Arsenal seal deal with Italians, Ox and Alexis bids imminent?

Morning all.

Cavallaro Napoli have become the clubs Official Formal Wear Partner after a two year deal was confirmed on August 8th 2017. The partnership across the UK and Europe will see the Dutch Italian fashion house will be responsible for ensuring our players, management and other hangers on at Arsenal will be dressed for the occasion both on match days and other events.

From their official site:

After a month of personal fittings with top players like Alexis Sánchez, Mesut Özil and Alexandre Lacazette and coach Arsène Wenger, the gentlemen wore their suits for the first time on Sunday, 6th August for the FA Community Shield at Wembley Stadium. After winning the match against Chelsea, the players hope the Cavallaro suits will continue to bring them good luck for the rest of the season!

This season, “The Gunners” from London will be wearing a sharp, deep dark blue suit with a crispy white shirt. Not only are the outfits tailored to a perfect fit, but also with the exceptional attention to detail that characterises Cavallaro Napoli. The shirts are finished with an embroidered logo, and the look is completed with a silk red tie that features the canon of the famous club logo woven into the fabric.

Yippee doo eh!

Look on the bright side though, if Alexis and Ozil have been measured up and kitted out in posh new suits, it might be an indication that both are staying at the club for a while yet.

But the back pages suggest otherwise as Pep is set to go in hard for the Chilean with a £60 million offer, Chelsea the same with Oxlade-Chamberlain albeit for a lesser offer. If the Englishman wasn’t into his last year of contract, he’d be worth twice as much as the £35 million Chelsea are suggested to be considering. Same with Alexis and Ozil.

The downside to all three staying but not signing a contact extension is that come January, when hopefully we’ll still be in with a chance of winning the league, all three of the above players will be able to enter negotiations with other clubs. They won’t want to get injured in case any big deal is scuppered and all the talk/headlines about them will hardly do the rest of the players any good and if all three confirm big deals elsewhere, who’s to say others won’t want to follow suit the following January when another crop of players will be in a similar situation. Mind you, you’d like to think the club is in talks with those players already, either about a new contract, or them finding a new club.

Some of course need to find one within the next couple of weeks as Arsene wants to trim his squad but time is running out. Just as it is for the Frenchman to make the much needed signings many of us believe he still needs to.

To leave on a positive note, Jack Wilshere turned out for the under 23’s last night and survived 75 minutes. Good for him and good for Arsenal. A fit Jack might just boost our midfield. Coquelin played too as he returns to fitness after being injured.

By the way, they showed a similar kind of spirit as the first team too by grabbing a late winner in a match they looked like they could lose. Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson grabbed the goals, the latter with two.

Have a good Tuesday guys..

160 thoughts on “Arsenal seal deal with Italians, Ox and Alexis bids imminent?

  1. DB10 says:

    Too disruptive to the club – sell all of ’em and buy players who want to wear the shirt and aren’t ‘injured’ or unhappy like some pathetic eight year old!

  2. rico says:

    So Thierry Henry left Arsenal because the club weren’t going the way he wanted it to.. No different to RvP then, or now, Alexis..

  3. Lewis says:

    I hope Sanchez goes to PSG and we get Moura and some cash the other way.

    Any player that doesn’t want to be there then get rid. We will survive.

    Good day all.

  4. Watford Gunner says:

    Any thoughts of Reiss-Nelson being the replacement for Ox? Judging by his pre-season performances, I think he could make the step up, as long as he is managed well.

  5. ScottfromOz says:

    Rico, fair enough, but a manager has a lot more influence than a player.
    Arsene has done more for the club than any of our current players-especially those allegedly wanting out.

  6. rico says:

    If he’s sold Lewis, I’d rather he went to Psg than City, that’s for sure..

    Welcome Wg, did you say ‘as long as he’s properly managed?’ That’s the tricky part, but I think he’s a great playing in the making…

  7. rico says:

    All the good Wenger has done though Scott was yonks ago. Now, imo, his influence is negative as far as the clubs future goes. He is the one man holding our club back from being successful imo.

  8. ScottfromOz says:

    Rico, I say it’s mainly down to Stan, but you know that 🙂 🙂
    Anyway, my original comment was not about defending Wenger, but criticising egotistical players, and they’re agents.
    Contracts really mean nothing these days.

  9. rico says:

    Sports people need a bit of an ego to be successful though Scott.

    I’m sure had we have really challenged for the league last season, Alexis would have already signed a new deal. Perhaps he might have done too had Wenger showed some serious ambition in this transfer window but as usual, he hasn’t. Not yet anyway. And I’m not knocking who he has signed as I like both…

  10. ScottfromOz says:

    Yep,
    He hasn’t done enough in the transfer window, no question.
    We finished 5th, others have strengthened, so we needed to do improve even further.

  11. ScottfromOz says:

    A DOF would take so much pressure off Wenger, he could concentrate on his one job.
    There are no negatives to having one.

  12. Bob John says:

    Hi all.
    Today’s post sums up the club in a nutshell. Brilliant at doing commercial deals that rake in more money for the animal murderer. Shit at doing deals that will benefit the team!

  13. Lee says:

    What idiot said “I don’t know what a director of football means!”
    This is the problem in a fucking nutshell!!

  14. ROC says:

    As far as I am concerned, Sanchez should kindly go. I don’t like players like him. Arsenal have had better players than him who didn’t behave in this manner. If Arsenal survived the dismantling of the Invincibles, survived the exit of Viera, Henry, Fabrigas and Van Persie, they will survive Sanchez and his arrogant posturings.
    Any player can leave for sure. But don’t go about it by been rude. I think Arsenal have gotten a better player and goal scorer in Locozade than Sanchez. Arsenal won’t get his best if he stays. He should be sold at a giveaway to PSG or at an astronomical price to Mansour FC. I no longer value him as an Arsenal player. Look at Ozil. He’s been more matured.

  15. potter says:

    A balanced appraisal that will be treated as heresy in many AKB sites. Henry will be viewed a traitor as have all the previous players that have left and stated the bleeding obvious.

  16. Daniel Egwu says:

    Does Arsene really know what the club needs to be successful? Yearly, he does the minimum and leaves the club a player or two short of what is required. Very soon in this season we may begin to have that unwanted fans unrest that fouls the whole atmosphere and this will be Arsene’s doing. As for Sanchez, lets admit that he has his ambition and Wenger has clearly shown to be a destroyer of his ambition. But I think he can behave in a more professional way. Ozil has demonstrated clearly the poor ways of Sanchez. If he must go, by all means, let him go.

  17. rico says:

    I don’t think he does Daniel. It’s embarrassing, especially when watching how other top club manages are going about their business and they finished above us…

    I don’t see what Alexis has done wrong, not if he’s genuinely injured.

  18. kelsey says:

    Afternoon all.

    We are the seventh richest club in the world and everything appears to go through AW and we have a majority share holder who takes money out of the club and puts absolutely nothing in it.
    .
    I won’t go through everything again and again but the things that matter are as usual aren’t being resolved be it buying or selling what amounts to half the squad or renegotiating contracts.

    Sometimes I read what is going on and can’t believe I am reading about my club, The Arsenal, who were steeped in history and it is being dismantled by the minute.

    I can’t remember a more unhealthy situation at the club since AW arrived

    One can’t dwell on the past forever and that means only ten years ago.

    I feel for Rico and others who write a daily post about our club not knowing most of the time what is going on

    If we sell Sanchez and The Ox then do our usual last minute deals we most probably won’t have spent anything this Summer

  19. Le Coq Monster says:

    Evening all and thanks Rico.

    Alexis is going no where this season !………………………………how many times does Wenger have to say it ?……………………………..well again and no doubt he will say again and again and again untill the TW closes !

    http://news.arseblog.com/2017/08/wenger-sanchez-stays-and-its-logical-that-players-should-respect-contracts/?utm_source=feedburner.com%2Farseblognews&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+arseblognews+%28Arseblog+News+-+the+Arsenal+news+site%29

    I`m still of the opinion and I think Kev` is the only other one on here, (and forgive me if I`m wrong there) that we have done our business !

  20. ScottfromOz says:

    Morning all.
    Did Dennis lack ambition, or was he simply a good, decent man, a true Arsenal legend who showed loyalty and stayed at the club he loves???
    He stayed when others left, so is he deluded, an AKB, or just plain dumb?
    We all revere the man who stayed, then hold up Thierry as proof positive that the club and Arsene have been at fault?
    Why isn’t the fact Dennis stayed ever raised by people criticising Wenger????
    Quite simply, because it doesn’t suit the argument.
    Some of the most criticised current players we have are reasonably long term players, yet the one WOB’s hold up as more evidence against Wenger has shown he’s never stayed loyal to a single club, let alone Arsenal.
    Did Thierry, or any of those players that left cop a pay cut?
    But it’s all about trophies, it always is lol
    PS-does anyone here NOT admire a player like Le Tissier?
    Why do you admire him so hen he “lacked ambition”?
    Because he stayed true, and loyal to his club.

  21. ScottfromOz says:

    Well re anyone says I’m defending Wenger again, I’m not, I’m criticising players who chase the dollar, and fans who defend them.

  22. ScottfromOz says:

    Not sure what that has do with it, Rico, but obviously the year we headed to The Emirates.
    He was hardly 27 though 🙂
    He could’ve left earlier.

  23. ScottfromOz says:

    In all fairness to Thierry, I agree with everything he said about our performance v Leicester, and I hope LC and Kev are wrong, because if we don’t do any more business, we will struggle to even finish 5th.

  24. rico says:

    It has a lot to do with it Scott, because before the day Dennis retired, the club was a competitive one. Unlike now and when players started to leave through lack of ambition…

  25. Le Coq Monster says:

    Only an exceptional player will be bought according to Wenger…………………mind you, he has said that every single season then has failed to find one !…………….or …………………………. on the other hand there have been exceptional players available, but he sits back and lets them join other clubs even though he has the most cash in the bank available !………………………..then there`s the deadwood on hiogh wages who wont shift and not forgetting our top players on the last shreads of their contracts which someone said ( I think Fred) and quite rightly so too……………will put us in shit street come next season when they can all go for free and who the fcuk will replace them as we wont have their transfer fees to buy anyone …………..even though we have zillions in the bank of Arsene !……….hahahahahaha……………………………..unbelievable how this club is run, it should make some interesting viewing come January when certain players can talk to other clubs and Dennis forbid we are already out of the title race ! hahahahaha…………………………………..and only a title will save us………………………and to get the title we need to keep the players, trhe same players who we need to sell now if we are going to replace them with the money they generate !……………………………talk about……………… Catch 22 !…………………………………Oh well, it will be bettter than watching soap operas !

    On a different subject……………….today at work for some reason we talked about ………………”What is the best opening sequence of any TV show ?”……………………………………………Easy for me…………………………….Stingray !……………

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPu9mLfLoOA

    “anything can happen in the next half hour!”…….love it hahahahaha

    Anyone else have an opinion on such a great topic ? hahahaha

  26. rico says:

    And don’t forget, 2006 was the year we moved to The Emirates. The move we were told would turn us into a club which would compete with Europes best. What a load of bull***t that was….

  27. ScottfromOz says:

    Rico, yes, it turned out to be a hell of a line, no doubt about it.
    We are competitive with Leicester, though 🙂

  28. Le Coq Monster says:

    Yes, Rico !…….we`ve been fed a lot of bullshit since we left Highbury, but what about Stngray ? hahaha

  29. Le Coq Monster says:

    Hahaha………………I knew I read it somewhere, between you and Fred, you have it covered !
    🙂

    It`s alright for Scott !……………….if he`s pissed off, he can just go and make a pint of some amber nectar ! 🙂

  30. Le Coq Monster says:

    Scott`s gone Rico !………………………..one look at Aqua Marina and he wont be heard of again !……………I`ve had years to get over her ! hahaha

  31. Le Coq Monster says:

    Right, I`m off to keep the miussus company …………………………………………anything can happen in the next half hour ! hahaha

  32. ScottfromOz says:

    No Rico, not dismissed-he retired, he didn’t move.
    He was loyal for over a decade.
    LC, I feel sorry for her already 🙂

  33. ROC says:

    It’s very very easy to see stagnation from the studio as a pundit. But reality is different as Gary Neville found out.
    The problem is of Arsenal is not stagnation. It’s called Stan Kroenke. He’s hindering the club. As long as Kroenke holds the majority share Arsenal will stay this way. It will even worsen when Wenger leaves and that’s why Kroenke does not want Wenger gone since Wenger too sees the club as he’s pet project.
    I do not believe that the club has enough money to compete with Mansour, Roman, El-Khalifei, or the owners of Man Utd. It’s the American financial mindset is affecting Arsenal and Liverpool. Only Man Utd American owners are different. Everton will soon overtake Arsenal with the way the owner is spending.
    Wenger has many shortcomings, but he’s still the one keeping the club together.

  34. frednerk says:

    Stan knows nothing about soccer fact ..Yer
    So he gets a man that knows..Yer
    In this case his got a man that knows about soccer
    also he has a man who invented Buy one Get one Free.
    Next its the supermarket trolley dash.
    Will it be August or January?

  35. Lee says:

    I see one of last season’s best defences (spuds) are looking at bringing in the Ajax CB Sanchez….meanwhile over at Arsenal Wenger is doing what exactly?? Our defence has been appalling for ages and been in need of a proper leader, pretty much like our midfield. Why is Wenger so negligent in these areas?
    Still anyways the window will shut soon, the squad will be a couple of players short like normal…rinse repeat!

    Wenger – “For me, there are five ‘trophies’ – the first is to win the Premier League, the second is to win the Champions League, the third is to qualify for the Champions League, the fourth is to win the FA Cup and the fifth is to win the League Cup.”

    ????

  36. Le Coq Monster says:

    Morning all.

    Lee, you must have read my mind about Spud`s after a defender !…………..rumoured two, Serge Aurier and Davinson Sanchez.
    Like someone said the other day and I have and every man and his dogging session have said…………………..first, you have to be hard to beat and that means a disciplined and organised defense, every title winner has a great defense,……….. maybe if Wenger had concentrated on this aspect of the game since our last decent defense of the invincibles we may have competed better for the title instead of failing miserably.

  37. rico says:

    Ah but we’ll score more…..

    What a joke eh..

    Morning Lee, Lc and all..

    Stoke and their set-pieces could be interesting…

  38. Le Coq Monster says:

    Although you have forgot the 6th and 7th trophies !………………………..Community Shield and Emirates Cup !……………….the great man is on a roll, just 5 left ! hahaha

  39. ScottfromOz says:

    Tottenham are ridiculously active this transfer window.
    Arsene should learn from them.
    Morning all.

  40. Le Coq Monster says:

    I have to take my wife for a bone density scan this morning, whilst there I shall ask if it is possible to have a tactical awareness scan, a buy an exceptional player scan, how to defend scan etc` !!!

    Everton are splashing out a bit !……………….shame we haven`t a shareholder like theirs !………..wonder where he came from ?……………………

  41. rico says:

    I can’t wait to witness that contest Lc, although I doubt it’ll be much of a contest.

    Wenger could learn a lot from Poch Scott..

  42. Le Coq Monster says:

    That Henry link was a good read, Rico and lets not chuck it out of hand as he is someone close to the club, so as you say, hard to disagree !
    And he hasn`t been the only close to the club ex-player to have concern !…………..can they all be wrong ?………………….trouble with Wenger is he cant see the money for the cash !…………a better expression than the wood for the trees one ! hahaha

  43. rico says:

    Exactly Lc, Henry is only saying what many of us have been saying on here for a few years now. Henry isn’t just a bitter and twisted ex player, he loves the club I’m sure and like us, he knows there are many things which need addressing. Some of which money can’t buy.

  44. Le Coq Monster says:

    True, Rico.

    I`ve no doubt Wenger loves the club too, but if only he could take a step back and look from the outside it may become all clear, but I`m afraid he has the Emperors new clothes syndrome !.

  45. rico says:

    I don’t for one minute doubt Wenger loves the club but his head is in the sand, he’s stuck in a penny pinching world and as you say, he needs to look at things through a fresh pair of eyes.

    It such a great shame he can’t see what is so glaringly obvious to most others..

  46. potter says:

    I am certain he knows the problems but he weighs the odds of the gain against the outgoing. He probably feels that laying out the £100 million in transfer fees with the wages to add is not worth the gain of finishing a couple of places higher in the league and the prize money that goes with it.
    He is meant to be an accountant after all and anyone who has been in a business that got taken over by accountants knows that it’s time to look for another job.

  47. ScottfromOz says:

    Rico, i was being sarcastic as Tottenham are yet to sign a single player.
    Sure, it won’t take much for them to outdo us, though lol
    I liked their manager when he was at Soton, but hate him now 🙂

  48. ScottfromOz says:

    Wenger loves the club, of that there’s no doubt, and genuinely does what he thinks is right.
    Of course, that doesn’t mean he IS right, but his intentions are at least honourable, imo.
    So many insult him as if he is just there to fleece the club and it’s a ridiculous thing to suggest.
    Still, a younge rmanager would no doubt drive us forward, if allowed to.

  49. rico says:

    If he knows the problems, why not do something about them? I just don’t think he bothers about the way we defend as long as we are scoring goals. If he did, he’d have had our defending sorted out years ago…

    I knew you were Scott, although I’m not sure why you needed to. Lee made a good point. Totts had one of, if not the best defence last season but are looking to strengthen. We however had one of the worst for much of the season but Wenger does bugger all about it…

  50. Wavy says:

    Just read that Danny Rose may be off to Chelsea! So, the spuds will have lost both full backs. They need to replace and renew! That is maybe why they are active in the market today. Imo?

    Morning all. Dull and cool here, shame,

  51. Adam says:

    Morning Rico. Wenger’s lack of interest when it comes to buying proper defenders is surely linked to his love of the fast, free-flowing game. It’s an ideal really and one that isn’t working, as far as I can see. How many times has he bought a skilfull player, like Ozil or Nasri, when we were instead crying out for a defensive powerhouse of 6 foot plus or a proper goalkeeper? Winning the PL isn’t really about playing the most attractive football is it? It’s about not conceding daft goals as much as scoring and digging in when we have to. Surely, if he really is serious about actually winning the PL, he must realise that we simply have to improve defensively both at the back and in midfield. At the moment most teams will defend deep against us, suck our non-holding midfielders forward and then hit balls over the top which everybody knows, will put us in trouble more or less every time.

  52. Wavy says:

    Wenger spend money on players? Fagin would be more free with his shekels! The man is a tight wad and far too partial to his own ‘creations’ as was Dr Frankenstein! Just saying.
    If Wenger spends any significant cash on a top top player I’ll eat my Belgian chocolate hat! I’ve got more chance of flying round the moon with Richard Branson than the old wrinkly one addressing the current needs of this inadequate squad.
    Same old same old, I’m afraid this coming season. All will be revealed after and perhaps during the game against Stoke Kickers!

  53. rico says:

    Morning Adam. Agreed. He talks about the perfect game, playing the game the right way etc but surely that means having the perfect, or near perfect balance. He had that back in the first few years, but has since gone for very different kind of players… Odd really.

  54. Adam says:

    Rico. I do wonder if any serious and ‘independent’ analysis is ever done at Arsenal. The question of why we didn’t win the PL title last year and in for the previous dozen years would surely highlight several areas of repeated concern. Yet, we seem to start each season with the same issues that are seldom addressed. Wenger suggests that the reason we blew out last year is the same one that has lead us to this impasse with 3 major players. His contract situation. He now says that he should have addressed it earlier and blames it for that appalling run that essentially killed any hopes of PL or CL success. Erh, sorry. Come again.
    So now he is keeping all 3 players and is going to lose over £100 million on them for a single season, knowing full well that to replace them in the market next season would cost about double that figure and perhaps more. And this is because of his dawdling over a new contract for himself? And this is a ‘top’ manager?

  55. rico says:

    Adam, very good questions in there. Perhaps a DOF would have asked some of the same ones..

    Do you think all three players will still be here on Sept 1st? I don’t.

  56. rico says:

    What I said Scott is he’s done bugger all about sorting out our dreadful defending. That doesn’t always mean by signing someone. How about he does something on the training pitch like ditching zonal marking, or changing the way we defend as a unit. He’s meant to be a top coach, well perhaps it’s about time he realised that when it comes to defending, he’s rubbish so give that job to someone else who knows what they are doing..

  57. ScottfromOz says:

    Well played-decent value lol
    I thought we were talking about signings, or lack of them.
    What do you expect Wenger to do when he doesn’t do Defence 🙂 🙂

  58. Adam says:

    Rico. Of course I would like to keep the 3 players but the club must surely be looking to ‘what happens next’ as all good businesses do. In this case, as I said, I reckon that if none of them renew, Arsenal will be looking at mega, mega money to replace them next season (pick a figure!) and that’s not a situation that Wenger will feel comfortable with surely. The alternative is that he is going to have a half-hearted crack at this year’s title doing the same stuff, knowing that it won’t be his concern. He could leave and then haunt the game, rather like a footballing Tony Blair, except he will be preaching the same gospel as he has been for years now. Morally of course, he will be right, but there are virtually zero morals in football these days, as we know.
    I simply can’t see a scenario where Arsenal come out on top where these three are concerned, unless there is something going on behind the scenes.

  59. rico says:

    Adam. If all three remain at Arsenal beyond the end of the month it must mean Wenger is going next summer because as you say, can anyone really see Wenger parting with the kind of money to get replacements of their quality, certainly Ozil and Sanchez.

    The board couldn’t give a one year extension as it would look silly so perhaps there’s an agreement in place that he goes next summer..

  60. Lee says:

    Brudder….
    Spuds looking at Serge Aurier, wasn’t he banned from entering the UK? He’d be a good replacement for the Ox, reminds me of Ralph.
    I’ve a terrible feeling we are finished in this transfer window, I hope I’m wrong but looks like another deja vu season is about to unfold!

    Now what was that Einstein quote about doing the same thing….?

  61. Lee says:

    “The board couldn’t give a one year extension as it would look silly so perhaps there’s an agreement in place that he goes next summer..”

    Let’s fucking hope so!??

  62. Wavy says:

    I give you…….project youth? It can be the only answer. I mean, I know he’s delusional, but surely he must have a plan B……or am I having a laugh? Has he pulled the wool over everybody’s eyes and he’s found some top top nuggets in the Arsenal kindergarten? Nelson, Jeff and one other. I suppose it’s possible. Let the disillusioned trio leave for free but get the last ounce of effort out of them before they go. Squeeze them dry and the replace them with ‘potential’.
    I don’t believe he has a plan B for one moment but it is just possible that is what he has in mind. If it all goes tits up, he won’t renew and we can all breathe a sigh of relief and move on. The club will be skint, Kronke will sell his shares to……Alice and we will use his cash to buy the ‘new Neymar’. …..or am I being delusional????

  63. Obi says:

    Being an Arsenal fan is similar to watching Japanese Kabuki theater. In Kabuki theater everyone in the audience knows what is going to happen; yet when it happens, everyone gets excited, claps, and acts in shock.

    At Arsenal we all know from TW, to the beginning, to the middle, to the end of the season, the story; yet we complain, get upset and act surprise, but nothing is new ay least for 12 years. The only constant, that is changeable among the 2 main characters, is Arsene Wenger. For me, AW has to be totally in some cave or bubble not to see that he hasn’t been and/or is not good enough to manage this club. So if he really loves the club, he should have left 10 years ago, definitely last season. Please let’s stop. AW is like the abusive spouse saying, “but I love” but not seeking help, i.e. DOF or doing the same thing, not addressing defense or in game tactics…..as I believe Potter or Adam said “wash and rinse”. The sad part is I like the man, but I have lost respect for him.

  64. Le Coq Monster says:

    Good comments Adam…………………..two good things that come from not selling “The Three” for big money now…………………1) They will help us win the league ahahaha…………………………2) This one is spot on but equally ridiculous as it wont happen………………The Three will be at the end of their contracts, so we give them enormous wages because we wont have to buy them !…………………………….there is a third !………………..3) loads of players out of contract, we win fcuk all, not even 4th, loads of more players will enter the last year of their contracts, no money to buy, club in shambles (even more so) and Wenger has to go a year early for fcuking up all the players wages and contracts !……………………yes, it will fcuk up any new managers squad, but they can start from scratch !.

    I will change my mind about it all with a big win at Stoke . hahahaha

  65. Le Coq Monster says:

    Great analogy, Obi………………………………………but I`m not going to be clapping with excitement if Crouch towers over Monreal for a bullet header winning goal !

    😆

  66. frednerk says:

    Afternoon Rico and All

    It seems whatever Arsene comes up with..His wrong.
    Thats what has happened to him now,nothing makes sense.

    I nearly all ways keep an eye on his action on the line,mainly
    to see what he has spotted and what instructions he sends out
    to the players.
    We all know about the elastic bands,the Zip,Water bottle and the
    4th Ref moaning.
    But all I could see was Arsene quickly springing off the bench
    getting to the touch line and putting his hands on his hips.
    Live coaching has been a let down for me from Arsene.

  67. Meerkat says:

    Afternoon happy posters, (and unhappy ones).

    I have always admired, nay, worshipped Thierry Henry, but I think it’s a bit off for him to now criticise. He did return briefly before retiring and indeed scored (was it against Leeds?), so why now the barbed comments? Could it be because he chose the Sky cash when given the ultimatum?
    Szczesny has left unfortunately, but had only glowing things to say about Arsenal and Wenger. Thanking Wenger in fact. I wish he had stayed because Cech is no longer up to it, and Ospina frightens me whenever he’s in goal.

    I hope that Patrick Vieira returns next year and takes the reins, he would have a good defencive attitude, because clearly Le Prof can’t see what is in front of him. That win last week, and thinking we still have Kos, Mustafi and Merts to return, will I imo , lull him into thinking that we are sorted in defence. That is far from the truth.

    Even with Sanchez and Ox we struggled last season, didn’t even make our usual top four, so hanging on to them makes no sense to me. We should take the money and invest in new blood. As has been said, even if he wants this season to be his swan song, win or bust, I’m afraid with these demanding, discontented players, it will definitely be bust. A few defeats and heads will drop, and with those players in the dressing room, it will make morale even lower.

    I’ve said it before, but Kroenke is the clubs downfall, and I can’t see any manager being successful with him there.

    The euphoria from winning last week and against Chelski has faded, and I am not looking forward to our little lads being knocked about by Stoke. We will come away with a few injuries I imagine.

    So has Sanchez still got a sore tum-tum? No running through brick walls for the team then, giving 100% commitment?

    Get rid ASAP for as much dosh as we can get, but make it abroad, not an EPL team.

  68. Le Coq Monster says:

    No arguments from me about Kroenke, M`kat !……………….even when Wenger has gone we will still be left with the vermin headed bastard !…………………………….we will never spend as much as Mansour City, Chavs and Manshafter whilst he owns the majority of shares, it`s an obvious fact that the biggest spending clubs in any leagues win the most trophies !

    Re Stoke……..I said last season that small pitches favoured defensive teams and Stoke have the smallest, the bigger the pitch, the better we play eg Wembley, but also said that our change of system to 3-4-3 could help against our bogey team and we won convincingly, I expect another win !…………………nothing tactically from me, but just because Stoke are shit and I always expect us to beat the shit teams with ease , who needs tactics when the oppo` are shit ! hahaha

  69. Le Coq Monster says:

    So Stoke have more Champions League winners in their squad than us !………………….they`re still shit !

    . “That win last week, and thinking we still have Kos, Mustafi and Merts to return, will I imo , lull him into thinking that we are sorted in defence. That is far from the truth.”………………………..although true imo, I think he (Wenger) thought we had it sussed by having a decent pre-season like every year, that`s why I said we needed a shit pre-season !

  70. Joaquim Moreira says:

    yes, Matuadi gone to Juve….
    If Alexis go to PSG no interesting players from them in change for us

  71. Bob John says:

    Afraid another groundhog season awaits. Basically swapping Saed for Gibbs and Laca for Perez and expecting massive improvement. Meanwhile, Cech is a year older, Kos has a crook back and Achilles. Midfield the same. Oh and three contract rebels to stir the dressing room pot!

  72. Le Coq Monster says:

    Just looked on a site with Spud`s salaries !……………………………Dele Alli is only on £5k pw more than Jenkinson !…………………………….there`s about 9 players on more money than Kane !……………………………less money than us, yet they have a proper chairman(Levy) who has got them on long term contracts and I repeat…..less money than most of our players !

    I dont know what`s the worse scenario……………………..Wenger just doing contracts and another manager in……………………..or Wenger just doing coaching and someone else having the final say on contracts !……………………..unbelievable incompetence !.

    http://sportsmaza.com/football/tottenham-hotspur-players-salary/

  73. Le Coq Monster says:

    We have 9 players on £100K+ p w ( and even that`s not enough at today`s going rate !!),……………………spuds have none !……………………….can see why Danny Rose(£30k p w) is pissed off andhopefully putting some seeds of thought into other Spud players heads……………….the revulting need to revolt !……………………………………Come on Harry, you know you would rather be on twice your salary at the club you love in a nicer part of town ! hahaha

  74. Obi says:

    All I want is for Arsenal to improve by getting the best players available for the club. With that said, AW problem in the last 8 years has been about replacement of players rather than improvement, see Bob @3:15. AW is always looking at other clubs to gauge whether top 4 is achievable rather than improving to win the league. If he thought that last season’s 79 points where good enough for top 4 and that last season was an anomaly, then why would he spend if the other clubs around Arsenal hasn’t improved. And I think this is the reason he’s not spending.

    Except for City, no other team has improved. Chelsea got Rudiger, whose horrible especially in one on one situations, Bakayoko is erratic, and Morata – overrated – to replace Costa, a beast. United replaces Zaltan with Lukaku, Zaltan is much better, Matic is overated and slow. Liverpool can buy anyone and will most likely lose Couthino. Is there any better reason for AW is sit and do nothing, know how he has been running the Club “down”.

  75. Le Coq Monster says:

    Not only is Merts back, but also Le Coq and Mustafi !………………………………..I feel 3 points coming our way !
    🙂

    I`m changing tact, I`m going to be Mr Positive, we will win every game and if we dont it`s because of bad Refereeing, bad luck, Injuries, bad tactics, too cold up north, etc etc or we were shit ! ……………….and Kroenke !. hahaha

  76. Le Coq Monster says:

    Hahaha………………………cant have Alexis so they want Jonny Evans !

    I dont think Mansour City ever wanted Alexis anyway !………………they have enough players in attack for two teams, it`s their defense which is suspect !……..so Jonny Evans sounds more kosher than Alexis ever was ! 🙂

  77. Le Coq Monster says:

    You been at the tea leafs again Rico ?………………….as I see none of this on Orstein…………Arsenal stuff that is …….

  78. Le Coq Monster says:

    Anyway, lets look at this logically………………even with a wealth of attacking talent to match any team, why would ManC want to pay Arsenal £50M+ for Alexis when they can get him for nothing next summer ?…..

  79. rico says:

    Because Pep wants the league at any cost perhaps, and probably the champions league too. I think he knows that if he gets neither, keeping his job might be tricky…

  80. Adam says:

    I would think the reason might be to strengthen his squad and simultaneously weaken ours. But as a venerable and decent London club we would never stoop to such vulgar practices ourselves.

  81. potter says:

    Gabriel off to Valencia and Debuchy to Marseilles on a free to save his wages.The clear out is underway.

  82. frednerk says:

    Everton have splashed out 45million on the icelandic mid/f
    that takes free kicks..Not a great player/footballer.

    Is it looking like the checkbook is back in the draw.
    We bought on and got one free…
    Just as the season ticket sales were going on.
    Funny that again.

  83. Le Coq Monster says:

    Both good points and makes me want Pep to fail miserably even more so and be sacked !……………..he will then become Arsene`s successor ! ……………….then he will have a REAL challenge on his hands to try and win something without buying something !

    🙂

  84. kelsey says:

    Reading Gabriel might be off it shows you how many mediocre players we have bought these past 5 years or so reads to me either the scouting system is crap or AW will only once in a blue moon pay good money for a really good player.

    Is he really going to let the Ox,Sanchez and Ozil run their contracts down, though Adam made a very good point earlier.

    Again if we got top 4 and were 30 points behind the champions that will suffice for Kroenke and Wenger.No real ambition at the club and heaven forbid that Kroenke actually puts money into the club for players but then would AW actually spend it or know how to spend it.
    The Bosnian looks like he might be a steal but we need more than him.

  85. allezkev says:

    Everton are looking really threatening, personally I think that Sigurdsson is a very good player, maybe not a £45m player, but a good player who’ll further strengthen the Toffees, who have an owner who actually shows ambition, something we seriously lack at Arsenal.

    As far as value for money is concerned, it’s all fouled up now.

  86. allezkev says:

    Adam, I’m not sure that Pep will be worrying about us too much, he’ll be worrying about ManUtd for sure and maybe even the Spuds?

  87. allezkev says:

    One game doesn’t make a season, so it would be daft to write off Chelsea who had a poor start a year ago before running away with the league.
    But ManUtd looked relentless, powerful and organised. Tottenham still looked defensively sound and that wins you games when you are playing poorly.

    Arsenal looked as they have since about 2008, defensively suspect.

  88. Meerkat says:

    Yep, totally agree. Manure are looking the business. Matic was the final piece in Napoleon’s jigsaw.
    Pogba and Lukaku will have a brilliant season imo.
    Everton, Totts, L’pool, even West Ham, will be our main rivals. The two Manchesters are top dogs this year.

    I wouldn’t mind betting that Conte is gone by Christmas.He’s not a happy bunny.

  89. Le Coq Monster says:

    Interesting that some think Manshafter maybe the new Invincibles after just one game ! …………………………………………….obviously I hope you are as loony as you sound !

    😆

    Mind you, it`s not hard to pick a winner from the three richest clubs who spend the most to buy the trophies and not one of them has a manager who is scared to spend the money………….ahem Arsene !……………………….

  90. ScottfromOz says:

    LC, that is a fair point, but it also raises the issue of how good/bad a manager Arsene truly is when he keeps us pretty competitive without spending.
    We have a shit squad because Arsenal won’t spend.
    On the other hand, a good manager would a do great job with the talent Arsene has on hand.
    Confusing?
    Not at all bahahahaha

  91. allezkev says:

    You’re right Scott, it isn’t confusing at all, Arsenal are where they are because our manager is happy being average, you know, he’s a JAM, just about managing, he does just enough, just enough to get into the top four because it’s just too damned expensive trying to win the EPL and forget europe, you have to be tactical and think seriously about defence to succeed in europe, that’s why he is a serial failure in europe.

    Yep, he just does enough, we all know it and that leaves some of us satisfied, it leaves some of us unsatisfied whilst the rest of us don’t give a shit anymore.

    My expectations are lower than a snakes belly, but then I’m so bored by the whole charade that I’m losing interest faster than an Aussie loses his wicket in an Ashes Test.

  92. ScottfromOz says:

    I don’t take away responsibility from him at all, Kev, but those different opinions do contradict each other.

  93. ScottfromOz says:

    I’m not sure the Aussies will be any good in this Ashes series mate-their pay dispute has had an impact on their lifestyle.
    Some even had to use normal unleaded rather than premium in their Ferraris.

  94. allezkev says:

    It’s rather odd, that there is so much being made of the squad being too big…

    I mean, for years all I’ve heard is the squad isn’t big enough, a few injuries and we’re in Shit St, but now it seems we need to start flogging off players.
    If Gabriel and Chambers go and then Koscielny gets a bad one and is out for a few months, then it ain’t gonna look so great?
    BFG can only play one game a week, Holding is no longer flavour of the month, so what then, Elneny?
    Unless Wenger signs another defender I wouldn’t think selling Gabriel is a great idea, I mean £10m, do we really need £10m?
    Why sell Gabriel just because it seems that Jenkinson, Debuchy and Gibbs aren’t going anywhere? What a way to run a football club…

  95. gnarleygeorge9 says:

    Evening all,

    I worry that The Arsenal has become a reflection of it’s gaffer. Namby-Pamby. I mean if a stick person told you to go out there & bleed for the Club would you. BFG bled & he is out for a period with a hurt eye brow. I rest my case ?

  96. Adam says:

    Morning Rico. Some strange stuff going on at the club where the contract problems are forcing the issue. Unfortunate or self-inflicted?
    As if I didn’t know the answer. 🙂

  97. gnarleygeorge9 says:

    Evening rico & Adam

    Why doesn’t The Club sub contract out the job of finding an appropriate CB to someone one with a good eye for the task. How hard is it, it’s not like finding a Thierry Henry is it. If The Arsenal were a band it would be like trying to find a good drummer, not an Eddie van Haley type lead guitar yeah?

    If The Arsenal were a band, Arsene Wenger would be Colonel Parker?

  98. Adam says:

    Things still feel curiously unsettled and I suppose they will until the transfer window slams shut. I would propose that it is open for 7 days only. That would concentrate minds.

  99. rico says:

    Hi Gg, there’s one out there he could sign, Virgil. He’ll cost money but if the club can afford to miss out on £100m or more with our three players leaving for free next summer, they can afford Virgil imo.

  100. Wavy says:

    Problem with that Adam is the old vascillator would blink and miss it as he would be ‘trimming the squad’ when he should be looking at signing top top players!
    The game has just passed him by. As has his life in football. It’s all over bar the counting……….how many days left on the contract??
    The real question is now, what sort of mess will he leave the club in when he eventually does go. By the look of things we won’t have many contracted players available because they’re will have passed on to pastures green!

    Morning all. Sunshine and showers, as usual!

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