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Billy Carpenter

@billycarpy.bsky.social

11K followers 170 following 2.2K posts

⚽️ writing and analysis, usually in the form of giant Arsenal long-reads. I also write for SCOUTED. Here's my newsletter: https://billycarpenter.substack.com/

billycarpenter.substack.com

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · May 20

Here's my 8,000+ word profile on Arsenal's likely midfield signing: his fit, function, defensive game, physical profile, press resistance, passing range, untapped skills, and potential to transform Arsenal. Reads and shares are appreciated. ❤️

Scouting Martín Zubimendi

A massive profile on Arsenal's likely midfield signing: his fit, function, defensive game, physical profile, press resistance, passing range, untapped skills, and potential to transform Arsenal

billycarpenter.substack.com

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 4d

Depth is more than fitness. Players iron out things quicker if it gets them time.

— Tross knew he needed to close the work-rate gap, is a maniac
— Cala knows he needs better defensive angles to play over MLS
— Timber knows he needs to close the attacking output gap to White

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 4d

10 games, 0 open-play goals allowed to humans for Arsenal.

0 saves for Raya today.

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 4d

My next piece will be examining Ødegaard’s availability for Arsenal pre- and post-goatee

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 5d

Sometimes it feels like the unironic version of this hit
www.youtube.com/shorts/pIUxF...

it's been a weird couple of years for us all #johnmulaney

YouTube video by Netflix Is A Joke

www.youtube.com

Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 6d

🤙

Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 10d

Eze + Ødegaard (not to mention MLS) on the pitch at the same time is the critical mass of high-central technicians to take the team to the next step. Saka is whatever we need him to be but this’ll free him to be more goal-hungry. Actual live-ball Rice crosses help too.

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 7d

9 games, 1 open play goal conceded for Arsenal. And it was Haaland.

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 7d

I’ve never been on TikTok but I’m aware that there are people who do exaggerated impressions of footballers. This is like somebody doing that for Gyökeres. Except it’s the real thing.

Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 7d

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 7d

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 7d

“Zubimendi will give Arsenal a calm, controlled presence in the midfield.”

Zubimendi with Arsenal:

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 7d

So many pros still miss a key fundamental: calling the ref by their first name.

How helpful are you going to be to somebody shouting “PROJECT MANAGER!” from across the office?

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 7d

Jesus, I see the flat-track bullying you provided to my friends in Lisbon, and I want that for me

Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 7d

Grateful, as always, for SCOUTED. They are smart and kind and analytical and interesting and above all, great people. They simply produce the best football writing on the internet.

If you’re able, a subscription is well worth it.

Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 7d

They request personal vibes, I provide personal vibes. 😏

Looking at your list ... I gotta get smarter on Bischoff.

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 7d

Here's mine.

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Reposted by Billy Carpenter

SCOUTED @scoutedftbl.com · 7d

This is SCOUTED50 2025/26.

The third edition of our curated selection of breakout talents ranked from 50 to 1 by friends, colleagues and peers.

Discover the future of football, now.

SCOUTED50: A curated guide to the next generation

50 breakout talents to watch in the 2025/26 season

scoutedftbl.com

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 9d

Gabriel, one second before scoring

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 10d

Other than the scoreline, best stat of the day: the two new starters in attack combined for 10 shots.

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 10d

0 shots on target, 0.19 xG second half for Newcastle. All while Arteta was backburnering structure for periods (literally zero LB occupant in buildup).

Game state, Saliba sub, all that, but:

I really enjoy that Declan Rice plays for Arsenal.

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 10d

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 10d

A lot, a lot, A LOT to like there.

All kinds of underlying connections that are almost there but not quite.

But maybe the biggest: endgame urgency from 55’+ instead of 85’+. Wingers taking quick throw-ins and the like.

Deserved all three points, and got them.

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 10d

Call aside, I don’t like refs being called over to paused screens. Football is flow and context. You can pause a shirt tug and it’ll look like a foul, even if it’s a millisecond. You can pause a slight touch of the ball, but it doesn’t give the player carte blanche from there.

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 11d

I did feel like I was going insane: so much coverage of Liverpool in preseason, very few serious, weighty mentions of them losing one of the greatest passers to ever walk planet earth

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 12d

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 12d

Eze’s vibe on the pitch has been interesting. No happy-to-be-here niceties. All business.

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Billy Carpenter @billycarpy.bsky.social · 12d

Need Eze Sunday.

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