Morning all,
The dreaded international break is here again and we don’t play again until the 30th March. Boring eh!
We have to chat about something and as usual, it the gossip in the red tops and broadsheets that will fill in, and of course the guest posts that are lining up nicely. I know I thank you all personally, well by email but not always publicly, until now.
Without all the help you guys give me, I’d really struggle some days, so thank you. And just because your views may not mirror mine, it matters not. We all have a view and all have a right to have it aired…….
Talking of which, I guess the same can be said about those who write for a living in attempt to sell newspapers. It’s what they do, badly sometimes, yes, but it’s what they do. Doesn’t mean we have to believe any of it does it?? Of course not, we all have something between our ears which tells us to take everything written with a rather large pinch of salt.
Talking of which, today’s juicy story is about Michael Vorm and Martin Skrtel. Both of course are reported to be up for a move to The Emirates this summer.
We have already seen that Ashley Williams is heavily linked to an Emirates move, but should the Skrtel story also be true, would that partnership be more efficient than Vermaelen and Merts? Then think about those two with Vorm between the posts?
No, doesn’t do it for me either. Vorm in goal is a much better option than any of our current keepers, but maybe there is better out there. Not Valdes though, he wouldn’t know what’s it’s like to have to concentrate and actually work hard for 90 mins would he?
As for Skrtel, well if Brendan Rodgers believes he’s not good enough for his side, then sure as heck he’s not good enough for ours either…
Ashley Williams, well there’s something about him I quite like, him instead of Vermaelen maybe?
So what else is in the news…..
Annoyingly there is plenty of chat from our players on the official website, too much for my liking. Anyone would think we are in the running for the PL title rather than just a top 4 place but I guess that has been fed to the players from above.
But one thing said by Merts was interesting about having to sit and watch the Tottenham after the loss:
There was a lot of room for improvement.
We saw ourselves as a unit on the television and you can’t believe what we did. Sometimes we didn’t choose the right direction. There were a lot of situations where there was no pressure on the ball.
Our thoughts were we have to look at each other and that is making us play better at the moment.
It’s a shame that this hadn’t happen back in October/November last year when things started to get sloppy at the back. It’s not like there haven’t been plenty of other matches they could have been made to suffer viewing. We all had to!
But we have been saying that all season, so much so, performances like in Germany and Wales are a real shock, or maybe just a pleasant surprise, I don’t know which expression is best.
All I know and I think most would agree is, if we can continue to improve on the way we are playing, add five quality players to this current squad in the summer, remove the drifters and unfit and we’ll be on a mission next season.
A mission we could achieve!!
Why do I keep saying the same old thing about what/who we need?
Because, if we say it loud enough and often enough, it might just come true……..
One player we won’t be seeing in red and white is David Villa, he’s been offered a new contract with Barcelona, one he’ll surely sign.
Finally, the weekend was good for us and we played, rather beat, Swansea at the perfect time. They will have been hurt by that loss, Laudrup will no doubt be pretty annoyed that his Carling Cup winners couldn’t offer up more than they did. He and his players will want to put that right in their next game, especially as it’s in front of their home fans…..
And we know who it’s against too!!
Have a good day all, it’s going to be a long old two weeks….
AK & Adam on the loose in Soho………. Goonster will be so jealous..!
Morning you lot….
It’s going to be a long few weeks til the 30th………….. Zzzzzzz boring…!
You missed out on Adam cottaging too Wath… 😉
Morning to you and all…..
I didn’t Rico just though it was all to much to come to terms with… Soho AND Cottaging…..! The mind boggles..!
Morning Rico and Wath. I just picked that word out of the ether. I thought it meant visiting country cottages. What is your interpretation?
Surely there ae no cottages in Soho?
😆 Wath..
Morning Adam, maybe you will see later…
Morning Wath, how are things up there in Camden Lock today?
A cottage in a rural backdrop, surely that’s what Adam means?
Rico. I am looking forward to it. 🙂
Morning all.
Wouldn’t it be a real slap in the face for Swansea to extract some revenge on the Spuds for us??
It is going to be a slow few weeks, that is for certain.
You’ve got it Kev. I am a country boy at heart after all. 🙂
Tbh, after Sagna showed his versatility at c/b why not just offer him a new contract?
What’s a rural backdrop Kev 😉
Sure is Scott and yes, would love to see Swansea batter the totts, they’ll sure want to silence the Welshman…
No Skrtel for me. Too Balkan and primitive and too many tattoos.
All good here Kev….. Plenty tight little Cottages up in Soho….
Ye ha… ride em cowboys 😉
Rico, I am beginning to wonder if Adam was right about your saucy sense of humour… 😉
And yes, I too, am a toad… 😛
I think he’s on the ‘for sale’ list Kev…
Yeah Wath, the YMCA is only a short walk from Soho.
Very handy for a lonesome cowboy… 😉
Me too Adam, plus I think he’s missing an ‘i’…
Me saucy Kev, not at all, I really don’t know what you mean…
But a toad, ah yes, you sure are 🙂
Morning guys,
Are we missing the fact that the Spuds lost and looks lost including their manager?
🙂 😀
Okay, I have to hop-off and do a bit…
Lata
Good Morning my Esteemed Fellow Gunners.
How are you all??
AVB had this to say after the Fulham game………………….’The situation has shifted, it has become difficult,’ the Tottenham manager said.
‘We have the direct games against Arsenal and Chelsea which can enable us to get back to third hopefully, or bring Man City closer to us.
‘The margin over Arsenal is what we want to build and we have to get the most amount of points from the next games.
Does he suffer from AMNESIA???? I seem to recall we have played them twice already this season. Funny that he seems to claim that they still have direct games against ARSENAL still to come up.
Then again…………are they on the verge of choking again???
Young Man!
Te cottagers all live in Fulham, surely. However, I hope you are not referring to “country matters” in your exchanges, it would be so rude!
Skertel, no chance, too much body ‘art’? Hiding the fact that he is hideously ugly. He just would not fit in to the smiley good looking boys that make up Wenger’s team.
SD – I’m just keeping quiet until the job has been done, if it’s going to be done….
Hi Devil, I thought that was a odd comment to make, could do with them drawing with the chavs really, but I think we’d be better off if chelsea win…
Lets not forget we have a few very tricky fixtures too..
Hence i’m staying quiet…
Morning all,
Is it world cup qualifiers or friendlies?
WC qualifiers Brad Pittster!!!! 😉
Devil, the pressure is getting to him lol.
And for the record, Skrtel is not a player i wish to see within 100 yards of the Emirates.
Thanx devil. I wonder how many of our players will start and I guess Gerv has a trip to Africa then.
I also hope Dawson’s hamstring injury is a 4 week out one 😉
Take you pick Brad!!!
Podolski, Wilshere and Sagna will not be going for sure. They are all injured.
Hey guys, has anyone seen the apparent leaked home kit for 2014/15. Looks very nice! Hope by that time we’ll be able to put some names on the back such as Isco and jovetic!
http://www.caughtoffside.com/2013/03/17/image-arsenal-new-home-adidas-201415-shirt-revealed-leaked-kit-looks-top-notch/?
Not sure if IC have a fixture Brad..
Agree there Scott, he’s not good enough…
………..and hopefully Bale will aggravate his injury also which will mean around three weeks rest.
I’m sure that’s why those three are ‘injured’ devil…
Addidas eh Esp, finally we leave Nike….
Just 3 devil 😉
They will all miracoulously recover in two weeks time I can assure you.
I reckon ours will devil…
The problem is……….whether AW will drop Jenks. I hope not since he is increasing his importance to the team. Plus he is gaining in confidence. Plus we are becoming stronger on the right.
How you Dev…? Well I hope mate, your 100% right on Jenks, the boy cannot be dropped… He is going to make mistakes at such a young age and lacking in experience but he’ll make up for that, he brings such enthusiasm and passion to the team it’s good for the others to see that and hopefully it’s infectious….!
Jenks should be the last one dropped imho. He probably won’t play for England this week so he’ll be well rested and fit…
Wath, what a difference a true gooner makes…
It’s having someone who will bleed red & white Rico and others see that and maybe give that extra 5% and that can make all the difference, putting yourself on the line and chasing that bit harder that’s all we’ve asked for from the team, technical ability never really been in question but attitude commitment and spirit has been.
Look at the team. Jenks, Wilshere, Gibbs, Ramsey….all of them give 110% for the team. And it shows. There are others who give their all as well. Kozzer being one of them.
How are you WATH?
We are all ok.
Couldn’t agree more Wath, Walcott could do with learning from him. And fast!
Nacho is another who gives his utmost during games. An honest pro. The problem is that both he and Gibbs play in the same position. And that means only one will play. Good to have rotation though. So if Sagna is given a contract that will mean four quality fullbacks in the team. Both the right and left are solid. And if he plays Gibbs and Jenks during the weekend while Nacho and Sagna during the midweek each player will have a good rest between games. So AW should buy another quality centreback and thus have two sets of defenders who can alternate and remain together at the same time.
Imagine this………….Jenks, Gibbs, Mertesacker, Kozzer is one group. The other will be Sagna, Vermaelen, (Williams), Nacho.
A good team I daresay. And they will rest each other.
Think on this one.
We looked very good in defence early on with Jenks in the side.
We look very good, well at least much better, no with Jenks back in the side.
That big hole in the middle when we were crap, he was missing.
Coincidence…maybe.
Opinions?
Why not Rico? However the problem lies with AW……..Theo should not take his place for granted. So AW must drop him and give him a couple of kicks up the arse.
We all noticed it Scott. And as I said……suddenly both defensive flanks are getting better and more solid.
Devil, what did you think when Gibbs played in front of Monreal for the little spell on the weekend?
Could it work in general?
Both Nacho and Jenks know when to get forward…they pick their time beautifully.
Last season, i thought Jenks was too attack minded, but he is definitely more responsible this season….the experience is helping.
As Rico pointed out, one silly error on the weekend was the only flaw in a fantastic performance.
The kid will end up an Arsenal legend, i reckon.
Off for an hour or so, catch up later…
Totally agree re dropping him Devil, maybe Reading would be the ideal game…
Scott…….Gibbs stayed outside when he was in front of Nacho. Gibbs stays outside when he is playing left back. So that means that he is a winger not a defender.
Nacho plays outside when he is defending but at 2/3 pitch he cuts inside to compress the midfield and provide a triangle of support between the winger and the inside midfielders/attackers. His goal against the swans prove that infact.
So the best combination for the team???? I think it should be Nacho at left back with Gibbs in front of him to stretch defences.
The answer may be that AW should buy another left back and leave Gibbs as a winger.
Good night all.
Can’t say too much now….comments need to be strecthed iver two weeks 🙂
Have a great day.
Even Podolski should be used as a centre forward imo. Imagine this line up………
Chezzer/Flappy
Jenkinson, Kozzer, Merte, Nacho
Arteta, Aaron,
Cazorla,Wilshere, Gibbs
Podolski.
Solid and very good for away games.
Good night Scottie boy.
Maybe that little stint on the weekend was a preview of things to come.
Off now…night all.
I am off now my friends.
cu later on today hopefully.
You can’t help but admire the faith Wenger shows in Ramsey even though it is frustrating a times to see Ramsey having a bad game but the guy always run and run and run.
Maybe thats is why Wenger keeps picking him in games.
Did well for the Gervinho pass and intelligence to pick the run in the first place.
Giroud looks very important to us now in keeping our shape in the front.He looks intelligent as well with his controls, drop downs, and movement off and on the ball.
If you cant score , you might as well help people to score 🙂
Rico – Great post and one of the best ever.
Why the press would speculate we would want Skrtel from the tracksuit wearing hubcap stealers is beyond me. Not in a million years.
No coincidence for me that Jenkinson is an Arsenal supporting boy, he seems to give everything on the pitch.
Wath – spot on. You can have all the ability in the world but without desire you are half teh player. Theo needs a few home truths, cant whinge about money and demand the position in the team, he ahs to earn it, week in and week out.I would bench him to bring his ego down a peg and give the Ox a run of games.
Ox looks good every time he rotates to the middle and picks up the ball. But He needs to work on picking out a forward pass. I’m also glad that Gerv scored. A bit of confidence and he could be a great asset. I know I’m not the only one who was wondering how he might muck up the one on one. But his control was good and he finished well.
anyone else heard some bad Wilshere news? It’s not corroborated so I won’t repeat it.
I must add that Walcott did track back and joined in the 4-4 when we needed to defend. He even layed a ball off to Jenks from deep. He just needs to be shown that he doesn’t need to play central to score goals and that he can get in behind without narrowing his run to between the cb.
I don’t know if Ox will try to get into scoring positions like Walcott does.
I’m with Rico on Gerv. He really did his best to hit the goalkeeper and have his shot saved! But he missed again and inadvertanly scored a goal!
It may improve his confidence, the goal that is, or it may not. It all depends on whar’s going on under his forehead!
We’ll see.
Will – Gervinho is surprisingly quick but I suspect his greatest asset is the fact that he struggles to get his feet sorted. Must be a nightmare for a defender trying to read him, not sure he knows what he is doing. Could turn into a real asset. Agree about the Ox, strong boy with good tecnique remember how he ran the midfield against AC Milan.
Some are suggesting it is a recurrence but best wait see what Arsenal say, like you say its not corroborated so maybe a journalist needing an easy story to write. Hope not.
Wavy – Under his forehead 🙂
Afternoon all.
Not a bad weekend for us, eh?!
Ahhhh. Nothing like a good Spring clean and clear out of old unwanted stuff for the Charity Shops…
Just wondering whether to take all my old AFC mags/programmes and books etc, or keep them….
Pretty good Rocky, shame the hammers could get a point…
You cnnot be serious? Throwing away Arsenal memorabilia! It’s like destroying the past, historical suicide! You need counselling or hypnotizing or both. DON’T DO IT!
Act in haste and repent at leisure!
You know I’m right!
Ok Wavy, you have convinced me 🙂
Hurrah!
1-0 to the collectors!
Rocky – Very good weekend, picked up three good away points always good for the confidence. With Spurs losing, the boys might get the bit between their teeth now…..
Wavy – I gave away some programs and bits and pieces from the 80’s the other day and now regret it! My wife wanted the garage cleared but she kept all her shoes. But to be honest, they were in a dusty old box and had not been looked at for years. Sometimes you end up hoarding stuff.
Not much room Wavy, somethings just have to go, but not the afc stuff 😉
Charity shop calls, back in a while…
Thanks re the post Kj
I could never throw AFC stuff away Rico! In fact, on Sunday morning I put all my old Arsenal shirts and scarves (including my first Junior Gunner scarf) in one of those bags that you vacuum all the air out of to preserve them for as long as I possibly can. Oh, and the other day I bought an Arsenal snood!! Yep… I bought a snood!! I do look like a prize c*** in it, but it was bought in advance of my hols in NY this cominfg December when it’ll be so cold I won’t care that I look like a ponce!
I understand, lack of space but even on the rare occasions when they come out, the flood of nostalgia and the, mostly, warm memories far outweigh the need to put my socks somewhere out of sight, or use the drawer for storing other stuff is not worth a light!
The old smelly things chart my arsenal history and commitment, like my record collection and ‘Rothmans’ from 1977 to now! Etc. etc.
Agreed Wavy! Space is at a premium in my 2 bed flat…. But the wife knows i will NOT get rid of any Arsenal stuff!
Best memorabilia I have is a signed Thierry Henry photo, which he signed when I was with him. I also have a signed Annie Wenger program, lovely lady who teold a great Cesc story. Cesc and Henry, pure class look forward to the next ones…..
You are welcome Rico.
My favorite piece of Arsenal memorabilia, that I have mounted on the wall of my hovel, is a used KFC family box that I am told was discarded by Andre Santos.
Adam – 🙂
i have a ball signed by the 1979 cup winning squad along with ,more programmes going back to whenever in plastic boxes under the bed not to mention I still have my own teeth, they are in another box alongside them.
Potter, that sounds painful.
Nothing Arsenal went, I promise folks….
Afternoon all……
Rico, looks like you were right about Halsey. He says a player obstructed his view, so the FA can now give out that ban to the lad for that shocking tackle. Apparantly, after the game it is being reported that Newscastle fans went on tweeter poking fun at Halsey about his battle with cancer. Can you believe that! What kind of people do that?
twitter….. doh!
Rocky – your 3.42 – fantastic, where did you find the snood, I want one 😛
Adam, 😆 re Santos and the KFC box 😉
I’ve got a snood but I wear it as a support garment. It’s the Nasri model.
Credit to Halsey for truthing Kj, now lets see the FA deal with that incident properly, and the idiot linesman who did see what went on….
I have one too Adam, a Carol Vordeman model…
Now, you’re just teasing me Rico. 🙂
Have you seen Carol’s new clothing range? Frightening!
Ha ha Adam, I haven’t but thankfully, I will get that through the post very soon…
I can’t wait to hear about it Rico. 🙂
I will let you know Adam, as soonest… 😉
Evening all, been fishing all day still no fish.
Rico nice post, 🙂 You do make me laugh at times, 5 quality players in the summer (5) are you mad Ha Ha. Skrtel quality not in my book David Villa was he ever a possibility Ha Ha And Vorm Ha Ha for one thing we have heard of these players, you know the rule, We only buy players we’ve never heard of. But you was right about the newspapers. 🙂
Hi Sp, you old cynic re the players, but I truly understand why you say that. Deep down I expect very little difference to what we have seen in transfer windows BUT…
Everyone keeps saying FFP will change everything so I thought I get into the spirit 😉
Just going to eat now, back in a short while…
Your right though Rico keep saying it and someone may listen. 🙂
That’s better 😛
Lets hope so Sp….
Rio Ferdinand has pulled out of the England squad. What a joke, after all the fuss made over him not being selected…..
That’s Fergie all over!!
Rico whats good?
Lot’s somewhere I hope Gdna 😉
Adam, your KFC box is a fake….i bought one on Ebay for 2 grand and it came with a C.O.A and his saliva has been DNA tested 🙂
I have plenty of room at home for nayone discarding Arsenal gear!!
My only realy decent purchase (kind of) related to Arsenal was purchasing a Spain World cup issue shirt signed by Cesc with a C.O.A for a lazy hundred dollars the day before the cup final.
A guy at work offered me $700.00 for it straight after Cesc ruled the final from the bench!!
I have simce bought a 2009 Arsenal/Cesc shirt and a current Barca one….it will make one hell of a wall feature!!
On our signings, Emma raised it to our attention, and she has won me.
Look at our last 4 signings.
Podolski, Cazorla, Giroud and Monreal.
Quality players, each and very one of them.
Times are changing, i reckon.
Scott – I have some Cesc stuff, may favourite shirt has his name on the back. Bet you have a Ramsey one too :-).
Wenger had to gamble on bargain buys but there will be some proper signings now. I can feel the success we are long overdue on the horizon. First challenge is to get into that top four which I think we will.
Rico – My Man Utd mate said there was no way Rio the ego would be allowed to play for England by Red Nose. Rio wont get another chance now, he was only asked because England had some injuries.
Scott – your 8.15.Spot on, all internationals and not one signing was ‘potential’.
Things MIGHT be changing, but lets see what the summer brings before assuming is has…
😉
Hi KJ….no Ramsey one yet, but it will be next.
Funny, i was just thinking that last night.
I love a worker mate….every side needs them.
I bought a Podolski one straight away as he is a player i wanted at Arsenal for a while…..he will get better for us with more quality coming into the side, though i guess that can be said for all of them.
She is a good thinker, that Emma,especially for a Scouser 🙂
All a Rio game Kj…
One which we need to play more with our international players….
I now what you are saying Rico, you big cynic, but compare them to the previous half dozen or so, and the signs are good.
Yes, we got Merts and Arteta, but 2 quality players out of 6 doesn’t cut it.
4 out of 4 certainly does.
Maybe it’s my positive side coming out again 🙂
Internationals are a tense time.
Players love to represent their country, but don’t want to upset their manager, who only wants best for the club, nor their country manager who only wants best for their country etc, etc, etc.
It is the timing and frequency of the international non-event games that causes the problems.
We always hear about it with our Aussie lads whose task is made even hrader with the travel involved.
Bargain buys.. Why keep defending them??
Why make three bargain signings when with the same money we could have signed one top player??
Not only three crap players but three on a big wage..
We should have gone for quality not quantity!!
Anyway, I’m done.
Til tomorrow all…
Night all….
Hindsight is an easy thing though Rico.
I still say the reason our bad signings stand out is because they are not part of a group involoving world class buys.
Get 5 in, 2 of which are stand outs, and the other 3 failures are lost in the mix.
Money is what it comes down to.
Bugger getting onetop one….let’s get 3 or 4 this summer.
Off to work.
Catch you later guys.
Keep the faith Rico 🙂
Rico – not defending the bargain buys just calling them what they were. I agree that the problem with them is they are unlikely to be the finished article, you might get lucky. It was the pond he was fishing in, rightly or wrongly. Wenger said that if it is a well known player Chelsea or Man City are after there is no point as cant win a bidding war. Thats a fact and the reality of fightng with sugar daddys. I agree with Scott and Emma, I think this Summer there will be some big arrivals. You are right though, we need quality now, not prospects those days have gone.
Morning morning,
My idea for success is have the experienced vet that can’t play every game but still quality, the star player or one that’s bought for the season and promising youngsters that can perform when called upon but does not need to be relied on for many games.
At least Wenger has changed his policy on the over 30’s but is not giving the youngsters chances anymore, not even for 15 mins. Does this mean the youngsters we have are not good enough to be trusted with that little playing time?
Bradster, i seem to recall Theo on the bench and Ox having 70 odd minutes on the weekend!!
Sorry mate…..morning 🙂
Morning all,
I’d still spot them Scott 😉
Be back around 9.30 with the new post…
New Post up….