Morning all,
Arsène Wenger has been giving an update on the injury front ahead of the grand arrival of Blackburn Rovers for our FA Cup clash on Saturday.
Thomas Vermaelen is possibly back and should be in the squad. Jack Wilshere is having a series of tests before a final decision is made but he remains a big doubt. As does Laurent Koscielny. Like Wilshere, he is facing a fitness test before any final decision is made.
One who won’t be playing is Carl Jenkinson. He’s banned for just one match and Gibbs is a long way from a return to training.
Ramsey, Sagna and Diaby are all fit and healthy, as is Fabianski.
There is no point in risking either Wilshere or Koscielny for Blackburn, we should be able to ‘cope’ without them.
Talking of coping, Sagna believes we are not only coping without the man who left us in the summer, no, not Song, the other one, he believes we are better equiped in all areas than we were before. Whereas we used to rely on the one man scoring show each week, now we are scoring from all areas and have a different dimension to our game.
The squad is finally settled, and the new boys look like they have always been a part of this side. Speaking in French seems to have gone and English is the new language in the changing room. So it should be too!
Now we have some diversity. Everyone can score and everyone can be dangerous. It’s good for the team.
I think everyone’s settled well. It feels like they’ve always been here and they can score great goals at any time. Everyone is getting more confident.
We have a lot of fun and everyone tries to speak English, which is really important. If you want to get stronger as a team, you have to communicate well. Everyone’s trying to speak better and better.
About time too. At times we have looked like every player speaks a different language as the understanding between them was seriously lacking and from what Sagna is saying, we have a great spirit amongst the squad.
Is is the kind of spirit that can get this side to second in the league? We’ll know soon enough.
One thing we don’t need those is to hear players like Joel Campbell saying things like this:
To be in a country like Spain, playing in this league, means a lot, I want to keep playing well and keep progressing as footballer. I’ll focus until June and see what happens after that.
I’ll give everything on the pitch for Betis and see what happens when the time comes. Arsenal are in charge of what I do. I’d also like to play for them but I’m very comfortable here and I’ll defend Betis with all my heart.
I’m trying to give my all for Betis, they gave me a lot of opportunities.
Why isn’t he saying he’s desperate to get to the Premier League and show all Arsenal fans why Arsene Wenger was right to sign him? Not ‘I’d also like to play for them’.
Sorry, but that isn’t the kind of player we need in our squad and if he isn’t really that interested in playing for Arsenal, then get rid of him now and sign a striker who wants to play in England, wants to play in the Premier League and most importantly, wants to play for Arsenal!!
That’s it for another day, have a good one….
https://twitter.com/JamesOlley/status/302350340945227776
https://twitter.com/JamesOlley/status/302347404454268928
https://twitter.com/JamesOlley/status/302349750408183808
Morning all….
Syg, I read somewhere yesterday that Barca have players lined up who would in turn mean Villa could leave
‘immediate targets’ – Not heard that one before….
So whos james olley?
Reporter for the BBC I think Matty…
Good, and to be honest, I don’t think Jack would have played if he was fit, he needs a rest. Eisfeld could slot in maybe?
Not too many more changes though I hope….
2/3 max….
Hiya Rico, Matty – He’s the sports/football journalist at the London Evening Standard ….
Rico – Jack rested, you JUST KNOW who’s going to be drafted in for a start, don’t you – and it won’t be Eisfield …………
https://twitter.com/JamesOlley/status/302350076095909888
Morning Gooners
Morning Rico, good post, also good to hear about the language in the dressing room.
The Jerries speak perfect English as do the Flemish, Polish, Welsh, so it’s good to see a more unified common language being used.
Wenger should have insisted on it anyway…
Morning Kev…. you got a busy day ahead?
Liked the bit about Joel Campbell …. wasn’t that impressed when he gave the club the runaround prior to him signing …
Who Syg?? You got me there unless you mean AA…
Personally, I think it will be Rosicky.
Morning Ak, thanks. Totally agree, this ‘french speaking’ stuff should never have been allowed from the off….
One club in the PL, can’t remember who it is, is fining players if they don’t learn English…
ohhh never heard of him ill have to follow him on twatter!
I still have much love for good old joel… just think either the press his wrote this completely out of context or if not he is being clever and keeping betis sweet so he keeps getting more playing him which to be fair any player would do… Also he knows its down to arsenal so its not like he has gone all in and not took into consideration the club!
Soon as we get his permit through i think he will make a great impact to the squad his only 18 and already and cocky lil shit lol.. High hopes for this dude.
Wenger: “Abou gives us height in the middle
“Abou doesn’t drink
“Abou does not smoke
“Abou is dedicated
Come on Rico ……… Midfield of
Arteta – Ramsey
Diaby
….to start
‘IF’ we ever get a work permit – how many do we have out there who can’t and we have had them for a while. Either that or they just aren’t good enough….
Rosicky may take a wide berth ….
No matter how we are set up …. we should bang them out of sight ….
Yeah you right and then you have teams like Chelsea and united who dont have any issue getting young talent abroad in there squad… Kinda Dodge or were not doing something right?
rico – I can vouch for campbell. This kid is different to other kids which we have on loan. I will say he is the best amongst those out on loan. I have being watching him play for betis week in and out. I have being really impressed with his performance and the way he is maturing into a better player. I hope he can bring that form to arsenal. Like matty said the quote could have being taken out of context or just to make his current club happy
He’s hardly likely to say that he can’t wait to get to The Arsenal and burn his bridges at Betis. He still has the rest of the season to go and who knows what will happen if Dick Law can’t secure his permit.
Morning SYG, sorry mate, just having some tea and toast.
Yep, gonna be a busy few weeks for me mate.
Well, I hope so…
Where are you working at the moment?
Have you been involved in the building work at the Shard?
That is a massive development, right on top of the Thames & next to London Bridge Stn…
Still a lot more work to do…
We have to hope it was emma, we sure don’t need a player who is already looking to go elsewhere…. If he’s that good, what are the chances of getting his permit this summer??
Why not though Potter, we signed him, we are just doing Betis a favour, just as they are doing us one….
https://twitter.com/JamesOlley/status/302368585542692864
A quiet start to the year, Kev.
the tunnelling industry never kicks in properly until mid-January…
https://twitter.com/jimvanwijkPA/status/302368136815071234
That’s it then. a 1-0 agg score v’s Bayern and the Champions League is ours for the taking ….. Hurrah I say, hurrah
I wish AW wouldn’t even comment on Bayern right now, why not, ‘if we beat BB we can go all the way’…..
rico – He will be granted a work permit this summer. According to the requirements, he needs to play two world cup qualifiers in order to have 75% of it complete. Which he already had(Guyana and Panama).That, plus the vast amount of minutes he’s getting under Pepe Mel at Betis, should see him get granted his work permit and join the Arsenal squad in the Summer.
I’m not so confident, we never seem to get lucky with permits emma…
rico – I think we should borrow a trick from manure or the chavs who seem to have their way easily on permits.
I am sure J.Campbell will get it, there are also upcoming world cup matches next month.
Its players like Wellington et al who his playing for a second division side and still cant get into the first team that won’t be able to secure permit.
Emile Heskey’s girlfriend also surprised him yesterday…..no one was hurt!
Just woke up Lee 😉
So many stories going around about Oscar, the new one is that she was behind a door and he shot 4 times.
No always guilty at first sight, we had a drunk rugby player that beat a cop to death with his bare hands. The cops said they were driving him home in his car because he drank too much, truth was they were highjacking him and driving him to a dangerous squatter camp in Pretoria.
I hope it is Roscky that gets to play but I suspect it’ll be Ramsey.
Afternoon all – I agree with you Rico, every time he releases these silly statements on what we can and can’t do before a game, it ends in disaster – how many times has this man used the line “our season starts now” as an example and his classic “we’ve learned our lessons and are ready now”
Good afternoon to the Lady of the House and my fellow Gooners in residence.
Rico – What was the original source for Campell’s comments. The Spanish press are just as good as the English press at putting their own spin on interviews to stir up controvesy. I wouldn’t read to much into what he has said, even if he has been quoted correctly and in full. He doesn’t seem to know what his immediate future holds and is sitting on the fence.
Doesn’t sound good for him Brad…
Ah yes, good old Aaron….
Oz, BB are next, leave Bayern until Saturday night I say …. Agree on his daft comments, especially about the season beginning now, I was sure it started back in August…
Afternoon Cg, it was from an i/v with El Desmarque in Spain
So the boss says Bale is no where near the league of Messi or Ronaldo yet. I agree but he’s pretty close to the Ronaldo I remember in the early days of his Man U career.
Although it pains me to say this Brad, he is rather good isn’t he.
Agree Brad, like Jack they are top draw material and will win plenty in their careers at the right clubs
This is interesting ….
Re: the useless bag of shit who made Djourou look even worse
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21472201
Hi everyone.
Joel Campbell should get a work permit this year.
Interesting read:
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2013/02/15/3751371/how-arsenal-transformed-to-cope-with-the-loss-of-van-persie
good morning all!
Arseblog also has some interesting comments from David Dein on Arsene Wenget.
Syg, there is not a lot to like about B’ham….
Let’s hope so but hope his permit doesn’t stop Wenger signing a quality striker….
You have the link Will?
Hi JM…
Off for an hour or two, back later….
WALCOTT GETS £500K
http://www.anglianwater.co.uk/news/general/31C86FFB3AD64B9C89EE01E1ACC9078B.aspx
Always knew he was a bit wet!
Sorry Rico, here it is.
http://news.arseblog.com/2013/02/dein-defends-wenger-transfer-policy/
Hello all, it’s getting chilly out there…..
😆 Syg…
Thanks Will
Evening all. Nice win in the men’s T20 today.
I really like David Villa, but I think that that ‘ship sailed’ this January.
£17million for a 32 year old, just doesn’t make sense, especially considering the wages that he’d expect.
Fcuk Barcalona, we should get him on a free, when you consider what those tossers still owe us.
I despise that club with a passion…
Yes Adam, that was a very impressive T20 performance.
New Zealand are quite good at that form of cricket, which makes it all the more impressive.
I bet that Stan was glued to the TV, him being an avid cricket fan.
Offski.
Evening Adam and Ak..
Shame the cricket was so early, even Lee would have missed it ….
Still we have the opportunity to see the magnificent equine features of French International Seb Squillaci tomorrow as he runs out for us. Fifty grand a week seems totally inadequate.
I bloomin hope we don’t Adam….!
I’m watching Wolfsburg-Bayern…
I am not even going to ask JM…. The less we know how good they are, the better 😉
Evening all,
Another good one Ricolicious,
I think your being a bit harsh on Joel Campbel Rico, yes your right we did go out and buy him but since then he has been palmed out to whoever will have him.Since Van the man has gone we have struggled with forwards but i haven’t seen anybody busting a gut to get a work permit for the lad, its been a while now. He shows respect to the team that has had him and played him while Arsenal seem to be waiting for the chance to sell him on, In my opinion we seem to be doing that a lot, Park Campbel Vela Miaki when will we ever give anybody a chance. makes me laugh when you think of how much we have persevered with players like Bentner and Chamakh, and then we have a go at a promising lad who has been left out in the cold for what i consider to be too long. Our strikers have started scoreing again so Campbel will wait even longer now and Ryo will he ever play for us. About time we brought the boys home and sold the deadwood.
Hi Sp, thanks. Just going on what is reported 😉
I still wonder why he couldn’t be bothered to turn up for the first planned medical….
Campbell wants to stay in spain because is much warmer and a mor tecknical League.
At the moment JM he hasn’t got much choice.
🙂 JM, can you blame him…
Sp, you are right, what else can he do…
Everybody seems to be calling for us to buy a hitman up front, why when we have them already the trouble is they are farmed out. At least get them here so we can try them out, even the youngsters seem to be making a name for themselves in the reserves when will we ever give them a try. I must admit i often pine for an experienced signing but Joel Campbel might be just what were looking for. So might Frimpong if we ever see him again
But he is just 18 yrs old Sp…
And – he has never played in the PL – maybe that is why AW has been looking at Villa…
Oh well, it’s getting late, so off for another day…
Night all…..
Villa 32 what the hell good is he forget him he won’t come here for a one year deal and if he aint good enough for them he surly not good enough for us. Joel may be young but so was Rooney and look how long they will get out of him.
Nte Rico, Night All
Morning all,
New post up now…