Morning all.
The official site has done it again and without knowing, helped me to write a post for the third day running.
Pre-season. What’s it all about? Getting fit is the major object as is integrating new players (cough) and working out how to approach the new season but for some, it’s about more, a lot more.
Arsenal have more than a handful of younger players, 17, 18, 19, even 20 year old players who will no doubt be wondering if this will be the summer that their senior career kicks off.
Here’s how it was for Jack Wilshere…
We used to go to Austria after training at London Colney for two weeks. There was always loads of young players training for the first couple of weeks and then if you made the Austria trip you thought, ‘Okay, this is where it really starts’. I was only 16 so I didn’t expect to make it.
There were 18 year olds around me but I got on the trip. It went from there really. We played a couple of games, I scored a couple of goals, and then we came back and I was involved in the Emirates Cup. I was thinking, ‘Oh my God I’m going to play at the Emirates in front of 60,000’.
I started the first game – I didn’t expect to play any part in it – and then after that it was club day and I remember the boss asking me which number I would like, 18 or 19. That’s when I knew I was going to be involved in the squad.
The boss was clever because he put me in for some games, took me out, made me train some games and then put me out again. Then he put me in the [team in the] Carling Cup and I thought, ‘This is the real thing, we’re playing in front of 60,000 fans against proper teams, proper men, at just 16’.
I owe that a lot to the boss and I’ve learnt so much since I was 16 that it’s scary. I’m only 23 now but it feels like I’ve been playing for years, and I’m still learning with every game I play.
Seven years have now passed since ‘that’ pre-season for Jack and he’s been part of the first team ever since and his got many great years ahead of him as long as injuries don’t hit him too often…
Arsenal are just days away from beginning another pre-season. I’m not sure of the official date the players all regroup again but it’s usually sometime in the first two weeks of July.
Jack if course is not facing a ‘will I or won’t I’ make the step up period but many are.
Isaac Hayden, Gedion Zelalem, Chuba Akpom, Krystian Bielik, Wellington Silva, Jon Toral and maybe a few others are but not all will make it this season. Maybe some will never make it at Arsenal.
I have high hopes for Hayden, I really do but in saying that, because of injury, I haven’t seen him play for a while but when I did, he looked like he has what it takes to progress to the next level. Same with Akpom, but then I thought that about Lansbury, Afobe and Aneke.
Silva, Bielik, Toral and others, I have no idea about as I’ve not seen them play so as far as pre-season goes, regardless of what happens to those and other players desperate to prove they are good enough to play for Arsenal, I’m looking forward to watching them try.
So, today’s question is, who do you think will make the step up this coming season?
Finally, good luck to Alexis Sanchez and his Chile team-mates as they face Peru in the semi-final during the early hours of tomorrow morning….
Have a good Monday all, hopefully we’ll get the big news that Petr Cech is an Arsenal player.
Morning All
Morning Rico…
Morning Kev and all…
SS’s reckon Cech will be done today…
Cech mate!
Morning Housers!
Kev I bet it’s damn hot in that cab of yours! Betty Swallocks?
Brudder has moved the sofa to the patio, I’m hearing….
Mrs A acting as chief Punkawallah!! 😉
Has he been confirmed Lee? Morning to you…
Hi Lee.
I’m parked under a tree and it’s still sweltering, but hey, it could worse, I could be living in Tottenham….
Morning guys.
Well done again, Rico 🙂
I imagine that Adam, is spread out on his immaculate, manicured lawn, in his Speedos, getting a tan, as Mrs A is cooling his furrowed brow with a large fan…
It’s a hard life… 😀
Whilst feeding him peeled grapes???
Cech not signed…. hope he does n’t bounce!
Thanks Scott.. Only a few more to do then a break 🙂
Lee 😆
Me too, the longer it drags on, the more I start thinking the dwarf has something going on..
Rico, you posed an interesting question…
I’ll be interested to hear the views of everyone, especially youth team fans like Fred, Rick and Coach…
For myself, I think (therefore I am :-D) that both Akpom and Toral will defo go out on loan again…
Not sure about Wellington, he really needs a big pre-season or I suspect that he’ll be off on loan again.
Crowley is very good, but still a bit too young for me.
The four youngsters I think/could/might, progress into the senior squad this season are Hayden, Zelalem, Bielik and O’Connor…
I kinda see Gnabry as a 1st team squad member already, only injuries have stopped him playing 30 or 40 more games over the last 18 months…
Hopefully all those injuries are behind him?
I wonder if it’s a question which AW knows the answer to yet..
Me too re Gnabry and I hope his injuries have been sorted out, the others, well I haven’t much idea about them other than Hayden..
Good day to the house.
Hope you are all well.
Nice post, pre injuries Gnabry looked top notch so hopefully he has put the bad days behind him and really kicks on again this year.
Other than him I watched a few of the U20 world cup games, USA had a decent side but Zalelem really stood out, he needs to beef up a bit but the lad has got something.
Thanks Lewis. I read a few bits about how good Zelalem has been playing for his country…
Could be his time… Or a PL loan…
Good Afternoon Lovelies and Hunkies.
An interesting post (with a heart stopping header…..JW thanks for the memories….grrrrrr) with an interesting question. Who will make the grade???
Well, it is difficult to say. not because there is no one who is good enough, but simply because we are having strength in depth. Especially if AW buys a midfielder and a striker/winger.
Imo it will be Bielik who makes the grade with Zelalem close behind. Why you may ask?
Let’s consider this scenario. AW buys Vidal. that’s it I hear the amatuers say. He has bought a DM. Except that Vidal is not a DM by trade but a B2B midfielder. True…..he can play the DM position but he is not there to replace Le Coq. We have Ozil as the most AM/F. Cazorla can fit there easily, but he is playing as a deep lying playmaker behind Ozil. We have Aaron and Jack for the B2B roles. If we get Vidal he will be another who plays there. So essentially Le Coq has no direct rival. His only rival is Bielik and he is still a teenager.
you might say……TR07. Yes he is there to fill in the blanks sadly. Though I feel that if we get Vidal AW will have a rething and allow him to leave. If not now then January.
Zelalem is still a couple of years away but I feel that he will rotate with Ozil, not on a regular basis but during cup games and a few games as a sub.
So I feel it will be Bielik and Zelalem.
Kev thinks highly of O’Connor. I have to be honest…..I have not seen him play so cant say anything about him.
Devil, no Hayden?
Figure it out Rico…..Mertesacker, Kos, Gabriel, Chambers already play at CB. While Le Coq is DM. Bielik seems to be more technical than Hayden. So unless he improves suddenly I think it will be difficult.
Pity I do not live there…..i will not miss a single game from the under21 down. yes even the under 9.
Rico, Hayden could initially go out on loan (a la Coq) to get some game time at senior level…
Depending on how he does and the injury situation at Arsenal, he could stay out on loan or come back early (a la Coq)…
I think that Wenger likes him and his versatility could help him in breaking into the senior squad…
Kev….that is why I would like to see AFC buy another club at a lower division and farm out their youngsters there. Imagine…..the likes of Martinez, Pleguezelo, Hayden, O’Connor, Bielik, Kamara, Crowley, Willock, Akpom and Maitland-Niles getting game time every week against adult opposition. With the likes of Silva and Toral as well.
And AFOBE would not have been sold.
Cant AFC buy a club in Spain?? Or France?? Or Italy???
You are probably right re Hayden Kev, a loan – just hope he goes to a club who’ll give him one chance because i think he’d take it…
Buy one in Oz so I can keep an eye on the young guys playing……Citeh have, so there must be some benefit to it.
Coach, I ain’t sure, I think that ManUre, City and Chavs would have purchased or took over a nursery club by now, in England, if it were possible.
Rico, I would send Hayden to Charlton…
Good club. Good Academy. They coach youngsters to play the game properly…
Hayden would thrive at The Valley, because he would get game time, and that’s what he needs…
Coach, Arsenal had a brief tie-up with Beveren in Belgium…
It’s where Eboue and Yaya Toure started in Europe.
The Mancs had a similar deal with Antwerp. But it didn’t last…
Arsenal have Academies dotted about the globe, there’s one in Greece that’s sent a few youngsters over here.
I think all the big clubs do likewise…
ManCity have feeder clubs in New York and Australia…
If it was really beneficial, I think that Wenger would have done it by now…
Pity we couldn’t have a tie-up with Ajax…
There ya go, Scott beat me to it on the ManCity Oz Academy…
Why not Akpom as well Kev? A season long loan. Imagine both getting around 30 games each.
I’d go for Watford Kev, or one of the other newly promoted…
Kev, if Arsenal even knew about the place, they’d become involved with Sean’s school.
It’s beginning to get a hell of a reputation and it’s only in its third year.
Big things ahead…….
Nothing ventured Scott , send the club a resume . Who knows what might happen.
Colchester would a good club to buy….
Or Reading… 🙂
Potter, I’m always at the CEO to send some info to the club 🙂
One day, a massive club will form a partnership with the school, of that I’m positive.
Sean and a mate came to our All Aged side training the other day.
Both kids at some point stood up a grown man and ran straight past them…seriously.
Just did a step over and had the old boys going the wrong way.
Now, the guys aren’t great quality, but 9-10 year olds making them look silly?
I told them these kids aren’t absolute stand outs….there’s about 7-8 kids of similar ability.
2 hours a day training…..the proof is in the pudding.
Akpom at Charlton is a good call Rico…
He needs games and he badly needs some goals…
Coach rather…
Send him to Arsenals feeder club down under, Kev 🙂
Scott, you should write to the club…
http://www.arsenal.com/home
Cech has signed!!
cech is our’s
Came home to good and bad news. Great that Cech has arrived, sad that Chris Squire, bassist of my favourite band YES, has died.
RVP and SN could learn from this parting letter from our new keeper!
Cech’s letter in full to Chelsea fans:
“I thought this would never happen but it is time for me to say goodbye to Chelsea. The club I have lived every single minute for since joining in July 2004, the club in which I thought I’d hang my gloves and boots one day and finish my career. But life doesn’t always turn out the way you think it will.
“Since 2004 it has been an incredible journey with so many highs and not many lows. We have managed to win every single English trophy as well as the Europa League and the biggest of all – Champions League. Looking back at all the achievements, including our first-ever league double in 2010, back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006, and multiple EPL and FA Cup wins, I couldn’t be more proud! As a team we made history together!
“Last summer, things changed and I understood I was no longer the first-choice keeper but I felt it was not the right time for me to go. During the season it became clear that my situation would not improve and as I know I am not at the stage of my career when I want to be on the bench, I made my decision to move on and look for new challenges.
“The limited playing time gave me the chacne to refesh and rest mentally as well as make me realise just how much I enjoy playing football at the highest level, because I missed it badly every game day I was not involved. I have the same commitment to football, the same motivation and the same hunger for success as I had at the beginning of my career and I love the challenges brought by the top-quality players you face while playing the Premier League – simply the best and the most challenging league in the world.
“That’s why I spoke to Mr Abramovich about me staying in the Premier League and I’d like to thank him from the bottom of my heart for his support in this matter. It means so much to me because without him Chelsea would not be where it is now. He deserves huge credit for what he has done for the club and for all of us.
“I would like to personally thank everybody involved with Chelsea for their support – all the players, staff, managers and all the coaching staff I have had the pleasure of working with over the years. Without them it would have been impossible for us to have achieved such success.
“But most important of all – a huge thank-you goes to all the Chelsea fans. I did everything for you and you gave me your love back. I’ll never forget it. It will stay with me forever. We will meet again but this time I will be in the other goal – I hope you will remember our history and understand it is time for me to begin a new adventure.
“I wish everybody at Chelsea all the best for the new season and for the future. Thank you for an incredible 11 years.”
Andrew he doesn’t exactly sing Jose’s praises, in fact he doesn’t even mention his name, does he?!?! Fuck off maureenho!!!
Good Afternoon Lovelies and Hunkies.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN….WE GOT HIM.
In your face Goonie. I said it before you.
As you said Andrew…..maybe all those who left us should have done better and learn from the way Cech handled the situation.
And hats off to Abramovitch for being a gentlemen. He has shown his true colours in this. Maybe the poison dwarf should also learn from him.
Hmmmmmm
We used to write Ches. now I hope I write Cech and not get bamboozled with the keyboard.
so here goes…….
Cech
Bellerin, Per,Kos,Nacho
Coquelin,Cazorla
Danny,Ozil,Sanchez
Theo
that is how it is atm……..it will surely change with another signing
Great news….
Cech mate… 😛
Great signing! that must mean we are shifting a goalie….Don’t really want to see Ospina go…but its looking like him or Martinez to go..
We will be in for a defensive midfielder but fear until we let campbell, podolski and Sanogo go, we won’t get another striker in.
Lee, quite pointed that omission! And mentioning Abram.
Arsenal have Arsen,,,e. Now we have a Czech called c,,,,ech, where’s it going?!
Well done Arsenal. Making a signing that we have pushed for…
Dev, you left out OG12?
Surely Theo can’t be ahead of OG12 in the immediate future?
See what happens when I go out… 😉 😉
No a word for the poison one, take that you Portuguese dwarf!!
Its Cech in Time 🙂
I’ll get my coat
How rude of me, good evening all and isn’t it a good evening..
Chuffed to punch we have got Cech!
Ginge I left him out on purpose.
There will be games in which Ollie starts and others which Theo starts. But I feel that Ollie will start fewer games than normal while Theo will start more than usual at the top of the attack.
After waiting 3 years with now have him,
at last a world class keeper,our defence has a leader
always thought he looked a knob in that hat.
But Now I Don’t…Funny that
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6Ka-47Qd9M
Like his concentration and warm up for 40 seconds before his first strike!
Reading need help more than Colchester Lee… 😉
Andrew, Wolfgang Wolf of Wolfsburg 1998-2003, that was just taking the pish big time !
Probably a wise move by Cech’s PR team to remove the bit where he couldn’t resist sticking the blue flag up Jose’s arse as a parting gift to the little gobshite…….what a lovely photo that would have made.
Hang on rico, wasnt it only a goalkeeping error that allowed Arsenal past Reading? 😉
haha Micko, thought you made that up …. so I Googled it 😉
🙂 Andrew, it was on that day but before then we used to batter them good and proper… Well, maybe not as that 7-5 still stays with me…. lol
🙂 Fred…
Evening Rico and the House.
Its great news day.
The 1st interview with Arsenals Goal Keeper Petra Cech is on the player Rico.
He looks really good in the new kit
Evening Rick, I saw some of it on Sky Sports.
Huge statement has been made imo… Now for 2/3 more….
Evening all, we have signed a world class footballer for the 3rd year in a row it’s strange that it’s so quit on here.
I mean where’s tsgh with he’s stats and the other very insightful posters with their huge football knowledge.
I don’t know about anyone else but I am happy as Goonster has been of late 🙂
Cech is a good signing but I am more interested in the report that Lyon have offered Lacaz ette to us for 21 million.
Wonderful news we got our man. More proof that quality attracts more quality.
Rico, I dont think youll have trouble writing the post tomorrow? 😉
Interesting about the ups and downs of Vidal and Morgan. Could someone give me the latest odds on where (if anywhere) they will go with the bookies? I trust them more than the GossipGirls.
But I do like the rumour that Lacazette is maybe available for 20m… mmmm
Hope we have one more big target to come in still 🙂
Bah, followed up on the Lacazette stuff and found this was the trail… hardly reliable (at all) http://www.teamtalk.com/news/2483/9898227/Careless-Whispers-Lacazette-to-Arsenal-
Rodger, all that Teamtalk site has done is recycle reports from the Express, Metro, Telegraph etc, who probably are recycling old news from elsewhere.
It’s all bollocks mate.
It gets on my wick.
They just take the piss out of us fans.
They make me sick.
Rant over 😉
Potter, we should take that offer up imo…..
Youre completely right Kev, bollocks, all of it. In this case the teamtalk site was tracing back the source of the non-story. Which is kind of ironic since as you say they usually peddle non-stories. Sigh.
Ive been checking the skybet site just now http://www.skybet.com/football/transfer-specials . Which in my view gives something of a reality check to how close some of these deals arent. I mean, if youre not willing to put your money where your mouth is, then you can be fairly confident its a non-story. This reveals that Arsenal arent close to much else in bookies view just yet…
Roger, I’ve done Cech to death, can’t write about him again tomorrow…. 😉
Just fill it with memes rico. Dwarf waiter! Cech please 😛
The amount of money we spent on Cech still leaves room for another world class play to join us this summer.
Rico you have been writing about Cech the horrible Chelsea player but now you have to write about Cech the gentleman Arsenal player. 🙂
I’ll do my best roger.. Lol
Joe, I’m starting to think Pogba….
Ha ha Joe, you have a point. I’m on to it as we type… Lol
I am thinking Carvalho
Carvalho is not world class yet but is a good DM with potential as back up to the Coq still leaves money for are world class forward either a striker or winger.
Look at me we buy one world class player and I am like a child in a sweet shop. 🙂
Yep, I could see that too Joe….
Rodger, the odds for Vidal @ 10/11 weren’t too bad…
We live in hope 😉
No chance Kev, he’s off to Barca… Lol
rico, the Chilean newspaper La Stampa say Vidal is a done deal and will be announced next week so it must be true !
Barca can’t buy anyone till Jan according to FIFA but I don’t think Barca care to much.
La Stampa what great name for a newspaper dealing with football issues.
Le Fabrication in France say the same Micko…
Vidal is staying at juve and pogba is going to barca and talks are on going
Is that just your opinion Drake or are you itk?
I can see where this is going and refuse to stoop down to both your levels !
Nite Guys.
Night Micko….
I’m off too, night all…..
His agent has confirmed it and the barca president said it too that they should spend big to compete with madrid.their biggest signing are neymar and suares …and we both know that pogba is next since they are spending big.times have changed at barca rico, they are all about flashing cash now
Only heard half an hour ago, busy all day. I cant express how pleased i am to have finally got a world class keeper back at the Arsenal, he will bring huge presence,confidence and organization to the team. Fantastic news. Well done AFC.
Barca were competing with madrid for neymar and suares,plus if you want to replace ineasta(forgive me for spelling wrong) you go for young not old
I see some mean Chelsea fans are sending death threats to our nice new goalkeeper the true class of Chelsea fans showing through.
Sensational news.
Now, who’s next?
Someone in the class of Özil and Sanchez
these vidal rumours is laughable…
agreed with Drake re Pogba…
Real Madrid want to offer Asier to scupper the deal though…
Anyone planning to watch the Chile game tonight or today.
Ginge, I have absolutely zero confidence in the Vidal rumours, although I had little in Cech either hahahahaha
Lacazette and Carvalho ship out the deadwood we will be a really competitive team on all fronts! Come on Arsene, we’re nearly there!!!!
Morning Scott, Lee and all…
Come on Arsene indeed!
So so close to having the best squad we’ve had for a long time…
Morning all it seems like the clear has started podolski is on a move.well i want flamini,arteta out and i hope diaby retires(3 years without playing football that is a crime).these guys are waste of space
Sorry i mean the clearout
Morning Rico and all.
Classless chav fans wishing cancer on Cech’s kids/family and that they will bring gun to Stamford bridge to shoot him…..I couldn’t believe what I was reading!
Changing the subject Vidal isn’t happening in my book…..
Same here Drake re the outs…
Just been reading that myself Lee, absolute scumbags aren’t they…
Me neither re Vidal, but I won’t mind being wrong… 😉
Manu has not submitted a bid or signed morgan,those was are from ronald.i hope we sign him
I couldn’t wish that on my worst enemy…..there’s some sick fuckers in this world, they really is!
Roll on Monday, off to Murcia with my son and his pal…..looks like I’ll be hooking up with this Gooner mate of mine! 😉
Drake I think the Morgan ship has sailed….
Rico, what you think of Sergio Ramos? I think he’s average at best, apparently wants to go to manure!!
Lee i would not say ramos is average,he is just making a big mistake like di maria which he could end up regreting
Sick is an understatement…
I heard you were catching up with an old Gooner Lee, lord help Spain.. 😉
Ramos is very expensive for an old geezer, at least we’ll be facing an even more average Manc defence if he goes there.. lol
I disagree Drake, he really isn’t that great a defender… but I guess it’s all about opinions.
William C. rumours has some legs but is he a EPL type player?
We inquired about him last summer but then found out of his ownership situation. Sporting has subsequently bought his full rights from Mendez.
A reliable itk reckons W.c is going to Ligue 1…
if another Chilean is arriving then its the short one… 😉
Morning all btw
Old being the operative word! 😆
Nipping off to walk the woofa before it’s too hot, catch up in a bit…
Carvahlo is younger than Vidal, plays DM and CB if needed and obviously has some sell on value…. now if he were French he’d already of been signed! 😉
Vargas’s goal last night was an absolute belter! have you seen it Drake?
Watching Sanchez, Vargas, Valdivia, Vidal and Aranguiz tear into teams is like watching football being played in a washing machine…
Only if we had Aranguiz as our holding midfielder. What a player
Yes ts i saw it,vargas seems to do better when playing for chile.i too wish we could sign aranguiz
Carvahlo was not bought because he was partly owned by Jorge Mendez, and in my view was not ready last summer.
Last summer when he was being linked to us, the club were concerned with the 3rd party ownership deal surrounding him and that Sporting had the right to fully buy the players rights if he weas not sold before 31st August last year.
Sporting purchased his rights wholly last November meaning that if Aw was still interested then there won’t be any FA investigations etc. since Aw were not willing to pay Sporting and then pay Mendez a fee too..
TS he’s playing well at the U21’s….
Williams has been a star of a show for portugal u-21s
Agreed W.C has been impressive at u-21. He seems to have improved vastly. Last summer in world cup most on here commented he looked slow…
I wonder if Peru would have beaten chile last night if they had played 11v 11
Morning guys.
IF we get a striker….still not convinced we need one…..Lacazette is the one.
He’s a gun, French and young…..he’s a perfect fit.
Scott i think we will sign a winger with rues,nalib and draxler being targets
True Scott- most importantly Lacazette and OG12 have a very good chemistry unlike OG12 and Benzema.
Reus is very injury prone now Drake; plus at his peak and so we might not get much from him going forward. Top top player though…
Morning All,
Where is goonster?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/11705152/Arsenal-transfer-news-and-rumours-Arsene-Wenger-beats-Manchester-United-to-Juventus-midfielder-Arturo-Vidal.html
Sure is Lee, don’t say I said that though… 😉
If you meeting up with an old gooner mate Lee I take it you taking Kev along to Spain with you then…..
Poor Spain bet Rioja reserves will take a pounding
Belated but thanx for the birthday wishes did see then was just far to busy enjoying the GG in the sun with my feet up
Watch, you’re alive!!!
GG hasn’t killed you off then lol.
How’s things??
Wath, even!
See that Rico…?
I mention meeting an old Gooner mate in Spain and Lord Camden appears!
Estrella and San Miguel are the ones that need to be worried!
I did Lee, I had a feeling he’d be lurking… Estrella, don’t, that’s cruel…. 😉
Morning Wath, Tai, Ts and Scott…
New post up now..
I’ll email Miguel and warn them Lee, As for you lady Rico don’t be so bloody cheeky lol
Ice cold Estrella and a few tapas dishes….