I was talking to an old pal of mine the other day, hadn’t seen him for in ages. We used to play golf together and he was a right card in those day’s, once he started you would be in stitches for ages but although I’d known him for years, we never really got on the subject of football.
I bumped into him again recently and it wasn’t long before he asked me what i’m doing these days…
We chatted, I told him all about my current exploits and I included that I’d taken up blogging!
He looked me in the eye and asked if that is the thing they do on them computer things…
He’s a tad older than me and after a snigger I told him that computers have been around a while by now – he told me he’d never used one, let alone owned one!
That was that conversation killed 😉
He asked me about the blogging and what was the point of it?
So I explained how it allowed people from all over the world to communicate with one another about subjects that they are all interested in and when he said he could do that with his neighbour over the fence, again I chuckled but he did go on to say he and his friend next door often chatted football stuff and went on to tell a story about his neighbours son….
He was a keen football follower who had recently lost a bit of interest in the game and was talking about taking up another hobby. Shocked by that I asked him why..
He’d become worried that the top teams had put a load of foreigners in charge of their clubs, people that know very little about English football. These people were mega rich and probably only have got involved to launder dodgy money!!
He went on to say that his neighbours son supported a club that couldn’t afford to spend thousands on players and all of his football mates had started to think they were wasting their time. The club he supported never bought superstars, so he thought his club was going down the pan.
He also said that he wanted a change in management from top to bottom and what’s the point of supporting when you know they can’t win.
At this point and with bells ringing I asked him which team he supported.
Now you know what I am going to say don’t you?
Oh, he also said that his neighbours son had given up on this coming season, he was not going to bother with them until next year, maybe after a year out he’d feel better and maybe go back to watching them again.
Well I thought about that for a while and it sounded a bit like us. We’ve not won anything for a while and supporters are starting with the I hate Wenger bit , also a few are whinging about our players, our directors how they are cheating us with their inflated prices. How they cheat us out of top quality players, how a half time snack can cost an arm and a leg and how some are even loaning out their season tickets to their mates so they can get some money back.
They in the meantime can have some time out and they’ll probably return after we have won something!
They are the worst ones because as soon as we have won something, they will be shouting from the rooftops, ‘I have been a season ticket holder for years and love em’
What a load of crap that is.
You are an Arsenal supporter when you support through the hard times, the bad times, the embarrassing times and the winning times. You don’t turn it on and off like a switch, that’s not support! If you can’t be bothered to go, then give your ticket up and let a real supporter have it.
No matter what is going on right now, we are still Arsenal and just because we don’t win each and every season, it doesn’t mean we stop supporting does it? We may whinge and moan a bit but we all love our club don’t we?
For those that can take the heartbreak of not winning year after year and still support with a passion, you have my admiration because you, yes you, are a true supporter….
Oh, and by the way, that neighbours son was a Tottingham fan, fickle eh?? Ha ha.
Written by Steve Palmer
Benfica later and here is the nineteen man squad in Portugal:
Arsenal squad: (in alphabetical order)
Arshavin
Chamakh
Djourou
Fabianski
Frimpong
Jenkinson
Miyaichi
Traore
Miquel
Ramsey
Rosicky
Sagna
Song
Szczesny
Van Persie
Vermaelen
Gervinho
Squillaci
Lansbury
Who doesn’t know their alphabet then? 😉
Enjoy the match guys……
Morning Rico…..nashit on his way out..YIPEEEE!
i sat up ,til midnight Rico but the 3 new players did not arrive. Perhaps we are playing our cards close to our chest so Man City or Chelsea won’t steal them from us with massive bids. Oh, the irony of it all.
Is Gibbs injured at all? Arsene didnt mention his absence in his interview last night and apparently Gibbs has travelled with the squad.
Morning Gooners.
On the Money Stevie P, as usual…
Morning all
stan, is that for real?? 🙂
Wenger :
‘I understand the impatience over signings’
By Richard Clarke in Lisbon
Arsène Wenger understands the fans’ frustrations over Arsenal’s dealings in the transfer market this summer and hopes to provide some “good news” soon.
Since the window opened in June, the manager has brought in Gervinho and youngster Carl Jenkinson. Both are quality additions to a quality squad but even Wenger has admitted he wants to strengthen further.
With the new season just over a week away the clamour is only increasing but, in an exclusive interview with Arsenal Player ahead of the Eusebio Cup at Benfica, the Frenchman revealed he was making every effort.
“Ideally I would have finished all [our business] but it doesn’t work like that,” he said. “We work very hard, we are non-stop working throughout the summer. I am positive because we have good quality and a style of play that is known by the players. So we want to add not quality but super quality.”
When asked for the reasons for the delay, the manager outlined some of the issues with which he has had to contend.
“You have to identify the players, agree with clubs to get them out, agree the fee,” he said. “That means they have to agree with you and they have to find another player before they release their players. In England, it is a lot more difficult to move during the summer because some people are not there. It’s all kinds of things you meet during the transfer market. But I can understand the impatience of people.”
And will that patience be rewarded soon? Are Arsenal close to a new signing?
“No, not at the moment,” Wenger replied. “We hope to give you some good news soon. Next week, something might happen.”
Yep am ecstatic hope the little creep leaves and we get my MATA.
Nasri is going, but not until 11.59 on the 31st August for some reason.
Morning adam, i didn’t as i knew it wasn’t true… 😉
Morning Kev – that fickle fan had to be a Spud eh 😉
Rico. I wish you’d told me then.i believed every word of it.
yeah adam but at least he’s leaving…..HAPPY DAY.
Stan. We will have one minute in which to sign Mata and would have come close.
Hi Tom, welcome – Traore will play LB i ssupect, havn’t hear anything about Gibbs…
adam, i thought you knew 😉
Apparently he had a bust up with wenger on the plane…..and lequipe is reporting he has agreed personal terms with city. Hope this deal goes through I don’t ever wanna see nasri in an arsenal shirt ever again. He’s a disgrace. Morn kev…why were you up?
Good to hear you happy again Stan… 🙂
When was that Stan?
no Adam am sorry but the moment one of the contract rebel leaves we ll get my MATA….and my gut feeling is “cesc staying…nashit leaving”.
I have just seen Arsene’s press conference from yesterday and read some of it above. In it he outlines the various stumbling blocks towards actually making a signing. Surely the players should have been identified before the end of last season. The Nasri thing should have been sorted weeks ago and the Cesc thing too. Letting these two open sores fester throughout the transfer window has been really dumb. Sure, we would have been initially and possibly psychologically weakened by them leaving but we would have had time to rebuild the team and show some sort of intent and direction. Wenger must have known that Nasri wouldn’t sign months ago because we all did. In that case why expend any more energy on the little chubby chap. Use it for the benefit of the club and not in some ridiculous and personal bout of brinkmanship with a man who thinks he is better than he has shown and who worships money? The Cesc thing is different an in many ways unique because their is only one club where he wants to go. Barca know this and have used it to their own ends. You cannot let people like that dictate the schedule of Arsenal football club. It has been handled terribly. The season kicks off next week and where are exactly? To me, we are in a worse place than how we finished last season. I just hope a couple of rabbits appear from hats very soon.
You said so kev….said u were up all night. So I was wondering what u were doing staying up all night….am curious. Make my day.
Stan. I hope you are right.
Fickle Fans …?
One of the Arsenal blogs had a couple of responses re: Joey Barton and a possible move to Arsenal.
“If he signs for Arsenal, I’ve done with them” or words to that effect…
These are not just fickle fans – they’re not even fans …
Once you follow a football club, it’s cast in stone. No matter how shite they play, you still follow them. No matter who plays for them, you still follow them.
The majority of my family are Sheffield Wednesday fans … and they still go week in, week out and watch for any bit of news coming in about their club, only to be disappointed more than not
I bet they wish they’d got our problems.
Wonder where they get that from stan, he wasn’t on the plane 😉
not unless the bust up happened before take off and he stropped off, but he’s not in the squad as above….
Am always right adam always…just ask kev rico and DK…hey the decision for miyaichi’s work permit “stuff” is not until August 15th! False alarm guys. The hearing is next week I hear.
Nothing exciting Stan, i just had a kip in the armchair and wasn’t tired later on, so i had a look at some of the other blogs, Untold Arenal have some really good articles, especially on the history of the club.
Then i found out on YoungGuns that Ryo’s work permit should be decided around August 15th…
So much for twitter eh?
Rico, I believe we are talking about a different plane journey where Le Petit Prince got the hump.
Stan. I bow to thy superior knowledge.
SYG, sounds like you come from a family of ‘real’ football fans…
Respect to your family…
Mind you my cousin’s son is a Blade…. 😉
No Rico the bust up happened en route Malaysia…so I heard. Did u read anything contrary. Lord let it be true. NASRI OUT.
Ah, thanks adam …
Cesc to Barcelona?
Everyone has said it. Barcelona want their man on the cheap and they’ve done everything to unsettle him.
Arsenal need to offer him to Real Madrid in a part-chop deal with Karim Benzema.
See how both Barcelona and the player react then.
Or better still offer him to Inter Milan as a part-chop deal with Wesley Snjeider
You and me both kev….twitter is full of SHIT.
Good Morning from Canada
I must congratulate you on your blog. I find it well written, entertaining and a must read every morning.
The performance of the management team of our Gunners this summer and frankly over the previous year or so has been very disappointing to say the least. The dithering on player selection, game tactics and the lack of action to address team inadequacies has been very surprising. Even more disappointing has been the dishonesty displayed by the BOSS in dealing publically with the people who pay the freight for the team, its supporters.
At the end of the day every organization in pro sports depends upon its paying customers to remain in business. Once it loses sight of this prime directive it is only a matter of when, not if, the team becomes a failure. Watch out Ivan and Arsene. The day of reckoning is not far off.
Allezkev…
Top Man.
I have mates who are Blades…. One thing they’ve got in common with Wenger is that they all rate Jagielka (Jags)… very, very highly.
Welcome SYG, good to see you here….
Morning Keith, welcome to HH and thank you… I think you maybe our first Canadian 🙂
SY Gunner. We could offer him to who we liked but it appears that he has Barca DNA, a sickening phrase I know. I reckon we could get Man City to pay about £70 million for him as Mancini mentioned him last season as his greatest wish. This is what makes his position almost unique. We could of course keep him but I would think he will mope around the place with the sad look of a 24 year old on a mere £120,000 a week and stink the place out. Still, his country are on the edge of bankruptcy and have an unemployment rate of over 20%. Most people his age who live there may never get a job. So, feel for his plight as I do, perhaps he has a relatively bright future compared to some. Still feel so sorry for him though.
Just doing my ironing, will be here shortly 🙂
Morning all.good read steve.im sort of in the same boat as your mate.am losing interest in football as the days go by.i haven’t watched a single game or a footy related youtube clip since the CL final.i missed dortmund’s game last night despite them being my 2nd favourite team.i know my passion for the sport will never die nor will i ever stop supporting the club but at the moment i have no enthusiasm for either.est in football as the days go by.i haven’t watched a single game or a footy related youtube clip since the CL final.i missed dortmund’s game last night despite them being my 2nd favourite team.i know my passion for the sport will never die nor will i ever stop supporting the club but at the moment i have no enthusiasm for either.
thanks rico.
The wife’s noticed the frustration – I’ve had NewsNow on the PC 24/7 over the past three weeks for updates ….
I keep nipping into the study every half hour to see if Cahill, Jagielka and Mata have signed… and hopefully Barton…..
A perfect world would see them arrive and all the deadwood gone…
Keith, Highbury House always get their man…. 😉
Want some more ironing Rico, i have a pile to do.. 😀
Morning Rico
Traore almost fits the perfect Wenger left back model – lightning quick, strong, good stamina, decent crosser, the one thing he lacks is postitional sense, although the same can be said for Gibbs.
It will be interesting to see makes the left back slot their own as the season moves forwards although I’d imagine it will be Gibbs.
Its a shame its taking us so long to sort the incoming and outgoing transfers – Wenger is spot on in trying to ship out Denilson, Eboue, Bendnter and Almunia but these moves, bar Denilson, are still dragging on. Squilachi is another who isnt up to the level required but it seems he’ll be with us, probably as 4th or 5th (if we sign a new CB) choice for the next as season.
We need to sell Cesc and Nasri before Sept 1st and bring in Mata or Hazard, I’d also love us to make a serious move for Lukaku as Chamakh is really struggling for form but it seems Chelsea are close to dealing his signature.
In terms of the defence I am not overly keen on Jagielka as the occasions I’ve seen him play for England he doesnt seem like someone who thrives on the big stage and also he isnt the dominant type CB we have been crying out for for years.
I’d much rather have Samba or Cahill although the £17m fee Bolton want for cahill (with 1 year left on his contract) is WAY too much and Samba also has his cons (lack of pace/technique)
Really looking forward to seeing the likes of Frimpong, Afobe, Lansbury and hopefully Miyachi getting some game time this season. Miyachi is a rough diamond but potentially is different to any player Wenger has ever had in his time at the club. He is lightining quick, two footed and is ultra direct and tuns his man at every opportunity.
The news this morning that Joel Campbell may finally sign is great news, he may not be with us this season but I’d imagine the fact he’s already a regular for his country means he’ll be eligible to be part of the squad next season at least. I know he is only 18 but the bits I have seen of him online and in the games at the U-20 World Cup I have a feeling he may become the real deal eventually
Cant wait for the game tonight and for the season to start next week.
It’ll be back KT, you never lose it, i had a couple of seasons off around 94-95, 95-96… but it comes back mate…
Sell him to the highest bidder I saw…..that will teach him a thing or two about loyalty…….nevertheless I can still understand and forgive cesc but nasri I can’t stand…..two months of great football and he thinks he the second coming of maradona. Cesc has paid his dues if he leaves I ll bear no grudge. He has my blessing and will always be welcomed to the emirates but a frosty reception awaits that little punk. God I hate him!
Goonerstan,
I am struggling to understand all this hate to Nasri? What has he done wrong at the moment?
Question how the club are going to move forward, a typical question during contract negotiations.
All he has said over the last few months is don’t believe everything that has been wrote about him, the fans will no first if anything is to happen.
Yet you continually slag him off…? I don’t understand.
Where was all this abuse for clichy (who did leave incidently) ?
Because he is not big news there wasn’t that much wrote about him, Nasri, being an attacking player and one of our best sells papers/gets hits on blogs.
You slagged him six times or so and it’s only just gone 11am, I think you need something esle to take your mind off it.
adam
Re: Fabregas
Regardless of his alleged DNA, sell him to the highest bidder, or who represents the best value for Arsenal.
The guys who run the club are supposedly businessmen.
In business you do what’s best for your business – not the for the employee who is not performing and/or who wants out.
Go public. Best offer to Arsenal can have him.
As for Nasri – Get shut. He wants the money.
SYG. Unfortunately Cesc also gets a say and he say Barca.
Kev, no thanks… 😉
Fortunately he’s under contract, adam – a big one at that.
Everyone has said it. Barcelona don’t want him “that much”, and I’m sure he knows it.
How sad is it that he has to take an alleged pay-cut, or self finance the transfer?
He either stays or he goes – but in a deal that represents the best value for Arsenal.
Personally I’d sound Real Madrid out
Sorry man…..but clichy did pay his dues. Did you watch the EMs cup. The little shrimp looked uninterested. Look he said we shouldn’t believe the press…fair point. So why is it taking so long for him to sign the Goddamn contract. I wanna see players like henri lansbury play for the arsenal not mercenaries like Nashit!
God wot a waste!, apologies to Ian dury
“Apparently he had a bust up with wenger on the plane…”
Maybe he tried to take Wenger’s seat! LOL!
Agree with Stan – I really want Mata in and Nasri and Fagregas can go to Hell. We need a squad of players who are keen to play for Arsenal, not pining to be somewhere else. In any case, I think Nasri is the main culprit when it comes to slowing the game down. We all agree, including Wenger, that we play better at a higher tempo.
I cannot understand why we didn’t buy Mata anyway and be proactive. We could have just shipped Nasri out there and then and recouped the fee. Mata is good enough to be the fulcrum of the team, just in the way that Wenger singled out Fabregas for that role. Just get the job done, Arsene!
I was glad to see Glichy go. He wasn’t that good, and he made numerous mistakes.
Hopefully Gibbs (Who is now considered to be an England International) will step up and make his claim to be Arsenal’s next Ashley Cole, who regardless of what he did or didn’t do, is/was probably one of the best left backs in world football.
For periods last season Nasri carried Arsenal and he looked as if he could only get better, and for that reason, it smarts for fans when they see him “wanting to leave”.
Nasri is very much replaceable.
Thank you AJ…nasri is way overrated. He slows down our counter attack and holds on the ball way too long. Two seasons ago we were leading the brums a lone goal with seconds left to the end of the game nasri conspired with ashavin to take our victory away from us. It was frustrating to watch a player clean on goal only for him to pass sideway! Nasri out!
Thank you AJ…nasri is way overrated. He slows down our counter attack and holds on the ball way too long. Two seasons ago we were leading the brums a lone goal with seconds left to the end of the game nasri conspired with ashavin to take our victory away from us. It was frustrating to watch a player clean on goal only for him to pass sideways! Nasri out!
Sorry for the double post people….
I wouldn’t believe a word wenger says.we all know super quality to him means signing the likes of silvestre and bischoff.and also don’t wait up on signings next week.its an international week.the big news will be Arsene adding £70mil to the blackhole he refers to as ‘self sustainability model’ while lining up ‘internal replacements’ in ryo (if he gets a permit) and ramsey to replace nasri and cesc.he’ll then have a readymade excuse for our failures next season in that:the team is young…average age of 21…planning for the future…bla bla bla!
That will mean the end is near for wenger….hope not though. We need at least three classy players….thought we had first dibs on harzard…..what happened?
I’m back…. 😛
Yeah where have you been mama bear?
I see wenger pulled the ‘sleepless nights’ cliche again…does he think we’re that stupid?
Hi Tom,
sorry for the delay, it’s hard to tell which of Traore and Gibbs will be the stronger this season, whoever starts against Newcastle will need to show they have what it takes….
Re Campbell, i wouldn’t be surprised if he was given a work permit straight away as he’s already playing for his country, not 100% sure what the criteria is though…
Mind you, until .com tell us he’s signed, he may still gazzump us for a better wage elsewhere 😉
Guess we are KT….we ve been falling for that same crap every summer.
Chores stan 🙁
Hi Kt,
I think he thinks we are, it’s all poppycock, we know there are at least three centre halves for sale a the right price, one should be in by now and training with his new team mates…
How can the defence be worked on and set peices sorted out if the new man isn’t there to be involved. I bet we don’t get one now, Miquel will step up…..
Bravo Steve. I have been saying that in my ham fisted way for ages and as I said, if all you want are trophies, go support a team who are willing to buy them and then you can celebrate to your hearts content.
I support Arsenal through thick and thin.
When is the game rico?
7:45 UK time stan…
I am not Rico bt the game kicks off at 7.45pm our time.
Will, just because we don’t all agree with the way Wenger works it doesn’t mean people don’t support AFC, said it before, we cannot tell or suggest fans go and support other clubs just because they have their own view….
Sharkface £€$¥ snoodista ponce slows us down stan.he is a good player still but very replaceable unlike cesc..
We probably know arsene’s first team tonight. The team that might be starting against newcastle that is.
I am fed up with the doom-mongers Rico whose sole purpose for suporting Arsenal is glory. They maybe started once we started winning and had that great team and now they hate and talk absolute crap because we don’t have that team or are winning any more.
Arsenal is not about that, I will sum it up this way.
One life, one team.
Sharkface snodista??? Hahahaha that’s a good one KT….man you are killing me.
Its disappointed love will…;)
http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2011/8/5/2346313/stan-kroenke-says-its-time-to-open-the-wallet
KT, I want to win as much as the next fan but I understand football and know we can’t win all teh time and simply spending obscene amounts of cash will not mean we will.
We have a great squad and need just a couple of top class, experienced players to dominate for a very log time.
Will,
And I am fed up with fans telling other fans to go support another team, it’s not on, not on here anyway!
Everyone is entitled to an opinion….
May I ask you a question WILL? Is it a bad thing that fans like me want the arse to win stuff? I mean its been six years for pete’s sake. fine I totally understand why you are mad at the doomers I can’t stand them over at legrove but sometimes those mugs make sense.
I have not told anyone to go support another team, I have said if all you want is trophies and parades, I suggest Arsenal is not the team for you.
Will we are the seventh richest sport franchise and the third richest football club….we “fans” have a right to demand trophies and stuff. You guys in the UK wail about how the club is ripping you off with the season ticket and stuff.
you don’t know the ins and outs of the Nasri situation yet your calling him a mercenary. Why not be patient and wait till we get answers before making assumptions thats all.
I agree I want every arsenal player to bleed the colours(as much as possible anyway). Hopefully in a year or 2 we will have a real core of players who love the club as much as us supporters.
Ps. not at you stan, but I read a very good pice by a liverpool blog (not sure the name) about the top left backs in the league, offensively baines won hands down and defensively Clichy was the top ahead of evra and cole.
Clichy’s supposed downfall started when we changed to 433 and AA was playing out of position as a left forward with no ability to track back, unlike walcott on the right who tracked back to support the best right back in the league.
stan, the so called doomers are angry…..
Lew,
that amazes me re clichy, it was his dilly dallying on the ball that used to frustrate the heck out of me – so many times row z was the simple ball……
Stan, how much are our wages?
Problem is will we have known for quite a while that all we need is 3 players but arsene doesn’t do it.thats why am calling our current state disappointed love 😉
Hey rico am angry does that make me a DOOMER….
I see my post was deleted.
Top four and a few finals for 6 years, we are really having a bad time of it aren’t we?
Perspective people.
No stan 😉
Will let it go….we as fans deserves the best…..and as paying customers we have the right to demand value for our money.
How much are our wages and upkeep?
Hey will, we lost all those finals….let it go. We are all entitled to our opinions. Imagine what it ll be like if we all agreed! Why do we need a blog if we all agreed.
rico, it surprised me too, i also got frustratedabouth clichys plop delivery.
Apparently enrique at newcastle only got skinned on the outside leading to a cross or shot only 8 times in 38games
If Wenger doesn’t sign a centre half, i’ll be pretty confused as to why he let Bartley go on loan….
Beats me Rico why our “revered” manager will let bartley go and keeps squillacci?
I can take losing stan but not in the fashion we did in the Carling Cup…. or the way we lost some of our games last season and the seasons before….
Hello all U happy people!
Stan my man, do you have a source on the Nasri rumour?
I read at a site that wenger has said (I translate): “He has showed that he does not want to stay here, and he has done it in a very unprofessional way, I do not wish to have a dissatisfied player in my team. He can go.”
In other news, Sneijder has apparently already agreed therms with Man City, he is playing his last game tonight for Inter Milan.
And Joe Cole is on his way to PSG
Will, that is not the first time you have asked the question about how much our wages are and our upkeep – why not answer that one yourself, you tell us the facts and figures??
Lew,
Enrique has now gone to the dippers hasn’t he? We missed a trick there, I like Gibbs but his fitness is a real concern
Thanks DK…and so it begins..but sneijder at manure scares the crap out of me…
exactly stan, how many fans, no matter how loyal to our manager they are, truly believe that Squilli is a better 4th option than Bartley? I’d love to know the answer….
Hi ADK,
where did you read that about nasri and wenger please??
So that is why Wesley didn’t join old red nose, he’s after more money 🙂
Where will Nasri play i wonder if he goes there, maybe he’ll go to OT instead…
Arsène Wenger has explained the absences in his squad for the trip to Benfica this weekend.
Arsenal have taken 19 players to Lisbon for the Eusebio Cup on Saturday night but some key men are missing.
At the pre-match press conference on Friday evening, he explained the situation.
“Walcott is back in training but he is not ready just yet,” he began. “Wilshere is injured on his ankle and it is very difficult to set a concrete deadline on his comeback.
“Nasri has a muscular problem. Cesc is just coming back from injury and he is not ready to play in the game. Diaby is out and Koscielny has a small muscular problem.
“Bendtner and Eboue are not in the squad because they might be going out of the Club.
“Koscielny and Nasri might be back for the start of the season. I don’t think Fabregas will be ready to start the season because he has been out for a long time and has had no games. Walcott might be back and, as for Wilshere, it is very difficult to say.”
The manager was pressed on the question of Fabregas given his appearance at open training during Members Day earlier this week and the continued speculation surrounding his future.
“I do not want to speak about the transfer of Fabregas because I have done that three years now in every press conference so I don’t think there is any more need to add something,” said Wenger. “I love Fabregas and I want him to stay, that is basically it.
“Everybody is free to think what they want. We cannot stop people raising questions.
“He is just coming back from injury and is not ready to play in a game. But he is not injured.”
no problem 🙂
my concern is not that nasri will go.. but will wenger replace him? and i’m talking about a real replacement, not some 11 year old 😛
But Sneijder has apparently signed for City not United stan..
Anyone concerned about the game tonight, as much as I am?
We ve had a few crappy players in my time as a gooner but none beats this squid guy…..he’s so useless. I think shitvestre was a better player and that says a lot about squillacci’s incompetence.
Tonight is not so bad ADK but what worries me big time is the first four games we play for real..
Newcastle
CL
Liverpool
CL
If we don’t have the players fit, signed or with the right attitude, it could be a bloody nightmare…..
Yeah I think he is/has gone there, kenny will throw more money at it like he did at blackburn. I do like enrique but confess I haven’t seen him closs up that much.
Gibbs is comfotable on the ball, more than clichy was but as you say his injury record aint good. He’s hardly been fit for 3 straight weeks when with the first team. Do you think were making do with gibbs and traore ? then if shi* hits the fan then TV could fill in
Wenger says he wants ‘super quality’ ADK so hopefully that means no kids….
Our opening games in the premiership, could be a gread indication on how things are going to be.. If we don’t do well here, the lads are going to have a mental block, for the rest of the season, and our season could be over before it really ends..
When we play without pressure, we are scary.
Am not DK we ll probably win and wenger will tell us his team is good enough to challenge for the title……that’s why am hoping we lose by a wide margin..
yeah I’ve read that rico.. I just have no idea what super quality is, in Wenger terms…
Am a fan of stats but they don’t paint the full picture.clichy’s vital lapses in concentration aren’t showed by stats.winning more tackles doesn’t make you a better defender than one who makes fewer tackles.stats showed maldini made 1 tackle in 2 games but he rarely got beaten.Stam made fewer tackles as he grew older at man.utd and red nose let him go as he thought it but he went on to be a success in italy.those 2 relied on positioning and the stats don’t show that.clichy may look like superman according to stats but he isn’t a great defender.he had poor positioning and thus he had to make so many recovery tackles as a result.his interceptions though were a work of art.
I can understand what you mean stan but you should never hope to lose.
ps. rico is this youre blog?
ADK, good point, if wenger thinks denilson is quality, maybe super quality is something we need to worry about 😉
Rico, my point is, we pay not only the first teams wages but all player and staff wages and ground and training ground upkeep from what we make. The likes of Chelsea and now, Man City lose between £40m and £100m a season just to compete, we can not do that for if we did, we would be out of business and gone.
We are top 4 every season, we are champions league every season, we are in finals and semi-finals nearly every season on basically a shoe-string budget. Yes, we maybe one of the richest clubs in world sports, but we also pay ALL wages from the money we make.
Before anyone says, because of a few teams, wages are now artificially high and because Player A see’s what player B in another team earns and wants the same, if we want the best, we have to pay at that level.
Do you honestly believe players would play for their love of the club? Do you work at your place of business because you love it or because they pay you well compared to others at your level?
I think we do amazingly well seeing what others and not just those in this country pay. Yes, we need a bit more bite but remember, before we can buy anyone, we have to see if they will fit in with the style of play, the players already here and, if we can afford the transfer fee and wages.
Go back to the mid 80’s or the Graham team with Selley and Hillier in the middle and tell me we have it so bad.
stan, no no no, never want us to lose, i can understand why you say that though, maybe then a big wake up alarm bell will start ringing within the club but i’d rather it sarted to ring long before we get in that situation…..
Lew – it is, well, it’s everyones really 😉 been going nearly a year now, why do you ask please??
But you still haven’t said how much this costs us in pounds shilling and pence…
I’m not bothered about City, Chavs or others, I don’t support them, you asked how much our wages are, I’d be interested to know that figure as i don’t know it……
It was rhetorical question to show that we maybe make a lot of cash, bt we pay all wages and upkeeps from that one pot and not from one guys bottomless pockets.
I don’t think we can compare todays game to back in the eighties, life and football moves on with time….
We have a budget, gazidis and the board have said there is money to spend and that wenger would be busy, very busy…..
Do you consider a protracted signing of Gervinho and a very cheap signing of Jenkinson as a very busy transfer window, very early in….?
No but I also have some perspective.
Am sorry mama bear…..guess you are right. Sorry lew,sorry will.
And Sunderland, the Dippers etc etc, they all have the same wages to pay, every club does… But it hasn’t stopped them from signing players…
It’s an excuse Will, it doesn’t wash with me…..
Hey will how much does denilson and diaby earn? Shit players costing us a fortune in weekly wages.
stan – only about the losing, you don’t need to appologise for anything… 🙂
How will you feel if Wengers signings are now done Will and we don’t get the CH or DM you have suggested we need??
Here is where is starts to go very wrong – from the PL site for last season….
Name Club Annual Salary
Arsene Wenger Arsenal £6 million
Alex McLeish Birmingham £2 million
Carlo Ancelotti Chelsea £6 million
David Moyes Everton £3 million
Roberto Mancini Manchester City £3 million
Alex Ferguson Manchester United £3 million
Alan Pardew Newcastle £500k
Avram Grant West Ham £1.3 million
Fabio Capello Engand £6 million
Giovanni Trapattoni Republic Of Ireland £1.5 million
yeah no apology needed 😉
Just wondering rico, have read the blog here and there for the last 6months and always see your name but didn’t know if you write all the posts and that.
Enjoyed today’s post but didn’t who was responsible for it…?I know it says steve palmer but not sure if he has an alias on here…?
I would like wenger to buy players with ‘super qualities’ such as the ability to stop time and maybe a bit of mind control…then the trophies would flow.
@ will, As keown recently said, wenger IS doing a miracle just keeping us in this position for the last few years…a victim of his own success unfortunately.
Again, last seasons figures
Name Club Annual Salary
Cesc Fabregas Arsenal £4.5 million
Theo Walcott Arsenal £3 million
Stiliyan Petrov Aston Villa £3.5 million
Ashley Young Aston Villa £2.5 million
Martin Petrov Bolton £1.75 million
Yossi Benayoun Chelsea £2.25 million
Michael Essien Chelsea £4 million
Frank Lampard Chelsea £7 million
Mikel Arteta Everton £3.75 million
Jack Rodwell Everton £1 million
Joe Cole Liverpool £4 million
Steven Gerard Liverpool £6 million
Gareth Barry Manchester City £6.5 million
Adam Johnson Manchester City £1.25 million
Michael Johnson Manchester City £2.75 million
James Milner Manchester City £4 million
Yaya Toure Manchester City £10 million
Michael Carrick Manchester United £3.5 million
Kieran Richardson Sunderland £2.25 million
Gareth Bale Tottenham £1.5 million
Luka Modric Tottenham £3.5 million
Scott Parker West Ham £3.6 million
Kieran Dyer West Ham £4 million
Lew
Steve Palmer is a reg on here, he and a few others write too – saves bloggers from reading my moans and groans each day 🙂
Should you be interested to write a post, please feel free..
Reading for six months, you should have popped on sooner 😉
Name Club Annual Salary
Nicklas Bendtner Arsenal £2.5 million
Robin van Persie Arsenal £4.5 million
Darren Bent Aston Villa £3.5 million
Marlon Harewood Blackpool £500k
Nicolas Anelka Chelsea £3 million
Didier Drogba Chelsea £3.5 million
Ryan Babel Liverpool £2 million
Fernando Torres Liverpool £4 million
Mario Balotelli Manchester City £4 million
Craig Bellamy Manchester City £4 million
Edin Dzeko Manchester City £7.5 million
David Silva Manchester City £8 million
Michael Owen Manchester United £2.5 million
Wayne Rooney Manchester United £10 million
Kenwyne Jones Stoke City £1.5 million
Tuncay Sanli Stoke City £3 million
Darren Bent Sunderland £2.25 million
Peter Crouch Tottenham £2.5 million
Jermain Defoe Tottenham £3 million
Benni McCarthy West Ham £2 million
Bendtner – 2.5 Million a year, what a waste of money that is….
Rico are you for real…..wenger earns more than fergunose? WoW!
According to the PL figures, yes he does stan – i am amazed at that, look what Fergie has achieved…..
good post,
hi all,
wenger says he will sign super quality….
really hoping he will be a good one and not a flash in a pan
Clichy is lucky his pace bailed him out so many times.he wasn’t that lucky when he faced wingers that match him in terms of pace like nani who continously makes a mockery of him. lucky when he faced wingers that match him in terms of pace like nani who continously makes a mockery of him.
So we should be expecting a “super signing” anytime next week….hmmmmm ribery anyone?
Hi af, agree with that…
He’s passed it stan 😉 But that story has been around since the end of May, you may be right…..
gooner stan who do you prefer,
ribery or nasri…..
ribery as nasri replacement…i would still prefer nasri….
Kt, even that didn’t help him enough, his ‘on the ball’ decisions were sometimes shocking…
af – Mata 😉
Off to do a few chores, back in an hour….
Hey Af….are u kidding me? Nasri? No way. Don’t want him…don’t want ribery either! But my MATA will be “it” for me…its MATA or nobody else for goonster….hey I just came up with a cool name…am changing it.
Afternoon all.
I am looking for a nice little win tonight, 3.1 will do me fine, but i reckon we might get 2 in the first half, but we will have multiple changes in the second half and they will probably score after 10 minutes but we will regroup and score our third and everything will be hunky dorry. Oh and about the transfers we won’t buy anybody till we sell some one so get rid of Cesc and Nas as quick as we can for as much as we can, they don’t want to be here so fcuk them off and get 2 defenders who will make us champions, enough said.
He said we should expect a super signing yet he didn’t specify…is it gonna be a defender thaFt’s exactly what we need now..maybe its per mertesaeker. Just hope its a defender.
We ve signed joel campbell…..oh so that’s wenger’s gig. Campbell is the super quality signing? Sweet…
Where is everybody? We have a game tonight people…..its way too quiet around here……oh well.
Afternoon Steve, nice post 🙂
Spot on, sell them and buy defenders, that’s just what we need, two big muvver f*****s 😉
i’m still calling you stan, stan 😉
Good rico’s back…..how credible is the news that man city has signed sneijder?
No way…call me “THE GOONSTER” pretty cool huh?
Stan, did you change your name by deed-poll…?
Gym….. How did you guess Rico, you been reading the tea leaves?? 😀
Stan.. I mean, goonster ;), according to BBC, City have not bid for Sneijder..
i prefer Stan … er Stan…
Stan Bowles
Stan Morteson
Stan Matthews
Stan Laurel
stan is good, er Stan…. 😆
You what Rico, i’m gonna change my name to allezstan…. :d
Thanks DK been having a running debate with a couple of friends here…hey kev…like my new name…..”THE GOONSTER”
Guys I don’t wanna be “stan” anymore…..enter the “THE GOONSTER”
I’m thinking about changing my name also!
“EasternEuropeanguywholivesinDKandsupportsthearsenal ”
😉
I suppose i’ll get used to it Stan, but i’ve only just got used to calling you Stan 😀
As long as you don’t change it to Wenger the Liar or something like that Stan, er Goonster… 😆
ADK…… 😆
Great idea…
Now that’s a mouthful DK…..no way am still gonna call DK.
Ok stan 😉
Hi AK, so you have been pumping the iron then, you need to be careful at your age 😉
Maybe good new s next week, Wenger states. More chance of growing another nose, Nothing nearing , and he’s been working hard all closed season, what makes him think that we may get good news next week, there must have been another bid from City thats the only way we’ll ever get our defender
ha ha 😀 i think it’s kinda catchy 😛
hey stan, if you’re the goonster now, can I be goonerstan? 😉
Now how bored are we all 😉 😉
No way kev and no way ADK ….
I’m keeping mine 😛
Hmmm good idea kev….wenger the liar. Where have I heard that before?
Steve – even you are getting worried now then? i just can’t see anything happening, how long has he had now? How many time do we hear the same old same old ‘i’m busy looking’…..
Miquel will be the new CH and Gibbs/Traore will fight it out for LB…
If Fabregas and Nasri go, they’ll be sold on the last day of the season and then Wenger will say it was too late to replace them….
Steve
“More chance of growing another nose” ROFL 😀
But seriously, I have already made peace with the though that we won’t be buying anyone else…
Hasn’t wenger once said, that too many players at once, would kill the harmony of the team or something like that?
ADK, he’s said so many daft comments, i have forgot half of them….
Reading are losing to Milwall, bloody Milwall of all teams…. 🙁
Nah DK am retiring that name…..hey do you guys think nasri leaving. Might be the catalyst we need to kick start our season…I ll be damned! That was wenger’s plan all along…..hMmmm sneaky. I like it.
And here i was hoping goonster 😉
If wenger sells Nasri and does not buy an experienced quality replacement, mata, ribery etc. then we are suddenly looking worse than Everton…
What do ya mean at my age madam….. 😉
Anyway, from now on i’m allezstan ok… 😀
Hey ADKstan how’s things in Copenhagen? 😀
I still think a deal is done, just waiting for the finances to be sorted.
We have not got the money to do business without a sale of that i am pretty sure.. The word that we are working within our earnings is about right, but that shouldn’t affect our signing, as our whole team of last year cost us 35 mill and we could get that all back with one sale.
No guys we ll definitely be signing a couple of players….a CB and a central mid fielder to replace either of the contract rebels…keep the faith guys……in wenger we trust. If we sign MATA I ll change my name to that!
Oh no….., Stan, Goonster, and now Mata, i can’t keep up Stan, i mean Goonster, i’m getting a migrain…. 😉
Allezstan I have no idea, i don’t live in Copenhagen 😛
Two of my good mates live there, and they’re both spuds, so no place for me there 😉
Steve and THE GOONSTER, i would be glad if i was as optimistic as you… When have we signed a quality player? It’s been ages! Wenger keeps on speaking about quality, but that so called quality is from his own point of view…
😆 kev
Steve, who do think the deal is done for? Jags doesn’t want to leave Everton, you reckon it could be Cahill or Samba?
How big is this Mata Stan goonster whatever your name is,do you reckon he can do the biz for us then.
Very funny kev……I meant I ll change my name to” in wenger we trust” but seriously guys I think something BIG is about to happen……the silence is deafening…..its the quiet before the STORM.
On a serious note, i can’t believe you miserable lot are not excited about Lansbury travelling with the squad – if he has a cracking game, we won’t need a replacement for Nasri 🙂
Mata is 5′ 7″ Steve,
‘A clever player, who possesses great pace, intelligence, and goalscoring ability’
ArsenalDK, Gervinho looks to be a reasonable buy, from what i have seen of him, i must admit i don’t watch a great deal of foreign games, unless they are paired with a Premier team. so if i am honest i know very little about them till i see them play. But Gervinho looks like he could cause a few problems
Mata is class steve…..he’s nasri and fabregas rolled Into one and he ll only get better. The good part is…..he really wanna play for us.I saw him against manure last season in the champions league. He tore evra to shreds when was the last time we said that about an arsenal player.
Goonster…….. I love your enthusiasm mate 😉
Your one of the best bloggers on here.
We still have 25 days to go to do some business.
I’m holding fire on any criticsm until the 1st Sept.
I can understand peoples cynicsm towards AW because of recent history.
But my standpoint remains..wait and see.
I take your word on him then but i can’t see that coming off, we need a big CB ot two of them and a bigDM i cannot see our money going that far.
Lansbury needs to be given a chance and when he gets it he has to grab it Rico.
Yes i’m pleased he’s in the squad.
I’d like to think he would still be in the squad if Theo, Nasri & Cesc were in the party?
What do you think???
Thanks “allezstan”. That meant a lot to me.
That’s ok Matastan, your welcome buddy…. 😉
Am really gonna miss ” theovanasregas”
I don’t think we’ll get Mata either now, we missed the boat when he was available for less money than he is now – unless…. That deal was done at the time and all is on hold for the Fabregas and Nasri deals to go through….
Doubt it though….
steve, Gervinho is a great player no doubt.. But I don’t want to settle for him… scoring goals has never been a problem, leaking goals on the other hand, has …
That’s a very good question Kev, would have thought with Diaby out, Denilson gone and if the reported bust up with Nasri, he may just be in the squad – even ahead of Nasri?.
Maybe that is why his name is last on the list, last minute Wenger dropped Nasri out and brought in Lansbury…
I’m really pissed that Lansbury has so little chance, and when he finally gets one, he’s under a great deal of pressure to deliver.. Whereas Denilson, diaby, bendtner etc. get chance after chance after chance.. even though they suck,,
Rico!! Please don’t jinx it for me…..we will sign mata…..
ADK/ Rico, Henri came from within the club, AW never paid a fee for him and thus doesn’t have to justify any outlay by playing them even if they’re crap…. a classic example was the appalling Silvestre.
Werder soon bombed him out.
How long did we have that tosser in our squad???
Totally agree ADK, just doesn’t make sense…… I know not every youngster will have what it takes, but this one does imho….
goonster, bet 50p we don’t 😉
I have the same reservations that you have there, ADK.
And i must admit AK’s view on waiting till the end and then comment is good advice as well. I just look at Newcastle next week, and we still seem all at sea, i have faith in Wenger but if we don’t get the players in for the first half of the season, i will definitely have the hump.
Got to go guys, evening duties call – hope to be back for the match…
Catch up later…
Hi Rico. Just awoke from a slumber. Have we signed someone then or is everyone still working hard?
Take it easy Rico.
Me to Steve.
I ll take that bet rico…..durham on talkshite is saying we ll get scott dann sometime next week….what do you think guys? Credible?
I don’t like to say it, but Lansbury has not impressed me yet, i have to be honest and saythat he is not really on my radar, but again i am not going to knock the guy, others have had many chances and he should also have he’s chances as well. but the games i have seen him in he hasn’t got my vote yet, maybe tonight he will win my heart.
I would rather have his brother Desperate
Give me Dennis the Menace
Steve he plays with his heart and loves the shirt…..that’s what’s been lacking….we have a lot of technical players but lack players with HEART…..I ll take lansbury over nasri, denilson diaby et al…
I know you love all that rico, and i don’t knock it but Fabregas loved his shirt too and i have lost respect for him, he has made us look second rate and i don’t care who they are i can’t take that.
Sory goonster i answered that before i looked at the name , that had rico all over it
Other than the meaningless Asian tour where Nasri needed to play to please the Asian sponsors and commercial interests, the likes of Fabregas and Nasri are hardly featured in our pre-season training; and that includes contract rebel Lansbury as well.
Forget about all those “smoke and mirror” given off by all those “Nasri-Cesc Transfer Saga” as our pre-season trainings are doing fine without ’em.
Whatever it is, just remember, the “Core” of this team had been playign together last season and most of ’em 2 seasons or more.
You can say that “Vermaelen, Rosicky, Ramsey, Gibbs and Gervinho” are new signings as Vermaelen and Gibbs missed virtually the whole of last season.
Plus, Szczesny, WIlshere and Koscielny are developing nicely.
Pity that Theo and Wilshere may not start on Aug 13..although there is still a chance….
But this TEAM should be able to see off Newcastle as Newcastle are also a team in turmoil.
……………….Szczesney
…Sagna…Koscielny…..Vermaelen…..Gibbs
…………………Song
…Gervinho….Ramsey…..Rosicky……Arshavin
……………….Van Persie
I will see this as Fluid Football with 4-1-4-1, and 4-4-2 with Gervinho-Van Persie in attack, or 4-3-3 with Gervinho-Van Persie-Arshavin….or 4-2-3-1 with Song-Rosicky on defensive duties…..
PACE, MOBILITY and INTERCHANGEABILITY.
But mainly, we always have 2 no. wide players – or players that can play wide – in Gervinho and Arshavin (or Rosicky) to stretch opponents.
I am not worry as we have a TEAM that can score goals; and the return of Vermaelen will toughen our Back-4 and plug our leaky defence…okay..most of ’em anywhere…lol
We should win at St James Park even without Nasri, Cesc, Theo and Wilshere as we do have a squad with depth.
Of course, if it is not snake-oil that Wenger had been selling with his latest statement, and Wenger really signs 1 or 2 players next week…..
Hey, we are Arsenal, a title contender and expected to win at St. James Park…not a mid-table team like our deprived North London neighbour masquerading as a “West Ham United” on steroids.
Goonster i agree on Lansbury, but i can understand Steve’s point of view.
I saw a lot of Lansbury’s goals when he was on loan and the goal against the yids was a classic late run into the box, something we badly lack.
Remember last season when SUnuu refused to sign the contract extension and Wenger refused to send him out on loan?
Guess this is a similar incident with Lansbury that he will not featured in the TEAM as long as he will not sign the contract extension.
My feeling is that Lansbury will be sold before 31-Aug as he felt that he has no future at Emirates with young Wilshere, Ramsey, Song, Frimpong, Gervinho, Walcott and any new buys ahead of him in central midfield and right-midfielder.
Not frogetting that he will compete against Aneke and Galindo – and Toral-Harper, Bellerin, Ozakhup, Freeman, et al – as well..perhaps as early as next season.
I think Lansbury is satrting to think like AYling who left us alst season as Ayling saw his chance of regular 1st team fotball better served elsewhere.
Hi merlin.good post.
Whoa! Did you hear that kev? I write like RICO!!! Off to start my own blog…who’s with me?
You stay exactly where you are Goonster Stan, you stay on here….
I’m confused… when does the game start.. i thought it was 7 minutes ago… nothing on Arsenal Player
(its likely i got the time change wrong)
Interesting points Merlin.
Freeman is a striker currantly playing on the left wing.
Bellerin is, from what i’ve read, more an attacker.
Aneke is very promising, Galindo and Ozyakup from what i’ve seen are more like Rosicky is now. That is they play deeper and pick passes as well as keeping moves ticking over.
Lansbury, and to a degree Aneke, are the only midfielders who attack the box…
Toral Harper is, again from what i’ve read, more in the Song mould.
7.45pm GMT…
Did Emmanuel-Thomas play today?
7.45pm
Yep, JET started, wearing the No.9 shirt.
Substituted on 84 mins.
Not a bad start. Ipswich are the ‘dark horses’ for a top two finish.
thanks. sigh. now if i can just figure out where i am in the world… (kidding) all sorted now
You a bit of a ‘Jet Setter’ Doc…? 😀
You re no fun kev….we could go start up our own blog. We ll call it allezstan blogger’s delight…don’t worry about Rico…she ll be fine. She’s got DK KT agag will steve lee…..come on. What do you say? Are you with me?
I would love to see Wenger on Top Gear driving that reasonably prized car…he will probably finish with the worst time on the show as he will drive with the handbrake on.
And then he’ll argue that the car isn’t really that reasonably priced.
Goonster, i could never leave Rico mate. 😉
She’s my sub-editor… 😀
KT, i do suspect that you’re becoming a bit cynical old mate.. 🙂
He ll eventually sell it for a newer model citing the cost of maintaining it.
There goes my dream of ever owning a BLOG…..oh well at least I ve got highbury house.
Steve Rowley was, apparantly, at Pride Park today,
to watch, apparantly, Scott Dann.
Scott Dann was an unused sub…….
Has a deal been done…???
Hopefully……but is he any good kev?
Not sure mate, me and KT was talking about him awhile ago.
He didn’t stand out in my mind and KT couldn’t recall him either.
But whenever i read or hear pundits discussing Birmingham, he’s always reckoned to be one of their best players…!
Evening all.
Hi Kev…I read that Lansbury is like “Steve Gerrard”.
But something is holding bakc Lansbury, dunno what it is, but stories are that he cna’t even hold a regular starting slot at Norwich, no doubt impressive overall performance but really he did nto seized hsi chance like WIlshere to impress Wenger and somewaht, not developing as expected.
That is, by now, Lansbury should be challenging SOng, Frimpong, Ramsey and WIslehre for a central position or cahllenging Eboue or Walcott or Rosicky for that right flank midfield role.
If he had developed at the rate of WIlshere, Wenger should now drooling over the prospect of a “Steve Gerrard”, box-to-box, with a Flamini Engine, tough-tackler, ball winner and the ability to drift into the box and has a rasping shot as well.
If Lansbury ahd developed as envisaged by Wenger, then Eboue and Nasri will be booted out in no time at all to make space fro Gervinho and Lansbury, plus 1 or 2 new buys.
Lansbury had not arrived yet and should not demand like like David Bentley for a regular place in senior squad. He should just sign the new contract like what Justin Hoyte and Jay SImpson did and continue fightign fro a plac ein the starting line-up till he is 23/24 year old and only then, decide to stay or leave.
If only Lansbury had developed, showing and impressing Wenger his potential as the new “Steve Gerrard”….
I think Dann is ours AK. Maybe thats why he didn’t play.
Dann?
How tall is he?
Has he got pace or a turning radius of an oil-tanker?
Was he the same player that broke his leg in the carling cup final?
Scott Dann must be the super-class player Arsene suggested we could sign.
goonstar, I did not recalled any player got hsi leg broken during CC FInal.
All I can recalled that two or more injured BRUM players played through the pain barrier to stay on the pitch as they had used up all their substitutes.
Was Dann one of ’em?
wrong info then Merlin I thought I read somewhere that a brum player played the whole game despite breaking a leg.
Dann didn’t play in the Carling Cup final.
He missed half of last season thru injury.
Should be at home at AFC..!
No, that was Barry Ferguson, who played the whole game without a brain.
Didn’t Johnson sustain a bad leg injury, but stayed on?
Good one Adam…..hahahaha
Has anyone got any team news for tonights game?
What are people opinion on scott dann? I have some reservations about signing him.
Yeah KT, i think you could be right about Dann.
The ‘right’ player at the right price..?
Dann got injured in january and missed the rest of the season.he has just recovered from injury.he is 188cm.
KT what is 1.88cm in “foot” terms? 6.5? hopefully….if he’s not we don’t need him!
Nothing on AFC .com about the line-up.
What a croc of shit, useless website!
Szczesny, Sagna, Gibbs, Vermaelen, Djourou, Rosicky, Song, Van Persie, Ramsey, Gervinho, Arshavin
thats the starting line up.
I remember watching Dann in a game for coventry before signing for Brum. He was sprinting but it looked as though he was treading water. I hope I am wrong and he actually has a bit of pace.
188cm is 6″2 same height as ronaldo and vidic.
Thats our best team at the moment.
http://atdhenet.tv/38452/watch-benfica-vs-arsenal
Streaming link to Benfica v Arsenal
Why have my replies suddenly started disappearing?
My apologies, I have found them.
ROBIN VAN PERSIEEEEEEE
There are a few heavy tackles going in.
No RvP injuries…please
guys what’s going on? Kev keep me posted….
Not impressed.
RVP scored after a great cut back by Gibbs
Gibbo has had a very encouraging 45.
Djourou looks back to his best from last season.
No Squillaci is the clue!!!
Arshavin has worked hard.
Sagna & Vermaelen have looked solid.
Miss Wishere in the m/f, but Ramsey & Rosicky have worked hard.
Gervinho is all over the place.
A good 45.
Hows that Stan?
Hi All, just back, any score??
Stan/Rico;
Try; http://www.sportz-for-free.org/channel1.html
I am really not impressed. Giving the ball away far to much and being way too intricate when we do have the ball.
were a bit loose with possesion in their half but they are mainly looking for the counter where they look quite bright.
I’m using http://magictv.co/ only one advert in the first 45mins and it was in english (espn)
whoah…beinfica have 17subs apparantly…a little bit keen me thinks. our bench has just kids on it bar Squiller and Chamakthat
Oh dear
3 players standing unmarked onside on our 6 yard box.
Chamkh….. piss poor.
A lot of the players have been Kev.
My internet keeps crashing 🙁
Was that Squil that was walked past for the goal?
Can someone please remind me of the last time we have had a direct free kick n target?
Pathetic and inept.
Well, what did we learn from that?
What did Wenger learn from that??
Once again, 2nd half and we fall to pieces.
Everyone sees our weakness except Wenger.
Interesting season up ahead guys….. 🙁
What’s the score now guys…..
I am now not so confident.
What was the score score??
That was a pathetic display of defending, that tells you everything that is wrong with this team, And we still haven’t addressed this problem, one signing will not be enough, and major coaching that should be sorting it, is not there. there cannot be any excuses as that was painful
Does anyone want to do a write up please?? I didn’t see a minute of that game 🙁
Here you go Rico,
Sloppy casual passing
Not dynamic enough
Piss-poor ball watching defending
Hardly any running off the ball behind the defence.
No real ideas.
I’m trying to see some positives from that game.
Especially the 2nd 45. But it’s a struggle…
Rico, didn’t that link work?
You were lucky rico, we have big problems and i dont know if we can fix them in a week, this must prove to everyone that we have no chance if we dont buy.In my opinion sackings would not go amiss
Internet keeps crashing Kev 🙁 Got a BT van up the road so could be a problem locally… 🙁
Just watched the game with a few lifelong Gooners on ESPN. General concensus is one of utter disbelief at where Wenger has/ is taking us. That was a total embarrassment. I don’t want to single out individuals but the only question that should be concerning Kroenke at the moment is whether Wenger is actually capable of putting together anything resembling a winning team again. One guy tonight actually suggested that the situation we find ourselves in a week before the season starts suggests that Wenger has gone in the head. It is not nice to contemplate and I feel a respect for him based on what he did up to about 5 or 6 years ago, but I think he might be right. Tonight was crap and against an ordinary team that we made look like Brazil. Seriously and abjectly awful. To start saying that it was only a friendly is missing the point completely.
Will,
Not good then, now can you see why so many fans are frustrated? Not having a dig but the writing is on the wall unless changes are made and I don’t think we needed to see the game tonight to see that, it’s been happening for a while..
Defensively we are shocking…..
2. 1 after being 1 up rico
Rico, I am not disagreeing with people. I know we are poor and we need recruits but it is those who expect trophies when we go to battle unarmed that annoy me.
We really need Keown.
Thought that Djourou and Sagna did well in the first half.
Gibbs was ok up to half-time and then had a ‘Clichy’ moment that led to their equaliser. His confidence just evaporated after that. Traore looked better defensively when he came on…
same old same old then steve, glad i didn’t watch it….
of course i fib, i wanted to watch but couldn’t but from what i read here, it wasn;t good….
Well, Wenger has one week to make changes – he needs to sort out Nasri and Fabregas and get on and spend the money but, i bet he doesn’t……
Sad times ahead I fear and all because one man refuses to spend money on two good defenders….
Who do you want sacked steve??
Vermaelen worried me, he got badly out of position for their 2nd goal….
Will
I don’t think people here expect trophies, they just expect our manager to be less tight with the money he does have and get a side who actually want to play and give 100% each game…
If they do that, winning will come……
Jenkinson looked a bit out of his depth, and Squillaci was, well, Squillaci
Adam – I think he lost the plot the day he decided to stand by denilson, diaby, almunia and bendtner……
Midfield was poor tonight, no protection for back-four.
Aaron had a quiet game, we definately missed Jack.
Gotta say Rico, and i’m a fan, but Lansbury struggled.
Frimpong had a battle out there he fought hard and battled well but those behind him stood and watched and when it came to emergency defending they were not to be seen, squilly should never don the shirt again, i would just pay him a years wages and show him the door, Fabianski looked like a cat on a hot tin roof nervouse and twitchy, even vermin was on the wrong side of his man on several occasions, maybe it was one of those nights, but when a trophy is up for grabs we don’t turn up.
Gervinho was good, a bit more composure and he would have got a goal. Once he’s settled in i think we’ll see a good player.
Steve, i thought Frimpong was great, he was up against some canny experienced opponants, that Pablo Aimar has been around the block a few times and he did well.
Didn’t miss Song in my view.
I used to make excuses for Bendtner, stick up for him when he was being slagged off. But eventually my opinion of him changed…
Now i can see the same happening to Chamakh.
I’m running out of patience with him.
What does he bring to the team?
We’re not talking about a kid here but an experienced international…
Rico even your man Henry was a passenger he will get many more chances like Dennilson, but he will probably end up the same way
For me, Gerv and Frim are the two hopes for the upcoming season
hmmm. what have we learned from this game?
Oh. I know! ……….. NOTHING
Still need a CB or 2. Its still too late, especially given our first month of fixtures. Blah, blah, blah.
I must agree Ak, Chammy is not the player we had at the start of last season, but this defence is
Miyaichi looked a bit lightweight, but he’s a work in progress.
I’ve never seen him as a starter, more an impact substitute.
Fabianski made a couple of good saves, but he looked a bag of nerves…
I don’t think we’ll bother with a match report tomorrow then, why depress ourselves even more the next day 😉 😉
Steve – sadly i don’t think Lansbury will get many chances 🙁
We need an organiser in defence and someone who can teach organisation on the coaching staff, We rely to much on last ditch tackles.
Hi Doc, by the sounds of it, all you guys saw was history repeating itself…..
I am dreading Newcastle away…..
Not sure that the answer is just buying defenders…
The problem seems to be coaching and organising the ones that we already have…
Kev, I agree but I also think we need a defender who is not afraid to ruffle feathers and tell our players to buck up their ideas.
Will, i would have thought that Vermaelen can do that…
You would have thought but he doesn’t seem to.
But if you don’t work on your organiation, positioning or whatever defensive coaches work on, then you’re gonna get KeyStone Cops defending…
I agree and think we need to employ Keown.
I don’t think that individually that our defenders are bad players [except Squillaci] i just don’t think anyone on the coaching staff does the right work with them.
kev, we need both, a new centre half who will put his head where most will only put their feet, one that will get in the face of of the man they are marking, to hussle and bussle and never give in – I don’t think we have that kind of player in any of our defenders, even TV….
What we need is a modern day Keown or Adams, preferably both…..
I think i once read that we don’t do defensive training, and that was from wenger (i think)…
About bloomin time they did… and yes, bring back Keown…..
Also i don’t think that the midfield protect our back-four properly.
Remember when Adams had to persuade Petit and Vieira to give them more protection in 1997.
Wtf was Wenger doing?
Couldn’t he see it??
Hasn’t he learnt anything???
Right fine folk, got to be up early so I’m offski – catch you all tomorrow…
Have a good one, night all….
Can’t blame him rico, my prediction earlier could so easily have panned out, to start with we didn’t look to bad , we moved the ball about real nice , we chased the loose ball but not like we did in Asia but then again tonight was a better team, after the first goal went in i thought we were on a roll and another would follow, but of course it didn’t the ref was giving fouls against us which i thought were good tackles and after the second half started and we had a change in personel, it looked like it did in the other games we started to fall apart, and quite quickly it went from bad to worse, as you know i am not a big fan of multiple changes it unsettles players and they feel awkward the stream i was watching was not a good one and so i wasn’t sure who had been replaced but it certainly showed.
Well Rico, i’m always suspicious of those kinds of rumours.
But if it’s correct, then that is simply unproffessional.
Have a lay-in tomorrow boss. You’ve earned it.
Sweet dreams…
Steve, we won’t be getting 6 changes at half-time up at St James’, but it does kinda put into stark reality the actual strength of our squad.
Nte rico , sleep well.and thanks for your help x
Hi Rico. It wasn’t all bad, but yes more of the same.
Buying defenders is certainly not “the answer” but it’s probably the single most important part of the answer, as it has been for awhile now.
AK, i know we all have the hump tonight and were pulling the team apart and we all have our villans, but istill think we have a decent team, i know that sounds stupid after i fuck them all off but i cannot believe it is all the players fault, defenders need to be practicing how they back one another up, ours stand in a straight line across the back and a through ball fucks them all up who taught them that, now that is fucking suicide
Doc, i’m not saying don’t buy a centre-half, because i badly want to see a top signing in that dept, but if the overall organisation is bollocks, then it’s just papering over the cracks.
Agree 100% Steve.
Did you see that long punt in the closing minutes, our defence was all over the place…
We have a coaching staff full of ex-defenders, wtf do they do?
A man standind on the edge of the box and unmarked is called ballwatching, they are not aware that the player is there they are more concerned with keeping the line, who teaches that shit.
And with those comforting words, i’m off to a cup of cocoa and bedibyes… Goodnight Gooners
drink coffee and fuck one anothers wives i should think, i hope rico’s tucked up
Nte ak your a diamond son
If there is anybody left i would just like to thank you all for your comments, goodnight and heh, be careful out there.
We ball watch.
Morning all.
Rico, please post this in your new thread:
“Till we see the back of the clueless ARSENE WENGER – I fully expect this club to carry on getting weaker and weaker by the day. Come in Jose Mourinho we need a real manager.”
Did you all agreed with teh abve statement?
I don’t agreed.
Effectively, Arsene Wenger had cemented Arsenal FC as a Top-4 club.
WHat you are saying that Arsene Wenger had hit the road-block of the “Law of Diminishing Returns” with his Youth Policy for the past 10 years or more.
And that Arsenal FC needs a new manager to change its direction, and to use its solid foundation of Top-4 Status to spring to another level as title-winning team.
You still think Arsene Wenger can’t do it no more?
Read on.
“The important thing now is that we shall come to agree on certain principles and free ourselves from some of the errors which have governed us in the recent past. However distasteful such an admission may be, we must recognise that we had before this war (WW2) again reached a stage where it is more important to clear away the obstacles with which human folly has encumbered our path and to release the creative energy of individuals than to devise further machinery for “guiding” and “directing” them – to create conditions favorable to progress rather than to “plan progress”. The first need is to free ourselves of that worst form of contemporary obscurantism which tries to persuade us that what we have done in the recent past was all either wise or inevitable. We shall not grow wiser before we learn that much that we have done was very foolish.
If we are to build a better world we must have the courage to make a new start – even if that means some reculer pour mieux sauter.”
F.A. Hayek “The Road to Serfdom”
Understand what Arsene Wenger needed to do to rebuild Arsenal FC rather than keep harping over the Past?
Similarly, we are just keep harping and moaning over the Past, as if it is our Future as well.
Past, Present and Future are discrete events; and another “new start” will have no relation to our Past; merely our human tendency to project what happened in the Past into our Future, simply because at this moment of time, the Present is a continual of the Past, status quo now and at this moment of time.
But any “New Start”, any ‘Unpredictability”, any “happenstance” with no link to the Past can immediately alter the Future and our moanings on the Present.
Past is water beneath the Bridge;
Present is for living;
Future is just another day tomorrow.
Like Sir Robert Bruce, losing 6 times to England and then beat ’em at the 7th attempt.
Similarly, Arsenal FC went trophyless for 6 seasons which does not mean that it will go trophyless for the 7th season.
Trend line may say so, but Law of Probability and Lady Luck give us 50:50 chance to win the title.
ManLeeds, CITEH and Chelski may look like the mighty American Armed Forces in Vietnam, Iraq and Afganistan, unbeatable, invincible, with plenty of “superstars”….but that never stopped the “locals” from fighting back against overwhelming odds..merely adapting to local conditions and changing tactics and fight to its strength.
Likewise, Arsenal FC will do and fight to its strength in the new season.
Against the French, Viet Minh never give up against overwhelming odds.
Against the Americans, Vietcong never give up against overwhelming odds.
After Dunkirk, did the British give up?
Likewise, Arsenal FC against overwhelming odds to win the title, should they give up now, before season starts on August 14, 2011?
Let’s move on and give Arsene Wenger the benefit of reasonable doubt till May 2012.
More and more, I see our problem lies in the midfield with Song as DCM.
He hasn’t really developed and upped his game and perhaps another “Eboue”, good for one season, stagnant and downhill thereafter.
I will rather cut my losses and bring Frimpong and Coquelin into the team; as well as buy a new and experienced 24-27 year old DCM now.
Perhaps Jack Rodwell or Felliani come to mind, and as emergency measure, don’t mind “loaning” Scott Parker from WHU for this season.
Our weak link in MDIFIELD is akin to a door and its perimeter surveilliance system.
When a burglar got passed the perimeter surveilliance system, no locked door is strong enough to stop the Burglar.
And that is exactly what happened with our MIDIFELD “Surveilliance System” all at sea, and as seen against Benefica for the 2 goals that at least 3 no. unmarked Benefica players are in the centre of our “doorway” free to take potshots at our goals.
For the 1st goal, I saw only 5 no. Arsenal players in the box, desperately defending against the likes of 5 or 6 Benefica players, with 3 of ’em unmarked in the box.
SImilarly, for the 2nd goal, there was also 3 no. unmarked Benefica players again in the centre before they cut back for that stunning shot at goal.
No doubt, the defence is like an “Open door” with Squillaci as that “open gateway”, but the rot started at MIDFIELD, namely, Song unable to dominate MIDFIELD as dictated in Brazilian attacking 4-4-2 where it is suicidal to lost the ball with 7 no. players high-up on the pitch.
Again, there was no “sweeper” to cut off the danger in front and behind the Defence as demanded by Brazilian attacking 4-4-2.
We will simply not efficient and worse, disunited and not playing as a UNIT. Anyway, I will not read too much in the 2nd half as some of the players had their minds elsewhere and stopped playing for Arsenal, and some of ’em may been instructed by Wenger to take it easy, do not get involved as Benefica tackled hard..that is, saved yourself for August 14 when the season kicks off.
I will prefer that Wenger fields a 4-1-4-1 with Djourou as the “1” Sweeper and Song in the Midfield “4” to add steel and defensive protection in front of the Back-4 and his penache for bringng the ball into the box as an attacking midfielder.
Against Newcastle, I prefer 4-1-4-1 which morphs into 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 as demand by the “live” situation on the pitch. Only a well-drilled and well-coached side that played togetehr for at elast 2 years can play this Fluid Football.
Can this TEAM do it then?
……………………Szczesny
…..Sagna…..Koscielny…..Vermaelen….Traore
…………………..Djourou
…Gervinho…..Fabregas…….Song……Rosicky
………………..Van Persie.
That is, with no new playmaker joining Arsenal, Wenger will certainly keep Fabregas and sell Nasri.
Wenger does not have a choice in Fabregas as Ramsey is not developing as envisaged by him, slow and lacking Fabregas’ Vision and lack that range and skill of a weighted and accurate pass.
My guts feeling is that Ramsey is just another over-rated British player and simply lack that bit of “oomph” that will make him into “Wilshere” class…let alone “Fabregas” class.
Prove me wrong Aaron!
Ramsey or Rosicky?
This season, I prefer Rosicky and it is up to Ramsey to shoe accelerated devleopment to “Wilshere” class before we even talk about him replacing Fabregas.
[Ps: Rico, you may have to re-post in the new thread you will start on Sunday]
C’mon, season starts on August 14.
Let’s render the 1st judgement after the first 6 games had been played.
It will give us an inkling of the direction of this season.
An inkling only, and not the direction sets in stone for the whole season.
Agreed, “Wenger knows best” as this is his handpicked team:
– some nurtured at Hale End Academy;
– some bought as 16 year old and nurtured by him;
– some handpicked and bought by him to strengthen the squad.
He can’t blame George Graham and Bruce Rioch no more, as this 2011/12 TEAM is all pure and unadulterated 100% “Arsene Wenger” team.
For the very first time, the buck stops at Arsene Wenger’s table; not the Board of Directors, not the “Emirates’ FIanncial Burden that crippled his transfer policy”, not SIlent Stan, not Gazidis, not Usnamov, not David Dein, not PHW & Board of Directors, not Arsenal fans…not anyone, but squarely on Arsene Wenger and his selected coaching staff, players and coaching methodology.
Really, the last “Last Chance Saloon” for his handpicked TEAM to play for him and to save his bacon in May 2012.
Remembered Wenger’s statement that “only the players will determine whether he will stay or go” before he signed his contract extension?
Or he will go if he found that he can’t bring this team to the next level and he will leave behind the solid foundation for the next manager to bring Arsenal FC forward???
“Ideally I would have finished all (our business) but it doesn’t work like that. We work very hard, we are non-stop working throughout the summer,” he told Arsenal Player about the club’s approach in the transfer market.
Attributing the delay in new signings to the club’s need for distinguished quality, he added: “I am positive because we have good quality and a style of play that is known by the players. So we want to add not quality but super quality.”
“It’s all kinds of things you meet during the transfer market. But I can understand the impatience of people. We hope to give you some good news soon. Next week, something might happen,” he concluded.
Arsene Wenger
______________________________________________________
The key sentences are: “I am positive because we have good quality and a style of play that is known by the players. So we want to add not quality but super quality.”
The problem with WengerBall is that it is unique and play only at Arsenal FC.
And any new players will take 3 to 6 months adaption period to develop that understanding.
Worse, we are too dependable on Fabregas to meld it all together and for him to drive and control the tempo of the TEAM.
Hence, without Fabregas it is Crab Football.
The difficulty in buying new players are will they be successful in adapting to WengerBall?
Chamakh is just a “half-a-season wonder” and now seem to unable to adapt to his team style of play, and bewildered on the “Pace, Mobility & Interchangebaility” nature of WengerBall. My feeling is that he simply does not have that “football brain” to paly WengerBall.
SImilarly, there is no stability and constancy in the TEAM with its horrendous injury list and the TEAM does not have a regular “Core” of players in the team to last virtually the whole season without any lengthy “injury time-out” in anyone of the past 6 or 7 seasons.
Even in 2007/08 season, you can see the unravelling of the team where Hleb was targetted for a good kicking, went out injured in October and then followed by Fabregas…then Rosicky, Walcott and of course, Van Persie. Not forgetting Kolo returned in Feb 2008 with malaria and his form went downhill all the way and he never recover his best form after Feb 2008.
The point is that it is not the quantity of new players we are going to buy, but really will the “Core” remains constant and without lengthy injury layout for this new season?
First aand foremost, without that horrendous injury list, with players playing regularly together, the TEAM can only get better and it is easier for Wenger to rotate one or two players regularly without disrupting the fluency of team work.
Therefore, the key for this new season is not so much as how many players we are buying (of course, we still need to buy 2 or 3 more players to strengthen the squad) but really will we get the rub of the green this season without any of the key players having a lengthy injury layoff like all previous season since 2003/04 first of our “Horrendous Injury List”…(remember Henry’s hamstring and Pires’ knee injury?)
…………………Szczesney
…Sagna….Kocielny (or new CB)…Vermaelen….Gibbs
………..SOng or new DCM…..Wilshere
………………..Fabregas or new ACM
..Walcott……….Van Persie……..Gervinho
Now, if this “Core” remains virtually injury-free for the whole season, i.e. suffering no lengthy injury layoff longer than 3-4 weeks and only niggling injuries less than 5 times for the whole season, then we have a better than fair chance to beat any team with our consistent and regular line-up who play 40+ games together.
Morning all, nice one Merlin.
Morning Will
Everyone one else, still in bed/depressed.
Come on, Scott Dann is on his way, to save the day, or so the rumour goes….
Morning all
Just got home, going to sort the post and then be back, won’t be long 🙂
Is Dann the man we need?
New Post up…..