If your reading this you are probably an Arsenal Fan, maybe a season ticket holder or even an overseas fan who supports from afar but whatever or whoever you are, you probably watch as much of the Arsenal action as anyone – whether it be live, streamed or through one of the television channels.
You may be British or perhaps an expat or maybe one of the increasing foreign supporters we are accumulating, the one thing we all have in common is we love the Arsenal and the style of play.
At the moment I would have thought many of you feel a bit let down with how the transfer situation seems to be dragging on and without to many expected signings. I also feel that Arsenal seem to be a bit slow off of the starting blocks but with promises from the Arsenal hierarchy of a busy summer window, I suppose we shall have to wait and see what they come up with.
Ricardo Alvarez, the Argentinean midfielder has been strongly linked to be a future signing – we have read that managers abroad are suggesting he has already signed for us but as of yet this has not been confirmed by the club.
Since the window has been active, our Manager has been on a scouting mission to South America and we all know that’s a place which is renowned for spectacular footballers, Pele, Maradona… far to many to name but you get the picture.
Most Premier Managers do their transfer shopping from home, buying ready-made players from the top teams, good players that have caught the eye but all too often they come with a hefty price tag. That seems to be the way things are done in England and that is usually why the wealthiest clubs end up with most of the spoils at the end of a season, because they can afford the prices others cannot.
Arsene Wenger believes that South America has huge potential, they produce many of the players that play for European clubs, and as we all know Wenger has a knack for finding young talent from Europe but now, other managers have seen what he has achieved and have started to sent scouts to search in the same places.
This in turn cuts down the talent available and more often than not, other managers find out who Wenger is interested in and up goes the price! Wenger is not interested in a bidding war, so his interests moves on to the next.
I believe that Wenger has seen this transfer window as an opportunity to get one over his rivals, I believe he is boycotting the normal processes and will do something completely different.
I think he has tried to get a look at talent without others waiting to upset his apple cart, yes we know he has gone to South America but we don’t know where and we don’t know for how long and we don’t know who he’s looking at. What we do know though is that there wont be to many Premier Managers bidding on any players that he might find out there.
Arsene has always been a forward thinking Manager, he has been a pioneer with some of his idea’s and techniques and I believe he may have just tapped into a resource that he nor any other Premier League Manager has yet exploited.
Maybe this new avenue that our boss is going down will produce the talent needed to make us a much stronger side, a winning side and at a realistic Price.
I may be wrong and he may be just soaking up the Argentine or Brazilian sunshine and having a nice cold drink on a well deserved vacation away from prying eyes and a chance to get out of the spotlight, away from Barcelona’s constant claims that Fabregas is their property and they want him back.
Strange though isn’t it, as that was exactly how Wenger found Fabregas in the first place, getting in first before any other Premiership Manager to secure his signature at an early age!
Wenger maybe a genius, he may just get lucky every now and then – I’ll leave that for you to answer, where ever you are…
But I know what I think.
Written by Steve Palmer
Morning All
Merlin, you done it again 😉
New Post up…
Good read from this link:
http://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer_irish/35067/
Arsenal academy not up to scratch
Brian Keegan, 27 June 2011
Here’s a question that’s rarely asked, is the Arsenal Academy actually any good?
Much has been written about the exciting young players produced at the North London club’s academy, and Arsene Wenger himself is most guilty of fawning over his young Gunners. But is the academy delivering value for money? Is it producing players good enough to play for Arsenal?
Let’s look at the current first team.
We’ll start with the goalkeepers. Not much to brag about here. Vito Mannone and Wojciech Szczesny both joined the club as 17 year olds, at which point they would have already received most of their formative training. Of course, I’m not claiming for a second that Arsenal haven’t contiributed massively to the development of these players, but, with the odd notable exception, at 16 you either have it or you don’t.
Let’s move on to to the defence, a little more impressive. Johan Djourou joined at 16, Gael Clichy at 18, Kieran Gibbs moved from the disbanded Wimbledon academy, where he had received his first three years of professional development. Armand Traore joined at 16.
Midfield now. Cesc Fabregas, as you all now, joined as a 16 year old from Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, where he had been for six years. Denilson, having already captained his native Brazil at underage level for some years, was recruited at 18, Serial loanee Aaron Ramsey was captured by Arsenal for £5 Million after a tug-of-war for his services. Ramsey had been at Cardiff City for eight years at that time, and had attracted the interest of many premier league clubs. None of the aforementioned could be described as undiscovered talents upon joining the Gunners. Cameroon native Alex Song joined as a 17 year old.
And now, the jewel in the crown, the foundation upon which future Arsenal and England teams are to be built, Jack Wilshere. Admittedly, Arsenal can claim credit for Jack’s development, having recruited him at nine years of age. It is interesting to note however that this shining beacon of hope was decidedly underwhelming when pitted against the Ajax wunderkind Christian Eriksen in England’s February friendly against Denmark. Eriksen himself was forced to play second fiddle recently to Swiss starlet Xherdan Shaqiri in their match up at the Euro under 21 championship.
On to the forwards, Nicklas Bendtner’s ego landed in North London in 2004, accompanied by the then 16 year old “striker”. Carlos Vela, top scorer for the Under 17 World Champions Mexico, joined at 16. Theo Walcott signed at 16 for a fee finally settled at £9.1 Million, having already alerted the entire football world to his talents during his six years at Southampton.
And there you have it, not much when viewed in it’s entirety. As a finishing school, Arsenal has proven itself, but as for finding and developing players from an early age, it has fallen short. It’s the equivalent of doing the paint job on a car and claiming you built it.
Of course, defenders of the Gunner’s youth policy will point to the restrictive environmeny they club has to work under when recruiting young players, age, nationality, distance etc, but even when compared to the likes of lowly Southampton, groomers of Walcott, superstar Gareth Bale, and in demand Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arsenal’s record doesn’t stand up well.
__________________________________________
Saints had produced Walcott, Bale and Oxlade-CHamberlain.
Wenger can only boast one – WIlshere since 1996.
Very telling statistic form Hale End Academy since Wenger took over in 1996/67.
Goodnight Rico and Steve, see ya tomorrow
JM if AFC try to sign Falcao, you can bet that Man City will try to gazzump us.
well, Fabregas definetelly leaving.
For me, will be good 40 millions more Thiago Alcantara.
Then we pay 30 million for the clause of Falcao.
I’m off for the day guys, it’s been a long day…..
Catch you all tomorrow fine folk…
Have a good one, nighty night…………..
Nighty Steve, thanks again for todays post..
Enjoy the rest of your evening…..
Thats me done nte nte all, “Oh and you be carefull out there”.
Steve, you need to get out more 😉 😉
Le, you are on form 🙂
So a lemon then AK 😉
Little snippit i read somwhere Adidas Admiral and Nike are only going to make some black football boots. Black whatever are they thinking, BLACKPOOL AND BLACKBURN, it has been said want 11 pairs before the season starts, “am i bored or what”.
Yeah, your right Rico, i am a right doughnut…. But i’d rather be a cheesecake.
Rico now you’re getting all mata-fact!
I do Steve, trust me 🙂
Come on guys, let’s not believe all we read, yesterday was Ricky, today it’s Mata…
I do Steve, trust me 🙂
penny pinching B——s let us do all the work, no wonder Wenger’s a Jet setter wheeler dealer, the only thing he lacks at the mo is the dealing
They’re not the only lazy fuckers AK!!!!
The word is that Man City are sniffing around Mata.
Do they ever scout their own players?
Long as your healthy rico thats the main thing, mine take tablets for some of the things their lacking in, i asume thats taste, because their Spuds
I eat proper food Steve, just not animals…. I admire your two daughters who are vegan, i just couldn’t give up cheese….
😆 Steve, that’s us women for you ….
I prefer doughnuts AK, strwberry jam ones, with no seeds in the jam 😉
Don’t you eat proper grub then rico, i have three daughters two Vegans one vegi whats the world coming to, don’t think they have ever had Pie and mash never!! no wonder there Spuds. ha ha
Rico, it could be worse, it could be a cream slice…
I’ve been up a four lift scaffold all day and in full sun light i might not last long tonight My Mrs says nothing unusual there then cheaky monkey.
AK – Doughnut 😉
Oi Oi, I’m here 🙂
Quorn Fajitas kept me rather busy though, yum yum… 🙂
Humps, here on Highbury House, surely not 😉
I’m with you there Steve, this summer for me then if all stays the same and all this transfer talk has been just a Season Ticket spin, he can take a run a jump…
And, I’ll be then praying for the Big russian to come in and sweep the whole board and AW clean………………..
Stevo haha
rico, stop stuffing your face and give us the latest
Hi Steve, great post again…
Good journey thanks, got caught up in a few Glastonbury commuters but back in just over 3 hours, good job the speed cameras are no longer 😉
Doughnut
Not really…
I’ve got the hump with Steve….
After a long day will, i get a bit over protective when people say were not the best, i know that at the mo, but I try and be optimistic, save’s me pulling my hair out. I still have faith in Wenger, but if he fucks about and we get fuck all i will be calling for his head.
Thats all right then mate
Smarter than the average…….
get his mate yogi blinding
I haven’t got the hump with you Steve, what makes you think that?
Evening rico good journey
Who’s he play for this boo Rico? At least we’ve signed someone!! 🙂
Evening Will, you still got the hump with me.
I’m in the Will/SP camp but it fluctuates on a daily basis…. the media seem to have vendetta against AFC and like to bury us at any opportunity, which pisses me off!!
AK yo explainned that really well no messing there
Evening Lee, always nice to hear from you mate
Boo…. 🙂
Thing is, if this guy is so good, why is he in the under 21 aquad and Cesc in the main squad?
SP, i luv em 2, i just wish i knew wot dey meant.
Lee, i don’t think any of us really know mate. I’m not sure, but i just hope he’s turned over a new leaf.
KT and Wath fear the worst, Will and Steve are more optimistic, i guess i’m somewhere in-between.
But i try not to take too much notice of the Press anymore, i just hate them because i know ‘they’ hate us.
Good post SP mate
Hi AK. luv all them short words
AK, in your heart of hearts what you think the master plan is from ol Chaz?
SP, lol…..haha.
Good post Steve, imho…..
That was interesting Will.
Mata in, Cesc out, could be the end-game..
Evening all,
Working all week again so sorry for not being here, just looking through some of your comment and Merlins Story, i must admit that story no matter how many times i read it, gives me a beaming smile every time. I see there is still not a great deal of news coming from the PR department, biggest news on the blogs so far today is what rico’s having for dinner. but i think that may be held back till 1st July
What did you have for dinner Rico?
Not beans on toast again….lol
http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/drivetime/blog/2011-06-27/hunter-juan-mata-very-special-player?
Off to cook dinner, later guys/gals…..
Why can’t AW be a bit more pro-active, like Fergie???
🙂 JM, I’ll try and find it in the history of posts…
Nay, you all should know Wenger.
He is still bargaining like a fishwife down to the last penny.
Seriously, Wenger is extremely secretive and will never allow braginign via tabliods.
Let’s hope it is like summer 1998 when he signed 3 or 4 players at one go.
This is what annoys me. Wenger should have had his players signed before the window opened and it would be a case of would be announcing it
De gea just underwent manure medical…..manure arent waiting for july 1st are they….
Let’s laughed at our deprived neighbour to drown our sorrows in this horrible transfer situation.
Schadenfreude.
This article was a precis of a well-written article which I copied from elsewhere in 2007 (can’t recalled original author):
Merlin’s Short History: Why a royally screwed Spuds hated Arsenal.
Posted by: Merlion96 at Arsenal Times:
Date: 30 December, 2007 10:42
Once upon a time where dinosaurs still roamed the Earth and Britannia ruled the waves; a football team was founded 120 years ago in the midst of the armament industry south of the River Thames in Woolwich.
In 1904, a local building firm owned by Gus and Joseph Mears tried to off-load the leasehold of Stamford Bridge, then the home of London Athletics Club, onto another local builder, Henry Norris, who is also the chairman of Fulham Football Club.
Norris declined the offer and Mears brothers decided to form their own football team called Chelsea Football Club on 14 March 1905.
In 1907, Fulham were promoted to the Football League Division Two, but Chelsea had streaked ahead to Division One. Norris decided that he needed a quick fix.
He gained control of Woolwich Arsenal, who were debt-ridden and struggling with poor form and falling attendances, decided to merge them with Fulham; thus creating one West London club that could compete with Chelsea in the First Division.
The Football league rejected it, and Norris was left with two troublesome clubs. Norris decided that Arsenal, rather than Fulham, had greater potential.
There was nothing in the rules of football at the time prohibiting a club from moving their location, so Norris did just that. A plot of undeveloped land was available at Highbury; Norris believed this was the right site for his Arsenal plans.
However, a storm broke out. None more furious opposition than Spuds. The Football league Management Committee decided in Norris’ favor.
Woolwich Arsenal was formed, and they played their first match at Highbury on 6 September 1913 – a 2-1 Division Two victory over Leicester.
The professional game resumed in 1919, with a plan to expand Division One by two clubs to 22.
Had the expansion followed precedent, the bottom two clubs in 1914/15 – Chelsea and Spuds – would have remained in the top flight, to be joined by the top two from Division Two – Derby Country and Preston North End.
But Norris, a Member of Parliament, pull all his political might to pull off the impossible: to get Spuds relegated, and Arsenal, who in 1914/15 had finished only fifth in Division Two, promoted in their place.
Norris persuaded the 1919 FA League Management Committee that the fairest way to expand the First Division by two clubs was for Spuds, the bottom side, to be relegated, and that three clubs from the Second Division should make up the 22 “the top two” plus Arsenal, who had finished fifth.
The official reason the Committee gave for rewarding Arsenal was because of their “long service to league football”.
Norris suggestions were approved. Spuds were livid.
Such is the story behind one of football longest-running and most intense, and sometimes deadly, local rivalries.
In those days, the contrast of “Cavalier” Spuds and “Roundhead” Arsenal had been noted. Spuds played the close-passing, skilful game. Arsenal played the full-steam-ahead game, booting the ball hard and dashing after it at top speed.
As the rivalry intensified, so did the animosity.
And to rub salts into the wounds, gunner’s transformation from perennial dullards into the kind of stylish team that Spuds have always prided themselves on being.
Hence, ended Merlin’s Short History as to why Spuds developed an inferiority Complex against Arsenal is not simply because we are in North London, it is simply that Henry Norris had screwed Spuds royally by engineering their demotion to Division Two in 1914/15 Season, with Arsenal taking their rightfully place in Division One.
Perhaps we should all go to http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com, buy their 800-page Tottenham’s Opus as part of their 125th Anniversary Celebration in honor of Henry Norris. All proceeds from the sale of the Opus will be donated to the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation.
Amen to that.
Merlin, in a lot of ways Sir Henry Norris was as important to the development of Arsenal, as Herbert Chapman was.
yes rico,
I know the story. Where is the post?
Hi JM
I did a post about that quite a while back, Spurs thought we had cheated… 🙂
Joaquim moreira says:
June 27, 2011 at 3:55 pm
Hello everyone!
A little bit of Arsenal League history:
1893 Joined Division Two. Promoted at the end of 1903-04!
1904- 1913 Division One. Relegated at the end of 1912-13.
1913-15 Division Two. Then elected into Division One 1919.
1919 – present day, Division One/Premier League!
It was great to win the League to celebrate 125 years
_______________________________________________
JM, thanks to Sir Henry Norris, Arsenal was promoted evne though they finsihed 4th….at the expense of S*CUMS!!!
And now you now where the hatred started in the first place..1919….lol
Ricardo alvarez on the other hand only has 4 goals and 5 assists in a total of 34 games in a lesser league than the spanish
The only problem is, he has signed a new contract back in january..
He’s the most valuable player in the valencia squad by far..
arsenal fan, i would love to have mata. He’s 23, and not that young.
he is worth 22 million pounds. And last season he had 8 goals and 13 assists in the primera division.
That is not bad if you ask me, plus he’s really fast and can dribble..
Hi Lee, same old same old eh 😉
I’m just going onto ebay, i’m sure i can log on under a false name and send the brazil boy packing 😆
cesc is worth 50 mllion but we will sell him if the bid is at 40million i think,and maybe we may get mata who has potential no doubt but why do we sign players who have potential ,why not those who have already shown it…….
Will if Torres went for £50m, Fabregas has to be worth at least that and if I were the Arsenal board, I would tell them that and I would tell Fabregas that we rate him as one of the best players in the world and Barca don’t so make your choices.
Yeah Rico, your right, it is nice to go away, but equally nice to come home to your home…
Will, £50million would be fantastic. Hope your right.
Cesc is worth £50m in today’s market.
No such luck Rico…..yeah AK that sort of number and he’ll be on his Bromley-by-bows!!!
Hello everyone!
A little bit of Arsenal League history:
1893 Joined Division Two. Promoted at the end of 1903-04!
1904- 1913 Division One. Relegated at the end of 1912-13.
1913-15 Division Two. Then elected into Division One 1919.
1919 – present day, Division One/Premier League!
It was great to win the League to celebrate 125 years
Hi AK, I am, lovely to go away but its always lovely to be in your own home…
NewsNow, just been reading all the headlines, I’d much rather be reading we have signed someone who will make us all happy ones….
Hey Rico, you home?
NewsNow is full of fantastic stories…
What do you think Will/Lee, how much do you think Arsenal will accept, regardless what we think he’s worth?
I reckon a bid around £38million would do it..
A compromise figure.
Afternoon fine people 🙂
Any news ….
No, didn’t think there would be 😉
Arsenal are prepared to sell Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona if the two clubs can agree a price for the Spanish midfielder, BBC Sport has learned.
The Premier League club have rejected an initial bid for their captain but are now bracing themselves for an improved offer.
A senior Arsenal official said: “The offer was made formally in writing to our chief executive (Ivan Gazidis), and we said no straight away.”
When asked if the club expected an improved offer this week, the source said: “Possibly yes, and if it’s enough then I expect we’ll have to sell.”
Arsenal’s stance appears to have shifted since last season when they rejected two offers from Barcelona for Fabregas, a former trainee at the Nou Camp, and stated they had no intention of selling him at any price.
Since then, American billionaire Stan Kroenke has taken control of the London club and now faces the first major decision of his reign.
Barcelona’s president Sandro Rosell said last week that Fabregas was trying to pave the way for a return to the club he left as a 16-year-old, but that the heavily indebted Spanish giants would not pay more than £35m for him.
Barcelona’s latest bid is reported to be around £27m, well short of Arsenal’s valuation of more than £40m.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger may still object to any sale, and Kroenke will rely on his manager’s guidance when making a decision.
But Arsenal’s board, consisting of Kroenke, Gazidis, chairman Peter Hill-Wood and directors Ken Friar, Sir Chips Keswick and Lord Harris of Peckham are aware of the difficulties of keeping the 24-year-old against his will.
His recent injury problems, combined with the emergence of Jack Wilshere, and the likely arrival of Argentinian Ricardo Alvarez, may also have influenced their thinking.
Fabregas is in Barcelona this week on a holiday, and his former club would like to complete a deal before he has to return to pre-season training in London next Tuesday ahead of a tour to the Far East.
Sources in Spain say that Barcelona have already begun talks with one of Europe’s leading sports agencies over maximising the commercial opportunities of Fabregas’ potential homecoming, suggesting a degree of confidence the deal can be finalised.
Meanwhile, former director Lady Bracewell-Smith, who made millions of pounds selling her 15.9% stake in the club to Kroenke this year, enabling him to take control of Arsenal, has rejected calls from some fans for the return of former vice-chairman David Dein, who was sacked in 2007.
On her Twitter account, Lady Bracewell-Smith said: “No Dein. Root cause of all the troubles at AFC. Unable to work with other board members.”
you seen this…apparently denilson is for sale on evil-bay…..
Yes I am, I can see the press conference in my mind.
The Press are a bunch of arseholes Will.
I hardly ever buy a newspaper anymore, they know as much as us, they just like us to think that they’re in the know.
They spend all day stealing stories/rumours off of the Web.
Never mind Lee, i’ll have one for ya, lol.
Mata looks good. It’s probably an empty rumour, but we live in hope…
5 days to go Will… Are you still confident?
I just want to know why the English press dislike Arsenal so much.
I’m away mate…but would of joined you in a libation or two!!
Lee, the Press know we’re desperate for new signings, they read our blogs, the wankers are just playing us.
Anyway, i’m gonna go to the Stevenage vs Arsenal XI friendly on July 23rd… Maybe i’ll see one or two of ya for a beer?
Will/AK, there does seem to be an extremely tedious pattern forming….
More than yesterday and not as much as tomorrow.
Afternoon Gooners.
How much crap have we got in the Press/Media today.
Andy, are there any players you like?
Naymars attitude and price will ensure he doesn’t come to the grove.
That’s not to say that they’re rubbish (they aren’t) but are they the best option?
Lets wait until after 1/7 when (hopefully) AWs intentions will be a bit clearer.
ArsenalDK, Where did you get this 12m figure from?
If he’s priced at 10-12m then he’d be the right price but I think he’ll cost a lot more than that.
There are plenty of international players with experience that will cost much less. I can’t understand why Manure would pay so much for Jones.
Jones, Cahill and young have all been inconsistant (which is a problem we already have).
i dont fancy cahill at all,,,mata is a poor replacement for cesc (if he goes) gervinho would be usefull and alvarez looks no better than jonas guttierez,,,its early yet though and im praying that the players the newspapers are linking us wit dont join,id take samba and gervinho though.
Hope so but I am not sure about this Gervinho bloke. IS is any better than we have?
Will, that’s two of the four!! 😉
Arsenal are this week expected to complete a double swoop for Bolton defender Gary Cahill and Lille forward Gervinho in deals that will total nearly £30million.
Talks are at an advanced stage with the Gunners thought to be ready to meet the 25-year-old’s £17m release clause, although a player-plus-cash offer is also thought to have been discussed.
An Arsenal source today told Standard Sport that the club are confident of beating Manchester City and Tottenham to land the England centre-back.
It had appeared City were set to win the race for his signature but Cahill is thought to be uncertain he would be guaranteed regular first-team football at City and is instead keen on a move to Emirates Stadium.
The club are also close to an agreement for Gervinho after Lille demanded more money at the 11th hour. Arsenal thought they had agreed a £10.5m fee but the French club insisted on add-ons to bring the deal to £14m. The Gunners have now bid £12m.
Judge me then….
Nice post Steve well see on Sep 1st how good his judgement is..!
Good morning!
Wait and see.
going to work
The only problem I see is we need Premiership hardened central defenders or at least one. Actually, I will leave that there but it is not 100% true. What we do need is one tough, brutal bastard that will smash the Kevin Davies’ of this world into submission. We also need a central midfielder like that so when opposition players think they can kick us out of the game, they are kicked into the stand.
Oh, and Javier Pastore is negotiating with Barcelona now, how on earth are they going to afford Cesc. Seems like they’re after anyone else than him..
I wouldn’t be too happy if i was cesc..
Andy Mack
You don’t believe Cahill is worth £12 million?
How much did United give for Young, one of the best wingers in the league?
Anyway, if we have such a great scouting network, why haven’t we bought Neymar?
Sorry if I seem a bit negative, i’m just hoping for some quality players. We are not the Arsenal we were 5-6 years ago, Wenger never properly replaced the invincible’s..
The International ‘transfer window’ doesn’t open until 1st July and why would AW want to pay the stupid prices being asked for mediocre players in the PL.
nice one Steve
The urgency exists but Wenger is a tight arse by nature. He has never spent big. So nothing will change. Mark my words. Same pickings from the bargain basement. If we’re lucky, we’ll get a good bargain. But, the football world these days is swarmed with scouts, so I don’t hold much hope. Besides, you pay for what you get. That’s Economics 101.
Perhaps Fergie got there first. Vela for Hernandez anyone?
in my opinion he is a good manager and a good business man. keepin the faith!
i think he should just stick to some quality fromthe premier and get the job done
don’t care either way, just get some defensive cover
Morning all
I’m not around until later this afternoon…
Thanks for the post Steve, another good one…..