Morning all from an extremely grey and damp Dublin, where the sorry reason for a summertime continues.

I wager they don’t have this type of weather condition in Marbella, which is where Arsenal have actually been doing some pre-season work. Obviously this includes the gamers who haven’t been associated with European competitions this summer season, whether it’s the Euros or the Copa America, and I believed Martin Odegaard’s remarks about that were rather fascinating.

From our point of view as fans, it’s great that he, and others like Ben White, Jurrien Timber and Gabriel Jesus, haven’t invested the summer season training and playing extremely competitive video games, however the gamer’s frame of mind is various. The captain states:

I wished to remain in the Euros and I’m dissatisfied that we didn’t certify, so I’d choose to be there however that’s the scenario. Rest is constantly great with the quantity of extreme video games we play and how difficult it is to play football at the most significant phase. It’s actually requiring so it’s an advantage to get some rest, however I would choose to be there and play.

The conversation about gamer well-being, the needs put on them by club, nation and – when it pertains to the most significant stars – the involved requirements to be universal as an amalgamation of footballer, human, and brand name – is one that will never ever end. The genie runs out the bottle, the horse has actually bolted, when there’s more there is nearly never ever less, and I believe we require to simply accept the reality that expert football is essentially an 11 month a year task. If they get 4 weeks to themselves, they’re the fortunate ones, since domestic leagues, European competitors, internationals, pre-season trips and all the rest imply it is now basically a non-stop occupation.

On the Arsecast Extra the other day we had a concern about whether it may be a great concept to postpone the go back to action of gamers like Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and William Saliba since of how far they have actually addressed Euro 2024 (not to point out the extra-time shenanigans they’ve been included with too). The response to that is, obviously: yes. It would be a great concept to enable them a break to unwind for a couple of weeks, to charge their batteries (physical and psychological) and to reduce them back into action. Arsene Wenger frequently discussed the requirement to be conscious of gamers who have actually been at global competitions, and how time off was essential.

The truth, nevertheless, doesn’t permit that. There’s over a month in between the last of Euro 2024 and the opening Premier League video game. Two weeks off (where they’re not going to go on the piss and consume fish and chips before getting here back to training appearing like Norm from Cheers), and after that another 2 weeks to get them all set for Wolves. Look at our opening components this season too. I hope we include some quality and depth to the team before then, however you can’t play those video games without that trio. I imply, you CAN, however you wouldn’t wish to. And so the cycle continues.

Odegaard once again, on last season:

It’s simple to take a look at one video game however I believe you need to take a look at the entire season. We didn’t have the consistency to win it and we need to make it and we understand we can enhance, improve which’s what we’re dealing with. We were so close however we’re going to return even more powerful now I’m sure.

This follows from remarks made by Mikel Arteta recently too, the supervisor stating:

When you are analytical and you collect all the statistics and whatever the group has actually done over the previous 11 months in the Premier League, we ought to have won it. That’s what the statistics state. The truth is that we didn’t so there is something that exists that we haven’t handled along with Man City or other clubs in the past. I believe we comprehend where those margins are. I believe we have actually come extremely far. We have actually been actually constant now in the previous 24 months in regards to efficiency and the levels that we wish to strike. But those margins are very little. One thing is to get the 90% that we desire and in fact the 10%, 5%, 1% is what specifies success and winning significant prizes. Now we need to continue to do all the ideal things that we are doing and simply make those little margins that are going to have the ability to win the competitions.

In itself that’s difficult enough, however he’s likewise got to handle attaining that in a competition summer season which has an influence on numerous things, including his gamers and the recruitment side of things. He might discover himself dealing with Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice who are strolling on air after England win it, or more gamers who are tired by just how much they offered to that cause just to fail. The exact same may use to William Saliba, whose France side are in action versus Spain in the very first semi-final tonight.

Nobody ever stated it was gonna be simple, however on top of attempting to enhance on what we did last season – one in which we won more video games than any Arsenal group has actually ever performed in the Premier League – these other aspects will evaluate Arteta and his management abilities. All I would state however, is that this is the sort of things he delights in, so we’ll simply need to wait and see how it works out. I presume it may be a more complex season than last, however I likewise believe that will use throughout the board, and not simply to us.

Right, I’ll leave it there in the meantime. Enjoy the video game later on.