Morning all.
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry so I’ll stick to laughing as the announcement of Danny Welbeck’s injury status yesterday is simply laughable.
Not the fact that he’s injured of course, that’s not funny but the manager suggested Welbeck was set to return after this international break, yet all the time he knew the player had to undergo surgery to repair his cartilage. That operation took place last week! Fibs or big fat lies….
A statement on Arsenal’s official website read:
It had been hoped he would avoid surgery but after increasing his training workload, the injury to his cartilage did not respond as well as hoped and the decision was taken last week for him to undergo surgery by a leading specialist in the field.
Danny is now expected to be out for a period of months and everyone at Arsenal wishes him well.
Akpom on loan, Sanogo on loan (not that he’s much good right now) and now another striker, and not any old striker but an international experienced one, is out for months. Just how many months remains to be seen but I doubt he’ll be back much before the season ends.
Still when he does, the old ‘he’ll be like a new signing’ words will no doubt re muttered by you know who!
Why on earth, when the club knew this was happening did they not sign a striker last month? Heck, even someone on loan would have been better than nothing but even then, a club like ours shouldn’t be behaving in such a fashion. This kind of thing goes on in the lower leagues, not in the Premier League at a club which spouts about winning the league…..
Something has to be wrong within the club, it has to be for such events over the last few months to have unfolded. Would Arsene Wenger really only sign a keeper when so often he hinted at wanting a striker, would Kroenke really deny him the funds to sign one with so much money squirrelled away? Would the board not do more, especially when old Lord Harris made such a sweeping statement about the only two players the club couldn’t afford to sign are Messi and Ronaldo
Whilst you and I have been sat laughing about the goings on at Chelsea, the ‘kid in a sweet shop’ transfer window by Brenda and ”Neymar and Bale to Utd’ and other stories Arsenal have seriously f… Sorry, mucked up…
I have no idea what’s going on but if the owner, board and manager were all singing from the same hymn sheet, I’m convinced the squad would be different to what it looks like now. And would Arsene Wenger really have allowed so many players, most of which a few of us think are close to being part of the first team squad, go on loan if he didn’t plan to bring in more mature/experienced players? I’m not sure he would.
Would he have left Theo Walcott on the bench for our opening game against West Ham if he truly believed he is the solution to our striker issues?
Again, so many questions, none of which the answers are known but what happened in the summer just doesn’t make any sense to me….
Never fear, Yaya Sanogo could always come back to solve our striker crisis, either that or worsen it…….
That’s it for Friday, have a good day folks….
Wenger only buys the right players. This means that there is not one player good enough for Arsenal this window. Andre Santos. Mikael Sylvestre, Sebastian Squillaci were examples of the world class players Wenger brought to the club. So trust Wenger.
morning all.
Can Chuba be recalled?
Morning Rico and all…
Good read. I think the Sirnogoal recall is just a bit of wind-up.
Irony Sean? lol
Not sure Lewis, hope so. Don’t think it’ll be long before Hayden gets a call too… Not really fair on Hull City though if both have to come back…
Morning Rico, All…
Interesting read.
Welbeck surgery news made me shrink.
However, who says Wenger didn’t make provision for that? Joel Campbell was rumoured to be on the permanent way out but we suddenly saw him on the bench last match. And eventually wasn’t even loaned out. Look no further…it’s Campbell for Welbeck.
I had a very busy day yesterday that I couldn’t be around to add comments, especially appreciating all that found the post interesting either way.
I’m sorry I took an ‘AWOL’ but I appreciate every comment.
Good morning once more..
Morning Tai, Ts. I sure hope it is…
Is that the same Joel Campbell AW refused to play even when we had Walcott and Giroud injured?
I sure hope he gets a chance though and does really well…
Morning again Rico and all.
That’s a good, thought-provoking post Rico. There’s an air of melodrama around at the moment. In the world in general and more locally, at Arsenal. I am sure we have all rolled the events of last season and then the following transfer window around in our heads a few times and depending on where our sentiments lie, have pointed a rather feeble finger at the culprits. While Stan might be sitting, astride a giant horse on his ranch somewhere or other behaving like Ming The Merciless with his many sports franchises our club has been slowly stifling. While Lord Harris, fresh from a ‘rather decent lunch’ at his club and fortified with several glasses of Taylors ’63 comes out with his guff about £200 million and naming the only two players we cannot afford, the club have been intensely busy. The lights burned late at the Emirates for the past 100 days. Teams of expensively assembled negotiators sat next to their packed overnight bags waiting for the sign that great players were being lined up to join Arsenal.
Alas, the call never came. You might chose to believe that internal politics and the craven desire of Stan to gaze lovingly at the balance sheet was at the heart of the mystery. I choose to look elsewhere.
He was never going to get away with it this time. As the sun dawned on the day after the transfer deadline the brutal truth was that Arsene Wenger had signed nobody making Arsenal the only club etc, etc. you know the spiel. Most of us not sporting rather camp red hats didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Nick Collins the moustachioed Sky reporter reminded us fans of our place at the bottom of the food chain by reciting a steaming pile of crap that the press office had released about how wonderfully active we had been in previous windows. This was like squeezing lemon juice into an open wound.
But, seriously, who are we to have an opinion that contradicts Arsene? Have any of us worked a half day in football? But, before the dust had really settled we get the news that Danny Welbeck is effectively out for a long time and that the club knew this to be the case before the TW closed. Eh? Come again! So, we really only have Giroud and striking wannabe Theo to lead the line? Surely I have forgotten someone here. Ignoring the spectre of Sanogo returning and taking into account my failing memory, I can’t think of anyone at all except those that are currently out on loan.
You couldn’t make it up. In fact you don’t need to because it is true. Where it leaves us we won’t really know until the critical injuries begin to pile up and as Stoke are our next visitors I might opine that this will be quicker than we would like.
It’s not the time to lay into Wenger. He seems more than capable of shooting himself in the foot and telling whatever truth suits him at the time. But it is most likely a turning point, a critical juncture in the remaining years of his managerial time at Arsenal. If we win the PL or the CL or even both then I think Wenger will deserve hitherto unknown and unbounded praise. Stan will be happy with 4th. If none of this comes to pass then I have no doubt that under the letter E on the Arsenal PR department’s computer there will be an excuse that fits. That it will make no sense will be as irrelevant as Lord Harris’s bullcrap of a few weeks ago.
Morning again Adam…
It’s all very odd isn’t it.. Nothing really adds up in my mind….
Ramsey can play no. 9. As long he is in the first 11 Wenger is happy!
Good post… Welbecks work rate will be sorely missed imo, we’re being laughed at from other clubs supporters etc the way wenger and Arsenal has performed is an embarrassment.
I’m just pissed I booked to travel to a game last week, should have kept my money.
Campbell is another grafter Kel, the the question is, will he get a chance?
Got to go out again today, catch up later this afternoon…
Morning all, good post rico. Its unbelievable that guy had surgery before the TW closed.
Adam, you are a master of the Queens english. lol. Next week Saturday bright and early against Stoke, i will be looking at my tv to see if i cant identified your red and white socks. How u been bossman? lol
*can
I must confess that I had completely forgotten about Campbell Rico. After all his exploits last season too.
Adam, a very belated “Happy Birthday” somehow I managed to miss that yesterday, I was busy of course sharing the 63 Taylors with Ole Appy Harris and he assured me at the time we wasn’t pickled at all and that there really is a huge stash of cash to be spend but he has no idea on what, a prized Herd of texan bulls was mentioned but he then changed the subject…………
Your comment above fits in with what many of us think and feel, the bottom line which i think we all know and yet don’t want to admit is that we are all actually superfluous in the bigger picture that is now Arsenal Football Club. The club doesn’t care for the fans opinions, they don’t want them and although they go through the motions of fan groups etc etc they give them no credence what so ever.
We are seen as purely “punters” and a revenue stream and if a few of us are discontented enough to say bollox I am not going anyone then someone else will take our place hence the club couldn’t care less.
That’s how I feel we are thought of and treated in any case. As for who is to blame for what etc etc TS has said for ages that to win things means huge investments but what are the financial rewards..? nothing if compared to the outlay so 4th looks great for no investment and still the asset value increases….!
Sad but seems to be very very true.
Hi gdna. I have been alternating between tremondous euphoria and depression mate. Like many of us. I hope you are well.
Adam, I did see that Kev stated happy 29th… he assured me he didn’t have his bi-focals on and it should of course had read 92nd…..
In any case, hope you had a good one…!
Cheers Wath. The Taylor’s is quite exquisite with a chunk of Stilton and some decent after dinner chat as I am sure you know being a man of singular taste. 🙂
I would say one thing…….. If it was known Welbz was out injured for mnths on end players we were maybe trying to buy would of had their fee increased as teams would of known due to the Welbz injury we were desperate so from that point of view sensible not to let it be known.
For the Club to then announce it though seems totally daft why not just keep quiet…?
Great PR….. Not…!
I hereby withdraw my last remark about your taste. I am a mere 84 though I feel only 83. 🙂
Adam, I have ordered a very smart and chrome polished tandem zimmer frame for Kev and yourself for the celebration of you 85th’s…… 😉
Adam, Happy belated B-Day to you Sir. I didn’t miss the opportunity to wish you a Happy Birthday. I am just fashionably late. Hope u live to see many more.
Good Morning Rico and the House
Very busy day in front of me so once again this will be short
As normal a very good read Rico but Sanogo is a wind up.
We have submitted the names of the squad for next season and none of the loan
players who are over 21 have been included which means they are not eligble to play
in the P/L
However Akpom Hayden Toral Niles and Zeleman are included in the squad (asu21players)
which means a recall( like Coq) could happen.
Iwill try to come back latter.
Cheers gdna. Lovely sentiment.
Hi Rick, Have a good day and thanx for that.
Adam , As you would expect Lee has told me he want’s a diamond encrusted wheelbarrow for me to push him around in for his 60th…! Lord of the Manor and all..!
I hope he didn’t rub it in to much that he drank half the bottle of Vin de Constance along with half my red wine stash…! Thankfully the GG was in the underground bunker locked safely away.
Wath. Brudder Lee is one of the most generous hosts I know and spreads his fortune around his friends like no other. He knows of my taste for D’Yquem and I have no doubt he has sourced a bottle to serve with some ripe white peaches at the next HHCC meeting. After pie ‘n mash it is a triumph. 🙂
There has been my mistake Adam, All these years I’ve been glugging it after fish n chips and wondering why it’s not quite hit the spot..!
Wath. I would say that the botrytisised fruit clashes with the vinegar myself. 🙂
I guess AW is assuming AS17 will deputise upfront if needed.
TS. That sounds like a masterstroke in the making. 🙂
You know what a good player/ especial player mean for Arsen Wenger the one that is very cheap or freely signed one other wise he is not good player for him becuase he got Martinaze from port he is a good player in my opinion and I am sure Martinaze is a good player in the eye of other manager to. That is why he cost 24.8 million pound for Athletico madrid
lol Adam. Everything meets the grand design in the AW world. 😉
As long as the likes of Luis Enrique & Garcia (of Malaga) tweet.. great listening to Aw blah blah after UEFA Elite conference who are we to question the workings of Aw. 😉
Morning Rico, Adam, Lee and All…
Off to read post…
Were they wearing their white coats Ts…?
I’d rather AS through the middle that Theo, Theo and Ox on the wings with AS central would work for me..!
Adam- I think they opted out of the white coats due to Benitez’s expanding waste line… 😉
After the ‘elite’ managers have quaffed expensive wines and his mc hammer pants, plus the ever expanding Monsieur Platini, AW will mesmerize any listener…
Also, why the heck was Old Fergie invited to lecture at the seminar…
Agreed Wath
Cameron’s recent about- turn makes me laugh… nothing appears coincidental or surprises me anymore…
The hypocrisy of the media. jumping on the back of a picture of the poor 3 year old boy to sell papers like they care.
Have they not all signed up to agenda 2030 and follow the aims of the elite?
We are in the midst of a phase of history in which nations will be redefined and their futures fundamentally altered.” –Rupert Murdoch Feb 24, 2009
Rico, that was a post, which should be washed down with 3 or 4 bottles of Cava and a bacon sandwich, such is the taste of this ‘ere Hackney Boy…
Great comment Adam, from the heart…
Stoke could well be a combustible afternoon if Hughes parks the bus and our ‘strikers’ continue to misfire…
Maybe Wenger should stay in Paris?
Morning Wath
Sanogo is never coming back.
Its actually a tough one once you get over the emotion of it – remember when you buy a play that is at least a 3 year commitment. We would all be saying how much [name] sucks if we sign an average player to fill in for the already average Danny Welbeck, and start filling our squad with what we used to call deadwood.
The point remains though we needed to go all out for a high quality striker, not a fill in for DW. But I can completely understand why one didnt come in… I wonder if we couldnt have paid a fair loan fee for Charlie Austin… something like that.
Im still having my DM grumbles…. 🙁
Adam. Your post made me chuckle. Do you think Paul Whithouse’s ‘Very, very, drunk’ character from the Fast Show is based on Lord Harris? We all thought Peter Hillwood was Upper Class Twit of the Year until good old Lord H poked his head above the parapet! On a more serious note I would have taken Dwight Gayle from Palace at the last minute. Maybe not what we were expecting but he is quick, hard working and a dyed in the wool Gooner. Desperate times and all that!
Bob. You’ve got to laugh mate, otherwise one could get quite irritated by the whole turnout. 🙂
Good day House.
I agree that AS17 is who Arsene has in mind for the striker role if Giroud and Walcott continue to misfire. I also believe that Arsene rates Iwobi and Reine-Adelaide very highly and does not want to block their path like what happened to Pogba at Manure.
Imagine losing one of them next season and then the following season he becomes a world beater. That would really hurt.
We do need cover for Coq but we all know that Ramsey is Mr. Versatile so don’t be surprised if he ends up there and we put a proper winger at right wing. Maybe Theo or the Ox.
I was listening to the Arseblog podcast this morning (I imagine that you listened as well Adam) and one of the contributors mentioned that he had ‘heard’ that Arsenal tried to sign that Russian striker, what was his name? Kolikov or something like that, tried to sign him on loan, but his club refused as he only had one year left on his contract…
Still doesn’t excuse the club leaving it until the last minute to act…
Kev, what’s wrong with you… you should know by now we are only ever 1% proactive 99% reactive hence everything last minute and a botch job.
Hi Geziah, The problem with waiting for a player or two to progress is it seems that we are doing that every year…? We always waiting and waiting and waiting………
Seems our manager is getting very crotchety with the media… He’s now telling everyone about the mental strength needed to win back to back FA cups…! I’d prefer he was discussing winning back to back league titles but ho hum…………….
So what are we left with? FA cup 3x in a row? Id actually take that, as long as we make more progress in the PL and CL… and go big in the next windows
Arsenal fans are entitled to feel cheated by the club’s lack of activity in the transfer market, says Paul Merson.
“It cheats the fans,” said Merson. “The fans think ‘what are we coming for? We turn up every week, we pay the highest prices and what for? Top four? We might get a day out at Wembley again in the FA Cup.’ Wow-wee.
“There’s a saying in life: Keep on doing the things you do and you’ll get the same results. How different is this season going to be for Arsenal? It’s the same team that finished 12 points behind Chelsea last year. Why, this year, will this team finish above Chelsea?
“I can tell you now, there will be a phase this season when they’ll be unbelievable, win seven on the trot and play the best football you’ve ever seen. But at the end of the season, with this team and no signings, I’d be absolutely shocked if they won the Premier League.”
“If you’re an Arsenal season ticket holder, you’re paying top dollar. It’s their money. It’s the fans’ money. It’s not Arsene Wenger’s money. It’s not the club’s money. It’s the fans’ money that they’ve paid to buy players,” he said.
“The whole idea of going to this big stadium that holds 60,000 people was to bring in top quality players. I don’t know [why Arsenal aren’t spending the money].
“Just put in a bid for Benzema. £75m. If Real Madrid turn around and say ‘we’re not selling him’, you can’t argue with that. You’ve put in a bid and if they turn it down or the lad doesn’t want to come, that’s the way it goes. But show something.”
In many respects Merson is dead right but he also now paid to talk up issues at the club… Wonder how much he cheated the fans when he was off his nut and putting in anything but 100% What he says would mean a lot more coming from another ex player who always left his soul on the pitch.
Stones and glass houses and all that…!
Afternoon all.
I think Le Boss chased after Benzema all summer, made bids and all were rejected. That’s what I think! I don’t know and I wouldn’t presume to pretend that I knew. I just believe that’s what happened! The fact is WE don’t know a blind thing, nor will we ever! Not buying any player is not good, it sends out all sorts of messages, mostly negative!
Mersin and his ilk have NO INSIDE TRACK, just opinions like the rest of us but, we don’t. Have a soap box from which we can claim that we know it all! A pinch of salt has to be taken with all proclamations from any in the media. The only people who actually know the truth are, Wenger, Gazidis and Law and they ain’t talking!
It will all be revealed but maybe not in our lifetimes!
rico, laugh and the world laughs with you !
AFC must be the only club where money can’t buy you players.
Evening guys…
Kev, your earlier re Wenger staying in France made me chuckle. That was my headline of the post the day after the tw shut. But Scott sent me a post and being the decent person I am, I binned mine and posted his…. 😉
And I refuse to weep alone Micko….
Dunno if it’s been mentioned already but Ramsey came through for Wales unscatched yesterday, can’t afford to lose another winger.
🙂 🙂 Micko…..
I preferred Ramsey on the left myself. 🙂
But that’s Jacks place Adam.. Lol
Oh that’s right Rico. He took over from Gervinho didn’t he? 🙂
I think so Adam… 😉
Dead here so goodnight all….
I love Kroos…
shame we passed on him…
Night Rico…
Have we signed anyone?
Rick, I notice that Arsenal had four, the most from any club, players in the England U18’s squad that beat the Netherlands U18’s.
Sheaf and Willock in the starting XI with Hinds and Mavididi on the bench…
Evening Kev.
Our youngsters are doing well.
Sheaf scored from the spot in a 2-0 win. They say Sheaf and Willock had good games.
Tonight the 10 man England U 19 ‘s beat Germany (away) 3-2
Tarrif Moore had a good game but Maitland Niles was the hero scoring the
winner with a 25 yard screamer right in the top right hand corner.
I hear he was Brilliant.
By the way Chambers played the full 90mins at C/B for the England u 21′ last night.
We have 10 youngsters on international duty this w/e
http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/whats-point-arsenal
Rick, I think that Maitland-Niles could well come back from Ipswich the finished article and step right into the shoes of Flamini…
That Four Four Two piece is quite an interesting read and asks a few uncomfortable questions, questions that I’d love to see Wenger answer…
I suppose what we want to see Rick, is when our players go on loan, that they become regulars in their temporary club side and become a major performer in that side…
When our players go on loan and then lose their place and become peripheral figures then you have to question what kind of future they could ever have at Arsenal…
As so we have Maitland-Niles developing into a dominant force at Portman Road and by contrast Yaya Sanogo who has dropped out of the picture at Ajax…
We have Akpom who is an important part of Hull City’s attempt to bounce back to the EPL whilst Hayden has dropped down to become a regular on the Hull City substitutes bench…
Crowley has blossomed at Barnsley, Toral’s impressive start at Birmingham has faded a bit, Zelalem has made a big impression at Ibrox and now he has to keep that up for the next 4/5 months, etc etc…
last year we had Sanogo,Apkom and Pod… Campbell was on loan and we all said we need a central forward!
AW tried TW, Sanchez.,Pod played at central forward and we all again said, wasn’t the solution!
Then came Wellbeck… wasn’t the solution, but with Coquelin in the team and sometimes with this option, we started win and we reached our goals.
But now, which options we have?
You are spot on Kev.
Isaac is my one concern and I ask is he fully fit.
Afobi said in a interview he thought he went on loan too early.
He stated although I had recovered from my bad injury I was not fully fit and really struggled on my first loan.
Now Isaac has only played the full 90mins once since he returned from his injury and i think he
could be in the same boat as Afobi
In the case of Zelalem it looks like he is starting to Man up.
Against Q-of=south he was the victim af a very nasty stamp got up and finished the game
in good style, last season they would have subbed him.
The Barbary macaques brought down to earth tonite, watch out Europe, we’re on a roll.
Interesting point on Afobi, Rick…
He had two serious injuries, that 20 years ago could have finished his career…
It sometimes takes 6 months to a year to fully recover from those kinds of injuries, both mentally and physically…
Look at Diaby, maybe he was rushed back a few times during his earlier injuries.
And in the end it didn’t matter how long he was given to recover, his body was busted.
Ramsey looked really poor when he returned, in fact a lot of us thought he was finished as an Arsenal player, but the following season 2013-14, he was superb.
So maybe Arsenal acted a bit hastily in selling off Afobe. I’d certainly have Benik in front of Sanogo and he’s proved at Wolves to be every bit as effective as Welbeck…
Hayden has a year to show his worth Rick, maybe the second half of the season will see him come into his own…
Interesting to see Szszesny playing so well for Roma.
Why is that?
Better coaching?
A more organised defence in front of him?
Or has he simply given up the fags? 🙂
As for the others Rick, Wellington Silva has been doing a reasonable job at Bolton and has retained his place in the team.
Could he be the next Coquelin?
Martinez started in goal at Wolves but has lost his place. Difficult position being a goalkeeper, in that if you lose your place it’s pretty damn hard to get it back.
He might need a lucky break, like the guy in situ getting injured maybe?
Gnabry is in the same situation as Hayden, in that he’s trying to regain his pre-injury level, but it’s gonna be a long slog, especially being at an EPL club…
I think he’s had a couple of outings and seems to have done ok, even if he a fair bit away from being a regular starter for Pulis.
http://m.hulldailymail.co.uk/Hull-City-loan-star-Isaac-Hayden-Leaving-Arsenal/story-27737562-detail/story.html
There yer go Rick…
Again ozil highlites what type of a player(s) he needs To shine,as much as i hare Theo as a Cf but think he is the only One we have To get the best from muset.he does not the a guy who wait for the ball but It someone who is willing To chase It and without hate giroud isnt One.start from Schalke,To bremen To Madrid.may This Will cause a Great dibate for our next post.plz Rico do try To fit It in plz?
Mathieu Debuchy has admitted that he considered asking to leave Arsenal during the recent transfer window, seemingly because he is worried about losing his place in the France team/squad, prior to next summers European Championships…
Tbh, unless Bellerin suffers a run of injuries or a dramatic loss of form I cannot see Debuchy getting more than the odd game between now and January.
Therefore if wouldn’t surprise me if he didn’t leave in the New Year…
Not sure we’d get our money back for him, as he approaches 31…
Kroenke will be devestated…
Broken English at It best,so forgive on that.a fix from here and there Will help
http://paininthearsenal.com/2015/09/03/grading-arsenals-2015-summer-transfer-business/?utm_source=FanSided&utm_medium=Network&utm_campaign=RelatedCategory
Here’s one that Adam and Lee will enjoy. 😉
Rick, seems we paid Len £3m for Fortune and Jeff…
Lens or Racing Club du Lens…
That’s me done, Njght All…
Night Drake…
Are you on the sauce btw? 🙂
Morning all..
Kev, interesting points you make about loan players now sitting on the bench. Could it be they haven’t really impressed or are managers rotating – especially those like Hayden who have not long been back from injury.
I know. Rotation is a word which Arsenal fans don’t hear very often…. 😉
Morning Rico.
Rotation!
Isn’t all about cohesion?
Wonder what the Wenger buzz-word next season will be…?
With had footballistically, that was memorable…
Collective, as in collective spirt, wasn’t that one?
Morning Kev..
Does he ever change his buzz words?
I don’t know, as Arsene would say…
It’s gonna be a quiet one today…
Hang in there Rico… 😐
Off to work – deep joy…
I’ve got another busy day Kev so I’ll be all right. 😉
Plus there’s cricket, rugby, tennis and the GP qualifying to focus on… Oh, not forgetting Saturday morning kitchen…..
Morning Rico, Kev and all. Yes, a truly exciting day of sport, cooking and then dancing to look forward to.
Oh and I forgot all the Bake-Off and 3-in-a-bed episodes I have to watch too. It’s going to require considerable tactical nous and cohesion to get through it all. 🙂
Morning Adam. Is 3 in a bed back on? 😉
It is Rico. In the afternoons. They are probably repeats but I love how bitchy they all get when they find a speck of dust on top of the wardrobes. 🙂
Ditto Adam, it’s so funny. Even more so when they get into the bathroom…. 😉
New post up now…