Odegaard out until mid-November at the earliest.

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Originally Posted by Rich

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

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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.

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Originally Posted by redgunamo

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.

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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?

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Originally Posted by redgunamo

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.

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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.

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Originally Posted by Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult

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?

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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 :-)

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Originally Posted by redgunamo

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.

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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.

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Originally Posted by Peter

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 :-)

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

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Originally Posted by Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult

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.

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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......

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Originally Posted by Peter

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......

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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)

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Originally Posted by redgunamo

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.

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Just scored a nice goal for Brazil against Japan.

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Originally Posted by Rich

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)

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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......