EDDIE AT THE READY
Bad news coming out of Brazil, arguably our player of the season – GABI JESUS – is out of the World Cup. The story as it stands is he’ll stay with the team until the end, then join up with Arsenal after… I can’t quite compute this. If a knee injury is bad enough to wipe you out for 15 days guaranteed… why are you not back in London checking in?
I’m not saying I know better than the experts, but it does seem odd that Arsenal would take any risks with a player who could make or break our season.
Eddie will need to be ready to assume control. It is quite incredible how quickly Arsenal fans forget his qualities. Don’t judge a player on cup games in boring tournaments and cameo appearances… judge them on what they do when they start with the best players. Eddie started last season in a depleted squad and did really, really well. All the League One Eddie chaps seem desperate to be proved correct… fuck ’em… they will eat humble pie again.
The bigger worry for me is we are very light at centre forward. Flo B is out on loan at Reims, outside that, it’s makeshift offerings.
I do not think we need to keep bringing up Gabi Martinelli as a #9. Why move an exceptional talent into the middle when he’s crushing the season on the left? ESR was always mooted as a good option for false 9, he could certainly do a job, but I just don’t see Arteta opting for riskier moves than putting a really talented striker in the starting line-up.
Talking of Balogun, surely he watched United States of Soccerball drop out of the World Cup and wondered to himself… could I do a better job than what was on offer? My thoughts? Absolutely.
Now, I don’t want to tell a man who grew up in London what nationality he should pick, but if I were him… I’d be thinking about going all in on my New York city birthright and opting into the USMNT for the next World Cup. USA does not have a better striking talent than Folarin Balogun. I’m not sure there’s going to be a more lucrative year for a young striker to be THE star for America than the year they host the 2026 World Cup. There’s also no better guarantee of qualification than playing for the hosts… who qualify automatically.
Imagine the riches.
There are about 62 adverts that carry Christian Pulisic here. Put someone who could be as spectacular as Folarin in the mixer… well, he could be making a VERY pretty penny in a country that is about to go CRAZY for the beautiful game.
I’d be whipping out my American flag waste coat, I’d throw on Star-Spangled Banner, and I’d be moonwalking all the way to the head office of CAA demanding I be the face of Pepsi and Coca Cola at the same time for THE GREATEST WORLD CUP SHOW ON EARTH.
… but I’m a greedy bastard.
Arsenal launched another fashion offering, this time, it seems like it was a ‘go it alone’ attempt to capitalize on football going mainstream for sexy fashion attire. They partnered with Ray Parlour to be the creative director and it was a very funny video. The problem? The range very much looks like the sporting department designed it. I’m sure it’ll sell, everything Arsenal sells, but I don’t think the clobber landed very well with fans.
A few things worth noting here.
- I think this range perfectly captures why returning to the old crest really wouldn’t work. It looks extremely dated. Not dated enough to feel cool, just a bit average. The idea that we should go back to that is pure nostalgia porn. I’d be game for an upgrade, but kits and street fashion won’t mix with that crest, which is why I have my doubts it’ll ever happen. Move forward. Borrow from the past by all means, but never go back to something old when it comes to design. It’s lazy.
- It’s not easy to go it alone. This looks like it’s been designed by a freelancer. The materials look cheap and the designs don’t really captivate. The only piece that looks acceptable is the jacket Eddie is wearing and it’s pretty hard to fuck up a varsity jacket. When the running commentary is the work looks like knock-off 90s kits, you have a problem beyond old people ‘just not getting it.’
- Footballers can’t make everything look nice.
Partnership collaborations with brands in the space are always a safer option, even if the margins are lower. Art of Football, Fokohaela, and Aimé Leon Dore should be getting the call next time.
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— Le Grove (@LeGrove) December 3, 2022