Odegaard out until mid-November at the earliest.

[Peter]

But now he's had two big injuries back-to-back. Troubling.

As you suggest though, that's what a bigger squad is for.

By the time he comes back he will have been out for almost a year.

[Peter]

Don't be so silly. He cannot come back fast enough imho.

Before the middle of last season he's virtually never missed a professional game - hopefully he can do that again.

So he'd hardly missed a game previously and has now had two big injuries punctuated by about half an hour's football and will have been out for almost a year.

Yeah, you've really proved your point

Of course we haven't literally killed him. But it has to be a bit of a concern.

[PSRB]

Uh Rich, the point really was that rising young stars at Real Madrid rarely decide to leave for the Arsenal.

So the 130mil bid is somewhat ambitious, and almost certainly utter nonsense

Saw some nonsense that Madrid are sniffing around Dowman. Need a lot of sniffing, can't do anything until he's 17.

[WES]

Saw some nonsense that Madrid are sniffing around Dowman. Need a lot of sniffing, can't do anything until he's 17.

Yes, that was almost as stupid as the Guler rumour they had created out of nothing.

I think they justified the rumour by something like, 'once Bellingham returns from injury his minutes will go down so they may have to sell him'

Yeah, course they will

[Rich]

Saw some nonsense that Madrid are sniffing around Dowman. Need a lot of sniffing, can't do anything until he's 17.

Surely we will pay Max whatever he wants to stay here long term?

[redgunamo]

Surely we will pay Max whatever he wants to stay here long term?

Possibly. But we also need to get into the habit of selling players on, even when they're in their peak years and at their highest value.

Maybe we've been spoiled too long, on that score.

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

Well, quite. We've certainly got enough tricky midgets, in any case. Thankfully we are past that stage.

R is right, the Turk from Germany who plays in Italy seems far more serious though he may kill Kai Havertz.

MA loves Kai, as do I. If he stays fit, he will be major part of MA's plans. He'll rotate Kai and Vik as required, and also sometimes when needed, will play both with Kai either as a left-8 in a 4-1-4-1 or as the 2nd striker with 2 up top.

After that first half season when we were trying a completely new MF and working out how to deal with them doubling up on B, Kai has been far, far better than I expected. He's a bit like Ozzy was for Ars?ne - a shy but technically sublime German no.10, but one who follows instructions and presses and works in MF just as the gaffer wants.

He can win duels, he's good in the air, he can hold the ball up, but as well as having Ozzy's creativity, he can scores when put through to end up 1 on 1 with the 'keeper. He finishes those like a pwoppa old skool no.9.

And while I think you can never have enough tricky, midget no.10s, do we actually have any midgets? Odin and B are both 5'10" and Zubi, who looks small, is actually 5'11". Even among our defenders, the two who look small, JT and MLS, are also both 5'10".

So when you say we have enough tricky midgets, who do you mean? The young Doctor is 6', so I guess we only have Ethan and Leo at 5'9" and 5'8" respectively. That's hardly Jack or AA23 levels of midgetry.

Maybe we should buy a real tricky midget just for old times' sake?

[Peter]

Possibly. But we also need to get into the habit of selling players on, even when they're in their peak years and at their highest value.

Maybe we've been spoiled too long, on that score.

We certainly don't want to get into the habit of paying people whatever they want. Aside from the costs, and the virus spreading across the squad, it makes everyone but the very best impossible to sell. And those two we lost to United are evidence that we wont be held to ransom by kids not old enough to drink.

If we've brought them up right, they'll stay. If we haven't, I don't want them.

[Peter]

MA loves Kai, as do I. If he stays fit, he will be major part of MA's plans. He'll rotate Kai and Vik as required, and also sometimes when needed, will play both with Kai either as a left-8 in a 4-1-4-1 or as the 2nd striker with 2 up top.

After that first half season when we were trying a completely new MF and working out how to deal with them doubling up on B, Kai has been far, far better than I expected. He's a bit like Ozzy was for Ars?ne - a shy but technically sublime German no.10, but one who follows instructions and presses and works in MF just as the gaffer wants.

He can win duels, he's good in the air, he can hold the ball up, but as well as having Ozzy's creativity, he can scores when put through to end up 1 on 1 with the 'keeper. He finishes those like a pwoppa old skool no.9.

And while I think you can never have enough tricky, midget no.10s, do we actually have any midgets? Odin and B are both 5'10" and Zubi, who looks small, is actually 5'11". Even among our defenders, the two who look small, JT and MLS, are also both 5'10".

So when you say we have enough tricky midgets, who do you mean? The young Doctor is 6', so I guess we only have Ethan and Leo at 5'9" and 5'8" respectively. That's hardly Jack or AA23 levels of midgetry.

Maybe we should buy a real tricky midget just for old times' sake?

In football, anything 5'10'' or under is effectively a midget. Which is fine, as long as they are tricky....

Also, I am perfect evidence that you can be tall and ****ing useless in the air

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

Possibly. But we also need to get into the habit of selling players on, even when they're in their peak years and at their highest value.

Maybe we've been spoiled too long, on that score.

If Madueke stays for 5 years, he'd be 28 at the end of that and the Doctor still only 20. If we can get B to sign another new long term deal, we don't have to worry about the right wing at all.

And if chasing a goal, I like the idea of B/Noni at RW/RB and Odin at inside right. B cutting inside with Noni on the overlap and Odin to knit it all together. And Vik at 9 and Kai at inside left to get on the end of passes and crosses from any of them.

[PSRB]

In football, anything 5'10'' or under is effectively a midget. Which is fine, as long as they are tricky....

Also, I am perfect evidence that you can be tall and ****ing useless in the air

If I remember correctly, Peter Crouch was never great in the air. Good feet for a big man though. Kanu is another.

[Peter]

If Madueke stays for 5 years, he'd be 28 at the end of that and the Doctor still only 20. If we can get B to sign another new long term deal, we don't have to worry about the right wing at all.

And if chasing a goal, I like the idea of B/Noni at RW/RB and Odin at inside right. B cutting inside with Noni on the overlap and Odin to knit it all together. And Vik at 9 and Kai at inside left to get on the end of passes and crosses from any of them.

So, if all goes to plan, we'll have four top class, left footed right wingers

This is a great example of what red is saying. That is where you sell one of them. Preferably the one you can get good money for. Even if it is Saka......

[Rich]

So, if all goes to plan, we'll have four top class, left footed right wingers

This is a great example of what red is saying. That is where you sell one of them. Preferably the one you can get good money for. Even if it is Saka......

Wash your mouth out with soap, P. Saka embodies the project - no way do we sell him - I suspect he'll stay at The Arsenal for his entire career (or very close to)

[PSRB]

Martinelli is not going anywhere, I think; he'll be mopping up the tail for us (so to speak) for many years to come.

The other two stalwarts are "of a certain age", so .. Leo is at least fit most of the time.

Just scored a nice goal for Brazil against Japan.

[Peter]

Wash your mouth out with soap, P. Saka embodies the project - no way do we sell him - I suspect he'll stay at The Arsenal for his entire career (or very close to)

And I suspect he will be crocked by the age of 27 or so. We shall see.... at this stage, selling him is unthinkable. Doesn't mean that will always be the case......