02 Apr 2022 11:43:20
What are people's thoughts about Saliba? I've just read he has been quoted as saying he won't be happy to come back and sit on the bench.
I've yet to read a positive quote from him. Personally I've got a bad feeling about this .


1.) 02 Apr 2022
02 Apr 2022 12:58:50
I understand your concerns Sallyjanine, and only reading about him and not knowing the intimate details, I don’t feel Saliba can win here.

From my eyes, he seems to have been appallingly mismanaged by Arsenal - I can’t say Arteta directly, but he must be influential here - and seems to have performed decently enough on the pitch wherever we have punted him out to after paying a fortune for him then playing half-wits and ne’er-do-wells ahead of him.
If I were him, I’d hardly feel loved and wanted by us.
And, what is he supposed to say, that he’d be happy to come and sit on the bench and fight for his place? I mean, I know that what we all want him to say and feel, but he’s ambitious, doubtless egotistical, will harbour ambitions to get to Qatar in November and has repeatedly either been rebuffed by us as his “parent” club or asked again and again to prove himself.

I am not having a go at you here SJ, just think that the Arseanal hierarchy seem to have been particularly harsh on Saliba, more so than any other squad member.
Wish Arteta had shown the same gumption with others, especially my pet-dislike Xhaka (& yes, I know he has got a bit better lately, but he’s still not vaguely good enough in my books) .


2.) 02 Apr 2022
02 Apr 2022 17:08:39
Good points Canon. It seems the French league is very different to the PL so I assume he wouldn't necessarily transition automatically into the first team. It's a strange situation that's for sure!

He might at some point want to test himself in the Premier League but somehow I don't think it will be with us. Irrespective of the past decisions, if a player comes to Arsenal he should be prepared to be benched if necessary. His latest quote sounds like a challenge to the club.


3.) 02 Apr 2022
02 Apr 2022 17:27:50
After re-reading his quote I think I may have misunderstood the context. I now think he was saying he wouldn't be happy on the bench as he wants to play, which sounds pretty positive. Time will tell :)

{Ed014's Note - I thought the same Sally


4.) 02 Apr 2022
02 Apr 2022 22:02:40
Sally, i read it as he wouldn’t be happy to sit on the bench but happy to be involved in a rotation system.


5.) 03 Apr 2022
03 Apr 2022 07:19:23
I think he signed for Arsenal around 2018/ 19 so he’s been on their books so to speak for around 4 years give or take. He’s 21 so unless a miracle happens my gut feeling is that if Arsenal thought that much of him he would be back at the Emirates fighting for his place. They probably don’t rate him good enough!


6.) 03 Apr 2022
03 Apr 2022 11:03:15
If he had stayed with us I don't think he would have had regular minutes. This way he is a starter each game, which is fantastic for him and for his development.

Whatever happens I wish him well :)

{Ed014's Note - I’m sure he’ll be here next season Sally and pushing for Ben Whites place.


7.) 03 Apr 2022
03 Apr 2022 12:40:26
Assuming we have some form of European football next year, we will need more players, and he seems to fit the bill, so as long as he is happy bring him back.

Would be surprised if he pushed White out the team though Ed. It must already be embarrassing that many so called experts at our club signed off the purchase of Pepe, so I doubt we would follow that debacle by dropping our 50m defender.

{Ed014's Note - well having been purchased for £70+ million doesn’t guarantee you a game, £56 million didn’t guarantee you a game so not sure £50 million will either mate.

I’ve a feeling Saliba will be very good for us mate. Competition back there is no bad thing either, it does Dias, Laporte and Stones the world of good.


8.) 03 Apr 2022
03 Apr 2022 14:03:22
Absolutely Ed, and that’s my point. Edu and Arteta will no doubt be pushing the Kronkees for a large sum of money to purchase a striker, who will in turn point out that the last time we were given a large sum, we purchased Pepe, who was a total waste of money, so why should we get a large sum again. Add Ben White on to the substitute bench as well and I think I would agree with that argument.

However, yes, with Salba back I think We would have 4 very good Cbs, all competing to play, and all getting game time once we are back playing in 4 competitions. Just get a Ward-Prowse or Muamba to replace Xhaka (or both to replace Xhaka, Torreira, Elneny and Guendozi) and I think we have defence and midfield mostly sorted.

{Ed014's Note - how about the experts at City though Epping who regularly see the over priced and over rated Jack Grealish on the bench and the same goes for Pogba at United.

Whilst Pepe hasn’t set the world alight he’s not been a total waste.

I wouldn’t mind grabbing Conor Gallagher as a replacement for Xhaka.


9.) 03 Apr 2022
03 Apr 2022 20:20:26
I like Gallagher Ed, but do you seem him as a CM or really more a number 10? Sadly, Man City and Man Utd seem to be able to waste money on players in a way that we can’t, but getting back in the CL will certainly help. As for Pepe, not his fault that he came for that money, and if there is a light at the end of the tunnel, he can score goals, at the top level, and that is always worth something. It’s such a shame he didn’t come to us for closer to 30m, and i think our feelings towards him would be very different.

{Ed014's Note - he seems to be everywhere in midfield mate, as in box to box, I might be wrong on that but he’s defo not afraid to work.

With Partey at DM and MO at AM he could fit in nicely although I’m sure he won’t be coming to us and totally agree on Pepe, the fee was just nuts.


10.) 03 Apr 2022
03 Apr 2022 20:53:46
Pepe has been our best signing in the last 10 years! If it wasn't for him being so poor I doubt Saka would've got game time at such an early age.

{Ed014's Note - good point! ?


11.) 03 Apr 2022
03 Apr 2022 21:39:19
Lol, I like that. Another thing with Pepe is I would love to see him played a bit more down the left, or even, on occasion through the middle. The few occasions he has played on the left I thought he looked good. Like Saka, he is mostly left foot, but does use his right, and so running at defenders when he can go either way, rather than always cutting in, might give him something extra.