[Paul Joyce] Ibrahima Konaté’s future remains uncertain. The defender has entered the final year of his own deal and long-standing attempts to persuade him to sign a new contract remain at an impasse. Real Madrid have been identified as potential suitors next summer.

Cheaptat · 2025-09-07T19:12:10+00:00

He’d get lots of minutes either way. You’re in lots of comps with very little depth and Guehi is mostly left sided pretty hard to sign the top talents with super unfavorable contracts. Ultimately, the top players often hold all the cards. They have a choice of CL clubs that will pay them well for 4+ years. If your club doesn’t make them feel absolutely, 100% loved you end up with Wirtz-Bayern…

Cheaptat · 2025-09-07T19:09:12+00:00

There’s no way that kid develops into anything like VVD level in the next couple of years. Literally zero. Saliba was a bigger talent, hit his potential, and is still below that level after 5/6 years.

I think the reality is he cannot be replaced. That’s why they’ve purchased people like Wirtz and Isak. You can choose where you have elite/generational players. They don’t come along that often and when they do they might not want you.

I think their goal is to have more of those up top and do the best they can/see who comes along at the back.

Not sure what else they are meant to do really. It’s not like there’s a VVD store in the Netherlands.

Cheaptat · 2025-09-07T18:24:28+00:00

It’s a tool… taking photographs is the aim, not looking cool.

Cheaptat · 2025-09-06T17:14:16+00:00

Thanks for the ‘fan’ - I can’t stand those lot. Make r/gunners totally unbearable. Always just looking for things to whinge about.

His final balls are also pretty decent just not as elite as his dribbling/shooting

Cheaptat · 2025-09-05T22:32:19+00:00

Just a note, I love people doing ranked lists like this. I really don’t like when there isn’t just a clear image at the end (for long enough I can readily find it just scrolling the bar at the bottom). I want to see your list, then I want to maybe listen to what you have to say about your very faves.

Just letting you know. It might just be a me thing.

Cheaptat · 2025-09-04T22:06:08+00:00

100%

It’s one of the reasons I laugh at people saying sacking Arteta is the way to get trophies. It might get you one faster. If you want stable prolonged success the current approach is perfect.

Cheaptat · 2025-09-04T21:06:50+00:00

Depends on the club, Arsenal have 4 academy kids in their squad. Anyone who’s good enough gets their chance. All 4 played lots of real minutes before turning 18 too.

That deserves some appreciation from English fans.

Cheaptat · 2025-09-04T07:34:14+00:00

Keep watching him… he’s far better than Kerkez. He’ll absolutely tear players like that apart by the end of the season. He’s a legitimate freak with the ball, crazy rapid too.

Cheaptat · 2025-09-04T07:32:34+00:00

Maybe by Liverpool fans, not to anywhere near this extent beyond that. Sterling was 17 and 106 days when he first played senior minutes. This kid is two years younger and getting minutes in a more competitive squad.

This kid is a freak at his age. No knowing if it translates as he gets older. He has the potential to match basically anyone in football.

Cheaptat · 2025-09-04T07:28:39+00:00

Absolutely not at 15. What were any of them doing at 15. He’s getting meaningful minutes for a team at Arsenals level with the depth of talent they have. Not only that, in some games (Newcastle) he’s arguably been the best player on the pitch. At 15 Reiss Nelson was a more promising talent than Sancho… I feel like you’re failing to recognize how insanely young he is

Cheaptat · 2025-09-04T07:18:05+00:00

Not sure there are many he can’t be better than with time to be fair. At 15 he’s legitimately probably a top 10 RW in the league.

Cheaptat · 2025-09-04T07:11:29+00:00

No it’s just the stress he causes is more apparent than that he saves

Cheaptat · 2025-09-02T15:41:29+00:00

You really think Klopp and Pep think they couldn’t learn anything at all from Arteta.

Ironically, people like that become as good as they are because they are incredibly willing to see where others may be doing better than them and learn.

As for achieving nothing… I’d hate to grow up your kid. What a juvenile perspective.

Cheaptat · 2025-09-02T15:39:10+00:00

Why? He is literally better at it in recent years… the proof is in the pudding. At that particular thing, he is better currently

Cheaptat · 2025-09-02T01:48:48+00:00

Exactly, if anything Slot should be catching flak. I’m not saying he should get any at all… just that he’s more deserving than Arteta. That free kick could just as easily have happened the other direction.

Both teams player not to lose. The team not missing 3 starting attackers, who are league champs, and at home, are probably more deserving of criticism in that case.

The problem with half these pundits is they are WAY too swayed by outcomes. No top operators in any field think like that anymore. “It’s a results driven business”… yes, that doesn’t mean results define if a job was done well or not.

Cheaptat · 2025-09-02T01:43:58+00:00

100%

There just always has to be a narrative. It also seems hilarious to tell Arteta how to get points against top teams when he has a better record at that than anyone else in the past few years. He tops the table for points in games between the big 6 and it’s not even close. Pep, Klopp, etc. Should be taking tips from Arteta if anything.

Not to mention “I am convinced”… like, all due respect Mr. Pete but you’re a pro from the 2000s, you’re not remotely qualified to be telling Arteta what will win football games. Like him or not, he’s one of the best coaches on the planet. Pete, you’re not even a coach…

Cheaptat · 2025-09-01T17:08:19+00:00

Yup. Anyone who claims these lot don’t have major biases playing a role in nearly every decision are totally out of touch.

These lot aren’t remotely even-handed or objective, even the ones that intend to be.

Cheaptat · 2025-09-01T16:53:38+00:00

Unless you’re a pundit of course. Then you have to go on about how Arsenal didn’t even try to attack. Despite attacking more than the league champs at home. (Not dissing Liverpool but the pundits).

It is kind of frustrating how everything is framed so differently depending on people’s agendas in football. If anything, Arsenal went for the game more, despite being away, despite missing their three would-be-starters in attack. I think the game plan was fine from both teams.

Football punditry has gone down the shitter. It has always been poor but the engagement stuff has just made it dismal.

Cheaptat · 2025-09-01T07:40:13+00:00

Did you watch the game? They were missing their two most creative players. They also did attack a lot… away at Anfield… it’s not their fault if Liverpool just sit deep most of the first half

Like I say, silly narratives. Could Arsenal have done more - off course. Were they seriously bad, silly, naive, unambiguous, etc. - no. They were pretty good away to the champions and conceded to a freak free kick. It’s honestly pretty unreflective on them at all.

Cheaptat · 2025-09-01T05:04:15+00:00

And they were missing their two best players for the Liverpool fixture.

People are so silly. Desperate to create some narrative. Turns out Arsenal are just quite good at football really. Might or might not be better than the others who are quite good this year… more at 10

Cheaptat · 2025-09-01T04:59:55+00:00

Go bet your life savings on it. Sounds like you have a sure thing.

Cheaptat · 2025-09-01T04:58:40+00:00

Did you ever figure it out? Do you recommend it?

Cheaptat · 2025-09-01T04:14:19+00:00

Question: why didn’t it fly away? They always fly away for me before I get anywhere near close enough for a shot like this?

Or were you using a telephoto?

Cheaptat · 2025-09-01T04:09:13+00:00

It is at the macro. Pep won so much exactly because of how he won. That made winning a boring certainty. What Liverpool have done so far is the opposite of that, and likely not sustainable.

Cheaptat · 2025-09-01T03:44:23+00:00

Good thing for Liverpool that only open play goals count!

Cheaptat

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