Part 1 – Rinus Michels’ Circulation Football.
Arsene Wenger had nurtured and rebuild since 2006/07 season with “Total Football” as their main style. After 5 years, the 2011/12 team is expected to begin to master what Rinus Michels called ‘ball circulation’ something not many teams can do. This article is an extract from that section “Circulation Football” in that book.
Rinus Michels: “Team Building – The Road to Success”
This strategy is distinguished by the ability to circulate the ball from player to player until the correct moment arises for the attacking phase and thus, the ball can be played deep. That moment can arise very quickly, but it can also take many passes over many stations. It places a high demand on the build-up qualities of the team, together with high-quality positional play. This is a tough assignment, especially if the opponents pressure you constantly.
Circulation football is linked to two guidelines:
– It is a means to be able to play the ball deep and not an aim itself.
– It has to be linked to a healthy dose of opportunistic football via for example, the lucky pass and the cross.
Fast combinations and excellent positional play are a must – Circulation football!
The coach who “forgets” these guidelines when playing circulation football, chooses to play boring football without many surprise, and thus easy to defend.
In the golden era of Ajax, there were able to perform this style to perfection, just as FC Barcelona.
In comparison to Spanish players, there were trained in the principles of this style while they were young players. A structural approach in the youth education system of Barcelona could lead to some success, but a top-team such as Barcelona will always be dependent upon the global market for its players.
KICK AND RUN
“The counterpart of circulation football is the refined kick and rush football as seen mostly in UK and Norway. However, top-teams from these countries are putting more elements of circulation football in their game. As coaches though, we cannot forget that the spectators in England enjoy watching these kick and run games. There is always something happening around the penalty box.”
Unlike watching 5 seasons of Arsenal’s Crab Football with 20 to 30+ passes around the box with the final pass invariably hitting a defender’s leg, body or butts.
Sadly, Arsene Wenger had under-estimated teams like Bolton, Stoke City, Swansea, Norwich, Tiny Totts, etc. which beat Arsenal using two elements, “kick and run” and “opportunism” plus surprising, the do play an element of “Circulation Football” as well, especially Coyle’s Bolton, Martinez’s Wigan, Lambert’s Norwich and Rodger’s Swansea. And the cruellest cut of all – Redknapp’s Tiny Totts playing more attractive football than Wenger Wunderkind.
The day that Arsene Wenger acknowledged that lower premiership teams knew how to play “Circulation Football” as well and exploited “opportunism” to beat Arsenal, is that day that Arsenal FC will beat all these teams at any time of the day of the week with its superior brand of “Circulation Football”.
Sadly, Arsene Wenger had forgotten our French Spine’s “Kick and Run” strategy that within four touches of the ball from box to box; an Arsenal player was in a clear position to shoot at goal. This is the 2nd Strategy of “Circulation Football” – play deep ball.
OPPORTUNISM
“Opportunism is the 3rd strategy for the build-up. There is a need in football for a surprising action in the build-up and the attack. This is possible through opportune plays. You need to have the courage in the attacking third of the field to sometimes “blindly” cross the ball and not choose to play a square pass or a backwards pass. It sometimes seems like they [Dutch team] only want to score a goal out of very elaborate combination play. Perhaps they will succeed at times, but most of the time it does not work.”
Isn’t it that perennial complaints against current Arsene Wenger’s team a “over-elaboration” and “attempting to walk the ball into the net”? That one through ball or visionary pass will do instead of indulging in 30+ “Crab Football” around the box?
And that was what Gibbs, Arshavin, Gervinho, Sagna and Walcott were attempting to do – crossing the ball from the flank. But it was awful and utterly predictable that opponents would just wait patiently in the box in anticipation for the predicted cross to swing in.
And Van Persie’s natural instinct is to come in deep, unlike a traditional centre forward with a predatory instinct waiting in the box anticipating the crosses.
How many times had we seen the balls flashed across the box or delivered into the box, without an Arsenal player in the box?
FINAL PHASE
The team tactical guidelines for the final phase are:
a) Make sure there is an optimal force of players inside and around the box. When the ball is crossed from the right flank, the left forward is often still too far away. Cutting inside towards the penalty box is too often are also not performed.
b) An outside forward who is also a good header – but also a defender or a midfielder in that position – is worth his weight in gold. Again, it is a matter of specialised individual training and the willingness to work on this aspect as a player.
c) The teamwork between the central and the second forward is very important. Unfortunately, this is often not developed in great detail. This is also a piece of the team building process. The willingness of these forwards to gear their actions to one-another, to serve the best interest of the team, is a difficult assignment for them. They both want to score goals themselves. However, it is all about playing as team efficiently as possible. Usually there is one forward that anticipates first and the second forward has to react to these actions immediately.
d) The players in the second line, usually the midfielders, must quickly take up a position to be able to receive a pass being played back or to intercept a cleared ball.
e) The third line functions as the cover defence and must stay involved and ready to act.
f) Another guideline is: “never dribble unnecessarily into a wall of defenders.” If the ball is lost, the opponents will have an ideal situation to play the counter attack, because the players of the team that lost the ball will still be moving away from their own goal. When possession is lost in that situation, it will be deadly. So, when dealing with this wall of defenders, it is very important to act in a team efficient way. This is especially true for the men with the ball.
g) It is often annoying to see how even top-notch players can still kill dangerous looking attacks by not being alert enough in recognising the off-side trap. They only have eyes for the ball and themselves. They do not notice the actions of the opponents.
In this attacking phase, high demands are placed on the creative qualities of the individual players. However, guidelines are necessary to direct the complex traffic in the crowded penalty box, which ask for quick actions and reactions.
A style of play without opportunism will usually not be accepted by the crowd. It is too boring and sterile to watch.
……………………………………………………………..
The last sentence perfectly summed why so many Arsenal fans are disgusted with the 2011/12 team, and in de facto, with Arsene Wenger, and why Arsenal fans are now fractious over the role of Arsene Wenger at Arsenal FC with a growing number demanding his head on the chopping block.
We were extremely lucky that Van Persie was having a phenomenal season scoring 30 league goals out of 74 total goals scored or 41% of goals scored.
We will not be as lucky in 2012/13 season as we need a centre forward to work in tandem with a second deep-lying forward as in 4-2-3-1, or the Forward Trio starts to function as an integral whole in 4-3-3 to score 60+ goals
Item (a) to (g) perfectly summed up what ails the 2011/12 team; plus also why we can have a successful 2012/13 season.
That is, the key to 2012/13 success is really the Trio of Poldolski-Van Persie-Walcott developing a telepathic understanding, each player complementing each other style with plenty of blind-side running. One of the highlights of 2011/12 season is the budding telepathic understanding developing in Van Persie-Walcott partnership.
That is the rationale why I keep on repeating that we need to give Arsene Wenger another two seasons to build his Wenger Wunderkind into his 3rd and perhaps, greatest Arsenal team which can dominate premiership league and Europe by 2014/15.
There is no two-way about it.
Written by Merlin96
Titbit: Barcelona have again said they are targetting Thomas Vermaelen this summer, well they can target him all they like, he is going nowhere!
Good Morning Fine Folk.
Wow Merlin. A very good post. So enjoyable that I am off to read it again mate.
It’s a good job football is played on a field and not a sheet of paper.
Morning all,
I’m off to read it again too, didn’t understand a bit of it 😉 😉
Only kidding Merlin… 😛
‘How many times had we seen the balls flashed across the box or delivered into the box, without an Arsenal player in the box?’
I mentioned this the other day in relation to a comment made by Alan Shearer – he said something like, as long as the wingers keep crossing the ball into the penalty area, its then down to the forwards to be on the end of them…
Just after Shevchenko had scored for Ukraine..
Maybe that is why we are in for Giroud, a potent striker who will get on the end of the Gerv and Theo crosses, then we can all stop moaning about them both….
Fucking brilliant.
Despite a critic of Wenger and his bull shit tactics.
Morning all,
Nice one Merlin, I can see you did a fair bit of research on this and it must have took you some time but worth it mate. This circulation football, reminds me of when i used to go carp fishing, bait on a hook toss it out and wait for the carp to come, often the carp never came and what we used to call a paper hat used to happen (no fish) then someone came up with the method system of carp fishing which in laymans terms means little tricks to catch the fish, nowadays that system is so complicated a lot of the carp men have reverted to the old ways and this is probably whats going to happen with football give me kick and run anytime 🙂
I seem to have woken up in a parallel universe this morning.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is prepared to bet money that star man Robin van Persie does not move to Juventus.
The Dutchman, who scored 30 goals last season, is out of contract in 2013 and has also been linked with a move to Manchester City and Barcelona.
“He will stay at Arsenal,” Wenger told Italian newspaper La Repubblica. “There is no reason why a top player, a big champion would want a move to Serie A – in terms of the prestige of the league, the level of play or financial considerations.”
The Gunners boss then added: “If he moves there, I will buy you a caramello [Italian ice cream].”
What you trying to say Adam 😉
Lee – I am 99% sure RvP is staying….
Morning Gooners. With our midfield play often dilly dawdling (word? Ha) around the edge of the box, I’m very pleased with AW signings of Podolski and Giroud. These two players are very direct in the box and aggressive in front of goal. They do not over complicate what they are trying to do (gervinho the complete opposite) and will be especially useful at attacking die hard defences lower in the table. With RVP being such a constant threat in the box he just needs someone/s at times to give a little pass to after drawing in CBs and to not hesitate at striking the ball at the goal. Very shrewd business and tactics that has brought a new dimension to our dynamic attack.
It would take too long to explain Rico, but I think you know where I am with this stuff. Lee. Thank God. A literate and fixed point in an ever-changing world.
Heart, we haven’t got Giroud yet, but I’m another who will be very pleased if we do…
…..and here I was thinking the fans were disgruntled owing to the lack of bragging rights with their equally dull mates down the pub when all the time they were changrined regarding our poor application of the phases of circulation football. …..who knew?
Steve of CM. You strike closer to the heart of the matter than you know.
Rico, we bet pints and AW ice creams! 😆
Are you ok Adam? 😉
Yes, thank you Lee. I am quite recovered these days although I have my concerns this morning about, let’s call it “stuff”. And your good self? Well I hope.
And not even a Cornetto Lee, are Caramello’s cheaper by any chance 😉
I bet you a caramello we sign him Rico!
Make it a Cornetto Heart and you have a deal 😉
I’ll take that bet.
Adam, is your email back up running normally as far as HH goes…?
Rico. Send me a mail and I will let you know. In the meantime I will send you one.
I already have Adam….
I don’t know about circulation football but if we keep buying tall strikers we will end up with hoofing straight football like Stoke
Received loud and clear Rico. Did you like that note from ‘Arry?
Morning all.very insightful read Merlin.
All good, apart from a sun-burnt cranium from watching my son’s sports day yesterday!
That was a very interesting post and seems to highlight the areas we constantly fail in. I have often felt that Wengers idea on how to play football is excellent but he fails to pay attention to the fine details that brings it all together, so it is as if Arsenal are constantly year after year 85% of the way to having a title challenging squad. One area I seem to disagree with a couple of my gooner pals over is the best way to utilise RVP. They feel that because of his goal-scoring stats that he should always lead the line, whereas I feel we waste his ability on the ball and ability to link up the attacks in certain games. There were times against better teams with better defenders where I felt RVP was isolated without enough support from the other 2 of the front 3. Chelsea at home and Milan away spring to mind. I have always felt that even playing as the withdrawn striker RVP would score almost as many if not the same amount as he does leading the line. He is an intelligent footballer who knows when and how to make runs into the box and is a bit like Rooney for me in this instance who still scored a hatful last season playing mostly behind another striker. I for one would accept a few less RVP goals if it means more goals overall for the team. I like your idea about the 4-2-3-1 system. If we do get Giroud and M’Villa we would have a very strong line up indeed, with RVP playing centrally behind Giroud, and Walcott and Podolski playing to either side of him while Song and M’Villa hold behind these 4. That line up hasn’t even factored in Wilshere, Arteta, Rosicky and the Ox in the starting 11. Now that is a title winning squad for me.
😆 Steve, it it wins us the league, will we care 😉
A bit off topic,I know many don’t rate him as a world class player but i have always rated him very highly.Ibracadabra is a beast of a player;he is the most complete and talented CF in Europe right now.that goal he scored yesterday is just an example of how talented the man is,he scored the most ridiculous goals.he is very arrogant though and kind of like CR7 he rubs on people the wrong way but he is a brilliant footballer.
Hi Kt – agree its a very intersting post but not being a master of tactics, it’s all a bit over my very under tall head 😉
All that seems very obious to me is as a unit we are shocking at defending sometimes, well, make that, a lot of the time…
Adam, I did, thank you 😉
Ibracadabra Kt, does he work his magic 😉 😉
Goonerb, should we sign M’Vila or Capoue, I’m not really sure where Song fits in anymore..
Rico thats part of the reason why am not so sure that we’re after m’vila.if we keep diaby and le coq we are going to be crowded in midfield and AW will find it hard to please them all when they are fit.
@ Gooner B
Being a bit conservative person, I’d say this defences win titles. Got to make sure we are like wall to let any goal in.
Re Verm
One thing I don’t get is if Vertoghen is so good then why would Barca not buy him? Why Verm rumors? He just in Jan signed a new 4 years contract.
He sure does rico.just go on youtube and search for his best goals and you’ll wonder how the f**k does he even try to score some of those goals.
Kt, Song could be departing, if stories about him and not wanting to sign a new contract then if M’Vila come in or someone similar, we can assume that Song is heading out… Coq will be the one to stay imho…
Satan – or any other top club re JV, why would he settle for Spurs when he could go anywhere, if he’s that good…
I don’t get all the ‘i’ve always been a spurs fan’…. not from an overseas player…
Evening all. Just trialled my dogs, and while i wait for the tractor to pull me out of this swamp,thought id jump online.
Merlin,i must admit i thoroughly enjoy it when you put your mind into constructive posts,and this is a beauty.
The dream semifinal is well and truly on…Greece Vs England 😉 😀
Kt, i was being naughty 😉
😆 Kt, you reckon England can get passed Italy? I read their main defender is out injured now…
Hi Scott..
It will be very cagey rico and i expect Pirlo to boss the game.problem with England is that they don’t know how to keep the ball and thats why they are not impressive in attack and against a top team like Italy if they do go behind they’ll find it very difficult.
Ktr7. I think that you argument at 10.25 fails when you mention those players all being fit at the same time. Unfortunate and somewhat cynical? Yes. But horribly true.
@ Merlin
Excellent article. Tbvh I am one of fan of Wenger’s. If not ihs, his philosophies. You know they say power always corrupts and most capitalists and communists are the best example of them. But this man is a lot different then others. He tries to give back what he can to the place that has given him so much.
And about keeping Wenger, if I am not wrong when we built Emirates, it was said Wenger plan is for 10 years and we’d see us reaping its rewards after that. Its not that time yet.
And we would have reaped rewards a lot earlier had every player AW developed was in Wenger’s character i.e. loyal.
We all know when Sheikh came to City their first choice was Arsene and Arsene rejected them standing by what he believed in and what he still believes in. One of the reasons I feel they’re after our players most is they are out for revenge. May be they want Wenger to feel about the decisions he has made.
Thats what I think. May be I should have been a Shrink then AP cum Auditor.
I blame Milner kt, he has been awful this euros, his passing has been shocking at times but yes, in general, england give the ball away too much…
@ Rico
Exactly and wth he was doing at Milan game then? Or did we just scare him that much more that he won’t start ahead of definite Verm and Koz? We invited him to watch a game that was the toughest game of the year. We didn’t have enough players to start a game tbh. He came, he saw and may be that scared him?
Diaby will be a shock Adam, if he starts and finishes the same season without having a vast amount of time off with injury.
Jack – well we don’t even know if he will be fit and ready to start the season, let alone play to his potential to begin with.
And sadly, no doubt we will suffer injury in the defence again too, so we need M’Vila or similar, and Song, well he could quite easily end up in defence at times….
When City buy an Arsenal player it strengthens them and weakens us at the same time. So they think. Mancini is a crude thinker, steeped in the ways of Italian football culture and life. Both are essentially duplicitous and completely crooked. He thinks in straight lines. Even though they have spent almost £1 billion on a team, including £25 million on James Milner with his high cheekbones and limited ability, they scraped the PL title against a very average Man Utd team. The tragedy for us was that we never had a squad capable of taking advantage of that. This year Wenger simply must equip Arsenal with the tools to do the job. Forget about too many players for the same position. Let the cream rise to the top and establish real competition within the squad. Oh, and get rid of the underachievers more quickly.
Does make you wonder Satan, if we are to believe all that has been written, he wanted to be playing and wasn’t prepared to be a bench warmer – doesn’t suggest he’s ready for a bit of competition does it.
Unlike down the lane, he’d get first team footie without a problem…
Still wish we would try and get him though, if he is good as some suggest, he’ll soon push Kos or TV for a place, or even Gibbs…
Well put Adam…
On a side not, funny how as soon as England get a bit of luck with a huge gaff by the linesman last night, Blatter says GL Tech is a must…
Haha…
I really must do a few things around the house so on and off for a bit…
Sorry Rico was away for a bit. I would still go for M’Villa. I think in the long run Capoue would look good in a De Jong type of way physically but may come up short in the passing and possession way. If we could get a big powerful midfielder who can play a bit (as in Vieira) that would see us right in both the EPL and more technically demanding ECL. M’Villa has been likened to being the one that could emulate Vieira.
Rico
True. If he’s as good as he’s made out to be then he would push them for places or if not still he’d get 20 games a season easily. You know 5 CC games, 4-5FA cup games around 3 odd CL games and around 10 PL games. He shouldn’t be scared lil boy and turn up.
As eloquent as ever, but and it’s a big but….
What about the Squillster Adam?
Agree with Rico’s earlier point; don’t think Song fits into our potential starting line-up. By upping his game in attack, he has left himself neither here nor there in midfield as he hasn’t mastered defensive or offensive midfield play. He should be a squad player and should set the standard for our squad players.
Btw Koz to play quarter finals. Expect Spain to be bossed again by him.
Finally got the car out…….home and ready to rumble.
Actually,dinner first.
Highbury Lad had his first trial against other dogs and won tonight….he’s on his way 🙂
GoonerB, I’d be happy with either tbh, some suggest capoue is better but either would really tighten up our midfield and that needs doing big time…
Absolutely Satan, but it seems he hasn’t got the stomach for a bit of competition, shame really, hey ho, he’ll enjoy working under AVB 😉
Heart – but what could Song really bring to a game from the bench?
Yes he has set up a few goals with wonderful passing but for each of those passes, another 10 are way off target, as you say, he has been pressing foward far too much and left gaping holes in the midfield and other sides have taken great advantage of that..
I guess if we are 5-0 up with ten mins to go, he could come on and try get us the 6th 😉
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2162019/Asrenals-Thomas-Vermaelen-pictured-Barcelonas-Carles-Puyol-Ibiza.html
ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Back to the Dyson 🙁
in Ibizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzza?
Club Tropicana 😛
Rico
Absolutely. That is why I like DJ. And tbh if he gets number of games then he can perform well. We can’t expect him to walk in after gap of 10 matches to come and save the day. I think he’d come good. He’d surprise every one. Fingers crossed.
Rico, I stayed at the hotel where the video was shot….
Djourou Satan??
Get you Lee, mixing with the rich and famous eh 😉
Was that recent, the one you were saying about a few weeks back?
Oops, one of those moments, you are referring to Wham aren’t you 😉
Lee. You will not shake my confidence in the Squillster even though I believe you are suffering from sunstroke today.
Reading and West Ham are signing players up…
Rumours are that AW intends building his team around him Adam…..and what was that saying about mad dogs again??
Afternoon all! Nice post merlin(spell check wants to change ur name to merkin, good job I noticed for once), we have been very close at times to pulling off the system, but it’s a truly mammoth task to become consistent in such a system. Balancing ‘circulation’ with a bit of ‘kick and run’ and a heap of passion, we should be on a winner. Intelligent players should know for themselves when it’s appropriate to do either!
Lots of articles today about arsene’s comments, don’t see what the fuss is about, it is an inferior league and juve would struggle to get top 5 in the prem.
Afternoon, afternoon, good afternoon to all.
I am glad you all enjoyed this article as ocne upon a time, Arsene Wenger was crowned “heir apparent” to RInus Michels’ Total Football.
Although you all should know very well that I detest Arsene Wenger as a “snake-oil salesman” now, but one can’t help but express admiration on this (as Adams, whose first impression was, “What does this Frenchman know about football? He wears glasses and looks like a schoolteacher”.
Remember :boring, boring Arsenal” and “one-nil to the Arsenal” under George Graham (1986-1995)?
Remember a mocking media (I think London Evening Standards) with its blaring headline “ARSENE WHO?”
“It is decisive for the lot of a people and of humanity that culture should begin in the right place…. the right place is the body, the gesture, the diet, physiology; the rest follows from that.”
Nietzsche
And that is exactly what Le Professeur did – changing radically the Arsenal Culture (Amy Lawrence, “How Wenger changed English Football” Guardian Observer, 1st October 2006)
Before his first match in charge, away at Blackburn, Wenger “asked the players to practise muscle-toning poses in the hotel ballroom for half an hour”.
Half an hour stretching exercises were introduced both before and after sessions and plyometrics were integrated into the training regimen.
————————————————
Having just coached in Japan, Wenger shocked the local sports establishment with hsi frank criticism of the English diet, claiming in his first week of work in North London “I think in England you eat too much sugar and meat and not enough vegetables. I lived for two years in Japan and it was the best diet I ever had. The whole way of life there is linked to health” (Evening Standard, 18th OCtober 1998)
So the pre-match custom of steak was replaced with raw carrots and celery, fish or chicken, mashed potato and steamed vegetables with apple pie (nothing on it) for desert (“The Arsenal Diet”, BBC News website, 20th May 1998).
Further, the drinking culture that had long been a fixture among players was abolished.
Players like Adams quickly saw that the methods of “Le Professeur” paid dividends. In his first full season, Arsenal FC won the league and cup double with a mix of rejuvenated veteran English players (the famous Back-5 of Seaman, Keown, Winterburn, Lee Dixon and Captain Tony Adams) the Dutch Master Bergy, and key signings by Wenger of Vieira, Overmars, Petit.
This blend of inherited and discovered players came together quickly and proved that the training and dietary innovations would not only bring victory, but the fitness base allowed technique to flourish as the title was won with flowing and attacking football.
____________________________________________
In a nutshell why we are trophyless for 7 seasons is simply Arsene Wenger forgot hsi formuale of:
“Blending rejuvenated veteran players with youths and inspirative new signings like ‘Vieira, Henry, Petit, Overmars”.
Arsene Wenger dismantled the French Spine too soon without adequate replacements in place.
some good and bad news, twitter is going mad that rvp as been seen in manchester! prob a load of balls tho, the good news bayern supposably dropped there interest in m’vila and that can only mean one thing 🙂
Hi Lewis…
I think he’s right, could have added corrupt too 😉
Offski for a bit, dentist 🙁
Hi Merlin, Tomo
laters..
2.30 Rico????
Kos probably play in the quarte final…
Howard Weeb is the referee for Portugal – czesc republic (grrrr….)
Rosicky probably line-up tomorrow
England v Italy: A Portuguese refereee
6 thousand pounds ask arsenal for Vela to real Sociedad. Is expensive for them…
Barcelona interest in Vermaelen is in all sport newspaper, but the priority for barcelona is Javi Martinez and then Vermaelen or kompany.
Reports just in that Wayne Rooney has tested positive for a performance enhancing rug .
Afternoon Gooners.
Afternoon Rico.
Hi Lee…. 😆
hello mate, are you home?
Football Planet@iFootballPlanet
According to L’Equipe, Arsenal and Chelsea are fighting to sign Ben Arfa. Asking price is €21m. He prefers #AFC move due to playing time.
Don’t ya just luv the transfer window… 😀
Yeah Lee, parked the old rust bucket at Stratford and got the Hi-Speed to Ashford and some sanity…
Freddie Ljungberg: “I know RVP will stay. He is an Arsenal boy from heart and loves the club.” #Arsenal #AFC”
I hope he’s right kev or I know where I’ll be sticking my 99 flake and it won’t be a pretty sight.
One to cheer up Adam…..Jamie Sanderson@YoungGunsBlog
Talk in French papers that Sébastien Squillaci’s move from Arsenal to Bastia has broken down. He won’t budge on £50k wages. Big issue.
Make mine a choc ice then Mick…
Yipeeeeeeeeeee. Sir AK is back. That means you are home mate. Good for you. You all ok???
Much as I would like Ben Arfa at AFC I have to concede that he has flown past now.
So TommyV has been snapped in a photo with Puyol. And suddenly this makes him a target for Barca. Does this mean that if I see Catherine Zeta Jones in a restaurant and ask her for a photo then we are in a romance????
allezkev says:
June 20, 2012 at 3:10 pm
One to cheer up Adam…..Jamie Sanderson@YoungGunsBlog
Talk in French papers that Sébastien Squillaci’s move from Arsenal to Bastia has broken down. He won’t budge on £50k wages. Big issue.
______________________________________________
So much for Le professeur’s much vaunted “Mster in Economics”.
And Almunia on 60K????
No wonder, Almunia, Squillaci, Denilson, Bendtner, Vela, Chamakh, Park CY and Fabianski prefer to continue living in Winsotn Bogarde SUite rather than leave Arsenal FC.
Win-win situation for ’em…like Kanu….and then earn another big payout by signing on a Bosman for any team.
AK, “Big Issue” that’s what he should be selling….
Hiya Coach…. Charlie has been parked up.. 😀
What’s all this Coach?
Another Old Nick..????
Yeah, what a load of old tosh about Verm.
So, he meets another footballer when he’s on holiday, so what?
Merlin, if he won’t budge on his wages, keep him and in a year he’ll leave on a free.
That might explain why Arsenal haven’t persued Vertonghen… finance…
What worries me is the rumour that the Giroud deal could be affected if Chamuck doesn’t leave, due to his wages…
Lee, yeah, Squilli would look just the ticket standing outside St Pancras alongside all those Roumainian gypsies…
Le Parisien says Gourcuff is available from OL for between €13-15m, I wonder If AW would be tempted
Always a good read;
http://swissramble.blogspot.co.uk/
Kev, are you still a fully bonafide season ticket holder, resistance is futile as ya know.
Yes Mick, i share my ticket with my son, whilst my son’s best mate has my other ticket….
I guess i’ll never learn.. 🙁
Hi Kev. Is this your last day in London for the week before retiring to your lavish villa on the Kent coast?
Chamakh must sleep with the fishes.
Gourcuff is a good player. Would fit in well for us. However I will not pay more than 9 million for him due to the injuries he has had. He is a bit like RVP in that matter. I would have him in a flash however I think that his current position is occupied by TR07 and Aaron. And if M’Vila is bought then Song will occupy that role in a three some of M’Vila, Arteta and Song. They will rotate with Jack, Aaron and TR07. Coquelin will fill in whenever needed plus the full back position. Regarding the latter I feel that even as a centreback he can succeed, however only in emergency since he is only 5ft 10 ins
No Adam, i’m already by the seaside… thank heavens.
Just reading Swiss Ramble.
Seems that the Spuds earned more than us from TV last season, if i understood it correctly…
La liga… what a joke league that is.
a Spanish SPl…
The biggest problem with the spanish liga is the bank enrolment of the two super clubs. Both clubs have debt with the banks however there are many instances where it is waived.
Now why doesnt the EU do something about this??
Was that because they went one round further than us in the CL the year before Kev? I can see you on your private beach and a bottle of Cristal cooling in an ice bucket with chilled grapes being peeled for you. I always knew I should have done the knowledge.
Afternoon guys and gals…
Any news 😛
AK is home – hoooooorah 🙂
Yes Rico. He is working on his tan.
FIFA boss Sepp Blatter said today that the introduction of goal-line technology is a must after Ukraine appeared to equalise against England in their final Euro 2012 group match but the referee waved play on.
“After last night’s match it is no longer an alternative but a necessity,” the president of football’s world governing body Sepp Blatter wrote on the micro-blogging site Twitter.
Blatter has frequently stated his position in favour of technology to determine disputed decisions, setting him at odds with his counterpart at European football’s governing body UEFA, Michel Platini.
Platini this week told reporters in Warsaw that the five officials currently being used in Euro 2012, including two on the goal-line, would prevent any repeat of controversial incidents.
He again said that technology was a slippery slope towards its use for every decision, including off-side and handball.
But the five officials at co-hosts Ukraine’s final group D match with England in Kiev on Tuesday were under scrutiny after Marko Devic forced a save from Joe Hart in the 62nd minute and John Terry cleared off the line.
Television replays suggested that the ball had crossed the line for a goal but Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai waved play on.
“The result of the match turned on a gross error by the officials who didn’t give the Ukrainian goal,” Ukraine’s Sport-Express newspaper said on its website on Wednesday.
“And it all happened with five officials, two of whom were in charge of seeing whether a ball crosses the line.”
It had not been the case the previous evening when Italian striker Antonio Cassano benefited from a sharp-eyed fifth official who correctly called that his header had crossed the line in the 2-0 win against Ireland.
FIFA is currently trialling two prototypes of goal-line technology, one from British firm HawkEye, which uses a series of cameras in stadium roofs to track the trajectory of the ball and another from German firm GoalRef, which uses sensors.
Both have been tested in match conditions in recent months, with monitors observing the performance of HawkEye during England’s pre-Euro 2012 warm-up game against Belgium at Wembley stadium.
……….and no mention is made of two prior incidents in the build up. A foul on an English player and the Ukranian who scored was offside.
So the 6 match officials messed up 3 decisions….a goal which was preceded by an offside which was preceded by a foul.
Hi Rico. 😛
Just reading Swiss Ramble….
Those figures are mind boggling…
Season ticket prices should in reality be dropping.
Mick, Adam, we should complain….
Do you think they’ll listen?
He’s a shrewd and honest man old Sepp isn’t he? He sees a problem and moves to address it quickly.
Kev. In a word…..no.
Coach, your spot on….
We are expected to bail out the bloody Spanish whilst their football clubs don’t even pay their tax.
What a joke…
Champagne and grapes Adam, yes we cabbies know how to live… 😀
Cheers old chap…
The money in football is crazy, of that there is no doubt. But someone has to pay for Gabriel Marcotti’s food. Oh and I just heard that Squillacci is the new player manager of Spurs
This is a bitter pill for me to have to swallow.
Blatter…. No mention that the guy was off-side.
A load of cobblers.
Lee – your 2.46 😆 😆
Adam – best we all make the most of the sunshine, tomorrow the wind and rain is back…
Thank God. It is far too hot today.
You think its hot mate……….Here it was 35 degrees celsius today. And in a couple of weeks we will be frying with temperatures of 37 to 40.
Kev – had it been France instead of us, Baltter wouldn’t give a hoot..
Adam, I found it rather chilly today….
devil – nice 😉
Lee, your 2.28 was wasted on rico.
I didn’t see it Micko
had I done so, i would have got it,
tooth hurty 🙂
See 😉
Arsenal look set to welcome the addition of French international midfielder Yann M’Vila after Euro 2012, with the move having already been announced on the French stock market by the player’s club Rennes, that he’s moving for a certain fee somewhere in the very near future
Alex Song played the midfield holding role for the majority of last season for the side. For anyone that’s watched Song over the last two years will know, he’s really not very good at all in this role. He lacks positional discipline and has an obvious and clear preference to get involved with play further forward.
However, Song is an exceptionally talented creative midfielder, you wouldn’t know it by taking a casual glance at his physique, but the Cameroonian has an eye for a pass and he finished the season with 11 assists in the league last season. The signing of M’Vila is a clear indication that Wenger plans to utilise Song further forward in the coming campaign and needs a recognised holding midfielder to sit behind him.
When you factor in the fact that Tomas Rosicky signed a new two-year deal back in March after a superb second half of the season, putting in some superb displays against the likes of Tottenham in the North London derby and against AC Milan in the Champions League, and his rejuvenation looks complete from deadwood to integral first-team member in a matter of months.
Mikel Arteta was the club’s best signing of the season last summer. He dictates the tempo from deep, he makes the side tick and most importantly, you notice his absence when he’s not in the team as the side have far less control over the ball as he made the step up from Everton after his £10m deadline-day move with consummate ease.
Stop teasing us devil, where was that M’Vila story please?
Devil totally agree and I just can’t see him in the side once our midfield is totally fit.
M’Vila deal is pushing forward after Bayern withdrew interest, with his agent saying ‘they wanted a player in his position but with different qualities’…. Slightly worrying…. Do you guys think he’ll be physical enough?
I don’t think of Song as being exceptionally talented creative midfielder – not for one minute…
Arteta, well I just love the guy, ‘poor mans cesc’ – not in any way, shape or form, he is a quality player in his own right.
Heart, Bayern needed an excuse 😉
http://www.footballfancast.com/2012/06/football-blogs/what-next-for-aaron-ramsey
First thing I se on the AFC page at NN: Denilson is heading back to Arsenal…. Eeeeeek!
Interesting article. Ramsey could still be handy on the bench when needed but if a good bid comes in we should take it. The kid has the attributes but his decision making and discipline needs work… He needs to study Arteta for tips. However, the is a long line of crap I’d rather ditch first… Too many turds that seems hard to flush away.
Hi agag, denilson is heading back so we can sell him 😛
A really good write-up, Merlin. Very informative. 🙂
😆 heart, that is one way of putting it….
Off to have dinner, back in a flash 😉
We signed Denison for just over £3m… I’d take anything 4 and above cos we don’t need another loanee hanging around our books.
Some fans are simply woooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwww!!!!
http://www.ideegreen.it/foto/le-tifose-piu-sexy
Eduardo Hernandez is concerned that Arsenal will price Carlos Vela out of a permanent move to Real Sociedad, according to The Daily Mail.
The Mexican assisted Sociedad in staving off relegation by contributing 12 goals in 35 appearances last term.
The Spanish club are now thought to be interested in bringing Vela to the Estadio Anoeta on a permanent basis. However, with the Gunners reportedly demanding £6 million for the 23-year old, fears are rife that the proposed move will collapse.
Eduardo Hernandez, Vela’s agent has voiced concerns over Arsenal’s valuation of the youngster:
“He is very happy at Sociedad, he wants to stay there, but Arsenal are a complicated club to deal with.”
Vela has been with Arsenal since 2005, who snapped him up when he impressed as a 16 year old in the U-17 World Cup, gaining notoriety by finishing with the tournaments Golden Boot. However, after 7 years, loans with Salamanca, Osasuna, West Brom and the aforementioned Sociedad and just 3 league goals for the North London club, the striker appears to be surplus to requirements at the Emirates and is keen to stay in San Sebastien, where his goals have proven vital.
Why don’t they just borrow the money from some Spanish bank. It’s not like the ever going to pay it back is it?
Barcelona and RM are the bank of Spain. So they will not lend to other spanish clubs.
Alex Sony is not exceptionally talented to be CM but, can be tamed to be one. Even though he leaves his DM position from time to time to help creat goals he’s a valuable asset in the first eleven.
We all remember when he was suspended for 3 games after the Newcastle game what happened with our defensive midfield. In the current crops, there is no one that can play that role better than him. Let gives credit where credit is due. Sony is a bird in hand and worth more than two in the TW.
Sorry, got side tracked after dinner 😉
I get sidetracked many times Lady. Especially if there is wine, sweets and ice cream.
Frimpong and Coquelin combine in work etiquette equal to Alex Song
heart – i’d take £2M for denilson 😉
That is true professionalism and will to succeed……….
The bulk of Arsenal’s professional players are not due back at the club’s London Colney training base until July 9th, but for three promising youngsters preparations for the new campaign have already started, with Jack Wilshere, Carl Jenkinson and Benik Afobe all putting in extra sessions prior to the main group’s arrival.
All three players spent large proportions of the 2011/12 season, in Wilshere’s case the entire campaign, on the sidelines and are determined to prove their fitness before the club’s pre-season preparations officially get underway. Wilshere and Jenkinson will be hopeful of featuring in Arsenal’s three-stop tour of Asia, which is preceded by a mini-tournament hosted at St Mary’s Stadium involving Southampton and Rangers.
devil, where did that M’Vila come from ??
M’Vila story I meant, I know he’s from France 😉
See my 5.38 Lady.
Thanks devil….
rico devil, rico 😉
I am off now Fine Folk………..to dream that I have been made Manager at AFC and have signed M’Vila, Capoue, Giroud, Mapou and have managed to persuade Barca and Real that Squilly, Chamack and Denilson are the missing links to their jigsaw puzzles, and they pay us 15million per player, while Bayern decide to give us Muller for Bendy.
Yes Lady………I know you are Rico. 😉
This reminds me of a funny situation at the place where I used to work around 17 years ago.
When I was around 9 years old I had this teacher. I always called him Sir when addressing him. Years went by and suddenly we were sharing the same staff room. And as usual when I referred to him I called him Sir.
“You can call me Charles now” he said
My reply????
“Yes Sir”
And the whole staff room exploded in laughter.
😆 devil – nighty to you….
I too am off, catch you all tomorrow…
Stay safe all, nighty night…
Brilliant entry and as I and others have been saying. We need to be more dynamic, enough of the tippy tappy passes and give us some end result.
moaning all…
Morning all….
Stop moaning! 😉
Good Morning Fine Folk.
What are you moaning about???? 😆
I’m thinking of moaning about the lack of football on television these days devil, had to watch eastenders last night 🙂
the weather…
three new tyres on my wife’s car..
Is there someone who moans about moaning??? 😉
and having to go shopping later – its just all doom and gloom….
New Post is up, let’s go and moan on there shall we 😛