Arsenal

[Nine while nine]

As we glory in our pre-season tournament win and become the first team ever to do the hallowed treble of the Peace Cup, International Champions Cup and Audi Cup, it's worth noting that Arsenal's last chance of pre-season silverware faded away on Sunday when Benfica recorded their third win in the International Champions Cup to overtake Arsenal at the top of the table.

The winner was scored by one Adel Taarabt in a rather fetching Arsenal-miss-out-on-a-trophy-due-to-an-ex-Tottenham-player-from-Morocco homage to Nayim.

Still it's not as if they were getting excited...

Oh well, never mind, they can always go for the, uh, single.

 

[spursfan77]

our french scouts....we paid 11 mill for GKN in Aug 2016
2 months before Pepe played in the french cup final v psg
Watford and Hull failed with a 7 mill bid that winter
and he went in summer of 2017 to Lille for 9 million
And to think we had clinton before that

So there’s no reason not to think Pepe’s form last season was a one off freak then...

 

[Marty]

So there’s no reason not to think Pepe’s form last season was a one off freak then...

Difficult to say. Bielsa tried to use Pepe as a striker, which didn't go well, and it was only the current Lille manager Galtier who moved him out wide where he started playing well almost immediately. So maybe he's just had the perfect manager and system to thrive in, or maybe Galtier unlocked his real potential. We don't know yet.

 

[LSUY]

 

[mattyspurs]

Oh dear!

 

[wrd]

Can tell this is fake, no way he holds food in his hand that long without gobbling it

 

[donny1013]

I can't wait to see this as a meme in about 3 months time when their fanbase is having it's usual meltdown.

 

[bomberH]

Weird one really. Pepe definitely improves their team because I assume he’s better than Iwobi, but they still have the same problems in defence even if they sign Tierney. All this and Koscielny still probably leaving. If they don’t buy a CB, they will really struggle for top 4 again.

The other thing is..... let’s not believe anything we hear about anyone’s budget in the papers again.....! £45M budget and they’ve just spent £72M on Pepe, along with the others they’ve already bought. Who needs straight up cash when you can buy in instalments.....

 

[rossdapep]

So let's get this straight....

May 2019: Arsenal fans "We are useless!! Get them all out! All of them! None of them are fit to wear the shirt!"

Arsenal sign Pepe, Saliba (but loan him back) and loan Ceballos (for one year, no option to buy plus a loan fee)

Arsenal don't sell: Mustafi, Ozil, Kolasinac, Koscielny, El Neny, Xhaka, Iwobi, Bellerin, Monreal, Mkhitaryan (players who are supposedly not good enough)

August 2019: Arsenal fans "We are back! We are gunna win the EL! We'll finish above United and Tottenham!"

It's so easy for the Kroenke's

 

[DJS]

Is Kolasinac any good then.

He seemed pretty tasty to me (even before he fought off that army of sword wielding dudes trying to take Ozil’s precious seed) but they’re after Tierney quite hard?

 

[ikky]

This Gooner knows.

 

[ikky]

 

[TorontoYid]

Emry is doing exactly what I expected him to do. Spend a ton of money to win bugger all. Not sure Pepe is worth that much cash based on 2 seasons with Lille. He is good but not yet proven at the highest levels to command that kind of transfer fee. Levy would have tried to get him for 30 million tops. 72 million is massively overpaying.

 

[chinaman]

Emry is doing exactly what I expected him to do. Spend a ton of money to win bugger all. Not sure Pepe is worth that much cash based on 2 seasons with Lille. He is good but not yet proven at the highest levels to command that kind of transfer fee. Levy would have tried to get him for 30 million tops. 72 million is massively overpaying.

Looks like their 40 million warchest has tripled in value in a short time.

 

[TorontoYid]

Difficult to say. Bielsa tried to use Pepe as a striker, which didn't go well, and it was only the current Lille manager Galtier who moved him out wide where he started playing well almost immediately. So maybe he's just had the perfect manager and system to thrive in, or maybe Galtier unlocked his real potential. We don't know yet.

Wouldn't be the first time a manager changed the position of a player and they suddenly turned into a goal machine. Henry for example?

 

[TorontoYid]

Looks like their 40 million warchest has tripled in value in a short time.

credit cards all maxed out?

 

[TropicalYid]

Well i dont know how good this pepe kid is but arsenal are on their way having a very good transfer window.
They definitely are going to be fighting for top 4.

Predictions:
Saliba and pepe will be good signings for them.
Ceballos will not. Got a feeling he wont cope/adapt to PL in the one year he will be there (...but i might be wrong )

 

[Shadydan]

Well i dont know how good this pepe kid is but arsenal are on their way having a very good transfer window.
They definitely are going to be fighting for top 4.

Predictions:
Saliba and pepe will be good signings for them.
Ceballos will not. Got a feeling he wont cope/adapt to PL in the one year he will be there (...but i might be wrong )

Saliba doesn't join until next season.

 

[rossdapep]

Looks like their 40 million warchest has tripled in value in a short time.

Considering their early bidding and the fact they've loaned Ceballos tells me that they do have limitations, maybe not 40m but I do think that figure may have been more related to what they have upfront. They are aiming for deals that are spread over five years with no lump sum upfront so that does confirm financial restrictions.

Theyve essentially gone into Littlewoods for xmas with 40 quid and are buying 200 quids worth of presents to make sure they have a good xmas. But by next summer when overtime gets cancelled (no CL qualification) theyll have to live up to the fact that theyll be auctioning some of these presents off on ebay.

 

[Hakkz]

Considering their early bidding and the fact they've loaned Ceballos tells me that they do have limitations, maybe not 40m but I do think that figure may have been more related to what they have upfront. They are aiming for deals that are spread over five years with no lump sum upfront so that does confirm financial restrictions.

Theyve essentially gone into Littlewoods for xmas with 40 quid and are buying 200 quids worth of presents to make sure they have a good xmas. But by next summer when overtime gets cancelled (no CL qualification) theyll have to live up to the fact that theyll be auctioning some of these presents off on ebay.

Yeah, they are going all out for deals depending on them being in the CL in the next few years.