Arsenal’s Nicolas Pepe is in Istanbul ahead of a potential move to Trabzonspor, and the club have shared a photo of him wearing the shirt! Pepe joined Arsenal from Lille in 2019 for a then-club record £72m
Wow! Weren’t we linked at the time?
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Took ages to finally score for them IIRC. Another one in the “would have been boss if he came here” column.
Oof, they only recouped 3 mill of that.
Wasn’t good enough for a top club.
Joined Arsenal.
We didn’t want to pay 72m for him.
The price tag is often a big burden on the players heads. I think had he come on for a reasonable 35-40m , the likes of him , lemar etc would have come good…
Like if you asked me having watched the two sides I’d have said the likelihood was a draw, in fact I think Spurs have been the better side and didn’t have Europe so I could see them nicking it.
Nowhere have I seen an Arsenal performance that suggested it would be one sided. The guys a fucking cretin.
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First time Arsenal have been out of top 4 since end of 21/22 season.
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Sky reporting that Arsenal are stepping up their interest in Ivan Toney.
Was he not supposed to be banned for some time?
What are the odds on that?
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Unsure but my mate Ivan can get you get you some great odds
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Don’t see much wrong with what Carra said there about Ramsdale, it’s actually what I and perhaps a lot of us thought when we saw Ramsdale’s reaction. It’s possible that he was both honest in giving Raya respect for his save, but that deep down he’s not comfortable with the situation (which is totally fine) and had a “what the outside will think if I give him a proper clap” feeling.
I think the whole drama and emotion over Ramsdale has been over the top, really. And that doesn’t help the situation. Ultimately, if both goalkeepers are more a 4/5 level at their current best, but Raya is only a little bit better than Ramsalde, he’s getting the shirt regularly and that’s it. Not the first and not the last time that happens in football.
I felt going into the season that Arsenal would first continue with Ramsdale, but then if there’s a first weak game or a mistake or something, that would be immediately Raya’s chance to come in and try and stay in the side. There could be more changes until January, who knows.
Just to give an example when I reacted back in May when this came out (especially if as a club, you already know you actually might be signing a new goalkeeper in following weeks and months):
Honestly, there are a lot of PR tricks and sometimes it’s really spontaneous and sincere, but what the hell is this? Pathetic, too emotional, like someone is dying or something. The club played the “nobody wanted Ramsdale when he came and now he’s our hero” game from the outside. Be more balanced.
I’m still not sure about the ceiling of both of them, actually. I first saw Raya in a friendly against us for Blackburn, years ago and remembered his name. He’s been on Arsenal’s radar for a few years. In possession, I think he’s better than Ramsdale. But maybe he lacks more in the “goalkeeping” areas? I wasn’t impressed with some of his positioninig and reactions on high balls against Spurs, even from the highlights I’ve seen.
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The whole situation is pathetic.
Carra said nothing wrong at all. Keep in mind that for most of Carra’s liverpool career, up until Pepe arrived, he played in a team that had uncertainty over the GK position and so has relevant insight into the situation it creates
Despite that Ramsdale’s dad’s reaction is totally normal and understandable, but it is not news. People who covered it and presented it as new are bottom feeders. And the people like Keys who them jumped on it are worse and are doing solely as a way to try to become relevant.
Lol at Key’s counter though.
Cara: “Arsenal will not win the title with Ramsdale in goal”
Keys: Well how do you explain last season? When he was in goal and they didnt win the title?"
Fucking prick
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Ramsdale was just another goalkeeper to benefit from the massive overhyping of anyone from England who happens to wear a pair of gloves.
His shot save % is low, his crossing take % is low and he’s liable to do all sorts of mad things because he has the same “Goalkeepers are mental” psychology that plagues Jordan Pickford’s career.
David Raya is hardly an elite level goalkeeper but he’s been able to displace Ramsdale pretty easily. I wasn’t convinced in Ramsdale’s ability when he was at Bournemouth and going to Arsenal seemed a crazy decision to me. In fairness he played way above his talent level for the first half of the season but the cracks were there.
I actually think it’s a big credit to Arteta that he didn’t buy into the narratives and has focused on getting in a better player at a key area of his team.
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I don’t think eithier are particularly good. Raya benefits from the alblity to throw himself around but it’s not top notch goalkeeping.
This is the same punditry that overhypes Onana, I remember Bairstow making one catch in the 5th test and people were going, oh that’s justified it.
Not forgetting if he hadn’t been so poor in Tests 1 and 2 that catch wins the Ashes.
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This was what seemed apparent in the Spurs game. Their first goal came in a sequence in which he made a seemingly big save before the goal, but that save was only required because he kind of fluffed a cross. The highlights focused on the big save followed by the goal, making it seem like Raya was good and unlucky. Had that have been us, Alli would have just dealt with the cross and the sequence would never have seen a highlight.
As is very often the case with goalies, it is often the things they arent required to have to do that makes them quality.
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That BT sport matchday show (kind of like soccer saturday) were discussing the best goalkeepers in the league at the end of last season.
All 8 (I think) of them in the studio had the likes of Ramsdale, Raya and De Gea in the running, and Alisson didn’t even get a mention.
Just another reminder that most pundits, especially on BT sport who are a special kind of terrible, are stealing a living.
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Any goalies in that punditry?
Onana is actually only a bit of positioning off making some camera saves. Problem is at least one against Brighton was dead centre so probably shouldn’t have to even dive.