Morning all.
The rumour mill has stepped up a gear today:
Apparently we are looking at Sporting Lisbon’s 21 year old defensive midfielder William Carvalho, well, that’s according to Portuguese Daily Record and reprinted by The Mirror.
The Daily Mail believe that if we can’t agree a deal with Real Madrid for Morata, we are going to make a move for Jackson Martinez, thy player who has been telling the world he wants to sign for our manager.
They also suggest that Rubin Kazan forward Salomon Rondon is on the radar if all else fails…
The same paper believes we are heading the race for Belgian football’s next big thing Michy Batshuayi of Standard Liege. The 20-year-old is the latest Belgian talent to be making waves among Europe’s leading clubs.
I’m ignoring the Kalou stories….
For anyone who hasn’t seen, our FA Cup fixture against Coventry has been allocated to Friday 24th January and will be shown live on television. Why else would the FA come up with such a stupid date.
Friday night traffic and tube for the home fans is bad enough, spare a thought for the Coventry ones trying to get to The Emirates.
Ridiculous!
Anyway, moving away from all the transfer gossip, here’s Kev’s post…..
Rotation, fatigue, yes we’ve all been drawn into this rotation, rotation, rotation debate…
I confess, I am an advocate for rotation and I make no secret of that fact. And whilst we can talk/write about it, discuss it’s importance or lack of, the club cannot…
Notice how the likes of Walcott and Podolski talk up the squads spirit and the fact that Arsenal are very much in this title race, well that’s because talk of tiredness and fatigue can get into the players’ heads. That is where Arsene Wenger must, and does impress on his players the positives of our position…
It’s simple psychology, the kind that the Deluded One at Boring Chelsea practices, only he tries to emphasise the negative… But lets ignore that Portuguese idiot!
The fact that Giroud and Ramsey wanted to play every game before they were injured, should be lauded, not criticised. These players want to be successful, they want to be part of a successful team and they are determined to be so this season..
Mesut Ozil has been the target of some snide remarks in the Press/Media and from a section of fans but ignorant pundits ignore his work rate along with the chances he creates for his team mates and those same team mates know his value to the team. He is in my opinion, worth every penny Arsenal paid for him. He is a wonderful player, even I can see that so I ignore the negative spin the pundits put on his performances.
Continuing on the positives, how good has BFG and Kozzer been this season?!!!
BFG sails on serenely like a huge ocean liner, the glue that ties together our fantastic defence. Around him floats Koscielny, reading the game as if he has a Masters Degree in defending, making those rapier like interceptions we’ve become so used too.
Wilshere is coming into some form after a slow start, Rosicky still has the ability to change a game with his intelligent movement and passing. Cazorla is getting back to somewhere near his best form and Flamini and Arteta are all working very hard for the cause. Oxlade-Chamberlain is close to a recall and Vermaelen and Monreal are both putting themselves second, for the good of the club.
Never mind fatigue, what about the spirit and determination our players have within them to fight for the success we all want.
That’s team spirit, that’s a winning mentality, that’s Arsenal FC 2013-14.
Written by AllezKev.
good morning!
I know the interest in William Carvalho and Jackson Martinez. But we aren’t alone.
But we have money JM, plenty of it…
morning Rico&all fellow gooners
great upbeat post….thanks kev…nice to start the day …..
spirit and togetherness…might just take us over the line..
Morning Kev when you get up 😉
Really good post and you are right, no matter what is going on with injuries, the team-spirit is up there with the best and sometimes that can be enough to carry a side through…
But, and as much as I understand why players want to play every game, AW has to step in and rest them all at certain stages through the season. I truly believe that Ramsey and Giroud were overplayed and we know why that is, well certainly in the case of Giroud..
Add two players now, lift that already high spirit and we are surely in the race.
Morning kali…
I know the priority is a ‘Nº9’ but William Carvalho would be a great, great addition.
Your right kev,
these players can become great players with a winning mentality,and a team ethic.
Is he the beast in midfield we lack M7?
Good one, AK. 🙂 It is good to be reminded about how well our players have done and how our position at the top of the table is no accident.
Abslutely love this bit on our defenders:
BFG sails on serenely like a huge ocean liner, the glue that ties together our fantastic defence. Around him floats Koscielny, reading the game as if he has a Masters Degree in defending, making those rapier like interceptions we’ve become so used too.
damn right he is yaya toure who? 😛
he is Rico….strong and athletic….at 21yrs good age
That made me smile too agag, especially the description of Merts 🙂
Morning to you….
Thanks matty/kali, then fingers and toes crossed….
Morning, rico! Howdy? Hope it isn’t too cold there. 😉
Hello, fred, kali, may7, JM. 🙂
Quite mild here today agag, the rain has finally stopped, the wind has gone and there’s an odd hint of sunshine…
Snow and nasty weather forecast though for the very near future…
rico, that description is certainly more elegant than the usual “turns like a tank” comment on BFG. Haha.
Remy is being put for sale yesterday …’arry is bragging about 15/16mil for him…..shall we put 10/12mil and snap him?
he will go a long way in replacing Theo….he is speedy and can
play on the flanks too..
Carvalho+Remy for 20/22mil?
Morning all………good upbeat post 47, as per!!
Morning All
Thanks for positive feedback…
Morning Rico…
I decided to turn-over this morning… 🙂
Hey Agag, how goes it buddy?
Kali I agree
🙂 agag.
I’d be happy with Remy kali…
I agree Kali..
Morning Lee, cheers mate…
Giroud will be back this weekend.
He’s had a bit of a rest.
Oxlade-Chamberlain must be close to a return.
Villa are in turmoil. Time for some payback?!!!
🙂 Kev, don’t blame you…
Morning Lee.
kali, and Carvalho of course 😉
Does Wenger still like Remy though? He tends to shy away from players with off the pitch issues. Plus, I don’t know how I feel about doubling his price for ‘Arry of all people.
Maybe Oxlade-Chamberlain will be back for the FA Cup match…
Couple of cameos before from the bench..
Good point agag, he still has a police investigation hanging over him doesn’t he?
Hi, Kev. I’ve been down with the flu. 🙁 But I never miss an opportunity to go out on those looooong brunches. Who cares if I’m contagious, right? 😀
lee, I had to think about the 47 reference for a long time. Gosh, soo slooow. 😀
Good post. Not so Braindead Kev!
Team spirit is paramount. It is what has been missing for at least the last 5 years. Too many egotists. Too many I’m better than you are players, eg Cesc before he left, admitted some of his team mates were just not good enough to pass to leave alone play with! Not now though, some of those self same players have ‘grown up’ and improved immeasurably. Most, if not quite all, will fight to the death, for the cause and each other = team spirit. It’s been a long time since Gallas sat on the turf at St Andrews and ‘cried’ then sulked for weeks and complained about his team mates lack of professionalism. No wonder he was quietly lead away from the club. I don’t think Arsene put up much of a fight to keep him! Not good for morale, that one! Can’t see BFG or Kos ‘crying’ on the sidelines, can you?
Team spirit has got to be worth at least 12 extra points every season. The difference between success and failure.
£16 mill is Harry’s opening gambit , he doesn’t expect to get anything close to that and neither will he. When it comes to football’s eternal Del Boy his media friends will do everything to spread the gospel that he feeds them. If a deal for Remy is on the cards it will be done on the quiet and Ranger’s will be told that should details emerge during negotiations we will walk away because that’s the way The Arsenal do business.
Err… Judas had previous……….
Great post Kev, what we needed, concentration on the positives. I’ve been gloomy for a few days!
I certainly wasn’t sad to see Gallas go…
God loves a trier and Del Boy is certainly that when it comes to transfers….
Talking of Arry, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him back at West Ham soon so he can face a relegation battle again… Seems to be his thing…
Lee, that’s different. van Pursey was already our player at the time. I wish now that the club hadn’t lifted a finger to help him sort that out.
true,knowing how much ‘arry (loves) AW, gonna be a tug&war game …..
Fernandes might just wanna sell though
hi agag,lee…and the ever young ‘un kev,thanks again for reminding us how good things are at the mighty arsenal..
we fans we tend to forget/take notice of positive progress…
we always want more…i suppose its the love of the game and naturally for the cannon
Cheers Kali… Blogging on HH keeps me young… 😉
Keeps me grey…… 😉
Thanks Wavy. Like you, I have sensed a more positive vibe coming out of the club this season…
The Ozil effect?
Sorry to hear that you are all flu’ed up Agag.
Honey and lemon does it for me buddy.
Rico 😆
Good job it’s not man flu agag, you’d be off from shopping for weeks 😉
haha ..re Rico&kev
only if AW knows and give us that little tweak we need/can do with
the league is there for taking …then by next may we will be like
new born
Looks like the latest Barca wonderboy, Sanabria, is gonna choose Roma over Arsenal…
So be it…
Money talks, especially to his advisors no doubt.
Better off without him…
Akpom will be a sensation in 18 months time…
Man flu is a particularly nasty variety of flu Rico…
It can only be cured by having a couple of women fussing over us…
Very good and upbeat post but then that is the minimum we can all expect from a Subliminal Brainwashed kev… 😛
I prefer Port and Brandy personally , but then …………………………
How spooky Kev, I just looked him up to see what was happening to Snabria, after all, we looked certain to steal his signature but… as you say, money talks…
Morning all
https://twitter.com/OliPriceBates/status/420880329709072384
Akpoms loan to Brentford has been put on hold according to reports. He might need to be sensational real soon… 😉
Just the two Kev?? You surprise me 😉
Good point at 11:25 Kev…
I never understood what the fuss was in the first place anyway…. we have enough quality at u-21 level… we just need to bed them in when things are going well and not wait for them to just step up when we have a positional crisis…
https://twitter.com/behnisch/status/420878518168219649
He will be ideal replacement but very different for the Mozart Syg… not a BVB product like Reus or Gundogan both who profuse their adoration for the lil Mozart and claim to model their game on his style.
Interestingly, Serge, Olsson all claim to want to play like Mozart so…
Hi Syg, who is Oli?
Sidney DSam is a good left footed speedster/winger…
I am surprised Bayer 04 sold him to S04 that cheap considering he is a German national…
Good Morning to the Lady of the House and all fellow Gooners in residence.
Kev – Have you cast aside the ‘Brainwashed’ persona and returned to the more positive ‘AllezKev’ of old? If so, welcome back. Your article gave me a few good chuckles to finish my day, well done.
All kidding aside, your return to positivism seems to mirror that of our beloved team. Both on and off the field, there is sense of camaraderie and self belief that was missing in recent seasons. No star mentalities, all the players are pulling together and working for each other.
If they can maintain that, they may well win some silverware this season. Either way, we have the foundations of a great team to build on.
Hiya Rico – Oli Price Bates is a football journo who follows Arsenal
Potter – I’m not sure port and brandy will do much for the flu, but if have enough you may not care.
Morning Cg..
Thanks Syg…
Rico – I’d rather we give Akpom a chance, rather than bring in a stopgap, if Arsene can’t get any of his prime targets in January.
AK, you lot are hopeless with man flu. Tut tut. 🙂
rico, but you know I haven’t shopped in months. 🙁
Hello, SYG. 🙂 Nice to see you back from the tunnels!
CG, Happy New Year. 🙂 Completely agree with your 11:54.
Hiya Cg, or Afobe even…
The issue/positive side with Afobe was that after coming from injury 2 years ago (before the previous far east tour and subsequent loan to Wigan) he was getting into the goal scoring positions at that age but because he was not match fit was not converting the chances as he was doing when he was 18 years or so..
In fact when TH14 came to train with us 2 or so years back he mentioned that Afobe could be our own Benzema or Drogba and had it all in his locker…
But as most of our loanees when he went to Wigan he was played in an unusual role i.e wings and behind Kevin Davis and as wigan where battling with relegation it did not help his development imo…
I still think he is the most natural striker we have in the squad…
Akpom was a midfield 18 months ago btw… another conversion.
were*
Cg – I still hope there’s a big striker player coming our way. I’d prefer a stopgap if that stopgap is very good and it’s a loan until the end of the season…
I may be tempted to send Oz on a short loan to Southampton who need a bit more bodies as results are not going that well..
I doubt Ox will get as many games initially due to his length of injury…
A loan move may help him and us as he can help the saints beat our so called rivals… 😉
Sister AGAG – Happy New Year to you too. I hope your flu didn’t stop you from celebrating the occassion and that you didn’t do anything that would scandalize the nuns.
As for Kev, he’ll accept any pretext to get women fussing over him.
Hiya Ginge, Agag, CG
A SETBACK FOR ‘NEW SIGNING’ lol
https://twitter.com/wayneveysey/status/420892285145186304
You’ll have to put that right soon agag 😉
Why does that not come as a shock re Diaby, his contract is up soon isn’t it? Guess that’s him finished with us….
I think he is contracted to Arsenal until 2033, Rico.
Diaby, nearly 8 seasons with us, 123 games played.
That’s sad….
A lot of movement on twitter re: The World Cup 2022 bollocksing up the English football calendar and about Thomas Hitzlsperger telling the world he is gay.
Ha ha Syg, he still wouldn’t be fit by then…
Gives you a nice warm feeling C.G. very relaxing. Maybe Diaby should try it.
Hiya Ginge. 🙂 Howdy?
As for Diaby?? How long til his contract runs down? I feel for him, but that’s good money down the drain. 🙁
CG, too many fizzy drinks and similar. Ick. 🙂 The nuns need not worry though.
Its not sad Rico – It’s a travesty. We’ve paid him around £20M for three decent games.
Ginge – Good Morning.
Whether it’s Akpom, Afobe or another Young Gunner; I’d rather give them a chance than bring in somebody with no Premiership experience on loan.
Rico – If Arsene can get one of his prime targets that would be great, but he/they may well need/take time to adjust to the PL.
That story in in The Mirror too, both of them..
Can’t believe the WC was even given to Qatar.. Ridiculous!
Did you see the tweet from Alex Syg, what a horrid guy…
There is that side to the Diaby situation too Syg but for the player, it’s sad…
I’m amazed we kept him so long but then who wants to sign a player who can’t string more than 3 games together in any one spell…
SYG – Good Morning.
It’s been so long since we talked that I was beginning to wonder if you had got lost down one of your tunnels or that the Vikings from Norway had finally caught up with you. Mind you I haven`t been in the House much this last 4-5 weeks.
Who is Alex Rico?
I hadn’t blogged on this site since post Villa at home, where we wuz robbed by the referee and Kieran Gibbs more or less came out as being gay ….
https://twitter.com/OliPriceBates/status/420899092500594688
Sister AGAG – “…too many fizzy drinks and similar. Ick.“ Are you sure it`s the flu and not an extended hangoverÉ
Agree Cg, bit like Sanogo 😉
nice read Rico……..I personally like carvalho…….and I also feel that this crop of players have the mental strength to stand the test of time….that said I think we can do wif a body or two……and give gnabry more game time…….between http://www.whoscored.com/Articles/frjtiuzc9ei1haieef9trw/Show/Player-Focus-Tomas-Rosicky-Arsenals-Big-Game-Player……..our own big game player
Hi Rico and all. SYG. Isn’t Oli Price-Bates another blogger?
How did you learn that Gibbs came out? I think I missed that one.
I really feel for Diaby….but I suppose that £60k p.w probably softens the blow!
CG, nah, “extended hangover” is just another version of man flu, so no. 🙂
rico, who’s alex? When is Sanogo expected back?
Gibbs?
Sorry Syg, ex Chelsea defender, his tweet about Adam and Eve..
I didn’t mean GIBBS was actually gay Adam lol.
I meant that he took an elbow off Aston Villas resident street robber and went off injured … when it was a crappy little cut …. very gay…
….since then he’s manned up and become a tidy player ….
As for Oli Price Bates … yeah i think he blogs
I’m with you now Rico….
SYG. I get it now. 🙂
snaparse, it’s Kevs post today 🙂
Afternoon Adam..
Gibbs Syg?? I haven’t heard that one..
I don’t get it, no surprise there though I guess, always a bit slow on the uptake 😉
Morning all.
Just been to watch a 20/20 cricket match, supporting a said who has not won a game in over 750 days, so please, no talk of 8 seasons without a trophy lol.
Nice post Kev…..one of your best.
Short visit…….off to bed now, so catch you all later.
It took Ramsey about 18 months to get his mojo back after returning from his injury…
Jack had been in and out for about a year now and is only just showing some of his old form…
These career threatening injuries take a huge amount of recovering from, both physically and psychologically…
So Theo will probably be taking a year to 18 months before we again glimpse the player that terrorised the Spuds last weekend…
And maybe, after a series of heartbreaking injuries, there is still a chance for Afobe???
Hi and bye Scott…
I’m off too for a couple of hours, catch up later…
CG I shall remain Brainwashed, until Arsene is lifting a proper trophy again…
Hopefully sometime this coming May!
I hope he gets his mojo back Kev, his contract will nearly be up by then…
Laters..
Hiya Agag…
I am not bad Miss…
Rico – No matter whether Arsene chooses to buy, loan, or promote from within for another striker; all options have their pros, cons and risks. I`m not getting too excited about any of the rumours as the press, as usual, are putting two and two together to get five.
After the Ba situation at the end of the summer transfer window, I wouldn`t be surprised if Arsene opts for a short term loan.
In the past when we have lost good players, as often as not, one of our young players has risen to the challenge. I think we will see much more of Gnabry for the remainder of the season.
Kev – Here`s hoping Arsene will bring you in from the cold by the end of this season. Have faith and recover from your man flu soon.
so sorry keV re post…….very nice read…..I’m kinda used to Rico writing all the posts even thou u write some…….my bad….hi ts,agg,Lee,syg Scott
Is it this year or 2015 that Diaby’s contract runs out???
Quite tragic really, we lost a really good player in AD…
What’s the situation with Sanogo?
Is he back in training yet??
Well it`s the wee hours of the morning here so I`m off to bed. Have a great day fellow Gooners. Keep the Faith!
SYG – Watch out for those Vikings.
No problemo Snaps…
Hi Lee/Adam
Thanks for all the positive comments all, gotta do some work now..
Lata…
AW went for a Ba because he has a gentleman’s agreement with a player…
He also went for Di Natale for a short period…
As I mentioned in the summer I believe it is Mandzukic… putting together what Klopp said in response to AW revealing that Lew was joining Bayern and what Hans Rumeneige said in the summer and and last week I suspect something may be going on…
Hiya Snap
Kev- brainwashed or not I concur with your 1:19 comment. 🙂
Sanogo is back bigger and stronger I have heard…
Sir Gilberto is back training with the squad too… possibly coaching training…
Ditto re the tragic career of Diaby…
The great Zouzou, PV04 and Djeukaeff (spelling) all believed Diaby is/was the best player after that WC winning generation…
Both tipped him to win the Ballon d’or as did Diaby think he could too but…
Additionally, players such as Hleb, Serge and Olsson have all said that Diaby and Tr07 are the best players they have trained with; but thanks to Dan Smith a future star was brought to an end…
really don’t like mandzukic……..as I watch a lot Bayern matches I can say he isn’t really an upgrade on giroud……..why have two very similar players…..he isn’t even better than dzeko…..I really hope Wenger don’t buy him……ts I heard we almost signed JM but the Porto president was demanding a lot…..I’m not trying to claim I know what goes on in the club re transfers ………what do you know about it
Bender?
Hi, snap! 🙂 ginge, Sanogo needs to hit the ground running. Same with the Ox. I was really impressed with Serge. Rather reminds me of Cesc in terms of natural talent.
I am off too, my meds have me woozy. 😉
Hi and bye, Adam. 😉 I’ll ask you about your new year day food and libations tomorrow. 🙂
Where is rocky these days by the way? I haven’t seen him blog in ages.
Snap, i agree on Mandzukic that has always been one of my arguments when talking about not needing a top striker to win a trophy so far as your midfielders score….; the same can be said about Barca, Juve and RM apart from the Chelsea’s, Yanited and $hitty’s of this world;but i think AW wants a striker who can hold the ball up the axis of our attack…
I do not know much about JM to be honest but what i heard was that Ath had the first refusal on him…
Agag, AW rates Sanogo so like you I wish Sanogo well when he returns.. he looked good at the u-20 world cup as a target man…
It is well known that Sanogo was NEVER injured as reporterd but that AW wanted him to go and work on his physical strength…
Unfortunately he is not a Suarez type so fans are asking for and so may be disappointed…
Is it not funny how fans are now calling for a mobile striker but 2 to 3 seasons ago fans were calling for a target man?, The reason why AW went all out to buy Chamakh and later OG12 imo…
Even when we had VP, most pundits said we could not beat other teams because we lacked a big lump up front…
Is that not also the expect pundits explanation for why Chelsea always beat us as we did not have a Drogba to aim at with one long ball?
Having a big lump up front has never been AW’s forte; even Trezeguet was not used as a target man at AS Monaco; before him Weah, Klinsman etc were all different types of strikers imo…
Snap- re Martinez (Maybe similar to Falcao agreement)…… I heard Ath. Madrid had the first refusal on him that was why no one bought him last year even as one of the leading strikers in Europe… I do not know if that agreement still exist.
Instead teams were sniffing around Yilmaz as a cheaper option to Cavani and Falcao as most clubs who enquired knew Lew was joining BM… AW made it quite clear and Klopp and Hans-Joachim Watzke ‘admonished’ Aw for revealing that to the masses last summer…
Ath were prepared to sell Costa to Liverpool to finance the move last summer but we all heard the player refused.
In my view the reason why he refused was because he would have lost out on the nationality if he had left that soon…
ts….I agree we don’t need a top tier striker to win the league but in this current squad how many of our midfielders are really capable of scoring goals ala muller,Robben,cesc,etc……..I really want an extra body up front albeit a giroud upgrade and a big game player too cos apart from Walcott and rosicky I don’t really see big game players in the attacking department
I am pleased Yennaris has ended his loan spell with Bournemouth… it was a waste imo…
Very good Post AK.
I read an interview with Theo’s dad in which he said he felt as if he would never get a chance to go to a world cup competition as the ligament injury ruled him out of this summer’s one.
He was first called up at 17 before he had played in the Premier League for us, and was never used. Then Capello did not include him in the squad 4 years later and now at 25 he looked to have missed this one and at 29 in 2018 who could say he would still picked.
The only good thing to have come out of this Quatar nonsense is that if it is held in October or November this year, he will be over this current injury and may get the chance after all.
[The Qatar deal ponged when it was announced and this latest farce makes it even worse as it is changing the original terms,]
True… maybe that was why AW may be interested in Draxler…
He is more of a big game player than say Ozil, who some RM fans said went missing in big games…
Draxler was amazing against the chavs a month or so ago when S04 played them…
Julian almost always turns up S04 play local rivals BVB or Bayern in the Bundesliga as you are aware…
Another player I heard Aw was interested in was Muriel even though he has a bit of attitude and diet/weight problems… why he is always compared to the original Ronaldo… lol
He also won the award for best young player in the Serie A league in 2012.
Unfortunately with Di Natale announcing his retirement we will need a huge amount to prise him away…
I know Muriel ts…..and I like him too….as a Madrid fan(not reaaly dou) oil always turns up in the big matches albeit in a very quite but efficient way……Madrid started winning barca because of oil IMHO………he always found a way round xavi and Sergio……..u could see barca players where relieved when he went and he also always did turn up for d big matches while at Bremen…….like u ts I love big game players(even more than d extremely talented ones) that’s why I love Toni kross so much……and also theo…….wish him well
I don’t remember if I mentioned the Golden Boy awards , nothing to do with Hitzlsperger I have to say but this is interesting and shows the regard Sanogo is held in throughout Europe’s journalists.
The year is drawing to a close and time for awards is inching closer. Arsenal’s young stars are in the race for the Golden Boy Awards. Three of our young players have made the shortlist of 40 players; Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Yaya Sanogo and Serge Gnabry.
The award was founded in 2003 by Italian sports publication Tuttosport, with the aim of celebrating the best young football talents in Europe. Previous winners include our former captain Cesc Fabregas, Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero.
I am particularly excited about the players that are flying our flag. Chamberlain really made the step up last season but unfortunately, got himself injured on Premier League opening day. That injury seems to have curtailed his development but has also helped yet another youngster to make the important step up into the first team.
German youngster Serge Gnabry is a player that has benefited from the injuries to Chamberlain and Walcott. He has made good impression when called on. In the few Premier League showings he has had this season, he has a goal and an assist to his credit.
The third player nominated from Arsenal is free summer signing Yaya Sanogo. His signing didn’t elicit any excitement but the fact that he made the shortlist of the brightest talents across Europe is a credence to the fact that he has some talents up his sleeve. It seems not only Wenger could recognize his potentials.
This is no doubt why we took the gamble , Wenger always has a gamble or two under his wing . Some have paid off and others haven’t , lets hope this one does.
Should have credited the source ” http://goonerhead.com ” 30/10/13.
Nice Potter… good bit of info…
I am pleased for our young guns…
I am surprised fans have forgotten that Ox made 23 appearances with 20 being as a 15 minute sub; also he played a few games in central midfield an example being match day 38 when MA08 went off in the first half and Ox and Ramsey played the CM pivot to help us win 1-0 to qualify for the CL qualifying round…
During pre-season he talked about how he saw himself as a CM but with Poldi and SC19 not being match fit he started the first game on the lhs against AV before getting injured…
My point is are we as fans expecting too much from Ox as he did not really kick on last season as I believed deep down he wanted to play more centrally than on the wings…
Saying that with Theo being injured he may see this as the only chance to get to Brazil…
Snap- you know I rate Toni Kroos and Vidal plus Ramsey as the best new breed of complete midfielders in world football…
A total big game player who will imo displace Khedira in the Krauts team in Brazil if Schweinsteiger is available…
PLAYERS LINKED TO ARSENAL – Transfer before 1st Feb
skybet
Berbatov 11/10 fav
Karim Benzema 2/1 fav
Diego Costa 11/4 fav
Julian Draxler 3/1 fav
Christian Benteke 3/1 fav
Edinson Cavani 5/1 fav
Demba Ba 5/1 2nd fav
Lars Bender 6/1 fav
Pedro Rodriguez 6/1 2nd fav
Martin Montoya 8/1 2nd fav
Leighton Baines 10/1 3rd fav
G Higuain 10/1 2nd fav
R Van Persie 10/1 2nd fav
Fernando Torres 10/1 3rd fav
Sami Khedira 12/1 2nd fav
Phil Jagielka 12/1 3rd fav
Marco Reus 12/1 3rd fav
Juan Mata 12/1 3rd fav
Yohan Cabaye 14/1 3rd fav
Tom Cleverley 14/1 fav ??????????????
Ilkay Gündogan 14/1 3rd fav
Iker Casillas 16/1 3rd fav
Adam Lallana 18/1 3rd fav
Radamel Falcao 18/1 5th fav
Ross Barkley 20/1 3rd fav
Mario Balotelli 20/1 3rd fav
Will Hughes 22/1 2nd fav
Luke Shaw 25/1 5th fav
kross should b started along side shweini for sure……..he does much more than khedira imo……….agreed re ox……people expect too much including me…..the boy has potentials…..I can see him becoming our shweini if he improves his tactical game imo
I am in the minority as I have no idea who we will sign, if indeed we sign anyone.
My crystal ball is cloudy but I can see Kev driving past Warren Street with £88 on the clock. 🙂
Giroud and the Ox will be like new signings…..
Is that your good ball?
It is Lee. 🙂
Adam, how on earth did you know? 🙂
Adam Stokes…….he knows everything brudder Kev!
Did you purchase your ‘good ball’ Adam from the,
Association of Crystal Ball Manufacturers,
55 Percy Circus.
Kings Cross
London
WC1 1AA
Lee, you just have to cross his hand with silver… 😀
Syg, I don’t see AS Roma’s number 27 on that list above… 😛
If I remember rightly you were astonished how he managed to miss from half a yard away from goal…
I heard you rate him highly… 😀
Kev and Lee. In so many ways you are both right. I just can’t think why at the moment. 🙂
Evening all, have we signed anyone?? 😉
Evening all,,
Nice post AK,
I must say that although i am not an advocate of many changes, your rotation theory makes sense, I have always felt that rotation is a blinding way to keep all the squad fresh but Wenger seems to do it the wrong way in my mind. Most of the season Wenger will play a settled team, and although i can understand that many players sit on the fringe untill Capital one or FA cup comes round. Many of the players he draughts in has no match day practice and we don’t know what were going to get. I feel rotation should be used all the time at one or a maximum of two changing positions every game. This way nobody is thrown into the frying pan and made to look stupid. This way every player would get a game’s rest in every 5 or 6th game.
I can understand your praise for Mesut Ozil, I doubted his quality at the start and although he has shown he is capable i would still have brought a quality CF before another Mid Fielder, Your praise also for our central defenders is also understandable as not much has gone past them but i still think Merts is lacking pace and when he is beaten his dead in the water. The Ox as you say is nearing fitness i hope Gnabry isn’t left out to accomodate him… Ramsey i think we all knew would blow out, blinding player but he is not a natural goal scorer he’ll score the odd one but his injury came at a good time for him. I feel we need an injection of new blood and this time i hope Wenger buys what was needed last transfer window in this transfer window. I feel this squad has done a lot better than i thought they would, but we have weaknesses and we need to address them now.
Rico I was talking to a Spanish friend this afternoon,she works for la sexta as a production manager for their live games.
She said she has heard that every forward we are being linked to is a smoke screen for 1 of the big name forwards that moved to France last summer.
You can all draw your own conclusion’s
You want to know my conclusion Mg? 😉
Hiya Ginge, just nipped back in …. Roma’s No. 27 eh?
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=youtube+gervinho+miss&oq=youtube+gervinho+miss&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i64.5789j0j4&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8
take your pick
i’ve always stated that re rotation steve….. if you’re going to rotate – do it in one or twos and not wholesale ..
Good Evening Lady, Sir, Gentlemen and Ladies.
Holy Lord habib. That is one helluva post. I enjoyed reading it. and that’s without mentioning Diaby. 😉
Of all the above mentioned players I hope we get Jackson Martinez although I prefer Kruse.
Rico, never share a conclusion…. 😉
Kif Int Coach.
You like Martinez then?!
Personally I know nowt about him.
He manages Everton Kev. Little bloke, talks a lot.
Does anybody know anything about the two Lithuanians we’ve had on trial recently…
I know that Adam and Lee are desperate to know more about them…
Me too!
Ah yes Adam, I know who you mean now…
But can he play as a false 9…? 😉
That’s a very good question Kev.
I won’t Kev 😉
Evening Devil.
Adam, have you been watching ‘Britain’s Best Bakery’?
Rico, have you been watching Celebrity Big Brother???
False number 9, love it. If he’s false, give him a different number 😉
Not really Kev, Lionel Blair shocks me 😉
Back after dinner…
Rico. I am afraid that baking program has eluded me. So far. It is good.
Hiya Syg, long time no speak, hope your well mate. I don’t like to see the flow when its going well get to many ripples, but you have to use squad players just to keep them in top shape putting 7 or 8 changes in just sods up everything we have been building.
Lionel Blair is my uncle Rico.
Did we miss a cheapie in Sydney Sam going to Schalke????
Loic Remy being offered for 15 million,by Harry, would still prefer Bony but that’s not shelling out too much.
MArtinez is my second option behind Kruse.
Actually there are others who I prefer, but if not Kruse why not Martinez. As a short gap Berbatov would do, however I prefer Kruse.
I saw a film of the game vs spuddies and seeing TW14 I was impressed. VERY IMPRESSED. I look forward to having him spearheading the attack. He did everything right bar score. but they will come.
Yes Adam, it’s very good. Very good…
😛 Adam re Lionel…
Kruse Devil?? He’s on the verge of drawing his pension…
Pension????
Max Kruse is 25 years and plays for Moncegladbach.
you are mixing him with Tim Kruse.
I thought you meant Tom Kruse, the well-known Scientologist and devout nut-job.
Oops, my error, I was thinking of Klose 😉
We let Tom Cruise go didn’t we Adam 😉
Conspiracy and Scientology hmm, I had to come out from hiding pronto…
Syg, that video makes that number 27 look like Gervinho? 😀
Dev, you must be Kruse’s undercover agent. howdy?
hahaha mg classic……..evening everyone
I still think we should try for draxler and convert him to a striker ala rvp
Evening snap,
Mg makes transfer window for me… imagine Jim White & Malaga dooner special followed by ‘arry rolling down his window… purr-fect…
Negredo looks like a solid buy ……..Wenger was too busy chasing super super quality he didn’t notice him…shame cus he would has been as good as Suarez for us imo
I agree Snap, Rico and I discussed Negredo a lot last season when I didn’t know his first name was Álvaro…
He ws on of my tips to join us as I heard we would be going for him but it never happened with all the LS07 distraction…
Most fans wanted Jovetic above Negredo, as he was not thatw ell known imho…
Saying that Negredo confirmed a few weeks back that he was in a protracted discussion with Aw but always felt AW was using him as a back-up and so when a bid was made for LS07 he decided to join $hitty instead… shame imo…
It’s all in good fun eh….
Did we Ts, my memory must be going 😉
Hiya Rico, Yes when you told me his first name was Alvado not Negredo… 😉
He was one of my tips for the season including Lamela, and Gerard Deulofeu but Lamela has let me down 😉
I remember it well now Ts… Shame he ended up where he did….
Hey gooners,who on here rates benteke
Great goals by Negredo Rico. He p’s quite quick for a big lump.
Its all Baldini’s fault imo… he was meant to have joined us as a part deal for Gervinho but the rest is history…
Gervinho plus cash for Lamela even…
Not watching Adam, you know me and my soaps.. 😉
I quite like him Mg…
really gutted ts……he is a more clinical giroud….with more pace and less flicks…….mg I don’t rate benteke
I’m sure this is the player I thought we’d sign in the summer 😉
Arsenal and Liverpool are both in talks with Anderlecht over a deal to sign defender Cheikhou Kouyate, his agent has revealed.
Kouyate, who was told he can leave Anderlecht last month, has made no secret of his desire to play in the Premier League.
And according to agent Saffet Balkan, that has moved a step closer, with Arsenal and Liverpool holding talks over a move for the defender.
‘I have been in talks with representatives from Liverpool and Arsenal over Cheikhou Kouyate,’ Balkan told Turkish-Football.com.
tsgh says:
July 26, 2013 at 1You are right there Brad about ”… Yilmaz but 20m + for a 28 y.o. means no resale value and a season bedding in.” but in reality we could be left with no Suarez come September 2nd. How long should AW wait for an answer? Is Suarez really worth £55m? If he comes and does not fit in for obvious reasons, how much loss do we take on him if there are no takers either on the continent or in the EPL interested in him…
Even Mauren-ho of all people is not interested in Suarez…
I wonder what those who did not want Negredo would say when he is banging in goals for fun and we do not have Suarez?
All my opinion of course. 😉
Well rico this will be last rumour I put up this window
I have been told he’s about to sign a 5 year contract with us
Told Mg or have you read it somewhere??
5 years?? When do Arsenal give out 5 year contracts?
Ts, I don’t get your point – you on another ‘I’m right’ mission?
I’d rather Suarez than Negredo any day of the week…
hehehehe……mg u sure??????I think u have been told so many things……..don’t rate him dou…….prefer Luis Muriel or even draxler
Actually, I’d rather Rooney than any of them….
Told,made up,dreamt it,crystal ball.
He would do the job for us
ha ha Mg.. another classic…
second only to two jets are waiting on the runway to fly Lewamdowski and Bender over for medical. lol
A classic post by Lady Rico.
rico says:
July 26, 2013
Jeez, how many chances has TW missed today, reckon he’s saving his goals for the PL & CL qualifier 😉
———————————
He sure did recently Rico… I hope we do not miss his goals too much with his injury especially in the big games…
Mg – we all love a transfer rumour, I know I do but, when I report them in the post each day, I name the newspaper/source it came from which is why I don’t get abuse… (well, not too much 😉 )
Saying you are ‘told’ will always bring ridicule so that’s why I ask where you heard your stories…
Negredo p’s quite good for a big man……haha!
Ts – I think we’ll miss him, TW was just finding his feet. Second half against Cardiff he was very good and he battered the spurs defence, just lacked an end product…
Penelope Kruse?
I must have missed the missing letters Lee…
What we’ll miss is the way he stretches the opposition…
Adam says:
January 8, 2014 at 8:32 pm
Great goals by Negredo Rico. He p’s quite quick for a big lump.
Pitstop has more of a chance…
I meant between the ‘p’ and the ‘s’ and him being or maybe having a big lump….
Should I leave now?? 😉
Pig’s head won’t his job for much longer, methinks!
Oh shite…. re my 8:50 why i shouldn’t be multi-tasking…
Sent wrong post to my boss? bugger 😡
Taxi for Rico.
I thought it was a recipe….
That new centre half has really shored up west Ham’s defence…..
He’s as good as the foreign managers he said with his dieting and sports science… he just doesn’t coach a top team… yeah right!
It’s just arrived Lee 😉
It’s gone Ts..
I’m done for today, catch up tomorrow guys/gals…
Night all….
Rico have a mate who works for a catholic newspaper and he told me Christian was the man
Night rico
One hell of a read guys 🙂
I am with Adam, i would not have a bloody clue who we will get, or IF we will get anyone, but i know this…..we had better.
Well said Scott can’t beat the craic!
thanks Rico… 😉
night all
That’s really really brave of Thomas Hitzelberger…..
admitting he once played for West Ham!!!
That’s really really brave of Thomas Hitzelberger…
admitting he once played for West Ham!!!
Morning Lee 🙂
Kalou at £87 million seems like a bit of a bargain I think. 🙂
Is that including wages Adam?
Adam/Lee
West Ham put up one hell of a fight last night, it’s gonna be a close run thing for the 2nd leg…
Kalou and Bent are my dream attack…
Add Bender…the title will be ours!
Morning Kev. Yes, “The Academy” are in safe hands, or should that be flippers, with the Walrus.
Gnabry to Dortmund???
More good news…
€87 million for Kalou. Ha ha ha ha ha ha
Looks like pink boots will be back sooner than expected…..that’ll clinch it!
13th highest paid football manager in the world? wow. And he is still shite…. lol
Fat Sam or Fat Cat… lol
Morning peeps.
morning all….ts are u serious????……fat Sam 13th highest paid manager in the world???
Morning all.
Adam, I think you added an ‘m’ — Kalou is worth £87. 🙂
Morning all…
New post up now…