Morning all.
When Sven Goran Eriksson decided to take Theo Walcott to the World Cup back in 2006, I think many football fans thought the Swede had gone mad. In hindsight, I think he had. This was the biggest international competition in the game and there he was taking a massive chance on a player who’d yet to kick a ball in the Premier League. Overnight, the young lad who lived in a small West Berkshire village, was suddenly all over the back pages. He didn’t take part in any of the matches but from that day on, big things were expected from the now Arsenal player.
Sadly though, Theo never really lived up to the hype, unlike his ex Southampton teammate who moved to the other side of North London. He’s scored some great goals during his years at arsenal, crucial ones too but frustratingly for him an us fans, he never really improved his game. Some of that might be down to him, much though perhaps down to the lack of assistance from his manager and coaches throughout his career. After all, he was still a teenager and had plenty to learn.
Sit ten Arsenal fans down in a cafe with a coffee and I suspect most will differ with their views on the player. Should have stuck to athletics, he’s not a striker, he’s not a winger, he can’t get by a player, he doesn’t track back and he certainly doesn’t tackle are just some of the comments I’d expect to hear but you know what, it’s too much of a coincidence seeing so many youngsters fail to improve under Arsene Wenger to believe it’s always down the the player. In all honesty, Walcott should have changed clubs years ago, for his own sake if nothing else but instead his career was allowed to drift along by Wenger with the player happy to go along with it.
Jack Wilshere is perhaps the only English player to break through under Wenger. Ashley Cole too but as Big Tony once confirmed, it was he who who showed our left back the way in the game, not Wenger. Fabregas, is the most obvious overseas player and maybe Anelka but those four aside, I need to dig deep into my memory for others. Yet so many arrived with such hope, hope to improve under a manager who was renowned for giving youth a chance. Well, that’s another story eh.
Here’s just a few:
Denilson, Merida, Lansbury, Campbell, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Bellerin, Toral, Larsson, Upson, Pennant, Akmpom, Aliadiere, Muamba, Bendtner, Szczesny, Vela, Sunu, Ozyakup, Miyaichi, Gnabry, the list goes on and I’m sure you good people can add a few more to it. Barely any have actually come through our Academy, in fact I can only think of Wilshere and Cole. Please don’t mention Iwobi as his game certainly doesn’t improve.
I’m not trying to suggest each of those above or others who I either can’t recall at 1.30 in the morning, or simply can’t be bothered to write, might have turned into top top players but the question is, why did none of them improve? Yet once they’d left Arsenal, some did. Ozyakup has been linked with a return having improved, Gnabry is now at Bayern albeit out on loan I believe, Vela certainly improved his game, Upson was a regular for Birmingham, West Ham and Stoke and Larsson turned out to be a good little player too both for Sunderland and Sweden. Szczesny, well you don’t need me to tell you how his career has gone since he left us. Firstly on loan and now with Juventus, yet we’re stuck with Cech and Ospina,
Here we are now in 2018 and finally, we appear to have quite a number of younger players who look very promising. Eddie, Nelson, Sheaf, Willock, Macey, Maitland-Niles, Mavididi, Malen,Jeff and Bielik. Mavropanos who has just joined too and I hope he improves quicker than both Holding and Chambers are but as already said, that’s not necessarily down to their lack of ability. Some of those mentioned have already dipped their toes in the first team but if they are to fulfil their potential as we all hope they do, then I just hope for their sake that task won’t be left to Arsene Wenger. Talks over a new contract for Reiss Nelson are reported to have stalled amid links to both PSG and Real Madrid although I’m sure there’s little to substantiate this story.
Wenger’s previous attempt at project youth failed and his recent attempts at project experience has, and still fails today.
Good luck to Theo Walcott who moves closer and closer to becoming an Everton player having completed his medical yesterday. I reckon Big Sam will be good for him, as will a new challenge. It seems to be working out for Oxlade-Chamberlain on the red side of Liverpool and I hope it works well for Theo on the blue side. We’ll see if it has on Feb 3rd when Everton roll up at The Emirates for a Saturday evening kickoff.
No doubt the Sanchez saga will rumble on today. Will he or won’t he become a Utd player, Will Mkhitaryan say yes to a move the over way. Will PEA agree a move to North London? Will Malcom leave France for us, or Liverpool as his manager suggests this morning. Will Arsene Wenger be able to lie enough to convince Arsenal is the best club for him to join this month?
So many questions which will all be answered within the next fourteen days but the biggest question which many of us want answered, well, we’ve got another four months to wait for that answer..
Morning Rico. It is very easy to think that team matters, including transfer windows (in themselves a nightmare for Wenger and us), have spiralled out of control now. The ignored contracts, with the exception of his own of course, the appalling performances on the pitch and Wenger’s increasingly weird decisions are killing us. The results alone would be enough to see the manager sacked at any other top club. Yet here we are talking about whether this or that player may or may not sign. Scratching around for some sort of hope. Does anyone think that, under Wenger, it actually matters, when you look at what has happened to previous players he has failed with? I do wonder if anybody in any position of authority actually realises that Arsenal are a club in crisis who are taking their fans for granted, big time.
Morning Adam. As we and others have of numerous times said, it matters not who Wenger signs because he’s no longer able to bring them together as one to play well.
I’d rather he did nothing right now other than to leave and give a new guy the last two weeks to get a couple of defensive players in to secure the back and then sort the squad out in the summer.
But that’s unlikely so it’s more of the same old scrappy around for players, players who aren’t going to make a lot of difference. Not to a Wenger team anyway…
Interesting post Rico, yep we’ve have Mesut Ozil, Jack Wilshere and Reiss Nelson out of contract this summer, that’s questionable management in my book.
Arsenal have allowed themselves to be forced into a corner because we have a manager who cannot or will not make a decision, be that a decision on transfers or contracts, I mean he couldn’t or wouldn’t make up his mind on his own bloody contract last summer and it’s not as if Real Madrid or PSG were knocking at his door…
We are in for one hell of a shit storm this summer.
And if anybody thinks that Wenger is capable of getting Aubemeyang and Malcom over the line, then maybe a lay down in a darkened room for them is advisable.
David Dein would have had these contract situations sorted months ago and the players either sold and replaced if a refusal to sign a new deal was the issue.
Thanks Kev, I think Nelson’s contract runs out next summer doesn’t it so there’s time I guess.. The rest, well who knows what’s happening with them. Wenger clearly doesn’t…
Morning Kev. I agree and with the slithers of info and rumour trickling out it really could be that there is an internal struggle going on within the club where Sven and the other new arrivals are concerned. It’s easy to portray Wenger as a control freak, bristling with indignation now that new voices are being heard and this may or may not be the truth. But, to add another conspiracy theory, perhaps this is all part of a strategy specifically aimed at getting him out.
Far fetched?
Oops. Should be “Slivers”.
In many ways it’s not Theo’s fault, in some, probably less ,it is. Wenger sees a young player and his first thought is how can I change him to get into the pattern of play that I want. Walcott’s problem was that he never defined in his own mind what he wanted to be. Blessed with the pace to scare any defender Wenger never devised a system to get even 50% of Walcotts potential. We have watched him for 12 years and most of us know that when released at the correct time he gets through on goal and it’s 50/50 whether he will score.
When Arsenal attack we build slowly and then try to spring quickly , our wide players are encouraged to cut inside when they cross the halfway line . That does not suit Walcott , if you look at Bellerin’s goal last week, if Theo was regularly running onto the pass that Iwobi gave he would have been a very dangerous 20 goal a season winger. He was never a natural centre forward his reaction time to the half chance is too slow but put through at pace if he didn’t have time to think he scored goals. Unfortunately our possesion crab style football contributed to his offside record , he was offside so many times but was that because he went to early or was it that the ball came too slowly ?
Big Sam’s style at Everton will suit him , he will score for them and I am certain that unless we put in a clause that he doesn’t play against us in February he will when he comes back to our place.
Morning Adam, interesting that the Not Director of Football starts in his position the day after the transfer window closes, now this could have been on the insistence of Barcelona as he may have had some work to conclude for them, it could also have been on the insistence of Wenger who didn’t want anybody poking his nose into his transfer methods?
The Jack situation is an interesting one, he is very popular with the majority of the fan base but there is also a very vocal minority of Jack haters out there who seem to be irritated that an English player could be so well liked.
I can see Jack taking this to the wire, probably on the advice of his agent, as the clubs need to retain him will increase exponentially if, as I expect, Ozil jumps ship this summer.
Adam, haven’t we heard recently that Liverpool were showing an interest in Jack?
With Emre Can leaving Anfield this summer Wilshere would seem a ready made replacement.
Disgusting use of the English language…….Brudder Kev are you ok after reading that??
Morning all and thank you Rico.
Theo is about as clean cut as you could get, a nice lad who you would want for a son in law, but it`s not his fault he didn`t possess the dribbling skills of Marinello.
If Wenger had listened to Liam Brady when he was sent out to scout Theo, Wenger would have bought Bale instead on Liams recommendation, but there is the problem, Wenger doesn`t like to be told something that is not of the same as his opinion, he knew that Theo would always be quicker than Bale because of the wind drag factor of Gareth`s ears !.
Here`s a question !………………………………if the Alexis saga is not done by Saturday, should Alexis be in the team for C Palace game ?………………………….no brainer to me, he is still an Arsenal player !
I’m in agreement there Potter.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Walcott ends up going to the WC because a move will give him a new lease of life, regardless of it being under Big Sam. And yes, I bet he gets at least one past Cech and our defence…
Brudder Lee, I was struggling not to highlight such a criminal misusage of the Queens English, but I knew you would be ‘on it’ in a flash with the necessary admonishment, so I left in your capable hands.
All the same I am still in a state of disbelief…
Lc, he should have played against Bournemouth imo, so yes, this weekend if he’s still an Arsenal player, he should play..
Sky Sports are going through the list of players we’ve sold to other clubs like City, Utd etc. It’s painful..
Money , money ,money . the mantra of our club. Financial security comes before all else. They are old style bankers , they think security & Collateral before anything else. To them football is about running a stable ship and enjoying the perks that comes with it. They would like to win things but not a the expense of the bank account.
I am suitably chastened after such a savage censure. 🙂
Absolutely, Rico !…………………………………………say he would have played and we won !…………….and say he plays against C Palace and we win, hypothetically that could have been 6 points and without him 6 points lost which could/may have a bearing on CL places at the end of the season !……………and that money is more than Alexis`s transfer fee !………..all hypothetical of course, but one thing true is you should always play your strongest team available !……….and he`s our best player !………………fcuking idiot manager !
I know when I first blogged on here I said I wouldn`t abuse Wenger, but he`s drove me to it !…………..hahaha
I`m going down the gym to knock the lights out on my Wenger blow up doll !………………………..I`ve already destroyed the Kroenke one !
Gooooood afternoon Rico
It is always a pleasure to read your posts….thank you.
Walcot…….never ever a player able to
retain the ball at his feet
read the the pass and take
read his surrounding on the pitch
so ….what was the logic to bring him from Sotton except bundles of speed.
In fairness Le-Prof miscalculated hugely when thinking this brainless will understand his once beautiful style of play.
Allardice …….suits well his game with Feo……..all Feo is expected is wait someone to hoof the ball to him and if he can retain his speed good luck to him scoring another 100 goal in 10 years ….lol
But there is another theory why Le prof signed him…….
Things are hotting up again
http://onlinegooner.com/article.php?section=exclusive&id=3764#.Wl9OBahl-Uk .
No doubt the numbers involved will be disputed . I suggest handing every marcher a raffle ticket number which they can all put in a bin liner or two at the end of the march and deliver it to national newspapers.
Loads of NN rumours Aubameyangadingdogs agent has flown into London for talks, yet none of them can provide a photo of him !…………………………this would be OK if it were the 1970`s with people only owning a polaroid instamatic !………….
Isn’t there a protest planned for this weekend too Potter. Kelsey put something up yesterday although I couldn’t access the link..
Hi Alex.
Think the one for the Palace game is cancelled Rico.
All the groups involved have decided to come together for the Everton game..
Keep up the good work, Boss…
Thanks Bt, on both. Guess it’ll kick off after we lose to a Walcott hat-trick… lol
Walcott confirmed as an Everton player..
Good luck, Theo…………………..I think he will get a good reception when he returns another player hard to dislike imo.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/transfer-dealings-show-arsene-wenger-is-losing-power-lq5c2jndt?shareToken=bb79af718995147f6571608d9d715de3
https://twitter.com/theowalcott/status/953673544554164227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.arseblog.com%2F2018%2F01%2Fwalcott-thanks-arsenal-after-sealing-everton-switch%2F
Evening rico and all..
It’s more than 48 hours and the sanchez saga still going on…..another wenger misjudgement “cough cough” lie..
With all the excitement about potential signings and replacements, I fear it would just be another spin from the club and we end up with a Kallastrom or a Park player.
Good luck to feo. .his time with arsenal has been hit and miss, frustrating and inconsistent. .
wenger and his useless coaches should take most of the blame for his stagnation.
Evening Kk, so much for the timescale eh..
I’ll miss him Lc, so will Wenger if all his transfer ideas fall through. If he has any..
I too reckon he’s losing control. He may not walk away but theres always ways and means and it looks like that’s exactly what we’re seeing..
Sky Sports News understands talks are continuing tonight between Arsenal and Manchester United over Alexis Sanchez and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
There is no agreement between the clubs for either player at this stage and either are yet to comment on reports that Sanchez has agreed personal terms with United.
Arsene Wenger said on Sunday that he expected Sanchez’s future to have been decided by Tuesday. It is understood talks over a proposed player swap have prolonged negotiations.
Reading one of Ornstein`s tweets, it says that neither Arsenal or Manshafter will sanction the deal without Mkhitaryan going in the opposite direction.
So it all hinges on Mkhitaryan and with his contract `till 2020, he could just refuse and stay keeping his wages (rumoured £150kpw ) rolling in ………………………if you`re going to be a tramp living on park benches then thats the sort of money worth doing it for and doesn`t need a dog for sympathy !……………….
Trouble is Rico, Wenger is a selfish egotistical narcissist who cannot see that the best interests of AFC would be for him to leave !……………………….more deluded than a Spud !
I read that too yesterday Lc. So I guess it all depends on how much we offer to pay him then…
I know Lc, he’s such a deluded man.
I don’t understand why wenger didn’t include sanchez in the squad against the cherries!
What about when he played Nasri, RVP and recently Walcott?
he even played the ox against the dippers knowing that he was joining them in couple of days. .that was the most amateurish decision in professional football .a definite sacking offence in my book.
Because he was a little bit in and a little bit out Kk so was left at home..
Beggars belief eh..
Theo looks so odd in that Everton shirt…
Morning all.
Wenger conference…………………..
Arsene Wenger is addressing the media and as you may expect, Alexis Sanchez and his proposed move to Manchester United is the main talking point.
“That is a story where you are well documented in the media so I do not have a lot to add to that,” Wenger says. “It can happen, it can as well not happen.
“If it doesn’t happen he will play on Saturday.
“I worked on transfers for 30 years so it is likely to happen but at any moment or minute things can break down. As long as it’s not over the line you have to accept it may not happen. These kind of things are not guaranteed.”
Wenger is asked if Henrikh Mkhitaryan joining Arsenal as part of the Sanchez deal is on the cards.
“It’s a possibility it’s because I like the player. We played many times against him when he was at Dortmund. He appreciated the quality of our games. The wages would not be a problem.”
Wenger on Aubameyang
“I have nothing to add on that. This kind of thing is better when it’s secret and when you don’t comment before announcing it when it’s over the line.
Would he fit in? Yes because character can be a very positive note and negative but overall you look at the achievement of a player over his career and when it’s been positive the character has been used in a positive way.”
Wenger on signing Malcom during this window?
“No. I don’t think we are close to doing that. No, I don’t think so.
Wenger on signing Jonny Evans
“There’s nothing to add at the moment.”
The Gunners boss was adamant on this one.
Asked whether Ozil could leave the Emirates stadium this month he was clear – it’s a no.
Will he still be here in February was the next question? “Yes, of course.”
Wenger on Jack Wilshere contract
“We know what we want. We want him to stay.
“After that we have to find a financial agreement with Jack that is good for him. That’s what we’re trying to do.”
Wenger has been asked if Arsenal fans have to accept the club can’t compete with the financial muscle of the two Manchester clubs?
“Financially yes,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we can’t compete on the pitch.
“We did the maximum we could afford to do.”
That`s why in the long run we need a big spending owner imo…………………
Lc, what we need is a big spending manager, and one who knows how to build a balanced and strong squad. Get that and I’m sure we’ll see a big spending owner as we probably have one.
Kreonke’s only downfall imo is keeping Wenger and the old farts on the board.
Morning Rico. I think that, as a supposed ‘big club’ we need to spend what is necessary to compete. The transfer fees don’t make a lot of sense so some creative forward planning needed.
As for Mikhitarian, Wenger must be buying him on the basis of what he saw several years ago because, by and large, he has been utter dross since he moved to MU. A typical Wenger buy though. Six number 10s and a few cobbled together defenders plus some tightly crossed fingers.
Yes Arsene, you’ve worked on transfers for 30 years and during that time allowed some fantastic players to slip through your clumsy fingers because of your stubbornness, arrogance and the fact that you couldn’t and still cannot make a decision until your boxed into a corner.
Some of your successful signings have been excellent but a worrying number, too many for my liking, have been terrible and for someone with 30 years of experience and who claims to know every player in the universe that’s simply not good enough….
Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan look interesting but there’s plenty of time in this window for you to fcuk it up….
Afternoon Adam, I think he said as much re mikh or was it pea? Either way, I just he had a problem with Mourinho and that’s his only problem or we’re doomed…
Did you see Wengers comments on city and Utd re money?
And you just know he will Kev. I bet we don’t get a defender or midfielder
Nope Rico, we’ve got Mavropanos so that’s it as far as defenders are concerned.
Wenger is currently playing a back three that contains two players he tried to sell last summer.
Yep 30 years of disjointed thinking Arsene, nobody does it like you….
We’ve needed a proper defensive midfielder for 10 years Rico, that ain’t gonna change anytime soon, I just hope that Maitland-Niles turns out to be as good as we hope, because other than him the cupboard is bare.
Thought that this was quite funny :- https://www.101greatgoals.com/videosfeeds/alexandre-lacazette-blindfold-challenge/
Anyway back out to the 6 fence panels and 2 trees we lost last night . If I knew how to post pictures I would.
Judging from some of the messiah’s uttering S this morning I think I would look no further than the parable of the tree little pigs who wanted to build a house each. Two foot huffed and puffed down but the third one was built by Carrillion and it ended up unfinished! The moral Wenger won’t be happy until he has huffed and blown the Ems down. The project unfinished because he said it is! We can’t compete, the blocks we can’t. Second wealthiest club in the world and we can’t compete, more like he can’t see the wood for the trees because his eyesight is so poor. ( I think that makes sense, but I’m sure you get the idea?)
As for transfers in: the Armenian, he is distinctly possible, Wenger had him on his bucket list last year so, he’s acceptable to the head coach! Abemeyang, no chance because the director of operations wants him and not Wenger as the old git won’t be able to ‘control’ him and he is not his choice. We would unquestionably see a repetition of the Perez disaster, I suspect. So what’s the point of us getting our hopes up? As for the rest I’m not sure I want any other players in as the want thise lot we’ve got to control nice to under perform whilst it remains Wenger’s ‘watch’ for him to admit defeat in mMay and leave for the outback of one of Kronke’s ranches to wrangle sheep!
Afternoon all. Just started tipping it down here.
Rico. I read some of his comments. Didn’t he say that he has no problems with paying a stroppy bastard £2 million a month?
Several automated re writes in my last blog.
Eg, Two foot huffed’ should read ‘two little pigs…..’
‘to control nice’ iPad words not mine!just delete, mentally.
Sorry. I’m into the control box to turn off the auto correct, it’s starting to make me look illiterate! Well……it may have cause!
Sorry to hear about the damage Potter. Mercifully we have been reprieved this winter, ever since we had all our fence posts properly anchored with …concrete. What a difference a bit of concrete makes. The builder only discovered it and it’s uses about six months ago, just before his sixtieth birthday! He’s retiring soon he tells me, having been in the trade for the last 45’years!
,
The work was on going the other thing damaged was the cement mixer that blew over. I am waiting for a friend to visit so that I can pick it up and see if it still works.Then it was concrete round the metal spikes that we bought in November. However they are still rooted and two of them have snapped off with the posts still inside them.
Just have to start again , rather like the Arsenal will.
Kev, the light at the end of tunnel is that Wenger can’t go on forever. We’ll soon have a DM after he’s gone.
That’ll be it Adam.
That’s not good news Potter, have the winds settled now?
yes just got ice balls now.
Concrete mixer !………………the best bit of equipment I ever purchased , you try mixing by hand with shovel !………………………..best thing I ever hired…….Digger driver , you try digging a massive hole with a spade !
No fencing panels here, to fence 5 acres would cost Alexis money, I`ll keep with the trees !………
🙂
Had some of those earlier, didn’t last long thankfully.
Aubameyang Left out of Dortmund squad for their next game…
I`ll keep with the trees !………
Ours blew down ! along with the fence.
Interesting take form Adebuyor that he didn`t ask to leave and that Wenger didn`t want him !………………………who to believe ?……………….at the moment I dont believe a word Wenger says` !
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/emmanuel-adebayor-hates-arsenal-because-11874711
You’ll have to think about hedging your bets, Potter! We’ve just planted a shed load of pyrocanthas, to hedges both our bets and our boundaries! We just hope they go with the flow, if you know what I mean!
I could of course send my builder, but I couldn’t guarantee hed turn up!
PEA to Arsenal, I’ll believe it when he signs and not a second before.
I wouldn’t believe adebayor either…
Can’t see it either Wavy..
PYROcanthas ? Do they explode into action when they bloom ??.
As for the transfer rumours , I will just wait . If we sell Sanchez to go with Theo and Le Coq how many do we have to buy to stand still. Looks like one is a straight swap but PEA who knows , if he comes does Giroud go ? leaving us in deficit again. Looks like the tricky Brazillian isn’t coming so the United throw out really replaces Theo . If Aubameyang comes in ,although it seems Dortmund are not keen ,either ,on the move, the fee or Wenger. He does replace Sanchez but what of Le Coq ?? or Giroud 1 or 2 short again and probably a not much stronger squad.
Agreed potter, we’ll still be short, to be fair, when aren’t we under Wenger these days.. not that I think he’s the right person to make the kind of signings we really need…
Heres one for the conspiracy merchants . We need to get shot of Sanchez for some return and he wants to go Man Utd.
We are offered Mhkitarayan in exchange but he wants to go to Dortmund.
We want ?? Aubayangman ?? but Dortmund are playing hard ball.. So we take Micky and swap him for Auba :-the players are happy , and in effect we have swapped Sanchez for Auba.
Clive allen anybody ??????
Can’t see Wenger going for that… lol
Potter, would you mind if I just ran that by Kenny Sansom first lol
if you think he will remember yes..
hope he sorts himself out.
Clueless Wenger will have got lost at swap…..! Sadly the old chap can’t remember what happened yesterday or even laess what day f the week it is…….
Next target? The gold in the middle!
The main man has become a fcuk wit. And the sad thing is nobody can help him and, what’s more nobody believes in him anymore. How sad is that?
Good morning Rico
I believe enough is said about Le Prof.All the critics about his management is spot on.
Is not it time to expose our critics toward the American ….Kronke as well ?
If the mooted transfers all go through and Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang join this week , Wenger gets a reprieve from a large number of the doubters . Is this the reaction to pressure being bought to bear by the new back room staff or is it Wenger’s last hurrah ?. New faces with attacking purpose equals excitment in the stadium and a fair percentage back on board. Wenger is a wily politician that knows how to cling on to his position and it’s a total deflection away from Kroenke ,afterall we are seen to be spending the money.
As for the defence , he will point to Koscielny and Monreal returning and Holding and Chambers will return to the back up squad..
Hi Alex, all.
Not a nice morning to play taxi driver. Icy roads and bright sunshine don’t go well together…
New post up now.