Don't lie to us Flamini. Four days and still counting Arsene!

Morning all.

So the man who stitched up Arsene Wenger back in 2008 is back at Arsenal having signed for a second time yesterday. No Arsenal fan would have been surprised by the news about Mathieu Flamini.

It feels good to be back home.  I have some unfinished business with Arsenal so it’s a great feeling to be back. Once you’re a Gunner, you’re always a Gunner.

What poppycock.

True Gunners don’t run down their contract and leave the club simply for money do they? True Gunners are players like Dennis Bergkamp who accept a rolling one year contract just because they want to stay and play for the club they love.

Players like Tony Adams, Lee Dixon, Ian Wright, Ray Parlour – the list is endless, they are true Gunners. Flamini isn’t a Gunner at heart, never has been and never will be. This move is just like his move to Milan was, for money and Arsene Wenger has duly obliged….

When Big Sol, Mad Jens and Thierry Henry came back, fans welcomed them with open arms as they were class when they played for us, Flamini had one good season after which he focused on one thing, a move to Italy. All through that final year of his contract, Wenger believed he would sign on and stay for a few more years, well he didn’t, he walked out and quite slyly too….

I don’t blame him for re-signing, who would. Just hope he proves his worth for Wengers sake and of course, for the good of Arsenal.

Flamini signing wouldn’t seem anywhere near as bad if we had already signed a few top class players but as the days pass by, that is becoming more and more unlikely. Yes, I’ll eat my words publicly if Wenger proves me wrong.

Wenger is thrilled though:

The best years are in front of him (Flamini) now – the next three years. Physically, he is perfect. He was tested, prepared and he is physically in fantastic shape.

He knows how we play football, knows the club and had a huge desire to come back.

He was available because he was out of contract and he is a quality player, and a focused player, so those were all the reasons that pushed me to make that decision.

Of course it has nothing to do with him being free does it…..

News went from bad to worse as the Champions League draw saw us grouped with:

Marseille

Borussia Dortmund

Napoli

That has to be the toughest group we have been part of for many seasons and as the squad stands today, I really can’t see us progressing further than the group stage. No, that’s not me being negative, just realistic.

Sign 4/5 top players and I’d maybe think differently but I see 3rd place at best…..

As if it couldn’t get any worse, Arsene Wenger confirmed that Lukas Podolski will be out for up to ten weeks. In Arsenal terms, that’s 3-4 months….

So all in all, yesterday was not a day for good news…

Maybe today that will change….

0 thoughts on “Don't lie to us Flamini. Four days and still counting Arsene!

  1. BrainwashedKev says:

    Morning Rico.

    Personally I think that Flamini is a good addition to the squad…

    Whether Wenger would have signed him if a transfer fee was required is another matter?!

  2. ozgunner says:

    for a man who cut so many off at knees at 30 now a player at 29 has all the best years in front of him? Amazing. Signing on fee, appearance money, weekly wage regardless, life’s a breeze

  3. ArsenalDK says:

    So many links, so few signings. And in the end we got two freebies to whom we weren’t even linked (I think). Di Maria? Özil? Benzema? Forget it. Every other manager would have bought them, but Wenger? Sigh….

  4. rico says:

    Morning Kev, clumped in with 4 top class players and I’d agree but right now it just smacks of Wenger being tight…

    I might think different if he plays a blinder on Sunday and we win mind you 😉

    No, I don’t think AW would have paid for him….

  5. rico says:

    John Barnes still plays a bit Wath…

    Adk,could be RM are waiting to know they have got Bale for sure, and as someone suggested the other day, could be that the Toots are waiting to let Bale go until they know even if we signed any of them, they won’t be in before Sunday…

    Risky for us…

  6. W.A.T.H says:

    Seems there are many available Kev but the chances of us getting them are getting lower and lower… Wengers comment at the presser on Bendtner is beyond belief…! I f’kin give up…!

  7. ArsenalDK says:

    Its a very risky game indeed rico… Im glad the window closes soon… Im getting tired of the constant speculation..

  8. rico says:

    Alonso is out for three months with a fractured metatarsal – that’s him off the shopping trolley dash..

  9. tsgh says:

    Just when we think it couldn’t get any worse…
    Arsene says Bendtner likely to stay and play for Arsenal.

  10. BrainwashedKev says:

    What did he say Wath, Wenger’s press conferences are a thing that I find very easy to avoid?

    Yes Rico, a metatarsal by all accounts, but he could be on a free…
    Exciting eh? 🙁

  11. bc says:

    Hold a minute comparing flamini and campbell? I don’t remember us getting a big fee for sol and I don’t remember flamini walking off during a match and getting a taxi home.

    Personally I don’t rate flamini that much as a player. However he has simply homoured his contractsand not forced clubs into spending obscene amounts of money just his wages. I don’t remember him ever signing for a club then demanding a transfer or saying his club has no anbition or that he has a little boy inside him.

    At this moment in time wenger kroenle and the board have turned us into desperados, so I expect desperado signings.

    If we that fans and supporters are not happy with that then let’s stop talking and do something abput it.

    I have decoded that if the club does not bring in the players required by the end of the window then I will be demanding my money back based on they have mis-sold my season ticket to me.

    If everybody done that next week wenger gazidis or kronke will be gone by the time of our next home match.

    Its up to us now …….nomore talk just actions.

  12. rico says:

    Ah yes Kev, I didn’t think of it like that, sign him up for free and then he’ll be like a new signing in 4 months 😉

  13. Woody says:

    Morning All

    We have a tough group in the CL, but I have every confidence we can get through. We’re better than Marseille and Napoli in my opinion, so long as injuries don’t continue to hit us.

    Also, while Dortmund are a good team they were lucky to progress past the quarter finals last year and had the ref got the blatant decisions right people wouldn’t talk of them in the same way. Also, they lost a few of there star players this Summer.

    If we sign 2-4 players we can win that group, but either way I’m still confident we can get through.

    We’ll probably then draw the hardest team out there in the next round and lose convincingly mind…

  14. BrainwashedKev says:

    Well I suppose, if we can’t sell him, and we’re still paying most of his wages when he’s out on loan, and we can’t sign another striker, we may as well use him…

    Not happy about it, but hey, this is the modern Arsenal Franchise we know and love…

  15. W.A.T.H says:

    Kev, Wenger says very unlikely Bendtner leaving and if he gets fit n plays well he will use him…. Somebody please have this man taken off to the loony asylum….! Is he 4 real…????

  16. rico says:

    bc – I get your point but Sol was hardly in his prime and AW allowed him to leave for personal reasons I believe…

    His departure wasn’t anything like Flamini’s imho…

    Let us know when you have the planned actions in place, could be interesting..

  17. tsgh says:

    Bc- I agree with you but unfortunately ‘The Sale of Goods Act’ doesn’t cover ST.

    As ST are not offfered on credit neither the CCA1974 nor the CCA 2006 can be applied in any small claims court either.

    If I was rich enough I would try it though just for the noise…

  18. rico says:

    Woody, having a difficult group will at least make sure that no game is taken for granted – we’ll soon find out how we are to faire, firts fixture is Sept 13th I think..

    Just pray we have made 3/4 top signings by then…

  19. Adam says:

    Morning Rico, Kev, Wath and all. Not much to say about Flamini except it has the whiff of desperation about it to me. Hardly surprising considering the careful planning that must have been going into this transfer window since last Christmas doesn’t seem to have worked out too well. Poor old uncle Arsene better have a few monster rabbits to pull out of the bag this time because he has drawn from the well of the fan’s goodwill so often it is now bone dry.
    Judgement cometh-and right soon.

  20. tsgh says:

    Flamini was always planned I suspect based on the comments he made in June after rejecting Milan’s contract extension.

    He said that he was coming back to win the EPL title he failed to win.

  21. Millz says:

    Just because a player leaves on a free surely doesn’t necessarily mean he doesn’t love the club does it? He left every club he’s been at on a free which suggests he had a career plan from the very beginning. He’s played in a top team in 3 different countries, seen out his contract at each of them and moved on.

    To suggest money was his motive for leaving is delusional, not every player that leaves arsenal is motivated by money. AC Milan are one of the biggest teams in the world with one of the most prestigious histories so most players would consider joining them were an offer to come in.

  22. olutayo taiwo says:

    Wenger,did u knw u can make ur team stronger by coming 2 sign d negroid in africa those that are ready 2 play nd die 4 u

  23. rico says:

    Would be very unlike Wenger though Kev 😉

    Morning Adam, at least we all know now what his level of planning was. Two freebies and counting…

    AW seems very confident in his press conference that he will sign players..

  24. devilgunner says:

    Good Morning Lady, Sir, Gentlemen and Ladies.

    I wish you good morning because its good to be morning.

    I wish you good morning because its a morning for us to be good.

    I wish you good morning because your morning might have turned out to be a good one.

    I wish you good morning because that is half the day to be good on.

    So Good Morning to you all. 🙂

  25. rico says:

    Millz – if you choose to believe that, then fine but to leave every club for free, knowing that when no transfer fee is paid he could earn much bigger wages, suggests otherwise to me…

  26. stevepalmer1 says:

    Although i understand supporters frustrations, it is not unheard of that Wenger leaves it late to do transfers, what his reasons are only he can say. But whether we get the signings or not he is still doing a good job in my opinion. I feel he will get players in he knows what we need but he will take his time. In Sanogo he has seen a player he feels will come good, he was on a free so more the better. Flamoni has been training with us he has talked to the player, watched him train and knows his fitness levels, he knows that the player is a motivated player as he left us for success, Wenger would not have resigned him if he felt that he tucked us up. The player has qualities and Experience that has cost us nothing, he is a utility player who can cover different positions. I would take Flamoni over the twenty we have got rid of without even thinking about it, whats the problem. I still haven’t given up on Suarez, he would be the signing of of the window in my opinion (even Bale) I keep my fingers crossed. Di Maria is ours, and i feel a keeper would make me that much hapier. Wath 🙂

  27. BrainwashedKev says:

    Morning Adam.

    It’s gonna an exciting next few days, Flamini and now if seems Bendtner added to our squad…

    Who said that Arsene isn’t full of suprise’s?

    Tea up, lata. 🙂

  28. devilgunner says:

    Good Post Rico.

    Where’s me saucepan now? I’ll sauce pan him for saying Bendy to play if he is fit.

  29. What Willis? says:

    What are you talking about? Flamini didn’t stitch us up at all! He was not given a new contract in the summer of 2007, and basically told he was surplus to requirements. Then we got injuries and suddenly he was in the team, and stayed another year, and then left when his contract was over. He did us a bloomin’ favour. And not only that, every single game he played for us he put in 100% effort. He’s a good player, I personally am pleased to see him back, and never had any hard feelings over how he left, and to be honest I could never figure out where the vitriol toward him came from.

  30. Ogban says:

    You are too hard on Flamini, my friend. Times have changed between the days of the Adams and when Flamini left blameArsenal who would not pay the extra 5000 he wanted And what about Henry, did he not ju,mp ship

  31. devilgunner says:

    Henry like PV did not jump the ship. He was made to jump the ship. The money AFC got for them was deemed good.

    Ogban, Rico is not too hard on Flamini. She was quoting him and to us its not that you went, its the fact that players talk bu****it. Flamini has got £6.2million reasons to come back mate.

  32. devilgunner says:

    Hmmmm. Stats tell us that TW up till now has scored 63 goals. That makes him 37 short of the centenarians’ club.

  33. GunnerDNA says:

    I will say again, i don’t believe AW is the man to take this club forward, he needs to pack his bag and leave, we have become the laughing stock because of the choices he made, looking at the way it is now its another year without a trophy, after the big talk about financial escalation in the summer and AW two first signing is free transfer, its only 1 thing comes to mind this guy is past it, fuck Flamini he is no super quality who the manager talk about, i know i’m going to get sticks but i don’t care after talking about who is getting brainwashed, this guy is obviously taking us for fools.

  34. rico says:

    Ogban, not at all. Why didn’t he say he was leaving back in January? AW maintained that Flamini had suggested to him that he was staying…

    But then again, AW is not always full of truth I guess…

    If people choose to believe he is back because he loves Arsenal fine, I don’t…

    I’d say anything if I knew I’d be getting £6 million for a couple of years work. Wenger does the same for his £7 million a year…

  35. meaner says:

    Were Arsenal loyal to Pires? When he was reaching 30, Arsenal offered him 1 year contract and expecting him to follow Bergkamp’s path.

    I dare say Toure was a true gunner. But he was gunned out by Gallas and Arsene. No one really miss Toure because most believe his peak was over.

    Are you upset that Chamak left? Did he not loyal? Just because he is not good enough so he can jolly well F off right? Oh.. but RVP is a traitor as he is too good for us to sell, lol

    Are you gonna welcome Henry back with open arms? I remember he left us for Barca too, so what gunner are you talking about?

    Flamini was not offered a contractor extension before he showed us what a player he was in his last year contract. When Arsenal realized it, it was too late. But because he was good, we blamed him for not being loyal, not a true gunner?

    To all the stupid fans, it takes 2 hands to clap, mutual beliefs and respect between clubs and players when a contract is running. Amazingly, if a player is not good enough, no one would see him as a traitor. lol

  36. Rowland says:

    Mr. Wenger has finally made successful signings proving to us (Arsenal fans) once again that his (Wenger) transfer policy of signing ”players worth below £16m” should be stucked at the back of our mind to stop hoping hopeless hope of anticipating players worth above £16m to be signed. If G. Bale stays at Spurs, i see them (Tottenham) finishing 4th at this season.

  37. devilgunner says:

    Morning Sir SP.

    We are slightly better than yesterday. Temperatures have gone down slightly but the prince and I are still feeling like a couple of volcanoes.

  38. martin wengrow says:

    Flamini did nothing wrong when he left Arsenal. He owed the club nothing. In fact Arsenal tried to unload him in the summer prior to his last season, having signed Lassana Diarra. Fact is Flamini broke into the team and his form was so outstanding that Diarra could hardly get a game. It wasn’t Flamini’s fault that Wenger let all of our other defensive midfielders leave that season, leaving us in the lurch. Flamini is an excellent signing for us, especially considering the paucity of our squad.

  39. stevepalmer1 says:

    What is all this crap about another year without a trophy. Many teams that are higher up the table than us went 30 40 years without winning anything, what gives us the right to be different. When you have waited 30 to 40 years you have a right to moan, In the 8 years we have been involved with 2 cup Finals we have also been the last british team left in the Champions league. We beat the team that won the Champions league last year on their own turf, and we have qualified for Champions league 16 years on the trot, Wenger not the man to lead us, who is in your opinion, who else can guarentee CL for 16 years.

  40. Woody says:

    I’m so unhappy about the Bendtner situation.

    Can’t we just agree to pay up half his salary and move him on?

    If we pay him £52k a week and other clubs will only pay him £30k, then let’s just pay the rest and get him out of here.

    I can’t handle the thought that he stays and plays because it gives the club another reason not to buy someone.

    He wasn’t good enough before so he won’t be good enough now.

  41. Woody says:

    I agree SP and I hate to say it but this is where there is an element of brainwashing by the media. 20 years a go the media never went on about how ‘a club like that should be winning’. All clubs had leans spells, it’s called top level sport.

    United went what 26 years?? Then they got on a roll.

    If you look back in time we’re one of the most consistent clubs in terms of winning things. the only decade where we didn’t win the league was the 60’s (and the current decade but thats not over) and not many clubs can say that!

  42. potter says:

    BC re 9:52.
    There has to be a concerted voice. Some blame Wenger some blame the board. Virtually everyone I talk to at some point in their argument blames Kroenke. A blanket complaint against all should satisfy all factions , either pressure Wenger to make the board cough up or make the board pressure Wenger to spend . Effectively the fan base is unhappy and this needs to be made clear ! We have to remember however that the split of our attending base is so diverse that it is difficult to get these types of protests within the ground. Of the 60,000 that apparently are there 5000 are away fans, 10,000 are in club level or diamond club and are too pissed to care, 15,000 are in the higher reaches of the upper tier and find it hard to chant because of their oxygen masks and half of them are tourists just there for a photo opportunity. This leaves the lower tier split about 40/40/20 between board outs and Wenger outs and family and friends members .These people of course are diluted by the ones that are happy with things the way they are and have faith in everything that surrounds them.
    Protests in my opinion fail inside the stadium because of this. A concerted media campaign has to be mounted outside the ground before and after games and we need the supporters that drink in the Holloway / Blackstock Roads area to join too , it requires press and T.V. coverage , Effectively the fan base is unhappy and this needs to be made clear !

  43. rico says:

    Gdna, I don’t think he is either, not any more…

    meaner – I get your point re Pires, but that was the clubs policy back then, and a very stupid one too..

    Please clarify ‘stupid fans’ – just so I can decide whether to bin you or not because if you are referring to any poster on here, then that’s where you will go. One thing we don’t do here is call someone with a differing view, stupid!

  44. DevotedGooner says:

    Morning gooners. Rico, W.A.T.H, kev, tsgh, hi! I’m new here. Rico, nice post, I love dis blog. Honestly, It’s really frustrating 2 check up d transfer news everyday hoping 4 a signing, but coming up short. Hope 2 c Di maria and probably Benzema sign 4 us.
    Abt our CL grp, I think we’ll get thru d grp stage, hopes up high, fingers crossed 4 new signings.

  45. rico says:

    MW – ok we differ in view on the way Flamini left, that’s fine but, and as I said in the post, Flamini signing, well some think it’s excellent news but me, and for a club who has so much money, I had hoped we’d show a bit of intent and aim a lot higher.

    As said in the post, sign Flamini with 4/5 top class players and it makes sense, signing just him and Sanogo, smacks of desperation…

  46. asiangooner says:

    Hello People

    Flamini does feel like a good signing today 🙂 talk about being desperate…..

    These bendtner comments by AW are a joke, but then i guess AW has become a joke himself.

  47. rico says:

    Sp, who says it’s all about winning a trophy?? Yes it would be the icing on the cake but for me it’s all about having a squad which looks capable of winning one, one that can beat the sides above us at least at home, a squad that is deep enough to cope with injuries and be fully able to compete…..

    The trophy stuff is what the newspapers print, nothing more..

    I’m not brainwashed by them one bit, I just watch us and see the results – that’ tells me all I need to know…

    This was meant to be our summer of spending big and right and so far we haven’t spent a single bloody penny…

  48. Wavy says:

    Bentner, “he will be like a new signing”. Fr fcuks sake!
    At what time on Monday will Levy sign Bale off? I reckon two minutes before the TW closes, in an attempt to prevent any transfers in to or out from RM! However, I believe if the process has begun, of a transfer that is, prior to the deadline then it can run overtime in order to be completed.
    We live in hope of the three Real players we seem to be chasing, allegedly, to be our summer business.
    I don’t think the scums are making too many friends around Europe at present. These things are always remembered and usually come back to bite you!
    Furthermore, I’m not convinced that all the players they have hoovered up, at great expense will turn out to be worth while. Time will tell.
    I do believe that our first eleven are better, man for man than the N17 bunch of hooligans.
    I am still holding my breath in the hope that Wenger will surprise us all!

  49. tsgh says:

    Good morning Dev too…. feeling better? Not you the lil Prince 😛

    SP1 you are on fire…

    A passionate comment at 10:28

  50. rico says:

    Wavy, I have a feeling you could be right, they just want to stop us signing players from Real. If we really are after Di Maria, I hope all the paperwork is done and dusted and can go through as soon as the Bale deal is done..

    I am already preparing myself for the usual ‘we tried but could not make it happen because….’ line…

  51. devilgunner says:

    Hi Ginge.

    I am a lot better. The little Prince is coming along nicely now. His temperature has gone down. But its still too hot for us. The thing is we dare not put on the fan otherwise we run the risk of getting bronchitis. At least till Sunday.

  52. rico says:

    Woody, re Nik, that would be the best for all, paying half his salary is better than all, and at least he’d be finally gone….

  53. tsgh says:

    Hiya Devoted…

    I think we will get through the group stage too… I have watched enough BVB games to know Klopp balls’s up his tactics too.

    Last weekend he played 2 left footed DM… they were lucky to win against a toothless Bremen…

  54. frednerk says:

    Regarding protests outside the ground,
    not sure if wenger or the board
    give a toss.
    In the ground,in they faces,
    infront of the players,and the cameras.

    Maybe potter.

  55. rico says:

    Welcome DevotedGooner – imho, getting through the group stage depends on what AW does in the next 4 days…

    Players can only play so many games and we’ve already lost two with long term injuries..

  56. tsgh says:

    Dev- I didn’t know about that… re fan.

    Pleased to hear you are doing well though.

    I learn something new each day…
    ———————————————
    On B-52, I know it is frustrating but the club can’t just bar him from Colneyif we are paying his wages and he has refused to cancel his contract. imho

  57. stevepalmer1 says:

    I wwatched the Celtic team the other night 2.0 down from the first leg against Shalka, but they overturned that deficet and went on to secure their place in the CL. They cant hold a candle to the spending that goes on in the English league but they will try as hard as they can. I also watched Cardif beat Man city a thing the home support have waited 50 years for the Scottish and the Welsh will show support for ever and we haven’t won for eight years Ha.

  58. gavin oz says:

    Flamini is a good fit cover right and left back and defensive mid and bendtner should be fit by may early may.

  59. Raj says:

    Flamini interview with BBC in 2009:
    “Arsenal are in my heart and they will be in my heart for ever,” Flamini tells BBC Sport. “I will always be an Arsenal fan and leaving was not easy.
    “I miss my team-mates. I’m very happy at Milan but after four years at Arsenal we had very strong partnerships and it’s normal to miss your team-mates.
    “Thankfully I’m still in contact with them all because they’re still very important to me. I was very close to Cesc, Tomas Rosicky and the African and French guys. I do fly from milan to see them in trainin at emirate.”

  60. tsgh says:

    SP1, I am with you. This team from Flappy to Flamini are all in it to fight. Even Ryo has fight in him…

    Not a lot of boys his age can move to a whole new culture and adapt as he us…

    It is depressing but we love the club and fans can give a team 10 extra points at home if we try to look at the future and remember nothing last forever.

    AW will definitely be gone one day…

  61. rico says:

    Real should threaten to pull out of the Bale deal if it doesn’t go through today, it’s in their own interest to get this deal done otherwise they won’t have time to recoup their money…

  62. ozgunner says:

    definitely clever of spuds to hold things up Rico – and we only have ourselves to blame for all of this mess now

  63. stevepalmer1 says:

    How can you offload sombody that doesn’t want to be offloaded, You play them in the games you should win and give them game time. Bentner maybe not be the player we need but why pay him a wage for fcuk all, probably why no one wants him.

  64. S2S says:

    Hey Rico, Ts, Kev, W.A.T.H.:

    We wanted MF and we got MF. We got MF just a different one.lol. Now its turn to get Kaka.

    C’mon Arsene..

  65. DutchGooner10 says:

    Morning Fellow Goonerdom-worshippers,

    So we have gone from offering 40mln +1 for a world class striker to galvanising the brilliantly pink-boots-pizza-boy who couldn’t be arsed to loose a couple of pounds while being on loan at Juve?

    Who dropped his pants now? There’s no amount of Kleenex in the world to dry my tears of schizophrenic laughter.

    Potter mate, superb crowd analysis.

    Hiya Madam.You knocked it out of the park. Excellent read.

  66. vernat1066 says:

    Morning the player I feel sorry for here is Park who was never given the chances that NB was and while NB has talent (but less than he thinks) his attitude sucks. It is rumoured that Kaka might be available to sign from Real as Ozil wants to stay and right now that I think would cheer up Arsenal fans even if he is not the player he once was at least it would show some ambition and AW has rejuvenated players before.

  67. Woody says:

    Rico – imagine if Real did pull out, where would that leave spuds?

    Surely themoney they have spent is all based on the Bale sale?

    Also, he seems to have burnt his bridges a bit!

  68. stevepalmer1 says:

    Spuds have to agree they need the money to pay for their signings just a matter of time.If i were them i’de wait right till the last minute.After all its a competetive sport.

  69. tsgh says:

    At the moment I will take a humbled B-52 over Sanogo…

    Its decent for all parties as we are paying his salary anyway. He would either want a contract extension or a new contract somewhere else so he will work as hard as he can. He knows he can’t have a better option than what he has with Arsenal currently. He knows the league too… and he wants to go to the WC in Brazil…

    They is no doubt the boy is/was talented. It is just his ego that derailed his contract. But he is still young enough to improve if he has changed…

  70. rico says:

    Big Sam thinks that Vaz Tê has been tapped up and he expects a club to make a late offer for him…

    Wenger likes late offers….

  71. ozgunner says:

    we are copping a few knocks around the place of taking back Flam god knows what will happen when the Bendtner news breaks ha! You are right Dutch, its like a suicide mission being conducted by this lot at the moment.

  72. Adam says:

    Why did Arsenal move to the new stadium? If the club aren’t about winning trophies then what are they about? Why do we pay the highest prices in World football? If you think it is to watch great football, well it hasn’t been that great for quite a while. How can Wenger be doing a good job when his job is to gather a squad good enough to compete at the highest level? The transfer window is the golden opportunity to improve the squad and we have mountains of money, so no more excuses there. Scraping into the CL might satisfy some. If it satisfies Wenger then I don’t think that is good for a manager at the Worlds 4th or 5th richest club earning over £7 million a year. This is the way that expectations have been downgraded year upon year. He has missed too many chances to improve the squad for me. The really, really, really dumb will suggest that I want the club to become like Chelsea or Man City as they simply cannot grasp the concept that it is possible to be an Arsenal supporter yet see the quite ridiculous situations Wenger puts us in. Supporting the club you love should be fun but Wenger has become a miserable sod who sees the World against him. It’s calld a persecution complex. We want to believe Arsene. Give us a reason to.

  73. rico says:

    Hi S2S – not the MF I wanted..

    Hi Dg, how’s you? Thanks re the post…

    Woody, Only a threat to push the deal through as Levy would surely have a worry about getting back the money they have spent.

    That way Real can then make their sales they need to and hopefully, that would mean Di Maria to us..

    One of the SS’s reporters has suggested that the Toots don’t want us to sign Di Maria before Sunday as it will raise the players/fans before ko….

  74. ozgunner says:

    Rico – after seeing the last few days, there is not a player link that would surprise me any more i tell ya.

  75. tsgh says:

    Hiya s2s… even the reduced section of the supermarket is try now.

    Looking on the bright side at least B-52 may be better than Adedawhore. lol

  76. ozgunner says:

    tsgh – it’s all becoming a bad dream, it any of what’s going on real? Waiting for my alarm to go off and save my ass

  77. Barbes Babs Rockyfellar Dawodu says:

    you forget to mentioned about the flush of our darling club arsenal who give flamini a disrespectful condition before that negotiation of his contract that did not materialized which led to his eventual departure. please don’t discredit Flamini, if Wenger had signed him before his sudden improvement it would have been an advantage for arsenal instead they condition him to improvement before a new contract can be signed which should also followed with the player assessment or worth and arsenal was not prepared to splash the cash on a player they made and has gain permanence in the world of football. if wenger knew Flamini was at fault he wouldn’t have signed him like the case of Anelka.
    don’t forget, gone are those days of loyalty in this game called football. welcome back Flamini!!!

  78. tsgh says:

    Oz- headless chicken comes to mind. lol

    It’s like one of those 419 scam stories you read in the red-tops but you tell yourself it won’t happen to me…never. lol

    At the moment it is about damage limitation in my view.

    I am still optimistic we will beat the scums on Sunday; 😉

  79. SD Uk says:

    Hi all, good post.

    Wenger must be under great pressure, we can all agree that the board eventually agreed to his method of waiting till the last minute.

    So I know he is going to buy like 4 players on the last day,

    Bendtner is coming back

    But we are not going to get big players , no Di Maria, No Ozil, forget Benzema (it is not going to happen)

    We are going to get 4 players with the highest price to be £18 Mil.

    We will be lucky if we buy Kabaye because that is a man that doesn’t want to play for New Castle anymore unlike Rooney that couldn’t make up his mind.

    But the fan’s expectations are very high at the moment that Wenger must be frustrated that the Deadline day is still some few days away.

  80. tsgh says:

    Gareth Bale has scored more goals against us than anyone else bar Drogba recently.

    Where is Syg btw? I bet he is losing it with all these non-signings.lol

  81. S2S says:

    Does anyone else think its a bluff from Wenger about Poldi? Wenger seems keen on new signings and Management is stalling so just to put them on alert he’s bluffing about Poldi.

  82. DutchGooner10 says:

    Oz

    I tried a different approach this year. Shutting down the cranial manipulation completely. No flimsy unsubstantiated rumours or downright pathological lies.

    It makes no difference, the love still hurts when truth be told.

  83. Craszygunner says:

    So at last Wenger has gone crawling to Bendtner to save his arse as he could not find any top top quality strikers out there!….it’s fate isn’t it….we just need bodies at the mo….forget about quality that has gone out the window…if we have anymore injuries Arsene himself mite have to play…

    I am convinced Nik B is a shit player but something tells me he will have his best season for arsenal this year

    But how on earth did we get here for goodness sake!..

  84. Lee says:

    I think Wenger’s doing a sterling job give the guy a break all you doomers, it must be really hard for him at the moment! Ah bless….

  85. Christopher Mapunda says:

    this is wonderfull to asene wenger and his club bord, they pretend like they want buy players to ful arsenal fans, while they have deal with arsenal bord, every profit enter in the club arsen wenger and his bord they divide themselves without thinking of how pain there causing to arsenal fans.arsenal is not small club they must change this disclimination behaviour to arsenal fans, allways you said you have money to buy players but you are liying them, this big lie you were tend them as chicken children to breastmilk them while you don’t have breastmilk.

  86. Adam says:

    One thing you can never accuse Arsene of is being unpredictable these days.
    When I think about how fresh and ambitious he used to be I really cannot believe that the cliche-ridden man I see now is the same person. With every self-serving pronouncement, like this morning’s ghastly turnout and proclamation of how many players are offered to him every day and offering his bloody phone as proof, he looks more and more ridiculous. Don’t demean yourself by making up nonsense to support your position.
    Those of us who have been predicting Flamini and now this crazy turnabout of bloody Bendtner, of all people, really hoped that it was all a big joke. It seems, alas, that the joke is on us.
    I find the whole thing really very sad and quite embarrassing as he now seems to be suggesting that this was how it was all planned to work out.
    There may be trouble ahead I think. Great Empires arise and then fall and history shows us that casualties could have been avoided if only…..

  87. vernat1066 says:

    If we sign four players and the most expensive is £18 million then OK as long as they are players that improve the squad I don’t care what they cost

  88. SD Uk says:

    The difference between Arsenal and the Toots is that while Toots concentrate on finishing ahead of us we concentrate on hassling our manager to challenge for the Premier League.

    Therefore even if we loose against the Toots on Sunday, we will still be looking at the bigger picture of finishing 4th , winning a trophy and maybe challenge for the Premier League. We might even go 10 games unbeating in the league after the loosing to them.

    But the Toots will celebrate their win and make a taped documentary of the day they beat Arsenal in 2013.

    You see , the Toots will never be bigger than us, it is not in their DNA.

  89. tsgh says:

    Something to make a few laugh…

    artyn Ziegler ‏@martynziegler 10m

    Romanian contact tells me Spurs new signing Chiriches has bad asthma. He’s known in Bucharest as Vlad the Inhaler. #boomtish
    Retweeted by LadyArse

  90. ozgunner says:

    “I am sure you will see a great season from Szczesny, and I rate Fabianski very highly, which is why I think we have two very good goalkeepers.” Wenger said – another position rated un needed to be filled – wow he’s knocked off three needed transfers in 2 days! Got his midfielder, then his striker and now we don’t need a keeper either – what a man!

  91. tsgh says:

    Arsène Wenger’s Premier League record v Tottenham: P34 W15 D14 L5 F67 A43. Four of the five defeats came in last 4 seasons. #afc #thfc

  92. rico says:

    Thanks Sd, seems Cabaye could stay put, he’s expected to play for Newcastle tomorrow…

    CrazyG, recalling Bendtner might be a masterstroke, the fans will go mad and we know what can happen then, seen it happen at other clubs…

  93. rico says:

    Lee – can’t believe you typed ‘sterling’ and Wenger in the same sentence, they just don’t go together…

  94. devilgunner says:

    So Flamini is back.

    Bendy is back.

    That is to serve us a bit of sweet and sour aint it?

    What if he gets the TOGOLUMP back?

    What a horrible thought.

    AAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH.

  95. rico says:

    Just watched that press conference Adam, it made me cringe. He thought he was funny, I thought he was simply taking the piss out of us fans…

  96. multiple says:

    So we go into the season with 3 recognised frontline players.wtf will b result if ny1 of cazorla/og/tw14 get injured??
    I cant help the fact sanogo is going to save our a** from this deep crap :/

  97. stevepalmer1 says:

    Have you noticed how everybody compares Arsenal with the teams above us, if you were to set your team up only to beat those teams you are forgettin a lot of teams below you. They are where the league is won or lost. You can lose against all of the higher teams that has come to be expected but when you lose to the teams below, where can you get those points back. The higher clubs have big squads they have huge wage bills and they also have huge spending. FFP has helped in some degree but if your wealthy it can be overcome. Arsenal is a wealthy club they have a huge wage bill but they dont have huge player spending. Arsenal can work within the FFP rules that is down to careful buying. We have to win the games we are expected to win and also pick up points where we can. We cannot even though we are wealthy compete with the mountains of cash the top clubs have so we have to compete by playing our football to set patterns. We come unstuck somtimes but we do fairly well. the multi million clubs have the edge of usually 10 to 15 points a season, and as the clubs down the league the poorer clubs are a lot more. that is how money works in sport, thats why top atheletes with top sponserships get to be world champions while others who haven’t the funds fall short. Arsenal have held their position for quite some years and where some clubs hold certain competitions more important than others that has given us the chance to get to cup finals. Wenger will buy and get the numbers up but don’t expect to win the major comps as its unlikely.

  98. multiple says:

    Its getting funnier arsene!
    I cant help myself,but the fact that spuds will be better than us by november if this squad gelled will be horrible..
    Also even we purchase angel di maria its not going to be enuff..
    Sad but true 😐
    we need maria,mata,cabaye if we’r going to the season w/o any backup for giroud’

    and well good evening everyone 🙂
    frustrated gooner,from india 🙂

  99. rico says:

    mutliple, that is the biggest fear and it will no doubt happen if we have the samethin squad we have now, when 11pm on the 2nd comes round..

  100. Lewis says:

    All we want from our club is to use all their resources, be it players, funds, coaching or whatever to give us the best chance at being successful. Not to put our club in danger but to use what is there. To have one of these at our disposal and not use them means that we are not really trying to be successful. That is unacceptable! Starting the season with money in the bank and glaring deficiencies in the squad and making up bullshit excuses as to why better players cannot be found is for me unacceptable. Actually it’s a fucking disgrace.

    But bendtner will save us! FFS!!!

  101. rico says:

    Sp, forget those around and above us, we have plenty of money, all available to be spend and we wouldn’t breach FFP rules..

    This is about making our squad stronger, deeper and more competitive. Isn’t that what we as the 5th richest club in the world should be doing…

    Competing?

  102. ozgunner says:

    I have no doubts Wenger will add to the squad but he’s being do that for years and how much further ahead are we? He’s paid a lot of money and made some amazing predictions but has he taken us forward? Will we suddenly see a Wenger properly tuned in to what’s needed this window? No is the answer… as it always is

  103. DutchGooner10 says:

    Gents and Ladies,

    Tnx for the sincere interest. I’m doing fine. A few knocks and bruises of life have only fortified my strengths. Distracting weakness has been buried deep, garnished with a flowerbed on top.

  104. rico says:

    I get why you think that Lewis, no other manager would behave in such a way that has during this transfer window, not with £100 million in his pocket…

  105. Adam says:

    I know Rico. Sad and embarrassing.
    As for not winning any major competitions. Go that way if you want. But we are not paupers and fierce ambition and an atmosphere of competitiveness didn’t hurt Ferguson did it. Look at the team he won the PL with last year. He didn’t sit around, head in hands thinking he couldn’t compete did he? FFP? Do me a favour.

  106. tsgh says:

    Sp1- interesting and accurate choice of phrase ‘wealthiest club’.

    We are not yet the 4th or 5th richest club and very far off butwe are the wealthiest club mainly due to our location i.e London.

    I think sometimes we confuse those key words.

    A wealthy person may not be a rich person e.g Earl of Dorset or Stan borrowing money to buy the club even though he is worth quite a bit…

    AU id definitely cash rich…

  107. ozgunner says:

    up yours in other words hey Arsene? 🙂

    “I’m completely happy with what we do and how we do things. I know that it’s under scrutiny, but I don’t share the criticisms that are made,” he told reporters.

  108. SD Uk says:

    Chelsea will never sell Mata to us,it serves Mata right for choosing Chelsea over us.

    He must feel really let down after almost carrying Chelsea single handedly through last season and all of a sudden the change.

    We all knew from the onset that Jose M doesn’t like his style of play.

    By the way Wenger has solved the DM problem : Flamini he got him to partner Arteta.

    We will be lucky if we get 2 strikers (a winger and a natural striker)

    Maybe a right back and that will be it.

    That makes 3 players right ? Wrong Flamini makes it 4 players.

    Wenger is definitely smoking something.

  109. rico says:

    Thats what I don’t get Adam, money is there, surely everyone knows that… But still he carries on behaving like we are broke…

  110. tsgh says:

    Don’t get Stan wrong, he’s a shrewd investor, a ruthless businessman and, like Ivan Gazidis, is of impressive intelligence. Worth $5bn and the 248th richest man in the World, he once allegedly bought the infamous Screaming Eagle vineyard and then poured away 550 cases of fine wine (Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon), worth $3.3m because he didn’t feel it was up to standard.

  111. ozgunner says:

    the press and fans as well as the players have talked all off season long about new signings, could it be Wenger is simply saying ‘i will show you who’s boss’ I have always thought he regards the clubs money as his own so who knows? Just trying to make sense of all of this – If we loose Sunday there will be hell to play. Our players are sounding off at Spuds, now Wenger is questioning their transfer policy, we really are stepping out on a limb here

  112. stevepalmer1 says:

    As for being competetive, i feel we always have, but on the odd occasion ie utd thrashing we were suffering with multiple injuries in key positions. We usually play competetively but somtimes we dont turn up. That in my opinion is not the managers fault he has fielded the team that most of us would have fielded ourselves, but they have let him down and themselves. Consistency is the key word the Invincibals echo’d that. I have seen some of the worlds top players not produce on the day, shit happens, but consistency will win you things. Of course i am not saying that we should not buy but a team full of top players do not always win, Cardif proved that.

  113. Joaquim Moreira says:

    morning all!
    De Michellis goes to M.city and probably Javier Garcia to A. Madrid
    St Ettienne is out of European competions, like Feynoord, Sttugard…
    Di Maria Galastasaray? I think not. Galastasaray wants Bruma (Sporting) for 12 millions. Why Arsenal is not interesting in him? He was the best player of last european cup u-20. Probably, he will be developer like a player and its value rise up.
    Flamini maybe good for aour squad. At least, he can play in the english cups, but thw question is why we loan Coquelin?
    Bendtner again. Denmark is probably out of the world cup. If bendtner didn’t work before why he go to work now? He has no ambitions, no goals in his mind…

  114. SD Uk says:

    One thing we can get from Bendtner is that he knows he is in his last chance saloon .

    I don’t like him either but he will be better than depending on Sanogo to fill up for Podoslki.

    Guys, we need to start taking the positives.

    If I were Wenger I will start forgetting the the champions league , there is a lot to play for aside the champions league.

  115. rico says:

    Exactly Adam… But it’s not something we can just cast aside is it, we all want the best squad possible within our means…

    That’s not asking for too much is it?

  116. DutchGooner10 says:

    Rico

    This new dawn presser actually reminds me of the Naked Gun sequel. There’s a limit to what you can take on pantomime action and handicap humor.

  117. rico says:

    Competitive is fighting for top spot Sp, not a mad dash to grab 4th..

    Sd – I hope Bendtner never pulls on an Arsenal shirt again… He is rubbish and a baddie off the pitch too…

  118. BrainwashedKev says:

    I didn’t see the Wenger presser, but it seems that the more he is criticised and questioned, the more intransigent he becomes…

    I suppose from his perspective, he feels that he deserves more respect for keeping Arsenal in the Champions League whilst paying off for the new stadium and losing his best players year on year…

    But that policy has now become a means in itself and he seems unable or unwilling to engage in the transfer market in any meaningful way after so many seasons of scrimping and saving….

  119. Bob John says:

    This is possibly the worst transfer dealings in the history of the club. The only others that come close are selling Joe Baker and trying to replace him with Bobby Gould and selling Frank Stapleton and signing John Hawley to replace him!

  120. vernat1066 says:

    What is AW meant to say, yes we have been crap all transfer window we couldn’t even sign our our name never mind a player. Basically chaps its been a right cock up and here we are with egg on our faces? Of course he won’t criticise in public what has happened so far he will as usual take all the crap for the boards incompetence and all the vitriol from the fans and guess what at the end of it he will still be one of the best managers in the league and we will still be competitive because he is that damn good.

    None of the above should however overlook that we need three or four players should have had them weeks ago and that AW makes a lot of mistakes, but he gets a lot right as well as the last sixteen years should show. Make no mistake we are where we are with the expectations we have now because of one man’s consistent brilliance and that man is Arsene Wenger.

  121. SD Uk says:

    Rico – You are right , bad bad memories.

    The Barcelona game just keeps coming back to me, Gervinho wouldn’t have missed that opportunity 8o|

  122. BrainwashedKev says:

    You know, it’s like Adam has been saying all summer and before. The club have gradually worn down our expectations (whilst raising ticket prices)….

    Why am I so pleased about signing Flamimi?

    When a few weeks ago we were being linked to Lars Bender, Higuaine, Suarez and recently Benzema, Di Maria and Ozil….

    I’m sure that many of you can name many others?!

    I wonder what the reaction to season ticket re-newals would have been back in May, if all those people weighing up the heavy cost of watching Arsenal, had known that 3 months later, our manager would have signed two players of free transfers and be considering bringing Nicklaus Bendtner back into the squad…???

  123. BrainwashedKev says:

    Dutch, just find a nice comfy chair, open a can of Oranjiboom and roll yourself a cup of coffee… 😉

    Enjoy….

  124. Wavy says:

    Sunday’s game……..anyone remember Stamford Bridge a couple of years ago? Chelsea 2 or was it 3 Arsenal 5. Common denominator? AVB. He got it wrong then and I see no real reason why his team of little known but very expensive stars should succeed on Sunday do you?
    As I said earlier, man for man we have the better players though thinner squad.
    Arsenal 2 scum1

  125. rico says:

    Kev, he should just stick to answering questions relating to the next fixture and tell the press he won’t answer anything else…

    But part of me thinks he enjoys it all…

  126. rico says:

    Kev, ST sales would have been even less than they have been…

    Who can forget that game Wavy, but I think this is a different AVB, but I do like to be wrong sometimes..

  127. Woody says:

    I’m not sure if I’m missing something but ST sales have hardly been affected.

    Ok, so some people may no renew, but there’s a massive line of people waiting to take them.

    I know, I have been trying to relocate my 2 seats so they are next to each other for the last 4 years and every year I am told that people are not giving them up!

  128. SD Uk says:

    We must be in a different world.

    Our game with The Toots already sold out and we are complaining about Wenger.

    The board most especially Stan love him to bits

    We are in Wenger’s world

    Chelsea game never sell out, Manure tickets are very cheap mostly, Man shitty never fill their stadium and the Toots just can’t market basically.

    We are in Wenger’s world

  129. Woody says:

    With Rico’s help I’ve just literally loaned one of my tickets to someone and he was telling me that he’s on the waiting list for one,but he’s around 20,000th in the cue!

  130. rico says:

    I believe a few begging letters have been sent out Woody, one or two on here have received them, or someone in their family…

  131. Federico says:

    tsgh – I think that Wenger is referring to the internal market when it comes to getting deals done.

  132. Adam says:

    Sorry Lee. Crack before noon again. I know you have warned me before about such folly. Of course 4th is a trophy.

  133. rico says:

    Only because it’s an NLD Sd, wait until the next game, seats will be empty again.

    I think many won’t sell their St’s because they love the club too much. Once AW goes, I am sure those seats will be full again…

  134. Federico says:

    I hear that Bob Wilson is signing on a pay as you play to provide competition to Fabianski and Chezzer.

    There are bigger deals in the pipeline to including one involving a defibrillator and Cliff Bastin

  135. Woody says:

    Yeah spot on Rico, people still own them they are just making a stand at the moment.

    That said I’m not sure the empty seats against Fener were all about making a point. We generally are a little lower during the early rounds of the CL. For some reason midweek night matches are never as full as the weekend fixtures and this will all be down to ST holders not bothering.

    Many will have viewed the tie as over and they can watch it from home, so why bother when they’re a bit pissed off.

    Personally, I will never not go to a match. I will support my team 100% as I ALWAYS want us to win.

    If I were to make a stand it would be to stop spending money in the shops and on programmes, food etc.

    Yes I am still giving the club money by buying tickets,but if I give them back it could be years before I get another one due to the waiting list.

  136. Adam says:

    Apparently Kroenke sees Wenger as someone called Billy Bean, a man who attempted to build a winning team costing nothing, based on statistics. I watched the film about him but was so struck by what a truly shocking actor Brad Pitt is and just what a stupid game rounders is that I really didn’t get it. Apparently, although Americans love a winner, they also love a gallant loser too. At the end of the movie a man with a rictus grin and an ironed head appeared and made a few meaningless statements. This, I instantly knew, was good old John Henry. All that was missing were a few Cruise Missiles and a load of crop haired imbeciles screaming and hugging each other and it could have been a Steven Seagal movie.
    Incidentally, what is going on with Seagal’s head these days? It has reached frightening proportions and seems to have no independent movement of its own.

  137. rico says:

    🙂 Federico.

    The opening game spoke volumes though Woody, normally the stadium would be full, but there were plenty of empty seats then..

    I think most fear the same as you, once gone, it would take years to get an ST back again, especially if Usmanov does make a successful takeover bid….

    I hope he does very soon too….

  138. Adam says:

    A man who just re-signed Flamini and is considering bringing Bendtner back into the fold says he will not make any panic buys. Boom boom…

  139. Woody says:

    Maybe Rico but it’s a pretty pathetic thing to do if those people are trying to make a point….

    Here have my money and I will stay at home! Who wins?

    We’ve always had empty seats at the stadium. From day one the crowd have laughed at the announcer when he suggests its a full house, yet there are empty seats.

    Of course, this is because they do it on sold tickets and not people turning up, but it’s nothing new!

  140. Adam says:

    Well Rico, you’ve got to laugh haven’t you. Otherwise….

    I have recently drunk some Screaming Eagle and I cannot believe I was indirectly putting more money in Syrup’s pocket without knowing it.

  141. rico says:

    It’s not something I would do either Woody, they are hardly cheap and the it’s not the players fault that the manager is a tight old so and so..

    The players are no different to us, they want better players signed, they want a deep strong squad and not doing so, is the reason players want to leave…

    RvP made that quite clear..

  142. rico says:

    What on earth is Screaming Eagle Adam?

    Guess one has to try and laugh, albeit it’s not at all funny watching Arsenal slowing go down the swanny. Or should that be swannie? 😉

  143. Adam says:

    I agree. The players must be supported at all times. But as soon as someone works out a way to let Syrup know what we think of his ownership, count me in.
    No more Screaming Eagle for me….or Lee.

  144. Adam says:

    It is one of the new breed of high end US red wines Rico. The French have had that area buttoned up, with a very few exceptions, for centuries but the Yanks threw a lot of money at it and convinced a lot of people, mainly Americans, that their drink-early, stainless steel, temperature controlled stuff is better. It is frighteningly expensive too. You could give them a turd in a bun with a bit of gold leaf on it and if Forbes told them it was great they would pay a few hundred dollars for it.

  145. Lee says:

    I tyhink Seagal gets his swede pressed and dry cleaned at the same Chinese laundry gaff as Mickey Rourke….

  146. Woody says:

    The problem we have is that there is a lot of noise but no action.

    Rather than just moaning and complaining, fans needs to get together and come up with some constructive ways to force their hand.

    Liverpool managed to move those useless Americans on, although their in fighting probably helped too.

    We have the Black scarf movement, but that’s the odd letter here and there. It’s small noise.

    Nothing really says to the board “shit we need to act”.

  147. Adam says:

    SD. A logical progression of people who spend their life trying to convince the public they have an astonishing head of hair. Kroenke has just about the most unconvincing syrup since Elton John and Seagal’s barnet is painted on.

  148. tsgh says:

    WTF… this window has gone bonkers thanks to Perez the looney…

    Athletic president Urrutia has confirmed his club have turned down a bid for reported €30m #MUFC target Ander Herrera. He is not even that good but hey…

  149. rico says:

    🙂 Adam, I thought South Africa had the best wines in the land…

    Same here re Kroenke, sooner he’s gone the better…

  150. Adam says:

    It’s all a matter of taste Rico. My preference is for French wines but then, as you know, I am a traditionalist in so many things.

  151. Bob John says:

    We have been constantly fed the lines that we are trying to sign players 24/7. When the window closes I hope one of the media hacks takes it upon himself to contact every club in the world and ask them if we have ever been in touch about one of their players! That should give us some interesting answers!

  152. tsgh says:

    Interesting…

    Dev and Kev may be interested in this…

    Jeorge Bird ‏@jeorgebird 28 Aug

    Arsenal will participate in the UEFA Youth League this season, the draw for which will be similar to the Champions League.

  153. rico says:

    Woody, if things stay as they are with the squad right now, I can see the voices getting louder and louder over the next few weeks/months and should we lose on Sunday, then imho, it will all kick on from there…

  154. rico says:

    Unless it’s fizzy and dry Adam, I don’t like any of it really, apart from an odd one or two…

    Give me a Cobra any day of the week… Well, not now as I’m off all of it 🙁

  155. Adam says:

    Apparently the Chinese buy most of the top, top US wines at about £1000 a bottle.
    They like it with coke.

  156. stevepalmer1 says:

    Talk of a deal between us and Real where we blow our budget in a triple player deal, Benzima Ozil and Di Maria, Resting on Bale deal. Spuds will make it late or after the NLD can’t blame them.

  157. tsgh says:

    Sp1- if Levy actually believed in his signings as the media are making it out to be, he won’t be bothering with such child’s play…

    He has gotten a bunch of players no one else wanted bar Lamela imo…

    Soldado is a finisher as is Defoe… none of them can really produce any form of magic even to the level of Poldi’s level…

  158. stevepalmer1 says:

    You are probably right Ginge, But 3 points are 3 pts. Although had it happened today i dont think they would of played anyway, but its somthing to talk about 🙂

  159. Gtid says:

    Damn, this is one of the worst times in the life of an Arsenal fan.

    If Arsene doesnt sign come sept 2nd, he’s going to have a lot of enemies

  160. tsgh says:

    The spuddies went as far as recruiting George Graham and still failed…

    Maybe they can have Stan Kreonke too… I am surprised they have not tried to approach AU to take over their club…

  161. tsgh says:

    Its funny how Erik Lamela cried when he was told he had to join the spurms, but all of a sudden the swampies who had not heard his name before thing he is the ‘biz nezz’.. 🙂

  162. tsgh says:

    Wayne Veysey ‏@wayneveysey
    Wenger wanted David Dein back to help negotiate deal. But board over-ruled him. Yet, and this is crucial bit, no alternative considered.

  163. vernat1066 says:

    Not a surprise DD has made enemies on the board with his work with AU and his initial objections to the stadium as well.

  164. W.A.T.H says:

    T’s thats a load of bollox from Versey as usual… The board cannot make decisions so “IF” that has any truth then it’s a Stan decision telling the board to say no to DD…!

  165. arsenal11730 says:

    Adam superb comments 1116 & 1146.
    AW is allowing his arrogance to cloud his judgement.
    The Fener and Fulham results have given him a false sense of security about squad.
    There will be a mutiny by the fans if we lose on Sunday.
    The AKBS are clearly outnumbered and turning now.
    After trying to flog NB52 for 2 years, then allowing him to rejoin the team, as new striker signing, the fans are the brunt of this joke.
    I feel Gooners are in a test tube bottle for an experiment by a wacky scientist, AW.
    This transfer window has caused Gooners consternation, and i continue to give AW the benefit of the doubt until Sept 2 when window closes.
    It would pain me to see his reign end with fans aiming vitriol towards him, and his legacy tarnished.
    He has achieved GREAT things for OUR club.
    This is reminiscent of Clough, stuck in his old ways and not adjusting.
    I am honestly petrified about Sunday – Sorry….
    Unless we make 2 Top signings to boost the morale.
    Keep the faith Rico and crew.
    Trust me it has been DIFFICULT at home and work for me.

  166. W.A.T.H says:

    A11730… An honest account of what your feeling mate think most of us hands on heart are feeling very similar…!

  167. tsgh says:

    im hearing we have bid for alexis sanchez and barcelona want to sell

    {Ed022’s Note – When you say you are hearing loads of things, I am going to say that they are the voices in your head…}

    malaga-gooner

    😀

  168. rico says:

    The signing on time is past for Sunday, so regardless of whether we sign anyone or not today or tomorrow, they won’t face the Toots…

    Might give us all a lift though Arsene… Arsene!! You listening you ………………………

  169. vernat1066 says:

    33 Rico In the prime of his life 🙂 Seriously he would be a very good signing for some of the promoted teams or a mid table team where he can play every week but not for us

  170. asiangooner says:

    I am really surprised how some of my friends here are still so optimistic…….. hats off to you guys.

    Why cant we just sign players like everyone else is doing.

  171. frednerk says:

    Just heard from a mate of mine that wenger has sent,
    Dick Law to ireland to sign a top marksman.
    Keep it quiet its….Rick O Shay

  172. vernat1066 says:

    Javier Mascherano Good at what he does which is break up play and keep things simple, 29 years old would be a good signing if we can pull it off. He is a better pure DM than Arteta and would give us another option to play him further up the pitch.

  173. potter says:

    29 yrs old , plays midfield or at the back , certainly a cover player but currently on a high salary at Barca.

  174. vernat1066 says:

    25 games last season in La Liga for Barcelona 90% pass completion rate, 59% of avg duels won, avg 6 defensive actions per game (mostly interceptions and clearances) 75 % tackle completion rate, made 38 fouls and received 13 and won 32 out of 53 headed duels. Good at what he does but the fouls committed are an issue given where he plays on the pitch.

  175. vernat1066 says:

    Better than a squad player a definite upgrade on what we have playing in the DM role. If we can get him then sign him not spectacular but will make a difference like Gilberto Silva did when we had him.

  176. tsgh says:

    SD, If he was not left footed maybe AW may have been interested in him. He is only leaving Psg because he wants games. He knows he would be behind our main defenders too imho.

    Ultimately, I believe AW was not interested in him because he has fallen behind Kosser, Rami, Abidal and Mbiwa of NUFC in the French set-up.

  177. rico says:

    Palace back in talks for Nik B, fingers crossed…

    Javier Mascherano?? Where is that from, Malaga Gooner??;)

  178. vernat1066 says:

    Rico he played 25 games for the la liga champions last season so he was probably playing quite well and we all moan that we want a player who is defensively disciplined well Mascherano is definitely that.

  179. Micko says:

    Crie de coeur, where are our signings !!

    Think flamini will be a decent acquisition, loved his style of play first time around, gets right in the oppositions faces, something we haven’t been doing for a long while now but he’s just a drop in the ocean this summer, Monday’s gonna be a right laugh !

  180. vernat1066 says:

    Sorry Rico just re read what I wrote and no offence meant was just trying to give some information on him and how he played last season, and my reply to you was badly worded and the tone was not right either please accept my apologies

  181. tsgh says:

    Hi Micko… you have change your mind.lol

    Vela did not want to play on the wings with us but he does in Spain… humility I guess

  182. asiangooner says:

    lol rico… I think i am not brainwashed anymore 😉

    but honestly what the hell are we doing and what the fuck are we waiting for?

  183. rico says:

    I don’t know and I don’t know Ag, I wish I did. My own view is that one particular man won’t spend any money and another is happy to let him carry on in such a way…

  184. Micko says:

    Not at all tsgh, liked him first time around, didn’t like the way he left us, haven’t seen much of him since so I could be talking complete bollox ! but he always got stuck in, loved a scrap, go on, shoot me down, I know you wanna.

  185. Coadsi says:

    Good day to you Rico and everyone else. i started a post of how i hate the mamager and the powers that be at AFC etc but the more i typed the more i got upset. again respect to you guys who have the mental strength to continue daily.
    I will never wish for them to lose but i am dying here and cant be stressed by AFC and the idiots in charge.

  186. tsgh says:

    He loved a scrap definitely Micko. Did you see the video I posted when he played against the spurms whilst at Milan?

    He was very instrumental for Milan to finish in the CL spots in the 2nd half of the season.I must admit he was poor against Milan in the CL.

  187. DutchGooner10 says:

    Just a quick shout to me mate Micko. I’m off to the annual cityscapes music festival. Cheers buddy.

    Ginge/Adam tnx for the heads up. Screaming Eagle is a bottle I will accidentally drop and make ample apologies for facing the store manager. Lol

  188. Micko says:

    Only play testimonials these days potter.
    Your going Sunday I take it, dodged a bullet with Villa opening day.

  189. potter says:

    In the words of the 4 tops , I’ll be there. Couple in the Brownswood and then a walk in to the ground. Then back to Norfolk and a few more at The Dog Inn. Happy days , Hopefully.

  190. potter says:

    I love this country :- October 19th just announced by Norfolk and Suffolk highways authority. The A11 will be closed for roadworks : Just happens to be the day that Norwich are away to Arsenal. It is the only direct link between the two cities and the diversion being set up through a number of small villages with the expected traffic chaos is estimated to add between 2 and 3 hours to the journey.

  191. Gtid says:

    Rico, Vela played on the wings. That goal you saw him score was from a counter attack in the dying minutes of the game… Lyon surprised me, before Mourinho, they used to dump R.Madrid out of the champions league.

  192. tsgh says:

    Mathieu Valbuena: “Personally, I didn’t want to draw Dortmund, and I’d rather play Barcelona than Arsenal.”

    Sabotage Potter. 🙁

  193. George says:

    Evenin Rico, ginge et al

    have we signed anyone yet?
    ~
    Flamster aside? been working so hard its bevome more a joke – Georges jobs are worse than our transfers ..

  194. George says:

    As long as we beat the scum on sunday and Falmster nullifies Capoue and Paulinho then I am a happy bunny. 4th again by ba whisker till we get rid of the yank

  195. George says:

    Ginge, it has been v tough……2 jobs and a few senoritas of the the ~” we dont want that sort”PHW lol…. in and out … What is going on at our once prestigious club. I saw Pat Rice last sunday and he vociferoulsly defended Wenger-take over beckons

  196. George says:

    GDNA, we need David Dein back and some Uzbek flashthecash..

    Ginge true , senoritas and me haven’t been the best of friends. Whyb is it i keep dating Tottenham fans wtf…can’t they see my Arsenal toaster,Arsenal Boxers …the cannon on the £$%£$%?lol

    Perhaps they are simply blown away by our counter attack 🙂

  197. GunnerDNA says:

    Ts, any rumor about new signings? I just saw we are linked to S Kalou, it seems we a preparing for relegation.

  198. George says:

    that clown of an outfit Abramovich rovers are everything wrong with modern day football Kev…

    GDNA…Mata was designed for our shirt mate…

  199. BrainwashedKev says:

    Still waiting on Bales transfer to be finalised…

    Levy stalling on purpose, without a doubt.

    Not sure that it makes any difference, I cannot see Benzema being allowed to leave or wanting to drop down and join Arsenal. I’m sure that ManUre would snap him up if Madrid made him available.

    Likewise Ozil, players of their quality want to play for clubs that win trophies and that rules out Arsenal…

    Di Maria is a possibility and Casiles as he wants to go to Brazil as Spain’s No.1

  200. BrainwashedKev says:

    Hi George.

    Lukaku would be an interesting signing, but Mourinho won’t sell or loan any decent player to Arsenal.
    Nor would ManUre or Shitty…

    Only stupid Arsenal sell to their rivals….
    Kroenke couldn’t care less, all that cnut cares about is his profit margine…

  201. George says:

    Kev, i sincerely hope Kronke does 1, and we go back to how we were run before his “ilk”

    Sir Chips or no Chips , without David Dein , we make that lot at N15 look like Galacticos.

    When Giroud gets injured, JW injured and Walcott injured. Who will score our goals? Akpom? Zelalem? Or will we force NB52 to breathe in and actually work for his £52k pw

  202. GunnerDNA says:

    Brain, money make anything possible in life, players will join if afc is willing to pay them. Does AW got the ambition to make it happen? This transfer window is called P-A-T-I-E-N-C-E , i’m wondering what day it is in AW world, because the last time i check the window is almost closed. God have mercy, i check newsnow arsenal until my vision is blurred.

  203. BrainwashedKev says:

    Julian Draxler for between £40 and £60 million…

    For a 19 year old…!!!

    And Wenger doesn’t panic eh???

    Kaka at 31 looks more likely….
    Wonder if he is on a free?

  204. BrainwashedKev says:

    Night George, don’t be a stranger…

    DNA it’s all bollocks, but Arsenal would need to pay the kind of wages that would, personally make me feel sick…

    But that’s because Arsenal are no longer viewed as winners. So no top player is gonna join Arsenal for anything other than a shed-load of cash…

  205. BrainwashedKev says:

    Ginge, I’m not sure that I believe those valuations, fcuk me we could have got Gotze for £30 million, why pay more, maybe even double for Draxler?

    Anyway, we’d get 3 years out of him and then he’d fcuk off to Bayern or ManCity or Real Madrid… What’s the fcuking point in signing these wonder boys???

  206. tsgh says:

    Night George… take it easy and keep your head up.

    Kev- personally, football is now shite… I wish I did not love it so much but, that is my addition.

    The figures being touted are mindless. Imagine if clubs actually transferred hard cash and not electronic transactions?

    Dna, in my view Reus is better than most players. Though Theo’s figures looked good last season, he has scored less than 5 goals this year as a whole.

    Reus is a model footballer imho.. he defends, attacks and scores goals… I will pay £35M for Marco.

  207. tsgh says:

    The u-21’s win their first game of the season.. Boateng, Ajayi and Akpom were on the score sheet. 3-0 to the boys. A similar score line against the swampies will do me fine on Sunday.

  208. Wavy says:

    How much do I wish that RM withdraw their “offer” for the monkey? About 85m no 100m wishes!
    Go with what you’ve got RM, I dare you.
    Sorted
    The scums have hit the wall and it’s the end of an era at shite wart lane. No money, no club, no money no club (Bob Marley and the totty wailers)
    Enjoy the demise. Levy took the wrong advice from his rabbi and landed his his club as wthe Portsmouth downward dream demise club. Division 4 next!

    God I wish.

  209. Joshua says:

    Geez, that’s my first comment at Highbury House, but I just couldn’t remain silent. Spuds have just confirmed they signed Eriksen. With Lamela, Soldado, Capoue, Paulinho and others signings. Over 100M spent, but the transfers are all terrific. Great players for reasonable price. I really don’t understand what Arsenal is thinking. It’s just awful. If there is God above, please help us tomorrow at The Emirates…

  210. Lee says:

    Wenger “spxrs transfer policy is risky!”……not as risky as yours you fucking moron! If he doesn’t address the weaknesses in the squad he can fuck off, why is he such a stubborn man?

  211. rico says:

    Morning all,

    Jose Mourinho may be a quality manager but allowing Lukaku to take the 5th penalty was all wrong imho.

    His first season with the club and a young player, a bizarre choice imho. Where were the men??

    Whoever said about Terry and Lampard was spot on, what horrid team mates to have when the chips are down..

    Back to Arsenal, no change overnight then, now it’s 3 days and we are all still counting….

  212. rico says:

    😛 Lee, couldn’t put it better myself.

    Some on here said a number of days ago that Levy is hanging onto Bale just to piss us off, I’m sure there is another winger somewhere who doesn’t dive as much as Di Maria that would have been able to have been snapped up by now…

    Why we even entertain doing business with Madrid I don’t know, not after the Higuain fiasco…

  213. Lee says:

    It’s not the media that have brainwashed the fans it’s dear old Arsene and the board. I was brainwashed into thinking this would be the TW when we did our business early and bought the quality that’s needed.

  214. W.A.T.H says:

    I am really not looking forward to an enjoyable Sunday………..

    The links for has-beens and other teams casts off’s is getting worse by the day…! Can the papers at least not link us with a few decent players to get excited about even when we know we won’t buy any of them?

  215. W.A.T.H says:

    We’ve been brainwashed Lee cos apparently we don’t know anything about football and can’t make up our own minds…! As my Dad says he been watching Arsenal for 65 years but apparently that means he knows sweet FA about football cos he only believes what the media tells him…! Such patronizing comments amazingly really tend to piss people off…!

  216. rico says:

    B) Lee, every time under this manager…

    Neither am I Wath, AW and the players can talk all they like about being stronger, it’s bull…

    We only need to look at their bench and then look at ours…

    Thank goodness a couple of their signings weren’t signed in time to feature..

    We are fooked unless something drastic happens in 3 days…

Leave your comment.

Discover more from Highbury House

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading