and he taught them Hotspur a fly. And I mean bringing in
which obviously / Suma, Fraser Forster, some really good
signings to strengthen the squad. I mean, how do you feel
about Tottenham, and
Arsenal, and Chelsea and others in London, are looking around
and thinking, we wish we were making these kind of moves
earlier in the summer.
Yeah,
we talked about the actual signings who's been brought in
how they're going to fit at a later date, but the fact that
Antonio, Conte Fabio party G Have essentially converted
Daniel Levy
and broken him down and said this is how we're going to do
business, we're going to do it early in the window, we're not
going to leave it to deadline day looking for the best
possible deal and miss out on the players that I the manager,
Antonio, Conte truly want. I'm not going to stand for that in
the way the previous managers did for years and years
and, you know, getting the deals done two weeks, three
weeks into the window, knowing that most of the squad, if not,
all of its going to be set, They won a preseason. When
Conte
meticulously is ready to start drilling in his tactical plan
for this team to not have the start and the first 10 games
this season that they did last season. It just feels like
everybody is finally pulling in the right in the same direction
with the same
idea and the people who should be the ones kind of dictating
how things are going to run.
Are the ones doing that now?
Yeah, it's brilliant. I mean,
suppose fans exactly what they wanted. Right? When Antonio
Conte came in well they hoped for obviously the early signs
weren't great. Eight, when he talked out against the club
quite a lot and quite quite frequently.
Yeah. But you know what? I think that's why it's
happening. Now, the way that it is because he came in, he
applied pressure where it needed. He looked at the club
and said this club has potential,
very big Club. In London, the stadium, the training
facilities, the money. That the commercial power that they now
have and said, this should be better. I'm going to make this
better and I think he has absolutely done that. I think
putting the
pressure on Levy publicly
where maybe made some
efforts. Fans feel like he wasn't committed or he was just
going to leave quickly. If the first time the things got bad.
He knew exactly what he was doing. I think we're seeing
the the fruits of that now.
Genius Champions League qualification, obviously helped
his violent into a totally different stage, but looking
really good with Tottenham Nick across North London. Arsenal,
making some ways and it looks like
Gabrielle Jesus, they're working really hard to get him in
Rafi near as well, from leaching out. It looks like
they've stolen the march on Barcelona and others. So what'd
you think about that? Because we thought your root elements
were coming. He hasn't come Um, in yet, may still do obviously
Fabio Vieira coming in from Porto that's all but confirmed,
it's really good
attacking signers but these the kind of players ask them
actually needed. I think Gabrielle Jesus is perfect for
them, especially was connection with Miguel arteta,
but they still may be a bit too top-heavy. When you look at
some of the attacking players already have in soccer Smith
row odegard. I mean,
what are we thinking? Because they definitely needed that
number 9,
but I kind of questioned whether they needed rafinha
because they've got Martinelli. They've got other pieces there.
It's not bad. It looks like it's moving again in the right
direction. For Arsenal, if they can get these moves over
the line. Look, it's very interesting.
I think there's a lot of faith being shown in arteta and
I think he's earned a little bit of faith.
I think they've cleaned up what we really knew, they needed to
clean up, right like that so many centre-back buys for
a while and we wonder whether develop and you know the sort
of obsessive discussions over whether this is the time
William Saliba actually gets to
play for Arsenal. Look Ben White is good, Aaron Ramsdell
Great season been what? I don't want to say he's good,
I thought it's over or under Stephanie and he's very, very
good. And he's formed a good partnership. I think we've seen
when Tierney is healthy, although that's a loaded
question.
There were a lot of players that they were missing in
defense last year or missed for a while because of injury. The
Tillman's thing is a thing. I thought they would have been
made a little bit more of a priority on
because I think the attacking pieces are there.
But the one thing I want to say Martinelli, I like him and
Smith row. I like him. But if Arsenal's going to be Arsenal
it's not just oh look at these guys who have arrived and
they're kind of good, it's taking them in challenging
them.
So if Smith row not that it's not like for like but just make
the comparison of Smith Rose going to hold off
rafinha and still start what great news for Arsenal. But
I think that when a young guy is good, that's awesome.
But when you get a guy you can get a guy who's better.
That's even better. So so if Arsenal wants to be Arsenal,
they've got to start to build back the depth that they used
to have.
Right point at defensively, they were solidified last
season that was the big Improvement for them. The
reason why they nearly got into the top four but missing you
know
about me, angle even midseason and not being himself
lacazette, they're leaving in the summer and qetsiyah signed
a new deal. So, that's good as a backup option, but if they
can get someone of
Gabrielle chases, ilk in the door,
I think he'd be absolutely perfect for this system and
I think a perfect kind of fit as well, with what art is
trying to do, right? You going hungry, players, talented, all
as a group and there's a really good balance there. And if you
look across London to West London Chelsea,
some changes behind the scenes, are with Bruce popped, a long
time. Chairman stepping down, looks like Marina Grande of
sky, as well as going to move on. She's in the transfer Guru,
Chelsea for so many years
and the former ownership there's talk to Todd boli,
the new American owner is going to be doing a lot of the transfer
deals here
and we're looking around Lukaku, looks like you're going
back to insert on loan. There's a lot of question marks about
team of Anna, Christie and puller sick
hakim's. Yash maybe going out and then the liked it was men
dembele and Raheem Sterling. And so
excited for Chelsea but a lot of change there and a little
bit risky but probably in that attacking third, the pitch,
that's where the biggest changes need to be made
for Thomas to call because everywhere else there are
pretty solid. Right.
You say exciting for child. I say I don't know. I really
don't any time you you kind of
obviously a transition of power running the club, but who is
kind of more
directly operating the club in terms of the squad and
the transfers and everything anytime that That role. That
job that responsibility changes
question everything that they do. Don't just say, okay well
it's Chelsea it's a big name player. It'll work out you. We
give the benefit of the doubt. I think in a lot of stable
situation, smart situations,
situations, where there's a track record of doing good
business. I think Chelsea have
there have been some big expensive mrs. Over the years.
But I think on the whole they've been pretty good and
they've hit more than they have missed. But with
potentially the owner coming in and running the transfer,
Business.
This could this could very quickly start to look like
Manchester United of the last handful of years, where
it's just
knee-jerk reactions, who's available this players
available. I mean Usman dembele,
since he's gone to barsa, you know, his value is just gone
down every single year. And if that's the type of player that
we're talking about showing up at Chelsea to, you know, build
the new Squad.
I just I just don't know that it's going to work out and
Chelsea's gonna just Just just because they're Chelsea,
maintain the level that they've been at, just because they have
all that money as we've seen with Manchester United. It
doesn't always matter. I just have two questions. I must say
it's not going to work. I
have questions. No you would hope that as some kind of
Legacy planning their right in terms of in front of scalloped
Edge, checks behind the. See I'm
I'm sure there's
someone there who is maybe going to take it
in front of the owner and he still involved in it. The new
owner but it's going to be interesting. I think
defensively as well. Losing Antonio rudiger.
Benson's obviously gone as well
and then you have Thiago Silva as public WETA.
Some very good center backs but they never need to strengthen
and that area as well. And the like some girl, oh can't a mix
season last year of all those injuries. So, yeah, I guess
I understand totally bit of a precarious situation for
Chelsea to see, you know, especially with Tottenham
strengthening Arsenal pushing them all the time and maybe
maybe man united figuring things out
top four, could be
in the most Jeopardy for them. That it's been a long, long time.
This upcoming and season. All right, gents lot of
Transfer News there to wrap up over at pro soccer. Talking NBC
sports.com will keep you updated on all the latest news
across the summer. We've Only Just Got Started some big deals
already, but
so much more going on. We'll keep you updated daily on
the site with everything going on in the Premier League and
elsewhere in the soccer World.