Daily Bits and Bobs

Man from Uzbekistan on his way in? Waiting for others before we make any move?

Posted on by rico

Morning all,

I’ll kick off with a few bits of gossip…

First up is Uzbekistan defensive midfielder, Oldi Ahmedov has told Russian newspaper Izvestia:

It is true I have interest from Arsenal though – their scouts have watched me in every match this season. If I move there, I could be a huge success but there is no bid yet. I’m happy at Anzhi but I’d like to try England, Spain or Italy.

Marseille assistant coach Franck Passi has confirmed his club are interested in Gervinho:

This is a profile that interests us, yes. We want flank players, with dribbling, passing and scoring and Gervinho has this profile.

I had to check again that those comments related to Gervinho…..

Finally, there is a headline somewhere which suggests Barcelona are interested in Koscielny. I’m sure they are but they are not having him.

On to todays post from Steve.

Frustrations are mounting in the Arsenal world with the lack of substantial news from the club. Other than how well off we are of course and how much we have to spend which is legendary to all fans.

However, that’s where it ends. It’s all been talk to date. Of course Arsene Wenger has been holidaying and as we all know when Wenger isn’t in residence the flag flies at half mast.

One or two blogger’s have stated just how unhappy they are at the pace of the Arsenal’s hierarchy go about our transfers but I can only assume that they are waiting for all the big teams to get their spending over and done with and then we can finally enter the market. I suspect that whoever we have our eye on will not even be on the top teams radar, so bidding for these players should not pose to many problems.

Thinking about what Ivan Gazidis said on his Q&A night makes me believe that we will go for players that can improve us but still keeping to the Arsenals budget ( cheap).

I looked back at our finish of the season just gone and to be honest on paper it looked very good indeed. We went from being many points behind our rivals Totteringham, yet still we managed to overtake them to 4th. Even though they have the £80 million rated Bale.

So who will we be looking at to improve us, or do we just say who are we keeping to give us some idea as to who we need?

I would guess that the players staying are:

Ramsey Wilshere Walcott Cazorla Oxlade-Chamberlain Koscielny Mertesacker Monreal Giroud Podolski Gibbs Jenkinson Szczesny.

My guess would be that Arteta Rosicky Gervinho Vermaelen Sagna Fabianski and Diaby could all have question marks against them, so this is where I feel we may have to strengthen.

We have of course started our rebuilding with a young player Yaya Sanogo, although this deal hasn’t been confirmed by the club. I know very little about him only that Wenger believes he is a star in the making, so I wouldn’t expect to see him for a couple of seasons.

Of course,  the transfer window is yet to officially open so players on the market are only speculation at this time. Most clubs will be trying to get their transfer negotiations sorted before the window opens, get fees agreed, so they only have to get the player to pass a medical and then sign on the dotted line.

Then hopefully they will all be rested and ready in to meet their new team-mate’s in pre-season training and then in July, head off on the tour to face Indonesia. Any new players need time to gel…

Clubs who sort their transfer’s out early, normally pay over the odds  as the price has got to be good for the selling club because they want to replace whoever they sell with new players. This is normally the clubs above us in the league as money is no object to them with very wealthy club owners.

For mere mortal clubs, similar to the teams below us they will have to look for players who they can afford.

Our own club is a bit of a mystery. We are supposedly the 5th richest club in the world, we have a Chief Executive who tells us we have the money to buy Marquee signings, yet we wait till the end of the window to negotiate in shillings and pence.

That’s probably why were the 5th richest club in the world.

Arsenal football club pride themselves for running the club the right way, we pay good wages while running the club in a  sensible manner. We have become attractive for sponsors and we’re talking mega millions after our latest negotiations with a sports firm which will make our club a fortune over the years ahead. I can only assume that some of that wealth will filter down to our transfer fund so that is the reason that Ivan is so overjoyed.

The future at the Arsenal looks very promising on paper, and it could be very profitable. If we sign a few quality players and we could even see a  trophy or two come our way.

Arsene Wenger is no mug to the game he knows how transfers work and he knows who he wants. He seems to have worked under a blanket for quite some years and although he has always managed to get us into the top four, despite very frugal spending.

It seems those blankets have now been rolled back, the next month will tell us a lot about the future of Arsenal. The Chief Executive is excited about Wenger having had his hands untied.

I have to say that the build up to this window is very very encouraging. Now the club needs to do their bit and get us back on the glory ride.

Arsene, go spend that money well and let’s start filling that empty Emirates trophy cabinet.

Written by Steve Palmer

rico

0 thoughts on “Man from Uzbekistan on his way in? Waiting for others before we make any move?”

  1. Jay says:

    Morning All ,nice and bright and early this morning. Looked at Arsenal on this day 1993 ,George Graham under pressure from fans for new buys captured Eddie McGoldrick from Crystal Palace .Be careful what you wish for,things dont change much at the Arse

  2. rico says:

    Morning Jay and all..

    Good read Sp.

    You rightly suggest that the players Wenger wants to sign are probably not on the radar of all the top clubs so I wonder why he doesn’t get them sorted out and done.

    Maybe as Ak said earlier, contracts don’t expire until the 1st of July.

    The first week of July will tell us an awful lot I think…

  3. devilgunner says:

    Good Morning Lady and brudder Gentlemen.

    Good summary of the AFC transfers so far. But did we pay over the odds for Podolski, Cazorla and Giroud? My answer is no. And they were not signed late at the 11th hour.

    So we do need to get new players in whether or not others have spent their money. Its not the 1st of July we need. its the damn fecking PRO-ACTIVE manager we need. Someone who strikes like a cobra.

  5. devilgunner says:

    Here comes the Spaniard now. Good.

    That means the family is up and running at the round table.

  9. Jay says:

    Wenger needs something to liven him up be it Cobra or a nice bottle of Chateau Neuf Du Pap,anything to get him to man up and get that F…..g cheque book out

  14. Lee says:

    Torres would score goals for us, however the hi-ho prick maureenhoe wouldn’t sell him to AFC. imho!

  15. frednerk says:

    Morning All,
    Frustration turns to cynisium,
    Ivan Gazidis seemed to answer most of the questions,
    the other night,
    he says that we have the money,
    he says that wenger can buy who he wants,
    he says when the new managers are in place,
    some business may happen,
    he says that the dark days are behind us,
    sounds great..

    I think Podolsk or Gervinho may go….

    Great end of season run in for us,as regards points,
    performance wise,
    not to sure about that.

    Good stuff Steve.

  16. Jay says:

    I think Chelsea dont really rate him now Rico,and with the amount of firepower they will have I reckon they will just want him off their books.

  26. tsgh says:

    C’mon Mg give me a rumour to cheer me up please… I am not feeling my usual ‘happy clapper’ self… even on a friday

  27. Jay says:

    You never know JM needs someone to arselick now his mentor old bluenose has gone.Perhaps he will try to get round AW

  33. stevepalmer1 says:

    Morning Rico, Off fishing catch you all tomorow or sunday depending on the fish tight lines or straight kicking. 🙂

  35. potter says:

    So Odil Ahmedov has expressed a wish to to try Premier League football . He is said to be a tough tackling midfielder with a shot reputed to be like a cannon. He is an Uzbek so if we are interested perhaps it’s time to have a chat with Usmanov. Just for the record in the nature of all of our prospective transfers it seems that both Arsenal and Juventus are the two clubs vying for his services. I wonder if the Juve fans are as fed up with our name as we are with theirs.

  36. malaga gooner says:

    i started going on line about 3 years ago using a different name.

    i only ever used 1 site and it amazed me how stupid people are.

    i got banned for telling the truth about the club.there was only 3 other people that had the same point of view.

    i remember being called a traitor and should go and support a club like the chavs.

    i was called a spud because i would not lick wengers hole.

    i was sick and tired of arsene wenger with his mental strength and his false promises.

    yes we have a brand new stadium which we the fans have paid for.

    i believe ivan gazidas is sick and tired of saying there is money to be spent,
    we know there is money to be spent,, we can see it in the fucking accounts.

    i dont know where pwh went wrong,in his father dhw we had a chairman who was for the fans.i know phw is sick but he has a arrogant streak in him that makes me puke,, he treats the fans like shit and we let him get away with.you dont call your own fans stupid in public…

    if you think wenger is ever going to spend big money your stupid.

    his dream is to leave the club with no debt and the board love it.

    the day daivid dein left was the day wenger became a board member.

    he has 1 year left on his contract.he is in his comfort zone,he will carry on buying prospects and he will be known as the manager that paid the stadium debt.

    if arsene was at a big club he would of been sacked at least 3 years a go.man utd will not give daid moyes 3 years.

    im a old time gooner from around the 70s mark,,we have to many supporters that grew up from the start of wengers career and this is the problem,,they only know him..

    we the fans are to blame for the way of our club,,”NO 1 ELSE”

    WE LET IT GET THIS BAD.

    we got beaten by fucking birmingham in the league cup,,”birmingham “HA”!

    when i think about the crap he has bought over the last 8 years i feel like slitting my wrists.

    GRIMANDI SHOULD BE SHOT.(FRENCH)

    HOW MANY CRAP PLAYERS FROM FRANCE

    WE SUPPORT FRENCH FOOTBALL

    DICK LAWS IS A KNOB,, HE COULD NOT TIE UP HIS SHOE LACES.

    KETH ELDERMAN STATED AS CEO WE COULD AFFORD TO SPEND 100 MILL AND HE WAS GOT RID OFF.

    THE YOUTH POLICY IS A JOKE,THE ONLY PLAYERS THAT ARE ANY GOOD ARE JACK AND GIBBS AND THERE ALWAYS INJURED.

    THE CLUB HAVE TREATED USMANOV LIKE DIRT.

    HE HAS PASSED THE PL CRITERIA TESTS.

    HOW MANY GAMES DOES KROENKE GO TO COMPARED TO ULMANOV.

    WENGER RUNS ARSENAL.

    NEW CONTRACT MY ARSE.

    IN WENGER WE RUST.

  37. malaga gooner says:

    i have found a site that talks reality not shit i would like to post on here from now on..

    fresh start

  38. potter says:

    We are a broad church Malaga and if arguments are reasoned they get a fair hearing. Like you I have been around a long time , actually longer. It breaks me up to see the way the club is now run. I am 3rd generation season ticket and my son is fourth, Do I have the right to break the family chain ? because I certainly feel like it.

  40. malaga gooner says:

    potter i have not been in ashburton grove for 4 years..

    i got rid of sky sports 2 years ago.

    i told my famly not to buy me anything to do with arsenal 3 years a go and i use to get loads of gifts.

    i refuse to pay nothing towards wengers 7.5 mill contract a year.

  46. W.A.T.H says:

    Morning All,

    I see whilst I have been away fixing an electric zimmer frame Ts has been spreading malicious rumours about my age…! Firstly the zimmer frame is Kev’s secondly I am a mere whipper snapper as I am half of Rico’s age and five years younger than Adam who thankfully is the only person I know who wears red spandex strides..!

    Thank god I was born in the 70’s…!

    Wenger spend money……..???? He doesn’t like being told what to do as we all know, being told there are funds and Wenger actually spending them is a completely different thing.

  49. W.A.T.H says:

    Wind ya neck in Rico…. Adam is the Toad i seen you calling him that the last few days… We cannot ALL be toads….! besides I tell the truth 😉 trust me my lips are moving..!

  50. tsgh says:

    Hi WATH, they are not malicious just false information 😀

    Double agenting is my forte…. lol

    Hope you are well?

  52. potter says:

    Fred :- I found this an interesting read on the AFC Forum. It compares actual comments to the way they were reported.

    Apologies Rico for stealing this from another place, but I think it’s worth it.

    “”””When people are being trained in sales or presentations they get taught about take home messages or deliverable messages. These can be direct quotes such as the classic ‘Read my lips: no new taxes’ from George Bush or overall themes and aspirations such as the ‘I have a dream’ speech from Martin Luther King.

    Now being open and honest is an aspiration that most people aspire to but when being open and honest will burt you or your cause….Well people start omitting details, spinning the truth in a certain way.

    One of the quotes above is a classic example of some spin ‘Read my lips: no new taxes’. It was combined with months of campaigning about pledges not to over tax Americans. After Bush was elected he raised taxes, and when challenged pointed out that he wasn’t creating any new taxes just raising existing ones, so he had kept his word.

    With all of this in mind lets look at a few messages that people have taken away from Gazidis’ Q&A and then look at what he actually said.

    1. We have £70 million to spend on players transfers.
    2. We can compete with the big clubs.
    3. We will spend £200,000 on players wages.
    4. Wenger is responsible for the Socialist wage structure and has complete control over wages.

    I’m sure there are many more.

    1. We have £70 million to spend on players transfers.

    Gazidis never actually says this. The £70m comes from an AST report which shows what COULD be made available to the manager (between £70m and £100m) not what has actually been made available to the manager. It also doesn’t separate out the old chestnut of transfer fees and wages.

    However Gazidis does say “There is no philosophical line in the sand and I suspect that he would pay £25m for Lionel Messi.” and he also answers this question Q: For example, would you be able to buy a player for £25million and £200,000 a week? with “Of course we could do that. We could do more than that.”

    This brings in the wages into the equation. £25m plus those wages for 5 years would come to £77m and that would fit in the budget. What it also means is that based on the AST figures, that one player would be our total spend from our transfer fund. So none of this buying three £22m plus players that the media are banging on about. Two or three players would need to be around £15m fees and on normal wages to be about right for the budget.

    2. We can compete with the big clubs.

    Q: Can you compete with the three clubs who finished above you, three new managers bringing in big players?
    IG: “Can we compete? Yes we can. This year we were five points behind Manchester City and two or three points behind Chelsea.”

    So according to Ivan we already compete.

    Also Q: But you are now – for the first time – operating in a different financial playing field?

    IG:”We have got fantastic support from Emirates through the new deal we’ve done with them. We’re very confident with the new deals we’ve got coming through, although we can’t talk about that in any detail. That’s showing really positive progression. We should be able to compete at a level like a club such as Bayern Munich. I’m not saying we are there by any means, we have a way to go before we can put ourselves on that level. But this whole journey over the past ten years really has been with that goal in mind which is why I say that this is an extraordinarily ambitious club. We get beaten up along the way but I think we are an extraordinarily ambitious club. This has been about putting us up with the best in the world and now the question is turning that platform now into on-field success.

    and

    Q: But can you really do it? Every year we hear this but you don’t pay a certain wage?

    IG: “I think that’s a little unfair to say that every year you hear this. I know what my messaging has been every year and I’ve been very careful about it. The fact is this year we are beginning to see something we have been planning for for some time, which is the escalation in our financial firepower. And that’s going to happen partly into next season – it’s part way available now in the summer but the following season as well. It’s a progression over the next two seasons. It’s quite significant for the club.”

    So actually on the financial side we aren’t there yet, nearly but not yet.

    3. We will spend £200,000 on players wages.

    Again this is from the

    Q: For example, would you be able to buy a player for £25million and £200,000 a week?

    IG: “Of course we could do that. We could do more than that. We have a certain amount which we’ve held in reserve. We also have new revenue streams coming on board and all of these things mean we can do some things which would excite you. What excites Arsene isn’t necessarily what excites you. We can think about all kinds of things. The important thing for us as a club, and it may frustrate everybody but we don’t think about what’s going to excite our fans for the next couple of weeks, we think about what’s going to excite them when we start playing in August and hopefully when we’re in March and April and competing. That’s what we’re focusing on. For Arsene, it’s a question of getting the right players, the ones he believes in, not necessarily the players the fans want. He’s very disciplined about his beliefs and how he wants to structure a team. And he’s done a fantastic job at that over a long period. He has new tools available to him financially and I think he’ll make good use of them.”

    And Ivans answer is true but only refers to buying one player not multitudes of players.

    4. Wenger is responsible for the Socialist wage structure and has complete control over wages.

    I’ve seen this concluded by many since the interview.

    Q: In the past, Arsene Wenger has called the wage policy a “socialist wage structure.” While we may smile about that in football, is it time for it to change?

    IG: “Our biggest expense is our wage bill. It’s not something that we simply stumble upon by accident. There is a massive amount of thought that goes into it by some very very smart and thoughtful people at the club including Harvard analysts and Arsene Wenger himself is a pretty smart mathematical guy. I have been doing that myself for 14 years at Major League Soccer, where I was responsible for the management of the player pool within a budget. This is something we think about deeply and we know a lot about. We have outperformed our spend, in virtually any metric you can look at, consistently for the last 15 years. It’s an extraordinary record. So we are doing something right in the way that we spend although it may frustrate some people. We are doing something right and we are very thoughtful about it.

    “It’s not something that happens by accident. As we develop new financial capabilities, clearly, that wage bounds will change. It’s under review all the time. It’s never been fixed in stone. It really depends on what the circumstances are as you move forward, what the market looks like, where you see the opportunities, where you think the value is. That will change and if we – which we do – want to attract and also keep the very best talent then we have to pay them the market rate. There is a complete understanding of that at the club. So yes, our wage structure will evolve, as it has over the last five years. It will continue to evolve with a new financial capability behind it, which means we can do some things perhaps that we haven’t been able to do while we have had one hand tied behind our back.

    Doesn’t sound like Wenger is on his own making the call on wages from this.

    Q: Can you buy a Martinez like Bayern? Big fee, not astronomical wages? Would you ever buy a player for a big fee who is not on massive wages?

    IG: “The assumption behind your question is that there have been rules preventing us from doing that in the past. There haven’t been rules. There has been a financial constraint and we had a strategy within those financial parameters which hasn’t delivered what we all want, I accept that, but that has been carefully thought through. It doesn’t mean that if we had the opportunity to sign somebody we thought was extra special at a price we thought made sense that we wouldn’t do it. So when you come back to the socialist wage structure or limit on transfer fees we would pay. These things don’t really exist. It really depends on individual circumstances and how much Arsene believes a particular player is the critical piece for us. We’re going to be emerging into the new period in our development, a very exciting period, I think, which will mean if we think we can get the right value and a player is really special and Arsene believes in it, we can make some exciting moves and I think our fans will be pleased over the next couple of years to see the club making some progressive steps.”

    This doesn’t really say a lot except saying that we have operated within some financial constrictions.

    Q: You talked about the boffins who drew up the wage policy…?

    IG: “They don’t draw up the wage policy – that is not what I said. We are not advised. Arsene and I have a huge amount of experience in this area. Arsene is the guy that decides the talent that we want to have. We also have people who do analystics, at our direction, to help us to think about that.”

    So again Wenger targets the ‘talent’ but nothing specific about the final say on the wages front.

    Hopefully this will have dispelled some of the conclusions that have been jumped to since the Q&A.

    And seeing as this is all cut and pasted from the Mirror I’ll leave in the link at the bottom.

    Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/ … z2W7gO6Knf
    Follow us: @DailyMirror on Twitter | DailyMirror on Facebook

    _________________
    There’s none so blind as those who will not see.

    Do not argue with an idiot they drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

    Report this post
    Top

  53. frednerk says:

    Couple of my mates,local business men
    fund a couple of well known clubs,
    when I bump onto either of them,
    I always ask how’s it going with the club.
    Every time the answer is the same.
    Money thats all I do……pump money in…
    I always reply with,
    I’ll have a word with L Messi..for you
    Bollox to Messi….. we want Wenger.

    This is what the fans are up against.

  54. W.A.T.H says:

    Ts, I am well mate, I am gonna have a word with the Umbrella brigade and get them to keep a close eye on your false information hitting the cyber airwaves…! It’s slanderous…! Next you’ll be getting a job at the Sun..!

  58. frednerk says:

    Potter,
    Read it later,not to sure where your coming from.

    On transfer’s..can anybody tell me who other than wenger,
    has signed a player for us,in his arsenal career.

  60. W.A.T.H says:

    Fred, Pat Rice 😉

    Rico, are toads deaf…? it would explain why we try and cock a deaf un to all the women moaning all the time…!

  71. potter says:

    If you take on board what is being said here . It compares the actual quotes and highlights just how they can be interpreted in differing ways. Gazidis is a master of spin but our media, papers and blogs only report the bits that suit their particular position.
    The person who wrote this would appear to have had a similar training to Gazidis and can see through what he is actually saying. In my opinion it opens a debate on just how much credence needs to be put to the headlines that followed the statement.

  72. rico says:

    Would like to think so Wath. Maybe we could do a deal for him, offer money and Gervinho… 😉

    Good move for him Ak, they have a decent squad so he should do well, I hope he does…

  74. W.A.T.H says:

    As you say Potter many ways to spin the truth even though the books clearly state the funds are all available that does not mean they will be used up..! No one quite seems to take full responsibility for either buying players agreeing a fee and or wages…! All very cloak and dagger and as usual who is accountable…?

  75. potter says:

    We should have a few brownie points with him having loaned him Wilshere , perhaps a loan or two might persuade him to sell McCarthy.

  79. allezkev says:

    Yes Wath, I have long been a follower of that ancient craft, when spoken to (nagged) by a woman, of ‘cocking a deaf un’.

    I wear my toad badge with pride. 😀

  81. W.A.T.H says:

    It’s a talent us gents are born with AK, saves us so much grief being able to “cock a deaf un” followed by a grin… works wonders eh mate, Adam sadly ain’t quite got it right hence he’s on No5….!

  82. rockyrocastle07 says:

    Afternoon all. Got a spare few mins so thought I’d pop by!

    Great post Steve. One line that I hope isn’t true is ” they are waiting for all the big teams to get their spending over and done with and then we can finally enter the market”. If that’s true, then it’s a sad story of how far we have fallen. Let the big boys get first pick then we pick up the scraps. Not the way we should be doing things

  84. W.A.T.H says:

    Plenty quality players out there Rocky that we don’t need to be looking at paying 50plus million of over priced players like Cavani and Falcao thats for sure, throw in Bale into that equation as well…!
    We should be lumping 30 mil into Dortmunds account and saying we’ll have Lewandowski thankx very much and the 23 for Fellaini is a steal in comparison to 28million shitty just spent on the Brazilain..!

  87. rockyrocastle07 says:

    Agreed mate. But we won’t spend that on players. Maybe one player (at a push). Not multiple players. But for the great players, that’s in the region of what needs to be spent. We’re not operating on 1990 prices anymore, even if Wenger thinks we are….

  88. rockyrocastle07 says:

    Hi Rico / Dev. How’s things?

    All good thanks Dev. Nice to get a few minutes away from work to be honest!

  90. rockyrocastle07 says:

    Thanks Adam…. I tried to impart some on Monday, but it just came out as one word put downs on most things!

  92. devilgunner says:

    Good to see you are ok mate.

    Sadly what you said is true. Much as I would like to see AW sign Rooney, Cesc, Capoue, Cesar and Williams I have a feeling it will only be one from Rooney, Cesc and Capoue. And I am stretching it a bit tbh.

    Cesar is a freebie while Williams will cost around 10 mill.

    But I can dream cant I?

  94. rockyrocastle07 says:

    Adam – your wish may well come true! Unfortunately, it won’t be because he buys top players… Him and his dipdhit son will probably milk the club dry

    Was a great night on Monday. Was nice to see people other than the douchebags I work with!

  95. Adam says:

    When I see you guys I seem to spend most of my time laughing. Can’t be a bad thing at all. 🙂
    I am a great fan of the Kroenkes as you know. 🙂

  96. W.A.T.H says:

    Rocky did you mention the “C” word in relation to certain players again…? The tone of the conversation is always lowered when Lee starts everyone off…!

  97. Adam says:

    Lee’s latest player assessments and season round-up is always a feature of the CC get-together s.

  99. rockyrocastle07 says:

    I did wath…. More so than Lee (who was very well behaved, I must admit) but not just about players…. About people in general! It’s almost as if I have forgotten how to act in public, its been so long!

    Same here Adam. Those evenings always seem to be over far to quickly!

  100. tsgh says:

    Hi Scott, Rocky… hope you are well?

    Nice post Potter… your post just shows there is an agenda against AW and AFC but that is a post for Scott to discuss 😉

    When the scums fail to sign a player, it is always Levi’s fault…. when twitcher bought the likes of Crouch, Jenas and the likes and failed to play them it was never ‘arry’s fault but the players…

    But it is Aw’s fault when B52 once touted as the new Laudrup fails to accomplish and fulfil his potential due to Senior B-52 and Junior B52’s egos…

  101. allezkev says:

    Hiya Rocky, good to have you back on board…

    Yeah, Monday was a good larf, as usual…

    Still loads of Gervinho to Marseilles rumours…
    Selling to buy hopefully.
    Lata

  102. rockyrocastle07 says:

    All good thank sTS – Hope you are.

    Twitcher is the same though – When the team does well, it’s because he’s a master tactitian. When they are crap, he blames the previous regime and the players! Pretty much the same as Stuart Pearce, although everyone knows he’s just a bell-end who’s out of his depth in management!

  103. rockyrocastle07 says:

    Hi Kev. I’ll text you back in a bit…. Was sparko last night when your text came in!!

  105. rockyrocastle07 says:

    He won’t last mate. He’s already been looking for ways to leave, by making stuff up and bl;aming everyone else (first, he offered to leave to “help out their wages situation” then threatened to walk ifas he didn’t have final say on players! Because obviously the players he spunked loads of money on were top drawer last season….. The red faced jowly twitchy prick.

  110. Adam says:

    I do Rico. In fact the Kroenkes and the Krankies, especially Jimmy who bears a sparkling resemblance to Josh Krankie. Or is it Jimmy Kroenke and Josh Krankie? I am confused now.
    Where has Spectrum got to?

  111. W.A.T.H says:

    Rocky, you need to chill mate…………. So much hatred towards that chirpy chappy ole Arry…! Diamond geezer he is..!

  112. rockyrocastle07 says:

    You fall asleep on the train on the way home on Monday Lee?! If you didn’t, you did well!!

  113. Adam says:

    I was arrested once for impersonating Jimmy Kroenke at a Bar Mitzvah. The charge contained the words lewd and lascivious.

  116. Adam says:

    The judge repeated it during sentencing with the sort of relish reserved for Old Etonians and those who have spent much time in boy’s dormitories.

  119. Adam says:

    He wanted to sentence me to Penile Servitude Rocky, but was disappointed it wasn’t appropriate.

  124. Adam says:

    No we stopped being a Krankies tribute act and became The Kroenkes. Peregrine used to come on with an absurd syrup and a hairy caterpillar as a moustache and I would lick Muller Rice from his naval.

  131. rockyrocastle07 says:

    That’s ok then… because if it was just plain, that would have made the whole thing disgusting….

  140. Adam says:

    There is sad story coming out of Manchester United this afternoon. Poor little Robbie Van Pursey, the one-time Arsenal star, wrongly accused of rape and completely exonerated of all charges, was being fed warm milk and rusks this morning. After he had been winded and sicked up on his bib he let it be known, in a diddums-type voice, that the beastly Arsenal had asked him not to speak to the press last year about his impending departure from the club. As if his £1million per month deal wasn’t hard enough for little Robbie to endure after several seasons of having to lift himself from the treatment table on a few occasions every season.
    As his little Dutch bottom was being powdered Robbie twirled the ribbon from his PL winners medal around his shrunken scrotum to say that, under Sergeant Major David Moyes, he thought he could take his incessant whining to a whole new level.

  143. rockyrocastle07 says:

    My earlier posts were far to clean… Had to get off the fence for a minute and lower the tone again!

  145. devilgunner says:

    Here we go again…………

    Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has reportedly been seen arriving at Arsenal’s home ground the Emirates.

    The England international has been amid transfer speculation ever since Sir Alex Ferguson revealed that the 27-year-old asked to leave Old Trafford at the end of the season.

    While Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea have been linked with the forward, Arsenal have emerged as possible contenders following chief executive Ivan Gazidis’s claims that the North London outfit can afford Rooney.

    While the player himself has been quiet on his future, a talkSPORT caller has claimed that he is ‘100% sure’ that he spotted Rooney arriving at the Emirates in a black Mercedes this morning.

    I hope this is true.

  148. Kevin KJ says:

    Adam, regarding RVP, so true you have him to a tee. I can see him throwing his toys out as soon as he doesnt get his way. He is a POPP, like most of these players.

    Rocky, good to see you back. As you know he was one of the players I most admired, decent, humble, loyal type, so great you have honoured him so. And a brilliant player.

    Afternoon ts, (now that has a ring to it!)
    “Nice post Potter… your post just shows there is an agenda against AW and AFC..”

    Absolutely spot on mate. The most maligned Football Club in the universe by media and fans alike. The amount of lies and untruths that get spun on a daily basis, makes me mad. battered by everyone including some of our own.

    Potter made a brilliant point – and that was the fact that people will skim over inconvenient truth and spin to fit their own opinion. Everyone does it to some degree but a lot of people seem either unable or unwilling to change their opinions or research a subject they know nothing about, relying on heresay.

  149. rockyrocastle07 says:

    Hi KKJ. Good to be back, thanks! I too can imagine RvP posturing and pouting if he doesn’t like someone’s opinion. Those legs of his (the ones that were seemingly made out of dried pasta in his first 5 or 6 years with us) can’t stay injury free forever. Lets see how good they are with Welbeck up front every week!

  150. Jay says:

    Rooney in a black Mercedes ,Im not having that,Now if you had said a white open back truck with tarmac on the back I might have worn that DG

  151. rockyrocastle07 says:

    Regarding the last line on your above point KKJ – That’s so true! I’ve witnessed some of the most amazing arguments over heresay! People going completly batshit-crazy at each other over something neither knows as fact, but assumes that what they heard is so plausible that it COULD be the truth!

  152. devilgunner says:

    Ha. should have got a postcard with a wish you were here……

    Two women were arrested following a TOPLESS brawl during the school run.

    The wild fight broke out when parents were bringing their children to school and child-minding facilities in the tiny village of Doon in Limerick.

    One eye-witness said: “It was surreal, completely unbelievable. They just went at each other.

    “Biting, scratching, pulling hair, kicking, everything, you name it.”

    By the time last Friday’s brawl – sparked over a previous fight between two men – progressed to Monastery Road, the women had lost some of their clothes.

    The eyewitness added: “It was in the middle of the street. They were down on the ground on top off each other beating the heads off each other. The next thing the tops were pulled off each other and then a bra went flying through the air.

    “You would think that this would have stopped them – but not a bit of it, they kept at it.

    “It wasn’t a few slaps either, this was vicious stuff. There was blood on the ground.

    “Remember now, this was at 9.15 in the morning at a time when mums and dads are bringing their little ones to school and child minders.

    “It is hard to get your head around it. The incident lasted for a good few minutes too.”

    It is understood the two women involved, both aged in their thirties, were close friends but had a serious falling out recently.

  153. Kevin KJ says:

    Rocky, nice one.
    These pampered Overpaid Pussies are starting to get on my nerves. Disloyal, greedy bunch of parasites most of them.

    Danny Wellbeck 🙂
    Old red nose knew the game was up, I suspect that’s why he got out when he did.

  154. Kevin KJ says:

    DG,
    The only time I want to see two women fighting is when they are choosing which one is going to have me first. I’ld settle that argument by having them both at the same time…..!

  155. Kevin KJ says:

    Rocky
    “I’ve witnessed some of the most amazing arguments over heresay!”

    They weren’t even a good group were they 🙂

    True though.

  156. devilgunner says:

    Seems as if Borussia Moenchegladbach have ruled themselves out of signing Bendy.

    Minus one then.

    I will bet anyone that by next two weeks it will be 0 clubs in for Bendy.

  160. rockyrocastle07 says:

    One single wonders KKJ….. And Mylene has been bothering us on TV and in papers with her dogshit opinions ever since!

  164. Micko says:

    Limerick is just over the border, those shaggers would rob the milk out of your tea given half a chance.

  165. devilgunner says:

    The two mums who were involved in the topless fight were named Maureen (a brunette) and Davida.(a redhead)

  166. rockyrocastle07 says:

    I’m oing to say no to that one mate. Can’t imagine it was Michelle Keegan and Holly Willoughby having a tear up. What a thought though……

  171. Kevin KJ says:

    “a talkSPORT caller”
    Oh dear, that means some person with the intellectual capacity of a grape.

    “….Wayne Rooney was heavily disguised as he was seen arriving at the impressive Emirates stadium today for contract talks. However, it was soon apparent who it was, when he detoured into the local old folks home and was seen flirting with Petula Smith. Petula, an 89 year old widow, riddled with osteo-arthritis said, ‘He had such lovely hair and he reminded me of one of those cabbage patch dolls my grand daughter used to carry around. He helped me onto my comode and seemed to take great pleasure in being in my company, such a caring man. We shall have to see what happens.”

    However, the game was finally up when he spent 5 minutes verbally assaulting the local vicar, due to a simple misunderstanding. The Right Reverand Michael Dean was unfortunately dressed in black.”

  174. rico says:

    Hi Devil…

    I have recently acquired a load of my old 45 records, it’s fun going back in time playing them…

    Sorry to bore you all with that…..

  175. rockyrocastle07 says:

    Talksport caller was probably that massive wankstain Stewart Robson, about to spout some vitriolic diatribe Arsenals way.

  180. devilgunner says:

    Arsenal Football Club has announced that Sir Chips Keswick has been appointed chairman.
    It follows the decision by Peter Hill-Wood to stand down from the board for health reasons. Mr Hill-Wood, who has been Arsenal chairman since 1982, is recovering after a heart attack last year.

  183. rockyrocastle07 says:

    Do you think he’ll use the reputable mouthpiece that is the Daily Star to vent his opinions like Hill-Wood?

  185. tsgh says:

    A posh boy called Chips… 😀 what a name he must have been bullied at Eton/Malborough for his name…

  187. rockyrocastle07 says:

    sure he took a few wet towel whippings to his derriere during some awfully jolly japes!

  188. Adam says:

    Arsenal FC announce that Cod N Chips Keswick is taking over from PHW as chairman. Keswick, who will be 112 years old this week has assured Arsenal fans that there will be no change in the level of abuse bestowed upon them under his stewardship and that the personal nature of that invective might even be ramped up if they forget to appreciate just what wonderful things Stan and Jimmy Kroenke are doing for the club. The appointment of Keswick, the last man living to have fought in the Boer war is though to represent a new start for Arsenal as they prepare to spend big under manager Arsene Wenger. Chief Executive and compulsive liar Ivan Gazidis said “Cod N. Chips represents the new Arsenal and shows the youthful, successful image we want to portray”.

  189. rockyrocastle07 says:

    Ts – shame there were no serious head injuries then if it was either of those 2. (was going to be a lot harsher there, but for some reason decided against it)!

  190. Kevin KJ says:

    True story. We had a boy at school called Chippy. His best mate was a lad called Peter Fisk.

    We used to call them Fisk and Chips………..

    But even funnier was that Chippy’s surname was Buttland, so we all called him Chip Butty.

  191. rockyrocastle07 says:

    KKJ and Adam – you shoudl get together and write short stories… I’m sure you could both conjure up something quite magical!

  192. rico says:

    Ha ha Rocky.. They don’t make them like that any more eh..

    Jay, you spill first… 😉

    Now now Devil, I know you know really …. 😉

  193. rico says:

    So that’s the big news announcement over and done with….

    No Rocky, he’ll use that to eat his chips out of….

  194. rockyrocastle07 says:

    We had a guy called Greg Bacon. We just called him a smelly gyppo though!! No play on words needed!

  195. Jay says:

    Another banker in the top seat,his facebook states that his interests are bridge and country pursuits.I bet he is a F…..g hoot at the end of season party

  196. rockyrocastle07 says:

    True Rico, that WILL be the big announcement. And they damn well knew no-one gives a flying fuck about it.

  197. rockyrocastle07 says:

    True Jay, but those country pursuits are hunting down peasants in the woods, on horseback, armed to the teeth!

  199. rockyrocastle07 says:

    in a kind of (not sure if anyone has seen this excellent Ice-T / Rutger Hauer film) Surviving The Game style!

  200. Adam says:

    I went to school with the unfortunately named Norman Nonce. His father was from France and was descended from a long line of Nonces.

  202. Kevin KJ says:

    All bets are off, Rooney is off to Juventus folks….

    Apparently he packed his bags and drove to Manchester airport, within minutes of hearing the old lady of Turin wanted him………

    Man utd refused to comment as they were still waiting for his official transfer request. According to a spokesman, he has already been through three packets of crayons.

  205. Jay says:

    I had a pal at school called Roger Soll,work it out guys 4 years of pissing ourselves laughing every time they called the register .What type of parent with the surname of Soll would give him the initial R in his first name

  206. Adam says:

    Kay. When I had a shop a certain R. Sol stole a piece of equipment from us. No kidding. I noticed him one day working in Waitrose in Canary Wharf and pulled him about it. He denied it of course so I Keel Hauled him.

  209. agirlagunner says:

    SSP, good write! 🙂 Our club is indeed a mystery. Management keeps going on about money we have but won’t spend. It’s all a bit depressing, really. 😕

    Adam, I take it that’s a “no”. 😛 How are you? How’s your writing coming along?

    Hi, rocky. Been a while, howdy?

    Hello, Jay. 🙂

  210. Kevin KJ says:

    Sorry last one I promise….

    Coleen has just announced that she is splitting from Wayne Rooney. She said that having sex with him was ogre rated….!

    She went on to add that the embarrassment of Rooney recently caught shoplifting a packet of Cherry Bakewell Tarts from Lidl, was just too much. In mitigation, Rooney said: “I can’t seem to win. Colleen said she would divorce me if she caught me paying for another tart again.”

  211. Jay says:

    Arsenal are asking the fans to send tributes to Hill-Wood on their web site am just in the process of sending mine.If I am not on line for a while please send any mail to Jay c/o Hmp Isle of Wight

  213. rockyrocastle07 says:

    Hi Agag. All good thanks! You? Still waiting for you to email me about shoe sales for my wife!! SUmmer is (apparently) here and she needs a few new pairs!

  214. rockyrocastle07 says:

    I think their admins will be working overtime filtering out all the negative comments Jay!

  215. agirlagunner says:

    Coleen will not divorce Shrek. He makes far toooo much money, KJ. 😉 Jay, I wonder what sort of tributes PHW will get. Well wishes in such colorful language, I’m sure. 😀

  217. agirlagunner says:

    rocky, I’m on my hols. First of the year, would you believe it? What sort of stuff does she like again? Wedges?

  218. Jay says:

    I have sent mine AGG ,oops there is a car on my drive with flashing lights with 2 guys in blue suits

  219. rockyrocastle07 says:

    Something tells me they won’t Jay… And because of that, he probably thinks every Arsenal fan loves him, and we all owe him a debt of gratitude! Deluded prick!

  220. rockyrocastle07 says:

    First of the year?! I’m sure last time I spoke to you you were on hols! NYC wasn’t it? Or was that late last year?

    Yeah, she is partial to a wedge or a sandal (excuse us please lads…. it’s now Women’s Hour on HH….)

  227. Wavy says:

    On BBC Sports golf channel they have Ben Dirs reporting he is being assisted by his best friend Will and his mate Phil McCavity.

  228. potter says:

    As they have appointed from within the inner sanctum it probably means that a new member will be invited soon . I wonder who ?

  231. Adam says:

    Arsenal are holding a farewell party for Peter Hill Wood celebrating his long spell at the club. As a fond gesture PHW will down a bottle of Taylor’s 1963 Vintage Port just before various supporters from all eras are presented before him in stocks. He will smoke an 18 inch Cuban cigar, blowing the smoke into the faces of the fans. He will then ceremoniously bellow insults straight into their faces and ask each one them why they are so interested in “his” business. After they are removed it is thought Ivan Gazidis will give each of them a 3 hour lecture on the benefits of Financial Fair Play before they are released in the grounds of Cod N. Chips Keswick’s castle. The following morning he will first stalk each one before shooting them with one of his Purdey shotguns.

  232. rockyrocastle07 says:

    I hope my below makes it on to the PHW tribute page afte I just posted it (Kept it as mild as possible to avoid certail filters that would ‘junk’ it straight away):

    “A man who treated the fans with contempt and disdain. This day couldn’t come quick enough. Good riddance to an awful scrotey excuse of a man”

    I gave my name as ‘Jay from Highbury House’….. hope that’s ok?!

  234. rico says:

    😆 Adam, and that’s a good year…..

    Classic Rocky…

    I will get that ‘file cake’ made ready for Jay’s stay in HMP….

  236. rockyrocastle07 says:

    I’ll run it over there to him next time I go and see my folks on the IOW Rico!

    Jay – Don’t worry…. I did you a favour!

  237. Adam says:

    ’63 Taylor’s is the finest Vintage Port I have ever drunk Rico.
    I gave you a glass when we had lunch but you don’t remember it. 🙂

  239. W.A.T.H says:

    Kev will be all nostalgic now and will be delving through his 78’s later…!

    Jay did you say Dennis Compton..? 😀

  242. Jay says:

    I have just received an E-mail from Arsenal thanking me for Renewing my St,and offering me 20 per cent of merchandise ,see you cynical f…… they are not all bad

  244. W.A.T.H says:

    Dev, Jay is def an old fella is he was knocking about with JH in the late 60’s early 70’s…!

  245. devilgunner says:

    according to dotcom Patrick Berger has been invited to the AFC board to be Vice Chairman to help Sir Chips in the day to day running of the club.

    The board have already written to well known AFC supporter Her Majesty the Queen begging her to knight Patrick Berger.

    Ladies and Gentlemen I present to you Sirs Berger and Chips.

  246. rockyrocastle07 says:

    Rico, is that right that you don’t remember going in that last pub before Lee and I left to get the train home? You don’t remember Lee’s Laser eyes?! (or did I just make that up?!)

  249. Kevin KJ says:

    Jay
    You sound much younger than 65. I am 50 too but I still think I am 18. You will have been lucky enough to have some true greats playing.

    I was too young to really appreciate some of those boys in the late 60’s early 70’s. I had a number 7 shirt because I always wanted to be George Armstrong and ended up playing professionally on the wing for one season, then knee injury meant I had to stop before going off to semi-pro. That bloke could drop a ball on a sixpence.

  250. rico says:

    Thanks Rocky, I’ll bring it to London with me next time I am that way.. 😉

    I have a few 78’s too Wath..

    That’s still very young Jay 🙂

  251. W.A.T.H says:

    Don’t worry Jay your well young mate, Kev is antique compared to you…!

    2 much info Rico you’ve just dropped yourself right in it with the 78’s….!

  252. Jay says:

    They threw the mould away after Geordie Kevin,I met him once or twice ,he was a humble guy and a true gent.And tough as old boots

  254. potter says:

    Every time I see our wingers and full backs hit the first man with their crosses I think of Geordie . However my first playing heroes at The Arsenal has to be split between Joe Baker , George Eastham and Jon Sammels.

  255. W.A.T.H says:

    Let you off Rocky, just this time lol… I’m off pub calling…! Later you lot and take it easy one and all..!

  256. devilgunner says:

    A simple maths sum and keeping in mind certain milestones and you would know how old Rico is!!!! 😀

    And I am not saying the age. 😛

  257. Jay says:

    Have A good evening all I am Off to the pub with some Hammers fans.Well as they say they hate the Spuds more than us

  258. devilgunner says:

    My first hero was Frank Sterlington. Ouch.

    Then it was Charlie Nicholas.

    Until David Rocastle came along. The other heroes that followed all played second fiddle to him. Yes even TH and DB themselves.

  263. rockyrocastle07 says:

    Right gang, I’m off too. First timne in 2 months I’ve got out the office before 6!!

    Have a good one all… I’m off home to make some macaroni cheese. Life doesn’t get better than this!

    Good to catch up with you all againm! Won’t leave it so long next time! Agag…. email some shoe info when you are back from hols… Rico has my address

    Night all

  266. devilgunner says:

    My second all time favourite player was Manu Petit, after whom the little prince is named.

    But the top favourite will remain the mythical number 7. DR07.

  268. devilgunner says:

    I am off now my friends. Got a dinner with the family at a Danish Restaurant which will be rounded off with a nice bottle of wine.

    cu tomorrow chaps and lasses

  270. rico says:

    That is right Rocky, I don’t recall it much, other than me having half a Stella..

    The next bit was you and Lee walking off down the pavement…

    Never again 😉

  276. Adam says:

    Afraid so Agag. I have been writing about singing voices and how they change over the years.
    My pleasure Rico. But true.

  290. malaga gooner says:

    what is going on at arsenal?

    gazidas is talking about the boards future 1 way and then the club go and appoint a 70 year old current board member.

    when are we going to get some proper answers to what is going on at the club.

  292. W.A.T.H says:

    Why would anyone at the club give the fans answers MG…? Do you think they care or think we deserve answers..? The board are irrelevant !! Stan as major shareholder does what he wants the Board are puppets simple as that..! The board are simply a front for Stan..! IF we are going to buy it’s because Stan wants us to not cos the board says so and your well aware of that so we’ll see exactly whats what within the next six weeks..!
    Arsene is many things but he ain’t stupid…! IF the money is there surely he knows he has to spend if not the fans will turn come Sep 2nd if not he’ll resign and tell us all why…!

    As the saying goes cock on the block time…!

  294. W.A.T.H says:

    Santos unhappy to return to The Arsenal………

    Someone at Arsenal please send this knob on his way back to where he came from…. Sums up what players are all about and we don’t need shit like this at our club… get rid what ever the loss incurred…! we want and need players that want to be at our club and who want to play for the shirt…! Not difficult is it..!

  295. potter says:

    He may not want to come back but I don’t see him tearing up his contract. Yet again another long term drain on the club’s resources.

  299. Lee says:

    Wilfred Umbongo has agreed personal terms with Arsenal…..there you have it our “world” class signings have started to commence!
    Sunday Tuesday next up…..and Wenger has his eyes on an embryo from Burkina Faso! Thank fuck we are being so decisive in the transfer market and showing ambition & intent!!!!!

  300. rico says:

    Who on earth is Umbongo – I can’t even find him on Wikki…

    Morning all, I’m off to fitness.. laters..

  302. malaga gooner says:

    morning every 1

    W.A.TH i know your right ,my point was the clubs says 1 thing in public(ig) and does the exact opposite.

    were not talking about the club trying to slip under the radar to make a signing and then you expect a bit BS.

    if the clubs policy in the boardroom is shaky what chance does the rest of the club have.

Leave your comment.

Discover more from Highbury House

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading