Morning all.
Back in 1980 and on this very day, Liam Brady played his last game for Arsenal. £500,000 was enough to convince Arsenal to sell him to Juventus…..
Third place is a step forward from where we finished last year, But we want to – and need to – be pushing on now and trying to challenge for the title. There was an opportunity in the season when we were getting close to Chelsea and people were talking about us competing but I sensed throughout the dressing room that we were never quite up there with Chelsea.
But looking at the squad, the manager has an absolute headache to try and pick his best team and we want that going into next season. We are looking very strong and you never know, he might add a few extra players but we need to be pushing for the Premier League now. There is no excuse.
So, plenty of ‘we’s’ in there from Theo Walcott which would suggest he wants to be part of Arsenals future and with the daft new ruling which Dyke wants to push through, Arsenal can’t afford to sell too many of its English players. Unless Arsene Wenger has his eyes set on others to replace them but there aren’t that many around are there?
Raheem Sterling has long be talked about to fill the gap should Walcott leave and all the news this morning is about how he’s told Brenda he wants out of Liverpool this summer, that story may gather pace. Mind you, would it be any great surprised to see him wearing blue next season?
Arsene Wenger was of course asked about that very topic earlier this morning:
At the moment we are not in transfer mode. We want to finish well our season.
We have put in a massive effort to come back in a potential good position and we have to focus to finish well. After the effort we have put in It would be stupid not to finish well.
I do not bid for anybody at the moment. in the summer I will bid for people yes but at the moment we are not in transfer mode at all. I don’t like to lie.
But suggestion is, Arsene Wenger has already made a signing and that’s Yassin Fortune, the French midfielder who is reported to have agreed a three year deal with us.
Also, Rayan Souici, the ‘next’ Paul Pogba is expected to follow him. The Metro have regurgitated a story in France which suggests Arsenal will seal a deal for him real soon.
In other gossip, Southampton want Szczesny on loan next season. That wouldn’t be a bad idea would it, see if a different goalkeeping coach can improve him.
Sunderland up tomorrow night. They need one point for PL survival, we need the same to ensure no CL qualifier but three would set up an interesting final day in the league.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mathieu Debuchy and Danny Welbeck will not be involved and Lauren Koscielny is a doubt too having had Flu but Arsene Wenger say’s he’ll know more about the French defender today. Well if he’s had/got flu, he won’t be playing. He’s probably just had a couple of sneezes, maybe it’s hay-fever Arsene, or just man flu. In other words, a cold!
That’s about it for today, other than the FFP rules are set to be eased this summer, and the Chelsea loan system is going to be looked into. At last.
Have a good Tuesday guys, at least it’s stopped raining….
First
Thanks rico but I ll rather keep theo than swap him with sterling. He’s not worth the money loserpoop ll want for him. Just another overhyped scouse bastard. Give gnabs a chance. Morning HH
Thanks Rico, Sterling is a good player, no question. But we would have to drop 30+million for him probably, and we didnt even do that for Fabregas last season. If we are going to drop 30+m on someone it better be on a damn good striker, and not one who has scored only 7 goals this season!
Morning again guys..
Goonie, you and me both re Theo. But I think Sterling will end up at Chelsea/City…
Rico, Im interested in what you think of these Milner rumours rolling around this morning?
Roger – they wouldn’t sell to anyway imo and yes. 7 goals a season is hardly what we need…
You mean Milner or sterling? Milner is a free in the summer… Still all my wishes are for a certain Ssssschneiderlin
I read Milner wants to go to the Dippers Roger.
Good read Rico…;
I also read Milner is heading to ‘scouseland’. Its a shame, because he could have done a job for us if we were interested.
Morning Goonie, roger
Thanks Ts..
I have mixed feelings re Milner. On one hand he’d bring experience and a couple of PL medals, on the other hand, I’d worry his signing would prevent us from making a better signing.
Rico- That is always the predicament I guess…
He is English and probably has 2 more years at the top to give. He has the EPL experience has you have alluded…
But as you said he is not the type of signing that will get the tabloids salivating but, he is the type who will roll up his sleeves and get stuck in the winter months.
In the end it will come down to if AW sees James as a potential viable addition or not…
Yes, he’d certainly put a shift in…
He’s free, of course AW will be interested… 😉
Agree on the mixed feelings with Milner guys. He would do a reasonable job and has the experience but as an addition and not to replace the bigger business… Yes hes linked with Liverpool but express and mirror link him to us too…
Obviously these ‘links’ arent worth much, but its just to discuss the hypotheticals really 🙂
The Star too Roger, they say it’s us he’s heading too… lol
Fortune ansd Soiuici are under-20. Are they ready for come in the first team???
Id Szesc goes soutampton on loan , Saints will be one more team fight for win the league.
I doubt it Jm, the Academy seems more likely to begin with, under 21’s.
Good Afternoon Lovelies and Hunkies.
Good roundup Rico.
I would get Milner on board if that is the case. English, experience and leadership skills. But I would not go for Sterling unless Theo leaves. Because as Goonie said…..there is Gnabry. And why not give him a chance???
Having said that I wonder if Gnabry would get a chance in the last two games.
If we get Cech, then loaning out Ches to Southampton would not be a bad idea.
Kos is out with flu??
I wanted to see Gabriel play. maybe its good for him and for us.
But I would also like to see JAck, Theo and Gibbs get a run out as well. we do need variety and to rest some players as well.
Devil, have you seen the stories which suggest Cech wants a move to Arsenal. From his agent apparently…
Milner is a quality footballer who’d do a fantastic job for us.
Should we hope we don’t sign him just because he’s free??
Morning all.
No Scott, because he’s getting on a bit… 😉
Hi Rico,
He’s still good enough, I reckon.
Hi Scott – I can see the pro’s and cons – but if he does sign up for us, as long as we get other top signings that we need, all will be ok… lol
Imo Milner would be an upgrade on Flamini and also maybe on Arteta since the former waves his hand but does not run where he should be while Arteta’s legs are no longer strong. Milner would offer Coquelin advice and experience.
Good afternoon Highbury’s and Emirates.
This Milner thing smacks of David Platt all over again.
A couple of seasons ofMilner would do the team no harm, no harm at all. I’ve always rated him ever since his Leeds days. He is a far better player now than he was then too. Yer, I’ll take him especially as he is FREE!
Rico, for sure.
On a free, it leaves more to spend where required 🙂
Ok, Milner in, Arteta, Flamini and Diaby out… 🙂
Wavy – I think he’ll stay up Norf…..
If only this was true….
http://metro.co.uk/2015/05/19/its-a-done-deal-arsenal-revealed-to-have-agreed-petr-cech-transfer-5204936/?
Walk time so catch up later…
29 is not old apparently , oh how circumstances can change policy. All those years of bumming people out at 30 or offering derisory 1 year contracts to some of the truly great players we had. Now James Milner a good squad playing ,shirt filling ,box ticking acquisition is foc and of interest. I feel that he is more likely to be Rosicky’s replacement which for me is a great shame . Arteta I think will stay for his steadying influence and to help the young Spanish contingent but Flamini’s time is up. With Gibbs, Wilshere , Chambers , The Ox and Theo the English bit is covered , all we need now is to upgrade the positions where we really need upgrading and pare out a little more deadwood to allow Gnabry , Hayden , Akpom etc to come through.
Moron quoted as saying he “could not stop Cech moving to Arsenal if that was what he wanted” ! Believe it or not???
BBC gossip column:
Meanwhile, Mourinho says he is unable to stop goalkeeper Petr Cech, 32, joining Arsenal this summer. (Mirror)
Afternoon Rico, all,
Good read.
Milner? No thanks. We got Ramsey for exactly same role…we got Wilshere to replicate Ramsey in his(Wilshere’s) way. You can’t use Milner in real DM role…he’s box-to-box. To try him on the wings? There’s first choice, Sanchez…there’s Walcott on the other side…and of course, Ox-Chamberlain.
At best. Miner becomes a squad player. That what we need? No imo. We need a DM to walk straight into the team. If Cech is available, we grab another first team starter. For me, that’s all we need to truly challenge next season.
Believe me, Walcott will be that striker we need next season. With Theo, Sanchez, Ramsey, Carzola, Ox playing off the shoulders of Giroud…we’ll be fine. A world class finisher may add value in sharpness in front of goal ahead of Giroud but my worry, and a huge one at that, is what the whole team loses in general play with the French striker on the bench.
Lining out, only Per confidently towers over six feet without Giroud in our first team line up. Giroud is ever present in our defence during corners and set plays. Something Aguero can’t offer despite his ability at the other end. Will Wenger jettison the forward line he has been perfecting for three years to gamble on a classy finisher? Don’t think so. Arsene will works his socks off during pre-season to make Walcott a first team starter next season. And if Shad Forsyth preserves Theo for 30 league starts, I’d bet any amount the former Sotton speed star will notch 20 goals!
So give me Cech and Schnerdelin and possibly one monster of a CB…promote Heyden, give Akpom, Gnabry, Martinez more playing time…move on Flamini, Podolski…loan out Campbell, Sanogo, Scz..
And please…please give Rosicky one more year at the Emirates…in fact, let him retire here like Dennis.
Diaby? Whatever Wenger decides.
Moron how apt!
Hi Tai, maybe, but more likely Walcott will not be the striker we need. I say that because there is absolutely no precedent for believing it. Only once has Walcott scored more than 10 goals in a PL season (never 20). Personally I dont believe it. Im not even sure he can stay fit for half the season. Actually Im not even sure he will be there next season (hope he is though). Regardless, in my view Walcott is a high risk bet to be Arsenal’s top top striker. My preferred bet is on splashing some cash and buying Lacazette (or other top name striker).
I do agree on Milner though, unless he is happy to come over as a free squad player.
ps I dont need to remind you that one year ago you asked us to believe that Sanogo would come good this season too. So I need a bit more evidence to believe in Walcott.
Best!~
Brudder
Couldnt the FA charge the moron for sticking one finger upwards in the air, in a defiant gesture, for ungentlemanly conduct or conduct likely to cause a riot? Or some other trumped up charge? The govt could then deport him for being an undesirable alien!! And good shut, as they say in the Norfolk!
That’d be a laugh!!
And completely deserved!
No, no, no, not Norfolk, the norf!! A la Rico earlier!!? Bloody iPad!!
Did you know that if in 1995 you had a £10 double or quits bet every year that Arsenal would finish above spxrs you’d be over £10.5m better off….
£10,485,760 to be precise!
Brudder!
Roger,
Theo imo is not an out-and-out striker. Playing from the right side, with his pace, big game attitude, great finishing, good pre-season, sufficiently fit…Theo is 20 goals-a-season striker…at 26, he’s approaching peak and letting him go now after those years molding him would be crazy and Weneger is anything but crazy. If Theo could get 30 league starts next season, I’d bet straightaway he’d notch 20 goals…
Sanogo’s poor injury record denied him the chance when Giroud got injured. As a player, once you don’t get the chance your potential flies off the window. I’d have loved to take back my word on Sanogo if he was anything near fit when he should…and don’t remind me of his performances on loan…Coquelin was shit on loan but we can’t start today without him.
Coquelin, Bellerin, even Chambers are examples of players who stayed fit when they should and took their chances…same would have happened for Gnabry!
I have faith in Theo and believe Wenger does too.
Lee, if I were a rich man, daidle daidle daidle deedle daidle deedle daidle dum.
And in 2013/13 season, Walcott scored 14 league goals and 12 assists in 32 appearances…eight of them as subs. That’s where I got my conviction…that with more experience, less injuries and more playing time, he’d definitely do more.
Afternoon all.
Rosicky has one year left on his contract I think, apparently it’s the player who wants to leave as he’s not getting any playing time….
I saw him standing somewhat forlorn looking staring at the supporters at Old trafford. Such a shame for such an accomplished player.
Can’t understand why he’s not getting playing time Potter, I really can’t unless the club are going to sell him and want him to be fit… Such a shame…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32801726
All day build up to FA cup final….
Rick, if you are reading, interesting that Isaac Hayden played in midfield last night. Wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him play that role in pre-season….
Hi Eveyone. I’ve been confused about Tommy Rosicky for a long time now. Arsene always says how everyone loves him and what a great player he is, but then never plays him. It’s wierd, and there have been a few games lately that have been crying out for some Mozart energy, yet Arsene won’t play him, even as a sub. I don’t think it’s because the club want to keep him fit for a sale because it’s been going on for at least three seasons now.
Evening Rico and the House.
Have you seen the Highlights of the game on the player Rico.
Isaac played an “agreed 45Mins” only but looked very lively.
Serge is very close to top form andsome of his play was outstanding.
A lot of positives from last night, 4 of the team returning from long term injurys.
Sorry visit is short but I must bid you goodnight.
Hi Vonnie – I often wonder if it’s to do with him still playing international football. Maybe AW thinks he needs to put club before country…
Hi Rick, I haven’t watch the highlights but will do only to see Isaac… Night to you.
Night all
Night Rico.
Morning Rico.
Morning Adam and all..
Sista and Brudder good morning…
Morning Lee. Nice to see the sunshine..
Unfortunately I don’t have any windows where I sit, so seeing the sun and being able to photosynthesise are tricky! 🙁
It’s bright but gusty here. Morning Brudder.
No windows? You need to have a word with the boss… 😉
No windows???? Get a driller and make a few holes in the wall. Sunshine will soon seep through. 😉
Good Morning Lovelies and Hunkies.
I saw highlights of the under 21 game vs Wolves. Gnabry was head and shoulders above the rest. I just hope that he, Theo and JAck get a run out in the last two games. Bellerin, Coquelin and Chambers are the success stories of this year. I hope that Gnabry stamps one foot in the last two games. Will give AW food for thought.
Bright and sunny here today.
My complaints will fall on stoney ground…..
Hi Devil,
Theo and Jack to start tonight hopefully, and Gabriel. Then we might see the ball being played out from the back rather than keep ball between Kos and Merts… lol
🙂 Lee…
New post up now.