GM. This is the Free Transfer, your personal transfer translator. 💱 

What’s on tap:

• Arsenal beat City for the first time in forever ✌️ 

• Chelsea target a different defensive midfielder 🦅 

• Arsenal GK dominoes 🔜 

• West Ham make a signing! ⚒️ 

• More breaking transfer news 🚨 

Arsenal beat City for the first time in forever ✌️

After a fairly even match ended 1-1 in regulation following a fantastic goal off the right from Cole Palmer & a deflected effort from Trossard in the 100’, Arsenal went on to beat City 4-1 in penalty kick after some heroics from Aaron Ramsdale.

Stand-outs 👁️ 

Jurrien Timber

• Played out of position at left back but hardly put a foot wrong

• Dominated his area defensively

• Made great runs upfield with the ball

Timber’s debut couldn’t have gone better. To walk in as cool as a clam vs. the Treble winners and play like that… it may be difficult for Zinchenko to win his spot back! 😶 

Aaron Ramsdale

• Beaten by a brilliant curling finish into the opposite top corner for City’s goal

• Made 3 decisive saves to keep his side in the match at the end of regulation

• Saved Rodri’s penalty kick to win them the trophy

Had a few loose first touches on the ball in possession but still found his man with a pass. This performance was a top one for Ramsdale’s standards— maybe he has some extra motivation with David Raya potentially coming in soon 👀 

Rodri

No flashy moments but, as always, a classy performance in midfield with minimal mistakes. Got caught out a few times in transition & made tactical fouls to slow things down a few times, somehow escaping the match without a yellow. Besides that he always brings calm to City’s midfield and defensive block. Great match.

John Stones

Not sure that one ball got past him the whole day. Stones also joined Rodri in midfield, continuing this tactic from last season, which worked well against Arsenal’s block. Dominated his aerial duels & passing (96% accuracy). What a player.

Takeaways 📝 

Arsenal look back and better than ever. Partey had many costly giveaways (see City’s goal), but generally grew into the game. With Rice there, he needs to be at full concentration from 1’ or risk losing his starting spot. Havertz made good runs & was a bigger presence up front than what Arsenal are used to. This aided them in moving the ball upfield but he was extremely poor in front of goal. If he is going to be their striker, he has some work to do. Arsenal’s defense were fantastic besides Cole Palmer’s wonderstrike. Saliba kept Haaland completely silent on the day. Odegaard, Saka, & Martinelli were bottled up well by City’s mid & deep block. Overall, very encouraging day for Arsenal fans.

City looked great for the first 25 minutes until Arsenal took hold of the game until halftime. Great possession & building from the back, they looked like their same old selves. The only thing they were missing was KDB’s dynamism in midfield until he was subbed on for the second half. Foden was very dynamic in creating the goal for City. Central midfield could suit him more than winger this season. Overall, nothing much to critique for the treble winners.

These two teams are certainly the favorites for the Premier League top 4 & title race as of now.

Chelsea target a different defensive midfielder 🦅 

Chelsea have a defensive midfielder they are looking to close in on, and his name is not Moises Caicedo…