Well well, finally we dipped into the market yesterday and surprisingly with great speed! No sooner had Sky Sports announced that Alex Chamberlain was having a medical we heard he’d agreed terms and signed a long-term deal.
I think he is cracking signing, but as I said yesterday, if we have spent £12 – £15 million on securing his signature to the detriment of tightening up our defence then will it all be worthwhile?
Going back to my post yesterday, three signings in this week was the rumour, one of the three has now signed so maybe the next two won’t be far away… 😉
What the signing of Chamberlain means now though is, come the beginning of this new season, we will have SEVEN ENGLISH player in our squad (as it stands).
Theo Walcott
Carl Jenkinson
Kieran Gibbs
Jack Wilshere
Benik Afobe
Henri Lansbury
Craig Eastmond
Alex Chamberlain.
Have I missed anyone??
Had Kyle Bartley not been sent out on loan, we would have had eight…
Since the days of the famous back line, when have we had so many English boys in our squad?
Also, if we just move the boundary a few miles, we also have Aaron Ramsey. Ok he’s not English but he’s a Brit, he counts 😉
Then, bring in Cahill and Dann and suddenly we could have ten British players in our squad….
Well, that should shut the idiots in the media up shouldn’t it, you know the ones – the ones who say that Wenger won’t buy or play English players, the same ones who have suggested that Wenger is to blame for the rubbish English team is years gone by!
Arsene Wenger doesn’t always give the same amount of chances to the home grown players as he has done those from overseas and just because he has so many in there right now, it doesn’t mean they will all play does it?
Doesn’t even mean they will get their chance either – but like I keep saying, they deserve their chance and if they prove good enough, well it’s good times ahead….
And they deserve their chance, don’t they??
Anyway, back to the new boy and he is still a boy 😉
Last season he played in 41 matches, he scored eleven goals and had nine assists.
Nasri – who is 24 years old and has played in the Premier League for three years had these stats for last season:
Played 46 matches in total and in all competitions, scored 15 goals and had 5 assists, and he’s seven years older than our new boy…
Ok, some will say that it’s easier down the divisions but I don’t buy that. Every club is fighting for the right to be promoted or to avoid relegation, either way it’s a battle. Alex Chamberlain has done well to date and there is no reason why he cannot continue his form with us…
So, another player in who can make and score goals, now all we need is a couple of players who can stop others scoring against us.
IF Wenger now goes on to get those players, humble pie could be on my menu this weekend 😉
How happy would I be…….
Great post Rico.
You’ve sure got some excellent inside information… 😉
Now for a centre-back and maybe one other signing and we’ll be ready to rock ‘n roll…
Frimpong hasn’t pledged his allegiance to Ghana nor England as yet. He has played for a few games for the England youth sides (U16 & U17) so he may be another one to add to the list.
Time will tell!
Craig Eastmond, sums it all up for me. Sold on his potential but plainly not good enough. By the way Frimpong is English.
Emmanuel frimpong?
Humble pie is so tasty. I don’t know why it has such a bad name.
Frimpong?
From what I heard its actually a “war zone” in the lower divisions and men you play a whole lot of games…no offense but I ll take this guy over nashit any day. At least he ll understand the history and rivalry in NLD….can’t wait to see him tear up the swampies….and oh morning rico
Cracking positive post, well done, if all arsenal fans could start looking on the bright side, things will be ok………..
I fully expect a CB by Thursday……Not sure whom…..
Then get Mata to replace Fabregas / Nasri, happy days…..
Hey harry….is that a fact? Hope you are right though.
mmmm… humble pie 🙂
It’s actually 6, as it stands Jenkinson is Finnish, though he may opt for England later
Morning kev….are you happy or what? First oxo then cahill or mertesaeker. Buy those guys and we ll win the league.
Whooopiieedooo!
Sign some decent Defenders already!!
Let us go for the ‘big one’ now + cahill…give us sneijder..and wave bye bye to Nasri…
Good read rico.in terms of attacking signings they all seem to indicate the Arsene is really looking to improve our wingplay.with Gerv/ryo/theo/oxo we have the makings of an excellent counter attacking unit.if only cesc was committed to us…:(ooking to improve our wingplay.with Gerv/ryo/theo/oxo we have the makings of an excellent counter attacking unit.if only cesc was committed to us…:(
I love the positivity! Please join the growing numbers of positive gooners at the positive gooners FB page. (Click my name)
first Wenger must get sign of decent CB then Nasri/Fabri by Mata if zs two things will be done, undoughtedly we’ll win trophies
Morning Stan
I think the signing of Oxo is an indication that things are moving to an encouraging conclusion after a summer of negotiations.
Hopefully a centre-half before the end of the week?
Still 3 weeks left for any other deals to be finalised.
Rico, thanks for the post, a true Gunner indeed. Alex is an absolute gem. Irrespective of his age, look at the boy’s statue for goodness sake; he is built like a tractor, capable of bulldosing the most stubborn of defenders. Look at his photos on Arsenal.com, his arms are like a heavyweight boxer, but yet argyle and maneuverable, he shoots like a sniper and can as well fire on the move. In comparison to Nasri, Alex will play his heart out for Arsenal as he is a true gunner like you. Do I truly believe we need Nasri now? No! Better to have a committed Alex than to have a halfhearted Nasri.
Thanks Rico, keep the good work up.
Morning all, still think we 2 proper centre backs or a centre back and a defensive midfielder away from being competative so lets se…! IF nas n cesc leave then Mata would maybe fill that creative void but do we not have enough creativity in the squad ? we’re still lacking the steel !!! Thats what needs to be addressed… At last wenger see’s we need proper wingers and not midfielders forced to play wide and out of position….!
I really think we are seeing a shift in attacking philosophy.
Afternoon all.
All those posting for the first time comments go into moderation but now your free to post…..
Jenkinson is born in England and English just happens that he may choose finland over England due to him Mum same with Frimpong who can choose to play for either England or Ghana…!
Excellent post….Wenger can revolutionize the English game by developing some technical players …basically if you have noticed the England national team has improved…
Yeah kev hope we get one soon…preferably before we play newcastle…
Good point George.
I’d be happier if there was more Arsenal players in the U21’s, U18’s, etc etc.
Seems that the coaches at those levels still want the long-ball, in your face merchants…
From the sound of things I’m not sure if wenger sees Alex as a winger. He might try and deploy him in a more central role (fabregas role), with gervinho and arshavin on the wings and RVP or Walcott up front. Whatever he decides, it’s a great signing for us and as mentioned, gives us a strong English core in the team. If cahill signs as well I’d say in a year or two we’ll have half the England starting 11 playing for us, which is great news both for us and for England.
Morning Will, KT, Wath.
Will/KT, i’ve noticed, when reading other blogs, that there is a realisation, that there’s a change in policy re: the team. That is more pace and directness, being brought into the squad.
It stops opponants squeezing up on our midfield.
Agree Wath, still need a centre-half at the very least, but i think there’s one in the pipeline.
Am really getting excited about the new season guys….let’s hope arsene gets the required players
I can see our passes reverting to the Vieira/Petit era where as soon as the midfield got the ball they looked and passed forward.
Frimpong and Jenkinson may not choose England
Will, i don’t think Denilson ever passed forward in his entire life.
Hleb, he loved it sideways, backways, anyways, [that doesn’t look right]. 😉
Too many players looking for the safe option. But then there wasn’t any pace up front if Theo wasn’t playing…
I agree with you will…..I said this a couple of weeks back I actually think we might see the old wenger again…the one that did a double in his first full season….
Yep, too many players looking for ball to feet rather than getting behind the defence. Now, I see a lot of pace coming into the team.
Ignasi Miquel says winning the European Under-19 Championships with Spain over the summer has renewed his confidence to push for greater involvement in the Arsenal first-team this season.
The 19-year-old defender was ever-present for his country during the tournament in Romania and, upon returning to north London ahead of the new campaign, was drafted straight into Arsène Wenger’s squad for Saturday’s friendly against Benfica.
Miquel enjoyed a breakthrough season last term, making his debut against Leyton Orient while playing an active role with the senior side, and has set his sights on making further inroads during 2011/12.
“Coming back from winning it is really big and I am coming back confident,” he told Arsenal.com.
“Winning the World Cup and being called up for the first-team without training with them – I am really happy. I go back now trying to improve myself to become better.
“The boss has said congratulations to me but now I have to forget about it and focus on Arsenal.
“I obviously want to get more minutes with the first-team. I know it’s going to be hard but I’m going to fight for it.”
Nothing better in football than to see a team attack at pace and deadly incisiveness.from what we’ve seen so far Arsene is looking to return to that.it wouldn’t surprise me at all if he let nasri go for a big commanding CM. me at all if he let nasri go for a big commanding CM.
I have been looking for a positive article for about 3 weeks. Thank god I am not the only Arsenal fan hellbent on bagging the crap out of the club. I was starting to wonder. Thank you.
We need that variety up front.there are times in a match when we’ll tiki taka when we need to exert control but when opportunity arises we’ll turn on the afterburners. when we’ll tiki taka when we need to exert control but when opportunity arises we’ll turn on the afterburners.
Tiki-taka is ok when you are 3-0 up and seeing the game out. It is not ok when you are allowing the opposing defence to sit in front of you and not supply a way through.
That should read NOT hellbent lol!!!!
is it a bird?…… is it a plane?…. no its Alex Chamberlain !!!!!
I look at Utd’s signings and all the hype, and I don’t see any difference in quality to our signings. How come there U21 payers are rock solid prospects yet ours, Gibbs, Miguel, Frimpong, Bartley are not?
How come our new winger, who has won league 1, is not a good signing, but Young who has never won anything is perfect?
The only thing different this year in signings between Utd and us is the attitude of the fans.
So, we have till Friday I guess.
get in…the ox is here!!
next cahill…
Wow what a slow day…..oh well here’s hoping we get a decent CB before we face Barton and fellow thugs on saturday…
Afetrnoon fine folks 🙂
I din’t include Frimpong as he’s chosen not to represent England and I included Jenkison as he’s hinted he may change to England…
Either way, we are getting the English boys coming through and it’s good news….
Hi rico….what a day? Its so slow and boring…
Afternoon all.
There you are…see what positive vibes can do over here..lol
Past is water beneath the bridge;
Present is for living;
Future? Tomorrow will sure come.
hi guys
good post rico,
oc maybe a good signing….
but what will be his preferred position….
i dont know..
Yeah rico more English less french….the prejudices will definitely stop now…the media will get on board and we ll be their darling once again…crazy lot. Like I care what the media thinks of us.
hi goonster, the lull before the storm 😉
Merlin, i’m trying, afternoon to you and AF, he’s a good signing, IF we get the defnders we need… Cahill and Upson is my guess 😉
does anyone think that oc is nasri replacement and do you think oc will directly get in the first team…or play from the start like wilshere for example…..
I don’t think so af, i think we’ll see Theo in the middle with Oxo on the right…
not upson we can do a whole lot better than him…do you think wenger will get two CBs? No way….not wenger
No AF oc is not nasty’s replacement…….mata is! Watch out….you heard it here first.
goonster, if that means we get Cahill, i won’t be too upset 😉
Now you re speaking my language….cahill is it!
Do u really think we ll get two Rico….a guy can dream.
Afternoon Ricoi, how’s mum doing?
Upson is on his way to Stoke, breathe again Goonster 😉
GOOD!
Hi Lee, can you believe she compalined of horrid pain in her shoulder the last few days, went to Drs this morning, he referred her back to hospital for another x-ray!!
Thankfully, given the all clear otherwise i may have had a lodger who comes with her own bell 😉 😉 Poor old sausage, hope all is good your end?
Home for the day now though and my sister is on nurse duty in the morning so i’m going to mainly be drink wine in a bit 🙂
How’s you?? waiting for Cahill??
Thank God…..we can do a whole lot better than upson.
afternoon ricco, et al…saw ig’s comments from the meeting last night, and it certainly sounds as though they are trying to bring another defender in, so lets see what happens…if nothing does, then we go with what we have and hope for the best…
i do think we will hear reports of at least one of nas/cesc/nik departing by the time we kick off up at st james…
Hi oliver, what is happening – you keep adding an extra c in my name and last night, i had an i added to my name by worpress 🙁 🙁
IG has been saying all that for a while, now we need actions…
I’m hoping all three are gone by saturday, well, especially Nik and Nasri….
Especially nasty Rico….
Me nasty goonster 🙁
😉
No samir nasty…..I want him gone…
hi ricco…i was wondering when you would notice that…so instead of the traditional REEK-oh, we can pronounce it RICK-oh…anyhoow…
i see that miyaichi has been omitted from the provisional cl squad for the cl qualifying tie versus udinese…should we go through and his work permit is approved, i imagine that he will be named to the provisional squad for the cl proper…hopefully the words “europa league squad will not enter discussion here…
gervinho has squad number 22, and oc has number 26…
Afternoon Gooners
Hiya Rocko… 😉
the thing i am liking of oc is that he looks a tough nut to crack and wont go down with a fight …jst like wilshere…we need such players
Ryo’s got permit… yeahhhhhh.
On AFC.Com
Wenger is searching for cesc and nasty’s replacement according to chamakh….happy day! Will be sad to see cesc go though….no matter what anybody says..he gave his best and got all crocked up cause of us. He has my best wishes but nasty’s gonna have our curse following him wherever he goes…it got petit overmars hleb ade now clichy….can’t wait to see the expression on his pox ridden face when he constantly warms the bench at city….maybe they ll send him to the reserves just like ade..
Ryo! Ryo! Ryo!
Happy days 🙂
Wenger: “This is almost like a new signing for us”
i see ak…good news, now he can develop properly with us.
Stop playing with my emotions Kev….where did you hear that….
breaking
miyachi got permit
yeah cmon all!!!!!
Arsenal .com Stan
oliver, i noticed a few days ago but i didn’t want to correct your spelling, i’m too polite… 🙂
it’s on dot com…i would consider it credible…now we can assign him a squad number and get his registration paperwork in.
Wow, we’ve got a team full of speed merchants.
Maybe, at last, the good times are coming back?
Hi Kev, that is wonderful news, but not for Goonster, he = no Mata 😉
rico, i’ll be happy to cease and desist – no harm, no foul – if it’s awkward…otherwise, consider it harmless fun…
Yipee…now kick out that short freak..
as great as this news is, i would caution us not to get carried away…from high school, to feyenoord to arsenal saviour is a huge leap…he’s an outstanding prospect, but i don’t think anybody would reasonably call him the finished article…in the space of a couple of months, we have added some depth on the wings – so lets allow miyaichi to grow and develop without the burden of huge expectations.
I do like that there will be some real competition down the wings. May the best man win!
Arsenal Football Club is delighted to announce that Ryo Miyaichi has been granted the work permit he requires to play first-team football for the Club this season.
The 18-year-old arrived in January and spent last season on loan at Dutch club Feyenoord in order to help his adjustment to European football, while awaiting the clearance needed to represent Arsenal in the UK.
An FA panel met on Tuesday at Wembley Stadium to decide the case and heard from Arsène Wenger, who was in attendance, before granting the work permit on the grounds that Ryo is an ‘exceptional talent’. Supporting testimonials were also sent by the Japan Football Association, which significantly helped the process.
Miyaichi has impressed greatly during pre-season and featured in all matches played outside the UK, but now he has been authorised a work permit which means that he is free to play for Arsenal in the UK.
Upon hearing the news, Arsène Wenger said: “We are absolutely delighted that Ryo has been granted a work permit. This is almost like a new signing for us, as we weren’t completely sure we would be given the authorisation. Ryo has worked extremely hard in pre-season and performed very well during the matches in Asia, Germany and Portugal.
Wenger continued: “Ryo has natural technical ability. He has good balance and phenomenal pace, and his passing and crossing is consistently of a high quality. He is a very exciting player. He had a successful time with Feyenoord in the Netherlands last season, who gave him the opportunity to play regularly, and we’re looking forward to his contribution this coming season with Arsenal.”
Miyaichi will be eligible to play for the first team as soon as the formalities of the paperwork are completed.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/miyaichi-granted-work-permit-to-play-for-club?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+arsenal-news+%28News+Feed%29
_____________________________________________________
Well, we will know what he is made off this season then.
See..what positive vibes can achieved…lol.
It can also means the end of Vela.
Latest rumor:
Wenger maybe eyeing Alex as well.
Perhaps Wenger loves him more for his booming freekick rather than his defensive skills..lol..
i know what you mean Oliver, and they are sensible sentiments, but isn’t great to have some new faces in the squad who can give us all a reason to be optimistic again, after all the sackcloth and ashes recently.
NYON, Switzerland (AP) -UEFA says Arsenal has included Barcelona transfer target Cesc Fabregas on its list of eligible players for the Champions League playoff matches against Udinese.
UEFA rules prevent any player who appears in a playoff from representing another team later in the competition, and Fabregas reportedly might refuse to play against Udinese to preserve his Champions League eligibility for Barcelona.
Arsenal is scheduled to host the first leg on Aug. 16. The return is in Italy on Aug. 24.
Barcelona hopes to sign Fabregas before the transfer window closes Aug. 31.
UEFA requires clubs in the playoffs to submit their “A” list of 25 eligible players by Monday. Clubs can also select younger homegrown players from a “B” list.
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/soccer/wires/08/09/2080.ap.soc.fabregas.champions.league.0121/index.html#ixzz1UYBKopzV
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And Wenger is telling those Spanish puta Fabregas is staying for one more season…..lol
Chelsea’s Alex? No way!
Yes Merlin, interesting point about Vela.
Carlos needs to show what he can do this season, otherwise he might find himself superceded by Afobe and possibly Wellington Silva in 12 months time?
Hey all!!! My fellow English friends, I read & heard about the riots in London.I hope everything’s ok where you all are.
kev, i think it is great that he got his permit – don’t get me wrong on that. he is our player and he should be playing for us. nevertheless, i am concerned about some of the expectations for him…a few weeks back, a certain blog (which i shan’t name) referred to him as a “superstar”, despite his not having kicked a ball in a competitive match for us.
i think he is a great prospect, and i think his being involved with the first team squad will provide great competition and keep others on their toes. but i am not convinced he is ready for the starting eleven…i am certainly not convinced that he will be the difference between winning the championship or not…yet i have seen plenty suggesting he will be…
there is nothing wrong with letting him develop properly and work his way up, as opposed to fast-tracking him straight into the starting lineup and heaping huge expectations on his shoulders…
oliver – trust me, i am not offended one bit 🙂
shrek, i echo your comments…the newark riots (1967) were well before my time, yet it is difficult not to draw comparisons with the scenes i have seen over the past few days…
The Alex rumour… now that does make me chuckle, call me mrs smug all you like but i mentioned him as a wenger poss target in May, he’s cheap i think but isn;t he a tad short??
i didn’t think so, ricco, but i had to ask…olliver
Actually, i am wrong, he’s just under 6’3″
Cahill and Alex, that would do me 🙂
I agreed Oliver.
He has to survive his very first “Welcome to England” crunching tackle from a thug.
Fun though watching him gives Clichy the slip….lol
This is the problem when signing young players like Ryo and Oxo…
Too much hype and too much expectation – they are very young still and we cannot expect them to make an instant impact….
However, i have a sneaky feeling that both might just do that, especially Chamberlain….
Two defenders and I’d say Wenger hasn’t done too bad 😉
Not forgetting, Ryo has to bear the whole burden of the Japan’s Nation on his slim shoulders.
Remember Inamoto?
Hordes of camera-wielding Japanese tourists clamoring for a ticket to Highbury. plus the ever-presence of Japanese Press….and Japanese flocking to Colney as well….lol.
Prepare for a Japanese Invasion folks!
merlin, i hope that when someone inevitably goes in hard on him for the first time – regardless of whether it is in a first-team or reserve match – that his senior team-mates stand up for him. i think we have allowed too much of that stuff as a team during the past few seasons…
Evening all..france coach Blanc confirms Nasri is off
Oliver, i make you 100% correct buddy.
Anyone with a grain of common sense would only see him coming off of the bench in most games.
Agree, ‘superstar’ is OTT.
But my excitement comes from the vision of Ryonaldo coming off of the bench, in the last 15/20mins of games, against tiring defences. Seeing him running into the box, jinking one way, then the next, creating havoc, penalties, the ‘works’…. 😀
Spot on oliver….
Howdy Erick, good news then 🙂
hi erick…nas is training with the france squad, is he not? so “larry white”‘s info is probably credible…
Cheers Shrek and Olliver.
I think most of us have had our domestic problems over the years.
Stiff upper lip gentlemen and ladies.. :P:
Oh wow!
Adebayor-Kolo-CLichy-Nasri…..what an “Arsenal Lite” team at Eastlands.
Did Wenger said to Mancini: ” for 25-mil “Buy 1 Get 1 Free” with Chamakh as part of the deal???
Oxo and now Ryo that’s two “new” signings….one more in the pipeline then Monsieur Wenger?
so nasri of then????is it true
kev, i think the way to go with miyaichi is to start him with the youth/reserves, and start integrating him this autumn in domestic cup/dead-rubber european ties…let him get a feel for domestic and european competitions and build his strength and skill up…when he is ready for the first team squad, start using him as an impact sub late on, and gradually start giving him more and more first team minutes, until he is ready for first-eleven minutes…how quickly this happens will depend much upon the pace of his development and the situation the first team finds itself in with regard to the league/european/cup competitions…
in saying the above, we should also allow for the possibility that miyaichi may indeed be ready right now. i don’t think that is likely, but there have been examples of players who have had “it” from the word go and have made instant impacts. if this is the case, i am sure arsene will recognize it quickly enough and fast track him to the starting eleven. under those circumstances, reserve/youth team football would be a waste of his and the club’s time.
Lee,. Ryo was signed last season.
Wenger said he will sign defensive cover and Gazidis said Wenger will sign one CB.
Let’s hope it is not a 16 year old Danish CB..:D
Hi shrek, bless ya re the riots…
Well, it didn’t take too long…..
I have just had a text from a fellow Gooner…
Spurs have signed a new striker, he’s an Italian superstar called:
Grabatelli…..
Thats bad!! 😉
Remember, Wenger was alleged to say that Toral-Harper will be fast-tracked into senior team within 2 years.
Toral and Bellerin will also be playing in the Reserves and in CC as alleged said by Bellerin.
Now which youngsters will lose out big-time and sliped further down the pecking order?
1 – Yennaris?
2 – Ozakhup?
3 – Bye bye SUnuu?
4 – Bye bye Sanchez Watts?
5 – Conor Henderson?
6 – Aneke goes the way of JET?
7 – Lansbury loses out to Toral?
And with Oxalde and Ryo…plus another speedster in Wellington SIlva, ACM 6′ 3″ Galindo..not forgetting left wingback Botleho….
Sad to say, but attrition rate at Hale End Academy is high…and more like 1 or 2 out 50 “graduates” will make it into senior squad.
Merlin
Aneke will saty, he is darn good, henderson too in my opinion, but for his injury i think he was going to be in the squad this coming season.
Watt could be a goner but Sunu – i am not sure yet, he’s big and strong and could be the next striker coming through although he’s constantly linked with a move away….
lansbury, well that all depends if he signs his new contract, if he does, he’ll stay because he’ll have been assured of a squad place…
Gerv/Ryo/Theo/Oxo outwide is excellent and an indication of a change in our attacking philosophy.if arsene ever says we played with the handbrake on again i’ll punch his smug face :)ce 🙂
Arsenal Football Club has announced its squad for the Champions League Play-Off Round.
The Club has submitted an A list (List A) and a B list (List B) of players, all of whom will be eligible for the Play-Off Round tie with Udinese.
List A for the Play-Off Round is final, although a single change to the squad can be made by Monday 15 August (the day before the first-leg game).
Should the Club progress to the Group Stage of the competition, an updated List A will be submitted by September 1, which will apply for the remainder of the competition.
Under UEFA rules, Arsenal is eligible to register 25 players to List A for the Play-Off Round and an unlimited number of players to List B.
A player qualifies for inclusion in List B if he was born on or after January 1, 1990 and has been eligible to play for the Club for an uninterrupted period of two years or more since his 15th birthday.
Arsenal’s Champions League squad:
List A…
Manuel Almunia
Andrey Arshavin
Nicklas Bendtner
Marouane Chamakh
Abou Diaby
Johan Djourou
Emmanuel Eboue
Lukasz Fabianski
Cesc Fabregas
Gervinho
Kieran Gibbs
Carl Jenkinson
Laurent Koscielny
Vito Mannone
Samir Nasri
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Tomas Rosicky
Bacary Sagna
Alex Song
Sebastien Squillaci
Armand Traore
Robin van Persie
Carlos Vela
Thomas Vermaelen
Theo Walcott
List B…
Aaron Ramsey
Wojciech Szczesny
Jack Wilshere
Benik Afobe
Chuks Aneke
Zak Ansah
Daniel Boateng
George Brislen-Hall
Francis Coquelin
Craig Eastmond
Luke Freeman
Emmanuel Frimpong
Sead Hajrovic
Conor Henderson
Gavin Hoyte
Jernade Meade
Ignasi Miquel
Rhys Murphy
Nigel Neita
Oguzhan Ozyakup
Gilles Sunu
Sanchez Watt
Nico Yennaris
What the heck is Almunia doing in there??????????
Or Bendy ….
Ok, ok, they are still afc players…. sadly…
Nasri, Eboue, Bendtner, Fabregas, Almunia….?
Evening all once again, Oliver long time no talk ha ha Rico good riddance he he he
well, if larry white is accurate here, i imagine a nas sale will not be announced until the friendlies are completed.
exactly kev, what is the point???
sooner the better for me oliver, then i really hope AW uses the money, you and i have discussed that before… 😉
ricco, as long as they have the open slots, there is no harm in naming him. i think the dot com squad page gives a truer reflection of al’s status. he is still listed as number one, as players have more or less retained their numbers from last season. but he is not photographed in the new kit, either in an action shot or official roster picture. this tells me, more than anything else, that once the page is updated with the 2011-12 squad information, al will not be listed, and will certainly not have the number one jersey…i could be wrong, and if so, i will be hugely disappointed…
here in the u.s., many professional sports contracts have buyout clauses, where, in the event a player still has years on his deal but both team and player think a “divorce” is in everyone’s interests, the club can buy out the remainder of the contract. if arsenal can do this with al, i think it would be the right way to go – if a literally-just-out-of-retirement jens can keep his spot on the bench over a fit-again al, there really should not be any way back for the latter…
if we are holding out for some sort of fee for al, we are just protracting a departure that should probably have happened at least a year ago…
and after the difficult year that al – who i think always tried his best for us – and we had to endure, a free transfer or buyout would be a small sign of goodwill towards him…
i know oliver but…. 😉
Oliver you are right about ryo/oxo.we just can’t tell how their seasons will pan out.Thomas Müller before 09/10 season was playing in the 3rd tier of German footy.by the time that season ended he was 1 of Bayern’s best players.that summer he ended as the WC2010 top goal scorer winning the golden boot as a result.lets hope ryo/oxo has similar trajectory paths in terms of development to Müller.g in the 3rd tier of German footy.by the time that season ended he was 1 of Bayern’s best players.that summer he ended as the WC2010 top goal scorer winning the golden boot as a result.lets hope ryo/oxo has similar trajectory paths in terms of development to Müller.
k, interesting analogy with mueller…if our young wingers can emulate him, we shall have done very well indeed…
for me, there is one important factor not present at arsenal…mueller made his breakthrough in an experienced, settled squad that had already won things. our squad for the upcoming season has experience, but no record of winning things (as a group) and still looks quite unsettled, with several potential departures among the first team squad still not settled either way. as long as cesc’s status is not settled – and the last words from arsene were “i want him to stay.” show that nothing has been resolved either way – the captaincy is correspondingly unsettled…i think it will be difficult for our younger players to flourish in such an environment…
i think things will be more or less resolved by the end of the month – for most of the players, at least. then we will be able to focus almost entirely on football…
True oliver.we need to sort out the cesc/nasri mess.
Yeah Merlin, I know but no work permit so now he’s got one it’s like a new signing, to coin a phrase from someone!! 😉
Birmingham has kicked off already tonight… 🙁
It’s simple, sell them IF we get the right offer…… Nasri is the most important to sell….
ok, larry white’s remarks seem somewhat different from what i heard. i was under the impression he said that nas is out the door, but larry white seems not to have actually said that – provided, of course, what i am reading is accurate.
it seems larry white said that nas will definitely not extend his contract here and is talking with the club about facilitating a transfer. several weeks ago, arsene was pretty emphatic that nas will spend this season here, even if it means the latter will walk away for nothing next spring. perhaps arsene has softened his unevquivocal stance – but if he has not, i read it as nas has one and done with us, not that we will sell him…either way, i read the comments as no transfer has yet been agreed…
when arsene’s comments first broke, i said i saw both sides and would support him if he dug in his heels and refused to sell nas. at the time, united looked the more likely destination, and i (still) think nas will improve them more than he will city…fast foward a couple of weeks, and i think he and cesc’s situations are having a negative impact both on the supporters and dressing room – chamakh apparently said so (dressing room) outright…
so, in light of that, we should probably just sell him once city bid an acceptable amount…i am also starting to come around to the possibility that city may implode from within, if their dressing room is anything to go by…
either way, the longer these drag on, the longer the club’s focus is not completely on preparing for kickoff…
Lee, i cannot think who you mean… 😉
Guys, I’m taking advantage of a night off, off to check out my pillow, it’s been neglected lately 😉
Be good all and catch up in the morning….
For those in the City’s where the idiot thugs are, stay safe….
Night all…..
night ricco…a signing yesterday, an approved work permit today…will we have a trifecta tomorrow?
Was just logging off…..
oliver 😛
Cahill……
Def gone now 🙂
Ryo, Theo, Gervinho and Oxo….. nice sprint relay team we have there….
Now just to sort out the high jump team at the back…….
After Oxo we get another Ryo great bit of news. But none of it will Matta if we don’t sign some defenders.
(ok, that was pretty bad. Never claimed to be a poet – or a writer for that matter).
Don’t worry Doc stick to the medicine mate 😉 It’s all just a Mata of time b4 we over Ca-Hill…… I know sorry, really pathetic 😉
Heh. Actually I work in the video game industry.
Personally with all the Brits, and 2 less Frenchmen (Clichy and Nasri) plus the addition of a German (Per M), and the departure of Fabragas (who I’ve never rated as qualified captain)… I’m feeling pretty good about what I expect to be a more steely temperament on the field this year.
Just to clarify, Fabragas: great player, shyt captain.
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