Morning all.
So the FA has seen sense at last and will not be issuing any kind of punishment to Theo Walcott for his little hand gesture to the Tottenham fans – although he has been warned of his future conduct.
In an official statement, here’s what the big wigs had to say:
The FA has contacted both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur to seek their observations in relation to objects being thrown from both a home and away section of the crowd at different times during Saturday’s FA Cup third round tie.
The FA condemns any such acts and will liaise with both clubs and the Metropolitan Police to identify those responsible and support the strongest sanctions available, including life bans.
Meanwhile, in relation to the same fixture, The FA has contacted Arsenal’s Theo Walcott and reminded him of his responsibilities regarding a ‘score-line’ gesture he made in front of away supporters during the game. The FA will not be taking any further disciplinary action.
I hope they find the away fans who were responsible for throwing stuff at Theo and the medical staff and throw the book at them, those coins could have seriously harmed someone. I can’t imagine those home fans who threw scarves will face any action though, well, they shouldn’t that’s for sure.
From good news to seriously bad. No doubt you are all aware that yesterday the club confirmed that Walcott is out for at least six months having sustained a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee. Every time the guys starts to show glimpses of the player we all know is in him somewhere, bang, injured! I’m absolutely gutted for him.
Many a headline talks about how his World Cup hopes are over well I’m far more saddened by the fact his season for Arsenal is over, bugger the World Cup!
So it seems likely that Serge Gnabry will have to step into his place and the young German has got Mikel Arteta’s backing:
I think he’s got a lot of quality. He’s got something not many players have in this team, which is pace and skill to go and beat people.
That’s why the manager played him – three up front is something that helps us be more incisive.
We want to go behind [the opponents] and get into one versus one situations. Gnabry is very good like that and I’m very pleased for him because I think he did really well.
Quite a compliment dished out there but Arteta is right, he has pace, skill and plenty of quality and he’s certainly not afraid to take on defenders either. Something we do lack and all too often. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain isn’t afraid to play in a similar way to Gnabry but not many others do.
But as good as they both are, let’s not forget Oxlade-Chamberlain has only just started training after suffering a nasty injury so he’s not going to be back yet, neither will solve our striker problem will they and with Walcott now out too, Arsene Wenger really has to make a move in this transfer window, and fast!
Newspaper gossip:
Daily Mail report that man could be Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata as they believe we will step up the chase and get him in this week if we can.
The Mirror suggest Julian Draxler is on the radar after he’s been given a tour of the facilities at the club and was left very impressed.
And in other reports, the return of Eduardo could be on the cards…
That’s your lot for another day…..
Morning rico, nice report. Still absolutely gutted by this. Was fearing a four week absence! For all the criticism Theo’s takes from certain media pundits, its funny that once he’s out, many say our World Cup hopes are dashed!
Eduardo? Not our old little Eduardo?
I thought Eduardo was the nuts before that bell smashed his leg to pieces! Morning peeps.
We must not forget that the injury to Theo a few years ago would have been career threatening.and in this case still might be. Theo’s greatest asset is his pace and even a half a yard loss might be enough to slow him enough to lose his effectiveness . Hope not for his sake but a concentrated attempt to get Di maria now would not go amiss.
Excellent point Potter, and with cruciate injuries it will be in the back of his mind that the other will ‘go too’ as it did with Pires, Frimpong etc…
Pires changed his game after his injury so hopefully Theo will come back stronger… he has the most understanding manager in charge at Arsenal so…
It’s interesting you refer to Di Maria too.. as he is using the same words/phrases Ozil used when he knew his time was up with the RM fans…
Good read Rico…
Cant we recall joel campbell?
Morning Ah, Lee, Potter, Ts and all..
Eduardo is surely a no,no. He left because of what this league did to him, he won’t want to return…
Ah – spot on re the WC hopes of England, funny how critics change change their turn…
Thanks Ts/Ah re the post..
matty, has he definitely got his work permit?
Yea he got it approved in the summer gone.
I would expect Wenger to issue a statement along the lines of we have Gnarby and OX is close so we have the cover. It’s the goals we’ll be missing unfortunately.
ASEC Mimosa, the Ivory Coast club run by a French Coach and friend of Wenger.
Where Kolo Toure and Eboue began….
Also Yaya Toure!
I saw that he talked about getting it but wasn’t convinced…
Oz – don’t think that will wash any more, our kind of situation is exactly what loan deals are for. We have to do something, especially when we are in such a good place…
Morning Lady, Sir, Gentlemen and Ladies.
I wish I said Good Morning, but its not a morning which is a good one for us. 🙁
I may have been one of his critics but that is because I know the level he should be at and he was showing glimpses of reaching it this year. Now hopefully he will have a good preseason and a good injury free 2014/15.
With all the transfer wishes, I must point out that his place can be taken by both Gnabry and the OX. However getting Draxler would not be such a bad idea. IMO Draxler would be quite an asset for us and would surely help us more. However let us not forget that both the OX and Gnabry are more direct players and they are not there to warm the bench.
Angel di Maria is another but personally I prefer Draxler.
And then there is my boy, KRUSE. Why not him????
Morning Kev, that wouldn’t make a difference on who AW signs though surely?
Morning Devil, no, it’s not a good morning…
Yes… Mr ‘Subliminal’ Kev… lol
Not sure we can recall JC… The Greeks are buying him and they paid for a 1 year loan with a view to buy at the end of the loan so…
Your boy Kruse indeed… just send me some of your agent fee when we sign him Dev…
Good morning, good post rico. What i cant understand with Afc is everyone at the club knew our deficiencies from last summer and there is still no action in the transfer market, why wait until players get injured or we loose a game to make panic buys? We will not win the PL without additions, TW might be frustrating to watch at times but his assist and goals needs to be replaced by a Draxler type player, to give the fans and the players the motivation to finish the season well. imo
Rico, I believe it does to AW…
AW buys from only certain academies or coaches linked to academies imho.
I guess we all remember Birchoff, believe it all not he was the original ‘Ozil’ if you like..
Eisfield too because he came from BVB when he could not get Gotze…
Like AW has always bought from Stuttgart, BVB and Bremen in the past, the reason he bought Serge whilst Volland and co were by-passed imo…
Thanks Gdna, same could be said for the summer, AW had 3 months to sign a striker then waited until the 11th hour to try for Ba.. Bizarre…
The names will be coming thick and fast now.
The Dutch forward dubbed ‘the new Arjen Robben’. The Netherlands youth international currently plays for FC Groningen, the same club where Bayern star Robben broke through in 2000.
Name: Richairo Juliano Zivkovic
Date of birth: 5 September, 1996
Birthplace: Assen, Netherlands
Club: FC Groningen
Position: Striker
International appearances: 3 (Netherlands U19
Daft then if you ask me…
Perhaps if he looked elsewhere, he’d be more successful with his signings..
There’s always names potter, lets hope we see a couple through the door…
Of course Rico, but maybe there is a logic…
its like Aw won’t buy a Stoke youth but will buy from Southampton or AV because of teh education…
Barcelona also use the same philosophy too… or maybe we are easy to buy from. 😀
someone I know who claims to know Grimandi told me Aw missed out on Drogba initially because he came from Le Mans;
As we said yesterday , looking closer to home might be productive.
Morning Rico…
Morning All…
Eduardo???
Now wouldn’t that be great, if true, especially if the goals he could get, make the difference…
Subliminal indeed Ginge….
Narrow minded imho… Ts – AW not you 😉
Hello,
Has anyone seen this video? He said yes..
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR5B_aURmkk&w=640&h=360]
I can’t see him ever returning Kev..
Morning guys,
Tsgh, you are right. Our AW waits until the injury take place to make a move. Last week he said, we should wait and see how serious Giroud would be before he make a new sign, Same to Bendtner.
Now to Draxler, will AW pay such huge amount for him? And if he will, is the player ready to switch during this january transfer?
I have now S2S..
Theo Walcott has reacted “very positively” to the news he will be out until next season, according to Bob Wilson.
The Arsenal forward was given the devastating news on Monday that he ruptured a cruciate ligament during Saturday’s FA Cup victory over Tottenham.
The knee injury will rule him out of the club’s title pursuit and this summer’s World Cup in Brazil – four years after he was surprisingly overlooked for England’s finals squad.
But Arsenal great Wilson exchanged text messages with Walcott after news of the injury broke and was encouraged by the 24-year-old’s attitude.
He told Sky Sports News: “Having been at the Spurs game live I watched a recording on Monday, and only then did I realise how well Theo played in the central striking role.
“I was in the process of texting congratulations to him when I heard about the anterior cruciate injury. I did text him to say how well he played and that we were thinking of him and – as you’d expect because he’s such a good guy – I got a very, very positive response.
“It wasn’t a long message, but the main line coming through was ‘I will get through this’. He’s a positive lad still in his early 20s, and you think of Aaron Ramsey with career-threatening injury he had (a broken leg in 2010) and how well he’s come through.
“I know the treatment he’ll get and all the positivity he has. We wish him well.”
I’m off for a while now, catch up later…
Flipping heck..
Gladbach have confirmed keeper Marc-André ter Stegen will not sign a new deal with club and is expected to join Barca at the close of the season…
Dev- get them to sell Kruse to us if they are allowing their beter players to leave. 😉
Nordtveit is now team mates with Kruse and Hermann and they are sitting 3rd on the table ahead of my other team BVB…
Its all gone pear-shaped for Klopp…
Kev- I suspected you were ‘covert’ hanging around Warren Street and regent’s Park. 😉
Good morning everyone,
Absolutely devastated for walcott after putting in a masterclass performance in attack last weekend. I thought that performance merits him as our new CF unfortunately mother luck refuse to smile on us. Ox, Serge your club needs you step forward. 😉
Ox was very in and out last year when he was fit. Started season so promising what with England etc, but he didn’t really leap on. Lets hope this time as he had again had high hopes pre season.
Hiya Emma, where have you been? 😉
I think it will take quite awhile for us to see Ox firing on all cylinders..; it was a serious injury so as per normal 1/3 or half of the duration the player was out is the minimum you will expect a player to take to come back to his peak… assuming he gets games of course…
All the best to him though…
Agreed Ah… I think ‘we’ are expecting too much from Ox…
Interesting news on Costa…
Maybe Potter can translate for us… 😉
http://vozpopuli.com/deportes/36819-el-arsenal-pagaria-la-clausula-de-diego-costa-si-el-ariete-del-atletico-da-su-ok
If Arsenal coach, Arsene Wenger, had made clear that strengthening the newly open market in winter was the front, serious injury to Theo Walcott, practically forced to do so.
The English will be six months off the pitch following the rupture of internal ligament in his left knee. Walcott had to be off the bench in the Arsenal-Tottenham FA Cup (2-0) and, although he did it with a smile, the injury was more serious than I thought and will miss the remainder of the season and the World Brazil.
One of the options is to Wenger shuffles Diego Costa . As reported in ‘Vozpópuli’ on December 22 , Arsenal have groped his signing, striker of Atletico Madrid is very comfortable at the Calderon, although has left wanting.
The fact that you represent Jorge Mendes facilitate their departure , for the Portuguese agent makes and breaks the club Manzanares, as demonstrated by the signing and selling Colombian Falcao, but the tradeoff may hinder arrival at Arsenal given his poor relationship with Wenger years.
In England there has been speculation these days, following a statement of technical gunner himself, about what is the true clause Diego Costa. A lack of official confirmation, it is around 40 million euros, an amount that Arsenal are willing to pay, but as long as the Spanish-Brazilian give the ok to signing for the London club.
The Arsenal are immersed in the struggle for Premier with Chelsea, City and Liverpool, in addition to the already mentioned FA Cup and the Champions League, in which they will face in the second round to Bayern Munich. Sabido is that Costa not Champions could have done with at Atletico, but this is something that does not matter to Wenger, for whom the Spanish-Brazilian signing would be a big boost ahead of trying to win the Premier , competition leads now.
Diego Costa of Atletico out in the winter does not seem easy and well know in the Arsenal. Another thing is at the end of season but Wenger can not expect and knows he needs to strengthen its lead.
ts – Thanks for asking being on holiday in majorca, spain.
Interesting news on costa if true. What we need if we can get it this winter is a striker and not a draxler 😉
Hi Rico, and a sombre Post reflecting the concerns of all Arsenal fans.
In some ways our urgent need for striker cover has not changed the difficulties in arranging transfers from clubs unwilling to sell, but they will all also know our needs are now greater following the terrible injury to poor old Theo.
We just have to hope for the best and fingers crossed AW will be able to find the right player(s) and clubs willing to sell, although the cost is going to go through the roof.
Apparently, Jorge Mendes, Costa’s agent, doesn’t have the best relationship with Wenger and so any potential deal may not go ahead…
Money talks though.. 😉 Big Agents fees…
This ‘bad blood’ stems from the Ronaldo to Yanited deal all that time back… interesting.
I still have my reservation on Diego Costa. I would prefer we wait till the summer where there will be options on the table than just a Costa. 😉
Hiya Syg… how are you Sir…
Nice to hear Emma… 😉
same here Emma,re. Costa…
Emma, I do not think we will get Draxler as all that training ground stuff seems hocus pocus to me.
Having said that, I would be happy if we get any quality player, including him, as it would have the psychological effect of lifting the spirits of both the fans and the team.
Here’s hoping.
(Does Majorca have reasonably good weather at this time of year? I could do with a break.)
henryB – At the time I left it was 22 degree. Pretty good for tan i guess 😉 🙂
Hi maybe we should look at Tom ince and Jordan Rhodes to improve the squad,
ha ha so you topped up the tan then? 🙂
V1066, Rico and WATH are BIG fans of Tom Ince…
He is not truly a striker though so…
Ginge, shhhhh, don’t mention Warren St…
Classified, don’t you know…
ts – 😉
Hi TS yes but ince would give us options and Rhodes is a striker, 6″ 2 and scores goals all be it a lower level. At Huddersfield and Blackburn it is 130 goals in 217 games, i think he might be worth a go as he is only 23 but it is a big risk as he is unproven at the elite level.
vernat – Why don’t we give akpom or afobe a chance instead of rhodes
or we can resign jay thomas 😉 who has scored 17/18 goals this season
I’m not against lower league signees at all..
Drogba, Kos, OG12 etc were all lower league buys.
We gooners are snobs though,l… 😉
😀 Kev. I guess it depends on what you doing there …if you are on or below the ‘over pass’…
I like both of them emma but rhodes has scored lots of goals over a period so he is not a one season wonder, he is over 6 foot can hold the ball up but he is lacking pace which is an issue.
But that many goals for not particularly good teams even against weak opposition makes me think that if we are going to risk it he would be worth a go.
Emma- has he still got the DB9? lol
Kev, did you have the Darren Bent tattoo finished off?
Don’t know if I would like us to be linked to Kalou or Ntep…
We have Sanogo who is just coming back from a ‘fattening’ camp but AW keeps going on about Ntep’s potential… 🙁
Just because he is from Auxerre academy.. Sagna, Abou Dhabi, Sanogo…
ts- Not a single clue 😉
Forgotten we still have Sir-No-Go 😉
Goonerette says:
January 7, 2014 at 10:57 am (Edit)
Morning guys,
Tsgh, you are right. Our AW waits until the injury take place to make a move. Last week he said, we should wait and see how serious Giroud would be before he make a new sign, Same to Bendtner.
Now to Draxler, will AW pay such huge amount for him? And if he will, is the player ready to switch during this january transfer?
Welcome Goonerette, sorry for the delay in letting you out of moderation..
I think it was Gdna who commented on AW though..
Thanks emma, I will look into that. A little sun is just what I need – as well as us getting a super striker/winger! 🙂
rico – Doubt AW will cough out £40m for draxler this winter or next summer. That is just a crazy transfer fee not to mention he suffered a deep in form before the winter break. The talent is there but for £40m I say Sir-No-Go 😉 Like I said in previous posts Gnabry is our draxler. We still have a couple of players coming through the ranks. Lets not forget Eisfeld, Olssson, Zelalem and the spanish lad.
Who knows emma – just hope AW does… Glad you had a lovely holiday..
Hi Ah..
Back off again… One of those days..
Lee 😆
I’m not telling… 😉
It’s good for afc to develop young talents from the academy, but a club like arsenal can’t take any chances with youths this time of the season after going 8 yrs without a trophy. The habit of not winning is taking away the pride and the love from the game. Imo
Afternoon rico, we are in such a good position, and so lucky Giroud didn’t get injured in whole first half of season. Luck has run out now though.
I guess the long week off is handy for AW to evaluate, ponder … and ACT! Been here before though 😉
Here we go, several advertisement/cookie generated sites on NewsNow are reporting that Kroenke has given the green-light to Wenger to go on a January spending spree…
That old chestnut ‘war chest’ was dug-up and thrown into the mix to further spice up all the garbage that was being written, as if it was fact…
All intended to wind-up the fan-base, when those ghost-transfers don’t materialise.
Usual crap from the usual crap web-sites…
If you believe all that rubbish, then you’ll believe that the moon is made of cheese…
Isn’t it ?????
It is surely?
Potter/Rico, no, really, it’s made of moon rock…
Surprising, but factual…
Just seen the Youth’s goal at Peterborough, Crowley looks a touch of class…
Twists and turns like Rosicky/Limpar…
Blue cheese and hence the derivation of ‘blue moon’ it’s when the veins show up! Watch Stargazing’ tonight. I bet they will confirm the theory!
Walcott, what a loss. Many don’t like him but I think he is brilliant, one of the few players who actually gets me sitting on the end of my seat. He is gloriously unpredictable you never know what he is going to do, any more than he does! But when he’s good, he’s very, very good. We will miss him immensely imo. He may well have made ‘the difference’ as it is we will have to blood some of the children, Gnarbry etc and hope they can fill his turbo charged boots.
Blimey Kev, and for all these years I’ve been thinking……
I love him Wavy. Frustrates me sometimes, but…..
Rico, I am tempted to answer that one, but I shall give it a swerve… 😉
Quiet on the streets…
Quiet everywhere…
I need to read some moaning…
Where’s Wath… 🙂
Kev, a swerve is the best policy!!
I knew there was something that stunk about Man City , now I know it’s the blue cheese they keep singing about .
And moon rock , wasn’t that a dance style made famous by Michael Jackson ?
Paul Parker Eurosport ‘Expert’:
Arsenal may or may not win the Premier League; the presence of Theo won’t make a blind bit of difference either way.
Bloody T.V . Coventry F.A cup match moved to Friday night.
No respect for traveling fans.
I know Kev, he’s young enough to me my grandson 😉
Parker has always been a knob Ah 😉
Friday 24th, since when were FA Cup fixtures played on a Friday??
Since the FA lost control of its own competition! Not to mention all the other things, rules, players wages, contracts, fixtures in general etc etc they no longer have any say on! Except how much cash they earn from licking the a**es of any body who are prepared to pay them, a load ‘a muneee.
How can a respectable organisation allow the draw for the next round of a competition to be drawn before some of the matches have not even kicked off? It beggars belief! But that’s the FA* for you.
*F**k**g A**e**les – it’s an abbreviation!
Sorry not A…holes, because at least they have a point and purpose. The FA have neither!
Friday night my a…!
rico, agree, and just a stupid insensitive thing to say
You are not happy with that then Wavy 😉
Evening Rico.
TV money for the FA PLC…
Our Jan fixtures:
Mon 13: Villa (a) SKY
Sat 18: Fulham (h)
Fri 24: Coventry (h) BT
Tue 28: Southampton (a)
evening peeps…
No Wooney or RVpursey for Yanited vs Sunderland..
How great will it be if both handed in a transfer request and left… I would lmfao…
Dicky laws is in talks with porto
Evening Adam.. Sorry, I was eating.
Mg, I didn’t know Dick Law wanted to play for Porto. 😉
I would if one of them signed for us Ts. Only one, and he’s not Dutch.
I just love you Rico,how’s your day been
Busy Mg, too busy for my liking… And yours?
I had a great day,a job I was suppose do was cancelled
If Moyes picks a strong team and utd have a lot of luck I believe there could be an upset,,haha
Good stuff then Mg..
Is this a league game or CO Cup the Mancs are playing in?
Cup semi
Mg, is that for Martinez?
Hope they get battered…
Ts, it’s for Law..
Omg,how many empty seats are there at the stadium of light
I would say so ginge
Where did you read that Mg?
Did not read this 1rico
🙂 Rico
thoughts* as Kev would say. lol
Martinez has been telling the whole world he wants to sign for us Mg, but when that kind of thing happens, Arsene seldoms goes and signs a player..
All rumour..
More chance of Pato imo..
Maybe your right Rico but don’t just love the transfer window
I love it Mg, but when the end of the window arrives, I know deep down I’ll end up pretty cheesed off…
I have a feeling we could be in for a couple surprises Rico.
For once I hope I am right,ha
yesssss sunderland 1 up
MEOW
Yanited complaining about injustice. lmfao…
Mg is this the quietest window in recent times.. no club is buying or selling… not even the Russians.
At least Yanited have bought Contrae
Contrae is going no where ginge
I hope so Mg but…..
There all trying to get in line for ffp rules.
There will be movement its just to early
That’s me done guys..
Have a good night all, ’til tomorrow…
Night all…
Night Rico
See ya
Its a shame Alan Dzagoev is staying in Russia…
shite 1-1
We looked at him a couple of years back,good pace and 1st touch
Is Costa playing tonight?
Yes….sky sports 2.
Come on the cats
I have no chance of watching SS2 Lee, not on a Tuesday 😉
Manure losing!
Andrew mariner is a plank
Mariner is near useless…
No one talking about Adrian Lopez anymore…
I love Koke, Toby has made them love very solid too…
Funnily enough, the FA have done us a favour with moving the Coventry cup tie to a Friday.
We’ll have the best part of 24 hours extra rest before we have to visit Southampton on the following Tuesday night…
Moyes is going to end up in the funny farm
Interesting point Kev…
Mg, Moyes is Fergie’s love child.. no way is he getting sacked yet. 😉
To be honest, I’d like to see an all-Manchester League Cup final…
That way the Northern Oilers will have to play a strong side, with the possibility of fatigue and injuries….
With Ferguson, Gill and Charlton on the Board @ Old Toilet, I cannot see Moyes losing his job anytime soon…
I am told moyes is on valliam
His tracksuit has D-10 printed on it
shame it is a 2 legged tie…
Costa going psycho.. lol
Helicopter crash in Norfolk,believed to be us militry
RAF Lakenheath… all the yanks doing their under cover stuff… shame…
4 dead,rip
is it on news?
Sky news
Moyes would not come out for an interview,tosser
oh yes…
Definitely Yanks then… probably low flying exercise….
RIP
night mgand all
Special forces ginge?
Gl buddy
Not surprised , very sad but the incidence of low flying exercises has been on the increase.Norfolk’s skies are frequently filled with military aircraft.
hello everyone!
bada news everywhere except MU loose!
Morning all….
Moyes reckons the ref’s are going against his side? Welcome to our world and it’s been going on for years…
I suspect Dean will be called in for the return at OT and he’ll ensure they progress…
Morning Rico,
The Christmas card and brown envelope to Mike Riley probably got lost in the post this year…
Morning Ts, it probably went straight to Fergie!
🙂
The Express reckon Brenda wants Morata…
I really hope the story relating to Klose is a load of garbage, he’s 35 years old. I’d rather Kalou 😉
Hmm, I wonder if he has forgotten Mauren-ho is not in charge of RM anymore…
Saying that most clubs would prefer to help the dippers than us so… unless Morata plus cash for Suarez…
Real will certainly want to be kind to Liverpool if they want Suarez..
New post up now…
morning Rico&all
Remy,Costa,Martinez or Morata will do…………so close to silverware will AW do the right thing?