Is this the End for Thomas Vermaelen??

Thomas Vermaelen played the full ninety minutes for the reserves on Thursday, came through unscathed and has declared himself fit for the last few games of our campaign.

I bet deep down he is desperate to play for the first team, no doubt he has watched every game we have played in whilst he has been on the sick-bed, I bet he’s been furious watching us concede silly goals, surrender winning positions the way we have in so many games and I bet he thinks he is the man to step into the defence and sort the back line out.

I make him right too.

Johan Djourou has had a few great games for us, his ariel strength has been immense – in fact I would go so far as to say he has been our best central defender this season, not bad for a player who has been on the sick-bed himself for a long time.

Kos for me has been great in some games, yet in others he has been average but, I and of all us must not forget that this is his first season in the Premier League and I’m sure if Thomas Vermaelen had not been injured, his introduction to English football would have been a lot slower. Same can be said of Chamakh really.

For a long while now we have questioned whether or not we have a true leader in our side, a player who can get the players to re-group and settle, calm down and do what we do best and that is to play our own game.

Cesc tries his hardest to lead by example in the way he plays, he tries to step his own game up to instil faith in those around him but, we all know that doesn’t work, not in every game anyway.

Yes, Cesc can come on from the bench and work his magic and on a good day he can find a goal when nothing seems to be going right but playing in midfield, I don’t think he can sort out where things are really going wrong, the place where the panic button usually gets hit.

Only a defender can do that – Tony Adams, Sol Campbell, Steve Bould and Martin Keown are the players we have seen over the last few years who have the ability to do that, but they would put their own body at risk for our club wouldn’t they. Yep, even ex Swampie Sol didn’t hold back did he?

I know there are many players in our history that would have done the same, but I’m sticking to the Wenger era.

This is what we lack.....

Thomas Vermaelen maybe a tiddler at just 5’ 11.11” tall but we all know he has a spring in his jump that makes him as tall as Peter Crouch, he has the heart of Goliath and the shrewdness and technique of David.

I know fans will say what’s the point in him joining up with the first team for Sunday? In any case Wenger has already ruled him out.

But just imagine if he did face the Mancs and we win. What if the Swampies beat the Chavs? That would make us and the Chavs level on points wouldn’t it?

Then Manchester United draw with the Chavs next weekend and we beat Stoke? Wouldn’t we sit second again and just four points behind the Mancs??

With two games left, the Mancs thinking about facing Barcelona in the Champions League Final, anything could happen couldn’t it….

There is still something to play for, but to do that we need to play at our best on Sunday.

We can certainly secure second place if we fight for it and who knows, Old Red Nose and his lot may bottle it right at the end…

Unlikely yes but life can be strange as well as it can be cruel, we Arsenal fans know that best. We need a leader on our side right now, and I can’t think of anyone better to be that man other than our Belgian central defender..

Thomas Vermaelen looks as if he is finally over the injury that has kept him out of the game since August and I am sure I’m not alone in hoping it’s the end of injuries for him for a long time. We need him next season, we needed him this season!

He’s fit and ready for action Arsene, but will you take the risk?

Maybe more importantly though, is it worth taking the risk?

That’s it for today, tomorrow we play again…..

178 thoughts on “Is this the End for Thomas Vermaelen??

  1. rico says:

    Merlin96 says:
    April 30, 2011 at 12:44 am (Edit)

    Before we cna ever think of which direction Arsenal FC is heading, these matter msut be settle in Julky to enable Arsene Wenegr to plan for pre-season training in August:

    1 – Sell FAbregas quickly to enable Arsene Wenger to persuade Nasri to sign that contract extension to build the future FULRUM in Nasri-Wilshere-Ramsey-Song-”New Buy”.

    2 – Decide on which CB to sign to stabilise the Defence. Sell Clichy by July if he refuses to sign by 30-June.

    3 – Sell Rosicky, Arshavin, Bendtner, Chamakh and Vela and firm up Forwards you need to buy in July.

    4 – If Wenegr refuses to buy and still retian this same bunch…”sell” Wenger on July 1, 2011.

    Without (1), (2) & (3), you will still end up with a bunch of bottlers who will collapse when the pressure is on.

  2. rico says:

    Morning all,

    i really hope it’s the end of serious/long term injury for TV, we have missed him at the back this season…

  3. K-TR7 says:

    Morning all.vermaelen is good but we shouldn’t forget that he made lots of errors especially in crunch games last season.he even admitted it and he said that he has learnt alot about positioning by watching from the stands.

  4. rico says:

    Not quite as pathetic as your stupid comment Alan which adds nothing to a debate about playing him or not!!

  5. rico says:

    Morning Kt,

    I’d still rather him in the side though, for his silly mistakes, he is certainly one of a few players we have who shows a bit of attitude… And last season was his first in the PL

  6. DaveGooner says:

    It’s funny that the longer Vermaelen is out the better he becomes. The fact that the defence was just as bad last year with TV5 in it is completely ignored. We conceded 41 goals last year. Gooners had the same expectations when Rosicky returned!!

  7. rico says:

    Wenger on Cesc Fabregas…

    “It has been too much for him at his age,” said Wenger. “He is the captain of the team, with van Persie vice-captain, and they put a lot of pressure on themselves.

    “Cesc is a winner. He is desperate to win the games and, of course, when it does not work he is frustrated.”
    However Wenger swept aside suggestions that Fabregas should be relieved of the captaincy. To the contrary, he ventured that this could make the World Cup winner a better leader.

    “It is too much [for him] because it has not gone as well,” said the manager. “Once it goes well, he will grow with it. Every difficulty in life will make you stronger, especially when you have a strong character. And he is a strong character.

    “I believe it will make him stronger but maybe this season it has been a bit of a heavy burden.”

    I wonder if Wenger regrets giving him the Captains armband….

  8. rico says:

    Dave, it’s his attitude i like though and don’t forget who he was playing alongside and in front of, couldn’t have been easy..

    He is a quality CH and i’m sure he and JD would have formed a good partnership…

  9. K-TR7 says:

    Tv certainly has the Adams element about him and the stare that could melt a forward.he adds some urgency to our play through his bursts forward or raking diagonal balls.if he improves his positioning which is his weakness he’ll be a world class CB.

  10. rico says:

    Kt, i think if Wenger gets a proper ch to partner him he will be more confident and those little details will soon be rectified, i really hope wenger gets who we need back there…

  11. K-TR7 says:

    A large chunk of the goals we conceded against barca and the mancs were down to Tv.he was so easily drawn out by messi/rooney which left acres of space behind costing us goals.

  12. yozza says:

    yeah…you keep dreaming we can still win the league!Of course we are going to beat Man Utd tomorrow as our 1 win in the last 7 games is Premiership winning form!Still,you keep dreaming……

  13. rico says:

    Lets hope he is learning from the stands then Kt, so you wouldn’t risk him for the rest of our games?

  14. K-TR7 says:

    Wenger should buy some experienced players then.cesc tries so hard which sometimes results to him getting injured.it would be a shame for such a talented player to never lead us to a trophy.

  15. rico says:

    jj often talks abouts putting TV at right back but if he HAD to play anywhere other than in the centre of defence, i think he’d be better in the centre of midfield…

    He has certainly scored a few Kt 😉

  16. rico says:

    I’m torn on his return really, part of me wants wenger to throw him in tomorrow with JD but, most of me thinks it would be silly to play him again this season, let him recover properly.

    But, TV himself has said he is ready to play and i can see him starting against Stoke… With JD of course..

  17. K-TR7 says:

    Rico i don’t think vermy can play in midfield.positioning is important there and as we have seen vermy is yet to sort out his positioning at the back.maybe when he is more experienced he will but not now.if anything kos looks more likely to play as a dm than vermy.

  18. rico says:

    Kt, it would be a shame for Cesc but i still believe he’s been put under too much pressure, by having the armband and like you say, not enough experience around him.

    We don’t know whether he will stay or go this season but if he decides to stay, i think that decision will be based on what AW does in the transfer market..

  19. rico says:

    Kos, I think his positioning isn’t the best either, in fact a few our ours let themselves down in that department, Sagna and Clichy, especially Clichy get caught out…

    I say forget the shuffling, let them play where they are meant to and let wenger buy what we need to make us stronger, surely he will this summer….

  20. K-TR7 says:

    Kos main problem isn’t positioning but his tendency to make rash tackles which can be attributed to him adjusting to the pace of the PL.once he fully settles he’ll be absolutely top notch.

  21. Steve Palmer says:

    Morning all,
    nice one rico,I must admit I have missed Vermaelen, it seems so long ago that he was playing, and the memory seems slightly hazy, lots has happened since Tommy boys been out and maybe my perception of him has dampened, I certainly would not make him as Captain at the moment, as he has to prove himself to me first. I still haven’t given up on Fabregas yet, and at 23 he still has a lot of mileage in him yet, he seems to have been around for ever, but in my eyes he has been everything that the team has needed, granted this has not been his best year and hopefully he stays and can stay injury free, and reclaim the form that has amazed us in the past. As for TV, Maybe I have been disappointed with false promises of his return, and in my eyes his race to get back in the first team has caused Disarray, I wondered if Wenger would have brought in January had he known TV was not going to be back, and that could have changed our season. Having said that I suppose that’s not Vermy’s fault that’s down to Wenger. Let Tommy feed back in and see if he is going to be one for the future, before we lumber him up with responsibility.

  22. David says:

    Not a great title and article..Djorou by the way was disastrous after returning. The choice of centre back should be taken off “Arsene ne sait pas” (Arsene DOESN’T know) and given to Steve Bould-hell no why not allow him to choose the summer signings as opposed to wasting money on pretty boys and lighweights from the French League.

  23. clockendjim says:

    Great news that Vermaelen is back, I think we would have been champions if he had been available all season and the mood around the club & fans would be very different right now. No-one seems to have considered this option, but if we bought a commanding centre-half like Cahill and Djourou continues to improve, then the Vermalator would make an awesome defensive midfielder in front of them.
    He would then be available to bulk out the defence when necessary and we know what a shot he has got when coming forward.
    We still need to sell off the dead wood in Diaby, Almunia, Denilson, Bendtner, Rosicky, Eboue etc. Also Clichy who I think has been a weak link this year and replace him with Leighton Baines. This would supply around enough funds to buy an experienced keeper plus Cahill (I hope) and I still think we need that ‘fox in the box’ to finish off all the great approach work. I wonder if Francis Jeffers is available (only joking). My number one signing though would be Scott Parker who showed with England what an awesome partnership he could develop with Jack Wilshere. Will Parker be prepared to stay with West Ham if they go down as looks most likely.
    I have been as depressed as anyone about the nearly season that could have been so successful. It was all down to the club’s reluctance to spend some of the £56m profit they made – ludicrous. If they take the steps as above then we will be winners again. We could even then cope with Fabregas leaving for Barcelona. However if we have another close season of no great signings then Cesc will be off – and a lot of fans too !

  24. Ziggy says:

    Rico,how comes you call people stupid for expressing their opinions when you propose a sell out of Fabregas, Rosicky, Arshavin, Bendtner, Chamakh and Vela? Where do you find readily available replacements, your local Tesco’s shelf? You want to “sell” Wenger too? Just because you think you know better? How ridiculous!

  25. Will says:

    Some thing need to be said.

    People, if you don’t agree with the original entry or any comments, cool but, have an argument to back up calling people stupid or you just look like a pathetic child who has had his favourite toy taken away, you might as well say “you stupid poo poo head” because that is how childish you sound.

    And, if you are going to come onto a blog and abuse someone for their opinion. GROW SOME FUCKING BOLLOCKS AND WRITE AN ENTRY YOURSELF YOU COWARD.

    God that felt good.

    Right, onto the original entry. TV has made mistakes and does get pulled out of position and that is why I think we need a defensive coach who could take the defensive unit and drill them ala Mr Graham.

    As for a defensive midfielder, I think it is well documented that I want a brutal bastard in there but a bastard with intelligence because in reality, the DM is the person who starts all attacks, whether that is by giving a 5 yard pass to the midfield “baller” or playing a killer ball himself.

    I would not sell Vela but what I would do is have a “plan B” or a change of formation where we could play 4-4-2 and have him not leave the lines of the 18 yard box. I would not want him running the channels or coming deep. He is a poacher so have him stay within the box and do what he does best. Look at the midfield, we have Cesc, Jack, Rambo, Nasri and AA plus Robin, do we really need another striker to come deep and “play-make”?

    For me, I would start 4-4-2 and if we are winning by a couple of goals, switch to 4-5-1 (or 4-3-3 if you want to call it that) and keep the ball.

    I do think we are missing a vocal player, back to the 03 team we have Keown, Jens, Sol, Vieira, Thierry, Dennnis et al who would all say their piece on and off the pitch, we need someone like that.

    Ok, I have rambled on enough.

  26. W.A.T.H says:

    Mornin Ziggy how’s Bungle….?

    Perhaps you should open your eyes and read properly then you would see Rico didn’t write that at all so who’s the stupid one now….? Read before you write….!

  27. K-TR7 says:

    Great comment will.i don’t even respond to people who have a pop at rico and show a clean pair of heels right after.it irritates me as its very difficult to write articles day in day out despite the massive disappointment we have experienced this past couple of weeks.i hope you ignore them and i hope rico follows suit.i also don’t agree with rico on certain issues but i always put up a well reasoned argument to back me up.thats what bloggers here do.if you don’t like it take a hike.

  28. Will says:

    Thank you guys. As you say KT, Rico puts it out there every day as does Oliver and other writers and it annoys me.

    Got to hope for a 0-0 between the spuds and chavs with a few red cards thrown in in for good measure.

  29. K-TR7 says:

    I don’t think so but id put pippa middleton in the setup so long as she dressed up like yesterday…!

  30. Red Arse says:

    Morning Rico, 🙂

    Excellent Post and I am in complete agreement with the sentiments expressed!

    TV played midfield for Ajax and their then manager said he was surprised that AW wanted him to play CB but he was our best player in that position last year.

    He or Kozzer would be a very good fallback DMF or full back next season, if needed thru’ injuries.

  31. K-TR7 says:

    Howdy RA.vermy played LB in his last season at ajax.he is also played at LB in Belgium since Kompany and Van Buyten are the first choice pairing.

  32. Red Arse says:

    Hi KT,

    I think he will be our first choice CB next season, but you are right that he has played LB for Ajax and very well too, and that’s why he could easily fit there when necessary, if Clichy goes, and the injury prone Gibbs plays there in his stead.

    Kozzer or A.N. Other New Player would then come in and play at CB.

    I am just mentioning this as a possible option, and AW probably would not agree! 🙂

  33. K-TR7 says:

    I may be wrong but we won’t know if vermy can play there until he is actually tried there.Wenger ought to try it out in preseason.

  34. rico says:

    Crikey, only popped off to walk the dog, thanks you guys for watching my back 🙂

    Not sure where that list of players came from, but hey ho, as Lee says, another village has someome missing….

  35. K-TR7 says:

    A spud win may propel them to winning the race for the CL spot.on the other hand it may help us regain 2nd.

  36. rico says:

    But Torres has broken his duck Will, you watch him start scoring now – how about Drogba and Torres …

  37. K-TR7 says:

    This may be a long shot but with tevez injured and berbatov not a starter anymore maybe rvp can still catch up to win the golden boot.

  38. GoonerGaz says:

    There is a lot of talk about buying a new cb, but Clichy is our weakest link. I think Vermaelen can play Left back as he did at Ajax which, leaving on Djourou and Kozza as our decent CB’s, unless of course we can sign Cahill or maybe even Sakho (also utilised for left back).

    And yes Vermaelen as captain please, regardless of whether Cesc stays or not.

    And this 433 formation is bollocks, it looks more like 451 and it’s killing us, we need someone playing ahead of RVP or put RVP left, he always plays well when he drifts left.

  39. rico says:

    Hi Gaz, you are not the only one to suggest TV at LB, personally i’d rather he stayed central and we buy a proper LB, and Cahill…

    Agree re the 433 too, we keep saying here, we haven’t got the players to play that formation…

  40. rico says:

    Fair comment Will and Kt, would be lovely if jack wasn’t the only one to win something, how many short is RvP??

    Is Cesc’s girlfried (well his ex) English or Spanish?

  41. rico says:

    I suspect she had been reading too much into all the rumours Kt 😉

    Maybe it’s the other way around then, she has to stay in England because of her job but he wants to return to Spain…

  42. K-TR7 says:

    According to some sources cesc got cold feet that things were getting too serious with friends and family expecting wedding dates and babies soon.

  43. rico says:

    Just been reading that Kt, tough times for the young man eh, but it happens to everyone, it’s all part of life’s rich tapestry as they say….

  44. SUGA3 says:

    hello rico,

    just returned the favour 😉

    nice post, but I would not expect anything less – three cheers!

  45. JonJon says:

    TV isnt our best defender..
    but we still need him back..

    utd are going to fuck us sideways tomorrow

    bonjour good people

  46. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Hello1
    Carla Garcia is a spanish and a portuguese name.
    Banes… is a normal player isn’t he? How old has he? 5 years in wigan, 4 years in Everton… Clichy is much better (my opinion).
    I read today spurs and Arsenal are interesting in Falcao. 🙂
    Everyone scores and win Bolton…
    I’ve watching Dortmund. Miss 45 minutes to be Germanh Champions. At the moment 2-0 versus Nunberg. I’ve an eyre in Subotic

  47. rico says:

    Saturday jj, they always come out in force, i even got the blame for something i didn’t write – guess the kids don’t learn to read properly until secondary school 😉

  48. rico says:

    Subotic – i think we have little to no chance, not the way AW spends his money, Chavs offered 17 million for him in january which was turned down…

  49. JonJon says:

    these type of children like to put words into ppls mouths rico..it happens alot..they think it gives them more credibility..when it really makes them look like extremely silly sausages..

    re falcao…
    super clinical..did anyone watch him for porto the other night in uefa cup?? he smashed in 4 goals..

  50. JonJon says:

    id rather hummels to be honest rico..
    they are both good but hummels is the one who barks the orders..
    we need more cheifs and less indians..
    maybe sakho..

  51. Joaquim Moreira says:

    yes, rico, but the other central back, the young German, international too, is also good.
    80.000 in stadium. full. Is it an idea for the Emirats?
    Falcao is an extraordinary player. never give up. Good with the feet, fantastic with his head and always in the right place. Is nickanme is “the tiger” and I understand why.

  52. SUGA3 says:

    JJ,

    I reckon if we are to get the new CB, it will be a big right footer to partner TV and he is the leader type, so we don’t really want a dominant figure, otherwise it will end up in a power struggle…

  53. JonJon says:

    suga i see your point but ferdinand and vidic are both dominant figures and utd have no problem..

    we had it before with keown and adams…

    i dont see the problem…if you have two players at the back who are dominant you are rock solid..

  54. rico says:

    JM, i think there are plenty of great players out there that would enchance our side – wenger has no excuse this summer…

  55. rico says:

    SUGA3, i still hope for Cahill, he was immense against us, he’s the next England centre half and he’s strong in every aspect – we need a bit of English steel back in our side…

  56. SUGA3 says:

    JJ,

    the only difference is that Alchy rules his lot with the iron hand, and our team has to pretty much manage itself, hence the clearly identified ‘sergeants’ are more important in our case, IMO…

    point taken on Adams and Keown tho…

  57. SUGA3 says:

    rico,

    I don’t rate Cahill that highly, although he did quite well against us…

    question is: was he that good or…

  58. JonJon says:

    hi ktr
    yeah good comparison mate..
    just a clinical little fucker..
    to be honest i can see theo doing it but with any finisher we need to play a system that helps them..
    this 451 does fuck all to help..if we’d have stuck with 442 we could have stuck with dudu but wenger loves his miniture midfielders, if he thought he could get away with playing 0-10-0 he would 😉

  59. JonJon says:

    yeah suga sir snotty nose does have the discipline..

    i honestly think wenger gives his players too much freedom, they think for themselves and thats where we fuck up..it leads to a lack of organisation..

    we do need a few players in there who can marshall the team on the field..

    the way i see it is that your defence is your base..much like your midfield is your engine room and the strikeforce are your weapons..

    you aint going to do much if you have no base, no workrate in the engine room and no clinical weapons..

    we need a solid base, two leaders at the back who can both see the game and organise and once that base is formed the rest of the team will follow..

  60. SUGA3 says:

    JJ,

    building a team with no base of defence is like building a castle on quicksands…

    you aint going to do much if you have no base, no workrate in the engine room and no clinical weapons..

    spot on – sadly!

  61. Joaquim Moreira says:

    I have watching Falcao every week. Exactly. The press compares him to Inzaghi. But in my opinion is better in a few aspects. Remember me Lineker too. But also plays much better in head. Is a “tiger”. I think was the Argentinians River Plate to the baptized. He id from Colombia.
    less than 20 mil??? No, impossible. Did you read my yesterday post about Porto?
    The contract clause should be around the 35/40 million. If you do another (3rd) great time to clause increases. They work well. Who wants to buy only from the value of the clause. It must have cost around 12 million ….
    Dortmund is the new bundesliga champion.

  62. rico says:

    jj, he did in the second half against Bolton, well, 1-0-10 😉 😉

    SUGA, there are a few mixed feelings about Cahill amongst fans, i just think he is strong on set pieces etc – just where we are so so poor…

  63. JonJon says:

    cahills a quality defender..
    hes been good for a few years now, only the last few years hes really peaking…
    if he played for a bigger team he would get the recognition but his price could be a stumbling block..

  64. JonJon says:

    i dont know how a player like cahill will adapt to a team like ours though..
    we dont work hard enough on the basics on the training ground and i fear unless we ask steve bould to help out or bring in a martin keown type to help drill the defence our cb’s will always struggle…

  65. JonJon says:

    shame about falcao..

    gameiro then??

    id like to say benzema but real pay him 170k a week..hes not coming here even if they sell him

  66. rico says:

    Neil Warnock is back in the PL with QPR …..

    On the day his old club Sheffield UTD are relegated….

  67. SUGA3 says:

    JonJon,

    you what?

    I think we owe Chelsea a bit of debt of gratitude, given that we might be made to watch Yoonited celebrate the title tomorrow if it was not for their emergence!

    plus, I want to celebrate St Totteringham’s Day this season, you know?

    so, come on you blue scum, stuff the liliyshite scum!

  68. K-TR7 says:

    JJ you have actually picked up on a very important point.we give free roles to so many players.nani was complaining the other day that Fergie doesn’t give him full freedom to express himself.for the mancs id say only rooney has a free role.in our team i believe our front 6 have free roles which aids our mobility and fluidity.when executed perfectly with pressing and through marking it works like a charm as we create loads and limit the opposition to their half.problem is if we fail to press correctly they look like a lazy disorganised lot and as a result we tippy tappy more and concede more chances at the back due to this.

  69. Am says:

    But dont forget that the two other games which Man United need to loose or draw is Blackpool at home and Blackburn away.

    Whilst we play Stoke where we struggle apart from last season. Aston Villa who are decent and Fulham away who have scored 6 goals in two games (away).

  70. Joaquim Moreira says:

    we are interesting in KrKic (Barcelona) too. How many players are we interesting now? 50 ?
    RM plays now versus Zaragoza with the second team.

  71. Steve Palmer says:

    Thats typical Will loan him out to Millwall to toughen him up and the only one who gets injured is our bloke

  72. rico says:

    Suga3, but if the swampies win and then lose all their games after, we could get 2nd, i hate them all though, its a tough one –

    Wills idea is best 0-0, and loads of red cards 🙂

  73. rico says:

    Am, how lovely would it be to see Ian Holloway’s side secure their place in the PL by beating old red nose lot 😉

    And BBurn beat Bolton today wth is that about…

  74. rico says:

    Hi Steve,

    Afobe is def one for next season, hope wenger gets him in and around the squad and uses him in the CC, and Chuks…

  75. SUGA3 says:

    rico,

    you should know by now that I am not really in the wishful thinking business 😉

    Sp*ds play Blackpool at home next – need I say any more?

    sadly, we are only in with a chance to come third and it’s not really a foregone conclusion if you look at the City fixtures…

  76. JonJon says:

    i hear ya suga lol
    but i have two wants.
    1..i dont want to come behind chelsea..i want us to be the best team in london..

    2..if spurs win tonight, and both us and chelsea beat manu then theres 3 points between the 3 top teams with 2 games to go

  77. rico says:

    Suga3,

    and you should know me well enough to know i am just praying we stay in the CL places – i have a feeling Citeh will sneak 3rd… 😉 😉

    We have to play Fulham and Stoke away, anyone feel confident about winning them both??

    Fulham battered Sunderland today 3-0…..

  78. rico says:

    jj, i can’t see that happening sadly 🙁

    i don’t know much about the QPR stuff, a naughty third party owned signing isn’t it? Another tevez situation…

    If it gives Reading a better chance of getting back into the PL, i hope they get docked points 🙂

  79. SUGA3 says:

    rico,

    and I think we will finish 4th too!

    mind you, Sp*ds need to lose today and drop points in one more game for us to be sure of that…

  80. JonJon says:

    yeah ktr its like everyone in the front 6 has a free role when we get the ball but when we lose it it leads to panic stations cos nobodys where they should be..
    theres nothing wrong with players having free roles but there needs to be balance

  81. Joaquim Moreira says:

    let’s wait and hope. Under pression the scores are awful.We fault always. Maybe change close the end 😉

  82. SUGA3 says:

    rico,

    so would I! the thing is that we can both win the lot and lose the lot, no?

    both scenarios are unlikely tho…

    JM,

    wasn’t over the line, but how shit is Gomes?

  83. rico says:

    Dom, its getting late, you should be in bed, not blogging. To save you getting in trouble with your parents, you are binned !!

  84. rico says:

    In many ways i don’t want us to win SUGA, otherwise wenger will spout on about how we are good enough….

  85. SUGA3 says:

    I reckon our top four status needs to be preserved, otherwise we will be in serious trouble!

    I don’t think OGL has any more excuses and will be made to ring changes, hence the beaten look…

  86. Joaquim Moreira says:

    from a Portuguese sport daily nespaper:
    Falcon lands slowly
    TOMAZ ANDRADE
    HUGO SOUSA
    Falcon could not read everything you wrote about it yesterday around the world not to remain closed 24 hours at home. And he was not. By early afternoon, after having attended the calls that linked him directly in the Colombian and Argentine radio, they wanted to do an aftermath of emotions, El Tigre took for walks. With his face stamped on everything that was newspaper, Falcao circulated by the Porto with the peace possible, interrupted here and there by fans who recognized him easily, even without the 9 stamped on the back.
    In the area of ​​the Foz, where you went, El Tigre – or the “Cannibal of the area,” as he called the newspaper “As” of Spain – could not resist a boat that spotted on the pier. Blue, of course. And not all: the boat, “Xavier” name, also had a dragon painted. So, hours later to sink the Yellow Submarine with four of the five goals for FC Porto, Falcao asked to lead the Xavier few minutes, sufficient to ensure a picture that still hesitant to share with supporters. Via Twitter, of course. Indeed, a proof of instant success, El Tigre found with satisfaction that the number of adherents rose sharply yesterday, about six thousand joined the list of virtual friends, you are almost at 50 thousand.
    Joining the Twitter addiction, calls particular, the South American journalists who wanted to interview and the many messages of congratulations was received, and which tried to answer, could only give it: it lacked a battery. In the Multipurpose Hall of Matosinhos, where he appeared unannounced to see the debut of the wife of James Rodriguez (another colombian player from Porto) for the team’s junior volleyball Leixoes, Falcao was as fast as usual in the area searching for the AC outlet to recharge your phone. Between a set and another game of volleyball, and always with his wife, Lorelei, around, Falcao was meeting a few more requests for autographs. It was also apologize for not being able to make exceptions to the Portuguese media. In informal way, the SET, there confessed to being “easier to score goals in mind than playing volleyball,” he seems to have springs in the legs when jumping. Choose a goal from yesterday, it was not easy: “I like them all.” The cost, there admitted that they had been marked to head the prettiest.
    The world press was rendered. “Tiger is a hungry, greedy, always chasing the same prey: the goal,” the “Ole”. “This tiger devours everything,” he added “L’Equipe.” In Spain, almost every newspaper wrote that the Yellow Submarine sunk Falcao. In Colombia, reinforced the status of national hero. “That’s why they want Real Madrid, Inter, Juventus, Roma, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal,” wrote El Mundo. Long list. And a list of adjectives that El Tigre has time to digest. Yesterday was a rest day. Except on Twitter. Bless you plug your phone charged …

  87. Joaquim Moreira says:

    He likes to be in Porto (club and city). But it will not be for life. Because there are clubs who pay 50 million for a player, everythung its possible ….
    The season is not over. The pre-season will be hot

  88. Joaquim Moreira says:

    jj: The crisis is very deep and the prices they are committing or who say they will no longer be liquid …
    Many of the Clubs, survive from television revenue, merchandising, profitability of players, etc..
    Everyone walks with liquidity problems.
    Let’s wait ..

  89. K-TR7 says:

    We’ll win tomorrow.how you ask?i don’t know how we’ll do it but we will.we tend to play better when the pressure is off and thats the case at the moment.

  90. rico says:

    JM, also, some players are possibly nearing the end of their contracts, just like we have nasri, clichy, AA coming to the end of theirs. Prices will go down as clubs will know players will walk for nothing….

  91. goonergerry says:

    Cant see anyone but United taking it-at least the Chavs are having a go-weve packed it in it seems-feeling sorry for ourselves-talking about where it all went wrong when theres 3 games left-fucking unprofessional.

  92. rico says:

    gg, we have felt too sorry for ourselves since the wembley debarcle…..

    it all went wrong in the first half of the season, home losses to the geordies and WBA, just sheer crazyiness, then, the swampies at home, newcastle away and thats before all the games we just didn’t show up

    pfff, just think we could have had this title in the bag a month ago….

  93. K-TR7 says:

    The title has been there for us to win but we let the chance go by.if only szczesny and kos had not…

  94. SUGA3 says:

    Koscielny had no business being there, the ball was Szczesny’s all the way…

    a bit over-eager, but that’s what you get when you buy a defender with one year top flight experience at 25!

  95. K-TR7 says:

    Thats what i like about carragher.he certainly hits it to row z,even xavi had a pop at him for doing that.

  96. K-TR7 says:

    Suga that has nothing to do with experience.even VDS had a howler against w.brom this season.Casillas today completely missed the ball and they lost to a team in the relegation zone at the Bernabeu.s**t happens but for us it happened at the worst possible time.

  97. rico says:

    agree, ches had that one covered – i know he has made a few blunders, but the kid is 18, he’ll learn …..

  98. rico says:

    Kt, but that ball was trickling to Ches, no one around, it was bread and butter for our keeper, then kos stepped in….

  99. K-TR7 says:

    Remember the goal VDS conceded against w.brom?there was no danger but a simple cross moving away from goal ended up in the next.as i said s**t happens.if you don’t believe me search for highlights of today’s game between madrid and Real Sociedad.Casillas may be a WC gk but he committed an absolute howler.it happens to even the best and they occur especially when the sitiuation is deemed ‘bread and butter stuff’…

  100. rico says:

    but its kos to blame kt, not ches…..

    ches would have got that with ease had kos stepped out the way…

  101. rico says:

    Folks, its that time of day for me, i’m off to catch up with BGT 🙂

    Til tomorrow all, stay safe….

  102. rico says:

    KT, he would have been a great recovery buy in jan, but as a main defensive signing, no thanks…. 🙂

  103. JonJon says:

    it was kozz’s mistake..
    he either clears it or leaves it his indecision and the deflection that resulted from it just put the keeper off..

  104. aboudiaby says:

    you guys really don’t give Koscielny enough credit ffs. His performance against Barcelona at the Emirates was a masterpiece. He had Messi in his pocket. With his speed across the ground, quick, intelligent challenges and dispossessions, technique, composure and passing ability to start attacks from back, he was fantastic. Watch the game again and notice how many times he steps in and stops Messi (and others), as well as other performances this season. Sure he lacks something physically and in the air, but when partnered with a bigger defender, he’s brilliant at handling the quicker, more technical players.

    He’s made mistakes this season, but not only was this his first season at Arsenal and in the Premiership, it was only his second in top-flight football. Arsenal undoubtedly need to strengthen the team, but watch him next season. He’s a f***ing gem.

  105. James says:

    Arsenal let in even more goals last season with Vermaelen and Gallas at the back than they do now. Vermaelen is not necessarily the answer to anything.

  106. Gooner4life&beyond says:

    I say rest the Verminator, he will probably have improved defensively with his long time out, but no point risking him now. Just a couple sub appearances in the last two games at most.

    I actually think Kos has been our best defender, when he’s not been getting sent off or getting in mix ups, he has been more impressive than Djourou, and it was also put across that he deals with more aerial balls than JD, so that’s something to think about.

    I say our best partnership will be TV and Kos, or TV and someone like Cahill.

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