Morning all.
Ok, it’s all media speculation but at least it’s positive. Bacary Sagna is set to sign a new contract and remain a Gooner which if true is great news. He’s been on fire this season and players like him need to stick around and pass on their experience down to the younger ones, and hopefully with an FA Cup medal in hand.
Talking of the younger players, it wasn’t that long ago when Arsene Wenger was being heavily criticised for signing young players, playing young players and when we lost matches and won nothing, ‘project youth’ was deemed a disaster.
It took a while I know but maybe some of that youth stuff was all about not having too many pennies to sign big named players, because they come with big hefty signing fees and a huge salary. We all know that when we moved from Highbury, we couldn’t afford either.
On Tuesday night, Arsene Wenger fielded at starting eleven which when averaged out, was aged at 29 years and 188 days old!
Eleven years ago and against Leeds, the average age of our starting eleven was 195 days older!
We had Keown, Kanu, Luzhny, Wiltord, Pires, Seaman, Henry, Gilberto, Bergkamp, Cole, Parlour……… to name a few and trust me, naming a few of those makes me think…….
Anyway, my point is that now Arsene Wenger has turned from youth to the mature and experienced players, he’s in the papers being questioned. Why??
Crazy isn’t it……
Every side needs a bit of experience otherwise and as said above, the younger players have no-one to learn from and despite the golden oldie starting eleven which faced West Ham, we still have a lot of them. Jack Wilshere, Kieran Gibbs, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Carl Jenkinson and Serge Gnabry to name just a few and then behind them are a number of very talented Academy/reserve players who will be looking for their chance real soon.
Finally, that 4th place in the Premier League is now back in our own hands after Everton were surprisingly beaten at home by Crystal Palace. Everton are now a point adrift and if we win all our remaining fixtures, Champions League football will be ours for another season. Well, as long as we win the play-off in August of course……
See, I always said I liked Tony Pulis. I wonder what he’d achieve with our current squad…
Transfer gossip:
According to Matt Law in The Telegraph, PSG, Monaco and Bayern Munich are all interested in signing Laurent Koscielny. No surprise really that clubs like those and no doubt others would be after him, he’s been in fantastic form all season. Law states that our Frenchman is earning just £50,000 a week right now which in today’s footballing world, is peanuts.
Best Arsenal hurry up and sort this one out before it’s too late…..
That’s it for today, have a good one…..
Another top post, Rico.
Forget the media, as well know Arsenal can do no right.
Fred, from the previous conversation, my son is most definitely a Gooner 🙂
Morning everyone.
Thanks Scott, thought it was rubbish myself 😉
Morning. Good post
But once again we are in fight for fourth place. When we should be further upfield fighting for first place.
That is irritating.
Oh well………there is that oldest world tin pot hopefully.
Thanks Devil, it’s a bloomin sham this 4th place thing !
Better than yesterday’s drivel, Rico 🙂
I have just heard Jose Mourinho be referred to as a ‘special needs dwarf’ – I laughed 🙂
🙂 Scott, I think not……
Crystal Palace 1 Chavs 0 !
Fix or what?
Everton 2 C P 3 !
Mmm. Fix or what?
Cardiff 0 Palace 3 ! Insider dealing? Mmm….!
Stinks or what?
Oh and Dippers 5 Arsenal 1.
How did that happen?
Football is a funny old game, I hoped both Mancs would take points off of Everton, and maybe Palace could sneak a draw as they are hard to beat, but to go to Goodison and win, well…..
Aaahhhh, football.
Aaahhhh, money in football!!
Wavy, so it’s not al down to Pulis being a good manager then? 😉
5-1 – think I know how that happened….
God post Rico…
4th is disappointing but on the plus side Moyes and the losers down the road will still finish behind us…
Get the FA cup and it is all Dench!
Good*
Poo-lis for England manager by this showing…
Damn I miss Chamakh… lol
Thanks Ts, you know that’s not a bad call, I don’t like Pulis, but he sure gets something out of players…
No Pooliss for Ingerland!
He’s welsh!
Says it all really, with apologies to all our welsh supporters, of course.
Win the Cup and we have been more successful than Citeh, Yanited, Chelski or Liverpool, and yep….those poor bastards at SHL.
Yes, it could have been better, without question.
Wavy, our 200 million pound man is Welsh.
Be nice 🙂
Yeh, but he is at least from Cardiff, South Wales which makes him a bit English !
Sorry about this, I have to blame my upbringing! My grandfather was welsh and my mother blamed him for all the sins in the world, so I was indoctrinated at a very tender age, to be a little bit anti the principality.
Morning all, Young Guns play chelski tonight, ITV4 from 7.30pm,young Guns havin some fun.I hope!
One of my neighbours was telling me this morning we would struggle to finish in Europe next season if we failed to qualifier for the CL this season… he said we can’t be lucky again for the 9th season…
My question was his team the sperds would have to find another Bale from somewhere to sell in order to stay next season then…
He was not a happy man… 🙂
morning all…..will be glad if sagna stays as it allows us to concentrate on other key positions..
Scott, I thought Rambo was American? 😉
I didn’t realise that Wavy, no chance then….
Haha Ginge….not the real one 🙂
Wavy, nice bit of adoption there lol.
Thanks for that reminder Bt, I had forgotten. Going to set my planner now just in case…
Hi Snap…
I think we will receive bids from other clubs for Kos, Rambo and Ozil this summer… if Sagna is allowed to leave plus Flappy we will have another hectic summer of which we can be certain our multilingual Tom N Fox duo can’t handle…
Martinez is impressed when he was given a chance at Sheffield but the chances have been very few…
Miguel only featured 10 times for the foxes and impressed but the Foxes have the best defensive combination and both were always fit and so Miquel didn’t get as many chances as he may have hoped for…
Aneke and Afobe’s contracts end this summer too… sad really tey never got the chance… this has really made me dislike Yaya but hey… I can’t fault him for being lucky 😉
Scott, my bad… an Italian Stallion then?
Me too snaparse..
Ts, I didn’t realise Afobe and Aneke contracts were up this summer, another two who fall by the wayside…
Real shame….
how is Manchester city bottling it at this stage?? I have always liked pelle but he looks clueless sometimes..its as if the team depend on yaya
I guess with Yaya out, they are suffering, just as we did after losing Ramsey….
Koscielny is under contract until 2017, so imho, that rumour is a typical anti-Arsenal non-story…
All the same he is defo worth a big pay rise and a contract extension…
Keeping Sagna is vital, I honestly think that he is one of those naturally fit guys, and an intelligent to boot, who can play in their mid/late 30’s…
A 3 year ckntract is nothing in my view, he could still be doing a job for us when hr is 35/36…
Did not coaching and managing the likes of Keown/Dixon/Adams/Winterburn/Bergkamp/Bould teach Wenger anything???
I sometimes ask myself if Arsene is really as intelligent as we’ve been led to believe?!!!
And someone really has to get him a coat with buttons…
No, seriously, our club is a shambles at times.
How easy is it to get him a decent coat, and to end this foolishness with the zip.
Just bin his old coat and say “Here you are Arsene, a proper managers coat”…..
Mate of mine said to me the other day,
What would you rather have the if you win the FA Cup and finish top four,the champions league or the old cup=winners cup..remember that one.
hi ts…can’t see us letting anyone leave as Wenger himself said our priorities are to keep our important players first before buying to supplement that said I will be really disappointed to see any first team member leave but I will understand if kos wants to leave as its an opportunity for him to win a trophy and get his last big pay but we as a club can do just that so its up to us to convince him and others about our ambition(I’m not talking fourth is a trophy here) we can all see this team really just need few additions and we are well on our way to doing great things but it all depends on Wenger and the club I guess…..BTW how u doing ts?
I guess so too Rico but with all they money they have spent we they really should have done better with some of the purchases…IMO they only have about 4 word class players seeing how much they have spent over the years they should be doing better IMO…
Well said Kev!!
Kev,
why not give sagna a 3 year contract,and then if we want,
sell him,win ,win..sit’ch
surely that makes more sense..
FA Cup and at least 3rd would be a good start for me fred..
Maybe snap, could see a big change there in the summer, it will be Pellegrini’s first ‘proper’ transfer window won’t it?
Having been under scrutiny for FFP, many players could be gone and others signed…
Gibbs is out of Sunday’s match…
Snap, I frequently said from last summer that Pelle’ often bottled it towards the end… he did it at Villareal and Malaga…
That was why I was crossed that AW over played Ramsey, Ozil and OG12 in November when he could have rotated at that time… we would be in a better position now…
I never understood why AW kept Ramsey and OG12 on when we were winning 3-1 with 5 minutes to go…
Liverpool are after Ross Barkley according to the Mirror, plotting a bid of £38 million…
And playing Ozil against Coventry?? Doh!
Good Morning Rico and the House
This is just a quick one. Good post Rico and as was yours Scott.
I willsay more on yours later Rico.
Ginge Afobe and Aneke extended their contracts at the same time
and Afobe has said he is under contract untill 2015.
He also stated Arsene has promised to talk to him at the end of the season to plan next season. I hope the pair of them will be given a chance in the first team.
Hope wenger sticks with tommy at left back,I like monrail but only for home games nico
True Rico… that was a waste and poor management…
I am not a sports expert/physio but from the little I know about injuries and physical training… I am certain that once an individual is fatigued or in the ‘red’ it takes a lot longer period than 2 weeks break to get them back to 100%…
The reason why sports doctors and researchers try to improve the base stamina/endurance of their clients by encouraging optimum recovery between exertions…
Hi Rick, That is some graet news Sir…
You have put a smile on my face…
Aneke should be our Yaya Toure…
I will cry if Barkley joins the bin dippers…
We should ahve gone for him last summer…
He can play DM better than Ox and JW too.. imho
Kev, missed your 10:43… top comment
No joke, the Arsenal medical team should come over and visit a greyhound trainer, because it seems we know a hell of a lot more about what it takes to keep an athlete fit and healthy than they do!
Morning Rick, thanks and that’s good news on Aneke/Afobe…
Just a thought on City, if they keep stumbling, we can catch up with them and get 3rd, IF we can win all of our fixtures….
Agree Ts, re Ozil and Aneke…. How old is he now?
Just coming up to 21 years old, if he’s good enough, that’s old enough!!
Staying with Chuks, he’s played in 36 matches this season. That’s more than a number of our first team have managed….
Rico, in a more physically demanding league too…
I guess our club doctor has not touche him yet 😉
Ozil hardly got injured at RM but look at him now…
Yes Ts, and at least he has the right background which might be enough to convince AW to give him a chance.. 😉
He got sent off in their last match….
Overplayed, same as Giroud and Ramsey
Sounds like we’re gonna have too many players over 21. So either they’re gonna get loaned out or sold.
true dat Rico and ts aw really didn’t help with his lack of rotation to our key players…..playing ozil Ramsey giroud when we were winning comfortably was wrong IMO and that is because he doesn’t trust his bench players but then again why not buy the ones u can trust???
Oh and good morning all.
True Snap;AW has previously stated said he decides on his first 17 players by mid August… all other players go into his spare batch…
When AW pigeon holes a player as a sub or out of his first 17 unless injuries come in he does not change his views…
Hi Brad
Will we have that many Brad?
Must read back on Rick’s post, think he listed most of them who will be over 21… Have a feeling that not many will be given a chance…
Boooooo!!! Had a laugh reading those tweets after the Everton – Palace match. In particular, the one about Everton taking a page out of the Tottenham Manual on finishing in the top 4. 😀 😀
Hiya, rico! Good read. Mischief-making, what else is the press up to? Pfft. Kozzer is staying put. And so is Rambo.
Hello, all. 🙂
Exactly snaparse and as Ts has said before, why is Yaya seen to be a better option than the likes of Afobe/Akpom? Ok neither have played in the PL games but at least they have been playing football in the lower leagues and are used to the English game….
Hi agag, thanks – not read the tweets but seems fun was had by a few…
Oh, and can I just say, I loved seeing Barcelona beaten?? Hahaha. What have they done to Cesc? His game is soooo joyless at the moment.
Hey Agag, I hope you did not miss your boy’s wonder goal? 😉
Maybe he’ll soon want to come ‘home’ agag 😉
correct me if I’m wrong it’s Eisveld, Miguel, Afobe, Anneke, Silva, Campbell, boating, Sanogo and of cause Myiachi.
Rico I too can’t really see what sanogo has over akpom tbf…..akpom is a much better finish plus he is composed well beyond his age now I’m not saying akpom is next van basten but he should be given the same chance as sanogo at least
Miquel, Silva, Ryo will all go won’t they?
Still not sure Campbell will ever arrive either….
Certainement pas, Gingembre! 😛 How could I, it’s such a rare occurence? 😀
I agree snaparse, in the years ahead Sanogo might come good if he learns and improves, but I’d rather an ‘Arsenal’ lad got his chance..
Trouble is, AW doesn’t think so, could be because he is involved in the cup for the academy..
There are a few who will be knocking on the door next season…
I’m nipping off for a few hours, catch up later….
Barcelona have a big ego issue the fact neymar starts over Pedro or Alexis is beyond a joke imo and xavi should make way for cesc …..but like I have always said Carlo is the best coach in the world IMO
Lol… multilingual Agag… you should take over Dick Law’s job…
Ditto- Snap re. 12:05
Hi, brad and snap! 🙂 snap, it’s ridiculous how Barca have to pander to the egos of Cesc, Iniesta and Xavi by playing all of them at the same time. Hasn’t been working. Not that I’m unhappy about their poor results. Really just hate the whole lot of them. And that Neymar is nothing but a diver.
rico, catch ya later.
later Lady Rico.
It’s reminiscence of Aw playing Ozil, SC19, Arteta, JW in the same line-up. On paper it looks good but…
Fans can see it won’t work but the managers see differently…
Ginge, I took courses in French at university. I have no idea why. (Maybe, Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet had something to do with it, haha.) I don’t remember much though.
Use it or lose it Agag,
I lived in Spain for a few years when i was a kid , now 45 years later if i holiday there ,I just about get it good in time to go home.
true agag xavi just doesn’t have it anymore everything has an end and the truth is he should make way for cesc…the neryma bit is funny really u could see Pedro and Alexis give them something different plus Pedro is barca thru and thru he knows how to play the barca not to even talk of his defensive play
xabi Alonso really is an underrated player IMO….he destroys play like an old DM but he also has tremendous range of passing he really is a perfect DM IMO
Fred,i see your point re: Sagna, and it makes sense.
Sagna’s ability tp play anywhere across the back-four has never really been exploited by Wenger (no suprise there).
He could probably do a great job as a holding m/f…
The guy is quality & it’s a disgrace that it’s still up in respect to his contract…
But typical of the way the club does it’s contractual business.
Half arsed…
Holding m/f???
sure Kev??
not sure myself.
but I see your point.
imo he should have been converted into a winger.
yes even Gibbs should play on the left wing and get a quality left back
Don’t think Sagna has the mobility for DM spot but I can see the merit of playing Gibbs in front of a decent L.B. However he might suffer to Podolski there as it was shown with T.V. staying back Podolski was a lot more effective.
Potter, I still know my way around a French restaurant menu, how to read Champagne labels and ask for directions. 😀
snaparse, Xavi should not be starting, IMHO. He has lost a yard of pace, and looks uninspired and uninspiring
Hiya, Kev. Howdy? I should hope Sagna’s contract is sorted out. It won’t do to lose another good player with experience.
Hiya, Dev. 🙂
use them both Potter
alternatively
Podolski can be used as a striker a-la DB10
I can go 4-4-2 with both
Chezzer
Sagna, Merte, Kos, TommyV
Cazorla, Flamini, Ramsey, Gibbs
Podolski
Giroud/Walcott
Hi Coach…
Sagna d/m, why not, he reads the game and tackles like Makelele, who if I recall didn’t dive in, but timed his interceptions to perfection…?
He was everywhere last Saturday, you could see how much he wants to win a trophy with Arsenal…
We have to retain that kind of quality at the club…
Sagna could be a wingback
Tommy can stay back for a 3 man defence
Flamini can cover in front
Cazorla can cut inside effectively giving AFC a strong and creative middle
while Gibbs can play as a left winger with Poldi neatly tucked in behind Giroud or beside him
Against the lesser teams it should have been that formation not tire out Ozil, Giroud etc
Arteta, Kallstrom, Gnabry etc should all have been allowed to rotate to rest the squad
but remember Kev……a DM must have a 270 degree vision unlike a FB who needs only a 90 to 120 degree vision on the pitch
Otherwise I agree with you as he has played CB to a good level
Ok, it seems that I am outnumbered with Potter weighing in as well. Lol
Coach/Potter, I withdraw…
Hi Agag, how are you buddy?
Withdraw??? lol
a coach should always stick to his ideas. Then either be labelled insane or a genius. 😉
Hiya Agag
Tbh I’d keep Kallstrom in the team whilst Verm is left-back.
He seemed to do a good job helping out TV…
I’d also hold Ozil back and play him in the last 20 minutes.
Don’t show all our cards too soon…
The Hull team that we’ll face this weekend, will be different from the team we’ll face at Wembley…
I saw that as well Kev.
KAllstrom was covering space for TommyV and this sort of freed up Podolski. No wonder he managed 90 minutes.
and scored two great goals.
I’m good, Kev. You busy? Dev, how’s the Little Prince?
Kallstrom looks promising. A few hairy moments, but he looked strangely assured on the ball; and he had a go on goal, too. 🙂
Kallstrom as I said the day before we bought him a Swedish Gareth Barry…
I rate high highly…
I know Kim is left footed and all but when you watch his off the ball movement as compared to Flamini when Arteta is starting an attack it is very much like Edu and Gilberto…
Kim is the type of player Seb Larrson is… he should never have left either… he was more committed than denilson and the like but…??
And he made more tackles in that game than Flamini has made bar 3 games 😉
Calm down kev……its only a coat !!!
Micko, the one-eyed Dajjal…
It’s a holy day over here tsgh, no need for that sort of language.
Worse still, the pubs don’t open tomorrow, Good Friday !
Afternoon guys..what’s new?
Hey micko…Am eating no meat tomorrow too. My mum is Catholic she observes good Friday strictly.
Stan, haven’t you heard, they found the body, Easter is cancelled.
How’s you ?
Am good micko…still milfed. Still don’t know how we went from leading the league to scrapping for 4th place again with everton. Yet some mugs think ass-end wenger should still be trusted with the team next season. Gosh am so angry.
Think we were 6 points clear of Liverpool at the start of feb stan, now we’re a million miles away from winning the league.
Bet Wenger bought himself a lotto ticket this morning after last nights results.
Afternoon all, just going to catch up.
Bet you’ve been moaning…. 😉
Afternoon all,
some interesting comments on the squad today. This is how I see things. I ask you to remember the max number of foreign players a club can have is 17.
At the moment we have a 24 man squad consisting of 17 foreign and 7 home produced player . Of the f/p Kallstrom and Viviano are loan/p and Fabianski and Park are out of contract in June this reduces thre f/p element to 13 when the T/w opens.
On the home produced Bendtner is out of contract( at last)and I cannot see Djourou and Coquelin being part of Arsenes plans.
This leaves us with 13 f/p and 4 h/p a total of 17.
Now down to the nitty gritty. There 9 players who tunrned 21 last year.3 Frimpong Boatang and gallindino have left and I think Ryo will follow them.
Jack and Carl will be promoted which leaves Martinez, Miquel (both H/P) and Campbell. If Campbell comes back he will bring the total of f/ps to 14 allowing Arsene to bring 3 new F/P I beleive Arsene has some very hard dicisionsto make
Afobe Aneke the ox Sanogo Eislfeld have one more season as u21 players so we will be talking about them in a years time.
Dont forget ITV 4 at 7.30 or if you are local pop along to the Ems.
Micko I physically hate that mofo. He makes my skin crawl. How can one be so stupid yet manages a world class team likr us. It beggars belief. If we had lost all those top games by a lone goal I probably won’t feel this mad but lord God we was smashed micko by all of ’em. A hapless loserpoop side whipped us 5.1! How did that happen? We are not totnum hot sperms.
I ll forever remember brianna’s birthday as the day chelshit put 6 pass us. And I ll hate ass-end for that.
Afternoon Rick, you do know your stuff about the u21’s etc, it all confuses me a bit. Not that that is difficult 😉
I think Miquel will go and I’m far from convinced Campbell will ever grace the Emirates grass…
This finishing 4th business was predictable at Christmas. Liverpool were top we were second. It is a well known fact that which ever team is top at Xmas they win the league! Can’t see that there is a problem you may have with that….we were never going to win it!
However, joking aside, our fall from the top to 4th has been mind blowingly unbelievable. Second would have been a disappointment 4th or perhaps worse is disgraceful. As we live in a blame culture someone is responsible for our demise. Whoever it is should do the chivalrous thing ……..resign and then fall on their sword!
I think a few are to blame Wavy…
Myo will demo how to do it…….hari kiri! That is, in the Ems square after the Final whistle!!
Dinner calls…..
any team news from tonights game on itv 4 or sky 120.anyone watching it updates please.
Mick, I know it’s only a coat, I must calm down more…
But wait, the pubs are closed all day…..
That’s outrageous…
Just as well the pubs are open all day, around Archway…
Cheers mate….
Arsene is watching…
Early stages, Chelsea look stronger, fitter, better technically, doesn’t bode well i’m afraid.
God, our passing game is so bloody slow…
Chelsea attack like Liverpool.
Very unlike a Jose side Kev….
Early Chav booking.. Dabo
1-0 down 🙁
Rubbish keeping
1-0 Chelsea, and fully deserved…
Our defending is rubbish.
It’s like watching the senior teams play…
Not one of our back-four look potential 1st teamers.
The Arsenal full-backs are terrible.
who is playing
Agree Kev…
Not sure potter… Jebb, Akpom, Zelalem and Vickers are 4…
You know Rico, I look at some of those youngsters and they seem to lack any fight, whilst the Chelsea players are strong in the tackle, look organised and are playing to a plan…
Our blokes look like they’re all strangers…
Jebb and Gedion are leaving only Kamara to cover the midfield..
Iwobi and Akpom not getting supplied at all…
Arsenal:
Vickers, Moore, Ormonde-Ottewill, Siemann, Pleguezuelo, Maitland-Niles, Zelalem, Kamara, Jebb, Iwobi, Akpom
Subs: O’Connor, Huddart (GK), Lipman, Crowley, Mugabo
Chelsea:Chelsea: Beeney; Dabo, Christensen, Clarke-Salter, Aina; Houghton, Colkett, Loftus-Cheek (c); Kiwomya, Solanke, Dasilva
Subs: Ssewankambo, Collins (GK), Brown, Palmer, Mitchell
Agree Kev, did you hear the commentator say the coach only gets one training session with the lads before the game?
vickers, moore,Ottewill,kamara,siemann,julio pleguezero, maitland-niles, jebb, Dedion, Akpom
my bad Rico re line-up
Zelalem has been poor for a very long time… why is he starting and in the first team ahead of Eisfield and Ollson?
Iwobi had a Giroud moment just now…. 😉
🙂 Ts, better twice than none…
Kim is pretty good on the ball,Start him and arteta and let Ozil and rambo come on,Ox should start this one with Carzola rested and rosicky as the number 10.Wenger said Gibbs won’t be available so our captain should continue.Playing Sagna,Mart,kos and verminator means there will be little goal against us.Let’s go for it.And I will be happy if Fabianki start in goal.
Kiwomya looks a player…
Maitland-Niles does not…
Iwobi has done ok.
Think I’m going to watch EastEnders… 😉
Catch up tomorrow sometime guys and gals…
Night all….
Is Zelalem playing???
Our midfield are invisible
night Rico..
Kev, I have been saying Gedion is Denilson MK II atm…
I like Kamara
This guys are just been wasted.Individually they are good but seems manager problem again.
Thankfully, Chelsea’s finishing is Gervinho-esque…
Otherwise we’d be 4-1 down…
How depressing to see nothing to get excited about from our youngsters…
Akpom is good, Iwobi is ok, after them it’s not at all encouraging…
Dermot Drummy is the Chelsea coach…
And it shows…
He was their coach when they beat us last year too.. in UEFA club u-19 tournament.
Zelalem does not tackle and gives the ball away so easily…
Unlucky Akpom
I wonder if any of these Chelsea youngsters will ever make the first team Ginge?
Siemann off…
Not impressed with this referee, he’s missed a lot of basic fouls…
Despite the Chelsea goal, I actually think that Josh Vickers has done well…
Those Arsenal free kicks, pathetic…
Morning all.
What a depressing game
. Kev , Ginge I have been saying all season Zelelam just has not got and is one of the most overated youngsters we have.
I bet Chuba is over the moon that this is the last time he will play with the youth team.
Do you both think that a performance like tonight reflects badly on Larraman, I think along with Gatting he should be shown the door.
Hi Rick, that was a pretty poor display, wasn’t it…
I’ve been very critical on here tonight, and maybe that is unfair, but there were times when, in particular Zelamen and Maitland-Niles gave away possession almost like pub players and just gave up, no fight, no effort to reclaim possession, it was very poor, and remember it was a bloody semi-final…
You can blame the coaches Rick, but if the desire isn’t in the player in the first place, then all the coaching in the world won’t bring that out…
Akpom is the only one, out of that lot, with 1st team quality, from what I saw…
Crowley is still young and i’d like to see more of O’Conner.
The goalkeeper is also very good.
Kev on a couple of occasions I have heared both of them say that loosing is not a disaster and their main aim is to develope the youngsters to progress into the first team.
I wonder how many went onto the pitch tonight thinking that .Im hoping the new Dutch coaches install a far better winning mindset.
Rick, if that is true, then I can only think that that comes from the manager
Yes, you develop them technically but you also instill in them a winning mentality.
These kids are playing for the bloody Arsenal for heavens sake, not Auxerre or Nantes or Strasbourg…
No wonder we’ve won nothing for 9 years!!!
Vickers has been outstanding all season, He will be over age for the youth team next season and will be no 3 behined Macy and Ileve(spelling). Maybe another one to leave.
I totaly agree with you on Akpom. I have been saying that all season.
Kev the highlights of tonights game will be shown on the Arsenal player in a couple of days .The coach will give his thoughts and I expect them to be the same as what I have said.
By the way Dobson scord for the youth team against Fulham yesturday and by all accounts had a very good game.
Thats my lot for tonight Good night Kev.
That’s par for the course Rick…
Akpom is quality…
Zelalem looks as if he is being played to justify the money spent in signing him, another Arsene favourite maybe?
Is he better than Toral? Or Olsson? Or Bellerin?
I don’t think so…
Dobson is very good Rick, from what i’ve heard…
I’m off to, night Rick.
Morning all….
Morning Rico…
It’s another warm, sunny day in London Town…
Eastenders seemed a wise choice last night Rico…
Morning Kev, it’s warm and sunny here too but all change on Sunday I see with heavy rain..
I’m not so sure re Eastenders, that was pretty drab too….lol
I’d like to see Akpom get a couple of run-outs, from the bench, for us this season.
He is a very skillful, strong and quick forward who can play in a variety of systems and positions and could be,potentially, a big player for us in the future….
He never gives up, fights for the ball, despite being fouled and has a great attitude, keeps cool under pressure and provacation…
Ditto and ahead of Yaya.
He was the only shining light from what I saw…
Ozil might benefit from having his pace and movement ahead of him…
I’m not sure what to think about Zelamen, he looked ok when I saw him play with the 1st team, but last night he seemed ponderous…
Arsenal/Wenger, has invested a lot of time and money in him, so it looks like he’s gonna be fast-tracked whatever anyone else thinks…
Morning all,
Fergie was best at dealing with the youngsters. He always gave them a chance to see what they can offer and moved them on as soon as he could see they were not at the level he was looking for.
Wenger seems to have favourites no matter how shit they are. So many injuries and fatigue and still not a single youngster got a game, not even Gnabry when he was available.
I thought he was quite poor too……
Did he cost us a lot then?
Good points re: Ozil, he needs Walcott, AOC, Ramsey, Akpom and a marquee striker to aim for and we’ll be attacking like Liverpool Rico…
Morning bradster..
Spot on, why Serge wasn’t played when he was fit, goodness only knows. Now he’s injured apparently…
That works both ways too, some aren’t getting a chance regardless of how good they are…
Not sure how much money changed hands Rico, but his Father is his advisor/agent/lawyer whatever, and I think quite a fee was paid to the ‘family’ to secure his services…
I doubt that he’ll stay with us.
Exactly Kev…. Still, the old stubborn one doesn’t see that. Maybe now Ozil is back he might… Well, maybe not 😉
He’s not long into a long contract isn’t he Kev?
Unless a club comes in for him then I guess he’ll be staying, especially if he’s one of AW blue eyed boys…
Not sure it’s that simple Kev – Liverpool seemed to embrace the pressure that was the big City game and others (including against us) – our lot have been quite dismal in these big tests more often than not. So much for Wenger excuse, “no one can compete with those two clubs” hey?
Hi Oz..
New post up now….
ok cheers Rico
Morning Rico and HH.
Quite dismal and disturbing watching the youths suffer the same fundamental failings as the seniors.
Have you done a complete 180 since your recent time on BK, Oz?