***Official*** English Football Season 2020-21

[Magrat Garlick]

you can't not trust your scouts when they offer you a keeper named Kepa, i mean that's just nominative determinism

(that said I saw someone mention him having 10 caps for Spain which is probably a net negative at this point, the same Spanish MNT brains trust kept picking Casillas about six years after he'd fallen off a cliff)

 

[wpdavid]

Love how they spent so much on such a terrible keeper. One of the worst signings ever surely?

Maybe not quite as bad as Kepa, but didn't Liverpool spend £35m on Andy Carroll back when £35m was a lot of money?

 

[andruid]

Liverpool 6 points clear already, Txiki and/or Pep out!

Replace him with club legend Shaun Goater. Restore the City way!

 

[sledger]

Maybe not quite as bad as Kepa, but didn't Liverpool spend £35m on Andy Carroll back when £35m was a lot of money?

That's definitely up there but, at the time of writing, on balance I'd still say the Kepa signing was probably worse.

 

[duffer]

Lol, just reading some rumours and apparently Lazio want Mustafi. Whatever they offer, bite their ****ing hands off.

 

[duffer]

They offered €10m. Even if it was only €10, I'd do it.

 

[sledger]

In the absence of someone paying money for him, letting him go on a free would seriously not be a bad idea imo. Arsenal have a glut of CBs now (granted the majority of those are not great), and he's clearly not in Arteta's plans and on a big wage. Get rid.

 

[sledger]

Hopefully Sokratis will be shifted as well. Sounds like he probably will be.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Replace him with club legend Shaun Goater. Restore the City way!

Yes, you've heard of Shaun Goater, congrats.

(Uwe Rösler the obvious legend choice)

 

[duffer]

In the absence of someone paying money for him, letting him go on a free would seriously not be a bad idea imo. Arsenal have a glut of CBs now (granted the majority of those are not great), and he's clearly not in Arteta's plans and on a big wage. Get rid.

Speaking about our centre backs, there was a moment in our game against West Ham where Gabriel completely rag dolls Michail Antonio. All that power. Was bonerific. Saliba is meant to be even stronger too.

 

[sledger]

Speaking about our centre backs, there was a moment in our game against West Ham where Gabriel completely rag dolls Michail Antonio. All that power. Was bonerific. Saliba is meant to be even stronger too.

Yeah, I'm genuinely quite excited at the prospect of seeing them paired up together after they've both had time to adjust to the Prem and pick up some more experience.

Hopefully Saliba will play in the Carling Cup game on Weds.

Desperately more creation in midfield though. Sounds like at least one of Aouar or Partey will come off, but if it's a choice between one or the other, surely they have to go for Aouar. Otherwise might have to call up Mesut for another last hurrah...

 

[duffer]

Yeah, Aouar for me too. The added creativity him and Big Willy give should see Auba feast. Don't know where Aouar signing would leave Pepe though. Another mega contract sitting on the bench at a time where we seemingly don't have a pot to piss in isn't ideal.

 

[sledger]

Yeah, Aouar for me too. The added creativity him and Big Willy give should see Auba feast. Don't know where Aouar signing would leave Pepe though. Another mega contract sitting on the bench at a time where we seemingly don't have a pot to piss in isn't ideal.

Pepe will get his turn I am sure. I am actually feeling fairly optimistic about him. Aouar will surely play through the middle anyway, if signed.

 

[duffer]

Pepe will get his turn I am sure. I am actually feeling fairly optimistic about him. Aouar will surely play through the middle anyway, if signed.

Pepe a very talented player who needed a season to bed in imo. Hope he isn't frozen out and gets a chance to prove it

 

[sledger]

Pepe a very talented player who needed a season to bed in imo. Hope he isn't frozen out and gets a chance to prove it

He will the Robert Pires of this generation.

 

[duffer]

He will the Robert Pires of this generation.

Equally handsome too

 

[sledger]

Big claim, but maybe even more so.

 

[duffer]

Quite possibly. I think a lot of gooners forget the Emery factor and how poo poo most of our players were under him last season. Pepe towards the end of last season looked very good, so signs for optimism are definitely there.

 

[sledger]

Already seems a lifetime ago that Emery was in charge. Like you say, the upturn in performance form... basically every player after he left, showed just how dire his tenure was. Even more dire than people realised at the time probably.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Arsenal have undoubtedly been better than they were under Emery but they were still absolutely shite in the league after he left apart from a couple of games. It's looked promising since the FA Cup semi-final but I think there's a lot more pain to come.