25 Jul 2019 08:55:19
I find it odd that pundits and fans alike say we were lucky with injuries last season. We went through a patch with much disruption to the back line due to injuries last season, and if i remember correctly this was a major contributing factor to dropping the 10 point lead.

{Ed047's Note - Maybe on the amount of injuries but Gomez was for me a huge loss, he had been immense next to Virgil and it definitely affected your run at that time.

1.) 25 Jul 2019
25 Jul 2019 09:54:21
Wow a new ed. Hi ed047, not seen you before. I totally agree, gomez was brilliant. A few games i watched on my phone, and vvd and gomez both wore blue boots. Sometimes i thought it was vvd making a brilliant tackle or interception but on closer inspection it was gomez! His speed and vigour are the perfect compliment to van djikes cool, calm and collected style. (cheesy quote) "like the silver lady on the rolls royce" doesn't work does it. Does it?

Yeah great little player. Another amazing bargain. What would gomez be worth in todays crazy market. I don't think he is worth any less than 60? God knows, it is mental now. If de ligt is 80mil and maguire is 90mil surely joe is up there too.

{Ed047's Note - Robbie totally agree I just really like him, in the games I watched him he never let anyone get one over on him, he just seems to go under the radar and when I see all the hype about De Ligt I honestly think Gomez has equal or more potential.

2.) 25 Jul 2019
25 Jul 2019 10:17:56
One of his best games was in an england shirt ed047, against brazil. I think the rest of the country really noticed joe then. The way he handled neymar. He played like a 29 year old. Which is unusual in one so young. And that's the other thing. How old is virgil? 28? 29? I think. If joe doesn't spend too much time on the treatment table, i see no reason why he can't get to the very highest level. a lot of defending is physical, of course. But the mental side is probably more important and its intelligence and composure that he has in spades.

Who is your team ed047 mate?

{Ed047's Note - yes mate I remember that one, Van Dijk has just turned 28 and he’s the perfect mentor for Gomez.

I’m a gooner mate. 😩

3.) 25 Jul 2019
25 Jul 2019 10:23:00
We've had a decent run of luck with injuries recently. The last few weeks of the season we were scratching the barrel but got thru some tough away days in the prem and then obviously we done Barcelona without 2/ 3 of our front 3.

4.) 25 Jul 2019
25 Jul 2019 10:40:26
Not being biased but Gomez is miles better than De Ligt.

5.) 25 Jul 2019
25 Jul 2019 10:48:30
Aaaagh. Made some decent signings in recent years. i've admired arsenals football for many years. You'd have to be blind or from tottenham not to i think.

I like the fact that managers don't come and go every other year. The new guy needs time. A few teams (including us i suppose) have overtaken arsenal, but for now arsenal are in transition. he's trying to build a squad. Shame there isn't much to spend (only read that in a rag, no idea if its correct)

How do you guys feel about zaha? Is it going to happen? Do you want it too? he's a good little player, not right bright though and quite selfish with the ball. Not a natural arsenal player imo. But you've changed i guess. And maybe surrounded by better players he may be more inclined to pass.

{Ed047's Note - I take it when you say decent you don’t mean Xhaka and Mustafi. 😂

I’m not a fan of Zaha if I’m honest, doesn’t do enough for me. We’re miles behind now and not sure the owners have what it takes to make that any different.

But hey we all love football so what’s not to like. 😁

6.) 25 Jul 2019
25 Jul 2019 11:22:03
Its all part of the cycle Ed047. I know I speak for many when I say a lot part of the joy of the 6th Champions League for us was due to the previous (many) years of hurt and failure.

This may be a bit of a dark time for Arsenal but it will make the glory all the more sweet in the future that I am sure.

Red Sandman

P. s. How is Mustafi still a footballer? not being funny but I could do a better job than him.

{Ed047's Note - RS I’ve literally no idea how Mustafi is still a footballer, let alone playing in the Premier League. 🙄

It is always cycles mate, ours currently has flat tyres, no brakes and some dodgy gears but it’s repairable. I hope!

Had the pleasure of watching the likes of Hughes, Dalgliesh, Hansen, Souness, Clemence, Tommy Smith, Keegan, Fowler, Rush, Lawrenson, etc in their pomp, your current side is up there with those others.

7.) 25 Jul 2019
25 Jul 2019 12:39:04
You need to spend big, but your owners won't as they like to make a profit, good as a business point, but to win need backing, and can't see that happening for many years, wenger done amazing for you lot with the budget he had year after ywar.

{Ed047's Note - spot on for me mate, they talk the talk but don’t walk the walk.

We have bought big but just not enough together, we had Özil and Sanchez and we needed an Allison and Van Dijk, we got Mustafi and an ageing Petr Cech.

Now we have Leno, Torreira, Lacazette and Aubameyang but are again failing to finish off the team. 🤷‍♂️

You’re now in the position where you can just add great players to keep you up there.

8.) 25 Jul 2019
25 Jul 2019 12:56:46
Had conversations with my mates over the summer regarding Gomez, they were saying we should in for De Ligt, he’s world class and could be around for ages etc etc. I just could t grasp it, Gomez was outstanding before his injury, I think we’d only let in about 10 goals before it, he’s young, he’s proven in the premier league, he’s quick as anything, he’s powerful. I honestly can’t believe people would parachute a £70m equivalent on to replace him. Had Gomez stayed fit and helped marshal us to the champs league surely he’d have been more widely considered in the same way. I say this as someone who doesn’t often get too caught up in the hype of our own young players. Gomez is absolutely class as far as I am concerned.
WE were lucky that the front 3 were pretty much fit all year and that VVD and Robertson were ok too.

{Ed001's Note - personally, and this is not bias talking I hope, but I think Gomez is light years ahead of De Ligt as a defender. De Ligt is better on the ball but in every other area of the game Gomez is at least his equal, in most he is much better. In fact it is only aerial ability that I can think of that De Ligt matches Gomez.}

9.) 25 Jul 2019
25 Jul 2019 14:30:22
I haven't seen de ligt play that much. But have seen him floundering. Joe is 2 years older than him i think, maybe 3. but he plays with the head of a 29 year old. I think that's the big difference.

Yeah ed047, not mustafi, but i do like lacazette, aubameyang the young lad tioriea (sorry i can't spell his name) the CM. Cech ain't bad. It seems that since the new stadium arsenal have had a wee slide. Is that an issue? Or just a coincidence,?

I like ed047, he's polite and friendly. Can you take ed025 out for a drink, have a word?
Thanks for covering man. And honestly, good luck. I can appreciate teams who want to play foorball, as opposed to the mourinio defencive style. I hope you make top 4, and i think you have a chance. Chelsea have a young, inexperienced manager, a transfer ban. And a squad in which ross barkely can get regular games. Utd are there for the taking. Ole's house of cards will come down on him this season. Had a little rise for a few games and then slipped back into average.
I think if spurs lose Alderwierald and Erikson then that squad could start to unravel. But they are good, still beatable. I think tc.

{Ed047's Note - you definitely have a gem in Gomez mate, you’re welcome and ed025 is a gent Robbie.

I’ve got fingers crossed for top 4 but not holding my breath.

10.) 25 Jul 2019
25 Jul 2019 14:44:50
Oh i love ed025, funny dude. Good at winding us lot up. He does like his fishing.

{Ed047's Note - haha, nice one mate 👍🏼

11.) 25 Jul 2019
25 Jul 2019 13:16:47
Yea you now got a good attacking front, but your defence is letting you down, that's why can't understand they seem to be going for attacking minded players, when you are crying out for a top class cb, we was like that till we brought vvd and allison.

{Ed047's Note - I know mate, it’s beyond frustrating. We’ve just signed Saliba but he’s for next year.

12.) 25 Jul 2019
25 Jul 2019 18:40:50
Spot on, Ed01 regarding De Ligt and Gomez. IMO, Gomez is miles ahead of De Ligt in terms of overall ability, it is not even funny. Gomez is faster, more powerful, enuff on the ball, a great passer out of the back and tho he is not the best aerially, he is no slouch either. De Ligt is super-overrated and if both can stay fit and play to their maximum ability, I believe Gomez will be the better CB. Just my opinion.

13.) 25 Jul 2019
25 Jul 2019 20:28:32
I mentioned this yesterday Slowdog. The fact we had Milner or Henderson at right back for a month is completely forgotten too. Or that we had to play the final run in without Salah and Firmino. Or that Ox, Lallana and Keita basically missed the entire season leaving us with no senior attacking midfielders. Brewster also missed the entire season straight after being promoted to the first team.

It's a complete myth we were lucky with injuries. We only narrowly went out the FA cup with a back 4 of Camacho, Hoever, Fabinho and Moreno because they were the only defenders fit for the game after Lovren did his hamstring 2 minutes in. We were massively unlucky with injuries. What are the odds on Gomez breaking his leg, Matip getting an ankle infection, Virgil having a thigh strain, Lovren pulling a hamstring all at once, with our try choice Nat Phillips also being injured. It was worse than any other team had it by a distance. I think people are forgetting Firmino was injured on 3 separate occasions, and that Salah missed the biggest game of our season (which we still won 4-0 by the way) .

Our squad is fantastic. I'd have replaced Lallana with a more reliable option personally but if Klopp is happy, so be it. We'll likely never have a season so unfortunate with injuries again. I've never seen one as bad for Liverpool in my lifetime. I think Mane, Fabinho and Wijnaldum were the only senior outfield players who were available for every game. They were only ever rested as far as I remember.

14.) 25 Jul 2019
25 Jul 2019 20:37:04
Quite often when a successful manager takes over a team they have a rough first season. I know we kinda did. I think its a sign of huge change at a club. I hope it goes well for the gunners. I think it will. For the last couple of seasons i've been waiting for arsenal to pop up. Arsenal have a few weaker areas and it may take another season or so to build the team he wants. Its a shame he doesn't have a big budget. But this window is messed up. The andy robertson, 8mil signings don't seem to be out there. Average players are now valued at 30mil. But may as well plant a tree than have mustafi playing. I would be suring up the defence.