Morning all.
What a shocker that was eh… With just seconds to go and with the scores level, England Ladies were heading into extra time in a game they really could win. Then the most awful thing happened as defender Laura Bassett headed into her own net.
England had no time to recover, a bit like Arsenal v Birmingham…
Heartbreaking for her, heartbreaking for England.
Abou Diaby, eight years at Arsenal but he is no longer a Gunner. His contract has expired and he’s off. Some reports suggest he turned down the offer of a ‘pay as you play’ deal but whether that’s true or not I don’t know.
A sad ending for a player who could have been very good had the footballing thugs of this world not intervened. Dan Smith always says it wasn’t his fault, well I’d say he play a big part in Diaby’s need for medical attention for so long.
The big Frenchman is apparently in talks with FC Dallas over a move to the MLS. I hope it comes off and he enjoys a few years of injury-free football. Either that or he can get a job with the Ewings.. In the meantime though he’s staying put and is free to use the clubs facilities to maintain his fitness according to reports in the Telegraph.
Good luck Abou. Wherever you finally end up, I wish you well.
He wasn’t the only one leaving though, Jack Jebb, Austin Lipman, Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill and Josh Vickers will all be in search for a new club. Good luck to them all.
Reports in the Telegraph suggest Campbell, Ospina, Podolski and Flamini will all go to if the right offer comes in for them as Arsene Wenger wants to clear space for new arrivals.
Who those arrivals will be is anyone’s guess but I hope they arrive soon as pre-season kicks off in days. In fact in just over two weeks time the boys will be in Asia to take part in the Asia Tophy and the first fixture is on the 18th July against a select Singapore XI. After 2/3 fixtures out there it’s back home for the Emirates Cup which kicks off on the 25th against Lyon.
In an ideal world, the squad will be then as it is for the coming season. Mind you, a deadline day extra is always nice. Well, it is when when it’s someone like Mesut Ozil.
Gossip:
Arsenal look set to beat Manchester United to the signature of William Carvalho after reportedly sending scouts to watch the midfielder the final of the European U21 Championships. (Telegraph)
Can’t find any other regurgitated stories so that’s your lot….
Finally, Arsène Wenger has now overseen more matches (1066) the rest of the Premier League bosses combined (998).
He could get a job with Hastings Insurance. Ok, I’ll get my coat!
Happy Thursday all….
Moaning Rico….
Moaning to you Lee…
Morning Rico,all.
Diaby leaving is a little sad,it had to happen one day.wish him well.
Goo Morning Lovelies and Hunkies.
a job with Hastings for AW you say???? He should get a job with a zipping factory. testing zippers. He will soon bankrupt them. lol 😉
nice post Rico……we should have enjoyed Diaby’s finer years,. unfortunately we did not. What could have been is open to debate, however we should keep in mind two things……had he been injury free would he have stayed or would he have done a Cesc, a Nasri or an RVP?? And secondly, with him gone the last connection with the history of highbury at the Ems is now cut off.
We may speak of moments of when a season or a team’s fortunes are turned around. but for me the moment Diaby steps out of the Emirates for the last time will be the moment a negative past of the last 9 years can be truly erased. nothing against Diaby. unfortunately I feel that now without him at the club AFC can finally say that the past is past and we now look forward.
Morning Bondex, Devil..
It is sad but for the sake of Arsenal and him, his moving on is the best thing. The MLS will hopefully be kinder to him..
1066 Devil.. lol
Wonder what’s happening with Arteta….
cover for Le Coq?
72’F today Coach…
Quite warm, but pleasant
Is that right Coach, Diaby is the last player on our books who played at Highbury?
What about Walcott?
Aussies only conceded one v the Japanese…just saying 🙂
Morning all.
If every Arsenal side fought like those Japanese girls, our buys wouldn’t lose a game.
Have we signed anyone yet??
We’re entering our 10th year at The Grove.
Time flies eh?
And Gibbs, Wilshere, Rosicky surely?
I’m hungry…
R.I.P Val Doonican… 88 good innings though!
We left Highbury in 2006.
Adebayor, Walcott and Diaby were all signed in the January…
That’s sad news…
RIP Val Doonican…
You got the munchies Lee?
I hope not Lee, we need someone with more in their legs than him imo…
Watching the England ladies last night gave me a feeling of Déjà vu it was just like watching an Arsenal game with dodgy referring decisions
Arsenal hit the woodwork a number of times miss a header that really was a sitter and Arsenal get caught on the break and concede an own goal.
Yep that could have been a match report for many an Arsenal game oh yes they have a coach that is not English did I miss anything.
He’s British though Joe… 😉
Rico, Andy Murray is British.
When he loses he’s Scottish Hahahahahahaha.
Morning Rico, morning all sad about Val Doonican growing up my parents had a couple of he’s albums in the house.
Was a big fan of one song in particular Rico look at my email address you’ll get the idea. 🙂
The English had a much trouble over the years with the Walsh as they did with the French. 🙂
I notice Brentford have dipped their toe into the transfer market and bought anDutch cap called, wait for it…….Bellend! I kid you not!
Sorry in my excitement I forgot to wish you all a very good morning.
Shame to see Diaby leave, if he has gone that is! What a player he could have been. I hope he fares better where ever he hauls up next.
Very true Scott… lol
I’d also like to add my personal thanks to Abou Diaby and wish him the best where ever he ends up I hope he has more than a semblance of a foot ball career.
Morning Joe, Val D was big in our house too. Loved his jumpers.. 😉
Can’t work out the connection though… lol
Wavy, that’s funny…
One of he’s songs was about a donkey.
Cape Town – Five top European clubs will send their under-19 sides to participate in this year’s Durban Under-19 International Football Tournament set to begin on the 29th of July.
English giants, Arsenal, will send their under-19 squad to compete and with the huge support base in South Africa they are sure to attract the crowds.
Morning, R.I.P Val, still have memories as a child, watching he,s weekly shows and his christmas editions. I have to say ive not got the same sentiment as others regarding diaby, I for one am happy to see im of the clubs books, its about time, It was never going to work, move on. Sorry that seems so callous. one website reporting Theo is about to sign a four year deal worth 120,000, I,m still on the fence about him too, needs a big season, too which i just dont think he will show the consistency needed to break back into the team.
The tournament begins on the 29th of July, with the final being held on the 8th of August at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Shame the ladies lost but equally sad to hear the coach praising the teams heart, desire, spirit, etc. No mention of skill, movement or passing. Did well to get so far but light years behind some of the other sides in the way we played. Still stuck in the dark ages!
Oh btw, condolences on last night match, so close, I,ve watched the womens team a bit, and really thought they,d a chance this year, but as we all know England and semi-finals, eh.
Bob, think it’s a bit like the men, they need a few more younger players to come through…
I thought they played better football under Powell…
First Prize for the Arsenal Blog Headline of the Week, goes too:
Arseblog…. (Sorry Rico)
With:
Diaby Does Dallas….. Lmfao
Good post Rico btw…
Thanks Kev..
🙂 – I’ll forgive you…. lol
They’d beat the men…
Hi Rico. Trouble with Hope Powell though was she let personal feelings about certain individuals cloud her judgement. I work with a girl who played for England under 19’s under Powell’s regime and the squad atmosphere was very divisive.
Ha ha Lee, probably..
Hi Bob, I didn’t know that about Powell, surprised she stayed so long in that case…
It’s raining in London Town….
A quick shower here brudder.
Morning Rico and all.
You keep it there…
Shit Lee, yesterday you were complaining it was too hot 🙂 🙂
Rico. Sadly in women’s football a lot of player movement is determined by ‘relationships’ between players. Luckily for Arsenal Kelly Smith and Alex Scott have both stayed at the club despite no longer being an item.
Actually Rico it was rather pleasant.
I see that the diminutive sociopath has decided to make the Cech transfer all about him. He is “proud” that his club has acted in this way. Well, I suppose it makes a difference from tapping players up and cheating on the pitch by diving and feigning injury.
I wasn’t moaning about it Scott…..
Brudder, this old saying is very apt for our friend Jose! “There’s no “I” in team but there’s a “U” cnut!” Sorry Rico!
Lol Adam.
Behind closed doors, Joe Say would be seething that Roman acted with some grace.
Lee. I love that. The profanity conceals a deeper truth.
Hi Scott. It was super hot in London yesterday. Uncomfortably so.
As I said yesterday , the pressure builds until we get rain or a storm usually after 3 or 4 days of intense heat.
Hi Adam, bring back the sunshine I say… As it spits with rain here.. 🙁
Bob, yes I heard that can sometimes be an issue after a fall-out…
Adam, so I hear lol.
Just quietly, I detest anything above around 27-28 degrees.
Potter, we often get that situation here, as well, but the difference is we can have an extended period of heat before the storm hits….it’s not rare to cop 7-8 days of excessive heat in a row,
Scott. Living in London I would say that 23-24 degrees is fine and 21 is quite comfortable.
28-30c is nice… 🙂
I’d take that every day, Adam.
May is my favourite month here.
We seem to get endless days of 23-25 degrees, and barely a cloud in the sky.
Early start for work tomorrow, so I shall catch you all tomorrow.
Have a great day, everyone.
Sleep well Scott…
I was waiting for that Rico.
Night Scott.
52F and overcast can’t beat it!
I didn’t want to disappoint Adam..
Catch up in a bit….
I think Diaby would have been a top player had it not been for that tackle by Dan Smith. He had all of the attributes to succeed at the highest level.
I do feel that AW has been more than fair with him, to the detriment of our wage bill and possibly at the expense of signing a powerful CM in the past.
I think that the time Wenger has spent hoping that he would overcome his injuries shows the high regard he was kept in. I remember Wenger saying that had he kept fit he would be the first midfielder in the pecking order for France.
Hey, if anybody out there is feeling a little lonely and feels the need for some human interaction and company.
Then don’t despair…
Come into London in your car and join our party down Euston Road…
We’re here every day, thousands of us, sitting in this fecking traffic jam, having a chat…
Nobody is going anywhere and nobody in Government gives a shit… 😐
Afternoon all..
Chris,funny though really that Diaby is now fit and he’s off… 😉
That’s not good Kev….
Guus Hiddink tipped to be the next Leicester manager… That’s an odd one…
Hiddink? Thats quite a step down from the Holland job!
I thought Leicester were looking at Lennon.
Rico – You are right about him being fit, but I wouldn’t bet on him staying that way for too much longer.
I actually used to share the same barber with Diaby. The barber was a gooner also, so I told him that he should stop cutting his hair so he could gain Samsonite strength!
Lennon is in the running too Chris…
My Diaby comment was tongue in cheek really, like you, I doubt he’ll stay fit for too long…. Hope he can though..
Good Evening Lovelies and Hunkies.
Sorry could not get on earlier mates.
Kev…..We left Highbury in 2006. Walcott and Diaby were all signed in the January. And Gibbs, Wilshere, Rosicky ……
I just checked mate……..
Rosicky debut……8 August 2006
Walcott debut……19 August 2006
Gibbs debut……..31 Oct 2007
Wilshere debut…Sept 2008
So only Diaby played at Highbury mate.
The rest of the present squad has no shadow of Highbury or the INVINCIBLES squad hanging over them.
And it can also be claimed that the 2014 and 2015 FA Cup wins, plus the Charity Shield 2014 were the first real Emirates trophies. I am not including the Emirates cup.
Evening, Devil that just confirms my point about Theo earlier, also Gibbs both players at Arsenal 8 and 9 years, and can no longer get into the first team, surely theres grounds there, for selling these two players on, maybe Wenger is holding out to see can he get any decent offers for them, to which i,d sell.
theo did not play a first team game for AFC till season 06/07
I wouldn’t sell Theo Dublin, but a big question mark for me over Gibbs…
Some people’s face is worse than the shit they wipe from their arse………
if this is true than my statement has just been confirmed.
http://www.punditarena.com/football/english-football/arsenal/jmurphy/former-arsenal-player-now-hated-reportedly-asks-for-emirates-return/
That’s a bit harsh Devil.. 😉
Why harsh Rico??? that is the opinion I have of turn coats.
How we walk with the broken speaks louder than how we sit with the great.
When we were broken he jumped ship. When we needed him most he deserted. When we licked our wounds he poured salt on it.
Now we are on the verge of becoming great and suddenly he begins to flash the well known teeth.
Am I harsh? I feel I am letting him off the hook. Maybe I need to be harsher.
What about the club choosing to take huge money for him?
I’m not defending Nasri at all but I bet the club were rubbing their hands together when City made their offer…..
you have a point rico.
but its what he said after that I cannot digest Rico.
AW begged him to stay so he could build the team around him.
He declined and burnt his bridges.
Like the togolump and Judas.
At least Cesc did not say anything against the club.
But to be fair Devil, we don’t know that for sure about AW wanting to build a team around him, it’s only stuff from the press.
Back then we needed to sell to keep afloat and players like Nasri got big bucks…
again you have a point.
but his words after it all still rankle.
he could have said nothing.
They are all the same Devil when they leave….
I have packing to do so I’ll bid you lovely people a goodnight and catch up in a while..
Ten days to be precise…
Night all and be kind to Wath… Lol
Ttfn….
I cant see that story been true, Surely even Nasri wouldn,t be that gullible as to try build bridges now, although the word is he never actually said anything about the club, it was the fans, that he jumped on his high horse about, it was said if he refused to bring back Fabregas, surely there would be no hope in hell of Wenger bringing back Nasri
Good night boss. And enjoy yourself where you are going
Have a nice holiday Rico, you deserve it.
Nasty and Fabraglass; I know whom I would choose. Some actions are worse than words.
Thanks Kev and Devil..
Morning all, new post up now and i’m offski… 🙂