Good Friday, the sun is shining and it’s a holiday in many parts of the world so that’s a good enough reason to be happy.
Another reason is Diaby, he’s out to repay the faith that his manager and fans have in him:
I just need to carry on and stay focused every day in my rehabilitation, I feel in a good way now.
Football itself has motivated me because it’s the thing that I love. There is also my family and team-mates, manager, medical staff – they have all helped me.
It is a big motivation for me that the boss said about me being a “massive” player. I want to be thankful to him and show him that he is right.
However, that won’t be just yet as Arsene Wenger has confirmed the squad news ahead of Sundays game:
There is nobody out or in because Diaby is not ready, Coquelin is not ready, so the squad available will be the same as last week.
Both Diaby and Coquelin should be back in full training next week, so that’s good news.
With all the summer speculation being rife at the moment, one area will need addressing very early on, and that’s the goal-keeping situation.
According to The Transfer Market, Łukasz Fabianski and Manuel Almunia are both free to leave Arsenal Football Club this season as their contract comes to an end. Neither has truly convinced Arsenal fans over the years, especially the Spaniard, so I doubt anyone will shed a tear when they leave.
Next in line, age wise, is Mannone; another who most believe isn’t and never will be good enough to make it in the Premier League. Hopefully Wenger has seen enough dodgy displays by the Italian to ensure he too departs soon after the season ends.
So what will Arsene Wenger do, promote a young inexperienced Martinez or go and sign up another keeper?
Surely he won’t offer a new contract to either Almunia or Fabianski, will he?
Transfer rumours today:
First up is Luis Neto, a 6′ 1″ Portuguese defender, he’s 23 years old and his current club is C.D. Nacional.
The second is Youssef Msakni, a 21-year-old Tunisian attacking midfielder who currently plays for Espérance Sportive de Tunis.
Finally it’s Swansea’s on-loan striker Gylfi Sigurdsson, the player used to be at Reading and Arsene Wenger has spoken to Brian McDermott about him:
I spoke to Arsene about him and you could not tell me he could not play for Arsenal.
I think that means McDermott believes he’d fit in well….. 😉
That’s it for today, have a good one…..
http://twitter.com/#!/WeHateTottenham/status/187953457444036608/photo/1
http://twitter.com/#!/JHallAFC/status/187821319906267136/photo/1
Morning all,
The above two photos were posted overnight by allezkev, thought you’s like to see them today, cracking 😛
haha great post… defo put me in a good mood ahead of my 8 hour shift on a bank hoilday.
Youssef Msakni – meant to be a good player wonder if that will get pulled off.
i’ll be over the moon when the three keepers leave but the thing that confuses me is that we are linked with like a million players. If any one agree’s with me please reply.
Good Morning Guys and Chicks of the EverIncreasing Gunners’ Faith.
Good post Rico. But there are so many names being bandied about.
Well done Samir. The golden bench is an accolade won only once a season. But when you are earning 200k pw its worth it. I wish someone would sponsor me for sitting in front of the computer. Incidentally how come we never see you with the laptop Samir??? Sitting on the bench with a laptop will make life more interesting.
Morning Matty, devil and Jack
dveil, loads of links, will be plenty more before the 31st August, a goal keeper is a must though…
Matty, glad to hear that the post make you smile, eight hours on a BH, hope they are paying you well 😉
Jack, it’s just newspaper reporters trying to justify their existance…. nearly all of what they report is garbage…
Sup Rico,
Yeh double time and a day in lieu, couldnt pass that up 😛 lol.
I See were stongly link with Clint Dempsey, cant be true can it? i mean he is class for the Cotts but wouldnt think his gooner material??
Don’t blame you Matty, you have good employers 😉
Dempsey, well he’s certainly scoring for Fulham, but he’s getting on a bit, £10M for a 29 year old… I doubt there is much truth in it tbh…
Gylfi Sigurdsson is more believable than Dempsey.
10 million for a 29 year old???? I doubt it.
Gyllfi fits in well……young, experienced in the EPL, Hoffenhaim who are his owners want Bendy. So it is more possible. And he can play as an advanced midfielder, on the wings or behind the striker.
More reasonable for me.
That move seems a real possible then devil, especially if Bendy can go the other way, don’t really remember what he was like for Reading…
Gylfi Þór Sigurðsson (born 8 September 1989) is an Icelandic footballer who plays for Swansea City, on loan from 1899 Hoffenheim, as a central attacking midfielder.
He is a specialist on set-pieces and possesses great long-range shooting ability. He has been voted player of the season for two consecutive seasons for Reading and Hoffenheim respectively.
Morning Rico. Happy Easterishness to all. We have suffered from years of almost-there situations and been let down by players who, through no fault of their own, we’re just not good enough. Now, on the back of the pain we have suffered, we have the finance and hopefully the will to add serious squad depth to push on for next year’s title. What I am saying is that we need to set our sights higher that huge Icelanders and unknown Tunisians or even 30 year old Yanks. To convince Robin and the supporters that we aren’t going to go into next season with our fingers tightly crossed behind our backs, hoping that Wenger can pull another rabbit from the bag, we need to add quality, real quality. The kind of quality that costs serious money. Clear out the players we all know should go and buy an experienced back-up goalkeeper, a seriously powerful midfield force and a pair of deadly strikers who will score goals. If we’d had those we would have beaten Milan but when we looked, the cupboard was bare. OK, if Wenger wants his annual punt on an unknown for a few million, then that’s fine. But please, let us not get caught with our trousers down again.
Morning Adam..
Don’t think anyone minds the odd risk signing here and there or the youth player, but i always say, as long as they are not to the detriment of what the here and now squad need to make us stronger.
I strongly suspect we’ll get a bit of both again in the summer but, AW has said he is after quality and not quantity, IF his words are for real this time, hopefully more of the quality will sign..
I don’t see us signing and attacking/creative midfielders, we have so many already.
Gylfi is a young player I like. When he was at Reading I did not notice him that much but at Swansea he has had more of a presence. He can fit with our style and dare I say he is like for like for Rosicky. Both play the same way and have the same attributes.
He also has some of the attributes of RVP. And a good height also @ 6ft 1′. So he can also be an emergency centreforward. Knowing AW he will put him there and transform him into a centrefoward.
If it means Nik’s wage gets off i books, i’d take the swap….
Righto……off to give the Lady of the House a helping hand.
See you later mates.
I generally agree Rico with the midfielder point but I see no powerful anchor there. I am not a great fan of the “holding” player but I think we lack real power in there and that exposes our defence too often. M’Villa is available perhaps and he will be a monster I think. Let our creative players work around him because, for me, we still have a soft centre.
Have a good day devil….
I agree Adam, we need a defensive minded player who will when needed protect the back four, but attack wise we are well and truly top heavy..
M’Vila, Nzonzi, Fellaini or similar is a must imho….
Three outfield players and a keeper, that’s my hope for the summer…
And of course, a clearout…
Hi guys and gals,
Happy Easter
How boring is Easter football these days? When I started watching Arsenal you used to have a game on Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Monday. Footballers today don’t know they are born. And in those days players only got paid about 10 quid a week. They didn’t complain. Well I don’t remember reading any of their tweets about it.
Morning Billboy..
It’s been a boring old week….
‘Well I don’t remember reading any of their tweets about it’
😛
Deffo sell all the keepers apart from Szczesny, so Almunia, Fabianski, Mannone & Shea. Bring an experienced head like Sorensen in to back up/challenge Szczesny who for me hasnt been exceptional this season.
As for Dempsey / Sigurdsson, cant help thinking they are both cheaper options of what we really need, a world class attacking player like Hazard.
Happy easter, time to think about finding a beer garden for a day in the sun i think!
Hi gambon
Hazard – not for me personally, not when he talks about wanting to join the swampies 😉
Jussi for me, he’s free in the summer….
Morn’ all personally i’ll take dembele and ruiz over him if i must sign an attacker from ffc
What about hennessey now that wolves would go down
True Rico. I look at our goals conceded and think about the flaky nonsense we have suffered from this season. I would go for M’Villa and fabricate the creative side around him. Let the cream rise to the top. Wenger loves Hazzard and I wouldn’t take too much notice of quotes attributed to him. He will probably be too expensive though. Anyway I am off out while the London Sun shines. Later Rico.
Hi Wasiu – i trust you are kidding 😉
Enjoy your day Adam, I too am off for a bit, enjoy the sun whilst it shines…
Catch up later all….
Good News 🙂
Arsène Wenger admits that the transfer market is starting to hot up for Arsenal – but insists it will not affect his side’s Premier League run-in.
Arsenal have been linked with a host of players in recent weeks, but with seven games remaining their first priority is securing Champions League football for next season.
Wenger is acutely aware that he cannot let anything derail his side and believes his players will retain their focus.
“Things are starting now [in terms of transfers],” he told Arsenal Player.
“At the moment we are so focused on finishing the season well, though, because what we have done over the past two months is absolutely exceptional.
“It would be stupid not to finish the job now because we have put ourselves back in a strong position. To finish the season well demands a complete focus on our performances and that is what will do.
“We will prepare for next season and the credit we will get for this season will depend on how we finish.”
Stick this in your pipe Chamakh 😉
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admits he is unsure if Marouane Chamakh will stay at the club next season.
Chamakh is thought to have infuriated Wenger after he was pictured smoking a shisha pipe following last weekend’s defeat to Queens Park Rangers.
The 28-year-old’s future at the Emirates has been the subject of speculation for some time, with the player struggling to hold down a regular place in Wenger’s starting line-up.
Chamakh, who has scored just one goal this season in 17 appearances, made his last start for the club in the FA Cup win over Leeds in January.
Wenger has criticised Chamakh for his recent antics and refused to confirm whether or not the Morocco international would remain at the club next season.
“It’s (smoking shisha) not the best thing to do,” said Wenger.
“Will he stay at club next season? It’s too early to say. We want him to focus completely – without smoking.”
Laters….
Happy Good Friday Housers!
We need to add quality proven players not “gambles” and as Adam highlighted earlier, the home game against AC, we had no game changers/impact players on the bench. As has been said many times before we need the spine of the team strengthened, get RVP & TW signed up plus Vertonghen,M’Vila,Podolski & a back up experienced keeper……Simples!!! 😉
Hi Lee
I’d be more than happy with those four, more than happy 🙂
How’s the weather – it’s baking here 😉
Red card for Leeds 🙂
This ref is red hot…..
Afc transfers for the summer
squillaci out = vertroghen in
benayoun makes way for m’villa
Arshavin out = matias suaerez in
chamack out =poldi in
park out = lewis holtby in
Almunia out most def,if Fabianski decides to stay he will be 2nd choice,if he goes Mannone comes in but both of them goes then we get an experienced keeper from outside the club.
N.B. This is basically the players Arsene wants out and in except other players he rates highly surprisingly and magically becomes available (Sahin,Kagawa,Hazard,Montolivo, del piero) or other deals fail to materialise because of long term injuries,loss of form or other unforseen circumstances.
For the guys out on loan (first teamers) Denilson will stay in Brazil,Bendtner will go for the right price, Vela will stay in spain, Arshavin will stay in Russia,Ryo is coming back,Joel campbell should be back bar work permit issues.
Mind you, another could have easily seen red earlier….
Afternoon all, and nice one Rico.
I’m sorry but i keep reading every where that we have to sign up good players in the summer so we can be sure of keeping Robin van Persie, where has that come from. Robin has said he will look at signing when his contract is up for renewall as far as i can see Robin has had his best year with us since he has been with us why should he want to leave, afterall we are supposed to be paying good money and Robin must be one of the highest earners, Robin is no youngster he’s injury record is not good and he has on many occasions said that his success is all down to his team mates why should he want to leave, he has stated that he was quite happy to be second striker to Adebayor and was supprised that Wenger let him leave. from the way i have read things Robin is very happy at Arsenal and happy with his team mates he is earning more than he thought he would and owes Wenger a debt of gratitude which robin has said many times. The way i see things Robin will retire with us and be very gratefull he will only leave if we want him gone. Just my opinion 🙂
I take that back about the ref, he has just ignored another leg breaker 🙁
Leeds are dirty, very dirty….
Afternoon Steve,
i don’t think RvP needs convincing, he already knows whether he’s staying or going and imho, he’s staying, as will Theo…
Hi Rico Paper and pundit talk to unsettle the fans in my opinion nothing else to talk about and i bet we hear it this weekend again
We’ll hear about it until he signs a new contract Steve, the paps and media love it….
I’m just going to ignore it 😉
I take it that’s your guess cent??
Arsenal have made another acquisition for their under-18 squad ahead of the 2012/13 season by completing the signing of 16 year old midfielder Glen Roberts from Southend United.
A central midfielder, Roberts impressed Arsenal scouts on the several occasions that he was watched this season, and joins other recent recruits Tom Dallison, a centre back signed from West Ham, and winger Tarum Dawkins, who was acquired from Luton, in putting pen to paper on a scholarship deal ahead of next season.
Roberts’ signing increases next season’s intake of scholars to 12. Chuba Akpom, Jack Jebb, Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill, Austin Lipman and Josh Vickers have all trained at London Colney on a full time basis this season, whilst they will be joined by fellow Hale End products Alex Iwobi, Alfred Mugabo and Arinse Uade, as well as centre-back Leander Siemann, who was signed from Hertha Berlin last year and has been an unused substitute for the under-18s on two occasions.
As far as the current first years are concerned, Isaac Hayden has already signed a professional contract, and is expected to be joined in that regard by Serge Gnabry, Hector Bellerin, Jon Toral and Kris Olsson before the start of next season, which would leave Anthony Jeffrey and Zach Fagan as the remaining scholars.
The club have also yet to confirm their decisions on the future of the remaining eight second year scholars, although no announcement is expected to be made until the conclusion of the Premier Academy League season, with Arsenal travelling to face Birmingham in their final fixture later this month. Steve Bould’s sides chances of winning the title outright have diminished following their 1-1 draw with Watford last week, with Southampton, who also have one game remaining, having moved ahead of the Gunners on goal difference. Fulham, who have a game in hand on both clubs, also remain in with a chance of success.
http://arsenalyouth.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/arsenal-sign-glen-roberts-from-southend/
___________________________________________
Happy Easter Holidays to all!
Isaac Hayden has already signed a professional contract, and is expected to be joined in that regard by Serge Gnabry, Hector Bellerin, Jon Toral and Kris Olsson..
QUite a mouth-watering prospects if we can see these 17 year old Serge Gnarby, Jon Toral and Bellerin take a step forward by playing in the Carling CUp squad 2012/13…..guess how many of ’em will be like a certain 17 year old Cesc breaking into 1st team next season?
Not forgetting that we still got a lot of 18 year old to 22 year old still trying to break into 2012/13 squad:
1 – Henri Lansbury
2 – Ryo Miyaichi
3 – Ox-C
4 – Oakhup
5 – Yennaris
6 – Joel Campbell
7 – Botelho
8 – Wellington Silva
9 – Galindo
10- Aneke
11- Benik Afobe
12- Frimpong
13- Coquelin
If (1) to (13) can’t make it within 2 years, those 17 years old will be 19 years old…and looking like for every 50 scholars at Hale End Academy, we can see only 1 0r 2 eventually make it into 1st team isn’t it?
Hal End Academy products making into 1st team so far:
1 – Jack Wilshere
2 – Aneke?
3 – Benik Afobe?
4 – ???
Afternoon Merlin,
just been reading that about the new boy too…..
We sure have an awful lot of players under 20 years old…
I advise Arsenal to buy a good number of the following players during the 2012 May-August transfer window:
1.GOALIES: Any 2 of these goalies;Tim Howard,Shay Given,Julio Cesar[Inter Milan],Maarten Stekelenberg[Hollnd],Fernando Muslera [Uruguay],Rene Adler[Germany],Sebastian Frey and Steve Mandanda[both France],Krul[Newcastle United],Alex Manninger, Paul Robinson,etc.
2.DEFENDERS: Chris Samba,Arturo Vidal[Chile and Juventus], Manuel Jurado, Vertongen,Subotic, Jagielka,Baines,Van Der Wiel [Holland and Ajax], Vedran Corluka, Coloccini and Simpson [both Newcastle],Bardsley [Sunderland], Bannan and Warnock [both Aston Villa],Kyle Walker [Tottenham], Jonathan Spector [USA], Michel Bastos[Lyons],Scott Dann,Sylvain Distin,Fabrice Muamba, Diego Godin [Uruguay],Siaka Tiene and Sol Bamba [both Ivory Coast], etc.
3.MIDFIELDERS: Yani M’Vila,Wesley Sneijder,Michael Bradley [USA],Stephen Ireland, Nathan Dyer [Swansea City],Walter Gargano[Napoli], Kagawa [Dortmund],Honda [Japan], Tshabalala [South Africa],Gareth Bale, Luca Modric,Aaron Lennon, Giovanni Dos Santos[Mexico and Tottenham],Jermaine Pennant[Stoke City], Tiote and Guthrie [both Newcastle],Jesus Navas[Spain], Leon Osman [Everton],Peter Odemwingie,MacDonald Mariga[Kenya and Parma],Victor Wanyama Mugubi[Kenya and Celtic], Anthony Annan [Ghana], Mayuka and Katongo [Zambia],Andre Ayew, Victor Moses, Stephane N’koulou and Joel Matip [both Cameroon], Jacob Mulenga[Zambia],Stephane Nzonzi,Jake Livermore,Charles N’Zogbia,Belhanda,etc.
4.STRIKERS: Podolski,Matias Suarez,Javi Garcia,Javi Martinez, Pablo Hernandez,Roberto Soldado and Jonas[both Valencia], Carlos Tevez,Esteban Granero,Sebastian Canales,Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi [both Napoli], Ricardo Montolivo [Fiorentina], Jose Luis Vargas,Hulk [FC Porto],Kevin Gameiro and Oliver Giroud [both France], Hugo Rodallega [Wigan],Love Wagner and Douglas Costa[both Brazil and Shakhtar Donetsk, Fernando Llorente and Pablo Hernandez [both Athletic Bilbao],Loic Remy [France], Eljero Elia [Netherlands], Sigurdson and Sessegnon[both Sunderland], Jonathan Walters [Stoke City],Emmanuel ‘Tico Tico’ Boucouana [Mozambique],etc.
At last 1-0 😛
2-0 😛
Come on you Swans 🙂
afternoon all…..hazard will make me fly in the moon…can it happen…..hhhhmmmm…why not….im always positive
wenger making me to believe all his usual lies….till is confirmed in arsenal.com….i still hold my breath
hi kc, we don’t need hazard…. honest….
rico……..hazard is miles better than what we have……why are u against buying him
Afternoon all,
Diaby, a massive player or a massive plum !
Rico, re 11.58, Wenger’s getting a bit daring in his old age isn’t he.
i prefer hazard ….but kagawa/hamsik/eriksen….i will not complain
micko…..he is clearly both
Hi Micko, i think he’s full of BS 😉
I’m with you kc, don’t understand people turning their noses up at Hazard, although if it was ever gonna happen it was last summer but Arsene choose the prolific Gervinho instead as he was much cheaper.
kc – i just think other areas need sorting first, on the wings we have:
Ryo
Gerv
Theo
Ox
I wouldn’t turn my nose up if we signed Hazard but i’d rather Vertonghen, M’Vila, Podolski in the door first and a keeper…
Are you heading for Borehamwood sunday lunchtime for the big game rico.
Sadly not Micko, in-laws for me and i won’t even be back in time to watch the game! Going to record it and watch when i get back, i’m not at all happy…..
I take it you were referring to The Emirates 😉 😉
IS Victor an Agent…..????????? 😛
Are Borehamwood at home then?????
You may have to wear an earpeice in that case rico, the WSL kicks off at 1.30, i know you keep an eye on that as well, they win more than the lads.
Out-Laws eh?
Lucky ol’ Boss…. 😆
You ok kev, where’s me easter egg.
I had it for ya before the Villa game, but you didn’t show.
So i ate it at half-time…. 😉
Now i do hope that the following is a load of old bollocks;
Steve@Thekidofficial
· Open
@YoungGunsBlog morning Jamie,I spoke to a sports jouro who also does lots of TV work. He told me poldolski deal is now up in the air!
Jamie Sanderson@YoungGunsBlog
@Thekidofficial – Oh really? I’d be very surprised. Perhaps he’s trying to cover all bases as it’s not 100% done yet.
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4:27 PM – 6 Apr 12via Twitter for BlackBerry®· DetailsReply
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54m Steve@Thekidofficial
@YoungGunsBlog I was knocked back,but he was adamant its taken a step back,money & won’t commit yet Did I mention he worked for the guardian
rico…….okay…..hope arsene pulls up ome surprises….esp to u d doubter
Afternoon AK – i couldn’t believe how many players Victor wanted us to sign 😉
kev….that wenger ans to the meaning of shit is so fuckin hilarious….more of that
Arsene Wenger has plunged Marouane Chamakh’s Arsenal future into doubt by criticising the striker for smoking a shisha pipe and refusing to confirm whether he will remain at the club.
Chamakh has endured a miserable season at the Emirates and has scored just once in 17 matches for the club.
His future in north London continues to be in doubt, although he insisted this week he wants to stay and turn his career at the club around.
But the Moroccan was recently pictured smoking a shisha pipe with QPR’s Adel Taarabt and Wenger has slammed him for his indiscretion, and says the striker is not guaranteed to be at the Emirates next season.
“It’s (smoking shisha) not the best thing to do,” said Wenger.
“Will he stay at club next season? It’s too early to say. We want him to focus completely – without smoking.”
Watching The Hammers on the box, no sign of Lansbury.
Kev, why doesn’t that surprise me, this will carry on till June unless the club come out and says they’ve agreed a pre-contract deal, Bayern and Basil have done it with Shaqiri, what’s the big deal.
I didn’t realise that Micko, but now i see they are playing Liverpool, i goofed there eh 😉
Fat Sam is ruining Lansbury’s career quicker than Wenger could Micko!
He only gets to play in goal….
AK, that Podolski story would not surprise me one bit if it was true…..
Or even Everton.
What a signing Cisse has been for Newcastle, that takes them into 5th…
No way is CL footie a cert yet guys, we have to win on Sunday….
Then again Mick, it could the usual case of a journo, giving someone the impression that they have inside information, when they know no more than any of us!
It’s in the DNA of a football journo to bullshit.
or even Basel not Basil.
I was looking at May, silly me, the afc.com fixtures show they are not playing on sunday 😮
Their next game is in the Champions League, you got me all muddled up Micko 😉 😉
Tbh Rico, your the one who repeats the mantra about not believing a transfer rumour until the said player is pictured on Arsenal.com wearing the shirt.
A wise mantra at that…
But it gives us something to chat about…
Personally, i think Podolski is in the bag…
But what do i know???
[ Probably as much as Andy Dunn & co….! ]
Fawlty Towers!
😆 AK
i love all the rumours, the links, the specualtion but tbh, we all know 99% is bollox, just idiots writing rubbish, but it gives us so much fun…
Said here the other day, there is plenty of time for us to balls up the negotiations for Podolski…
Maybe we have, maybe we haven’t, who knows right now….
But, can’t see it being about money, he turned down the russian citeh according to reports…..
Sybil Fawlty 🙂
Former Arsenal captain Tony Adams determined to return to prove his worth as coach in Premier League
Remember Tony Adams? Warrior captain. Aspiring coach. Easy guy to pin labels on. Eccentric. Intense. Ended up in Azerbaijan on a mission. End of story.
Take about a right mucking fuddle, i’m confused now !
Not the end of the story, actually, because Adams will be back in the Premier League or some other school of senior management one day.
He is not the Tony Adams who wrote Addicted 14 years ago: the alcoholic, reciting his shame.
Nor is he the one whose piano playing was held up as some kind of autodidactic miracle. Being patronised is not new to Arsenal’s greatest captain.
He keeps a log of all the categorisations and knows what all smart people understand. If the public put a tag on you, a chainsaw will not cut it off.
These realisations sank in after a private audience with Adams in London. I had written something he objected to and it was time for peace talks.
What followed was an hour and a half of wit, insight and a glimpse of his burning urge to prove himself as a manager after his unsatisfactory experiences in charge of Portsmouth and Wycombe Wanderers.
Adams is still with Gabala in Azerbaijan in an advisory or ambassadorial role.
Last November he realised there was no need for him to carry on coaching the first XI and so now he uses his sharp eye and contacts around Europe.
Nice work if you can get it, but in a year or two, when the Gabala scheme is self-sustaining, you can see him accepting a major challenge back in the English leagues.
But there is a problem – and he knows it.
The superficial view of him is that the “recovery” process will always lend him a slightly zany edge that players will misunderstand or retreat from.
He says Marco van Basten feels much the same way about labels.
That Milanese and Dutch aristocrat no longer wants to be known as the wonder striker who was hacked out of the game in his late twenties.
He told Adams he wants to be known simply as “a coach” and not someone still imprisoned in the first half of his life.
I could see during our conversation that it would be an injustice and a waste to measure Adams by his pioneering work to help others with the Sporting Chance Clinic, or by his soul-baring, which comes with a healthy side order of self-deprecation.
“Sixteen years ago I’d have called you a name in a pub,” he joked of our minor falling out (for which the fault was mine).
“But it’s so much better sorting it out with a conversation.”
Adams is prominent among a generation of high achievers who feel frustrated by the number of charlatans in the football business, and by the obstacles to English coaches.
He excelled as Harry Redknapp’s defensive coach in Portsmouth’s FA Cup-winning team and was talked into taking over when Redknapp left to go to Southampton.
It was a mistake. Pompey had the sixth highest wage bill in the Premier League but the money was running out. Fast.
With implosion imminent, morale collapsed and results deteriorated, which tainted his CV.
He now knows it would have been better to leave before Redknapp quit, which had been his inclination.
All the way through he wanted to graduate to No 1 at a well-run club.
“Pick your chairman” has always been Sir Alex Ferguson’s advice to young coaches.
Yet fewer and fewer club guardians appear attractive to the brightest minds.
Equally the club where his spirit is still detectable – Arsenal – are resistant to bringing legends back into the coaching set-up, as Manchester United have.
Adams and Patrick Vieira (a success at Manchester City) are the two who would add most to Arsenal’s training ground work, which, many experts say, has not changed much during Arsène Wenger’s reign.
His views on teams and players are compelling. He sees the game in all its dimensions.
England, he asserts, have not rotated players on the pitch in the Dutch or Spanish manner since Euro 96.
This makes sense. The fluidity of Terry Venables’ side was not sustained. It was mostly back to grids and lines.
He talks about how much he always needed to win and how he could never abide losing.
Mastering one’s emotions is a vital tool of management.
There were times when you could imagine him overreacting to a setback or freaking-out his players but even this could just be another label.
If there is a template, it might be Martin O’Neill, whom Adams clearly admires: a fierce heart and shrewd eye remain an unbeatable combination.
The strongest, most reliable people are barged aside so easily in English football.
This should not happen to Tony Adams.
There will be a life beyond Gabala, just as there was a happy ending on the other side of addiction.
Kev, I always remember Caprice saying he was more interested in playing the piano than he was in going out with her, that’s when i started having my doubts.
Micko, just for you – and me 😉
APRIL
15th Women’s CL H Frankfurt
21st Women’s CL A Frankfurt
22nd Women’s SL A Doncaster R.B.
(Or UEFA Women’s Champions League Semi-Final 2nd Leg)
26th Women’s SL H Chelsea
(Match to be played at Emirates Stadium)
29 Sun FA Women’s Cup N Chelsea
3 nobodies. The bigger names are slowly being spoken about less, No Podolski, Vertonghen etc
AK, i think big tony has had too much counselling…..
Hi alan, don’t forget it’s just media crap, it all is…..
I know, i know, but he sure did a grat job organising Portsmouth’s defence awhile back.
Adam knows Caprice. A nice restaurant just around the corner from the Ritz…
Women’s super league, Arsenal vs Everton sunday April 8th, 13.30 kick off at Borehamwood, i’m not saying another word on the subject.
This has to be the best load of BS 😛
Arsenal has completed the signing of Matias Suarez, the 23-year-old Argentine striker who has been linked with the club in recent days.
Caughtoffside reports the following:
A respected Argentinian football journalist Javier Perez has announced via his twitter account that the deal has been done. He said about Suarez: The deal will not be officially announced until later on in the season, as there are still a few bits and pieces that need to be ironed out.
Arsenal wanted him to move during the January transfer window, but will be happy to have reached a compromise that sees them securing a player they have admired and watched many times last year.
Perez finally actually spoke to the player himself, who also confirmed to us that he has signed a not so “secret” pre contract with Arsenal for the summer.
Suarez plays for Belgian giant Anderlecht and is a versatile striker who can play in the middle as well as on the flanks. He has already scored 11 goals this season in 24 appearances.
This will come as a welcome news to Arsenal fans who’ll be happy to see their side sign a new and decent striker
Alan, the voice of reason, how are ya ?
Good Evening Guys and Chicks of the EverIncreasing Gunners’ Faith.
Some news on the web……….
Arsenal have made another acquisition for their under-18 squad ahead of the 2012/13 season by completing the signing of 16 year old midfielder Glen Roberts from Southend United.
A central midfielder, Roberts impressed Arsenal scouts on the several occasions that he was watched this season, and joins other recent recruits Tom Dallison, a centre back signed from West Ham, and winger Tarum Dawkins, who was acquired from Luton, in putting pen to paper on a scholarship deal ahead of next season.
Roberts’ signing increases next season’s intake of scholars to 12. Chuba Akpom, Jack Jebb, Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill, Austin Lipman and Josh Vickers have all trained at London Colney on a full time basis this season, whilst they will be joined by fellow Hale End products Alex Iwobi, Alfred Mugabo and Arinse Uade, as well as centre-back Leander Siemann, who was signed from Hertha Berlin last year and has been an unused substitute for the under-18s on two occasions.
As far as the current first years are concerned, Isaac Hayden has already signed a professional contract, and is expected to be joined in that regard by Serge Gnabry, Hector Bellerin, Jon Toral and Kris Olsson before the start of next season, which would leave Anthony Jeffrey and Zach Fagan as the remaining scholars.
The club have also yet to confirm their decisions on the future of the remaining eight second year scholars, although no announcement is expected to be made until the conclusion of the Premier Academy League season, with Arsenal travelling to face Birmingham in their final fixture later this month. Steve Bould’s sides chances of winning the title outright have diminished following their 1-1 draw with Watford last week, with Southampton, who also have one game remaining, having moved ahead of the Gunners on goal difference. Fulham, who have a game in hand on both clubs, also remain in with a chance of success.
What is that regarding Matias Suarez???
kc, 5.48; Sorry mate, i missed your comment.
Cheers anyway, i just have a butchers on Twitter & there’s a lot of funnies on there.
Well that’s put the Kibosh on that £50million wonder-striker from Montpellier…..
Hi devil, Merlin beat you to posting that one 😉 😉
Hi Devil, Merlin beat you to the punch a bit earlier.
Hammers 4 nil up.
Off to get some dinner, back in a short while…..
I must have missed it then. ;(
What was that on Suarez???
Well Devil, wenger did say things were starting to hot up in the transfer market, very un-arsene like, more than likely a load of waffle.
Later guys, over and out.
Nighty Micko, have a good one 🙂
All quiet here so i’m offski…
Have a good one all, catch up tomorrow….
Nighty Night….
I’m back again.
Poor performance versus QPR.
Luis Neto fom Nacional? Not a extraordinary player but above the average.
JM is back………… Yeahhhhhhhh.. 😀
Where you been hiding you crafty Lusitanian…?
Netto…..???!
JM i thought they were a German supermarket…. 😉
Olympic warning for Ox as Wenger prepares to explain fitness fears to Games hopefuls
By Sami Mokbel
PUBLISHED: 21:30, 6 April 2012 | UPDATED: 21:54, 6 April 2012
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Arsene Wenger will hold talks with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain ahead of the teenager’s potential involvement in London 2012.
And similar discussions with Aaron Ramsey and Kieran Gibbs are also planned as Wenger attempts to point out the detrimental effects that playing in the Olympics could have on them next season.
Chamberlain’s promising breakthrough season means he has an outside chance of making the Euro 2012 squad — but if not selected, he is a leading contender for Great Britain this summer.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2126269/Arsene-Wenger-warn-Alex-Oxlade-Chamberlain-2012-Olympic-Games-effects.html#ixzz1rIpT6bQ0
City game is a must win says Wenger
Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger explains that both sides will be looking for a win when Manchester City come to Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Arsenal’s seven-match winning run in the Premier League was brought to an unceremonious end with a 2-1 defeat at relegation battlers QPR on Saturday.
“The moment is still there because I feel in the last eight games we won seven, so the momentum should still be there but it was an interruption and a disappointment and we want to come back of course to what was our recent level — that means play well and therefore win the game,” said Arsene Wenger
The team will have to raise their game again when title-chasing Manchester City come to Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
“For them a draw is not good enough certainly and it is true that in the last two seasons they came to play for a draw and they got it but I believe this time both teams are in a situation where they want to win,” explained the Arsenal coach.
Arsène Wenger needs to rejuvenate squad and backroom staff at Arsenal
Manager has changed everything for the better at Arsenal and can be there for another 10 years
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Sol Campbell
guardian.co.uk, Friday 6 April 2012 23.02 BST
Article history
feel sure I speak for most ex-Arsenal players of recent years when I say my time at the club was fantastic. It was a period when I grew as a man and was fortunate enough to be surrounded by some of the finest footballers in the world. Being part of that environment continuously inspired me to maximise my potential.
That motivation, and the success that came from it, was down to the ethos of one man – Arsène Wenger. As I look on at Arsenal’s resurgence – which took a small hit at Queens Park Rangers last week – it is he who I feel most happy for. He has once again proved himself to be a top-class manager who will almost certainly be leading my old club into yet another Champions League campaign, this time having overcome difficult circumstances. But, watching on, concern remains regarding what is going to happen to him and the club in the future.
Next season is going to be Arsène’s most important at Arsenal since he joined in 1996; a make-or-break campaign as the fans will not be appeased by another year in which a trophy is not won and all they have to fall back on is Champions League qualification.
Not that the club’s hierarchy see it that way – for them making the Champions League every year appears to be enough, probably because it masks the internal power struggle that has been going on behind the scenes ever since David Dein left the club in 2007. That Alisher Usmanov still has no seat on the board despite being the club’s second-largest shareholder is interesting to say the least and is surely a situation that cannot be good for the long-term health of Arsenal.
Such a power struggle certainly cannot help Arsène, who I am certain wants to bring in a number of big-name players in the summer, the type of guys – such as Lukas Podolski – who are at the right age to make an instant impact.
Experienced internationals are what Arsenal need and it is strange Arsène has not signed more given he has seen the difference they can make. He inherited a squad full of such players; guys who were skilful but also tough and resilient, prepared to put their bodies on the line and wouldn’t think twice about doing it again. They were the foundations of the success Arsène has had at Arsenal.
That is not to say he was not good for them either. Arsène rejuvenated the squad he inherited, with his philosophy and methods allowing the club’s famous back-six of that era – David Seaman, Lee Dixon, Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Martin Keown and Nigel Winterburn – to play on for longer and enjoy more success than they could have ever imagined.
Much of Arsène’s work has been done behind the scenes, implementing rules that have altered the mindset of every player who has worked under him. Little things like having to take your boots off before entering certain areas of the training ground to prevent the spreading of dirt – a trait he picked up during his time in Japan – introduced a level of professionalism and dedication to detail not seen at Arsenal. Another thing he has always been big on is diet, with every member of the squad made to follow a strict, low-carb intake during and before each season. Unusually, he does allow the players to have a sweet after every meal with the rice pudding that was served at home and away games a personal favourite.
Arsène has not lost that focus on how the club should be run and should Arsenal go on to win a trophy next season, I can see him staying for another 10 years at least.
For that to happen, though, Arsène not only needs to rejuvenate his squad this summer but also his backroom staff. All the best managers surround themselves with high-quality coaches and while Arsène has that in Pat Rice and Boro Primorac, it would not hinder him to add a fresh face, ideally one who understands and appreciates his methods and could reinforce them on the training ground.
And who could do this better than a former player of his? I rule myself out as a contender for now and instead look to Patrick Vieira and Dennis Bergkamp, both of whom I know would love to be offered such a role and, who knows, could replace Arsène whenever he does quit as manager and, ideally, takes up a role upstairs.
Sadly, I cannot see this happening. Arsène is a single-minded leader who does not like to have anyone around who could threaten his authority, either by challenging his decisions or by being the person that will eventually take his job. But hopefully he proves me wrong and makes such an appointment.
Arsène faces some big decisions in the coming months, ones likely to decide his long-term future at Arsenal. He used to tell us not to waste a second in training or on the pitch striving to be the best – now it is time for him to follow that same message.
Sol Campbell has donated his fee for this column to Kids Go Live, a foundation created by the former defender that aims to encourage children from inner-city primary schools to take up sport by taking them to live sporting events
Manchester City visit exposes raw Arsenal nerve over Robin van Persie
Arsène Wenger is ‘worried’ about a repeat of the Samir Nasri transfer saga, this time surrounding his captain
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David Hytner
guardian.co.uk, Friday 6 April 2012 23.02 BST
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Arsène Wenger tripped through the list of former Arsenal players who now earn their living from Manchester City. “Already, it is Adebayor, Kolo Touré, Clichy, Nasri,” the Arsenal manger said. “They have Vieira there, that’s five … Brian Marwood, Brian Kidd … he played for Arsenal. David Platt, yes. That’s eight!”
He did not think of Stuart Taylor, the ex-Arsenal reserve goalkeeper, while he might also have pointed out that Yaya Touré played for Arsenal in a pre-season game in 2003. Wenger said that his performance against Barnet had been “completely average”.
City’s desire is to complete the XI and it is an open secret that they want Robin van Persie to do it. The Arsenal captain’s future has been the subject of speculation since he announced last September that he did not wish to discuss a new contract until the summer, when he would have 12 months to run on his deal. The issue was once again under the microscope when Wenger looked ahead to Sunday’s meeting with City.
Wenger has ranged from the confrontational to the defiant when his players have been linked to City over the past 12 months but this time there was the injection of humour. “They have enough [Arsenal] players there now,” he said, with a smile. Was he not flattered at how City had repeatedly looked to his club for reinforcements? “Errr, more worried,” he replied.
The unnerving scenario is that Van Persie to City becomes the latest summer transfer saga, like Nasri to City last time out, and there is the added intrigue of the pre-season fixture between the clubs that has been arranged for Beijing on 27 July. The players will wear T-shirts in the warm-up on Sunday, bearing advertising in Mandarin for the game. The mischievous question concerns whether Van Persie will wear red or sky blue at the Bird’s Nest Stadium.
There is the feeling at Arsenal, though, that Van Persie would not follow the well-trodden path to City, that money is not his motivation and City’s petrodollar-fuelled burst to prominence does not sit as easily with Van Persie in philosophical terms as it might have done with, say, Nasri.
Arsenal are also confident that they will continue to be able to provide Van Persie with Champions League football. Victory over a City team that is wobbling would represent a bold step towards the goal.
Above all, though, Arsenal have the power to hold Van Persie to his contract, even if it might mean them losing him as a free agent in 2013. It was the same situation with Nasri last summer and they eventually buckled to accept City’s £24m. But their determination to keep Van Persie at all costs is stronger, even though they have agreed a £10.9m deal with FC Köln for the striker Lukas Podolski, which is expected to be announced on Monday.
“Van Persie and Manchester City? The question cannot be asked because you cannot at all contact anybody who’s under contract,” Wenger said. “Van Persie is not at the end of his contract, like what people might think.”
Van Persie might well ponder how Nasri has fared since his transfer. From being one of Arsenal’s main men, who found spectacular form, he has sometimes been on the fringes at City although he has scored vital goals against Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.
Wenger’s pause was beyond pregnant and approaching labour when he was asked to assess Nasri’s season. “I leave that to you,” he said, eventually. “We will care about our players on Sunday.”
Van Persie’s decision to postpone his contract talks has been endlessly psycho-analysed and it has been hard to avoid the conclusion that it does not bode well for Arsenal. Yet those who know him at the club highlight his extraordinary focus and ability to compartmentalise the issues that do not relate directly to his game. He has simply boxed off the subject of his future. Over his last Arsenal contract, he spoke only when he was ready, which was at the very last, and he is considered to be the type of guy who really does not think too deeply about such matters.
Instead, Van Persie has thrown himself into his football and the club captaincy, as few of his predecessors have done. There have been the group meals out that he has organised for the squad and their wives and girlfriends, plus the volume of charity and community work.
If his performances on the field have been of the highest order, there is the sense that the strength of his personality has helped to power Arsenal out of their early-season doldrums. Wenger name-checked him prominently when he discussed the collective resolve of the team, which he admitted he “may have questioned in some previous years but never this one”, while it is clear that Van Persie is affectionately central to the dressing-room camaraderie.
Viewers of the club’s in-house media channel were offered an insight when he participated in a spoof hard news story about the damaging effect that Carl Jenkinson’s wide mohican was having on morale. Van Persie’s delivery was deadpan. “I went to him and asked him a sincere question: ‘What was the idea behind it?'” Van Persie said. “Maybe you can look at it a different way in that it has a good influence with the team because everyone is having a laugh.”
Every manager has players that drive him to distraction. Wenger has lectured Marouane Chamakh over his partying after the striker was photographed smoking a shisha pipe last Saturday night and, judging by Wenger’s tone, he is now unofficially for sale.
“Will he stay at the club next season? It’s too early to say,” Wenger said. “We want him to focus completely – without smoking.”
At City, Roberto Mancini has the walking man-management PhD thesis that is Mario Balotelli, not to mention Carlos Tevez. Mancini admitted this week that if he spoke to Balotelli every day, he would require a psychiatrist and if he had played with him he would habitually have felt the need to punch him.
Van Persie has matured into the dream professional, constantly cajoling others and demanding more of himself. “Robin’s focus has always been very great,” Wenger said, “but his consistent presence has not been fantastic. This is the first season he has really been consistently on the football and that explains why he deserves completely to be the Player of the Year.”
Wenger hopes that the award will be the precursor to further plaudits at Arsenal.
on a side note. What is wrong with Chamakh smoking a shisha pipe. Was it tobacco or Hashish?
Micko says:
April 6, 2012 at 6:25 pm
Alan, the voice of reason, how are ya ?
LOL Hi Micko, good thanks. You?
Some good articles AK!
New Post up
Lee – I meant to say Good Morning to you, hope the weather is good and you are having a good holibobs….