Do Aston Villa know what they are getting in Marcus Rashford? We also have mails on Spurs, Newcastle and more…
Send your views on the transfer window to theeditor@football365.com
Man City okay to spend, right?
So Manchester City end a transfer window with a net spend of minus 184 million pounds, while paying just one star half a million a week.
Isn’t it great to see that financial fair play is being so rigorously enforced and levelling the playing field for smaller clubs in England?
Kind regards
S.E
Are Villa prepared to be disappointed?
On Monday an article in the Guardian rather accurately summarized Marcus Rashford as ‘a superstar without superstar achievements, superstar numbers, or superstar talent.’ Blimey. This begs a question: Apart from a few misty-eyed Mancunians, are people not sick to their back teeth about a faux superstar by now?
Well he’s finally moved to Villa, not before trumpeting that a few other clubs were in for him too! Wow, Marcus. That makes Villa so much more the lucky lucky club to have you, to have won a crown jewel in the lottery of inconsistent footballers capable of consistently subpar performances. Count me as one amongst the gazillions looking forward to seeing Marcus Rashford net inconsequentially three times between now and May.
I’d say just let his football do the talking now, but there’ll be so much cloying coverage won’t there. Rashford is 27 years old, we speak of him as if he’s a unicorn of burgeoning talent needing to turn the page on a “bad spell” whereby he’ll magically rediscover all his youthful promise… except that nasty little “bad spell” of his equates the entirety of his career but for a few choice moments few and far.
When I think Marcus Rashford, I only recall a single glimmer; one quality outing he had in cutting inside Alexander-Arnold twice in one match to score a brace at Old Trafford. Never again has he shown anything near that solitary showpiece moment (and let’s not forget Alexander-Arnold on his best day defends like a training dummy).
Anyway we can gear up for many, many cutaways of Unai Emery making that exasperated expression of his on the touchline, where his shirt collar appears overly constricting. Deflating times await. It’ll be trial and error (but mainly error, I reckon) at poor old Villa.
Eric, Los Angeles CA
READ: January transfer window winners: Rashford, Nottingham Forest, Spurs, Manchester City and more
Leave Levy alone
The signing of Tel last night needs to be the catalyst to leave Levy alone. I’ve thought it for a while but watching that deal get over the line last night only solidified it.
He’s far from perfect, right. The Bond villain demeanor, those piercing eyes staring down at whoever’s next for the chop, the standoffishness…he’s not an easy guy to like. And the Carraghers and Wrights jump on it. And the Spurs fans are buying it. And they’ve got every right to be unhappy. But not enough is spoken about what he has done.
The song is flawed. The one about Kulusevski that says ‘I don’t care about Levy, he don’t care about me’. You think Sheikh Mansour gives a s**t about Gary from Stockport? He doesn’t. I know everyone feels like a legacy fan these days, and wants to focus that disillusionment somewhere. But Spurs actually have a chairman who went to Spurs when he was a kid. The doubters are closer to him than they like to think.
Another thing to bear in mind. You’re going to be singing for a while. He’s in charge. It costs 2.6 billion to buy. This ain’t like putting a bike on Facebook marketplace. He’ll still be here this time next year.
So enough has been said about what he hasn’t done, but what has he done?
Built one of the best stadiums in the world on the site of the old one. Has anyone else ever done that?
Signed Berbatov, Modric, Van Der Vaart, Alli, Kulusevski, Son, Dembele, Walker, Lloris and Bale. Enjoy watching them?
Spent 50m + on 3 strikers lately
Run the club in a fiscally responsible, sustainable manner without, so far, taking money from those with a questionable attitude to human rights
Built a kick ass training ground
Either developed or bought great young players
Went to every game home and away. Never ducked a game because he knows it’s going to be uncomfortable for him. Shi**y seat at Tamworth away? No probs. Everton and Brentford on a Sunday when you know everyone is going to call for your head? I’ll be there.
Done what Jim Ratcliffe couldn’t on Mathyus Tel. Got on planes. Turned up at training grounds and not taken no for an answer to sign Son
Took Spurs from a value of 47 million to 2.6 billion.
I get that you’re all upset, I really do. But you made your point. It’s not his fault Poch bottled playing Moura in the Champions League final.
Andrew
Newcastle frustration ahoy
It’s been another frustrating window for every Newcastle United supporter. One can’t help wondering why, if the club could afford an £80 million transfer bid for Marc Guehi at the end of the summer, it couldn’t afford to buy a single player this month. Especially as we’ve been showing a transfer profit for three windows now. Murphy doesn’t exactly need replacing, but it’s a good time to start bedding in an upgrade, as Howe did with Bruno.
One can understand why Miggy Almiron was sold for maybe £8 million. He’s in his prime and wants to play. Atlanta gives him a super-soft landing, too. But why are they giving up Lloyd Kelly for £15 million and treating it as a matter of necessity? Kelly hasn’t impressed anybody at the Toon, but sometimes a player takes a while to bed into the squad. (As with Miggy himself.)
It seems like NUFC ought to have accrued some spending flexibility with respect to PSR, but it’s just crickets on that front. The squad is very good and can beat any club on any ground on its day, but recent home losses to Bournemouth and Fulham are surely a signal that something needs shaking up in the squad. Not just subtraction, but addition, because European football could very well slip out of reach.
One person on the socials has denied to me that the transfer embargo has anything to do with the rotating profit/loss margins implicit in profit & sustainability rules, but I don’t know that he’s correct. Several sets of arcane rules clearly pertain, at any rate.
Perhaps there are, in fact, very big transfer plans that can’t be effected until summer. Perhaps a quiet pre-contract agreement or two has been signed involving big wages. Perhaps a more reasonable 60 million quid has been set aside for Guehi, with Mbuemo or targets expected to become more affordable. That’s the sort of thing I want to think, anyway.
What I don’t think is “it’s the f*cking owners, man,” and that’s a little remarkable. Owners are often even easier to blame than managers, especially when an individual or family has a majority stake. And especially when you know that Eddie Howe isn’t calling these shots. But these f*ckers are the richest people in the world and only want to be associated with winners; it’s easy to trust that the board know what they’re up to. And then again, yeah, I do blame the f*cking owners, but for reasons more important than taking care of an asset that I happen to care about. What a world.
Chris C, Toon Army DC
READ: January transfer window losers: Manchester United, Leicester, Newcastle, Arsenal, Liverpool fans
Dear Stewie…
There comes a time in one’s life when we must recognise the things that hold us back, bring constant disappointment and betrayal and let them go. For a long time now, this relationship has soured. It doesn’t sound like you liked or rated Arsene Wenger very much especially through the fallow years. It sounds like you don’t like or rate Mikel Arteta and see him as someone who can bring the club success.
You don’t like or rate a significant portion of the players at the club including those who are pivotal to the way Arteta sets up his side. You don’t seem to like or rate how the transfer business is done, or how the club is run in general especially with regards to staff appointments.
The perma-crisis club that is Arsenal is floundering in 2nd place yet AGAIN, trapped in a death spiral of a meagre unbeaten run of just 14 Premier League games. The chances of improving on last seasons paltry return of 89 points is infinitesimal. Even the Invincibles could beat that. And there’s no point looking at the 91 goals scored as they weren’t all scored by a striker so they don’t really count. Especially if they are set pieces which, frankly, should count against them.
What I’m trying to say, Stewie, is that you are right. Arsenal is a nothing club and honestly not worthy of your support. This is a borderline abusive relationship and while I know the cops will do nothing, you can! It’s time to say f**k off to the Arsenal and pick a real team to support. One that always wins things and always has the best manager… like Antonio Conte! Or won’t be spaffed by Chelsea in the transfer market who stole Mudryk from under their noses.
Have you checked out Liverpool? They are doing everything right (except Chiesa but he might come good). The have Mo Salah! They’ve been favoured by the gods with no serious injuries (I think) or stupid red cards from performative school headmasters masquerading as referees. Just imagine – if they win it this year and you support them, you will be able to cheer them on the bus through the streets! You will be able to dance in the streets, bantz with your mates and be happy. You’ll be able to say “see, I KNEW they would win” and no one could gainsay you.
Arsenal will never, ever deliver this for you. Cut your losses on this dead-beat club and find another that truly deserves your support.
They probably won’t even miss you.
Guru (AFC since ‘73 – North London Forever)
…Must…..scroll…..past…..Stewie’s……email…..
Oh b*llocks.
I am this close to telling the wife about Stewie, just so I have some place to vent, but then I have to deal with the ‘what the f*ck is wrong with you?’ type look. And she won’t understand.
I mean what grown adult man uses emojis anyway?
Up The Arsenal.
Danny P
Man whose team won 5-1 is oddly angry
I have a few suggestions for fixing the broadly reviled refereeing in this country. But, first, I’d like to quickly add my take on Arsenal’s January transfer window as a Gooner. The people who hold the purse strings have clearly written off this season and conceded to Liverpool. I can only imagine (hope) that that means a £100 million plus bid for Isak in the summer… Yes, I’m angry. But, I’m still going to back the boys on the pitch, regardless.
Anyway, the refereeing in the Premier League. I have a few suggestions. Firstly, I should be a referee. In fact, I should be a referee for Arsenal games and any Arsenal rival games exclusively. If that seems unfair then perhaps consider this:
In an episode of That Peter Crouch Podcast during COVID Mike Dean explained that referees have to declare which team they support so that they don’t referee their team’s games. So, maybe you can spot the immediate flaw in my initial proposal. I guess, then, it’s worth considering myself for other Premier League games, like City vs Liverpool. Or, Spurs vs literally anyone else. Wait, still not happy with that? I wonder, then, why it’s ok for the PGMOL to allow a Liverpool fan to have the power to suggest to the on-field ref to give Saliba a red card and thus suspend him from an ensuing Liverpool game…
Maybe it’s also not ok to permit a Newcastle fan the power to suspend a player from a game against his team in a League Cup semi-final second leg. Or, if you’re not opposed to this then you’re probably ok with Michael Oliver refereeing Newcastle games. Because, you know, there’s no bias in refereeing in football at all and it’s all fair.
Pettiness aside, every Newcastle fan I’ve come across online in recent years absolutely hates Arsenal, the fans, and Mikel Arteta. Do you think Michael Oliver is any different? I mean, do you think there’s only one ref who thinks Klopp is a cxnt? You might need assistance chewing and swallowing if you do.
My second (and actually serious) suggestion is that no referee who supports a Premier League team should be in the Premier League. If you don’t know what a conflict of interest is/are a Geordie then maybe skip to the next email. There CANNOT be any referees in the Premier League that support Premier League teams. It. Is. A. Conflict. Of. Interest. That there is an argument that there aren’t enough good referees for this to be actioned is a blatant failure on the part of the FA, etc. Why aren’t there enough good referees for the Premier League? That’s a failure on all those northern, white, gate-keeping dudes. Fight me.
To the Man Utd fans who say “you won, move on”, you’re not helping anyone, not even yourselves. To the Liverpool fans who say “we get bad decisions, too!”, yeah, you do! I’m on your side! You should be on my side, too! To the Geordies who just laugh and claim Arsenal fans are entitled, fuck you guys. You haven’t won shit in my whole lifetime and should stay in your lane. Saudi money monkeys who’ve seen more relegations than title challenges.
Fxck you all.
Simon, Norf London Gooner
And another one…
The fall out from rival fans after a big Arsenal win is simply hilarious. Micah Richards had it spot on when he said ‘when it’s Arsenal everyone has to lump in for some reason’ When it’s Arsenal everyone seems to be deliberately stupid. The strangest part is people are trying to convince themselves their club and their fans are some sort of moral compass on all of football.
Come on, every fan would love their team to smash City 5-1 and give a bit back to Haaland who started this argument completely unprovoked. Every club has to put up with it and every club will dish it out, you love it when its your club or your player and you just have to swallow it when you’re on the receiving end – particularly when it is a reaction to something you started.
We obviously get ‘you haven’t won anything’ – we don’t care, we’re still going to celebrate thrashing City 5-1.
The fact that the main talking point has been the celebration of an 18 year old scoring his first premier league goal proves the point about Arsenal doesn’t it? We’ve just handed Pep his biggest ever Premier league defeat and only the second time in his near 1000 game managerial career he’s conceded 5, we were without our best player and we had 2 genuine academy teenagers score.
Why are so many fans desperate to reveal in misery. I understand it, you don’t like Arsenal, you don’t like it when we win and you don’t like it when we celebrate – but maybe just ignore it and not try to manufacture any meaningless talking point to try to scrape any kind of put down or ‘win’ against Arsenal. The hypocrisy is off the scale when it comes to Arsenal. Of course Arsenal fans want to win trophies but I think it p*sses rival fans off more that we can still be happy with our team even if the biggest trophy isn’t won this season. ‘ah that shows how small time you are’ – I can hear it already.
When Haaland was charging around barging in to people, bouncing a ball of Gabriel’s head and starting unprovoked arrogant attacks on Arteta, Jesus and MLS because his team scraped a 2-2 draw against 10 men it was ‘funny’ according to Neville and many others – when Arsenal get their revenge we are told its disgraceful, we’re told we should rise above it – Neville actively encouraged violence against us after preaching all week about social media pile ons for refs. The hypocrisy couldn’t be more obvious.
We’re often told our team and manager is the most dislikeable team in the league, of course as an Arsenal fan I’ll be absolutely blind to this but I wondered what the specific reasons are for this. You can’t use the fans behaviour because we’re all completely irrational and irritating no matter what club we support, Arsenal are no better or no worse, we’re just greater in number so will be louder and have a greater number of idiot fans. It can’t be that you simply don’t think a player is very good – so what is this absolutely abhorrent distasteful behaviour of Arsenal’s manager and players that gets people’s knickers in a twist so much – genuine examples please. none of this ‘Arteta always blames the ref’ without citing any examples – also if the reasons you come up with are simply run of the mill for most managers and players in the league you need to ask yourself again why is it Arsenal? I’m genuinely interested why you hate Arteta and the players so much. Go on get it off your chest, you definitely want to.
Rich, AFC
