Daily Bits and Bobs

Kalou to Arsenal? Left-back wants to leave us & players thoughts……

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

I know that playing for your place is part of the game and it’s part of life, I have to deal with that. As long as I keep giving everything for the team and everybody does that, it’s only good for the Club.

If you look at the team, there’s a lot of new players and now it’s coming to the end of the season, you’re starting to see the players know each other a lot more.

You can see that in the last run of games that the players have a better understanding of each other. I feel like we look more like a team in the last few games that we have played.

That’s Kieran Gibbs on the fight for left back .

We didn’t quite get that final ball right but the lads gave a massive effort tonight and we looked pretty solid at the back as well in the second half and didn’t give them too much. We’re happy with the way we battled and performed but disappointed with the final ball and not getting that goal.

That’s Aaron Ramsey.

We’re happy with the clean sheet but absolutely not happy with the draw. I think, especially in the second half, we were more on the ball and much better in the game. Everton were a good side, especially in the first half. But then they dropped a bit and we had a couple of chances but couldn’t use them properly to get three points.

They put us under pressure and in the second half there was more room and more space for us to play. There were quite a few good counter-attacks when they were disorganised but we couldn’t score and that is a disappointment. We had to use them.

That’s Mertesacker.

Quite interesting to see how the players have gone from be bold and brash about securing a top four place to a much more honest assessment of what happened when we faced Everton.

Good!

Merts makes the most poignant comment. ‘We couldn’t score’.

However we should have and not just once either. Some may say that Everton could have too, but they are no concern of ours are they?

How the club, and by that I mean Kroenke/Wenger deal with that problem in the summer is what really matters.

Olivier Giroud is in his first season in the PL, it takes time to settle and we all understand that but as much as some believe that he could go on to have a better season next time around, that cannot be either guaranteed or relied on.

We have to sign a proven goal getter!

Ramsey is right to, that final ball we play in to the attacking players is average more times than it’s good. Whether that’s from a corner, a set piece or otherwise, it’s seldom the perfect ball is it?

But, for all that appears negative, Kieran Gibbs is right about one thing.

The players do look more of a team, they do look a lot more together and maybe even a bit more organised.

What this side lacks is a better final ball into the danger area and a quality striker to slot the ball home……

Ok, that’s not the only player we need I know but offensively, that’s a must.

Little bit of a round up with what’s in the news:

Left-back Samir Bihmoutine is hoping for a move to Wolves. The 19-year-old has been on trial as his days with us are set to run out this summer. That’s another young one off the payroll.

Thomas Vermaelen apparently fears for his future with us having been promptly dumped back on the bench for the Everton game and again stories suggest that Barcelona might come in for him.

We need a striker, Salomon Kalou wants a PL return so The Sun have put 2+2 together. I just can’t see any truth in that story whatsoever.

That’s all I can find, so that’s it for another day…

rico

0 thoughts on “Kalou to Arsenal? Left-back wants to leave us & players thoughts……”

  1. Scott from Oz says:

    Morning everyone.
    Kalou….acccchhhoooooo…..bullshit.
    Say it aint so, Arsene.
    Tommy Vermaelen has today stated his intentions to stay at Arsenal and fight for his place.
    I believe his place is as a DM.
    Tommy, you want to prove yourself.
    Well get out there and tear apart your dutch mate when he and his cronies pay us a visit.
    Get back to the ruthless, marauding player we all know you can be and show us you want and deserve to stay.

  2. allezkev says:

    Kalou!!! Do me a favour?!!!
    Morning Rico…
    Usual newspaper speculation. Wrap your fish and chips in it and disregard it.
    Total crapola…
    Morning Gooners…

    First…. 😀

  3. Adam says:

    Morning again Rico.
    The Everton result was influenced in no small part by Riley sending a weak ref for the game. Last night I saw another game influenced by bad decisions. What was Carol doing throwing himself in like that? It was the act of either a nutter or a proto nutter coached by Sam “the Walrus” Allardyce. Either way it did seem extremely reckless.

  6. rico says:

    Morning Adam, Kev, Scott and all

    You need to have a word with Lee, he broke the Kalou news earlier 🙂

    Carroll was just going for the ball Adam 😉

  7. allezkev says:

    Ok 2nd will do.. 😉

    It was Cavani yesterday, today it ‘s Kalou, tomorrow it’ll be some other agent inspired creation.
    I blame the NUJ…

  11. allezkev says:

    Morning Adam, yes I am deeply sorry if I offended you mate.
    Yes, I do recall you waxing lyrical about your dream of seeing Kalou in tandem with Gervinho, leading our assault for silver wear…

    It certainly is a mouthwatering image…

  13. allezkev says:

    I have to admit Adam, that some of my best customers are members of the NUJ.
    The Cheshire Cheese swears by them… 😉

  14. tsgh says:

    A good post.

    I think we definitely need a striker or two for next season if we are to push on. Lewandowski says he prefers Barca to the EPL… all fair so far as we can get Alexis or even Villa on a cheap…

    What about an outsider like Stefan Kiessling who is a Rudi Voller type striker imho and at 29 y.o will not ‘block’ Akpom’s development…

    Personally, I think lots of people are wrong when they say OG12 will improve… don’t get me wrong I love the guy as much as any but what is there to improve on his game?

    He has all the movement, hold-up play but he does not have the silky skills of Kanu or the doggedness of Suarez… imho he is never going to become a Van Nisterooy or a Van Basten. He is also too honest to be a Drogba… if AW thinks he can turn him into another Jean-Pierre Papin he will be waiting a long time.

    He is just a very good ‘steady Joe’ imho.

    And stats show that most strikers score less goals in their second season in the EPL for what ever reason…

  16. devilgunner says:

    Good morning Lady and Gentlemen.

    Kalou and Song??? Heaven forbid.

    Fabregas yes but not the lazy gits.

    I was disappointed by the Everton game. There were not too many shots on target……….and I expect more from millionaires kicking a round ball..

    It was good to see Gibbs and then Nacho play. That side has gone from strength to strength. Now for the right back and centre back slots.

    I just wish that AW will have a team for the weekend and a different team for midweek. At least change all 11 and each one plays a game per week and ample time to rest.

  17. devilgunner says:

    Hiya habib………….silver WEAR????? (silverware)

    what hunt………..some silver boxer shorts, g-strings or tanga mate???

  18. Scott from Oz says:

    Ginge, the reason Giroud must improve, in my opinion, is that he is still learning the game.
    He is the youngest 26 y.o. In the PL, experience wise.

  20. Adam says:

    Ts. I think that if, when Giroud’s legs started to pump, he actually moved forward, that would be a big improvement.

  24. tsgh says:

    Hi Dev… long time. Hope all is well?

    Hi Scott… I agree with you to a point. What that means for me is that he has another 5 years at the top because his body has not experienced or the rigous of top flight football. Whether the rest of his career will at Arsenal that is a different topic and is dependent on luck and how much he wants it….

    OG12 I agree may improve but a 30 goals a season striker? I doubt it… I hope to be proved wrong but even in France he only scored 22/23 if I am not wrong…. and most teams in ligue one are Wigan standard to be fair… just that Carlo was enjoying his new contract too much to win the title 😉

  26. devilgunner says:

    Adam your grasp of English language is music to my ears mate. I missed HH and the friends a lot, but your comments were sorely missed.

  27. allezkev says:

    Morning Coach, I will email you later today.

    Adam, not sure mate, unsteady would do it for me… 😛

    I have a cuppa to engorge.
    Lata amigos

  30. Scott from Oz says:

    Good to see you back Devil.
    Ginge, i reckon he will definitely improve, but i would not dare suggest he will become a 30 goal player…they are very, very few and far between.
    He shold be played v certain teams and in certain situations.
    He should not be our main man week in, week out.

  32. devilgunner says:

    The issue I do not think anyone is noticing is that ever since pursestrings left we have more than one player into double figures this season. Podolski, Giroud, Cazorla and Theo. That is 4 players. And the first three were bought with the money made from the sale of a greedy badger and lazy git.

    not bad business I think. But I still would have gone for a FREEBIE DROGBA……at least for two seasons. he would have made us better than we are.

    having said that I still would like to see Torres added to our team.

  33. tsgh says:

    I would too if he will come under 10M but I bet Roman would want more… at that price I will at least try with Robert Lewandowski even though I have heard rumours he and Scez are on more friendlier terms than Adam and Arsene… 😀

    gone now… stay safe

  34. Scott from Oz says:

    Torres is on the wish list of quite a few i reckon, Devil.
    The other thing is we had RVP last season and limped into 4th, and won nothing.

  36. devilgunner says:

    That is why I think that this season AW should have signed free Drog.

    He would have been a one man army up top.

  39. potter says:

    I always equate Giroud with a Kevin Campbell type figure. Quite capable of getting 15 goals a season but always second fiddle to the likes of Smith and Wright. On his day he will score but it’s not always his day. He needs someone closer to him because his feed play is quite good.

  40. Bradster says:

    Hi all,

    I don’t see Giroud improving his clinicalness. In tight games he’ll continue to struggle to score. Perhaps if our crossing improves he’ll score more but i’d still rather have a finisher next season.

  41. Scott from Oz says:

    I like Giroud.
    Atm, it is only his finishing touch that lets him down.
    He creates plenty of chances, but often cuts back when the crosser thinks he is pushing forward, and vice versa.
    With true wingers, he would be awesome.
    Our style of play hardly suits his style of player.

  42. stevepalmer1 says:

    Morning all,
    Nice one Rico. Yes yes yes the players are right in what we do right and what we are doing wrong but we are at the end of the season these players have played 40 odd games were 5 games to the end of the season we shouldn’t be talking as if this is a new problem. we have struggled with the final ball since the start of the season, and when we do get a good ball through its wasted over the bar towards the corner posts or in row z an experienced player like Arteta clean through only needs to kick it in and he freezes Giroud takes a great cross and doesn’t know what leg to kick with Chamberlain clean through with only the keeper to beat and he crosses. These players are not alone the others are just the same Merts Kosi Verm couldnt get a head to any corner they come up for Santi has a shot in a blue moon Ramsey’s shooting is anywhere Wilshere has forgotten what shooting is, Walcott well what can you say about Walcott i would rather see him out injured cause he looks injured in every game. Goal keeping Flappy has 4 good games and he is No one keeper he is an accident waiting to happen Czezesney has an ego that is bigger than he is. Sagna and Gibbs couldn’t cross a ball to save their lives and the manager who rubs his hands when we near top 4 Gazedes happy that its done on a shoestring and Kroenke doesn’t know whats going on, the fans are scratching their heads and at the end of the day we will start the new season exactly the same as we started this one, our only aim is to make top 4

  43. Micko says:

    Morning all, remember being linked to Kalou all January transfer window last year, big sigh of relief when he eventually went elsewhere.
    Can see where your coming from Potter, the rottweiler vs the poddle, I know who my money would be on.
    Chelsea didn’t do us any favours last night, Saturday should be fun.

  44. George says:

    SP1 well said mate @11:50

    Decision making after 30 games should be improving. Having said that we have been defending better as a team.

    A goalie signing and us shifting the deadwood would be the likeliest scenario. We are likely to sell 2 players for big money, slate one of them, and recruit the goalie with these funds.

    I don’t expect too much to change tbh..

    I think we’ll finish 3rd or 4th. That lot in riot land will miss oout 😀

  49. potter says:

    Current Standing

    Norman Hunter 6.8%
    Kevin Keegan 0.2%
    Kenny Dalglish 1.5%
    Gary Lineker 0.4%
    Paul McGrath 7.3%
    Dennis Bergkamp 4.8%
    Thierry Henry 39.1%
    Steven Gerrard 39.9%

    Voting ends on Friday.

    Go do your thing!

    http://www1.skysports.com/pfa/28802

    TH 14 is catching up , do your thing folks.

  54. potter says:

    I would have but with the way the points are Stevie G would walk away with it, So vote Titi just to stop Gerrard.

  55. rico says:

    Can’t have The Me me me me man winning in…

    Same here, voted TH but DB would have been my preferred choice…

  58. Wavy says:

    Have just voted for TH14, but its not the truth, DB10 was my all time favourite. The best player I’ve ever seen – by along way!

  61. devilgunner says:

    On a serious note I would have chosen DB10 and that is not because the lady of the house likes him but simply because he was the ultimate complete footballer.

  62. potter says:

    Most of us would but the way the points were running it shows the power of the T.V companies and the people that only vote for the ones they have seen on the box.

  63. Micko says:

    Hi Devil,
    The Ajax School of Excellence banned Bergkamp from playing street football at the age of 12, he was that good, 5 years later Johan Cruyff gave him his debut for Ajax, the sooner the statue goes up the better, will be the highlight of the season in my eyes.

  68. frednerk says:

    Talk about putting us through the mincer again this season,
    its took 3/4 of the season to start playing like a team,
    has wenger planned it this way,do you think,
    or just come across a system that suits these players.
    We know we need a keeper,we know we need a striker,we know we need a strong midfielder.
    Pretty sure everyone at the club know’s we need these players.

    So if we make the top four,and I think we will,
    will everyone think,
    wengers still has the magic touch.

    Because everyone I speak to,
    who’s not a gooner,
    think’s wengers the best thing since sliced bread.

  70. potter says:

    Problem is that everyone that is not steeped in the club gets fed by the media, and they fall for the spin the club puts out. It’s only when you carefully study what happens on the pitch and self analyse that you realise the deficiences that exist.

  71. frednerk says:

    Forbes magazine has published its 10th anniversary edition Russia’s ultra-wealthy businessmen.
    Alisher Usmanov, owner of Metalloinvest, is officially Russia’s richest man, with a fortune of $17.6 billion

  73. rico says:

    fred, most people I talk to think AW is the mutts nuts too… Non Gooners of course…

    That old ‘be careful what you wish for’ is a common phrase….

  82. rico says:

    Ah but Kroenke is not ‘that’ rich fred, maybe he wants to make a lot of money – selling out to AU would be very good financial business for him 😉

  83. eastsidepaul says:

    Sorry folks Wenger has given us the answer to our striker debate..

    Wenger on Giroud: “He has huge physical potential and he wants to play every single game. You will see more from him next season.”

    There you go, we will be seeing even more of him next season… can’t get too excited about that, or even for our prospects for next year..

  88. allezkev says:

    It was a difficult decision, a close run thing between Hankin and John Hawley….

    Those early 80’s were great days to be an Arsenal fan…

    Chris Whyte, Peter Nicholas, John Kay, Colin Hill, Raphael Meade, Steve Brignall.
    Arsenal’s Golden Generation.

    It brings tears to my eyes thinking about them… 🙁

  92. devilgunner says:

    Hawley was one of my worst nightmares,

    I still feel a tinge of regret that Charlie Nicholas never played for AW.

  95. potter says:

    You should have seen Peter Marinello or funniest of all Billy McCulough , or even Fumbling Jim Furnell.

  96. Micko says:

    Kev, true but it only cost ya £1 to watch John Hawley, are you sure that’s not just a bit of dust on your contact lenses matey.

  98. Wavy says:

    Potter I did. Mccuough was at his best when having been tackled or whatever he played dead for many seconds even minutes then by some miracle he would rise from the turf and run off at nearly 100 mph. He wasn’t a bad full back, either….on his day.!

    Don’t forget his northern Ireland mate , the other full back, Jimmy Magill, probably a little better than Mccullugh. By god we had international players on every position in those days!

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