Once again, we begin a new season with the Community Shield, a competition with which we are extremely familiar but one which, unlike others I could name and wave two fingers at, neither the Club nor our fans have regarded as a “major trophy”.
This competition began life as the Charity Shield in the 1908-09 season with a match between the First Division champions, Manchester United, and the Southern League champions, Queens Park Rangers, that went to a replay. From 1930 the match regularly took the format of pitching the previous season’s Football League champions against the F.A. Cup winners but only from 1959 did it become the curtain raiser for a new season. It has only been regularly held at Wembley Stadium since 1974, with a 6-year interval at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff during Wembley’s rebuilding plus migration to Villa Park in 2012 because of the Olympics. Before 1974, the Charity Shield was held at a neutral venue or the home ground of a participant. Highbury was the venue seven times between 1924 and 1953. During the peripatetic period, only Stamford Bridge hosted the match more often, on 10 occasions, presumably usually as a neutral venue!
From its beginning, match proceeds were meant to be distributed to charities and community initiatives around England and Wales. However, in 2002 the Charity Commission found that the F.A. had broken charity law by failing to specify the proportion of receipts going to charity and also for delaying payments to nominated charities. In consequence the match was renamed the Community Shield. It’s not clear how renaming the competition solves those problems except that it may have allowed the F.A. to change the terms of their charitable commitments.
The Arsenal has the second largest number of Shield victories with 14 outright wins plus one shared trophy, only bettered by Manure who have 17 wins and 4 shared trophies. The Bin-dippers lie third with 10 wins and 5 shared trophies.
The Arsenal’s first appearance in the Charity Shield was in 1930 at Stamford Bridge when we defeated Sheffield Wednesday and went on to dominate the competition throughout the 1930’s, contesting the Shield a further 6 times and winning it on four occasions. It was a decade before we played in the Charity Shield again simply because no Charity Shield matches were played between 1938 and 1948 due to World War II and its aftermath. We won the 1948 Shield against Manure and followed that up with another win in 1953 against Blackpool.
| Season | Opponent | Result | Venue |
| 1930 | Sheffield Wednesday | WON 2-1 | Stamford Bridge |
| 1931 | West Bromwich Albion | WON 1-0 | Villa Park |
| 1933 | Everton | WON 3-0 | Goodison Park |
| 1934 | Shitteh | WON 4-0 | Highbury |
| 1935 | Sheffield Wednesday | LOST 0-1 | Highbury |
| 1936 | Sunderland | LOST 1-2 | Roker Park |
| 1938 | Preston North End | WON 2-1 | Highbury |
| 1948 | Manure | WON 4-3 | Highbury |
| 1953 | Blackpool | WON 3-1 | Highbury |
Gooners of a certain vintage will tell you of the dark age between the early 50’s and the early 70’s acquisition of the Fairs Cup and the Double. However, the Charity Shield hiatus was even longer as our 1971 Double winners did not contest the Charity Shield due to a pre-season tour (putting the trophy counters into clear perspective). The 1971 Charity Shield was played between F.A. Cup beaten finalists, the Bin-dippers, and the Division 2 champions, Leicester City who won the Shield (without having won the League (until 2016) or the F.A. Cup (ever)). After the next two league champions followed The Arsenal’s lead and declined the privilege of participating, the Shield’s curtain raiser status was enhanced with a permanent move to Wembley in 1974.
After our early success rate, we then went on a dodgy run of Charity Shield results. Both our next two Shield appearances were defeats against the Bindippers; in 1979 as F.A. Cup winners and in 1989 as League champions. Then, as League champions again, we shared the trophy with a small team from Middlesex in 1991 after a 0-0 draw. Sharing a trophy with a decent team was clearly a huge privilege for them. No doubt there are Betamax tapes commemorating their glorious achievement that can still be purchased. In 1993, as F.A. Cup winners, we drew with Manure but lost on penalties.
| Season | Opponent | Result |
| 1979 | Bin-dippers | LOST 1-3 |
| 1989 | Bin-dippers | LOST 0-1 |
| 1991 | Small team | SHARED TROPHY, 0-0 |
| 1993 | Manure | LOST 4-5 on pens after 1-1 |
We contested the Shield nine times in the Wenger era, winning seven times. Between 2001 and 2006 the Shield was held in the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. With the Cup Finals there as well, the trip down to Cardiff became a regular summer day out for Gooners.
| Season | Opponent | Result |
| 1998 | Manure | WON 3-0 |
| 1999 | Manure | WON 2-1 |
| 2002 | Bin-dippers | WON 1-0 |
| 2003 | Manure | LOST 3-4 on pens after 1-1 |
| 2004 | Manure | WON 3-1 |
| 2005 | Chavski | LOST 1-2 |
| 2014 | Shitteh | WON 3-0 |
| 2015 | Chavski | WON 1-0 |
| 2017 | Chavski | WON 4-1 on pens after 1-1 |
To date The Arsenal have contested the Charity and Community Shield on 22 occasions, winning it 14 times outright and sharing it once. Winning the Shield is clearly an Arsenal tradition.
I attended the 2004 Shield and the last three. Strangely the 2004 Shield is the only one for which I have any significant memory of the game itself. The others are remembered only for fine pre-match meals with good company at our favourite pre-Wembley restaurant and the excellent Ribera del Duoro that accompanied the Cordon Bleu victuals. The 2004 game was a family outing with a fine lunch in a celebrated Italian restaurant in Cardiff followed by a shock discovery that our midfield was a pair of callow youths named Fabregas and Flamini! Despite my pre-match concern, those lads proceeded to give an experienced Manure midfield of Keane et al a complete run around. The poise, vision and control of young Cesc that day has left a lasting impression as he dominated that midfield in a manner that we have not seen from an Arsenal midfielder for several years. It would be nice to see another such debut this season.
What of the forthcoming game? If you count shared trophies, our opponent’s record matches ours with fifteen Charity/Community Shields apiece. Their current team are, without question, very good. Yet we beat them in our most recent league fixture and that should temper any trepidation with some confidence. We know their threat will come down the flanks and from the speedy Salah and Mané and the wily Firminho through the channels. It will be a challenge to stifle them and I can’t see their defence being as generous as they were at our last meeting. However, I am confident that MA8 will have a plan!
Our team? Your guess is as good as mine. At the time of writing we have added Willian, Saliba and possibly Gabriel to last season’s squad. None of our unwanted fixtures have departed though rumours suggest Sokratis, Kolasinac and Mustafi may be hovering by the exit. Our midfield desperately needs an injection of strength, authority and creativity. I expect the Saliba and Willian to play to begin their bedding in process but even if a signing is confirmed, Gabriel will not be quarantine-free.
I expect a starting line-up close to:
Martinez
Saliba – Luiz – Holding
Bellerin – Elneny – Xhaka – Tierney
Willian
Pepe – Aubameyang
History shows that the result of the Charity/Community Shield bears no relationship to the contestants’ relative positions at the end of the season. While I always want to win every game, this match is primarily a pre-season exercise in regaining fitness and match sharpness. This is even more the case this season. I think that 2-1 to The Arsenal would be a very acceptable result. You can get 13-1 on that score at the moment and that’s where I’ll place the Holic pound.
Let’s lay down another marker of the Arteta renaissance!
COYG
A final word for scruzgooner, a longstanding regular in Holic’s bar. I’m sure all ‘Holics share my prayers that he and his family are safe and that the home from which they were evacuated last week escapes the wild fires raging in California. Good luck, mate. Thoughts extend also to all whose lives and homes are threatened at this time.
An excellent and learned history of the Charity/Community shield Bath, which I greatly enjoyed. Normally we are gagging for this game after weeks without football. This time, it seems only minutes since that wonderful afternoon at Wembley, let alone the more recent European finals. It is, and always has been, a glorified pre season friendly. I hope we win , but won’t worry too much if we don’t.
Finally, a lovely touch to point out that there are far more important things in life than football. Good luck Scruz, an officer and a gentleman if ever there was. May you and yours be safe and sound and may your return to your home be trouble free.
A preview of the highest quality and one that is probably more than this most oddly positioned of fixtures merits . Such is my disinterest in the fixture that the only one I have eve4 attended was the 1979 fixture when we lost to the Bin Dippers. I left halfway through the second half when I bought the same dummy that Dalglish sold to Pat Jennings for their second goal and had to be readmitted to the stadium. It is still a vivid memory . To underline your point though we were outclassed that day but played Liverpool six times that season and never lost once , eventually knocking them out of the Cup after three replays .
It won’t occupy my thoughts much tomorrow although I will probably watch it. It is a pre- season friendly and means nothing to either side but prepare for the strident and high-pitched caterwauling of Scousers should they win .
Great work as usual Bath
To echo Bath, my thoughts and I am sure those of all Holics go out to Scruz and his family at this worrying time . It would be ver6 hard to find a nicer or more dedicated Gooner than Scruz and we hope the fires pass by leaving his place intact
Very interesting article on our new centre half (we hope) Gabriel. Like Martinelli (and Edu?) he comes from São Paulo.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/08/28/rise-gabriel-magalhaes-arsenals-new-signing-became-one-europes/
Interesting tweet 🤣🤣
Bravo Bath for an excellent history of the Arsenal’s involvement (domination?) of the CC. I wouldn’t be surprised if Arsenal lose this one but make up for it, and more, with a fine season and silverware at other times and places. COYG
C100, That Spuds fan’s lament must be the common lament of every Spuds fan this time of year, every year. Pity for them. FOYS
As you said Bath, I’m hoping the fire containment progress of the last couple of days in California is able to keep on going so scruz and other people in evacuation can get back home and resume their normal lives as soon as they can.
Fascinating trip through history, bath. I never knew that the Community Shield started out as northern champions v southern champions.
Big team calls on your part on Emi and Elneny. I always thought there was a player in Elneny but he spent too much time running around like a headless chicken. Perhaps Arteta can Mustafi-y him into a decent DM.
Scruz: hope all is well with you and yours. This year’s CA wildfires look worse than last year’s. Stay safe.
OM from previous drinks: I would take the Forbes’ number as most definitive on Messi’s salary. They tend to know what they are doing on what rich people make. This article says Barcelona is planning to pay its star forward $92 million this upcoming season, about a third of that in the form of performance incentives.. That would convert to high 40 millions of pounds before bonuses. (Looks like the London Times is guilty of some sloppy cut and paste with its £90 million number). The Forbes article says Messi also earns $33 million a year in endorsements. Its general thrust is that Messi is closing in on being the first athlete to earn $1 billion dollars from playing a team sport.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinasettimi/2020/08/21/the-next-billion-dollar-athlete-lionel-messi-closes-in/#2b3688c7947c
A very fine preview Bath. I’d forgotten
how shabbily the FA behaved.
Like others I don’t remember many
of our Charity Shield games. The
3-0 against Shitty because I was
surprised how easily we won.
And of course I remember the
Keegan / Bremner fight in the 70s
2-0 to The Arsenal as a wild guess.
I think AMN or Saka will start on the left.
I’m probably most curious to see which
keeper plays.
@9
Thanks for the link Ned.
Forbes is probably the safest
bet as you say. A billion bucks
for kicking a ball is just absurd
really.
Wonderful picture of all the young faces at the top top.
C100
Thankyou for the article on Gabriel.
I feel I know him very well now having read innumerable pieces on him.
I will desist from reading any more just in case he doesn’t join but I sense it is all tied up .
Mouthwatering prospect having two young, fast brick outhouses in central defence!
Messi situation getting messy, and that is not to suggest the intervention of former ice hockey player Messier, which would complicate matters unnecessarily.
OM@11: Absurd? Where do you sign up?
I forgot to mention my main hope
for the Community Shield – no
more injuries (for us that is)
A masterful & detailed review of our past community shield history Bath, more worthy than the match will be later today. With players only recently returning from holidays, I expect a fairly low level team will lead out at Wemberley later today. As much as I would love to win the trophy, it really is a training match for improving fitness levels towards the start of the new season in 2 weeks time. OM is spot – no injuries is the first priority.
Woof woof!!
😃
That’s magnificent, Bath! A real treat. If Arteta can get his team to play with this winning combination of rigor and flair we will be celebrating at the end of the season. Wildly.
I know it will be low key and the focus is to prepare and winning is not that important etc. But to start the season by beating the champions and with some additional feel-good vibes in the team … I think that’s worth aiming for. But of course ensuring no new bruises or sprains …
Thanks chaps.
I agree with OM that our first priority should be an injury-free run out. Our second priority should be a respectable result. Given that our team morale and psychology have improved immeasurably under MA8, the next target must be to avoid a morale-damaging thrashing which will I am sure be the objective of Herr Klopp and his gesellschaft. A cheeky little win with its concomitant boost to morale would be a real bonus.
Great preview, Bath !
Seems we are playing without a lot of speculated transfer ins and outs. Interesting.
And definitely echoing your thoughts for scruz 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
Looking at their virtually full- strength line -up and ours which is missing arguably six or seven players from the team that will carry our hopes through the season we need to ensure we don’t attach too much importance to this match. A midfield of Xhaka and Elneny doesn’t do it for me and we may be starting at least four players who won’t kick a ball for us this season .
Boy do we need to get some quality into midfield !
No Guendouzi or Ozil in the squad. No change there then.
Bath. Mikel and his merry men may not equal Herr Klopp’s gesellschaft but if I read my English-German dictionary correctly, may be able to compensate with some cheeky gemeinschaft of their own, with a generous sprinkling of Spanish alegría.
thanks for a great piece, baff. i always wondered in the back of my mind why it turned from charity to community. and my best memory of it is when reyes took manure apart in 2004…
as for today, it will be a training exercise, for both squads. i think if mikel can set up the team with an eye to the lessons learned against pool last time we should fare well enough. i’d really like to see esr get a run-out (with amn and xhaka), rather than use two holders, and play a 4-3-3 with willian on the left of auba and pepe, saliba and holding in back. that may see us hammer, or be hammered…i don’t know. it could be exciting, though i expect your team will obtain.
i appreciate the thoughts about our situation. we are fine, and our house still stands. it could have been so much worse, but for the efforts of all the fire crews. we’ve been seeing them in groups of 5-25 all over town (we evacuated to santa cruz); every time i see them i stand and give them a one-man ovation and thank them for (most likely) saving our place. i am so grateful.
looks like kt3 with luiz and rob, hecate and amn on the wings? or 4-3-3 with amn/xhaka/mo, saka/eddie/auba?
no willian, no laca, saliba on the bench with the kids, leno, and ced.
huh.
Oh deep joy. Chris Sutton on co comms.
Wow! Auba with a banger!
Emi gets the nod. 6 subs allowed
so hopefully a chance to see some
of the younger lads.
Offside fortunately. Get in Auba!!
Auba!!!! Great cross by Saka.
Get the fuck in.
First time Saka got the ball in
a little space, nice pass to
pick out Auba and a great finish.
Good movement around Auba
to buy him some space for the
shot
First blatant dive of the season.
Should of have got a second just
then, overplayed it.
Mane I think with the dive
Robertson vs Tierney is a Scottish left back crossing competition. How come, if you’re Scottish, the only two world class players you have both play left back?
Under the cosh for about 15
minutes but did well not to
concede. Nick a second?
No. Half time.
Worked hard 1st half and I hope
we make a couple of changes
at half time or just after.
We are well worth our lead after that performance. A very good half from the Arsenal.
C100 @35, it’s the legacy of the great Eric Caldow.
Cue the North Bank
Whoooo???
that was an enjoyable first half. scoreline correct for what I saw. mo looks much better! few mistakes at the back, and only a couple times my heart was racing with worry.
The real test starts now. COYG.
What a save by Emi.
Cedric coming on for Bellerin. Cedric has no pace but is a bit better at defending. Don’t know what to make of the sub.
Milner gets his long overdue yellow. He’s been fouling since the first minutes. Klopp shows his determination to win this by keeping 11 on the field and subs the hacking rodent.
Nasty challenge by Keith but no card.
Good tracking back from AMN.
Game a bit scrappy
MA must want to win
Cedric fouled – given the other
way.
Shit.
We are just not able to get or keep the ball. Look really tired and need some fresh legs.
the game suddenly became
less enjoyable but whichever
way it goes we played ok
all things considered
agree ksn I don’t know why we
haven’t made more subs
good save Emi
as I write that we make three
It has been Pool all the way for the last half an hour.
Nelson, Willock and Kola should help to give us some impetus.
OM, a little difficult to watch. I can’t understand why we can’t keep possession.
Willock came so close to heading one in.
If we’re really looking to get rid of the likes of Martinez, Holding and AMN and keeping the Willocks and Nelsons in the squad, I am baffled.
Agree totally, Cynic. I can’t understand the anxiety to get rid of AMN, Martinez, Bellerin and Holding who have done well every time they have been given a chance. Cedric should never have been given an extension. Keeping Cedric and hawking Bellerin is also baffling.
not as good a second half, but I thought we responded pretty well to their goal. is it over? or on to penalties?
First two objectives achieved: good run out without injuries (hoping Tierney’s calf is a strain not a tear); respectable performance and result.
Excellent performances from Martinez, Holding, Tierney, AMN, Elneny, Saka, PEA and Nketiah. None of these players should be sold.
Here’s to winning the shoot-out.
Yes, not a great 2nd half though
Joe could have nicked it near
the end. A draw was fair.
AMN man of the match according
to the telly. He did play well.
Come on Emi!!
Well done AMN
As I have often said here, one shouldn’t overreact to winning the Community Shield. So I’d just like to say
WE’RE GONNA WIN THE LEAGUE!!!
Outstanding penalties.
5-4 to the good guys.
Third objective achieved.
Well done lads.
16th Shield for the Arsenal.
Auba!!!!!!!!!!!!
He wins it for us again. All five penalties were really well taken.
Two out of two trophies for AM and Arsenal. Congrats lads, you guys have done it again.👍😅🤣
Some cracking penalty taking
there. The boys look happy.
nicely done. two for two, mikel. cheeky from amn!
No medal for Auba!
Pool sportingly acknowledge the better team.
Sign the ting Auba.
The thing I most love about Auba is that he always looks like he loves playing football and loves playing for the Arsenal.
hawking Bellerin
Come on, I know the lad’s had his injuries but that’s a bit harsh. 😉
I can’t resist posting a couple of selected quotes from Auntie Beeb’s Community Shield live reporting at https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/53888232 and following pages:
Posted at 18:20
Emma Sanders
Liverpool lost on penalties to Manchester City last year remember. It was Georginio Wijnaldum’s penalty that was saved by Claudio Bravo. He won’t be taking one today now he’s off and that’s a smart decision by Jurgen Klopp to bring on striker Rhian Brewster, a proven goalscorer at Swansea, ahead of another potential shootout.
Posted at 18:45
Here’s the costly penalty miss.
Video content
Video caption: Brewster hits the bar in penalty shootout
I was pretty irritated by the Klopp spunkfest that was the 18:20 posting. I guess I can live with it in view of subsequent events. It would have been nice to see some acknowledgement in the 18:45 post but that’s probably too much to hope for.
I know now, and will remember the name Emma Sanders.
To be fair Pangloss it looked a smart move but as the boy ran up his legs were trembling and he whacked the bar . He is a good finisher but obviously lacks experience .
Our pens were as good as our ones at Cardiff in 2005 . The gaffer has obviously passed on his spot kick expertise to the team too.
Simple answer Pangloss. Don’t read the BBC let alone get annoyed by it. A surprisingly negative reaction, seeing as we won. Enjoy! Rejoice!
I could quite get to like this habit of winning, especially when it comes with silverware. One trophy down, three to go.
More in sorrow than in anger, C100@69.
TG@68: Spot on about the pens. They were a good set. No nonsense and crisply executed to get the job done. Since Arteta came in every detail of our game just looks more professional.
Ned,
Actually it’s four but that might be construed as greedy! And the EFL Trophy as well I suppose .
Re the BBC Pangloss I stopped reading it on football years ago . I’m usually watching the games live on TV or in the stadium but even if I’m not I find them to have a huge North- West bias . And a massive anti- Arsenal bias .
Sounds like Emma Sanders is in your black book 😱
AMN is in the England squad
The club would be nuts to sell AMN on the basis of today’s performance. He is more than a squad player. He is a utility starter. There was also a strong hint of not wanting to leave in his post-match interview.
Might Elneny be the right partner for Xhaka in the double pivot? For as long as Xhaka is an Arsenal player, he will have to be carefully paired. Elneny seems a better fit than Torreira or Guendouzi and Ceballos may not be returning.
It is going to be a tough call on who keeps goal in the opening league game. Nothing Martinez did today suggested that he should hand over the gloves to Leno.
Price has gone up £5m.
No occasion for sorry Pangloss. To be writing about that shows a bleakness of the soul and a real glass half empty outlook. This is a wonderful, uplifting time. We have a glorious new manager. We have the best striker in the world. We have a glorious crop of youngsters. We have, since the restart, beaten Liverpool twice, beat Manchester City and Chelsea. We have won one proper trophy and a morale lifting pre season bauble. We have regained our place in Europe. This is no time for glooming and dooming. That’s not good enough man. Enjoy it and write about it!
C100
I am immensely impressed by Arteta . I genuinely don’t think there is anything he could have done better in the key performance areas . Not only has he organised the club much better tactically, particularly in defence I am very impressed with his in-game coaching and his communication to the media is terrific.
I don’t have many sources within the club now but my sense is that he has lifted the whole place and that given the options we had in December he was head and shoulders above any of them . I particularly loved the interview Willian gave where Arteta clearly sold him on a three year project to win the Champions League. Most people would laugh at that but unless you aim high you never achieve anything significant.
He has restored the feelgood factor. If we had fans in the ground we would have a season- ticket waiting list .
Dear Spurs fans
Now at last you know what it’s like to see a team in white, from North London, win a trophy.
I am beside myself with joy that we have appointed MA8 and he has proved to be even better as a coach than I had hoped. His man management has been very impressive, his tactical work even more so and his clarity of thought and communication are second to none. It also appears from events over the last week or so that like every extremely able individual in a complex organisation, he is very adept at managing up as well as managing down.
It feels good to be an Arsenal fan again.
Cynic @ 79 🤣🤣😂😂🤣🤣😂😂👍🏼👍🏼👏👏
Bath @ 80. You put it beautifully. At the start of July I couldn’t have believed we would be where we are now. The future is bright. The future is Arsenal. Read all about it right here on this blog.
Is Dr Feelgood roaming these parts again?
AMN has got an England call-up. Thoroughly deserved.
Oh my word, how the Guvna would have enjoyed these last few weeks.
C100
He would have loved the success but he would be even more gratified by the spirit at the club, the way Arteta has lifted the spirits by his organisational skills and the vibe around the club
It looks like Arsenal have become a thorn in the side of the Arsenal bandwagon. That adds to the thorn in the foot Arsenal have them a few weeks ago.
This is starting to be fun. 🤔
Liverpool bandwagon is the one accumulating thorns. Oddly enough.
Cynic @ 66.
Of course, I meant hock him.
All that and more, TTG, but the Guv’nor would have also kept his — and our — feet on the ground.
Haven’t seen the game but it sounds very positive from all your comments and this Sky match report:
https://www.skysports.com/football/arsenal-vs-liverpool/report/427352
I cannot believe that MA8 would be keen to see Emi and AMN sold to raise funds to bring in Partey.
Any rational observer of the development of the new team’s style would choose to retain Emi over Leno and AMN over Torreira when deciding where to raise the cash for re-engineering the midfield. Given our glut of central defenders, albeit several flawed individuals, if we can only stretch to one more new signing then it would be logical to choose the central midfielder whom we are courting or the plan B in that position rather than another CB.
It is ironic and SO Arsenal that the players currently being cited as likely to be sold are those who have contributed so ably to the club’s renaissance, acquisition of silverware and qualification for European football.
Lots of talk about AMN today
as the sell / don’t sell debate
goes on. Wolves have sold
Doherty to Spurs though I
don’t know if that’s connected
to wanting AMN.
My guess is we’ll let him go as
KT can play LWB once we’ve
sorted out our multitude of
CBs.
Obviously I’d sell Guen, Papa
Mus and one of Rob/Calum first
but let’s be sure we’re getting
someone before we sell AMN.
In an idle moment I decided to make Mikel’s decisions for him and I hope he is reading this as it’s wise counsel 😃
To fill the key gaps in the side he has to raise about £150 m . That sum will be needed to buy –
Gabriel
Ceballos ( loan)
Partey
Aouar ( if he emerges ok from Covid)
Edouard
plus Willian
I’d take some big decisions
I’d go with Emi as my no 1 keeper . I think the defence looks more secure with him in goal and he is much better on crosses than Leno .If we need to sell and it looks like we are going for Raya at Brentford I’m sure Leno will be sought after ( possibly by Chelsea ?)
Assuming we have a back four which is Arteta’s preferred option I’d make AMN our right back or wing back . I’d upgrade on Lacazette with Edouard who is a better prospect than Eddie
I’d sell the following –
Leno
Bellerin
Chambers
That is a lot of upheaval but gives us an immeasurably stronger squad and will raise about £ 20 m net and would save about £15 m off the wage bill
Holding ( loan)
Sokratis
Kolasinac
Torreira
Guendouzi
Lacazette
Willock needs to be loaned out too
Ozil – we will have to subsidise his paid holiday in Turkey but we can save some money there .
That makes us about £20 m net in fees and about the same in annual salaries saved depending on how much they need to subsidise the parasite’s sojourn in Turkey . Big calls on the goalkeeper, right back and striker but I’m a fearless planner especially when there is no pressure
All reasonable suggestions though I can’t see us bringing in more than one midfielder (Partey?) and one centre back (Gabriel?). My issue with selling Emi and AMN is that I don’t think we will get the fee that truly reflects the value of the contributions both these players will make to the team going forward.
As Amy Lawrence said on Twitter this morning, you can only sell players that others want to buy. However surely there are clubs who could use players such as Kolasinac, Sokratis, Torreira, Lacazette and Elnenny. I would also add Leno and Bellerin to the available for sale list but only for the right price.
However I trust MA8 to make the right calls.
Interesting choices, TTG. Whoever said Arsenal should have tried EMI sooner is right on the money, in several ways. The consensus in the bar seems to be strongly on his side, which I respect even though I can only recall one mistake by Leno last season. If we do need a new keeper, Brentford goalkeeper David Raya Martin, according to his Wiki page, played in 46 matches for them last season, but the only item mentioned in the section on his personal life is that he supports Real Madrid so at least we know his DNA. Too little information, or too much?
Radical stuff TTG 😃
I wouldn’t sell Laca, Hector or Calum (Mus
instead) and I wouldn’t play AMN as a full
back and if we bought Partey and Aouar I
wouldn’t loan Dani again. And I certainly
wouldn’t sell Leno to Chavski.
Apart from that I completely agree with
you 😉
More seriously my concern is more
players will see out their contracts
and refuse to move as the many
uncertainties at the moment will
make them value the security of an
existing contract. A new contract
negotiated in a time of financial
hardship is going to be less if you
are not trading up to a richer club.
And while I’m at it I’d swing a
cross field ball a la Saka to the
waiting…..
An Au boomeyang opportunity.
Thank you O’Saka. Could have done any better if I’d teed it up myself.
Couldn’t that is. 🙂
Well I thought I’d better assist
after disagreeing with half of
TTG’s plan but luckily I didn’t
mention I’d keep Leno rather
than Emi and Id sell Eddie before
Laca….oops
Just noticed that they’re showing highlights of the ’79 Cup Final on ITV4 tonight in the UK
COYG
I did say it was an idle moment!
I think we have to try to do what Liverpool did in building their team but we have nobody worth a kings ransom , especially in this depressed market . It appears that Emi is about to sign a new contract . I think he is a better all round keeper than Leno , AMN is nowa much better bet at full back than Bellerin and if you are playing two in a central midfield system , you can’t afford one of them to be Xhaka . I think Arteta will push his wish list very hard and the key issue will be midfield creativity. After Auba and Gabriel are confirmed we need to address this as a priority . That’s why I think we may see two midfield signings if we can raise sufficient cash
Hi Bath!
I didn’t know about this blog. I will be bookmarking it.
best wishes
Highgate!
Long time no see!
Hope all is well with you.
Draw up a bar stool here and become a regular. It’s a great community. A glass of your favourite tipple is on the bar.
TTG@95: That would be a lot of change. We might be better off making a more gradual transition as Liverpool did, introducing only one or two upgrades each window. At the start of the year, I would have been more in agreement with a mass clear-out. Now Arteta has got the framework of a new team established, I lean towards a view that adding the missing pieces carefully and selectively is the way to go.
bt8: Well in for the ton. Classy assist from the Kansai Pele.
Seems that Papa is off to
Napoli. Best of luck to him
if so. I thought he had a
reasonable first season but
really struggled this year.
@105
I hope you are right about the midfield situation TTG!
It’s obvious we are still looking and all power to
Edu’s elbows.
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