Morning all.
According to The Independent, Iker Casillas will be looking for a move in January if he doesn’t get more playing time in Spain:
Of course I want to stay here, winning more titles with Real Madrid.
I have been here since I was a small boy but the day will come when maybe a decision will have to be made.
I have decided I want to be part of this squad for a long time but if the situation doesn’t change in three months and you ask me the same question perhaps I will answer that I am planning to leave.”
Why the newspapers think we’d be interested in signing him I don’t know as Szczesny is in the best form of his career so far and Casillas would no doubt, be no more than a bench warmer with us. Of course a lot can happen between now and January…..
Yesterday, all the big boys were in town for the AGM, yes, even Stan Kroenke showed his face. Which side I hear some ask……
Flyers were handed out prior to events kicking off by The Black Scarf Movement and it’s clear we have a long way to go before catching up with the current European Champions both on and off the pitch.
One comparison sticks out for me which I’ll get to, eventually.
Yes of course we’d all like to see us win trophies, many of them but Arsene Wenger and his players are working on that so it’s fair to assume that will change soon. Well, I’d like to think so.
There was talk yesterday about reducing the cost of tickets for youngsters to just £10. That’s a start I suppose and Ivan Gazidis said that the club is committed to fair pricing for tickets. Just what that means or how they plan to do that is anyone’s guess but it was mentioned that there will be £2.50 off away tickets & the starting price for the Norwich game is £26. Rafters anyone?
Stan Kroenke opened the show said that he is very happy with Arsenal’s progress commercially and revenues are increasing, however nothing works unless we have success on the pitch. He couldn’t praise Arsene Wenger enough either, in fact had he not been our manager, maybe he wouldn’t have invested in Arsenal in the first place:
The reason we got interested in Arsenal [after years of approaches from other teams] was… the tradition, the image and the success of the Club and that to me has been established by none other than our manager.
In our opinion, with the values he stood for and the things that we value in sport, they were evidenced through him and through this club. So we are very pleased to be here and I couldn’t be more honoured to introduce our manager Arsène Wenger.
So, over to Arsene it went:
We meet only once a year but it’s always a pleasure. I thank Peter Hill-Wood and his forward thinking – and he appointed me!
The board always backed and supported me.
Arsene then went on to talk about some of the more difficult parts of the past year:
Last season, we had a difficult start from end of Nov to beginning of May we redressed the results.
The biggest disappointment and for the first time in 17 years was we lost in the cup competitions to lower division teams.
Yes, I/we were disappointed last season too, in so many ways and losing to Bradford and Blackburn in the domestic cups came very close to the top of my list.
More from Arsene:
Our club has a great advantage all over the world. we have tradition, for the qualities our club always tries to defend.
The Premier League is tight again this season. We need your support. We’ve had moments at the Emirates where we’ve not had that. But it’s our job to also inspire you.
We’re in October, but once we reach the end of November we will have a clearer idea and we will be happy.
At the end of May I’m confident we can have a very good meeting.
Well well, that’s a very confident manager and I hope that meeting in May means bragging about something very different than just a top four finish.
As Kroenke said, things off the pitch are clearly going great guns but now it’s time for all those promises made when we moved to The Emirates to be fulfilled. Yes we have started this season very well and to be, that’s been long overdue but let’s not lose sight of the fact it’s only October, a month in which nothing is won. Signing Mesut Ozil won’t fix fans view overnight but it’s sure done a lot to raise morale within a huge chunk of the fan base. He’s certainly raised the morale of the squad too according to the players who have nothing other than high praise for him. Flamini too, he’s made a difference to this squad.
However, that can easily be undone if the board and Arsene Wenger don’t continue to raise the bar when it comes to signing players. The cheap and cheerful, or hopeful signings have to remain a thing of the past, otherwise all will be undone again and it’s taken an awful long time for fans to get back onside.
Finally, like Bayern, wouldn’t it be fitting to see one or two of our ex-players who have served the club so well during their playing days, return and serve the club as well in the future?
I personally believe Martin Keown would be an ideal board member…..
Frank McLintock might stir them up a bit too……..
That’s your lot for today, tomorrow the boys are back….
Morning everyone.
Nearly game day.
good morning!
Interesting post.
we don’t need Casillas. Moreover, we have bougth a goalkeeper recently
Morning again Rico. Glad to see you back online with a good, topical post.
There are few groups of people as fickle as Football fans. Everything stems from the performances on the pitch.
I can’t see Casillas unless Chesney, who is very good right now, goes into meltdown and flops, like my chocolate mousse.
Thank goodness Scott..
In a good way I hope JM, and no, I don’t think we need a keeper either, not as things are at the moment.
Anyone for Stewart Robson ????
Morning all,
A good summary of the AGM…
I am with you on Keown; our own version of Kaiser Beckenbauer/Sammer on our board…; Keown has always been a man who seemed to look at the bigger picture especially when discussing Arsenal unlike Big Tony; Considering what some medical experts have implied about heading football frequently, Keown seems to be a true gent off the field with wisdow and intelligence…
Talking about gents and ex-players; Paul Ince. 😀 what was he thinking?
Scott, glad you mate home is well… as they say endtimes/global warming? The world is getting more freakier by the minute; Those who know Him will always be well though 😉
😀 Steve, Robson to replace AW maybe….
Steve. Stewart Robson? Yes. I hear the toilets need unblocking.
Hi everyone.
Ginge, Australia has a history of bushfires….it is just accepted.
What is more prevalent now though are the arsonists.
They pick their day of high temperature and wind, select the right spot to light the torch so to speak, and away we go.
Oddly enough, they are usually, or at least often, members of the volunteer bush fire brigade!!
Adam, Robson has no hair so how would you suggest he is useful in unblocking toilets 🙂
Morning Adam, thank you….
I’m really hoping that off the pitch we have turned a huge corner. the new Emirates deal, the suspected new Puma deal should go a long way to giving the manager much greater funds to use in the transfer windows.
Of course, if spent wisely will see us achieve a lot more success on the pitch…
It’s such a great shame though, and as Potter mentioned yesterday, we we made promises when we first moved which couldn’t be kept.
The fans would have understood a lot more had the truth been told…
Not for me either Steve.
Thanks Ts…
Rico,
Your last sentence nails it for me.
In my opinion, the club has got a lot more right than fans give credit for, but they are very guilty of telling fans what they wanted to hear instead of what they needed to.
We knew it would come out one day Scott..
But I still hold AW responsible for signing some crap over those years 😉
Morning, Rico, another good Post, thank you.
In case anyone has not seen the Sky Sports interview this morning, a very upbeat AW corrected the Sky reporter about the ‘happy May’ comment, although it was all very jokey.
When asked what he meant at the AGM, he said he felt confident in the team and like all managers he hoped that the fans would be happy next May, because that would mean the team had had a good season.
When the Sky reporter asked was AW confident Arsenal would do well by next May, he replied that the journo was being ‘subtle’ and he could publish what he wanted.
There was much laughter on both sides, and it seems that AW is indeed very happy with things at the moment.
[The above are my words, but give the gist, I think]
Rico,
We (Arsene) certainly bought a number of dubious players over the years, but the real mystery for me is Park.
He has hardly ever played for us, yet seems to do well for Korea, and yet no other club seems to want him on loan, and yet we, apparently, paid around £6m for him.
Intriguing – and weird.
Fair call Rico, but no more bad signings than most managers 🙂
100 million for Bale….damn!!!
Henry, intriguing and weird don’t come close describing that situation lol.
AS Roma are flying high because of Yao Gerv. lol
Birschoff the original Ozil from Bremen and Sylvestre jeez…
Park was signed for 2 reasons allegedly…
1. To help AS Monaco from going down by out bidding Lille and paying more in cash initially;
2. To spite Lille for not selling Hazard to before a new release clause was put in Hazards control 6 months prior.
Scott @10:37
There are people who inflict real or fake injuries on themselves in order to gain sympathy and attention. They suffer from Munchausen syndrome, which is basically a serious mental disorder.
Maybe these ‘volunteer fire fighters’ are doing something similar by setting fires and endangering themselves and others, in order to make themselves look like heroes.
Just a thought, and probably totally wrong.
A bit late to the party, morning all…
Morning Rico, I hope it all went well for you at the Vets?
I must confess, that having taken my cats to the Vets in the past, and seeing where they stick the thermometer, i thought of you and was quite close to tears…
Similar to how I feel when making a Bread Pudding…
Hi tsgh,
If I understand you correctly, that would only work if you ‘pinched’ a good player from someone to spite them, a bit like Maureen probably did to the Spuds when he gazumped them for Willian.
Your theory might have hit a bit of a snag there because from what little I have seen of him, Park is crap, and we look to have done the other clubs a favour by taking him.
Or did I misunderstand you? 🙂
Brainwashed,
You stick a thermometer up your cats derrieres when making bread pudding? 🙂
Adam, a sponge taxi, just for me….
Gotta say that that makes me feel humble mate. 😉
How’s it going with the blue eyes?
I was thinking, how about next, making a sponge Hairy Biker?
Henry, it is a bit of a job, and Tiddles does struggle a bit, but if you hold him by his neck and put the gas mark up to 8, it usually works ok…
Thanks Hb, I think he’s just upbeat as we are doing well and sending out the right message..
Either that of he has plans in place already for a top class striker in January, and he and Sagna are staying 😛
Good Morning to the Lady of the House and all fellow Gooners in residence.
Thoughtful article Rico, full of promise like our team. Hopefully the owner, management and team can deliver on that promise and others made, but not yet fulfilled.
I see Steve and Ginge are honing their comedy act, but the biggest joke is Stewart Robson, poor deluded fellow. It’s a shame that the media continue to give him a venue to embarass and make a fool of himself.
Morning All,
I trust your all keeping well, rubbish post Rico but then they always are 😛
Scott, check your email…!
Grandad you ok mate…? Stay away from Adam he’s got those red spandex strides on again and now the blue suede shoes to go with them…..!
Hb – shirt sales is my own view, nothing more, nothing less. Shame really, he’s gone from being an international to nothing…
Scott, I don’t care about other clubs garbage 😉
A toilet cleaner with his big bald head…. Sounds like a cunning plan for S Robson….!
Morning Kev. 😆 re the thermometer…
Thankfully it was one of my chickens who experienced that, not me …. 😉
Kev – Still no sign of the cranium cleaners you booked weeks/months ago. My gray matter is still unsullied by sorcery of modern psychiatry.
Kev – Did you put your grandson up to re-introducing the ‘Great Spandex Debate’? I thought we flogged that one to death.
CG don’t mention flogging as well certain ppl may get aroused on here… Enuff said 😉 Hope all good your side of the pond mate..!
Cheeky so and so Wath, and I was going to say that it’s nice to see you back, but hey! 😉
Thanks Cg and good morning to you…
W.A.T.H – All is well with me, as well as can be expected for any long suffering Arsenal supporter that is.
I have been busy with the family, so I haven’t visted the House for a few weeks.
Don’t worry, your secrets safe with me.
I knew u had missed me Rico……………. 😀
Off again… see ya soon… Chaos nearly over with…! Take care all..!
This Roy Hodgson story is still gathering pace, he’s apologised, what more do these people want, his resignation??
Ridiculous!
Go steady Wath, you are working too hard and you’ll need a holiday 🙂
Has anyone heard from AGAG since the earthquakes in the PhilippinesÉ
No Cg but I think she might be on vacation.
Hi Cg, me comedian? Never.lol
Hope you are well?
HenryB, Park is a legend…
Puyol is back from injury after being out for over 6 months to partner Dr DNA – Pique this weekend…
I wonder how Pique has not realised he has Bavarian ancestry yet?
Jeez WATH… I haven’t seen you since Ozil arrived… how have you been?
Ginge – Sorry, I obviously must have you mixed-up with some other joker.
😀 Cg; all good here…
Rico :- Re your 12 .08 . The society of black lawyers and their leader are sniffing the air of publicity again and certain sections of our beloved media are giving it to them. Until the offended individual comes forward it won’t get fully cleared up. Why the person whoever it was didn’t have the balls to front up Hodgson and sort it out man to man I don’t know. Perhaps he felt a quick payment from the paper was better than being involved again .
BTW Scott it seems the same everywhere , I have freinds in Southern California and Catalunya where forest fires are a regular occurence. 90% of the time they are found to be set by a pyromaniac, strange people.
Hodgson was never wanted by the press in the first place; the fact that he managed to do what the ‘experts’ claimed could not be done has really taken certain sections of the press to the edge…
Roy is a gent… imho
Are paper sales that low to make this a story?
Another witch hunt underway involves Paul Ince’s incident at Bournemouth…
I am not sure what their morive is, but the end result is bloody devastating.
I am off gus….goodnight all.
Later Scott
Couldn’t agree more potter, what kind of guy would do that in the first place, the England camp was on a high yet some saddo had to create a story to feed the animals and as you say, no doubt pocket a few pounds in doing so…
This wasn’t racism, not in the true definition….
Night Scott…
Dennis Bergkamp is on Sky Sports later if anyone is interested. It’s taken him 6 days to get here 😉
Looking at the form of our keeper we do not need cascilas and we shld keep hoping for an injury free run.good post mate
Hey Wath, you naughty boy, you been bunking off school again… 😉
In fact Rico you could say that the anecdote actually made the monkey to be the more intelligent of the two beings on the spaceship.
Don’t you worry about the ‘Men in White Coats’ CG…
They are working on you already.
Part of their charm is the fact that you don’t realise it… 😉
That is, until it’s too late….
Of Hodgson, I mentioned the other day how we as a nation like to moan and carp, well this is yet another example. A man looks llike he’s created something exciting and successful so some ‘cock sucker’ has to grass him up to the press, but like all true heroes he hasn’t the balls to take ownership of the story and put his name to it! If there is to be a witch hunt it should be carried out by the FA with the brief to find the culprit, and sack him! Not Hodgson imo he has done nothing wrong. His analogy has nothing whatsoever to do with race, colour or creed. Those who think he was being racist are suffering from delusional psychosis and a complete, yet deliberate misunderstanding of the ENGLISH language. The league of black solicitors need to be called to account and charged with inciting race hatred! For they are the cause not the solution!
Sorry if any of this offends any other contributors, but this is just my opinion!
A chicken, Rico, phew!!!
I had visions of seeing you next time, and you was walking like John Wayne… 😛
No CG, as far as I know Wath couldn’t get to grips with Spandex and had gone back to his first love, rubber….
I’ll leave it there, ok?!
walking like John Wayne… 😛
Shirley ??????????????????
🙂 Potter, he was certainly the grafter….
It’s great to see most of the postings on here today are humorous; only a few are gripes and those aren’t about the club. Long may it be so.
Kev – Enough said aboy the S word.
Have a great day fellow Gooners. I hope to catch you all after the game away to the Canaries.
Wavy – you certainly haven’t offended me, it’s a ridiculous ‘tale’…
I’d love to know if it was a fellow player or someone in the England management camp…
😛 Kev, that’s a funny thought.
Dennis Bergkamp in charge of the Arsenal Academy perhaps?
Very sensible comments Wavy…
I heard that self-publicist who fronts the Black Lawyers spouting nonsense on the radio yesterday…
He doesn’t represent black people at all, he only represents himself and his twisted ego…
It’s been that way for a while Cg, sleep well….
Wishful thinking Kev..
Aren’t we at home tomorrow?
Hi all,
Nice read today Rico.
My take on Park is like Rico’s about shirt sales but also i think Wenger was under the impression that he would have military duty.
I didn’t see the Hodgeson thing but I’m guessing it’s a racist thing to do with Ince if I patch the pieces?
I wish Walcott could’ve been fit for this one, it’s a game that would’ve suited him for a come back.
Ince has been punished for kicking a bottle that hit a lady and allegedly threatening a 4th offficial when no one else but the 4th official head it…
The last time a club won more points in a calendar year than another other club; that club $hitty went on to win the league… lets hope we transfer the form into 2014 and beyond…
Hi Bradster – Thanks – I forgot about the military service he was expected to do, good point…
Why would it involve Ince though, he’d have been nowhere near the England dressing room at h/t when the comment was said to have been made..
But that didn’t have alleged racial undertones did it Ts? Just foul language and abusive I thought..
BVB vs AFC match ticket touted at nearly 200 Euros in away section… WoW
Rico re Ince no racial under tones… FA setting a precedent to ban a football manager from a stadium
http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/santi-cazorla-of-arsenal-during-a-training-session-on-news-photo/185189967
Good to see the magician back with the same smile…
I’m off out with Fido, catch up later.
Well I didn’t miss anything 😉
Welcome teddy, sorry for the delay in letting you out of moderation.
Agree re Ches and thanks re the post…
All quiet here so off to get dinner…
kev- http://lookatmyfuckingredtrousers.blogspot.co.uk/
Ozil no longer has his father as his agent….
interesting Rico…
It is Ts…
I’m off for the day now, so night to you and all…
night Rico
Another setback has put Abou Diaby out of action until March.
Abou Diaby, who was due to return from a cruciate knee-injury towards the end of this year, has suffered a setback and has had further surgery. According to Arsene Wenger,
He had a little key hole surgery again, on the the knee because his knee blew up every time he did something so it is now six months after the cruciate.
He could not even jog yet so with new surgery it is a set back for him so competitive football cannot be played before March.
Diaby out until March…
So another season disappears down the black hole of injury…
(Can I say black hole?) 🙁
That’ll leave 2014-15 as his last season, before his contract expires…
Wonder if he’ll complete even 20 apps in the next 18 months???
I’d like to see Gnabry involved today.
He made his EPL debut a year ago at Carrow Road, so maybe it’s pay-back time for Serge?
We owe the Canaries, big style, for last season, especially that morale busting defeat at their place last season.
A black day for me, as I was there, and saw our title hopes disappear…
(Can I say black day?)
Anyway, night all….
(Can I say night all?) 😉
🙂 Kev, you were on form in the early hours..
Morning all..
New post up