Ben Ray

Whereas I see a nailed on defeat at Old Trafford, but a good season after that! 😂

(Given we have- by any standards- an incredible squad. And three of the most exciting teenagers in world football. And, a few years ago, I was watching Luiz and Mustafi)

…I follow on SM is already downbeat and pondering what happens if things go wrong. Maybe that’s just the mood of a section of the fanbase that content-creators are channeling. But just fills me with a bit of trepidation for the season (when by any sane measure I should be dancing in the street!) 😂

Fair enough- probably too grumpy. I apologise. I realise you have to create content and things can be slow in the summer. But (just to offer some more gentle feedback), can be little gloom inducing if before the season and on the back of two underwhelming pre-season games the vibe from the people…

Why are so many accounts and podcasts asking this question at the start of the season, and after a summer in which we have achieved most of what we set out too?! How about leaving the doomy click-baiting to non-Arsenal media and getting behind the team?

Hang your head Harry Brook

No it doesn’t. There have been extradition arrangements between the UK and Spain for decades now.

At least they’ve signed their name

Thrown into landfill

…objectively minor things. I realise the only sane response is to stop looking (and I accept I am part of the problem by being tempted back to get the hit if transfer news crack that bit faster), but this is a sociological problem that is going to doom us all if we’re not careful.

Not exactly a revelation, I realise, but the level of utter nonsense on Twitter about Arsenal transfer news is just insane. The world is genuinely fucked when a medium has the power to radicalise humans into holding incredibly strong irrational (or at least grossly disproportionate) views about…

Maybe, but had Bruno Fernandez said he wouldn’t play for them again and burnt all bridges? Feels like the leverage is a bit different. Particularly with other striker options about. But we’ll see.

I’d take a different view if there were lots of other clubs obviously at the table for Gyokeres, days until the season starts and no other options. But what Berta seems to have done well so far is accelerate deals to a point where he knows what is needed to close them. While keeping options open.

Disagree actually. I don’t think there is anything wrong with the club sending the signal in its negotiations that we have a price and won’t be easily scared up by 5-10% just to close a deal. Particularly in negotiations where we seem to have quite a lot of leverage.

100% this! The fact that someone describes the situation as ‘tense’ after a good player (which Madueke clearly is, even if he’s not your choice or you think it’s too much money) signs for the club you ‘support’ shows what sad little people spend their lives doing on the internet.

Yeah, absolutely. It starts to ruin the season if things end up being determined by the which team is the one who happens to fluke no injuries.

Yes, and I guess my take is that the changing demands of the schedule mean that clubs that get genuine depth will get a greater comparative advantage in the past. I think people are treating the number of injuries for top clubs last season as a freak occurrence, when it may be the new normal.

True, but (if the reports are true) it feels like the club have recognised the impact that the schedule has on fitness and are aiming for depth that means they are less at the mercy of injury randomness.

Danny Wait-Rose also a galactic-grade cunt

💯

Something doesn’t have to be perfect to be a good thing. And it’s okay to have mixed views about a subject. Lose the moaning.

Think this is in part the downside (among many more upsides, to be clear) of a much more analytical fan culture. People are more expert, but this means that if something falls outside the Goldilocks zone of exactly the right profile, exactly the right age, exactly the right cost they’re unhappy

So on a day when Arsenal have signed one of the most sought after 6s in world football and seem close to signing one of the most sought after CFs, my timeline is full of people moaning. Not even saying ‘I have some reservations, but this is exciting’. Just flat out moaning. STFU

That’s the spirit

Actually, please just ignore me. I’m sure you’re a well meaning decent person who I don’t want to have an argument with. I am weary enough of the world as it is without falling into the trap of engaging with people about UK politics online. I’ll just accept that I will get the worst.

This is my view. This is not a liquid market in which there are clear asset prices with near intervals. So while I think I agree with the sentiment that £65m is too much for Eze, making firm calls about how much a player ‘is worth’ feels tricky and not that worthwhile (tempting as it is)

(Which is not to say that I instinctively disagree regarding spending this much on Madueke btw, but more just working out whether that hunch makes sense)

…things (not yours particularly, more just a general point) seem quite ‘in a vacuum’. Rather than to reflect the PSR position of a particular team and its competitive window.

What do you base your assessments of fees on, out of interest? I find it much easier in American sport, where there is really just one market and salary cap/luxury tax dynamics. But the multi-market and PSR dynamics of football seem to me to make it much more difficult. And often views on these…

They still have the asset, if it’s sold to a group entity.