As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
BREAKING: Sheffield United and Arsenal have agreed a £5m deal for Auston Trusty. Personal terms are still to be agreed but shouldn’t be a problem. Reports, @DarrenSmithTWIF.
Another head scratching signing by this management that hasnt worked out and is being bombed out - honestly I cannot believe how little focus our long list of dud signings under arteta and edu gets By nature most managers will have more dud signings than successes, by in our case the list is way in the red and doesnt compare well to most of our rivals
I think if you were to poll the fan base asking what player are you most concerned about heading into the new season then Ramsdale would come out on top by a margin. For the keeper to be position you see as being the weakest must be a huge worry for the club because that can sink the entire team in a hurry.
He form bombed at the back end of the season and hasn’t got any better pre season. His confidence must be in the shitter but he needs to shake himself out of it and quick.
I'm not disagreeing with that rodders (except the number 9 position is a bigger issue for me), but keeping two supposed first choice keepers is not the road to take imo - a lot of people seem to rate Raya so by all means sign him and install him as first choice, but then we have to sell ramsdale imo and I'm not sure how deep the market would be for his services. Ramsdale seems to be a popular guy with his team-mates and is an english international in a dressing room that has a few english internationals, so I would be worried about how demoting him to number 2 would go down in the dressing room - far better to move him on and allow new keeper to integrate with his team-mates without ramsdale on his shoulder
BREAKING: Sheffield United and Arsenal have agreed a £5m deal for Auston Trusty. Personal terms are still to be agreed but shouldn’t be a problem. Reports, @DarrenSmithTWIF.
Another head scratching signing by this management that hasnt worked out and is being bombed out - honestly I cannot believe how little focus our long list of dud signings under arteta and edu gets By nature most managers will have more dud signings than successes, by in our case the list is way in the red and doesnt compare well to most of our rivals
This was a strange one, seemed to me to have been more of a Colarado Rapids/Kroenke ownership crossover signing than anything, not sure there was ever any chance he'd play for us - bought for 1.5 sold for 5 - I can think of plenty other signings that haven't worked out to go to town on the club/manager about than this one Augie.
I think if you were to poll the fan base asking what player are you most concerned about heading into the new season then Ramsdale would come out on top by a margin. For the keeper to be position you see as being the weakest must be a huge worry for the club because that can sink the entire team in a hurry.
He form bombed at the back end of the season and hasn’t got any better pre season. His confidence must be in the shitter but he needs to shake himself out of it and quick.
I'm not disagreeing with that rodders (except the number 9 position is a bigger issue for me), but keeping two supposed first choice keepers is not the road to take imo - a lot of people seem to rate Raya so by all means sign him and install him as first choice, but then we have to sell ramsdale imo and I'm not sure how deep the market would be for his services. Ramsdale seems to be a popular guy with his team-mates and is an english international in a dressing room that has a few english internationals, so I would be worried about how demoting him to number 2 would go down in the dressing room - far better to move him on and allow new keeper to integrate with his team-mates without ramsdale on his shoulder
That's why I don't think there's any truth in this one Augie, Raya is looking to leave so it could just be a leak from his camp to spook the club they're dealing with (scummers?) into pulling the trigger faster on him.
I spoke about the piss poor end to the season Ramsdale had but the club still extended his contract in May, sure some of that would have been about protecting his value as he came in on No. 2 terms, but it would have been done first and foremost with the aim of him being our first choice keeper for years to come.
To pivot away form that plan 2 months later just because he's fucked in a few soft goals pre season doesn't make much sense to me, as you say we aren't spending 40 mill on a second choice keeper (nor would he come to sit on the bench) so the story just doesn't add up for me.
BREAKING: Sheffield United and Arsenal have agreed a £5m deal for Auston Trusty. Personal terms are still to be agreed but shouldn’t be a problem. Reports, @DarrenSmithTWIF.
Another head scratching signing by this management that hasnt worked out and is being bombed out - honestly I cannot believe how little focus our long list of dud signings under arteta and edu gets By nature most managers will have more dud signings than successes, by in our case the list is way in the red and doesnt compare well to most of our rivals
This was a strange one, seemed to me to have been more of a Colarado Rapids/Kroenke ownership crossover signing than anything, not sure there was ever any chance he'd play for us - bought for 1.5 sold for 5 - I can think of plenty other signings that haven't worked out to go to town on the club/manager about than this one Augie.
So can I but my point was that there is so many of them - yes the transfer fee wasted wasnt significant, but we still made a loss on him when you factor in wages and signing on fee
Arsenal are exploring a deal to sign Brentford's 27-year-old Spanish goalkeeper David Raya.
IF this is true, there's only one way Raya would agree to a deal is if he has been promised the No 1 spot. He's too good to ever be a No2 goalie.
Nottingham Forest are considering making a move for Arsenal and United States goalkeeper Matt Turner, 29.
I know that Forest's current keeper was seen as being something of a Weak Link in their defence last season, so if this rumour is true it would tie in nicely with the Ray to Arsenal one. Also Turned has expressed dissatisfaction at being the No2 at Arsenal; I don't think he is good Enough to be our No 1 - No Way.
Arsenal are keen to sign 22-year-old Ghana attacking midfielder Mohammed Kudus from Ajax.
This would be a very good signing (Having looked at all the clips on YT - He is already Quick, Strong and a decent finisher.
Arsenal have also expressed an interest in Napoli and Georgia attacker Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, 22.
Brentford have publicly valued David Raya at £40m. Arsenal are reluctant to pay such a high fee for a player entering the final year of a contract & as such, have also enquired about Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez as a possible alternative. [@GraemeBailey] #afc
The keeper curveball reminds me a bit of 1990, when we had a very popular goalkeeper in John Lukic who had been an important part of the team which had won the championship a year earlier. We had gone off the boil the following season, and clearly needed to freshen up the squad which we did with Anders Limpar. But the defence seemed as sound as ever, so it was like a bolt from the blue when George Graham decided to move for David Seaman. Although Seaman was clearly a good (though not yet great) goalkeeper, the move was controversial with some of the same reservations I've seen expressed here: that it would unsettle the squad, and in particular the well-oiled back four/five unit. We know what happened - we won the league at a canter in 1991, conceding just 18 goals all season.
Of course, the difference here is that Raya is slightly older than Ramsdale, but at 27 he still has many of his best years ahead of him as a keeper. When Ramsdale first signed, I thought he was going to be great: he is still a fabulous shot-stopper on his day, but he has become increasingly error-prone. It isn't a done deal, but if it happens I won't be surprised. If we consider him an upgrade and the net cost of buying him and selling Ramsdale isn't disproportionate, I am prepared to back it. Perhaps we could initially loan Ramsdale out for a year, to keep our options open in case Raya didn't work out as we'd hoped and to get him off the payroll.
Sanchez is a different kettle of fish, however. I wouldn't consider him an upgrade on Ramsdale.
Last edited by Bob Bayliss on Mon Jul 31, 2023 11:29 am, edited 2 times in total.
The keeper curveball reminds me a bit of 1990, when we had a very popular goalkeeper in John Lukic who had been an important part of the team which had won the championship a year earlier. We had gone off the boil the following season, and clearly needed to freshen up the squad which we did with Anders Limpar. But the defence seemed as sound as ever, so it was like a bolt from the blue when George Graham decided to move for David Seaman. Although Seaman was clearly a good (though not yet great) goalkeeper, the move was controversial with some of the same reservations I've seen expressed here: that it would unsettle the squad, and in particular the well-oiled back four/five unit. We know what happened - we won the league at a canter in 1991, conceding just 18 goals all season.
Of course, the difference here is that Raya is slightly older than Ramsdale, but at 27 he still has many of his best years ahead of him as a keeper. When Ramsdale first signed, I thought he was going to be great: he is still a fabulous shot-stopper on his day, but he has become increasingly error-prone. It isn't a done deal, but if it happens I won't be surprised. If we consider him an upgrade and the net cost of buying him and selling Ramsdale isn't disproportionate, I am prepared to back it. Sanchez is a different kettle of fish, however. I wouldn't consider him an upgrade on Ramsdale.
I'll be shocked if we buy Raya and sell ramsdale - wouldnt be surprised if we bought Raya and kept ramsdale, but that would be a disaster imo. Actually thinking about it I would be surprised if we buy Raya - firstly I dont think we have the money, and secondly I dont think el basque would view upgrading keepers position as a priority
I'll be gutted if we sell Ramsdale, as thought he was immense for 3 quarters of the season and had grown into the role before that.
But the goalkeeping position (and football in general) can be a fickle mistress, and after that horror goal against Sporting he became pretty unreliable. The equalising goal for West Ham was flakey, but that pass in the first minute against Southampton was unforgivable. Then the goal in the Man U pre season game should have been a simple save but I'm willing to let that one slide.
I just wished that some of the focus on his negatives, if true that Arteta has been mindful of this, could have been the same from him for players performing poorly like Xhaka (multiple times before last season), Zinchenko, Vieira, Jesus when he returned back to the side, and to a certain extent Saka near the end of the season.
Honestly hope Ramsdale stays, gets his head down and works hard on the basics, maybe cuts out the sideshow stuff because as much as we love it when we win, he looks a prize plum when we don't especially when it's down to one of his mistakes.
Couldn't care less if he was England's no 1, the longer he stays away from that dumpster fire the better.
#SheffieldUnited are in advanced talks with #Arsenal over a deal for USA centre-back Auston Trusty. Fee in region of £5m has been agreed. Expected to travel for medical in coming days once deal is finalised. (w/ @skysports_sheth + @SkySports_Tim) skysports.com/transfer-centre #SUFC
Arsenal have been contacted by seven clubs about a move for Charlie Patino. Most serious are Sheffield Utd and Luton with the player preferring a move to Luton. Arsenal will insert a buy back clause of around 15-20 million, or large sell on clause.
BREAKING: Sheffield United and Arsenal have agreed a £5m deal for Auston Trusty. Personal terms are still to be agreed but shouldn’t be a problem. Reports, @DarrenSmithTWIF.
BREAKING: Sheffield United and Arsenal have agreed a £5m deal for Auston Trusty. Personal terms are still to be agreed but shouldn’t be a problem. Reports, @DarrenSmithTWIF. 
By nature most managers will have more dud signings than successes, by in our case the list is way in the red and doesnt compare well to most of our rivals
