Eberechi Eze might be Arsenal’s Bruno Fernandes or Mo Salah
We’re trying to avoid Alexander Isak in this Mailbox – there’s already a whole lot here – so we start with Eberechi Eze and see where we go from there.
Send your own views to theeditor@football365.com
Well done Arsenal
I am usually the one to call out the daily Arsenal, Arteta & Arsenal fans bullshit over the last 4-5 years. But the Eze capture is the stuff of legends. A great footballer, stolen under your fierce rivals noses, at a reasonable cost similar to what you paid for a comparatively rubbish Madueke. Bloody well done.
On a side note its hilarious that the best thing Havertz did in his Arsenal career was to get injured at the right time so they could steal Eze, would deserves more than to go to fuckin Spurs.
Aman
READ: Eze for Havertz: Berta flukes ‘big’ summer but are giddy Arsenal *actually* worse off?
…I think this might be the third time I’m writing in about Arsenal needing to get Eze. It’s finally done it seems.
Of all the signings that Arsenal have made, he is the only one who brings qualities that mostly don’t exist in the current squad.
Exceptional ball carrying abilities
Ability to attract more than one defender (only Saka does this currently) and create space for other players.
Dribbling and successful take0ons which is something Martinelli is struggling with at the moment. Fantastic ball striking and just a general X factor around his game.
The truth is at this level, all the best clubs have great players. Liverpool have great players, City etc. What truly separates elite teams from great teams is having players who can turn nothing into something. This is what KDB did for years and what Salah is doing now.
Unpredictability is what wins you titles. Arteta has built a great team no doubt. Time to take the next step. To be honest, it’s why Man Utd looked dangerous in certain spells on Sunday. When you have players like Bruno, Cunha and Mbuemo, you have players who can come up with moments from nothing. These players transcend coaching and tactics. You just tell them to go out there and do what they do.
The one piece of bad news is Havertz’s injury. Havertz suits certain games and is the number one reason Arsenal are compact and so hard to break down. PSG’s goal at the emirates never gets scored if Havertz was on the pitch. This is one area Gyokeres must adapt. His pressing is often disjointed and not rhythmic with the rest of the team. Yes, I know he was not bought to press but it’s a joy to watch Odegaard and Havertz lead the press.
This is why for me there is still some hesitation to calling us favourites to win the title even now. One thing is certain though, it will be a close one.
Damola, AFC Berlin Germany
READ: Eze does it perfectly compared to Alexander Isak and his strikingly bad behaviour
Not worried about Cole Palmer
Sam’s piece on Palmer is a bit doom and gloom and I don’t think many Chelsea fans will have too many worries about Palmer at all. The article talks about the two goals he scored against Champions League winners PSG in the CWC final, the last competitive game Palmer played before the Palace game. I know everyone scoffs at it but obliterating the Champions League winners at any point is an achievement and Palmer was magnificent, Tosin also said on instagram that Palmer told him he was not leaving empty handed that night and the man delivered.
The article then goes straight into talking about his goal drought being a problem which is a little strange to do after talking about him scoring twice in his last competitive game. I hardly think a poor performance by Palmer against a Palace team that beat Liverpool and Man City in their last two fixtures is much to worry about.
It feels like things are beginning to come together slowly, there have been plenty of positives. I think most Chelsea fans will still be massively optimistic that when this team clicks we can beat anyone and Palmer is almost certainly going to play a key role in that. Although if we are going into the Man United game in September still looking a bit clueless then il start to worry but for now theres little reason to be pessimistic.
Aaron, CFC, Ireland
Why do players thrive away from Man Utd?
Just finished reading an article about the massively impressive performance of Real Madrid’s new first choice left back, who significantly outshone former Liverpool RB Trent.
89% of passes completed (89 out of 99). Two scoring chances created. One shot blocked and one off target. Clean sheet.
In case you weren’t aware, this guy is the 22 year old former United player Alvaro Fernandez that United refused to buy back for cheap.
Meanwhile Rashford is getting some minutes and some praise from Flick at title winners Barcelona, after spending last season on loan at Champions League quarter-finalists Villa.
Meanwhile Garnacho is wanted by Chelsea and Bayern Munich to name just two.
McTominay is a title-winning hero in Naples.
Antony is desperately wanted by last season’s 6th place Betis after impressing.
Even Sancho is in demand by clubs like last season’s 5th best Italian team.
The list goes on, with players “failing” up. I know it’s been mentioned before how players are excelling away from United, with people suggesting it’s all about escaping some supposed toxic atmosphere.
Yet, for some reason, no one is questioning why these particular players who are clearly good enough for higher achieving clubs are allowed to leave at all let alone so cheaply. Why questions aren’t being asked about how the club is managing the talents recruited, and holding those in charge to account. What exactly is the Director of Football – appointed to ensure recruitment and retention was consistent and long-term, no matter the manager – doing? Is it enough for the Head Coach (note, not manager) to “not fancy” a player?
In the backdrop of this, we see Mainoo and last year’s small glimmer of light – Amad – continue to be marginalised. We’ve seen players who have already stepped up and do well previously be sent packing on loan at a time we’re also talking about spunking £60m on an Amorim favourite from his old club (wasn’t there some rule about that?) or £100m on another. Maybe it’s just me, and I think Baleba looks like an amazing player, but isn’t that *exactly* like buying Mbappe rather than developing the next one?
Maybe this will all work out and those players will be integrated as part of some amazing master plan that leads to success. A partnership of Baleba and Mainoo certainly would be dreamy. But it’s hard not get a concerned feeling considering our repeated failure to not just retain top talents but actively and intentionally drive them out before replacing them at great expense that now leaves us starting with a midfield of a guy who can’t run and a guy playing out of position and fundamentally unsuited, both of whom are on the downward slope of their careers (albeit at different stages).
It will be telling and impactful what line up is selected against Fulham. And I’ll state here now, I will be amazed if it isn’t much the same as vs Arsenal, but maybe with a striker.
Badwolf
(Might pop a bet on Højlund scoring more for Milan than Sesko does for United this season)
Man Utd v Arsenal: Considered views
All in the media (and many in the mailbox) seem focused on the narrative of what is (still) wrong with United. I would have thought given Arsenal’s status as champions in the waiting – United gave a pretty good account of themselves. If Bayandir keeps out that goal, the game would have a very different feel. If Dorgu’s shot goes in of the post and United win 1-0 – maybe we’d be talking about United as possible top 5 teams in the kneejerk section. Fine margins eh?
We’ll only know after a few more games whether Arsenal were poor or they were just outplayed by a surprisingly robust United side. There seems to be a huge stampede in the media to suggest that Arsenal should get credit for winning the game despite having a bad game. But perhaps United made Arsenal look average. After all – we were told that Arsenal have now corrected the only issues left for them to really challenge for the title. I see people handing out kudos for Zubimendi and Saliba, neither of them outperformed their united counterparts.
There are those (including some writers on this site) who maintain that United’s midfield sucks. Time will tell. They feel that Fernandes is not suited for this role. They’re probably the same people praising Slot for converting Gravenberch to a different role. Or that there’s really no difference between United last year and this year. Actually, anybody who feels that this is the same United as last year either hasn’t watched United enough or worse – doesn’t really understand football. (And yes the irony should not be lost that after the weekend we are still 15th!)
Despite the result, I was very happy after the game (which I watched in a bar in Rome). It wasn’t perfect by any means. But I was expecting a backs to the wall performance from United. Instead it was the other way around. We dominated possession, chances, and territory. We conceded less fouls and cards. And lost by a goal that on another day another ref may have called a foul.
Arsenal were very good last year for much of the season. And United were pretty crap through it. People tend to assume continuity across seasons. So any data that counters this trend will be deemed an anomaly or people will find all manner of explanations as to why it looked like United were the better team by a distance. But of course we also know that United have played well against the big teams last season as well so United’s games against Fulham and Burney will ironically tell us whether Arsenal should be lauded for winning ugly or considered just lucky. As much as they’ll tell us whether United are a different proposition this year.
Ved Sen (MUFC)
Just adapt to PSR, people
If I have to read one more story about PSR, I’ll pull the remaining hair on my head out. The rules were voted for by all clubs. There is no conspiracy in favor of the “Big 6”, they got there by years, if not decades, of continued success and organic growth. In the 15 years from 1945 to the abolition of the minimum wage in 1960, only 7 different teams won the English First Division.
Everyone wants instant success but didn’t Newcastle win a trophy last season? Being now flush with petro dollars does not mean the rules need to be changed. Imagine the clusterf$%k if Bezos or Musk bought an EPL team?
Instead of whining on about life is unfair, be creative, innovate. Microsoft has over 70% of the PC operating system market so Apple innovated and created life changing products. Build a World Class academy and scouting system.
Adidasmufc (Sesko chose Manchester over Newcastle like Ronaldinho chose Barcelona over Manchester. C’est La Vie)
Sitting on the sidelines…
Having no skin in the game between Liverpool and Newcastle in the whole Isak transfer saga makes me feel like the guy ripping a bong whilst two girls fight in the well loved old meme.
I did try and write a mail about how the internet lets us see the most partisan and one eyed fans and their voice given equal weight and even their rage engaged for clicks/money.
But no one wants to read that.
Instead I will ask if the Newcastle and Liverpool fans can remember any of the innumerable transfer sagas in the past where their club was not involved and see if they can remember what it felt like to watch people lose their minds over an overpaid underworked footballer and two football clubs with a transfer budget the size of the GDP of a small developing nation.
It also makes me wonder how often I have looked a plonker to fans of every other club over something so petty.
Simon, Woking
No obligation to accept
Very nice email Gab, but you critically ignore one fact..Newcastle are under no obligation to accept an offer just because one is made, no matter how fair it might be.
Imagine I offer to buy your house, you say its not for sale, and I say “but I’ve made an offer, you have to accept, its even reasonable.” You’d rightly tell me to f off.
I don’t really care about this situation, we have all done exactly what Liverpool is doing in Football Manager. We have also all told a want away player they are not going anywhere and you’re in charge (obviously saving beforehand).
Duncan (I do hope Gyokeres is good for Arsenal, but I’ve never had a striker from the Portuguese league do well for me in any FM save)
