IS ARTETA INTER RESTING PLAYERS?

I actually don’t think I’ve reported on a single transfer rumor this month? I haven’t even felt like it. I am the bear that feasted in the summer and now I can hibernate through a month in which we’re normally famished to the point we’re looking at players like Mathys Tel asking if that sort of thing is ok to eat.

Let’s switch it up to drugs… where are all the transfer tweakers from last year?

‘Please sir, give us a little taste of Marmoush, that’s what Champions do. Don’t got none, how about a little Kolo Muani? Come on maaaaann, you gotta have some Ollie at £60m!’

Where are you on that now? All that drama? All that rank desperation for a hit of anything? How would that have worked out you sick transfer freaks?

As I said last summer, just wait 5 months, then make a horrendous mistake with more time on your hands.

One player that might feel he made a mistake is Ethan Nwaneri. The 18-year-old put pen to paper on a long-term deal, with the expectation his career would progress, and sadly, it hasn’t. He was moved from the right to cover Martin Ødegaard and once again, when the Norwegian took a hit, Ethan was not played. 515 minutes is quite good by the standards of most teenagers at elite clubs, but this is a kid who probably fancied himself as generational… and he’s been frozen out, not even making squads on the regular.

David Ornstein says he’s been offered to De Zerbi over at Marseille. The Italian coach is extremely demanding, a little bit crazy, and he’s been doing a good job rehabbing Mason Greenwood who was deservingly banished from Manchester United.

Ligue 1 has a very specific identity and place in the food chain of European football. It’s a farm for super young talent to get minutes and move on to bigger and better things. There’s only one dominant super club there, and they also play loads of very young players as well. But, the overall flavor of the league is youthful. The football is a bit slower, the physicality of the players isn’t Premier League levels, and the lower intensity is kind of perfect to give teenagers the platform to learn the game, hone their craft, and move up a few levels doing the football thing in a live amphitheater.

Loans aren’t for losers—we have to remember that. They are a tool clubs have used really well in the past to shape their best players. Ødegaard did a lot of loans before getting sent to Arsenal, where he was also subject of a loan. Willy Saliba is the most famous of our loan players, doing three stints before knee sliding into our first team. What is unclear with Ethan is whether he’s being fattened up for summer sale or whether he’s being groomed to return for a blowout next season.

One question I would ask of Arteta if we were tweaking out together in the transfer room… me looking at strikers, Mikel looking at full-backs… is this… who is our cover for the creative role if we land two injuries like we have at left-back right now?

We have constantly been linked with signing Arda Güler, a creative player who has been in and out of Madrid’s team. He has all the tools Mesut Özil boasts, a pure creator, the type of name that doesn’t really thrive in the Premier League these days. 10 assists and 3 goals in a team that hasn’t really thrived this season is decent, but I’m not sure picking up a lightweight that plays in a team that downed a manager because they don’t like details or off-the-ball movement is the swing I’d be taking.

But back to Ethan, if I were advising him… take the move, get the minutes, show the Premier League what you’re about. I’d probably see if Myles wanted to go as well. Getting benched by a right-back isn’t a good look and if we’re being fair… that decision is sound.

Ok, this evening at Inter Milan. Arteta has absolutely no jeopardy on this game whatsoever. We have 3 more points than anyone in the Champions League right now and our next game is against Kairat. I don’t want to be disrespectful to them, but they are bottom of the league with 1 point and a -11 goal difference.

Inter Milan is a free hit in a fight that doesn’t matter. The whole point of winning your first 6 games is that you can heavily rotate for the 7th game and take advantage of being really fucking good in Europe.

Man United weren’t just good against City, they were exceptional. What did they have in common with Forest? A week to prepare, rest, get up to speed, and dominate. They are going to play like old school United against us, could be devastating, or it could be awful… we need to prepare for them the best way we can.

Some mandatories… No Gyokeres. I want to see Gabriel Jesus or Kai Havertz for 55 minutes. Martin Ødegaard should stay at home and Eze needs to get minutes.

Can I change my mind? If Kai can’t start, then you need to give me that pairing of Mikel Merino with Eze. Let’s pair chemistry players together and stop worrying about who we spent what on.

Midfield, I’ve no idea who we roll with, but Nørgaard stepping up wouldn’t be offensive to me, even though it hasn’t really happened this season. This would be a good game to give Ethan minutes but that seems unlikely. Maybe the need to rest up Zubi and Declan will force Merino to drop into midfield?

Defence-wise, get Myles out on that pitch. Tell Mosquera to get his boots on. We do NOT want to be seeing Ben White on the grass again, he needs a recharge.

Then in goal, I’m happy to see Kepa.

The aim of this game is to put on a good performance, stretch the fringe players, and escape with no injuries so the team back home is really fresh for a monster game at the weekend.

Nothing else matters. Group stage games don’t affect morale when you’re the best team in Europe. This ugly starting 11 is a reward for greatness. We will avoid the qualifier game regardless.

How much of this will Arteta pay attention to? Who knows. But it is clear that the two teams who played emotional cup games midweek had poor performances against teams who had time to prepare… so hopefully he understands that and doesn’t get wrapped up in records or the bigness of playing a huge team away in a sexy competition.

Ok, that’s all I have for you today, get yourself a Dugout Special below and let’s move! I’ve just opened it so anyone can watch. x