Yesterdays post was all about Herbert Chapman and today a few newspapers a running articles on the great man, I have taken two extracts from one of them.
Why don’t you like close passing?
‘Usually the ball merely travels across the field, and perhaps back again, without any advantage being gained. I want the best possible football but it must have a ‘kick’ in it.’
If you had one guiding principle, what would it be?
‘There is one golden rule: it is never safe to be satisfied. No matter how good the team may be, there should always be an attempt to improve it. It is sometimes suggested that a winning team are got together by luck. This has not been my experience. One has to watch a team like a thermometer.
Did Chapman know we would sign Denilson and as for the second extract, maybe someone should get Arsene to read it. 😉
We all knew it would happen but I bet none of us thought Carlos Vela would end up at West Brom for his loan. Suggestion is that Vela’s agent made demands that were just a bit too much for Bolton. I don’t think it makes too much different really where he goes in the Premier League as long as he gets playing time which is all he needs to build his confidence. The Baggies boss Roberto Di Matteo is obviously very pleased,
Arsenal and Carlos had a lot of options and I’m delighted both the club and player have chosen us.
It’s been well documented that Arsenal were keen for Carlos to stay in this country and the Premier League but I think a key factor was that they looked favourably on our style of play and performances this season.
So that puts to bed any kind of thoughts we had about getting Gary Cahill with Vela included in the deal, in fact, I have finally accepted that we won’t see any new centre half at our club despite Wenger again saying yesterday he is not ruling out a loan deal. Squillaci is back tomorrow so as long as he doesn’t suffer any ‘setback’, old Ebenezer will keep his money in his pocket!
Woodgate turned down a loan offer yesterday, surely he wouldn’t would he? 😉
Another player who surely now will look to making his exit before the end of this transfer window has to be Manuel Almunia. How can he go from being understudy to Mad Jens, finally getting the number one position to reading he will from now on be a ‘Cup Keeper’. I know he shouldn’t be our first choice keeper but if I were him, I’d know I could be at another club and I’d want to move as soon as possible.
Wenger said:
At the moment Wojciech is the number one. He’s done nothing for me to take him out. It is down to the others to challenge him, but I can rotate the goalkeepers and in the cups I sometimes play different goalkeepers.
We have four good keepers at the club. You can always feel sorry for the three who do not play. Almunia has not played for a long, long time. He has been injured for a long time and in a situation like that you feel jobless.He’s under contract and as long as he is at the club we’re happy to have him. I like him as a man and as a player and I have shown that in my decisions. I am happy that he’s here. Of course I feel for him.
For any doubters of our young Pole, he has conceded only four goals — one every 203 minutes. Fabianski has been beaten every 83 minutes and Almunia every 90. Both Szczesny and Fabianski have kept five clean sheets this season, but the latter has played 1,020 more minutes. Szczesny also has a 100 per cent catch rate and has not dropped a ball in 11 attempts, while Fabianski has a success rate of 94.4 per cent.
So there you go, probably no new centre half coming in and I think Wengers comments mean we won’t be getting a new goal keeper in either, not for a long while but for once, the latter doesn’t sound quite so bad does it?
That’s it for today, have a good one….
Morning….
What I wanted to write in the post was,
Arsene, go offer the get out clause fee that is in Torres contract and get him, not only would we get a great player, Csec would be happy, the fans would be happy and we’d definately start winning silverware again…..
nice one rico and salou 😉
hahaha yeah as soon as i read the thig about passing i immediately thought denilson wouldnt play in chapmans team..then you mentioned him and it made me chuckle..
i also love the second quote…if a player wants to make it to the top he can never allow himself a comfort zone..no matter how good you think you are always set high standards each time cos if you dont and you become complacent somebody will come along and you’ll find you have lost your place..
as for vela…
wenger did say a few week back that about 10 teams were after carlos but he wanted him to stay in PL
but i cant see how is agent can be involved in a loan deal…theres no signing on fee in loan deals and his wages will stay the same, either wbrom pay them all or contribute towards them but either way it makes no difference to what the agent earns
maybe sour grapes on boltons fans part??
and there are no doubts over ches
best natural keeper at the club, and finally a keeper with presence..
makes a big difference..epsecially to the CB’S
the confidence a keeper shows domino effects on his CB’s
it makes the defenders job easier, less pressure, more composure..
not panicking every time the ball comes near the box cos they know if it gets passed them we are fucked cos we have a keeper who gets beat from 40 yards, at his near post or throws the ball into his own net…
for ages the dfenders have known they are basically the last line of defence cos the keepers was dodgy..
we now have a confident keeper, and the defenders are composed…less mistakes
Morning jj,
sometimes i think wenger should read that second comment from Chapman – how often does he say ‘i believe in this squad’ and thats what stops us really kicking on, just one every window would do 😉
😆 re denilson, Chapman would def never signed him…
That bit about the agent confused me too, what has he got to do with anything, not with a loan, bet Coyle is gutted….
i believe in this squad..
just a couple of players i have doubts over but when everyones fir the wont play much so its ok 🙂
i recall a while back on AR we talked about how a dodgy keeper makes defenders wobble, how long did it take wenger to realise though, how many seasons have we wasted just waiting for great keeper, and now we have chesney and fabianski who has improved….
he might have signed him but he wouldnt have played over 100 first team games 😉
this season yes, but those gone by?? 🙁
bob wilson said on an interview a bit back that he and wenger once had a fall out over the keeper and how he was trained
bob maintained that a keeper needs to train on his own with the other keepers and with the gk coaches..
wenger made them train with the first team..
wenger loves a keeper who can distribute, making them pass and stuff…ts what made him play al for so long wenger regarded the keeper as part of the ‘ball players’ buts its not like that with goalkeepers and no matter how much the game changes or evolves it never will be..
keepers have a different mindset to the out field players they wear gloves for a reason and i think wenger realises that now…
i know rico weve had to wait a while but thats what happens when we develop and build and not splash millions everywhere..
Blimey jj, Arshavin wears gloves, i’m having a worry 😉
is that why wilson left?
sort of..
that was one of bobs gripes..
think it was all about stuart taylor to be honest..
bob rated him..wenger didnt, cos he couldnt ‘distribute’
think bob decided if his opinion wasnt listened to in a department he knew more in it was best if he took a new role in the club…
never stopped loving wenger or arsenal but whats the point in being a gk coach when you are told how to do your job by someone whos never played there or done it..
thats my view anyway
That makes sense jj, seaman was on sky a few weeks back and he said that taylor was and should have been the one to take over from him, he said taylor had everything except a work ethic… it was down to his own laziness that he didn’t make it….
what the point of a keeper who distrubtes well, kicks well but can’t save….. i’ve always believed that wenger is a dreadful defensive coach, best in the world for attacking but….
I have to ask in the politest terms… what is your problem with Denilson? It seems that every time I read this blog there’s a dig at this particular player. What has he done this time that you have to basically say that Chapman would never have signed him? Seriously how do you know this? Chapman is reputed to have been ahead of HIS time so why wouldn’t he have signed Denilson? To my mind unless you have held a seance and spoken to Chapman’s ghost I fail to see how you can know one way or the other what his views on Denilson can possibly be….
And I have to say that your interpretation of Chapman’s quote is a bit funny to say the least… Chapman wasn’t complaining about short passes per se, he simply couldn’t have been otherwise you’d have to conclude that he’d be against Brazil, Spain (the current world champions), Barcelona and above all else Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal!…. as all the teams I’ve mentioned play a short passing game. Chapman was basically complaining about “ineffective football” and football can be ineffective whether the passes are short or long. That’s my reading of his quote… a man as intelligent as Chapman would have recognised the beauty and effectiveness of teams who use short passes and superior movement to outmanoeuvre and tire out their opponents, don’t you think?
My second comment is regarding this idea that you as a blogger is somehow more aware of what or who an effective footballer is than Arsene Wenger. Now I may be wrong about this point but the guy has managed some of the best midfielders in the world. Vieira & Petit(two world Cup winners and Arsenal legends), Gilberto (close to 100 caps for Brazil),even the likes of Edu and Flamini were no mugs… so why do you imagine that Wenger is so convinced of Denilson’s quality? is it because he has lost his mind or is there the possibility, just the merest chance, that Arsenal’s manager who has managed over 1500 top flight games has some insight that may just have eluded you? Is possible that a manager of such standing may just have some knowledge that a great blogger like yourself may not have assess to regard the quality of Denilson? I’m only asking…
i think ricos interpretation was meant to be funny..
and i truly believe that wenger knows what denilsons qualitys are..
and hes played so many games due to injuries to others
but now all the players are getting fit, denilsons being used in the cup games..
and once diaby and rambo are back denilson wont even get that
then he will be like vela…not getting games
thats not saying hes a bad player..hes just not as good as everyone else…
morning jacob, you can’t be reading here very often, this blog does not have a dig at players without justification, denilson is renound for his sideways and backward passing – hence the chuckle over Chapmans comments from years gone by….
we all see different things in different players and the idea of blogging is to enable fans to express their own views, no-one is suggesting we are right or wrong, its just an opinion….
If you enjoy watching denilson play then that is fine, however, he doesn’t give me great confidence, that’s just how it is….
I honestly believe that had Frimpong not suffered injury, he would have been pushing Denilson all the way for his place, my own view is that he would have won the battle too….
jj, i always thought the little smiley would give the irony away, i guess it was missed….
Hi all.i have just read yesterday’s post and i must say it was fantastic.HC’s W-M formation really set the tone for modern formations.
yes rico
good call
forgot frimpong..
Rico,
I don’t want to come on your site and basically start a confrontation but I also presume that when a blogger expresses an opinion on a public blog that allows a facility for comments that the person want opinions that are politely expressed even if they are opposed to bloggers view.
In that spirit may I just ask how and why you think that Wenger is a “dreadful” defensive coach? How is that possible… this season we have been without our best CB and still we have a better defensive record away from home that ManU! they’ve conceded 14 goals to our 11. At home they are better having conceded 7 goals to our 11. So all told ManU have conceded one goal less than us in league this season despite us having had to play with two CBs that are brand new to the premiership and Johann Djourou who was injured for all of last season… and yet you say that Wenger is a “DREADFUL” ( your exact words) defensive coach. I’m really interested in how you came to this conclusion?
Frimpong was looking to have gone above den in the pecking order.i hope he recovers well as he has qualities to be a top player.
hi ktr…
the WM was a marvellous piece of tactical genoius at its best..years ahead of its time
just like wengerball…
Denilson’s sideways passing has its benefits sometimes.barca were battering us left right and centre until he came on as all our hollywood passes lead to us losing possession and barca would be on the prowl again.xavi himself passes sideways alot as it stretches the opposition while keeping possession.xavi however makes defence splitting passes when the opportunity comes while denilson rarely attempts this and thats why he is much maligned.
i think this year we have been better
but in seasons passed wenger has struggled to find the right balance..
he tinkered with formations, lineup, square pegs in round holes and refused to drop a keeper who was poor..
its changed this season its coming together but its taken a long time in coming..
Hi KT, thanks re yessterday, HC changed the game in so so many ways, we as a club have a lot to thank him for…
ktr i got involved in a denilson debate the other night..
and jj’s tactical head went to work and i studied denilson properly and i came up with a theory…
i will post it on here as well shortly and i would like you to comb through it…see what you think
DENILSONS SHIT
jacob – again it’s just me view, if we look at most of his successful signings they have all been attack minded – Sol and TV are exceptions and Kos is still growing…
He inherited one of the best defensive units but let it dwindle away…
Goals conceded stats don’t lie, many managers would look at this weakness in our game and rectify it, where as AW seemded to just believe in ‘we’ll score more than you’…
I know you will mention Gallas, in all honesty, I would rather we had paid what the right money to Cole and kept him…..
Is Denilson’s renown for passing sideways and backwards based on an actual analysis of what he does during a a game as opposed to what other midfielders of his type do or is it merely what the fans and bloggers feel? I only ask because Makalele, Ray Wilkins, Dunga, Didier Deschamps and even Sergio Busquets could all have the same accusation levelled at them and still they’re considered great players by most knowledgeable coaches and fans. I’m just interested on what your opinion of Denilson is based, is it merely a gut reaction, or is based on an actual analysis of what the guy does and why a coach like Wenger may rate him highly enough to have given him over 100 starts for the club. I too rate Frimpong very highly but having a better younger player doesn’t make the slightly older player no good.
Any way I think I have to go now. Thanks for allowing my comments and good luck.
😆
im just joking..the real one on next..
I also like how denilson provides safety option when our midfielders are under pressure.he also drifts in well in the gaps in midfield and thats why he has so many interceptions.what often lets him down is lack of pace/strength making it easy to knock him off the ball.this coupled with day dreaming also results in him failing to deal with midfield runners resulting in goals such as rooney’s at home last season which sky replayed over and over again.
jacob, i think he earned the nickname ‘crab’ based on stats – his pass completion is up there with the best, but i believe that most passes made were short, sdieways or back…..
Please don’t think i am saying denilson is no good, he is a ok squad player (in my opinion) but a top, world class club like ours could do a lot better….
jacob, of course your comments would be allowed, you are voicing your own opinion, i’m not suggesting you are wrong, we just disagree with our view and thats just fine….
jj, i guessed that 😉
KT, good comment about denilson, he has qualities, but sadly other aspects of his game are his downfall and so often his errors/weakness end up in us conceding goals….
I have a mutt that needs a long walk, back in a while….
denilson has a role..its to give and go..he gets the ball and he passes it quick….thats his game and i give him credit for being consistant in his duties, his stats suggest this…
now, against teams that press us, it works fine…in fact, its fair to say it works more than fine, they press, denilson passes sharpley, keeps the triangles neat and tidy, ‘positive possesion’ and we pass round them…easy..job done..the creators in the team then go to work in the final third..
but, against teams that sit back and with denilson playing so deep..the triangles in the centre of the pitch while the oppo are 20 yards away just sat waiting for you, are not so fine…it still looks pretty, and we still keep possession, and the stats percentage stay high, but it has absolutley no effect as the opposition are sat back, pretty triangles and sharp passing in the middle of the pitch are easily defended…more direct play is needed to cut through the parked bus, passing the ball about between yourselfs when nobody is pressing just wastes time…its ‘negative possession’ the oppo are just containing you and waiting for the counter..
against teams that park the bus against us like chelsea and shit teams like that, denilson although remains very consistant in his role, has very little effect, and although hes very technical hes not tenacious, so when the physical battle is in full flow hes not very effective either, although he reads the game well he has moments of concentration lapses and he gets caught out of position, outpaced and outmuscled fairly easy…
but against the teams that press quickly and dont use a physical game, denilson is a very effective player, as proven against barca last year…
denilsons abit of what you call a one trick pony, his attributes make him look good and effective againt certain teams, at the same time not so against others….
whereas jack is more of an all rounder, he can dribble, pass the short quick ball as well as the direct ball and hes tenacious, he gets stuck in…and it makes him effective against both styles of pressers and bus parkers….which is why hes in the first team and denilsons not…
denilsons not shit, as everyone who doesnt like him likes to point out, but hes not brilliant either, who everyone who loves him likes to point out..
being objective, hes a very useful, very good, squad player who will do a job when required, but only is effective against certian teams…hes not a key player, we dont miss him when hes injured, hes just a squad player
Brilliant comment jj.that explains why denilson can be brilliant against barca and poor against chavs/city.he looked brilliant when he first came but his growth has somehow stunted.
thanks ktr
i got a little bit of a pounding for it to be honest..
but i trust your judgement more than most.. 😉
ive gotta get off now…
i see my girl saturdays so i will leave you all to it..
i doubt il be back on today but il see you for the match tomorrow
Rico,
I just have to respond to your last comment to me…I fully understand that you are expressing an opinion and I respect that, I really do but for opinions to have any value they have to have some basis in fact, No? If you say that Wenger is a “DREADFUL” defensive coach then surely you have have some basis in fact for making such a statement. I’m not trying to give you hard time or anything but I’m curious as to why your opinion is so out of kilter with reality.
Even what you say about Wenger inheriting a strong back 4 is not entirely true. I am old enough to remember when Wenger first arrived and my recollection wasn’t of people saying he’d inherited a wonderful back 4 at all, most people were asking how he’d go about replacing an aged defence! And let’s not forget that that same back 4 conceded over 40 goals in the season we finished twelfth. I’ve actually seen an analysis that compares the defences of George Graham and Arsene Wenger and Wenger’s comes out on top! That is despite the fact that George often used to play the likes of Andy Linigan and Steve morrow in midfield.
Finally the back 4 of the invincible team was Lauren, Kolo Toure, Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole and that group is every bit as good as Dixon, Adams, Bould and Winterburn… in fact I’d argue that Wenger’s back 4 is the classier. … so it cannot be right to say that Wenger frittered away GG’s defensive legacy. Even a player like Cygan who was much maligned put in some outstanding performances for the club… I recall in particular his performance against Roma at the Olympico and the fact that he then went on to win player of the season at Villarreal tells me that he was nowhere near as bad as fans love to make out.
Finally… defending is not something done by the back 4 alone any more than attacking is something some done by the front 3 or 4 I think that this is something a lot of us would do well to remember when we go on about GG’s Back4, as legendary and respected as they are their success under Wenger had as much to with the protection they got from Petit and Vieira.
Once again thank you and have a good day.
It was also interesting to hear Aw say he hates midfielders that can only either attack or defend.that should settle the clamour for our fans for us to sign the ‘next makelele’.Arrigo Sacchi has always been an advocate of universal players.his milan team in the late 80s played 4-4-2 but all the players had to know how to attack and defend.he said the man with the ball is the playmaker when they attack and the striker is the first defender when they lose the ball.he explained this ideology with the example of how makelele at madrid was just a specialist at defending while zidane was an attack specialist.this meant that both were useless when circumstances forced them to reverse their roles.am glad we don’t have specialists in our team as more often than not leads to ‘broken teams’ such as Maradonna’s Argentina.
hey id just like to add my thoughts and i have to say i agree that wenger is not a great defensive coach. all i have to say to back this up is STEPANOVS,CYGAN plus all the useless GKs. these are the unknowns he tried to coach. Campbell was already great as was the back 5 he inherited. Lastly, I dont rate Koscielny very highly either and i just hope this wont come back to haunt us.
Sorry Jacob but you strike me as a bit of an internet bully. When you are stating an opinion you say all opinions should be allowed but when others do, you ask for minute details as to why they have those opinions.
Why do you have your opinions on Denilson? What are you reasons for liking him?
I don’t like him because he allows opposition midfielder’s to run past him, his tackling is not up to scratch and he seems mentally of the pace when the game picks up pace.
As for Wilkins, I was going to games when he was playing and he was given the nickname of The Crab because he would not play a forward pass.
As for the Torres thing, I think i have already covered my thoughts on Wenger’s plans about top class players killing the youth’s progression.
Will…
I’d be quite horrified if Rico thinks that I’m bullying her or anyone else. I am not a bully and what you say is not remotely true. I haven’t asked for the minutest details at all… if anything I’m the one whose given quite a few reasons for my views especially on the question of the Wenger’s competence in organising his team’s defence.
What I think is funny is that your post asks me to defend why I “LIKE” Denilson when I have never said that I like him as such. My point to Rico was that, the guy had become something of a scapegoat for some fans and some bloggers and I wanted to know how Rico could possibly know what Chapman would have made of Denilson and why she thought him so unfit for Arsenal. Unless you are prone to over literal interpretations of what others say you’d have to accept that I never asked Rico for any minute details regarding Denilson… it simply didn’t happen.
Your point about Wilkins rather makes my point for me… Wilkins was called the crab by a load of fans but he played not only great number of matches for England but was one of our most successful players in Italy when Italy was Europe’s top league. So what’s the value of calling him the crab when the people who really knew the game rated him so highly?
The rest of your post has nothing to do with me TBH… I don’t recall saying anything about Torres and quite frankly it is of no interest to me. Your views on progression and whatever else under Wenger are your views are you are thoroughly entitled to them.
I hope you don’t find my tone bullying 🙂
Sorry I do.
Rico is allowed her opinion without it being question. You can put your thoughts on the player forward without questioning someone else’s opinion.
Denilson is not of Arsenal quality, Nik B is not of Arsenal quality. These are facts for me.
Boo…..
Will,
I want Torres at Arsenal and if that kills Nikki B’s chances then I all the more for it…..
Will…
My understanding of the point of blogging is that a blogger sets out a view and then invites others to comment on that view… is that not so? Or is it only the views that are in line with the bloggers opinion that are welcome? I’m not telling Rico that she cannot hold her views… I’m questioning what her views are based on and how factually based they are… I have no right to tell Rico what to say but I do think it fair to comment on what she says … after all that’s the whole point of blogging!! No one on Earth should be allowed an unquestioned opinion and most certainly not in a democracy. I find your view to be quite absurd TBH.
The rest of your stuff is quite frankly infantile… the players you name may or may not be of Arsenal quality but nothing in your post makes them FACTS… not if you know what the word “FACT” actually means.
Finally… and I do really mean finally, life is too short to waste ones time with irascible folk looking for an argument on the internet. At the very least try and make your comments interesting without trying to bait people into arguments by calling mere opinions ‘facts’ and calling people bullies for replying to an opinion expressed in a blog with a comment section.
jacob, I’m back now and yes i have a right to my opinion as do you – i don’t think denilson is good enough to be in our first team, nor does wenger as he isn’t picked when everyone is fit…
You mention Kolo and Sol, i did say that Sol and TV were the exceptions to his defensive purchases but Sol made Kolo look good inho….
As for the ‘aged’ defence, i think thats quite harsh on those four players, Wenger came in 1996, when did they retire??
jacob
‘Even a player like Cygan who was much maligned put in some outstanding performances for the club’
You are not being serious are you 😉
Oli, sorry for the delay in letting you on, all first comments go into moderation…
Those two names had slipped my mind, either that or i just try and forget they ever wore an afc shirt….
Hi Guys,
Well said Will. 🙂
Jacob you can have your opinion and no one will object to that. But you are coming across as argumentative and hectoring
For example, in my opinion cabbage is a crap food and I won’t eat it, I would not expect to have to justify that opinion to you or anyone else. It’s just my opinion. Get what I mean?
Hi Rico,
After your excellent Post yesterday I was amused to see the Daily Mail doing a mock question and answer with the great Herbert Chapman.
You are leading the media pack! 🙂
Hi RA,
I had a feeling that Herbert Chapman would feature this weekend, how could he not… I just got in there first 😉
I think jacob is just asking me to justify why i believe wenger is a dreadful defensive coach, i guess any manager who tells the world that defenders don’t need coaching is a good start…
Some of his defensive signing have been dodgy to say the least, thats another thing….
Anyway, sadly i have a date with a Dyson 🙁 🙁
Back in a bit….
Finally… and I do really mean finally, life is too short to waste ones time with irascible folk looking for an argument on the internet.
Just read your first post Jacob, isn’t that exactly what you did?
afternoon all,
Jon Jon Liked your comment on Czezsney Domino effect he certain had an effect on Sagna, i think his going to be dodgy
For a bloke of 6’& or whatever he is he was miles away from that cross miles away
Hi all, we signed anyone yet 😉
No Rico, not yet.
mme, had a feeling that would be the answer Will, any news re Torres…
Chavs have got to play a replay against Everton after a 1-1 draw, that’s good news…..
Red Arse…
I have to confess that I don’t know what you mean. Maybe it’s just me but your analogy is flawed. To say you don’t like Cabbage because you hate its taste or whatever is not an opinion any sane person would ask you to justify…. if you said though that people who eat cabbage are stupid or that eating cabbage is bad for you then you DO have to justify that opinion because it is an opinion that impacts others. In the same vein, if you say that you don’t like Denilson because he passes sideways or whatever then it is not an opinion anyone can ask you to justify as it is your personal preference. If you do say however that Denilson is not fit to play for Arsenal then I’m afraid that people are within their rights to ask you to justify it because Arsenal football club is not your property and your opinion as expressed goes beyond your own taste or feelings alone. As for the idea of being argumentative on a blog… I’d have thought that blogs were supposed to be where people discuss and argue about issues of common interest. Is that no so? I’d hate to think that I’m hectoring anyone but for me arguments are about finding the logical basis for things and the best way to get to a logical fallacy is to ask straight questions.
Rico… do you have a quote of Wenger saying that defenders don’t need coaching? Is it something he really said because I cannot begin to believe that he said something so silly TBH. Defenders do need coaching definitely and if Wenger thinks otherwise he is wrong and your opinion is wholly justified. That’s why I’m wondering if you a link to the actual quote.. I’ve done a search and I can’t find it.
Not looking for an argument Jacob?
Rico, I SNN said he has a £50m buy out clause, I think Chelsea will get him for between £40m and £45m but it is still stupid that the Chavs are allowed to spend money they don’t make.
Rico…
You got me on Cygan 🙂 I’d just like to point out though that he played 13 straight league matches for us in our invincible season and we never lost… so he wasn’t totally rubbish.
Have a nice day all and hopefully no one is too offended. I enjoyed the chat and Rico you are doing a nice job with your blog and I mean that sincerely.
Paris St Germain manager Antoine Kombouare has revealed that talks with Mamadou Sakho over a new deal have been postponed.
The 20-year-old defender is regarded as a hot prospect for the future and is reportedly being tracked by a number of top clubs across Europe, including Arsenal.
Since making his debut at the age of 17, Sakho has gone on to become an integral part of the set-up at Parc des Princes, as well as a full France international.
PSG are doing their utmost to keep the player, who is of Senegalese descent, but Kombouare admits that talks have been delayed for the time being.
“We tried to extend Sakho’s contact. I really want to keep him at the club, but on a financial level we could not make it and had to postpone talks,” he said.
“We don’t have the means to prolong the stay of a very important boy with a bright future.”
PSG are currently looking good for a serious title challenge in Ligue 1 this term and Sakho has played an important part so far.
However, it is doubtful that he will remain in France for the long-term and it remains to be seen which clubs make moves in the transfer market.
jacob, you are like a bad case of the flu, just when you think it’s gone you get a niggly little cold comes back 😉 😉
If you read again today, why not write me a post on your views and send it for us to chat about?? Thats a sincere offer too….
Maybe you can talk about the Silvestre signing too and how good he was 😉 😉
I think the chavs will get him too Will, bloody annoying that will be…. Talk was they are throwing a player in with the deal, Sturridge i think i read…
You read correctly young Rico.
Jacob, well done, sir.
I applaud your attempts to open a genuine debate. I am highly amused by the consternation and disapproval which greeted your requests for evidence or clarification. How odd that rico, some woman off the internet, with no track record in coaching or even playing the game as far as we know, apparently has a right not to be questioned, whereas Arsene Wenger, coach of the decade, most successful coach at Arsenal since Chapman, does not.
😆 me, young, i wish 🙁
Hi FunGunner, you are wrong on both accounts, i played football and coached the game…….
Wenger is one of the best coaches in the world of football but if you are unable to admit we have had defensive floors over the last 3/4 seasons then i have to ask you the same question about playing and coaching?
Young England international Kieran Gibbs has thanked Arsene Wenger for launching his promising career.
Wenger handed a debut to the Arsenal left-back aged just 18 and Gibbs has since enjoyed a meteoric rise to the England squad.
And the 21-year-old reckons there is no better manager for a young player to learn from than his Arsenal mentor.
He said: “If you have a manager who can get the best out of you, and at the same time gives you self belief, it’s the best thing that can happen to you.
“I owe Arsene Wenger for almost everything in my career.
“He picked me in the first team when I was very young and trusts me even if I do something wrong.”
I ask one question FG. What kind of goal do we let in the most?
Someones been messing with Wikki – this is on the page for Sakho….
On January 29th 2011, Arsenal confirmed the signing of Sakho for an undisclosed fee on a 3 year deal.
Just watching Utd players getting off the coach for their match against Southampton, i must admit i was impressed with the players dressed in suits, without headsets looking like football representatives for their club. Professional looking, am i old fashioned to believe this is the right way to portray professional football.
Steve is George Graham.
I am probably older Will, just like the look thats all
Hi Steve – times change, the players like to blank out all the idiots around them, blast their ‘zone’ music in their ears…..
Are you old fashioned, i dont think so……
Thank you for your kind words rico, although Arsenal through and through, huge respect for Fergie as for Arsene two legends in my eyes
Looking forward to seeing chamberlain.
Steve, as much as I cannot stand the man, i would be a fool to say fergie isn’t one of the greatest managers ever, arrogant, pig-headed, horrid, gum chewing, annoying managers yes, but his records speaks for itself – to question that would be foolish…..
did you see about Sakho on Wikki Steve??
me too Will,i still think he will join us – i’m even watching this game…
i think the saints could cause a shock….
rico forget Sakho, we will never see him, plus his happy where he is
I hope so.
I know Steve but i was saying about someone must have fiddled with the Wikki page, its funny – take a look 🙂
It’s been changed now…
Boo! rico…
Torres to the Chavs?
Burst into 😥
Boo agag, i knew you wouldn’t like that, i don’t either, i hope kenny holds him to his contract….
how’s the resort and hotel 🙂
Has the Oxo boy done anything yet?
Didnt know he had signed rico lol
Fantastic, rico. 🙂 I wasn’t even aware it had been raining here almost non-stop for a month… But we arrived, and what do you know, it’s their first sunny day in aaaages. 🙂 🙂
As for my second favorite Spanish player… If I hadn’t just brushed my teeth, I think I think I’ll cry into another mojito (and you know I’m a GG girl).
Wait, I think I’ll 😥 some more…
ha ha steve, just makes me chuckle when fans go and change the wikki page 🙂
agag, see, you take sunshine where ever you go 😉 😉
Don’t worry about your second fav spaniard, reyes will be ok 😉 😉
A fair few Englishmen with their… err… nubile things. 😉
Hahaha on Reyes, rico. I think I have to begin conditioning myself to think “Torres? Eurgh.” 😉 The Pool fans must be gutted. I remember the Cesc to Stains media blitz over the summer, and how sickening it all was… and he didn’t even hand in a transfer request. Rooney and Torres positively make Cescy look like a choir boy.
Great article on HC yesterday, by the way. 😉
Hi, Steve. Howdy?
1-0 to the Saints 🙂
Forget Oxo, get Chaplow 😉 😉
😆 re cesc agag,
As for the dippers, i don’t care how the dipper fans feel if i’m honest, just wish he was joining us…..
Hi AGAG, you sunning yourself then,allright for some, UTD struggling one down
rico, you’re tough. 😉 I think Xavi, who’s begun to speak of Cesc again, should meet you.
Good night, kids. I still have a lot of feeling morose and brooding and all hard done by to do. 😥
Torres in blue is making me feel blue, blue, blue. 😥
The weather’s lovely here, Steve. I hope it holds. 🙂 🙂
OXO boy could look good in red
Dont get to burnt factor 50
I have forgotten the thrill of having a new superstar signing.chavs fans are all giddy at the moment.i wish Aw would just surprise us…
I know what you mean KT. Wenger doesn’t seem to fully understand the impact on the fans when we sign a true world super-star.
agag, me and him in a dark alley 🙂
see you soon, have a wonderful time….
must be time for a utd penalty
Hi KT, we have the money, AW should test the water…..
Steve, nah, Webb isn’t the ref 😉
57 mins and fergie rings the change at 1-0 down, when does our old fox make the changes in similar circumstances?
Bollards 🙁 1-1
I want that Chamberlain at Arsenal.
He’s good Will, so strong too, he really is built like an Ox….
I’m off for the day fine folk, see you tommorow, early KO which is super dooper…
Be good and stay safe
Night all…..
I see MAn Ut are getting the ref on thier side like usual.
well done will,
well done RA (cabage) lol
there was a time when i would go in all guns blazing in a ‘debate’ like that wouldnt i rico..but i really have no time anymore for blog bullies who demand answers from other bloggers opinions without offering a reason of their own…the ‘cos i said so’ or ‘arsene knows’ arguement just looks fucking weak..no matter if the blogger went to oxbridge or wherever…
rico you should just tell everyone you played for arsenal ladies…
but that would make you a liar…or would it 😆
chamberlains got skills hasnt he…can see why wenger is tracking him…
unlucky southampton..they got really tired after a huge effort…
steve..
sorry for the delayed response fella…
i agree that ches fucked up with the sagna thing..he didnt need to come…
but the one thing it does show is that he isnt afraid to charge through 6 players to get the ball…almunias shit scared of that he stays on his line for everything and fabs made errors like that all the time and hes much older…
hopefully he will learn that he only needs to do that when the 6 players are all the oppo 😉 i have absolutely no problem with him doing what he did to sagna if they were in a different colour jersey..
i remember schmeichal would charge and go all out to clear the ball…if it meant punching his own defenders head off he would do it..i seen him floor neville on more than one occasion..neville wasnt born that ugly he was made that ugly by schmeichal…lol
i think everyone has there own reservations about ches..but i also think hes the best keeper we have he just needs the games to prove it..
we will know more about him at the end of the season i suppose but if wenger can give denilson 100 starts he can give ches them as well..i think the only difference is ches will become undroppable…
JonJon we beg to differ on this one, but sure give the guy a good chance, i hope your right mate
Morning….
new posty up