Usmanov talks about Arsenal, Left back ‘heavily tipped’ to join us & Champions League Draw today…

December 20, 2012

According to the local newspaper in Southampton, Luke Shaw is “heavily tipped” to leave the club in January and his expected destination is Arsenal. This story has been rumbling since the summer and it wouldn’t surprise me if this turn out to be true.

Having just tied down five British players to long-term contracts, Wenger seems keen to add Luke Shaw to this list. Rumour is we have had scouts watching him but then again, so have Chelsea but surely a player of his age would rather join a club which doesn’t swap its manager every five minutes and play under a manager who would give play him and not just pay him?

I doubt Kieran Gibbs would mind a bit of healthy competition and our current left-back does struggle with his fitness but the bigger bonus would be that should this rumour become true it will surely spell the end of Santos…

The Famous Five?

The Famous Five?

In case anyone was asleep all day yesterday, the above five have signed new long-term contracts with the club. One of course caused a few ripples and that was Aaron Ramsey. Some suggest he should go, some just think ‘give him a chance’ after his long injury lay off, some say he’s our hardest worker and if he could convert the chances he gets in front of goal he’d be so much better.

Regardless of what we all think, he’s here to stay or at least if he does go, it won’t be for free. The Welshman has been talking about himself and his return from injury:

At the beginning, I was really excited to have an opportunity to have a full season and to be involved in everything, I played 44 times and that was quite a shock to the system at the time, having been out for so long. I haven’t had a full season before in my professional career so it was a shock and definitely took its toll towards the end. Hopefully this one will be different and the form towards the end of the season will be better. I’ll be more used to dealing with that.

Next year I want to progress as a player and turn into the player that I know I am capable of turning into. I know I still have a few things to learn. My aim  is hopefully to show what I’m capable of doing on a more regular basis, and to get more goals as well. Last season I had quite a few opportunities, and looking back, I could easily have got into double figures with the amount of chances that I had. That’s something I need to improve on. I need to be a bit more composed in those final situations.

The contract signings will ensure that none of five will be leaving for free in the near future and having moaned so much about our players being allowed to run down their contracts, this has to be a good move by the club.

It’s the Champions League draw today and we could draw:

Paris Saint-Germain

Malaga

Borussia Dortmund

Juventus

Bayern Munich

Barcelona

Surely we won’t get Barcelona again?

I wouldn’t bet against it but I quite fancy us to draw Malaga.

Finally, Alisher Usmanov has spoken in an interview about Arsenal and what he would do should he ever have a say. The Daily Mail have covered the story with quotes so click HERE to read more.

That’s it for another day, only five more sleeps…….

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Posted by rico

Which Christmas Arsene? Djourou looking to leave as five ready to stay.

December 16, 2012

Morning all,

Seems I missed the ‘Johan Djourou want’s Napoli’ story yesterday…

According to his agent, Djourou is surplus to requirements at Arsenal and was close to moving away before this current season started, now it seems he could be gone in January with Italy his preferred destination.

Djourou has been with us a long time now and surely if he was going to ever truly ‘make it’ with us, he would have done by now. He’s 25 years old and he should be playing football. Staying at Arsenal is not good for him or the club and having been the loyal servant he has, the club should now do the decent thing. That of course is to sell him. But don’t try and price another club out of the market, let him go for a sensible price and one that will ensure another club can pay him a good salary.

The same can be said for all our ‘deadwood’. Take Arshavin out of the equation, most we need to move on were signed either very cheaply or for free so the club won’t be losing much if any money when they go. What that will do of course, is save on the ridiculous wages they have been earning just for training and watching the others play.

I feel sorry for Djourou. Not because I feel is should be playing more often, mind you sometimes our defence have been so poor maybe he’d do no worse, but more because he has stayed loyal, he’s never knocked his manager or team-mates in the press and when he had a chance to play in the Champions League, Squillaci was selected ahead of him. Even when he did play last season, he was mainly shoved out at right back where he struggled and of course, what came next was criticism but he’s not a right back, and never will be.

In fact he’d a defensive midfielder really and maybe Wenger has missed a trick not playing him there instead of Coquelin when things have got pretty desperate. In my opinion, neither are good enough to be at the heart of our midfield but maybe Djourou could have given us a bit more stability.

Not as much as signing Capoue or similar would though!

Talking of signing, reports are rife that Jack Wilshere has agreed, and will soon sign a new £20 million, five-year contract. The 20-year-old England midfielder will be among five British players to agree new Arsenal contracts. Kieran Gibbs, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Carl Jenkinson and Aaron Ramsey being the others.

Maybe even Theo Walcott will join in as the BBC report that talks are set to begin again and go into the New year.

Wenger’s update on the team news ahead of tomorrows game:

It’s difficult because some players are still not practising so I can still not tell you exactly who will be available on Monday. Koscielny should come into the training group today, with Walcott we don’t know but Giroud is back.

On Abou Diaby’s injury…

Slow progress. I cannot give you any fixed date because we are a bit in no man’s land on that front. He is working. We are waiting for him to come back but he is not ready.

On him playing over Christmas…

Over Christmas? Certainly not.

Which Christmas Arsene, he hasn’t played over one yet has he??

That’s it for another day, have a good one…..

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Posted by rico

Wenger ready to bid for Ba! Squillaci, Monteiro or Angha? Normality returns to Arsenal & a mixed bag out in Greece……

December 4, 2012

Morning Gooners,

After the Sun reported yesterday that Demba Ba has refused a new contract offer from Newcastle, the same paper has suggested that Wenger is ready to offer £7.5 Million for him. No, that’s not him being tight for once, that’s the players ‘get out’ clause in his current contract.

The Daily Mail however, reckon Wenger is ready to make Huntelaar top of his list, with Henry, Zaha and Reina being the others..

However, just a couple of days have passed and normality returns, that is of course, the same old stuff from the manager. He’s played down all that is going on and despite being critical of our performance on Saturday, he’s now suggesting that our fortunes will soon change, again..

There is a problem there, of course, but what is important when you have a problem is to do something about it.

The second thing is to have the strength to do something about it. We have the strength and we will do something about it.

In England, the response is always to sort out your problems by buying players. It’s one way to do it and if we need it we’ll do it.

Wait for it!!!

But from 3 December to 1 of January [when the transfer window opens] we have 28 days and many big games. So what is important is immediately to do something about it.” 

Let’s not go overboard, we lost on Saturday and of course we not happy with that. But I’m confident that we have strong team, that we have a strong spirit in the side and that will come out.

We have rebuilt the team on two ways. Firstly, in bringing in new players. Secondly, in getting some players back from long-term injury. I feel there’s a lot of strength in our team and patience and keeping mental strength will turn it round in an easy way.

This club is in fantastic shape because we have a good team, we have a strong structure of the club that we have built over the years, we are in a strong financial situation and we are mentally strong.

I can understand that not everybody is pleased about that, but that’s a fact. And that’s why we have to continue to behave how we do.

So in other words, there is a bit of a problem on the pitch which he and the players are going to try and sort it out in the next 28 days. During that time, the injured players could come back and all will be ok. If that doesn’t work, he might bring in a new player or two.

Don’t bank on it though I’d say, he believes we have a good team and they are mentally strong.

So they might be, but they are also physically knackered and there is one reason for that and none of you need telling what that is.

Just moments after we secured our place in the knock-out stages of the Champions League, most of the players were talking about trying to win the group in Greece. Even Arsene Wenger said he would be taking a strong squad out to face Olympiacos but after our recent troubles, he’s had a change of heart it seems.

Here is the squad….

1 Wojciech Szczesny
5 Thomas Vermaelen
7 Tomas Rosicky
15 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
16 Aaron Ramsey
18 Sebastien Squillaci
22 Francis Coquelin
23 Andrey Arshavin
25 Carl Jenkinson
27 Gervinho
29 Marouane Chamakh
38 Martin Angha
39 Zak Ansah
48 Sead Hajrovic
53 Jernade Meade
55 Elton Monteiro
60 James Shea
67 Chuba Akpom

I wouldn’t have even bothered taking Vermaelen, I’d have taken Djourou and Miquel but it seems that Squillaci could get his first start, and hopefully his last start this season, unless of course Wenger goes with one of the rookie’s, Martin Angha or Elton Monteiro .

To be honest, I hope many of the younger players get a chance at some stage tonight, they’ll sure give everything they have in those young bodies of theirs.

They will play without fear too I suspect, maybe even with belief that this could be their time to get a chance very soon, maybe even Saturday if the walking wounded don’t recover.

They literally have nothing to lose do they, especially twenty year old Jernade Meade. With Andre Santos looking seriously out of favour and Kieren Gibbs seemingly fragile, this young guy could be on the verge of good things…..

Tonight could be chance for one or two, let’s hope they take it and let’s hope they enjoy it.

Let’s hope they win too……

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Posted by rico

Diaby out until Christmas, at least!! Wilshere wants to stay forever and Fulham are todays test…

November 10, 2012

Morning Gooners

Bit of good news doing the rounds today and that’s about Jack Wilshere. He said he never wants to leave the club and wants to emulate Tony Adams. He also said he totally understands why Cesc Fabregas forced his move to Barcelona as having family close by makes life so much better and nothing for him is better than Arsenal.

Not such good news comes from the Daily Mirror. In a long article they slip in that Wenger has ruled out a Diaby return until after Christmas. I haven’t seen that anywhere else though. The  article is quite interesting, Wenger talks about Vermaelen’s lack of confidence and how Podolski is struggling with life in the Premier League.

Onto today.

Fulham are the one’s heading across town to try and achieve something they are yet to do, and that’s beat us at our own ground.

I strongly suspect they believe they will too.!

We however, need to to ensure that we get back to winning ways fast and it’s about time we stopped conceding goals!

Last weekend we were dire with no pace to our game and very few chances on goal, again that is something we need to change.

Midweek we were better against a strong Schalke side, but there were still too many errors all over the pitch to convince fans that today will be an easy game. Unlike a few years ago when this fixture was a certain three points.

We now sit 7th in the league, just one place above Fulham, goal difference being the only reason for that. As said earlier, we are yet to lose to our London neigbours at home in any competition, winning 22 and drawing four in 26 meetings.

The last time we met though, Martin Jol got the better of Wenger at Craven Cottage and he’ll be out to get another one over the Frenchman today.

Unlike us, Fulham are on an unbeaten run, but they have only won one of their last four games, drawing the others of course and last weekend they held Everton to 2-2 with Arsenal old boy, Steve Sidwell, snatching a last-gasp equaliser.

Jack Wilshere is out after being sent off last weekend, Diaby, Gibbs, Rosicky, Gervinho and Fabianski are all still missing, while Ramsey and Oxlade-Chamberlain face a late fitness test. However, there is some good news surrounding Tomas, he was back training yesterday, albeit alone, but maybe that was to keep him away from Diaby in case his 3 week, going on 7 week injury is catching.

Fulham midfielder Mahamadou Diarra is a doubt for today and Simon Davies misses out after undergoing a hip operation.

Stats from opta:

  1. Arsenal have made their worst start in the Premier League under Arsene Wenger, taking just 15 points from their opening 10 games.
  2. Fulham have lost 12 points from winning positions this season, more than any other side.
  3. 38% of the 13 Premier League own goals this season have benefited either Fulham (3) or Arsenal (2)

Well those stats are interesting aren’t they!!

Arsene Wenger has apparently told the players that it’s about time they changed the atmosphere amongst the fans. He wants a display which will give the fans something to sing about.

We just have to play good games. The atmosphere comes from the team, not the fans, and we have to think like that. The vibes come out with the quality of our game, the fans are behind the team. That is what is about us.

I agree we had one or two flat games at home, especially against Schalke, even the game against QPR. I believe that it is down to the quality of our game – that is our responsibility.

Fulham can score goals, they have chalked up far more than us so far this season, their tally of 21 league goals is only bettered by Manchester United and Chelsea,.

They have Rodallega and Berbatov, both experienced players who will hurt us if we don’t take control of the game from the off. We need to get some pace, quick passing and urgency back in our performance, not just all possession and no end product.

Use the wings and feed the ball into the big guy up front and in the air, give him chance do what we witnessed against Schalke. Start Walcott and use his pace, no playing Ramsey on the wing, he’s not a winger.

If Wenger doesn’t want to start Walcott centrally, then give Podolski a try, what have we got to lose? Santos is no defender, try him on the wing where he can use his Brazilian skills and punish the opposition.

We are at home, let’s mean business! We must take the game to Fulham, not sit back and let them batter on our defensive doors.

Something has to change and we all know that. We need a great performance and a convincing victory before the old enemy come visiting next weekend!

That’s it for another day…..

I truly hope for all of us, it’s a good one……

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Posted by rico

Robin bid rejected? M’Vila at Colney & is Aaron Ramseys career at Arsenal over?

June 28, 2012

First up is bit of Twitter gossip from yesterday:

Arsenal have rejected a £25 million bid from Manchester City for our captain. However, the 007 following the word ‘agent’ was enough to suggest its absolute garbage!

Secondly, canal+  journalist Vincent_Pochulu tweeted that Yann M’Vila was in London on Tuesday, not just London, but at the Arsenal Training ground.

The joys of Twitter eh!

From that, let’s take a look at the Arsenal midfield as it stands today….

Regardless of whether the M’Vila tweet is true or not, I still think that Wenger wants to sign him, but the players recent misbehaviour may have caused him have second thoughts, just as we discussed yesterday.

As far as an attacking midfielder is concerned, we have one already in Abou Diaby, but the twerp has to stay fit! This coming season he needs to replicate the kind of fitness and performance that Robin Van Persie has just experienced…

If he could do that, and I know it’s a big IF, then we could have a top top player on our hands and at just the right age, but his chances are running out…

The rumours concerning an imminent exit for Aaron Ramsey are a worry…

Could it be, as with Eduardo, that Wenger has decided that Aaron is never going to get his mojo back…?

Could it be that Wenger has seen something in him in training as well during matches that point to the psychological damage he suffered at the hands of Shawcross?

Does Arsene Wenger believe that our young Welshman will never repair or recover completely?

Sad it maybe, but it is a possibility and he could be heading out one way or another this summer.

Francis Coquelin has shown a lot of promise and made great strides in an injury hit season. I think he’ll become a massive player for us over the next 2 years, therefore Wenger needs to push him on and cannot bring in some ‘big time Charlie’ to block his progression into the player he can be…

Wenger also has a group of young midfielders chomping at the bit, with Serge Gnarby looking likely to be fast-tracked into the senior squad via the League Cup.

Conor Henderson has already been given first team exposure, Manu Frimpong must eventually enjoy a change of luck and have an injury free season, Craig Eastmond had a good loan at Wycombe after an injury nightmare, does he have a future?

Aneke, Yennaris, Eisfeld, where do they fit in?

Does the manager think that one of those could now offer more than the Aaron Ramsey we saw last season?

Then of course there is the seniors, Arteta, Wilshere, Song, Rosicky, even Denilson maybe….

So yes, I think we are well stocked with midfielders.

Attack was the main concern last season, and Wenger seems to have fixed that department…

The defence certainly needs some fine tuning, so come on down Mr Bould and Mr Banfield….

Written by Allezkev

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Posted by rico

Nik & Squillaci seek pastures new and Ramsey to Fulham?

June 26, 2012

So Squillaci is reported to have traveled to Corsica for discussions with talk of a one year deal, there is an option for him to stay a further year but that part of the deal matters not to us. Just get him off of our books once and for all.

Another nearing an exit is Bendtner, his agent, Jesper Lynghus has had this to say:

The interest is overwhelming, just as it should be after the way Nicklas performed at Euro 2012.

We are getting closer day by day. We are not commenting on individual deals at the moment, but it is fair to say the interest in Nicklas is global.

Always makes me chuckle to hear such things, if so many clubs were looking to snap up Nik’s signature, someone would have by now, surely.

Still, just like Squilli, as long as we get to the 1st September and they are playing elsewhere, that is all that matters and neither should really make a difference to Arsene Wengers plans in the transfer window, unless we really are strapped for cash!

Another rumour was doing the rounds yesterday, and that involved Aaron Ramsey heading off Fulham.

Some report it is on loan, others suggest it is a permenant deal with Clint Dempsey heading to us. Not sure if there is much truth in that one but a loan would do him the world of good, as long as he gets to play every week.

That’s it for today, had a few internet problems this morning so it’s just a quick short and sweet one to refresh the post….

Have a good day all, will Tuesday be signing day?

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Posted by rico

Wenger in for Dempsey, Ba and Cabaye? New Kit & Totts hand us another chance, one which we must not blow…

May 7, 2012

It’s Bank Holiday here in England so a day to rest and enjoy the mild Spring day….

Transfer news is as expected gathering a bit of pace and yesterday many rumours were floating around about Demba Ba and Yohan Cabaye and how they are top of Arsene Wengers transfer wish list.

We know Demba Ba has a release clause in his contract which is within Wengers price range but Cabaye has been red-hot for Newcastle this season and he would come at a price.

Another transfer rumour which just won’t go away is Clint Dempsey, it’s a flat race between us and Liverpool, if we are to believe the press.

Again though, that’s all they are, rumours….

Lady Luck came our way yesterday and we haven’t been able to say that all too often but she was sitting pretty at Villa Park where Arry’s gang dropped two points against Aston Villa. That leaves us and ‘them’ in exactly the same position as we were before going into the weekend so it’s all to play for on Sunday.

If only we’d held on to that 3-2 scoreline eh, we’d have 3rd in the bag….

We didn’t though but we have one last chance, one which we cannot and must not blow!

Three for the future?

Next seasons kit has now been confirmed, good to see Robin wearing it but I know it doesn’t mean he’s definitely staying.

If you order one online on the official site you could win a car!!!

Going back to the final game of the season, Wenger believes that creating as many chances as we did against Norwich should give our players the belief to beat West Brom:

We have a belief, when you look at the chances we created, it is absolutely unbelievable that we scored only three goals.

Again we are punished because Robin had to score and many times we do not get enough goals from elsewhere. We had so many obvious chances that you would want somebody else to score one. That doesn’t happen enough.

Of course we need to address that because I feel there was enough room to score six or seven goals.

We were not sharp in the first half but is it down to too much preparation, not being switched on or subconsciously thinking we will manage to do it? We were not at the pace of the game in the first half for sure.

It’s not only about scoring goals Arsene, if we didn’t concede so many, we’d have third place wrapped up weeks ago…

Maybe a week of defensive training is in order….

That’s it for today, if you have a day off, enjoy it, if you don’t, tough luck… ;)

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Posted by rico

Shocking fans, Shocking Referee but we get one more on the board…..

April 29, 2012

Morning all,

Facing Stoke away from home on a bleak, cold and murky afternoon did not make great conditions for an important game such as this.

Stoke kicked off and we started with conviction, looking like a side that was really up for this game! We  harried the Stoke players and closed them down quickly but their tactics became clear early on, play the ball a bit then look for the long ball or cross into Crouch  but our defence, who have in the past suffered from this style relished the challenge.

We were first to the ball and on most occasions our central defenders were magnificent.

Even though Crouch stands at 6′ 7″,  Kos was making life hard for him.

The first booking came on three minutes after Whitehead followed through on Alex Song, the referee hesitated and I don’t think he was going to give the foul but Van Persie with his captain’s hat on, gave the ref a piece of his mind, much to the annoyance of the Stoke players but the referee had no choice but to show the yellow card.

Having had two early chances ourselves, it was Stoke who broke the deadlock. On nine , a cross  was fired in by Etherington and Crouch headed home after out-jumping our defence and leaving Ches with no chance. A good goal but a slap in the face for our players .

Instead of our players dropping their heads they increased the pressure on home side, we had a couple of chances but nothing to speak of until a one two between Yossi and Rosicky which resulted in an exquisite reverse cross from Tomas which found Robin at the far post, he didn’t miss this one.

The rest of the first half consisted of a Ramsey special which ended up well wide, Gervinho got himself into great position and onto the end of a great Sagna cross, but he totally misjudged it and didn’t connect with his head. Gervinho followed that with another golden opportunity but his lack of composure got the better of him and he fired into the stand like an earlier effort that went sky-high, the half ended 1.1.

The second half started much like the first with Arsenal dominating most of the play, Stoke were still continuing to punt the long ball forward, we would gain possession and get back to the edge of their box but from there, we found it hard to penetrate.

Rosicky chipped in a peach of a cross which found Robin but his header was saved well by Begovic.

The next good move was between Yossi and Robin, a swift one two back to Yossi, who was making a run into the penalty area but a shove in the back sent our winger over. No whistle, no foul and certainly no penalty given by the ref!

Arsene Wenger went berserk on the touch-line,  both linesman and referee were in perfect position to see this incident, but were unmoved!

The Stoke fans thought it funny, especially Arsene Wengers protests and though it would brighten their afternoon by trying to impersonate him. Good time to mention the quality of the homes fans, they were shocking! How any of them could sit and boo Aaron Ramsey each time he touched the ball just showed what nasty scumbags they are!

The scoreline stayed the same until the end and we travelled home with just a point.

At the end, I felt that this game had been managed like many games of ours this season.

I have watched other teams get 3 points  but we only came away with one thanks to Chris Foy. He could see imaginary tackles on Stoke players but he couldn’t see a blatant penalty, but we Gooners are used to that aren’t we?

Although the commentator said he felt it was a clear-cut call,  pundits after the game were quick to say it would have been harsh and he understood why he didn’t give it,  well I only wish I did.

Two games to go and we need to win them both if we are going to take our place with Europe’s elite.

Can we do it? Of course we can were the Arsenal but please, no more referee Chris Foy…..

Wengers interview after the game.

I believe that it was a game where we have shown great character, great battling qualities. It was a game of two different approaches – one very direct in the air and one who tries to play on the ground.

Both teams are good at what they do and that’s why I think it was still an interesting game. We had good chances, especially in the first half. In the second half I felt our fluency dropped a bit in midfield – we still had chances though, especially a penalty that was not given.

Overall we deserved at least a point and I can only give credit to my players for their battling qualities and the way they responded to what Stoke offered us – full commitment, well-organised, direct.

We did not always cope with it but today I felt we did.

On jeers for Aaron Ramsey….

I don’t think you can be especially proud to boo Aaron Ramsey because I don’t see what he has done wrong in his behaviour. That’s an old story where the fans of Stoke stand behind their player. But it shouldn’t go as far as booing Aaron Ramsey.

On the penalty claim…

It will go on the tape of all the penalties we have not got this season.

On Stoke spending time on set-pieces…

You are used to it I was frustrated at times but that happens in every game because I am completely in the game. I was sometimes frustrated but not surprised.

And neither are we Arsene……

Written by Steve Palmer

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Posted by rico

M’Vila wants to join Wenger! Questions that need answers & the truth will hurt!

April 2, 2012

Fans favourite, Yann M’Vila has made it clear he wants to join Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, talking to Canal+ he had this to say:

Inter, Arsenal, Real … I will take the fun everywhere! These are great clubs.

If the coach calls you and tells you he wants you to make you play, especially a French coach, it changes everything.

He goes on to say that the most important thing is getting playing time for France!

Ok, he’s not ruling out a switch to Inter or Real Madrid, but the latter comment about a French manager, well that couldn’t be more clear who he is talking about.

After Saturday, it’s clear we need a ‘proper’ defensive midfielder and finally I will hold my hands up and say Song is not that man. We need a player who will sit back and protect his back five when needed, not go gallivanting up the pitch thinking he’s Lionel Messi!

Onto todays post…

Saturdays fixture raised a few questions:

1 – Where will the TEAM be when Van Persie hits a blip?

2 – When teams start getting physical and refuse to allow Arsenal to play, what happens?

3 – Why does Wenger gets deluded and play Ramsey at left-wing when it imbalances the TEAM, leaving no rhythm and an entire midfield goes missing.

4 – When did Song get deluded and think he is the best thing after Cesc, the back four had no protection with him spending all the time trying to be that creative playmaker, making all those predictable lobs into the box that QPR defenders could afford to drink a cup of tea before intercepting and heading away.

5 – Pride goes before a fall. The players were just not focussed enough and failed to turn up for this match. No intensity, no fight, no guts to go in for all those 50:50 balls which QPR virtually won all of.

6 – Why were QPR allowed to make Arsenal look like a 2nd rate team?

7 – Our last 7 games? Will it be repeat of that 7 points out of 21 points in August/September when we last saw the kind of performance we witnessed at QPR?

8 – Nice symmetry as we play a Manchester team next, anybody ready for another 2-8 mauling next weekend?

9 – Lastly, Vermaelen couldn’t handle all the physical stuff from Zamora and Mackie who literally jumped into him to rough him up, to unsettle him and to force him to blow his gasket and lose his concentration It worked, and  yes folks, that is what Stoke City, Abu Dhabi City and the rest of our opponents are going to do to this team of softies!

Sadly we demonstrated yet again that we had no guts for a hard physical battle against a  team fighting for survival…

What is to be done?

First, get the balance right and field a TEAM that can battle it out physically and refuses to be run away like what QPR did to us.

Oh yeah…just drop Ramsey will you? He simply imbalances the TEAM……..it has to be either Gervinho or Chamberlain on left flank….or even Santos if Coquelin is fit, with Song-Coquelin-Rosicky protecting our soft CENTRE.

When Song trying to play like Messi high-up, Arteta was simply too “light-weight” to protect us against physical and powerful runners like Zamora, Mackie and Traabt, with Dialite driving behind them.

Abu Dhabi City has much better players than QPR…

All Chelsea need to do is beat us to regain 4th spot, as against Abu Dhabi City and Stoke City, I suspect we are going to drop points.

Robin van Persie has gone off the boil, he has been asked to play too many games and now it’s starting to tell on him….

Things need changing if we are to get 3rd, or even 4th!

Written by Merlin96

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Posted by rico

Do Arsenal fans want Aaron Ramsey sold this summer??

March 23, 2012

Before anyone goes into a rant against me writing this, I am NOT a fan that wants to see our Welshman go, not this summer or any in the near future!

Having beaten Everton, Aaron Ramsey came under a bit of stick for missing one or two chances on goal, in fact the poor lad has been getting a bit of stick all season and I struggle to understand quite why?

Let’s take a look at his career with us.

In 2008, Manchester United all but confirmed the signing Aaron Ramsey, however Arsene Wenger had other thoughts, he nipped in, had a chat with the young man and his family in Switzerland and without hesitation, Ramsey signed on the dotted line and made his move to London.

Tough for Fergie, great for us!

Back then, Wenger described Ramsey as:

“A player with a fantastic engine, good build, good technique and good vision”.

What Arsene Wenger said back then remains clear to see today!

Let’s not bother looking at his career on loan before he stepped out in the red and white of our club! .

I’m pretty much sure that at that stage in his Arsenal career, most Arsenal fans were excited about our Welshman. Some suggested he was ‘the next Cesc Fabregas’, a future captain in the making….

One man certainly didn’t need convincing about Ramsey and that was the man who signed him and in July 2009, Ramsey signed a new long-term contract. In the August of 2009, Ramsey scored his first league goal for Arsenal, a one-on-one past David James as we thrashed Pompey 4-1 at The Emirates, he then had a part to play in the Champions League play-off fixture against Celtic, setting up Arshavin in our 3-1 victory.

He followed that with a Man of the match performance against Liverpool in the Carling Cup and all was looking good.

His first start in the Premier League came in November 2009, he played the full ninety minutes against Wolves, a game in which we were struggling a tad, until Song came on. He and Ramsey then bossed the midfield together and we romped home with ease.

Just a few days after that game, Ramsey was awarded the Welsh Young Player of the Year award.

In the December, Ramsey scored his second goal for his new club, this time against Stoke in a 2-0 victory and it didn’t take him too long to get his third, this one was again against Portsmouth, a game in which he nabbed an assist too.

On to January the following year, 2010, he scored a 78th minute equaliser in the FA Cup third round tie against West Ham at Upton Park – (we went on to beat them in the replay)

At this stage in his career, Arsene Wenger described him as:

An offence-minded Roy Keane, an all-round player, with a fantastic ability to cover distances.

Can any Arsenal fan not say that he/she wasn’t totally and utterly excited about this young player who appeared to have the intelligence of a player beyond his years?

Then it all went so horribly wrong…..

On the 27th February 2010 we travelled up North to face Stoke City, a side who loved to get in ‘the faces’ of other teams.

Well on that day, one man went a lot further, he didn’t just get in the face of our players, he wiped one out, totally!

Ryan Shawcross went in so late and so dangerously on Aaron Ramsey he caused a double fracture to his lower right leg. His tibia and fibula were broken!

Late in March the same year, after surgery, our player was back walking without crutches, remarkable but he had a long long way to go.
In the June, he signed another contract, nothing was going to stop Arsene Wenger keeping our man, not even a double break!

Remarkably, Ramsey returned to training in October 2010 and on the 23 November he made his return to competitive football for our reserves.

Further loans came his way and understandably so, he had to come back slowly….

February 2011 – yes 2011, just over one year ago, Ramsey was finally back at his own club, his first game was against Manchester United in the FA Cup, he was a 72nd minute substitute in a game we lost 2-0. The following month, he made his first start against West Brom and the month after that, he played and scored his first goal against Manchester United and he played so well, he earned the man of the match award.

The season ended and Ramsey had played just seven matches for us!

So, with all of seven fixtures last season, it seems that everyone, well, not everyone, expected Aaron Ramsey to be back to his best this season.

He should be over his injury shouldn’t he?

He shouldn’t have any mental scars or worries either, surely?

His game should have got so so much better shouldn’t it?

Doesn’t matter that he only played SEVEN fixtures last season does it?

Well, just think Eduardo and maybe all his critics will think again before knocking his performances this season.

Eduardo suffered a ‘similar’ injury and look where he is now, but we all expected Ramsey to slot and start performing at the highest level, didn’t we?

No is the answer to that, not all, most truly believed he would need at least a season to get back to where he was, let alone make strides ahead, so why is he getting so much stick?

This season, Ramsey has been accused of playing ‘like Denilson’ with his sideways passing, slowing down play in midfield with his backwards passing and after Wednesday, his shooting skills are dire!

Well I think some, maybe even many fans are being very harsh on Ramsey, he’s always busy, always looking to be involved and always looking to make things happen. It hasn’t been his fault that there has been limited movement off the ball when he’s looking to make his pass is it?

Most of the criticism was directed towards him when we were going through a lean old spell; he was an easy target, just as Theo and Gervinho so often were and still are.

Players like Ramsey are hard to find, just bear with him this season and allow him that bedding back in after injury time, he deserves it!

Next season, all those who have been on his back will be eating humble pie.

Sell him this summer?

In the words of the great John McEnroe: ‘You cannot be Serious’!

Have a good day all…

178 Comments | Daily Bits and Bobs | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by rico

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