Good morning all and blissful Saturday! Tim Stillman right here to take the reins this weekend till Andrew returns to his desk on Monday. Whereas Andrew has been taking in pre-season in LA and Philadelphia, I’ve gone somewhat extra low key (however no much less glamorous). I’m off to Lincoln right now to see the Arsenal U23s (or ‘Arsenal XI’ as they’re identified through the summer time for some purpose) play at Sincil Financial institution.
I’m solely going as a result of I’ve by no means been to Sincil Financial institution earlier than and this will probably be floor quantity 70 of the 92 for me (the promotion of my native childhood membership, Bromley, to League 2 this season bumped me up one other one!) Anyway, I can cowl that recreation off in tomorrow’s weblog, which I’m positive you completely can’t await.
The actual place is to start out is the affirmation of Emile Smith Rowe’s transfer to Fulham yesterday. The deal is reported to be round £27m with a possible additional £7m in add ons and it’s reported that Arsenal additionally maintain a sell-on clause for the participant too. The emotional affect of his departure hadn’t actually dawned on me till now as a result of, in my head, I’ve been totally anticipating this for fairly some time now and have thought that to be the very best factor for the participant and the membership.
From Hale Finish to the primary staff. 55, 32, after which our quantity 10.
As soon as a Gunner, all the time a Gunner.
Thanks for the recollections, Emile ❤️ pic.twitter.com/lgWWKHJfIL
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 2, 2024
I nonetheless don’t actually perceive why Arteta and Arsenal insisted on his retention final summer time, apart from perhaps they wished some safety in opposition to an enormous damage someplace that simply didn’t materialise. I believe one of many issues that Arsenal followers have most likely struggled with is a scarcity of actual rationalization as to why Smith Rowe fell thus far out of favour.
At first, many suspected his continued omission was health primarily based. Then many people have guessed that perhaps ESR doesn’t have the bodily or out of possession properties that Arteta needs, however we now have by no means actually had that confirmed in any critical method. That stated, I do assume Arteta’s feedback about Smith Rowe have all the time contained a component of caveat or problem.
Even after he gained the Man of the Match award for his efficiency in opposition to Luton in April, Arteta stated, ‘[I was pleased with] how bodily he was right now with out the ball. He went into duels and gained quite a lot of them and was pondering with that killer intuition to play ahead and make issues occur.’
Arteta wasn’t actually requested about Smith Rowe’s physicality or how nicely he performed ahead however they have been clearly issues he had spoken about as improvement factors with the participant and that additional suggests they have been parts of Smith Rowe’s recreation that Arteta felt to be missing.
Smith Rowe posted a tear jerking Instagram message to say goodbye and it was troublesome to not really feel sorry that his Arsenal profession didn’t fairly go the best way many people thought it could three or 4 years in the past.
On the finish of the 2017-18 season, I went to look at just a few Arsenal FA Youth Cup video games and it was solely as a result of I had heard a lot about Smith Rowe and wished to see him for myself.
I went to Colchester to look at him play a youth cup tie there and it was very clear that he was a number of ranges above everybody else on the pitch. Sadly he was carrying an damage within the ultimate in opposition to Chelsea and couldn’t present his greatest kind and, in hindsight, that was to be a portent for his Arsenal profession. Manchester Metropolis journey to Fulham on the ultimate day of the season and it could be fantastic if Smith Rowe’s Arsenal legacy will not be fairly completed but…
One other Hale Ender edging nearer to an exit is Eddie Nketiah, who’s clearly set on a transfer to Marseille. Fabrizio Romano experiences that Nketiah and Marseille have agreed private phrases however that Arsenal knocked again a bid of round 27 million Euros yesterday. Whether or not it’s the measurement of the price or the construction of the funds that’s the situation I’m not positive however I strongly suspect that Marseille will come again with yet another bid and it’ll most likely do the trick.
He’s clearly an enormous goal for Marseille and the participant should actually need the transfer to have already agreed private phrases. I believe Arsenal have knocked the bid again totally anticipating Marseille to return with one thing nearer to their valuation. The membership rejected Fulham’s first bid for ESR and it appears to be like like they’ve rejected two for Eddie from Marseille. It’s heartening to see Arsenal stand their floor somewhat extra out there in terms of valuation of their gamers.
There was quite a lot of conjecture over whether or not or not Arsenal are good sellers. I believe to be good sellers you first should be good patrons and the membership solely actually set on that path three years in the past, there was all the time going to be a lag. However with good, homegrown gamers like Smith Rowe, Nelson and Nketiah out there and perhaps a world like Kiwior or Zinchenko, it does really feel just like the accusation of being dangerous sellers would have some basis have been they not capable of safe good charges for these gamers.
For Eddie, he wants to go away to kickstart his profession and it appears to be like like he is aware of that too. Whether or not or not Marseille is the fitting membership for him is a name for him to make however with Havertz, Jesus and Trossard as present choices for the quantity 9 place and Nketiah simply not fairly having the all spherical recreation Arteta needs from a centre-forward, this one makes quite a lot of sense for participant and membership.
Eddie is 25, he isn’t a youth prospect any longer and any purchaser just about is aware of what they’re getting, even when there may be room for improvement with extra common soccer. I like Eddie, I believe there have been just a few occasions the place I’ve written him off and he has proved me unsuitable. I believe it is vitally clear he has labored on a number of parts of his recreation that have been just about solely lacking when he was youthful.
I get the impression he has labored very laborious to attempt to make his Arsenal profession work however now he needs to play extra regularly- and so he ought to. He strikes me as a powerful skilled and I’ve quite a lot of respect for the best way he has performed himself and fought to make a profession in North London. He’s at the moment simply wanting Arsenal’s present degree however that’s hardly a shame. I hope he will get his transfer and shines.
Anyway, again to the present squad and they’re now again from the U, S of A and making ready for a few video games on the Emirates in opposition to Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday and Lyon on Sunday. That is the place the pre-season begins to get actually critical and doubtless transitions from bodily tuning to bodily and tactical tuning.
Declan Rice, David Raya, Aaron Ramsdale and Bukayo Saka all return to coaching this weekend and I think about we’ll see these gamers from the bench on Wednesday with additional involvement in opposition to Lyon. Rice and Saka specifically are such essential gamers that I totally anticipate that Arteta needs them ship form and within the beginning line-up for the Wolves recreation on the opening day.
It appears to be like as if the Smith Rowe cash will probably be used to fund a transfer for Mikel Merino. At 28, he’s very a lot a ‘for now’ signing and that implies to me that Arsenal really feel they’re previous the ‘constructing’ or ‘venture’ part and into the ‘it’s time to win now’ part. I additionally assume that Arsenal are responding to a fairly dry market.
I think about in case you cornered Arteta with a fact serum and a pleasant glass of Rioja, he would most likely let you know that he would favor to purchase a youthful, deep mendacity playmaker however most likely simply doesn’t see one in the marketplace. This window jogs my memory somewhat of January 2023 when Arsenal introduced in Jorginho, Trossard and Kiwior, flooring raisers reasonably than ceiling raisers.
Whereas final summer time, we noticed Rice, Havertz and Raya are available as gamers that Arteta most likely expects to be regulars within the beginning XI for the following 5-6 years, this summer time feels somewhat extra like we’re changing underneath used squad gamers with choices that Arteta would possibly truly use once they stakes are somewhat increased than ‘we’re 5-0 up in opposition to Burnley with 10 minutes left.’
I additionally assume we’re underestimating the affect of the expanded Champions League with two further group video games from subsequent season. That’s going to put a good larger demand on the squad which implies that we simply can’t have gamers on 450 minutes a season taking on area. We additionally may need to get comfy beginning the odd recreation and not using a Saka or a Rice and if somebody like Merino is extra trusted to assist that than Smith Rowe then that’s what must occur.
Anyway, I’ve a 4 pack and a prepare to Lincoln to catch, extra from me tomorrow earlier than Andrew returns on Monday!
