A planning officer- majoring in development finance and investment planning, Entrepreneur and a visionary leader. a die hard fan of Simba Sc & Arsenal Fc.
🚨 𝗡𝗘𝗪: Sadio Mané has invested £15 MILLION into a huge new project in his hometown of Bambali, Senegal. 🇸🇳❤️
The project, called SM10 Agro, will create 1,000 jobs and includes a 500-hectare mango plantation, processing factories and an agricultural college.
Around 78,000 mango trees will be planted, with the first harvest expected in three years.
🗣️ Mané: “I want the young people and women of my region to have real opportunities for education.”
@IAmHaule Moja ya kazi ngumu sana kwenye siasa ni kutetea/kupaka rangi jambo ambalo limekosewa/linakosewa lionekane lipo sawa na hakuna shida au makosa 😂🤣🙌🔥
"He needs to be protected physically, emotionally, mentally... The club is doing everything right in this context."
@oeste and @GeoffShreeves salute Arsenal and Mikel Arteta for how they continue to handle Max Dowman's development 💫
I find myself being more care free with Arsenal now that they have won the title.
You can see that in their game, too, but in a good way.
It’s an advantage right now because they are playing with the swagger and arrogance of champions, and rightly so.
But they have to stay humble, determined, disciplined, and totally attentive to every moment because the standards are so high that with even a 5% drop off they will be punished in the uber-competitive Premier League.
Ultimately, it becomes important that they don’t let that attitude creep into their work throughout the course of the season.
It has happened to many title-winning teams of the past.
So far, it certainly hasn't. Only one freak goal conceded all season (minimal xG on that Rogers goal).
With Mikel Arteta in charge, he is the LAST man in the world to let the standards drop. You can be sure of that.
It only bodes well for the future, but it is something that the club must be aware of.
One hugely beneficial and preventative factor here is the signing of guys like Konsa and Guimarães. They are leaders who will be determined to win themselves, but they will also push guys like Saliba and Lewis-Skelly to new levels to keep their place in the team. Tzolis too.
That's part of what makes Arsenal so good. Two top players in every position.
That, combined with the culture that Mikel Arteta has created, and the hunger to win a Champions League, will almost certainly see Arsenal sustain their RELENTLESS intensity across the course of the campaign.
Kinda crazy that this was all so clear from the minute I saw a Mikel Arteta team play in December 2019, and here we are.
Arsenal. The standard. The team who toppled Pep Guardiola and Manchester City.
With Mikel Arteta at the helm.
Mental, but it's the reality.
Here is to more and more and more… 🏆
Summer “Plan”
Feb/March - Spoke to Julian, who was relaxed and open to all options.Also had serious interest in Kenan Yildiz leading up to the summer. Approached Juve, who said absolutely no chance.
Early summer: Worked for months on Morgan Rogers. Mikel’s main target, after Kenan was not for sale. Got Morgan on board and knew we could do it for £85 - 100m but decided to play the field to spin plates. Waited too long, and now the Elliott A. deal dictates the new market price. Villa now want more than £115m. We check in with Barcola, who is also in a similar price range.
The club decide, after weeks of delaying, to finally engage in some talks with Villa, who tell us they want an amount close to the Elliott A. deal. While we delay, Alonso has spoken to Morgan, Behdad has spoken to Nassef, and they wrap up months of our work and delays in 36 hours. We were even offered the chance to match and refused.
We then internally agree that Morgan was not worth that, so we pivot to the market opportunity that was “Vini Jr.” The hierarchy accept this is a generational signing and say, “Let’s do whatever it takes to get him.” They agree personal terms and leave the final decision up to him. He chose Madrid. The club are then deflated but satisfied with their efforts in this particular case.
They then pivot back to Kenan in a desperate attempt to convince Juve with creative deals, such as using Martinelli, but the answer is clear: not for sale.
We have been checking in with Alvarez this whole time, who is fixated on Barça despite being told it will never happen. They realise he is the only “level raiser” left, so push hard for Julian, who doesn’t believe his Barça dream is over.
They check on Gakpo (I’m sure many other names too). N’Diaye’s agent is saying, “Come get me.” They bite on the Fofana offer and consider it to some degree.
In the end, they feel disappointed with the outcome of the whole window. Its been below par for sure.
Personally, I tried to voice my concerns early when I saw patterns during the Morgan saga. I was alarmed because you don’t just become competent overnight after being this “dithery” and hesitant, trying to spin plates. Read the post I quoted.
Side note, but a big side note, because the truth matters : They explored the sale of Myles via Kia to understand his market value. Myles always said he wanted to stay. He is settled now, and the matter is closed.
I am a fan just like you. I also, like you, get excited when MY club promises big things. I think if there is disappointment within the club about the conclusion of the summer, then fans should be entitled to voice their opinions too. Again, your frustrations are justified. Many who know more feel the exact same way.
My argument is PSG signed Doué, who at the time was on the come-up. The market is there for shrewd people to take advantage of. Mikel deserves world-class people around him. Premier League champions, UCL finalists, and we end up with a weaker attack?
Man City rebuilt their whole midfield in one summer and we have not signed a true world class attacker in how many windows? 5 or 6?
It was the summer of Premier League champions, but we didn’t plan nor execute a Champions summer.
I am gutted and very worried we are very short on numbers, but I will always back Mikel and the lads. They give it their all.Mikel, being the person he is, will want to now focus on what’s next, and that is Chelsea.
If anyone at Arsenal is reading this, fans are not crying about a shiny new toy, they back the squad and understand we are in good place but wanted to be in a great place.
🚨 Amongst all of the Arsenal fan hysteria, it's really important to take a step back and assess the reality of the situation.
Arsenal have two TOP players for every single position.
The club tried to sign some stardust in attack. The ambition was there for everyone to see.
Alright, Berta definitely could have handled things better because the club missed out on Rogers despite him wanting to join because of the relaxed manner in which he approached the deal, Vinicius used the club to get a better contract at Madrid (in all likelihood), Barcola never truly considered Arsenal because they didn't make him feel wanted after the public Vinicius saga with Liverpool getting ahead in the meantime, and Alvarez was a lost cause from day one because he only wanted Barca.
The club were FINALLY willing to spend big bucks on a forward, but the sporting director did not deliver. That is the reality.
But will that derail Arsenal's season?
Certainly not.
Just look at the squad… The depth is nothing short of elite in every single area (apart from Kepa behind Raya).
The Konsa signing ensures the level stays the same without Saliba.
The Bruno Guimarães signing along with Lewis-Skelly being used in midfield means Zubimendi and Rice can stay fresh throughout the entire season.
The depth is just as good elsewhere, and I also don't buy the notion that Arsenal cannot level up in attack.
We have to remember that Havertz, Ødegaard, Merino, Calafiori, and Saka were injured for LARGE periods last season.
Havertz missed 41 games.
Ødegaard missed 30.
Merino missed 28.
Calafiori missed 16.
Saka missed 15.
These are all CRUCIAL players for Arsenal.
It meant that Eze almost exclusively had to play in the #10 when he is better on the left and Trossard + Martinelli were required to play out wide even though Arsenal are better with Eze's creative qualities on the left. Some may disagree with that, but the club have shifted Trossard and Martinelli on for good reason. We also saw how devastating Eze can be against Villa in just ONE HALF of football…
The attacking dynamics were never optimal last season because of that, but we can also say the same about the midfield dynamics.
Zubimendi was the #6 with Rice in the #8. Both are obviously exceptional players, but Rice is better in the #6. Arsenal's dynamism went up a level once Lewis-Skelly was shifted into midfield with Rice in the #6. Those dynamics now remain as Arsenal primarily attack in a 3-1-3-3 / 3-1-6 with both fullbacks high and the #6 + #8 managing the build-up alongside the centre backs. That means the team have more bodies high but also players in more suitable roles AND with better depth behind them…
Elsewhere, Tzolis is a level above Martinelli + Trossard, Dowman is another year advanced in his development, and it is the second season of Mosquera, Hincapié, Zubimendi, Madueke, and Gyökeres who are more acclimatised now.
People keep talking about how Arsenal have sold lots of forwards and only brought in one, but they moved on Trossard, Martinelli, Jesus, Nwaneri, Vieira, and Nelson. Only two of which were reliable first team players last season (Trossard + Martinelli) and as useful as they were, they were the biggest problem area in Arsenal's squad.
Martinelli had his worst year on record and Trossard had a 26-game goal drought. Both were and are a level below of where Arsenal are at.
And, most importantly, the only reason that they were used so much is because Havertz, Ødegaard, and Merino missed half of the season each so Eze was often forced to play inside and not wide left. Arteta only had the luxury to play Eze out there at the business end of the season (like he did versus City away).
People also criticise Gyökeres and Madueke a lot but we have to remember that they suffered because of the suboptimal dynamics. The left wing was a level below where it needed to be and although Eze can play in the right-sided #10 it cramps his space to do what he does best (dribble and pass). He was reduced to a box-crashing role (see Spurs at home).
Combine that with Rice in the #8 and Calafiori often not being available at left back and the dynamics were suboptimal from back to front. It was why every game felt like a slog.
Now?
That's not the case.
Arsenal are more balanced in midfield, Eze will be used off the left, and it is up to Arteta to get the dynamics right with who he picks in the #10.
But, overall, Arsenal are in a much better position than last season. The same season they won the Premier League title. And the competition is not as strong this year, either.
Alright, it would have been UNBELIEVABLE to add a Rogers, a Barcola, or an Alvarez to this group, but so be it.
That's life. You cannot get everything you want all the time.
Plus, Arteta and Arsenal are in a position to decide to wait. They don't have to panic buy someone like Fofana who is raw and not ready for the elites yet.
I, for one, expect Arsenal to retain their Premier League title.
Partly because they have an elite manager, but also because they have an elite squad, better than every other Premier League team.
Then, in the future, Arsenal will be in a position to sign a superstar attacker on TOP of this already incredible group which is primed to win NOW.
A dynasty remains on the cards, my friends.
Be calm, be grateful, soak it in, and enjoy the season ahead ✌️