₦airaland Forum

iamoyindamola:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/arsenal-transfer-news-alexandre-lacazette-25789140
Still speculating Jod.era

Lol... Well you don win

iamoyindamola:
https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/transfer-news/alexandre-lacazette-arsenal-transfer-lyon-23327578
Shebi na your guy na

Lol, it was just speculation and opinion of the writer. Read this from the link you posted below and see why I said so.

No concrete offer was made that Laca rejected.(at least, none that I know of)

iamoyindamola:
Lacazette was earning big, not performing yet they want to extend his deal
Abeg jare
E they favour us now everybody they point fingers
I wish that all or nothing expose alot we don't know

Are you serious? I didn't read anything, anytime last season that they wanted to extend Lacazette deal sha.

iamoyindamola:
I am

I know how e they be

Lol... Dem never even start and you don dey pity dem

Roland17:
With the sincerest intentions, let me ask you, what exactly did you grasp from the article you posted?

What was Edu driving at? I mean words spoken or quoted by Edu in the said article, not the writer's opinion.

If you were asked to summarize the article, in your own opinion, understanding and comprehension, what would you say is the onus of this article?

Okay, lemme see if I can summarise it with pointers

1.. That the plan in which Arsenal is expected to be a traditional top club starts in 2022/23 due to a 5-yr plan vision

2.. How Edu (with collaboration with Arteta I feel) helped in pruning the squad off high-salary, low performance players even if it means paying dem off and going the way of young players

3.. Arsenal plans in the transfer market involving both our players and that of intending targets

4.. How he talked about the change in mentality of the club to that of a winner's mindset and reason why players of such characters are recruited

5.. He touched on how selling the project to intending targets is crucial and foremost and any intended target who doesn't have that as his priority,he simply walks away

iamoyindamola:
It's really hard for Chelsea now
Barcelona really show them pepper, we were like this during wengay days throwing all our eggs in one basket

Lol... You dey pity dem?

ObaIgwe1:
“When I negotiate with a player, I meet them face-to-face to sell them our project. Then I can smell if something is wrong.

“For example, I talked to a player in Dortmund but it was always, ‘Yeah, but what about my contract — let’s talk money’.

“So I just told his agent, ‘Guys, thanks very much but it’s not what I want’. And I got up and left. Boom.” - Edu

Can anyone guess who is this Dortmund's player Edu is talking about?

I suspect Bellingham sha

Jencejyde:
Interesting read. The part that gives me optimism is where he said the character is above everything while scouting.

Indeed we have lost characters over the years, the ones who never had losing as an option. I sincerely hope that philosophy of character above all other attributes is sustained even as we continue building.

The fear mentality must be brought back and for once I can now see that the monstrous pressing that puts teams into submission is being executed much better.

Consistency is all that's now needed if indeed they have gotten it right on the pitch and hopefully the results will come.

Well done to the technical board on this one .

indeed bro, that's also the part that intrigued me the most. We now have a group of young willing players who are hungry and lacks ego. I believe that fear other teams have for us will come with time especially as we're now improving in quality depth. I remember saying last season that we've one of the best Midfield quality in EPL and it can only get better. Defence have improved considerably too
I believe this season will be very very much better than the last one.


Kudos to edu, Arteta and all the technical board for this. This new look arsenal breeds alot of hope to the fans

BlueRayDick:
Thank you for sharing.

You're welcome boss

mikuz:
I want us to keep 100% record over them. No dents. Even if we play the match in Saturn make we flog them,

BlueRayDick:
I hope people can stop bitchingggg about Arteta not being a good man manager and all while referencing how Ozil and dem Auba left. People should stop the shithousery of saying he cant manage big players cos now it appears Edu was obviously the mastermind of their departure ; something he's set his mind on even before Arteta left Guardiola's golden cabinet.

Absolutely boss. Now we know who the real mastermind is regarding all those egoistical players and the way arsenal is heading to presently.

It's a very good thing Edu and Arteta have a very good relationship. This article really touched on a lot of things, reason why I decided to share it here

mikuz:
Which question bros

I mean concern. So you believe Liverpool will obliterate Man u wen it matters most, why then are you concerned about the 4-0 preseason loss?

mikuz:
E no go enter, Liverpool will obliterate Man U bros.

E mean say you don answer your question be that na

mikuz:
It's not, this match will serve as a pointer. E go help us make permutations to hit 3/3

Lol... Why don't you use Liverpool Vs Man u?

A long but very interesting read about Arsenal's vision and future


Big-money flops were ‘killing’ Arsenal, admits Edu as he aims for a Champions League return

Edu will discover soon if he really did read the runes. The technical director told Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal board a couple of years back: ‘Guys, 2022-23 will be the season we are going to be much better.’

Edu’s forecast formed part of a new, five-year plan for Arsenal, devised after Unai Emery was sacked in late 2019.

Change, driven alongside Arteta, has been ruthless and expensive and, at times, painful.

‘If a guy is performing and has a big salary, that’s not a problem,’ Edu says. ‘When the player is 26-plus, big salary and he’s not performing, he’s killing you.

‘You don’t have a valuation to sell the player, the player is comfortable — Arsenal, London, beautiful, everything is fantastic — and a good salary. How many players with that kind of characteristics did we have in the past? Eighty per cent of the squad.’
Not any more. On Edu’s watch, around 40 players have been shipped out. Some, including Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil, were paid to leave. Several more will go this summer.
Since last year, 10 outfield players have arrived. None older than 25
‘Try to avoid one more year with the problem in the dressing room,’ Edu says. ‘Take it out. Even if you have to pay because that guy is sometimes blocking someone.’ He considers it an investment
‘How many players in the squad have those characteristics today?’ Edu says. ‘Now, as part of the plan, we create value in our players because I don’t want to face that situation many times more. Now, if someone wants, say, Gabriel — OK, come here. No problem.

‘If we sell Bukayo Saka — that’s not going to happen but it’s just an example — we as a club have to prepare his replacement straight away. Someone has to be in the squad or we have to manage the market well.’

That scenario is not unthinkable, given Saka has yet to agree a new deal amid interest from clubs including Manchester City. ‘It’s normal,’ Edu insists. ‘He’s happy, we’re happy, so it’s just: sit down and find a solution.’

Edu was speaking in Orlando, shortly before Arsenal’s pre-season tour ended with an impressive victory over Chelsea. Oleksandr Zinchenko, their fifth summer signing, made his debut in the 4-0 win.

A club like Arsenal is not building to fight for fourth place, I’m sorry,’ says Edu, 44, who first signed for Arsenal as a player in 2001 before returning to be technical director in 2019. ‘We cannot accept it. That’s why I was really, really hurt when I arrived.

‘I said, ‘That’s not the mentality of this football club. What is happening? Everybody is comfortable, everybody is OK, OK, OK…’ F*** you. ‘OK’? No. I don’t want to lose games.’

Edu adds: ‘I want to see the physios, the masseurs, the scouts, everyone with that kind of feeling: ‘F****** hell, now we are going to really go for things’. And I think we are changing, we are putting good mentality in the squad.’

Last season, Arsenal’s push to return to the Champions League — one year ahead of schedule — fell apart.

‘I felt in some important moments we needed players like those we are signing,’ Edu says. ‘We need a bigger squad with personalities, with some behaviours that say, ‘I will kill someone but I don’t lose the game’.’
Hence why character ranks above all else in Arsenal’s scouting. Winning is now a habit for players like Gabriel Jesus, with whom Edu worked while he was general co-ordinator of Brazil.

‘I said, “Gabriel, I’m here to try to sign you. But not the Gabriel from this season”,’ Edu recalls. ‘You’ve lost your shine’.’ The forward’s reply? ‘You’re right.’

Not everyone can be persuaded. Both Lisandro Martinez and Raphinha went elsewhere this summer and Edu once walked away from a deal after money kept cropping up in talks with a player at Borussia Dortmund. ‘If I smell something wrong — ‘Thank you very much’, I go,’ he says.

Without them, Arsenal’s five-year plan approaches crunch time. They veered on to this new path after Emery left in November 2019. Not long after walking into Arteta’s house, Edu knew he was the perfect fit to be the new boss

‘We had a great relationship straight away,’ he says.

The plan should bear fruit this season. Unfortunately, Arsenal’s top-four rivals are strengthening, too. ‘It is difficult, which is why we have to be realistic. But also, why not? They may be good teams but they are not unbeaten like 2003-04,’ laughs Edu, a member of that Invincibles side.

‘I learned from Arsene Wenger,’ the Brazilian says. ‘He tried to look after you and your family. He was focused on taking care of people.’

Edu’s attempts to emulate Wenger’s on-field success go on.

Spy360:
My friend Jodera, what you put up there is too petty for your smartness. Look for other reasons or explanations and not that clubs don't have quality CBs on their benches.

Like I said earlier, assuming Rob Holding was left footed, I wouldn't mind. But he is not. Even Mari is preferable for this reason. In fact if we can't get a new CB, we can still do away with Holding. Like you said in the bolded, he will only warm the bench. So what's the need?

But it's true na. Clubs don't have 2 quality CBs at their bench.

Moreover, backup CBs don't need to be different legs. In fact, Pep that is mostly crazed about it still used pairing of Stones and Dias for most part of 2020/21 season when Laporte (an Lcb) got injured. Like I said, if most teams have 3 quality CBs and very 4 will be excessive especially as even White/Saliba might be seeing cameo roles except group stage Europa.

As for the bolded, we need someone like Holding who is a good squad player and wouldn't complain for squad depth. It's somehow talking about 4th CB when we're still looking for Saka deputy and another Midfielder. No be say we get defensive issues sef

mikuz:
They will meet in the league again, let's see how Arsenal will beat Chelsea by 4 - 0.

Lol... I never knew football is mathematics

mikuz:
Chelsea's poor performance was due to unseriousness. Chelsea don't take pre season matches serious.
On a very good day, this Arsenal team cannot beat Chelsea by 4 unreplied goals if Chelsea decide to take the match serious. There is no way Chelsea will lose by that margin if they were serious. So since its pre season and it's won't affect the league season proper they decided to not take the match serious, this unseriousness led to poor performance which in turn led to losing massively. There is no way Chelsea who were not serious would beat Arsenal who took the match serious.

The best result unserious Chelsea can get against a serious Arsenal is a draw.

Nobody should criticize Chelsea's performance because they were not serious with the match.

Lol... If you say so boss

mikuz:
Why should Chelsea fans be complaining about a pre season match there players did not take seriously

It's based on the performance not based on the result.

It doesn't matter whether they lost the 4-0 to arsenal or Nottingham forest, the issue is that they played poorly.

Lol, Please don't try to deviate from our initial discussion. You were angry "solely" because you guys lost 4-0 to a [b]rival, man u [/b]which you said it was unacceptable. You never minded whether the performance was good or not. While we in turn told you not to look at the scoreline that no-one takes a preseason result serious.. not even the players nor coach

I hope we should understand our initial premise and not twist it into saying the I meant the performance is useless

Spy360:
All this talk will only valid if the new CB is not quality. For example you cannot tell me that if we signed Martinez he won't be a good backup for Gabriel.

Lol, then If that's the case, I see the reason why Martinez might choose Man u over us.

Show me a club that has 4 quality CBs? You're a forgetting that CBs needs understanding and communication together and this can only happen during the pitch and it also happens with time. As it is now Gabriel is a nailed on starter and if Saliba manages to oust White to the first team role, before White will break that partnership it'll be very difficult except long term injury happens. Then you want another quality CB to still come and warm the bench like White?

This isnt like Midfield or attack that you can easily replace someone who you're better than. And it isn't a PS game that you can have all the quality in the bench so that in case a player is off form, you'll just draft the bench player easily.

This is a real life situation and no top club have 4 quality CBs vying for 2 positions how much more arsenal that's trying to get itself to elite level

mostob:
Werner want to leave...he is angry with the treatment Tuchel meted out to him last season.

Tohh... Even Tuchel sef don dey para

iamoyindamola:
He's a winger too we can go for him

Anything Chelsea na scam abeg. It never works out well for us. How much more Werner who's even a potential Chelsea flop

mikuz:
In a nutshell, I can complain about a match that the player's didn't take seriously and had no impact on the season proper?

Maybe you can rephrase your question better, I didn't really get what you asked here

mostob:
Heard Werner and Ziyech are both moving. Make Chelsea no go enter relegation this season. Sterling sef don regress...not as sharp as before. I'm never a fan of havertz.

maybe Ziyech but I'm not sure Werner will be going anytime soon. Moreover, they'll need to sell fringe players else dem fit enter one chance if dem sell Ziyech and Werner without replacement on ground first

Chelsea no fit relegate sha, but e no go bad If dem do

mostob:
Na so.... Me I'm trusting the process.
I don dey save money for jersey already....

That's the spirit boss

mostob:
wait...you Sabi Yoruba language. Sorry for asking though

Lol ..I no Sabi at all oo

Spy360:
The new CB. The reason why I wanted Mari and Holding sold is to raise enough money to sign a quality leftie CB. Someone of the quality of Gabriel. Initially my hope was we would get Martinez from Ajax, but the deal failed.

Lol... So you think it works that way? When we no be man city.

Even at man city, When did they buy Nathan Ake (the 2nd Lcb)? That's 2 seasons ago. Just recently.

Even when Laporte was injured last 2 seasons, how many times did Ake fill in for him? Infact if I can remember vividly, it was a pairing of Stones and Dias Pep used to win the league

White or Saliba no fit dey wey new CB go come take over just because Gabriel go injury. E no dey straight forward laidat at all

mikuz:
The bone of contention is not the reason for the complaints but the complaints itself. You said that on no occasion should anyone complain about preseason performance since the players don't take it serious and has no impact on the season proper. Some where even calling for the manager's sack over a pre season match the player's didn't take seriously.

Lol, I didn't say anyone shouldn't complain. Our point is that no one should take it serious especially, you wey carry am say as per derby you guys shouldn't have lost 4-0.

Check out our this thread, while we are happy that we won 4-0, nobody is going overboard that we dealt with Chelsea our rival. All we're just happy is the performance itself and how the players are gelling and improved. It doesn't matter whether it was Everton or Chelsea or Burnley. If this same performance and result happens when season starts, you'll see the marked difference in our celebration.

And that's exact same thing I'm saying. You guys used small boys against Man u, who started their first 11 but you were complaining that klopp shouldn't have lost that because it's a rival match.

In a nutshell
In preseason... Performance and fitness matters and not result

In the main season... Results (most importantly) and performances matters

mikuz:
You told us that pre season matches are useless but you see that nobody likes his team losing massively whether pre season or not let alone a big rival.

Check most cries from Chelsea fans, nobody is crying about losing 4-0 to arsenal because it's a Derby. What they're concerned about is that the issue concerning their attack they faced last season is still rearing its ugly head again as it hasn't been fixed.

Preseason is to set your team in terms of fitness and performances. You think if this result and play happened this season we arsenal fans won't be 5x joyful more than this or Chelsea fan won't insult Tuchel more than this?

Show me at least two Chelsea fan in Chelsea that's ranting that they lost the game 4-0 to Arsenal as a Derby rival and I'll apologize to you immediately

Spy360 please I want to ask a question

Let's assume we sell Holding and Mari and get an Lcb. Assuming as the season progresses unfortunately Gabriel gets injured, who do you think will replace him. Is Saliba/White or new CB?

mostob:
Hopefully we go make top 4 this season to break the Xhaka curse

Amin ooo

mostob:
One thing about our current squad is everybody knows and accepts their responsibility. If you're not playing, you just need to do something...

Some days ago, T-bag was sharing water during the training. Today, he was out cameraman.... Last season, Arteta turned to ball boy and he got a pre assist.

If you don't trust the process, na OYO you dey