The Unreliable Rumours Discussion Thread (Part 2)

Lallana is more rich in football terms in my opinion. There’s the potential there for a role Milner might be offered here when he stops playing. Ox has what now, versatility when/if he’s fit and he’s a likeable guy. Not much else.

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Why? Our physios are busy enough. We don’t need Ox replacing.

Saw the link for Guendouzi in the twitter thread. He was a decent player for Arsenal I think but had some attitude problems didnt he? Would be an interesting option for the short term…

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From chasing a quadruple to chasing Arsenal rejects would be quite the journey

This happens if we can offload Phillips according to the twits on Twitter.

Interesting being the operative word.

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Can he run? Let’s start there, lol.

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Check his injury record…

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I always thought he was a good player. No idea how he’s been getting on at Marseille though.

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I remember reading that he’d done well since leaving Arsenal, though for some reason I thought he’d played for Sevilla for a bit so what do I know.

He’s always come across as a massive knobhead but I’m past the point of caring if he can come in a do a job for a few months. A few good performances and I’ll become a fully fledged apologist for his behaviour.

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Musah and Bennecar, other mids we’re reported to be interested in, and both links that make sense in terms of whether we’d actually be interested, are “Arsenal rejects”. They’ve got a fair few out there now who have actually done something with their careers after moving on.

It was called out as a problem by pretty much every manager he has ever had. Importantly, it’s not Pogba type attitude problems, where he looks like he’d rather be anywhere else, but more Keane type issues with the tempestuous ways he conducts himself. Importantly, that tends to be while he is haring around the pitch trying to tackle anything that moves. At Arsenal one of the key incidents was grabbing Maupay by the throat after a game. At Marseille it was running the length of a pitch to bitch out a team mate for not working hard enough. Excessive in both cases, but not the worst thing in the world to add to a team that has gone for long stretches in lots of games like we’re sleep walking.

He had a really quick rise from French second division to Arsenal first team and it’s not unreasonable to imagine he’d have some attitude issues. But he’s still only about 22-23 and has become a regular in Deschamps France sides with no end of other CM options to call upon so there is definitely a LOT there to work with.

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You sound like his hairdresser.

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Ha. I would not tolerate that mess if I was his hairdresser.

Also maybe of note is that his manager at Marseille, the place where he seems to have finally established himself, was Jorge Sampioli…one of the more well known Bielsaball proponents. If he comes, it will be as a player fairly established himself as part of a successful high pressing team.

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Although Sampaoli did quit a few hours after Guendozi signed for Marseille permanently. A coincidence, no doubt :laughing:

Sampaoli actually raved about him often during his loan. My vague impressions from his Arsenal days are that he’s a hard worker, always made himself noticed, but he didn’t show much discipline or game intelligence. But he was a new dropped calf back then, and there could be something there after a few seasons of polishing.

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I’m curious why Marseille would be willing to let him go this window?

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French football is completely skint

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Are you winding us up?

Try a different perspective, how would you react to being linked to an unnamed 23 year old French international combative CM who runs all day and loves a fight as a replacement for a role most fans have been screaming that needs to be filled with a new younger hungrier player?

Is it just because he played at Arsenal as a younger kid and has the hair of a twat?

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Yes, that is hard to get over.

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