Fractured shoulder in training, yikes! Out for a few weeks.
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AFLW 2024 - Round 9 - Indigenous Round - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
Up the Arse! Goons Thread
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Fractured shoulder in training, yikes! Out for a few weeks.
Merino supposedly out for 6-8 weeks with the fracture. Not ideal with some big away fixtures in that time, I think he was in mind for that City match for example. However some international breaks helps with that timeline.
Nelson to Fulham.
Sounds like no loan fee, no option/obligation, and Chelsea are covering ~50% of his wages.
No lie, that's a bloody good deal for an experienced winger. Much needed back up for Saka, and can probably cover all across the front 3 if necessary.
Shame about Merino's injury. Was looking forward to seeing him play.
No lie, that's a bloody good deal for an experienced winger. Much needed back up for Saka, and can probably cover all across the front 3 if necessary.
Shame about Merino's injury. Was looking forward to seeing him play.
Not even close. Our departures played a collective of around 600 minutes of game time in 2024 to this point and will be of no loss.
We've hopefully fixed the left side dynamics with the inclusion of Merino and Calafiori while we have created minutes for the likes of Ethan and Myles. We have by no means smashed this window but we have definitely improved while leaving plenty of funds in the future to go out and get a big name when they become available.
Well played Edu and Arsenal with this Sterling transaction.
They didn’t play because Arsenal had six of the top 10 players in the league for minutes played last year. That is not sustainable. We desperately needed more depth. Two injuries on top of Jesus and Marino in the front six and we are cactus.
We also had the likes of Partey, Timber, Tomi and Jesus barely feature which is why they played so many minutes. End of the day some players are durable and others aren't. We virtually have two competent players in each position of the pitch, our depth is perfectly fine. The only area we failed to address was a star signing in attack but in Sterling there is the hope under decent management and a good system he can perform closer to the level he was at with City compared to his time with Chelsea.
Virtually, if your exclude GK, both #8’s, RW and CF. Seriously. Who replaces odegaard? Rice? Saka? (Don’t say Sterling, please, we just signed another Willian).
Trossard is our only cover for two positions.
Seriously grow up if this is your argument.
We have Jesus, Kai and Trossard for the 9. We have Saka and Sterling for RW, Rice, Kai and Merino for L8. Jorginho and Partey at 6. The only person who doesn't have a recognised back up is Odegaard who we have one of the most talented kids in the country being integrated into the squad to learn as his understudy.
Jesus and Merino? I feel better already.
I do believe we’re still one light.
Yes ESR and Nelson, Vieira etc needed to go and play. They played very little minutes and we can absorb that. However this is all predicated on the same luck with injuries last season in the midfield/forward group. We were quite blessed in that regard last season.
It’s a risk to presume the same will happen again. Particularly with Jesus’s recurring injuries. He cannot be relied upon, unlike the durability and reliability of say Havertz, Rice etc.
Nwaneri’s promotion, and the addition of Merino, offsets the outgoings of ESR and Vieira. It’s kind of like for like in terms of squad numbers.
In the forward set up however, Nelson and Nketiah out with Sterling the only inclusion, yes I understand the question marks.
There’s minimum 46 league and CL games this season. Add to that Cup games, and all going to plan Arsenal progressing deep in Europe, that tally approaches 55-60ish.
I do not like the continued images of Saka limping through second halves of matches. We’ve tried a number of windows to nail that additional/permanent wide forward however it remains elusive for now.
There’s certainly an element of risk with the minutes we rely on for Odeegard and Saka etc.
Yes ESR and Nelson, Vieira etc needed to go and play. They played very little minutes and we can absorb that. However this is all predicated on the same luck with injuries last season in the midfield/forward group. We were quite blessed in that regard last season.
It’s a risk to presume the same will happen again. Particularly with Jesus’s recurring injuries. He cannot be relied upon, unlike the durability and reliability of say Havertz, Rice etc.
Nwaneri’s promotion, and the addition of Merino, offsets the outgoings of ESR and Vieira. It’s kind of like for like in terms of squad numbers.
In the forward set up however, Nelson and Nketiah out with Sterling the only inclusion, yes I understand the question marks.
There’s minimum 46 league and CL games this season. Add to that Cup games, and all going to plan Arsenal progressing deep in Europe, that tally approaches 55-60ish.
I do not like the continued images of Saka limping through second halves of matches. We’ve tried a number of windows to nail that additional/permanent wide forward however it remains elusive for now.
There’s certainly an element of risk with the minutes we rely on for Odeegard and Saka etc.
The more I think about it this is an unbelievable deal for arsenal, sterling is a top player, experienced, arteta knows him from city
Sterling absolutely has a point to prove, arsenal are basically getting a free hit here from a proven top performer
I reckon he will smash it at Arsenal
Sterling absolutely has a point to prove, arsenal are basically getting a free hit here from a proven top performer
I reckon he will smash it at Arsenal
I am genuinely surprised by the optimism here and elsewhere from Arsenal fans about Sterling. I personally think he is cooked and will be about as useful as Willian.
Hope I am wrong, by my glass is decidedly half empty on this transfer.
Hope I am wrong, by my glass is decidedly half empty on this transfer.
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Poor Merino, what a blow so early into the season. If Partey showed us anything it's that Ironmen in Spain are cursed when they sign for us.
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I'm pleased with bringing Sterling in so late. We really needed someone and we've probably made the best of a poor situation.
Apparently we are only paying 50% of his wages too, and with no upfront fee being paid it's a risk free move.
I'm hopeful Sterling gets back to his near-best with us - which I think is a possibility given the way we play, pre-existing relationship with Arteta, him not having to play bulk minutes and also the fact he's joining a settled squad that plays with an identity. He would also be in close proximity to Ødegaard on the pitch, which will only help bring out the best of him.
He was a prodigious talent at one point and if we can get 80% of they player this season we are laughing.
Not signing a forward permanently earlier this window was very poor result for us. It was essentially a worst case scenario leading into this window. But that's a separate discussion.
Apparently we are only paying 50% of his wages too, and with no upfront fee being paid it's a risk free move.
I'm hopeful Sterling gets back to his near-best with us - which I think is a possibility given the way we play, pre-existing relationship with Arteta, him not having to play bulk minutes and also the fact he's joining a settled squad that plays with an identity. He would also be in close proximity to Ødegaard on the pitch, which will only help bring out the best of him.
He was a prodigious talent at one point and if we can get 80% of they player this season we are laughing.
Not signing a forward permanently earlier this window was very poor result for us. It was essentially a worst case scenario leading into this window. But that's a separate discussion.
He had an apparently terrible year last season and still ended up with 17 G/A
Chelsea has been a basket case since he got there with no real direction or even proper planning in place, they’ve churned through manager after manager whilst he has been there.. it’s not surprising a lot of players have failed there as there is no stability and you don’t know who’s coming or going or what is going on
He’s still only 29, I’m backing him in to be more productive this season with some proper stability around him and a manager he knows well.
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Main squad for the season, bar another youngster or two and a third string GK.
CF - Havertz, Jesus + Trossard, Sterling
LW - Martinelli, Trossard + Jesus
RW - Saka, Sterling + Jesus
RM - Ødegaard, Nwaneri + Havertz, Merino
LM - Rice, Merino + Havertz, Zinchenko
DM - Partey, Jorginho + Rice
LB - Calafiori, Zinchenko + Timber, Tomiyasu
LCB - Gabriel, Kiwior + Calafiori, Tomiyasu
RCB - Saliba, Timber + White, Tomiyasu
RB - White, Tomiyasu + Timber
GK - Raya, Neto
There's a fair bit of overlapping there, but that's to be expected when we have versatile players like Timber, Tomiyasu, Jesus, Trossard and Havertz in the squad.
CF - Havertz, Jesus + Trossard, Sterling
LW - Martinelli, Trossard + Jesus
RW - Saka, Sterling + Jesus
RM - Ødegaard, Nwaneri + Havertz, Merino
LM - Rice, Merino + Havertz, Zinchenko
DM - Partey, Jorginho + Rice
LB - Calafiori, Zinchenko + Timber, Tomiyasu
LCB - Gabriel, Kiwior + Calafiori, Tomiyasu
RCB - Saliba, Timber + White, Tomiyasu
RB - White, Tomiyasu + Timber
GK - Raya, Neto
There's a fair bit of overlapping there, but that's to be expected when we have versatile players like Timber, Tomiyasu, Jesus, Trossard and Havertz in the squad.
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Edu reflects on the summer transfer window
At the end of a busy transfer deadline day at the Sobha Realty Training Centre, our sporting director Edu spoke about his pride in the business the club completed this summer.
Beginning with making David Raya a permanent transfer back in early July, we then signed young goalkeeper Tommy Setford and defender Riccardo Calafiori, before bringing in Spain midfielder Mikel Merino earlier this week. The incomings were complete on transfer deadline day, when Neto arrived from Bournemouth, and Raheem Sterling joined from Chelsea, both on loan.
In the same window, Emile Smith Rowe, Aaron Ramsdale and Eddie Nketiah all left the club permanently, while several others have departed on loan.
Just after the window closed, Edu reflected on the window as a whole. Here’s the full transcript…
On our summer transfer business:
It’s the last day, the last minutes, so (it’s been) a long day, a long transfer window but in the end I think we as a club have to be proud once again. The way we are working together, the way we did all the deals. I think we are in a very good situation when see all the loan players in the right clubs. You see the signings we have like Riccardo and like Merino, so the players that we planned to sign, our targets, they are here. Also the players that we decided to sell, I think we sold them for the right price, to the right clubs, in the right way also which is important. So today to be here on the last day of the transfer window, to get someone like Sterling, who I believe will be someone very important for the squad, who is going to give a lot to the team. So it’s a pleasure, and in the end everyone – not only me because there are a lot of people working here as well – but it’s a pleasure we are finishing the transfer window.
On what Raheem Sterling will bring to the squad:
Well to be fair we never planned really to sign him when we started the transfer window, just to be very transparent. For different reasons. But we always say to everyone that you have to be prepared for every single scenario. So when that opportunity came to me, and I checked the squad, I checked how he plays, and spoke to Mikel of course. I spoke to Tim, our vice-chairman, to check if everyone is comfortable for the step we are going to take, and it makes a lot of sense. [Edu’s phone rings] You see, still working! Yes, it makes a lot of sense to have someone like him because I’m pretty sure he is going to add a lot in the squad. He has experience, he understands more than anyone the league, he’s played in the Champions League many times. He won the Premier League a few times as well, so I think he can add a lot to our squad and I feel really happy to see someone like him in our squad.
On Neto’s Premier League experience:
Exactly. So when you see the goalkeeper unit, we planned to have someone with experience there. Because if you see now David Raya is now our number one in that situation, Neto can come with that experience of the Premier League. He was the captain of Bournemouth and he has different experience outside of here as well, in the Champions League. And also we have a third goalkeeper who’s come to the academy we’ve just bought [Tommy Setford]. So I think the group of the goalkeepers, to have David, to have someone with experience in front of the academy, makes a lot of sense as well. So we are so confident to have Neto here, I’ve known him quite well for a long time and he can add a lot to the squad.
On the players who have left:
Well we have to understand that we live in the football world, but also have to do business, we have to be clear here. And sometimes you have to sell players to make the business alive. And then we decided to make some decisions in terms of which players to sell and how we wanted to sell, which level of price we want to sell. I think we get what we expected, which is important for us. I think we did it in the right way, which is also very important to us. And when you see the players going to clubs where they are comfortable and they are happy to go to. I think you can get all the elements and OK, I think we did the right thing for everyone. That’s making me feel really good. And also when you see the loan players, for example Fabio Vieira going to Porto, you see Sambi Lokonga going to Sevilla, you see Nuno Tavares going to Lazio, you see Karl Hein going to Valladolid, so that’s the players I believe at the right club, for the right moment for their development as well. So that makes me feel happy as well, when they go on loan, they go to the right clubs for the right environment.
On being excited to watch the new signings:
Yes, me too! I’m looking forward to that, because the way I see the squad right now, we are strong, I think we are very strong.
I like the Sterling deal. Experienced, versatile, Arteta knows him, we pay less than half his wage. No obligation to buy.
Has the talent, knows the league, I think it will be a good deal.
Has the talent, knows the league, I think it will be a good deal.
I think with Sterling, it's mainly about not running Saka into the ground. How many games has he played in the last 3 years for club and country? He needs to be managed.
We needed someone. We got someone, and it didn't cost an outrageous amount of money.
We needed someone. We got someone, and it didn't cost an outrageous amount of money.
Yes agreed, I would actually extend that beyond this window. For the last two years I’d say, or 4-5 transfer windows overall, we haven’t been able to acquire that genuine wide forward option that can step in for Saka without the level dropping.
Arsenal tried with Raphinha. And Neto. Then dodged a bullet with Mudryk whilst pivoting beautifully to Trossard.
Still haven’t been able to nail that gap in the squad, hopefully doesn’t turn into one of those Wenger-esque things where he ignored the Vieira sized hole in the squad for a decade. Arteta does seem to have a blind spot with Saka however it was very pleasing to see him sit Saka down in the second half vs Wolves. His minutes need to be managed.
I like the Sterling transaction AND I also feel it shouldn’t have come to this so late. Two or more things can be true at once.
And yes Sterling is a cautionary tale for Saka actually. Broke through to senior football very young, he’s still only 29 however has been playing at this level since he was 17. Similar to Saka.
He’s got over 500 matches in his legs for club and country. Incredible experience really for a “win now” environment at Arsenal. However we also need to utilise him wisely and manage Saka’s minutes appropriately.
Raheem, wherever he goes he scores, im****ing rapt with this. I was spot on with Tross ( this will annoy him) Sterling is smart buisness,wherever he goes…..
18 year old GK Setford on the bench as Neto not registered in time for this one.
