The counter attacking possibilities will be far more limited for the likes of Vardy and Mahrez. I can see them being involved in a lot of low score draws this year.

 

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Wengers replacement scares me tbh. A big part of the problem is Kroenke and Gazidis. I am really worried that the new manager will just be a yes man. Eddie Howe has been mooted as a possible replacement. That screams a yes man. Would just love to get such a big job even if it means pandering to the boards wishes.

 

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Absolutely love our 3rd kit!

Yeah, I dont normally buy kits, but I'm a bit tempted by that one.

 

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So rumours abound that Eddie Howe of Bournemouth is being lined up for Wenger's job when he calls it a day.

Not sure if he is the right person for the job, I like him and think he's a good young manager but taking on a job of managing Arsenal is pretty big. And as we all know, Arsenal fans aren't exactly the most patient of fans lol.

Perhaps that's why Wilshere was sent there on loan, to see if Howe can work some magic on him. Who knows??

Would be a terrible appointment and one made purely on the basis that he would be a puppet for the board.

 

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Alexis is simply stunning. Break the bank to keep him.

 

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Pleased we got Kos, Coq and The Scorpion King tied down to new deals. Coq was probably easy, but I wouldn't have blamed Giroud for not being keen as he has been on the bench an awful lot and at 30 years of age, Kos is on his last big contract and is rumoured to have been wanted by Real Madrid. He could have had a massive last contract but chose to say with us. Heartening stuff.

Now for Mesut and Alexis. That will be a lot harder.

 

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It was just an error thats now been corrected.

No need to worry.

Still don't think there's much hope of him staying

 

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Well he's got a year on his contract so he ain't going anywhere.

Are you so naive that you really think Arsenal will risk him going on a free?

Not a chance. They'll grab 50m if they can. Arsenal are not a football club any more, just a business more interested in money than success. Kroenke has the final say and he will not lose 50m. What's the point in keeping an unhappy player for a year only to lose him on a free? Doesn't make sense.

 

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well if we can keep Ozil it will be better than nothing. Sanchez can go. He deserves better but we need a replacement.

We also need to tie up the Ox and get rid of walcott and Wilshere

I think Ozil's done and dusted really. He is staying at Arsenal, said so himself. Just got to finalise the contract, but someone who is a bit of in the know said two weeks ago that the contract is 90% done. Wages and bonuses all sorted. Just a minor couple of things to sort out and then he will sign it.

I get the feeling Arsenal might be stringing out a bit in the hope that they can announce Alexis and Ozil together. What a humongous boost that would be for the fans going into the new season.

Fwiw, I think this is going to be a huge season for Ozil. Finally going to have an out and out striker with bags of pace to feed. What he's been after since he's been here. Can you imagine what he would have been like with Henry? That would have been frightening!

 

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That tickets to the first three games sorted.

Community shield this Sunday, home to Leicester and then I've managed to get in the away allocation for Stoke. Is Stoke worth spending time in or is it an in and out as fast as you can type of place?

Can't make Liverpool the week after although I highly doubt I would have got close to a ticket for that.

 

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For those of you that object to the killing of animals for sport, please sign.

https://www.change.org/p/kroenkeout-petition

Already signed. Disgusted by this. He's gonna come under a hell of a lot of pressure when he's in the UK now. Already been many fans, Corbyn included, slamming him over this.

 

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Got my Stoke tickets for next saturday.

 

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I think Ozil has definitely held Ramsey and Wilshire back, when he plays well hes one of the best in the league but when hes mediocre i cant understand how wenger kept picking him

At Arsenal he’s been around 90% mediocre, 10% good. We need to move on from him now. There’s far better out there. I can’t even remember his last motm performance.

 

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I think it's time for Alexis to be dropped. He's not interested any more. He's treating every game like a training session and is not part of the team. I feel Wenger is persisting with him simply to try and justify his decision to keep him to the board.

Ozil looks like he's up for it more than ever, but probably playing for a big signing on fee. I feel Lacazette is already feeling ****** off at the club and especially with being dragged off every game he starts.

 

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I’m dreading this summer. The squad overhaul that’s needed is massive. There’s the complication of a World Cup and Wenger will still be in charge. The final hurdle is that Arsenal don’t want to pay the transfer fees for the world class players nowadays.

We need imo, a new keeper, 2 central defenders (Kos is badly starting to show his age and Per’s retiring), replacements for Ozil and Sanchez and a top defensive midfielder. It just won’t be possible in one transfer window, so next season could be a long hard slog for us. Mid table wouldn’t surprise me. Only when the new manager eventually arrives, can we start to look forward.

 

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I think Martinez is a decent keeper. Be interesting to see how he improves during his Getafe trial.

 

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Damn it. Lacazette out for six weeks after knee surgery. Needed him for the Europa ties. Should get through Ostersunds easy enough but he won’t be back for the last 16 and we could draw a quality team in that.