I think the American equivalent of the World Cup food odyssey so many Europeans went on is a bunch of Midwest soccer fans going to Sainsbury’s and experiencing the fresh produce aisle. America is being ravaged here by a berry scene so bland, it might need an investigation. They don’t know what is happening in the UK berry farms. They are not prepared for what £3.25 can buy you. Their strawberries should be indicted on fraud charges for crimes against taste… I have been spoiled, truly, by Sainsbury’s.
Don’t even get me started on the innovations I’m seeing at M&S. It’s too unfair for me to write those things on a global blog. It’d be like introducing a Nokia 3210 user to an iPhone 17. We just can’t be taking responsibility for the outcry this would cause, so I’ll save it for another day.
Final point about London. The lady from The Economist, telling the guy that never goes to London that he didn’t know what he was talking about when it comes to London burning narratives, was so, so right. I just can’t quite grasp how so many people in America ask me about how dangerous London is because a bunch of nerds on Twitter say it’s like Baghdad 25 years ago. I spent 4 days walking the city with my kids, all over the place, and the only complaint I had was the heat. London, without doubt, is one of the greatest cities on the planet, and the pleasantness of just walking it can’t really be matched by many others (personal bias, but walking New York doesn’t measure up to walking London).
I’m also blown away by how much newness there is everywhere and the diversity of what they are building - everything connects, the design language is varied but seamless, and so much care goes into the important things. You are so blessed in big cities to have the range of things to do, at any price point, and have so much of it be at such an outrageously high quality. If you live in the city, you are truly blessed, and I might actually be jealous of you… and if we meet, maybe I try and bring you down in other ways that aren’t immediately clear… but trust me, it’s related to the jealousy, not your t-shirt looking a little frumpy.
Talking of things that make me happy… how about the journalist from The Telegraph finally coming to the table with the reality of what is happening to Bruno?
I love this brand of ‘yeah, but I was right hactually’… but the deeper point here, outside this all being quite amusing, is that the Bruno story is going to culminate in a closure of sorts very soon, just as so many have said for weeks.
I don’t need to keep saying the same things here, you know my view, I think this could quite possibly be the most important signing of the summer. It’s one of those unassuming deals that gives Arsenal a quality injection that will feel totally seamless when we need it most. Bruno represents a pressure release valve in midfield for the concentration of minutes that led to dead games last season… and he also gives us an injection of quality attributes that we maybe lack. He’s very good going forward, he’s progressive in his thinking, and he gives us shot action threat that we kind of have… but it’s underutilized.
The Vini Jnr story hasn’t had any notable updates. It seems pretty set. The player has an Arsenal offer that is very rich. He’ll take a lesser deal from Madrid, but they have to budge on the loyalty bonus. Arsenal think they have the funds to pull him out of there if the player decides he wants to be a global superstar at the bigger club.
Do I have that right? Of course I do. I’ve been fuelling my brain with Sainsbury’s raspberries; I think I know what I’m talking about.
Being an Arsenal fan, I do have to protect my feelings, and think about the worst case… because I’m not sure what that is right now. Nothing will feel like a Vini transfer, but we do have some problems to solve on the left if that’s the case. Will we pressure Atlético for Álvarez? Will Barcola be an option? I also have questions about the budget, because one senses there isn’t a set pool of money dedicated to anyone on the left. What I mean by that is this: if we miss out on Vini, I don’t think there’s £400k a week and £140m for Bradley Barcola. Again, could be totally wrong here, but this whole mega push by Arsenal isn’t a deal that has been on a whim… it feels like the club has been working on it for a while, and everyone is in lockstep on doing a madness because it’s Vini Jnr, he’s a big f*cking deal, and he comes with far more guarantees than anyone else on the market on the left (I include Kvara, who had quite poor numbers last season, and has played in slow leagues).
You know what else I have my eye on? The 6 or so players we should be shifting this summer to bring in some cash money. I’m not sure I read too much into Arteta saying Gyok is staying, anything can change in football. I think there are plenty of names that could exit if bids came our way… I’m just not entirely sure there seem to be too many bids at the moment. Martinelli is the most shocking of them all, because he’s an objectively top talent, who stays fit, and does big things in big games. How can no one be at our door with a begging bowl, but they’ll be ready with an £80m bid for Kroupi?
I just can’t get myself excited about £15m for Vieira or £7m for Norgaard. Get me some proper cash. I want to see big numbers. I can’t have Ox as the biggest sale ever. How am I reading £35m for Nwaneri yet Man City paid €31.20m for Oscar Bobb last season? Are Arsenal being discriminated against for sale? Have we been blackballed for saying something unsavoury at a Premier League meeting of the minds? Did someone cook fish in the office microwave at the Sporting Directors Selling conference? I need to know, because the lack of deals is fishy. BAD fishy, if you get what I’m saying.
I’m not too dialled into everyone else’s pre-season games yet, but it was interesting to see Chelsea lose to Spurs, and concede 4 against Western Sydney. You’d best believe I was dialled into Leeds walloping Liverpool 4-2, with Iraola’s players having a little bust-up. I also had to listen to Enzo Maresca say that Man City have to try and win the Premier League, or at least fight until the end, but he feels it’s too early… staggering. How does chatter like that go down in a dressing room that I’d imagine might need convincing on Maresca as the heir apparent to the greatest winner of all time? Badly, is my hope.
Ok, I’m at the end of my post, I’m back at home this week, so the good blogs will flow like wine, and the podcasts will get back on track.
19 days untill the start of the league.
Back to Back 🏆🏆
Bruno G, here we go!!!
2nd .now we have to deal with the endless haggling between us & the barcodes.£70m rejected.apparently.the barcodes going to mzke it as awkward as possible for an agreement.and that’s aside from the will he won’t he vin The chin sahannigans.