Arsenal
Morning all, as Andrew talked about yesterday, he’s off on a well-deserved vacation for the subsequent week, so a mixture of me, Lewis and Tim are on tumbleweed watch in his absence.
It’s been simply over two weeks for the reason that males’s staff final kicked a ball in anger and, scandalously, most of Mikel Arteta’s squad are nonetheless ready for his or her activate the seashore.
A packed schedule of Nations League fixtures, World Cup qualifiers, friendlies and youth tournaments has meant extra coaching camps, extra journey, and extra minutes in already drained legs.
When Bukayo Saka confronted the press on England obligation yesterday, you possibly can see in his eyes simply how a lot he’s craving a correct break. Whereas he did get some downtime earlier this 12 months throughout his stint on the sidelines, the fact is that recovering from hamstring surgical procedure isn’t precisely restful. The push to get again to full health meant laborious work, not leisure, and in some ways, it was extra intense than being out on the pitch.
The rehab was, he says, “an actual check mentally, concerning the days within the gymnasium whether or not you need to work or not, or on the pitch when it’s raining and also you’re by yourself with the physios.”
Though he confirmed flashes of his greatest type in direction of the tip of the marketing campaign, it was clear he wasn’t fairly in a position to maintain high gear.
Not that it issues an excellent deal now, however you do surprise why we bothered chucking him on in opposition to Southampton on the ultimate day of the season. Within the 28 minutes he was on the pitch, he managed to select up a muscle pressure that he’s been nursing ever since.
“Truthful play to England, they’ve managed me fairly nicely through the week,” mentioned Saka, who revealed he missed Saturday’s sport in opposition to Andorra as a result of he’d solely educated a few occasions.
He’s anticipated to start out tonight’s pleasant in opposition to Senegal at Nottingham Forest’s Metropolis Floor – a venue that means the FA knew full nicely the fixture wouldn’t generate a lot traction.
Saka is joined within the England squad by Declan Rice and Myles Lewis-Skelly, and the latter was on the receiving finish of some heat phrases from his Hale Finish senior who was requested if his membership teammate had already made the England left-back slot his personal – a barely mad query given he’s performed *checks notes* 169 minutes for his nation.
He diplomatically replied: “I dunno, it’s very early. I can solely say constructive issues about Myles. I do know him, I’ve seen his journey as he’s come by means of, he’s a high expertise with a great mentality and many confidence. That’s why I consider he can come right here [England camp] and play the way in which he does, large credit score to him, I simply hope he retains progressing, retains enhancing. It’s thrilling to see what the longer term holds for him.”
Saka additionally fielded a query about Ethan Nwaneri, who’s gearing up for the UEFA European Underneath-21 Championship in Slovakia.
With a smile on his face, Saka mentioned: “Ethan is a high expertise, I’m undoubtedly wanting ahead to seeing him shine this summer time. I’m simply wishing him one of the best, he is aware of I’m right here if he wants me.”
It’ll be attention-grabbing to see how, and the place, Mikel Arteta makes use of the 18-year-old subsequent season. His minutes fell off a cliff as soon as Saka, who he’d been deputising for on the suitable, returned to full health, and it’s laborious to think about that’s a scenario he’ll be content material with for lengthy.
There’s a World Cup subsequent summer time, and Nwaneri will fancy his probabilities of forcing his manner into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad. However that’s solely going to occur if he’s enjoying frequently.
There’s been some discuss utilizing him as a striker, but when Arsenal exit and signal an precise quantity 9 this summer time, that route appears fairly nicely blocked. Others want to see him given a run within the Odegaard position, however even with the Norwegian’s type wavering for lengthy stretches final season, it’s tough to think about the membership captain being displaced any time quickly.
In lots of respects, that is a kind of “my pockets is simply too small for my fifties” issues – making an attempt to determine the way you match all the great gamers into one staff. Nevertheless it’s nonetheless a puzzle. With contract talks ongoing, you’d think about assurances have been made. That mentioned, if Nwaneri has a robust event with the Younger Lions, curiosity in his signature will solely intensify. Very like it did earlier than he dedicated to his first skilled deal on the Emirates.
As for Saka himself, he’s additionally mentioned to be in talks over a brand new contract. There’s no suggestion that it’s something however a formality, and he actually sounds bullish about Arsenal’s future, notably with so many younger abilities breaking by means of round him: “We might be stronger [next season], no doubts.”
And clearly, he consists of himself in that evaluation: “I believe there’s much more, potential-wise, from my facet. Annually, I’ve developed and improved and I’ve nonetheless received a little bit of a approach to go. I’m in the suitable manner, I really feel like I simply must maintain working laborious and with all of the video games I’m enjoying, all of the experiences, the tournaments and stuff like that, it’s solely going to make me higher once I’m studying from it.”
Anyway, let’s hope Bukayo, Myles and Declan (and all the opposite internationals) come by means of unscathed. The subsequent time I see any of them, I need it to be on a brilliant yacht within the Mediterranean doing their greatest Arsene Wenger impression.
___
In the event you’ve made the acutely aware determination to comply with each twist and switch of this summer time’s first switch window, then frankly, I concern to your well-being.
Every morning, I dutifully trawl by means of the mess of Arsenal-related Google alerts I’ve arrange, weighing what is perhaps price masking on Arseblog Information. Most of the time, I find yourself binning the lot earlier than I’ve even clicked a single hyperlink. The amount of pure, unfiltered bollocks doing the rounds is one thing to behold.
Take yesterday’s large ‘story’ from Spanish publication MARCA, which claimed Actual Madrid are hijacking Arsenal’s transfer for Martin Zubimendi. Besides, in fact, they aren’t. As a result of all of the precise dependable sources say the deal to carry the midfielder to the Emirates is just about sorted. The one holdup? Actual Sociedad would favor to register the price within the subsequent monetary 12 months.
Andrew and James get into all of this on the most recent Arsecast Further, together with inevitable comparisons to the “plot twist” within the Declan Rice saga, when Manchester Metropolis determined to stay their oar in on the final minute.
Then there are the rumours that make you need to crawl beneath a blanket and hibernate for the remainder of the summer time. Living proof, stories of Saudi facet Al-Hilal making “necessary proposals” to Benjamin Sesko after failing to land Victor Osimhen. It’s in all probability not full nonsense, however you’d nonetheless wager an honest sum on it going completely nowhere. After all, that gained’t cease everybody from shedding their heads within the meantime.
Deep breaths, folks. Window one slams shut at 7pm this night. You’ll then have a blissful six-day break earlier than window two kicks off and runs by means of till 1st September.
Up to now, Arsenal are about £10 million within the black, having offloaded Nuno Tavares to Lazio and Marquinhos to Cruzeiro – the latter confirmed yesterday. Chuck it within the warfare chest, Andrea. We’re going to wish each penny.
Proper, that’s your lot for now. Extra from me tomorrow. Catch you then.
