Dani Ceballos had a brilliant Premier League home debut against Burnley on Saturday and the reaction, especially from Arsenal fans, has been feverish but are we going over the top?
Of course we are but so what, if we cannot get over-excited following such a display when can we?
It is only natural for fans to go a little cuckoo when a new signing not only lives up to all expectations but surpasses them.
And until the time comes when the Ceballos bubble bursts then all the plaudits that we are heaping on his shoulders should continue.
Being a fan, especially an Arsenal one, means that there is more than enough time for disappointment but until that time arrives we should milk the positives for all its worth.
Ceballos was a breath of fresh air that we all needed and he may turn out to be just an average midfielder but he also may turn out to be the midfield maestro that we have been looking for years for.
His performance against Burnley deserves every ounce of the acclaim he is getting and we as fans have the absolute right to praise him and demand the club sign him up permanently.
So, yes, it is probably a little over the top right now but everyone had better get used to it because it will continue until such a time it is inappropriate and may that day never come.
Let’s not put too much pressure on him guys…didn’t play too well against Newcastle,but was excellent against Burnley.Hope he does well against Liverpool…like what have seen of him thus far.
No.
He is clearly the greatest footballer in the world ever.
If anything, the praise hasn’t been strong enough.
It was over the top. Perhaps because the Gooners are tired of watching Ozil’s half-a$$ed performances and Ceballos’ was like a drop of hope in the barren of creativity
Ceballos’ actions were excellent, but he did it against a mediocre team in the Emirates and in good weather. Wanna see how he plays against Liverpool’s and Tottenham’s midfielders, because I don’t think he can keep his high work rate and risky playmaking throughout this season
Fabregas and Ozil also took higher risks in their debuts, but they played much safer as they get older. I believe they were affected by Wenger’s preference to play safe, which I hope wouldn’t happen to Ceballos, because we need more fighters like the peak Sanchez and him
“It was over the top. Perhaps because the Gooners are tired of watching Ozil’s half-a$$ed performances and Ceballos’ was like a drop of hope in the barren of creativity” ABSOLUTELY SPOT ON STATEMENT
Is the reaction to Dani’s performance against Burnley OTT – absolutely not !
First noticed Ceballos in the recent Euro U21 tournament.
Outstanding simply as that, and very instrumental in Spain lifting the trophy.
Dani and Upamecano were the standouts in that tournament for me, and I was left wishing we could land both.
(By the way, Gheorghe Hagi’s son Ianis was excellent for Romania – one to keep an eye on, future Gooner ?).
Anyway back to the brilliant Dani Ceballos.
“Too much hyperbole over one performance against a mid to lower table side at home”……no way.
This guy is the real deal.
In a period when we are working to improve the squad overall, in Ceballos you can see already this guy would be an upgrade in both the 10 & 8 positions (Ozil & Ramsey).
I notice this morning our friends over in Arseblog are already trying to put together a “Keep Dani Ceballos” campaign !
Mad so soon in the season after ONE performance, seemingly so but guess what ……….I’m signing up !
To me, Ceballos is a Santi in the waiting.
As a club over to you Raul, let’s pull out ALL the stops to sign this player on a full time basis.
It gonna be tough, because if he continues in the same vein he’s Madrid bound come seasons end.
But let’s convince him, he’s found his Casa – Dani, you are where you will grow to belong.
Madrid won’t sell, unless you will cough out 80m above.. you think they don’t know he is good..it is zidane that doesn’t need him.Madrid hierarchy won’t sell…the didn’t even include it in the loan…let us enjoy him.while it last!!
Believe Madrid would be happy if we offered Xhaka in exchange?
Let’s not forget, he will have good, bad and indifferent games over this season therefore Madrid will have a decision to make.
Simon, you mention £80M.
Given the market is shot anyway ;
Maguire £80m
Ceballos £80M
I know where my money goes (I fully appreciate different players entirely).
Madrid like their “Blue Ribbon” signings, he will go back and be one of a pool of midfield players who are constantly upgraded year on year.
Madrid would have sold, until the Euro U21 tournament of the summer.
They now have a season to make sure on Dani.
When the time comes, test them with a big money offer.
Let’s also try and persuade him personally where his career just may be best served in the long run.
Another big factor remains – will he want to go “home” whatever ?
No!! He was superb & I’m up for going a “little cuckoo” every week!
Where praise is due give it. Otherwise what’s the point. Football is athletics, dance, joy, it makes us happy when played properly. Yes Ceballos deserves praise. On the other hand those not up to it should not receive praise and the manager should get rid of them. Yes Mustafi and Xhaka.
He had a great game and we should milk it for all it’s worth. The worrying thing is we only have him for a year and if he carries on playing like he did against Burnley, Madrid will either want him back or demand £100+ million for him.
On this day, in 2006, we played our first PL game at the Ems!
I like him, just think he will need to release the ball quicker against Liverpool because they will close him down quickly but the bigger worry is Xhaka might be back and will go straight into the XI.
Liverpool press in 3’s (triangles) ceballos Will see them as training cones and wriggle arnd them like a slinky drawing them out of position ,creating space for our deadly front line to apply the HEAT
You’e absolutely right about the press Stan. Don’t get me wrong, this boy is going to be a very good player but at the moment he want’s to much time on the ball. Got away with it against Newcastle and Burnley, teams I expect to be in the bottom five at the end of the season but he won’t get away with it with Liverpool pressing. However he will learn.
I guess we’ve been so used to Ozil’s lethargic, passionless displays, that Ceballos’s performance made him look WC in Arsenal fans eyes. I don’t think the reactions were over the top in the context of that one off performance. He was brilliant, and deserved all the plaudits. I can see also see genuine ability, and potential in him as well, whereas sometimes with young players, a great performance can mask the truth. E.g. A young Walcott would on occasion, be unplayable, but we could see that apart from pace, there wasn’t a lot else there. So his top performances were more of a rare treat, and we never knew when we were going to get one. But with Ceballos, you can see that he has that technically ability, and determination to become even better.
Those saying we should buy him now off the back of that one performance, are being very short sighted though. Let’s not forget his poor performance in the previous game, albeit from the bench. One should never judge a player/manager off one game, or even 10, because that won’t tell you if they have consistency.
Give him a season, and if he’s done well, then try and buy him. But football is all about taking risks though, and if Ceballos has a great season, then his value will sky rocket. So I could see a case for trying to sign him towards the end of the January window to save money. By then he could have made around 25/30 appearances, which is a solid amount of games to see if he has shown consistency, and what he has done against the top teams.
Nice perspective Third Man! Trouble is though , with trying to buy him,in January or next summer, is that we are owned by KROENKE and Ceballos’ talent AND SALE VALUE is already well known at Real . Thee is a vanishingly small chance that we will become his permanent home therefore. That we would love him to be our player is already well understood within the club. Simple acceptance of the awful truth of KROENKES ownership! Sadly!
GUYS I HAVE A FEELING THAT Miktryan should start, in place of Nelson against Liverpool, i do not think Pepe is fit enough for this kind of fight at anfield, thw midfield should be Toreira, Ceballos and Willock/Guendouzi
Ceballos was superb and bringing the fresh air to the team.
But then, can he danced like that against Liverpool or Spuds? My opinion, he must play the ball more effective and quicker.
Naaa…he is even going to be get better. Such a baller. It is gonna be fairytale and he will like it here. ….and I am game for snapping him long term.
Well he might stay back at AFC, judging from the goal celebration, he seems happy to be be here.If we can shift Ozil and Mkhi out in Jan and sign Wilf,the EPL would be ours to loose next season. Well done Raul, glory days are around the corner. Well done Josh for restructuring the management. Well done Ivan for moving out from the door. RVP’s recent comments speaks something of the way the club was managed then(even though RVP is not on my all time favorites list).
Dani is probably the best attacking player I have seen in an Arsenal shirt since Tommy Coakley……………………….
Ah, Young Coakley eh! Is he still playing? Along with Jock Rutherford, Ted Drake, Ronnie Rooke, Jimmy Logie, George Eastham, Liam Brady, Tony Adams, Eddie McGoldrick, Thierry Henry and Gervinho too? The older fans will recognise my pattern of choice here too. Youngsters? Try Google!!!
No, he’s 100% winning the Balon D’or this year!!
Isn’t the actual truth that some comments were probably OTT and others were not? To list ALL COMMENTS as if they were all saying exactly the same thing , which this article does, is frankly unhelpful and rather silly. A huge diversity of Gooners will ,. naturally, have q wide ranging number of opinions and shades of ipoinions.
But it is easy and lazy minded to include “ALL Gooner comments” as if they were one. They were not and never can be one. And that is a huge relief too!
My personal take on Ceballos is to enjoy this definitely hugely talented and seemingly also hard working player, while we still can. Thanks to Kroenke and his lack of care for the club and team(except for its investment value)we are extremely unlikely to be able to buy him permanently. Realism, as ever!
No it wasn’t over the top,he said after the game that he will never forget that day and especially the reception he got from our fans which can only be good for for his self confidence but also he will want to give everything for the team and the fans!and don’t forget he is still adapting so imagine in few weeks or months!
My question is: what does Dani not have that the existing RM midfielders do have, or what are we seeing that Zidane does not see or doesn’t want to see? His was an excellent performance, long may it continue, a real breath of fresh air.
Why be negative who ever have followed him will know this is not the first time Dani have put in such performance we know he can do this things the question was always can he do it at arsenal and at EPL why won’t we be buzzing if he shows us he can do it with us…He is quality this are the type of midfielders I watch and ask myself who on earth scouted xhaka
NONNY, the person, whoever is was , who first scouted Xhaka would be wise to keep his personal identity hidden from most Gooners, for obvious reasons. But the fact remains that it was Wenger who finally made the decision to buy him and so WENGER WAS ULTIMATELY TO BLAME. As is UE for continuing to play him, when fit. He is pedestrian, lacks mobility bigtime, and just lacks basic midfielder all round ability. I pray he is gone soon! THE MIDFIELD IS SO MUCH MORE FLUENT WITHOUT HIM
Six weeks ago I commented on Ceballos being the outstanding player in the European under 21 tournament where he was streets ahead of anyone in the England team.His display against Burnley therefore did not surprise me in the slightest ,but I can understand Arsenal fans getting carried away with a midfielder who seems to have all the technical skills needed in that area of the pitch.Unfortunately the better be does at Arsenal the more unlikely the prospect of buying him from Real Madrid Where Modric and Kruiz are reaching the veteran stage.
Grandad.
Totally agree.
In fact came on here at 09:44 today in this very thread, saying how outstanding Dani was in the recent U21 tournament.
Anyone who thinks this kid has come from “out of the blue”, forget it- we have a serious player on our hands.
Can we keep him come seasons end ? Madrid will still enter the market come the summer, but in what areas ?
One game only etc, etc believe me – we will want to keep this guy.
It’s not over the top, good article by the way as it gives fans the nod to chime in in favor for a change. He played more passes than everyone else even though he played higher up the pitch in a more congested area fairly often, and he had a 90 percent passing accuracy. Typically your CM’s or your CB’s will play more passes, so this is astounding on his first game, the lad has talent, no way is that in doubt. But what impressed me most about it is that he had the drive and the work ethic, concentration levels, everything we’ve been asking for. Having all this in the link man, who can drop back in midfield and play, or can look very dangerous when pushing forward to join our strikers, he’s a genuine hurricane. Teams will try to stick a man on him to lower his influence, but he looks to me to be a difficult player to contain, can’t contain the Hurricane, no siree bob.
When Dani was subbed the crowd gave him such big applause and cheer that he truly looked so stoked to see and hear such appreciation.
I think if it carries on he’ll probably want to stay (fingers crossed).