Thankfully, not with us! Denilson has been talking about his future:
There is the possibility of maybe signing a four or five-year contract. My lawyer talked to Arsenal and they asked to wait to see what happens in the Brazilian Cup before talking again.
Anything could happen. Sao Paulo are doing their best to keep me, but I prefer to focus on my work and think about that later. There are two options – a permanent contract or extend the loan deal.
If we advance to the Brazilian Cup final, Arsenal might extend the loan deal for two more weeks, and I will accept that decision as I want to play in the final. I have already done my part, showing my intention of remaining here at Sao Paulo.
No more loans Arsenal, not for this man – let him stay where he wants and just accept whatever Sao Paulo offer, within reason.
Steven N’Zonzi – Blackburns defensive midfielder, who obviously doesn’t want to play in the Championship next season, is attracting interest from many Premier league clubs and yes, we are one of them according to Sky Sports. I think every other PL club is interested in him, well, all bar the two in Manchester..
Many see N’Zonzi as a cheaper option to M’Vila, a more likely one for us maybe?
I popped into Lidil yesterday afternoon, not to see if I could find Arsene Wenger checking out the bargain bins, but to get some olives, they knock socks off the so-called better supermarkets in their selection available. Stuffed with peppers or garlic, green or black, nice and ready for munching whilst watching the Euros. Not sure why Lidil popped into my head just then. 😉
Anyway, Euros kick off tonight – Poland v’s Greece – that takes us nicely to Steves post for today:
Morning Gooners,
Last season was a nightmare for Arsenal football club as far as injuries were concerned. Jack Wilshere missed the whole of the season through an ankle injury our full backs went down like ninepins and our well-respected right back Bacary Sagna broke his leg twice.
Many have said that was the reason that The Arsenal was unable to win the League or any Cups, well I don’t know about that.
The governing authority of world football, FIFA, have just released a report about the over use of Painkillers by International footballers and it has got me thinking, especially as they are now warning players about the long-term effects to their health.
I understand how important it is to have your best players included in any team at all times but supporters and public alike, seem to accept that this practice is quite normal in top sports persons lives, however, I have a different view.
With the Euro’s kicking off tonight, and the Olympics to follow soon after, it made me think about how many athletes hopes will be dashed should they pick up an injury just as their fixture/event starts.
No doubt many would be devastated and having watched my own beloved team go through a season with one calamity after another, one bad result follow another because of injury, I too was disappointed.
FIFA’s Chief medical Officer Dr Dvorak, has stated that 40% of players in the 2010 world cup had taken medication in the form of painkillers to enable them to take the field of play.
Well maybe I am wrong, but why do we have random drug testing in football and other sports as I was under the illusion it was to cut out cheating by sportsmen and women who have taken performance enhancing drugs.
But they are only taking painkillers you say.
Could these sportsmen and women have performed to their maximum without the use of pain killing drugs, if your answer is no, then are they not guilty of using performance enhancing medication, whether it is a legal substance or not?
What about the use of head guards and face masks which we see in football and other sports, are they not influencing/enhancing a performance?
Is it right to allow a player on to the field of play where he would not otherwise be permitted?
Players cannot wear rings and necklaces no mater how religious they may be in case it inflicts injuries to others, but a hard face mask is acceptable, why?
Isn’t that why we have a squad with someone else ready to step in?
Why bother to have a fitness test before a match if all they need is protection of a pain killing injection or a prosthetic aid?
I’m sorry but if you don’t pass the test without any aid you shouldn’t be allowed to take part.
Many sportsmen and women have been found guilty of taking recreational drugs, either taken when they have been out socialising or relaxing, some of course will take something purely to enhance their own performance but if traces are found in their system when being tested they are banned and will be automatically excluded from the competition they are taking part in.
I believe that any drug which can be seen as enhancing a person’s performance is cheating his or her opponent whether its legal or not.
What’s your view, are FIFA’s fears just?
Should they stop the use of pain killing relief in sport, if it is the only thing that gets a sports person to get though his or her event/match?
Written by Steve Palmer.
I bet you all got worried there for a minute 😛
Morning all….
Cracker again SSP, only problem i can see is how can it ever be proved, not sure the use of pain killers would show up on any tests…
Clubs would just shut shop and not mention any little niggles etc which need an injection.
Personally, i think playing/performing when needing pain relief is dangerous as sometimes you can cause further damage and not realise….
morning everyone…good post steve palmer..newcastle after kalou..good news for us
Morning RICO. Did you see the Gazidis interview I was wondering?
Ron, i was quite pleased to read that about Kalou, can’t think why 😉
Morning Adam, which one?
The one he gave the other day to the supporters.
Ah, did i miss something about our Brazillian Adam??
N’Zonzi……Yawn…….
Morning.
Good post Steve, personally I think pain killers should be allowed. I hung up my boots this season at the ripe old age of 29, the reason, not because I didn’t enjoy it anymore but I was missing work due to injuries. For the past 2/3 years most weeks I would need some sort of pain killer to get me through, I am not in any way comparing the level I played at to that of pro football but I think most players around the 30 year old mark are going to pick up niggles and knocks here or there that they will need some sort of pain killer to get them through. I understand what you are saying but I don’t think the injections etc enhance a players performance, they allow them to play at a similar level as always.
No Rico. Not about our chum Denilson.
Not all of it, why?
Good Morning Fine Folk.
Rico…..you gave me such a start with that headline. Nearly jumped a foot or two in the air.
Sir SP…good article, but if Fifa/Uefa were to go ahead with such prohibitions there will be lots of legal rammifications. You know….people with special needs stuff and all that. No I am not joking or taking the piss, Cech can sue the FA on grounds of neglect and because of discrimination over his special needs.
Lewis
big yawn on N’Zonzi but history would suggest he is the more likely 🙁
😆 devil, you and a few i suspect, just glad that Sao Paulo want to keep him…
Zenit and Lazio want Arshavin too…
It’s just that I read an appraisal of it on many sites including one which wrote that he said Cesc refused to play for the club. There was a lot of extremely negative stuff generally so I decided to watch it on Arsenal Player. I believe every Arsenal fan should watch it.
I want beer…..
Cracker SP!!
I can’t get onto the Arsenal player, is the i/v a free view? I saw the comments on Cesc and how he refused to play for us pre-season, even though he was fit.
IG said he won’t remember Cesc in a ‘nice’ way…
Dreadful behaviour from our then captain….
Yes, it is on free Rico. It must have been edited then because I missed that bit.
Bit early for that Lee….
I want olives 😛
He may have said that at the AST Adam….
Good post Steve which could be provocative. Coming from a health background & having been an elite sportsman, I can only still see one view: no pain-killers!
If a red light on your car comes up, you take your car to the garage. You don’t cut the wire to the light which is what pain killers do.
Health is more important than any game……….. I never took pain-killers in any of my 36 years of competition but had regular massages/treatment to remedy any ills & that was as an amateur so these professionals with all their back-up should be able to cope.
As you say, we SHOULD have a squad of 25 to rotate so we can compete, in our case on 4 fronts not just one or two. Wenger needs to strengthen where necessary that squad rather than head into another season with more sick-bed weeks than playing ones. I can understand a truly exceptional player being catered for but don’t regard Diaby as one……………..TRANSFERS PLEASE!
So does Popeye……..
Does anyone else have a problem with the arsenal player? Watch most of last season then for the last month it said my membership was not valid anymore, I thought renewals weren’t until the summer?!
rico…hope we sign delpiero..still an awsum plyr..n bttr thn hooka poster boy chamakh n park..will be good for 3rd choice striker..
Please define a “drug” – clearly physical protectants are not drugs. Also you appear fixated about “performance enhancing” – does this include energy drinks, protein foods and other dietary supplements and aids. One of the great difficulties of legislators in any field is drawing and defining the lines between permitted and not-permitted. Rules take ages to draw up, cost millions to enforce and no sooner are they written than all the interested parties begin to see how they can circumvent the latest rules and maximise their advantage.
Your concept is admirable but implementation is a nightmare.
Hi Pat, long time no see, all good i hope?
🙂 Lee….
Lewis, don’t they just run for 12 months after you join?
He’s a bit old Ron …..
Back in a bit…
I understood it was said the other evening as many sites reported it so I wanted to watch the interview in its entirety to see how he said it, but it seems to have been edited out. Shame someone saw fit to censor what I thought was quite an interesting event.
Supposed to but I joined August last year. Will have to contact them I guess.
ya rico..but still can make an impact..grt finisher..n will be a positive influence on d club..lv us to sign giroud or llorente n delpiero..
Yes Rico, I always read your post but don’t get time to put in very often, even today. It’s busy, even as a retired guy, in the sun. There’s keeping fit, yoga, swimming besides the house chores but there’s always a slot for keeping tabs on things Arsenal…….
Personally I think the whole painkillers argument is a smokescreen for UEFA inactivity on racism. They appear to be saying that the referee has to make a call as to whether racist chanting or other activity is so bad it merits players walking off the field. So basically, putting the onus on the referee for what could turn out to be a very ugly public order situation. What referee in their right mind is going to risk sparking off a public disorder event? Would they be liable to any legal proceedings afterwards? No referee is going to risk that so nothing will be done. And Platini can wash his hands in true Pilate style of all responsibility.
JohnB – It is pretty clear, the question is, should sports men/women be allowed to take any drug/substance/asprin etc without which, they would not be able to perform…
Sun Pat, what is that?
Lewis – crafty devils, maybe they just think its right to end the membership at the end of the season, what a con…
Adam – have just re-read the comments in question, i think the author of the article added his view, which appeared to be the view of IG, I may have got it wrong….
This is an interesting topic.
I train greyhounds,and in Australian Greyound racing,we probably have the most stringent rules in the sports world.
I can’t produce a dog to race with painkillers,anti inflammatories or the like in their system
None will help a dog perform better than it’s absolute best,but no dog should be produced at less than 100% fitness,and require drugs to perform at 100%.
In humans,and in some sports,apparently it’s fine to use drugs to allow a player to do its best.
In one way,I think any athlete should perform drug free.
On the other hand,humans can at least speak for themselves,where dogs,horses etc,etc can’t,so should be drug free.
RIP Richard Dawson.
I only found out he’d passed away minutes ago.
He played Newkirk,the Englander in the all time classic series,Hogans Heroes.
Good read steve.what a refreshing post away from the usual.am with you on this one.Szczesny had to take pain injections for the last 5 weeks of our season.his form was so poor then.im not saying Fabby should’ve played but we ought to have had a good replacement on the bench.
From the coverage it seems as if he did make those comments Rico. I think he comes across as a well-meaning man but following the corporate line rather rigidly. He seems to make up opinions to suit Arsenal’s particular stance. But, I see no reason to believe anything will change in the way the club go about their business. Most of what he said was mere expedience I thought. As we agreed yesterday, Arsene runs the show and is the centre of the hub and nothing will change until he leaves, probably in around 4 or 5 years.
Hi Scott – interesting re the dogs… was Richard Dawson very old?
Hi Kt, what you trying to tell me 😉
Fabianski was injured too Kt, we would have had to field Almunia 😮
Almunia wasn’t in our PL squad in the 2nd half of the season rico.Henry took his place.
Thanks Adam – we all thought something like that was going on though….
AW said he considered walking away last season when things were at an all time low, imho, his future is in his own hands right now and didn’t IG say that ultimately the fans will decide what happens…
Bad start and things could get nasty, lets hope it doesn’t go that way….
Hi Rico,he was 79.
One of my favourite series ever,and he played a great part.
Morning all,
Thanks for your comments and i see a few of our old friends back welcome 🙂
Painkillers and Racism its enough to make you want a tablet eh. Racism when one man insults another by bringing up race or colour. Very rarely have i heard a black man mention colour when he insults someone, but in his heart he probably means it in racist terms. This i’m afraid is life as we know it, personally i don’t care if a guy is black white or yellow if he can do the business on the field he can be in my team, a bunch of bannanas or dodgy songs may hurt people and it may affect their game, i saw it recently with Steven Gerrard when he turned out for England, when foreign fans boo’d every time he touched it but is that racist or do they just not like him, nothing was mentioned after that game but it definitly affected his performance. Some countries are taking longer to fill up with foreigners than others and some of them want to stay as they are, We on the other hand are swamped with every nationality under the sun we are not far away from being the minority race in our own country and that to me is Frightening I like to visit other countries and other cultures but i come home i dont want to build Churches in their country i dont want to own a shop or a garage . but if i played football in their country i would expect not to be liked especially if i wore an England shirt. So yes a painkiller is needed as long as its legal.
Got to go out catch you later
Özyakup has passed his Besiktas medical.
Its worth a punt to bet on Lewandowski to win the golden boot at the Euros.i’ve also got a sneaky suspicion on Podolski.
Steve. I think they were booing Gerrard because he went in studs up, over the top in a tackle that had the player being substituted and hobbling down the tunnel. In a friendly too. I doubt racism had much to do with it. If, of course we are thinking of the same match.
I maintain the board must draw a line in the sand.
They need to announce that Wenger has,for example,60 million to spend,and must spend it.
If at the end of next season he’s not produced the goods,then he’s gone.
This won’t happen,because the board are happy with us not spending,rapt that Wenger keeps producing CL football,and ecstatic that Wenger will absorb the pressure in the public eye.
Anyone can say blame Wenger,but that lacks any logic and certainly and imagination.
Wenger is an amployee and does exactly the job the board want,so it can’t be hard to workout where to place the blame.
Oops – so he did, who was our reserve keeper then?
Ozyakup has passed his medical…. He’s gone…
Just looked, it was Fabianski, how i don’t know as he was reported to be out injured…
I’ve just had a lazy hundred on France at $10 to win the thing.
Hi and bye Steve…
racism – well thats a subject on its own, i am dreading the thought of what is going to happen at the euros in the next couple of weeks…
Ryo’s Japan about to play a World Cup qualifier….
I shall keep you all informed.
Thats how I saw it too Adam, the Belgium guy (or was it the norway game) went off injured, looked nasty too…
Holland are my choice…
Hi scott.France are certainly a good bet.so long as Spain don’t win it again.Na$ri gets a rough ride from the fans but Fabregas did much worse.what a disgusting behaviour from him…Arsenal fan my foot!pfft…
If I bet on football, mine would be on the competition not finishing 😉
Norway Rico. Not the first time I’ve seen Gerrard do that either.
This must be the worst anticipated International football tournament ever. It could quite easily dissolve into chaos if the Nazis kick off.
I’d like Germany to win it.they are youthful,exciting and dynamic.since Jogi Löw took over the average time a German player spent on the ball has dropped from 2.8 seconds to 1.1 seconds.
No Adam, me neither, he gets awa y with a few too many imho…
I’ll be glad when its over and all our players return without injury… Can’t believe the Dutch camp have already suffered racist abuse in training…
KTR,Nasri deserves everything he gets and more,but it seems Fabregas deserves a lot more than he gets.
I was very disappointed to hear he refused to play.
There are big question marks on where Spain’s goals will come from?
Torres Scott – this will his time to shine…
Wonder how many Podolski will manage….
Scott i agree re:nasri but cesc gets an easier ride when what he did was much worse.how can you be a captain earning 100k+ a week,claim to be an Arsenal fan and refuse to play ? 😮
Spain are 1nil specialists scott.i don’t think that will change.they are boring as hell to watch and i hope they don’t win it.i hope Italy beat them on Sunday.
Prinz poldi will score 4 goals rico,just watch…
We’ll see Kt 😉
I’m on the clogs at 7-1…..
I’m thinking of doing an accumulator….england not to win a match!
As I said KTR,Fabregas deserves more than he gets.
I neary had a crack a Holland as well,but the French at tens is too good to knock back.
I had a word to Kozzer,and he said Wenger is sorting their defensive not out,so nothing will get by them:)
😆 Lee – i wouldn’t be surprised, they are going to get battered on monday….
Afterall all,
Sao Paulo have just gone right up in my estimations.
KT, are you sure your not confusing Spain with Scotland, there’s a lot worse teams out there, make of it what you will, I read only 4 black players have only ever played for Spain, all of brasilan descent, one being Senna, can’t think of the others.
If France score first England are in for a tough time.England don’t have enough going forward to get back into it.unlike the chavs they don’t have Drogba up front.
Spain’s tiki taka is boring as hell micko.now without villa they’ll be much more boring.
RVP’s old man reckons it’s impossible a Robin will go to another English club,nor will he go to Barca or Real.
He says his son does everything he can to win,but it at he expense of everything else.
Lovely to hear,but Robins mun,wife and now dad have all indicated there’s a huge chance he’ll stay,but we know who we want to hear speak.
Rvp senior has ruled out la liga or city switch for his son
Afternoon Micko, they went up in mine too….
Scott, you only have to cast your mind back to the last game of the season against Fulham, Cesc our captain was injured, didn’t fancy the long haul trip to craven cottage instead choosing to travel to Spain to watch the Grand Prix with his mates, it was a sign of things to come, sulked the whole summer, we capitulated, let him get his own way even though he still had 3 years left on his contract, more mugs us.
Papa Persie, good man….
According to Poland coach Lewandowski is heading to Man.utd.
Fiver on Germany and poldi top scorer: 66 to 1.
Micko,he’s definitely gone down several rungs in my eyes.
Japan is belting Jordan…yes,they play football…5-0 15 minutes not the 2nd half.
Still awaiting the arrival of Ryo.
Lewandowski is quoted as saying he’d loveo play for Arsenal.
Who to believe??
Lots of rumours about modric to Man.utd…not to worry folks,we have made our priority signing in Poldi and we have new signings in diaby and jack 🙁
I know its abit early to say this but Ryo has yet to impress me.
He’d love to play for us scott but i doubt he is going to settle playing 2nd fiddle to Rvp.
Ryo’s a kid,and 28 months ago,he was playing schoolboy football in Japan.
Give him time.
But RVP is going.
Or was that yesterday,and today he’s staying lol??
Geez it’s hard,isn’t it?
I know Scott and am willing to give him time.
RvP is staying today 😛
Young, Rooney, Wellbeck – where will then fit that other guy in, and they have Berbytoff 🙂
KTR,that should’ve read 18 months ago!
we can’t say he will definitely make it,but he’s definitely got talent.
Experience is what he needs.
Berbatov is a guy I wouldnt mind seeing at the Emirates.
then should read they 😉
I would Scott, he’s finished, don’t want him or Kalou…
Too lazy Berba…imo!
And he sulks more than Henry used to, at least Henry was quality 😉
Henry, oh to have him back in his prime……….
🙁
Even an ageing TH14 like we had last season is a better back up than we have.
N’Zonzi… Who? Another clown to be paid too much
Won’t argue with that Lewis..
you not heard of him alan?
IF ARSENAL starlet Jack Wilshere was hoping for a quiet summer after missing out on Euro 2012 and the Olympics and quitting Twitter he was given a rude awakening last night as rumours about his private life swept across the internet and prompted Arsenal to threaten legal action against those spreading them.
Promising midfielder Wilshere missed all of last season after picking up an ankle injury in pre-season. He had hoped to make a comeback this spring but suffered a series of setbacks that ruled him out of both Euro 2012 and the Olympics.
Then, last month he underwent minor surgery on his knee and is now battling to be ready for the start of next season. His attempts to finally shake off his injury jinx even prompted Wilshere to temporarily leave Twitter, where he has 1.5 million followers.
On Tuesday he wrote: “I’m afraid to say I will be deactivating account for a little while as I step up my rehab and push for next season.”
However, that message seemed to be misconstrued in some quarters and rumours about Wilshere’s private life began to circulate. Newspaper Metro reported that the allegations about the player were first made by fans of Arsenal’s local rivals, Spurs, on a chatroom. However, they soon spread across the internet and on Thursday evening Wilshere’s name became a trending topic on Twitter.
The furore was such that Mark Gonnella, Arsenal’s communications director, waded in. “Ignore scurrilous Twitter rumours. Our lawyers have been alerted,” he tweeted.
Wilshere broke into the Arsenal team during the 2010/11 season and made his England debut that same season as an 18-year-old. Great things were expected of the youngster last season and he was detailed to fill the void in Arsenal’s midfield left by the departure of Cesc Fabregas. However, his absence added to Arsene Wenger’s woes during a difficult season for the Gunners.
Having missed a year of football, all eyes will now be on the 20-year-old if and when he makes his return. ·
AFter people,
If what IG said is true about Cesc, more and more, I see that back-pass is a deliberate attempt to tell Wenger he better sell him to Barca or else….
For an inteligent player like Cesc, with our box packed full of BArca players, why the heck can’t he hoofed the ball out of the box..instead of that deliebrate backpass…..
F**king snake-oil salesman is really a french poodle rolled over and bend down for Cesc trying to persuade Cesc to stay on, saying…”I let the players select themselves and Cesc declared himself fit to play against Barca……”
What to make of that about Jack, other than Spurs fans really are what we all think they are….
Didn’t the Citeh fans try doing something like that with RvP, trying to turn gooners against him…
What is the jack rumour?
Jack WIlshere?
Too much too soon too young.
The worrying part is that he may go on a self-destructive trail like Gazza and can’t handled fame..
His antics out of football is getting more and more healdines…..and he may go the way of David Bentley believing in all the hype and simply stopped developing and cannot fulfil his potential due to too much off-pitch activites.
Remmeber, WIlshere is only vastly talented, still developing…and not yet a regular or hit the standard of a 18-year old Cesc.
ALmost two years out meant that he got lots of cathcing up to do and may take 6 ot 9 months to hit peak fitness adn worse of all, to develop that understanding with fellow team-mates, anticipating their runs and that knack and peripheral vision to pick that passes to a team-mater running blind-side behind defence or in the clear.
WIlshere is not another “Cesc” and still two years off the pace to develop into a regular first-teamer.
Look at Walcott still struggling……
OX, WIlshere, Ramsey, Coquelin, Frimpong…they are all still developing and need two more years of developing to hit the standard of Arteta, Rosicky, Song and even Arshavin…let alone matching up tot the standard of a 18-year old Cesc circa 2005/06 and a 20-year old Flamini circa 2007/08.
I wouldn’t be surprised that Wenger will not sell Arshavin if he indicates that he is happy to stay in England and plays for Arsenal FC.
If I knew it, Wenegr certianly knew it and I believe are busily huntign for experienced players at a bargian to fil up that 2-year transitory period that gave his youngsters that time and space to develop at their own pace…and not “hot-housed” a raw 17-year old Walcott at WC2006 with all its consequences.
Wenger is that f**king stupid and deluded to recommend Theo to Ericksson without even fielding him in a single premiership game..@#$%$#
rico says:
June 8, 2012 at 1:50 pm
Won’t argue with that Lewis..
you not heard of him alan?
another in a long line of cheap imports after a double brick house and a page 3 girl
I had been a Cesc Fabregas fan since he first came into the the first team, and in my opinion he always gave his best, usually his best was better than anybody elses and i can’t believe he refused to play unless he was injured. I think he made it quite clear to Arsenal and the fans that he wanted to go home but he was pressganged into staying which turned out to be a bad year for him with injury. he was forced to play in several games because he made a diference in a very ordinary team and we had nobody to cover him he cost us next to nothing and we sold him for 35 mill and some of that was his own money. The man to me was a legend the same as TH DB TA FL they gave their all and they had a decent team.
Steve, Cesc’s last season with us was just being professional, and not really wholeheartedly or willing to die for teh badge as in all his previous seasons with us.
His intensity wa smisisng liek Vieira’s alst seasonw ith us.
And when Vieira decided to play for Arsenal soemwhere in March, all his stat went up…
But Cesc’ stat never did with the pits reached in that match against Barca when he was so desperate to palyed at Nou Camp that an over-indulgent Wenegr allowed him to select himself. Is that fair to hsi team-mate when Cesc is interested in only to fulfil his obsession to play at Nou Camp?
For all teh good he did over the past seasons, he undone all of it with hsi last season with us.
C’mon, Arsenal FC and Wenegr made Cesc what he is today.
We owed him nothing.
Merlin, you gone off Cesc an don’t like IG then 😉
alan, he’s already in the PL, think you are being a tad harsh on him…
We differ in our opinions Merlin, he got slated for a back heel which i have seen many do the same in the same positions people suggest he did it deliberatly i don’t think so, his fitness was questionable against Barca we all knew that but if he could stand he had to be on the field.
Steve – as someone here said the other day, Lewis I think, had we bought a few more decent players and started to win things, Fabregas may have stayed, but he wanted home, at least he didn’t start bad mouthing us in the press etc….
Very true Rico. everybody is entitled to their opinion but Cesc was just Special.
Manchester City star Samir Nasri has had another pop at Arsenal, insisting again that he made the right decision.
The France international left the Gunners for the north west citing a desire to compete for honours and some Arsenal fans questioned the decision believing he moved for money.
“I am happy at Manchester City because I have my first title,” Nasri told France Football. “Along with my representatives, I have always been convinced that I made the right decision in joining City.
“Even though I didn’t play all of the time, I knew that I could improve as a player at City and win titles.
“The controversy regarding my decision was surprising. When you see a squad that includes the likes of (Carlos) Tevez, (Sergio) Aguero, (David) Silva, Yaya Toure and (Vincent) Kompany, you cannot say that I didn’t move for sporting reasons.
“I still believe that City are the club of the future. We hope to prove that next season, because building on success is the most difficult thing to do.
“We just need to improve in the Champions League. Some players didn’t have the experience required last year, but next season will be much better.”
I totally agree Steve, very special. I can understand him wanting to go though, and he said if he couldn’t go home, he’d go nowhere…
What a wanker he is….definitely moved for sporting reasons, my arse!
“Even though I didn’t play all of the time, I knew that I could
earn mega money, buy a bigger house, which I’d obvioulsy need because my asre is so big sitting on the bench all the timeimprove as a player at City and win titles.😆
Isn’t he just….
Steve, Cesc is the antithesis of The French Spine.
French Spine – within 5 passes with one-touch one-pass breathe-taking football, box-to-box, thye had a shot at goal.
Cesc “Brazilian Samba “slow, slow, slow, quick, quick, slow, slow, slow” deliberate build-up and a quick rpaier-like thrust into the box….only for the last 3 seasosn to degenrate into Crab Football with 30+ passes sideway, backward, sideway, backward, sideway.. and a “rapier-like” pass..99.99% to a defender having a cup of tea there…bored to death watching Arsenal 70% possession around the box and them having a tea-party in the box…
And so degenerated that this team now has Songinho as out most creative playmaker, most assists, Van Persie’s favorite assistant…and the only one that can lobbed accurately into the box to Van Persie….
Cesc is Special?
Well, Steve, in the world of the Blind, the One-eyed Man is the King.
2007/08 season?
He is not special like Eric Cantona else we woudl have won the 2007/08 title.
2009/10 season?
A near miss and stil fightign for the title with Wenegr braggin we can win the Quadruple…and as usual, we collapsed in February…
Loyalty?
Geoff Hurst was goign to submit hsi transfer request but on hearing Martin peters ahd submitted his..he quietly withdrew hsi transfer request to stay on to help his club when they were in dire straits then…
Trevor Brooking?
WHU was relegated..and at that time, Keegan-Brooking had a telepathic udnerstanding in England team. Trevor turend down Liverpool FC and stayed loyal to WHU to help them in their fight for promotion…and who can forget that 1-0 FA CUp win against of all team..Arsenal 😆
Le Tisser?
Stayed loyal to hsi childhood team.
Cesc?
He knew Nasri will leave and Wenger just want one more season out of him when Arsenal FC was in such a dire straits last season.
WHy can’t he paid back what Wenger did for him..by staying on for one more season……one more seasont o tidy us voer knwoing WIlshere is out on a long-term injury in August…knowing Nasri is determined to leave..knowing Rosicky is still recovering and just bakc from 18-month layoff…
Knowing that even though he signed a long-term contract till 2013 and Wenger can certainly forced him to stay liek Redknapp forced Modric to stay…..but in honor-bound, will not want to retain a reluctant player that refused to play for Arsenal FC no more…
Cesc is “Special”?
Jury is still out and let’s see whether he can nailed down a regular palce at Barca with his lack of pace…and plenty more La Maisa graduates challenging Cesc for a spot in the senior team…
If Jose MOuirnho’s Real continues to dominate La Liga…guess what will BArca do to win another title or another CL Cup?
Cesc is “Special” in Arsenal FC only..certainly not in Spain….or even at Abu Dhabi CIty….
Merlin – i’m with Steve on this one, during his time with us he was special, the final season being the one where even though he wanted to go, he gave us a lot and played when injured….
he’s gone now, he is in afc’s past and whether he gets a regular place with barca or with spain, i personally really couldn’t care less….
That French sewer rat that whored himself to the Sheikh?
I look upon him like dog poo that I inadvertently stepped upon ’em at the sidewalk…..just an irration that you scrapped off the sole of your shoe and moved on….forgetting about it in the next instance…
Just move on people and ignore him…his whingeing is just like a Chelsea Rent-Boy crying out aloud “I just bend down to pick up that bar of soap dropped by that Sheikh…”
But Rico..I wanted my pound of flesh with blood as interest…and I wish that puta’s hamstrings the worst…
Szczesny keeping clean-sheets? 😆
He leaks goals with his poor judgement and anticiaption of flight of lobbed balls…as towards tail-end of season, his flabbing was as bad as Fabianski…compounded with Mad Jens’ antics.
Poland vs Greece.
One rush of blood a la Mad Jens and Poland lost 1-0…
WHat are the odds that Poland wil leak the most goals in Euro2012?
Merlin, you sound half empty…..
Why, why was the emotion Merlin, he’s gone..
Nasri, well he is a different issue 😉
Half empty, empty and glass smashed more like…..
Merlin, I keep getting flashbacks of Willie Young now.
As Brian Clough once said ” Trevor Brooking floats like a butterfly and stings like one too”
Thats a name from the past Micko, nice curls eh 😉
rico, i still blame him for the west ham result, i gotta move on.
You sure need to Micko, how long ago now 😉
😆 And Micko…Trevor Brooking was what then called a “half-international”….
He never fulfilled his potential to be a great player..perhaps staying too loyal to WHU instead of moving on….
Like so many Arsenal players on the verge of greatness and after one scintillating season, turned whorish…..Anelka, Hleb, Flamini, Adebayor, Nasri, Cesc……Van Persie???
Let’s hope this current crop of youngsters will stay loyal and continue their development till they peak at 24-27 year old with Arsenal FC.
Then we will really has a title-winning 3rd TEAM!
RvP is staying 🙂
hello everybody
I’m switch on the Euro 🙂
Greece coach is Portuguese..
I hope Szesc will be great
rico says:
June 8, 2012 at 2:37 pm
alan, he’s already in the PL, think you are being a tad harsh on him…
PL a plus that is true
Merlin, whether we like it or not, the players make their own minds up where they want to play. Contracts are what holds a player to a club, as in RVP he signed up till the end of next year do we know if he has asked for an extention to his contract or are we just worried that we may lose out on what we could get for him.
Robin realises that he signed up till the end of next year and he will stay till the end of next year, but if he should leave this year it will because Arsenal break their contract with him and sell him Up to now Robin has upheld his contract he has been honorable will Arsenal be honorable to him or sell him for the cash. Sorry there lost half of the story somewhere
Where did you see that rico?
Hi JM – me too very shortly, Go Ches 🙂
The only one alan 😉
Kt, sorry no, its just me, one day he is staying, the next days he’s going – for me today, he is staying….
Am having problems with wordpress keeps riseing onto the comments and buggers up what i’m trying to write, bloody nuisence.
RVP is both staying and going.
Lewandowski!!!
Good Afternoon Fine Folk.
After a quarter of an hour I think you all can see why I have been banging the drum for Lewandowski all the season. His holding up play and tactical awareness are second to none. Only he (and maybe Huntelaar) can take RVP’s place. If I was AW I would sell RVP and buy both Lewandowski and Piszcek.
Jakub Blaszczykowski is not bad either.
Poland are pummelling Greece down the right side. Infact six out of seven crosses have come from that side, with one leading to the goal. Blaszczykowski and Piczsek are tearing the Greeks apart from that side. The greeks are defending awfully with their keeper showing signs of fear and shakiness.
Steve – i sorted the original comment for you 😉
We won’t sign any of these Polish players, cost too much to have their name printed on the shirt 😉
Thanks Rico 🙂 Yeh just a smith or a jones wouldn’t that be nice
That was never a foul, never a booking and definately never a red card!
😆 Steve, that would do me too…..
If this ref has just set the standard of the way the euros will be officiated – we’ll be watching 5 a side…
Hope Gerrard is watching!!
And Ashley Young…
Sokratis has been sent off for nothing. The first yellow was for no reason at all, while the second one saw the polish player already slipping before Sokratis had even laid a finger on him.
Rico I agree…………we might see 5 a side football in the Euros.
For the second year running, Arsenal will face German side 1. FC Köln in the preseason, though this time the Rhineland side are in the second tier of German football, and Lukas Podolski will be in an Arsenal strip.
On Italian sites there are reports that Juve want both RVP and Djourou. 35 to 40 million for both anyone???? I would happily do so.
Shocking ref devil, i too thought the polish guy was already slipping….
Just been reading that devil…. no 😉
Oops Ches, not the best keeping there, where have we seen that before….
What was Czez thinking
About which nightclub to go to later Steve 😉
Really hope Greece go out early. Horrible team!
Who are the better divers – Greece or Poland??
That was a typical Arsenal-esque goal to concede…
European diving championships.
Don’t think much of Poland either lewis….
Better acting in this than you see in the movies
Kt – yes, defence all over the place, the rb too far up the pitch and a rash ‘out the goal’ moment from ches…..
two more weeks of this Steve, i hope they are not all up to this diving mallarky….
Apparently Greece conceded only 19 shots throughout the Euros qualifiers 😮
wot a plank
Oops.
I thought i was watching Jens
sign him up
its times like this when you realise that your keeper is not as good as he thinks he is
Lol………when I saw the tackle by Chesney I nearly fell out of my chair laughing. Did he cut his ankle in half? 😆
Steve – you have known that for a while….. but he’s a mere kid in goalkeeping terms but this proves we need an old head in that department, a trusty one….
Didn’t think there was a lot wrong with Greeces dissalowed goal did you?
Sir Steve….Chezzer is still young so he is apt to make the rash mistake. However goody for us. One out of the firing line and hopefully he will have a good rest without any injuries.
Spongebobidis was offside mate.
Never saw the replay but i’ll take your word for it Devil
Rico would say we need a Jussi head!!! 😆
Wow. Spongebobidis has a 100% pass completion rate. 😮
Never saw anybody i would rush out and buy but if i was shooting Ben Hur i would take them all
Aw come one Sir Steve…….Lewandowski, Blastikowski and Piszcek were good.
They may grow on me Devil 🙂
Blastikowski is not the Theo type winger, but a throwback to the Alan Ball/Parlour type of right midfielder. Pisczek is similiar to a right footed Bale while Lewandowski is a typical centreforward.
Off down the pub catch you all later or perhaps some of you 🙂
Greece “froze” the game in the 2nd half and put it to run like they wanted. Portuguese coach …
The European may be over for Arsenal goalkeeper …
Lewardowsky, not seen in the 2nd half due to the central Greek entered (he is from Schalke…).
Back shortly…
Robin van Persie’s father dropped a hint the Arsenal hero could join Juventus by ruling out Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid.
The Dutchman has been heavily linked with a switch to Turin over the summer, though faced competition from Europe’s other top clubs.
“It would make no sense to go to Barcelona when they’ve already got Leo Messi,” Bob van Persie told El Mundo Deportivo.
“Real Madrid would be a good option, but they are not so much a team as a collection of star names, so he wouldn’t really fit in there either.
“He’d never go to Manchester City, as it’s impossible he would play for another Premier League side that wasn’t Arsenal.”
This is vastly reducing the options, so if van Persie were to leave the Gunners, it seems as if Juventus would be the prime candidates to open a new chapter in his career.
The Dutch international is currently preparing for Euro 2012 and turns 29 in August.
He has been with Arsenal since 2004 and his current contract expires in June 2013.
Bill Shankly once said that Football is not a matter of life and death. It is more than that. But probably he did not see this coming…………………….
Ukraine’s media-savvy feminist group Femen went topless Friday in Warsaw to denounce a potential spike in prostitution during the Euro 2012 football championships.
Just ahead of kick-off, the four women suddenly appeared amid a crowd of thousands of fans and proceeded to press up against an entrance to Warsaw’s new national stadium.
The message “F*** Euro” was scrawled in large lettering across their bare breasts, followed by “2012” on their stomachs. It was repeated on their backs.
They also screamed their message non-stop at the top of their lungs and used extinguishers to spray the crowd with foam.
An army of onlookers and photographers immediately swarmed the women before police loaded them into a van.
“Politicians spent money to build stadiums but they did nothing to resolve other problems, including that of prostitution in the two countries” co-hosting the tournament, Poland and Ukraine, one of the Femen women told reporters.
“Football is only a male affair,” a 50-something woman walking by cried out in support and applauded.
Friday’s bare-chested protest was just the latest in a three-year movement that has turned the Femen ladies – numbering 300 in Ukraine’s capital Kiev – into headline fodder the world over.
Half naked or scantily clad, the Femem women have staged protests against prostitution, sex tourism and sexual harassment of female Ukrainian university students
Hiya Lee. How are you mate???
Did you see the game???
He won’t go to the league full of corruption Lee…
Hi coach, no I missed the game but saw the highlights…..
All good my end mate!
I agree Rico, be wonderful if AFC’s ambition matched robins!!
Arshavin looking good!
Czech republic’s defense are all at sea.
Even the russian defence are not secure.
Seems as if the defensive bug is hitting all the teams and suddenly no one knows how to defend. Cech was left horribly exposed. There are so many wingers converted into full backs and attacking centrebacks that we are seeing teams play a formation of 0-0-10. Gung ho attack
Morning all.
5.15 am,all is well except buggered if I know why I’m wide awake!!!
It’s in their hands Lee, if RvP goes, there is only one crop of people to blame, and imho, RvP won’t be amoung them….
Good morning Scott.
Lewis, AA is looking good for the simple reason that he is allowed to dictate the game from the 2nd striker position behind the centre forward. At AFC he is shunted to the left. While this does not excuse his poor attitude it does have a psychological effect in that a player is not anymore the central focal point of his team and is shunted to the side.
Lewis – good re AA, keerr-ching 😉
Merlins back with a vengeance I see lol.
He’s tearing Cesc a new one.
How are you Devil??
Enjoying the off season?
We have no game this week,so the wife decided I could work instead while she goes away……women’s logic 🙂
I’m having an early one, enjoy the rest of the footie and your evening…
Catch you all tomorrow …
Nighty night…
AA played very well
Nº6 of Russia team it’s our man!
Cheesny?
What did I said? 😳
He is just a big-mouth, over-rated himself last season.
Started with a bang as if he is the ‘next big thing” and finished the season combining the worst attributes of Mad Jens and Fabianski.
I rated him above-average and still needs at least 2 years to develop into a top-notch goalie.
He is now in the same class as Stuart Taylor and Graham Stack, maybe slightly better, and not as good as Manniger.
By benchmark:
A 17-year Peter Shilton;
We need to buy an experienced goalie to push him and fight for his place as No. 1.
Morning all….
Merlin, I don’t think he’s that bad, just young and very confident…
Goalkeepers need arrogance to be any good Merlin…ask anyone who played in that position.
New Post up…