Morning all,
In his first season of course!
Thought it would brighten the mood after what can only be described as an underwhelming transfer window.
Someone called ‘steve gooner moore’ posted on twitter yesterday that in their first season in the PL:-
Drogba made 41 appearances, scored 16 goals and had 5 assists.
Bergkamp: 41 appearances, 16 goals.
Cantona: 15 appearances, 3 goals
RvP 41 appearances, 10 goals.
Giroud: 31 appearances, 11 goals, 9 assists and 15 games to go!!
The caption at the bottom read:
A little perspective, like a little humour, goes a long way……
I think it’s fair to say that how Giroud started out with us was hardly inspiring was it. He was seen to be another one of Wenger’s gambles from the French League and he was hardly going to appease fans who were looking at the departed Dutchman in a different red shirt, and watching him score for fun.
Giroud back then couldn’t hit a barn door but now he’s taking his chances, well some of them….
I strongly suspect Giroud was a Wenger gamble, but it’s looking like this one is going to pay off….
Another one we need to pay off and rapidly, is the new left-sided defender Wenger snapped up late last night and that’s Spanish International – Nacho Monreal.
A few titbits about him:
1986: February 26 – Born in Pamplona.
2001: Joins youth set-up at hometown club Osasuna.
2006: Makes his debut for Osasuna against Valencia.
2007: Makes debut for Spain Under-21s, going on to become a regular fixture in the side.
2009: August 6 – Makes his debut for Spain in a friendly, playing the last 15 minutes against Macedonia.
2011: June 10 – Joins Malaga for £6million after making over 150 appearances for Osasuna.
2013: January 31 – Joins Arsenal for an undisclosed fee on a long-term contract.
Wenger is chuffed to finally sign a player he has been looking at for a long time.
We are delighted that Nacho Monreal has agreed to join us. We have been monitoring him for some time now and are really pleased that we’ve been able to agree this move today.
Monreal is a strong left-sided defender with good experience at both club and international level. He is a technically gifted player, a good crosser in the final third and strong in the air. Monreal will add quality to our squad and of course, to our defensive unit. We all look forward to him playing for us.
I, like many others no doubt would have preferred a player from the Premier League, but who would we have got for £8 million?
Certainly not Baines and Southampton would never let Luke Shaw depart for that kind of money so we have to hope this new guy settles in from the start and finally sorts out the problem on the left side of our defence.
I must admit though, I never expected us to sign a player with his kind of credentials. Gibbs has not long signed a new contract and Meade is coming through the ranks and doing well. So what now happens there, surely Monreal will be expecting to be first choice. Will Gibbs be our ‘new winger’ when he comes back?
Another question is when is he expected back, is his injury worse than first feared, hence this signing?
What happens to Santos, he’s still on our books and will be getting paid a lot of money? Maybe in other countries the transfer window is still open and we can still ship him off somewhere.
Many questions, all of which I don’t know the answer to.
Alan ‘smudger’ Smith made a good point yesterday, he said how new signings can change a team overnight. If they are the right player(s) and from the off they show good work ethic and attitude, others around that player will be lifted and their own game improves.
I’m not for one minute suggesting that our defending will suddenly be better than our defence was under Graham, but it may just lift a few spirits and the stupid little errors we are so often making may disappear.
As for the ‘midfield hole’ which Wenger clearly believes is acceptable, well he better start praying that Diaby stays fit through until the end of the season.
I strongly suspect the rest of us are…..
First 😛
A pinch and a punch,
For the first of the month,
And no return… 😀
a punch and a kick for being so quick
Second 😛
Is it time to try Vermaelen as a DM??
We should have signed one but didn’t-maybe Ginge is right and Capoue is coming in the summer, but that doesn’t fulfil the need now.
What is there to lose?
Vermaelen making a blunder thirty yards out with cover is better than 20 out with Szczesny behind him, all alone.
Vermaelen bombs forward brilliantly and can tackle.
Try it…..what have we got to lose??
Monreal was not the signing anyone expected….never heard his name mentioned a single time.
He may not even be a position many thought was nmber one priority.
Let’s not use these facts detract from the fact he is one hell of a good player.
White Rabbits 🙂
Morning all……
Santos will love competing with a Nacho 😉
A kick in your balls for your piss poor calls.
Oh sorry, that is for Webb.
Rico, Santos will have him for breakfast!!
No Scott, we don’t have enough cover in defence….
Who knows what will happen in the summer, if we don’t get top four there will be even less money available and players hardly jump to sign for us now…
That’s what happens when an owner/manager doesn’t address the problems on the pitch!
whats to loose Scott is Verm or the other 2 gets injured and we relying on Squillaci – the defence is bad enough already mate
Rico, if our defence isn’t good enough now, why keep doing the same thing??
Oz, same question as to Rico 🙂
He already looks like he’s eaten a few Scott…
Turkish window still open today, as is the Russian one I think. I can see Santos offloaded and Arshavin to go back home…..
The latter we should just let go for free and do the decent thing.
Morning………..
Last and I don’t give a crap…………………..!
The way forward is to coach them Scott, organise them to be better.
Not take the better one out and dump him somewhere he’s never played….
😆 Wath, you old grump you…..
Gibbs could be out for 6 weeks.
Reports suggest Gibbs is out for up to 6 weeks… Thank goodness we did sign Nacho then….
i think we’re pretty confident of gathering funds for Santos, so Arsene will keep his credits in tact
you better see him play first Rico 🙂
Rico, some of the mistakes we make have absolutely nothing to do with coaching though.
I raised it yesterday….watch all games and most teams regularly milk goals through nothing other than bad defending.
Why is it?
The Arsenal back 4 of 15 years ago stood out, but most sides could defend.
Now, very few can.
Why is that?
Rules?
Referees interpretations?
Divers?
All of the above making defenders too nervous to simply play the game?
Again, it is not just Arsenal.
But I know that he has to be better that Fatos Oz 😉
Hi again all….
Gibbs probably won’t appear again this season. We all know what Wengers prognoses are like.
Gibbs could even be out for 8 weeks Wenger says…!
Oz, you should wait for him to play before being so negative on the guy 🙂
Morning all been a long long tym…
Scott, I heard stat the other night that we have conceded 13 goals directly from mistakes or giving the ball away at the back…! Individual players are making mistakes we take to many chances and we have no shape, they also fail to stay as a unit and take responsibility, coaching is a huge part of that when all wenger looks at is our philosophy and our offensive play.
Anyything will do for me @ left back…. Anything but santos.
Morning Rico and all. I have to report that last night’s meeting was bathed in hilarity and the suggestion early on that Villa might be on was met with a suitable amount of doubt.
Yes, we bought a new LB who we might have bought this coming summer if Gibbs hadn’t got that injury and Santos hadn’t proved, once again, that he was precisely the kind of average player that Wenger accused the fans of wanting. I have seen our new LB play on a number of occasions and he is very decent. His purchase makes us stronger for sure but, after all the words and pledges the unsavoury fact remains that we have been sold another load of tosh in another transfer window. The table doesn’t lie. Whether this heralds Wenger’s departure in the summer or not nobody knows.
I’m not talking about the slips and stuff Scott, that is life but the way players are out of position, wrong side of their man etc etc. That can be coached.
And it seemed to be at the beginning of the season, we all noticed it, the players talked about it and all looked so much more together…
And then something happened and my view is, one man didn’t like the praise the new man was getting and we are now back to how we used to be.
Disorganised and all over the place too often…
Morning Gooners.
Morning Rico, nice upbeat post, good on ya.
Bonzer Oz, 🙂
Morning Curry Clubbers.
Morning Grandson.
Off for a cuppa and toast, lata…
Wath, plenty have been from slips and skewed clearances….these are not coaching issues.
I am not saying we shouldn’t be much better, far from it, but the fact is most sides concede plenty of cheap goals.
Of course we focus on Arsenal, but we should not ignore the other factors involved.
Different rules.
Many, many more technical and talented players in the league now than ever before.
Many, many more diving little bastards.
I reckon defenders are scared shitless of making a challenge.
haha hiya allez
Morning Rocky, I reckon you could be right about Gibbs. or certainly not for a long long time.
Wath, Wengers 8 weeks, usually means 3-4 months…
Morning Adam. The table doesn’t lie and this season, I am not convinced either Everton or Totts will fluff their lines.
A DM was a must, I would say another central defender too but now we have what we have. It’s going to be a very interesting few months ahead…
Rico, i can not believe for one second Wenger would jeopardise the clubs position simply over attention.
The one thing Wenger or Bould could tell them is when in doubt, kick the bloody thing out.
Morning Bondy hows you fella…?
Have a mate in South Africa and he emailed me saying TA was on the panel the other night and what sense he spoke about The Arsenal. He said most of the things he said were that our basics are wrong and that training would solve 80% of what we doing wrong. Adams also said Bouldy knows this and needs time and also “IF” he is allowed… Now if Adams says “IF” Bouldy is allowed I reckon that’s him saying he know’s so far he not being allowed. TA then said the back four needs to gel, you should not rotate your back four much at all they then know each others game and they become a proper unit.
Seems we are all not so stupid on here when TA says what we been saying and most of it is not difficult. Why can’t the myopic one see if and not be so pigheaded for a change and let SB sort the defence out.
Tony Adams would make a marvellous manager then based on that.
Then again…..
Anyone care to address my question or points on most sides defending badly?
Any theories?
Defensively Arsenal are total shit. The whole shape of the side is ghastly and these days we are never more vulnerable than when we are awarded a corner. The other evening every corner saw the rearguard marching upfield and on several occasions the only player in our half to mark Suarez was Santos. It has been like this for years. Incredibly poor stuff.
Nancho’s last match for malaga on sunday 27/1
Or is it that present day defenders ‘just ain’t ‘ard enuff?
They are technically far better but they do not seem to be as positionally astute or as subtley violent as their predesessors. Not sure how things have changed, I guess its a combination reasons. Most defenders do seem to be far less assertive these days than in the past.
Whatever happened to the Skinner Normantons of this world (a former Barnsley full back immortalised in a book by Michael Parkinson)?
Guys, i am not saying we defend well, i am asking why we don’t, and saying we are not alone, and that is the big question.
You can’t tell me that all sides are coached badly.
So this Nacho is cup tied for CL? Santos cannot be anywhere near our team for the Bayern game, he’ll be ripped a new one!
Another groundhog window slips by….deep joy!
Could be right Wavy, but are they allowed to be?
Adams would not have finished a game if playing the way he did.
Most defenders back then wouldn’t.
To compare defenders from now to those is very harsh…different circumstances.
Good morning b/w
The stat above is wrong. Giroud stats is 33 matches 14goals and 10assists
Gibbs out for 4-6 weeks, lets say 9weeks then. Gibbs is turning into diaby-esque. Whenever he is finding form he gets one of those niggling injuries
I think that most teams are trying to play more attractive football Scott, in doing this many teams with players of lesser quality means there are far more spaces left open and the forwards expose this. Tackling doesn’t come into it for me, if you close your man down and are goal side you don’t need to make reckless challenges, close them down stay tight stay goal side cover your centre half or your full back if your free it’s not rocket science.
TA apparently mentioned that when Silvinho was at Arsenal he played left wing more often than left back and TA pulled Wenger and said it’s not on we being left exposed you need to sort it out, he said PV was told to sit deep problem solved he says Arsenal problem is no defensive midfielder to cover and make it three at teh back when both full backs bomb forward and for him with no defensive midfielder only one full back should ever go forward the other sits and then they always three at the back and not so exposed.. Fuck me how difficult is it to show some common sense when you defend. Who shouts who organises… No one..! Who would tell Wenger now its not on Gibbs and Sagna both bombing forward..? Ain’t happening..!
Good morning, the window is closed now, whoever plays we have to get behind them and support them, its the home stretch we need to win all our remaining games and take it from there. Give credit where its due its a good signing by afc, he is better than gibbs, i never believe he would buy such a good player starting to add quality over quantity.
Lee. Completely agree. Once again card sharp Arsene Wenger played his cards close to his chest. So close that he failed to take the opportunity to strengthen his squad. He told us after the Liverpool game that this is a top team. He might just well have been staring into the camera, swinging a crystal on a chain and saying “you are feeling drowsy and that taste in your mouth is not shit, it is ambrosia”. We are 21 points behind a very average Man Utd with a lot of the season to go. If we are a top team, then they must be bloody cosmic.
Where’s Brad, he must of seen TA the other night in SA….!
Scott TA would last now days as well, he was not stupid…! Players now dont see defending as important as it used to be, they tend to want to all want to defend a bit attack a bit…! just the way I see it.
Morning Ak 😉
Scott, one of the first things they need to be told is not turn their backs on a shot, how many have we conceded by doing just that alone? 3 or 4 at least I believe…
Hi Bondex, hope all is well?
Hi emma, is that in the PL alone? Maybe it was written before the dipper game…
I’d have a young Adams back in our defence in a heartbeat and I don’t think he’d be sent off all the time….that fuckwit terry doesn’t get sent off all the time does he?
Morning Lee, Gdna…
Didn’t realise he was CL tied.
Pray either Coq, Miquel and Meade are all fit by the BM fixtures then….
I agree Lee. Terry is the closest thing to Adams out there.
Wath. All true. But when you think about it, Arsene has never really “done” defence has he? When the team is struggling the old mantra used to be start with the defence and don’t concede first, then build from there.
Wath, i did say if he played the way he used to.
That was not a knock against Adams, believe me.
I am just saying it really is a different game today.
We are definitely one of the worst defensive units, and that goes without saying.
We all agree a DM was and still is needed, and i can’t understand or defend Wengers decision not to get one.
I reckon we will pay for it, but i still say trying Vermaelen is at least attempting a change.
There seems no point to me in keeping things the way they are now.
Rico if you gonna get all Merlin on us get your facts right! Adam was right about you…. 😉
Scott the players then didn’t dive and cheat as much as now days either so you could tackle properly as well. Proper defenders would be able to adapt thats for sure and as said they nearly all think now that attacking is part of their game.
No defensive midfield huge huge cock up yet again and we are relying on a fit Diaby for four months, pathetic in the extreme.
Why waste Vermaelen which yet again is square peg to round hole…? papering over the cracks again mate, not on with 70million in the bank. Negligence as I said yesterday.
Spot on Adam, if the back four is solid the rest of the team can be offensive but our lot can’t even do that right.
So would I, a proper defender who would lay his body on the line…
We missed out big time when Samba was up for grabs at Blackburn… And again with Cahill…
Scott – DM is a priority. We need to go all out for Capoue in the summer. For us to be competitve next season. Good call on Vermalaen for the DM role. Kos did play the DM role twice for france NT and he did very well in that position.
I think in the summer what we need is a DM, an experienced older GK, top top striker and a CB.
The problem we are having right now is we attack pretty good but don’t defend as a unit.
Nacho Monreal of Arsenal
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27453474@N02/8435329114/in/photostream/
It looked like Bould had sorted the defence out after the first few games then it’s gone all Pete Tong! Why? It’s really strange, don’t you think?
rico – I never rated Samba neither Cahill. Both are not better than what we have 🙁
I’m sorry Lee 😉
Adam, you are for the high jump!!
We were defending well at the start of the season, but something happened……
That’s ok emma, I personally would swap both of them for Merts and Squilli, and maybe even Kos on his current form….
Wenger didn’t like the plaudits Bouldy was getting and decided to take over the defence! 😆
Wath, putting Vermaelen in at DM might be a compromise, but if it works, it could be sensational for us.
I agree it is a patch up attempt and we already should have a DM, but the fact is we don’t.
Square peg in a round hole is a fair call, but inder the circumstances, maybe a little thinking outside that square is required 🙂
Me too Rico, those two would be an upgrade on Usain Bolt and Shergar!
I quite like the look of him Wath, hope the deal gets rubber stamped….
rico – Mert and squillaci 😆
Don’t know what has happened to Mert. He reads the game but too slow. Hope we throw in a cheeky bid for hummels of dortmund in the summer
Emma. I’ve been banging on for ages abous Kos being a DM. I think that would be his best position. Gotta be worth a shot surely.
Exactly Lee, doesn’t it show what an ego that man has and he won’t have it dented.
Fergie however, chops and changes his assistant every few seasons and keeps the ideas coming in fresh, and, he’s prepared to listen and make changes.
Our stubborn manager meanwhile carries on listening to Frank Sinatra…
Morning all
Only reason wenger put his hand in our pockets:
Weds 8.21pm Gibbs thigh injury,he seemed quiet happy to have fat belly santos as cover.
Replacement took 26hours to get
Who is he effing kidding.
I am quite happy to accept whatever punishment you see fit to administer Rico. As long as it is of the corporal kind. 🙂
Would he leave Germany emma, and even if he did, would he choose a side who isn’t playing CL footie?
And we have to be realist, unless something drastically changes at the back and Diaby stays fit, we are not going to make top four….
They sure would Lee….
I will be pondering over that one Adam…!
Must pop off for a while and get Fido out for a walk whilst the rain has stopped. Back in a bit….
I was looking through a site that listed some tweets on yesterday’s (non) events. One that made me chuckle was one bloke saying thanks to Andre Santos for being the only man in the world that could make Arsene Wenger actually buy a player.
On a more serious note, why don’t they shorten the transfer window to one day?
Do elaborate John, if you want to get on here….
Laters…
Scott thinking outside of the box is fine on here but do you think for one minute wenger will do it..? he’s had chances to so no way will it happen. I personally think Koz more comfy on the ball and would be a better option than TV as a defensive midfielder. he can also only grab people and give away a free kick not a penalty.
Lee. I would imagine that, as Bould was getting the plaudits for our early-season defensive solidity, old Arsene decided he wouldn’t have that and would re-assume control as control-freaks are duty bound to do. This would explain the strange body language between them and the fact that Steve looks like he has swallowed a wasp most of the time. Bould must look at our defensive shape and wonder what on earth is going on.
Was the comment on becks aimed at you Rocky?’Withouut meaning to sound rude – or maybe I am… I haven’t decided yet –” you don’t have to be a bitch just say what you mean.
First of all I don’t give a fuck what you think of my comment on Becks ok.I am getting tired of your bad handed remarks towards me you ignorant piece of shite.This is not the first time you have insulted me.
Donate my salary, you idiot do you know what I do with my salary?
If you live in a fairy tale land and think these celebs crap makes a difference go to any part of the work apart from the developed world and see what these charities actually do.
I can not believe I have let an ignorant imbecile piss me off? I have no time for adults who defend someone of the cuff without even knowing that celeb personally. Its called female tendency and most of your posts sound like…
Why on earth do we not use santos as a backup defensive midfielder?
More tea vicar?
Wath, i originally asked about playing Vermaelen or Kozzer there, but the conversation just drifted to Tommy.
You are right, Wenger probably will not do it.
Then again, if he is reading 🙂
Can you believe the rumours have already started about who we are targeting leading up to the next transfer window??
Yeah rico all is well I’ve been on training for a while the whole thing just took up my time …
Jamie Sanderson @YoungGunsBlog
Looks like player Arsenal tried to sign was Toulouse enforcer Étienne Capoue. Agent tells L’Équipe #afc failed with late bid.
rico- I wish I was a soothsayer or i have a crystal ball to tell you we will end up in the champions league spot. If our defenders don’t stop gifting our opponents cheap goals without working for it, then we can say bye bye to 4th place trophy. We need to get rid of that mentality of conceding first or gifting 2 goals lead and figthing to recover back. Our last four league matches has ended up with us conceeding first, thrice we ve gifted a 2 goal lead which were all preventable or referee’s error.
Why can’t we just defend properly in the first half since it takes us second half to start playing. Only the players know
Cucumber sandwich?
Wath. I happen to know, through my friends in the game, that the bid was made at 11.59, just as the window slammed shut with a rather feeble clunk.
More Madeira m’dear?
Good Morning my Esteemed Fellow Gunners
Overwhelmed? Underwhelmed? I do not exactly know what to make of Nacho.
We could have got a centre back who could play and a DM this window. the forwards are starting to gel and we could have reinfiorced at the back. As it is……..AA+Scrapiaci will have their contract over in the summer and that means that we will have to replace them. Or we wont? Miguel might be promoted.
Hope that Nacho Nacho man gets off the mark quickly. We do need him. At least he is more of a defensive defender than an attacking defender.
TS do you know Beckham then?
A reliable french source said arsenal wanted to buy capoue but the asking price was too much (15m euro) and so will wait till the summer
Emma. Will the price have dropped by then, or is the plan that richer clubs will outbid us, thus leaving our manager with the opportunity for some more hand-wringing and pronouncements on the evil of money in football?
Good Morning to the Lady of the House and all fellow Gooners in the House.
There have been many good points made this morning about our defence, or lack thereof, and the reasons for it. I don’t think there is a single reason for our poor defending, but I agree with W.A.T.H that one of the major ones is our lack of a experienced, tall, fast, and physical DM in the mold of Gilbert O’Silva (the Silent Wall).
I remember in years past, fans querying what exactly Gilberto did for us on the field. As he wasn’t a flash player, it wasn’t until he was injured for more than a few games that they began to realise exactly what he did; broke-up play on the the breakaways, cut out the high balls over the top, slowed down the quick counter attacks to give our defense time to reorganize, etc. He did his job in such a cool, efficient, and unassuming manner that he didn’t stand out until he was absent. IMHO Wenger made a big mistake by not signing some one like him last summer. That could be cost the club, far more than the price of that player, in lost Champions League and sponsorship revenue and make it more difficult to sign players this summer if we don’t qualify for the Champions League.
Ts – Cards on the table. I don’t rate 99% of the stuff you say. Occasionally you come out with good stuff, but it is frew and far between. You go off piste at will and start rambling on about conspirathy theories that mean nothing, then start back-tracking and asking for posts to be deleted. The becks thing wasn’t aimed at me in particular…. But I brought it up to start with. THAT wasn’t aimed at YOU but YOU still deemed yourself fit to pour scorn on what he did.
What isd it you do with your salary, oh great one>? Cure cancer? Cure diabetes? What? If it is so magnificent, please do tell. Although to be honest, I won’t believe a word of what you will say, as I don’t believe anything you post anyway.
And of course donations to charity do good work! Only a pleb of an enormous scale would think otherwise. But then, you do… So what does that say…..!
Defending a celebrity “off the cuff”? I know his wife and her family and have for a long time. SO I think I’m, well within my rights to defend him. Not that what he did actually needs defending, as the guy is giving money to childen.
There. THAT’s what I think. Kindly ignore anything I post in future and I will (As i genarally do) ignore yours. Jobs a good’un. Twat.
Couldn’t Beckham have loaned us the money to buy Capoue?
And while we’re at it… What the hell is a “bad handed remark”?
adam – now that it’s public i guess we will spend petro-dollar to get him in the summer because even arry if qpr stays up will be sniffing around.
Scott – I hope you haven’t been badly effected by the floods in the north of OZ. Is the south still afire?
You’re probably right Emma
CG. Good points. But Arsene has seldom replaced a great player with another great player has he? Great players like to play with great players it seems. I hate them all.
so… when does the summer window open 🙂 I love Wenger’s summer remarks every year 🙂
Ts & Rocky,
Gents no need to start swearing at each other on here please…!
Ts the fact you were so presumptuous slagging off Beckham for what is a very generous gesture was rather strange. Do we see any other player doing something remotely close.
Any donation for any charity is surely a good thing and didn’t need a comment from you questioning his motives for tax rebates etc etc.
Rocky didn’t swear at you so please don’t take the argument in that direction it’s not needed or necessary.
Rocky, don’t make things personal please, you know the coup and if you took exception to what Ts said then as you’ve stated now just ignore it.
Anymore slagging off and the comments will all be deleted..!
Hi CG.
Mate, i am one of the lucky ones in Oz.
Bushfires can’t touch me and floods are no problem either.
Plenty of mates through the greyhounds have been flooded out p north, with a few affected by fire down south.
It’s a funny country.
The floods are slowly subsiding, and the fires are still raging, but there are not many still ablaze.
Appreciate the thoughts.
how true Adam – and great players expect to compete at the top, something else you will not get at Arsenal
Emma. I don’t claim to be a financial whiz but, if Wenger really wanted Capoue why didn’t he start negotiating on Jan 1st? Or is that just much too simple. Lee, you’re a multi-millionaire, can you explain?
Arsène Wenger has hailed Nacho Monreal’s versatility and believes he has the characteristics to quickly adapt to Arsenal’s style of play.
The Spain international beat the transfer deadline to complete his move from Malaga to Emirates Stadium on Thursday night.
With Kieran Gibbs out for up to six weeks with a thigh injury, Wenger says his new signing could even make his debut against Stoke City on Saturday.
“Our scouts have followed his progress for a while and of course we had a blow with the Gibbs injury, which is a bit longer than expected,” the manager said.
“We expected [him to be out for] two to three weeks, but it will be four to six, so we were in a position where we had to make a quick decision. That explains our buy.
“We bought Monreal as a left back but he can play as well as a left-sided midfielder. We bought him as well because we believe he can integrate into our style of play and adapt very quickly to that.
“He has the characteristics to play our game because he is very mobile, has a good left foot and is very good in combination play. That is vital in our style of play.
“He is available for the Stoke game. I have not made a decision yet.”
That simply means that we will not see Gibbs before next AUGUST.
Morning CG – I was one of those who always questioned the point of Gilberto until the last season of his time with us. I suddenly “got it”. I think it was just because, at the time, we had such a flair team, you don’t always appreciate the donkey in midfield, and it’s far too easy to overlook what they do. We are absolutely screaming out for a player of his ilk again.
Wath. A masterly intervention I think. 🙂
I feel that NAcho will start against SRFC.
Oz. I wanted to tell you that we raised a glass to your tiling efforts as we ate adjacent to the great flame pit last night. Are you in fact an Australian or an ex-pat?
Wath. I’ll apologise to you and Rico out of respect to you both and the forum. I stand by what I said however. I didn’t swear at anyone…. But I get the point. I think it better the pair of us ignore each other as we clearly have no time for each other. Which works fine for me.
Rocky………..Kev will tell you that I used to like Gilberto from the off. Before he signed for us infact. A player like him is worth much more than his weight in gold, especially if he plays multiple positions.
That type of player is one I always look for when I start building youth teams. Not the flashy ones but the ‘donkey’ ones who work for the team. And believe me, they are hard to find.
afternoon all
gibbs injury normaly takes 3-4 weeks. But in Gibbs will take the double.
Russian market still open…
We sure did Oz. It was a piongant moment!!
JM – You’re right, Gibbs does seem to take longer than most to heal. Maybe because he is made of dried pasta or glass…?
Is the loan market still open or is that done now too?
Rico on your comment@ 10:03-
You can’t tell me Mr Wenger just decided to change our defence for the worse so that Mr Bould would not take any credit. I don’t like how he manages the team now, but I do not think he is that childish.
What i suspect is that our defence was improving at the detriment of the attack and as you know, our brand is more known for our attacking football. It is better to play 4 games, win 2 and lose 2 and get 6 points, than to play 4, concede non, win non, draw all and get just 4 points.
The trick then would be to try striking a balance between our impressive attack and horrible defence, herein lies the need for solid understanding and mutual support between Wenger and bould.
kozz can play d DM cos he is a no nonsense man. the probs he is havin now is too aggressive and doesn’t tame his target in a subtle manner. just for patchy work in DM.
It must be sad to be Santos right now, he had two opportunities to prove himself but he did not take it.
The second Liverpool goal, he was just jogging after the guy he didn’t press at all, it was Ramsey that had to run from midfield.
He seems to have lost interest , no offence but recent Brazilian players just seem to be distracted at a particular age in football.
Ronaldinho, Robinho,Rivaldo,Ronaldo,Baptista,Adriano (remember him) and Santos just to mention a few.
But at least Ronaldinho has made it back into the national team.
Devil, most fans overlook the workers.
How goes it mate?
Our season is just around the corner now.
WATH, the comment last night was no way aimed at Becks if you read it properly.
All I was saying was that money to charity goes no where in most cases and those are hard facts. In fact I didn’t mention becks at all but Bono and Geldof. So when I come on here and someone feels like they need to name drop (like a rapper) because their wife knows someone then.
Adam – aww how cool is that. English bred and born mate – headed here as a teenager (16) Thanks Rocky. Later this year i will be there having one with you all if i ever get these damn bathrooms finished. After the main one it en suite time… oh joy
i was so positive about the Santos signing, bloody you tube hahah
Adam – I could understand the club’s parsimony while it still carried a large debt for the new stadium, but Arsene has admitted that is no longer the case. I don’t want to see the club pay over the odds for a player, but it needs to stop trying to do everything on the cheap. It is time they invested in the long term health and competitiveness of the team by buying some experienced proven players to give the team some better balance. Some of the bargains have paid off; but many like Santos and Squillaci have not. The transfer fees and wages the club have spent on mediocre stopgaps like them could have bought us the two or three good players the team really needs to compete. Enough of this false economy.
If they don’t make some signifiacant investments in players this summer it will another season of under achievement and fan and player unrest for 2013/14. When teams like Newcastle and QPR can outdo us in the market. there is something seriously wrong.
Uzochukwu you are probably right. It is something which makes most sense. However the games against Chelsea, Shitty both home/away and Manure away should have been left in the hands of Bould. Then AW could have played in the normal way we play against the other teams. Remember….we have lost 4 out of 6 against the chavs/shitty both home and away. While we lost against Manure away. Which are games which we should have defended better. The one against Norwich is out of the question since the whole team were crap.
DA DA DA DA the grammar police are on the scene!
Oz, there’ll be a chair available for you mate! Just keep us posted!
Off to bed…work tomorrow.
Have a great day all except Oz….you have a great night mate.
Stay positive 🙂
I know Lee. It’s called PUNCTUATION.
CG – mate its a cover seriously, we have not needed to sell to pay off mortgages, if this has been done its been Stan and Wengers choice, not need. The loan agreement and team up keeping needs were very clear from the word go and transfers and certain profits are not related to debt. In fact a lenders requirement was the team had to remain competitive for the loans security. Remember what they told “this venture will have no serious impact on our ability to build our team. We will have a world class stadium fit for world class footballers”.
Ts, when the comment was made and Becks had done what he had done and you bring up tax breaks etc etc it does lead to the assumption your slagging the bloke off for ulterior motives does it not….!?!?! We all know most charity money never gets to where it should but the fact it’s going to a Paris childrens charity means lots of kids could benefit and I say well done to the fella.
The rest of what’s gone on is now over and kindly move on as I’ve just said. Don’t want and will not accept either of you swearing at each other so I think best you both ignore one another problem solved.
Good night Scott mate. Good to have positive vibes around.
Cheers Scott….
If Gibbs is gonna be out for maybe 8 weeks that’s not a strain thats a full on tear surely…?
If Wenger knew we needed Capoue why not offer enough money start of Jan to make sure we get the player we need… If not why not get Sissoko for a pittance just as cover to still get Capoue in the summer..? we run the risk of loosing out on 4th as we will not show ambition in the market.
Goodnight Scott, sleep well. Till tomorrow.
night Scotty – pleasant dreams bud
I will say one thing Ts – I take back the dig about curing diabetes. I know you were just trying to pass on some information that may have been of some interest. The rest I stand by. And as wath rightly said, for the good of the forum, we should ignore each other now. We have no time for each other, but at least we both know where we stand now. Oh, and I’m certainly not a rapper…
Ozgunner………I always maintained that the stadium should not impact the competitiveness of the team. Or the players.
Personally I feel that the board and the manager want it that way………they want to make AFC a team like Ajax and Barca. Where they do not buy players but make them.
Now this is a double edged sword. Yes, in the long term it should be that way. However initially you need to buy ready made players and phase them out. However one must realise that for an academy and youth programme to work 100% you need at least 10 to 15 years to have multiple fruit production. Because it is not only the players who are learning. There is also the coaching staff. And coaching is not something you learn with the flick of a finger. Not even if you were a Messi type of player. Coaching is an art which you acquire by experience. even if the kid infront of you is already world class by the age of 12 a coach with 3 years experience will have a vastly different outcome than a coach with 20 years experience will have with that kid.
That’s the thing Dev – didn’t the board say that teh stadium wouldn’t hinder us and our squad? They just can’t help themselves spinning lie after lie!
Making players is all well and good… And let’s face it, when a youngster that comes through the youth system etc get a first team call up and get on the pitch, the fans turnm a blind eye to any error they make, for a long time, as they so badly want them to be great. But you still need that star quality in the team. And sometimes that needs to be bought (as you rightly said above). It IS a tricky one, but it seems we just have this desire to do everything ‘in-house’.
Oz. are you a Londoner originally then?
I say it again………we will not see Gibbs before August.
The mood is not great here today
Night Scott
Yes… WATH point taken honestly. I lost my cool because this is not the first time I have been insulted on here and in all cases I have ignored it.
If I have not met someone I do not form opinions or say I have no time for someone just because I disagree with what that person believes in or says.
Maybe, I should read over what I write before posting. In most cases I post whilst working so ….
My views were purely based on an article publish 2 years ago by a Swiss paper that included….Another Celeb Charity Exposed As A Fraud: Fraud Plagues Celebrity-Backed Global Health Fund.
…..”A while back, I put up an article that exposed the so called “Live Aid” fund that was created by Bob Geldof back in 1985 as a massive fraud. The funds collected by people all over the world that were supposed to go to avoiding a catastrophic famine in the African horn region, which included Ethiopia, were instead sent to corrupt Government officials to purchase armaments to fight “insurgents” in the region, leaving the millions on the verge of famine to starve to death. That whole sorry piece of history was in itself disgusting, and showed how some aid organizations are definitely plagued with fraud, and corruption.”…
Yes every donation helps but on the other hand everyone is entitled to their own views and should be allowed to form their own opinions without fear of being called a pleb.
Dev…. Which year though?!
No pleeeeeze don’t sing for us Rocky………….!!
Dev, the whole thing about the stadium was taken with a pinch of salt then the Board said that originally, what they did was get rid of the invincibles far to quickly as they would of made it far easier bringing through younger players…! Will be interesting what happens with Brady going after Murphy going as well and a few others who all seem to be leaving come 2014…. A change in approach maybe or just all deciding enough is enough with current owner and Board..?
SD. Oh, I don’t know. We can’t all get on all the time can we? Nobody knows that better than I.
OzG10 – I think the clause in the the loan agreement you refer to was that all proceeds from player sales be re-invested in new players. Even our lenders could see that it was in their interest, getting the loan paid off on time, to keep the club financially healthy by having a competitive team. Some or all of Arsenal management/owners seem to have missed this point. If we don’t qualify for the Champions League, it will cost the club more than the players we need and should have bought.
Speaking of home grown products………Viktor Fischer at Ajax is one which will make the waves. He is quite good at 18 years. ……. 10 games five goals in the Eredivisie.
SD – It’s better than most days! It’s not that bad, honest! I’m actually relatively upbeat about the new signing.
Adam i was in London with Chelsea boys but lived in Peterborough mate at the time i was dragged (literally) over here hahaha
Good day all.
Welcome Nacho, never heard of him, hopefully he can plug a position we have struggled with for a long time. Shame he’s actually cup tied for bayern, that means we’ll be playing 10 against 12 as santos will be on the pitch assisting in any way he can to provide a few goals to ze Germans.
Morning Lewis. I can honestly see Verm or Sagna playing left back against Bayern. I think Wenger has realised now that Santos is poo.
Not to say I see us beating them even if he was eligible.
Oz – I said that last night that you were a P’boro lad…. Though I read that right the other day when we were talking about spirit in the football communities.
You think the penny has finally dropped rocky?! Dubious! 😉
Ts, agreed everyone entitled to an opinion but you cannot also judge Beckhams action on what others have done. Can you judge Beckham on an article thats 2 yrs old..? not really relevant is it when he’s just announced it and done nothing wrong… As yet…! So all I am saying is your comment came across as slagging off a good deed and was harsh.
At face value the bloke has done something no other footballer has ever done and for that needs a pat on the back, a little rash and quick to say or bring up that he may be just like others who have stitched up the charity bandwagon that’s all.
Ok, now we move on…! Everyone has said their bit.
Oz. Do you have an Australian accent now then? Do you, for instance, say “Listen” rather abruptly at the beginning of every sentence as my other Australian acquaintances do?
W.A.T.H – Has Liam Brady given any reasons for his decision to step down? Other than the usual motherhood statements you normally get that is.
Well, it should have Lewis…. But lets face it… It usually takes a while longer for Wenger to realise these things!
As for the penny dropping… I’m pretty sure our miserly board members would have caught it and pocketed itbefore it hit the ground….!
Arsenal made an unsuccessful bid for Toulouse midfielder Etienne Capoue on transfer deadline day.
Deadline day rumours suggested Arsene Wenger was interested in West Ham’s Mo Diame, but the Frenchman instead tried to land the Ligue 1 star Capoue.
The France international had been linked with a switch to England throughout January, with Everton and Fulham joining Arsenal in the pursuit.
And while Wenger landed Nacho Monreal from Malaga, he was also busy trying to sign Capoue but was thwarted as the Ligue 1 club refused to talk.
The 24-year-old’s agent Mino Raiola told L’Equipe: “The Toulouse president didn’t need to sell during this window. The asking price was a barrier every time.”
It is believed Toulouse wanted around £14m for the player – with Arsenal ready to try again in the summer.
CG – I’m still waiting for the MD of my company to come back from hols so I can ask him about Brady as apparently they play golf together a lot. Apparently. I’ll let you know if I hear anything!
Are there any legs on this “Bergkamp to take over from Brady” story?
Mr Arsene Shouda Woulda Coulda Wenger almost made another signing. You see, I told you he was going to be busy.
My mate does that Adam, and he’s only been living over there for 8 years! Voice goes up at the end of every sentence now, too!
I have not heard any reasons at all CG, no idea if anyone else has…??? Anyone..??
I find it strange that the youth guys all seem to be leaving around the same time.
I heard whispers Liam was upset that not enough of the Academy kids get a chance when Arsene’s foreign buys gets loads of chances…? no idea how true that is..!
im not going to be in the middle of the argument between Rocky and Ts…still in my book every action taken to do good is a good thing nomatter what..simple as..
about the transfer window..it only proves that wenger is still reacting..not acting..that said it becomes clearer and clearer that wenger is slowly but surely building a new team and not a bad one,but he is depending on players like rosicky and diaby to stay fit..i would call that a gambling..that said..two months ago it looked very bleak..but now..c’mon we’re starting to gel..i think we will have a great run in..
so..is that enough..to be were we should be..no it isnt..and we need to start showing more ambition…but i tell you this that even after shipping out Sagna this summer..i think that next season we will be fecking fantastic…
then again for tha last few years it has always been about the future and not now..
but i see that we’re slowly changing..shipping out the deadwood,bringing in both quality and experience,..there’s a new dawn lingering..im actually quite excited..
nacho…dont know much about him myself..but friends in Spain says that he is a fantastic buy…a real gem..
well well
Please have a superb Weekend all Gooners !!
Fair enough, Iyou don’t have time for me… I do not know you to have such an opinion. The fact is just maybe our paths may have crossed, its a small world and I tend not to make enemies especially behind a keyboard.
My life experiences define who I am and i would not change it for whatever. For instance yesterday, I met a man who was training me to go gain a license to inspect a confined spaces, and he said he had met me before and I said never. The fact is nearly 20 years when I was 15/16 working as a ball boy at highbury he claims he trained me then as a H&S officer. How he remembers me only he knows…
The same way my life may have been saved as a squadie by a kid in Afghan because I gave him a sweet and a comic book…
I don’t make enemies when I don’t need to so if you have no time for me fair enough…
By-gones. I only come on here as a bit of entertainment as a commoner away from most of prentenious folks I met everyday but I guess if my views piss people off that much then, apologies. I am out.
Rocky. I believe that is the interrogative lift. 🙂
£14m? Is that all? And we’d not pay that, but pay a load of bums to sit on the bench or in the stands each week that have no chance of ever getting a game for us again? Scandalous.
Dev, re Capoue when I said what the agent said even yesterday I got called a liar…
Think so Adam! He doean’t so much raise an eyebrow, but I feel he should!
Wenger defends Santos critics…..
Is he for real…?
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has defended full-back Andre Santos following his performance against Liverpool in midweek.
The Brazilian was highly criticised following the Gunners’ 2-2 draw with the Reds on Wednesday when he was thrown into the match following a thigh injury to Kieran Gibbs.
“Maybe people speak that he had a difficult game [against Liverpool] but he lacks competition,” Wenger told the club’s official website.
“He is a style of player who needs competition because he is not a nervous type of player, he is a stamina type of player and get sharper through competition. Yes [the criticism of Santos is unfair] because if you watch the game again and you analyse very well his performance, you will be less critical.”
Rocky and W.A.T.H – Thanks for your responses regards Brady. I await any further developments and updates you can offer.
yep i did rocky – No Adam, i am picked as being English everywhere i go still
TS. I get called a liar all the time. I rather enjoy it.
WATH – he’s defended all his buys – has to really doesn’t he?
Adam – I got called an arrogant piece of shite recently and an imbecile…. I rather enjoyed that also! That person must really know me to make such a well-informed assessment! Don’t see how they could have otherwise….
Anyway…..
Wath – What sort of competition would Santos need?! Maybe if he was chased all game by a lion, he migt run a bit harder…
Oz. Do you ever come back to the dump previously known as England?
come on TsGH..
to differ in opinion is not bad..is it ??..if i..then i should have stopped posting in here along time ago ;..i read your comments and often find them very good,,i dont always agree,but they are appreciated,and that goes for Rocky too 🙂
and to the both of You ;)accepting not necessarily agreing with others opinions is what defines you as a human being…c’mon there’s enough shit going on in this world…or ?..
im abit shocked really..!…we cant all love eachother but we CAN be respectful to eachother…after all we’re the best of the best right..we’re Gooners ;)..
You’re right Tom….. I know I go too far sometimes when provoked. But I said, we can easily both co-exist on the site happily enough while not responding to each other. I’m all for that.
yep was there a few years back – Mum lives in Lincoln as does my sister
Tomstoned. Well said that man.
WATH, last point Oppong Weah donated his salary too to war kids in Sierra Leone and Liberia too (1990’s)… The Toure brothers built an orphange for kids too.. even adebawhore gives half his salary to togoloese charity too… 😉
In all cases the players did not report it until it was made public by the charities…
Oz. Well let us know the next time you do.
Point taken Tomstoned. 😉
I only reacted because it was not the first time I had been insulted but me being naive I did not think was disliked ‘remotely’…
At least now I know.
Apologies to Rocky too if he thought I was dissing his friend. I am a pleb so just maybe I can’t write properly.
Definitely Oz. Could be a fair few of us soon!
Oz, how’s the tiling going?
really looking forward to meeting you all actually – Scott did me a big favour introducing me here – great spot and i really enjoy the crack as my Geordie mate calls it haha
Apology accepted. I’ll let him know.
There is a tendency to like those that share your views more then those who don’t obviously. But, in fact I think it is probably the diversity of views that gives HH it’s unique position and it’s strength.
rocky – floor done mate, time for walls tomorrow, grout then install new shower, taps and new bath and vanity ….. oh bugger it, very slowly mate hahahaha
Adam – agree mate i spend half my life trying to convince Scott, Wenger is a looser hahahah
Oz – you can do my bathroom when you come over then mate!!
Where has Rico gone? She is the voice of reason and the de facto matriarch of the site. She rules with an iron fist and who amongst us doesn’t find that irresistible?
TS, those players also need a pat on the back but many players do things without the need for the media to give them brownie points… I now full well Becks does many things for charity that very few know about and thats how it should be, the wages thing although a superb gesture I would say was orchestrated by PSG and the owners to generate attention to him and more so to the club.
rocky – happy to help mate if you need – keep me in fluids and food and i am yours haha
Little Johnny was sitting in class doing math problems when his teacher picked him to answer a question:
“Johnny, if there were five birds sitting on a fence and you shot one with your gun, how many would be left ?” “None.”, replied Johnny. “’cause the rest would fly off.”
“The correct answer is four,” said the teacher. “But I like your thinking.”
Little Johnny said, “I have a question for you now. If there were three women eating ice cream cones in a shop, one licking her cone, the second biting her cone, and the third one sucking her cone, which one is married ?
Well,” said the teacher nervously, “I guess the one sucking her cone?”
“No,” said Little Johnny, “The one with the wedding ring on her finger. But I like the way you think!”
Personally I find it difficult to imagine Adebayor doing anything whatsoever that doesn’t directly aid Adebayor. But, as my wife says, “Adam, you are a cynical bastard and it’s not hard to see why your previous wives all walked out on you, you insufferable git”
She loves me really.
yeah ade doesn’t look the giving type at all does he – i actually respect Becks big time, even with that pathetic voice of his hheee
Just spoken to my MD – Brady is, as said by a few on here, pissed off with Wengers reluctance to put any youngsters in the first team, instead opting to buy youngsters from abroad. He said, to but it mildly, Brady “cannot fucking stand Wenger these days”. There you have it!
tomstoned – hahaha very good
wow rocky – now there’s a story for the Wenger PR men – wonder if they have given up on the Wenger only wants top top players story yet? 🙂
Oz – yeah that voice is a shocker!! I’ll get a couple of crates in ready for you mate. My wife cooks a good bit of grub too so no worries there!!
Adam mate ..
only one thing to say really ;..like little Johnny..i like the way you think 😉
well off….lets blow stoke to kingdom come,..have a beer and enjoy the Weekend..sun is shining and life is good..
Ramsey will be our beast…Giroud is rocking,,Theo gets better and better..Jack is one heck of a player…and Cazorla aint half bad…cant believe im saying this…i think we’re going to explode and rip teams apart…
over and out from up here far North
i read somewhere QPR are up for 100k a week for Samba!! Holy shit, that seems rather silly. Have we got another leeds happening here. Silly me QPR have never been anywhere near the ECL have they – big money though. I will say Newcastle have impressed me a lot, gone about their stuff quickly and got the deals done, some decent players in there too. Hats off to them. The new TV money next year makes it well worth the effort to stay up 12-15m extra per side they say with more to the top sides
Adam you insufferable….. and a git…. How dare she………..!
I do believe her mind you…!
I wondered how true the whispers were Rocky….!?!?
Tom thats piss funny…! lol
having said that another Musketeers pay rise coming no doubt
Tomstoned. Where, in the far North are we talking here?
Agree about Stoke. There are very few people in this world I detest more than Tony Pubis and beating that sack of shit and his team of knuckle scraping Neanderthals is is one of the few pleasures left to Gooners this season.
Oz – QPR must have put in clauses for these players that the wages will drop if they get relegated. If not, and they go down, they will be screwed.
rocky – he has brought truck loads of them over the years – we’ve organised jobs, house and god knows what else for these potential super stars, few of which we have ever seen a lot of which we still pay
agree – i hate pullis as well and fat sam – plonkers
That did make me chuckle Tom, thanks!
Oz – Apparently, according to what Brady said, there’s a feeling amongst a lot of the coaches that Wenger will quit at the end of this season.
Rocky – adds interest to the season for me, whether they can stay up – Saints are finding their feet, Newcastle have brought well, so who goes down?
Cheers Tom….! I do agree Ramsey will be our beast…! Shawcross, payback time you bitch…!
Adam – Agreed. I’ve been on a number of sites over the years and been shot down for expressing a view contrary to that popular, maybe mandatory, on that site. I have no problems with people holding contrary points of view if they can explain their reasons for their views and there is some logic and rationality to their arguments. That doesn’t mean I necessarily agree with them, but I can understand them.
However, I have been apalled at the illogical, spiteful and rabid responses on some of the other sites if you dare to question their dogma. So, I hope tsGH and Rocky can bury the hatchet and move on, as I view this site as a bit of a second family as many of the posters are repeat regulars who like to share a bit more than a good moan or whine.
On that note, I bid good night from me and good afternoon to all my fellow Gooners in the House. Till tomorrow when I hope to see an apoplectic Tony Clueless after our match with Stoke.
He has to defend his players. Good managers will usually criticise only the players who he has a vested interest in and sees a future for in the team. Sounds backwards but it’s not.
Open criticism of players who u might be selling will only serve to devalue the player and make him harder to offload. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear him defending even Squilli too. It’s not about his ego. It’s just good sense. Imagine what we would think if Wenger tried to buy someone whose manager always had complaints about? It couldn’t happen.
Public criticism usually only serves to also slap urgency into the player and raise his focus and spur introspection.
Think back to his comments on TV after the United match. “Top defenders don’t make those errors.”
Ramsey = beast… i am having real trouble computing this hahah
Harstad,Norway Adam ;)have to run…
Cheers CG, take it easy.
Rocky. Tony Fernandes has more money than Kev and Lee put together. Hard to believe but true. Also ‘Arry can sniff out a soft touch like a pig can sniff out a bucket of shit.
Will – nothing to do with it at all – Wenger brought them and like he says the only issue is… “they just don’t realise how good they are” 🙂 We’re all quite stupid you know, as PHW said recently “What do the fans know”
Adam – There is a velvet glove on that iron fist, which stays on if we behave ourselves. I’ve had my knuckles rapped once or twice at the start when I took some of our regulars’ tongue-in-cheek remarks at face value.
do you guys meet at the games or socially often? Have many of you actually met in person?
Adam, No-one has more money than them. They have more money than a cow’s got c**t!. Not sure with that analagy…. Is Twitchy the pig or the bucket of shit? Tough call, but the bucket of shit wins it for me
Oz…. what’s wrong with you mate.. come on use your imagination….
Beast Aaron………… Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
You can do it I know you can 😀
Levy had arr’y by the jacobs
But arr’y managed to pull the trousers down of all the other chairmen.
The list is endless……All went tits-up.
I think Ramsey will be the natural successor to Arteta in the holding midfield position. He works hard and I saw enough from him in his positioning to see the potential. Some quick pointers on how to use his body well and he should be good to go.
Good afternoon all.
I have my hard hat on, am I safe 🙂
Adam, I was out walking Fido, and got rather dirty, both of us that is….
Ramsey to be our ‘beast’…
I do hope you are all kidding. TGIF does usually mean a bit of a jolly takes place but that…. Well I be jiggered…
CG. I know. HH should always be a fun place to express your views and we won’t always agree with each other but if it is done in the right humour then that is great. Having said that, there will always be certain people that you don’t care for and this could be down to misinterpretation or a certain arrogance in the pattern and tone of their posts. They might even feel the same way about you. after all, the only membership requirement is access to a keyboard. Just ignore these people. Pretend like they don’t exist. They just want a reaction sometimes, but overall they are completely irrelevant. You can watch this whole mechanism at work minute by minute on any number of websites, especially those where the testosterone flows freely.
I have made some real-life friends on HH that I know will stay close to me for the rest of my life but they are friendships borne out of respect and trust.
WATH – I typed ‘Ramsey is a beat’ into my MAC and got the message, please review your description tags uuummm 🙂
‘beast’ sorry – god i am a lazy typist or my keyboard is shot, yeah i will use that excuse sounds better
Afternoon Rico. Fun this morning.
fair point fred
Tomstoned. Just looked up Harstad. That really is up North. Further than Narvik. Must be on the edge of the Arctic up there. Wow.
I am saying nothing Adam…..
Once again after the transfer window closes,we hear of the bids that were under the asking price,being turned down.
So he knows what we need.
Enough to drive you to drink.
I may of gone a bit overboard on the Beast word Oz… forgive me….
Is terrier a better description…?
Will I am with you, I think Ramsey has the potential to play there, he is a clever footballer and takes a lot of stick because he not flashy and tries mostly to do the simple things. Lack of movement in front of him hurts his game and that’s when he suffers and looks a bad player.
Not like you Rico. 🙂
Fred – That’s standard fayre at Arsenal these days unfortunately.
Or is it fare… Adam?
I’ve just had my first slurp of 2013…..hahahaha you wankers!
fred, didn’t you suggest yesterday we would hear that yet again….
Our manager never fails to disappoint does he, when it comes to his late/cheap bids..
None last night then Lee? Good for you….
Must have been a quiet night then…..
Can’t think what you mean Adam….
Wath… The simple things are the things he excels at. My issues with Ramsey only come up when he tries to do too much… And he does try sometimes. I’ve seen him on at least 4 occasions try a needles cross-field ball which is always intercepted quite easily. Other times he will try to beat players on the dribble or get caught in possession.
Cut those things out and I’m good with him.
Hi all…………just a quick hop on before I hop off……….
L’Arsenal ha messo gli occhi sul talentuoso trequartista del Lorient Alain Traorè (24), grande protagonista in Coppa d’Africa con la nazionale del Burkina Faso. Arsene Wenger sferrerà l’attacco a giugno, come riferisce Le10Sport.
Basically it means that AW has identified as a new summer potential target the midfielder Alain Traore from the super powerhouse nation that is Burkina Faso.
There are so many players that we were close to that I am rubbing my eyes in disbelief. Close but not close enough to keep them.
In my teens I was very close to going out with Kathy Lloyd (of the Sun pg 3 fame). However I just failed in the last minute of the transfer deadline which saw her transferred to retirement before I could agree the transfer fee. 😉
Lee! You were so subdued last night with your language! Great to have you back!
Righto……off to Pa now. Time for a Gunners’ reunion on this part of the island. We will tear AW a new one now
Cheerio folks.
Will – That drives me nuts too. That lofted through ball that he always tries that just bounces harmlessly out of play really grates.
Dev, she’s a Scouse fan… It would have never worked…..!
enjoy, Dev!
Yeah I know that she is a scouser Rocky. That is why I would have enjoyed scoring a lot. I always would have played in attack.
off now.
Haha!! You sly devil Dev!! Catch you soon mate
Seems Lee is pissed already…! One drink and he’s mangled…!
Look Cava-Queen…glass houses and all that!I’ve just had four pints of Guiness and feel lively in the paddock….
Bet you threw that first one down your neck Lee
Where’s the rizla? I’m off on a mission from God…I’d like to donate the steam off my piss to Fergie!
😆 devil and hi and bye, have a fab time….
That’s really funny Lee…
Maybe our players need 4 pints o Guinness before a match…
Ts, we’ve moved on….!!
David Beckham….good footballer, great dad, generous man BUT high pitched Leytonstone James!
Cheers Dev………….
Lee is now back to normal bet his Mrs has wondered who the fuck took over her husbands body the last month…!
you can’t see me…….
I’ll try and take over her body tonight….
Lee on that potato shit is always a mare……………….
I’m sure you will mate but I reckon she’ll be having none of it 😀
dis n dat iz atg gud 4 de arse? hahahaha illiterate fux
“I’ll try and take over her body tonight”!! You lothario! That sounded like it was straight out of Steve Palmers handbook!
Someone please call the men it white suits……………..
gud 4 die arse Lee? Someone mention APD??
Lee – you sure it was only 4??
There was a time when a pre-match drink or 2 or 3 was essential for some players.
Eg Jim Baxter, who called off in Town Arms ,on Trent Bridge, pre match had 3 pints, shuffled towards the door at about 7.00pm, was back 5 mins later. He’ d left his boots behind the bar!
Went and played badly, but was found in the Trent Bridge Inn, after the game for a few bevvies with the boys! I left long before he did!
I guess the drink did affect his performance that night, but what a player he was – before he started drinking!
Perhaps some of ours would benefit from a spot of Tony Adams old peculiar? Then again maybe not!
A few of ours played quite well under the influence didn’t they Wavy.
Righto, need some food for the weekend so popping off to shops…
Back shortly…
I just got back from the shops. They were full of people buying things.
No way…..
Rocky. Your 1.41. Interesting. I might see both as being correct. Fayre as in foodstuffs etc? I will ask my man what he thinks.
Afternoon all, nice post Rico, you got your defender you must be ecstatic ha ha, I told you ages ago that we will buy in the last few minutes and it will be someone we have never heard of before. Strangely although i hadn’t heard his name before i am sure some of the guys out there know all about him. By all accounts this feller is suposed to be a bit of a player loves challengeing for headers although 5′ 10”he is not enormous, but its still nice to hear that he doesn’t worry about his hair. From what i have read about him he is a no nonsense type of player he gets in there and clears his lines. Now i like the sound of that, just straight forward defending and not trying to prove he is realy a winger. Of course if he is that good Wenger will probably play him elsewhere just to see his versatility who knows, but for the time being he’s our new LB and from what i gather we may just see his debut tomorow. must tune in and see our Marquee signing.
Steve. Your advice to Goonster has gone down in HH folklore. We had a great laugh about it last night. 🙂
It sure did Adam/Steve! I am definitely going to give that advice on to any of my friends about to tread the marriage path!
Hi Adam, glad someone smiled last night. But a new left back just what we needed another lefty we only buy leftys now.
Hi Rocky, i sometimes wish i had taken my own advice 🙂
It was an absolute belter Steve! You should be guest of honour at our next curry club after that mate!
I would if she’d only let me out 🙂
Tell her you’re coming to London to look for a really nice gift for her. Then when you get home just say they were out of stock and it’s discontinued.
Rocky that made me laugh, sounded like a Wenger story 🙂
Where do you think I got it from Steve?! Listening to him all these years has made most of us good bullshitters…..!
adamant…..
WHen did you change your name on here Stan?
you dont like it then rocky? this was my first name on HH all those years ago. kinda cool huh?
I like it mate. You should keep it.
It’s like you’re a different man now you’re married!!
so we finally sign nacho! good player from all account. at least i wont see santos laughing at my karma at the pearly gates! COYFGS! now let’s rip the orcs a new one. yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. come on!
are you serious? you dont like the goonster! awwwww shucks, here i was thinking am cool. i never knew i looked like a dweeb to you all. that’s it am going back being the goonster. goonerstan makes me sound quite old, am barely even 27!
yeah that’s more like it……..i feel young again. like me not WATH-LIKE!
Stan… Don’t worry mate, if it was any consolation, you’d always be Goonster to me!
Peace and Goodwill to all men… Oh and women as well, phew.. 😉
Gotta bit of catching up to do…
Any signings btw?
hahahahahaha rocky you twerp, thanks man, means a lot. hey AK. chuffed are ya?
I’ve been called worse today Stan!!
Thanks to Lee, whilst shopping, I took a detour away from the bottles of Cava on offer and grabbed myself some Guinness instead.
I have a friend who rents out paddocks you see…..
Evening fine people…..
Goonster.
by totscummers huh? i heard you work close to shite fart lane? how do you cope rockster? the stench ll be unbearable! i dont envy you amigo. hey mama bear, had some nachos yet? oh i forgot you only eat green leafy crap!
Evening Rico. Guiness?
11.33….
Typical, Rico takes fido for a walk leaving Watty in charge and it all kicks off…
Rico, you just cannot get the staff anymore… 🙄
hey adam, what’s going on brother? how’s your book coming along? don’t hold out on me amigo!
Guinness. What strange stuff.
What just happened here? 😯
The book is finished Stan. I may publish it online.
cool…….will you post a link buddy? pretty please??
I actually blame wath fopr the whole unsavoury incident earlier…. But don’t tell him I said so….
Not from those scummers Stan. I go vome via Tottenham Hale/White Hart Lane (Depending which line the train goes on) and yeah, they are pretty scummy. Last night on Sky Sports News summed them up, when the studio cut to Shite Hart Lane, and there was a fat noncey looking bloke in a blue hoodie trying to be a bit of a geezer. He looked like a fat nonce in a blue hoodie.
As soon as it is published Goonie, I will post the link. It is a series of short stories.
Adam, you telling ‘Porkies’ again?
Evening Adam, yes, just two tins otherwise I’ll be tiddled. That an an episode of Eastenders later, what more does a girl need… 😉
Kev. In what way?
hahahahahah rockster i ll bet that’s WATHY’s cousin ” butt munch”. he’s a scummer in disguise you know!
Rico. Now that’s living. 🙂
alright adam but i want firsr dibs on them, afterall i inspired you to write the book didnt i?
Ak, I know, shocking isn’t it 😛
Goonie, you will always be Stan to me…..
Still catching up…
Oh no, Lee’s on the sauce….
Bound to be a ruck on the last train to Norwich tonight…
Hiya, rico, adam, goonie, rock. 🙂 🙂 I hope Nacho hits the ground running. Anything less would be unsatisfactory.
Kev, Lee won’t even make the train! He’ll be passed out on a seat on the concourse!
It was you Goonie. The collection of stories are titled Stan’s Lips.
Hey, GoonerStan is back….
I bet the Mrs made ya do it….
Under the thumb already…
Sure is Adam …….
Hi agag, I have a feeling he will, good to see him training hard today in his posh yellow boots….
Adam, I quote ” Ts, I get called a liar all the time. I rather enjoy it”…
Journalistic license..? 😉
hahahahahhaahhahaa adam you ll be the death of me…….hey lil mama how’s manila? i heard you were in the states yet didnt bother to look me up. am sad.
Yeah Rocky, I’ll be getting a call about 1am, when his missed his last train.
Oh, yes I remember that one. It wasn’t true. 🙂
what mrs AK? i ll have you know i wear the pants in this family! am no wimp!
Gotta go back to work…
Think I’ll head for the City… 😉
They’ll be plenty of long fares in the Liverpool St area… 😀
Agag, hi and bye…
Adam, but that won’t sell. Hiya, AK. How are you? I hope you’ve been keeping warm.
rico, I am sure that he will be an improvement over Santos though. 🙂
Spent the Christmas holidays in NY, goonie. I couldn’t stand the cold.
Hi agag. You found me any shoes for the wife yet?!
Agag. You know, I agree. It will never sell. It’s too filthy and overtly sexual. Makes 50 shades sound like a Sunday School meeting. I only wrote it as therapy when my 4th wife ran off with a policeman.
awwwwwww i was back home in arnhem then……..grrrrrrrrrrrrr guess we ll never meet then. crazy twisted world.
hahahahhahahhaha adam the lothario! hahahahahahaha men you re the salt in HH! WATH is the bile!
Rocky, I’ll email you once I’ve found stuff I think the missus will like. 🙂
hey AGAG, am married too now huh? so what about my missus?
Adam, hahaha. But then again true artists are never appreciated in their time. Maybe, a hundred years from now it will get the recognition it deserves.
Goonie, what’s in Arnhem. I went to Amsterdam last year and loved it. Careful, WATH will bin ya.
I’ll go look for honeymoon destinations for you, goonie. Give me a budget.
honeymoon, shmoneymoon? who’s paying?
agag, I have a feeling he’s going to be better than Gibbs, and maybe even most left backs in the PL…..
You’re the one working and you’re the boy, who do you think, goonie? I mean, honestly. Go to Costa Rica or the Dominican Republic.
rico, really? Is he that highly-rated? I had never heard of him until he was signed. Now that is something to be excited about. 🙂
No idea agag, I’m just being hopeful 😛
All that Guinness rico, and you’re being cheeky now. 😛
I haven’t even opened one yet agag, and I just noticed I picked up the one that says ‘mid strength’ 🙂
It won’t taste like it should… Boo hoo….
Night all. Catch you all soon
You should have gone for “extra strength” if there is such a variant. 😛
Good night, rocky. 🙂
Hi Agag. I am just back after a bite. It must be late where you are.
Night Rocky…
I agree there agag 😉
I am off to eat now, back shortly…..
I don’t sleep, Adam. 😀 A bit of an insomniac. and I am ALWAYS late for work. Ick.
Agag. Is the Language there a bit like Chinese?
adam you tosser, its spanish! manila is the city of GOD! gosh i miss south east asia. cant wait to visit again. afternoon guys, have we signed anyone?
Is it Spanish? I never knew that. It just shows you what an uncouth uneducated git I am Stan. I am ashamed.
hahahahahahaah stop it adamant……….everybody on here knows am the uncouth uneducated git. you ve got class amigo. i really look up to ya. wish i had your suave and style.
It sounds Indonesian, Adam. Do you guys have Filipino friends? Goonie, we speak Filipino and English; Spanish is no longer an official language here. 😀 We have millions of Chinese, too. But then again, which country does not have millions of Chinese?
We failed in our late bid for Fernando Torres, goonie.
rico will come back to an adamant-staninha love-in. 😀
Stan. That is very sweet of you. You blond God-like, full lipped, love machine you. 🙂
I think it might be too hot for me over there Agag. Mrs A and I are always looking for new holiday destinations though. But she is a pale-skinned brick top of Eastern European extraction. She also tips the scales at just over 300 lbs so hot weather can be uncomfortable for her. Spicy noodles could well tip the balance though but not those hairy chicken things you posted that time. I am still trying to forget those.
hahahahahhahahaha adam you wont kill me………..gosh i can’t breathe.
Agag. The only Filipinos I have met lately were those two girls who followed me and asked if I could take pics of them in that car I was driving. They were quite charming and smiled all the time. They also had a lot of coloured silk clothes on.
Oh and very, very high heels.
i know a few right here in raleigh. one works at food lion up in glenwood avenue. her looks can kill. she’s got this stare that ll make you crawl back into your shell. i know another she’s a pizza delivery girl. tried to get her to come indoors for her tip but ti no avail.
But you are the (self-proclaimed Blonde Adonis), goonie. Are you not. Surely you are used to effusive praise. 😆
Adam, why not Japan? I’ve never been to Tokyo. But Kyoto and Nara are beautiful. There is a lot to see in Osaka. I hear Sapporo is beautiful, too. I’ve been meaning to go to China, but they are not exactly my favorite people on earth at the moment. We have island disputes down south with the Chinese government, and they are such bullies. They are embarrassing, really.
Goonie. Just make sure you are back-lit and then flutter those long blond eyelashes at her and moisten those gorgeous fulsome lips while making a rather sickening gyratory movement with your slim hips and lo-rise jeans. If there is a woman who can resist that I haven’t met her.
We’re tough chicks, goonie. Seriously. I have no trouble cutting people down to size. 😀
You must have a lovely car, Adam. 🙂
dont got to japan adam, its riddled with earth quakes. my cousin died in one years back. am terrified of that country! head to phuket instead. you ll love it down there. lots of tiny ladies. i love south east asian women. why did i get married again??? oh yes my green card!
Agag. Interestingly enough I recently had an invite to tour the Takamine guitar factory in Tokyo somewhere as I do write about instruments too. At 7 feet I would also be the tallest man in Japan. 🙂
I have shoes, I cannot walk on, if I am honest, Adam. Eeeek.
Morning all.
No more signings 🙂
hahahahahaahh did you picture me as ron jeremy adam? gyrating? really?
Why doesn’t that come as a surprise to me Agag?
Not quite Ron Jeremy Goonie. More Justin Bieber, but much more handsome.
hahahahahaha justin beiber? no way………i ll rather ron jeremy!
Yes, Ron Jeremy is a fine figure of a man isn’t he?
In hospital at the moment though and rather ill.
Go to Tokyo, and visit the Tsukiji Market, Adam. Then tell us all about it. 🙂 🙂 Are you really that tall?? 😯 Or, you can go to Siem Reap to see Angkor Wat and other Khmer temples. From Siem Reap
goonie, that’s sad. 🙁 But you forget, Phuket is tsunami zone. I’ve been to Krabi though. Gorgeous!!
howdy scott? signings? yep one more and he’s coming from the east. you heard it here first. his name ” AHMEDINOV”. watch this space!
Hiya, Scott. 🙂 How’s Melbourne?
Justin Bieber, yuck. So young and such a sleazebag.
Yes, I’ve always looked up to Adam
No, not really Agag. Nothing is at it seems is it? But I have a taste for the absurd. I probably will go to Japan though. I get loads of press invites all the time but I don’t often take them up as the other press guys spend all their time drinking and I don’t do that stuff. All the young writers I know are proto alcoholics. I was due to go to China last year to see their growing electronics industry but some domestic stuff prevented that. The guys that did go had big trouble with the food though. Perhaps later this summer.
Hey Kev. Finished for the day yet mate?
Don’t like Justin Blieber then Agag…
Are you a bit of a Rock Chick then..?
awwwwwwww agkor wat temples, gosh i miss south east asia. men i need to start saving up. hey agag i still wanna visit mindanao(spelling). a friend told me its got one of the best beaches to surf. the waves and current is to die for. what do you think lil mama?
Hello again all.
Scott, no more signings and more to the point, Santos is still at the club… 🙁
No mate, just had a salt-beef baigel in Brick Lane.
It was delicious…
Just reading Stan Jeremy, hmm yeah, I can see you as a star of the screen Stanley.
The Pouting Nailer. Yes, it has a certain ring to it…
hahahhhahahahahahahhahahah OMG, what was that? the pouting nailer??? now i ve heard everything!
I wonder if Lee got home ok…
Think I might go and have a look for him…
Spitalfields is just around the corner…
I know that bakery Kev. did you have a wally with it? On your way in this direction? Only another 4 miles.
Goonster the surfer eh? Remember to put plenty of sun blocker on those lips Stan.
Oh, so you mean, Siargao, goonie. I’ve never been, but I think they do get excellent waves. I saw this blog about some really good beaches in the Phis. I’ll look for it and send to you.
AK, nope. I like Aimee Mann. And Lucky Soul. Unadulterated chick stuff. 😀
Adam, you will fall in love with Japan. Crazy place! Everywhere the toilet seats are heated, and with a zillion crazy functions including “flushing sounds” “gurgling brook”, etc, etc. Haha. Then you can take the Shinkansen (bullet train) so you can visit the Kansai area (Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Kobe)
hahahahahahh i need to get out of here. you fellas ll make me bust a gut.
Off for the evening all. It has been quite an eventful day on HH.
Goodnight all.
Bagel Bake Adam, not mate, gotta crack on.
Day off tomorrow so a late one tonight.
I will be texting you for updates vs SRFU.
Stan, calm down.
Agag, rock on.
Rico, steady on that Guiness.
But it has plenty of iron in it and puts lead in your, er, I forget 😉
Lata…
So has everyone gone now??
Haven’t opened one yet Ak 😉
I am heeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrreeeeeeeeee!!!!
Hi devil, how was you afternoon?
No more signings…bugger!
Agag, I didn’t quite get to Melbourne…..i was an hour or so north nut back home now.
I am app. 100 k’s north of Sydney…..just close enough, but just far enough away 🙂
Rico, and i thought you liked Santos lol.
Ha ha Scott, I am sure he’s lovely, but he’s a crap footballer….
We had a good one me and Pa. We 3 (the little one included) serviced the Escort while we were tearing AFC apart with comments.
Devil, be kind to AFC, don’t go to the dark side mate!!
I can’t do it alone 🙂
Rico, he is probably an arsehole lol.
Nice devil, we all need those kind of days….
No mate…..will not go to the darkside. What was said will stay between the old man and me. But we are not satisfied with what is going on.
Who knows Scott…..
I’m off folks, it’s late for me 😉
Night all……
None of us really are mate.
Even we “delusional” fans are not happy.
We just choose not to let it ruin our daily lives.
It would be boring if we just won everything, wouldn’t it 🙂
Night Rico.
hi there!
How many players have we who prefer to play with the left foot?
I hope Arsenal fight for Leandro Damiao. 20-22 millions is much money but probably is the price. I don’t know if he will play next wednesday.
And why not Fernandinho from Schacktar?
Four Hundred and Eleventh…
412?
That your age Grandad….?
Lee now feeling 412 after his drinks yesterday…!
Morning ….
New Post going up…
Hungover Lee?? 😉
You can’t be far behind Ak Wath ….