I grew up in a football mad family.
My Mum’s family are Tottenham fans but fortunately my Dad’s family are all Arsenal fans and I’ll always be grateful to my dear old Dad for showing me the ‘True Path’…
My Dad could be quite persuasive and Mum ended up a Gooner [she had no choice], her favourite player being Archie Maculay.
One of my earliest memories was of the Arsenal poster Dad hung in my bedroom, I used to lay in bed memorising all the information on it:
Founded 1886, first game at Highbury vs Leicester Fosse in 1913, the record 66 points in 1930-31, still a record at the time, all the honours, FA Cup winners 1930 1936 1950 and of course all the League Championships, it was all there!
As a boy I spent many hours going through Dad’s match programmes, from 1946-47 onwards and asking him questions about all the great names, like how good was Jimmy Logie, Ronnie Rooke, Reg Lewis?
It was as if I was there, watching those players as he retold all the stories about John Charles, Stanley Matthews, Mortenson, Mannion, Finney, Milburn, Lawton, Neil Franklin, Carter, Docherty and his great favourite Len Shackleton. How good were the Wolves of Hancock & Mullens? The Busby Babes etc?
I soaked it all up and loved it, loved every moment of it…
Eventually as part of my ‘right of passage’, I graduated to my first Combination game and after a few of them, my first Division One game. Strangely enough, as for Arsenal in 1913 my game was against Leicester City, with Gordon Banks in goal for The Foxes and an Arsenal team containing the likes of Neill, Addison, Sammels & Armstrong. When we walked away from the game I recall Dad talking about Colin Addison, I think it was 1966-67.
But I never lost my love of watching the Kids, be it the Combination on a Saturday with one ear on my transistor radio listening for reports on the First team or a midweek Southern Junior flood lit Cup tie or FA Youth Cup tie. Then I’d be in the next day telling all my Arsenal mates about some 17 year old unknown I’d seen, like Liam Brady or John Matthews or Wilf Rostron.
Mostly though taking ‘your kids’ to see the kids was the main thing, it prepared them for the 1st team and thus the next generation of Arsenal fans. That ‘right of passage’ I eventually passed onto my own two son’s. Sitting in the West Stand to watch the Stiffs or Youth’s, and they loved it. One of their greatest memories was of meeting reserve team boss George Armstrong in the Arsenal Fish & Chip shop in Blackstock Road and getting a chip off him… 😉
Now all of this is no more, because of Arsene Wenger’s precious pitch. The Grove is a ghost town except for the Arsenal shops while the Stiffs are stuck up in Barnet, all the local youngsters deprived of the chance of seeing a game in our stadium.
I’ve never been to Barnet or Borehamwood and if I was a young Dad again, as I was in the 80’s, and living in Romford as I was then, I doubt very much if I would have dragged my boys all the way up to darkest Hertfordshire.
Without the Reserves to watch it’s possible that they might have found other interests away from the game?
How many other youngster’s whose parents cannot afford the extortionate cost of a Premier League or even a Carling Cup ticket have Arsenal lost?
You only have to see the attendance at an FA Youth Cup tie at The Grove, to see that the potential local fan-base is still there.
Did not a record crowd attend an FA Youth Cup semi-final at The Grove a few years ago!
With reserve fixtures at Barnet about to become a thing of the past, matches will be played behind closed doors. Fans will be deprived of watching the next up and coming stars of our club and the young players will be deprived of playing in front of the fans they deserve to be playing in front of.
Is it really beyond the imagination and wit of the club to have 3 or 4 reserve games at The Grove, with free admission, during the season?
Maybe to capture the Club Level fans of the future…
Written by allezkev
Morning all,
Good post kev, i am glad your Dad knew what real football was about back then 😉
I think the club are making a huge mistake with the reserves, next season the games being behind closed doors, would be great if they played a few games at The Emirates – it’s not as if theyd need to pay for all the stewards etc and even if they allowed free access, those going to watch would buy something i’m sure…
Another area where we are messing up in not having our own TV Channel, I used to love watching the reserves/youth and ladies on there…
Now its all about .com, and the match coverage is poor….
good post
morning all
we have just missed to great players in the making to leave
henderson 13mil + ngog = good deal
jones we to bid for him but got away another wenger excuse coming up we just signed him but he got away….
and if we sign gervinho for 15 mil then shoudnt b that for young ……
Hi arsenal fan…
I don’t think we missed out on Jones, BB accepted our bid, the player chose to stay up north….
At least it looks as if Wenger offered proper money….
I hope that the money wenger offered for Jones, is something he’s ready to offer for other players. Why didn’t he do that with Young then? 15 mil would be more than enough to buy him, as he’s an arsenal supporter, and would probably choose us over the mancs. Still it looks like they’ll buy him up next week.. They are the champions and are already buying for next season.. Imagine them, with Young, Valencia and Nani on the wings.. It makes me sick.. Who do We have? No one! 🙁
Oh and good morning everyone!
Very good point!!!!!!!!!! But im afraid the club do not hold such values and beiefs, it is all about the profit and loss accoutns!
Morning ADK,
I think Young is 20Million but regardless, it would be money well spent, watching the others starting to build is sickening, does make you wonder where he will fit in, surely he won’t play every week like he could with us 😉
You’re right rico, he probably won’t. But imagine their strength in depth. valencia gets tired, he brings on young.. Certainly looking forward to those days 🙁
And if Nasri and Fabragas leave.. We can hope for a top 10 finish 🙁
That’s what worries me ADK, with our current squad i think we would struggle to get in the top four next season – and we are going to lose some…
I’m not fussed whether they both go or not if i’m honest, not if Wenger spends the money we get to buy quality. Would you complain if we sold Nasri but bought Young??
I wouldn’t 🙂
AK, top post! I keep thinking cut AW some slack on the transfer front, but the wheels are in motion at most of our competitors…. with Jones going, Samba going to harder to sign now…so just buy Cahill, no?
Nasri or Young? Tough one rico 🙂 , I would also prefer Nasri, I just remember the days of Pires and Ljungberg on the wings, Henry to bag the goals in.. I don’t know why Wenger turned those tactics around. I’m hoping for some news soon..
As for our new recruit, Jenkinson, i’m not too excited, as he probably wont be competing for a starting place until next year..
Morning Lee – we all know it’s simples, why cannot Wenger??
Young for me ADK 😉
English and an Arsenal fan, not a player who would hold us to ransom 😉
Great to see Samba AND Cahill being linked strongly today, TV moving to left back? Back to the Jones thing though; would Kyle Bartley be getting the same plaudits that Jones is getting if he had played for Blackburn last season? He clearly impressed Ally McCoist with his attitude, skill, and dogged determination last season and I, for one, have high hopes for him in the future.
The best thing about Bartley is his discipline. I saw him booked after 5 minutes of an Old Firm game last season yet for the next 85 minutes, put in a very sensible and composed performance; so he clearly has a brain as well. What sets him apart from many of the players that we have, is that he actually seems to enjoy defending. He’s a fighter, has pace, AND is a leader who doesn’t appear to be phased by bigger name players.
Whoever we do sign, we must look after the progress of young Kyle; he could be an absolute diamond in the future.
I would also add Henri Lansbury to this, he could be our next Romford Pele. Born and bred in Islington, he has the Arsenal stamped through his soul. I get the feeling that he would be a very functional player for the squad, much as Mr Parlour was. Hopefully he will fulfill his promise.
Wilshere, Ramsey, Bartley, Lansbury, Walcott, even our lunactic Pole keeper(!), all with age very much on their sides; the building bricks for the next 10 years….but right now they need some strong, older players to teach them how to win. No Gibbs on this list though; too lightweight, too injury prone, and just not good enough, not at LB anyway. A wildcard of Ryo Miyaichi who set Holland alight with his attacking play last season but has yet to be tested by the very different challenge of the Premiership; he could be anything, the next Ronaldo or the next Jermaine Pennant. One thing you can guarantee though, his attitude will be spot on; the Japanese don’t do lazy. His work ethic may inspire the whole squad.
RVP needs a strong partner up front, someone he would see as an equal, who would inspire him to greater things (Benzema?); an enforcer and organiser in midfield (not Makele-lite, Alex Song); and someone who can actually score free kicks and deliver decent corners. A Charlie Adams type player would be perfect as he can do both jobs, but I fear the boss will end up with Nigel Reo-Coker as he’s on a free!
Hi Rico, quiet on here today boss… No transfer speculation, that’s what everyone wants this time of the season lol.
Welcome westlondongoon
Good comment – sadly though, the more we seemed to be linked to players, the less likely they are to come true… we have been linked with Cahill for the last two summers and i think wenger won’t pay what he’d cost, same with Young.
We are agin linked with the Rangers defender, 5M is his price and no doubt wenger will be rubbing his hands together…
i hope i am srong there though, he isn’t what we need, i’d rather see Bartley play in the defence….
Hi kev, top post, thank you 🙂
It’s quiet everywhere today, i think it’s a case of waiting for some transfer news, sky sports showed fans at the shop getting their new shirts, they all seemed full of doom and gloom….
No-one bought a Nasri or Fabregas shirt 😉
good morning!
Good post!
Should be read, reviewed and appreciated in all schools 😉
Thanks Rico [and thanks AF/Lee].
Good comments by WL, couldn’t disagree with any of it.
Rico, i’m amazed anyone would buy a shirt at all.
But if those fools went out and signed Benzema i bet the shop would be heaving, don’t those numbskulls get it?
Blimey, i’d even get a shirt……
Thank you JM & hola amigo…
Morning all.
What a blinding post that was, right up my street that, well done AK, now stay off of my side of the bed you naughty Gooner ha ha.
I agree we do not do enough for our young supporters, after all they are Arsenals future.
Kev, that’s the crux these fckers don’t!!
Morning JM and Steve …
Bring back AFC Television I say….
kev, you wouldn’t get me putting Benzema on my shirt, he’d want to leave next summer 😉
Saw The Sun earlier today. Story inside, it’s headline:
If Fabregas goes, watch the house of cards tumble down…’
Don’t those tossers just revel in our discomfort, how i hate the Press…
Anyone watching Sky Sports news??
I/V with Djourou, what a lovely man…..
Well thank you Steve, but i wish you’d warm your feet before you come to bed…lol.
Unfortunately that’s spot-on Lee, they are so up themselves, totally out of touch.
The Press think it’s hilarious mate…
Gutter kev, sheer gutter…
No player is bigger than our club and if they go it just means we need to but one or two more…..
Agree re Djourou Rico, but we need some hard bastards in that defence & midfield!!
Rico, have you seen those pieces JD does for AFC.com, your right he does come across as a really nice guy.
It was just something he said Lee:
‘To play for Arsenal is a privilage’
How many more feel that way, he also said that he is desperate to win that first trophy and he feels that once they do, they will go an win many more..
He wants to shut up those who keep making the comments about us not winning, he said the players and wenger are hurting badly and mistakes that they have been making are just not acceptable….
Well written AllezKev & good comments WLGooner – a lot of good points there. Although I like Song he needs a squib up his Arsenal. I’m not sure whether his lack of pace at times is due to laziness, attitude or tiredness but at those times it worries me. We can’t afford to go down to 10 men, let alone the free kicks he concedes which with our defense are always dangerous. ACoN year so time to act!
I don’t subscribe to the online afc.com anymore kev, waste of money 😉
i think most of his stuff are not available other than online isn’t it?
Apologies, good morning all!
Hi Pat,
agree re Song, i was thinking more like a jumbo jet up his hoofa 😉
sometimes he is darn good then others, he’s slow and clumbsy – we need a player stronger and more athletic in the middle…
Good point about ACoN, too….. Last one in Jan though i think, after next year it moves to the summer…
Rico that’s really good to hear from JD.
Don’t be sorry, get angry…
They need help, they need a couple of experienced/quality players to settle them down… Why won’t ‘silly bollox’ just go out and do it?
Good bit of sub-editing btw……lol.
As we get older, we sometimes begin to doubt our ability to
“make a difference” in the world. It is at these times that
our hopes are boosted by the remarkable achievements of
other “seniors” who have found the courage to take on
challenges that would make many of us wither.
WATH from Arsenal’s HH Village is such a person:
THIS IS QUOTED FROM WATH
“I have often been asked, ‘What do you do now that you’re old?’
Well…I am fortunate to have a chemical engineering background and one of the things I enjoy most is converting beer, wine and whiskey into urine. It’s rewarding, uplifting, satisfying and fulfilling. I do it every day and I really enjoy it.”
Wath should be an inspiration to us all.
I have tickled it a bit, but it may relieve some of our pressures.
Did I read he’d upset someone & might not be going to the ACoN or was that wishful thinking?
That’s a cracker SP – even my missus laughed at that one when I read it to her 🙂
sub editing kev, i don’t know what you mean 😉
i know, three quality hard nutts and we are there, add to that a goal scorer – and we are sorted..
Quality Steve, absolute quality 🙂
Morning Pat7 tickled me as well
Song had a spat with Eto, there was suggestion he’d been throw out the camp, this has since been denied…
Ashley Young rep’s are in talks with Manchester United 🙁 🙁
Many thanks Rico for the welcome!
Bartley was getting starts over Madjid Bougherra when both were fit at Rangers last season. ‘Nuff said. If Wenger were actually to follow up on this paper-interest, we might as well just write off another season. Clearly not good enough for the Arsenal.
I’m still waiting to see the boss’s get out plan to rid the club of Squillachi yet. Best plan may be just to pay him up and have rid if no one comes in for him. He’ll be fine back in Spain; the Prem just looked like it scared the life out of him at times last season!
Thank you Pat, looking forward to your contribution.
Stevie P, you are on form today, hahaha.
Rico, haha.
Why the heck some of you gooners wants to spend millions,?what guarantee a 20/5 million player can give ? we have ramsey,what did he cost? 5 million,right,walcott,another 5,million,( still in my opinion i dont rate highly,but to most of the arsenal supporters he is a very good players,and england material,so who am i to say that he is rubbish,) but the point is that he didn’t cost excessive millions,so let mr wenger get on with the job ,we have a wealth of talent at the club,no one seems to mention,miguel,and other future stars,so get this millions players illusion out of your mind,money doesn’t guarantee success,what REAL MADRID have achieved these past 4/5 years,they spend millions( most of them down the drain )and ended with nothing.
What id like most of mr wenger is to change to 4 4 2 or 3 5 2 system
SP, your just jealous of my talents and wish you could still “p” properly instead of having to use that “bag” thingy………… 😉
Agree with WL, Bougherra is a yard dog….!
Nice post AK, spot on with the locals missing out and loosing a generation of fans maybe that can’t get into see a prem lge games. Maybe a reserve game every 6 wks at the grove and charge a quid on the doors for kids n dads to take kids to get them in there and show them what it’s all abt…?
Cheers Wath, that’s right mate, that’s where it usually starts.
not every Mum& Dad can afford the Junior Gunners etc.
I have to say and with no disrespect to anyone, this is, hands down, the best post on here since I have been here. It captures pretty much everything that is wrong with Arsenal.
The funny thing is, I was speaking to my mum about Arsenal this morning (she is a Gooner as well) and I was saying about how the fans have been painted out of the picture.
Tell me, is there anywhere like the old doors to the marble halls at the Emirates where kids can wait and get their favourite player’s autograph? don’t think there is. Give me one reason why a kid should support ANY premiership side.
WLG, pleasure 😉
I think he will keep Squilli, but i hope i have that wrong, Bartley would be a far better option…
There are still a few clubs Will that actually look after and think of their fans…..! Not many mind you but a few…..!. We are not a football club anymore were a business.
Hi WATH,
Thats an insult to a yard dog 😉
I am deeply offended Will 😉 😉
My apologies to any yard dog out there…!
I was reading today that the Premiership wage bill has gone up so much and just 4 players have had a wage increase of £64 million between them. Two of them being Gerrard and Rooney. That means £16 million per player. How are fans meant to understand these players?
Maybe it’ll reach a stage, as i the US, where players earn so much, that they’ll end up owning clubs themselves {cheers Will btw}
Hi Carmelo, are you Maltese?
I’ve just read at a danish website, that Arshavin has stated, that he’s uncertain whether Fabregas is staying or not.. That must mean that he’s off?
Hi carmelo,
its not about the money, it’s about the quality and we don’t have enough of that, what our squad lacks will mean spending…..
It will end up that the players wages will stop all clubs from spending big money as the more money you spend the player in question believes he is actually worth these stupid wages. We have it right we may not be getting the results at the moment but youngsters brought through with reasonable wages, and if they turn out good uns and start demanding , we sell them off at a huge profit and bring through another, the ones that make it and are actually worth a rise we give it too them all the greedy buggers can be on their way and we get back what it has taken to train them and a nice profit just business i’m afraid, if you think your worth more money you ask for it if your boss won’t pay you move on and he gets bugger all does that make sense.
Carmelo, ManUre have just won the EPL & reached the final of the Champions Lge…
But does Feruson rest on his laurels?
Is he satisfied?
No, he’s done, what all the best managers do, he’s strengthed his team, when they are strong, not waited until decline sets in.
He has Jones, and probably Young, in his squad now.
Meanwhile we Arsenal fans are waiting, waiting, waiting, zzzzzzzzz
ADK, i think all the players said similar this time last summer, maybe they really don’t know 😉
I agree with you allezkev
I’m sick and tired of Wenger wasting so much time. I say, cut his wages in half, we could afford Messi with that kind of money
And he’s reportledly in for Oxlaide-Chamberlain kev…
Wenger must surely soon start to sort us out, and why hasn’t some other club snapped up Nik and Denilson yet…
I guess there is no-one to answer the phone or read their emails/faxes, they are all on holiday….
I sure hope you’re right rico 😉
Rico, i’m sure that Cesc discusses all his future plans with Arshavin…lol
ADK, it’s the Press mate, be they in Fleet St or Copenhagen, scumbags, the lot of them.
Rico, i’m really beginning to worry…………………
I haven’t really seen anything of Oxtail-Soup, is he anygood Rico?
Any news on Gervinho?
There is a lot of transfer gossip goin around… but these are the players i would lofve arsenal to buy… the reason we are not buying superstars is not only bcoz of their market value but i feel its boz of the wages coz if we buy 1 player whoes wages are like 150k then fab, nasri, robin will all need to be on that wage structure…. so we need to buy sensibely….
ASHLEY YOUNG would be the perfect buy for us when it comes to the left sided midfilder that we have missed since hleb left us he would be well in our budget and his wages are denfinately going to fit into our wage structure.
another player that we could get is WILLAM for our right wing in the part denielson exchange deal.
that would solve our left and right wing problems.
walcott gets promoted to the striker role
also we need a defender and i dont really know who that should be.
denielson should be replace internally by frimpong/ lansbury .
I’m honestly not worried about Cesc and Nasri, what will be will be…..
I’m more concerned about why he isn’t in the UK sorting out our squad …
DK, i’m always right (not 😉 )
kev, you and me both, even Will’s positive comments don’t convince me anymore, i fear its another window of disapointment ahed…
Oxtail is meants to be pretty good, never seen him play myself though, looks like another tussle with fergie for his signature…
Heard no more about Gervinho, maybe thats all done and dusted, just have to wait until july 1st for that to be confirmed….
peaks and troughs……. trough at the moment for me! 🙁
Reports are that Wenger won’t be sending Bartey on loan to Rangers…..
that’s the second new signing sorted then Rico!! 😉
frimpong the third, hey presto we’re done….
Terry,
I’d have Cheryl Cole instead of Denilson at the monet, let alone Will.i.am!
WLG, haha!
I bet we sign Seb Larsson……..
is he free??
🙂 Lee
And a big trough for me too these days 🙁
WLG, classic 🙂
Yep, 25 year old midfilder, right up Wengers alley …..
What about Alliallialllialidaire Lee, make that 4…..
4 done Rico, pull the shutters down now!!
From Bacary Sagna via Twitter…..
Hello my friends..last day with the national team and someone u should follow…
Charles N’Zogbia……
Locked and bolted until January……
I think the players are highly prized in Europe. I read today that Benfica is to buy half of the pass Enzo Pérez (Estudiantes – Argentina), international player (now), for 5 years, by 2.5 million.
In Europe, players are very over valued!
AllezKev,
It’s in the can waiting for a ‘rainy’ day……..
It will be in the next couple of days Pat, honest 🙂
JM,
I think the English players are the most over valued, when you think how much Jones has cost Man Utd, and he’s hardly a world class proven player…
if we sign a good quality atleast the fans will be more thrilled abt the future ….
for example at liv and man u even though they have signed unproven players for large amts but there must be a buzz there about the signings…
the other teams atleast now who they are after at arsenal we the fans dont even know who or atleast how many we will sign….
Nah Rico,
We’re going to sign a few this week……………..hopes 🙂 if he can dig himself out of that sand on the beach!
Pat, i love your optimism 🙂
AF, once we get just one, just one to give us belief, then the next 4/5 can follow 😉
Back in a bit guys, off to cut the grass….
manu just hold talks for young ….transfer to be done next week
hope thats not true………
AF, maybe wenger will surprise us and try hijack the young deal at the last minute….
I’d exhale now….
hope so wath……that would be good as gold..
It won’t happen though……………..!
Afternoon, we signed anyone yet 🙂
Boo! Where is everyone??
A reaaaaallly good one, AK. 🙂 It got me feeling nostalgic, and tbh, I don’t even know half the players/places you named. 😉 But you are right, the disconnect between the club and the supporters grows wider by the day. AFC should do something about it. And no, underage and/or obscure signings do not qualify as doing something about it.
Howdy agag, how’s you….?
oh great 2 women gibbering together………………..
😛
I’m good, rico. Drowning in work, and you know why… Ha ha. 😉 And you?
How come everything is deathly quiet on our club’s transfer activities? It’s making me edgy.
Hola, WATH, how’s your chemical engineering stuff coming along? 😛 I just bet that you’re deep into it now. 😉
Yeah…Cheryl Cole! See ya Denilson!
The engineering has come along at a great rate AGAG i’ve taken out the good stuff got rid of the bad… Now to stop you show shopping, away with the credit cards I think, that’ll work 😛
News:
a) SHAKHTAR DONETSK are ready to do business with Arsenal over Willian.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has been monitoring the Brazilian midfielder, 22, but is reluctant to stump up £13million.
Now Ukraine outfit Shakhtar are ready to take Arsenal’s own want-away Brazilian, Denilson, in part-exchange plus £4m.
Willian has attracted interest from around Europe but has made it clear he wants a move to the Premier League
b) Vasco da Gama won the cup 🙂
In fairness WATH, that Steve comment sounds suspiciously like something you would say. 😛
As for shoes, ah, if only I hadn’t committed to memory the credit card number and expiryy date and security code… Funny I can never remember birtdays or phone numbers though. 😉
westlondon, really good comment on @10:57. 🙂 Hello, JM.
JM, a good brazilian for a poor brazilian sounds like a good deal apart from one usual problem….. Work Permit..!
Oi WATH 😉
I’m good agag, working hard but not for the same reasons as you though 🙁
hi agirlagunner!
W.A.T.H., everything has a solution.
Toulon final: France – Colombia
JM,
That is great news, i hope Wenger gets that deal done and soon 🙂
Sky News report that the Mancs are stepping up in their pursuit of Nasri, if they want him, lets take one of their players in the deal….
Nani, Chico or Valencia maybe 😉
These Nasri rumors were funny for only a moment… I don’t like all this talk surrounding him. Get him to sign, AW!
rico, but you’ll have lovely produce in no time at all now PLUS your much-deserved break! 🙂
Is Willian good, JM?
Let me guess, rico. You’d want Chicharito cos your a vegetarian. I haaaate Nani nearly as much as I haaaaate Evra/Rooneypoo. And Valencia has had some really nasty injuries, we don’t need another crock. Actually, I find it impossible to choose… there’s no one in that team I like. 😉
Just a suggestion agag 😉
This Nasri stuff is from ‘an agent’, not Nasri’s agent so it’s all b****x 😉
JM, the work permit situation is a big problem its why we have lost out on many players and yet for some reason it seems other clubs get their permits for players but we lose out.
Favouritism as usual
Afternoon all.
JM good news re:Williian.
Agag hi & thanx, is it still raining…?
Rico, how’s the grass, mellow?????
A) The (good) example of F. C. Porto:
Pedro Emanuel is in transit to the Academic. Vacancy in the technical team Villas Boas is to be occupied by the coach house.
The strong possibility of Pedro Emanuel could become the new coach of the Academic (where recently passed Jorge Costa and Domingos Paciencia, all with A similar function in Porto) opens a vacancy in the technical team FC Porto. But as this is a picture of the house, contrary to what happens with the other collaborators André Villas Boas, except in the case of the Dutch coach of goalkeeper Wil cohort, whose bond is different, the place in question must be obligatorily filled by an element that is part of the blue and white emblem.
A levy, as is standard for FC Porto, which has to do with the figure very own assistant coach of the home. Element whose choice should not be only associated with professional competence, but also, or mainly, to the club in his past and what may represent the group, as an added value in terms of moral reserve, the mystique and history of Porto. Rui Barros, Joao Pinto, Andrew Aloisio or been in that role in recent years.
b) Valencia wants Gameiro but not for 12 million
c) Schaktar was playing with Arsenal this year twice. I have an idea of the player but I didn’t pay much attention to him
d) Nani – Madrid? so MU wants Nasri…
WATH: the solution: naturalize him Portugues or italian 😉
WATH, that is another thing that annoys me, Visa’s and who gets them – when will AFC grow some and challenge the decisons, all they need to do is cite others that have been granted, threaten to take legal action…
they’ll soon get approved….
Needs to dry a bit kev 😉
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola will only have have 45 million euros to spend on players this summer.
Barcelona vice-president Javier Faus said the figure reflected a need to reduce the club’s debt but added “we don’t rule out investing more”.
However, unless that were to happen, it makes a move for Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas unlikely this summer.
The European champions could generate extra funds by offloading players such as Bojan, Maxwell and Jeffren.
If enough cash was made through sales, then the Barcelona-born Fabregas could still return to the Nou Camp, where he was a youth player, before the transfer window deadline in August.
Faus added: “The gross debt has been reduced from 532million euros to 483million euros, and the net debt from 431million euros to 364million euros.
“We want to decide our future and to do so we must reduce the debt to acceptable levels.
“This will make Barcelona the most financially solvent club in the world in two or three years.”
Anyone else want to know how clubs with such huge debts are allowed to continue trading?
Who is Odil Ahmedov?????
23 year old m/f and capt of Uzbekistan…
It just gets more rediculous…
kev, get off that rumour site 😉 😉
JM, the problem is they need three years in each of those countries to get citizenship…? I could be wrong…? Willian has been in Ukraine 2 seasons maybe he can become Ukrainian ?? 🙂
Rico, hahahaha…. I’m starting to sound desperate aren’t I ???
Or bring him over anyway and let him claim benefits and in 10years they will make him British, like a couple of million already
You and me both though kev, i read it too – did you see the silly comment about how wenger will be sacked and Mark Hughes will take over??
😆 😆
Another classic Steve …..
yes. but his parent/mother can be Portuguese or italian…
No Rico, i missed that one…… who dreamed that one up? Brain-cell..!
Saw Ahmedov on you-tube, he got a good goal…… John Jensen MkII..?
We need JM in the Home Office…
Did anyone see Lugano’s tackle on RVP? Double footed lunge over the top of the ball, Robin was lucky not to get a broken leg…
It seems I’m having to check out every other player on youtube now… 😉 Who are these players linked to us?? Why aren’t we linked to the Sneijders and VDWs and Stekelenburgs et al.??
AK, it has to stop raining… Hasn’t yet though. And that was a horrible, horrible, horrible tackle. 🙂
Agag, that’s just what we didn’t need, RVP out for 6 months!
I didn’t see it kev, just what Robin does not need…..
Robin needs to quit international footie before it finishes him off…….
agag, we are linked to many good players, we just know wenger won’t be interested in them 🙁
Am I the only one who is annoyed that the Arsenal site are showing loads of pictures of the new shirt and how many people are buying it?
No Will…….
I didn’t see yet but Arsenal fans latin american comment all the way… I think they have the video on. I watching maybe, 20 minutes of the match yesterday.
Will, all those peolpe buying the shirts are probably club employees.
Usually when a new shirt comes out, you see a few people wearing them.
Gotta say i haven’t seen a single new shirt out and about , not at all.
It is annoying. Hey, we are getting all this money and spending NONE OF IT.
If the new shirt was flying off the shelves Will, AFC.com wouldn’t need to ‘big it up’.
Usual club bullshite.
Just to remind you all,
We were leaders of the prem this season.
We were the last team left in for the Quad
We got to a cup final
we beat Barca Utd Chelski
we beat spuds at the lane
we made fourth in the league
what went wrong.
Our Defence.
Not our forwards
not our midfield
not our manager
not officials
not luck
Our Defence
Everything hinges on that,
no to benzema
no to young
YES TO TWO VERY GOOD DEFENDERS
Get them, then start talking elsewhere
I disagree a little Steve.
Yes we need two defenders, yes, our midfield is fine (but not great) but we need another striker. We usually get half a season from Robin, we need a proven scorer. A 25 league goals a season guy.
kev, they have only been released today, you are a hard man 😉 😉
We didnt beat the spuds at the lane when it really mattered SP…..!
I can understand just where you are coming from Steve
If I was Wenger and i could only buy three players, I would get two hard nut defenders and a striker, a proper striker…
But, if we lost Nasri and Cesc, i would think differently….
But, what Steve is saying is right, sort the defence out first, that is where our major problem lies, if we don’t leak goals, we won’t lose games….
But, we need a goal scorer, purely because we cannot rely on Robin….
If fergie wants to play dirty buy unsettling our Nasri then wenger should drop mr nice guy and bid for Ashley Young , we all know he is an Arsenal fan and he will rather play for us and live in London than play for the Manure Utd where Fergie will be choosing his life style including his hair style for him.
Come on Wenger play dirty and bid for Ashley young – Fergie will get the message quickly i promise.
I know you know what your talking about Will, But that’s what i want first, i know we wont be spending much so that’s what i want first., when there’s news about Cesc And Nas i may feel different.
True Wath, but with a strong defence we’ll beat them next time
Wenger: sign defenders and pay the Top players more money, they know what their, mates in Man City and Chelsky are getting paid.
Or get one of his players SD, like i said earlier Nani, Chitto (spelling) or even Smalling??
Just athought….
Don’t just bid for Young SD, go and buy him and stop fuckin abt but it won’t happen…..!
Spot on WATH, talk to his people, offer more wages, a better deal and convince him why he should join his boyhood club …
It shouldn’t take too much convincing……
I can live without Denilson Arshavin Eastmond Diaby but Cesc and Nas Noooo
Hi allezkev,yes i am maltese,most probable the football badge next to my name gave me away,right?,now lets get started,mr ferguson( or red nose )did blunder when paying millions for certain players,hargreaves,he bought a crocked players right from the start,this latest portuguese,bebea flop of an 8 million player,anderson,just ask the manure supporters about him,and there are others whom i forgot,allright you said they reached the champs league final,so what,they are still dizzy because of the run around they got,”everybody knows that he snaps any player under the sun,but as i said no guarantee to success by spending millions,city ,what about city,what was their aim in august? and they won a paltry f a cup,their aim was higher,and bear in mind that only one team wins the league,and if the f a wasn’t againt our team in the first place,and we didn’t loose home points against lesser teams,most probable we are speaking a different story today,sorry mate i didnt answer sooner,but here in malta summer started early and living just a couple of minutes away from the sea,i swichted off my p c and went for a dip,envy me,lol
Steve, i can live without them, as long as the money is used to make us a stronger squad….
I think you all know that would not work with Arsene and Rednose Wenger would never get involved in a bidding war with Utd end of. Wenger knows who he wants and has probably secured them, if not we cant afford them.
Rico, me, a hard man, nah, i’m a pussycat…….lol
Steve, the only reason I want a proven goalscorer, apart from the obvious injuries to Robin is, I am pissed off seeing us hold on at the end of games after creating 20+ chances. We need someone who can put them away.
Carmelo, i have a friend in Malta with the same christian name, it was just a hunch Habib.
My friend lives in Rabat.
Rico chicarito just had his money doubled no way.
he did with Ramsey Steve and suggestion is he did with Smalling – we are about to see it again with Chamberlain…..
kev 😆 – i was only jesting….
Oh, btw Carmelo, i live 3 minutes from the sea. hehe.
Rico, i know, lol.
I’m off up to London for 8 days tomorrow. I’ll be suffering HH withdrawal.
I see that Will, but i still think we have Theo who needs to be played in the middle, not a finer striker if played right, Chamakh one season only scored 10 on his own, before being dumped, vela used right could be a gem Buy somebody and all that goes out the window.
I have a dinghy does that count………..?
kev, 8 days here without you – we will all miss you 🙁 🙁
AK chat when your back mate have a good trip….! I’m off you lot things to do alcohol to be drunk urine to be made….. that bit was just 4u SP 😉
Chat 2moro ppl, be good….
Stevie P ; 7.25pm. Good perspective mate.
Your right really, but we’re just all so frustrated, and the lack of transfer activity only increases that frustration.
Two defenders would be a great start, and i agree with you, but as Will said, we are light up front and that also needs addressing.
Is that where you do your chemical engineering Wath
See ya wath, hope we have a couple of signings to chat about when i’m back.
Thanks Rico, i’ll really miss my AFC fix every day.
Good point about Theo Steve, it’s about time AW gave him a run as a central striker…
My best work mixing at the bar Steve 😉 lata………..
AK sad thing is we’ll prob still be chomping over rumours and missed players mate….!
Bad planing AK every time you visit London its in the closed season
Haha Steve, no mate, i miss the pollution, insane cyclists, crazy van drivers, suicidal pedestrians, visiually impared bus drivers and cctv cameras.
Also, got to get my new Arsenal shirt [not].
Catch you tomorrow WATH…… Have a good one….
Sounds like you must come down the same time as rico Ak
Steve, thats good plannimg by kev 🙂
good one
allezkez,carmelo over here in malta is quite common,named AFTER THE BLESSED OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL.
THAN most probable you live in brighton,blackpool,margate,or scarbourough,mate,but i bet you you’ll freeze to death,if you dare go in the sea LOL,and btw i am a valletta boy( aged 67 )
Guys, I am off for the day…
Have a good evening and catch up tomorrow….
Safe trip kev….
Nighty night
nte rico me too chat later guys nte nte
Sorry guys, i had to pop out.
Goodnight Rico/Steve. See you in a week Gooners.
Carmelo, i’m in Romney Marsh, Kent.
A bit of cold water never hurt anyone habib.hehe.
So you live in La Valettes city. My friend’s name is Ferriggi. He used to be a member of AFSC Malta.
Ihad a friend by that surname,but he used to support,pompey,he passed away last year.
you seem to know a lot about malta,you’re not maltese are youy,or maltese related?
My friend is definately an Arsenal fanatic. I’ve been corresponding with him since about 1974. I used to send him the programmes.
His son coaches a youth team in Malta. His name is Joseph.
No mate, i’m 100% London, but i’ve read a book on The Great Siege, that my friends son sent me, a very interesting read, and gone on some websites that specialise on the Maltese language.
Righto i’m offski, sahha Carmelo, i’ll be back in 8 days if you fancy a fenech.
Poland 0 France 1 (friendly game)- Best players: Poland: Szhesny; France : Martin
Gervinho said :”my future is in england” – Liverpool ? Newcastle? Arsenal?
just dropping by to share this hilarious piece:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3629197/Arsenals-Abou-Diaby-I-own-and-wear-a-Spurs-top.html