Daily Bits and Bobs

Five years done! Medical planned for Tuesday? Lars Bender on again…..

Posted on by rico

Morning all…

Five years, where have they gone?

I can still remember the hesitation I had when deciding to branch out in my own with Highbury House and it seems like just yesterday… I say I’m on my own but I’m not really as Wath is seldom far away and his input has been crucial, especially when I need a holiday…. Lol

And you guys are crucial too as without you all, I’d write and then chat to myself all day long…. Now that would be fun eh….

Seeing as the transfer window is still open, I thought I’d go through the transfers Arsenal have made during that time. No, I haven’t plucked them all from my memory as I’d have to be a genius to do that but with the help of ‘Transfer Market’, I’ve done my best. I know you’ll correct me if I’ve got any wrong….

2010 – as HH kicked off, Arsenal FC were still trying to keep its head above water. Little money was available for transfers and the ‘selling club’ label was never too far away…….

That summer, Eduardo left us, as did Campbell, Gallas, Traore and Silvestre, thank goodness re the latter… A number of young guns left too….

In came Laurent Koscielny, Chamakh and some bloke called Squillaci!

Theo Walcott grabbed his first hat-trick for Arsenal on this very day during that 2010/11 season as we thumped Blackpool 6-0. We lost the League Cup Final against Birmingham after a royal cock-up in the dying minutes of the game.

The following summer, 2011, Clichy, Nasri, Fabregas and Eboue departed for pastures new… In came a glut of players, Merts, Arteta, Jenkison, Santos, Joel Campbell, Chu-Young and Gervinho….

2012 was cruel as RvP ditched us and signed for Utd, Song left for Barca, Vela left too as did a few younger players including Lansbury. Almunia was a gonner too… Phew!

The ins were Ollie, Podolski, Bellerin, Toral, Monreal and Cazorla… Nice!

2013 and a huge clear out again. Arshavin, Squillaci, Santos, Gervinho, Frimpong, Djourou and Fabianski were shown the door, either that or left for free. Again, many Academy players were also released… Some of those were loans before leaving for good.

The ins were Mesut Ozil, Flamini and Postman Pat! In May of that season, we lifted the FA Cup after coming from 2-0 behind. Finally, the ‘Arsenal haven’t won a trophy’ label had gone….

Last summer, Vermaelen, Bendtner and Sagna were the bigger names out the door and again, Academy players joined them. The strange ones being Afobe and Aneke as they looked like Arsenal would always be their future…

But last summer, the ins matched the outs as Arsene Wenger replaced those who left but he only truly added one player to the squad. Alexis Sanchez!! Oops, Welbeck and Bielik too…. Gabriel followed in January…

Last season we defended our FA Cup crown with a 4-0 thumping of Aston Villa, secured 3rd place and everything looked so much more positive. Players had returned from injury looking stronger and fitter and as we headed into this summer, we all believed that just 3/4 quality signings could take us a step further. We really could be PL title contenders…

Yet Petr Cech is the only addition so far this summer…

Arsenal have sent many many players out on loan, far too many imo if no-one else is coming in before this transfer window closes. And for that reason, even with just eleven days left in this transfer window, I remain positive, or rather hopeful, that we are going to get a couple of experienced players through the door….

After all, why when having assembled one of the best squads he’s had for years, would Arsene Wenger let it all go to waste now.

Transfer gossip:

Arsenal are reported to be in talks with Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain to sign Edinson Cavani and Adrien Rabiot. Not sure who made that one up….

Arsenal representatives were reportedly in Rome on Tuesday to cast an eye over Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Lars Bender in the side’s Champions League tie with Lazio. That’s according to Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb. Who?

Staying in Italy, journalist Emanuele Giulianelli reckons Arsenal will announce they have signed Benzema on Tuesday…..

Five more years for  HH? Well I’m not sure I can bear the excitement……

Have a good Friday guys and gals…

 

rico

117 thoughts on “Five years done! Medical planned for Tuesday? Lars Bender on again…..”

  1. bumba11 says:

    Great post Rico,

    Blimey there are some shockers in that list! But some gold amongst the crap too I suppose. I cannot believe the Arteta deadline day was 2011 time flies when your having fun right…!

    something must happen soon for transfers, I also remain positive someone will sign I just don’t know who or when anymore!

    Come on Arsene, get it done!

  3. rico says:

    Thanks Bumba.

    Certainly a mixed bag over the five years, Silvestre has to be one of the worst… lol

    I remain positive but a part of me thinks we’ve been here before….

  5. AndrewH says:

    Morning rico, last day of a holiday in Majorca. Expected a nice trio of signings while away. Oh well, great post summing up previous signings. Gives me hope one of the rumours might still come through.

  6. potter says:

    A lot of pack shuffling has gone on but instead of making multiple middling purchases we slowed to single high range additions and this year so far stagnation. I say that because I have yet to be convinced that Cech is indeed an upgrade on last years keepers.There is time but I am not sure that there is anything in the pipeline because if you go to Wenger’s wish list you will probably find that the players are also coveted by others or plainly not for sale.

  10. mikeB says:

    Ah, yes, I remember it well. . . still one of the best sites on the web.

    Congratulations on five years, Rico. Good job.

  12. Lee says:

    “When the season starts the window should be finished.
    “Simple as that. It is too big an advantage for clubs that didn’t work well during the transfer window.
    “The funds are there, people know that you have the resources, but the players are not available.
    “We expect, like you, but at the moment, we are not close.” Wenger on the transfer window.

  14. rico says:

    I agree re the TW, it should be shut before the season starts…

    And I doubt he’s truthing re transfers, well he better be……

    Me too Mike, older… lol

  17. Wavy says:

    Five years and don’t it seem like yesterday!? Stamina that’s whats needed, and you seem to have plenty of it Rico. I’d have given up yonks ago. No imagination you see! Whilst every day you seem to swipe your magic quill into delivering a demanding column everyday of the year, well nearly. Congratulations on the blog. I don’t know what I’d do with my days, without it!

    I was going to write what follows, yesterday, but didn’t have time. However, the train of thought was rekindled by today’s column:

    It has been really noticeable that none of the so called bigger clubs have come calling for any of our players this TW, well, not yet. The message must be out the ‘Arsenal are no longer a selling club’. That is a good thing because it means the current crop of players are happy with the club, with each other and with the results and potential. Were they not there would be countless quotes from unsettled and discontented players. All we’ve heard is that the team spirit is cohesive and that they are working very hard for each other under the wise old gaze of grandpa Wenger! They do seem to love him!

    For the first time in years we have a settled squad of high quality and I’m sure we will finish high in the EPL come the end of the season. As for new acquisions I’m sure we all want a couple, but they have to be the right couple. Apart from their footballing ability they have to ‘fit’ into the team, that is they have to have the right temperament too. Sulky players are not worth their salt. I often thought RvP was a sulker, cross though I was when he left with hindsight I’m not sorry now! And I don’t think he was very good on the team spirit count!

    Will the old chap buy a Bender or two, who can say? He may, so long as they are a good fit for the rest of the squad!!

    All will be revealed very, very soon!

    Morning all.

  18. rico says:

    Thanks Wavy, there’s been days, I can tell you…. lol

    Agree re the happy squad, must be hard to find players who would fit in, well, that’s a good excuse for AW..

    The Bender twins seem decent blokes though eh….

  19. Mint says:

    Happy birthday HH and good work on the 5 years. Reading some of the names we’ve signed astonishes me. I mean come on …Squillaci ?…awful. he made Silvestre look good and that’s extremely hard to do. Like the rest of us hopefuls I’m hoping for 2 quality additions coming in, in the middle and upfront would be nice and not just youngsters with “potential”. We have loads of them already

  22. allezkev says:

    Good comment Wavy…

    Morning Boss.
    Blimey 5 years, that went quick…
    I must have come on not long after you started up…
    I do recall reading Le Grove where I remember you and Wath posting, plus a few others who went onto start ArsenalArsenal.
    But I never left a comment as it seemed far too aggressive…
    HH had always been a far more civilised blog…
    Thanks to you….
    Well done Rico….
    And Wath.

  23. retsub1 says:

    Congratulation Rico and anyone else who has contributed to a very well run and interesting blog.

    I am only a newbie, but I have been made very welcome.

    Personally I will be glad when the window closes. I get fed up with the irritating News Now headlines ” Arsenal sign megastar etc”.

  26. potter says:

    I can’t endorse the clamour for marquee signings ,we have a good squad but it needs solidifying . Instead of always looking for the top of the range player what i believe we need is a specialist like a younger Arteta to stage Le Coq , a Grimandi , if you like capable of stepping in but not always looking to start.
    If the top top players are not available we have the cash to dislodge a good back up or two.

  27. mog says:

    well 5 years, its simply flown bye.
    I remember seeing a plug for a new blog on le grove and thought i’d give it a try.
    haven’t misted one since thanks again rico and wath

  29. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Good Morning Lovelies and Hunkies.

    Birthday HH Blog, and well done Rico for posting around 1500+ posts. Thumbs up for Wath who chips in to help.

    Good ppost boss. should have included a birthday cake as well.

    Bender scouted?? that makes Kev a happy chappy. I would like him to be an AFC player. Bender, not Kev. he can play all across the back line plus DM.

    I prefer Krychowiak but Bender is good as well.

  31. allezkev says:

    Cheers Coach, I’m afraid that I’m just, only just mind, past it mate…
    Tbh I’ve become very much an armchair supporter these days…
    The last time I went to a game and really felt totally involved was last seasons 0-0 with the Chavs at the Emirates…

  32. allezkev says:

    Not sure, tbh Lee…

    Arturo Vidal was always my stand-out wished for signing…
    Imagine the signal that getting him would have sent out…
    But there ya go mate….

    Schneiderlin would have been nice as well or instead of…

    Perm two from Bender, Gotze, Lewandowski, Draxler, Reus or Benzema.

  34. rico says:

    Potter – I’m kind of with you there, top class players would be ideal but if not, there has to be a plan b and that might mean a Grimandi kind of guy, or a fit Kallstrom…

    Thanks Mog, Lee and Devil…

    🙂 Lee…

  35. scottfromoz says:

    Kev, ya soft bugger, I ALWAYS left posts on Le Grove.
    Well, i did until they banned me lol
    Hats off Rico…….well done and many, many more years to come.
    Wath, great job, champion!
    I’ve made some fantastic friends in England, and In fact, around the world, and all thanks to HH.
    Simply the best group of Gooners in the world.

  38. Wavy says:

    Potter 11.15 I aberration absolutely with all your comments and conclusions. In fact I think that was the reason Arsene’s did not buy Schneiderlin, he would have cost shed loads and would have expected to be first pick at Coq,s expense. Not a good idea, they have developed a player from the juniors and found, no matter how ever fortuitously that they have got a DM who turns in good performance after good performance to then buy in a Replacement would have been disaster pus not only for the Coq but for every other first team claimant , amongst the u21’s and younger.
    It probably had more to do with team morale and young aspirants than strengthen the team in an area that the old chap thinks he’s got covered! On the other hand an ageing but still able player who could ‘do a job’ when required seems to me to be a far better solution. Swedish Kim would he ever return? He’d probably be ideal, unless of course he has ‘issues’!
    Lesser signings can mean more than marquee tents!

  40. scottfromoz says:

    Wavy, of ALL the games (lol) Kallstrom played for us, I saw him live.
    He was fantastic, and if we’d get him a few years earlier, PLUS minus the broken back, he’d have been a sensation.
    That was one weird signing though.

  49. Bob John says:

    Hi all
    Many Happy Returns to HH! By far the best Arsenal blog around. So refreshing to not have the vile abuse that permeates LG!
    Potter – I share your worries about Cech and voiced the same on here before we signed him. Just think that since the head injury he has struggled in the air particularly. Would love to be proven wrong however!

  50. rico says:

    Hi Bob, thank you…

    I really like the LG posts, Pedro writes well but the comments section can be a bit aggressive. Which is why I left there….

  51. scottfromoz says:

    Rico, I’m never right…ask Lee lol
    Well, I managed to get one thing right…..Aaron….not bad for 5 years work lol.
    Adam, yeah, I’m turning into a miserable bastard like him…minus those baby blues 🙂 🙂

  52. Lee says:

    Oatamendi has said that it has been his boyhood dream to play for citeh…..well that’s fucking strange as they were playing in the second division when he was a kid!! Another money grabbing cnut!

  59. Madhav - Indian Gunner says:

    5 Years?
    I never knew that the blog which I started reading less than 2 months, is 5 years old…
    Good to hear that… Good work by all to keep the blog alive… More than alive, Fun is the correct word…

  60. Madhav - Indian Gunner says:

    Hi Rico… Very good post… I think Fabianski left us in 2014 along with Sagna, after winning the FA cup… Hence came the replacement Debuchy and Ooooooospina…

    I smell a last minute signing… A big one too… Don’t know what AW is smoking behind the scene…

  61. Wath says:

    Oi…………………..

    Blasphemy, I would like to categorically state that I have never ever ever posted on that other site my name was linked with earlier by Grandad Kev….. How dare you… Go wash your mouth out with turps…! LG… As if I would post on there…..!

    Well done Rico, You’ve worked bloody hard on this site for all these years it’s not easy at all day in day out but your always get something put up that keeps everyone interested or at least gives us all a laugh.

    All I need to ask Scott is has he still got sheila locked up and has anyone unlocked his ball and chain yet…?

  72. Wath says:

    Oliver I remember struggled to log onto the site for some reason, Kt obviously busy and Eric…!?!?!?

    No mate I went on Ave Rd just before they went into retirement and thats where I got chatting with Rico…. The rest is history, I been covering her holidays ever since

  74. allezkev says:

    Re: Oliver…

    How long ago was that then Wath?
    If I recall he had a change of circumstances at home and that meant he had to stop blogging….

  75. rico says:

    Afternoon all…

    Thanks Wath, couldn’t have done it without you… 🙂

    Hi Madhav, thank you and I knew I’d get at least one wrong… lol

  76. Micko says:

    Cheers rico, here’s to many more !

    It’s Wath I feel sorry for, just nods his head and does as he’s told, a bit like Stevie Bould.

  77. Tai says:

    Congratulations Rico…a fantastic effort you’ve put in.

    Talking about transfers, one thing becomes glaring…we started winning not necessarily because we started buying big but more because we stopped losing players we didn’t want to…the last player we didn’t want to lose was RVP.

    Two seasons ago and last season, we sold just whoever we wanted to…and in came the stability. So, let’s focus more on team spirit and unity than marquee signings.

  79. rico says:

    I miss Oliver, he always came up trumps with a match report… 😉

    Seriously, he was very positive and honest and I think his life just got really busy…

    There’s been a few departures over the five years, a few new arrivals too….

  80. Wavy says:

    HH sounds a little like the Arsenal dressing room! Some new, some old, some stars some journeymen, some wise, some flippant and some are all of these and some are none of them! The bloggers are stars, no matter what their contribution, eh?

  81. Wath says:

    Bloody hell Micko if only “she who must be obeyed” paid me what Bouldy earns…………

    I’d still only be half as rich as Lee.

  88. eduardo says:

    Arsenal Under-21s to play Derby: Huddart, Moore, Bielik, Pleguezuelo, Bola, Kamara, Sheaf, Reine-Adelaide, Hinds, Iwobi, Mavididi
    subs: Keto, O’Connor, Willock, Robinson, Eyoma.

  91. Rick says:

    Evening Rico and the House and many congratulations on your 5th Birthday.

    The House is the only Blog I have ever read and it has given me nothing but pleasure to be be part of it. I will never forget the support you have all given me over the last 2 years and I look forward to sharing some long overdue success with you all in the next 5 years.

  93. rico says:

    Evening Rick, thank you… I’m glad you have found pleasure in HH… I’m glad you found the place…

    I wish you good health for the not only the next five years but many more……

  96. allezkev says:

    Zelalem must be off then, with Sheaf in central midfield…

    Hey Rick, how’s it going mate, I hope you ard well…

  98. Rick says:

    Hi Kev thanks for asking .

    Had a shocker last w-end but the last 48hrs have been pretty good

    Disappointed to see so many of our youngsters going on loan, I cannot see the U21
    doing much this season

    I thought your last post was first class.
    By the way is Wath really your grandson???? Lol

  99. eduardo says:

    FT: 3-2 to Arsenal U21’s

    Mavididi put AFC 2-1 up in the 89th minute, Hinds made it 3-1 in the 90th minute and Derby scored straight away to make it 3-2, and that is how it finished.

    Seemingly Pleguezuelo was outstanding, and had to be as his CB partners Bielik found it tough. Arsenal’s oldest player today was 19.

  101. allezkev says:

    Yes Rick, and he’s been out late with all his mates, irritating the neighbours.
    He’s gonna get a clip around his earhole when he gets in and get sent straight to bed, the little sod… 😉

  102. allezkev says:

    Sorry to hear that you’ve been a bit up and down mate…
    Hopefully you’ve put the worst behind you Rick…

  103. allezkev says:

    Good result, thanks Eduardo…

    With such a young squad, both for the U21’s and U18’s, we’re probably gonna have a mixed season…

    But the whole point of an Academy, is to produce players for the 1st team, so as long as a couple more youngsters come through, then results are secondary.
    Having said that, we still want our Academy teams to do well.

  105. Rick says:

    Dont be too hard on the little sod Kev.
    Last sunday my granddaughters husband was the victim of a hit and run driver.

    Police traced him and he has been charged.

    For the last 2 days my wife and I have been baby siting our 2 young
    great G/Daughters (age 7 and 5) and I cannot tell you how we all feel about it.

  106. Rick says:

    My mate who was at the game tells me That Bielik had a hard time at C/b in the first half .
    In the 2nd half t O’connor came on they moved Bielik to m/f and he was a lot better.
    I am told Huddart Moore and Pleguezuelo had good games but Jeff was disappointing.

  107. Micko says:

    rico 6.08, well I’ve got you down as a dead ringer for Emmanuel Petit……….you did put it out there !

  109. eduardo says:

    allezkev, yes Bielik is normally a DM, but so far this season he has started both U21 games at CB, it might merely be that with Kamara also a DM and Bielik able to play CB that it suits at the moment to field the team this way. Or it might be that its all part of Bielik’s development, playing him CB so he better understands what the CB’s expect and want from the DM in front of them. We also must remember that Bielik missed part of the pre-season training so he might not be up to full fitness yet and it could be easier on him to play CB at this time.

  113. Wath says:

    Scott, He’s about 6’1 – 6’2 with brown hair. average build but still growing..! Hope that helps 🙂

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