Griezmann is not only an exceptional talent, he plays with a real entertaining style. Would love us to sign him. He's the real deal.

Art wrote:

Griezmann didn't want to come to Arsenal, what did you want Wenger to do? Since when did Wenger use to pounce on expensive French players anyway? The last one I can think of was arguably Nasri.

who told you he didn't want to come to arsenal? there is more evidence based on wenger's historical behavior that griezmann's body of work at sociedad didn't convince wenger that he was worth the buyout clause (€30m). and since when is €30m expensive in 2014 ... slightly more expensive than danny welbeck and chambers?

when we fail to sign a player because another club can offer higher wages it's what do you expect wenger to do? then when other clubs who can't compete with us on wages sign those players it's what do you expect wenger to do? well if griezmann didn't want to come to arsenal for more money then it's not the club he didn't want to play for, it's the manager.

Of course we could have signed Griezmann last summer.

Meatwad wrote:

Art wrote:

Griezmann didn't want to come to Arsenal, what did you want Wenger to do? Since when did Wenger use to pounce on expensive French players anyway? The last one I can think of was arguably Nasri.

who told you he didn't want to come to arsenal? there is more evidence based on wenger's historical behavior that griezmann's body of work at sociedad didn't convince wenger that he was worth the buyout clause (€30m). and since when is €30m expensive in 2014 ... slightly more expensive than danny welbeck and chambers?

when we fail to sign a player because another club can offer higher wages it's what do you expect wenger to do? then when other clubs who can't compete with us on wages sign those players it's what do you expect wenger to do? well if griezmann didn't want to come to arsenal for more money then it's not the club he didn't want to play for, it's the manager.

Griezmann himself? He came out and said something to the effect of he wanted Simeone, not Wenger after he signed for Atletico. Wenger was swooning over him all throughout the WC campaign, he clearly seemed to rate him, at least on a superficial level.

So yeah it had to with the manager, it probably wouldn't have changed anything if someone else other than Wenger was here either. Unless that someone happened to be Simeone.

there is a big difference between him saying (after signing for atletico) that he wanted to play for a great manager like simeone (everyone says that) versus i chose atletico over arsenal because of the manager. we weren't even on the case at that release price.

wenger rates a ton of players on a superficial level. when it's time to pull the trigger at a price he doesn't agree with, it's a different story. 

Of course he would have signed for us had we wanted him. The rest is just air.

Watching the highlights of Gijon - Granada (here) I noticed their winger Isaac Success. Guy has ridiculous physique, built like Ronaldo and only 19 years old. If Watford manage to stay up I reckon we'll see him in the Premier League soon as the Pozzo family own all of Granada, Udinese Calcio and Watford. Think this guy has a future, his build alone will help him but he has actually pretty impressive feet and technique for his size.

Love the name!

Isaac Success

Keylor Navas had yet another incredible game for Madrid against Celta. At this rate Madrid will surely not sign De Gea again. This has worked out well for both clubs. Forget Ronaldo, he's Madrid best player currently. He's conceded only 3 goals, but has the best save percentage in Europe of over 90% despite facing the most shots as well.

Most shots faced in Europe Top 5 leagues
Navas (113)
Szczesny (88)
Trapp (80)
Hart (69)
Neuer (66)

Clrnc wrote:

Most shots faced in Europe Top 5 leagues
Navas (113)
Szczesny (88)
Trapp (80)
Hart (69)
Neuer (66)

I find it hard to believe that the top clubs in Europe have the most shots on target against them.

That's most likely just for the respective league leaders. Remarkable anyways that Navas apparently faced almost double the amount of shots that Hart did when Real's defence is leagues better than City's.

Not the most significant difference, but Caballero played the game where City were thrashed by Spurs as well.

jones wrote:

That's most likely just for the respective league leaders. Remarkable anyways that Navas apparently faced almost double the amount of shots that Hart did when Real's defence is leagues better than City's.

They haven't been leagues better this season. They may not concede much, but that's mainly down to Navas who's been incredible.

Navas has been in ridiculous form but I think Real have been very sound defensively as well, Ramos especially has looked much more assured in defence than last year.

Mirth wrote:

Clrnc wrote:

Most shots faced in Europe Top 5 leagues
Navas (113)
Szczesny (88)
Trapp (80)
Hart (69)
Neuer (66)

I find it hard to believe that the top clubs in Europe have the most shots on target against them.

Distance hit and hope efforts maybe?

jones wrote:

That's most likely just for the respective league leaders. Remarkable anyways that Navas apparently faced almost double the amount of shots that Hart did when Real's defence is leagues better than City's.

I don't know, it follows the logic of a top team to me. It's the tradeoff for playing guys like Modric and Kroos as a central midfield while having fullbacks who push up so far. Casillas used to face a lot of shots every season too.

Real Madrid deal with it precisely because they have better keepers and defenders than most other teams out there. They try to limit the angles rather than to close out opponents completely with man-marking and sitting midfielders. It's more important to them to control the midfield with the ball than it is to nullify the opposition without it. That's why they are at least two classes above Chelsea as a team.

Both beautiful goals but the assist for the first one is just ridiculous.

Haven't seen it with Roberto in the past to be honest, seemed tidy enough on the ball with good technique but nothing that made him look like a real prospect in the past. He's made a huge leap in his development this season, slotted in at right back seamlessly and he's actively controlling games from CM too now. With Messi, Turan and Vidal to come into the team in the next two months I think Barcelona might be the first team to retain their CL title this year.

How has Munir been? Has he lived up to the hype?

I don't think he has. Not lived up to my expectations so far, at least. He doesn't seem as special as he once did.

Not really, going through the motions at the moment which you expect from a youngster, but make no mistake he's incredibly talented, the way he takes about five touches when he's running with the ball when most would take two is incredibly hard to learn. He'll definitely make it at a top club if not at Barcelona.

Another kid (interestingly Moroccan again) with a very similar skill set is Bakkali who scored this goal for Levante earlier today:

Anyone seen Asensio? Some friends are raging about him.

jones wrote:

Both beautiful goals but the assist for the first one is just ridiculous.

Haven't seen it with Roberto in the past to be honest, seemed tidy enough on the ball with good technique but nothing that made him look like a real prospect in the past. He's made a huge leap in his development this season, slotted in at right back seamlessly and he's actively controlling games from CM too now. With Messi, Turan and Vidal to come into the team in the next two months I think Barcelona might be the first team to retain their CL title this year.

well roberto's development is only good news for them shutting the fuck up about bellers.

Vidal is another one they have for the right back position. Doesn't matter though since if Bellerin keeps his development up they will try to poach him regardless, it's up to us to keep him happy here by winning stuff.

Iñaki Williams has had quite the break through season. Scored this wonder goal earlier today.

Lovely.

Segway wrote:

Iñaki Williams has had quite the break through season. Scored this wonder goal earlier today.

Good shout by Jones previously on him. Still slightly raw IMO, but a lot to work with. His style is similar to Mbaye Niang and Balde Keita.

Neymar's discovered God mode.

Watched the game, couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Both incredible goals, I think Iñaki edges it for me. Four goals and three assists in his last five games now, still with raw parts in his game as Clarence says but his potential is immense.

Griezmann scored the only goal against Gijon earlier today, very smart header. Created loads of chances and would have scored a brace or more if Gijon's goalie didn't play a blinder, lot of talent in that side. Halilovic is the most obvious one but their left winger Jony has been incredible, tore Atlético apart every time he went forward.

Sevilla - Real on now, cracking game. 1-1, Real without Navas in goal.

Wonder how good Banega could have been if he wasn't an alcoholic.

Probs less - the alcohol calms his nerves so he can stay composed on the the pitch

Neymar is the best player on the planet this season. By some distance. He's really combined that Messi-like efficiency with Ronaldinho-like flair and joy. I never expected him to be this good.

Benitez making a star-laden team look like Stoke City.

Emery's teams are a joy to watch when they are in form. Every player's first touch is immaculate.

Madrid lose 3-2. Barcelona 3 points clear at the top despite losing Messi.

Sevilla were taking the piss at the end passing around Real's players like Guardiola's team few years back when Mourinho got smashed 5-0.

Konoplyanka on a free is definitely transfer of the season for me, he destroyed Real with every move for the whole 90 minutes. Easily MOTM, poor Danilo had his career ended today. Love his incredible composure when dribbling, reminds me a bit of Nasri during his best spell with us in how he beats players while alternately accelerating and decelerating. I would lay into Wenger for not getting him but I'm not sure he would have wanted to come here anyways:

The 25-year-old was wanted by Liverpool, Tottenham and Stoke but opted instead to move to the Europa League holders when his contract with Dnipro expired at the end of last season.

“If I was two-and-a-half metres tall and didn’t know how to control a ball then I may have gone to England, but here [in Spain], the football’s more technical. It’s the best,” he said.