2017-18 Kick-Off & Transfer Rumblings

Image Credit: Versus.co.uk

Its been a dazed two weeks for the “record” as we have been stunned speechless. I am just about finding my tongue in all this crazy, mind boggling, eye popping world of transfer. Just in case you’re wondering whats got me all tongue tied, it’s not the the fact that white house circus continues from one ill advised comment to the other, or that Buhari is really testing the patience of many Nigerians with his neither here nor there presidency. It’s the Neymar transfer for heaven’s sake, £198 Milliioooon!!! Football has gone bonkers on another level if you ask me, Mouhrinho being right about the “bargain” tag he called Pogba when Man United made him the world’s most expensive player last season is a lot to stomach but hey he is right on the Money!! Wenger might as well just admit what we all knew before, FIFA & UEFA with their FFP rules are just crapped out bollocks to say it nicely without cussing. Barca crying foul to the Spanish FA is just pure hypocrisy after creating football's largest buyout clauses with one hand while collecting 198 million pounds in the other. Football has become a financial monster of a juggernaut and we (U and me) are all responsible for creating the beast, oooh the footballing gods, how did we get here? Look in the mirror my peoples……..that's how.

Enough with the whining, back to things Arsenal eeeiih. The gunners managed to best Chelsea to another tinware at wembley. While I wouldn’t be excited over that win. It’s good for the confidence of the boiz going into the season and Conte must really be livid with his charges. Not like I am any concerned about that, its th gunners that’s my own source of worry.  Our 2017/18 season kicks off in a hours to a day and I can say from the Chelsea and Sevilla matches, Arsenal isn’t prepared for the campaign (yeah neither is Chelsea) but that’s not my problem. The Team still has obvious holes to fill in midfield and attack, contractual distractions should have been sorted out and deadwood U, me and ma dog (I don’t have one) know about should have long been shipped out with replacements brought in.  That’s what change was promised at the end of last season’s fiasco, but as we all probably feared with things on Arsenal Transfer, we are the so measured out of the blocks in doing the needful, always seem to be settling for the baseline minimum for the team. I don’t mean to be a nitpick here, I mean Kolasinac looks like he will be a Holdinesque bargain pick while Lacazzete is showing signs of good things to come, which can only be good for Arsenal hopefull (touch wood).

Image credits: Skysports Online

My question in an honest assessment is “Are those two adequate to plug the holes in the squad?” We all know the answer to that question and that’s what gives me worry. Arsenal again is playing catch up even before the season begins and I can’t understand why?  Let’s look across the road to see the competition. The mancunians are still strengthening their squads while we are dawdling as usual, I really don’t know what’s up with Spurs n Pool though and I don’t care. If we intend to navigate this season with the extra strain of the Europa league (bad taste) then Wenger and the board had better wake up to their duties because, this season is gonna make or break a legacy for someone in Arsenal and for his sake I hope Arsene realizes it.

Leicester City come to town on Friday in the EPL proper, so it time to dust out our cable subscriptions ready for another season of footie fest. Leicester have a lot to prove after last season’s failings. Not like we expected them to attain 2015/16 season’s height or anything but I am sure the taste for success in the league and champion’s league would be something they will be looking to aspire towards. Their Asia tour during preseason wasn’t stellar, Iheanacho joining the Foxes them from Man City makes them potent, even though Rhiyad Mahrez is still itching for a move away. Now whether they are more prepared than the gunners will be seen on Friday and I hope we don’t underestimate them. Another concern for me is Arsenals recent opening day form, which has seen us loose in the last 3 season’s……not the best of comforts, I know.  On who plays for the gunners, there are plenty uncertainties according to Wenger:

 “I have players coming back who have not played, like Mustafi. Alexis will not be available for example, so I cannot go into the game with too many uncertainties. I can take a gamble on one, maybe maximum two, but I focus more on the players who had the right number of competitive minutes in recent weeks. We are well prepared and ready for a fight, and of course ambitious as well".                                   There you go, 90+ minutes will tell us on how well prepared or ambitious the gunners are. That’s it from us, do enjoy the game wherever you may be and dont forget to like our facebook page here ..........Ciaoooo